Do you have an urge to expand your cycling awareness or knowledge base? Whether you are just getting into bicycling or have been an avid cyclist for years, you may want to learn about bicycle maintenance, find new gear or develop training regimens to improve your speed or performance in a cycling event.

Take a drive around the city of Medford on any night and you are likely to see a kamikaze (suicidal) bicyclist, riding without any lighting and dressed in dark clothes. To make the situation worse, these night riders are commonly riding on the wrong side of the street, going against the flow of traffic. But that is a different issue for another column.

Bicycling is a great way to maintain a fit and trim body. However, beginning cyclists who are out of shape and carrying extra pounds may jump on a bicycle, pedal around the neighborhood and decide cycling is hard work. Often as not, they quit after their first couple of rides.

As I have bicycled around the valley over the past several months, I have seen a lot of new riders on the road. In particular, I have seen numerous young (60+) adults like myself out riding. Seeing these "youngsters" pedaling gives me encouragement that other folks are finding the fountain of youth through bicycling.

At the moment, I'm lying here between the paved traffic lane and the gravel shoulder, staying cool until the sun warms me up. During the hot day, most vehicles pass me by without giving me so much as a wink. I prefer to think that's because they really don't appreciate my importance.

Lake of the Woods, with its cool waters, camping and resorts, is a great place to spend time in the summer. It's also a wonderful place to start a bike ride.

Pain and numbness in the body take the fun out of riding a bicycle, but a few minor adjustments on your bike and in your riding position can make a world of difference in your comfort level. It also can have a synergistic effect on performance of the bicycle.

Recent newscasts about the rising price of gasoline have featured people who are switching to other forms of transportation, such as riding bicycles, to save money. The media normally show a picture of a cyclist cruising the streets in town. However, local commuting is just the tip of the iceberg for gasoline-saving trips that can be done on a bicycle. Many of my friends and I also use our bicycles for vacation travels.

May is National Bike Month. This is the month when those of us who enjoy spinning the pedals on our two-wheel vehicles get to celebrate our passion for motor-free transportation. The League of American Bicyclists promotes Bike-to-Work Week May 12-16 and Bike-to-Work Day May 16.

Bumper-to-bumper traffic, road rage, no parking spots and long delays getting from one point to another. No, I'm not describing the big city; I'm talking about conditions in some of our national parks, state parks, and national monuments. Our treasured parks are being loved to death, as hoards of people visit, bringing with them an onslaught of automobiles.