New Cyclists

Yesterday I took my bike to work so that I could go riding after work and so that maybe, just maybe it would improve my mood. Even the guys at work tell me that I am a nicer person when I bring my bike in.

This is a Good Thing.

As I rode through station square, southside, hot metal bridge, jail trail, smithfield st bridge, and back to the south side via station square I began to notice something. There were a lot of what I took to be “New Cyclists” on the trails. Now before I go on allow me to define “New Cyclists”. What we are talking about here is usually a new bike and new looking gear (shiny helmet) and an intense look of uncomfortable concentration on their faces. Couple this with a slightly (or not so slightly) wobbly riding style and I think all of you reading this know just what I am talking about. Having introduce several of my friends to cycling I have seen these looks. I know them all to well.

Again, This is a Good Thing.

I can even be pretty sure that these “New Cyclists” are the very reason that many of you would rather take the street instead of the Bike Trail. I know I have done just that especially the station square to 18th section of the South Side Trail. As I passed some of these people on the Jail Trail I began to think to myself how much happier I was with them behind me where I didn’t have to worry about them than in front of me where I had to try and guess what they were going to do next.

This is not a Good Thing.

You see I had forgotten what it was like back in 2006 when I first started riding my bike in order to lose some weight and not die. For weeks I could only do laps in my neighborhood. my first ride was less than a mile and I thought I was going to die on the machine I had bought to save my life. Oh the Irony. But I didn’t die and after a few weeks of riding around my neighborhood I decided to take a longer trip. From East Pittsburgh to the Beehive in the Southside.

This is a Good Thing?

I was prepared. I had a backpack with 5 extra inner tubes a toolkit, energy bars, two bottles of water on my bike, Headlights, tail lights, bike lock, map, satellite photo of bike trail, and a fully charge cell phone. Just in case. The ride down took my two hours (stop laughing) and as I was walking my bike next to the train tracks (oh yeah no complete bike trail for me) I was sure I had just made the biggest mistake of my life. Still I pressed on, riding down the South Side Trail with everyone else on a warm Saturday. Every Time someone passed me I was sure I was going to wreck. Everytime I passed someone (not that often) I felt stupid yelling “ON YOUR LEFT!” as loud as I could, cause you know, that’s what you’re suppose to do.

I eventually made it to the Beehive and had a pot of tea while thinking how amazing it was that I could just hop on my bike and actually go somewhere instead of just riding around my neighborhood. It was the first of several pivotal moments in my cycling life.  That was the day I fell in love with cycling. Even after the ride home, which included several hills I enjoyed riding down on the way out but were less than fun on the way back. I can still remember how it felt to have my eyes opened like that.

It was a Good Thing.

And I want to share that Good thing, I want everyone to feel what I felt that day. I did something I was afraid to do, something I wasn’t sure I could achieve, and in doing it I found out that I can do so much more than the world says a fat guy can do, I can do more than my friends and family thought I could do. Most importantly I learned that I can do more than I ever thought I could do. So when I see a “New Cyclist” I try to give them a little extra room, a lot of extra encouragement, and I hope they see the wonder I see every time I climb into the saddle.

And that is a Very Good Thing.

Fat Guys 10 Rules for Cycling

Most if not all of you are at least familiar with the rules of cycling. I would be willing to bet that the statement “Rule 5!” has a special (if not beloved) place in your heart. My rules for cycling are a little different.

1. Go out and ride a bike!
2. Yes you can do it.
3. Support the local bike shop that supports you
4. Don’t Be a Dick
5. Any Excuse to ride is a good excuse
6. Be pro-bike not Anti-car
7. Always carry a spare tube and patch kit.
8. Be willing to give said tube or patch kit to total stranger
9. You can do so much more than you think you can
10. Go out and ride a bike!

Go out and ride a bike
My first rule is a bit of a simple self-explanatory rule, but it is also the most important. Go out and ride a bike. It’s what cyclists do, and it is all you have to do to be a cyclist. It doesn’t matter what kind of bike you ride, how much you spent on it, what you are wearing, or where you are riding to. All that matters is that you get on your bike and go for a ride. My first few rides were around the block where I lived, and by the time I had ridden 10 feet I was a cyclist.

Yes you can do it
If I can do it you can do it. Riding doesn’t have to be hard, hot, and sweaty. Riding should be fun. You should want to go out and enjoy the time you spend on your bike. More importantly you can enjoy the time you spend on your bike. Riding your bike will make you stronger. So that even if there are things you can’t do on your bike or places you can’t ride to. It is only a matter of time before the things you can’t do become those things you have done.

