Robert Annis

Gadling gets desperate, brings me on as new travel blogger

2013-03-26T08:17:00.000-04:00

My goal of becoming a full-time cycling and outdoor travel writer is one step closer. I'm the newest blogger for Gadling, one of the most popular and influential travel blog on the interwebs. Check out my profile, detailing my travel likes and experiences here. Be sure to check back often, as I hope to have several pieces a month on the site.

I need your help to bring more trails to Brown County!

2013-03-21T10:30:00.000-04:00

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For the next few weeks, Indiana outdoor enthusiasts can help bring more world-class mountain bike trails to Brown County State Park in Nashville, Ind., simply by voting on Facebook.

Bell Bike Helmets is partnering with the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) to give away $100,000 in trail grants in its Bell Built Facebook contest. With more than 100 applications submitted, twelve trail projects have been selected as finalists in three different categories – Pump Track, Flow Trail and a Downhill. One winner will be chosen in each category.

Hobbs Hollow is Brown County’s entry in the Flow Trail category. This brand new 3-mile segment of trail will be jam-packed with bermed turns, step-ups, rock drops, and tabletop jumps along its a 2-mile descent with 360 feet of vertical drop, more than any other trail in the state. Other finalists include Kingdom Trails (Burke, VT), Coldwater Mountain (Anniston, AL) and the Corral Trail (Lake Tahoe, CA).

“If this grant is truly about impact and truly about using these funds to make a difference in our sport, then Brown County is the place that deserves your vote in the Flow Category in this contest,” IMBA Midwest Regional Director Hansi Johnson said in a recent blog post. “This place truly exposes the core of our country to the positive aspects of off-road cycling, it’s creating new riders and thus new constituents in what most folks consider the flyover zone…. professionally, thinking of "impact" on the sport I would say Brown County needs your vote and thus this grant more than any of its competition.”

Brown County is already a Midwest mountain bike destination with more than 25 miles of flowing single track for all levels of riders. Trails are built and maintained by volunteers with the Hoosier Mountain Bike Association and are enjoyed by mountain bikers, hikers, trails runners and outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and types. In 2011, Brown County was designated an IMBA “Epic” – a distinction given to only 63 trails around the globe in the past 11 years. The Hobbs Hollow flow trail will kick off the next wave of construction with 15 additional miles planned over the next few years.

To vote, visit http://www.facebook.com/BellBikeHelmets/app_228716427271717 before the contest ends April 12. Voting does not work on mobile devices.

More information about Brown County can be found at www.browncountymountainbiking.com and www.imba.com/epics/brown-county.

Nine13 Sports makes national news

2013-02-06T10:02:00.003-05:00

My article on Nine13 Sports ran in Bicycle Times earlier this month. This is a great program that tries to get primarily lower-income kids healthy by putting them on a Computrainer and telling them to pedal fast. My former coach John Singleton helps run Nine13, and he rarely gets more excited than when he's bragging about a young kid who discovers the athlete inside.

It's crazy how much things have changed over the years. When I was a kid, many, many years ago, I was on my bike constantly, going to friends' houses, staging impromptu races with buddies and just having an all-around blast. Kids today don't seem to have that same freedom that we did as children. I wonder how many of these kids will pick up cycling, either as a sport or simply as a more fun way of getting from Point A to Point B.

Hope you're thirsty

2013-02-05T10:55:00.001-05:00

Last month I started covering city government for a small local newspaper, the Current in Carmel. It's a part-time gig, which is what I wanted. As much as I love writing about bikes, some times it's almost as much fun to write about zoning changes and political in-fighting. Almost.

It's no secret to my friends that I love beer almost as much as bikes. So imagine my excitement when my editor allowed me to write a story on a couple of craft breweries coming to Carmel. With any luck, maybe this will lead to a new career path writing about beer. (Unfortunately DrunkCyclist.com is already taken.)

Check out my story on DirtRag.com!

2013-02-01T12:13:00.001-05:00

My friends at Dirt Rag asked me to do an article on some gorgeous show bikes from the North American Handbuilt Bicycle Show and how they're fairing out in the wild. Luckily, my buddy and Shamrock Cycles owner Tim O'Donnell was able to point me in the direction of two very lucky owners. Read the story here.

Not eligible for AARP benefits yet, but I can still write for them!

