Rising Gas Prices Don’t Lead to an Increase in Happy Cycling Adopters

I’ve been reading several posts lately about the expected rise in gas prices in 2012 and the potentially positive influence it might have on the cycling population. I think there maybe some influence but I definitely don’t think there’s much causation.

When people get excited and eager for gas price increases, I think they are exhibiting a lot of misplaced optimism. Maybe they live within walking distance of their office, grocery stores, and great restaurants. Perhaps, they live in temperate climes and in flat regions and don’t have to ride through ice and snow, searing heat, up hill riding a Huffy. No offense to Huffy, of course.

But I would suggest that the average commute for most people isn’t in the  3-5 miles range and may actually be closer to 29-50 miles. I  tried to find a national average but was unable to find a definitive number. And because of those distances, I think that the burden of rising fuel costs will be felt disproportionately by the people least likely able to afford it.

I think about this conundrum- the effectiveness of  offering alternative forms of transportation – every time I go out to Denver International Airport. It’s about an hour long drive from where I live. But I imagine that for the people that work there making minimum wage their commute can’t be much less. Why do I think that? Because Pena Blvd is 13 miles of prairie, uninhabitable waste land. Yes, there are a few condos out there, but no where to buy groceries, go to school, or out for an evening. In other words, the barista serving you coffee probably drove in from places quite a distance away and  just had to spend approximately two hours of their working day just paying for the gas to do it. And it’s not like commuting by bike is an option. Yes, I’ve seen the commuter bus, which drops off and picks up airport employees  to take them to DIA, and it’s somewhere out in the middle of cow pasture-ville, which in order to get to they had to drive. There the ones that get hurt, when the price of gas spikes.

I did not take this picture nor can I remember where I saw it

Yes, I believe commuting and other forms of transportation are important but let’s be honest that without investment in other ways to get around, rising gas prices just means many are stuck paying higher fuel prices. That’s it. Rising gas prices doesn’t immediately translate into a cycling-friendly utopia, with everyone riding Dutch bicycles. It more likely means less alternative and more creative ways to get around.

No Ride – Cycling Post About Hygiene

This weekend was just too darn cold to ride. I know there may have been some die-hards out there on Boulder roads this past Sunday but I was not one of them. Instead, hubby and I drove out to Hygiene to check out the Crane Hollow Cafe, which is something I’ve been wanting to do for years.

(Yes, we drove. But look at that picture to the left. Snow on the roof and icicles hanging from the eaves, it was enough to keep this gal indoors, drinking coffee and eating pie. )

I’ve always cycled right through Hygiene without stopping, in a hurry to get on my way to Carter Lake. Each time, I whiz through town I always think “one day, I’m going to stop and have coffee or breakfast there”. And to be fair, I was never certain what their hours were but now I know they are open til 2pm on the weekends and serve breakfast all day.

Hygiene is also the only place I’ve ever gotten a ticket while riding my bike. A group of us were out for the day, and were probably headed towards Carter Lake or places beyond. Each of us did a roll-stop through the only stop sign in town. No sooner had we passed through that two or three cop cars descended on us and corralled us into the middle school parking lot, where we each got a hefty fine.  We were informed that the appropriate way to stop, was to unclick and place our foot on the ground.  We were each a bit miffed at the situation but to be fair, cycling clubs in Boulder have a tendency to swell to 30-40 riders and not heed many of the street signs. I guess they had to send a message somehow.

Fortunately, that little incident did little to dampen my enthusiasm for Hygiene. And as soon  as the temperature is sitting comfortably about freezing, I’ll be headed back out for biscuits and gravy (or shit on a shingle, if you’re from S. Texas) and a frothy coffee.

When Did Nostalgia Get Cool

A View from the Hotel Boulderado

Hubby and I celebrated our 15 year anniversary this past weekend so we treated ourselves with a night at the Hotel Boulderado. The Hotel Boulderado is a historical landmark, boasts that Teddy Roosevelt stayed a night and has that old world feel. We were lucky and got to stay in the older part of the hotel. They remodeled many years ago and essentially bolted a Holiday Inn style extensions onto the back of it. Sigh.

