tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56022112024-03-07T04:56:18.163-05:00Bicycle Commuting NowDay-to-day antics/hysterics/views from Syracuse, Upstate Central NY, promoting Bicycle Commuting and other sustaining lifestyle choices as viable options in today's culture.(Formerly located in Harrisburg, PA)Garden Crewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14294887075820729203noreply@blogger.comBlogger207125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-23895732716126857192008-06-07T04:34:00.003-04:002008-06-07T04:40:42.996-04:00Bicycles in IcelandWell here I am in Iceland and I don't have a bike to ride. I am located at a forest house in the Þjorsardalur forest, southern Iceland district. We went into Selfoss yesterday to shop for groceries and supplies for the house, and saw lots of bikes. People use them regularly here in the cities it appears, but not so much out in the countryside. I wonder why?<br /><br />Well maybe because, it is so far from place to place once you get out of the city limits, and what else, the roads are so damned narrow! No berms when you get outside the city! Out of all the tourist type activities I have witnessed so far, bicycling doesn't seem to be one of them. I have seen horseback riding, ATV riding, 4x4 SUV driving, but no bicycle touring going on.<br /><br />People also seem to be very trusting here. All the bikes I saw outside of buildings and stored in town where just sitting idle and unlocked! Very trusting i say again. <br /><br />Well, one goal while I am here is to try and find some used bikes to install at the forest house. What fun it would be to just use them to wheel around, maybe along the forest roads? I'll let you know how this quest turns out. I can't really spend much money from my travel budget for this, and things are quite expensive here so it may be tough to acquire any bikes. If anyone is reading from Iceland and has some extra runaround bikes for cheap or free you'd like to donate to us student volunteers, speak up please. Or if you know of any groups, organizations, flea markets etc where they might be acquired, well that info would be greatly appreciated as well.Garden Crewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14294887075820729203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-78681858137932555592008-05-28T11:34:00.002-04:002008-05-28T11:38:55.920-04:00Bikes in StorageWell, it comes down to this. I am traveling for a bit this summer, and have moved out of my apartment, and I am going out of country. So the bikes of mine (sweet little bikes of mine, they gonna let their love light shine!) are in storage. My main bike was literally the last thing I put away, as I held onto it to use until the very last moment. I will miss them, though of course, not in the same way as the people I love. I'll probably still post here though, as in Iceland, there may very well be biking opportunities or related stories. Anyone been to Iceland by the way and want to pass on your story? If it is bicycle related I'll even post it as a guest blogger post.<br /><br />I am even hoping to get my hands on a used bike while at the forest house I'll be living at to ride around the country roads, or maybe there is already one or two sitting there waiting for riders, after all, lots of itinerant travelers come and go for this internship position, and you would think someone had gone through the trouble of having some bikes on hand? We'll see. peace.<br /><br />Listening to: Sigur RosGarden Crewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14294887075820729203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-78201419043848976572008-05-22T13:07:00.003-04:002008-05-22T13:15:15.250-04:00Left for Good<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWK9hn7oGnrsgksGjbWsQOhVb_JXR2793cgRALxMlauyeCbT67AryfT3oGjSCKWJU6SMeuFIoY5wS4T8_WwTbEcpbUNo10CB_-EhPpDrN8YVRsY6KYBbv8J7nxfZ421eVFvAIS/s1600-h/04-18-08_1246.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWK9hn7oGnrsgksGjbWsQOhVb_JXR2793cgRALxMlauyeCbT67AryfT3oGjSCKWJU6SMeuFIoY5wS4T8_WwTbEcpbUNo10CB_-EhPpDrN8YVRsY6KYBbv8J7nxfZ421eVFvAIS/s320/04-18-08_1246.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203250964440398562" /></a><br /><br />Well, I guess this is an example of what can happen when you are lax about locking up your bike properly. What I do when parking in any public place is use the dual lock method. Lightweight cord lock around frame, and rack, and through front wheel; then U-lock through rear wheel, frame and rack. This protects everything.<br /><br />As you can see, this unfortunate soul only had their front wheel locked up, and someone made off with the rear wheel, which according to my knowledge is the second most expensive part of a bike to replace after the frame when you consider it contains the wheel, frame and cog set.<br /><br />I had at first thought maybe this rider just had a flat and took the rear wheel home to replace it, but alas, I've been keeping an eye on this beauty as I walk by on occasion crossing the S.U. campus, and it has been in this location and in this condition for about a whole year now. Vandalized and abandoned, wonder when the S.U. staff will remove this bike?Garden Crewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14294887075820729203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-12453104444306129522008-05-09T21:32:00.002-04:002008-05-09T21:40:46.062-04:00Along for a WalkWhile riding home on Thursday, I spied my friend Nate walking his bike along the side of the road. Naturally I pulled over to check in and say hi, see what was up, though anyone could have guessed it was a flat necessitating his pushing his bike home. And it was, he didn't know what caused it. Just rode into campus in the morning fine, then come to get his bike for the return trip in the late afternoon, and flatness greeted him.