2013-02-01T12:08:00.004-05:00

I recently wrote a story for the AARP Bulletin on Indianapolis' Complete Streets Initiative and how it's setting the tone for further implementation throughout the state. Give it a read!

My Brown County State Park feature ran in Dirt Rag

2012-11-13T12:42:00.000-05:00

I write a lot of articles, but this is definitely in my personal top 10 favorites. Big thanks to Michelle Craig of Two Pedals Photography and Dirt Rag's art and editorial teams for making my scribblings enjoyable to the masses.

24 Hours in Indianapolis

2012-11-13T10:58:00.001-05:00

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There’s no better way to experience a new city than atop a bicycle, and few cities illustrate that better than the Hoosier state capital.

Start your day off by renting a bike at the Indy Bike Hub, located in the historic City Market Building on Delaware Street, grab an Indy Ride Guide map, then hop onto the 8-mile Indianapolis Cultural Trail, which weaves through several of the city’s historic neighborhoods and art districts. From the trail, you can connect to most of Indianapolis’ other greenways and bike lanes to get practically anywhere you need to go.

Although Broad Ripple is most frequently mentioned in travel articles as the place to go to experience Indy’s hip side, unless you’re intrigued by overpriced fashion boutiques, cheesy T-shirt shops and drunk college kids, steer clear. You’re better off taking the Cultural Trail south from downtown a few miles to Fountain Square.

Much of Fountain Square seems like you’ve traveled through a time machine to Mayberry in the 1950s, except that Aunt Bee is cooking traditional Peruvian fare and Floyd runs a tattoo parlor instead of a barbershop. Visitors can go duckpin bowling, then swing dance the night away at the beautiful Fountain Square Theatre next door. My favorite lunch treat is the chicken pad thai at Siam Square, but you also can’t go wrong with the souvlaki platter at Santorini Greek Kitchen or an old-fashioned hamburg – yes, that’s how they spell it -- at the neighborhood stalwart, the Peppy Grill.

Don’t leave before you swing by the Murphy Art Center and gaze upon some of the best new creations at the Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art. If you can score tickets, brave the creaky stairwell and check out an intimate acoustic show upstairs at Do317.com’s PBR Lounge, featuring some of the hottest rock and indie acts in the country, such as Lucero and Blitzen Trapper. Over the past year, I’ve seen about 10 or more bands inside the cramped studio space, joined by less than two dozen other enraptured fans each time.

After you get your fill of Thai food and modern art, head north up the Pleasant Run Greenway to Irvington. Located five miles east of downtown, Irvington got its name from renowned author Washington Irving, but it’s better known nationally as a hideout for infamous bank robber John Dillinger and the scene of notorious murders by HH Holmes, America’s first known serial killer, and former Indiana governor DC Stephenson, respectively.

Despite its often-macabre past, the district remains one of the most desirable in Indianapolis. New arty, off-kilter restaurants and shops have begun creeping into the revitalized area, including the latest edition to the Indianapolis craft-brewing scene, Black Acre Brewing Co.

Located in a shopping plaza located off the main drag of East Washington Street, Black Acre is a modern take on an olde English pub. Reclaimed lumber climbs several walls to the exposed ductwork on the ceiling. The space is a bit on the small side and seating is limited, so get ready to know your neighbor fairly well if you’re visiting on a weekend evening. The beers themselves are a mixed bag. Their stout and porter are quite tasty, but the blonde was so-so and their Weisse smelled and tasted like nail-polish remover. Definitely stick to the darker offerings.

The eclectic beer offerings echo the nearby Homespun boutique, which offers unique, handmade merchandise such as artwork, clothing and books from talented Hoosier artisans – think of it as a brick-and-mortar Etsy.

After you’ve loaded up your bike with your purchases, retreat back downtown for a quick jolt of caffeine at Henry's on East Street in the Chatham Arch neighborhood. That should be enough to power you to White River State Park, where you can take in the Indianapolis Zoo or one of several museums, or perhaps rent a paddleboat for a relaxing tour of the canal winding through parts of downtown. Depending on the season, you can also grab a beer and a hot dog and take in a baseball game at Victory Field, which has been hailed as the best minor league baseball stadium in the country.