There are a couple of room accessories that are both modern and strangely out of date. The digital alarm clock. I haven’t seen or used one of these for a several years . It’s red block letters gleaming from the faux wood box was out of place amongst into the traditional wall paper and wrought-iron bed frame

The view from the window the next morning was classic Colorado especially since we had received an 18inch dump of snow over night. The grey, overcast skies gave the whole morning a lovely older world sheen, which got me thinking about the appeal of olden times. When did that appreciation for days gone by begin and which ages are really missed?  I don’t think people of the Renaissance thought “oh, I do so miss the black death from those medieval times”.

Before Fast Tracks You Could Catch a Train

But here we are 2012 and guys are wearing flat caps, we have Tweed Rides, and speak-easys. Not that I’m complaining. There’s are quite a few things from the past that I wish we still had, like the train that used to run from Denver to Boulder, old-timey looking bars and safer roads to ride. Of course, there are a number of exceptionally awful things that I think best remanded to the past.

But it’s interesting to note what styles and trends come back around. But I don’t think the digital bed side clock will be one of them.

Winter Cycling Blues

From Copehnagenize. She looks like a stoic, I'd be crying

It’s the middle of winter and my cycling habits and enthusiasm have taken a hit. I was driving out to Lyons last weekend, which is north of Boulder, and watched as the strong, die-hards wrestled and leaned into the wind. A couple of stoics had called “uncle” and were walking along side their bikes up the steep hill back into boulder. I did not blame them one bit.

But how do you regain your cycling passion when gravel-caked shoulders, wind burn and grey skies greet you as you wheel out of the garage? I read about all the amazing adventures and stories other people post:

Path Less Pedaled -I’ve been following the adventures of these two over the past year or so. They’re now in New Zealand and having a mixed-bad of it,  I think.  But a great read and will leave you inspired!

Momentum Blog – Checking out what’s new and exciting in cycling culture and advocacy. The most recent post – Urban Cycling Book – looks awesome.

Girl Bike Love – THE cycling site for women. (I also help them out a bit, so nuff said:-))

The Ride Journal - Think of the type of journal you would want to create to capture your cycling adventures and then check out the great writing is this magazine devoted to cyclists.

Temps in the teens. Mittens, Claws or Gloves?

Tomorrow’s high will be 36, so the ride in will probably be closer to ridiculously frigid. Any suggestions for toasty-fingers?

I think I might wear all three

A Book Review: Shop Class As Soulcraft & Redefining the Value of Work

I was originally drawn to the title Shop Class As Soul Craft after watching Jack Nickell of Threadless at the TEDxBoulder event last summer. In his presentation, he challenged everyone to make something, every day. I was truly inspired after the event. The idea of making something – anything – with my hands held a very tactile appeal for me and is one I don’t often get to experience simply working on a computer. I probably romanticize the idea to some extent but believe there is overlooked value in being able to make or repair things.

Jack’s talk is why I picked up the book at the Boulder Book store. I don’t know what I was expecting but this is a weighty, thought-provoking, get-your-dictionary-out, academic book. Maybe I was expecting some sort of feel-good expose on the rising importance of self-reliance and need for craftsmen, which is in there but there is so much more to it that simply recommending shop class be brought back or kids learn how to use a table saw.

Here are some of the major ideas that I’m still thinking about a week after finishing the book.

On custom options for a bike or teddy bear. Are we really creating or making an original object? According to the author…

A judgement of the goodness has already been made by some dimly grasped others…The consumer is disburdened not only of the fabrication, but of a basic evaluative activity. The consumer is left with a mere decision…..But because the field of options generated by market forces maps a collective consciousness, the consumer’s vaunted freedom within it might  be understood as a tyranny of the majority that he has internalized.

The readiness to do away with intuitive judgment and replace it with rules.

The crux of the idea of an intellectual technology is the “substitution of algorithms (problem-solving rules) for intuitive judgments. These algorithms may be embodied in an automatic machine or computer program or a set of instructions based on some statistical or mathematical formula.