Support the Local Bike Shop (LBS) that supports you
It isn’t enough that you support your local bike shop. It is equally important that your local bike shop supports you. Are they willing to help out, teach you how to take care of your bike. Clearly explain what is wrong with your bike and show you what is broken. Are they friendly and willing to take time for you. (unless the place is busy, they need to make a living) Does the shop host rides or at least know what rides are going on and can point you in the right direction.

Don’t be a Dick
I could make this one rule it’s very own post, but I will try to limit myself to a single paragraph. What I mean is that you should be considerate of other cyclist, nod, smile, and say hello. Stop when you see someone stopped and make sure they are ok. Think of all the other cyclist around you as friends and treat them that way. Be willing and Able to help a new cyclist get comfortable on a bike. Lastly if you are one of the CAT 6ers out there who get upset at the slow people on the trails on saturday that are getting in YOUR way and riding slow on YOUR circuit and keeping YOU from getting YOUR miles in, do me a favor, get off the trail and on the road. You’re being a DICK!

Any excuse to ride is good excuse
Need to pick up some mike? Don’t hop in the car, hop on your bike. Beside actually using less gas and helping to save the planet you get to say things like “When I was biking to the store yesterday to pick up groceries...” and look like a total hard ass. There is never a bad reason to get on a bike and ride.

Go to the Store - Ride a bike
Go to work - Ride a bike
Stressed out - Ride a bike
Looking to get out of the house - Ride a bike
Looking to shut that person up - Ride a bike
Want to save the planet - Ride a Bike

I think you get the picture. Riding a bike is one of those things that doesn’t really have a down side.

Got to get somewhere in a hurry? What’s wrong with you, learn to plan ahead and lose the word “hurry” from your vocabulary. That in itself will bleed so much stress from your life that it deserves a post (or a dozen) of its own.

Be Pro-Bike not Anti-Car
This is a tough one for me because I don’t drive (I don’t have a license) so I have learned to plan my life around this fact. That being said I know that we live in a very car-centric culture and while I believe that there are many things you can do without a car, I also know that most people aren’t going to give up the car as their many mode of transportation.

I have become OK with this.

What I am hoping for is that you will begin to look at things such as Mass transportation, cycling, and walking as viable options for at least some of your transportation needs. It is one thing to convince people to get on a bike and do some riding, it is another thing to convince them to give up their cars.  Baby steps.

Always carry a spare tube and patch kit
I cannot stress this enough. Of all the mechanical problems I have had, and encountered with myself and other cyclists 80 to 90% of these could of been fixed with a spare tube or an allen wrench. We can argue about things like chain tools, duct tape, or a few spare links till the cows come home but if you carry a spare tube and a patch kit (and actually know how to use them) chances are you will make it home.

Be willing to give said tube or patch kit to total stranger
Unless you are a young girl on a dark trail alone at night this is possibly the best advice I can give for creating a positive attitude about cycling. When you see a cyclist pulled to the side of the road, even if he/she has people with them slow down and make sure they are ok. That patch it that you paid a buck and half for can make a huge difference in this person’s view of cycling. Please be aware of your surroundings when you do this. If you don’t feel safe about stopping then don’t stop or stop at a distance. Be safe first but also be willing to give up that extra tube or patch kit or bit of time to help another cyclist get home safely.

You can do so much more than you think you can
This is the first thing I learned when I first started to ride my bike. My first real ride was 10 miles, nothing special, just down to a local coffee shop and back. Something I would have never considered doing.

Yet I did it.

The day before my longest ride was three times around block. That is when I first realized that I was able to do so much more than I had convinced myself of.

I let my mind lie to me.
To convince me that I was/am capable of so much less.

I need to call myself out, You need to call yourself out. You need to understand that you are so much more, and you can do so much more than you could ever believe. We are all able to do so much more. If we can just quit listening to that voice in our head that tells us over and over again that we can’t

You Can!

Go out and ride a Bike
The truth is that I put this in twice because it is twice as important as the other eight rules (even the Don’t be a Dick rule) If you ride then you know just how much being out on a bike can change you, your feelings, your attitude, and most importantly your future.

Ride a Bike
Change Your Life.

