Holiday Commuting

Commuting by bike is great just about any time of year. I find it especially nice around this time, when all the Christmas lights are on display throughout the neighborhoods. On my ride home, it is a nice diversion to see all the festively decorated houses. These types of sights you just cannot truly enjoy while speeding by in a car. Riding a bike is the perfect cruising speed to enjoy them. Actually, riding a bike is the perfect speed to enjoy most things worth seeing. Walking is great, too, but the speed of the bike also makes it efficient to travel a fair distance.
If you never get out of your car and slow down a bit for the holidays, you are really missing the spirit of this magical season.

Organized Charity Bike Rides

This will probably be a bit of rambling here, but I am rethinking my perception of organized/charity bike rides after participating on one this weekend. I rode in the Fallbrook Avenue of the Oaks Metric Century charity ride Saturday. As for the ride itself, it was challenging. There were many, many hills. In a way, I was glad it was over. I have ridden a few organized rides over the last few years, but this was my first in over a year. In that time, I think my attitude towards rides like this has changed somewhat. I used to get psyched up for these types of rides. Although they are not races, it was still fun to see how many riders you could pass, see how quickly you could finish. This time, I did not really care about who I passed. I passed several, and several passed me, too. I was not concerned about how quickly I could finish. I was also more aware of the types of riders among the group. Most seemed to be men ranging from their late 20's to mid 50's or so, most had nice, fairly new, sleek, expensive road bikes. I might be wrong, but I would guess that most of these men (and a few ladies) only ride in group rides or training rides. They probably do not do much, if any, cycling with a destination as a purpose (such as commuting or shopping), or just simply cruising around by bike for fun. I guess I might classify them as "wanna be racers". I'm not really knocking that, it can be a lot of fun. For many people, organized rides are the closest they will get to riding a race, kinda like riding in the Tour de France if you will. There is a certain thrill in that. I guess where I am coming from is that my take on riding has morphed from riding for the thrill of riding in a big loop as fast as you can to riding with a purpose (as in a destination), or just to get out and cruise around a bit, preferably with the family when possible. I do still like to get out by myself on long training rides when I can, since those types of rides do help build endurance and give me a chance to unwind in a way. However, I try to makes these rides not an act of punishment, but as a way to see some of the local sites in a way that you cannot by any other method. Bikes do not only need to be recreational, they can be everyday transportation vehicles as well. If every one of the riders in this last organized ride were to commute by bike or run errands once in a while by bike, wow what a difference that would make. There is definitely not a lack of cyclists in this country, it is just their purpose for cycling that, if modified to include practical uses, could really make a huge difference in the world.

Man, this wind really blows.

The commute yesterday was rather windy. I actually ride into the wind both ways...it comes from the east as the sun warms up the air, then in the evening the wind blows from the west/southwest off the ocean. Yesterday's evening winds were especially gusty. By the time I got home I was wiped out. The outside of me was cold, and I was burning up inside. I would still rather ride the bike, but sometimes the commute can be a bit challenging. I'm sure these winds were nothing compared to what a lot of riders endure, but it is all relative. It just makes me appreciate the nice days even more.
This morning's ride in was calm, but with the cool temps I was freezing when I started, complete with almost numb fingers. By the time I got to work I had starting warming up, then realized that I was sweating under the layers of clothing. Sometimes it is hard to dress accordingly for a fairly short ride like this. But, that's OK. At least it is still an adventure. Part of the fun of cycling is experiencing the elements, not always riding in a shell being protected from them.

Back in the Saddle Again

Finally getting back into the cycling groove after not riding for over 3 weeks due to sickness and weather. The warmer, sunny weather has been a welcomed change. The riding has been a bit hard, but slowly getting back to normal. Some inspirational reading from the Practical Pedal helped. Reading their latest edition about winter cycling made me glad to have the nice weather that I have to ride in. Even though they publish their issues online, I subscribed to their print edition also. I know it uses trees, uses transportation to deliver, etc., but there is still something about holding a printed paper, book or whatever, and turning the pages, reading it front to back. Especially when feeling lousy like I was, lying on the couch reading a paper was much easier than trying to sit at a computer reading a screen.
I also learned today that I can fit a case of Girl Scout cookies in my messenger bag...and my lunch...and a change of clothes. Pretty sweet!

Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired

The last couple of weeks have been a struggle with a cold and what I believe to be a sinus infection. The first 3 or 4 days were rather rough, then I started becoming coherent again. I thought it would all be over within a couple more days. I figured I would just take it easy, no biking or hiking, get plenty of rest, and this will be knocked out soon enough. Days and days have now passed, and the lingering sinus and general tiredness have not really improved. Been trying natural and homeopathic treatments, but nothing seems to be bringing much relief. As much as I believe in the body's natural ability to heal itself and faith in natural resources, I am about to give in and go to the doctor. I'm sure I will end up getting a round of antibiotics if I go. As much as I hear about how bad our overuse of antibiotics is, there comes a point where you just want to feel better. I know they are over-prescribed, often not even for a bacterial infection, and they can lead to a built up intolerance to infections in the future.
It has been discouraging not having the energy to do anything active. It has been about 2 weeks without riding the bike, and I am just about at the breaking point for that. To top it off, we have about 3 or 4 days of cold, rainy weather in the forecast, so I'll probably be stuck at least until next week. Can't wait.

Messenger Bag or Panniers

The question of the week...to go with a messenger bag or panniers for bike commuting? I've been using a messenger bag for a few weeks now, and although it is very cool looking, I am wondering about the long term practicality of it. It is quick and easy to stuff the normal commuting items like a change of clothes and lunch, throw it over my shoulder and go. However, it can get old always having the bag on your back. Panniers would allow me to let the bike carry the bags and get the load of my back. With panniers, though, the bike has to be outfitted with a front or rear rack to accommodate them. This probably wouldn't be a big deal since I usually only commute with one of two bikes. One already has a rear rack, and the other one can easily be fitted with one. There is the added time of removing the pannier, but that shouldn't be a big deal, either.
For simply commuting I don't think it makes much difference which way to go. I'm thinking more long term...things like going out for longer rides and wanting to bring along a few things. This would get rather uncomfortable with a bag on my back. I'm also daydreaming about some short touring adventures, hopefully with the family. This would obviously favor panniers over a bag.
As I write this, the panniers seem more and more like the right thing for me. Now I just need to figure out a way to unload my messenger bag and score a pair of nice panniers.

Slow Ride

On New Year's Day I went for a bike ride...all of probably 1 mile, and it was great. What made it great was not how far I rode, but who I rode with. My whole family went riding at a nearby lake. I was on an old Schwinn 5 speed, my wife on her old Trek mountain bike, my 8 year old daughter on her first "real" 2 wheeler, and my 6 year old son on the hand-me-down 2 wheeler with training wheels. We just rode the short distance by the lake on a relatively flat paved trail, stopping at about 1/4 mile to feed some ducks. Then we proceeded back and stopped at another spot to feed more ducks. We then rode about another 1/4 mile to another area to again feed the ducks and have a little snack for ourselves. Obviously, the riding of bikes was not the main objective of this little outing, spending time with the family was. It was nice getting outdoors on a fairly mild day and actually doing something together.
Part of me cannot wait until the kids are old enough to really go on bike rides with me. Yet, I also don't want them growing up too fast. For as much as I love riding, we don't seem to be able to all get out and ride together as I wish we did. Maybe investing in a tag-along bike or tandem would make it easier? We have a trailer, but the kids have just about outgrown that. Anyway, even these little riding adventures beat sitting around the house watching TV or listening to the kids argue over everything. Now I just need to make sure we do them more often.