Standards

Standards have a universal validity… A carpenter faces the accusation of his level, an electrician must answer the question of whether the lights are in fact on,…

There are many more of these ideas throughout the book and I highly recommend picking it up. I know that when I finished it I thought about my own work, what I create, what standards I aim for as a definition of success. It’s a little harder when it comes to creating content; there is no universal standard for defining it’s quality. Maybe good grammar or sentence structure is one definition but assessing its quality can be considered a subjective thing unlike whether the lights are on or off.

There is just so much to this book, so many ideas on how work has evolved, how reliance on judgement and intuition have become less valued in some industries, namely those that are more easily outsourced.  And so the jobs once perceived as lower on the pay scale, requiring less critical thinking are the ones that may blend the skills and intelligence most suited for the 21st century. The plumber, the mechanic, the tailor may be the jobs of the future – the ones where what you make and its adherence to a universal standard of quality are the jobs that reemerge as coveted professional roles.

Using the Globe to Travel Locally

Now I Can Wear Cute Skirts When I Ride

I'm not sure what to name her

You know you’ve got an ingrained view of how things work when you swing your leg over a step-thru bike. Being a sad creature of habit that  is just what I did on the first day I rode my new Globe up to work. It was the first Monday back after the new year. I was super excited to ride and the first thing I did was swing my leg over the wonderfully-designed step-thru. sigh.

I didn’t really need another bike but I was also tired of limiting my wardrobe to jeans and such when I rode. It’s hard if not impossible to wear a skirt and mount a regular bike without a lot of maneuvering or careful bike placement and emerge with  any sort of dignity. I’m sure more graceful women can pull it off – I am not one of those women.

Christmas, an observant hubby and a great friend from Specialized all came together to

Soon this will have flair

provide me with a gorgeous, red, single-speed Globe! It’s perfect. The front-end basket relieves my weary back of the burden of carrying a laptop, lunch and extra clothing. The included bungee cords, one of which I have lost already, allows you to cinch everything down snugly. The bike glides along pretty effortlessly and braking is easy if a bit noisy; the coaster brake screams efficiently that you are stopping and the hand brake is as efficient if quieter. The bike is unexpectedly light considering the huge basket and full fenders, which is great since it is a single speed. Fortunately, there aren’t really any lung-burning hills I have to climb on my commute, like 9th st.

The only problem is me. I can’t seem to get the hang of stepping-thru the bike. I expect once the temps warm up a bit and I’m wearing a skirt that the movement will come pretty naturally. In the meantime, if you’re interested in a easy to ride, step-thru, with tons of carrying capacity and a place to put your fav picture, check out the Specialized Globes.

Coffee Shop Rides – Denver Bike Cafe

I love the idea behind The Denver Bike Cafe . A coffee shop that allows you to sip a brew, get your bike tuned and bring your own snacks is a place I can see myself hanging out. I realize there’s only a tentative link to the concept of a coffee shop ride because we drove rather than rode to Denver but I made an exception because I think this concept is great.  Because it was the day after new year’s eve and I was not nursing an early morning hangover like most of the Boulder, the drive to Denver was pretty quick. I may be admitting mee-maw (granny) status but to my defense a truck-load of congestion had been deposited into my sinuses a couple of days before making feel like my head was 3x larger than normal and everything tasting like wet cardboard.

The first thing we noticed when we walked into the cafe was that there were a lot of chairs. I mean. a. lot. And, sadly, not

Lots of chairs

many people siting at them but I really think that’s because it was new year’s day.  The place was huge and divided into two areas: one side containing a number of patio tables strung together; the other side featuring the bike tune-up area. We ordered a couple of americanos, which weren’t bad but noticed pretty quickly the large selection of Colorado brews. A large outdoor seating area (remember, I said there were a lot of chairs) would be the perfect place to enjoy an Upslope after an urban ride.

Yes, we could have ridden and probably will try to this summer but sometimes cycling culture can be enjoyed off the bike, too.  Denver Bike Cafe could have used a few more cycling-inspired posters and images but the music was great and the baristas were really friendly. I can’t complain about my start to 2012.

