tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37396215318036770692024-02-19T23:57:44.866-07:00Imagine No Cars: Thoughts on Alternative Transportation and Urban DesignA journal of carfree livingCarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.comBlogger174125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-8417120249823322802010-04-09T09:57:00.003-06:002010-04-09T17:16:46.892-06:00Friday Fun Day<div>Friday couldn't have come soon enough this week. But not because it was a bad week... how could it be a bad week when <a href="http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,6610,s1-3-583-22202-1,00.html">Missoula got ranked #4 city</a> under 100,000 people for bicycle friendliness in America? Though however wrote the piece must have looked at wikipedia to get their info on Missoula.</div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>No... this week was simply full of deadlines and copious amounts of sleep deprivation. I'll be taking a small break from blogging at this site over the next month while head into the hell that is the last month of classes. I'll also take the time to think about how to move forward with this blog. With my objective complete I would like to rework the focus and design of this blog but into to what I don't yet know.</div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>Here is to another week on the bike and to the weekend ahead.</div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>Now... for the fun part. Shit from the 80s is always good for a laugh.<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Eb09CivC4HM&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Eb09CivC4HM&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></div>CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-69470485648788353112010-04-04T22:53:00.004-06:002010-04-05T20:42:31.828-06:00A Year Well Spent: One Year Spent Carfree<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://wildandwooly.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/epic_win.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 274px; height: 390px;" src="http://wildandwooly.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/epic_win.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Its been a year of carfree living and I must say that I'm surprised at how fast the time went by and how relatively easy it was to get through the last year. There is no party or press release to send out, just a sense of accomplishment in knowing that I stuck to a goal I set for myself and in the knowledge that that I have grown as a person and learned many things about myself and the world us humans have built for ourselves.<br /><br />I started this little project to see just how much of a difference one person could make on a bicycle and it seems that I have accomplished more than collecting stats. Ashley informed me that she feels my commitment had challenged her to think about getting around town in a different way and inspired her and her family to hop on a bike or walk more often. I even got her cousin Katie from Houston to ride a bike after more than three years of missing out on such joy. Katie let me know that, "you just don't ride a bike in Houston."<br /><br />I also wanted to experiment with carfree living in a small city. Many of the online discussions encouraging mass transit or active transportation featured the same old argument that in many American cities it just isn't possible to live without a car and that such a lifestyle is only for those elitists from the coast. Well I did it in the middle of Montana in a town with limited bus service. After a year I'm convinced that most of the barrier to people getting out of their cars is in fact psychological in nature.<br /><br />Of course Missoula certainly isn't the worst place to ride a bike as your main transportation and I would even challenge towns such as Boulder, CO and Davis, CA to try harder because Missoula is catching up on these bicycling paradises. Missoula's grid system of streets sure helps, allowing cyclists to skirt around heavy traffic if they wish, and the strong emphasis on outdoor activities doesn't hurt either. Hell, people around here have such a hard time waiting out the winter that the first day in the 50s brings out shorts and Chacos. There were barriers and adjustments that I had to make. I missed out on a lot of the great outdoors that Montana is famous for. I was certainly confined to the Missoula urban area much more than a would have been normal, but I made the most of it given the great culture that Missoula has to offer.<br /><br />I didn't get through this year alone and have many people that helped out in different circumstances. Ashley, my fiance, turned around from her initial skepticism and supported me till the end; Troy, a friend, never stopped offering me car rides and was there when I truly needed them, and Free Cycles allowed me to learn how to maintain my lowly fleet.<br /><br />So how much of a difference did I make? Over the course of the year I logged 2,932.92 miles on my bike running errands and commuting. All those miles add up to 226.8 gallons of gas saved, and @ $3.00/gallon that adds up to $680.56 saved. Add in $1800 saved from not needing car insurance and $360/month, for a total of $4320/year, from car payments I no longer had to make and I saved a total of $6800.56 over the course of the year. Thats $6800.56 that I'm certain I spent elsewhere supporting Missoula business. I also saved 1750.98 Ibs of CO2 from entering the atmosphere just by using a bicycle as my main form of transportation.