<br /><br />So I hadn't seen Nate to chat in a while, and this was a good opportunity to do so. Our routes are the same, at least they were today as I was not veering off the main road but just intent on getting home. So I walked him to his apartment house before continuing on further to mine. <br /><br />This just reminds me though of one of the reasons why, when distance and time is not a factor, that I have been choosing to walk rather than bike. We speed by each other most of the time when on bikes just as if we are in cars. Sure there is the occasional pulling up to a stoplight at the same time and exchanging a few words, but nothing like walking and talking for 20 or 30 minutes will get you. And in general I find my mind works better when my legs are doing their job. Whether it is just chatting, or believe it or not, studying for an exam, or practicing a presentation, getting the whole body in motion energizes the mind, and I find at least, energizes a conversation as well.Garden Crewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14294887075820729203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-46429689779885880472008-04-27T20:56:00.004-04:002008-05-09T21:41:42.142-04:00Busy, Busy, BusyFirst off, I apologize for te broken picture links on the main page here at bcn. Somehow they have just started failing to work, so I need to go check with the site where they have been hosted. I'll get to it soon I promise. It's just been very busy, busy, busy with Earth Week festivities and planning, and finals week coming up.<br /><br />On a lighter note, I found a brief extra half hour to print out some graphics and have a friend (Marcia) laminate some spoke cards for me the morning of the Earth Day event yesterday (Saturday). We only made up about 9 cards (all the laminate I had on hand), but it was enough unfortunately as only one person showed up on bike, with child in tow no less via trailer. Anyway, here;s a quick pic, nothing special, just our group logo and website, and the event flyer in miniature. We'll get more funky next time for sure.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb08fvN6aFi3GuSD3YpHp-t9mD4yBKLsv-YEDZpuqQ7C6aA0K4JovsX_CsavHPmxwZnSIxPfHPriDTZ78JhJGp-pT-Wf5pbTdeOgh_Yw1dIN1_MJJDO66xMBeJLZlYLH2a0ewg/s1600-h/noname.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb08fvN6aFi3GuSD3YpHp-t9mD4yBKLsv-YEDZpuqQ7C6aA0K4JovsX_CsavHPmxwZnSIxPfHPriDTZ78JhJGp-pT-Wf5pbTdeOgh_Yw1dIN1_MJJDO66xMBeJLZlYLH2a0ewg/s200/noname.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194121825067348066" /></a><br /><br />Be sure to visit <a href="http://alchemicalnursery.collectivex.com">alchemicalnursery.collectivex.com</a>Garden Crewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14294887075820729203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-57562337600892880422008-04-25T20:55:00.000-04:002008-04-25T20:58:22.209-04:00Earth Day at Lipe Art Park<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhG8u0uwuQEDuWTtOWqebAaALkZGuveRIJXhCjCHPT78dkIxHtwaPyfROicKYLZ4EU7hUdzVJotrphOZE31eWKPYxwu6jMrMjpw9MpGKkU1bLOfJHbOug5YAXCN5LOvP_dR_0m/s1600-h/Earth+Day+Celebration+at+Lipe+Art+Park+2008+English.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhG8u0uwuQEDuWTtOWqebAaALkZGuveRIJXhCjCHPT78dkIxHtwaPyfROicKYLZ4EU7hUdzVJotrphOZE31eWKPYxwu6jMrMjpw9MpGKkU1bLOfJHbOug5YAXCN5LOvP_dR_0m/s320/Earth+Day+Celebration+at+Lipe+Art+Park+2008+English.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5193351943589605458" /></a>Garden Crewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14294887075820729203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-56453369962661213362008-04-21T22:46:00.002-04:002008-04-21T22:52:56.094-04:00Can you feel my speed?Word has it that you don't need to stop at traffic lights or stop signs, nor do you need to yield at yield signs, if you are riding a bicycle. This would have made a good April Fool's post, no?<br /><br />It ain't true of course. Myself, on a bicycle, I often am buzzed by bicyclists who are not stopping when they should be, and end up almost running into me. Case in point, the other day I am stopped at a 4-way stop sign, and proceeding to make a right, when the bicyclists coming straight from the left blows his stop sign and we are forced to swerve away from each other. If this bothers me, and other fellow bicyclists, do you imagine what choice words car drivers are having for these folks? Way to garner that good will for sharing the road, my fellow cyclists, keep up the good work (sarcasm in case you didn't get it)!<br /><br />So I get passed many, many times when I am sitting at a red light, and a cyclist comes up along my right side and blows through the light without even slowing down. Incredulity rises within me at moments like these, and I take it upon myself to hunt them down and blow past them on the next straight-away, just to prove that all that not-stopping ain't getting them anywhere quicker than me, who was stopped, and just because it makes me feel good to hammer it down and fly by. Jerk. ; > )Garden Crewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14294887075820729203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-19063435027501372852008-04-16T11:53:00.002-04:002008-04-16T11:55:13.320-04:00Spoke Cards!Anyone out there make, collect, trade spoke cards? I am thinking about making up a few to hand out at the Earth Day event to commemorate it to those who arrive by bicycle. Tell me about your experiences with spoke cards.Garden Crewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14294887075820729203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-52416392006160742602008-04-16T11:39:00.004-04:002008-04-16T11:52:59.965-04:00Bereft<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3zo3P7UMTctA41oRpFdcWLZtTbTLxtuddxyG1_wjc5shWGzjZbsxHO2TtHGIyQGYVPxo-xfto9QtQmGJN2LDcJN-XTuBH4z01JkNuaBJdtlimH26qa9FrNHLMELcfOx_Yocz/s1600-h/skunk.