"...a few things at the grocery store..."

It happend again. It's happened a couple times in the past weeks.

"I need a few things from the grocery store" means "hey, will you go for a bike ride?"

Sometimes it's even at night.

Got two cantaloupes last night. The Boy 8 needs to do a persuasive presentation. We're hoping to demonstrate helmet wearing by dropping a melon and watching it smash on the floor.

0419 Transportation Donut

Times fun when you're having flies...and I'm a bit behind in my donut quota. Here's the catch-up. From 3/29 thru 4/18.



Sunday! We Boyses headed into downtown with The Wife to do some necessary Sunday tasks related to her job. She rode her bike, I pulled The Boys on the trail-a-bike equipped tandem.

The Boy 8 sits at the back, he's engine #3. The Boy 12 is in the middle, he's engine #2 and The Communicator. I'm engine #1. The Communicator is an important job. He's the conduit for communication between engine #1 and engine #3...because sometimes The Boy 8 cares not to answer questions like, "Hey The Boy 8, are you still attached?"

Maybe he's a little off-put because I call him The Boy 8. Maybe I don't actually call him that.

On the way back we stopped off at the B&G Milky Way for some much needed lunch and some ice cream themed treats. I'm pretty sure the best way to enjoy ice cream themed treats is to ride a bike to fetch them and eat them whilst sitting in grass.

Maybe that's just me.

The Wife set the pace and it was a nice pace. She cheated a little bit though because we ended up racing the last couple blocks home, much to the delight of my passengers.

If she's doing that she's leaving too much in the tank. ;-)

I also think this trip was a darn fine way to spend four hours on a Sunday afternoon.

Maybe that's just me.

In other news I'm 2/3 done leading a group through the LAB Traffic Skills 101 course. First time. Good time.

I see on the SDBC website I have a TS101 gig in Spearfish next month.

Yes indeed - this is the time where the activist gets involved at the state level and finds himself driving all over. I look forward to having a couple more certified folks in the state so I can stay closer to home.

I have no doubt I'll enjoy Spearfish...and I'll be taking the mountain bike. Maybe a preview of some Dakota Five-O course at least.

Confusion The Checker

I accompanied The Boy 8 to school this morning. I love that. He's a confident kid and it shows in his riding. Very nice.

Then I stopped off at the grocer to pick up some items. I suppose it was a bit confusing for the woman as we talked about riding and the rain that seemed to stop just for me.

I suppose it was the 8 cans (2 spicy) of V8, the three bananas and the 8 frozen dinners I purchased that seemed a little incongruous to her.

It's ok ma'am, I have a very long bike.

Outside The Lines

Dear Xtra, Thanks For Yesterday

Left side - work clothes, exercise clothes
Right side - work shoes
Messenger bag - laptop, power converter

I made good use of the Xtra Cycle today. I love it! It definitely has more stability over the BOB Trailer. The bags are more versatile. The paper work slid nicely into the pocket and kept just as nicely. Having ridden a Big Dummy I also appreciate that the bike fit is exactly the same as it was before adding the kit to the back. I don't mess around too much with bike fit.

I carried the laptop on my back knowing the ride there has most of the natural shock absorption my brain has.

20 miles today. Some of it pretty windy. Some of it included mashed potato pizza at Monk's. Some of it included night riding. Yes, The Wife let me stay out late with it.

I think this is the beginning of a long meaningful relationship.

You'd Better Reconize

What do April, Sioux Falls, the Twin Cities, bicycling and the Plain Green Conference have in common? Read onward.

Today our local daily is reporting that Bicycling Magazine has selected my happy little city as the 31st Bike Friendly City in America. This being the first time Bicycling Magazine has recognized Sioux Falls.

That’s some pretty nice recognition, especially following the recognition a few months ago from the League of American Bicyclists.

Our friends up north in Minneapolis are celebrating their #1 placing on Bicycling Magazine’s list. First! - a northern city like ours with 9 months of winter.

This month the Twin Cities Metro Magazine recognized Bike Walk Twin Cities as one of their best bicycling advocacy organizations. In fact, on the magazine’s list of 8 “bike-friendly projects you need to know about” 6 are being funded by Bike Walk Twin Cities.

Here’s the link…in April, opening the Plain Green Conference is Steve Clark. He’s the Bicycling and Walking Program Manager, in charge of Bike Walk Twin Cities.

He’s the #1 guy at the #1 bicycling advocacy organization in the #1 bike friendly city in America.

Not bad!

I wonder which of the Sioux Falls bike advocates will be at the conference?

Blaudio 100404

Experimenting w/ audio blogging.

Size Matters

This winter a man with a broken foot brought me a box. This week The Owner made something of it.

0329 Transportation Donut

I ran into a little issue with The Boy 8 on Sunday. We had an ongoing conversation about a Sunday trip downtown. It was a perfect opportunity to put the trail-a-bike on the tandem and ride. But he didn't want to. The conversation evolved throughout the day. The flat out "no" evolved into a fear of going downhill to how he really didn't like going down the cobblestones on 6th Street last fall. Finally, 10 minutes before we had to be there he was ready to ride. We drove.