Zen Thoughts

I found an article over at Urban Velo about Zen Cycling. Which was actually about an article called "Zen Cycling" written by Anthony Golding over at Resurgence. I Didn't really expect to much out of this article, all to often I find the use of the word Zen to be either overdone or used in some supernatural 'be the bike' kind of way.

This article was neither. The article (which I recommend that you go and read after you have finished here) lists eight ideas of zen cycling and goes on to expound on them. I am going to list the 8 ideals here but you will need to go read the Resurgence article to see what each one means. Some are simple to understand while others will be food for thought for some time.


1. There must be no sense of urgency
2. Leave the radio, music players, cell-phones and (if you can) your watch at home
3. Staying silent during parts of the day
4. Responding to and befriending your surroundings
5. Recognizing and handling fear
6. Handling competition
7. On being assertive
8. Have an adventure by yourself

I am going to post a little of what Anthony said about Ideal 6 - Handling Competition

This is a strange one as we are so brainwashed into achieving. Questions like: "How many miles have you done today?” "How long did it take to get up the mountain – did you walk?" or "What! You put the bike on a train!" "I must have the state-of-the-art machine and equipment."

This has been on my long standing pet peeves. It is also one of my long standing weaknesses. I constantly struggle with feelings of "I should be riding more" and "I should be riding up that hill" Some of this is good. To challenge yourself to do more and push yourself to improve is a good thing. The problem I have and the problem I struggle with is when this challenge become the only thing.

I have noticed that it is when that side of me is winning that cycling becomes more of a chore than a joy.

So head on over to Resurgence and give Zen Cycling a read. The next time you find yourself riding and either rushing to get somewhere or competing with yourself remember to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.

Good News

I just saw this over at the Bike Pittsburgh blog. Yet another tasty place to eat has been upgraded with a kick ass bike corral. This is the second Bike Corral to be placed in Pittsburgh, the first one is in front of OTB bicycle cafe in the Southside (My favorite place to eat). This corral serves double duty since it  takes over what used to be a no parking zone that was frequently ignored. So when car-holes complain about losing parking spaces in Shadyside (a place well known for to little parking) you can point out that if you parked there you were breaking the law.

Mini Rant Begin

You know kind of like the way car-holes complain about cyclists going through stop signs and the way that cyclist slow them down and keep them from ignoring the speed limit signs on the road. 

Mini Rant End

Still this is a great thing to see going into Shadyside. We need the infrastructure more than ever. The popularity of cycling is growing and more people are taking to their bikes as an option to their cars. The only way that people will continue to do this is if we can make it easy and convenient for them to do this. I am not talking about the hardcore fixie riding twenty something who doesn't own a car or see a reason to own a car. I'm talking about the people who just want to go out for a evening grab some food and maybe a drink or two and don't want to have to use a car, find parking, and pay for parking.

Remember these are the people who could be in that car behind you tomorrow morning.

Sometimes

http://lovingthebike.com/uncategorized/bike-to-nowhere-to-see-nothing

Been Riding a Lot Lately

I have found myself Riding more now than I have this summer. The last ride with Flock of Cycles really inspired me. So for the last week I have been putting a lot (for me) of miles on my bike. It feels so good to get out there and ride. I know this. I know that I am happier when I am on my bike than I am at any other time. Still I find myself finding excuses to not dig out my bike, excuses to not go on a ride.

That had to change.

Sure I have to get up early to ride part of the way to work.
Sure I am sore and tired.

But I am happy.

So if you need me, chances are I wont be home.

Get out there and ride.

Bike Ride

Took a bike ride today. Only 6 miles and I feel both energized and drained. I haven't been out riding much this season.

it shows

Everything about me is even softer and fatter than usual. Getting out to ride today was Hard. I won't deny it. I did not want to go out riding, and I had a whole list of excuses and an even longer list of just plain crap reasons. I have been feeling pretty down lately, and I knew that if I went out riding that I would feel better.

I didn't really want to feel better, I wanted to revel in the black mood that's been settling on me.

I had to force myself, and I forced myself. -- I a, so happy I did.

That mood that clung onto me so deeply just couldn't keep a hold of me as the miles and laps clicked on. Eventually it just fell off and for now, for a short time I am free.

Cycling Manifesto

Alright I know this Isn't new and it isn't mine. If you know where it first came from please let me know so I can give credit.

Update: David Troyer commented on the source of the Cycling Manifesto as Skip Bennet of Surly Bikes http://www.surlybikes.com/blog/2514/

Thanks David.

