• » An angry driver attacked Mike Sherer (Pony Shop) and a training partner near Bloomington, Ind., this weekend. Nobody was injured, and police arrested the driver.

• » In Lake County, an SUV struck and killed a 25-year-old man riding at night on Highway 59 in Ingleside. Police are still searching for the driver, but he or she was kind enough to leave evidence at the scene. Let's hope an arrest happens soon.

• » Projct 5 Racing has rolled out its new Web site. The team has new uniforms as well. (Red and black appears to be the new black.)

• » How cold was it at Sunday's Tour da Chicago alleycat? this cold. Fifty riders showed up. Last week's interviewee Jeff Perkins (Chicago Cuttin' Crew) won the stage but Nico West (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) retains the coveted orange sweater.

• » Last week our mayor introduced some bike-friendly legislation. As is often the case with such stories, the anti-bike reaction was dispiriting, but worth reading is Payton Chung's rejoinder: "Cars kill more Americans than guns do. That’s why we license drivers -- but not bicycles, which kill fewer Americans each year than beds do. Yes, beds.

• » I didn't think Bike Snob NYC had a sentimental bone in his body, but Sheldon Brown always did bring out the good in people. Naz Hamid (Half Acre) has a graphical tribute on his blog, one of thousands of tributes available on the Web, most along the lines of "I owe my bike to Sheldon Brown."

• » The Rivendell Reader had a long interview with Brown in 2001. Interesting fact: His wife's first words to him were, "Oh, you're riding fixed-gear!"* And here is Brown's last post to Bike Forums, one of 2,302 he made over the past six years, in which within 30 minutes of it being asked he answers a question about threading an obscure freewheel. Cycling this week lost a giant.

• » Looking for new trainer fodder? Netflix not keeping up with your insane base mileage? Cyclofile has cyclocross DVDs on sale. (Thanks, Keith.)

• » This summer's Bike the Drive will be a part of the American Diabetes Asosciation's Tour de Cure, and Geneva will host a fundraising ride on June 7.

• » Oh, Magnus!

• » Blush. (Some people will say anything for a link.)
  

* Uninteresting fact: My first words to my girlfriend were, "Are those carbon wheels?"

• » I've linked to it before, but the Punk Rock Cycling Web site has had a flurry of activity lately, much of it specific to issues women face in cycling. PRC is a new Iowa team founded by former Chicagoan Donny Quixote, and its roster includes former Chicago messenger and XXX Racing-AthletiCo rider Jen Greenberg. (Thanks, Jim.)

• » A truck pulling a horse trailer struck three cyclists riding near St. Louis. One of them, Shawn O'Neal (The Bike Center), says the driver "went out of way to run us over." Unlike our own hit-and-run this fall, this one caused significant injuries, and the driver remains at large.

• » David Zabriskie (Slipstream) has safety tips for motorists and for cyclists, part of his "Yield to Life" campaign. (Thanks, Jeff.)
  

• » Two more new teams for you: The team formerly known as Team Clif Bar Midwest has jumped into a phone booth, spun around and emerged as Vitaminwater-Trek, under the organizing umbrella of Burnham Racing. And from Roscoe Village comes Spider Monkey Cycling, whose creators apparently agree with me that "Talladega Nights" is the greatest cycling movie ever made -- so long as you pretend the cars are bicycles. ("You need to grab hold of that line between speed and chaos, and you need to wrestle it to the ground like a demon cobra.")

• » Former XXX Racing-AthletiCo junior Rebecca Much has signed with 2007 NRC champion Webcor. After racing with T-Mobile for just over a season, Much took some time off before being cajoled back into racing this summer, as she documents in this diary entry for the U.S. Women's Cycling Development Program. "That's right: I'm back and taking every step to keep it that way." (Thanks, Jeff!)

• » Julie Eisenhardt (Half Acre) attended the USA Cycling mechanics clinic last week. "I felt like for four days I was among superheroes," she says, "and was occasionally treated like one myself." She shares her experiences on her blog: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4.

• » All the construction on Sheridan Road? CDOT insider Grant Davis (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) tells us it's to reduce the four-lane stretch to one lane in each direction plus bike lanes and a turn lane. More information here. This should promote everyone's safety and improve car-bike relations on that popular corridor. The bad news? It won't be done until summer 2009.
  

• » Here's another new team you can add to your blogroll: Welcome, Beverly Bike/Vee Pak.

