Road Trip with Bike Touring

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It's known as the Bicycle Capital of the World, and we are going to check it out. Actually, it's known for its mountain biking, but Walton town is also pretty good for road biking.     Thirty miles south of Bentonville lies Fayetteville, a road bike town. We're going to search it out also.     Wanna go with us? Here is the scoop.

https://benton25.blogspot.com/

BIG HILL GONE - NEW ROUTES

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In 2023, we lost a beloved friend, Alyssa Milligan, when she was hit by a motorist on Hwy. 100 in Nashville. An avid cyclist and dedicated friend to all, her legacy lives on with this ride. Gladeville Community Center 95 McCrary Road, Gladeville, TN July 14 at 7:00 AM  Lunch at the Community Center. Support: SAG, rest stops, bike racks, bathrooms, mechanical support, cooling stations, hydration, road marshals, and radio com.

YES! I AM a FEW YEARS PAST EIGHTY

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Often I am asked, "Why do you ride a bike?" I answer, "Because I still can!" (Well, most of the time)

Buy yours (or buy me one) on Amazon

NO CRAM in 2025

Friends, Your participation and involvement in CRAM helped to make it a fun and worthwhile event for three decades for the Clarksville Rotary Club. We THANK you for that! However, Clarksville Rotary Club has decided to suspend our Clarksville Rotary Annual Metric (CRAM) for now. Again, thank you for your support and commitment to CRAM. We appreciate you!

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New SAFER Bike Route from Memorial to Sanders Ferry Parks

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Hendersonville's new Sanders Ferry Greenway Trail is fantastic. However, some feel the trail's connection from Mallard Point Park to Hickory Heights is dangerous for bicycle use. We recommend two alternate routes.  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50810582 The RED line is the original trail. The GREEN line is the Day Alternative. The BLUE line is the Evans Alternative. The City has re-marked/signed the BLUE Alternative

NATIONAL BIKE TO WORK DAY

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National Bike to Work Day is an annual event that encourages people to commute by bicycle instead of driving, promoting healthier lifestyles and environmental benefits.     It is celebrated on the third Friday of May as part of National Bike Month, with various activities and support from local organizations.

FIRST SPRING TOUR

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Twenty years ago, we (Dave, Tom, and Bruce) wore Biker's Choice jerseys. This picture was taken in May 2007 on our way to the Montgomery Bell State Park.     It became FOGBEES' first spring tour. Inviting our non-biking spouses to meet and join us at the lodge became a FOGBEE tradition.

FOGBEE BIKE TOURS

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BENTONVILLE TOUR ERIE TRAIL TOUR SEQUATCHIE TOUR

TOUR de NASH

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Walk Bike Nashville's 21st Annual Tour de Nash 7 a.m., Saturday, May 17, 2025 Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park Nashville's largest urban bike ride serves as Walk Bike Nashville’s major fundraiser.

THE MILLIGAN

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The Big Hill Challenge is now  The Milligan, a bike ride event on  June 14, 2025 in Watertown, TN. The Milligan bike ride honors the memory of Alyssa Milligan, a beloved member of the Veloteers Bicycle Club and an avid cyclist who was killed by a motorist while cycling on September 8th, 2023.

PHOTOS and VIDEOS for 2025 PEDAL FOR PAWS

Watch the video of the 2025 Pedal for Paws and enjoy the FOGBEE photo history of the event. PHOTO GALLERY

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GALLATIN ROAD

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Notice the edge on the side of the berm in Gallatin Rd in Hendersonville, not the idiotic location of the rubble but the scrape of the grass. The County/State has cleaned the bike lane. Really!      Over the last decade, I can't remember it being cleaned. It had become such a mess that has been almost unsafe for bicycle use.

POTENTIAL eBIKE THEFT?