The Cycling Manifesto

- If you think your bike looks good, it does.

- If you like the way your bike rides, it’s an awesome bike.

- You don’t need to spend a million dollars to have a great bike, but if you do spend a million dollars and know what you want you’ll probably also have a great bike.

- Yes, you can tour on your bike – whatever it is.

- Yes, you can race on your bike – whatever it is.

- Yes, you can commute on your bike – whatever it is.

- 26” wheels or 29” or 650b or 700c or 24” or 20” or whatever – yes, that wheel size is rad and you’ll probably get where you’re going.

- Disc brakes, cantis, v-brakes, and road calipers all do a great job of stopping a bike when they’re working and adjusted.

- No paint job makes everyone happy.

- Yes, you can put a rack on that. Get some p-clamps if there are no mounts.

- Steel is a great material for making bike frames - so is aluminum, carbon fiber, and titanium.

- You can have your saddle at whatever angle makes you happy.

- Your handlebars can be lower than your saddle, even with your saddle, or higher than your saddle. Whichever way you like it is right.

- Being shuttled up a downhill run does not make you a weak person, nor does choosing not to fly off of a 10 foot drop.

- Bike frames made overseas can be super cool. Bike frames made in the USA can be super cool.

- Hey, tattooed and pierced long shorts wearin flat brim hat red bull drinkin white Oakley sportin rad person on your full suspension big hit bike – nice work out there.

- Hey, little round glasses pocket protector collared shirt skid lid rear view mirror sandal wearing schwalbe marathon running pletscher two-leg kickstand tourist – good job.

- Hey, shaved leg skinny as hell super duper tan line hear rate monitor checking power tap train in the basement all winter super loud lycra kit million dollar wheels racer – keep it up.

- The more you ride your bike, the less your ass will hurt.

- The following short answers are good answers, but not the only ones for the question asked 

29”

Brooks

Lugged

Disc Brake

Steel

Campagnolo

Helmet

Custom

Rohloff

NJS

Carbon

31.8

Clipless

Porteur

- No bike does everything perfectly. In fact, no bike does anything until someone gets on it to ride.

- Sometimes, recumbent bikes are ok.

- Your bikeshop is not trying to screw you. They’re trying to stay open.

- Buying things off of the internet is great, except when it sucks.

- Some people know more about bikes than you do. Other people know less.

- Maybe the person you waved at while you were out riding didn’t see you wave at them.

- It sucks to be harassed by assholes in cars while you’re on a bike. It also sucks to drive behind assholes on bikes.

- Did you build that yourself? Awesome. Did you buy that? Cool.

- Wheelies are the best trick ever invented. That’s just a fact.

- Which is better, riding long miles, or hanging out under a bridge doing tricks? Yes.

- Yes, you can break your collar bone riding a bike like that.

- Stopping at stop signs is probably a good idea.

- Driving with your bikes on top of your car to get to a dirt trail isn’t ideal, but for most people it’s necessary.

- If your bike has couplers, or if you have a spendy bike case, or if you pay a shop to pack your bike, or if you have a folding bike, shipping a bike is still a pain in the ass for everyone involved.

- That dent in your frame is probably ok, but maybe it’s not. You should get it looked at.

- Touch up paint always looks like shit. Often it looks worse than the scratch.

- A pristine bike free of dirt, scratches, and wear marks makes me sort of sad.

- A bike that’s been chained to the same tree for three years caked with rust and missing parts makes me sad too.

- Bikes purchased at Wal-mart, Target, Costco, or K-mart are generally not the best bang for your buck.

- Toe overlap is not the end of the world, unless you crash and die – then it is.

- Sometimes parts break. Sometimes you crash. Sometimes it’s your fault.

- Yes, you can buy a bike without riding it first. It would be nice to ride it first, but it’s not a deal breaker not to.

- Ownership of a truing stand does not a wheel builder make.

- 32 spokes, 48 spokes, 24 spokes, three spokes? Sure.

- Single speed bikes are rad. 

- Bikes with derailleurs and cassettes are sexy. 

- Belt drive internal gear bikes work great too.

- Columbus, TruTemper, Reynolds, Ishiwata, or no brand? I’d ride it.

- Tubeless tires are pretty cool. 

- So are tubes.

- The moral of RAGBRAI is that families and drunken boobs can have fun on the same route, just maybe at different times of day.

- Riding by yourself kicks ass. You might also try riding with a group.

