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Wisconsin has 3rd highest percentage of residents who exercise
Wisconsin is hot as blazes in the summer and eyeball freezing cold in the winter. But apparently neither stops a majority of the state's residents from exercising outdoors.
In fact, the state ranks third in the nation (and the only midwestern state in the top 16) for the percentage of
people meeting moderate physical activity guidelines, according to a report in the July/August issue of American Journal of Health Behavior. The report's author, Dr. Ray Merrill, an associate health science
professor at Brigham Young University, looked at the effect of weather on workout habits.
The CDC recommends a half hour of moderate intensity physical activity five or more days per week. This
may include walking at a brisk pace, biking on level terrain, using a stationary bicycle, aerobic dancing or water aerobics.
The top-ranked states with the percentage of people meeting the CDC guidelines were 1) Montana, 60.9 percent; 2) Utah, 59.2 percent; 3) Wisconsin, 57.9 percent; 4) New Hamphire, 55.9 percent; and
Vermont, 55.6 percent.
The highest-ranked states for physical activity tend to have the most dry and moderate days while the
lowest-ranked areas are hotter and more humid, such as Puerto Rico, Hawaii, North Carolina, Kentucky and Mississippi. The other upper Midwest states ranked as follows: 17) Minnesota, 51 percent; 35) Illinois,
44.2 percent; 36) Michigan, 43.4 percent; and 41) Iowa, 41.4 percent.
The physical activity data came from a 2003 phone survey by the CDC of residents aged 18 and older in
355 counties. Weather information was collected from 255 weather stations.
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'Bicycle-friendly communities' include Chicago, Schaumburg, Ann Arbor
Sixteen cities across the United States celebrated national Bike to Work Week, May 16-20, with the news
that the League of American Bicyclists had designated them Bicycle Friendly Communities.
The award, given at levels from bronze to platinum, recognizes those communities that are improving
conditions for bicyclists and bicycling safety.
Among the five cities awarded the designation for the first time were Chicago (silver winner) and Ann Arbor, Michigan (bronze winner).
Schaumburg, Illinois (bronze winner), was one of 11 communities to successfully renew their bicycle-friendly designation.
"We salute these communities for their tremendous commitment to improving conditions for bicyclists," said
Andy Clarke, executive director of the League of American Bicyclists. "They are making the streets safer for bicycling, educating bicyclists and motorists to share the road, promoting a wide range of bicycling
activities and even stepping up the enforcement of traffic laws to protect bicyclists."
"The rewards are enormous," continued Clarke. "These communities, and thousands of individual bicyclists
within them, are benefiting from better health, improved air quality, less traffic congestion, energy conservation and pure economics. Bicycling is an incredibly efficient means of travel and that means a lot
when gas is $2.50 a gallon."
Clarke welcomed Chicago to the list. "Chicago is the biggest city by far to get a designation, and it takes a
lot to make a difference in a city of almost 3 million people," he said. "From the mayor on down, the city is
committed to making bicycling a viable travel option for short trips, and they have a remarkable ally in the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation."
The BFC award recognizes Chicago's commitment to improving conditions for bicycling and its practice of making focused investment in bicycling programs and facilities. Mayor Richard M. Daley's Bicycling
Ambassadors, administered by the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, particularly impressed the judges with its "clever and effective" advertising campaign.
Judges also noted Chicago's Millennium Park Bicycle Station, the expansion of the city's bike lane network to more than 100 miles in the past 10 years, and the city's strong partnership with Chicago's cycling
community, especially the CBF.
Events such as Bike the Drive, Critical Mass and the Boulevard Lakefront Tour, which draw more than 33,000 people annually, also drew the attention of the judges.
The BFC program was initiated in 2003 and has received applications from more than 110 communities. Designations have been awarded to 49 cities and counties. Applicants complete a detailed online form with
numerous questions in five key areas: engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation/planning. Local cyclists, national experts and league staff review the applications. For more
information, visit www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org.
The League of American Bicyclists promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation, and works through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America. The league represents the interests of America's 57
million bicyclists, including its 300,000 members and affiliates. For more information or to support the league, visit www.bikeleague.org.
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Shop by Bike in Chicago 'burbs
Downtown Forest Park and downtown Oak Park (and soon, downtown Glen Ellyn) want you to shop by bike. To encourage people to leave their cars, bicycle riding shoppers are given a card to be punched each
time they shop at a participating business. Completed cards can be turned in for entry into a multiprize raffle.
The Forest Park Chamber of Commerce is continuing the program started there last year. The program,
which started June 11 and runs through September 30, works like this: Bike shoppers pick up a punch card at a participating business, spend a minimum of $5 at one of these businesses, get their cards punched, with
one punch per purchase and five punches completing a card.
Completed cards are entered into a raffle for 21 prizes, including a $50 gift certificate from Dan's Bike Shop
in Berwyn and $600 in Madison Street gift certificates in various amounts, donated by the Forest Park Chamber for use at participating Shop By Bike merchants.
Also ride your bike to downtown Oak Park and shop at any participating store or restaurant, show your bike lock key or helmet with a purchase of $5 or more and get a sticker on your card.
Collect five stickers to qualifyto win a variety of great prizes including items donated by participating shops and restaurants, downtown Oak Park gift certificates and much more. The program ends August 28. For
more information, call downtown Oak Park at 708/383-4145. For a list of participating businesses, got to www.biketraffic.org.
