Hmm, I should update this blog

which means I should ride my bike. BREAKTHROUGH: I should ride my bike ANYways!

But wait, now that I'm jogging, when do I have time for such a thing? Now that I'm in love with my morning coffee habit, how can I go back to the morning slog? Perhaps this blog has become a call to action for myself as well:

Please oh please oh please to BICYCLE!!!!

I have actually been a couple long rides, one of which I'm pretty sure I could map, the other of which I...do I have a copy of the map somewhere? Well I know we got a little lost along the way, but...

I mean, you probably should, for it to be a good ride, right? (I made that up.)

Anyways, if I get some time, I'll try to update at least with that info. And then maybe ponder a bit more why my bike is so lonely right now.

(I started jogging! Grah!)

Right now, though, I have sleeping time and that is really all. I don't even have enough of that!

Critical Mass: A first and second meeting

I forgot to mention this the other day (by which I mean, like, last week -- and actually, I don't mean forgot, but more like, didn't have time), BUT I had my first two run-ins with Critical Mass, both pretty...negative?

I never really had a lot of love for the concept. Sure, people will notice you if you block up the roads and ride around as a big pack, but they will also get pissed. Hell, I wasn't even in a car and I got pissed.

I was actually biking to the gym and ran into them, but even worse was biking home after my swim. They were coming down...Harrison? I think? Taking up the whole street, making it pretty hard to just commute home.

Really makes me wonder if the ride "promotes bicycle commuting?" I wonder if there has ever been a study about how many people in Critical Mass actually ride regularly around town and follow the rules most of the time. I mean, I'm sure for some people saxophones and nudity on your bike are a special occasion thing, but esp in San Francisco I'd be willing to believe that some people just want to get crazy when the crazy is police-escorted.

Obviously, you can tell I'm not on the inside here, and maybe I just sound like a stick in the mud, but it seems like the best way to promote bicycle commuting would just be doing it and showing people that we can play nice with the cars, even if we don't like them.

To the SF Bay Club

Feeling sporty.

Essentially, take Folsom past where you would turn to go to work, all the way to the Embarcadero. Make a hairpin left onto Battery and an immediate right onto Greenwich. 4.7 miles.

I'm going to be swimming at the club, mostly, although I have a couple complimentary personal training sessions, the ability to reserve simulated-clay courts, and plenty of interesting classes I could try out. I was going to go to beginner's yoga tomorrow, but I made other tennis plans.

Anyhow, yeah. I'll be out tomorrow. Gotta go buy some balls before meeting up with Rion for tennis. That'll be good, though :) and Sports Basement is close, by bike.

I have been biking, see?

This is what I did this morning when I couldn't sleep at 4 am:

Google says 10.2 miles.

The other day I biked to Alta Plaza to play tennis, so I started off doing that same route -- straight down Castro and Divis over the couple of hills. Then for a fleeting second I had the idea I might ride to the beach, but the hill up Geary to the Richmond made me think I should take advantage of the fact that it was 4 am and ride downtown while there are no cars, so I bombed down Post (as much as one can bomb while mostly obeying traffic signals) and meandered my way down Market to the Embarcadero. From there on the ride was very familiar, since I just took the Embarcadero to Townsend and did my homeward commute. Sun was just coming out when I got back and I breakfasted on leftover Vietnamese sandwich. Gonna grab a soy latte on the way to work, I think, leave a bit early.

It was pretty trippy riding around downtown -- I am not (yet?) brave enough to attempt Market during the day, even though it has bike lanes. Everything is really different from a bike, for whatever reason. I was going pretty fast past Union Square, since the lights were lining up for me at that second...

Anyways, hope I make it through the day without getting too sleepy. I'm really glad I went out. I spent about an hour on the bike, which is great, since I am going to a movie after work with a friend, so will probably take BART downtown instead of riding.

On days I have been commuting, it's been great. They installed a bike rack in our side of the office, too, now, so there is more parking. Riding both directions is second nature, so I hardly have to think about it anymore. There was one day I didn't get over soon enough for the turn onto Harrison from Division, which was frustrating, but it wasn't the end of the world.

