Tuesday, May 31, 2011

new loop



I was reviewing Garmin maps yesterday and learned a new route in SW SF. Today I got to try it.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

today's tandem trip

After the 30mph Main Ave downhill into downtown I asked The Wife if it was scary or fun. She said she stood up to catch the wind and that she trusts me. Woah.

family values

Thursday, May 19, 2011

live free or drive - in more words than four

From the BicycleDriving Google Group:

"People have a widely affirmed right to travel in public in this country. People do not need a license to leave their house and travel on public roads. People are free to walk, ride a horse, bike, and travel by public conveyance in this country, free of scrutiny or license to travel in public on public rights of way.

People DO, however, need to be licensed and have motor vehicles licensed in all 50 states. The supreme court ruled in several cases over the last century that methods of travel damaging to roads and hazardous to the public merit licensing by states. Hendrick V Maryland, 1915 was one of the first. The supreme court has upheld licensing of motorists and motor vehicles because of the attendant damages, dangers and hazards associated with motor vehicle use."

klunkerz

loaded

wayfinding



Ride of Silence (oops, failed to record that loop)
Leaders Park trail testing
Monk's FAST Meeting
Work for a bit
Home sweet home

1 flat tire
No injuries

Thursday, May 05, 2011

Waka Waka: Tagged

I've complained before - and I'm complaining again - we need some better graffiti artists in this town. This topic remains at the front of my mind because of the frequency I ride by this stunning piece of creativity.



Sorry about the crappy cell phone photo. I didn't have much time to linger and get the shot setup just right. I gotta assume the creative courageous mind that put this down on pavement in a high trafficked area is capable of all sorts of mayhem.

Could it be that this is so bad a tag that nobody has any energy to report it?

BUT WAIT. There might be a new kid in town! Perhaps an arrow to a summer of better tags.



It's no banksy but there is more than one color, some motion lines AND a cultural icon from my childhood. That makes this a relative mona lisa.



I got a little red in there. Spring allergies have sprung so we stayed home longer to medicate and needed The Time Machine to get to the middle school band performance in a timely manner.

Unable to walk.

Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Weekend Bike Events: So Much To Do So Little Time

This weekend is shaping up to be HUGE for people who ride bikes in Sioux Falls. Or maybe just me. Meh.

Saturday The Boy 13 and I are slated to sweep the 10K Avera Race Against Breast Cancer. Once upon a time - January - I was thinking I'd run the 5K race. HAHAHAHA!!! This seems more fun. We get t-shirts too! I wear my PINK PROUDLY.

While I'm doing that I won't be attending the first Falls Area Singletrack Leaders Park digging session of 2011. That's from 9 to 12.

Saturday is also the Falls Area Bicyclist's Spring Kickoff Ride and meeting. This is in Tea. I'm trying to get on their agenda to tell them about Adventure Cycling's US Bike Route System fundraising push. Build It. Bike It. Be a Part of It. Mr Bite's heading up South Dakota's Routes and the South Dakota Bicycle Coalition is working to help raise funds.

Speaking of that, if you've got $10 charitable dollars to donation - and you want to be on my fund raising team - do it - here.

After that I'll head of to The City's Bike Rodeo. I've got designs on getting involved in teaching kids safe bike riding - so I'm volunteering for the whole time to see what goes down.

While I'm doing that I won't be attending the second Falls Area Singletrack Leaders Park digging session of 2011. That's from 2 to 5.

Saturday night I'm going to the Storm indoor football game with The Family. That's got nothing to do with bicycles.

Sunday I'll be attending the third Falls Area Singletrack Leaders Park digging session of 2011. That's from 1 to 4.

There done. Oh, except I rode my bike today. Happy bike month!

Monday, May 02, 2011

Commercials

First: the 2011 Sioux Falls Bike To Work Day commercial is in the can.



Script/Casting: Mr Bite
Camera/Production: Brad Dumke
Morgan Freeman-like Voice: Bill Murphy

Second:



Third: In a bizarre progression of internet research I stumbled upon Sprawling From Grace, Driven To Madness on the day it released to the public. I watched. It's good. Plenty of James Howard Kunstler. A little bit of Jan Gehl. Oh, and Michael Dukakis.



The MinusCar Stamp of approval.

Sunday, May 01, 2011

Ahhh Spring...

...when young men, seemingly happy that the snow is gone, ride around in cars with the windows down, proudly calling out to random road users that the melted snow has revealed the sidewalk!

---

Honey? Can you go pick up a few groceries for us?



You mean you're sending me out to ride my bike? Ok!

We also need gas for the mower. Ok!

There I was pulling in to the gas station loaded with groceries, smiling as I imagined that once I added 1.5 gallons of gasoline to my collection of vinegar, baking soda and oreos that I'd be a very big two wheeled disaster in waiting.

My well humored stupor shattered. Deep from within the rolling box of glass and steel came the prideful arrogance of a man who finally and successfully could name the 4ft wide strip of concrete that often parallels roadways.

SIDEWALK! Right there! Said the voice through his cagehole.

As I came to a stop I invited the gentleman over for a polite conversation. He wasn't interested, however he did switch his concern from sidewalks to my apparent intent to pump gas.

You can't get gas, you're on a bicycle!



...or maybe you're an idiot.

This is one of those times it would be most excellent to engage someone in the tired argument that people who ride bicycles don't pay gas taxes.