After you return your rental to the bike hub, grab a quick dinner at one of the dozen or so restaurants located inside City Market and finish your trip upstairs at the Tomlinson Tap Room, which serves only the finest Indiana microbrews. Be sure to pick up a growler of your favorite brew as a memento of your trip.

My byline graces the pages of Outdoor Indiana again

2012-09-05T12:04:00.002-04:00

Being a Hoosier who loves being out in nature, it's no surprise I love Outdoor Indiana. One of my first professional freelance gigs was for the magazine way back in 2004, writing about emergency first aid. I included a lot of worst-case scenario tips that, luckily, I haven't had to use personally.

Cut forward eight years later. I got a chance to write for Outdoor Indiana again, this time about two incredible custom bike builders that call Central Indiana home. Writing this piece, I was a little envious of the riders who could commission one of these gorgeous and functional works of two-wheeled art. Maybe some day ... assuming magazines start paying their freelancers a lot more.

Diving headfirst into geek culture

2012-08-18T09:13:00.002-04:00

I'm not a big gamer, but I'm a huge fan of other forms of geek culture, like comics and sci-fi. So when I had the chance to cover Gen Con -- the largest gaming convention in the U.S. and mecca for tabletop gaming nerds throughout the world, I jumped at the opportunity.

My preview for the event, found here, has gotten a lot of nice compliments from folks, but didn't come out as well as I'd hoped; unfortunately having five deadlines in less than a week means you can't take the time to really hone an article. I'm not embarrassed by it in the least, but I really wanted it to be something unique and special.

I've visited the convention twice in the last two days and will head back today as well, but just for an hour or so (I've got a bike race at 1 p.m.). If you're interested in what I've been doing, here's a link to the blogs I'm writing for NUVO. If you see me walking around, feel free to say hi.

My Indy bike lanes article becomes top story on BicycleTimes.com

2012-08-09T16:34:00.001-04:00

My Bicycle Times editor just e-mailed me to say that my story on Indianapolis' booming bicycle infrastructure was the number one story on their website last week. Glad people across the Internet are finding Indy's story as inspiring as many of the locals.

With alternative transportation funding being cut back, I'm not as optimistic that we'll continue to grow the miles of bicycle lanes and trails as fast as we have over the past five years or so. It's a shame, because many of the city's traffic woes could easily be solved with more bikes instead of more cars and expanded highways.

NUVO continues to support local bike racing, my writing career

2012-08-08T10:08:00.001-04:00

My pals at NUVO continue to do an excellent job of supporting local bike racing. Not only are they sponsoring Saturday's massive Mass Ave Crit, they also hired me to write a couple of stories in advance of the race.

If you're even remotely aware of the Indiana racing scene, you know we have a number of talented female cyclists. Bri Clark, Sierra Siebenlist, Sydney Hatten, Sarah Fredrickson, Nicole Borem ... the list could go on and on. Not only do they kick ass on the bike, they're inspiring other racers to toe the start line as well. You can read my story here.

When it comes to influential figures on the local scene, Marian University Cycling Coach Dean Peterson has to be at the top of the list. From guiding the best collegiate racing team in the country to launching the career of several up-and-coming pros to running the Indy Cycloplex, Peterson keeps Indy cycling rolling at an incredible pace. But that's only part of his story. In our hour-plus interview, I learned so much about Peterson's background -- serving as a Peace Corps volunteer, starting a cycling team that funneled money to children's charities, and much more -- I came away with an even greater respect for him, something I didn't think possible.

If you show up at Saturday's race, keep an eye out for me wearing the Team Nebo Ridge kit toward the back of the Cat 4 field.

Two new links

2012-08-06T09:12:00.001-04:00

Indiana Living Green continues to do me a favor by printing my articles. My latest for them features Ball State's new geothermal heating and cooling system, one of the world's largest. Big ups to my alma mater. It was great to get back to campus for an afternoon, but it's a bit disconcerting how young the students are now. It's like they're letting 12-year-olds into college. Thought about hitting one of my favorite drinking places from back in the day, but I didn't want to be that creepy old dude.

The second article was posted by my friends at USA Cycling, discussing finding ways to train when you're short on time. I need to follow the advice in this piece; people think that now that I'm a freelancer, I have unlimited time to be out on my bike. Not true, unfortunately. In fact, the last two weeks I was barely able to ride between finishing a lengthy Gen Con preview for NUVO -- look for that next week -- and spending time with my visiting nephew.