• » Next Saturday, Jan. 19, is the Chicago Winter Bike Swap, hosted by Project 5 Racing.

• » Results for the first of ABD's indoor time trials are online. Once again Mark Swartzendruber (Lucas Oil) delivered some hurt, placing not once but twice in the top three. Coming in 2nd on the day was second-year pro Reid Mumford (Kelly Benefit Strategies).

• » In the time trial results I see some riders from a mysterious Burnham Racing squad. I have no idea what this team is all about. Appears to have something to do with celebrity gossip and supermodels.

• » According to this tentative schedule posted at the Pony Shop Cyclocross blog and elsewhere, the Chicago Cross Cup has seven races planned for 2008. The newest addition will be the Old Towne Vande-Cross in Moline, Ill. That's a bit of a trek, but the more, the muddier. Jackson Park will again kick off the series, on Sept. 21, a mere 255 days away.
  

Like a good-old fashioned burlesque show, the new teams of 2008 are heating things up by revealing themselves ever so gradually. Among this week's revelations:

• » The Chicago Cuttin' Crew is open for business. The Crew is mostly composed of working messengers, many formerly of XXX Racing-AthletiCo. Having been beaten by them in many an alleycat and 'cross race, I can confirm this: They're fearless and wicked fast.

• » Beer remains many cyclists' favorite instrument of carb loading. Thus let us welcome Half Acre Cycling, sponsored by Chicago's Half Acre Beer Company. I recognize on its roster products of Killjoy, Team Pegasus and XXX Racing-AthletiCo. Look for them on the road, on the track and in the dirt in one of the more handsome kits we've seen.

• » Mark Swartzendruber announced on True Sport, as only the 'Druber can, that Lucas Oil is taking over title sponsorship of the team formerly known as Delta Faucet. His squad has picked up a few elite masters riders, too.

Who will be next to drop the veil of secrecy and expose the delights underneath? Stay tuned!

• » Can't wait until March to race? The ABD indoor time trial series starts Sunday Saturday.

• » Alleycat races are illegal, dangerous and irresponsible. But don't just take my word for it. The 10th Annual Tour da Chicago begins Sunday, Jan. 13. Here are videos of some past stages: the 2007 Bricklayer, the 2007 Royalty Race and the 2003 Stairmaster, the Tour's queen stage.

• » Find out the latest about the 2008 USCF schedule and plans for the Illinois Cup -- including better results tracking! -- by attending the Illinois Cycling Association meeting in Homewood on Saturday, Jan. 20.

• » Final overall Chicago Cross Cup results are up.

• » Start the new year right with this brilliant parody of bike reviews, compliments of Bike Snob NYC. (Monday's post was a delight to read, too.)

• » Going for a ride? Bring a yardstick. (Via North Branch.)
  

• » I'm not sure if it's the last cross race of the 2007 season or the first race of the 2008 season, but Team Mack is hosting the 20th Annual Tour de Groundhog on Feb. 17 near Springfield. In preparation, new South Side team Beverly Bike VeePak will be hosting a training cross ride on Feb. 10.

• » Riding Attempting to ride portions of the lakefront path last week was a balance drill of despair. Now there's so much salt it's like riding on sandpaper. Keep track of latest conditions at this handy Chicago Bike Federation page.

• » CyclingNews has a feature story on Team Type 1, a new UCI team whose development squad includes Alberto's Robert Schrank, part of a Ride Across America team that won its division this year. UPDATE: Scott Van Maldegiam (Spin Doctor Cyclewerks) points out that ABD product Alex Bowden is also on the development squad.

• » What's it like to be a messenger in Chicago? Dispatch 101 is here to tell us.
  

• » Big congratulations to Devon Haskell (Team Get a Grip Cycles), who was the top local finisher at this weekend's cyclocross national championships in Kansas City. She finished 4th in the collegiate women's race. Ben Popper (Killjoy) was among the others who braved the remarkable snowstorm: "I fell three times in the race, twice in this lap, once on a hairpin turn where I slid out sideways pretty dramatically."

• » Last week's interview with Elk Grove Mayor Craig Johnson, in which we learned that there will be only one women's race at the 2008 Tour of Elk Grove, sparked a good discussion at the St. Louis Revolution blog, online hub of the X Plane women's team. I join them in hoping that the schedule, generous as it is for the dudes (and 32-year-old Cat 3 dudes in particular), can be tweaked to provide more opportunities for women. If it means taking races or prize money from the men, so be it.

