Tortoise yet?

No doubt you're familiar with the old fable about the tortoise and the hare.  I've even commented in the past about the "hare" nature of motorists during rush hour, as the light turns green and they blast down the road to be the winner of the race - to the next red light.  It's actually quite amusing to watch, as I amble alongside in tortoise-like fashion.

By contrast, the tortoise is never in much of a hurry... but he keeps that steady pace faithfully, and in the story, at least, he ends up the winner.

I was never a "hare" cyclist, even at my peak, but these days I content myself by self-comparing favorably with the tortoise.  I've been at it for awhile now.  In fact...

This week (Boise Bike Week) I rolled over 2000 bicycle miles for the year 2015.

Not a big deal, actually.  I wouldn't be surprised if hundreds of other area cyclists have ridden that far and more.

However... this is my 30th consecutive year of riding at least 2000 miles.  (The first year was 1986.) Nowadays I occasionally get passed by a "hare" cyclist who wasn't even born 30 years ago.  I always rationalize, "Let's see how he's doing 30 years from now.  I bet he's slowed down a bit, too!"

Do you have an "activity tracker"?

Suddenly it's the must-have item... a little electronic gizmo you wear around your wrist, and it tracks your "activity."  (Or, have they been around for years, and I've just not been paying attention?  I've seen 'em for six months or so, and now I'm seeing 'em for Mother's Day, Grads, Father's Day, etc.  Makes you wonder how civilization went on for 5000 years or so, without activity trackers!)

They keep track of your steps, distance moved, quality of sleep (wow!), and then you download it to your smart-phone or computer, and can make charts and graphs!

Wouldn't it be a bummer if you bought an activity tracker and a month later it told you the most "activity" you engaged in was putting your activity tracker on, and pushing buttons on your smart-phone to make it work?!!  (nudge-nudge, wink-wink)

Boise Bike Week '15!

Are you a Joiner... or a Lone Wolf?

Traditionally, bicycles as transportation has been a solitary thing, since well over 90% of society car-commutes.  By contrast, "recreational" cycling - be it "road biking" or mountain biking - is usually more of a group endeavor.  But over the past five years or so, transportation cycling seems to be getting more popular and widely-accepted.  One could even describe it as "trendy," when you take the Hipster culture into consideration.  You know those Hipsters - "rebellious, in a conformist sort of way."  (Thanks, Lisa Simpson!)

For me, cycling is almost always a solitary thing, whether commuting or recreation riding.  (Lots of people also like to ride motorcycles with a group... I much prefer soloing, for various reasons.)

Well... starting Friday, May 9, whether you're a joiner or a troubled loner, you should join for a worthy cause - Boise Bike Week!

I believe it's the 13th Annual, if I'm not mistaken.  And, it's actually expanded to almost 2 weeks.

Look over the schedule HERE.  And pencil some events into your Day Planner or Smart Device or whatever right now, while you're thinking about it.

I've probably joined an event or two for at least the last 8 or 9 years.  (HERE is commentary from 2007 - eight years ago.)  Most often the Pedal Power Parade with my granddaughters.

I hope they stick with the published schedule!  Last year I prepped both of my granddaughters and we arrived at the appointed place, five or ten minutes before the appointed time - and the group was long gone!  For some reason they had left 15 minutes early.  No way to run a railroad, or an event!

Fruitful Canada Geese

We've got Canada Geese in these parts.  In fact, maybe they should start calling 'em Boise Geese... how many more could Canada have than us?

From the Wikipedia article: "During the second year of their lives, Canada geese find a mate. They are monogamous, and most couples stay together all of their lives. If one dies, the other may find a new mate. The female lays from 2–9 eggs with an average of five..."

On Friday I was headed home from the office and saw a BIG goose family... snapped a photo.

Count 'em.  I believe there are 33 babies in this bunch!  I s'pose it might be some sort of Goose Daycare or Goose Preschool... or perhaps Goose Fertility Experiments!

Boise - Bike Capital of America for a day!

There is no reason that Boise, Idaho, shouldn't be at the top of the list of bike-friendly cities.

Compared with the cities that come to mind, we are superior. We have better terrain and weather than the cities always at the top of the list. The main things we're lacking in are education and enforcement. (But those things seem to be an ongoing struggle in pretty much every city.) Perhaps we're also lacking in "bicycle culture" - an attitude among both cyclists and non-cyclists that bicycles belong. But that seems to quickly be evolving for the better.