- Really fast people are frustrating, but they make you faster. When you get faster, you might frustrate someone else.

- Stopping can be as much fun as riding.

- Lots of people worked their asses off to build whatever you’re riding on. You should thank them.

Going Crazy

Photo Credit: Jiuck

Yep this is pretty much how I feel. I guess I could best describe it as "less than Stable" while I think others might describe it as "Smoldering powder keg of violence". I have always thought that the others are a bit over dramatic.

I haven't ridden my bike since November, and it shows both in my state of mind and my state of belly. Which is well on its way to declaring it's own statehood. I'm down to 3 days a week for work (which is at least one day a week less than what I really need to live on) So lots of happiness there and I am seriously considering taking up alcoholism as my new hobby.

There are few other things that I just don't feel like talking about here on the interwebs but I do see at least a little light ahead (with my luck they are Headlights)

The weather is getting better, well to the point that I should be getting the bike out soon. If I can find time to ride it (Please please please) I am sure it will help at least a little. if not....

I never had much use for sanity anyway.

Homebrew

Photo Credit: Anders Adermark

Well this winter has been a tough one. I will admit that I am not one of those who ride all year. while I did enjoy riding much later into the winter than I usually do I just am not all about the wind chill and frostbite. So I have had to find other things to occupy my time.

Relax, Have a Homebrew

That is just what I have been doing. I like 2 million other people got a MR. Beer for Christmas, and if you are one of those people who turn up their nose at Mr. Beer, that's fine the world needs narrow minded stuck up a$$holes. Im not sure what the world needs them for but then that is neither here nor there. So i have spent the last month and half with something in the MR. beer constantly. and I have gotten to drink a surprisingly small amount of beer.

This must be remedied.

After all I have standards to maintain.

Still what got me thinking about this is just how similar this hobby is to my cycling hobby, and perhaps this is a common factor in most hobbies but it seems like all spring, summer and fall I always had that one more thing I needed to buy. just one more tool, one more part. one more brake cable/innertube/bottle of lube. I kept telling myself that I would eventually achieve a critical mass of sorts where I wouldn't have to run out to the LBS everytime I wanted to do anything with my bike.

That Never happened.

Still now as I go about switching watt output and gear ratios for Specific gravities and IBUs I find myself facing the same creeping problem. Just like in the summer when I couldn't walk past kraynicks without being sucked in and spending about 20$ more than I had planned, 'discovering' that i just had to get that left handed penny farthing spoke tightener 'just in case'. I now find that my new cash flow nemesis is South Hills Brewing Supply. Bottle capper, bottles, oak chips, yeast energizer (think red bull for a fungus) hydrometer refractometer eleventy dozen little bits of plastic can upon can of sticky stuff (I think you get the picture)

Of course after reading what I just wrote I'm not sure if this a common factor of the hobbies or is it just me?

Vegetarian Thoughts

Photo Credit: Chotda

Well I have been trying out the whole Idea of either not eating meat or eating very little meat (I haven't really decided). While I did eat meat on Thanksgiving it was the only meat I have eaten for quite while. Now let say first and foremost that this is not some animal rights / environmental / political thing. Cause it is none of those things.

I think meat is delicious and deserves to be eaten.
I Don't have political leaning (at all)
I doubt anything I eat or don't eat will have any effect on the environment

It was just time for a change, time for a chance for me to look outside my comfort zone and try to something I have never tried before. Over the past couple of weeks I have learned some things.

1. This is difficult
2. No regular reseraunt has any idea what no meat means
3. At home I have a surprisingly large number of options.
4. Not all Vegetarian meals are healthy
5. Some People are really cool about it
6. Some People - not so much.

I expected some of my friends to tease me (and I am happy to say they did not let me down) The photos of meat pizzas and steaks I got on my phone were what I expected and had less of an effect than I thought they would.

You see I love eating meat. I thought I would have a really hard time giving up meat but so far I haven't gone through the withdrawal that I thought I would. So things are looking up and the lunch I had today was crazy tasty.

Vegetable Broth
Rice
Canned Vegetables

add salt pepper and garlic powder and you are good to go. I think the whole thing cost me like 4 bucks.

Making change is hard

Photo Credit: MKSavage

I had a conversation with a friend of mine last night that has really given somethings to think about.  We are both the same age and are both Larger people (I am far larger than he). We were talking about just how hard it is make a change for the better, and how seemingly easy it is to make a change for the worse.  To make things worse we both seemed to be surrounded by people who seem to think the answer is to just say;

“It’s easy just don’t eat so much.”
or
“Why don’t you just get more exercise?”

