Friday, June 29, 2012
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Faster
I edited the segment to allow for different commutes, but it really did not affect it that much. Three more people fell to my speed, though.
Another Finally
I got Strava.
I figured I would make a segment in a part of my commute where the most people ride: Chickasaw Gardens.
This is a West to East ride and I'll do the reverse this evening.
I figured I would make a segment in a part of my commute where the most people ride: Chickasaw Gardens.
This is a West to East ride and I'll do the reverse this evening.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Main Street to Main Street
I'm sure it's no longer news to you, but the City of Memphis has been awarded a 14.9 million dollar TIGER Grant and John Branston had to write about it.
If you've attended any of the meetings you've seen this animation:
My brother made that animation. Just to let you know.
What it doesn't show, however, is the true scope of the project. We're talking approximately 25 miles of bike trail that includes dedicated path, Green Lanes, bike lanes, bridge and park.
And I've already heard murmurs of an alleycat!
If you've attended any of the meetings you've seen this animation:
My brother made that animation. Just to let you know.
What it doesn't show, however, is the true scope of the project. We're talking approximately 25 miles of bike trail that includes dedicated path, Green Lanes, bike lanes, bridge and park.
And I've already heard murmurs of an alleycat!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Goals
I have some serious lifestyle goals that I have been trying for over two years to implement on a regular basis in my (our) life. I decided that maybe if I write about it, then it will put more pressure on me to actually do it.
Here is my checklist and goal timeline:
1. Wear sunscreen everyday-start immediately
-purchased a fancy sunscreen that is supposed to be great under makeup and for sensitive skin.
-I received it in the mail last week and have worn it once; yesterday before a run.
-I did run over the box in my car, however, and then promptly recycled it. I'm good about recycling-this isn't one of my goals, fyi.
2. Speaking of that run: working out (on a freaking regular basis! ah!)
-I started this like 3 years ago to get rid of my weight that I gained living with a commuter.
-I worked out 3 x last, last week-my goal is 5 x
-I worked out 4 x last week
-I have worked out 1 x this week, hey, it's Tuesday!
3. Running 5 miles -This kind of relates to #2, but what the hell.
-I ran 2 miles straight without stopping yesterday.
-shooting for 2 1/4 Friday
4. Eating less junk food
-I have a real problem with eating, like, half a box of cereal at midnight or cleaning out a pint of ice cream with my soul mate. Or eating 10 egg rolls (last night).
-This will be the most difficult. No plan yet, except eat things that don't have an ingredient list (i.e. veggies, fruit, pure whole grains).
5. And finally, one that you may actually be interested in: Walking/Biking to work-everyday.
-sigh.
I'm getting tired just writing this.
Here is my checklist and goal timeline:
1. Wear sunscreen everyday-start immediately
-purchased a fancy sunscreen that is supposed to be great under makeup and for sensitive skin.
-I received it in the mail last week and have worn it once; yesterday before a run.
-I did run over the box in my car, however, and then promptly recycled it. I'm good about recycling-this isn't one of my goals, fyi.
2. Speaking of that run: working out (on a freaking regular basis! ah!)
-I started this like 3 years ago to get rid of my weight that I gained living with a commuter.
-I worked out 3 x last, last week-my goal is 5 x
-I worked out 4 x last week
-I have worked out 1 x this week, hey, it's Tuesday!
3. Running 5 miles -This kind of relates to #2, but what the hell.
-I ran 2 miles straight without stopping yesterday.
-shooting for 2 1/4 Friday
4. Eating less junk food
-I have a real problem with eating, like, half a box of cereal at midnight or cleaning out a pint of ice cream with my soul mate. Or eating 10 egg rolls (last night).
-This will be the most difficult. No plan yet, except eat things that don't have an ingredient list (i.e. veggies, fruit, pure whole grains).
5. And finally, one that you may actually be interested in: Walking/Biking to work-everyday.
-sigh.
I'm getting tired just writing this.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Bakfiets And Box Fits
So Kyle finally got the bakfiets from our friend Gorman. I had to pass on it because I just don't have enough space for a bike that big. Plus Kyle has Ethan, who will love riding in that thing! Heck, I can't wait to ride in that thing!
For now I have to be content with a smaller box on the front of my bike:
But it can still hold a lot of stuff. Children, well, no. Food from the Cooper Young Farmers Market, yes.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Bosco's Anyone?
Cort and I have totally ridden with these growlers before to have picnics in the park! 