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3zo3P7UMTctA41oRpFdcWLZtTbTLxtuddxyG1_wjc5shWGzjZbsxHO2TtHGIyQGYVPxo-xfto9QtQmGJN2LDcJN-XTuBH4z01JkNuaBJdtlimH26qa9FrNHLMELcfOx_Yocz/s200/skunk.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5189871487454598242" /></a><br />Well this entry isn't specifically about bike riding, but I like to think that this blog has more breadth and depth to it than that. I just basically wanted to talk about this feeling of being isolated that I experienced twice in the past two days, and it all relates to technology - the cell phone specifically.<br /><br />Yesterday, I was walking around Lipe Art Park, refamiliarizing myself with the layout in anticipation of my role there for the Earth Day event that is coming soon (I will write an entry on that in a day or so). I walked to the end of the park and crossed an overpass above S. Geddes St. finding myself in a derilect area of abandoned squats, graffiti canvases, and abandoned tires and other trash. A few paths wove here and there, a dead skunk lay staring up at me as I moved along. <br /><br />And at some point I realized that this is a different experience for me being that I had my cell phone in my pocket. I did not feel quite like I was in "another world" as I might have in the past exploring edgy types of landscapes. I don't know how I feel about this quite yet.<br /><br />In any case, I left the house this morning without my cell phone, totally unbeknownst to me. This is the first time I have ever done that, maybe not that amazing since I have only had a cell phone since last September, but never-the-less I was hit with an astounding "oh my God" when I realized half way to my destination that I didn't have it with me. How would people contact me, how would I contact them? What if I broke down on the side of the road? This disturbs me.<br /><br />This relates to bicycling in that it is a commentary about how we interact with the world. Riding a bicycle or walking brings us closer to our surroundings, does having a cell phone someone take us away from those surroundings in some way?Garden Crewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14294887075820729203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-71623819741165875542008-04-15T06:57:00.003-04:002008-04-15T07:05:53.833-04:00Step Right Up and Win a Prize!I've never won a bicycle in my life, you know as a prize, but I certainly feel like I should have, I mean who doesn't, who doesn't feel that sense of elect? "I should/will win that bike because I deserve it". And I'm talking bikes now because this is bcn of course, but also because bicycles seem to be one of the prizes that so many contests turn to in their time of need. I have a applied for so many raffles, contests, etc that had a bicycle as a prize, just two most recently in fact.<br /><br />One I don't even remember where I applied, it is such a commonplace thing to do so. The other was a sponsored raffle drawing by a company vendor at Natur-Tyme health and natural foods store. And the thing is, I don't need a bike. I love the one I got baby. But we always want to win something don't we. So that brings me to the speculation of how many bicycles are sitting in garages going unused because people enter contests for them who are not going to use them?<br /><br />I for one, would use a bike I won or find a good home for it if it didn't fit for example. I am sometimes on the lookout for a good second bike, not that I don't like the blue Giant I have, just that it is a tad too small for my frame. Can you not imagine the 45 year old housewife shopping at the grocery store, entering the contest, telling herself she will start riding the bike, then having it sit in the corner for years to come? Hopefully, she has children or grandkids to bestow the treasure upon. <br /><br />I'm just wildly speculating here, it is early, I am up up and can't get back to sleep, not even to dream about a shiny new bike.Garden Crewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14294887075820729203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-27818903805295231542008-04-11T10:24:00.002-04:002008-04-11T10:33:39.683-04:00Ironic?Wow, looking at my last entry. Has it been that long since I have posted. I probably don't have many readers anymore, so I might have to start from ground zero again, that is if I keep up with my postings this time around.<br /><br />Anyway, I thought it was ironic that the first time I got my bike out to ride this Spring, was to get back from the auto garage where I dropped off my car to get an ABS sensor replaced. I took it to Fehlman Brothers over on James and Midler, and had to bike back up to Westcott from there. Anyone recommend a good auto shop closer to Westcott? <br /><br />Truth is I have not been riding my bike much, because I have been walking. It is only a 20-30 minute walk to school and work (depending on how fast I go, and what part of campus is my destination), so I really enjoy that time and the exercise over a quick 5 minute pedal. I usually listen to a tech podcast, or maybe an alt-country or roots rock show on my phone MP3 player. Sometimes I listen to my own thoughts or the world around me. Sometimes I solve all my problems with my striding legs (<span style="font-style:italic;">can you feel my speed?