Before Neil Kaufman ever thought of organizing For Women Only: Bicycle Survival & Maintenance 101, he'd heard his female customers tell the same story over and over again: They're on long-haul bike rides, their tires blow out, and they don't know how to fix them. "Many don't even know how to take their wheels off," says Kaufman, co-owner of B&K Bicycle. "If you're 20 miles from home and you don't know how to change a tire, you're in trouble." After a 30-minute orientation, a staff of professional mechanics shows the women how to fix flat tires, lube drive chains, and adjust brakes. And the workshop title means just that: No guys allowed. "Not all women mind being with men, but some prefer to be with other women for moral support," says Kaufman. "They feel much more secure in riding their bicycles." The session runs 6:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at B&K Bicycle, 4298 Mayfield Road in South Euclid. Fee is $35. Call 216-382-9966 for more info. -- Cris Glaser
Home to Roost
TUE 3/15
Once Ruth Fitzgibbon sees the Return of the Buzzards, she knows what day it is. Every March 15, the birds return from their winter sojourn to their Hinckley Reservation roost. The legend goes that they discovered the place during a "varmint hunt," where deer, bears, and wolves were slaughtered for their meat. In the morning, the buzzards swooped down to scavenge the leftovers. Since 1957, thousands of gawkers have witnessed the annual homecoming. "You travel anywhere in the United States, and you're asked where you're from," says Fitzgibbon, a graphic artist who hawks buzzard apparel. "They'll say, You're from the home of the buzzard.'" The birds come home at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday at Hinckley Reservation's Buzzard Roost (at the corner of State Road and West Drive in Hinckley Township). It's free; call 216-351-6300. -- Cris Glaser
Here Comes the Judge
SAT 3/12
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Daniel Gaul is participating in Saturday's St. Malachi's Run. And it's not just because his father, former Cuyahoga County Treasurer Francis Gaul, founded the event 25 years ago. "When it comes to physical fitness, you've got to throw it down," says Daniel. "I try to keep myself in shape all year." The two- and five-mile runs wind through the Flats and Ohio City. Says Gaul: "It's very seldom that you see so many healthy people in one place." Races start at 9 a.m. at St. Malachi's Church, 2459 Washington Avenue. Fee is $25. Call 216-623-9963 for more information. -- Lucy McKernan
