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PRESIDENT
VICE PRES
SECRETARY

Tacoma Wheelmen’s Club
PO. Box 99555
Tacoma, WA 98499

See 5,000 STP riders up close and get personal! The Tacoma Wheel- men's Club is once again staffing the Spanaway Checkpoint on the an- nual Seattle-to-Portland Bicycle Classic. Volunteers will be kept en- tertained, and busy, as one-and two- day riders stream into Spanaway for their first official break in this 200-mile event. We will set up the checkpoint, set out lots of food, provide assistance and generally share in the excitement. All of our 1986 volunteers had so much fun, they plan to return for 1987. They promise you won't be bored.

Come for the day or even a cou-
ple of hours, Friday and Saturday,
June 19th. and 20th., approximately
6:00 am to 11:00 am. STP organizers
plan to bring caps; these have be-
come real collector's items-for vol-
unteers only! To sign up, call Sue
Given at 565-0535.

PS-TWC has been receiving many
compliments about our Spanaway
checkpoint ever since the 1986-STE.
Many thanks to last years volunteers
for generating so much great P.R. §
for the Club.

-Sue Given

759-5616
848-3714
878-5465
565-0535
759-1816
759-4971

MILLERSYLVANIA LABOR DAY TOUR
September 5-7, 1987

Making those cycling plans for this summer? Why not finish the season with this three day tour of Pierce and Thurston counties. The first day will be a 59 mile ride over little used backroads from Orting to Millersylvania State Park. On Sunday there will be op- tional tours, swimming, and hiking. The last day will be a beautiful ride back to Orting.

The cost of $30 for adults and
$18 for children 12 and under will
include breakfasts, suppers, sag-
wagon (to carry gear), maps and
cabins.

For information, applications,
and reservations please send a
self-addressed legal size envelope
to N.B.T.S. c/o Terry & Lori King,
7001 S. Montgomery, Tacoma, WA
98409, PH: (206)474-7698.

TWC
SATURDAY,

PICNEC
AUGUST 22

HORSESHOE LAKE COUNTY PARK
dust. north of Purdy on the
Kitsap Peninsula...

The club picnic will -be in
August this year. REMEMBER to
save this date--you won't want to
Miss it.

BOYD, CHARLES RICHARD
CARLSON, TIM

CASSMAN> BILL & TONI CHAPMAN; JANA CONNETT>» GARY & DIANE CORNETT> BEVERLY CRAWFORD, BARBARA DENNIS; BARBARA B. DINICOLA, RICK

RURY, DAVE & LISA
LSON; AUDREY

VANS» CHERYL
ERNAONDEZ: Aw. 8 D. L.
OY Bue

ERACI, VICTORIA
L.AADMAN;, NORMA JEAN
LASS,» LEE & SACHIKO
RAMLICHs CARLA A.
ARPER, DAVID R.

UNT» JO ANNE
JACKSON; BOB

Nea JTM

CLASH. FREDERICK E..
LOWER; GILL

MAC INTYRE»s JOHN

MONRO; BRUCE B.

NILSON», RON & CHARLENE
NORDLUND, LISA

PARKINS, LARYE & JUDY
ROBINSON; SANDY

RUE> BRIAN BAIRD & SHARON SALZMAN; MARK & MARTHA SCHAFER,DOUG & DUE» DEBBIE SCHULTE, LANCE N. SMITH, ANDREW & LINDA SPECHT, ROBERT & NANCY TEAGARDIN> BOB

TUCKER; ROBERT & JASON
VARES,» VALERIE

Steve Larson reports an error in
the LAW Calendar. Steve recently
wrote to San Juan Cyclist, and it has
been confirmed that the correct date
for the Metric Century-% Century is
Saturday, August 29, not August 20,
as printed in the calendar.

If you have been unable to find
the TWC rides in the INT--look no more,
they are now appearing in Wednesday's
edition, in the Sports section, under
the 'GO FOR IT' column.

If you have a favorite place wioirice,
please fill out this form. 18 you
need any help on routes to lead a
ride or help to get cue sheets or
maps copied, please let us know.

