The Central Valley's bike-friendly community

The League of American Bicyclists every year ranks cities as to their bike friendliness.

Do they have enhanced bike lanes or bike paths that allow cyclist to commute or ride safely?

Do they encourage workplaces to provide showers and lockers for bike commuters?

Do they provide safe and secure places to lock bikes outside of businesses?

Do they have an all-round positive bike culture?

Davis was the only California to receive the platinum - or top - rating. Boulder, Colo., and Portland, Ore., were the other two that received the platinum status.

Several Bay Area cities received gold or silver status.

Fresno was the only Central Valley city that received any type of recognition, and it received bronze status.

How ironic, when the city of Modesto last year applied to be a Bike Friendly Community when it was seeking to host the 2013 Amgen Tour of California. Could it be city leaders only did so to try to attract the bike race?

Does Modesto actually think that painting a few green blocks on a few bike lanes within the city will earn them even bronze status?

Check out the green paint at the intersection of Scenic and Oakdale, heading south on the El Vista bridge.

They painted the same green blocks near Nedham and College, heading east on Nedham.

Otherwise, it's the same disfunctional system of unconnected bike paths, start-and-stop bike lanes, bike unfriendly stop lights (no bike activation pad or easily accessible push buttons) and otherwise dangerous riding conditions in Modesto.

Try finding a bike rack near Dick's Sporting Goods. Good luck.

Age is no hurdle for this runner

You're never too old to run.

Just ask Joe LoBianco, who at 84 years old, continues to dominate the 80-plus age group.

You may say he wins his age group because there are few other runners over 80. That may be true.

But when you look at Joe's times, you'll see that he continues to beat runners several decades his junior.

Joe lives in the Bay Area, but he has his favorite races in the Central Valley that he'll run year in and year out. HIs most recent was the Escalon Park Fete 2-miler, July 15, where—you guessed it—he won his age group.

Joe is always quick with a smile or a joke. Maybe it's the running that keeps him so young.