Check out more from one of my favorite websites, bonappetit.com(and places to find recipes to not make correctly, but that my amazing husband says he likes anyways 'cuz he's sweet).
Check out more from one of my favorite websites, bonappetit.com(and places to find recipes to not make correctly, but that my amazing husband says he likes anyways 'cuz he's sweet).
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Cycle Memphis - 1 Year Anniversary
You have plenty of time to plan to ride this one!
Click the pic to go to the event page on facebook.
Click the pic to go to the event page on facebook.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Revolutions 10 Year Anniversary Alleycat on the News!
I ran into the the girl that was interviewing everyone at the alleycat, and asked her if she could email me the link to the footage and she totally did! Thank you, May-Lin Biggs!
Enjoy a Little Bike Art this Morning
Cyclist, 2010, pencil on paper
BICYCLETTA RESTAURANT brand image
I found this on Pinterest this morning while creating a page for the Brooks. Enjoy and happy riding:) I hope the rain stops so I can attend the Peddler Tuesday Night Ride.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Walk Bike Memphis Meeting June 11th
Walk Bike Memphis is the group that is responsible for updating the City's bike laws and distributing those handy spoke cards with some of the new laws and riding tips on them. Find out what the group is up to by attending the next meeting: Monday June 11th at Otherlands from 5:30pm to 6:30pm.
For more information visit the info page.
For more information visit the info page.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Bicycle Stamp Cufflinks
While catching up on everyone's wit, I mean life, on facebook this morning I saw a post about some new bicycle stamps. Turns out they're not so new. But I did find something that is quite novel. I've been looking for some bicycle-related cufflinks for quite some time (I clean up very well) so I was excited to see these:
These are actual used 1972 stamps so each one will be slightly different. I don't have a birthday or anything coming up but maybe my wife will find an excuse to purchase these for me?
These are actual used 1972 stamps so each one will be slightly different. I don't have a birthday or anything coming up but maybe my wife will find an excuse to purchase these for me?
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Overton Square Redux
Kerry over at I Love Memphis has shown us another glimpse of what Overton Square used to be and given us a preview of what Loeb has in store. The details have been slow to come but there is definite progress. Check it out here. What I'm hoping for: more decks and more bike parking!
Who Rides Bike Share Bikes?
At last month's Pizza With Planners meeting the majority of the attendees were active cyclists; we have bikes, we ride regularly and we know the most efficient routes through the city. So why would we pay to ride a heavy bike for a very short amount of time?
Practical, Comfortable, and Safe
To get people riding bicycles for transportation certain criteria must be met. These are different for everyone. My threshold of practicality is 20 miles, one direction, where I don't have to be "dressy" and I don't have to bike on super busy streets like Poplar for the entire ride. Your threshold might be 3 miles on protected pathways. That's why Baskin Robbins has 31 flavors.
While it is not practical for some people to ride to work, opting for a bike for a quick errand instead of a car while at work might weigh in on the practical side of things. I used to work downtown and would constantly be walking documents from Monroe to the government buildings. At another job I would sometimes walk from South Main to Peabody. Those seem like short walks but in 96 degree heat I would much rather have had a bicycle. That's downtown. In midtown, I know of several people who get in their cars to go down the block for lunch. They might share bikes because it makes more sense than getting in a car.
Bike share bikes are built for comfort. They feature wide seats and upright riding positions. I have yet to hear of a bike share alleycat (but nothing is impossible). Let's remember that any bike can be uncomfortable if it is adjusted poorly. But there are instructions on the bike share kiosks that demonstrate how to properly adjust seat height. Many people are also uncomfortable with the mechanics of bicycles; fixing flat tires is probably the most common problem. If you get a flat tire on a bike share bike you just park it at the kiosk and grab another bike.
So you have a bike on which you can cruise comfortably. Through all indications, bike share in Memphis would be implemented in downtown and midtown. Downtown riding is quite safe, even for the novice, on the Main Street Mall. Be mindful of the Trolley tracks and you'll be fine. Midtown is being repaved with bike lanes. By the end of the summer we shall have achieved connectivity with the repaving and striping of Cooper St and (possibly) the protected Overton-Broad Connector. Once cars learn to drive outside of bike lanes midtown will be quite safe as well.
Tourism Dollars
While the speculation is that most bike share income will be generated by local users we can't forget about tourists, after all, we get about 10 million of them a year. All those people are not going to ship their bikes here to ride but seeing as how the top producing international markets are the UK, Germany, Netherlands and France you can bet that they are used to getting around by bike.