Sip, Tune, Ride

We Lost Another One – Why Women Abandon Cycling

From a great collection of women on bikes

Recently, I was chatting over coffee with a young woman about cycling in Boulder. We were talking about the various trails around town, our commutes, and our fear of getting our bikes stolen from downtown.  She went onto to describe a new fear she was experiencing; she was becoming more nervous about riding in town due to the increase in the number of aggressive riders. Cycling, for her, was simply not fun anymore. Sadly, I understood what she was saying.  Although Boulder is probably one of the most cycling-friendly places in the U.S. (and yes, I have lived elsewhere, namely San Antonio & Austin, which when I left were probably ranked 150 and 151 respectively out of a group of 151 friendliest places to ride a bike), it’s also packed. Whether you are riding, driving or walking in town, Boulder is a busy little town. I don’t think Boulder has an inordinate number of aggressive drivers. I just think the chance of a cyclist and a driver having a negative encounter is probably a little greater simply due to the number of people getting around using lots of different forms of transportation (i.e skate boarding, roller-blading, etc).

Later, what concerned me more than my friend’s fear was that she was considering giving up commuting by bike. And that’s when I realized this is how it begins. Young women, who may have been commuting for some time,  weary of the conditions of the road, the interactions with drivers and begin to abandon cycling. It’s not just that there is one less commuter on the road but what that change in perception means for her and our community over the long term. If people, especially women, begin to abandon cycling as an option for getting around then our hopes for more significant transportation changes will be an even greater struggle.

This point was further expanded on in a great article titled, Women in Cycling: Why We Matter,  written by Sarai Snyder over at GirlBikeLove. I recommend checking it out because if you are interested in seeing cycling expand in our communities then it’s critical to have women’s continued involvement and support. Can you imagine how much further along cycling adoption and commuting support there would be if more women were involved? I think we’ll move the needle that much more quickly if both men and women are part of the solution.

Coffee Shop Rides

Peanut butter & chocolate coffee yums

One Sunday awhile back I rode out to the Bittersweet Coffee and Bakery in downtown Louisville. Louisville is about 10 miles east of Boulder, with one or two steep sections to remind you that although you are headed east and away from the mountains, you may still be riding up hill.

We’d had a dump of snow earlier in the week leaving sections of the bike path icy and slick, which kept me extra vigilant and a bit on guard. There were only a couple of spots, where I dismounted. I canvassed the Twitter crowd on one area in particular and it came back pretty evenly split between dismounting and riding through. I dismounted and hobbled across the ice patch realizing too late how slick cleats are on ice.

What would you do? Ride or dismount?

I took the South Boulder Creek Path to Old Tale Road then onto Baseline. Old Tale Road has to be one of my favorite streets in Boulder: wide, bucolic, and with a feeling of an old country road. I rode Baseline until turning right onto 42, then followed the sign to Main St. Louisville. Pretty easy shot. You can make it even easier by going down South Boulder Road but I find it neither as scenic or as pleasant a ride.

The extra energy to remain upright in the icy conditions meant that I made a spectacle of

Santa and the Pinky DeRosa

myself wolfing and scarfing down a gluten-free peanut butter/chocolate dollop before I even got seated. I had intended to take a picture of it, but like many the plans of mice and men and something or other. But the coffee was good and the view of the inflatable Santa impressive.  Bittersweet is a coffee shop lover’s coffee shop. It looks like it used to be someone’s home with the dark wood paneling, divided rooms and tiny bathroom. You could imagine a family living sitting comfortably in one of the big chairs drinking a coffee. But now it’s an assortment of families, students and cyclists drinking mugs of coffee and indulging in the really amazing baked goods. The coffee is not bad either. I thought the americano was a bit bitter but hubby disagreed and said it was one of the best he had. I think the dollop may have coated my taste buds with a fine layer of sugar and made the espresso taste more tart than it probably actually was.

Since my ride we’ve received yet another big wallop of snow and the streets are more iced up now so it may be several weeks before I get out there again. Although, that may not be a bad thing after the holiday’s rampage through the pies and ice cream.