bike

The next Bike Polo game is scheduled for Thursday, May 24th, 6:00PM, in the parking Lot behind the old Colonial Bank at 901 North Stewart Street (across from Smiths on Valley Street). The games have been going really good, but we need more players so people can take breaks more often.  We have all the gear, so all you need is a bike, the protective gear of your choice, and a good attitude.  Come down and play!

Summer officially kicks off in North Lake Tahoe Memorial Day Weekend with the 6th Annual Opening Day at the Lake.
This four-day special event is Friday, May 25 to Monday, May 28, and is comprised of celebrations and festivities along the West Shore and the North Tahoe region. This event is produced by Lake Tahoe’s West Shore Association.

Flume Trail Mountain Bikes officially opened for business on May 12th this year. The light winter snowfall has nearly melted off the lower trails, giving access to Marlette Lake and the Flume Trail. A few of us rode the Flume on Saturday, May 12th to go check it out.

The first annual Carson City Family Bike Festival, co-sponsored by Muscle Powered with Carson City Health and Human Services and Carson City Parks and Recreation, will be held on Sunday, May 20th, from 1-4 pm at Riverview Park.

There are a couple cruiser events happening in Reno this weekend that you may be interested in.
On Saturday, May 19th, the Fat Boy Biking club is doing a poker run with lots of raffle prizes. Details here: http://www.fatboybiking.com/

Cycle Pub NV will be at the Firkin and Fox for tonight’s May 18th Bike to Work Week Party!  They will be doing two tours, one hour each, at $10 per rider.  The pub must be full (14 riders) before departure.

On Friday, May 18th, from the hours of 7am – 8:30am, Comma Coffee is offering one complementary cup of coffee to individuals who are commuting to work by bicycle. Keep an eye out for the special Muscle Powered scones to go with your coffee! Comma Coffee is located at 312 S Carson Street.

So you’re out on your bike, 15 miles away from home, and you get a flat. No problem! Just grab your spare tube, your pump, and… What’s that? You don’t know how to fix a flat tire?

It’s great to see the bicycle miles and trips rack up from our Corporate Challengers! If you haven’t been keeping track, go check out the daily totals posted on the Muscle Powered blog. We’re going to have a big party at the Firkin and Fox on Friday night the 18th to celebrate everyone’s hard work this week. In addition to announcing the winners of the Corporate Challenge, we’re going to have live music from Notch 8, and a raffle with prizes you don’t want to miss out on.

It’s almost time for Muscle Powered’s annual Bike to Work Week cruiser ride! This Wednesday, May 16th, bring the whole family down to Telegraph Square for a slow-paced fun ride around the quiet streets of Carson City’s west side. Sign-in for the ride at 6:15pm, ride starts around 6:30pm.

Today is May 14th, the First day of Bike to Work Week 2012. The weather looks fantastic all week, so we will most definitely see the bicycle commuter corporate challengers rack of the miles and trips! There are a lot of teams signed up, and with the new rules, we should have a great competition. For a look at the Corporate Challenge teams and daily results, visit the Muscle Powered Blog.

Last Sunday May 6th was Bike Habitat‘s Tour of Carson, an annual event that this year celebrates the shop’s 5th anniversary in business! The Tour of Carson began in 2008 as a way for the shop to say thank you to its customers and the community for their support. The event begins with a 27-30 mile ride around the perimeter of Carson City, and then finishes back at the Bike Habitat for a BBQ.

Saturday May 12th at 5:30PM is Bike To Work Week Movie Night hosted by Capitol Automotive! Ride your bikes down at 5:30 pm for FREE pizza and beverages, and enjoy two fun bicycle themed movies. Marcus does a great job at converting his garage into a little theater, and there is plenty of secure bike parking within view of the seating.

The dark clouds were threatening, and it was a bit breezy, but most of the core group of polo riders rode down to the old bank for the first game of the year regardless. The gang has been itching to play for months, ever since the early sunsets of autumn that finally shut down the games last year.

About a year and a half ago, I met Mike Ball down at the Tap Shack, a little hole in the wall bar in downtown Carson City. He and a couple other of my friends were discussing building a bar on wheels that could be pedaled around town. While it sounded very cool, I passed it off as one of those crazy ideas that bubbles up after a few pints of beer. Something akin to quitting your job and backpacking across Spain, or the ultimate bank heist. It sounded like too much effort to me.