• » Speaking of gender equity, mountain biker Georgia Gould (Luna Bar) is petitioning the International Cycling Union to require equal payouts for the top finishers in both women's and men's races. Deeper men's fields would pay deeper, but Gould wants equal purses for the top five.

• » Pre-owned Discovery Channel bikes, only $10,200. Free shipping!

• » I guess this explains why some of you haven't bought my calendar yet. (WARNING: May not be safe for workplace viewing.)

• » Minneapolis blogger Smithers has a fun and insightful interview with the new Minnesota Cycling Federation president. Read parts one, two and three. Coming on the heels of last week's ICA discussion, it's interesting to see the issues facing another state association. Money quote: "It’s easy to sit behind the keyboard and pound out on the message board what should be done, but it’s a lot harder to endure a brutal meeting or spend eight hours in the middle of nowhere watching a corner so 35-year-old men can pretend they are Lance Armstrong." (WARNING: Interview is accompanied by photo that may not be safe for workplace viewing.)

• » Ed White (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) is the lastest Chicago racer to win the VeloNews photo contest, with a little help from Adam Clark (XXX Racing-AthletiCo).

• » How awesome is it that thousands of Chicago drivers will be paying $75 to slap a picture of a bicycle on their windshields?

• » Turin in Evanston is offering two weekly indoor training sessions: Monday sessions meet at the shop for free, and Thursday sessions at the McGaw YMCA are $17.

• » If 2008 comes and you can't keep track of what day it is, it won't be my fault. Order your Chicago Bike Racing calendar today!

• » As you may have read in The New York Times, cyclocross "has recently caught fire" in the United States. Get it while it's hot by coming out to Sunday's state championships at Montrose Harbor. A "light wintry mix" is forecast, which should make the racing extra sloppy and spectator-friendly, but it should be warm enough that you don't freeze your butt off. Bring $20 and you can go home with this amazing poster from legendary poster artist and bike enthusiast Jay Ryan.

• » Dan Castallaneta of "The Simpsons" joins "Le Comedie du Bicyclette" when it returns to the Lakeshore Theater for a short run Dec. 12-16. I have no information on whether drugs will enhance the performance.

• » Just because it's snowing doesn't mean you and can't have fun with your bike, thanks to our friends at Bike Winter.

• » Your mechanic called. He said he and the other wrenches would like a calendar for Christmas.

• » The caption for Chicago Tribune Magazine's feature photo this week profiles Mike Jones (Met Cycling). The accompanying photo did not make it online, but it's just as well: Instead of a 48-year-old gastroenterologist, it's actually a photo of 15-year-old John Tomlinson (XXX Racing-AthletiCo).

• » Astana will be riding components from Chicago-based SRAM next year. Smithers points out that nobody has won the Tour de France on non-Campy, non-Shimano components since Greg LeMond won on Mavic in 1989.

• » Make Christmas shopping easy this year. The CBR calendar is appropriate for all your loved ones.

• » Rick Kogan of the Tribune and Turin's Chris Mailing discuss the looming bike winter.

• » Kristin Meshberg (Flatlandia) is one of many racers who will be spending the winter leading training programs at area gyms. Her "Pedaling with a Purpose," designed for riders of all levels, will take place at the Oak Brook Racquet and Fitness Club and at Tsubo in Chicago.

• » Former Chicago racer Tim Hayes (Grumpy's) is doing interesting things with Bike Throw up in Minneapolis. It's sort of like CBR, except with people you've never heard of. (Except Evanson Grand Prix winner Adam Bergman (Colavita), who makes a cameo in this week's podcast.)

• » Jared Bunde (G.S. Mengoni) lost his masters track national title this week for having tested postive for clomiphene, a fertility drug, at Superweek. Bunde is not listed in the results for July 28's Great Downer Avenue Bike Race, the day of the test, but earlier he finished 5th in the P/1/2 at the Village of Howard Cycling Classic. UPDATE: Hayes points out in the comments that Bunde's disqualification gives 2nd place in the points race masters national championship to Jason Garner (Garner Cyclery) and 3rd place to Chris Mosk (2CC).

• » If you missed last week's opening, there's still plenty of time to visit the Pieter Ombregt exhibit at City Gallery, 806 N. Michigan Ave. I can think of no better sanctuary from the din of holiday shopping.