<br /><br />Where are the keys? ... I'm going for a drive. That last part is a joke.CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-6773100296612984142010-04-04T21:49:00.002-06:002010-04-04T22:15:25.491-06:00Carfree Stats Update<span style="font-weight: bold;">Week 52</span><br /><br />Miles Biked: 0<br />Gallons Saved: 0<br />CO2 Not Emitted: 0<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Week 51</span><br /><br />Miles Biked: 63.78<br />Gallons Saved: 3.986<br />CO2 Not Emitted: 25.04 Ibs<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Week 50</span><br /><br />Miles Biked: 48.39<br />Gallons Saved: 3.024<br />CO2 Not Emitted: 18.99 Ibs<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Week 49</span><br /><br />Miles Biked: 70.14<br />Gallons Saved: 4.38<br />CO2 Not Emitted: 27.53<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Week 48</span><br /><br />Miles Biked: 69.44<br />Gallons Saved: 4.34<br />CO2 Not Emitted: 27.255 Ibs<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Week 47</span><br /><br />Miles Biked: 56.36<br />Gallons Saved: 3.522<br />CO2 Not Emitted: 22.13 Ibs<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Week 46</span><br /><br />Miles Biked: 93.87<br />Gallons Saved: 5.867<br />CO2 Not Emitted: 36.84 Ibs<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Week 45</span><br /><br />Miles Biked: 74.90<br />Gallons Saved: 4.681<br />CO2 Not Emitted:<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span> 29.39 Ibs<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Week 44</span><br /><br />Miles Biked: 89.34<br />Gallons Saved: 5.584<br />CO2 Not Emitted: 35.07 IbsCarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-90763925505364365502010-04-01T16:57:00.002-06:002010-04-01T17:23:37.586-06:00I Just Drove A Car!This being April 1st I thought this would make a good topic, though this is no April Fools Joke... anyway it wouldn't have been a very good one. <div><br /></div><div>I've been in Portland for going on a week now and even though I've spent most of my days traveling from coffee shop to coffee shop in search of the best <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Americanos</span> and free <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">wifi</span> I haven't mustered the resolve to sit down and address any of the issues swirling through my head. Honestly, this blog has come to feel like a chore more than something enjoyable or a way to get ideas out of my head, which are just a few of the reasons I started this damn thing in the first place.</div><div><br /></div><div>No... it took me renting a car and getting out of Portland for an afternoon to actually sit down and write. So let me address the car, which I know seems unusual since this blog is about being <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">carfree</span>, doesn't renting a car and driving go against what I'm trying to do here? Ashley, the reason I'm out here in Portland for a week, is currently at a job interview in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">burb</span> of Sherwood, so rather than go the tortuous route of public transit (more than 90 minutes on a bus) we rented a car for a day and took a 25 minute drive south of the city to Sherwood. Ashley pointed out very correctly that me renting a car to whisk her to her interview and save her from transit hell while saying fuck it to my little <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">carfree</span> project is LOVE! </div><div><br /></div><div>Sherwood sits on Highway 99, a four lane expressway, with the usual <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">clusterfuck</span> of strip development that eats away at any sense of place. Sitting in Starbucks (If it ain't <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Stumptown</span> it ain't fucking coffee) having only seen this strip development I thought aloud to Ashley "Sherwood... I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Sherwouldn't</span>."</div><div><br /></div><div>Luckily I explored a little off the Godless Corporate Strip and wandered into the old downtown... blink and you could easily miss it. I'm now sitting in a nice little local coffee shop right across from the train tracks. Obviously Sherwood was at one time dependent on the railroad, before the traffic engineers decided it would be a great place to plop a highway at the edge of town. Its a hidden gem in an otherwise unimaginative suburban setting. </div><div><br /></div><div>I don't really know where any of this rambling is meant to lead... in circles maybe? I almost feel bad for losing interest in this blog, I feel like I've given up on a goal. Here I am in Portland having an 'almost <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">carfree</span>' vacation with only a week left to go in my year and I haven't even written anything profound about my year long experience nor summed up what I learned from this little project. I don't really see me having the time in the next few days either, the best I can promise is getting a little bit of writing done on the train ride back east.</div><div><br /></div><div>As for right now... thanks for coming along on this journey with me... hope y'all found it as comical as I did.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-35621483706930537442010-03-23T20:42:00.002-06:002010-03-23T20:45:09.166-06:00Just Not Enough TimeDear Blog,<br /><br />Work and classes are simply kicking my ass this past month and I have neglected thee. Maybe I will be able to spend some time actually writing something halfway intelligent... but this isn't that time.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br /><br />CFSCarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-58086543555716532182010-03-10T21:58:00.004-07:002010-03-10T23:13:23.304-07:00Finally... A Wonderful and Sunny WeekendThis last weekend saw some simply amazing weather and of course this brought out the people in droves. Unfortunately the nice weather only lasted for two days but I sure took the opportunity to get out with my camera and enjoy the sun. And so did this little guy here, Owen, who was with his parents out front of Bernice's Bakery. He was very excited to be out on a bike.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4424262982_ee37e1716a.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 375px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4424262982_ee37e1716a.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I also came across Ryan pictured below with temporary cast on his right foot. Did that stop him from being on a bike? HELL NO! Ryan is of course a well know face in Missoula, of Kettlehouse fame, and every time I run into him outside of a bar he seems to be injured. Last fall he had just experienced a blowout of the rear tire on his fixie that sent him flying and gave him some wicked facial features. Now he has a cast on his leg from playing hockey. So how does he get around on a bike with that big cast? ...without a pedal strap and liberal use of a brake.