The Good and Bad for Bicycle Parking

Just saw two stories on Carectomy about bicycle parking, one good and one bad. First, the good. At the San Fransisco baseball stadium, Giants' AT&T Park, the S.F. Bicycle Coalition helps to offer valet parking for bikes at events there. People who rides their bikes to the park don't have to worry about finding a place to lock up their bikes. There is covered storage for about 200 bikes available.
Now for the bad. The New York Times recently moved their office to a new building. This new building was promoted to be green and sustainable. The designers seemed to have left out one relatively small, but important, aspect - bike parking. Several Times employees commute by bike, and at their old building they had good parking. At the new office, they have none. For a while, a friendly security guard let one worker bring in his bike through a freight elevator. But, that suddenly stopped. Out of frustration, some employees began locking their bikes to parts of the building outside. Eventually, the Times created a small room to store bikes for employees, but seems to be inadequate for number of commuters, and requires a permit.
To me, this is just another example of big businesses touting that they are green or environmentally friendly or sustainable, but overlook some of the most simplest and obvious things we can do make a real difference.

Car Free in SoCal

Can anyone live car free in Southern California? Apparently so. A family in Santa Ana has. Here is an article on their transformation from car poor to car free. They now bike just about everywhere. They utilize public transit also, and once in a while rent a car. They also have a blog about their car free journey. I believe that this type of shift in thinking is what will make our world a better place for everyone, not the thinking that everyone deserves a car and only adding more roads will cure our traffic problems. Because we know it won't.

Ladies, Fashion, and Bicycles - Saving the World

Some interesting stuff I have stumbled upon lately. First, I found this site about Copenhagen Girls. Despite the title, it is rather tame...photos and comments about the ladies of Copenhagen riding their bikes. What is cool about it is that they ride bikes in whatever outfits they are already wearing. They do not change into biking gear to ride. These ladies ride in style. They show us Americans that riding a bike is just an average way of getting around. You do not really need a car.

Here in America, there is a recent article called Spokes-Models. This is about NYC ladies also riding around on bikes in style. There is some controversy about this article, as some acknowledge riding the wrong way on roads and in general ignoring traffic laws. What I like about it, however, is that at least bike riding for pleasure and practical transportation is getting notoriety. And, what better way than to profile highly fashionable ladies?

And, for a little more about Copenhagen, here is a video showcasing a typical commute there. Can you count the number of cyclists?

Cool New Free Magazine for Sale

There is a new cycling magazine on the market, and it's free. It is called "the Practical Pedal". This is a departure from the standard issue magazines. The first issue just came out, and it has some insightful articles, some informative and some just good philosophical ones. As the title implies, this is a magazine for the everyday practical cyclist. You can read it free online, download the PDF, or request a free printed copy. They will take a $5 donation for a year subscription to help with the costs. Sounds like a bargain to me!

Car Sin City

Last Friday I had the day off, so I did one of my favorite things and took the car in for service. As much as I wish me and my family were car free, we just aren't there. We have one small car that my wife uses and I try to keep that car as reliable as possible. So, I took the car in for its scheduled oil change and wheel alignment that was due since we just had 4 new tires installed. Yep, getting the tires was a lot of fun, too. I took our car to the neighborhood service center and dropped it off. This was in very much a business district. The service was going to take at least 2 hours, so I headed off for a walk. I knew there was a bike shop not far away. As I started walking, I realized just how much this area was mainly built just to serve the automobile. I passed dozens of businesses that catered to either buying or maintaining the auto. There were new and used car dealerships, car rentals, all types of service including general fix-it shops, brakes, air conditioning, tires, collision repair, painting, upholstery, and so on. One can only appreciate the volume of businesses by walking this area. As you drive by in a car doing 40 or 50 MPG, it just doesn't register. I made it to the bike shop in only a few minutes. Actually, I made it there too soon, as they weren't even open yet. So, I killed some time at a coffee shop, then looked around a nearby office supply store for a bit. I then headed back to the bike store and perused the wonderful, very expensive bikes. Since this was a Friday morning and they had just opened, there were not many customers. I had the fortune of being asked about 10 times if I needed any help. There are always plenty of people offering assistance when you are just looking, but of course there are none to be found when you actually need their help. Well, after a few minutes looking around, I was wishing I was riding my bike rather than waiting on my car service. After a couple of hours are up, I head back to the service center. I see the car is still up on the lift. After waiting a few minutes, I decide to head out again for a walk in the other direction. I pass yet more car dealers this way. After a few blocks I make my way to another bike shop. A little more time looking around, and even more wishing I was riding, then a quick stop for some lunch and back to the service center. It is now over 3 hours and the car is almost ready. Another 10 or 15 minutes waiting and it is finally ready.
Now that my bank account is a bit smaller and I have shot over half of a vacation day, I have our car back with a fresh oil change and wheel alignment. Spending some time on foot in a car-centric district really gives you an appreciation for just how much our economy gains from everyone driving. And by that I mean that the economy as a whole gains, although I think many, many people lose out from it. It sure would have been nice to take the money I spent on servicing the car and made a down payment on a sweet multi-thousand dollar bike!