Off to shower.

I caught a nasty cold

which explains the lack of bicycle updates. It was a pain to even ride the bus, much less pedal and deal with traffic. Anyways, I'm feeling a lot better, although there is still some residual nonsense going on in the back of my throat. Aiming to be back on the bike tomorrow.

In the meantime, I've been taking either the 27 bus or BART. Both are pretty crowded at rush hour; yet another plus of riding a bicycle is that you are out in the open air and not crammed in a train with a hundred other people. Like today, I think the lady I was forced to hover behind on tip toe, almost hanging precariously from the overhead bar in an effort to reduce my depth (a backpack full of two laptops and associated cords decreases my skinniness), had not washed her hair in a while...or had washed it in something that didn't smell very good. Sigh sigh. I hope my shampoo doesn't make my hair smell lame.

Anyways, Twitter does not have showers, so I'm thinking of biking in the shirt I wore the day previously with a new shirt along with laptop (just one from now on) in the backpack. And I can wear my new jacket if it gets cold.

Good news is that I was able to return that heavy duty pannier that I no longer need. Less good (or perhaps equivalent) is that I've gotten interested in Rickshaw bags and since they are coming to work next week to show off their wares, I have a feeling I will only become more interested.

Finally, I think the Twitter diet is really good for me. Well, I think it would be good for anyone -- they feed us quite well. Fresh fruit every morning, sometimes bagels with cream cheese and salmon, other bakery items. Lunch is could be any number of things (falafel, sushi, sandwiches), but most days also includes some salad. Feeling healthy before you even get on your bicycle is definitely something to be either cherished or aspired to :) -- and not taken for granted (Stupid cold!) ;p

A lot to report!

If you're wondered where I've been for the past week and a half, I have a simple answer for you: I've been off getting hired by Twitter! Yes, that Twitter. DO YOU REALIZE HOW MUCH THIS CUTS DOWN MY COMMUTE?

If you recall...

And now check this out:

If this looks a lot like the way to the Caltrain station, it's because it essentially is.

It's a little frustrating because it's JUST far enough that you can work up a sweat if you're riding fast. I suppose one could just...RIDE SLOWER, but then you might as well just BART and walk, which is definitely an option given my shiny new June MUNI pass. I'm almost tempted to get up early and ACTUALLY go riding, shower, and then head to work. We'll see. I do need to get miles somehow. I could prescribe a long route, but that equals more sweat. I'm guessing all of this will somehow end up depending on whether or not they have showers... They DO have a bike rack IN the office, though. So great XD

In other news, I locked myself out of the house last Monday. It was great! I had my bike, and my bike lock key (which I had forgotten the previous day, woefully mangling plans to go to MOMA), so I just tooled around, mostly. Ended up riding down Castro/Divis for the first time. Some hills! Climbing is good for you, though, if not for your knees, specifically. It was actually not so bad.

Latest lameness:

* Turning left onto Folsom from 16th some horrible fellow shouted at me to get out of the way. There was nowhere to go! There were two lanes and I was in the left to turn, waiting for the cars. If it had been a left turning car it would have been the same...see?

The repeated arrows show his apparent hastiness. RAWR V_V

I (the blue smiley face) am waiting patiently for random placeholder cards blue and green to go before I make my turn at the smiling green light. Creepy fangy death-face behind me who shouted, "Get out of the way!" was wishing he were in the lane with the placeholder orange, pink, and turquoise cars to the right, who were moving straight on without interruption since there were no other vehicles with the right-of-way. I think he just hadn't had his coffee yet or something. Then again, I hadn't either, but I didn't shout at him for being an asshole.

(I just blogged about it later. Does that make me passive aggressive? *sigh*)

*My least favorite incidents occur with other cyclists. Why are you getting frustrated with me? Seriously! The sign says loose gravel and I would not like to skid out on this slightly downhill turn where someone has 78% certainly PUT the gravel there on purpose to keep hardcore cyclists from barreling into innocent pedestrians. If you want to race, go race in the street. I'm gonna slow down and not spend the rest of the afternoon picking rocks out of my shins.

