Mackie transportation upgrade

My dear friends' kids have outgrown their Tag-A-Long pull-behind bike. And by stroke of luck, my grandkid is just about right for something like that.

They were going to put it on the market to the General Public at a garage sale, but they gave us a sneak preview. We hooked 'er up, and before we'd gone a block, we were sold!

Mackie says it's way better than riding in the trailer! And I agree - I can actually stop pedaling, and she can push us along at a casual pace for some distance. Pretty impressive.

This morning we rode down to Morris Hill Cemetery to check out the beautiful flowers and flags. The cemeteries are always at their most beautiful on Memorial Day.

Garden City cop SUV on Greenbelt

Garden City - (in)famous for their stretch of "bike path" where bikes aren't allowed ... are also a little casual in their understanding of the "No Motor Vehicles" policy that's generally enforced on the Greenbelt.

I snapped this a couple days ago.



Undoubtedly the official response would be, "We were engaged in official business."

To which my response would be, "Yeah, right." I'm sure it's business that would've gone undone, had the officer not been able to park right there. (/sarcasm)

Enjoying the Great Outdoors

There are some other urban folks who seem to enjoy the outdoors, year-round. Here are some personal observations.

There is a corps of dedicated runners who feel the call, year-round, rain or shine.

There are also dog people. I see 'em walking up and down the street, and at the park, year round. Walkin' their dogs. Throwin' frisbees... or better yet, throwin' tennis balls with those arm-extension catapult things. There must be something in certain dog-breed DNA that makes 'em want to chase that ball! They'll keep chasin' for longer than most owners will keep throwin'.

Another group is the smokers. (They enjoy the outdoors, right?) There are probably a dozen at my office building. On beautiful, perfect days, I see 'em out there on the front sidewalk, and I'm a bit jealous. I think I oughtta take up smoking, so I could join 'em! But then I see 'em on wet, windy, nasty winter days, facing away from the arctic blast... shivering and smoking. And I'm always glad I didn't join 'em.

Another group has come to my attention more recently. It's the car movers group at the office. Let me explain.

The office is surrounded by "2 hour parking" stalls. Park there longer, and you risk getting a ticket.

There is a group of people that parks in those spots, first thing in the morning. Then, 2 hours or so later, they take the elevator to the ground floor, walk out, start up the car, and find a different 2-hour parking spot, somewhere else around the block. Repeat every 2 hours all day. Repeat every workday.

What's with that?

(I got curious, because for month after month, I've noticed some of the same cars, parked in those 2-hour spots. And I finally asked the security guy. He confirmed that the drivers are in and out all day, moving their car from stall to stall.)

Their motivation can't be saving time, because how much time would be spent engaged in the cause, by the end of the day? Nor can it be saving effort, I wouldn't think. They could park for free in an all-day spot, 2 blocks away. Surely it would be fewer steps-taken, when all is said and done. Or they could do like other car commuters, and actually PAY for a semi-convenient parking space. Do they think they're being clever, and pullin' a fast one on da man? And I'm no expert... but starting a cold engine, running it for maybe 2 minutes, then shutting it off? That's hard on motors, isn't it? I'd like to get in the head of those folks and understand what they're thinkin'.

The Devil's Tricks

An old John Mayall blues tune goes, "There ain't nothin' you can do... when the Devil plays his tricks on you."

I know not from whence it came, but we had some unseasonable weather - more like winter! - on Saturday.

High temperature - 46. Precipitation - 1.41 inches. Both records for the date in Boise.

I got a little work done in the morning before the sky opened up... and as 5pm - the scheduled start time for the Pedal Power Parade - approached, I looked outside anxiously every 15 minutes or so. But when it was cold and not sprinkling but raining vigorously, I chickened out. Frankly I'd be surprised to hear that it happened at all. (But I've been surprised before.)

May is still a gamble in these parts, if you're counting on nice weather. Chances are you'll be pleased. But don't be too disappointed if you get rained out. And there's always next year.

(Nonetheless, I completed Boise Bike Week with nary a trip in a motor vehicle, and cycling on all 7 days.)

