"David L. Johnson" wrote in message
...
steve wrote:
On 14-Aug-2007, smacked up and reeling, (Paul Berg)
blindly
formulated
the following incoherence:
Bottlenecks not only forced cyclists to walk their bikes along parts of
the course, but also meant as many as 1,500 of the estimated record
19,000 cyclists in the event were unable to complete the ride.
Organizers barred them from crossing the Fremont Bridge and other spans
as authorities sought to reopen them to vehicle traffic. Other
cyclists,
frustrated, left the course on their own.
What is the point of these mass rides, anyway? It cant be good riding,
and
it obviously screws up traffic.
I was going to ask just that question. No one I've talked to who rode
the 5-Borough tour of New York would do it again, but still they have
thousands and thousands of people riding it. They've started one in
Philadelphia as well this year.
I just don't get the appeal.
If you are in shape and have trained it is a very nice ride, early in the
morning with blue sky and the crisp air. The views from the bridges
are spectacular and when you drive over them in a car you go so fast
you really don't see or pay attention much. The rises on the entrances
to the bridges are gentle enough that a rider in shape would hardly break
a sweat going up them. And the architecture of the bridges that they
go over is facinating. If you were to see pictures taken along the route
you would understand why it is popular.
Ted