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAR7gXvy4FGcUoUEwA8zKloyk_pBVmlBWaGh4rOKy5NW_i0cGsrgrjbMzpuhC8zO4g1ZhipbcevoFWr1fKimPQPB7qwyfRbTqYausrBBjM7WjCEfEp2K6n8xnb3uamfCF98oJ62AVQAbyh/s1600-h/W-Bike+on+Higgins.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 408px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAR7gXvy4FGcUoUEwA8zKloyk_pBVmlBWaGh4rOKy5NW_i0cGsrgrjbMzpuhC8zO4g1ZhipbcevoFWr1fKimPQPB7qwyfRbTqYausrBBjM7WjCEfEp2K6n8xnb3uamfCF98oJ62AVQAbyh/s320/W-Bike+on+Higgins.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447237291872904978" border="0" /></a>CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-71165062211105120222010-03-09T22:44:00.004-07:002010-03-09T23:00:19.821-07:00Bicycling Comes to Google Maps<div style="text-align: center;">A not so complete bicycle map of Missoula via Google Maps.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHxnkUohSKThsphDb5QuV1DXcgUZvorthvXP1z6AUVe12Gu8k11YBJI1r_j7VblOYVQztfAzepuYFdiTIREX_fORrizKC_KIJE4ck_KtOcl1j7FBnYzhNuIzp4CBV4QkSOYVr-LhyphenhyphenFNJm/s1600-h/Missoula+bike+routes.PNG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 369px; height: 209px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHxnkUohSKThsphDb5QuV1DXcgUZvorthvXP1z6AUVe12Gu8k11YBJI1r_j7VblOYVQztfAzepuYFdiTIREX_fORrizKC_KIJE4ck_KtOcl1j7FBnYzhNuIzp4CBV4QkSOYVr-LhyphenhyphenFNJm/s320/Missoula+bike+routes.PNG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446878635255532994" border="0" /></a><br />Google has finally added a layer that includes bicycle routes and trails according to<a href="http://bikeportland.org/2010/03/09/league-confirms-google-maps-now-has-biking-directions/"> BikePortland<br /></a>This is a step in the right direction for a tool as ubiquitously used as Google Maps. This tool would be very handy in a larger city or as a beginning cyclist wanting to find an easy way around that avoids traffic.<br /><br />One thing that always frustrated me about Google maps was that there was no layer to turn on for cyclists. Obviously this isn't a big inconvenience because cyclists can go pretty much anywhere cars can go. But still, I wanted to be able to search a map and maybe see an alternate route that would be better suited for a bicycle around that badly designed five lane arterial that I just don't feel comfortable riding on. <br /><br />For a town such as Missoula this really isn't very critical since its small enough that it is pretty easy to figure out the path of least resistance from place to place. The map above also only shows off street bike/ped facilities, mostly trails, and not on street bike routes or lanes. And of course this will never replace the knowledge that people naturally gather from the experience of just trying to get around by bicycle... I still have friends that show me their routes, and often times better routes, around town even after years of cycling in Missoula.<br /><br />With a little more development this could be another very worthwhile Google experiment.CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-76059972171096314602010-03-09T10:29:00.004-07:002010-03-09T10:39:14.459-07:00Just as I Finish Up... Another Person Shares Their Carfree Experience<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://carfree.us/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/3.00001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 481px; height: 360px;" src="http://carfree.us/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/3.00001.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Meet the "Average Joe" over at <a href="http://carfree.us/">Carfree.us</a>. As of January he started a year long carfree experiment to, "highlight the challenges and choices I will face in my every day life and the impact they will have on me as I live this (sadly) “alternative lifestyle.”<br /><br />"It’s important to understand I am an average Joe, in my thirties, working a 9-5 desk job. I have a wife and a one year old son. I live in an average size city, with an average public transportation infrastructure, and I live 7 miles from the city center. My wife is not a zealous bicyclist, and truthfully, not very supportive of this project! My wife does own a car and I will probably occasionally drive it with my family in the car."<br /><br />Good luck Mr. Average Joe and have fun with the journey.CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-16323624816385132002010-03-02T09:14:00.002-07:002010-03-02T10:12:10.524-07:00Federal Gov't FAIL: US DOT Set to Shut Down<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.lppgh.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/government-300x251.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 391px; height: 327px;" src="http://www.lppgh.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/government-300x251.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />As we've become so accustomed to hearing from D.C... the game of politics is getting nothing done and now the United States Department of Transportation is facing a temporary shutdown. A "Jobs Bill" meant to extend unemployment benefits has been blocked by a single U.S. Senator Jim Bunning (R., Ky.). According to the <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748704358004575095970707513064.html">Wall Street Journal</a> the bill included a funding extension for Highway Trust Fund which has now expired, causing 2,000 USDOT employees to be furloughed and potentially $768 million in infrastructure projects to be halted.<br /><br />This is causing many strains, including on state governments which are faced with losing approximately $150 million per day in federal reimbursement payments. At a time when many states are already on the edge of financial insolvency this is just one more headache to deal with. This is even trickling down to local Public Works type agencies that were relying upon federal funding and cost sharing for projects.