When Emily and I went to Denver we had to rely on our family to drive us around. Independent as we are, we felt like a burden. So instead of making them our personal chauffeurs we got dropped off downtown, rented B-Cycles, and visited malls, museums, bike shops, restaurants, and even rented a kayak; and generally bought something at each place. We were able to efficiently navigate a new city while letting our family do what they needed to do. After all the shopping, restaurants, drinks with friends and B-cycle rental we each spent over $500.
With a little more research we could have found rental bikes that probably would have cost 5 times the B-cycle. With a bit of luck we could have found deals on craigslist (cycling meccas like Denver have incredible craigslist ads) and if the bike was good enough, shipped it back to Memphis. That would have been 20 times the cost of the bike share. But as a young tourist, the B-cycle was indispensable.
Here's the thing: bike share bikes are not meant for us. Does that mean we should not attend the meetings? No. We must attend the meetings because our knowledge will prove crucial to the process of implementing a bike share system.
When is the next meeting? Walk Bike Memphis will host a meeting June 11th at 5:30 PM at Otherlands Cafe on Cooper St.
Practical, Comfortable, and Safe
To get people riding bicycles for transportation certain criteria must be met. These are different for everyone. My threshold of practicality is 20 miles, one direction, where I don't have to be "dressy" and I don't have to bike on super busy streets like Poplar for the entire ride. Your threshold might be 3 miles on protected pathways. That's why Baskin Robbins has 31 flavors.
While it is not practical for some people to ride to work, opting for a bike for a quick errand instead of a car while at work might weigh in on the practical side of things. I used to work downtown and would constantly be walking documents from Monroe to the government buildings. At another job I would sometimes walk from South Main to Peabody. Those seem like short walks but in 96 degree heat I would much rather have had a bicycle. That's downtown. In midtown, I know of several people who get in their cars to go down the block for lunch. They might share bikes because it makes more sense than getting in a car. Bike share bikes are built for comfort. They feature wide seats and upright riding positions. I have yet to hear of a bike share alleycat (but nothing is impossible). Let's remember that any bike can be uncomfortable if it is adjusted poorly. But there are instructions on the bike share kiosks that demonstrate how to properly adjust seat height. Many people are also uncomfortable with the mechanics of bicycles; fixing flat tires is probably the most common problem. If you get a flat tire on a bike share bike you just park it at the kiosk and grab another bike.
So you have a bike on which you can cruise comfortably. Through all indications, bike share in Memphis would be implemented in downtown and midtown. Downtown riding is quite safe, even for the novice, on the Main Street Mall. Be mindful of the Trolley tracks and you'll be fine. Midtown is being repaved with bike lanes. By the end of the summer we shall have achieved connectivity with the repaving and striping of Cooper St and (possibly) the protected Overton-Broad Connector. Once cars learn to drive outside of bike lanes midtown will be quite safe as well.Tourism Dollars
While the speculation is that most bike share income will be generated by local users we can't forget about tourists, after all, we get about 10 million of them a year. All those people are not going to ship their bikes here to ride but seeing as how the top producing international markets are the UK, Germany, Netherlands and France you can bet that they are used to getting around by bike.
When Emily and I went to Denver we had to rely on our family to drive us around. Independent as we are, we felt like a burden. So instead of making them our personal chauffeurs we got dropped off downtown, rented B-Cycles, and visited malls, museums, bike shops, restaurants, and even rented a kayak; and generally bought something at each place. We were able to efficiently navigate a new city while letting our family do what they needed to do. After all the shopping, restaurants, drinks with friends and B-cycle rental we each spent over $500.
With a little more research we could have found rental bikes that probably would have cost 5 times the B-cycle. With a bit of luck we could have found deals on craigslist (cycling meccas like Denver have incredible craigslist ads) and if the bike was good enough, shipped it back to Memphis. That would have been 20 times the cost of the bike share. But as a young tourist, the B-cycle was indispensable.
Here's the thing: bike share bikes are not meant for us. Does that mean we should not attend the meetings? No. We must attend the meetings because our knowledge will prove crucial to the process of implementing a bike share system.
When is the next meeting? Walk Bike Memphis will host a meeting June 11th at 5:30 PM at Otherlands Cafe on Cooper St.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Cargo Bike - Trek Transport
I was able to ride the Trek Transport on the Cycle Memphis ride (mainly because the person I always asked to ride it never could. Doug.) last Saturday night. Normally when I SAG that ride I bring my BOB Trailer and pack it with about 12 spare tubes of differing sizes, a basic tool kit, pedal wrench, lock and a floor pump. At the midway point a few tallboys are added to the list.
