No Impact Man Writes What I've Been Thinking

Today I engaged in an e-mail conversation with one of the local usual suspects. I was writing about local "green" efforts. If I had to guess I'd say the Sioux Falls Green Project has the most financial potential - the most resources to have the most impact.

Beginning with the give away of reusable plastic drinking bottles at an SFGP event. Continuing with my SFGP tagged Novak recycling container that rewards me with points for recycling. If I recycle enough I can acquire coupons wherein I spend $100 and get "rewarded" with $10 off. I have to earn my rewards by consuming 90%.

I'm frustrated.

Tonight I caught up with some blog reading and found No Impact Man putting words to my frustrations:

"Everyone was frenetically networking and Blackberrying and iPhoning [at a green business conference] just as they would at any business conference. Everyone was tired. Increased revenue--at least for many--seemed to be the measure of success."

He also wrote this:

"So-called 'green business' probably is not going to offer people the satisfaction and meaning we all crave. Keeping the live-to-work paradigm while manufacturing everything with 'sustainable' materials is not going to give us time to spend with the people we love for example. It's a good thing, but it's not going to offer real human satisfaction."

Yes. It's not.

His full post is here.

Well That Was Adventurous

I limped to work today. Did three miles on a flat rear tire. I chose that over potential late arrival for my 9am meeting. It started as a slow leak but by the time I found some free air the tube was like swiss cheese. Lunch plans now include a trip to the LBS. Haven't been there for awhile. I'm thinking I might have to replace the tire. Hopefully the rim survived.

Malfunction

The most unecessary sign in the city is, after 4 months, now useless.

Hi Ho...Beemer?

Remember when people got around on horseback? I don't either.



My brother-in-law is a bit of a cowboy. My nephew is a lot of a cowboy - a recent Equine Science graduate he's in Montana somewhere that you can't get to from here.

We visited the place he goes to be a cowboy today. That's Lefty up there, and that's Beemer down there looking up to the task, right?



I've got lots of experience sharing trails with horses. It was super cool to be on one.

If You Don't Make Plans...

...to make a better bicycling environment in your city, there will never be plans to make a better bicycling environment in your city.

Metro Area Bicycle Plan Open House

Monday, June 22 @ 5:00pm to 6:30pm @ Washington High School Commons Area

A quote from the press release: "The MPO plan provides recommendations for bicycle facilities and methods to improve safety and the bicyclist’s experience throughout the metro area including rural bicycle routes and bicycle trail connections."

This is the first ever plan to cover our metropolitan area. It provides plans for the area encompassing Sioux Falls and the five nearest cities/towns.

I read the plan. I didn't see The MinusCar Project on the acknowledgements page but I know quite a few people on the list pretty well. One of them very well.

Come see the plan. Offer some additional advice. Make it a little bit better.

If you make your city more bicycle friendly your city will be more bicycle friendly.

The Bike/Bus Explosion

It disgusts me when headlines are misleading.

Just a week ago I was lamenting the full rack of bikes on the front of a bus I recently attempted to board.

While I celebrate the usage of the rack I occasionally depend upon being able to board the bus. Well, seemingly right on cue bus bike rack usage statistics appeared in my Inbox this week.

The statistics say I'd better get used to it. This graph shows the four years Sioux Falls Transit has offered the ability to carry bikes from January thru May.



The raw data:

2006 - 1018 trips.
2007 - 1867 trips.
2008 - 1258 trips.
2009 - 2439 trips.

Could it be, perhaps it's true, the more bikeable the city becomes the more bikeable the city will be?

Hmmmm...

It Was Bound To Happen...II

I just didn't feel like it...

I procrastinated...

I waited 'till I'd be too late for work to bike...

I found one completely dead battery in the car.

I rode - and was a happier person for it.

I jumped the car tonight and tripled its miles for the week in hopes of it starting next time I need it.

Ray Of Light

A digitally captured image of what my bike looks like when it's anticipating a ride.

It Was Bound To Happen...

This morning I faced a particularly interesting day. Today would be my first opportunity to pick up The Boys from the venue that contains their daily summer experience. Essentially today would define the routine for how to pickup without a car.

