Thursday, April 6. 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 5
Cyclists ride weekly Tour de Lawrence
Twenty-year tradition is on the road again
Cyclists gathering for their Wednesday night ride swap stories from the 15 dedicated cyclists to a 40-mile tour that begins in front of Wescoe Hall road. The ride begins at 5:30 p.m. each week and usually attracts about Photo by Jamie Roper/KANSAN
By Jim O'Malley
by Jim O'Malley writer at kansan.com Kansan staff writer
The ride has been going on for about 20 years. It starts at 5:30 p.m. early and late in the season, and as late as 6 p.m. in mid-summer. The route varies, depending on the wind direction. Typically, 12 to 15 cyclists show up on Wednesdays, but there can be up to 25 in mid-summer. The first ride of the season was
Then they go out for a little bike ride—40 miles in two hours.
They wheel up to Wescole Hall every Wednesday evening from April to October, wearing skin-tight lycra, fingerless gloves, helmets and Terminator-style sunglasses.
Local bike racers say it's the fastest group ride in Lawrence.
Eric Struckhoff, research assistant in biological sciences and president of Lawrence Bicycle Club Racing, said, "It's a good ride for someone who wants to go out and hammer for two hours."
But riders had better be in shape.
Dan Hughes, general manager of the Sunflower Bike Shop, 802 Massachusetts St., said the Wednesday ride was a good introduction to competitive road cycling. Riders can learn the etiquette of riding in a group, and get comfortable riding close to other cyclists.
"It starts out into the wind at a moderate pace," Hughes said. "But at the halfway point, all hell breaks loose."
Keith McMahon, state masters road cycling champion and associate professor of East Asian languages and culture, said the Wednesday rides were mercilless.
Were the racers Tony Smith and Hiram Salvini said it wasn't a ride for casual riders: they'll get dropped, and nobody waits.
Getting dropped — falling behind the pack — is something to avoid. Riders who get dropped have to fight the wind alone.
Indeed, wind resistance is critical. Jim Whitaker, who races with Lawrence Bicycle Club Racing, said that winds above 16 or 17 mph become the major factor. Drafting, or riding close behind another rider's rear wheel, reduces wind resistance. That's why racers form平坡lines — they ride one behind another and trade off the lead.
vanessa Sincock, Springfield, Mo., junior, and a former rower, joined the Wednesday ride for the first time last fall.
So a rider who falls behind the group has a hard time catching up.
"I did meet my goal of sticking with them for about 40 minutes," she said. "However, I was
bummed when suddenly they took off — and I was left. That's a big beginners' mistake in cycling, to lose the pack, because then you have little to no chance of catching up."
So what's the attraction of road cycling?
Do what is right. Brent Buenger, a Lawrence graduate student who races, said cycling was a good stress reliever.
"Graduate school is stressful and it helps me relax and keep my mind clear," he said.
relax and keep my mind calm. He was
Lawrence racee Joe Saia has raced for 20 years.
Lawrence racer Joe Saia has raced for 20 years. "I like the speed," he said. "I like the camaraderie. I like the efficiency and mechanics of the bicycle. I think it's one of the most efficient machines ever invented. We'll go 35 to 40 miles and not ever burn a single drop of gas."
McMahon said that part of it was the euphoria of exercise and that he loved being on the road.
"I love to look at the scenery and feel the road go by," he said. "It's a little like flying. You can take off from your home and go a long way and come back and feel like you've been on a journey."
Group rides exist for bicyclists of all levels
There are kinder, gentler group rides in Lawrence sponsored by the Lawrence Bicycle Club:
The kindest and gentlest is the "Stop and Smell the Roses" ride that starts at 6 p.m. in Constant Park at Sixth and Tennessee streets. The route includes some gravel roads.
Despite its name, the Lawrence Bicycle Club's Thursday evening "Vomit Comet" ride is a little easier on new riders. The ride runs from April through September and starts at 6 p.m at Broken Arrow Park, 31st and Louisiana streets. It follows the same 20 mile route every week — south to the town of Vinland over rolling hills and back. They have also introduced the slower "Stop and Smell the Vomit" ride for those who prefer
to keep their dinner rather than lose it.
"The Muffin Ride" meets 8 a.m. Saturday mornings in the Applebee's parking lot at 25th and Iowa streets. It goes to Lone Star Lake and b k, which is about 30 miles. Faster riders usually stay under 20 mph. The ride runs all year, but attendance may be sparse when the weather is colder.