Bteve & Phyllis Lay,
Touring Captains

[fs S 55S SSS SS SS SSS

-
Your Ride

DATEs DAY:

STARTING at

TIME(S): at

DESCRIPTION: (Brief details of the ride, if riders
should bring food or money, etc.)

MILESs CAMPING: YES. NO

NUMBER OF DAYSs

TERRAIN: FLAT PACEs LEISURELY

ROLLING MODERATE
SOME STEEP HILLS FAST
HILLY
SERVICES: FULL - LIMITED - NONE
LEADER(S)1 PHONE!
PHONES

Ce

Scan the road behind. eam to look back over your shoulder | without losing your balance or swerving left. Some riders use rear-view mirrors. Always look | back before changing lanes or | changing positions within your lane, and only move when no other vehicle is in your way.

Obey traffic signs and signals.
Bicycles must behave like other
vehicles if they are to be taken

seriously by motorists.

Follow lane markings. Don't
turn left from the right lane.
Don't go straight in a lane
marked right-turn-only.

“i

Avoid road hazards. Watch out
for parallel-slat sewer grates,
slippery manhole covers, oily
pavement, gravel and ice. Cross
railroad tracks and speed
bumps carefully at right angles

Use hand signals. Hand signals

tell motorists what you intend to
do. Signal as a matter of law, of
courtesy, and of self protection.

Ride in a straight line when-
ever possible and ride with
traffic. Keep to the right, but stay
about a car door width away
from parked cars.

Watch for cars pulling out.
Make eye contact with drivers

Assume they don't see you until
you are sure they do.

Choose the best way to turn left. There are two ways to make a left turn. (1) Like an auto. Look, signal, move into the left lane, and turn left. (2) Like a pedestrian. Ride straight to the far-side crosswalk. Walk your bike across.

oi
CON

Go slow on sidewalks and bike paths. Pedestrians have the right-of-way. By law you must give pedestrians audible warning when you pass. Don't cross driveways or intersections without slowing to a walker’s : pace and looking very carefully for traffic (especially traffic turn- ing right on a green light)

Ride a well equipped bike. Always use a strong headlight and taillight at night and when visibility is poor. Be sure your bike is adjusted to fit you prop- FP erly. For safety and efficiency, outfit it with bells, rear-view mir rors, fenders (for rainy rides), and racks, baskets or bike bags.

Lock your bike when you're gone. Buy the best locking sys- tem you can afford; none is as expensive as a new bike. A U- shaped high security lock is best. Lock the frame and rear wheel to a fixed object. If you have a quick release, you can also lock the front wheel.

DIAGRAMS COURTESY OF THE
PORTLAND, ORE. BICYCLE PROGRAM

Spring Training With
The Spoke Wenches

The cold rainy winter is left behind and it’s time to bare those anemic white legs to the sun's rays. Already there is a hint of a tan-line. With the arrival of spring, I've decided to stop bitching about cold wet parking lots. The new theme is leaderless rides in Seattle. Well actually a leader did show up, but for reasons which we shall not go into here, he turned around and went home, leaving us to our own devices which did not include a cue sheet. Now | have not the foggiest idea of how to get around in Seattle. I'd rather take a beating than drive to Seattle. | know how to get from my house to Lisa’s and that’s it. If a road is closed or there is a detour, I can’t get there from here. The only people who knew where we were going were on tandems. Showing no mercy, away they went and it was all downhill from there. Due to a misunderstanding, Lisa was riding stoker position with Keith Martin on the yellow lemon. “You mean she threw you over for a guy,” quipped Greg. Oh well, so much for loyalty.

Regressing back in time, it’s Daffodil Weekend. Whoever was in charge of weather this year, should be put on permanent status. I'm glad we replaced last year’s committee with some new blood. It was going to be our first 100 mile day of the year but somehow we became confused on the new loop and missed two killer hills. Oh damn, we're six miles short!

Another Action-Packed, Fun-Filled Weekend

This was to be the weekend we would make the hurdle—the
elusive first 100-mile day for the year. The event—The Inland
Empire Century in the Tri Cities.

