The Morning Breaks

My daughter has become quite the dedicated bike commuter. She's lucky because she's only about a mile from home to office... so she could even walk if worst came to the worst. (A lot of people drive a shorter distance than that every day, however.)

She's got a sweet ride - classic "cruiser" styling, but the frame is lightweight aluminum, the tires are pretty high-pressure (70 pounds, I believe), and it's got the 7-speed click-shift derailleur. (You don't have to look dorky on your bike... that's my personal choice.)

Here we are this morning, departing to go our separate ways.


The down-side... I've had to charge her car battery once, and I think it's run down again. And - she hasn't put gas in her car for about 2 months. (But I guess the gas part isn't the down-side, huh?)

Utility Cycling 101

There seem to be 2 types of cyclists - the "gadget freaks" who get excited about 30-speeds and Dura-Ace and front-shock-absorber-travel and aero wheels and titanium skewers, and the others, who just get on and ride. (I'm too much in the second group. I tend to even ignore preventive-maintenance -type stuff, and not fix things 'til they desperately need fixing.) My bicycle is only really clean maybe once every 3 years.

My friend "Mister Wardle," who maintains an awesome blog about the world of professional bike road-racing, ordered himself a copy of the "ultimate utility bicycle" - the Kona Africa Bike.


This is NOT the bike for people who like to compare their bike with all the others, to see whose bike is the coolest. Single speed, one frame size and configuration (in Model T black), coaster brake... just the essentials. And built to take a lickin' and keep on tickin'.

It is being built as a transportation device for people who would otherwise be walking, or riding on water buffalos or whatever.

Imagine how a bike could change your world... if your lifelong transportation had been on-foot!

Q: Can you outrun a charging, hungry lion on your Africa Bike?
A: It doesn't matter... as long as I can ride faster than the slowest guy I'm riding with!
(-;

Hi-Ho! Hi-Ho!!

... it's off to work we go!

I started to work 5 minutes early today (7:40 instead of 7:45), so I stopped to snap a photo of today's Freedom Parade. I like to think of it as the "freedom parade," since so many people drive a single-occupant vehicle because of the freedom it affords.

I was hoping some of the drivers would wave cheerfully at me, but if it happened, I didn't notice. (To be fair, I s'pose if you'd just spent the last 30 or 45 minutes in stop-and-go on the Interstate, it might have taken a little of the edge off the sword.)

Here's a fairly accurate representation of what my morning commute looked like.

Full disclosure - this was actually snapped Monday morning. Ann Morrison park, right at the footbridge. (And I have to apologize for the quality of the photo. There was a nice sunrise going on in the background; I set my little camera on a post and used the self-timer; it didn't come out as nice as it really looked. You'll also notice I don't have my nazi uniform on, but rather my high-visibilty gore-tex jacket.)

Why Bike Transportation? Reason #3

Reason #10 – "Unrighteous Pride"
Reason #9 - The Environment
Reason #8 – Sense of Achievement
Reason #7 - Social Responsibility / Conservation
Reason #6 - A Feast for the Senses
Reason #5 - Independence and Self-Reliance
Reason #4 - Exercise and Physical Health

Reason #3 - Stress Relief / Mental Health

Bikers (the motorcycle kind) have a saying:

"You'll never see a bike parked out front of a therapist's office."

If that is true, it is even more true for pedaling bikers!

(By the way, it's not true for many motorcycle bikers. A lot of 'em are totally hung up about how much chrome their bike has, or whether the other guy's bike is cooler, or whether their "costume" looks the part, etc. A lot of 'em are more concerned about being seen riding their motorcycle, than about riding their motorcycle… know what I mean? You see some of that among bicyclists, but I don't run into it nearly so much.)

Owning and driving a car can be stressful. Consider:

There's the expense of owning and operating the car. As of 2004 – when gas was $1.83 – the AAA said it cost $8410/year to own a motor vehicle. (I stress more about money – or lack thereof – than pretty much anything else in my life, 'cept maybe my kids.)

Okay, Mr. or Ms. Motorist. You're up-to-date on your payments, you have $25 worth of gas in the tank, and your tires have most the tread left.

You begin your daily commute. You start an hour before you have to be to work, because it sometimes takes that long. Better safe than sorry.

Traffic is bad today! What? Is there an accident up ahead?

#%@&!! Gas is up another 8 cents! I knew I should have filled up yesterday, on the way home!

What's with this jackass who just passed on my right, and now wants me to let him into my lane?

And hey – what's that funny clunking sound coming from the transmission? I've never noticed that before…

Dang it! All the nearby parking spaces are already taken. I hate parking 4 blocks away! (And this spot is close to that high school – what if punks vandalize my car? I hate this! But I can't afford another parking ticket.)

I used to deal with that stuff… back in the previous century. I've felt all of those frustrations personally, back during the "car years." But I gave it up.

Let's shift gears.

