FABulous Weekend

Saturday morning began with the usual and customary Coffee/Donut Ride. We wandered around town for a bit. We found the recently resurfaced Russell Street to be so agreeable to our bike tires we almost turned around to ride it all again.

Our destination was the Phillips Ave Diner which did not disappoint with it's fine breakfast (French Toast for this guy), good coffee (four shots of espresso for that guy. really.) and conversation.

We were regaled with a great tale of selling soap over the phone to sexy Golden Globe winning North Dakota actress Angie Dickinson. You know, Police Woman. The only thing missing was the actual presence of the 8x10 glossy that she hopes "brightens your room on a rainy day."

The story of the Twins/Yankees Game #2 foul ball that got away was a distant but respectable second best.

The Coffee/Donut Ride ended at the start of the FAB Apple Orchard Ride. I followed The Owner as he pulled two daughters on the trail-a-bike equipped tandem. South on Cliff to Harrisburg then Dutch Apple Pie and ice cream at the Country Apple Orchard. Yummmmmm...


These people weren't messing around. (photo thefted from facebook, but i posed in it so i can use it, right?)

North on Minnesota Ave back to town where the annual meeting took place. Departing members of the FAB board were replaced by vote with shiny fresh new individuals. I took the stage for a portion of the meeting to tell the story of FAST...as far as it's been written.

The festivities ended and I exited the building to find The Wife and The Boys waiting in the parking lot to wisk me away to the Outdoor Gear Super Sale where coats and hats of dubious origin are sold at unusual prices. We purchased the brightest coat and hat combo ever for The Boy 8 and tried to ignore the word "sample" written on its inside.

Now go ride.

Full Disclosure: Sioux Falls Bike Committee

Afternoon update: the more I think about this post the more I think that I've slighted the planning process. Simple truth: if you it's not planned for, it's very unlikely to happen. Maybe an ode to the planning process can be a future post.

“We didn’t take no as an answer. We took no as a question.” - Mechai Viravaidya – TEDTalk, “How Mr Condom Made Thailand a Better Place”

If I’m going to put a picture on a blog obviating the need for more bike parking I should also be asking the question to those with the ability to make the needed change. There is indeed someone assigned to acquire more bike parking near where the photo was taken. Of course, customer inquisitiveness is the greatest motivator (hint, hint).

Ok. Go.

Fred dropped a comment on my previous post asking for more details about what went down at the bike committee meeting that I’ve identified as the best one ever. Fred is a self identified bike advocate in South Dakota so automagically I like Fred. I’m going to give the details, but first here are three reasons why I’m not predisposed to providing them…

1. The details of that meeting are The City’s story to tell.

2.Planning meetings are just that. Planning. The important details are the parts that get done. People love to talk about what’s going to happen. That’s easy. Cable news makes a living pretending to know the future. What matters is what people do after planning.

3. There is something to be said about attendance. After all, you can’t win if you don’t play.

We received a report showing the number of times per month bicycles are carried on city busses. This continues to grow every year. It’s stunning really. I often post those numbers on this blog – so look for that in the future. Of course, people love to talk about what’s going to happen…

We talked about the possibility and desire for 3ft passing legislation and attempted to gauge the level of support within the group. This group is in place to be the bicycling citizens who advise city government on bicycling matters.

Brochures and posters were supplied with information about the Bike SmART Campaign. I now have a complete understanding of that program. I like it. If any local businesses would like a present from The MinusCar Project for Christmas, please let me know.

We were updated regarding current bike trail closures, of which there are plenty. Most interesting to me was the brief discussion regarding the plans to improve the sewage transport in the south where The City repeatedly dumped raw sewage this summer due to flooding.

We talked about the possibility of creating a series of bicycle related instructional videos that could be used as PSAs on local television.

We were shown a bunch of proposed changes to existing bike routes and a few proposed new bike routes. These routes are important as The City will focus on these routes for adding on-street bicycle facilities. These include paint and improvements to bicycle detection at signal controlled intersections. We agreed with many of the changes and rejected a couple because we liked the way they exist currently.

Finally we left with homework. Consider which of the three types of on street bicycle facilities we like best and which would be most appropriate on each of the bike routes.

Spoke-n-Sport Cyclocross

My friends at Spoke-n-Sport have put together a small series of Cyclocross races this fall in city parks.

I remember quite clearly, many years ago, being told that bike racing in city parks will never happen, they're too concerned about their grass. Then last year Snakebite hosted his 50/50 Cross event.

This year there are three events. When I can I'll be strapping the portable grill to the Xtra-cycle and making bacon and drinking dark roast at the top of a climb.

Never. It's happening.

SF Bike Committee

Tonight the Sioux Falls Bike Committee met at the downtown library. This committee serves to provide cycling community input to The City as they execute the priority pieces of The Bicycle Plan. It's a public meeting.

This is the bike rack...and sign posts around the front entrance of the library. Let's turn a couple of those car parking spots into bike parking, eh? (Bike counts do not reflect meeting attendance.)

Much goodness was covered in the meeting. In fact it was quite possibly the most meaningful and productive meeting of this group. Ever.

