SPRINGING FORWARD: Geared up to set out

Group organizes bicycle rides along local routes for all abilities

name/paperXyxyxxyxyx Gerald Williams, right, gets ready for a Sunday morning ride with the Las Vegas Valley Bicycle Club, which met on March 30 at Einstein Bros. Bagels, 8300 W. Cheyenne Ave.Larry Cruikshank/View View File PhotoVolunteers work to maintain a trail at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Advertisement

With spring comes the opportunity to get outdoors and enjoy nature.

Bicyclists enjoy their sport all year round, and members of the Las Vegas Valley Bicycle Club seems to know some of the best routes. The club was founded in 1989 and has more than 140 members.

The group sponsors a variety of activities, ranging from weekly road rides for all abilities and bike types, including road, touring, tandem, recumbent, mountain and city bikes.

"The social aspect is nice, too," said Jim Mathews, secretary of the club. "We get together for coffee and bagels afterward to lick our wounds and trade war stories."

Generally, members can be spotted in their neon bright bike wear and from their tendency to flock together as a string of riders. Just like there is safety in numbers, there is safety in wearing a helmet. All members are required to wear one.

Special events are scheduled throughout the year, such as the club's Ride to the Grand Canyon North Rim, Death Valley, and road rides in Kyle and Lee canyons.

The Las Vegas Valley Bicycle Club's weekly rides include one on Sundays, called the Flatlander Special; Tuesdays, Sahara to Red Rock Overlook; Wednesdays, Blue Diamond and Red Rock ride; Wednesdays, Nu Vision Summerlin/Sun City; Thursdays, Summerlin/Sun City; Fridays, Sahara to Red Rock Overlook; Saturdays, Blue Diamond and Red Rock ride.

The Flatlander Special takes riders north on Durango Drive, east on Elkhorn Road, then loops to various streets in Aliante, heads back west on Elkhorn and south on Fort Apache Road. It has a short version -- 27 miles -- and a longer one at 37.

Maps showing the exact routs are at www.vegasbikeclub.org.

Rides start at locations like Einstein Brothers Bagels 8400 W. Cheyenne Ave., and Starbucks, 10250 W. Charleston Blvd.

When it comes to maintaining your bike in the desert, Scott Guiette, environmental program manager for Escape Adventures Bike Tours, 8221 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 101, and its sister company Las Vegas Cyclery at 8221 W. Charleston Blvd., said minor tune-ups should take place every 20 to 30 rides.

"Sand can be an issue," he said.

KIDS' DIVERSIONS

When it comes to youngsters, recreation centers offer a number of opportunities.

At Veterans Memorial Leisure Services Center, 101 N. Pavilion Center Drive, toddlers can have fun with activities like Icky Squishy, allowing them to get messy with crafts. Parents are advised to bring a clean, oversized T-shirt for their child to wear as an art smock.

The Kids in the Kitchen teaches elementary school-age youngsters how to read recipes, measure out ingredients and plan meals. Participants get to eat the resulting goodies.

Then there's Science Fun for those age 8 to 11. It includes experiments to bring science basics to life.

The recreation center also offers tae kwon do lessons for different age groups.

Other activities include ballet and hip-hop dancing, basketball, soccer and other sports, and language classes in French, Japanese and Spanish.

Registration is being accepted through April 25 for the center's April 28 to June 7 classes.

For more information, call 229-5445 or visit www.clvbeyondtheneon.com.

Farther north, the Durango Hills Community Center YMCA, 3521 N. Durango Drive, offers a variety of classes, sports, and youth programs. It also provides before- and after-school care for children ages 5 through 12, holiday break care and summer day camps for school-age children.

For spring, its catalog includes its own American Idol version of voice training, photography, tie dye and pool time fun for youngsters.

One does not have to be a member of the YMCA to take advantage of these programs. For more information, call 240-9622 or visit www.lasvegasymca.com.

TAKE A HIKE

Just beyond the rim of Summerlin is a desert wonderland -- Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

Guided hikes at this time of year show off the spring blossoms, whose season runs through April.

"When people come out, especially tourists, they're used to thinking of Las Vegas as the Strip. They can't believe it's so different," said Janif Kadlec, naturalist with the Red Rock Canyon Interpretive Association. "They're taken aback by the beauty."

On average, 20 hikes are planned each month. They are led by the Red Rock Canyon Interpretive Association members whose knowledge about the flora and fauna make the activity educational. There is no cost to participate, but reservations are required.

One of the more strenuous hikes is Turtlehead Peak. It has a 1,900-foot elevation gain in 21/2 miles. It also involves rock scrambling.

"We tell people to bring gloves because the limestone can cut you," said Kadlec.

For a longer trek, the Grand Circle hike covers 111/2 miles.