I presented some options the night before and we agreed that we'd catch the bus and get home that way, this time. So far they weren't interesting in a bike related solution.

The plan...

1. ride bike to venue. What if I can't get away from work on time? I left work with time to spare.

2. catch same bus I normally catch from work but much earlier in the route. What if we can't get to the stop on time? We made the stop with 15 minutes to spare.

3. that bus I usually catch is chronically late. What if we don't make the transfer to the second bus? Upon boarding I said we need this next bus. We'll be fine the driver said. What he meant was he really likes to have an excuse to drive fast!

What if!?! What if!?!

Our bus was late. Our driver made a valiant and successful attempt to hold our transfer.

I never considered that both spaces on the bus bike rack might be in use? They were.

On some level I'm supposed to think this is a good problem to have. I remember this as if it were May 23, 2005, "this city has taken a progressive step. For the first time ever, busses will be equipped with bike carriers on the front of the bus. This is one of many inspirations for this summer experiment, and realistically makes the experiment possible at all."

The answer to the question what if? $16 for a taxi. That's a big difference from the $1 we had already paid for the ride home. Next time I'll push harder for the driver to let me board with the bike.

Now I have another reason to sympathize with individuals who have no other alternative than to ride the bus.

Flava

I forgot to mention the herb garden we obtained a few weeks ago. My understanding is we snip some flavor from this and it just keeps growing and making more flavor throughout the year.

There are seven 'erbs 'ere. I can't find the list though. Sorry.

Anticipating A Miracle

Water.



The perennials have departed their slumber. Columbine & Bleeding Hearts - a meaningful combination.



The original backyard venue. Now with manure. Beans, squash, onions, lima beans and the official flower of The Boy 11, sunflowers. Hiding, for now.



Last year's addition. The place where The Boys could dig to their hearts content is now the place where I'll eat small tomatoes to my heart's content.



This year's addition. It used to hold a round sandbox, now will hold a ring of zinnias (the official flower of The Boy 8) around a bunch of lupine.



Eco-terrorism. 10 silver maples. By mid-summer they'll either be left with 10 neighbors by an irresistible 7 year old or placed on prominent display free for the taking. I'm still waiting on legal so I can weigh the consequences of responsibility for conspiring with a minor to release 10 silver maples into the wild. Wangari - these are for you.



The less a food item travels the better it tastes. I shop my backyard now.

Five Of Twelve

Through May...

2008 miles: 659 bike, 851 car
2009 miles: 899 bike, 736 car

2008 gas fill-ups: 4
2009 gas fill-ups: 3

I met somebody in the lobby today. She said, "I rode to work today." I said, "I did too." She was hoping I'd be more encouraging. I should be more encouraging.

Commute By Bike

Big Dummy

For a while this morning it seemed like everywhere The Family went The Big Dummy was there.

First - farmer's market - there was The Big Dummy.
Second - drive by The Owner's bike shop - Big Dummy was there.
Third - the grocery store - proof of the presence of The Big Dummy.



I never actually talked to him. But The Family did while I was off fetching a bell pepper.

Me & A Clock

So many things to put here, so little time...

Hot news yesterday in my world was South Dakota's move from 41st to 28th in the League of American Bicyclist's 50 state rankings. The most thoughtful write-up of that fact is over at Snakebite's site. If you hit that site remind him last year there wasn't a 60 member Bike To Work Challenge or a three year old Falls Area Biclists Club that he helped found (find?).

--



Then there's the strange q-tip graffiti being spray painted in many intersections around the city. I know a lot about these - but I don't mean to imply I painted them. Every time I interact with the guy who does paint them I thank him profusely - because he has completely changed the way I perceive red lights as I approach them on a bicycle.

There's still work to be done here. These aren't permanent. It would be a shame to waste all the effort traffic engineering is putting in to this by letting winter arrive without having some policies change.

--

But really today I want to write about biking. How on my way home I crossed paths with Dyann a Snakebite Bike To Work Challenge(r) (HI DYANN) and then found Eric and his soon to be wife and later to be child. You guys stray pretty far from home! :-)

I stopped off at the Falls Area Bicyclist's Time Trial event too. 21 time trialists participated which seemed pretty great to me. I'm pretty sure I won the Cargo Shorts and T-shirt (Fat Cyclist Style) division. I tried to enter the Guy's Who Haven't Been In A Car Since Monday division but couldn't find it on the reg sheet.