Anyhow - there's a movement afoot, originating with our beloved Boise Bicycle Project, to make Boise the Bike Capital of America for one day... Thursday, May 7. Read more about it HERE. In essence, every person is challenged to ride on that day, and challenge three other people to do the same and "pass it on."

I'm not a social-media sort of guy (unless a casual blog is "social media," and I s'pose it is). But I'll do my best to publicize that particular day. Boise Bicycle Project is ALWAYS a very worthy neighbor. They might be able to help you out with a part or some bicycle advice. And their awesome work on behalf of our community is very worthy of YOUR help, all year 'round. Just sayin'.

Happy Earth Day!

Isn't it great?!!  We've somehow kept our planet together for another 365 days, and arrived at another Earth Day.

This year, in recognition of the auspicious occasion, President Obama will take Air Force One down to the Florida Everglades, where he's likely to read off the teleprompter about how the oceans are rising due to our carbon-burnin' ways, and urging legislation, treaties, etc. as a solution.  (I sincerely hope that many, many people observe the irony.  Perhaps Algore, the Al Sharpton of Global Warming, is jetting someplace else to deliver impassioned rhetoric.)

I've commented on Earth Day before.  I believe we have a responsibility to be good stewards of our resources, but I somewhat resent being lectured to by flaming hypocrites (pun intended).

Despite all our problems and the supposedly-deteriorating environment, this is still the planet I choose as home!

Allow me to share some of the lyrics from a Harry Nilsson tune, "The Most Beautiful World in the World":

You're a scary old place out there, world
But I couldn't be happy without you
And I swear all my thoughts are about you
The most beautiful world in the world...

You're mountains when you're mad
You're rivers when you're sad and those deep blue seas
I love you for your snow, your deserts down below
I love the way you wear your trees...

The most beautiful world in the world
And though there are times when I doubt you
I just couldn't stay here without you.

Take some time today, to enjoy the beauty of this amazing, wonderful orb.  And renew your determination to minimize your impact.  Leave the place as nice as you found it!

Trouble in [Greenbelt] Paradise, Part I

As the weather gets nicer, Greenbelt traffic increases exponentially.  (Until it gets "too hot" - then it drops off again, except near the watery places.  Lots of people can't walk or run or ride a bike when it's too hot or too cold - that's below 65 or above 75 - haha!)  And with that increase in traffic, comes the inevitable increase in distracted and/or irresponsible users of the facility.

I probably only do 20% of my riding on the Greenbelt, but just this week I've seen two yahoos on motorcycles!  Well... pretend motorcycles.  One was a punk on a tiny miniature replica of a lay-on-the-gas-tank sport bike.  (Is that what they refer to as a "pit bike"?  I ride motorcycles - but not on the Greenbelt, and I don't keep up with the lingo and trends very well.)  And another was a young gal - early 20s (punkette?) on a little minibike-looking thing.  NOT a "moped" - this thing didn't have any pedals; it didn't pretend to be a bicycle in any way.  In both cases, I hollered, "You can't ride that on the Greenbelt!"  And in both cases they seemed happy to ignore me.  Hopefully they met with higher authority on up the line.

And yesterday, I happened across two babies in a double-up stroller.  Probably 9-10 months old.  (I'm pretty current on my babies, since I have grandbabies!)  Both were crying bitterly.  A fella - I assume their dad - was standing there leaning over, but I couldn't tell if he was trying to comfort them, or taunting them, or admonishing them to "suck it up."  When babies are sad it makes me sad... especially on a beautiful day in a beautiful outdoor place, which usually makes babies happy and wide-eyed with wonder.

And of course, the usual assortment of people who just stop on the Greenbelt, blocking the way of everybody else.  I always want to ask them, "Do you have a driver's license?  And, do you just stop your car in the traffic lane, when you want to chit-chat or drink some Gatorade?"  My suggestion for a Greenbelt Courtesy Tip from a previous post:

"Keep in mind that the Greenbelt is a transportation corridor, and is often crowded with users.  Please respect other users by not blocking the pathway to chit-chat, repair your bicycle, adjust your load, yap on the phone, send a text, conduct pet or baby admiration sessions, snap a photo, etc. Step to the side, so other people can go by."