<br /><br />This shouldn't be much of a surprise since the Federal Government's continued failing to pass a new transportation bill has had a similar effect and has forced states and municipalities to make hard choices about what projects to try to fund (in stark contrast to the effect of the Stimulus where many projects went ahead with little oversight).<br /><br />Missoula makes great use of the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) which is part of Federal transportation funding. CMAQ funding helps pay for pedestrian and bicycle facilities as well as the purchase of buses for both Mountain Line and ASUM Transportation, the student funded bus service to the UM campus. Lack of CMAQ funding has meant that ASUM Transportation cant replace marginally safe buses that are over 20 years old rather than being able to purchase new buses that meet the strictest federal safety regulations. Because of the Federal Government's flaccid ability to actually get anything done ASUM Transportation is facing a hard choice between continuing to run old buses that pollute heavily (compared to a new bus) and breakdown constantly, or cut the budget by about 15%, consequently eliminating 4 or 5 student positions, to be able to attempt to purchase new buses using only ASUM funds.<br /><br />Some people will undoubtedly rejoice in the gridlock in Washington, but when people and local governments have no idea what direction the Federal Government will take... it makes it just a little hard to plan for the long term or to invest in equipment or infrastructure.CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-49100091360509177302010-02-28T14:13:00.003-07:002010-02-28T14:15:19.437-07:00Little Over a Month Left<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4392889647_660a54b671.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4392889647_660a54b671.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The sun is beginning to set on this little project with just over a month to go until I have experienced a year of carfree living. Its been a roller coaster, but I wouldn't change a thing.CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-39130577179577253052010-02-27T11:16:00.002-07:002010-02-27T11:47:15.076-07:00Some Haiku TherapyThanks to a co-worker for this suggestion.<br /><br />Pedal, pedal, skid<br />Eating exhaust at the light<br />Swallowed by metal.<br /><br />Out the door, crisp, clean<br />Sunrise lighting Lolo peak<br />Great start to the day.<br /><br />No oncoming traffic<br />Honk from behind to move over<br />Receive finger, rude!CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-10200266496417395042010-02-26T01:19:00.000-07:002010-02-26T01:20:14.187-07:00Finally Some Friday Humor...<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SC6DOg4Hsv4&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SC6DOg4Hsv4&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-33264219775403940412010-02-22T20:48:00.009-07:002010-02-27T10:48:56.062-07:00I am Jack's Utter Lack of SurpriseMe: Describe incident to police officer<br />Officer: "There aren't cameras out there to get a license unless you went through a bank drive- through or Target parking lot. Next time call immediately."<br />Me: disappointment<br />Officer: "Do you ride a lot around here?"<br />Me: "Yes"<br />Officer: "Don't expect this to be the last indecent like this."<br /><br />Really?CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-39447811538127212172010-02-21T08:56:00.008-07:002010-02-23T00:37:01.513-07:00I was Almost Killed Last Night Because of a Bunch of Redneck FucksIf your a cyclist then you've had your run in with cars in some sort of situation. But has anyone out there every been chased down by a large pickup full of drunk rednecks? Well <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">thats</span></span> how my night ended... getting chased by a bunch of rednecks in a large pickup for the hell of it and almost getting killed in the process. As I sit here this morning my hands are still shaking.<br /><br />It was late, almost 3 am and I'm pretty sure that I could make it home from a friends house up the Rattlesnake without running into any traffic. I was well lit with a headlamp and numerous blinking lights so I was easy to spot on my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">fixie</span></span>. Heading west through downtown I turned off of Spruce onto Alder because its a quite street right along the train tracks. As I pass an intersection I turned my head to see a truck still about 20 feet from the stop sign, my headlamp pointed me out nicely.<br /><br />"Get him!" "Woof... Woof!" "Where you <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">goin</span></span>' boy?"<br /><br />All of a sudden the engine revs and the tires sequel and the hunt is on. I didn't have time to think of what to do, the adrenaline just kicked in and I was off pedaling as fast as I could. I rode through the cobblestone street where the Farmers Market is held in the summer and hopped up onto the sidewalk as if that extra 4 inches of cement would be an adequate buffer between me and the lifted truck.<br /><br />"Woof, Woof, Woof!" "Run 'em down!"<br /><br />I pass the old train depot and they are right on my tail by then, having blown through a stop sign. They're yelling, I'm going balls to the wall and I'm facing a choke point and I know if I continue into the street ahead of me I'm fucked. I quickly turn in the side parking lot of the depot, they shoot past, and I double back onto Higgins thinking maybe they'll continue on... but they don't.<br /><br />As I turn I hear "Want a beer!" screamed out the window and an empty beer can hits me on the leg. I speed off and gain some space on them as they try to turn around. The gap doesn't last long and I turn onto Pine before their grill almost makes contact with my back tire. The sound of the V-8 is deafening. They were going fast enough that the truck goes wide on the turn and I hop back up on the sidewalk because I can keep a few cars in between them and me.<br /><br />Turn right... another right into the alley, their not far behind. My only advantage is my agility and I'm trying to use that as much to my advantage as possible.