Carolina Tarwheels

For Lisa Watts, an East Coast Greenway Alliance staffer, writing about the trail was simply not enough. She had to get out there and see it for herself, all 3,000 miles of it, only 1/3 of which is off-road. So she and a girlfriend set out in early May and 2 months later they made it to Maine. Hear her story here: the hills, the thrills, and fortunately, not the spills.

There's a reason why the ancient practice of Yoga has survived for centuries and is flourishing today. To an outsider, the obvious reason is physical - stretching to increase flexibility, and improve posture and balance. What is not obvious are the psychological benefits - how a positive mindset can help us cope with feelings of anxiety, inadequacy, aggression and depression, and to become more relaxed and content.

Steve is actively involved in walking, bicycling, and greenway master planning in the Carolinas and Virginia. He works for Alta Planning and Design, an international consulting firm with an office here in Durham that includes planning, design, and engineering services for active living infrastructure. In this talk, he describes trails in our area, and shares a plethora of resources - trail maps, NC DOT Traffic Volume maps, Strava heat maps, and a trail planning guide - all available online. He also reports on the status of planned trails, like the proposed Triangle Bikeway connecting RTP and Raleigh along I-40.

Popular on the West Coast, Europe and Asia, electric bikes are healthy, convenient, green, economical, and just plain fun. We visited Don Tuttle and Diana Tucker at their new Pedego Electric Bike shop at Southpoint, and found out why eBikes are a good choice for commuters, city dwellers, baby boomers, or anyone who just needs a little more "oomph" to get around on a bike.

From the glacier-sculpted coast of Maine to the beaches of New Hampshire and Cape Cod, New England offers a variety of terrains and scenic views. Molly takes us on a virtual tour starting "down east" at the Sunrise Trail, shared with all-terrain vehicles, cross-country skiers, and snowmobiles; and continuing along the coast to Portland, Portsmouth, Boston, and Providence; then eastward via the spur route to Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod. The route features side-trips to Bar Harbor/Acadia National Park, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. Amtrak offers bike service for some routes, and there are ferries serving ports all along Cape Cod, and from Portland to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. So there are lots of opportunities for creative trip-planners.

In his 10 years of service as a Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician, Captain Howard has responded to lots of accidents and heard the accounts of victims and bystanders. In this lively presentation, Jeff shares with us his experiences and tells us how to avoid accidents and what to do if they happen anyway. Some Terminology Cardiac Arrest - occurs when the heart stops beating, and there is no pulse. Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), for cardiac arrests, consists of chest compressions at a rate of 100/minute (to the beat of the Beegees song, "Stayin' Alive") Anaphylaxis - a life-threatening allergic reaction that can cause shock, a sudden drop in blood pressure and trouble breathing. Ask the person if he or she is carrying an epinephrine autoinjector (EpiPen, Auvi-Q, others) and administer immediately. Call 911. An antihistamine pill, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), isn't sufficient to treat anaphylaxis. Durham One - Non-Emergency number (919) 560-4600 established by the Durham Emergency

Cyclocross, a cross between road biking and mountain biking, is a popular sport in western Europe and in recent years, the US. Kim Bailey has participated as a racer and as a mechanic in a pit crew. Here she shares the thrills and spills of racing, "pitting", and taking it all in as a VIP spectator at the World Championships of this gritty, demanding sport.

Designated during the 1976 Bicentennial, the TransAmerica Trail extends 4,200 miles from Yorktown, Virginia, to Astoria, Oregon; passing through Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. Meet the good people at Grace Episcopal Church who have provided hospitality and fellowship to bikers for the past 14 years.

In addition to the spine route from DC through Richmond to Wilmington, there's an alternate route that forks off from Richmond to Williamsburg, Norfolk, and along the coast to Wilmington.

Tendons connect muscle and bone, and we don't notice them until they get damaged or injured. Healing is a slow process because of low blood supply. Recent injuries can sometimes be treated with anti-inflammatory drugs and ice, whereas older injuries, greater than 6 months, are best treated with minimally-invasive procedures, physical therapy, and high-resolution ultrasound monitoring. Dr. Berkoff is an MD, board certified in Emergency Medicine and Sports Medicine, who practices full time at UNC Orthopedics and specializes in tendon injuries. He treats amateur and professional athletes. At one time he ran a custom bike business doing professional bike fit and design, and was a cyclist and triathlete. Glossary acute - tendonitis is acute, onset less than 2 months ago. chronic - tendonosis is chronic, lasting more than 6 months. cytokine - substances secreted by certain cells of the immune system that have an effect on other cells. deep tissue massage - focuses on deep layers with slow firm stroke

As cyclists, we know all too well what happens when we don't take proper care of our skin - saddle scores, itching, sunburn, and for many of us, skin cancer. Dermatologist Elizabeth Ju tells us how to prevent and treat skin ailments, and the importance of sunscreen on every ride.

Ann Groninger is an avid cyclist, bike safety advocate, and expert on North Carolina bike law. She handles personal injury cases and advises clients in an area of law and insurance that is often poorly understood. Sadly, in some cases, insurance coverage is inadequate to take proper care of victims and their families. Ann strongly recommends that we all check our CAR insurance policies - UnInsured and UnderInsured coverage - and see that it is "maxed out". Something else that we may not be aware of - HOMEOWNERS insurance may come into play in an accident when a motor vehicle is not involved.

In the early 1970s, Raleigh's business community opposed restrictions on development, but after Crabtree Valley Mall opened and experienced recurrent floods, they realized it was not in their best interest to develop flood-prone areas along streams and rivers. City planners recognized the importance of preserving these areas not only for storm-water runoff and sewer lines, but also for water quality, wildlife, parks, recreation, and transportation. Vic Lebsock was the chief Greenway planner for the city of Raleigh for 25 years. In that time he implemented a farsighted plan that recently included 34 miles of new trail along the Neuse River in north Raleigh. There are now 115 miles of bike trails in Raleigh, and along with the American Tobacco Trail, the Triangle section of the East Coast Greenway is 94% complete for 72 miles from Durham to Clayton.

The city of New Bern and the MS Society put the fun back in fundraising. There's something for everyone - 2 days of biking on scenic, rural roads; good food, camaraderie, and entertainment. All this while raising 2 million dollars each year for the National MS Society.

A morning ride in rural Orange county - fields, pastures, meadows, barns, country stores, and churches - all for the cause of supporting bike organizations and infrastructure. Hear from the riders and volunteers who make it happen.

Rob and Kaleb's team finished in 5th place, without mishaps and without much sleep, and raised 30K for MS

Costumes, games, stunts, skits, music, beer, food trucks, Dr. Seuss bikes - it's like Mardi Gras on 2 wheels with proceeds going to 3 local nonprofits: Bike Walk NC, the Triangle Spokes Group, and the Durham Bike Co-Op.

Rob Fontes and Kaleb Naegeli are about to embark on a cross country relay race, on a team with 8 riders. Hear what they have to say before the big ride. In Part 2 we will hear from them after the ride.

Where there are no bike lanes, we mostly ride on the right side of the lane, but by law in all 50 US states, we are entitled to use the full lane. NC State researchers George Hess and Nils Peterson conducted a study of road signs to find out how to best communicate this to the public.

From the colonial capital of Williamsburg to the modern capital of Richmond, this new trail follows the James River along a scenic path that offers something for everyone. Meet some of the people who made it happen, and who participated in the recent Cap-to-Cap bike ride.