</span>). <br /><br />Though if I am ever late it is nice to have the bike at the ready. It's been sitting in the basement all winter, which is a good space, not damp or anything. And all I needed to do was pump up the tires to pressure. I have some other stories and experiences to tell about already this Spring though, so I plan on being back blogging again real soon. Stay tuned.Garden Crewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14294887075820729203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-1162333438816871702006-10-31T17:16:00.000-05:002006-10-31T17:23:58.833-05:00PhonesIn addition to the ever ubiquitous ipod, I should also mention the ever present cell phone on the ear of pedestrian as they are crossing the road. Same issues as with the ipod listener last post. I really shouldn't have cleaned my rims this morning because during my procrastination of the past few weeks, my squeaky brakes have been the simplest warding-off pedestrians device I had. Saved my voice, no need to carry a whistle or horn, just squeeze those brakes and whoever is in front of you on a cell phone, won't be able to ignore that loud squeal. The girl last night literally jumped in the air and stared at me like a deer caught in the headlights, which she was as it was after dark and I had my lights on. I didn't have to say a word to her, my bike did all the talking.<br /><br />As far as phones go, I don't have a cell, and what a bitch society can make it sometimes. All I wanted to do from Baker Hall last night was call home and let Sue know I was going to be over an hour late because of this intensely long and drawn out GIS project assignment. No luck. Couldn't call out on the house phones, didn't have a cell phone, and no pay phones in site. Maybe I just didn't know how to get an outside line on the campus phones, but the IT guy I asked said I couldn't do it, and they didn't work to get an outside line like the phone in my office space does either. Shouldn't it be a safety issue of some kind that phone access to off campus is available without having to own a cell phone? I'll have to see if I can find anything else out about this issue I have.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-1161953407361057002006-10-27T08:35:00.000-04:002006-10-27T08:50:07.376-04:00Tales from the RoadHere I was thinking about the future of my blogging this morning, and considering I haven't written here for a week and just what oh what would I write about today - when the fine citizens of Syracuse gave me some things to tell home about.<br /><br />First, a fine example of how car drivers on the hill do not know how to interact with bicyclists (and I think because the majority of us do not ride in a manner in which drivers know what to expect from us, see my report on the critical mass ride earlier). Approaching a four way stop I see a car approaching from my right and coming to a full stop. I then come to a stop obviously after the car did and even after they should have already proceeded past the intersection. But them, having seen me on a bike, and not expecting me to stop at the intersection, dawdle for a few more seconds and we are forced to look at each other perplexed - me for why she has not driven through the intersection yet and her for why am I stopping at the stop sign? <br /><br />Second, I am traveling uphill and at a bit of a slow pace, in a wide lane which is extended for bus traffic to pull up to an advancing public transport stop, when I spy a white university pickup swerving from the oncoming traffic lane, not only into my traffic lane but all the way over to come to a dead stand still park not more than 50 feet ahead of me, facing me and directly blocking my land of travel. Granted it wasn't a problem because the traffic on the road is calm and light, and that is probably only one of the reasons this fella decided it was alright to park the opposite direction in my travel lane - but come on some consideration please.<br /><br />Finally, thanks to the ubiquitous ipod, and this is something I encounter almost every day, I nearly take out a pedestrian who is mind numbingly crossing the roadway as I come out from around a 90 degree turn in the road. They are middle of the block not near a pedestrian crossing, looking straight ahead, and ipod zombie shuffling to their own pace. I could have swerved in front of them or in back of them, well I chose in front of course - might as well let them know I am there and that they could pay a little more attention to traffic than Timberlake, of which by the way bicyclists have always been bringing sexy back!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-1161379037855427702006-10-20T17:11:00.000-04:002006-10-20T17:17:17.866-04:00Whither Wheel Goest?I noticed a stolen rear wheel from a bike parked over on the SU campus the other day. It was near the art building, and was the bike was locked up onto a rack in plain view. It appears that the owner had only threaded a thin cable lock through the frame, and maybe the front wheel, but had opted out of any protection for the rear. We all know the story, if you don't then listen up - next to the frame the rear wheel is the most expensive part of your bike generally. If you don't want it stolen then use protection man! A U-lock through the rear spokes, collecting the rear frame and the bicycle rack is great. What I also do is use a medium thickness cable lock as a secondary deterrant and lock the bike to the rack with it as well, and include the front wheel for the sake of it (only takes 5 extra seconds).