Car Doors

Avoid car doors.

Which is simple, straight forward advice. But I have to remind myself of it most every time I ride. The best thing is to ride about 3 feet to the left (mostly) of the parked car. It sounds simple. But that moves you into the lane of traffic a bit more.

Mostly, that is a good if slightly unnerving thing.

Scan the parked cars and see if there are people in them. It isn't a sure way of avoiding the quickly opened door, but it does help keep you alert.

The light blub goes off

I ride to work most days. That's all I really know about when it comes to bikes. So going forward,I will just write things that occur to me while I ride. How simple is that?

First thought....cars are good things. They are like a ball peen hammer.

If you want to work a piece of sheet metal, a ball peen hammer is a great tool. Well designed for baning metal in to shape. Sure, you can use other tools, but that round knob is perfect for that use.

Cars are the same. If you want to move a group of people they offer flexibility, comfort and safety.
Or if you just need to go a long way, the car lets you do it pretty fast and on your own schedule.

So cars are good tools.

But bikes are good tools too. And for a lot of everyday things in my life, a better tool than a car.

I like investments in infrastructure as a rule. Make the roads smoother, fix the sewers, that sort of thing. Can't say I'm a big fan of seal coating though. It's messy and makes for a hard bike ride.

My main east-west ride(42nd st,) has been seal coated last Friday. In an effort to avoid the dust and unsafeness of that mess, I have been using 40th street to get over to the light rail line. What a treat. Lots of up and down. Not a real exciting ride, but a great change from the normal commute.

I think I've fallen into the commute pattern of going the same way all the time. Tossing a bit of change in, riding down a new block, finding a few more hills is a great way to keep the ride fresh. And the new route also make me concentrate more, differently a good thing while on a bike. It's when I get into wool gathering mode, when I know which stop signs I need to be really careful around, and which only require a brief glance, that I get lazy and in to trouble.

On other note, Ray, get the knee scoped and cleaned out or what ever you need to do. When fall is in the air, the temps dropping and the wind is picking up, when I can get back to the HC Saturday morning rides with something approaching regularity, I want you on my wing.

Things I've seen:

Two kids on one bmx bike, the passenger in front of and blocking the view of the pedalr, crossing Hiawatha ave on a diagonal, not even looking for cars in either direction. They made it somehow.

Some of the Major Taylor bike club out for a ride. You should read up on Major Taylor. Interesting interesting guy.

More bike commuters. Many more.

Some one fatter than me riding a bike. That is hard to believe, I know, but it happened.

At least 2 different Big Dummies, one extracycle, and several trailers.

Shortening days.

Summer is rolling along nicely. Work is hectic and my yard is a mess, I'm exhusted pretty much all the time. The lack of rain make the commute pretty no hassle and I've had one flat up to this point.

Still trying to lose weight, but that seems a struggle about now. I read somewhere that excersing with a bit lower heart beat will help you burn fat, so I may give that a shot for a week and see what happens.

I am also grilling more. I grill year round. It's just that in the summer, I hate heating up the kitchen. Chicken, pork, some burgers, pizza, veggies. Grilled asparagus is a great thing.

And summer is half over . The dog days are still ahead, but the days are shorter. Tiemjust seems to go so very fast .

I was Door County, WI for most of the week. Family get together thing. Had a very nice time.

I am lucky. I like my sisters.

Was able to take the bike and do a little riding. Not a ton of miles, but nice 20-30 milers. The ride on Thursday was very good. Was able to hit some hills. One of which my sister said 'I get nervous riding up that one in a car.'

There are a lot of road side farm stands their. Door county is known for there cherries, and I was hoping to grab some to make jam. But you really want tart cherry's when making jam.

After talking to a couple of the people working there, this is a hard year for the farmers over their. Weather has pretty much totaled the cheery crop. The trees are fine, but some ill timed frosts and lack of rain has made the trees go almost dormant, as far as fruit production. Lost of the stands are importing cherries from Michigan, and they still have to maintain there orchards. Tough times for the farmer.

Did get great beans and asparagus and beets. I could never be one of thoes 'eat local' people, who will only eat that which is locally produced. But eating fresh produce really is a treat.

Had a fun and wet ride in to work on Sat. I came across the HC ride, and tagged along for a bit. It has to be the best group ride in the cities. Fun people and a great vibe. Broke off by the Greenway, and then into work.

You should support the mid town greenway. Do that here

My legs have felt tired of late. I think it's just valley, cause for most this spring (now summer) I've felt pretty strong.

I put black spacers on my fork. I think the bike is faster now. Not really, but sort of.