"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.