<br /><br />I actually hope that it was not a stolen wheel and can just imagine that someone had a flat or some other malfunction, and just chose to carry the rear wheel home or to the shop instead of transporting the whole bike. Then once repaired, came back to join up the wheel with the waiting bike right where they left it tied up to the rack on campus. But if it was stolen. better their's than mine.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-1160350289228361622006-10-08T19:11:00.000-04:002006-10-08T19:32:40.570-04:00Syracuse Critical Mass RideI was excited to see that someone had gone through the effort to organize a critical mass ride in Syracuse (see <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/devowski/252056617/">Link for Flyer</a>). Granted I don't usually get excited about mass exhibiting like this, preferring to make more subtle avenues, but I am interested in my rights to the roadways and thought I would check out the ride and lend my support as a part of the mass.<br /><br />I must say there was a pretty good turn-out, much better than I expected. Everyone met at the steps of Hendricks Chapel on the Syracuse U. quad at 5 pm, but due to some promotion mistakes, we had to wait around till 5:30 to leave as different times had been posted in different places. We headed out north towards and through Marshall St, then back towards South Campus, and then north again through Westcott, then turn-around and back south along Westcott, then back to the Syracuse Campus ending at the student center.<br /><br />It was a good ride all-in-all. We stayed together well at first, even with some skateboarders in the group. Folks were doing good jobs of protecting the riders from cross traffic at intersections by blocking the side streets. The route went through a combo of university property, some quieter residential areas, and the main drag from main to south campus where traffic was backed up quite a bit by our ride. It felt great to be part of such a large group of riders, it felt safe to be on the street, I mean really safe as a part of this bubble, and I had never experienced riding so slow in the middle of a traffic lane before (we had to keep a pace doable for the whole group ya know).<br /><br />But what I didn't like was some of the following: not stopping at red lights when we encountered them (I have no problem with the group going through lights that change red from green while we are in the middle of the intersection transverse, but when a stoplight is red and the first rider reaches it the mass should stop); passing cars on the right and the left both while travelling in the traffic lane and while they were stopped at lighted intersections; riding on the wrong side of the street and headlong into and around oncoming traffic; yelling aggressively at people in thier cars who are minding their own business; and yelling loudly to anyone listening "We Own the Streets!" (we don't solely own the streets, and neither do the car drivers, we share them, and should be considerate of each other).<br /><br />Basically, I was there to show people in cars that bicyclists have the same rights to the road as they do, that we can coexist peacefully, and that I am not a threat to them; but this group managed to undoubtedly alienate many car drivers during this mass ride, and probably even scare them, and they certainly did not give good example of the kind of riding behavior that car drivers should be able to expect from bicyclists. I was going to hang with the group a bit further as they made way towards Armory Square as part of an extension to the main ride, but the group was getting more out-of-order, crossing intersections haphazardly, slicing through parked cars on all sides, and causing some drivers to honk and show signs of contempt towards us bicyclists. I left soon enough and peacefully made my way home.<br /><br />I don't quite know what to say further. Was the ride a success or a failure? I am sure everyone of the ride would have a different opinion. Perhaps I just wasn't aware of what the purpose of the ride was? If it was to alienate and be aggressive in general causing a lot of muck-muck, then I am not down with it. I have mixed feelings as to how I should support this group, if at all.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-1158794942422372392006-09-20T19:22:00.000-04:002006-09-20T19:29:02.436-04:00Week in ReviewNot much to talk about from the past week. The weather has been shifting, and I've gotten wet a few days. My route is all flat or uphill in the morning, so I usually have a gentler and easier ride downhill when I am tired at the end of the day (though I often kick it just as hard when I am keeping up in traffic or racing the next light if trying to beat the worse weather home, but often I take it chill). Anyway today when I got to the bottom of 'the hill' I hit my flatland portion of the ride only to be confronted with a total head wind, so much for a casual pace home. I was pumping through those gusts like I was on an uphill it felt.<br /><br />I contacted my grad student association president about trying to arrange better changing facilities on campus for bike riders. Right now my only option is to change in a bathroom stall which I am thankful for at least, though it is cramped and often dirty. I can go next door to the SU campus, but that is not so convenient when it is 8:00 in the morning, I'm wet, and needing to get into 'nicer' clothes and be on time for my 8:25 teaching assistant gig. Two men's room stalls have been 'out of order' since the semester started and I don't think anyone would miss one if the toilet was removed, and a bench, a shelf, some extra hooks, and a raised mat were installed. Does that sound reasonable?