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FYI, I think someone tried to steal my bike at WHPizza today. All four tie-down straps were undone, and the bike was off the holders. Fortunately, it was cable-locked on the rack.      I’m also fortunate it didn’t fall off. As I went a mile down the road, I noticed an unusual bounce, and it appeared there were no tie-downs. Be careful if your bike is out on a rack!

Erie Canal Bike Tour

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Join Mark Greene and Bruce on bike trip from Buffalo to Manhattan this September/October. They’d love you to join them for any or all of it!      This will not be Bikepacking. Mark will start looking for lodgings in June. Mark - 703-408-0512

Here is Mark's PRELIMINARY Schedule

A LITTLE FOGBEE PAWS MEMORABILIA

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The first Pedal for Paws was created on April 9, 2011, by FOGBEES Curtis McMahon and Bob Glutting. Here are a few FOGBEE blogs to jog your memories. Bob's FOGBEE Post Report THEN CAME THE RAINS

PEDAL for PAWS 2025

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After a reschedule, Pedal for Paws got started on Sunday. Behind all the chatter is the National Anthem     Unfortunately, it got cold and wet for a lot of dedicated cyclists.     The attached video is a short snippet. In a month, watch this blog for the complete video.

PEDAL FOR PAWS - SATURDAY

RAIN DELAY - PEDAL FOR PAWS

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PEDAL FOR PAWS RESCHEDULED UNTIL SUNDAY MAY 4, 2025

PEDAL FOR PAW'S CHOICE

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Please join us for our early PEDAL FOR PAWS packet pickup Thursday, May 1st, 5pm to 7pm Biker's Choice 709 West Main Hendersonville, TN 37075

PRINCE PIZZA for PEDAL FOR PAWS

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Please join us for our early PEDAL FOR PAWS packet pickup Wednesday, April 30th, 5pm to 7pm Prince Street Pizza 123 Prince St. Gallatin, TN 37066

BEFORE FOGBEES WE WERE THE YAZOO PATROL - ALMOST

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Please join us for our early PEDAL FOR PAWS packet pickup party  Yazoo Brewing Company  Tuesday, April 29th, 5pm to 7pm Yazoo Brewery 900 River Bluff Dr. Madison, TN 37115

REMEMBER THE CREATION OF USBR-23

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It was a long time plan of Bruce Day to connect an OFFICIAL bike route from Kentucky to Alabama and with Dave Shumaker and Adventure Cycling Association they did the job. Click here for the whole story

GETTING PEDAL FOR PAWS BICYCLISTS READY

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MAY 3, 2025 Gallatin Civic Center REGISTER NOW

BIKE ROAD TRIP

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Visit Bentonville, Fayetteville, and Bella Vista, Arkansas.     Bentonville's specialty is mountain biking. Nevertheless, it has a half-dozen greenway trails and bike-friendly roads.     Fayetteville is a road-bike town. I selected their 32-mile ride.     Bella Vista's specialty is gravel biking. I found a scenic 32-mile trail. https://benton25.blogspot.com/

Today's Thought

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Today's thought is stolen from Fogbee Mark Greene's Facebook. Okay, I almost never look at Facebook, maybe just a few times with Mark. I'm not sure where he found it, but it could be a new FOGBEE icon.

TWO WEEKS BEFORE PEDAL FOR PAWS

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REGISTER TODAY PAST PHOTOS

FOGBEES Don't Just Ride Bikes

WHAT's A FOGBEE?

Another Lost in the Past

One of Franklin’s Oldest Restaurants Closes in 2017. It was a fond stop for FOGBEES. I found this poster in my archives. It's a nice memory for many of us.

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In 1984, Henpeck Market opened as a country grocery and general store where people could get a good homestyle meal and a cup of coffee. It was bought and revived at the same time as Franklin's revival. In 2011, it almost closed for good, but Carl Moore, a longtime regular, refused to see it go. He bought it and revitalized and renovated the market to retain its old charm but also allow it to flourish in modern Franklin.