<br /><br />"Knock 'em down!" "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Yeahhhhhh</span></span>!" "Get em!" "How you like your bike now!"<br /><br />Again they come within inches of me, this time pulling up beside me and trying to push me into the dumpsters at the end of the alley. Their timing was just a little late as I clear the alley, sharp right this time staying on the sidewalk.<br /><br />"You fucking almost had him!"<br /><br />They express their disappointment by hurling more beer cans. Another right back down Pine. I pedal as fast as I can to create a gap and cross in front of them and the truck revs and lurches forward in pursuit but misses. I make it down <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Ryman</span></span> next to the court house were the street has been confined to one lane. This is my chance... they turn down <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Ryman</span></span>. I make it half way down the block, skid, and make it on to the sidewalk and double back and take off. They're trapped... no room to turn around.<br /><br />Left, right, left onto Spruce across Orange... another right, left. No sign of them, I can't hear an engine. I finally look around having kept my eyes looking straight ahead through the chase.<br /><br />With the adrenaline subsiding a can feel my heart pounding, I can feel it in my ears. I'm still paranoid so I'm taking a drunkard's path home making lots of turns. I do this for maybe ten minutes before I finally make it home.<br /><br />Getting home the adrenaline high is no more, I collapse, shaking, not believing what just happened.<br /><br />I felt like I had just been hunted for sport. Like I'd been persecuted and violated just because I was on a bike. I'd never felt these feelings before. Maybe they had just been fucking with me, but in the moment it sure felt like they were trying to kill me. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">WTF</span></span>? This is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Missoula</span></span>, its a liberal college town, not Laramie Wyoming.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">UPDATE: </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br />I realize that I am at least partially responsible for the events that happened. I made a bad decision to be out on my bike when I ultimately shouldn't have been. I placed myself in that situation which, had I made better choices, wouldn't have happened.<br /><br />After having a day to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">reflection</span> everything and having actually gotten some <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">sleep I</span> would like to add some thoughts. I now feel that they most likely weren't trying to kill me, but probably just trying to knock me off my bike so they could kick the shit out of me. Something similar happened to a friend's boyfriend a few years back in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Missoula</span> when some drunks in a pickup chased him and his friends down, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">knocked</span> two cyclists off their bikes and proceeded to send them to the hospital.<br /><br />In the moment it was all just so intense, but if they had really wanted to run me over I think they would have. They probably had lots of fun... I'm still shaky. I've gone to the police, see<a href="http://imaginenocars.blogspot.com/2010/02/today.html"> here</a> for results.CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-17380501718572001702010-02-20T12:09:00.003-07:002010-02-20T12:11:40.263-07:00Unusual TrafficI've had some unusually high traffic counts on this site the last several days and looking at the stats Blogger provides the reason for it is.... that damn picture of the Amtrak train.<br /><br />People must really love trains because I've had upwards of 200 hits just from google image searches. From now on... every post will be started with a picture of a train.CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-71772632080320190522010-02-19T13:08:00.004-07:002010-02-19T13:15:42.035-07:00Ecotopia... Random Bicycle Crap FridaysI recently started reading the classic environmental polemic <span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ecotopia</span> </span>written by Ernest <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Callenbach</span>. Its got a lot of amazing ideas and innovative design techniques for urban centers. I'll get into those in longer posts later, but for now I'll just give a teaser related to bicycles.<br /><br />"<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Ecotopians</span> setting out to go more than a block or two usually pick up one of the sturdy white-painted bicycles that lie about the streets by the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">hundreds</span> and are available free to all. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Dispersed</span> by the movements of citizens during the day and evening...</span>"CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-2222643344558192502010-02-18T09:58:00.002-07:002010-02-18T10:48:23.406-07:00Let Your Voice be Heard... Support Additional Rail Lines<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh156zq2g_wmyvL2MGmKMEFvs0Y0eBlH2IS7RSL30AL5ytTQ1bRGOkK6r2MXRsj9RmoBX_bLnKzTlh5NC0iYBcNrtlGw6P-u7aB1mXWo-7iWU6FXjJ8xcpJL0XM9cUpE4u-x5Y48RxDAjT5/s1600-h/transit.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh156zq2g_wmyvL2MGmKMEFvs0Y0eBlH2IS7RSL30AL5ytTQ1bRGOkK6r2MXRsj9RmoBX_bLnKzTlh5NC0iYBcNrtlGw6P-u7aB1mXWo-7iWU6FXjJ8xcpJL0XM9cUpE4u-x5Y48RxDAjT5/s400/transit.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439641695279804210" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">An online version of the <a href="https://www.montpirgstudents.org/action/transit/restore-north-coast-hiawatha">Restore the North Coast Hiawatha petition</a> created by students at The University of Montana is now available on <a href="https://www.montpirgstudents.org/home">MontPIRG’s website</a>.<span style=""> </span>The petition was started in support of Amtrak’s passenger rail study and Senator Jon Tester’s push for reinstatement of the line.<span style=""> </span>The original petition garnered over 1200 signatures in a matter of only a few weeks of gathering in Missoula. <span style=""> </span>The first set of petitions will shortly be delivered to Senator Tester in Washington D.C.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <span style="font-size:100%;">It is the purpose of the online version to garner wider support for the rail line outside of Montana and to let our United States Senators know that the people demand more transportation options.<span style=""> </span>The line connects many important cities in the region including Seattle, Spokane, Sandpoint, Missoula, Helena, Bozeman, Billings, Bismarck, Forgo, and many more.<span style=""> </span>The restored line would be an important step in reducing green house gas emissions, providing transportation options, and offering vital economic infrastructure.</span>CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-91451872321675329942010-02-17T09:17:00.003-07:002010-02-17T09:27:37.300-07:00No TIGER Money for MissoulaThe US Department of Transportation just released the winners of the TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grants and Missoula was not on the list. For a look at the full document and listing of all the winners click <a href="http://www.dot.gov/documents/finaltigergrantinfo.pdf">here</a>.<br /><br />Montana didn't completely lose out on the funding however, as two projects in Western Montana are getting the go ahead. The projects in Whitefish and Lake County are recieving a combined $15.5 million in federal grant dollars.<br /><br />Accord to <a href="http://twitter.com/T4America">@</a><a href="http://twitter.com/T4America"><span class="status-body"><strong></strong></span></a><a href="http://twitter.com/T4America"><strong></strong>T4America</a> there were a total of 1400 applications and $60 billion in funding requests. Missoula had applied to use the money mainly for investment in sidewalk, river trail, non-motorized road crossings, and intersection safety infrastructure improvements that would have taken care of several years worth of improvement projects.<br /><a href="http://twitter.com/T4America"><span class="status-body"><strong></strong></span></a>CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-84706536802953074592010-02-16T21:10:00.003-07:002010-02-23T21:42:44.823-07:00Run in with the CopsWhen I say "Run in," I mean that I was almost run over by a Missoula city police officer.<br /><br />Turning north onto Higgins to cross the bridge at 8:30 this evening I had the road all to myself... that is all but the police cruiser sitting in the middle of the right most (my right) southbound lane. He was just there, unmoving, doing what... I didn't know. Unmoving until he quickly flipped a u-turn into my path, hit the lights, and stopped only feet in front of me.<br /><br />Now it wasn't too close of a call, but I still had to perform some serious braking in order to not hit the police cruiser... which would have been a bad move since I had no idea what was going on.<br /><br />As soon as the cruiser flipped around and came at me my heart leaped and my mind immediately went to, "am I well enough lit?" I was well lit (blinking white in the front and two blinking red in the back) and riding additionally in a bright area. Unfortunately my buddy Mikey had recently informed me of the lighting related laws for bicycles in Montana which include solid light in front, pedal reflectors, wheel reflectors, etc.<br /><br />I was thinking that this officer not only almost hit me, but was also going to stop me and ticket me for my lighting issues.<br /><br />Luckily that didn't happen... as the officer hopped out of the cruiser quickly apologized and proceeded to tell me to "get out of here." For he was on his way to talk to an apparent drunk on the side of the road that I had failed to see. He meant business too... dismissing me, removing his flashlight, and very sternly yelling for the man to take his hands out of his pockets.<br /><br />After all that in only a matter of a few seconds I was just happy to be on my way and glad I hadn't been run over by a cop.CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-31470874430630605722010-02-15T20:19:00.004-07:002010-02-15T22:52:03.450-07:00The view from PortlandMy feet hurt... thank you Portland. Four days of a carfree mini vacation using a walking/transit combo put a lot of miles on the feet. Still tired from traveling today and then immediately diving into work back in Missoula so this post will be short and quick... for some great thought provoking writing check out <a href="http://twitter.com/urbanophile">@Urbanophile</a>'s arguement for <a href="http://www.urbanophile.com/2009/04/01/small-cities-should-have-fareless-transit/">fare-free transit</a>, which would be perfect for Portland, and this article that shows that <a href="http://www.suntimes.com/news/transportation/2048241,CST-NWS-ride15.article">being sighted close to transit is saving homes from entering foreclosure.</a><br /><br />Enjoy the pictures... I'll write more on Portland later... especially the Hipster economy.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2716/4357538596_86cb86344d_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2716/4357538596_86cb86344d_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Plane from Seattle --> Portland. A little greenwashing? I think so<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4356791143_7cd2a6da56_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4356791143_7cd2a6da56_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">You know your entering a different world when there is bicycle parking at the airport terminal.<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4064/4356792173_de7ec11ccc_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4064/4356792173_de7ec11ccc_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">My ride from the airport awaits.<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4357540976_63b57b9714_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4357540976_63b57b9714_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">On-street Bicycle parking at Powell's Books<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2787/4357551074_debd2edc66_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2787/4357551074_debd2edc66_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Portland does a great job of using public (park) space to accentuate the utility and connectivity of the various rail lines.<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4357542214_86768570ed_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 375px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4357542214_86768570ed_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Only in Portland<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/4357543216_496392e98e_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 375px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/4357543216_496392e98e_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Another innovative urban design... this time add green infrastructure and reduce rain water runoff.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2774/4356796021_4c92ee868a_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2774/4356796021_4c92ee868a_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Building with both wind turbines and solar on the roof.<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2691/4357550162_d93171eb86_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2691/4357550162_d93171eb86_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Making it that much easier not to own a car.<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2795/4357552898_b0930ca1c4_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2795/4357552898_b0930ca1c4_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />And finally the beer... my god the beer. A little nitro never hurt anyone... and anyway can't get this shit in the stores. Don't worry <a href="http://www.kettlehouse.com/">Kettlehouse</a>, your still the beer I hold dear... though I think I'll miss Amnesia.<br /></div>CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-40770966556864820032010-02-11T09:47:00.002-07:002010-02-11T10:57:08.145-07:00I'm Busting... Busting I Tell YouI'll be making a pilgrimage to the liberal/bike mecca of Portland, OR. Actually I'll be visiting my fiance, Ashley, in Portland where she is doing her last clinical internship for physical therapy school.<br /><br />Unfortunately I will be flying. I originally said said I would only fly for a family emergency. Well... this kinda is, since we haven't seen each other in a month and a half. I wanted to take a combo of bus and rail, but given the fact that we only have a weekend together, I'm flying instead. At least I can feel a little less guilty because I'm not producing as much CO2 as if I were driving to Portland.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRSCTzd14dNkuW-iBeSmp98jynHkQEUt1c9X2oeUZiIf5Y6kYLaP-6M9VURUDHJ-_abg8VvlFu4VJffeyIyLaS1i1gXjvR7lJ2_Muz_kyvrI2zcHreoYPCmSq9Dd_6JcCo-AcCH4RAdId/s400/co2-mode.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 358px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRSCTzd14dNkuW-iBeSmp98jynHkQEUt1c9X2oeUZiIf5Y6kYLaP-6M9VURUDHJ-_abg8VvlFu4VJffeyIyLaS1i1gXjvR7lJ2_Muz_kyvrI2zcHreoYPCmSq9Dd_6JcCo-AcCH4RAdId/s400/co2-mode.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I highly doubt I will be posting anything for the next several days, but expect something come Monday on my experience/thoughts on Portland.CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-15191742504496922632010-02-10T16:47:00.003-07:002010-02-10T18:08:30.112-07:00Missoula Residents Show Up to Support Active TransportationMissoula has started the long and arduous bureaucratic process of updating one of its many long term plans. And this time its an update to the <a href="http://www.co.missoula.mt.us/Transportation/current_activities.htm#MATP">non-motorized transportation plan </a>and recently <a href="http://www.co.missoula.mt.us/opgweb/">Missoula's Office of Planning and Grants</a> (OPG) held a <a href="http://www.co.missoula.mt.us/transportation/current_activities.htm">community workshop</a> to get input from Missoula citizens. And the general message from the good people of Missoula was for the city to finish the trail/sidewalk/bike lane system.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2666/4346736449_088cdf73e3_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2666/4346736449_088cdf73e3_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Missoula's planning apparatus (and I use that term half jokingly because we are a small community that gets a lot of planning done on limited resources) has in recent years really integrated collaborative planning into the process and this time is no different. Collaborative planning aims to be as open and inclusive of different interests and community groups as possible to allow a wide variety of input to be included in the planning process.<br /><br />And from the parts of the process I have been involved in... there is a lot of input coming in. Transportation is one of those topics in Missoula that really brings out a lot of people and groups. The advisory committee alone has close to thirty people (from various city/county departments, nonprofits, community groups, and business organizations) in attendance guiding the process.<br /><br />The community workshop was pretty interesting to watch play out. The night it was held was cold and snowy, yet about 2/3 of people biked and most of the rest walked. With perhaps upwards of 60 or 70 people in attendance, everyone worked through a series of group oriented activities. Of course everyone's favorite involved drawing on a map of Missoula. <br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2794/4346740439_6c6cefc6f9_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2794/4346740439_6c6cefc6f9_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />And once the individual groups had finished their discussion and mapping each shared their results with the entire workshop.