*On the same trail (the Los Gatos Creek Trail) there are sometimes areas with obtrusive posts to keep you from flying through high traffic trail intersection areas and killing stroller moms/dog walkers/old people. I was pedaling slowing up hill behind a pair of middle-aged women on a social walking exercise outing. I don't mind going slowly. I know it's their right-of-way. I have ULTIMATE TRAFFIC ZEN. Not so with the fellow coming down the other way, he was ready to STORM down that hill and mumbled some irate remark as I navigated between the posts around him. What's silly is that I went on my right, so why didn't he go on his? It's a two lane trail, guy!

/end vent

And now, to end on an up note, I'm going to say W00t, Sunday Streets in the Mission was awesome! I volunteered from something like 9 to 2:30 and then had free lunch in the park. Met up with some cats for Humphrey Slocombe (Peanut butter curry ice cream zomg -- does it get any better?) afterwards. My first post was at 25th and Osage from 9:30 to 12:15, but they needed someone to relieve a couple of girls on 20th and Valencia, so I did that afterwards.

Part two was wayyyyyy more fun and lively, since I was in the middle of a closed street with tons of people milling around, some actual responsibility (allowing cars to cross, usually with the lights, but always with the police prompts), and a really chatty policeman. A couple people took my picture while I held up the STOP sign. That was a little awkward. One of them even took my name, so I've been googling to see if I can find it...should've probably asked where he was going to stick it @_@

Incidentally, I tweeted up a storm, mostly while I was doing rather a bit of nothing during part one, but I got in a couple at the second post, too. Highlights include:

"Because 24th street is closed I am allowed to make Osage a two-way alley. My true power is unleashed! #sundaystreets"

"Hint: when attending #sundaystreets, do not bring a car."

"To the dude biking on the sidewalk: UR DOIN IT WRONG. #sundaystreets"

See more @emawii, or by searching for the "sundaystreets" hashtag. I retweeted a couple of other cool posts, too. There were at least a couple people besides me tweeting pix. Looking forward to doing it again next month :)

Oh, before I finish this MASSIVE RUN-ON BLOG ATTACK, I should note that I re-bought my front headlight, finally. Thanks to Noel for allowing me the use of his in the meantime. Got another Flea. I also finally ordered that jacket I had been oogling. I may actually see if it's not too late to return the awesome commuter bag I bought, since I will not really be traveling far enough to require it, even if I do want to bring my laptop somewhere. I may have run out of time. We'll see what the Arkel folks have to say. If not, maybe CL will be kind. SPEAKING OF WHICH...

I'm selling a June Caltrain pass if anyone is interested. Zones 1-4, also good on SamTrans and VTA! Rar gorg! Please, I could really use the cash ;p

/end commercial

That is all! Hopefully I can remember to update more frequently instead of unloading all at once like this, haha.

Recent near-accidents, etc.

Seriously, if I hadn't been watching that guy, he would have plowed right into me. Perhaps I should've been in the actual lane, but the fact remains that I made my intentions pretty damned clear (up out of the saddle for extra pedaling power to get out of his way so he could veer, following as closely as possible a car that went straight ahead). I'm not sure I can help it when the road (Townsend Harrison and something 16th) looks like this:



See, I don't think people feel the need to signal to take that "turn" since it is not the actual turn. This means that if I look at their blinkers (which I always do if I am not in the actual lane with the cars) I don't see that they are going to turn. What pissed me off the most that I was actually IN FRONT of this guy. He should be looking forward. And then after he saw me he didn't stop or apologize, he just drove me out of the way (good thing I can steer).

/end vent

But yes, I have been learning Danish recently and have not updated as I should. Instead of eating curry and making FB graffiti detailing recent biking escapades, I have been eating curry and trying to pronounce "sygeplejerske." (Note: that is very hard, even when your mouth ISN'T full. This is where some smartass reader says, "That LOOKS like a mouth full." And I reply, "Yes, it is, but it's DELICIOUS.")