The Bike Habitat will be giving a free class this Wednesday the 9th at 6PM. The topic of the class is “Home Maintenance for your Bicycle”. Learn how to keep your bike running safely and efficiently between bike shop tune ups. This clinic will cover both MTN and Road Bikes.

A combination of great weather and growing enthusiasm for cycling in Carson City is getting getting people out there on their bikes, and the ride with Carson City’s Leaders on May 7th was no exception.

The celebration of Bike Week continued today with Muscle Power Carson City taking Mayor Bob Crowell, Sheriff Kenny Furlong, school Superintendent Richard Stokes, supervisors Shelly Aldean, Karen Abowd and Molly Walt and others on a bike ride around the west side of Carson City.

The group met at Telegraph Square and ventured out to Omsby Boulevard to Ash Canyon Road, over the Winnie Lane, returning to on Nevada Street.

As you might expect from the view of the mountains down here in Carson, the snow is melting off fast up there.  Here’s the latest update from Flume Trail Bikes:

Legends of the West Bike & Car Fest

Legends of the West Bike & Car Fest is coming to Carson City on June 30, 2012. The planning for this event is going fast and furious and we are anticipating a great second annual show. This event is being held on June 30, 2012, under the auspices of the Carson City Downtown Business Association and is being managed by Arlington Group Events. The CCSO 9th Annual Extreme Motor Officer Training Challenge will take place at Legends. See these highly trained men and women compete for glory in slow motion!

It’s time for Bike Polo! We had a blast playing last year, and by the end of the season, some riders had even acquired what could pass in some circles as “skill”. This Thursday, May 3rd, the ball will be rolling again.

Polo Match Underway

If you haven’t been to a movie night at the Sassafras Eclectic Food Joint in downtown Carson City, you’re missing out on a good time! Every Monday night they show a fun film in the plan:b lounge area, and you can order great food and drinks while you enjoy the movie.  Free popcorn, and movie commentary / trivia from Mike the host.  This week the movie will have a bicycle theme, and you are are encouraged to ride your bike to the show!

Hobart Reservoir, a small, high-mountain reservoir, located at an elevation of 7,600 feet in the mountains between Carson City and Lake Tahoe, will open for the 2012 fishing season on May 1.
Because of its high elevation and location, this reservoir is normally covered with ice, and surrounded by deep snow drifts, when it opens on May 1.
However, this year is entirely different, ice and snow-wise. It will remain open to fishing through September 30.

The existing 2 percent Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT), which is up for renewal on the June 5, 2012 ballot, has funded a number of North Lake Tahoe public improvement projects and services since voters first authorized it in 1996.

The renewal, called Measure F, is not a tax increase and, if passed, would continue to be paid by lodging guests only via the TOT bed tax when they spend the night in North Lake Tahoe. North Lake Tahoe residents would not be taxed under Measure F.

New Lake Tahoe license plates are appearing on the vehicle fleets of major ski resorts and businesses in the Tahoe Basin, as support for the Tahoe plate program in California and Nevada continues this winter.

Heavenly Ski Resort helped launch the program in 1996 and has 140 vehicles plated for Tahoe. Northstar Resort, Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, and Tahoe Dave’s Skis and Boards have ordered new Tahoe plates.

Recognized for stewardship and care taken in the building and construction of developments around Lake Tahoe, the 22nd annual Best in the Basin awards were announced Tuesday by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.
The TRPA, which sets policy for development around Lake Tahoe, will recognize the winners, listed below, during the 2011 Best in the Basin awards presentation during the meeting of its Governing Board on Wednesday, Feb. 22 in Stateline. Go here for the agenda.

Extreme snow sports legend and Transformers film wingsuit stuntman JT Holmes has finished shooting promotional TV spots for the Tahoe Fund’s Plate for Powder program, which gives purchasers of California and Nevada

The snow forecast to hit the Lake Tahoe region during the next few days is expected to give the Tahoe Fund's Plate for Powder program a boost along with Sierra ski resorts and businesses. Drivers who purchase a California or Nevada Tahoe vehicle license plate will receive two free ski lift or Nordic tickets to the resort of their choice. New Tahoe plates cost $50 in California and $61 in Nevada.

The operator of BlueGo, the South Lake Tahoe area public transportation system, has installed four new bus shelters and will put up three more in spring to provide riders safety, convenience and comfort.

Lake Tahoe, CA/NV – The Regional Plan Update Committee of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Governing Board made broad strides this month including endorsement of updated policies that would improve how aspects of land coverage and planning procedures are managed in the Tahoe Region.