In his work clothes

Regular readers will know that I'm all about riding to work in your work clothes, and having a bike that allows you to do that.  For me, that means that I rely on lots of bright lights and the occasional reflective accessory instead of head to toe fluorescent/reflective stuff.

I've been away all week, testing to see how well my bike-conditioned legs deal with downhill skiing (the answer is quite well).  Driving down from the mountain into Denver yesterday, I spied this guy who was riding in HIS work clothes:

I'm pretty sure he's a construction flagger

What I couldn't get a picture of was that he had a bright orange "Stop" sign, with a 3' handle lashed to his top tube, parallel to the rear wheel.   He was riding home in his day-glo suit, still wearing his construction hard hat, cigarette in one hand.

Copenhagen on the Charles

This evening's ride down Cambridge street was full of so many glamorous people that I felt like an extra in a Copenhagen Cycle Chic shoot.

First, I saw this woman in an impossibly chic superscaled houndstooth coat dress and red sandals

Later I was passed by a European Gentleman on a nice looking Gazelle (you'll have to trust me on it, since the photo was lousy)  He complimented me on how my shoes and my bike matched.  It wasn't intentional of course, except that I like red.  Somewhat unusually for a European, he was wearing a (Bern) helmet.

Finally as I turned off to a side street, I saw another Gazelle locked up along the side of the road.

Weird coincidence, or is there something going on here?

Orange and Green

I always feel a bit self conscious taking pictures of people's saddles (while they're on them at least)
but this one looked like it was worth it-  forest green pleather to match the frame.

Nicely complemented with Orange helmet and red bag.

quick notes from vacation

Irene left us unscathed, save for a sleepless night where every wind gust threatened a tree coming down on the house.

On the joys of having a distinctive bike:  I parked my bike at City Hall Monday night at the same staple as Renata von Tscharner from Charles River Conservancy.  I didn't actually see her, but her pale yellow cruiser with the milkcrate lashed on the back is unmistakable.  She was gone by the time I got back, but I imagine she saw Gilbert and thought, ah,  Cycler is parked here.
Unless you had a friend with an art car, you'd almost never know if you were parked next to them in a public parking lot.  I love how bikes lend themselves so easily to distinctive customization.

Walking into the square, I saw a gentleman coming along with a real live bakfiets.   They're not very common here- I see more cargo trikes, longtails and trailer setups,  largely I think because there isn't a dealer of them around here.   I test rode one when I visited Portland a couple of years ago,  but I'd like to ride one again before making a purchase,  and as of now, you have to go to NYC (or know someone with one)  to try the various options out.

Anyway, long story short, I detained him for a couple of cycles of the light chatting about bikes, and when he introduced himself, it turns out that he's Aaron Naparstek,  a real live transpo-geek celebrity,  founding editor of Streetsblog.   He's in town from NYC on a Loeb fellowship at Harvard,  so I look forward to seeing him and his bakfiets riding around the square this fall!

locking up

So summery and elegant.

at the light

My Dad, the Cyclist

Like many people, my Dad was the one who taught me to ride a bike.  I remember him patiently giving me push start after push start down the gradually sloped sidewalk in front of Johnston Junior High across the street from our house in Houston. 

When we moved to the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks,  my Dad took up road biking.   He had commuted in college, when he lived at home with his widowed mom, about 5 miles from school.   He also nursed a love of sporty cars, but found that a bike was both a peaceful and convenient way to get around.

In the early 80's he did thorough research and bought a Fuji touring frame,  which he rode many miles.  He rode rollers for fitness in front of the TV,  he rode for pleasure in the rolling hills of the Ozarks,  he road to work 7 miles each way,  often adding loops to increase his milage and just for the fun of it.    He did a lot of research again and bought me and my brother matching Trek 420 bikes,  complete with granny gears and biopace chainrings and helped me outfit mine with a blackburn rack and kickstand so that I could ride it to school and later to work.  

He showed me how to remove the front wheel and properly lock a bike with a U lock,  how to properly wash a bike,  paraffin a chain, and  change a tire on the side of the road.  

More importantly than any specific bike skill he taught me,  he got on his bike every day and rode to work, rain, shine, cold.  Making time for a ride on the weekend was and remains a special treat for him in the middle of all the other tasks he takes on himself. (let's just say I learned a lot about home maintenance from him too).

For a while now he's been riding a recumbent.  He just found it more comfortable for long rides than the Fuji.  He's geared it super low, and even did the Triple Bypass in in Colorado, as well as an MS 150 we did together in Texas.  He's retired now, and looking into maybe getting another bike- either a 'bent trike, or maybe a semi-recumbent with bigger wheels.

Thanks Dad,  and wishing you many happy rides ahead.

Spandex free at the stoplight

Today was the first really glorious day in a month that's supposed to be full of glorious days.  68- headed to 72, sunny, breezy!  Aside from nearly getting run over by a sidewalk cyclist going really fast down my narrow sidewalk as I put out the recycling (and yes I did yell at her)  it was a lovely morning!

I was so distracted by the lovely weather that I overshot my first stop of the morning- compost dropoff.  I was 4 blocks past the Whole Foods on a one way street,  but I didn't think my office mates would appreciate a bag of partially rotted food sitting in the corner all day, so I turned back.

The area where they have the compost bins at the back of the parking lot is being maxed out for employee parking and storage, but  Gilbert could squeeze in just fine.

We headed out through the construction zone again..