Bicycle Accommodations

I was just browsing the Bicycle Fixation web site today, and ran across this interesting article. The author Gina Morey writes about our automobile infrastructure and its lack of accommodations for cyclists. She specifically gets into the problems related to where you park your bike once you arrive at your destination, whether it be a store or your work. This is something that doesn't get mentioned much. Everyone likes to talk about bike lanes, which routes are the best for cycling, etc. But, what do you do when you want to stop by a store on your ride? A few establishments actually have decent bike parking facilities. Most are lucky to have any sort of bike rack. And the ones that do are not fit to use. Some are around the side of the store, out of site so that a potential bike thief has plenty of opportunity. Sometimes you might find a decent light pole or sign you can lock up to.
I once visited a dentist office using my bike, and upon arriving did not find a bike rack of any sort. I found a handicap parking sign nearby, so I locked the bike to it. I was out of the parking spot, not obstructing any pedestrian or auto activity in any way. When I came out from the dentist office, I found a note taped to the top tube of my bike. It said if I parked my bike there again it would be taken away by the property management. I was instructed to park at the nearby trolley station. I did not visit that dentist again. I should have contacted the property manager, but I have no idea who it is now. I am sure regular bike riders have encountered numerous situations like this. One does have to take parking into consideration when looking for an establishment to visit by bike. Unfortunately, the number of people who attempt to utilize this practical mode of transportation for shopping or commuting are so low that most managers or owners don't even consider them. I was a bit surprised at Gina's discovery that even places like Whole Foods hadn't considered bike parking. Actually, the more I think about it, it does make sense. Stores like Whole Foods seem to be more tailored to the yuppie crowds, who are more likely to drive yuppie SUVs than actually ride a bike for transportation. They are more likely to think that switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs and using reusable grocery bags will save the world than reduce or give up driving an automobile.
I think Gina has the right idea. We need to contact the people who can make the changes needed to accommodate the few and brave utilitarian cyclists out there.
I have often wanted to stop by one store or another while on my commute, but after riding by and seeing no bicycle parking facility, just kept on going. I decided to wait until a day I had to drive to work to make the stop. I hate the idea of needing to drive to work just so I can feel comfortable in having a parking space when I stop by a store on the way home. I wonder how many cyclists feel the same way - they would shop by bike or commute to work, but without any decent bike parking, just give up on the idea. I am fortunate that I can park my bike in the building where I work, but if I could not, I am not sure if I would be riding. If places of work and stores could be accommodating of the brave cyclists, they may go a long way in increasing bicycling as a viable mode of transportation.

Memorial Day

Another Memorial Day has come and gone. Along with it, adds for automobiles, furniture, and every type of consumable good you could ever want. It is also the unofficial start of the summer season. Holidays like this always leave me feeling a little confused. It is a day for remembering our fallen military men and women, but that seems to get lost in the commercial aspect of celebrating. I guess most holidays have become that way. For many people, this was just another 3 day weekend. Even my relatives who served in the military don't seem to outwardly acknowledge the day. My grandfather served in WW II, but he never talked about it. Maybe some don't want to remember. However, I'm sure many would like to know that those of us who did not serve in the military are grateful to those who did.

