I often stumble the internet, casting my eyes on dream jobs that may allow me to ride my bike as a profession. Unfortunately, Bike Cop lost its appeal after the second grade, and racing requires more spandex than I’m comfortable wearing. This week, when I discovered Google’s plan to map the world via pedal power, I found new hope.
Google Street View Trike allows viewers an intimate 360 perspective of the world. We all have an uncanny feeling when we see our house, business, or bike documented on the internet, but that’s the evolving world of cartography, get use to it. Google Street View Trike, a vehicle unleashed by engineer Dan Ratner, aims to map more paths, parks, zoos, campuses, and public spaces than their Street View cars. It also helps the Google team reduce their carbon emissions while increasing their heart rates.
When google purposed a competition last month for the first trike ride, Boulder Creek Path jumped on top of the “parks and trails” category. A possibility to log online and explore a 360 view down the Canyon depends on Boulder’s support. The voting ballots remain open until November 30th, and if we all hop onto google.com/trike we can support our local trail.
Check out the Daily’s article and GO VOTE:
http://www.dailycamera.com/archivesearch/ci_13757429?IADID=Search-www.dailycamera.com-www.dailycamera.com
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Just Pullin My Chain
Tonight was cold enough to make a polar bear shiver. I was riding home and I had just crossed the street to the other side. I stood up to get more leg power in order to conquer the slick icy road. Not only do I horribly slip, but my chain jumped off as if it were frightened from the cold. Next thing I knew I was on the ground with my bike atop of me. Not only was I in pain but it was right during traffic hour and I saw 4 pairs of eyes gawking at me in awe and 'awe' my god that's embarassing look. Of course I stood up like nothing happened and a raised Jeep roars by with the passenger saying, "get a fixie!" I thought to myself, "that son of a nun has the audacity to say that to me in a vehicle?" So I fixed my frightened chain with my numb fingers, and quickly sped back to my warm cozy house. Never again, should anyone have to experience what I did.
Holiday Spirit
This post is in response to an article from: http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2009/12/07/Police-Stolen-tree-balanced-on-bike/UPI-48651260205679/
It would be a crime not to share this story with the biking community. Police in Portage, Indiana recently arrested a man for stealing a Christmas tree. The story would normally stop here, but the man attempted to flee the farm on his bike. Police encountered the man riding an electric bicycle with no lights and a tree balancing upon his handle bars. I must admit, I admire the man’s dedication, but balancing a Douglas Fir, off the handle bars, at 1 in the morning seems a little dangerous. The individual tried to claim he obtained the $40 tree from his local pub, and not from the farm where the price tag indicated. The police returned the tree to the farm, and charged the man with theft and public intoxication. Nothing shows your holiday spirit more than strapping a tree on your bike and recklessly swerving down the highway.
It would be a crime not to share this story with the biking community. Police in Portage, Indiana recently arrested a man for stealing a Christmas tree. The story would normally stop here, but the man attempted to flee the farm on his bike. Police encountered the man riding an electric bicycle with no lights and a tree balancing upon his handle bars. I must admit, I admire the man’s dedication, but balancing a Douglas Fir, off the handle bars, at 1 in the morning seems a little dangerous. The individual tried to claim he obtained the $40 tree from his local pub, and not from the farm where the price tag indicated. The police returned the tree to the farm, and charged the man with theft and public intoxication. Nothing shows your holiday spirit more than strapping a tree on your bike and recklessly swerving down the highway.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Don't Give Up!
This article is in response to a blog entry on the CU Bookstore blog:
http://cubookstore.blogspot.com/2009/09/face-off-biking-versus-walking.html)
An un-cycled life is not worth walking! I recently read a blog on the cubookstore.blogspot.com that discouraged me. A student of CU gave up her bicycle for walking, and I just don’t think she gave it a college try. I want to extend this post to that student, and encourage her to get back on, and try again. I can’t imagine not riding my bike everyday, but I understand the concerns some may have when navigating campus.
First, let me address the issue that campus sits on a hill. Until I read this in the post, I forgot the topography of campus. After you fully dedicate yourself, hills become afterthoughts, and climbs put a smile on your face. I come from the rolling hills of Western Pennsylvania, so maybe I’m accustomed to climbing, but you can learn too.