LOOPING LAKE CHAMPLAIN ON A BIKE

FOGBEES IN MONTREAL

INDIAN LAKE PENINSULA LIVING MAGAZINE

LOOPING LAKE CHAMPLAIN ON A BIKE - Part 1

LOOPING LAKE CHAMPLAIN ON A BIKE - Part 2

LOOPING LAKE CHAMPLAIN ON A BIKE - Part 3

Hendersonville FOGBEES meet Montreal FOGBEES

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In his CGOAB journal, Bruce reported on our 2019 bike tour around Lake Champlain and our visit to Montreal. In this great bike-friendly city, he tells how we met a unique bike club—the Montreal Bike Club (read his CGOAB journal). Maybe they don't want us to call them FOGBEES, but they were as close as we found similar to us.

    Besides their age and girth (like us), they seem to follow the same FOGBEE practices that were atypical of most bike riding clubs—socializing (not just riding), bike-touring, supporting and getting involved in their community, advocating bicycling, and building long-term traditions. 

    I was especially interested in their regular written minutes and photographs of every activity. These are critical for any organization that wants to maintain its traditions. Aussie Bob, Bruce, and I (Tom) are the only ones who provide written reports, and Phil is our remaining photographer who shares pictures and videos.

     Big Bob used to brag, "We have no rules and no fees." 

     But I followed, "We always ask every member to lead something of their choice."

     Unfortunately, I can no longer participate in FOGBEE activities to observe the members' work. I hope the FOGBEES aren't losing those above-atypical practices that make us special.

Birth of the FOGBEES

Over twenty years ago, FOGBEES started in Brett's backyard. Doug, Brett, and Tom would ride about 20 miles around Indian Lake Peninsula and then drink beer.       We called ourselves the 'Yazoo Patrol,' hoping we could get free beer from Yazoo Brewery. After no free beer, we became the FOGBEEs.      We then moved to BIG LOEY's pizza which became our club house for several years. Our group grew to almost 200 cyclists.    Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures. This is ChatGPT's best guess. I'm the one with the beard.

FOGBEE's Great Bike Tour to Grand Tetons and Yellowstone

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12 years ago, FOGBEES made one of our best bike tours to Grand Tetons and Yellowstone.  You can read about our adventure in - Crazy Guy on a Bike or in - Indian Lake Peninsula Living magazine.

FIGHTING the MOUNTAIN, the MACHINE, and the MUSCLE

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In the spirit of historic advances and competition between ever-evolving modes of transportation, the 3M Challenge features a timed challenge between two of Mountain Maryland’s oldest mechanized modes of transportation, the WMSR 1309 Steam locomotive, the largest operating steam locomotive of its type in the world, and the legs of cyclists. The 15.6-mile route is on the GAP between Cumberland and Frostburg.

The FOGBEE touring group has ridden the fantastic Great Allegany Passage (GAP) at least three times, just not in the direction of the 3M Challenge or racing the train. This year, Dave Irvine plans our reverse. We plan to follow his training on one of America's most scenic trails.

OLD JACK IS DAVE's MOTIVATION - DAVE'S OUR MOTIVATION

Our eldest FOGBEE, Dave Irvine at 88, wants us to know "he is not crazy!" Check out his motivational video above. Dave is training in 2025 (or 2026 or 2027) for the "3M Cumberland - Beat the Train."

LESS THAN ONE MONTH - REGISTER NOW

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MAY 3, 2025 GALLATIN, TN PEDAL FOR PAWS Past PHOTOS

NASHVILLE BICYCLE FESTIVAL

This event brings together a wide variety of bicycling enthusiasts – from supporters to mechanics, from beginners to experienced cyclists, from commuters to mountain bikers to cargo haulers and more.

Where: South Inglewood Community Center, 1624 Rebecca Street (approach from Moore Street if not on foot/on a bike.)

https://nashvillebikefun.org/event/nashville-bicycle-festival-april-2025/