To me, that is like telling an alcoholic, “Just don’t drink.” or a smoker to “Just don’t smoke.” Having been a smoker and having struggled to quit I can tell you that those words ring hollow. When I hear things like that I just want to tell the person;

“No really, it’s easy, just don’t be a dick anymore.”

While I have never had the guts to actually say that, there were times when those words danced on the tip of my tongue. We talked for quite awhile and while we talked I knew this conversation would cling to me. I knew I would be carrying parts of this conversation for a long time after I had hung up the phone. We talked about needing to make a change in our lives and having to find a way to do more than just talk about making a change.

This is a difficult thing.

I have long preached about the evils of ‘I Can’t!’ and it is true, I believe that I can make a change. I also believe that making that change is going to be hard and if I have learned anything in the years I have lived it is that I will fail over and over again. I’m thinking I need to change the meaning of ‘Fail’ and ‘Succeed’.

This is also a difficult thing.

I’m not sure I have any answers, which makes me really uncomfortable. I’m a guy, we are all about having the answers, and making sure you know it.

I look at the idea of ‘Change’ and ‘Fail’ and ‘Succeed’ and I see how I need to change the meanings of those words in light of what I am struggling with. I need to stop looking at the forest and start looking at the trees (yeah I went there, reverse cliche) I end up overwhelmed thinking

“I’m old”
or
“I’m fat”
or
“I’m lazy”

When I really should be thinking

“I’m alive”

Each Moment is new, each moment is a chance to make a better choice. I have to find a way to forget about all the choices made before the eternal NOW. I can’t change them and worrying about them is going to me more harm than good. Now every moment can be a chance to make a better choice, rather than a time to regret the past.

Some thoughts about Cycling

Photo Credit: The Colour Blue

I have noticed some things this weekend. These aren't earth shaking revelations and to be honest they are things I realized before but have been brought into a clearer focus for me as I have them repeated. I have been house-sitting for a friend in Brentwood and I have been enjoying cycling to work in the mornings and being walking distance to several shops (including Giant Eagle, Liquor store, and Caribou Coffee)


View Larger Map

The Idea of becoming less car dependent has been brewing in the back of my mind for several months. This is just a little ironic since I don't have a driver's License so I am by my very nature very car independent. Still I have seen that there are many things that go into making a neighborhood more, or less, Pedestrian/Cyclist friendly. I have always known that I live in a Very Pedestrian/Cyclist unfriendly township (Penn Hills).

I ride my Bicycle in Penn Hills, I visit my family, go to the store, and sometimes (not often enough) I go to the gym. I am not afraid to ride my bike in Penn Hills but I admit I feel out of place riding my bike in Penn Hills. The roads are narrow, the shoulders are worse, and the drivers seem to have no idea what to do with me. So these last few days have been something like a Bicycle Heaven for me.

Now granted we are much closer to the city where I am staying and I know this is part of the reason for it. I also know that I am lucky in that even in this neighborhood I am on the main ridge and close to shopping area. even a few blocks away from the main road and you are facing some rather daunting hills. What I am saying is that I begin to see what a neighborhood built around the idea of a Pedestrian/Cyclist being the main form of transport would look like. I also see just how far we are from ever achieving that.

and that is a very sad thing.

Consideration

Photo Credit: Rik C

Something happened to me recently. I am thinking that this is something that has happened slowly over the past few months and I am only now beginning to understand it. I realized the other day as I was walking down the street. I passed several bikes locked up at bike racks and I realized that I recognized several of the bikes from the bike ride last week. I began to realize that I am becoming part of the cycling community. I find that I like the idea of becoming a part of community.

I’ll admit that when I first began to dip my toes into this community I was a little fearful of what I would find. After all I am not what anyone thinks of when they think of cyclist. I was afraid that I wouldn’t be accepted by the community here in Pittsburgh. I was worried that I would be looked down upon because I am a Fatguy on an Orange Bike

I am not a girl pants wearing hipster riding my fixie, playing polo and drinking either PBR or some strange named specialty beer.

I am not a Lycra wearing Roadie riding my carbon fiber bike and worrying about getting my miles in.

I am not an environmentalist who wants to ban all cars and use bicycles to change the world.

I’m not any of these things and yet I am welcomed into the community simply because I like bikes.