At least he came around.

My bike went 96 miles this week. My car went 27.

I very nearly ran into a pedestrian this week. I'm still a bit rusty and failed to observe the pair of roadside teenage girls. They darted into the street just as I was upon them. Much skidding and some clever dodging on her part I rode right between them and we avoided catastrophe.

Another FAB Coffee/Donut Ride

We started out headed for Rosie's Cafe but our suspicions were proved correct - they are closed on weekends. All was not lost - after all, we were on a bike ride and when we got there we had all ridden our bikes.

There were six of us - even without the three others that had given strong indicators of attendance. Oh yes, we named names.

Our alt.venue was Caribou - but it's important to get lost first.

The aptly named Falls Park to view The Falls.

Through the Leaders Park neighborhood to introduce the concept. As far as I could tell no vandalism or other destruction occurred by anybody in the group.

We honored the felled Mr. Bendo by observing his absence. We understood he's being repaired today.

East River Boulevard should get an award for it's spectacular lack of quality. One of us found the frequency of significant cracks to be perfect for dropping a chain. As we awaited repairs we enjoyed the rhythmic -

ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk

...of the motorized vehicles as they went by.

That was more enjoyable than feeling the rhythmic ka-thunk..........ka-thunk..........ka-thunk.......... as we rode it.

The Donuts Are Back (With Spring-kles!)

It's pretty depressing how one poorly planned 20 minute one way car drive south of Worthing adds so many miles so quickly after so many hard earned miles during the week.

Oh well. I made the meeting AND kept my haircut appointment via the convenience of the car.

League of American Bicyclists: Traffic Skills 101

Anybody up for a little bike study? From the basics to left turns on/off Minnesota Ave. Work the book. Pass the course. Find some new comfort riding in the urban setting.

Can you ride strait while looking over your shoulder? Do you know the three hazard avoidance maneuvers? Just what does "as far to the right as practicable" mean?

'I want to ride.'

Riding w/ The Boy 8 on my way to work.

A Little Bit Of Everything

It's time. No excuses. I'm back.

After spending last week ill, springing the clocks ahead, 40 weekend miles, and a 3 hour nap instead of an 8 hour sleep...

I rode to work.

I walked to my workout (9 minutes) - which I abandoned before the end for lack of energy or an impending sense of doom.

I walked back to work. (11 minutes)

I rode the bus most of the way home. It takes some effort to put the 3 inch Hookworm tires into the 2 inch bike racks.

I rode the rest of the way home.

I single occupant drove to the school. I was going to bring him home in the BOB trailer - which he loves - but, still knackered, I couldn't find the energy within.

I multi-occupant drove home.

Oh, and I helped a little old lady pick up her dropped bag of groceries on the bus.

It was a good day. I'm looking forward to more just like it.

Green Drinks With The Next Mayor

The March Sioux Falls Green Drinks event on the 24th has invited all of the mayoral candidates to come and share their views of a sustainable community. There's an opportunity to submit questions ahead of time.

I've submitted mine - "As mayor, how many days a year will you walk, bike or ride the bus to work? Are walking, biking and busing important pieces of the Sioux Falls transportation puzzle?"

I can't wait to go to my first Green Drinks and see if if my question is asked - and maybe even answered.

For the record - our current mayor is quoted in the hot fresh issue of American Bicyclist - "Bicycling is a valuable mode of transportation, and we are committed to finding ways to making our city even more bike-friendly in the future."

March 24, 5pm
Leonardo's Cafe
Free - except drinks.

Sioux Falls Green Drinks is a joint effort of the Astronaut brand studio and the Sioux Falls Green Project.

Coffee & Donut Ride: No Studs

This morning I rode a bike without studded tires. Ahhh...what a nice change. And no rain either. 22 miles total - here's the GPS of the "out" leg of the official ride.

I was pretty happy to piece this route together.

MITNP

Once upon a time there was "Minus is the new plus."

Wells Fargo has billboards now - "Saving is the new spending."

Xcel Energy is saying - "Unplugged is the new off."

Some pieces in a very large and unfinishable puzzle.

Commuter Dreams

(h/t thE kErnEl)

The Bus

Riding SAM to Mama's Ladas tonight.

Am I That Rusty?

There I was lined up in the left turn lane waiting for what, the red to turn to green arrow? Or was it already green and I was waiting for space? That's the thing, I don't exactly know what the situation was.

For sure I was stopped.

I watched two Mini-Coopers coming up the road and I was wondering if they were together, or racing, or just coincidentally together. I like Mini-Coopers.

I looked up and the light was green so I started my left turn. That's the thing - it wasn't a green arrow. It was just green.

And a truck was coming toward me.

It was a terrible mistake that I quickly was able to correct.

But that's the thing - it was a terrible mistake.

I might be that rusty.