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-1158106523427885282006-09-12T20:03:00.000-04:002006-09-12T20:15:23.486-04:00Lost my Cool, then Got it BackHave you ever experienced that feeling when you know someone or something has just come up behind you, its usually when that someone or something is quite bigger than you. It made me think of scenes from Sci-fi movies when your in the theater and the heroes in the small ship start to feel this deep low rumble and the massive enemy ship comes up behind them. you just know its there and you didn't expect it to be, and maybe wish it wasn't there.<br /><br />Well today I was at a stoplight, center of the right hand lane, and a car squeezes by me on the right. Boy was I pissed, and I knew it was coming, I could feel its presence moving up on me before I even saw it there. As it passed I reached out and slapped its side , I mean really , it didn't hit me but it had no right getting so close. The driver stopped rolled down the window and yelled how she saw me and was able to pass me, but I let her know she only squeezed by a hair past me.<br /><br />I mean, I don't have to take that. I have already been hit once and toppled to the pavement during my cycling life when a car tried to pass me on the right in a single lane by partially crossing over the double yellow lines and then had to get back over into my lane and squeezed me on the left, hitting my handlebars and sending my flying. This time I was stationary, but I'm not taking that . No passing me on the right, no squeezing by with your multi-ton metal crate, and no invading my space, and I let em know this time.<br /><br />I'll take some blame, maybe I was too much center lane, and should have been more just right of center, but they still don't get a free pass for such a close cut. Later I checked out the zen meditation session on campus at Hendrick's Chapel and got my cool back, for now.<br /><br />Song of the Day: Listen, the Snow is Falling by Galaxie 500Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-1158020202097262702006-09-11T20:10:00.000-04:002006-09-11T20:16:42.110-04:00Weathering the End of SummerDang was it cold this morning. I wasn't expecting it. I know it is September, but I should have realized that the end of summer in Syracuse is like the beginning of fall in Pennsylvania where I am originally from. The thing is, the kind of cold hitting now is in that special zone, when if yuo're a bike rider you don't notice it until your cruising down the road. The cold doesn't hit while your walking your bike out, or buckling up your helmet and pack, or loafing down the drive to enter the street. But when the wind starts hitting you from the speed you are generating, well the fingers were frigid, and a chill was hitting me hard.<br /><br />No sweat though, a few more turns of the crank and the blood starts heating up, and at that point a nice equilibrium sets in. Clothing choices right now are wierd too. I don't want to wear long pants or gloves or a windbreaker, becuase my morning route is all uphill or flat land, and I know I am going to get warm by the end even though it is only 20 minutes. So I still go now with the shorts, and tee-shirt and suck up the initial chill adn wait for the heat to kick in, but I know it won't be too long till those gloves come out.<br /><br />Song of the Day: Road to Joy by Bright EyesUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-1157501476338744172006-09-05T20:03:00.000-04:002006-09-05T20:11:16.350-04:00Perception of Bicyclists Speed AwryI've probably rambled about this before, but people who don't ride bikes have no clue how fast a person on a bike can travel, and it affects thier responses to you on the road. I've had people honking at me to get out of thier way just after a stoplight turns green after they first came upon me waiting there, and then a few stop signs further on and they are hopefully feeling like jerks for bugging me because I have left them behind quick after each stop.<br /><br />Today, I had a car who made a right-turn-on-red directly in front of me, and I swear unless they were blind and had no clue I was there (this is the most scary to think about), they chose to pull out because they only saw poor little slow me on my bikey who they could get out ahead of, when in reality I had to slam on the brakes as I reared up on the car's backside as I was cruising through my green light at the intersection.<br /><br />Anyway, I need some dry lube and maybe a few other little things, so have to check out my first bike shop in Syracuse. Anyone have any suggestions? I was probably going to Advance Cyclery since they give a discount to students, and I am officially one-part student among other things.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-1154731234270484512006-08-04T18:10:00.000-04:002006-08-04T18:40:34.370-04:00Observations FridayVenturing off of my so-far typical path from Hawley-Green to the SU/ESF campus, I headed east first to the Syracuse Real Foods Co-op on Kensington. Getting there I veered off of Euclid Ave. as soon as possible due to the fact I've heard a number of "hit cyclist" stories about that area since getting to Syracuse. Realistically, it is a fairly wide road, with numerous stop signs and stop lights, that is probably fairly safe and just given a bad name due to the higher number of college student riders that use that street. The other fact is that it is a major thoroughfare for going between the university hill area and eastern suburbs of Syrauce, without having to get on Rt 690.