Tag: NICA

Posted on

Show #602 – May 25, 2022

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

My first guest is Dave Wiens, the executive director of IMBA – the International Mountain Bike Association.  We’ve spoken with Dave in the past and I always learn so much about mountain biking.

This conversation is a bit different though because it isn’t just about mountain biking – it’s about trails – all kinds of trails, and what it takes to build them, finance them, maintain them, and ferret out the best places to build them.

As Dave says – “IMBA’s all about helping communities realize the best possible trail system that they could have…”

In our conversation, IMBA Executive Director Dave Wiens gives us some great insight into how trails are found, funded, and maintained as well as how you can find local trails with crowd sourced apps like Trail Force and MTB Project as well as IMBA’s Trail Champions.

Then, we speak with the Amanda Carey, the president of NICA, the National Interscholastic Cycling Association.

In the past, we’ve learned about the organization, but it’s been morphing and growing at an amazing rate, and I thought revisiting it right now would be a nice complement to my conversation with Dave Wiens.

In fact, in my conversation with Amanda, you’ll hear some familiar commentary because the work NICA does with kids leads right into the long-term goals that IMBA has too.

Starting as a volunteer for NICA, the National Interscholastic, Cycling Association, back in 2015, Amanda Carey has risen to President of the organization.  Her unbridled enthusiasm for the organization is evident, as you will hear in our conversation.

NICA – which was founded in California in 2009 with one school – now has 31 leagues in 29 states with 27,000 kids and 14,000 coaches.  It almost boggles the mind!

Posted on

Show #521 – September 26, 2020

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Guests: Jen Malik; Tobie DePauw; Lauren Hefferon

Sometimes you meet someone – even just in a phone call – and the enthusiasm and excitement for the work she is doing just jumps right out through the phone.

Jen Malik – Dr. Jen Malik as she is a PhD in biomedical engineering at THE Ohio State University where she is a post-doc fellow full time – also races cyclocross professionally, has taken on the task of bringing the first NICA league in Ohio, is on the board of the Central Ohio Mountain Biking Association, and loves to garden and paint.

For those in Chicago and surrounding areas – and, perhaps even those who might just want to get yourself TO Chicago sometime during the month of October, People for Bikes along with the Chicago Race Riot 19.org project, SRAM, The Newberry Library, and a slew of other great sponsors, all come together to ride a historic route and raise funds to benefit the Blackstone Bicycle Works.

As demonstrations and riots rock so many of our cities, this quiet and historic ride winds through the Bronzeville and Bridgeport neighborhoods, stopping at key historical sites relevant to the riot and the events that lead up to it.

And, there is an audio clip you can download and listen to a brief description of each of the stops along the way. Tobie DePauw, Ride Spot Affiliate Manager will be with me to explain it all.

And, lastly, we speak with Lauren Hefferon owner and founder of Ciclismo Classico. The company, long known for exquisite European Bicycle Tours, has brought it home for two fall tours out of Keene, NH.

Finally, I’d like to mention Chloe Dygert – the world champion cyclist. In her race to defend her world time trial title, she lost control of her bike in a turn and hit a barrier that apparently didn’t have any padding- resulting in a serious leg injury.

Chloe was airlifted to a hospital in Italy where she was treated and underwent surgery. Fortunately, she is expected to make a full recovery. Her coach, Kristen Armstrong. was quoted as saying, “Chloe Dygert’s crash is devastating but she will come back stronger.”

Sending healing thoughts to Chloe! And, wondering why the barrier padding ended before the barriers did… to be continued I’m sure.

Posted on

Show #459 – June 29, 2019

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Guests: Christine Byrne; Gary Fisher; Dan Thornton

When LeBron James says it, Portugal does it, and Trek puts money where its mouth is, perhaps “more kids on bikes” will become a reality.

This week, we will explore this with two great guests – Gary Fisher – that mountain bike legend guy, who will fill us in on what Trek has committed to with not only NICA, but with a far-reaching plan for children. Gary’s mind thinks faster than he can aciculate all the ideas he has – and with his huge and expansive vision, Gary Fisher sees a big picture that captures so many many possibilities to bring kids back into cycling.

Then, there is the laser focused and contrasting vision of bike shop owner Dan Thornton. Owner of the three Free-Flite stores in Georgia, Dan jumped into NICA with both feet and has seen the growth of the chapter go from a fledgling handful to over 1,000 kids.

First though, we are going to talk about something every cyclist knows well… FOOD!

