Tags: Syndicated Blog by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Tom Held’s “Off the Couch” blog.
The Drop Bag: Bicyling tax credit and spring into fitness
The "Drop Bag" is a collection of news and events from the Off the Couch sporting world.
The name refers to the drop bags that competitors use to get their post-race necessities from the start line to the finish line of point-to-point races. In my case, it's often an odd collection of dry clothes, shoes, a camera, a towel, snacks, maybe a beer, often a notebook, pen, newspaper or even a book. There are times when I surprise myself.
Send your Drop Bag tips to theld@journalsentinel.com
Commuter Tax Benefit: The $20-a-month benefit for cyclists who commute to work has been overlooked amid the big-ticket items in the federal stimulus and bailout packages. Anticipating weather more amenable for the bike-to-work types, here are a few explanations of the credit and how to get it.
Mark Parman offered this in Silent Sports Magazine, attorney Bob Mionske penned this for Bicycling and the League of American Bicyclists covered the frequently asked questions.
Bong hosts fitness challenge: Ok, enough with the Beavis & Butthead snickering. The staff at the Richard A. Bong State Recreation Area in Kenosha County is promoting healthy eating and activities over the next month.
The Spring Into Fitness Challenge opens on Saturday with a 1.9-mile hike, and teams will be encouraged to accumlate points through the closing of the competition, on May 9.
Lapham Peak Bike Swap: It's time once again to swap bikes for snow. The Lapham Peak Friends group hosts the 4th annual bicycling flea market in Cushing Middle School to raise money for the snow-making project on the ski trails in the Town of Delafield.
Vendors need to be in place by 8:30 a.m. and the doors open for buyers at 9:30.
An Armstrong update: Cycling fans worried that Lance Armstrong's broken collarbone would keep him from the Tour de France can rest easy. His entry there is almost a certainty, and he just might make the Giro d' Italia, according to the latest reports.