In other news I got some new bruises today because the VTA light rail people have keep (Twice in two days!!) shutting the doors on me. Bicycles should yield for pedestrians, right? So I am the last one on the train and that conductor is just RARING to go (and also apparently not peeking out the window to actually NOTICE that someone is still getting on). It's not like I'm dragging my feet...just my bike...BUT IT HAS WHEELS, so it's not slow or anything...

*mumble grumble*

WOWZ, I gots some vitriol today!



But yes, the bruises are expanding their palette, as we have some majestic purples as well as sickly yellow/greens, plus a more typical blue.

On a CHEERFUL, I am over half-way through a 40 mile (minimum) week. That makes me happy. So does birdsong in the early morning (I'm 8-5ing again, temporarily), but not itchy allergy eyes (Thanks, Creek Trail).

Wake up sore

What's funny is that my right side hurts way more.

It's entertaining to watch one's bruises change color, and at the moment I have rather a few to keep an eye on. That one was most dramatic and pic-worthy, although I have a cute little mini blunt trauma split on my right elbow (and I mean "mini" -- you hardly notice it anymore, especially with the bruise in blossom) .

My mom warned me my neck and shoulders would hurt and BOY WAS SHE RIGHT. My right shoulder is le killing, along with general neck malaise. Also, alarmingly my left ankle/tendon/foot something twangs something awful (perhaps because it clearly -- see picture -- got beat to shit).

I took that pic, btw, with my new iPhone. Don't ask me how I managed to afford one (I'm just lucky, not rich -- in fact, I'm still battling the "Be responsible and move to Los Gatos" thoughts), but I did need some kind of phone, since my other one broke, so might as well shoot for the stars.

I'm looking forward to having GPS while biking. Insta-map! I will never have to ask the guy at the gas station where the light rail station is after I bike past it, and past even the next one down the line, and end up biking frantically around Downtown Campbell until I ask a guy -- three times because he doesn't hear me or doesn't think I am talking to him -- where oh where the light rail station is, and I make it with a few minutes to spare rather than getting caught down there all night and having to appeal to the Hotel Holmes...

Yeah, I had an interesting night. It was damp getting out of Caltrain. A cold ride home. Despite that, for reasons you may be able to imagine, my wool street jacket is not optimal biking wear.

My First Handlebar Flip

Some readers may find this ironic considering yesterday's post...

This morning by the overpass I crashed my bike. Luckily, though half of Los Gatos appeared to be entering that freeway, no one ran me over. Actually two people asked if I needed help, but I did not.

Let's see. So the thing about the overpass is making sure you don't get forced onto the onramp, right? I was trying to get into the actual lane. I think the key is probably to make sure you are in the lane BEFORE THE HOLE IN THE ROAD.

I wish I had a picture of the offending hole, but alas, I do not.

Anyhow, what happened is that I did not get over in time to avoid this hole well (perhaps I should've tried to hop it?) and did not want to ride into traffic so I tried to slow down, but did not really manage it. At all, in fact. Hit the hole, and yeah, I will admit to a bit of panic braking at that point.

(I've said in other places that every FML is my fault -- this one is no different.)

Continuing forward motion carried me in a seemily graceful roll over the top of my bike and into the street tangled up in everything. I was wearing a full backpack, so I don't think my helmet even hit the ground until I was lying on my side pinned half under the bike. Shrugged out of the bag and managed to get everything onto the sidewalk pretty quickly. My front light broke. Hope there's a warranty.

Luckily this mess happened on the side of the road (since if I had been in the left lane like I should've been, this wouldn't have happened) so no one was in imminent danger of running me over. In fact, I have hypothesized that it is actually a good thing this happened where it did, by the overpass, because cars were automatically aware that I needed to get out of that lane (it's possible I had even signaled once -- don't recall) and were slowing down around me already. Of course, it meant there were plenty of people to witness this spectacular feat of bicycle fail, but so it goes.

