"I didn't see you!" : An excuse for vehicular homicide

A couple of weeks ago, I was riding along on my typical commute at about 4:45am, when a car passed me by in the far left lane.  (S)he gave me plenty of space, was not driving too quickly and did not swerve about in the lane.  What drew my attention to the interior of this vehicle was the rear-view mirror. Or rather the lack-there-of.  Mounted in the middle of the windshield, where the mirror would typically be situated, was a 13-inch LCD monitor, bathing both car and driver in the tantalizing glow of Video-on-Demand and vehicular homicide.

But it's sooo convenient!

What's weight got to do with it and a challenge within a challenge...

Big news came out of the CDC last week.  The fair state of Louisiana has been ranked 2nd in the US in obesity rates (or 49^th, depending on how you look at it).  Our citizens report (get that, it’s SELF-REPORTED!) an obesity rate of 33.4%, barely tucking in under Mississipi (34.9%). 35.7% of adults in the United States are obese (try not to confuse this with state statistics, which includes children). What does this mean?  One in three Louisianians have reported a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 30 or higher.  In other words, an obese person of average height – 5’9” – weighs over 203 pounds.  By the way, Louisiana also has thehighest average BMI, at 27.1, right in the middle of the overweight range.  Keep in mind that the BMI system is not perfect – it’s based solely on height to weight ratios.  As such, it cannot take into account athletes, whose larger frame may be considered overweight or obese on this scale (for example, Drew Brees, Superbowl MVP, NFL Legend, Savior of New Orleans and all-around nice guy, at 6’0” and 209 pounds is approaching the obese range of >30 with a BMI of 28.3, the upper-end of overweight).  But, for taking a population sample, it is sufficient for gathering reliable data.  Much more after the jump...

5 reasons to go by bike

In honor of National Bike Month (May, 2012), I've compiled a list of five reasons to go by bike, accompanied by my own thoughts as to why this should inspire you to do the same: Fitness, Money, Eco-Reasons, The Sky (bear with me), and your sanity.


Check it out after the jump.

From the mundane to the sublime

Legs tightening, shoulders aching, eyes blinking and staring intently at the horizon that just gets farther away, I couldn't help but ask myself, "Why did I decide to ride the 75 miles from Baton Rouge to New Orleans?"

Find out what the heck I was thinking after the jump.

Everything is just more TV

"In a car you're always in a compartment, and because you're used to it you don't realize that through that car window everything you see is just more TV.  You're a passive observer and it is all moving by you boringly in a frame."

"On a cycle the frame is gone.  You're completely in contact with it all.  You're in the scene, not just watching it anymore, and the sense of presence is overwhelming...the whole experience, is never removed from immediate consciousness."

~Robert Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

I've thought of a name for my bike

J.M. Rosebud.  Isn't that good?

Rose because it's red. I think this'll be my bike's nickname.  One of my best old friend's had a hamster named something like Dr. Chewbacca Ginyu, Chewie for short.  It's gets to be a mouthful, so it's best to shorten things up.

Rosebud, after the **** (no spoilers) from the film Citizen Kane.  After a lifetime seeking fortune and power, media mogul Charles Foster Kane dies unhappy and alone, uttering the single word, "Rosebud..."  The film chronicles the ultimately fruitless attempt of a reporter to unearth the meaning behind this last word.  In the end, we the audience discover that the word was an allusion to his impoverished childhood, the only time in his life that he was truly happy.

J.M., after one of my inspirations, famed conservationist John Muir.  His life's work was dedicated to preserving the natural beauty of the American wilderness.  He is often compared to John the Baptist, baptizing neophytes into the wonders of God's creation.  It was his work that inspired the creation of America's National Parks and National Monuments - in fact, he was a personal friend of President Teddy Roosevelt, who established five National Parks and eighteen National Monuments.  Muir died in 1913, all the while fighting to save Hetch Hetchy Valley from being dammed (to create a reservoir for San Francisco), a fight which was ultimate lost as the dam was completed in 1923 and stands to this day, not without a good deal of controversy.

Hetch Hetchy Valley before and after.

So there. J.M. Rosebud. What do you think?

Five things motorists want to say to cyclists

After putting together my post a few weeks ago about what cyclists would like to tell motorists, I've been getting a few (unsolicited) comments about what motorists would like to say.  It seems that folks in cars are not without their own views regarding the interactions between motorist and cyclist, so I deliberately went about soliciting these opinions.  5 things drivers want to say to bikers after the jump...and, do feel free to add your own in the comments section.

What if you were arrested for walking?