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2716/4347487656_7f34e4d533_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2716/4347487656_7f34e4d533_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Out of this event came a lot different input but the general themes included:<br /> - improved connectivity<br /> - finish the trail/sidewalk/bike lane network<br /> - reduce posted speed limits, at most 35 mph<br /> - improve street lighting<br /> - implement our complete streets policy<br /> - focus transportation more on safety than traffic flowCarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-36807464719611883412010-02-05T15:58:00.002-07:002010-02-05T16:01:19.128-07:00Hit n Run by Txt Message... Random Bicycle Crap FridaysI came across this text on the <a href="http://www.textsfromlastnight.com/">Texts From Last Night Blog</a> where a person self incriminated a hate crime against a cyclist using their vehicle:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.textsfromlastnight.com/Text-Replies-13480.html">"running late. just ran over a dude on a bike</a>"CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-72095810781272245962010-02-03T17:55:00.005-07:002010-02-22T21:35:55.320-07:00Winter Bicycle Maintenance FAIL<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4329153210_c629f2861b_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4329153210_c629f2861b_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Today was finally the day I got around to doing a little winter maintenance on my fleet of bikes. I don't have enough space to allow for a dedicated "bike garage" area for a bike stand and such, so I had been putting off working on my bikes for various reasons... bad/cold weather, bad lighting, too late, too tired, yada yada yada. Really these were all just excuses to put off something necessary.<br /><br />Finally, today my day ended early enough, the sun was shinning, and I was in a good enough mood that I felt like tackling the rust and crud that had built up over the last three months of winter riding. I had not completely neglected my obligation to my stable, as I had prepped all three bikes for winter weather conditions.<br /><br />But apparently that didn't matter for the poor bike pictured above. That sad chain is on the used mountain bike I purchased this summer. After taking it out on the trails a few times over the summer I had put it away in its stable (by that I mean the back yard) for most of the fall. It was only when the weather turned really bad and the roads extremely icy that I once again graced its saddle. For about two weeks during this winter's worst conditions I made good use of it, but as soon as the weather turned and the ice melted I once again ignored the poor thing. Sitting unnoticed in the corner of the backyard ever since, it wasn't until last week that I found the copious amounts of rust on the chain.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4329153210_c629f2861b_o.jpg"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">And so today was the lucky day that my bikes got cleaned up in the hopes of continued good weather and being able to show off their shinny parts in the morning glint off the sunrise. With copious amounts of beer, chain cleaner/grease, sweat, and music I got down to the work. And lets just say that the levels of rust seen on the chain above requires a lot of chain cleaner to get rid of (hide from view). I'll also mention that the liberal application of industrial cleaners and beer make for an interesting buzz.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgOWPDtAdvg5HhkNyM_-mqkmaohXy6ezSwzZTmD9SbORs_m6gZJ8SgVX5u2N4UyhDc_V_vK5sdHVDOLDA2ZUxntLMic6g1RiKC-MBoO0kFGlok6VVH6_RBZffuenk29vwBEbfJ4WEd7XJn/s1600-h/4329153120_0552bd35a4_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 344px; height: 458px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgOWPDtAdvg5HhkNyM_-mqkmaohXy6ezSwzZTmD9SbORs_m6gZJ8SgVX5u2N4UyhDc_V_vK5sdHVDOLDA2ZUxntLMic6g1RiKC-MBoO0kFGlok6VVH6_RBZffuenk29vwBEbfJ4WEd7XJn/s200/4329153120_0552bd35a4_o.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434189596077763282" border="0" /></a><br />Of course all these concerns about keeping my bikes clean and in good operating condition could be addressed if I had a convenient space to perform maintenance. I don't think I could ever reach the perfection of <a href="http://mnbicyclecommuter.blogspot.com/">Doug from Minnesota</a> that has been c<a href="http://mnbicyclecommuter.blogspot.com/2010/01/keeping-it-clean.html">leaning his bike every day after his commute home</a>, but at least I wouldn't be embarrassed by riding a dirty bike everyday.<br /><br />Or I could just be like the guy that took the photo below... and I could simply start bringing my bikes inside and sleeping in the same bed. But that would become complicated trying to figure out a rotation a la Big Love to share equal time with three bikes so as not to make one jealous.<br /><br /></div></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifzwTgnlT9V-wfFt7UNWFyX9Yh8srHnScNtPhtRWeJE48Y0lX1riOv4USm03Y0JWMSnTaLJ1QY-Y9FWBVSZ_XY-cFRI7cdBWoHl6LtbNDT_HGMp4utg1qExUy9DmO_cQKay3LG-yStvPU/s400/fixie+in+bed.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifzwTgnlT9V-wfFt7UNWFyX9Yh8srHnScNtPhtRWeJE48Y0lX1riOv4USm03Y0JWMSnTaLJ1QY-Y9FWBVSZ_XY-cFRI7cdBWoHl6LtbNDT_HGMp4utg1qExUy9DmO_cQKay3LG-yStvPU/s400/fixie+in+bed.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739621531803677069.post-37381840509202621672010-02-02T11:48:00.003-07:002010-02-02T11:53:28.675-07:00Stupid Inflammatory Comment of the DayThis quote comes from <span class="small">Sgt. Tom O'Brien up in Ontario Canada in a <a href="http://www.northlondonbeacon.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=301:bicyclists-joggers-a-pedestrians-in-winter&catid=2:article&Itemid=7">recent op-ed</a>.<br /><br />"</span>...bicycles in London should generally disappear after the first few days of snow and not reappear until the drains are filling with melt water... I am amazed why anyone would jeopardize their lives by riding on icy, slippery roads where any miscue could lead to a nasty fall or worse."<br /><br />Thanks for the concern officer, I just hope you don't start enforcing that opinion like officers have started <a href="http://chipsea.blogspot.com/2010/01/repercussions.html">enforcing imaginary laws in Texas</a> to get cyclists off the street.CarFree Stupidityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17452960459225854564noreply@blogger.com3