Bicycle Block Party

The weather is looking a little dicey for the last 2 days of Boise Bike Week. But if weather were a major deterrent, I s'pose there wouldn't be very many cyclists. (We are a heartier lot than baseball players, golfers, motorists, and similar sissies!)

The Bicycle Block Party poster caught my eye... check it out.



The party starts this afternoon at 4pm. With a little luck, the rain will be minimal, or postponed 'til after 10pm.

Dunno if I'll get to the Block Party, although it looks to be awesome. I expect to be there tomorrow for the Pedal Power Parade. (With granddaughter Mackie in tow, if the weather is nice. If it's nasty, Grandma will prolly make her stay in.)

P.S. - I'm a little disappointed that they used my likeness on their poster, without getting permission first. But since it's for such a worthy cause, I won't put up a stink.

Ride of Silence recap

I'm happy I participated in the Ride of Silence last night. I'd say there were 15 or so riders - not as many as I had optimistically anticipated, but Bob T (who was there this year and last) said that was probably double the number from last year.

I got there moments before departure, after riding from home. (Not a word to my dentist, please! I had a tooth extracted at about 4:45, and was instructed to go home, take it easy, and put my feet up. Sorry, man - I've already got plans! But I did generally take it easy, and the pain pills were doin' their stuff.) George Knight, a very involved transportation cyclist, was giving some last-minute instructions, and then we rolled.

The route was entirely on lightly-traveled North End streets, which was a "plus" for a silent, contemplative bike ride. And indeed it was essentially totally silent. Not one word was spoken, as far as I know. One guy's vintage bicycle rattled a little bit, but not distractingly so. Folks in the North End were going about their generally-quiet business. At one point, 2 or 3 cars queued up behind us, and one guy was impatiently revving his motor a bit, but eventually peeled off.

I was contemplative. I was partly compelled to contemplate the "hillbilly gap" where my tooth had been a couple hours earlier. But I also contemplated the gap left in peoples' lives when they've lost loved ones in bicycling accidents. I contemplated what it must be like, going through life weighed down by guilt over having killed or injured someone else. I contemplated the responsibility we as cyclists should feel, to be good citizens on the roadways. And how critical it is, to not only avoid making mistakes that could jeopardize our safety, but to compensate for the mistakes of others. (Defensive riding is the only way to survive, in the long run.)

We stopped for a few minutes at the corner of Hill Road and Smith Avenue, mere feet away from the "white bike" left in remembrance of Kevin Pavlis. Although I never knew Kevin personally, I still feel a sense of loss. How much better the Ride of Silence would have been, if he and other departed cyclists could've joined in.

Therapy!

Sometimes transportation cycling is an ordeal - I'd be lying if I said otherwise.

When it's down in the single digits (or lower) in the dead of winter.

When the skies are dark and the rain is pourin' down... it takes some will power. (I've had occasional rides home where I literally poured water out of my shoes, after arriving at my destination.)

When it's triple digits on a sultry summer afternoon, and heat waves shimmer on the asphalt, to some degree. (I personally enjoy riding on hot days, as long as I am able to stay well-hydrated. But lots of people ask, "How can you do that?")

When I unexpectedly need to haul something heavy or bulky.

But there are many, many, many days when transportation cycling is an unqualified pleasure! So enjoyable I'm surprised it's not illegal!

On a perfect spring day, with blue skies and big puffy clouds overhead, and just enough breeze to wiggle the brilliant-green leaves on the trees... it is Manna to my Soul!

It invigorates the body. It soothes the spirit. It calms the emotions. It is therapy!

(Can the same be said for getting in a car and spending a half-hour or 45 minutes in freeway gridlock? Perish the thought! For me, that would be an ordeal every day!)

No matter how bad my day is going, usually I can at least look forward to the trip home. Or when I'm totally beat after a day of yard work, it may be hard to get on that bike and ride... but if I do, I'm always glad I did so afterwards.

Pedaling is WAY cheaper than lying on a psychiatrist's couch!

(People who haven't experienced it probably think I'm over-selling it. I am not.)