On the way home I successfully identified the sensor and tripped the trigger on The City's newest traffic signal. Whee...no paint necessary. Could it be there's additional attention being paid to new installations? What if...

30 miles.

This Is How I Roll

Spent two hours on the bike today.

I started off by failing to trip a traffic signal in my neighborhood. It's adjacent to a city provided bicycle facility. I reported the malfunction. I'll take a photo and post it if any improvements are made.

A couple days ago I tried to get a photo of the paint at 22nd & Western but the sun was too bright for my cell phone camera and I wanted to be attentive to the travel needs of the two police vehicles behind me at the light. I was pleased to be able to cause the light to trigger for them instead of blocking their path waiting for some other auto to approach.

Stopped off before work for some fresh pineapple and a cup of joe.

Post-work I found the office supply store and acquired a document tube. I've got some Coffee & Donut Ride posters to deliver or maybe I just like riding around with a document tube poking from my messenger bag. Kinda like walking around work with a clipboard. Makes me feel busy.

Next stop was going to be the mid-town Caribou but I realized the east side Dunn Brothers was a reasonable destination, if not a bit of a reach.

I made it to my evening meeting a few minutes late, a nice warm beverage in hand and feeling much refreshed after learning that some people still feel comfortable offering bicycling advice from the hole in their metal and glass cages. I'm sure they were less than impressed with my latte laden left hand.

The meeting was the bike planning meeting for the Metropolitan Planning Organization. It was a very good meeting. We reviewed the draft and agreed June would be a good time to make it public. This planning document details ways to connect the five major population centers in the area with designated bike routes and bike trails. Lots of goodies in there like better communication of chip sealing, better design of rumble strips and generally better roadway design.

I learned a few pleasing bicycle related things are going on at the state government level. I also learned that our city planner and representatives from the state DOT and fed DOT visited with the county commissions today and received some favorable responses to bicycle related ideas.

Exciting stuff!

On the way home I identified another traffic signal that I was unable to switch with my bicycle.

Next stop was Monk's for some much needed mentoring, questioning, and conversating. Monk's is a very good venue for that.

Finally on the way home I identified another traffic signal that failed to detect my bicycle. The police have a simple answer for what to do when in this situation. Turn right. Find an alternate route.

I was in the left turn lane. Given that a right turn from the left lane is illegal and not appropriate for my destination I rode through the red light.

Eh, who am I kidding, I'd a ridden through it anyway but not before stopping and confirming that it wasn't going to change for me.

30 miles.

The Bike To Work Day That Was...II

Ugh. All that picture story telling in the previous post and I forgot my favorite part!

We really mean to share the access to this park. As hard as we're going to try to do this I still don't think we'll be able to expand the wake boarding opportunities beyond what they already are.

The B2W Day That Was...

Got up dark and early Friday morning to ride with some deer and head downtown to sit behind a table. From behind the table I could see hundreds of people eating pancakes. My two favorite were The Mom and The Dad.

We displayed a large map of The City and encouraged visitors to push pins in the places they travelled from. By the end of the day this was a pretty impressive display. Best of all the map ended up on display at MinusCar central.



Plenty stopped at Snakebite's vendor table - which looked suspiciously like a Big Dummy. Most of them stepped on his scale - which to me demonstrated a pretty big commitment to Snakebite's Bike To Work Challenge. It's a beautiful thing to think that some of these folks will succeed in their commitment to ride to work from May 15 to October 15.



Many of them will use their car less, saving hundreds of dollars, many of them will lose some weight, saving hundreds of dollars, and a few of them will finish the challenge with some prize money, gaining them hundreds of dollars.

Post event Mr Bite and I convened at Michelle's for lattes and additional scheming. What no work? That's right, Bike To Work Day is a holiday for me.

From there we ventured to a park not far from downtown to do more imagining of what it would take to make this...



...look more like this...



...so that more people could see things like this...



...without having to leave The City - usually in their car.

Happy Bike To Work Day!

Good Morning