Load the car and then the tandem for the maiden voyage of Lisa's new Yakima Rack. Could we do this alone? We could and we did, with a minimum amount of chain grease on our arms. This is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Included in the luggage, as a gift for our host, was a six-pack of Ballard Bitter (Ya sure, Ya Betcha) sans twist open caps or a church key. The line was long and slow to get over the bridge and it wasn't long before Lisa got thirsty. What to do? At 75 miles an hour, I’m rummaging through the tool bag. Let's see, no a spoke wrench won't work, same for a crescent wrench or 10mm open end. Ah, sweet success, the little slip joint pliers. I did a reasonable job of steering while Lisa figured out the logistics of creative bottle opening. She always was more mechanical than I.

Three and a half hours later we're in the Tri Cities. At a crucial intersection we zigged when we should have zagged. A few miles down the road loomed a barracade and a guard gate complete with guard in fatigues. “Where are we?” “You're at Hanford where we make bombs.” “Bombs,” | gasped, “I thought you just made electricity.” In a calm but final tone he said, “Make a U-turn right here and GOOD NIGHT LADIES.”

Seven a.m. the temperature is 80 and climbing rapidly. Already my enthusiasm is waning. Fifty-eight miles into the ride, Dammon exclaims, “My front fender is loose.” The next instant the front wheel is locked and he is flying over the handlebars. | watch in horror as he lands directly on the top of his head and shoulder. (We rated it a 9.5 for difficulty.) My God, he’s not moving. Twenty minutes later we had every emergen- cy vehicle in Benton County there, two fire trucks, one am- bulance, state patrol, city police and county sherrif. It was a slow day and they all wanted a piece of the action.

The usual routine questions followed. I held my breath when the medic asked “Are you currently on any medication?” “Just Midol,” Dammon replied. Lisa and | roared. In disgust the am- bulance driver demanded, “Who is the presid

nt of this club?”

Still doubled over laughing, we pointed down at Dammon and
said “He is.”

They loaded him aboard the ambulance bound for Prosser and we followed. After a quick stop at the grocery store for a picnic lunch and a get well card we headed for the hospital.

He seemed quite comfortable in the emergency room. The
extent of injuries was a broken collarbone and a lacerated
thumb. Relieved, we set up the picnic lunch and embarked on
keeping the patient entertained. The poor guy only hurt when
he laughed and we kept him in stitches (6), no pun intended.
Envision these two obviously demented women in Team Green
Death jerseys and matching purple shorts, encrusted in salt and
grime, sitting on the counter of the emergency room, feet dangl-
ing, offering comfort and encouragement to their fallen com-
rade. Trying to be of help, Lisa nearly drowned him in
Gatorade.

| must say a few words here about Roger Abrol, the physician
on call that day. Firstly he was extrememly handsome (wonder
if he’s married), and secondly, marvel at his patience for putting
up with all three of us for nearly three hours, sometimes even
contributing to the insanity.

Before discharging Dammon, the doctor carefully outlined a very detailed list of instructions. We listened carefully and nod- ded our heads seriously until the one “He must be aroused every six hours.” We looked at each other and the argument began about which one of us would take the first shift. Trying to be helpful, the doctor amended it to every two hours.

Much later that day, Keith, having heard of an accident, but
not knowing any details, stopped by the hospital. The doctor
assured him that everything was all right. “But he had two of
the craziest women with him.”

It was more fun than we could stand. We still have that 100 mile day to do but at least the tan line is getting darker.

Fast Granny

Tt's official! We now have a Ssup- port organization to assist Pierce Co- unty acquire and develop the abandoned Burlington Northern rail route from Mc- Millan to Wilkeson. The Foothills Rails-to-Trails Coalition has a two- fold purpose: First, to generate public support for this potential 23-mile pub- lic recreation facility through some of Pierce County's most scenic country- side.,-Second; t6 raise funds fer prop erty acquistion and development of a surfaced trail for hikers, bikers, joggers, walkers, equestrians, etc.

YOu SUppOrUsis vitdl if we are vo
convince our county officials to pursue
this opportunity to develop a Sound to
Mountain trail system and preserve this
greenbelt for generations to come.
Please attend our meetings, write let-
ters, and show your support in the com-
ing months. And a big thank-you to
TWC for funding our first mailing last
month.

-Sue Given