Bing's Haus of Soft, Creative Non-Violent Playthings

Jury Duty

Ack! I just got summoned for jury duty again. Last time it was two-days with a peeping tom. Can't wait to see what I draw this time.

posted by Jack @ 8:08 PM 1 Comments

Happy Birthday Bix

Happy Birthday to Bix Beiderbecke, who would've been 106 today.

posted by Jack @ 8:05 PM 0 Comments

"F" as in Fat

We, as a society, have so many tools in our arsenal to fight obesity. Obviously, my favorite is cycling. Transportational or Utility cycling addresses so many of the challenges and problems we face as a nation that its disheartening to me that more people don't see it. Obesity is but one.

The 5th annual F as in Fat report (PDF) from the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation shows that obesity increased in 37 states this past year. My home, North Carolina, is one of 19 states to show an increase for the third consecutive year. Goodie for us. <*sigh*>

Do you see the numbers on your scale creeping upward? Are your clothes getting a little snug? I can't encourage you enough to get on your bike and PYAO. Its fun, and it works.

posted by Jack @ 12:29 PM 0 Comments

With gas prices soaring...

I feel like I've heard or read that phrase 200 times in the last few months as the media takes note of the recent rise in bike commuting. Articles from news sources around the country confirm that sales of bikes (particularly those well-suited for utility cycling), commuting accessories and maintenance are up. Even the Today Show gave 3 minutes to bike commuting a couple weeks ago.

The news coverage certainly can't hurt. Reporting about people adding utility cycling to their lives, whether to work or to the store, will serve to de-marginalize utility cycling. And the increase in ridership will do the same as motorists will be more likely to empathize with a cycling community that now includes their neighbor, co-worker, fellow parishoner or family member. This improved perception of cyclists and utility cycling can lead to a greater committment by governments to fund projects that support human-powered transportation options. We may very well be at the edge of a really wonderful positive feedback loop.

Here are a few references in case you've missed the buzz:

• Paul Dorn always does a superb job of blogging about bike commuting news stories.
• Chicago Tribune, June 14
• Today Show, May 30
  

posted by Jack @ 1:00 PM 0 Comments

What a pedestrian/bicycle bridge on the East Coast Greenway looks like

On a recent trip, I came across this pedestrian/bicycle bridge on a northern section of the East Coast Greenway. As we in Durham consider the future of our own pedestrian/bicycle bridge over the Greenway (American Tobacco Trail Phase E), I figured it'd be relevant to snap a few photos.

This bridge goes over an entry ramp to US-1 which means its has far less traffic than the section of I-40 where the American Tobacco Trail will cross. The only thing I can tell you that isn't captured in the photos is that its pretty loud. I was surprised. If this small bridge is any indication of what the experience crossing the ATT Phase E bridge will be, I don't think we need to be building a bridge on which someone will want to meander or stop for a break. We'll want this to be a bridge the gets people from point A to point B safely and effectively and provides them pleasant areas on either side.

• Photos of the Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge near Brunswick, ME
• Bridge location on Google Maps
  

posted by Jack @ 9:30 AM 1 Comments

Fixit - Fix your bike yourself

The Practical Pedal has launched a new section called "Fixit" with maintenance tips and info promised weekly. They've setup a few tags, including "General Maintenance" and "Pro Tips," so I expect to see a decent range of info here, and mention of accompanying video was made in the PP comments.

Chances are, a lot of the information on Fixit will be old hat to a lot of commuters and weekend warriors. But there are a lot of us who are still evolving our cycling lives. Having made the move to the bike as a mode of transportation, we're now ready to add a little self-sufficiency to the mix. The first article on chain maintenance is key for someone who is just starting to ride their bike enough the justify having their chain cleaned more than seasonally. And the current article, on derailleur adjustment, is exactly the kind of info I am looking for to start making some the tweaks that can smooth out the everyday ride.

Fixit is written with a friendly tone, focusing on important aspects of the fix and leaving the minutae to the various online forums (e.g. chain maintenance is important, but don't stress over the dizzying array of lubes available). There are, of course, already a lot of sites with bike maintenance info, but Fixit looks like it will be a good addition to your bookmarks and RSS feeds.

posted by Jack @ 12:21 PM 0 Comments

ATT Pedestrian/Cyclist Bridge over I-40 - Your Feedback is Needed

There has been a lot of buzz within the local bike/pedestrian community about the American Tobacco Trail bridge over I-40. The first public meeting for the bridge project was held last night at City Hall and was a success. Organizers were hoping 60 people would attend, the city estimates the attendance was actually over 110. Bill Bussey of Triangle Rails-to-Trails was counting, but I haven't heard how accurate 110 is. And, to top it all off, the brownies were pretty good too.

