MORE Gets Technical: On-Line Resources Flourish
Since we are celebrating our 25th anniversary we thought it would be fun to dig through our archives and share some of the articles and news we published on MORE’s first printed newsletter, “Trailhead.” Over the next few weeks we’ll “Throw back Thursday” and share some of these with you. The article below was published in December 1995 and written by MORE’s newsletter editor, Andy Carruthers. Enjoy…
Why surf the Net when you can shred the Web? In a powerful display of expertise and imagination, MORE members have established a variety of computer-based resources for mountainbikers with access to a modem or an Internet email address. Ride schedules, special event listings, late breaking alerts about trail access, past issues of Trailhead and other information is now available through a homepage on the World Wide Web (WWW) or an e-mail based “news group”. All thanks to the efforts of Steve Bernard, Dean Rogers and Martin Fernandez. The following instructions will enable you to tap into these and other bike- related resources on the Net.
MORE’s Web Page (http://apollo.gmu.edu/-chain/ more): A fantastic production that rivals any of the noncommercial MTB-related pages we’ve seen on the Web. Web browsing software such as Netscape or Mosaic allows users to rummage through previous—and occasionally forthcoming—Trailhead articles, obtain general info about the club and how to join, explore listings of area ride sites, or refresh your memory on IMBA’s rules of the trail.
The page is a part of Steve Bernard’s grander Web site called “Chain Link” (http://apollo.gmu.edu/-chain) which displays an enormous amount of graphically remarkable info on area bike-matters. Get info on the local race scene or download a NORBA application. Peruse links to other MTB-ish homepages such as the on-line editions of Mountainbike Magazine or Dirt Rag, or to Specialized Bicycle Company. Consult a growing list of regional bike shops and a live link to National Weather Service regional forecasts and satellite images, among other data.
The MORE homepage, cited in the most recent issue of BIKE magazine, continues to be upgraded and expanded on a regular basis. It promises to build MORE’s international reputation in the world of trail cycling. For folks outside the region, the homepage may be all they know about us, and they’re sure to be impressed.
MORE’s e-mail group (more @cycling.org): Those without WWW access or who prefer unvarnished text over high-falutin’ graphics can sign up on this list server for local folk. All you need is an Internet-accessible e-mail address from a commercial ser-vice provider such as America On-Line, CompuServe, or Prodigy, or though your employer. Most federal agencies provide such access, as do a growing percentage of private sector employers in the metro DC-area. Note that your employer may have specific policies about use of e-mail unrelated to work.
To sign up, just send a message to majordomo@cycling.org and enter the words “subscribe more”—with-out the quotation marks—in the mes-sage body. You will be automatically enrolled and promptly receive a mes-sage with instructions and detailed info about the list, including how to unsubscribe.
Anyone can post to this list by sending a conventional e-mail mes-sage to moreecycling.org For this reason, postings should not be considered endorsed or officially sanctioned by MORE. The volume of traffic on this list is fairly low with maybe ten or so postings a week. Discussion tends to center around area trails and upcoming events. There are nearly a hundred subscribers on this list, which was established by Dean Rogers.
The Big List (mtb cycling.org): This is not a MORE enterprise, but it is the international discussion group for true off-road junkies with time on their hands. Twenty to thirty postings a day is pretty much normal. To get them bundled into one single daily message to you, subscribe this way: send a message to majordomo@cycling.org and enter the words “subscribe mtb-digest”— without the quotation marks—in the message body. I personally was able to obtain some obscure technical advice about a mechanical problem by posting my question to this list. Within an hour or two I had multiple well-informed responses, including two from Canada. It’s a lively bunch with a lot to say about bikes. You’ll need a similar appetite to keep up with them.
All about bikes inside the Beltway (dcbike@ipc.apc.org): This is the grand-daddy of local bike news groups. Home of the pedal-phile, DCBIKE encompasses nearly any bike-related subject you may care to indulge, and traffic is reported to be heavy, sometimes upwards of a dozen messages a day. The most passionate postings are often about the transportational role of bicycles, the joys/perils of commuting, and other pavement-related subjects. But all the local bike bases get covered—on and even off the road. To sign up, just send a message to majordomo@ipc.apc.org and enter the words “subscribe dcbike”—without the quotation marks—in the message body. Not sure about signing on? Send a message saying “info dcbike” in the message body to learn more.