<br /><br />My other reason is just that I wanted to explore a little, I had driven down Euclid numerous times, and I wanted to get a lay of the land of its outskirts. So I turned south and headed up Berkely Dr. to Broad St. through quaint residential neighborhoods with little traffic and wide vegetated medians between opposing traffic flow through a few blocks of travel. One downside for some people may be the steady 3-block climb to get to Broad, pick your poison I guess, but you can't get away with never climbing a hill while on your bike. <br /><br />From Broad it's an easy left turn up Miles Ave. to the co-op. I parked my bike in front and hooked up to the bike rack which although functional, could use a boost of protein powder from the health section. This skinny as a rail rack was also literally hanging from the the storefront where it was connected with a grand ole steel chain, and loping unbalanced along the sloped sidewalk. Like I said, functional is the best place I can go here.<br /><br />I enjoyed shopping the co-op as always when I decide to splurge for some great food items. I got some cracked wheat bread, a gunch of spices for making soysage at home, bulk goods including granola, cous-cous, nutritional yeast, and falafel mix; then I really splurged by buying some meatless Italian sausages, some frozen organic blueberries for smoothies to go with the .29 cent/lb past-ripe organic bananas I picked up, and finished my traipse with a rice dream vanilla nutty bar to eat on my ride out.<br /><br />From there it was a few side streets to hit Euclid briefly then turn down Westcott to the Petit Branch library off of Westcott on Victoria Place. This is the library branch most accessible to us location and hours-wise. We sometimes drop items off for return at the Northeastern Community Center satellite location on Hawley, but they have no selection for just browsing as Petit does for us. The bike rack here is larger to accomodate a good 10 or so rides if necessary, and located on a large expanse of flat and wide sidewalk right next to the entryway. Today I was picking up some DVD reserves including AEonflux, Ocean's Twelve, Dogtown and Z-boys, and the weather man, as well as a Calexico cd. We defenitely use the library more for CDs and DVDs these days than for books.<br /><br />Mostly, traffic was friendly. Suprisingly, some joker starting honking at me as I was travelling downhill on a single lane road going at least 25 mph through a residential area, where they wouldn't have been able to go much faster. I probably held them up by about 10 seconds overall and they really had to try to pass me which they did just feet from where they then turned off onto a side street. The rest of the ride home then fell in with my normal route and I was on totally familiar and comfortable territory.<br /><br />I saw one other biker today, on my way out, and they were riding for exercise and riding sake, not for commuting purposes. No other bikers were present at the co-op or the library. A handful of bikes were parked on campus, but it's summer and those numbers will hike up steeply once the fall semester starts.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-1154211057490466602006-07-29T18:04:00.000-04:002006-07-29T18:10:57.500-04:00Manners?Well so far my fellow roadsters have been fairly ploite to me in the Salt City. Travelling downtown I had to deal with a good bit of traffic, but they were all very polite, staying in line behind me, not trying to pass innappropriately, and nary a honk or harrassment, though I could just about feel a few cars breathing down my neck, some inches of consideration please? Anyways, It doesn't hurt that there is a stop light or stop sign every block, so they can figure out they aren't getting anywhere any quicker by passing me between blocks (or trying to).<br /><br />The same can't be said for my neighborhood though it seems. Already had a honker inbetween block stop signs travelling from Catherine towards Mcbride. Where did he think he would get so much quicker by getting around me when the stop sign coming up was only another 300 feet or so. I freaking hate impatients like this. Stock response from me, turn my head, make eye contact and smile, what are they gonna do then? Hopefully since he had a drivers license and passed his last vision test so he could read my bikes are traffic sticker on my rear fender, and he can kiss my rear fender if he feels like doing this again!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-1154141847015088472006-07-28T22:50:00.000-04:002006-07-28T22:57:27.016-04:00Don't Mar the Historical Facade Boys!One of my first trips to somewhere other than work was to CL Evers Co., the new high-scale (supposedly?) grocery downtown on Clinton Square. Sue has been away with our car housesitting for a brother, and I needed some groceries, and thought I'd check it out. Well in all truthfulness, the selection was wank. No tofu, no veggie burgers, no ginger root, overpriced boxes of Fantastic Foods cous-cous, no nutritional yeast, no low-fat peanut butter, and I stopped looking there. I could have done almost as good at my corner grocery here at Hawley-Green and only payed almost as much in prices.