The future is bright.

Sioux Falls Stolen Bike: Salsa Fargo

Stolen Bike: The Salsa Fargo has been found. No doubt the thief didn't like it's size. Or fenders.

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My buddy Atom lost his bike in the wee hours of the morning today.

He rides a Salsa Fargo. Atom is an XXL guy. So is his bike.

"I returned home only to drop my baggage and other randoms...i walked outside (into my backyard) to see my fargo GONE...!"

This is a VERY large bike. XXL frame. 29 inch wheels. Please be on the lookout.

This bike has fenders on its 29 inch wheels.

Here's a photo from a website.

It's big. It's green. It has fenders. It's the bike.



This bike must be found.

On All Cylinders

For as much much driving as I did today it was a pretty good MinusCar day.

The Ride To Remember: despite early rain, wet roads and cool temperatures 25-30 rollers departed Colorado Technical University at 8-ish this morning. The police department was kind enough to give us a two motorcycle escort. They blocked traffic at intersections for mostly worry free passage through the high volume suburban sprawl roadway.

After returning to the campus CTU provided bagels and The Owner and I split speaking time. I covered five roadway cycling tips and one driving tip, he covered the ABC Quick Check and other maintenance items.

KELO(land) and KDLT gave the event nice coverage this week. KELO(land) attended most of the event today. Their video is embeded below. Mr Bite, the CTU President and ummm...that MinusCar fellow are featured.



For the afternoon The Wife had a few hours of work to perform downtown. I had a few stops to make. We departed with The Boy 9 and headed to the "A Growing Place Garden: Harvest Festival" at Lowell Elementary.

I'm a huge fan of this project. Of course some of my favorite people are involved. This is the current best hope for teaching urban agriculture to students and building a culture of locally grown food.



This is the newly completed green house built on school grounds. The dirt boxes are built right on the asphalt and we identified tomatos, eggplant and kohlrabi. Interestingly this week Steven Colbert lamented to the US Congress that dirt is at ground level. Here it is not.

With some time to kill we headed to Falls Park to view the swollen falls. The Boy 8 spotted the trolley on which we rode a lap and dropped The Wife off at her employer. The Boy 8 and I were left to entertain ourselved.

Which we did by spending 3 hours at The Falls. We climbed stuff...



We enjoyed a cool beverage and I introduced him to the idea of The Red Hat Society...



We observed The Falls of the Big Sioux River...



We played on the beach (such as it is)...



And we noted this strange palette load...



Finally it came time to retrieve The Wife, but first we stopped off at City Hall to ride the Bike SmART rack...



And we observed this strange palette load...



So I went to The City's website to find out "Why this is here?"

To be clear, part of living the MinusCar dream is having time/being forced to linger. The Boy 8's curiosity led the way on our 3 hour tour of the park. I wouldn't trade that for the ability to run to B & G Milkyway in it's final weekend - as important as that is.

Finally the evening's activity placed me at Monk's House of Ale Repute for a bit of a celebration. Our Falls Area Singletrack project passed a significant milestone in the last month and it was time for some celebrating.

Community occurred...and it was good.

And this guy. Was there.

Ride To Remember #2

Rapt audience at Ride To Remember

Ride To Remember

The Owner. Telling it at the Ride To Remember.

41st Norton Q-tips

My friend DW snapped this photo and placed it out in the Universe of Twits.

Did I say that right?



Front wheel in a circle. Rear wheel in a circle. Watch the light change.

Mmmmm...fresh traffic signal goodness.

TV Coverage of Saturday's Ride To Remember

KDLT

KELOland

The Ride To Remember

Hi mom! I fell in with some new friends. I think it's ok because some of my old friends fell in with them too...

The Ride to Remember

On Saturday, September 25, at 8:00 a.m., a bicycle ride will be held to honor Dr. Kevin Rogers. The ride will be escorted by the Sioux Falls police and will leave Colorado Technical University's campus at 3901 West 59th Street.

The bicyclists will ride from the CTU campus to the location where Dr. Rogers was killed in a bicycling accident. The round trip distance for the ride is exactly five miles.

A moment of silence will be held prior to the ride at 7:45 a.m. to honor Dr. Rogers and others who have recently died as a result of bicycling accidents. Dr. Rogers was a valued faculty member at CTU for a number of years.

After the ride, at 9:00 a.m., CTU will host food and bicycling fun in the campus parking lot.

Bicycling Safety 101 - Mike Christensen, a certified bicycling safety instructor, will discuss topics such as increasing the safety of roadway users, the importance of helmets, strategies for in-city riding, and the dangers of impaired or distracted driving.

Bicycle Repair 101 - Spoke-n-Sport is sponsoring a fun event that will focus on the importance of safe bicycles and quick checks to make sure your bicycle is ready for the road.

Sam Trebilcock will also have mini-bike rodeo activities available for children at the post-ride event.

Please Plan to Attend! And Ride!

Graffiti Nay Vandalism

...under 41st St bridge. For a moment I thought this was funny. Now I just wish SF had better graffiti artists.