This week I should have a little more time to ride as I prepare for Saturday's state championship Mass Ave Crit. (If you go, look for me to finish in the middle of the bunch sprint yet again.) Pick up a copy of NUVO Wednesday and read my thoughts on the local women's field and a profile of Marian coach Dean Peterson.

I get off the bike and into some polluted waters

2012-06-28T14:32:00.000-04:00

As much as I love writing about cycling, I also like to cover other topics as well. In the latest Indiana Living Green, I write about the battle between the state and federal governments over a number of waterways that may be impaired/polluted by nearby coal mines. Give it a read.

Mountain biking at Eagle Creek? I'm on it for NUVO.

2012-06-21T10:50:00.004-04:00

Tackled the particularly thorny issue of mountain bikes in Eagle Creek for my pals at NUVO this week.

As most readers are probably aware, I'm a cyclist myself so I'm sure there'll be plenty of accusations of bias on my part. But it's always been a point of pride for me to present both sides of the story equally, no matter my personal opinions. When I was working at the Star, I would constantly receive e- and voice-mails accusing me of either liberal and conservative bias. In the end, the reader's going to project his or her own viewpoint in whatever article they're reading.

Finally, an update!

2012-06-14T10:57:00.004-04:00

Yes, I know it's been four months since I last updated my website. To be fair, I was just really lazy (and writing a lot!). I promise much more frequent updates going forward.

So what have I been up to since February? I started my web column for my friends at Cyclocross Magazine (you can find my first two pieces here and here), wrote a ton for USA Cycling's monthly e-newsletter, NUVO and Indianapolis Monthly, to name a few. If you act quickly, you might be able to find the current Dirt Rag magazine, which has two short articles by me tucked away inside. (My longer piece on Brown County State Park will run later this year.)

I've got a lot of exciting projects in the works that I'm dying to share with everybody, so keep an eye on this site for more details soon.

My latest two articles for NUVO

2012-02-02T13:23:00.002-05:00

If you're interested in reading my last two pieces for NUVO on trail running and how much the Super Bowl will cost Indy, click the links.

Where's my byline this week?

2011-12-21T10:30:00.001-05:00

In addition to the usual cast of characters -- CXMagazine.com, NUVO.net and PelotonStar.com -- my article on cold weather riding appeared on Glory Road Cycling's website this week.

A blast from the recent past: My story on Carmel's next big mixed-use development

2011-12-20T19:42:00.003-05:00

I don't think I ever linked to my story on Carmel's Bridges development which ran in the October Hamilton County Business Magazine, but I've now rectified that oversight. I'm working on my next article for the magazine, listing the biggest achievements in each of Hamilton County's major cities and towns in 2011.

Weekend race wrap-ups

2011-12-19T15:12:00.001-05:00

My good friends at Cyclocross Magazine published my race reports from this weekend before I could post them here. So I'll just link to Saturday's state championship race and Sunday's fast and technical race at the Boone County Fairgrounds.

Backyard Cross Race Wrap-Up

2011-12-12T10:23:00.000-05:00

By Robert Annis For Planet Adventure

Bargersville, Ind. -- Two new riders took the top steps of the elite Indiana Cup podiums Sunday as more than 100 riders battled on a muddy, but fast course.

BikeReg.com rider Elizabeth Cobb led after the first lap, but soon faded. Kiersta Tucker of Team Wood N Wave and Speedway Wheelmen rider Janelle Renschler traded the lead multiple times during the remainder of the hard-fought, six-lap race. But after Renschler suffered a mechanical, Tucker was able to create a small gap, which she was able to hold until the end. It was her first victory as an elite cyclocross racer.

“I wanted to hang with them to see how I felt,” Tucker said. “I had to push myself to stay with them at first, but I did it. … This was the best I’ve felt (on the bike) in the past two years.”

Cobb held on to third place.

Nuvo rider Eric Anderson took the elite men’s race Sunday, a week after a nine-second loss to teammate Weston Luzadder at the final Major Taylor Velodrome race. Anderson didn’t look to be in much jeopardy during the race, beating Fredrick Rose of BikeReg.com by nearly 43 seconds. J’s Bikes rider Andrew Boneff took third place, 1:45 back.