Christine Byrne is a freelance journalist who writes about food and nutrition. In her recent article for Outside Online, she dangled the question – are eggs good for you? And, being the curious person I am, I bit!

While we may not get the answer we thought we would, we do learn a lot about how these claims are made and how we can learn something about ourselves and our way of looking at food that might just change the way you eat – forever.

Posted on

Show #308 – August 13, 2016

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Guests: NICA’s Austin McInerny & Kurt Wolfgang; Davis Tucker from NXNW in Austin

As the 2016 Olympics enter their second week, we’ve seen some big wins and some big disappointments.

Kristin Armstrong won her third consecutive gold in the individual time trial, setting a new record in the cycling world while 26 year old Taylor Phinney did not finish the Rio road race and was a distant 22nd in Wednesday’s time trial.

It’s been a great Olympics so far; we’ll see what happens next week.

This week, our show goes out to San Francisco to talk with the National Interscholastic Cycling Association’s executive director Austin McInerny and coach/development manager Kurt Wolfgang. Austin and Kurt fill us in on the numbers – how many states have teams, how many students are participating, and how the 2016-2017 school year will unfold for the organization.

Then we’ll do our news reporting before heading down to Austin, Texas to talk with the owner of restaurant NXNW and craft brewer Davis Tucker.

1 in 7 men will contract prostate cancer, so what Davis has to say is worth the listen

Davis’ work in getting the word out about prostate cancer and prostate health culminates in a Big 1400 mile, 2 week bike adventure from Austin to Denver, ending at the Great American Beer Fest. The story is funny, the topic serious and important.

Posted on

Show #192 – May 3, 2014

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Guests: National Bike Challenge’s Rob Gusky; Cherokee Schill; NICA’s Austin McInerny

Diversity! Well, at least on tonight’s episode of The Outspoken Cyclist.

It’s time again for the National Bike Challenge and Kimberley Clark’s Rob Gusky will once again fill us in on this year’s event. All the 2013 numbers went to ZERO at midnight on May 1st and we’re off and riding to see which individuals, teams, towns, companies, and states will put in the most miles until the final “bell” at midnight on September 30th.

Then, we will head on down to Lexington, Kentucky to speak with Cherokee Schill. Ms. Schill has been in the news, on television, and unfortunately in court recently – charged with “reckless driving” – only she wasn’t “driving” – she was riding her bike. In what might be a precedent setting case, Ms Schill is fighting for her right to ride her bike the 18 miles to and from work to support her two teenage children and to stay healthy. Her pre-trial is in August, but this week the Judge in the case has allowed her to continue to ride to work until she appears in court – much to the chagrin of the County Attorney who wanted her off the roads.

Finally, we’ll check in with Austin McInerny from NICA – The National Interscholastic Cycling Association. Austin is the executive director having started out as a volunteer coach! He loves the organization as well as helping kids get on a bike. The Association is growing by leaps and bounds and Austin will tell us about some of the new programs as well as a special 5-week challenge grant in which Dick’s Sporting Goods is offering a BIG purse if NICA can match the amount.

Diversity – it’s what’s for listening this week!

Posted on

Show #111 – October 6, 2012

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Daniel Coyle, Paul Steely-White, Doug Selee

Fall means it’s time to pull on your SPF Infinity sunblock (long sleeves and tights) and hit the road. For The Outspoken Cyclist, it means three great stories from the lighter and darker sides of our sport.

Joining us in the studio is Daniel Coyle, co-author with Tyler Hamilton of the book The Secret Race: Inside the Hidden World of the Tour de France: Doping, Cover-ups, and Winning at All Costs. Coyle conducted extensive interviews and research with Hamilton and many others to paint an enlightening and sometimes disturbing picture of the culture of doping in professional bike racing.

Perhaps no other city in the U.S. has so radically transformed its street infrastructure than New York City. Where Portland streets seem almost ready-made for bicycling, NYC has gone from allowing cars in Central Park (!) to being one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the country. Paul Steely-White, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives joins us from Brooklyn to update us on how NYC has pulled this off, and what’s on the horizon for the Big Apple.

Wrapping up the hour, Diane speaks with Doug Selee, Executive Director of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA). NICA’s mission is to start mountain bike racing leagues at the high school level around the U.S. With two leagues in California, and eight in other states, NICA is on a mission to get kids active and to create lifelong cyclists. See, it doesn’t take balls (literally or figuratively) to play high school sports!