People love their morning coffee. (My employer eliminated free coffee, 4 or 5 years back, to save thousands of dollars. There was a revolution – torches and pitchforks! Like back when the Russkies couldn't get their cigarettes, vodka, and toilet paper! The "free" coffee was quickly reinstated.)

Why do they like coffee? It elevates your heart rate. It makes you feel awake and alert.

Guess how you feel when you arrive at the office by bicycle? Your heart rate is elevated. You're breathing deeply (hopefully "green" air instead of "yellow" air), takin' in that oxygen. You feel awake and alert. But actually it's a better "quality" of alertness, because it doesn't seem artificial or jittery. (I won't argue the merits of coffee, but I will say this – it's better if you can live your life without a chemical dependency of any kind.)

Actually, scientists explain that exercise does produce natural chemicals in your body – endorphins and such – which have a positive effect on emotions and mental outlook.

When I ride my bike to work, it invigorates me, and charges my mental battery for the challenges of the day. When I ride my bike home, it allows me to pump away some stress, feel the sun (or rain) on my face, and truly enjoy a sense of freedom and independence that is lacking when you're sitting in stop-and-go traffic. (You'll notice in the car and truck TV commercials – which they spend billion$ on – they never show that shiny new car or truck idling in a traffic jam, or plodding down the Interstate.)

Do I ever stress on the bicycle? Occasionally somebody in a car (or somebody else on a bike) will do something unexpected and illegal that I have to compensate for. But I try to expect the unexpected, so the stress level is very manageable. (I've never felt "bicycle rage," far as I can remember.) And if the weather is truly nasty – heavy, consistent rain or triple-digit heat – it's obviously not as delightful as on that sunny, 70-degree day. But it's not really anything to stress over… you've just gotta suck-it-up and go. I s'pose I stress a bit when I get a flat tire, or when a spoke breaks. But that stress is mighty short-lived.

Let me put it this way. My bike commute is frequently my favorite activity of the day. I actually look forward to it. (I also love to drive, and to ride my motorcycle… but not in stop-and-go traffic! That is among my least favorite activities!)

Summary – driving a car, at least in traffic at drive-time, tends to create stress; riding a bike tends to relieve stress.

Clean Air Zone?

More of these signs are popping up all the time, around Boise. This one is about 48 hours old; they installed it in a public parking lot across the street from my house.


When another sign up the road says Regular Unleaded is $2.799, is this sign really needed? (Why would a motorist not turn off his engine? Gotta keep that A/C blowing?)

And, how far does the clean air extend? Will these "clean air zones" eventually be placed close enough together that I can take a deep breath and dash for the nearest one, to grab another breath of clean air?

My Burden

In my previous post, I poked a bit of good-natured fun at the poor people who are stuck in their motor vehicles on such a perfect day as this.

Now, in the interest of being fair and objective, I thought I'd post a couple shots I took on my commute home. (I took the "scenic route," and was in no hurry. Why hurry? I was anxious to prolong the circumstance!)





Photos taken in Julia Davis Park and on the BSU Campus (on either side of the footbridge).

For a larger view... click HERE or HERE

Picture Perfect Day!

(Danielo - you'll appreciate this one!)

It started out a bit on the "bwisk" side this morning (nod to Mike Tyson), but right now... 73 degrees, not a cloud in the sky, gentle breeze.

I'm still feeling the euphoria - just got back from a NICE little jaunt out Hill Road, and back via Gary / Glenwood / Adams / south Greenbelt (one of my favorite weekday loops). My face hurts from smiling so much! There was a row of trees out on Hill Road (just past Collister) with pale pink blossoms that smelt SO FINE! (That must be what it smells like in Heaven!)

As usual, I was patting myself on the back. (My shoulder sometimes gets to hurtin', I spend so much time pattin' myself on the back! One of my many weaknesses.) On this particular day, it was because there are SO MANY obviously-fair-weather cyclists. They were all out there today - where are they on the 9-degree days? Or the 109-degree days? (Of course, they are thinking they are so much cooler than I am, because they are wearing stretchy lycra "team" shirts, compared with my 100% cotton T-shirt, and they have the SUPER-deluxe gruppo, and I only have the deluxe gruppo. Cyclists can be very image-conscious.)

And then the thought occurred to me... SURE, I'm dedicated! I ride (just like Danielo) on even the worst days. But there are PRECIOUS FEW so dedicated cyclists. Compare our weak effort, with the LEGIONS of dedicated motorists! They drive their cars, not only on the bad days, but on the AWESOMELY POST-CARD PERFECT days, like today!

Don't believe me? Here are the traffic cams from 10 minutes ago. Nothin' like a blissful drive in the country!



























DRIVE ON!

(P.S. - Don't tell anybody about that SOUTH GREENBELT. I usually get on at 48th or so, and ride all the way to the Doubletree Riverside. Traffic is usually light over there, the pavement is pretty smooth, and it's a NICE ride.)