Happy Park(ing) Day

Bike SmART #3

Sorry Girlfriend...

...but when you shouted "hi" from the hole in your cage just a block and a half from that sensor actuated red light I thought it meant you were open to talking. So I hurried to catch up.

Imagine my surprise when I rolled up beside your open window and returned the greeting, you had to peel yourself off the ceiling.

I suppose it was dark and you coudn't see me coming. I was without lights, a terrible mistake to be sure, but sometimes it happens.

Anyway, I apprecitate you and your boyfriend's good humor throughout the encounter. It's nice when we can all smile and laugh together.

Cheers.

--

Multi-occupant auto: 3 miles
Bike: 24.4 miles

Bike SmART #1

I couldn't find Bike SmART #2.

Going’s On

Holy cats this week there are so many bike events in the area you can’t toss a 40lb Huffy without hitting someone at a bike event!

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The Metropolitan Planning Organization Bicycle Plan is getting some huge attention right now as planners and consultants are visiting and looking and plotting and figuring out how in the world to connect our city with three neighboring towns via multi-use trails.

All day today they met in Brandon. Tomorrow is Harrisburg. Wednesday is Tea. I think they might even be going so far as to get their shoes dirty to find ways to go places. In each of these towns there is also a public input event from 5:30pm to 7:00pm on their respective days.

I helped with the bicycle plan. I haven’t been able to get involved in the current efforts. I wish I could. One of the consultants plays at the national level. The company name appears in print often – now that I know to pay attention for it.

Imagine 30 years from now, when these cities have grown together the value of having a place to recreate where a person can go for miles and miles without crossing a road. It won’t matter so much then that Sioux Falls the town are connected by the trail. It will matter that that type of recreation is possible and it will be a big deal for those neighborhoods.

Here’s a bit of news about that effort - http://tinyurl.com/33ucmfp

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Tuesday morning The City makes a public splash of their Bike SmART program. This program finds support in the city’s bike plan. It seems like two years ago or more when the first call went out for artists to submit artsy designs for bike racks – and nobody responded, not even David Byrne (although I do know that some effort was put in to him submitting). A second similar request went out half a year later which resulted in some fruit. Now another year later and TWO racks are being placed (or maybe they’re in place) and The City marks the occurrence with a presentation at City Hall. Tomorrow. Ride your bike so you don’t have to park, pay and walk.

Here’s the official scoop on Bike SmART - http://tinyurl.com/2vcgbrb

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Friday is international Park(ing) Day. Sioux Falls Pedicab with the help of Landscape Garden Center will claim a metered parking spot near 9th and Phillips for the day with “grass”, a tree, and other fun items. From there free pedicab rides will be given to anyone who agrees to pull their bike out of the garage, dust it off, and go for a ride this week.

Another spot apparently will be claimed by a group from Architecture for Humanity. I’m not sure where but I’ll be looking for them.

Here’s some newsy bits about the pedicab rides - http://tinyurl.com/36eagja

Here’s the official scoop on International Park(ing) Day - http://parkingday.org/

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Does that seem like enough? How about today’s MinusCar statistics?

Single occupant automobile – 4.66 miles
Multi occupant automobile – 4.84 miles
Bus – 2.5 miles
Walk – 2.65 miles

I walked a 1/3 mile with The Boy 8 today to a bus stop. People really hate the inconvenience of not having a car. I really like spending time with my son with nothing to do but BE. While we waited for the bus The Dad came on his bike to tell us a few stories. That’s three generations at one bus stop – if you’re scoring at home.

Skillz

This past weekend I guided a group of bike riding people through the League of American Bicyclists Traffic Skills 101 materials. Thursday and Friday evening and Saturday morning was all about talking and doing bikes.

It's a beautiful thing to see the shifts in thinking as we work through the course. The course includes an hour on city roads to demonstrate the concepts put forth in the materials. During that ride someone commented that experiencing road riding isn't nearly as intimidating as it seemed. Beautiful.



Here's our route. We don't mess around too much.

The course evaluations reveal that 75% of the students indicate "yes" when asked "do you plan to bicycle more in the future than you did before taking this course?"

FTW!

Nice Ride

Ghost Bike: Today We Are Sad

Before:



Today we are sad. We are sad because someone many here knew as friend has died in a collision with a motor vehicle doing something that many of us know to be a beautiful thing - simply riding a bicycle.

It’s been four years since Mike Seiverding fatally collided with a car in a crosswalk at the 28th & Minnesota Ave intersection. We would have liked for more time to have passed.

A lot has changed for the better in 4 years. We know this to be true simply by noticing this gathering of people who have come to mark this very sad day in this very sad spot. Cyclists. Friends. Neighbors. Family.

So together, for a little while we mark this spot as sacred. We place a Ghost Bike here where the unlikely but all too common convergence of time, space and behavior has resulted in terrible changes to the lives of so many.

We are terribly sorry for our bike riding friend - Kevin Rogers, his family and his friends. We know that this senseless occurrence shouldn't have happened. At the same time we know it could have happened to any of us. In fact yesterday it happened to all of us. Together.

After: