The 2014 Moonlight Ramble

Before I review the ride, a note:
Three weeks ago today, I participated in the Moonlight Ramble, St. Louis' annual midnight bicycle ride through the City streets. Three weeks ago, Michael Brown, an 18-year-old unarmed teen, was shot and killed by Officer Darren Wilson in the City of Ferguson, Missouri, just a couple of miles West of the city in the heart of inner-ring St. Louis County. The past three weeks have seen the heart and soul of this community rent wide as we face questions and issues that have been deeply buried for a very long time. I have been simply unable to post here about the event because of the magnitude of pain and uncertainty in our metropolitan area - pain and uncertainty that has touched people nation- and even world-wide. Stability is returning to the community, but we have a long road ahead of us yet, and a great need for healing and change. In light of the stabilization, I am now comfortable posting my review of the ride, but I want to name what happened the same day as the ride, and in the days and weeks that have followed, and which will likely be part of our story for a very, very long time.

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First and foremost, this event was huge! If there were around 1,500 riders at the World Naked Bike Ride-St. Louis, there were easily three times as many at the 51st annual MR. 

The MR is a charity event that takes place at midnight around the full moon in August. The cost is $25 and nets you a participation number, tee shirt, and benefits Hostelling International. You can choose routes of varying lengths; our group choose the 19-mile route. You can read more about it here and here.

In our group, we had Jim, Mary, Monica, me, and Mike (below, L to R). We met up at Monica's home, about 5 miles from the race start, where we decorated our bicycles before heading to the race start (below). We then took off. The first couple of miles were so closely-packed that we went pretty slowly, but things spread out a bit as we progressed over the course. We rode through downtown, and into South City, through neighborhoods and Carondelet Park, and back through Soulard. Afterward, we rode to Uncle Bill's Pancake House, where we refueled while the sun started to peek above the horizon.

Honestly? This ride was on the short list of my favorite things I've ever done and I really hope to ride again next year and in future years. It was long, but I wasn't tired while riding - it was simply too exciting. That said, it took me about 36 hours to fully recover from it - I was exhausted both Sunday and Monday.

Here are some photos taken by my friends:

Also: You can read Mike's review of the ride here! 

Bare As You Dare: WNBR-STL

Last Saturday was the World Naked Bike Ride-St. Louis, and I participated! This blog post is totally SFW, but the links may not be. Click through at your own risk.

The ride was a blast. I had so much fun. My friend Jules and I connected with friends Melissa, Matthew, Mary, and Steven, and we met up with friends Harold, Karen, and their son Eli, after the race, too. Beyond that, I saw just two or three people I recognized at the event, which suggests to me that:
(1) this was one of those times when St. Louis was being all "big city" instead of "small town" (it vacillates wildly between the two) and
(2) more of my friends should ride bicycles. ;)

For Jules and me, "bare as you dare" = "not any barer than we'd otherwise be in public", so we opted for bikinis for the ride, and I wore a dress over my bikini to dinner and shorts over the bikini bottoms for the after-party. The WNBR stands for a number of great things:

• Awareness and promotion of decreasing dependency on oil-guzzling transport ("burn carbohydrates, not hydrocarbons")
• Increasing cyclist awareness and visibility
  ("now that you see me, pay attention to me when I ride with clothes on")
• Positive body image reinforcement
  ("every body is beautiful")

I decided to play up the environmental aspects of riding, since those, together with increasing my fitness through easy and fun (not gym-specific) activity are my favorite reasons for riding, and "tattooed" burn carbs not hydrocarbons on my arm and leg in permanent marker (I'm much better at writing on my leg than my arm - the arm bit was pretty comically awful). 

By far, the highlight was the ride - over 1,500 (est.) cyclists from all economic and social backgrounds coming together. I love that bikes are a great leveler when it comes to other dividing lines to make a big and unified "us" group. When "we" take off our clothes and ride together, the effect is certainly amplified! I enjoyed all twelve miles - the camraderie and support from bystanders (and the hilarity of the occasional oh heeeellllll no) and was very happy to be at least partially-dressed, as not only did almost everyone have a cell phone, but almost all seemed to be set to video capture, judging by the way the bystanders were holding their gadgets. I was also perfectly happy to realize I was missing from all of the photos posted by the RFT (nsfw) Post-Dispatch (nsfw) and KSDK (mostly sfw). Ha! 

I also loved the creativity exhibited by the riders (in their various states of undress or dress). Our group really enjoyed City in a Jar Jess's "Starry Night" body paint (#64 of the RFT photos), and I was really inspired by a 1920s-flavor outfit featuring a pale peach slip that I might incorporate into a future costume. My rule is that if I am photographed, I have to be cool with my employer seeing it, so I'll never be very bare. Not that there is any shortage of folks who were willing to bare it all, though.

The afterparty was kind of a let-down for me, honestly, but I'm glad they have it. We just milled about for a bit, and then rode back to our dinner/parking spot in the Hill. Mostly, it was a celebration of gawkers and people who really like to be naked and/or drunk, but lost much of the context of the ride, and so lost the appeal for me. The only real downside, though, was that my rear light wasn't as charged as I'd believed, and died during the ride. In the future, I'll make sure the lights are fully charged the night before and leave them off for the ride - the sun didn't set until after our return, and in the middle of the pack, I had no need for lights to see or be seen during the group ride. Also, pack back-up lights.

Photo credit: My Hubs. S is drawing fabulous lightning bolts on M's arm.

Photo credit: Karen K.

In future bikey news, the Moonlight Ramble-STL is coming up on August 9, 2014. Unlike the Naked Bike Ride, where you can just show up, the MR requires preregistration and the deadline is this Friday, August 1, 2014. So sign up soon! I can't wait. It's a lot later (Midnight start) which might do me in, but I so enjoyed the big-bike-group dynamic on Saturday, that I'm looking forward to it. I may just sleep through church that Sunday...

If you prefer daytime riding, here are some upcoming group rides  in August hosted through B*Works and Trailnet:

Saturday, August 2, 2014 9:30am - B*Works Automobile Row Tour. From the event link: This tour visits several of the buildings from “Automobile Row” as well as other sites  of historic importance, including both the sole survivor of St. Louis’ first “private place” and perhaps the most overlooked literary landmark in the entire country. Free. Just show up!

Saturday, August 16, 2014, 10:30am - Trailnet I Love STL Bicrobrews Microbrewery Tour. From the event link: Several urban microbreweries are featured on this tour. Learn what it takes to craft a great brwe from some of St. Louis' finest microbreweries. Tastings and tours will be provided at many of the stops. Must be 21 to drink. $8 if you preregister online; $10 day of tour.

Saturday, August 23, 2014, 9:00am - Trailnet Old Frenchtown Bicycle Tour. From the event link: This ride explores two of St. Louis' most fascinating and historic neighborhoods, LaSalle Park and Soulard. Home to some of the Midwest's most interesting architecture, both of these 19th century neighborhoods retian the imprint of the various ethnic and religious groups that have lived and worked there. Both are also case studies in the effects of highway construction on the traditional city as well as models of late 20th century historic preservation and urban redevlopment. Preregister online or in person; $5 for adults and $3 for kids. 

Saturday, August 30, 2014, 9:30am - B*Works Old North St. Louis Tour. From the event link: Known for years almost exclusively as the “Crown Candy Kitchen neighborhood,” Old North St. Louis has experienced a remarkable renaissance in the past decade. This tour begins and ends at Crown but explores the entirety of a neighborhood that began its existence as an independent city with an unusual and  visionary urban plan. Free. Just show up! 

Personally? I am most interested in the Microbrewery and Frenchtown tour - I lived in Soulard for a bit while I was in law school and before the Hubs and I bought in the county. I was thrilled the WNBR tour cut through my old neighborhood, and went right by our old apartment near Broadway (7th) and Geyer. I would love to participate in the Old North Tour, too, but I'm not sure that will jive with some scheduling things for me. I love CCK, though, and would love to go!

These city tours are such a fantastic way to see parts of St. Louis you didn't know much about or maybe were reluctant to travel through alone or in an automobile. In particular, the Calvary Cemetery Tour (and its complementary second half, which will be hosted through B*Works in October) offered the great opportunity to ride to the cemetery through neighborhoods north of the CWE, which I haven't spent any time in during my 13 years in St. Louis. I so enjoyed the architecture and the positive interactions with the people who live there on our routes to and from the Calvary Tour. Cycling really erases so many of our differences and brings us together. It's another reason I love my bicycle.

If you have been thinking of joining us on one of these rides, I hope you'll jump right in (to reference the local music scene) at one of the August events. 

Cheers, and happy riding!

R

Semi-Bike-Related Miscellany for Summerrrrrr

New to biking? Awesome-sauce (if profanity-laden) tips for new cyclists for commuting harmony by Lorena Cupcake at TinyFix.

Language(!), but great tips for new cyclists. "Absolutely zero [ppl] say 'Whatever, Safety Ranger, what a nerd'." http://t.co/OtIRxWRQnf
— Rebecca B. (@seven2seven8) June 19, 2014

Earth-Friendliness. Do you ride because you want to be healthy and minimize your consumption/impact on the environment? Hey, me too, though I still rely on my car more than I'd like. (Womp.) Some other random things I do (hold on; it's about to get crunchy up in here):

• Compost
• Wash my hair with baking soda / rinse with vinegar
• Make my own deodorant 
• Buy second-hand clothing

Compost.  I compost for two reasons: (1) it means we send fewer refuse items to the landfill and (2) it's a cheap and easy way to feed my garden. I have a three-step system: counter-top container, back-stoop bucket, and a big container by the garden (on the other side of the yard). This makes composting easy; it's become second-nature. In the spring, when I'm ready to plant, I simply dump the contents of the bin in the garden, return the still-breaking down-bits to the bin (with a big shovel), and then mix the compost in with the soil. Et, voila. 

Countertop Compost

No 'Poo. I started this in March 2012 and haven't looked back since, because it works well for me, reduces my environmental footprint (fewer disposable containers), and reduces my exposure to chemicals like "fragrance" (often petroleum-based) and sulfates, which create the lather in your soaps, and suck the natural oils and life out of your skin and hair. Short version of the story: I wash my hair with 1 tbsp baking soda in 8 ozs hot water (shaken in a bottle, applied to wet scalp, massaged in with fingertips, left to sit for 2 minutes, and thoroughly rinsed), then condition it with 2 tbsp distilled white vinegar to 6 ozs cold water (in a spray bottle; applied mostly ears-to-ends, massaged or combed through, rinsed, and then a cold-water rinse of my head only under the bath tap to close my hair cuticles). The result, for me, is hair that is soft, manageable, and happy. Below is blow-dried straight with no additional product from December 2012, about 9 months after I gave up traditional shampoos.

This hair was washed with baking soda. No, really.

Homemade Deodorant. If you'll permit me to be human for a second, I sweat, and I'll bet you do, too. Antiperspirants helped a little, but I don't like the (petro-based) fragrance and aluminum in most commercial deodorants, and I was still sweating if I was really hot or nervous, so I thought I'd give natural deodorant a go. I could handle a little more sweating, and I liked the smell of the deodorant when first applied (like a field of lavender, I tell ya'), but the smell would morph into something really... off by the end of the day, so I looked up homemade recipes and in July 2012, made a batch with equal parts baking soda and starch (I used arrowroot powder, but organic corn starch works, too), mixed with enough coconut oil (unrefined, please - you can get it online or at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods) to make a thick paste. Through experimenting, I've decided I like to make about 8ozs at a time; I drizzle in a little olive oil to condition the skin and keep the stick from being too solid when it's cold, and I like a ratio of about ten drops of lavender oil, five of tea tree oil, and 2 of peppermint oil, though the plain mix smells nice on its own, if you like the smell of coconut (I do). I apply a pea-sized amount in the morning; it lasts all day, handles bike-to-work commutes and work-outs, and strong cases of the nerves (public speaking, anyone?) like a champ. 

Second-hand Shopping. I can afford "new" clothes just fine, but honestly? I often prefer to shop second-hand, for myriad reasons. Jeans are already broken in or hemmed. Retro florals are abundant (and those are fabulous for bike commuting, let me tell you). You can find items that don't look like what everyone else is wearing. And, after reading Elizabeth Cline's Overdressed, most of the manufacturing practices (ethical and environmental) of those big brands I'd come to rely on started to really bug me. Buying second-hand allows me to make someone else's shopping habits less disposable, and also saves money, because thrifty finds are a lot cheaper than what you'll get at the mall (and sometimes still have tags on). In 2014 so far (almost halfway through), a full third of my purchases have been second-hand items; another third of the items purchased have been through companies who practice ethical and/or environmentally-friendly manufacturing practices. My goal is to increase the percentage of my wardrobe that is purchased ethically (new through good practice or second-hand) and reduce my shopping in general. If thrift/charity shops aren't your thing, there are a number of for-profit resale shops focusing on youthful trends or high-end designers popping up throughout St. Louis (check out the shops on South Brentwood and in Warson Woods along Manchester, the designer section of Scholarshop, or Plato's Closet, or Rung in Rock Hill) that feel more like shopping at a boutique, but better for the earth and your wallet.

Bike Events. This weekend (weather-permitting, and with SO MUCH WATER), I'm going on the B Works tour of Calvary Cemetery. Links to other event calendars can be found here (including a link to Trailnet's bakery bike tour, also this Saturday).

As for future plans: 

• I still need to pick up my two-footed kickstand for the Linus and have it installed, and I'm thinking about removing my Delano front basket (heavy; not as useful as I'd have thought, I lost a nut and bolt on a recent ride, and it scratches my car when it's on a car rack).
• I'm thinking about swapping my drop bars on the ten-speed for swept ones, and getting a new saddle, but I may focus first on getting it professionally fitted to see if the shoulder/back pain I experience is avoidable with the present set-up.
• I still need to have my MTB worked on, but the other two bikes have been good about meeting my needs. 
• I kind of want to get an old-style bike rack for my basement. I kind of also want a walk-out (instead of up) basement. Right now, when bikes are downstairs, they are just leaned against the wall, which makes retrieving them difficult. Plus, if we someday do have a walk-out level or larger garage, it could be great there, too. I've thought about screwing hooks into our rafters, but lifting Fleur...sucks. (She's a heavy girl.) This appeals much more.
• I'm planning to visit my hometown (Topeka, Kansas) for July 4th, and I hope to explore a bit by bicycle. I follow some of the folks there on Twitter, and it's my understanding that they've installed some infrastructure (lanes, etc), and it'd be fun to just explore my hometown in a way I haven't done for nearly two decades. I expect it will surprise me how small it is; I mapped my childhood home to the mall (because the mall was the commercial edge of the western side of town for all intents and purposes when I was growing up), and it was a little more than half the distance of my (comparatively-short by St. Louis standards) work commute (3.7 mi vs 6.5 mi one way).

Any fun plans for you? Questions now that you know I'm a secret hippie?
Share or ask in the comments!

Cheers, and happy riding!

Grants Trail / Bike Links / Upcoming Events

We finally have a had a break in the humidity and we're getting our May weather in mid-June instead. Sure. Why not? It's been in the 60s in the morning and upper 70s most afternoons. We've had a little daily rain or the odd thunderstorm or downpour, but the humidity is much more manageable (either lower, or less oppressive due to the lower temps). It was still pretty muggy last Sunday, though, but I decided to ride the entirety of Grant's Trail, plus the trip to/from my house, which totals a little over 21 miles for me (the trail proper is around 16 miles round-trip, or about 8 miles start-to-finish). Every time I ride the trail, I am struck by how much I like it, and would love a connected network of trails like this to make covering large areas more pleasant. 

From the Kirkwood end, the trail starts out feeling suburban, with open, fairly-flat land, signaled crossing points where it intersects streets and arteries, and views of the backs of stripmalls. From there, it gets better, unfolding at Grant's Farm, which houses petting zoos, a train, and Clydesdales!

After Grant's Farm, you pass ball fields and a few more businesses.

But it's the other stuff that I find most interesting. You alternate between open fields and far-off backs of houses, to practically being in people's actual back yards, to railroad and highway overpasses and lush, overgrown vines and trees. With the humidity Sunday, it got downright tropical. And then it just ends, in the middle-of-nowhere (no disrespect to Affton/Mehlville intended) South County, with no indication that you're near anything at all (because other than a few homes, you aren't). You turn around and ride back to "civilization". 

In one open field, I saw a deer grazing contentedly.

On my return trip, a hummingbird hovered in front of me for several seconds.

The trail is remarkably flat (a nearly-imperceptible decline heading SE; a slightly-more-noticeable incline heading NW), can be busy (Grant's Farm users, other cyclists, joggers, rollerbladers, and the like), and  has parking at either end, plus a couple of lots in between. There's also a separate Clydesdale path marked, though I haven't tried it yet; I think it's a short loop?

I love this trail. I can relax and enjoy the ride, my thoughts, or music (I allow myself to do the one-ear-bud-only-low-volume ride-thing here, then remove them when I'm back on streets), and it reinforces all the things I loved about riding when I was a kid. I also love that animals don't skitter away (as quickly, if at all) when you're on a bike. It reinforces that this mode of transportation is earth-friendly, and people-and-creature-friendly, too. Bike-riding: Just a big ol' batch of awesomesauce.

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Upcoming St. Louis Bikey Events:

• Trailnet hosts a lot of rides throughout the week and on weekends for various speeds and styles of riding. You can check their entire calendar here. 
• In particular, for "ladies of the lane", there is an Arch Women event next week on Wednesday, June 18th - bikey crafts and beer at Perennial. More info here; preregistration is requested. It's free, but they are asking for a $5 donation to cover costs.
• A week from Saturday, on June 21, Trailnet is also hosting a bikey bakery tour ("Bakeries on the Rise"). Info here. Cost is $5.
• BWorks is a local organization that refurbishes and sells donated (to them) bicycles to raise money for bike training and donation to get children riding. How fantastic is that? They are hosting bike drives (to receive donated bicycles) at Weldon Spring on Saturday, June 21, and at Webster Groves on Tuesday, June 24. They are also hosting a family-friendly bicycle ride on Saturday, June 21, at Calvary Cemetery in North St. Louis. Info here. The Calvary ride is free.
• You can also check out Bike St. Louis for events and advocacy!

Just Ride Already, Will You?

I posted on April 11th that I've been struggling with returning to riding. It was a long winter and I was still recovering from a nasty chest cold when daylight savings time rolled back around. And then I ran out of excuses, but I still didn't ride. I feel like I've spent the better part of the past six weeks looking at the two bicycles in my living room (Fleur and The Radish) as if I don't know how they work. None of it makes sense. I really want to ride, and yet for some reason, the idea of commuting to work or church is met with a huge wall of emotional resistance.

Riders' Block, if you will.

In some ways, I sort of wonder if ignorance was bliss last year. I read a lot of blogs like Lovely Bike and LGRAB and Simply Bike, where the message is just ride; it's not scary, it's fun! And so, I did. As I started cycling, I rediscovered my Twitter account and have started following a lot of other avid cyclists, many of whom are staunch advocates for ditching the car entirely, for infrastructure improvements, and for shaping the car vs. bike discussion in any manner of ways. I devoured as much as I could in order that I might discover tips and tricks, or avoid problems other riders had encountered. And when there was something that frustrated a rider, I could sometimes revel in the idea that things that weren't easy or pleasant for me weren't always easy or pleasant for others.

Perhaps it was continuing to digest all of this information during months when cycle commuting felt out of the question - icy, hilly roads with heavy and rapid traffic patterns, and a sun that insisted on setting before I would get up in the morning or leave the office in the evening - but it started to feel complicated.

It's not complicated. My brain is trying to make it tricky, but it simply isn't. I just need to ride.

So today's post is in preparation of three bike-related events I have coming up in the next week or so:

1. I'm taking a fun ride with Melissa this weekend;
2. I'm taking a Cycling Savvy class (at Melissa's gentle suggestion) next week; and 
3. I'm going on the local Cycling Savvy bike ride next weekend.

I am looking forward to having a reason to get on the bike, and frankly, someone to keep me company. Melissa and I will be exploring the frustrating parts of my bike-to-work route and trying some possible alternatives. And, while I've made it clear in prior posts that I'm on the side of protected bike lanes and more cycling infrastructure (I don't particularly enjoy riding with or in traffic), there are parts of St. Louis City and County where you must engage in vehicular cycling, and becoming more familiar and more comfortable in that role will hopefully kick the anxiety portion of my not. riding. Finally, a group ride will hopefully help to connect me with other riders in my local community (and perhaps, other relative beginners).

So, a shout-out to Melissa, because whether she realizes it or not, she's really the rallying force that's getting me back on the saddle, and soon. 

Here's to National Bike Month.

Let's go for a ride.

x

#ReplaceBIKEwithCAR

#replacebikewithcar has been trending on Twitter lately, and it's nothing short of amazing.

Round-ups:
Treehugger
Twitter
Ragetweet on Tumblr
(language, y'all. don't say I didn't warn you. but you'll laugh. and cry.)

My favorite Tweet?

#ReplaceBikeWithCar pic.twitter.com/D88kWC4yFK
— JustBikeTbay (@JustBikeTbay) April 5, 2014

Happy Valentine's Day!

Best wishes to you on this Valentine's Day - hope you are spending it with someone (or doing something) you love.  

Also: this is adorable.

Also-also: this little bit of warmth makes me smile on this very slushy day!

Free hot cocoa for car-free commuters at Tower Grove and Shaw until 9 am! #bikethelou @STLMetro pic.twitter.com/daIzPSK3E1
— Trailnet (@Trailnet) February 14, 2014

Location, location, location...

I mentioned here that my husband and I went to see about a house in December. And then, last week, that we had submitted an offer. As of a few days ago, we are officially under contract. We are currently waiting for news on a couple of contingencies so that we can formally inspect the home, and hopefully, we won't find anything too surprising. Assuming no deal-breakers, we should close at the tail end of February or beginning of March. We won't move in right away. There is a lot of work to be done to get the home ready - it needs a new kitchen, the plaster walls and ceilings need some major TLC, and there's a little evidence of water damage here and there so that we will want to make sure the plumbing is in good shape throughout the home. There is, of course, the other cosmetic stuff you would always expect: painting, refinishing floors, etc. And we'd like to update the windows, which probably haven't been replaced in 40 years or longer. And, all things being equal, I'd love to convert the fireplace from wood-burning (nonfunctional at present) to gas (warmth at the flip of a switch). At least, those are the things we know about and are planning for now.These things may change.

While, ostensibly, this development has nothing to do with cycling, it really does do, which you likely recall from past posts. The home is in a much more cycling-friendly area. It is four times closer to my office (one-and-a-half miles vs. six), half the distance to the nearest bike trails (one mile versus two), a handful of blocks from a bustling, walkable and bikeable area with racks a plenty, stores, restaurants, and entertainment, and a hop, skip, and jump from the nearest MetroLink stop - I can eschew my car pretty easily, weather-permitting (and frankly, after driving in snow and ice and slush on Tuesday and Wednesday, I'd rather have bundled up and let the light rail whisk me to work and not worry about the terrible drivers out there who don't adjust their driving for weather and road conditions. At all).

There are a couple of trade-offs. We'll be (relatively) a lot farther from the grocery store (at least one mile from the nearest one, and probably farther for preferred stores), and my commute to church will become eleven miles instead of two. And I go to church frequently (I volunteer extensively there, and will continue to do so at least through the remainder of 2014, and I'm not even considering changing churches).

It's about a wash for my husband's commute. It's shorter, but the principal routes to/from are more congested, though the option of the MetroLink becomes available to him if we move into the new home. Similarly, the yard is smaller, but will also require less work to maintain, and less water, too. Both neighborhoods have a strong sense of identity and are perfectly lovely.

In total, the benefits really seem to outweigh the drawbacks. I go to work at least five days per week versus usually no more than three days at church (there are weeks when I'm there four or five days out of seven, but that's fairly rare). There are a number of days when I need to work late, and so does the husband, and being able to get home quickly to have lunch with the dog would be good for both of us (me; the dog). The shorter commute makes walking (half an hour versus not-an-option) or biking to work (10-15 minutes versus about 50) a real and meaningful option. The very close proximity to parks and trails makes getting outside to play more often another easy option for us (especially since we won't have to drive to get there). We can walk over to all these great restaurants. On nice days I can walk to see a movie or a band play live at a couple of different venues, too, activities I truly enjoy. 

Really, it's about buying into a change of lifestyle. We can walk to a few things now (grocery store, a couple or three restaurants, a couple little shops), but we usually don't. It requires crossing a large arterial road and walking through parking lots, which is, frankly, kind of awful. When we walk, it's most often when we want to pick up or drop off a Redbox movie, because we can at least take the dog with us. "We" can bike to a trail and church, or over to the neighboring 'downtown' without interacting with the arterial road, but by "we", I almost always mean "me", since my husband prefers to stick to trails (he doesn't feel safe or comfortable on many roads), and most of my riding friends don't live in the area. Where we are is safe, and suburban, without crossing into exurban territory, but I've been itching for a more urban experience for a while. Our trips to Europe in 2008 and 2012 and Australia in 2010 have only cemented this desire for me. (I also spent four summers in London in 1990, 1995, 1997, and 2003, lived in Massachusetts and relied on rail to commute in 2000-2001, and embraced the bus as a means of traveling to and from college classes for three of the four years I was in undergrad. I really loved the ability to get to different places without a car that each spot offered.)

I read a post recently by Santa Cruz cyclist Richard Masoner (@cyclicious), whom I've recently begun following on Twitter and the message really resonated with me. 

[Being green // avoiding traffic // saving money // exercise] aren’t reasons to bike — they’re just nice bonuses. If I felt like I had to bike to work to save the planet and my wallet, I’d probably hate it. The Santa Cruz County Bike To Work website repeats those “reasons” to bike to work, which is fine, but ignores the most important reason: We bike because we like it. Biking is fun. It feels good.

I don't want to pursue this lifestyle change (which includes, among other things, cycling) just because I should. I want to do this because it feels good, and it's exciting.

Feb Car-Free & Shift Your Commute

This showed up in my Facebook newsfeed earlier this week:

Post by Trailnet.

I think this is a great initiative. 

I thought about trying to incorporate more MetroLink options into my commute - my office is only about 3 blocks from a stop - but my home is not near any MetroLink stations (the nearest is 4+ miles away, which means I might as well just ride my bike the entire way to work and back - it's only couple of miles farther). I could hold my breath for additional expansion, but I don't think we're there yet. 

If I were closer to a MetroLink stop at home, I'd consider participating for sure. Which brings me to this... Last month, I mentioned that the husband and I are considering a move to another part of St. Louis County. Well, we put an offer in on a house, and it's currently in negotiations (we are not yet under contract; just the most attractive offer at the moment, so I'm not holding my breath and neither should you). If we are able to work out the contract details, the home would be substantially closer to both mass transit and my office, making regular biking, walking, and MetroLink-ing a truly meaningful possibility. I have visions of only using my car sporadically during working hours, and it's kind of making me giddy. 

If the home works out for us, it would still be a few months before we move, so that rules out any meaningful bicycle commuting in February, but would put me in a good position to start riding more regularly when the weather and daylight hours cooperate more frequently than they do in January and February. So, don't hold your breath, but if you wanted to cross your fingers for us, that'd be fantastic. I suspect -- hope?? -- we'll know if we're at least under contract by the next time I post. 

Cheers, happy riding, happy walking, happy MetroLink-ing... and stay warm, whatever it is you're doing!

St. Louis & Complete Streets

From the "Better Late Than Never" Posting Dept... *

*a reference to the fact I usually post on Fridays...

Approximately two months ago, a "Complete Streets" bill was proposed in St. Louis County. It was met with a lot of questions and push-back, was tabled and revised, and resubmitted last week... and it passed!

Complete Streets means designing new and redesigning existing streets to be more usable by everyone - cars, bicycles, the disabled/wheelchair-bound, pedestrians, young, and elderly. 

I am thrilled with this development, though I know it will be slow-going due to the cost and the state of current infrastructure. Many roads have been expanded at the expense of wide-enough lanes, adequate sidewalks, or adequate frontage (just yeesh, Manchester Road in Rock Hill/Warson Woods and points West).

Here's a recent article with more info from the local paper (the St. Louis Post-Dispatch).

The measure was contentious, to say the least. There is a strong contingency of riders who believe that riding in traffic ("taking the lane") is safer and makes riders more visible. There are other riders who just feel more comfortable in a designated bike lane (I'm in this camp, rightly or wrongly), and who often argue that dedicated bike lanes will encourage more women and other riders unwilling to take the lane to begin commuting. 

I believe both are correct - I do agree that bike lanes present issues with visibility, with distracted drivers, and with maintenance (Chicago tweeters have often complained this winter that the main lanes are plowed, while bike lanes remain icy, slushy, or otherwise obstructed), but others don't trust the drivers to be less distracted just because you're right in front of them, or simply aren't comfortable sharing a lane when the 30-pound steel contraption is traveling at about 20% of the speed of the multi-ton, steel contraption. I do think that both camps generally can agree that more riders makes bicycling safer, because the more cars see bicycles on the road (whether in bike lanes or regular lanes), the more they look out for them and learn to share the road. 

Of course, there are the folks who are totally against bicycle infrastructure because they do not want to share the road with either a cyclist or a dedicate lane. A major argument comes from the belief that bicyclists are gaining a major benefit (at the high cost of revamped infrastructure) without contributing (generally, because the bicycles, unlike the cars, do not have to be registered, the riders don't have to be licensed, and bike-ownership taxes aren't paid on an annual basis). Many people also feel that roads were built for the exclusive benefit of cars. I think these arguments fail, for the following reasons:

• Drivers don't cover the costs of roads. Gas taxes go to highways, or to a general fund. The funds are woefully inadequate to cover the staggering cost of construction and upkeep.
• Most cyclists are also car-owners. Even in bike-friendly Portland, Oregon, 89% of cyclists also own cars. Ergo, fuel and vehicle property taxes are paid by nearly 9/10 of cyclists who choose to get around by bicycle from time to time (or even most often). Oregon's laws also dedicate a portion of vehicle-related taxes to provide for infrastructure for walkers and cyclists. 
• Further other, non-car-related local taxes paid by home owners and consumers which go into a general fund are used to pay for roads, and this often includes people who live in an area, regardless of how they get around.
• Roads may have been built for cyclists. Many people believe that cars drove the paving of America, when, in fact, the original push for pavement came from the two-wheeled set, not the four-wheeled one.
• On a practical level, driving makes us less healthy, while walking and cycling improve our health. Americans, in particular, are notoriously sedentary (between driving places and sitting all day at work). Recent studies show excessive sitting is a predictor of heart disease and other ailments, that walking or other daily exercise (like cycling) can offset all that sitting, that being stuck in traffic is bad for heart congestion and stress levels. Some studies even suggest that long commutes are detrimental to your relationship. 
• Meanwhile, alternative forms of transportation are good for your overall mood and well-being. I know that - no matter how much I've tried to talk myself out of a ride (usually due to time constraints) - every bike ride has given me "Bikey Face" and has made my day better, not worse, in terms of my general well-being. Also: it's a fabulous way to improve your general health.

One of the things that most strikes me, however, regarding the objection to bike lanes by cars...
So many of the objections have to do with not wanting cyclists (slow) in the way of cars (fast). Cars have to pass them, or get stuck behind them, and the resulting frustration lends itself to a lot of animosity toward cyclists. A bicycle lane, however, gives the bike a clear place to be so that the car lane is more often open for cars (for a bike lane does not preclude a rider from using the car lane*, though it does preclude a car from using the bike lane). Isn't that a nice solution for cars? If drivers could safely drive by instead of behind a transportation cyclist moseying along at 7-10 mph, wouldn't that make the drivers happier? All I ask in return is that drivers quit texting and drinking and driving and keep an eye out for me and other riders, and not try to turn right across our path... Isn't that a suitable compromise? This doesn't fix the "take the lane" arguments or preclude the need for a bike rider to sometimes ride in the flow of traffic rather than in a dedicated (or absent) bike lane, but if you're in the "roads for cars" camp, doesn't a designated corridor make you happier? More bike-friendly?

*Missouri cyclists are not required to ride in a shoulder or bike lane that is unsafe due to parked cars, debris, or other obstructions. In fact, cyclists are granted all the road rights of cars pursuant to Missouri state law, subject to a few special rules about lighting/reflectors, default lane position, and signaling. 

If you even think about suggesting the proper place for bicycles are sidewalks, please note that in Missouri and many other states, there are entire swaths of sidewalks (usually the same places where sidewalks are most prevalent) where bike riding on sidewalks is often illegal.


All in all, I'm pretty excited about the passing of Complete Streets. I see it as a fabulous opportunity to continue to increase discussions and awareness about cycling as a safe and meaningful alternative to driving, to help both cyclists and drivers better understand their rights and responsibilities when sharing the road, and hopefully to create a better sense of camaraderie between the two camps that are so often pitted against one another. Really, most cyclists are also drivers. They are all someone's spouse, child, parent, sibling, friend, or and/or lover, as are all drivers. We're all in this together, and I see Complete Streets as a fantastic opportunity to try to find the things we have in common, rather than focusing on the things that divide us. Hopefully, this starts by encouraging more people to use our roads in new and different ways, by realizing we all want the option to get to work safely and conveniently (however we're traveling), and that we're all pitching in to fund these roads, sidewalks, and bike lanes, however we are choosing to get around any given day. 

Cheers, and happy (and safe) riding...and driving!

Beautiful Bicycle Infrastructure

It was 16°F when I left the house this morning, and while the sun is up before I leave for work, it's still below the horizon before I leave the office, so it will be a while yet before I return to a work commute. I'm holding out hope that I can try a short winter ride to church and back one of these Sundays (I was out of town when the weather was perfect last weekend, natch, but Sunday is predicted to be sunny and 50°F, so I'm sure hoping to get a ride in. The only real question is which bicycle to take?

While I'm waiting for the thaw, I thought I'd share some photos of and links to beautiful bicycle infrastructure. It was, first and foremost, inspired by this recent Twitter post:

Dutch streets aren't wider, infra is a choice. Adelaarstraat Utrecht 1977/2009. Pics via @RobHeerdink & Streetview pic.twitter.com/Y6AEkGhQVc
— Mark Wagenbuur (@BicycleDutch) January 14, 2014

Source: Oregon Economics

Source: TreeHugger

Source: The Urban Country

Source

Quiet Winter Days

Hi there,

I know it has been quiet on the blog lately. My days have been long on activities, but short on light, and I don't have a lot to report on the bike front. I want to post things which are interesting or beautiful or useful for anyone reading, rather than filler. So things may be quiet as we embrace the winter solstice and hunker down for Christmas in my corner. I'll be back and posting as I have more to report. 

A few anecdotes...

I am reading, and enjoying, Elly Blue's Bikenomics. I will post a full report when I finish the book. 

Melissa has published her report on the Great Rivers Greenway bike infrastructure program of last month. 

My mom recently found a bright yellow Columbia jacket from when I was in college. I think this will be a  great commuting jacket in the winter and spring. 

I have inspired a fellow cycling enthusiast to ride to our choir rehearsals! He has been really fabulous about using two wheels instead of four to travel the short distance between his home and the rehearsal venue, and we have fun chatting about bikes and lights and what to wear while riding. I hope to return to the shorter commutes soon, too. I miss riding, and he is excited to see the updated Motobecane (one of his bicycles is a 60s Raleigh).

Finally, and who knows what will come of it, but the husband and I have been chewing on a possible move at some point. I currently live 2 miles from church and 6 miles from work. I'd love to shorten the work route without drastically lengthening the ride to and from church, though those neighborhoods are few and far between. It's been exciting to contemplate a shorter work commute, though--I can afford a longer ride to and from church, and would be able to ride to work much more regularly if I could make riding and driving more interchangeable, time-wise. When it takes 15-18 minutes to drive vs 50+ (!) to ride, and especially with night falling at 4:30pm, it's been way too easy to be lazy and take the car. 

However you're spending these winter days, wishing you warm and cozy ones, happy holidays, and the best as we head into the New Year.