There's an excellent summary at Bull City Rising, so I'm not going to spend time re-typing it. Tanner Lovelace made a comment at BCR that echoed my thoughts exactly. Architect/Engineer Steven Grover really seems to get it. He went to great lengths to illustrate that great bridges don't necessarily require a lot of money, nor do they need to be "flashy." They need to meet the aesthetic goals of the community, make sense in context, and function effectively.

But the degree to which form is measured against function is up to us. Grover re-iterated numerous times the importance of stakeholder feedback in designing this bridge. Quite simply, he's from California. He'll learn what he can about the area, but the project is best-served with copious, robust input from those of us who will actually be using the bridge. And, at a more practical level, this is an expensive project, we need to make sure its done right and he is committed to doing so. But, again, "right" is up to us. I'm linking to StevenGrover.com below where you can download a PDF of his portfolio.

The city handed out a survey last night, and it is also available online at the city's website. Please take the time to download and complete the survey and return it to Byron Brady in Public Works at the address on the bottom of the survey. Mr. Brady asks that the form be returned by Tuesday Nov 27, so fill it out over your long Thanksgiving weekend and drop it in the mail Monday the 26th.

• Bull City Rising post, "City, project team provide ATT Phase E / I-40 bridge update"
• City of Durham "ATT Phase E" webpage, which includes links to the meeting overview, the survey and the project maps.
• Steven Grover Associates

posted by Jack @ 12:54 PM 0 Comments

The bicycle is the most efficient vehicle

I caught this post a couple weeks ago on TreeHugger. For me, this is a bit of preaching to the choir, I know, but I simply can't resist. The original post came from Transport & Mobility Leuven in Belgium. I don't know anything about them, so I have no idea how much credibility to attribute to them, but (again), this is a matter of faith for me. :-)

Did you know that the bicycle is the most energy efficient transportation mode? It is 3 times more efficient than walking, 5 times more efficient than using the train and 15 to 20 times more efficient than driving a car.

• TreeHugger post
• Transport & Mobility Leuven article
  

posted by Jack @ 9:02 PM 1 Comments

Urban Velo Issue 4 Now Available

The November issue of "Urban Velo," the self-described "reflection of the cycling culture in current day cities," is now available. From their site:

Contents include: Goldsprints, Winter Survival Guide, I Love Riding in the City, The Rise & Fall of a Bike Shop That Never Was, Ghana, Residue, Bike Fit, Ignorance is Bliss, Starting a Local Advocacy Organization Part III and No Exit.

Download it at UrbanVelo.org.

posted by Jack @ 9:41 PM 0 Comments

Happy Halloween

Most excellent pic from Phillip at Nicomachus.net.

posted by Jack @ 9:37 PM 0 Comments

Cycle North Carolina, Fall 2007 Ride

I finally got all of the pictures posted from Cycle North Carolina. I posted a handful of stories from Day 1, but trailed off after that. To be honest, as we hit the middle of the state, the terrain became a lot more familiar and felt a little less spectacular. Also, despite all the great folks we met along the way, there wasn't another Wild Woody's or Clifford O'Dell to be found. Most certainly, they're out there. They just didn't happen to appear on our path.

The trip had a lot of highlights in the 505 miles...

• absolutely amazing people riding the event
• 3300 feet of climbing on Day 1
• 40 mph descents after all that climbing
• some pretty decent wine in the Yadkin Valley, and awfully good beer from Natty Green's in Greensboro
• vast wide-open skies with the most amazing clouds for miles and miles
• an unparalleled greeting in Oak Ridge with the kids from Oak Ridge Elementary out by the road cheering us on
• the story of Glencoe Mill and the history of North Carolina mill villages
• SPEVCO and the "what the...?!?!" feeling I got when seeing them
• the welcome signs from the kids from South Mebane Elementary
• The Caddy Limo parked in front of a trailer with a "Gas Grass or Ass..." bumper sticker
• the open-field screening of Breaking Away
• holding on to the back of a line of great folks who pulled me in the last 30 miles of my first english century
• hitting the 100 mile mark on the bridge over Albemarle Sound

And, finally, here are the pictures...

• My Flickr pics
• Slideshow version

posted by Jack @ 9:07 PM 0 Comments

CNC posting delays

Whilst out on my cross-state adventure, I found myself in and out of mobile coverage and, consequently, in and out of bloggability. And when I was "in," I was suitably behind in blogging and honestly, having so much fun just riding and hanging out, that I really wasn't motivated to keep up.

So, more CNC pics and stories coming soon, and normal blogging to resume immediately. Really.

Labels: cnc

posted by Jack @ 7:19 AM 0 Comments