Wednesday, May 23, 2007

While You Were Away

I was absent from work last Friday. Turns out my employer got into the spirit of Bike to Work Day with out me. They installed a bike rack. A MinusCar reading co-worker complained about the loss of a premium parking spot.



It's ok. This weekend he's coming over to till my garden and rid me of my sod. The Wife and I ripped up this sod together with a spade. It was painful yet fun.



That same day I planted four Roma Tomato plants in pots. Three survived transplant.

Finally, here's my favorite picture that I took from Bike To Work Day. It's the final stop of the pub crawl.

10 comments:

dailytoil.com said...

Regarding the photo which shows bicycles stealing a perfectly useable parking space - doesn't anyone else see something wrong with this?

mytzpyk said...

I see nothing but right with it.

Tuco said...

That's awesome - your employer deserves a pat on the back!

mytzpyk said...

DT - perhaps you are saying I appear to be taking the whole rack for my bike. I'm not...but I can see that perception...and I see exactly what I can do to fix it. I'll give you another photo if you confirm that's what you're seeing.

Smudgemo said...

What's wrong?

1. Only one bike.
2. I hate that kind of rack. That's what we have at work.
3. The rack isn't bolted?
4. Front wheel isn't locked?
5. Need to move the rack a bit so bikes can be locked on both ends?

Heck, I don't know. I hate puzzles, but I'd go find the controller and say thanks for spending some dough. I'm already bugging my CFO for showers in the new place we'll probably move into in a year or so.

dailytoil.com said...

Let's put all the cards out on the table: this blog is mostly a ministry of hatred against four-wheeled, gasoline powered transportation.

In that definition, does this mean that you prefer motorcycles to automobiles, because the are closer to your own ideology? Or that you dislike 18-wheelers even more, because of their additional wheels?

Remember, an employee probably drove a car to work to put your bike together, and loaded it on to an 18-wheeler.

Isn't it ironic?

mytzpyk said...

DT - "ministry of hatred" - that's a bit strong don't you think?

I do prefer motorcycles to automobiles - but I most appreciate the increased number of scooters and quads on the road. I see these growth trends as a direct result of high gas prices or environmental considerations. Make no mistake, high gas prices are good for the environment.

As for 18 wheelers - this isn't a mode of personal transport therefore I think differently about them. However, eating locally and consuming less reduces the need to transport goods from one part of the world to another.

There's no doubt that bicycles, quads, scooters all make use of resources and require energy to produce. Some of that energy no doubt adds carbon to the atmosphere. I am glad that you realize this and are concerned - because without your concern it's harder to solve such problems.

But here's the real deal, expressed over at Pinch Flat News a few days ago: "But the important thing has already been expressed: the value of considering our impact, and the desire to start controlling it. Folks like Leonard can occupy themselves doing the moral calculus, but hope has already sprouted like a weed in a parking lot."

Because The MinusCar Project exists, the people around me sometimes think differently. Some of the people like thinking differently. Some of the people don't. Funny thing - I've found that the people who express their dislike the most can't keep their eyes off it.

So, how many hours a day do you spend in a car, and how many dollars a day do you spend on gas? I like to take those hours and play outside...and the extra money, sometimes I keep it and sometimes I give it away, either way I come out ahead.

dailytoil.com said...

Okay, I admit, ministry of hate was a bit strong. My apologies. Still, it would seem that your site does not appear to present fair and balanced facts.

And what about 'the children?' Have you taken them into consideration?

Jim Thill said...

I think you should continue to NOT present fair and balanced facts mytzpyk. I like your slant, though I concede that I'm an oddball. Undoubtedly, somebody is writing a blog with a completely opposite version of the facts, counterbalancing your bikeward tilting of the blogosphere.

Idea for a new blog: Everytime you write that you went for a bike ride, you should run down an exhaustive list of the respective pros and cons of cars and bicycles. That way your readers can decide for themselves if they should go for a bike ride, too.

Smudgemo said...

I'm still waiting for the answer to what's wrong with the photo.

Why in the world would a blog need to be fair and balanced? Actually, I'd suggest that this one is, if we utilize the standard definition of "Fair and Balanced."

I'm doing my part to keep motoring alive as long as possible. Without me using gas, other people get to drive longer. You're welcome.