Fat Bikes in the Olympics?

Fat Bikes are allowed one day a year on Wisconsin's Birkebeiner ski trail.
The Fat Bike Birkie doubles as this year's U.S. National Fat Bike Championship.
Photo credit: Kelly Randolph on Travel Wisconsin

I've been fascinated by the BBC recaps of daily Olympic events. I love the biathlon, snow boarding, skating; I even marvel at the tactical aspects of curling.

But something is missing: the fat bike.

Biking events, of course, are traditionally found in the Summer Olympics. Not too long ago BMX riding was added as a sport. I watched, fascinated with the bobbing heads of riders as they zipped around the dirt course. When the riders went airborne, well, what a fantastic spectator sport.

This year the Winter Olympics introduced Slopestyle Skiing and Luge Relay as new venues. With the growing interest in fat bikes and competitions, and as our perceptions and perspectives change to accept that riding on snow is here to stay, then all things are possible. Is it so farfetched to imagine an Olympic snow bike event?

Picture a biathlon on fat bikes or a bike-only loop course similar to a summer mountain bike event. Or, freestyle downhill. Fat bike polo, anyone?  The location could be a cross country course or ski slope after those respective events come to a close.

What do you think? What Olympic fat biking events would you like to see?

Turkey - A Visit to Ephesus

Follow New Posts in the Around The World series on Mondays.

Click here for the Introduction.

Sanctuary built upon Virgin Mary's last resting place. Photo credit: imaginative traveller

Monday, November 7

Included in the hostel accommodation, the proprietor's son, Harry, drives us plus another couple to Virgin Mary's House then to Ephesus historical site.

We walked around a one story stone structure claimed to be Mary's last resting place. Rebuilt in the early 1900s, the dark edifice is non-descript, however, it's appropriate for Mary's humble lifestyle. There is strong evidence that she actually lived in Ephesus. Jesus placed the care of his mother to Saint John, whose basilica rests on a hilltop in Selcuk. Plus a woman in the 1800s had a vivid vision, pinpointing the exact location. 

Amphitheater. Photo credit: Ephesus

Library. Photo credit: Ephesus

Ephesus is the main attraction. It's a well preserved city of buildings climbing up a hillside, once the heart of a thriving commercial seaport. We have to use our imaginations to picture a city perched on water; today the Aegean Ocean is approximately 5 kilometers due west. We walk down a mosaic road, which leads to a surprisingly intact 1,500 seat amphitheater. It's a veritable outdoor museum. Again, we tag along with an English speaking tour, a practice that reveals more historical information than otherwise gleaned from a guide book kindly loaned from our pansiyon. A tall columned library front remains, lending scale to this Roman city.

Latrines at Ephesus. Photo credit: Ephesus

Of particular amusement was a long row of toilets, a series of holes in a stone bench. We learned that a musician serenaded the users. It was also a place to swap gossip. I mused about how the Western world has placed so much emphasis on privy privacy that a group “effort” paints a comical picture. And of course, Daryl (other hostel traveler) and Andy posed on the toilets, clothed, but quite literally cheek to cheek while Anna and I took pictures.

Back in town we bargained for produce and picked up other essentials. Our diet is sometimes a struggle. Bread is white. We consume yogurt, tahini spread, feta and Turkish cheese (I believe a mild sort of feta), fruit, and vegetables. On the way by a park we greet a man who's helping himself to a satsuma tree. He smiled and tossed two oranges to us. It's that type of friendliness that defines the Turkish people.

The True Winter Heroes

Rider in Madison, Wisconsin. Photo credit: Michelle Stocker, The Cap Times

I see brave souls, taking the lane, bundled up against the cold.

They often ride without studded tires, on any style of bike.

Getting from one place to another.

Flashing lights, backpack, panniers, or messenger bag.

The true heroes of winter are the everyday riders, braving the elements.

Aw, My Bikes are Dusty!

Road through the Intervale. Crusty snow.

So there you have it. I found lots of dust on my bike. But that's to be expected when it sits, snuggly beside my other bikes, like ducks in a row, stored on our back porch for a couple weeks. Or longer.

Winter isn't regular riding time for me. Unless... Unless there's a lack of snow for skiing. And, I came up for air after pecking away at the computer, finally finishing a big homework assignment. Outside it's nearly windless and hovering near 30F. With an approaching storm, it's best to take advantage of a calm window of weather.