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New Iowa Bicycle Coalition sets its agenda
Less than a year old, the Iowa Bicycle Coalition is working to promote Iowa cycling as safe and enjoyable recreation and transportation. The nonprofit group was launched by bicycling advocates from across Iowa
and will unite the voices of road riders, mountain bikers, recreation riders, commuters and anyone else who prefers a bicycle for recreation and transportation.
The coalition will begin its mission by promoting bicycle tourism in Iowa, presenting a state-wide bicycle conference, and becoming an information clearinghouse.
To promote bicycle tourism, the coalition will work with Iowa tourism partners and develop publications to include route mapping of road routes, off-road trails and recreational trail routes.
A statewide bicycle conference will bring together bicyclists, elected officials, government staff and engineers and present the latest information on safety, facilities and advocacy.
As an information clearinghouse, the coalition will disseminate safety and advocacy information to the grass-roots level about Safe Routes to Schools, Iowa DOT Smart Wheeler programs, Ride Right and other
valuable advocacy programs.
Anyone with an interest in Iowa bicycling can join the Iowa Bicycle Coalition. Membership gives you a
voice in determining the quality of bicycling in Iowa. There are countless volunteer opportunities that will make an impact on cycling in Iowa and in your own community.
There are a variety of membership options available, but for a limited time the Iowa Bicycle Coalition is offering special founding memberships. Founding members are recognized for their early support of the
coalition and they demonstrate a special dedication to the Iowa cycling community.
For more information, go to www.iowabicyclecoalition.org.
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CXC awards athletes, coaches, volunteers
Central Cross-Country Skiing recently announced the inaugural awarding of CXC athlete, coach and volunteer of the year. Each year CXC will recognize outstanding performances in these nominated categories.
The 2005 Athlete of the Year is Ben Fick of Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota, for his outstanding athletic performance in the past racing season and his dedicated involvement with CXC.
Skiing as a junior for Forest Lake High School in Forest Lake, Minnesota, and Nordicwerks Ski Club, Fick was the 2005 Sectional Champion, 2005 Minnesota State Champion and the Kortelopet Champion at
the American Birkebeiner. He was named All-American as a member of the Midwest Team at the Junior Olympics in Truckee, California, in March.
The 2005 Coach of the Year is Sten Fjeldheim of Northern Michigan University for his outstanding work with junior and young senior athletes. Sten feels that having a successful year was due to the commitment of
the NMU athletes.
NMU NCAA All-Americans Lindsay Williams, Lindsey Weier and Bryan Cook were all products of their
own hard work and that of their teammates. Williams won the U.S. National Sprint title, took bronze in the U.S. National 5K, and received other top 10 finishes along with several of her teammates. Two NMU
skiers qualified for the Junior World Team as well as Williams competing in her first World Cup in Falun, Sweden.
The 2005 Volunteers of the Year are Vera and Tom Marquardt of St. Paul, Minnesota, for their tireless contribution as Web masters for www.cxcskiing.org. They also regularly volunteer at Junior Olympic
Qualifier races while supporting their three children at the races.
CXC Skiing is the designated body for the development of cross-country skiers in the 10-state Central
Region of the United States. CXC Skiing oversees youth, collegiate and masters skiing programs, coordinates competitions and is the Midwest pipeline to the U.S. Ski Team.
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Banadad Ski Trail gets cleanup grant
The Banadad Ski Trail, most of which lies within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) of Minnesota, recently received $8,000 by the Cook County Board. With another $8,000 from Boundary
Country Trekking and the U.S. Forest Service, brush from up to eight remote interior miles of the trail will be cleared.
The Banadad Ski Trail is a 19-mile-long public ski trail from east of Poplar to Loon Lake. Since most of the trail is within the BWCA, all maintenance must be done with hand tools and travel by maintenance crews
must be by foot. The funds will pay for a three- or four-person crew to widen four miles of the trail over the next two years.
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Trek's history and Armstrong's bike on display at Historical Museum
At press time, American cyclist Lance Armstrong was enroute to an unprecedented seventh consecutive Tour de France win. Armstrong won these titles riding bicycles made in Wisconsin by the Trek Bicycle Corporation.
The Wisconsin Historical Museum on Madison's Capitol Square commemorates Trek's own historical accomplishments with an exhibit featuring a Trek Madone 5.9 that Armstrong rode to victory in the 2003
Tour de France.
The exhibit opened July 19 and remains on display until September 17.
Founded in 1976 with five employees, Trek has become the largest independent bicycle manufacturer in
America, with one of the best-known brands in the industry. Selling bikes in more than 60 countries, Trek has earned a global reputation for quality and innovation. The company kept its Wisconsin roots as it has
grown, maintaining approximately 70 percent of its workforce in the Badger State.
So how did a fledgling business from Jefferson County come to dominate the high-end American bicycle
industry? While Asian manufacturers steadily gobbled up market share with low-cost, mass-produced bikes, Trek expanded its presence by emphasizing quality materials and skilled engineering.
The museum exhibit explores Trek's successes, failures and business strategies from its early days to its present success as a model Wisconsin company in an era of global competition.
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Richard Schwinn, featured museum speaker Aug. 16
Richard Schwinn, co-founder of the Wisconsin-based custom bicycle builder Waterford Precision Cycles, will speak August 16 at 12:15 p.m. at the Wisconsin Historical Museum in Madison. Admission to
Schwinn's talk is free but a $2 donation is suggested.
For more information about the Trek exhibit and Schwinn's lecture, go to www.wisconsinhistory.org.
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