And then found ourselves in a mini-convoy of lycra free ladies riding down broadway, over the Longfellow and up to City Hall.  I got a shot of the the other ladies at a stoplight- Such big smiles!

What a lovely day to ride a bike!

Almost got it

This woman was so elegant in her coral scarf, pale blue jacket and long lean boots, despite the rain.  I was glad to get a shot of her, but unfortunately the focus leaves something to be desired. damn you iPhone

Bike infrastructure porn

The Scientist is at a conference in the Netherlands (Utrecht) and he's been sending me photos and amazed emails about the sheer volume of bikes there.  It doesn't surprise me at all (I've been drinking the Kool-aid, and I've visited and traveled by bike there),  but it's been a bit of a shock for him, despite all my proselytizing.


A couple of photos of what we'd love to have happen here!
Bike parking at the train station:  You think finding your car at the mall is tough

On street bike parking

You can fit a lot more bikes in a parking stall than you can cars

Coming back from the market with life's essentials.

Note that the speed limit appears to be 15 Km/hr on a residential street.

Bike traffic

 Bike panniers in a shop- look at that selection!  Probably not a lot of choices for technical panniers, but tons of fun designs and colors.

And yes, I promise to post about the details of the Anderson bridge meeting, but thought we should have something fun for Friday!

wheeling and chatting

Saw this group of young ladies walking down the street- half with bikes, half without, chatting and enjoying the lovely evening.  I bet they were headed to Berry Line with half the rest of the square.

I have no idea if they're students or not,  but a comment from Somervillan made me think about how all the students coming back seems like a big teaching moment on how to use the streets.  I wonder if the city bike committee does anything to try to raise awareness of how to bike safely that is specifically targeted to students.  They could have pamphlets at bike shops,  booths at student activities days etc.
I don't think it would be amiss to have a few targeted "enforcement actions"  to at least hand out warnings about red light running, salmoning, and ninja biking.

Every time I've been in Target the last couple of weeks it seems like I've seen someone wheeling a bike as part of their back to school shopping.  On one hand, I think this is a good sign that bikes are "back"  but on the other, I wish they were buying "real" bikes.  I just hope that the BSO's they buy are a gateway to the wide world of bicycling, and not a turnoff due to poor sizing, construction etc.

one, two

Noticed this guy in a tie across the intersection

























And then there were two

And then they were off!

summer dress, little brick schoolhouse

For non-Boston  readers,  "little brick schoolhouse" is a euphanism for Harvard, where most of the dorms and many of the campus buildings are brick.

A bag of groceries, a summer dress over leggings.  Getting where she needs to go.

Groceries Pillion

I wonder what the story behind this is- did he carry her all the way to the store and back? Did they meet somewhere and he offered a lift?    She's sitting so nonchalantly, ankles crossed demurely.


Sorry for the lousy picture- I was hustling to pull even with them on the other side of the street and two moving objects and low light were too much for my autofocus.

On the bike path

It's been super humid and pretty warm (87 when I left work last night, 79 when I was biking in).  My co-worker described it as biking through clam chowder- the air so thick you can see it. To beat the heat, I've been riding a lot on the bike path along the river.  I go slow enough to not heat up so much, and take off my helmet.

I saw this pair of tourists taking in the sights by bike.  I think that I overheard some Italian,  and they "looked Italian".  I hope that the bike share makes more tourists decide to explore Boston by bike, because it seems like a nice way to take in the city.

cup of joe

Ok,  so this isn't the picture I hoped it would be, but this guy was just so nonchalant- riding along to work in his baseball cap, with his Dunkin' Donuts cup in his hand.  He gave me a big smile as I passed across the crosswalk.   I just had to share it, despite the face the you can barely see his bike or his DnD cup

The wind beneath my wheels

It was a lovely breezy day today.  Not too hot, perfect for sailing.

But I was not in the mood for too much flapping in the breeze! I wore a very full, calf length dress this morning. With gores around the base that make it even fuller.

I did stop on the way out the door to take a pair of cotton workout shorts with me, just in case it was too much,  but it was fine.  My worst moment actually was walking down the block at lunch, when I nearly pulled a Marilyn.

I think that there are two keys to riding with a really full skirt.
First and most importantly,  you have to really consciously think to yourself about what would happen if an untoward gust hit when you were in the middle of a maneuver that required both hands.  You have to commit to your safety being more important than modesty if it really comes down to it.   It's never happened to me, but the consequences of losing control because somebody might get an eyeful are not worth it.  If you're worried, wear shorter slimmer skirts, or shorts underneath.

All seriousness aside, the wind is actually your friend when riding with full skirts,  you want to trap a lapful of wind- which you can assist by the occasional hand pushing down at your knees.  This holds the skirt down where it's supposed to be,  and your forward momentum will keep it there.

Another citizen cyclist enjoying the sailboats

Successful failed picture

This shot of a rider is too far away to tell much about her,  but the graphic nature appeals to me

Jackpot

The weather was so much cooler and crisper this morning that last night, and I just felt lucky when I strapped on my camera-. I've been trying to take more pictures of people riding bikes looking like they're on their way to their lives,  and I feel like I'm  constantly just missing the perfect shot.  But today I hit the jackpot,  two shots that I could make while I was ready and wasn't moving.

Something about a man in a suit on a bike is emblematic of bicycling's integration into culture.  The idea that you're dressed up, but of course you hop on your bike to get where you're going.  Check out those french cuffs and the briefcase on the rack

A couple of miles on, I snapped this while waiting at the light

Something so summery about a jersey dress.