- "Sunday Tours" start 8:30 a.m. at the bandstand in South Park on Massachusetts Street. Early in the season, rides are about 40 miles, but the mileage will increase throughout the season. The ride continues all year, but with later start times.
For more information, contact the Lawrence Bicycle Club, at http://www.johnco.cc.ks.us/~rbreeden/LBC.html, or e-mail Jim Turner at sturner@idir.net.
Professors say technology market was overdue for correction
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
By John Audlehelm
On Tuesday, the NASAQ and the Dow Jones Industrial Average each had their largest point swings in history.
A federal judge decided Monday that Microsoft was a monopoly and ordered it be broken up — a decision Bill Gates said Microsoft would appeal.
Mark Hirchey, professor of business and Stockton research fellow, said that the ruling and the
market action were somewhat linked, but that the technology market had been long overdue for a correction.
Gordon Fitch, professor of business, said Microsoft was the leading technology stock. He said the NASDAQ was more technical and the Dow was more industrial.
Hirschey said the NASDAQ had not been going crazy in the last few days, but instead had been going crazy the last few years.
He said that while price/earnings ratios, which are reflections of investors' confidence, had been
high overall, the NASDAQ's ratio had been off the charts.
The Dow's price/earnings ratio is usually 10 to 20, he said, while on Wednesday it was 23.9.
"That means the Dow Jones Industrial Average is priced on the optimistic end of the range," Hirschey said.
But the NASDAQ's price/earnings ratio is almost ten times that at 247, he said, though the earnings of its companies went down 25 percent last year.
"NASDAQ has been going down because NASDAQ is wildly overpriced." Hirschev said.
The bubble has started to pop the last few days, he said, but although the Microsoft decision has been a trigger, it is more of an excuse.
Fitch said he could not speculate on whether tech stock declines meant the end of the record-breaking bull market.
"If anybody can know that, they'd be fabulously rich," he said.
There is always speculation when the market has been on a good run for so long that any event could be the end, Fitch said.
man, said she wanted tech stocks,
but that she would wait until they had hit a low before buying them.
Stacie Campbell, Topeka fresh-
"They're really inflated," Campbell said. "They're still going up so much that you almost have to jump in."
She said she wanted diverse stocks so she would not be affected so much by the market's swings.
"You never know what industry's going to do." Campbell said.
Hirschie said that the NASDAQ would probably drop 50 percent, and that the decline could end by Memorial Day, May 29.
Kansan classifieds to get rid of that excess stuff before you leave for summer
2000-2001 University/Community Service Scholarship Award
From the Kansas and Burge Unions
As a result of the many students saving furniture and art objects while providing invaluable service to fire-fighters during the Kansas Union fire on April 20, 1970, insurance carriers decided to present the Kansas Union with a gift. Every year, the Student Union Activities Board awards several scholarships to deserving students who have made significant contributions to the University and Lawrence communities.
-- Enrolled full-time KU student (graduate or undergraduate) at the
-- Must have demonstrated outstanding service to the University and Lawrence communities
Qualifications
-- Enrolled full-time KU student (graduate or undergraduate) at the time of application and during receipt of the scholarship/award
-- Return to KU for Fall 2000 and Spring 2001 semesters
-- GPA is not a prerequisite for completing the application form
Applications
Available at the SUA Box Office, Level Four, Kansas Union. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, April 14 at the SUA office. For more information call (785)864-3477.
STUDENT UNION ACTIVITIES
MASSAGE THERAPY!
Only $25 in Student Clinic
Amaria-Bodywork Institute
641-157 1103 Mae. St.
Graduation Regalia
Available at the KU Bookstores 864-4640
Domestic & Foreign Complete Car Care
"We Stand Behind Our Work, and WE CARE!"
842-8665
2858 Four Wheel Dr.
Thursday. April 6, 2000
3pm Pélathé Center Community Garden project at the Pélathé Center located at 1423 Haskell Ave.
Friday, April 7, 2000
8pm-6:30 am Homeless Sleepout at Burchum Park
2nd & Indiana St.
Saturday, April 8, 2000 9:30am-1pm Will meet in the Kansas Union Lobby to then head out to sites in the community
Center for Community Outreach
126 Kansas Union, Phone 561-1073
www.akku.edu - CCO
sponsored by CCO, Student Senate
Rallt Center for the Humanities, and Coca Cola