After taking a couple days off (from blogging, at least), it's time to do a brief update.  Sorry for no posts since Wednesday, but it's been a busy weekend...
Thursday, my family and I went into New Orleans to spend Easter weekend with our extended families.  The wife took the kids into town while I was still at work, so I was going to have to take a separate car into New Orleans from Baton Rouge.  I'll have a full post on it soon enough, but I chose to go ahead and take my bike for the 75-mile trip, rather than drive.  Since then, there's just been absolutely no time to get to the blog, but there's something I wanted to discuss about this weekend: walking.

More after the jump...

How did you get into cycling (part 2)

After climbing down from the bike during my undergraduate years, I don't believe I came anywhere near one until a few semesters into my graduate career.  Honestly, I'm not even sure I owned a bike during that time.  I would call those my "lean" years, but I'm afraid that would lead to a misleading perception of my body mass at the time.  I was by no means overweight, or even heavy, but instead maintained a slender (but soft) physique.  Definitely not a chiseled "super"man, but not overly buoyant either.

Kind of like this guy

I didn't have a whole lot of interest in fitness, as I was more focused on my future as a teacher.  I was gaining valuable experience working with a teen youth group and was motivated by little else.  While attending a small Catholic college in the Ohio River valley for graduate school, a few life events inspired me to get back on the bike.
A) I got married
B) We had a baby

Gas prices too high?

THIS project is in no small part about fossil fuel independence.  I haven't figured out the end-game yet (whether whether bikes are saving the planet or not), but I am learning a little bit about the effect of gasoline on my pocket book.
Last night, I filled up the 16-gallon gas tank in my 2004 Toyota Camry for the first time since I began this project.  I know EXACTLY how I feel about this.

It may be a selfish reason for bicycling for transport, but it is one of many legitimate reasons (as a reminder, I decided to do this for fitness, cost, earth/environment, and the bicycle's romantic appeal.)  So, this post will be my first foray into the messy business of petrol.

5 cringe-inducing qualities of serious cyclists

In honor of the UCI World Tour (Pro-Cycling), which has just started to heat up with two of racing's biggest events in the past month (namely, San-Remo and de Ronde), I thought we'd look at some of the peculiarities of serious cyclists.

1) Leg-Shaving



Yes, it's true - male cyclists like to keep their legs shaved.  I had to yield to the experts on this one, as I don't have a history here (although I must admit to have dabbled in the practice.  So, I turned to Bicycling.com for some insight into the practice.
After the jump for more...

I only went out for a walk...

"I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in." ~John Muir

John Muir is simultaneously inspirational and enigmatic.  Part reclusive mountain man and part ecstatic holy man, his passion for the beauty of nature led him on incredible adventures, and his work and writings were the greatest inspiration for the creation of America's National Parks.

For more on Muir, read up at the Muir Exhibit at Sierra Club.
Otherwise, check out Part One of Ken Burns' magnificent documentary on our National Parks, America's Best Idea, called "The Scripture of Nature."

My question has to do with the quote above.  What did Muir mean by, "for going out, I found, was really going in?"

8 minutes, 38 seconds

Every year, the average commuter in Baton Rouge loses 36 hours to congestion.  Working 5 days a week for 50 weeks a year, that comes to 8 minutes and 38 seconds a day.  I couldn't help but wonder: What would I do if I had my 8:38 back?

I could...

Yes I did this and yes it took eight minutes

1. Read a story to my children
2. Water the garden
3. Do some calisthenics
4. Sit quietly and enjoy a warm beverage (tea, hot cocoa, coffee)
5. Floss, mouthwash and gargle
6. Make a mini-sculpture of a bicycle out of copper wire (right)
7. Have an impromptu dance party
8. Climb a tree
9. Prepare and enjoy a light snack of cinnamon toast
10. Learn a new philosophical concept

Look after the jump for more...

My first fender bender...

After 25 years of bike riding, six of which have seen the occasional ride to work, the other nineteen of which saw joy-riding of all kinds, from relaxing solo cruises through the neighborhood to the risky thrill-seeking behavior of early adolescence, it's finally happened: one short week into a project in which I report my (reportedly safe) cycling habits to the world, I had an accident with an automobile.

No worries! I'm fine, the driver's fine and all vehicles involved are fine.  AND it was totally MY FAULT.

Keep reading after the jump...

How did you get into cycling? (Part 1)

My journey to becoming a bike commuter...

