Ahhhh ... the wind in your face as you glide along on your own two wheels! Whether you are a neighborhood bicyclist, a competitor or someone who likes to pack things up and make a long scenic ride, the public library has the resources to encourage anyone to peel those years away and cycle!


In “Bicycling the Blue Ridge; A Guide to the Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway”, Elizabeth & Charlie Skinner carefully explain why they consider these roads the “Ultimate bicycling road.” Weather, maps and suggested equipment are all described by these authors who have obviously completed the tours themselves. Their notes, by milepost, include lodging, landmarks, historic stops and a pleasant narration of their experiences. I especially appreciated the elevation cross-sectional maps.

“Bicycling the Atlantic Coast; A Complete Route Guide, Florida to Maine” by Donna Ikenberry Aitkenhead almost scared me off until I realized that the author presents the tour in bite-size pieces. Although her trip begins in Miami, FA and ends in Bangor, MA, she provides detailed maps that depict all back road routes. The coastal states are grouped by the South Atlantic, Middle Atlantic and New England States. Aitkenhead provides thorough maps and numerous tips for successfully cycling any portion, or all, of her coastal adventure. She admits right up front that she likes to tour (no kidding!) and is always planning her next cycling adventure.
These days I prefer greenways. Rowan Public Library has resources that encourage the development and creation of friendly pathways that connect places and people in a community; “Designing Greenways: Sustainable Landscapes for Nature and People” by Paul Cawood Hellmund & Daniel Somers Smith, also “Skinny Streets and Green Neighborhoods: Design for Environment and Community” by Cynthia Girling and Ronald Kellett. Greenways are dedicated paths for walking, jogging, and biking and are composed of gravel and asphalt. North Carolina and it’s neighboring states have many!
For the less mild-mannered bike enthusiasts you’ll find plenty of reading with “Mountain Biking”, by Michael Strassman, and “Mastering Mountain Bike Skills”, by Brian Lopes. Reading these books will give you perfect pedal strokes and tips for handling biking obstacles. Did you know that we have a mountain bike trail here in Salisbury/Rowan? The Salisbury Community Park on Hurley School Road has a mountain bike trail and occasional organized events.
There’s serious training and goal-setting between the pages of “Training Tips for Cyclists and Triathletes”. It is compiled by the Carmichael Training Systems with a forward by Lance Armstrong himself! Joe Friel extensively covers building strength while balancing recovery and fatigue for maximizing on power in “The Cyclist’s Training Bible”.

If you are into “learning it all”, read “Zinn’s Cycling Primer; Maintenance Tips & Skill Building for Cyclists” and, the highly reviewed, “Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance” both by Lennard Zinn.
OK, so you’ve not ridden a bike since you were a pigtailed kid, but I bet you remember that feeling of freedom you experienced on those two spinning wheels! There are more than 60 million riders in the United States today. Recent bike sales to all ages have risen 25%! Commuters, fitness buffs, eco-freaks, all those interested can turn to “Bicycling, a Reintroduction: a Visual Guide to Choosing, Repairing, Maintaining and Operating a Bicycle” by Karen Ruth. There are step-by-step photos where the author introduces, or reintroduces, an interested cyclist to current information about bikes and bicycling.
A couple days a week you’ll find me in a spin class at the YMCA (great instructors) just to keep myself in the cycling mood. To help keep this while-haired woman spinning along outdoors, I think I’ll read “Bike for Life; How to Ride to 100” by Roy Wallack & Bill Katovsky. See you on the greenways!