World Car Free Day

Today is World Car Free Day and I would urge you all to take a little time today to just think about how you could use your car a little less today.

Think about what being a little less car dependent would mean to you.

Think about walking to the store instead of driving.

What kind of change would that mean?

Would you have to decide what is really important to buy?

Would you have a new outlook on your purchases?
(weight instead of price)
(need over want)

Would you consume less if you knew that taking the last slices of bread meant either a bike ride to the store at night or no toast with breakfast?

Would you understand that a car as a tool is a great and wonderful thing.
but
A Car as a master is cruel and that handicaps you and teaches you "I Can't"

Leave the car at home, take the extra time to think

Take the extra time to learn "I CAN"

Commute

Photo Credit: ME

Today marks my first full week of commuting to work (at least part of the way) by bicycle. As I sit here at lunch I look back on this last week and consider what lessons I have learned.

First lesson:
Blinky Lights are not optional in the morning.  I figured this one out on Monday morning, as I rode at the blistering pace of 9 miles per hour. I had looked for my headlight and had no luck finding it but the annoying red blinky light helped me stay visible on the early morning ride in.

Moral: Be Safe.

Second Lesson:
I have yet to get over my last accident.  Back in May I tore up my leg with a good case of road rash and messed my shoulder up.  While I have ridden since then I had not ridden as much as I have this week, as well as having all that riding be on streets I'm only marginally familiar with.  I realized that the ride was stressing me out and I was riding slower than I used to. What really made it clear to me was descending 18th street to the SouthSide.  This is a long twisty turny narrow road that I found myself going down really slowly. I noticed that my hands and shoulders hurt from gripping the handlebars and tensing.   As the week went on and I found myself getting more comfortable on the roads and on the hills. This made riding in a little bit more joyful each day.

Moral: Have Fun.

Third Lesson:
Its easy to get cocky. Really easy, so easy in fact that you don’t even realize it until afterward.  There is something about doing something that most other people don’t do (like riding into work) that just tempts you into feeling superior.  As I was walking out of the parking garage where I lock up my bike I saw a guy in a fast looking sports car pull into the leased parking section.  I had to wait for him to pass before I could cross and I stood there thinking:

“Look at you with your gas guzzling hundred thousand dollar car, You should be ashamed!”

I wanted to look around for the pompous AssHat who said that before I realized that the pompous AssHat was I.

Moral: Don’t be a Dick.

Fourth Lesson:
The term “Hill” is a relative one. OK let me preface this thought by admitting I have a long running love hate relationship with hills, Specifically climbing hills.  I’m a big guy, I weight a lot (not as much as i used to), My bike is a big heavy orange bike, it can be difficult to drag that weight up the hill.  My first ride on Saturday was a lot of huffing and puffing, and wondering just what I got myself into.  As I became more familiar with my surroundings and learned what to expect from the road ahead it became easier. In my mind the hills (most of them at least) became smaller.

Moral: Don’t over-think it.

Riding In

Photo Credit: Me

This week I will be house-sitting / Dog-Sitting for a friend while he is enjoying himself on a well deserved vacation. While the dog I am watching is just a hair smaller than a large SUV (Airedale) and I love the dog, I am really happy to get to work today since it gives me a bit of break from having the giant dog sitting and staring at me with a ‘Who are you’ look.

So in preparation for my big experience next week (more on that later) I have decided to to ride the 8.5 miles from where I am staying into town on my bike. The ride was just about as perfect as I could have wished for.  I was surprised that at 7:00 am this morning I got the last open rack at the I am learning that the neighborhood I am staying at is a much more bike-friendly neighborhood than I am used to. At the very least, these people know how to drive when there is a bike around (unlike the people in Penn Hills who seemingly either freeze up or actually aim their car at me.)

Photo Credit: Me

On my ride, I passed a mural on 18th (for those who know 18th is a HILL, not a hill, not even a Hill, but a HILL!) and I had to stop and take a pic. Then it was back on the bike and down the hill, through the Southside and onto the Trail and into town. This kind of ride really makes my day, it reminds me of the fact that I can do these thing. I can accomplish more than I think I can. Moreover I can accomplish these things as a Fat Guy on Orange Bike. I am constantly wondering about this. If I can make it into town from Brentwood on my bike then why do you Mr half caf double pump whole milk foam Caramel Macchiato with a sprinkle of nutmeg feel like you have to drive your car the 3 and half blocks for your fix

People Are Strange

Photo Credit: J.Star

People are strange when you're a stranger ~ The Doors

The more I ride my bike in Penn Hills the more I think there is some kind of reality distortion field the encompasses me. Again I headed down to the local grocery store. I should be used to it by now. It started when I locked my bike up to the Handicapped sign.