The first place was Anderson’s third of the year – he also took the top step of the podium at Apple Cross and Cincy3 Cyclo-Stampede – but his first at a Planet Adventure cyclocross event this year.

Sunday’s race, the ninth in the 12-race Indiana Cup CX series, was a preview of the Indiana State Championship to be held at the same venue Saturday.

For a full list of results or to learn more about the Indiana Cup series, go to www.indianacxcup.com.

My vintage bike story finally sees print!

2011-12-07T14:59:00.001-05:00

This story ran in Antique Week Nov. 28, 2011. I prefer my bikes to be carbon fiber and lighter than a sheet of paper, but I can see why so many people are fond of the older bicycles.

The TARDIS lands in Antique Week

2011-12-07T11:46:00.001-05:00

My article on vintage Doctor Who collectibles is now on Antique Week's website. This was a fun story to write, especially after I discovered the largest Who distributor is located here in Indianapolis. Thanks to Corey and Keith, who gave me lots of great quotes and information.

Be sure to visit www.whona.com for all your X-mas shopping needs this year, especially if you're buying stuff for me.

My Open Letter to Gannett's CEO is on NUVO's website now

2011-12-07T11:20:00.001-05:00

You can read it here.

I'd heard the news about more Gannett furloughs during the first quarter of next year and was so angry, I couldn't sleep. All these things I wanted to say to Gannett executives kept popping up in my head, so I went to my home office at 3 a.m. and started typing. At the time, I wasn't expecting to submit it; I just wanted to get some things off my chest. I considered sending it directly to Martore, but let's face it, it's not like a pissed-off e-mail from a disgruntled former employee is going to matter one iota to her.

The next morning, I sent the letter to my new friend and NUVO editor Rebecca Townsend and asked what she thought I should do with the letter. Rebecca encouraged me to run it, telling me to take a stand for journalism and my former colleagues. So, I took her advice.

Rivera, Luzadder take wins at NUVO CX

2011-12-05T11:07:00.001-05:00

Major Taylor Velodrome Race #3 Wrap-Up

By Robert Annis For Planet Adventure

Familiar faces dominated Saturday’s muddy NUVO CX race at Major Taylor Velodrome in Indianapolis.

Marian University student and pro rider Coryn Rivera, wearing her Exergy TWENTY12 kit, scorched the muddy course to take first place. With the air pressure too low in her tires and clumps of sticky mud clogging her bike, Rivera grabbed her pit bike two laps in.

“I’d planned to grab it anyway, as practice for nationals,” Rivera said. “I was using this as a practice race so I could experiment. After I got back on the bike, I focused on picking off the (male) riders in front of me.”

Rivera’s fellow Marian Student Jackie Kurth rolled in 2:45 later, followed shortly by Bob’s Red Mill racer Nicole Borem.

In two previous races at the velodrome, Rivera had come in second to her Marian teammate and Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com racer Katie Antonneau. Antonneau didn’t race Saturday, but was on-hand to pit for Rivera and cheer on her teammates.

In the men’s elite race, Marian student Weston Luzadder, racing for NUVO, Bissell Cycling’s new feeder team, managed to hold off the double-barreled assault of Eric Anderson and Josh Johnson. Luzadder took the hole shot, but wasn’t able to create a large gap, allowing the two to work their way up to his wheel. The three stuck together for nearly seven laps, until Luzadder was able to create some distance.

“I’d been throwing down small attacks (throughout the race),” Luzadder said. “About halfway through the seventh lap, I attacked again and Josh went off the back. On the next lap, I attacked again, right before the big hill (on the course), and I managed to get a gap.”

Luzadder was able to hold the gap to take the win, with Anderson coming in nine seconds later. Johnson had won his last two races on the course, but had to be content with the third spot on the podium.

Both Luzadder and Rivera praised the course, which featured a couple of steep climbs, more than a quarter-mile of pavement and lots of mud.

The NUVO CX race was the third and final cyclocross race at the Velodrome this season. Full results can be found at www.planetadventurerace.com. The next Indiana Cup series race, the Fort Wayne Outfitters-Depot Cross, will be held this Saturday, followed by the Backyard Cross in Bargersville on Sunday. Racers can pre-register at truesport.com.