So, how does one show their gratitude? I can fly the American flag on my porch. I guess I could place a cheesy little ribbon on my car that says I support the troops. (I find it a bit ironic to see one of these on an SUV, especially an SUV from a foreign company) I didn't really know what to do, so I went on a bike ride. I rode to a national cemetery for the military. It is always mesmerizing to see the number of graves. They stretch by the thousands over several hills. If I cannot "do" anything for them, at least I can silently pay them a moment of gratitude.
The more I think about it, I guess the best way to honor our military is to just keep doing the things we do...after all, by their fighting for our freedoms and giving their lives, we all have the right to buy that new SUV and grill up hamburgers and hot dogs.

Met an old friend today.

I met an old friend on my bike ride to work this morning. Actually, I have no idea what his name is. For the last 2 or 3 years, we have passed each other, off and on, while riding to work. He traveling westbound and I traveling east. For a long time we passed and did not acknowledge one another. I don't know if he even recognized me as the same fellow riding each morning. Then I would occasionally give a small wave, and sometimes get a shout back from him "hey" or "mornin'". For the last several months I have not seen much of him. I think our timing has been off...since my kids started school I have been a little later departing than before. We met this morning with a wave and "hey".
I must admit that he seems to be a more diligent commuter than me. I have also seen him riding on several occasions while I, for one reason or another, chose to drive in to work that day. Seeing him out there pedaling while I am driving this bohemoth cage of steel and puffing out all sorts of polluting gases never failed to make me a bit ashamed of driving that day, and a bit jealous. Some days I had no real choice in the matter, family or work obligations that would have made a bike commute nearly impossible. But, there have been a few days where I was simply too tired, or too lazy, to ride in. Seeing my old friend out there always puts me back on course.

Forget about bike to work week.

It's that time of the year again...bike to work week. I'm sure the nation is all buzzed about millions of people making the switch from driving their cars to riding a bike to work. Ha, ha. I think that the only people who even know, much less care, about bike to work week are the ones already doing it. Don't get me wrong, I do admire the concept and the organizers who try to spread the word. What I think we need, however, is a little something closer to home and easier if we really want to get people on their bikes. For most, I am sure the idea of riding a bike to work is almost unthinkable. How about something more manageable, like "bike to the corner store day", or "bike to a neighborhood friend Sunday". These are things almost anyone with a working bike can do, unless they live in remote areas where the nearest friend or store is several miles away. Running an errand or visiting a friend would be much less stressful than planning out the logistics of getting to work on time. Start out with riding down the street to pick up a quart of milk or a six pack of beer. Head over to a friends house to visit for a bit. Nothing stressful...even if you get a flat or your bike breaks down, just walk the rest of the way. No need to bring along a change of clothes or worry about arriving all sweaty.
I think this way more people could get introduced to biking in a whole new way. Maybe they would even see the pleasure in it, all the while doing a little something nice for our planet.

The Wonderful Commute

It has been about a week since I have commuted to work by bike. Had to use the motor vehicle for various reasons...work related issues, family commitments, etc. But, yesterday I got to ride again. Wow, was it great! It was a chilly morning, and the evening ride home was chilly with a gusty headwind. Normally I might have complained a bit about the headwinds, but after a week of not being able to ride, it was wonderful. When I got home I felt calm and peaceful, unlike the days when I drove and got home jittery and irritated. Makes me wonder how people can drive to work every day...day after day after day. I think it would make me go insane.