<br /><br />Besides all that rant, the folks working there were nice, and when checking out I noted to the cashier another customer stopping by on a bike, and had they thought of putting up a bike rack? She said they actually had, but since they were located in a historical building, the city didn't allow them! I'll just let you make of that what you inevitably will, I'm too tired tonight for ranting about the obviousness of stupid policies encountered in everyday life.<br /><br />They had the hella cutest little metal wire shopping baskets for carrying around the store though!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-1154141418799189102006-07-28T22:45:00.000-04:002006-07-28T22:50:18.800-04:00Notes After an AbsenceSomething must be motivating me to write this blog again. Could it be...hmmm lets see...the fact I am riding my bike again after a long time not?<br /><br />A funny thing happenend to me on the way to Syracuse. well not so funny, I forgot to put my bikes in the moving truck!<br /><br />Wife and I were living with friends on a farm in rurual southern new york, far away from stuff, and I wasn't riding my bikes really. So they were kept out in the garage that I never hardly went into. Then when we actually got to move day it was raining, and we were rushing, and we had so little time to get packed up, drive here, and unpack by ourselves the two of us, that I didn't grab me two bikes.<br /><br />After a long sequestered winter in the 'cuse we finally took a trip back to the Brink late spring and I got my bikes, and after being away for 4 weeks in the Adirondacks, I am back in the 'cuse and back on my bike. Simple really. Who knows where this goes, if anywhere.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-1135961926932677232005-12-30T11:48:00.000-05:002005-12-30T11:58:47.010-05:00Moving On!Folks, this ride has pretty much come to an end for my Harrisburg readers. It is official I have moved to Syracuse NY to further my education among other things, and I won't be posting about Harrisburg, if about anything these days on this blog. Not that I don't have other cyber-publishing thoughts now and then that we will have to wait and see where they go. This site will remain a part of the cyberspace library though as I feel it has some good info for new and returning bike commuters in Harrisburg.<br /><br />The email address associated with this blog will be shut down permanently in the near future as it has been overrun with SPAM. I'll try to forward my new address to those of you who communicated with me on a more than once basis, but if I don't you can leave me a comment here, and when I check it now and then, I'll get you an updated email if you'd like to continue correspondence.<br /><br />I do plan on coninuing my bicycle commuting in Syracuse. I have even more limited apartment space here though, and I am currently trying to figure out my best set-up. In Harrisburg I kept my bike locked to the large wooden columns supporting my porch roof in a nicer family neighborhood. Now I live in a quite more urban area with higher crime, and the landlords are adament about not keeping personal items in common space. So I have the option of bringing my bike up to my apartment; or as I hope to do set up a plan with the landlord to try and allocate some common space to bicycles as I have seen one or two others who live here riding sonce I have moved in.<br /><br />I still believe Harrisburg has a ways to go to welcoming community oriented ideas like bicycle commuting into it's fold, and I hope that the torch will continue to be carried by others in the locale. Hell, feel free to even use the bcn name and logo if you like, perhaps that will help lend some continuity between your efforts and mine that will help build the foundation for more bicycle commuting in Harrisburg. Let me know if I can help any other efforts along.<br /><br />Final Song of the Day: "Say Something" by JamesUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602211.post-1124307994281763712005-08-17T15:34:00.000-04:002005-08-17T15:48:44.286-04:00bcn two REVIEWED BY THE CYCLING DUDEIn case you haven't had the chance to peruse a copy of bcn two: the zine, and was wondering what was up with it, The Cycling Dude has just posted a review that will fill you in a little more on the contents with a few snatches of quotes to whet your appetite. Kiril also includes some of his own commentary and observations. See the <a href="http://www.sneakeasysjoint.com/thecyclingdude/2005/08/bicycle_commuti.html">Review Here.</a><br /><br />I still have a few copies left if anyone is interested. Free as always, but trades for your zines more than welcome. Contact through franklen(nospam)blog (at@) fastmail (dot.) com.<br /><br />Just wanted to mention a cycling event I recently witnessed here in Tioga County New York where I am temporarily bivvied. Calling itself Bike Tioga, the local Rotary club sponsored a county wide riding event to showcase the numerous biking routes in Tioga sponsored by the state. I found out about it though only after I saw some riders along the side of the road with numbers on thier backs, and a few bright yellow signs along the routes, so either the marketing was lacking or I just was looking in the wrong places.<br /><br />What I read later indicated that it was not a race, just an event, so the numbers were more or less just for identification, and registration purposes of the ride, and not to see who came in first! As I drove through Owego a little later I saw the Bike Tioga registration tent set up in the small park adjacent to the Susquehanna River, and the bridge downtown that crosses it, and a few smiling faces were defenitely showing how valuable biking can be to a community.<br /><br />SONG OF THE DAY: "Henrietta Universe" by Hubcap<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1