“You can’t lock that up there.” said the guy bringing in the carts

“Excuse me.” I asked

“You can’t lock that up here.” He repeated. I had heard him the first time I just needed a moment to collect myself lest I decide to do something I regret. Like beat this man senseless with the u-lock in my hand.  I reached down and finished locking the bike to the sign, I took my helmet and attached it to the strap of my backpack and took a deep breath.

“tell you what, James (I read his nametag)  I’m going in. If you really have a problem tell the manager. I won’t be hard to find.” I turned my back and walked into the Store.

I saw the manager several times as I walked around. I nodded and he nodded back. Now on to summer repeats. Checking out I tell the girl ‘No bags please’ and proceeded to put my stuff in my Backpack.

“You ride your bike here?” she asked, noticing my Helmet.

“Yep” I said simply not offering any more. I packed up my groceries (minus my lunch) and headed out to my bike, unlocking it and walking over to the nice shady tree to sit and enjoy my lunch.  (Twinkies and Cherry 7up) While sitting under the tree I had two cars stop and ask me if I was ok.

Really

Some of you are thinking that it was good that people were asking me if I was OK. is it really? I wasn't trying to fix anything on my bike or even touching my bike. I wasn’t sprawled out trying to recover from some hill or asthma attack. I was sitting with my back against a tree eating a twinkie and drinking a bottle of pop. What about that other than I wasn’t in a car sounds so out of place that people had to stop and see if I was OK?

As I sat there I was reminded of a short story I read a long time ago. I had to get on the internet and look it up but I found that it was called "The Pedestrian" and was written by Ray Bradbury. You can watch the an animated version of it below.

Another Reason

Photo Credit: Google Image Search

I was hanging out on the Bike-PGH Forums when I saw this post "Bikes Belong on LA Streets" and after reading it I realize that Pittsburgh has yet another reason to be ashamed. Actually we have 1663 reasons to be ashamed. Since LA is planning on 1663 miles of bike lanes/bike friendly streets. Along with the Idea of Education and Enforcement.  Education and Enforcement are without a doubt two of the most important things you can do to make roads and trails safe for everyone.

It is just those things (Education and Enforcement) that are so seriously lacking here in Pittsburgh. Cyclist are regularly attacked, cut off, forced off the road. Don Parker was struck and killed in the middle of May, The driver was to busy freeing his flip flops to even notice that he had hit anyone, and still no charges have been filed (Really?!?) Couple the idea that drivers have no idea how to drive around cyclist or what rights the cyclist have with the knowledge that should they hit someone with their car there won't be any legal backlash and you only have one place

Pittsburgh

Making a Difference

Photo Credit: Google Image Search

It doesn’t happen all that often, I guess this is what makes it such a special occurrence. Today I was talking to one of the guys I work with and he mentioned that he needed to go to the post office at lunch. I let him know that the post office had moved and he should make sure he knows where it was. At lunch he let me know that he was going to make the trip sans car.

It's a good feeling.

the Post Office isn’t all that far from our office (perhaps a mile) and it is one of those trips that can easily be made either on a bike or on foot without much trouble. We had been talking about the idea of being Car-free and the idea that there is a sliding scale between Bike-Free and Car-Free and each day you make choices that moves you along the scale one way or another. He talked about how he could never be ‘Car-Free’. My answer was that most people could never be ‘Car-Free’ and that the idea was to end up less dependent on an automobile.

The Idea, My Idea is not to be ‘Car-Free’ but to make choices that allows you to be ‘Less Dependent’ on your Automobile.

I wanted to repeat that not just for you but also for myself. To often we take the view of ‘All or Nothing’ and I think we do a huge disservice to ourselves and those around us.  By taking that ‘All or Nothing’ view we end up alienating those we could be reaching. By accepting the fact that not everyone could be ‘Car-Free’  and even accepting the fact that not many people WANT to be ‘Car-Free’  I can then help people to move out and accept the idea of stepping out of the thought process that says. ‘Everywhere I go has to be by car.’ and once people believe that they can do things without using a car I believe that they will do things without relying on a car.

That one thing is my fondest wish. I am tired of people believing that they can’t [fill in the blank].