Cycling Plus Traffic Equals Irrational Fears

I commute to work by bike most days, probably average 4 days a week. I have a co-worker who also rides sometimes. He used to commute by bike too, fairly regularly. We also go on weekend rides once in a while. He has not been riding a lot lately. He is one of those who seems to have a thousand excuses why he was not able to ride in to work. Well, it really does not matter to me. I ride because I want to. I don't care who else rides. The thing that got me today though, was him talking about cyclists getting hit by cars. He was talking about cyclists getting hit from behind and how careless drivers are. Then he mentions how crazy he was to have been riding his bike on the road these last few years. He talks like he is never going to ride on the road again. I dropped the subject, but down inside it kind of got to me. It is hard enough for the regular driving masses to even consider riding a bike to work. But, now I have a seasoned biker who is now scared to ride on the road. I can appreciate the concern he might have, but doesn't everything in life has some risk? Isn't driving your car an inherently risky endeavor? Aren't there something like 40,000 people killed each year in America from auto accidents?
I guess I am just still in a traffic rant, but where does it end? Everyone keeps complaining about how bad traffic is, but they just keep on driving. Do people not realize that they are the problem? Until people stop driving so much, none of these issues will get any better.
I am reminded of an article I read a while back on culturechange.org. It was something about horses and cars. If the rider of a horse let go of the reins, the horse would do its best to avoid trouble. If a driver of a car let go of the steering wheel, the car was all to happy to go crashing into the nearest obstacle in its path. Not that I am for going back to riding horses...well, almost.

Traffic Problems – the Only Real Solution

Last night I attended a local meeting at our public middle school on traffic and safety around the school. We have had some incidents recently and over that last few years with students getting hit by cars at a busy intersection near the school. This meeting had our local councilman, a member of the school board, a traffic engineer, a nurse from the area children’s trauma hospital, and a few of our local enforcement officers in attendance. Part of the meeting was so our council member could boast about some measures he has taken to help with the traffic on our busy road and improvements with regard to the safety of the pedestrians (mostly children). I must give him credit for acknowledging the problem and at least making an effort. Although, I do recall that the major intersection where there are now stoplights, no turn on red signs, and countdown timers for pedestrians crossing did not exist before a school aged child was killed crossing there. When that tragedy happened there was no stop sign, no traffic light, nothing. But, it usually takes a tragedy to happen before any action takes place. OK, back to the meeting. The focus of the meeting was about measures that the city is planning to help ease the flow of morning and afternoon “drop-off” and “pick-up” traffic around the school. These measures were mainly just some re-striping of the lanes on the adjacent roads to allow left and right turn lanes, and take away a few on-street parking places near the intersections. It was enough to make some people feel good, but I don’t think it is nearly enough. The problem is that there is just simply too much traffic for the area. There is really little anyone can do to relieve the congestion and improve the safety except reduce the number of vehicles coming through the area. The school and surrounding neighborhood was built about 40 years ago when there was not so much traffic. That was when nearly all students walked or biked to school. Now they are all chauffeured to school by a parent. Everyone is scared to walk to school because of so much traffic. Yet, they are contributing to the very problem they want to solve. I wonder how many people see the irony in that?
If you want to see our roads get safer, there are two things I know of that can help. The first thing costs you nothing and you can start doing it the next time you get in your car – slow down. Just try driving at or even a little below the speed limit. I know, it is a pretty far out concept, but don’t worry…you will actually get to your destination about the same time you would have by speeding. The second option, and I know this one is a killer, is to not drive everywhere. If your destination is within a half mile to a mile, why not try walking? It really won’t take much longer that driving, and I know everyone can use the exercise. And, if you are really a crazy wacko, you can try riding a bike to some of the local destinations. I know it sounds absurd, but believe me, it is doable. I have done it several times. You just gotta try it. The bottom line is that nothing is going to solve traffic problems until there are fewer cars on the road.

Great Quote

Here is a great quote I just stole off the internet...I hope the author doesn't mine.

"Bicycle wheels are actually Tibetan prayer-wheel substitutes. The more wheels that are spinning at any moment, the better the universe functions."

-Alan Goggins, CA; retired commuter
(“The Big Question”, Bicycling Magazine, March 2007)