Friday, August 18, 2006

Report: August 7 - 13

Trips -
MinusCar: 12
Multi-occupant Auto: 7
Single occupant Auto: 6

It wasn’t all that great of a week in MinusCarlandia. Four of the single-occupant trips came on a particularly bad Friday. The Boy 8 needed to be delivered to a downtown camp experience and later that day a group performance was scheduled. The day could have been planned better but the convenience of the car won the day and I drove.

To add insult to that already injurious day, I saw a city transportation planner riding his bike vehicularly, apparently headed home at the end of the day. It’s one thing to be spotted in a car by MinusCar-aware people who have no intent of joining the fun. I now realize it feels completely different to be spotted driving a car by MinusCar-aware people on bikes.

Sunday helped redeem the week. There was the bike trip to fetch sub sandwiches for lunch that included the inquiry, “How far you riding today?” All the way to here. There was a different trip to the convenience store to buy gas for the lawnmower. I LOVE riding bike to purchase gas especially the pulling up to the pump part.

And finally a fellow rider called later in the evening after breaking his seat post binder. He needed to ride in the morning and I had the necessary part on the race bike. Since the race bike mostly hangs in the garage wondering why it doesn't get raced I said sure, and I’m going out anyway, how bout I bring it to you? I had already planned a trip to the grocery store so my lights were ready and I got 90 minutes worth of a night ride in. Yes! The only thing better that 90 minutes of night riding is 91 minutes of night riding.

I think I saw an owl going out and one coming back. It was probably the same owl. The owl was probably a blue heron. But anyway, I think I saw an owl or two or none.

My Car Miles: 45
My Bike Miles/Hours: 92.6/7.3

4 comments:

SiouxGeonz said...

I *hate* seeing bikes when I'm driving, especially if the weather's iffy (or just plain bad) but they're out there anyway.
Gas is under $3.00 right now, though, so I may at least take the critter as far as a station today.

Snakebite said...

Maybe the same owl, which may have been a blue heron, was actually a red herring.

The Donut Guy said...

Sweet. I especially like the "buying gas while riding a bike" part.

Tuco said...

my race bike has been on the trainer all summer. Funny how your "best" bike sits idle, while your commuter gets all the mileage.
Yeah - night riding, haven't done that in a while either (not counting my pre-dawn rides, I'm too sleepy to enjoy them). The city lights.. the feeling of owning the roads, so cool