Gears To The Gridiron

It's Super Bowl Sunday. I'll admit I'm not the biggest football fan in the world, though I've been known to watch a game or two.  I'll also admit that I've had a soft spot for the San Francisco 49ers for a long time, from years before they won their first Super Bowl.  They came so close to making it to the Big Game this year!

Anyway, I found out that many of their players ride bicycles for fun and as part of their training regimens.  I can't say I'm surprised.  I tried to find some photos if for no other reason that I'm curious to know what kinds of bikes such big guys ride. 

I didn't find any photos of 'Niners on bikes.  However, I found this image of Green Bay Packers riding to training camp wo years ago:

From Yahoo! News

For what it;s worth, I'm rooting for the Seahawks because hey beat the 'Niners in the conference championship team.  When one of my favorite teams or athletes loses in a playoff, I root for the team or player that beat them.  That way, if they win, I know that my favorites at least lost to the best.

Leading Us To Zerve

If you are in New York, Paris or another large city, you have probably seen the local edition of Time Out.  If your city doesn't have an edition, there probably is some very similar publication that lists restaurants, clubs, concerts, art openings and other places and events where you can spend a night--or day--out.

There are also other publications that cater to specific interests, such as Poetry 24 7. And, of course, one can find listings of poetry readings, jazz concerts and such in more general-interest publications and websites such as The Village Voice.

The situation is a bit different for cycling-related events, though.  If you belong to your local bike club or to organizations like Transportation Alternatives, you can find out about organized rides as well as places to buy or rent bikes and related equipment.  However, such information has not been as widely available in non-cycling publications and websites as art-, culture- and nightlife-related listings are outside of venues devoted to them.

That is why I am happy for something Derek Chu passed along to me:  a website called Zerve. It's a bit like Time Out in that it offers information about things you can do for fun in whatever city you happen to find yourself.  There is, interestingly, a page about rides and other cycling-related activities in New York City.  You can also make reservations and purchase tickets, if they are necessary, via links provided in the Zerve listings.

 

Out Of The Mists Of The Past

This may not seem bicycle-related.  However, I believe there is a kinship between urban mass transportation systems and cycling.  

All right...Urban mass transportation systems have always interested me.  So has the history of New York.  Perhaps those are the reasons I found this photo irresistible and was thinking of an excuse to post it here:

This train is entering the New Lots Avenue station on the Canarsie Line (now the "L" train) of the New York City subway system.  From the light and the condition of the trees, I'd guess it's from early spring.  And, from the style of train cars, I can tell you that this undated photo was probably taken some time before the early 1970's, as these cars were "retired" by that time.

You can find this photo, and more, on www.nycsubway.org. (Note:  The site is not affiliated with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.)