Change into long underwear and tights, complete a cursory wipe down of my bike—in the kitchen, of course, where it's warm. Quickly oil chain, pull on my fake Ugh boots, warm gloves, pullover, headband, helmet, grab a handful of chocolate chips for energy, and head out the door before I change my mind.

I immediately head to the Intervale for some quiet. Conditions could be bad there, but I'm in luck. I roll and bump over hard packed snow, pock marked from walkers and dogs. We haven't had significant snow for 3 weeks. The cross country trails are, sadly, bare in many places.

A blue jay sweeps in front of my wheel, making me smile. Cool air. Sunshine. I feel alive again.

I stop to navigate a tricky, narrow section of trail close to the Winooski River that overhangs the bank. I haven't seen the river frozen over like this in sometime. Peaceful. And, there's some kind of animal skeleton in the middle, on top of the ice. Something pretty big. But my hands are cold, so I bypass using the camera's zoom lens to figure out what it is. Or was.

I get back on bare roads, quickly warming when I pedal faster again. Then head to the waterfront trail. In places many trees have been taken down in preparation for widening the trail this year. It looks kind of barren now. Utility poles are exposed, resembling a power company right-of-way. Adding width to the most popular pedestrian/bike trail in Vermont will have it's advantages. I'm pleased that this trail is such a boon to the area, attracting people from all over new England, and especially our Canadian neighbors. And for all of us locals who regularly use it.

I am taken aback, excited as I near the lake. Ice! And lots of it. It reaches at least 3 miles west, towards New York.

I detour to North Beach, Coffeenering #2's location, because I have to see the ice up close.

If Lake Champlain is going to freeze, it happens in February. And it rarely occurs every year, more like 1 in 5. At my feet there's a ten foot swath of ice chips, then a big crack, then plates of ice as far as the eye can see. Sun is low, reflecting on the surface. An eerie sound, like  someone hauling a metal row boat over the ice, though it's muffled and happens randomly. That's the sound of ice cracking.

The ice plates up close, resembling a glossy puzzle.

As I near downtown, sun lowers and casts beautiful light on the lake's surface, shimmering on a rough, frozen section.

And, amazingly, as I get to the boathouse, there are people skating, with others standing atop the rocky breakwater, a half mile off shore. I've thought about getting a pair of skates; this would've been the winter to use them.

More Blog Love

It's time to reacquaint readers with a new batch of blogging friends. Four of my initial 10 featured blogs no longer exist, however most of my second round of writers are still going strong. I'm pleased to share a good sampling of guy bloggers this time around.

Trailer Park Cyclist
"Life ain't that bad when you're happy with what you have." Tim's tagline says a lot about his take on everyday happenings and cycling. This Florida blogger has been around the block, but I've recently discovered his witty writing. Posts are few and far between so I tend to savor his rambling, lengthy posts. This is the only blog where I don't mind a lack of photos, because I'm absorbed in his lovely prose.

Ryan's Rebuilds
Ryan hails from Seattle and loves reconditioning old bicycles. Like Hugh, Ryan can't resist restoring old bicycles from yesteryear. He's especially fond of old Peugeots.

Randy & Nova ride Kansas's rail trails. Randy tends the blog, a variety of bikes for himself and grandkids, shares a house full of bike kitsch (he beats me in that department), and makes some funny videos. He likes bike movies as much as I do.

Pennine Pedalling
Georgie loves pedaling hills. Georgie loves sharing landscape photos. Georgie resides in the English countryside.

Pondero 
Chris rides dirt roads through little Texas towns and brews coffee in the wild, sometimes camping overnight in the most picturesque places.

Derrick at family//bike//words does occasional bike overnights (sometimes with his boys) and tinkers with his fleet of mostly black-framed bicycles. He's the only cyclist I've come across that rides at lunch time, often toting a thermos of hot coffee and eats his picnic lunch in an interesting spot. I love photos of his bicycles propped against Kentucky's farm fences.

SUZE CYCLING
Susan takes super photos of the natural world, especially when she's out tooling around western Massachusetts. She'd rather be cycling in France. (Me too, Susan.)

Velovoice
Rebecca covers a lot of ground with her interesting array of bicycles. Her blog is fairly new, but her clear writing and varied topics have gained Velovoice lots of readership.

Mary from Chasing Mailboxes D.C. is an upbeat and prolific writer and can endure mega miles on a bike. She, also, has quite a fleet of bicycles. Her Errandonnee and Coffeeneuring challenges are gaining in popularity.