The bag that comes with the Transport was able to carry all of that and still had room (for more beer). It is essential, I learned, to remove the bag while the bike is parked. The unbalanced weight will tip the bike.
The long wheelbase of longtail bicycles makes the ride very smooth but the fold-out platforms on the Transport rattle considerably. You get the feel of a Cadillac with the quietness of a tractor. If the rattle-factor were remedied this would be a remarkable around town cargo bike. This has a more stable ride than hooking a trailer up to a road bike.
However, I would also need to rearrange my house to be able to store it.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Mixed Terrain Recap
The great thing about alleycats is that not everyone rides the same route. I think everyone ended up doing about 33 miles with multiple variations. Here's my approximate route because I didn't GPS it:
View Revolutions 10 Year Anniversay in a larger map
Kyle Wagenschutz's route and stats can be found here on Endomondo.
A not-so-great thing about alleycats is that the faster people will tend to group up. To eliminate this I paired everyone into teams, based on when they registered. Sixteen people, not including myself, registered to race so I paired the 1st person with the 9th, 2nd with the 10th and so forth. Here are the times:
1st Place - 2:07:32 - Kermit Cooper & Zoe Taylor
2nd Place - 2:11:14 - Brett Edmonds & Rem Pamornkula
3rd Place - 2:19:46 - Joel Glasgow & Brandon Thrasher
4th Place - 2:23:56 - Anthony Siracusa & Adam Hite
5th Place - 2:25:30 - Kyle Wagenschutz & Jason Doinbrava(sp?)
6th Place - 2:37:33 - Graham Notestine & John Dodds
7th Place - 2:43:45 - Tony Pass & Tony Brooks (*because the Tonys split up this time is averaged)
8th Place - 3+hours - Martin Jones & Eric Garcia
What's kind of cool about this is that each team, for the most part, had one person riding fixed and one geared. It just worked out like that. Here's the race crew and some of our volunteers:
Big thanks to the people who helped run checkpoints and set everything up: Emily Percer, Meg Kerr, Anya McKay, Cory York, Gurjot Gill, Charles Fox, Crystal Keck, Athena (?), Jenny Lederer, Ryan Carter, and Howell Evans. Big thanks to Kyle Wagenschutz for hooking it up with the Pilgrim House Hostel's deck and grill. Big thanks to Molly Kennedy for setting up a photobooth! And thanks to everyone who came and hung out after the race!
Jenny has a photo set up on facebook here.
Also, these items were left at the party:
View Revolutions 10 Year Anniversay in a larger map
Kyle Wagenschutz's route and stats can be found here on Endomondo.
A not-so-great thing about alleycats is that the faster people will tend to group up. To eliminate this I paired everyone into teams, based on when they registered. Sixteen people, not including myself, registered to race so I paired the 1st person with the 9th, 2nd with the 10th and so forth. Here are the times:
1st Place - 2:07:32 - Kermit Cooper & Zoe Taylor
2nd Place - 2:11:14 - Brett Edmonds & Rem Pamornkula
3rd Place - 2:19:46 - Joel Glasgow & Brandon Thrasher
4th Place - 2:23:56 - Anthony Siracusa & Adam Hite
5th Place - 2:25:30 - Kyle Wagenschutz & Jason Doinbrava(sp?)
6th Place - 2:37:33 - Graham Notestine & John Dodds
7th Place - 2:43:45 - Tony Pass & Tony Brooks (*because the Tonys split up this time is averaged)
8th Place - 3+hours - Martin Jones & Eric Garcia
What's kind of cool about this is that each team, for the most part, had one person riding fixed and one geared. It just worked out like that. Here's the race crew and some of our volunteers:
Big thanks to the people who helped run checkpoints and set everything up: Emily Percer, Meg Kerr, Anya McKay, Cory York, Gurjot Gill, Charles Fox, Crystal Keck, Athena (?), Jenny Lederer, Ryan Carter, and Howell Evans. Big thanks to Kyle Wagenschutz for hooking it up with the Pilgrim House Hostel's deck and grill. Big thanks to Molly Kennedy for setting up a photobooth! And thanks to everyone who came and hung out after the race!
Jenny has a photo set up on facebook here.
Also, these items were left at the party:
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