• » I look forward to seeing all of you at tomorrow night's Pieter Ombregt reception.

• » Four deserving cyclists are among Chicago Athlete's candidates for Athlete of the Year: Ed Amstutz (XXX Racing-AthletiCo), Debbie Dust (Team Kenda Tire), Susan Peithman (ABD) and David Sachs (Vision Quest). E-mail your votes with "VOTE" in the subject line.

• » Harper Ride bandit cross gets busted. Sort of.

• » Find out who does and who does not have a sense of humor by wearing an Unattached Rider kit on your next group ride. Carlos is preparing a second batch of these sexy, exclusive outfits. Your deadline is Nov. 25, and this will be your last chance to order until summer. (Note: Champion runs small. If in doubt, order the larger size.)

• » Speaking of jerseys, I learned this week that after five years in Seattle, the Retro Image Apparel Co. moved to Chicago this summer.

• » Tri 1, Fixed 0. (Thanks, Cam!)

• » The photography of Pieter Ombregt will be displayed at the City Gallery of Photography, 806 N. Michigan Avenue, starting next Thursday, Nov. 15. A reception from 5-7 p.m. opens the exhibit. (Ombregt is the XXX Racing-AthletiCo cyclist who died racing in Matteson this summer.)

• » Remember Susan Peithman (ABD)? She left us this summer for rainier pastures, but this she week made a prominent appearance in the New York Times: "In Portland, Cultivating a Culture of Two Wheels."

• » I'm aware of at three new amateur teams for 2008, plus one title sponsor change. Most are still under wraps, but one, Spider Monkey Cycling, has rolled out its Web site.

• » What we’re up against: "Bicyclists should just ride on the sidewalks." (The author is apparently a high school student, which invites a rhetorical question: Who's the greater menace to public safety? Cyclists gliding through stop signs, or teen drivers?)

• » Take a trip down memory lane with video from the 1993 Superweek, posted by announcer and "Roadie" author Jamie Smith. Tri-spoke wheels! Oakley sunglasses! Lots and lots of Eddie Van Guyse! Other highlights include a points race around the Madison capitol in segment 6, a Turin rider doing well in segment 2 (admire how far Turin's kits have come), and in segment 5 a cameo from a young Robbie Ventura (Vision Quest), then riding for the Blue Marlin Racing Team. It's worth your 40 minutes to watch the entire series. (Thanks, Chris!)

• » Francisco Torralba (UCVC) has started UC Velo Cafe, a blog for members and friends of the University of Chicago Velo Club.

• » Send good vibes to "Training Bible" god Joe Friel, who was hit by a car last week.
  

• » OMG, why are we not playing radball this winter? (Thanks, Ed.)

• » Now is a good time to get on the rollers and practice your victory salute. (Thanks, Jason.)

• » I guess I'll be the latest to recommend the Bike Snob NYC blog. I don't know who he is, but he's prolific, hilarious and usually spot on. This week's cyclocross post is particularly good. "Cyclocross is the opposite of sex: If you're doing it right it hurts, and it's only fun before and after."
  
  

• » In the wake of Sunday's calamitous marathon, anyone who has ever run a marathon or so much as watched one is suddenly an armchair physiologist. Fortunately we have Jonathan Dugas (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) and his colleague Ross Tucker to sort the junk from the science at their outstanding Science of Sport. See entries on investigating heatstroke, mitral valve prolapse and the physiology of heat.

• » As teams start to line up sponsors for 2008, it's a good occasion to review this great Smithers post: "If you do get a sponsor then be grateful for whatever they can provide since you don't deserve it anyway." Read it and weep.

• » On the Route is among the Trek outlets sponsoring Saturday's Trek Breast Cancer Awareness Ride. The ride will be a casual 15 miles along the lakefront, starting at 10 a.m. at 1118 S Michigan Ave.

• » Did you know we're required to ride single-file within Chicago? I learned this and more at Jim Freeman's excellent Chicago Bicycle Laws blog, an offshoot of LJ's Bicycle Blog.

• » Don't forget that Sunday is the Dick Herron Memorial Ride & Walk to commemorate the cyclists and pedestrians killed in traffic.
  

• » Cross riders will want to note the schedule changes over at the Chicago Cyclocross Cup. To relieve some of the congestion experienced at Jackson Park, women will no longer be mixed in with the masters. In addition, 4's riders will now choose between two fields: An "A" field for licensed riders (or confident one-day licensees) and a "B" field for rookies and other one-day licensees.

• » Kevin Stephens (Project 5) is organizing a winter bike swap for Jan. 19, 2008.

• » Don't forget the Dick Herron Memorial Ride & Walk next Sunday, Oct. 14. The main cermony is at 9:30 a.m. at North Avenue and the lakefront path, and XXX Racing-AthletiCo will be having an earlier gathering in Wicker Park at 7:15 a.m. to remember its fallen teammates.

• » I mentioned the road-rage murder of Tommy McBride last week, but here is a complete archive of press coverage.

• » Two opportunities to volunteer for studies and get some end-of-season performance data: Brett Peterson of UIC is looking for cyclists to be tested in LaGrange, as is the Gatorade Sports Science Institute in Barrington. Scott Van Maldegiam (Spin Doctor Cyclewerks) blogs about the Gatorade experience at his new blog.

• » One of the riders in this week's VeloNews photo contest winner is a certain member of XXX Racing-AthletiCo. Not to be braggy, but within six months the same person has been both the winning photographer and part of the winning subject. (The Snake Alley photo was taken about 30 seconds before I crashed and broke my clavicle. I did not have a good day.)

• » Cyclists have it bad around Chicago, but at least we don't live in L.A. or Beverly Hills. (Thanks, Matt.)

• » "Train and race so hard you sweat, vomit and bleed lactic acid." Chicago's loss will be Des Moines' gain and Iowa's bane. Good luck, Jen. In other transfer news, I understand that two of the most coveted Cat 4 sandbaggers have made arrangements with Flatlandia and Team Clif Bar Midwest, but I'll leave it to them to make official announcements.

• » A grand tour passing through Indianapolis and Carbondale? I'll believe it when I see it.

• » I just about melted when I saw this video of a busy Dutch intersection that gets along fine without traffic lights. So many bike commuters! Cars and bikes getting along! The world as it ought to be! (Thanks, Payton.)

• » Somewhat related: Copenhagen Girls on Bikes.

• » The San Luis Obispo County (Calif.) Bicycle Coalition has come out with a much-needed series of public-service announcements about sharing the road. One of the spots highlights the need for cyclists to be courteous, which I think is important. We as cyclists need to be reminded to share the road, but drivers too need to be reminded that, yes, whether certain radio personalities think so or not, we are scareable, we are trying to give cars as much space as we can, and we are sorry about the extra 20 seconds we might add to someone's trip.

• » Don't think drivers need to be reminded about cyclists? Yesterday a garbage truck struck and killed a young woman cycling down Armitage Avenue. (The driver was cited for an improper right turn. Kill a cyclist, go to jail pay a fine.)

• » After a relatively safe year on Chicago streets, this is the third fatality in the past month. What can we do? One small step to increase our visibility will be the Third Annual Dick Herron Bike & Walk, a memorial event organized by the Chicago Bike Federation on Sunday, Oct. 14. It's free, but donations go to Northwest Chicago Drive with Care, a campaign to stigmatize and stop reckless driving.
  

• » MetCycling is hosting a nifty "cadence symposium" on Saturday, Sept. 15. Looks to be a cheap way to get your VO2 max measured or have an expert check out your form. (Patrick McNally tells me neither he nor his team are making any money off this. They're just organizing and extending it to the greater cycling community.)

• » Lately I've been enjoying the collaborative cycling blog Triple Crankset, run in part by former Chicagoan Leonard Basobas. As someone who admittedly doesn't follow the NRC much except for when it's racing nearby, this fans' point of view is useful for staying abreast of the various personalities and storylines.

• » The Road Magazine blog has been fun this week, too, as Neil Browne tagged along with Jelly Belly at the USPRO road race.

• » A brief rant: The conventional cycling media are fine for providing results and the latest doping news, but for our sport to get more popular, the media -- blogs included -- need to draw out more of the riders' personalities. If NBC can make us give a damn about curling once every four years, surely someone can pull the same miracle with cycling. David Zabriskie (CSC) is always good for a soundbite and storylines don't get much better than that of Saul Raisin (Credit Agricole), but that's only a start. We need to know stuff like what Andrew Bajadali (Jelly Belly) has for breakfast at Waffle House. As it is, pro cycling has an obvious problem when people like me are only able to get excited for the races that happen to coincide with the local amateur races.

• » The first cyclocross flier is up, this one for Jackson Park on Sunday, Sept. 23. Just in time, Velonews has a series of cyclocross skills videos. (Owing to popular demand, I'll throw nearby cross races on the race calendar as soon as I have a free hour.)

• » Chicago Athlete is a must-read for cyclists this month. For one thing, all three athletes of the month are cyclists: Debbie Dust (Team Kenda Tire), Ed Amstutz (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) and "Kid Athlete of the Month" John Tomlinson (XXX Racing-AthletiCo). Then there are a few cyclocross stories: an introduction to the discipline and a look at juniors cross (including input from Tomlinson). Finally there's a remembrance of Beth Kobeszka, who was killed racing in June.

• » Kobeszka would have been among those competing in the Chicago Triathlon this weekend. In her memory, three friends entered Team Kobeszka in the relay category and came in 9th out of 168 teams, not to mention 4th co-ed and 5th in the bike leg.

• » Wisconsin cops to former Downers Grove national champion Brad Huff (Slipstream): Do your intervals, go to jail.

• » Veloist is giving a $100 gift card for the picture of the best bad tan.

• » It was originally scheduled for this weekend, but the ABR masters road race championship is now on for Saturday, Sept. 22, near Rockford, on the same course as the Fall Fling's road race two weeks later. Stay tuned to the ABR calendar for an eventual flier. (Thanks, Scott.)

• » Chicago's "Lawyer Jim" Freeman breaks down the new "3 foot" law.

• » Grayslake results from Aug. 4 were posted this week, but I still haven't seen anything from that weekend's race in Elgin.
  

• » Time trials are normally outside my purview, but this is exciting: Steve Hansen (North Branch) is trying to get a time-trial series off the ground. The effort kicks off with the state time trial championships (USCF) on Saturday, Sept. 1. Hansen could use your help for 2008, so contact him if you or your team can contribute. An organizational meeting is planned for Oct. 13.

• » Chicago messenger Ryan Boudreau was killed by a truck Monday. It's another terrible reminder to ride -- and drive -- safely out there. A memorial ride is planned for this Friday, Aug. 17, at 6:30 p.m. at Skylark (2149 S. Halsted St.).

• » In happier messenger news, Andrew Nordyke and Jennifer Greenberg, both of XXX Racing-AthletiCo, recently competed in the Cycle Messenger World Championships in Dublin, Ireland. Nordyke finished 25th in the main event, and Greenberg won the goldsprints competition. Greenberg was a founder of 4 Star Courier Collective, and I believe Nordyke has been delivering for Jimmy John's. Freaking fast indeed.

• » Don't forget: This weekend is the Bicycle Film Festival.

• » For those not going to Downers Grove, remember that Friday through Sunday is the annual Stay the Hell off the Lakefront Weekend. Also, some planes will be going by overhead.

• » I stumbled upon The Steve Dahl Show while I drove to Matteson yesterday. He was in the middle of an anti-cyclist rant. Among other inanities, Dahl said that when he drives through the suburbs and sees cyclists he likes to "get as close as I can to scare them." I know he's joking, but there you go: Steve Dahl, advocate of car-on-bike violence.
  

• » Several readers have recommended the Gateway Cup series near St. Louis over Labor Day Weekend. There's not much going on around here that weekend, so it might be worth the drive. I'm told the Cat 4 fields are filling up.

• » Only thumbnails are available without buying a membership, but xtrPhoto has a massive Superweek gallery. If you can't find a quality photo of yourself here, are you sure you raced?

• » It didn't make the original report round-up, but there's entertaining reading as always in Mark Swartzendruber's Superweek wrap-up. Hugs? Could it be that the Druber has made nice with Team Mack? Is that a peace pipe he's smoking, or is he smoking something else entirely?

• » Check out Matt O'Keefe's video from the Evanston Cat 3 race. He captured the first 20 minutes instead of the thrilling final 20 minutes, but it's still worth watching.

• » Julian Baumgartner (Team Clif Bar Midwest) has also caught the video bug and has video of this weekend's Grayslake Cat 3 race, with captioned commentary and wattage readings and everything. Don't miss the tense sprint at the end. (Here is Bryan McVey's (Vision Quest) account of the same race.) Veloist also has nifty video out of Grayslake.

• » The Bike Film Festival is right around the corner: Aug. 15-18 in Logan Square. Fun!

• » Speaking of fun, one of the first events to get me hooked on Chicago bike riding was the Boulevard Lakefront Tour. It's coming up again: Sunday, Sept. 9. If you're not doing the four-person team time trial, it's a great way to spend the day. And unless you have the Fall Fling to look forward to, it's a chance to close the cycling season with a nice ride with your family.

• » It's a little outside of the Chicago Bike Racing sphere of influence, but friend-of-CBR Tim Hayes (Grumpy's/Little Guy Racing) invites you to next week's Campus Criterium in Minneapolis. What's interesting about this race is that the race fees are being waived for new racers, and Grumpy's/LGR will pay the one-day licenses for any Cat 5 men or Cat 4 women. Hayes shares my enthusiasm for introducing people to the sport, and it's great to see him and his team putting their money where his mouth is. (With such a big mouth, that can be a lot of money!)

• » Audio for today's All Things Considered story is online, in which the world learns that your editor dilly-dallies in front of the Tour ticker when he's supposed to be on his way to work.

• » The North Branch Trail is getting a makeover. Hooray!

• » Harden the [frick] up. (Via DQ.)

• » Ride the path, get a shirt.

• » Fleet Feet Sports was thoughtful enough to post signs on the lakefront path warning cyclists of a running event that will clog the area around Montrose this Sunday. Most of us already know to avoid the path on weekends, but the gesture is appreciated.
  
  

In what may be the longest bike racing story ever to appear in the Chicago Tribune without mentioning doping or Lance Armstrong, some hack has written a primer on how to watch a race, including a sidebar on how to go about getting into the sport. This link will expire in a few weeks, so you'll want to run out and buy a hard copy today. Guaranteed to be worth your 50 cents, especially next time you get caught in the rain.

• » Didn't get into the Evanston Criterium? Go volunteer and help ensure the event is successful enough to return next year.
• » Mark Swartzendruber's latest dispatch is another must-read. He breaks down the Proctor masters races and sends a special love note to an unnamed violator of the centerline rule. (While Chicago Bike Racing cannot endorse such vigilantism, it cannot object to it much either.)
• » Look who's racing again: Reid Mumford (Kelly Benefit Strategies), whom I interviewed in May, joined George Langford (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) to take on this weekend's Wolfgang Freitag Two-Person 50K Team Time Trial.
• » Got a question for Lance? ABC News is soliciting questions for some silly interactive feature. Video questions can also be e-mailed via cell phone to icaught@abcnews.go.com. Deadline is tomorrow morning (July 12).
  

• » Mark Swartzendruber (Delta Faucet) had a column last week about safety in masters races. Entertaining and insightful, as usual.

• » Only two more days to enter Smithers' Tour de France pool, the cleanest pool in cycling.

• » The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation works to promote cycling and fights to protect our interests. Its next fundraiser is the Biketown Bash on July 21. $40 for CBF members, $45 for others. Hosted by everyone's favorite traffic reporter, Abby Ryan.

A few bits to have come across the Chicago Bike Racing transom recently:

• » Robert Schrank (Alberto's) and his eight-person Team Type 1 (all of whom have type 1 diabetes) won their division in the Ride Across America last week in an astounding 15 days, 5 hours5 days, 15 hours and 43 minutes, an average of 22.4 mph.
• » Several riders who know their way onto the road podium hit the Velo City Tour track event in Kenosha this week. XXX Racing-AthletiCo had a huge presence, and two of its messengers, Andrew Nordyke and Jen Greenberg, won their divisions and earned trips to Dublin, Ireland, for the Cycle Messenger World Championships next month.
• » Matt O'Keefe (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) has created a blog for videos from his new helmet cam, including in-race footage from a masters crit in Lombard. Neat! (Something tells me this guy will become a fan.)
• » Chicago's T.C. O'Rourke has qualified for the legendary Paris-Brest-Paris randonneur and is blogging the journey.
• » Speaking of blogs, many of us say prayers to Joe Friel and his training bible each night. Now he, too, has a blog, although it's not updated very often and isn't restricted to cycling.
• » Floyd Landis (Unattached) will be in Wheaton and Chicago July 9 and 10 to promote his book. Here's a thorough account of Landis' March appearance, and here's one that includes video.
• » The Superweek criterium to be held in Evanston has its own Web site.
• » Finally, don't miss Michael Kelly's encounter with Kankakee's most famous felon in the comments section of my weekend wrap-up. (Note also that I've added Cobb Park and Fox River Grove results to the post. UWW results TK.)