Of course, as a kid, I used to love to ride around the neighborhood to get from place to place.  In fact, I became a commuter in middle school as it was the easiest way for me to get to and from school.  I enjoyed riding, to be sure, but there was one aspect of riding that I abhorred: the helmet.  The helmet I was forced to wear was big, round, blue, orange and in all other ways a horror for an 11-year-old boy trying to fit in.  Naturally, no other kid had to wear a helmet.  To other kids, the helmet told them that I was fearful, timid, injury-prone, a wimp - you get the idea.  In fact, I remember one of my classmates devoting an art project to me and my helmet:

Re-creation

I attempted to hide my helmet as best I could.  I'd get to school early and bring it up to the classroom before my friends arrived, lest a girl see me carrying it.  Looking back, I fully understand and appreciate their concern for my safety, but at the time...just shoot me.

More after the jump...

Handlebars and butterflies

While gathering information on the effects that CO2 has on the environment, I've come across conflicting studies.  Some would have us believe that it is the cause of global warming and climate change, as the meddling of human beings who have pushed this world further to the brink has basically assured our self-destruction.  Others point to climate change as an inevitable and temporary phase of our planet's life cycle, and we have had nothing to do with "furthering along" the process of planetary death.

Honestly, I don't know what to believe just yet.  I'd like to think that my efforts, at the very least, are a more natural and sustainable solution than the burning of fossil fuels.  And so, I've found myself uncertain of the value of this project (at least in Grand Scheme of things).

Yesterday, as I was engaged in my evening commute, something fascinating happened.  Stopped at a red light, I was standing over my bike, grabbing a sip of water and just enjoying a cool breeze.  As I looked to my left, a butterfly fluttered into my vision and began heading in my direction.  Zigging and zagging around the cars, it appeared to have made the deliberate decision to visit with me!  Finally, upon reaching me, the creature promptly made a perch on my hand, which was resting gently upon my handlebars.

Now, I understand that this is not a typical experience for cyclists or motorists!  Maybe I shouldn't read too much into these things, but it's those quiet moments of beauty that I think will make this project worthwhile.  Maybe that butterfly was shaking my hand in reassurance of this project.  Maybe it was completely random.  Regardless of the causes whose end result was that gentle and perfect contact with one of nature's fragile miracles, it gives me hope.  And at the very least puts a smile on my face.

(Don't) Honk if you love cyclists! And 4 other things your bike commuter wants to tell you...

TODAY was quite an adventure.  No worries, there were no close calls, but a few "incidents" got me thinking about a few things that I would love for all motorists to know, but I never have the chance to share.

Today's and last week's data recorded here or on the right.
Five things your cyclist wants to tell you after the jump...

H.G. Wells and the Dystopia

"Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race." ~H.G. Wells

Albert Einstein, keeping H.G. Wells' dystopia at bay 

This quote, attributed to the author of War of the Worlds, The Time Machine, and The Island of Dr. Moreau, is itself a bit of a riddle.  I've always assumed it has something to do with pollution or global warming. But that's my modern sensibilities speaking.  H.G. Wells lived and wrote at a time before there was a whole lot of research on the environmental effects of automobile pollution.

So I put it to you as a sort of meditation...What do you think H.G. Wells had in mind?

Losing the training wheels

My five-year-old and I biked to the library today. My wife was a little worried that she wouldn't be up for the distance (2.8 miles, round-trip), but having watched her over the past few weeks, I knew she could do it with the proper motivation!

The library had story time accompanied by some therapy dogs for the kiddies to play with afterwards. Also, her favorite dinner of chicken and noodles helped her find the energy to pedal home. She did such a good job - I was so proud of her! She didn't complain at all - we stopped and every cross street and took a sip of water, we walked our bikes across the street, and even raced to certain landmarks! I'm thinking those training wheels are going to be coming off before the summer...

A little more after the break...

Breaking the law

Another great day, another great commute to and from work.  I can't help but wonder how many of the people who pass me up (or who I pass up, depending on traffic) remember me from day-to-day.  Happy to say that the one cent that the price of gas went up today didn't affect me! Saved another $3.63 and twenty pounds of carbon while exchanging three smiles with others. I especially enjoyed the smiles I got from the two police officers who caught me going 23 in a 30 and couldn't help but smile and wave!

More breaking the law after the break...

What's in a name?

Finally! After several days of serious weather, I was able to get back out for a bike commute today! This morning was very pleasant, as the light rain served to keep me cool once I started to warm up.

Between this morning and this afternoon's ride, I covered 23.3 miles, burned 1091 calories and saved another $3.62 on gas.  The price of gas has crept up another six cents in the past three days to $3.73.
Not too bad, if I say do so myself!

Some reflection on giving a bicycle a name after the break...

Riding "not in the bike lane"

Today's monsoon kept me off the road, so here's a fun video from a cyclist in NYC who was ticketed for riding his bike "not in the bike lane."