Want your children to see pictographs and petroglyphs left by American Indians? The short -- one-tenth of a mile -- hike to Willow Springs will show them to you. Another child-friendly hike is Lost Creek. It, too, has pictographs, plus a seasonal waterfall.

"And there's a level deck to view the creek, so it's a nice family hike," Kadlec said.

The rules of hiking include bringing along plenty of water, using sunscreen and carrying your trash out with you. Taking photos is OK. Taking rocks is not.

For more information and a list of hikes, visit www.redrockcanyonlv.org or call 515-5367.

Families also can check out the desert tortoise habitat at the visitors center or take advantage of the nature exhibit there.

For Summerlin residents who can't get out to Red Rock Canyon but want a quick hike, Summerlin offers a trail system covering more than 120 miles that meander through its neighborhoods. Check out www.summerlin.com for more information.

A SWING AT GOLF

The Summerlin area has a variety of golf courses. What should a person new to the sport know?

Joe Kelly, director of golf for Sun City Summerlin, is responsible for three courses -- Highland Falls, Palm Valley and Eagle Crest.

Before stepping onto a course, it's good to get a feel for things on the driving range. A bucket of balls will cost $2 and club rental runs about $40.

The time of day is important, Kelly said.

"You don't want to put them in a situation where they're under stress, other players are waiting on them," he said. "You want to book them for off-peak times, like late in the afternoon."

Kelly said taking a lesson was money well spent.

"You never want to send somebody new out there, walk away and tell them to have a good time," he said.

The charge for playing on the actual course is called a greens fee and also covers the use of a cart. Different rates apply, depending on time of day and the season. So, too, do rates for residents. Kelly said Las Vegans' rates start at $24, compared to $100 for those from out of state.

Shoes can be regular athletic shoes. If participants want to wear spiked shoes, they should be aware that most courses will not allow steel spikes, Kelly said.

He said attire should be neat and appropriate.

Hats are advised, as well as sunglasses and sunscreen.

Only if you know you're going to stick with the game should you invest in your own clubs or shoes, said Steve Moore, director of sales at The Badlands Golf Course. He said any first-timers need to take lessons.

At his facility, a half hour with a trainer costs $30. Freshman golfers also need to play the correct tees, not the ones professionals would use.

"It's like skiing," he said. "You don't want to take them to the top of the hill. You have them do the bunny hill, the easy slopes, first."

Summerlin-area courses include Durango Hills, www.durangohillsgolf.com, 229-4653; Palm Valley, www.golfsummerlin.com, 363-4373; Highland Falls, www.golfsummerlin.com, 254-7010; Eagle Crest, www.golfsummerlin.com, 240-1320; TPC Summerlin, www.tpc.com, 256-0222; Angel Park; www.angelpark.com, 254-4653; The Badlands, www.badlandsgc.com, 363-0754; TPC Las Vegas, www.tpc.com, 256-2000; Bear's Best, www.bearsbest.com, 804-8500; Red Rock, www.redrockcountryclub.com, 304-5600; the Arroyo Golf Club at Red Rock, www.arroyogolfclubatredrock.com, 258-2300; and the Siena Golf Club, www.sienagolfclub.com, 341-9200.

GREEN THUMB

With the arrival of spring, some homeowners may want to work on their lawns and gardens.

Star Nursery holds classes on topics like irrigation and avoiding insect infestation, as well as sessions offering transplanting tips.

Frank Rauscher, horticulturist with Star Nursery, said many people water plants daily.

"That's often too much," he said. "Plants need to breathe."

For new residents who miss lush foliage, he suggested making an oasis in a shady part of their lawn, where the micro climate can better support water-needy plants.

Is your irrigation system giving plants the proper amount of water? Drip system production can be calculated using a kitchen measuring spoon, held under each drip emitter, Rauscher said.

"If it takes 14 seconds to fill a tablespoon, that's a gallon an hour," Rauscher said.

For more information, visit www.starnursery.com.

When it comes to flowers, Barbara Roe, president of the Las Vegas Chrysanthemum Society, said it's important to prepare the soil.

"We have nothing in our soil, so you have to amend it," she said. "If you have a soil test done, it'll come back zero, zero, zero for nutrients."

Flowers also should be planted before the temperatures rise into the 90s. If a plant doesn't do well in one area of your lawn, try another spot, Roe said.

Her own chrysanthemums fail in summer, but come back when the temperatures cool down.

Easy flowers for summer, Roe said, are marigolds and petunias, or "anything you see being sold at the nursery."

The Las Vegas Chrysanthemum Club plans its spring plant sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 24 at the garden club center at Lorenzi Park, 333 W. Washington Blvd.

For more information, those who are interested can visit www.gardencentral.org.