As for the obstacle course of people, it rarely bothers me to slow down and ring my bell. Boulderites respond when they know a biker’s behind them, something you may not find in other communities. Also you may want to consider passing on the left, not the right. Think about it like the highway, right lanes for coasting, left lanes for passing, just make sure no one’s in the way.
Finally, don’t give up after one bad fall. We all crash, and sure it hurts, but that just makes you a better rider. I crash on a weekly basis, but because of my frequent falls I know how dismount without getting hurt. You’re not alone in worrying about crashing, but you can regain confidence, it just takes time.
So, Laura of the cubookstore.blogspot.com, consider these few quick tips to get you back out on your bike. Try riding once or twice a week, start slow, you may find you begin to rekindle your bicycle relationship. Also, ride through the nice weather, and walk in the snow. Boulder maintains mild, sunny weather throughout the winter, sometimes throwing on the hat and gloves and riding to class perks you up for those 8am classes. Face it, walking is slow, buses are crowded, and cars…well don’t get me started, you know your bike misses you, go take it for a ride, bikes never disappoint.
http://cubookstore.blogspot.com/2009/09/face-off-biking-versus-walking.html)
An un-cycled life is not worth walking! I recently read a blog on the cubookstore.blogspot.com that discouraged me. A student of CU gave up her bicycle for walking, and I just don’t think she gave it a college try. I want to extend this post to that student, and encourage her to get back on, and try again. I can’t imagine not riding my bike everyday, but I understand the concerns some may have when navigating campus.
First, let me address the issue that campus sits on a hill. Until I read this in the post, I forgot the topography of campus. After you fully dedicate yourself, hills become afterthoughts, and climbs put a smile on your face. I come from the rolling hills of Western Pennsylvania, so maybe I’m accustomed to climbing, but you can learn too.
As for the obstacle course of people, it rarely bothers me to slow down and ring my bell. Boulderites respond when they know a biker’s behind them, something you may not find in other communities. Also you may want to consider passing on the left, not the right. Think about it like the highway, right lanes for coasting, left lanes for passing, just make sure no one’s in the way.
Finally, don’t give up after one bad fall. We all crash, and sure it hurts, but that just makes you a better rider. I crash on a weekly basis, but because of my frequent falls I know how dismount without getting hurt. You’re not alone in worrying about crashing, but you can regain confidence, it just takes time.
So, Laura of the cubookstore.blogspot.com, consider these few quick tips to get you back out on your bike. Try riding once or twice a week, start slow, you may find you begin to rekindle your bicycle relationship. Also, ride through the nice weather, and walk in the snow. Boulder maintains mild, sunny weather throughout the winter, sometimes throwing on the hat and gloves and riding to class perks you up for those 8am classes. Face it, walking is slow, buses are crowded, and cars…well don’t get me started, you know your bike misses you, go take it for a ride, bikes never disappoint.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Angry about Traffic Laws? Or just your lack of common sense?
This article is based on a letter to the editor published on November 11. See the letter here:
Are you really claiming to be ignorant that a stop sign means STOP?
I know which stop sign you speak of. It’s the one with the police officer handing out tickets to the huddle of skateboarders and cyclists a few yards away. It’s also the only stop sign in that direction for that obscenely dangerous turnaround right after Folsom on Colorado avenue. The one that I watch students nearly every day come seconds away from mashing someone on a bike because the drivers in the turnaround don’t have a stop sign. Thankfully, most of the cyclists do, which is one of the only things preventing against the cyclist shmear.
I’m not sure why anyone biking on the road surrounded by thousands of pounds of steel just a foot or even inches away wouldn’t find themselves capable of following one of the most basic rules of the road: stop at stop signs. It’s Colorado law to follow traffic codes if cycling on the road. Even if someone is claiming to be unfamiliar, or “ignorant” of traffic laws, the cop standing a few feet away surrounded by irritated cyclists should probably be a dead giveaway that now is the time to follow EVERY law…not just the traffic-related ones.
As far as a safety class…guess what? Those are expensive, too. In a capitalistic society we’re going to be punished through monetary loss. Besides, do I really want to be forced to take a completely useless basic traffic law course just for cruising through a stop sign? Not really…especially when it’s probably going to cost as much as the ticket. I’d rather pay and be done, and skip the training-wheel class. If you can’t figure out basic traffic laws while cycling, you’re giving us all a bad name... so get back on the sidewalk.
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