Bike Lanes by Casey Neistat

My thoughts after the break...

Gear, Safety & CO2

I didn't get to ride today on account of a late night at work and awful weather, so I thought we'd take a look at my gear, discuss safety (thanks to all of my friends who have expressed concerns), and begin to address this CO2 business (SCIENCE!)

Here's my bike:

She's a 1995 Cannondale S800 that my dad gave me 6 years ago (almost every bike thing I own is a hand-me-down which I have graciously accepted!)  She used to have racing tires (23's for the gearheads out there), but I replaced them with fatter ones (28's) to make the commute more comfortable.  I also added the luggage rack, which was a birthday gift last year (thanks dad!)  You can barely tell from the photo, but the pedals are the type you need to clip into, which allows me to apply force to the pedal though the full range of motion - makes me faster and more efficient

Like me, she creaks and pops a little once she starts moving, but stays strong through the long haul!  

On all of my rides, safety is of primary importance.  While this project is something in which I am interested, of far great importance is my health and safety.  As such, I always wear a helmet! (left)
Also, the law in Louisiana is that all cyclist must have a front (below) and rear (right) light when riding at night.  Visibility is always a problem, as motorists aren't always used to seeing cyclists.  All we can do is continue to make ourselves visible while being courteous and alert.

Finally, regarding CO2.  It turns out that my earlier calculations regarding CO2 were inaccurate.  One gallon of gas releases almost twenty (!!) lbs of CO2 when gobbled up by the average car.  That puts my CO2 "saved" for yesterdays ride at around 18.8 lbs.  I think I'm going to dedicate a page to solving the mysteries surrounding CO2, including how 20 lbs of this stuff comes from 6 lbs of gasoline AND why CO2 emissions matter.

Hopefully, I'll get to ride again soon! Until then, check after the break to enjoy a few more sweet pictures of my bike!

Starting Early

I had planned to start this project on March 20 in conjunction with the Spring Equinox and the National Bike Summit in DC.

However, it was a marvelous day today, plus a Monday, and weather-wise, the rest of the week looks crummy for cycling.

Soooo, I commuted today!

The morning ride was pleasant - 5 people smiled and waved, the kind of interpersonal communication and human contact that doesn't typify most morning commutes.

A very windy afternoon told a different story, as I was only treated to a single enthusiastic (albeit sarcastic) thumbs up.

I logged a total of 23.1 miles on today's route, saving $3.43 in gas and 18.83 lbs (!!) of carbon dioxide.  I used the Carbon Footprint Calculator to sort this out.

If you're interested in all of the DATA! I'm collecting, it can be found here on this blog (also linked on the right - DATA!) or here as a Google Doc.

I'm also looking for some fresh ideas (read: challenges) with this project - for instance, I was just reading about this entire office who will not use cars in the entire month of May!

Always looking for more inspiration!

Road Rise Up

The title for this project comes from an Irish Blessing:

 

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

 

I've always liked this and I feel it fits well with this project.

 

It inspires images of harmony with creation, peace within the soul, and a natural order, which in the end, we may discover was the purpose of this whole enterprise...

 

I hope to include such inspiring/contemplative snippets at least once a week.

A few thoughts on why I chose to do this project:

1) Fitness - as it is, time is a rare commodity, so getting my workout in while I'd ordinarily be sitting in my car is a huge benefit of the bike commute.
2) Cost - with gas prices creeping closer to $4/gal (avg in Baton Rouge, LA), saving money on gas is becoming a necessity.
3) Earth - regardless of politics and the global warming/climate change debate, bikes don't have the same negative effect on the environment that fossil fuel burning machines do. It's just that simple.
4) Romance - there's just something pure and liberating about not depending on an auto for transportation!

This being the case, you can look for this type of information in my posts:
1) Mileage/Calories burned - distance travelled will be exact, calories will be estimated.
2) Gas NOT used/Money saved - I am especially interested to see how this one shapes up!
3) Footprint - I'm sure the internet has a carbon footprint calculator somewhere...
4) Inspiration - I'll include some of my real-life experiences and favorite quotes/anecdotes for reflection when I can.

I can't express how excited/anxious I am about this project! If this blog gets one person on the bike and moving more, this project has been worth it.  Please keep following, and check me out on Twitter (RoadRiseUp2012).

The purpose of this blog is to record/share a project I will be conducting between March 20, 2012 and March 20, 2013.

In that time, I will commit to cycle to and from any personal errands within two miles.
Also, I will commit to commute to work by bicycle whenever possible (3-4x a week, 24 mi round trip).

Please follow my posts and share with your friends!

Thanks for taking this journey with me...