So far, I have recorded various bruises and a couple scrapes, most notably on my hip. I'm glad I was carrying so much stuff, because I feel like if I hadn't been as padded this would've been a lot worse. I even had my big headphones around my neck because they wouldn't fit in the bag, so I imagine they would've done a half-way decent job of keeping things braced if my head HAD hit. I inspected my helmet, though, and it really doesn't look like it was touched. Pretty clean roll.

Anyways, I stood there and teared up for a minute. More just out of stress than anything. Tried to Tweet, but my phone had no reception (which later turned into no nothing -- all I get when I turn it on is a "Contact Service" message -- new phone time, booooo). Thought about trying to call Noel (since he has a car, and wasn't at work yet) but decided that since my bike seemed fine (tested the breaks, etc.) I would just get back in the saddle and ride it. That and my phone was busted.

Was very happy to get clear of the overpass.

Rest of the ride passed without incident, thankfully. Tonight I have to bike to Winchester, and then home from Caltrain, but that should be no sweat.

Hey Biker, hey, hey

I think the helmet redeems this graffito.

Yes, Please to Bicycle finally has its own FB graffiti illustration. Expect many more.

Anyways, I'm a little torn today, after braving the overpass (which was rather harrowing this morning, actually--lots of cars on those ramps). I think I'm going to miss this streamlined commute. Being in the same city (or perhaps the city neighboring the city) you work in certainly has some advantages.

LIKE NOT COMMUTING SIX HOURS AND GETTING ACTUAL SLEEP.

It's very relaxing to wake up, drink a protein shake (this time I tried a different style and a new flavor: Cookies 'n Cream -- hilarious because all the little "cookie" specks settled to the bottom of the glass), putter around on the Internet, learn some Spanish, and THEN strap on the helmet and spin to work.

I just still can't even fathom leaving the city, though, so tomorrow will be my last day on the overpass...and my first day actually trying to catch the San Jose train by 10:30 (which is totally doable! I know it is!)

Ok, not really 12...

More like 10, but we did the Winchester run (straight down it) with no trouble AT ALL. It was terribly easy. Even riding back wasn't so bad, but I still think that for the mornings it will be better to ride the Creek Trail. Just...nicer. More atmospheric for the morning. Birds and whatnot.

As for time, it took about 10-15 minutes and that was not even at full speed, really. I will just have spent 11 hours more or less at my desk, so I will probably be ready to sprint the 2.2 miles. No problem getting to the light rail on time to get to Caltrain (on time).

Other than that news of the day is the same news it is pretty often around my parts:

Food paranoia!

Only this time it's probably warranted. It's way too east to overcompensate, since when I exercise I want to eat the house. Biking ten miles a day (only 10? I feel like I would really like to still eventually get up to biking the San Jose route) is going to make me a ton hungrier, but not really require THAT much more food. And I need to make sure I'm eating healthy even though I'm barely ever cooking, etc. I wish someone would just tell me what to eat at what time. If there are any dietitians in training who need an interesting practice planning project, let me know...

No one shouted at me on the overpass!!!

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

This morning I woke up too early (twice! Good job, body clock!), and then finally woke up for real. Managed to botch putting the cap on the shaker cup while shaking this thing, which the Hotel Holmes kindly provided for breakfast. (The sink has since recovered -- luckily it was just the sink!) I give the chocolate variety a C for flavor (it starts out more like a D, but once you get used to it it isn't bad), but an A for "feeling healthy." How is it going to taste good when it is low in fat AND sugar? Gobs of protein and loads of vitamins later, I am awake and ready to RIDE MY BIKE.

So I did! And as I said, no one shouted at me. I signaled a lot and was successful in not getting shuffled onto the on ramp (during rush hour, need I remind you). I was also not trampled by this HUGE TRUCK that seemed to come out of nowhere.

Scheduling Realization

It occurred to me today that the time I will be taking the overpass is precisely the same as everyone in cars is bound to be getting on/off the freeway -- AWESOME. I'm actually commuting at the rushiest part of rush hour now. I'm sure I can manage. It'll be broad daylight and if they hit me I will make sure it is their fault.

I do regret not taking my bike home to get the rack on -- if I get hit now, how will I know if my bag would have stayed on the rack?

Part two of this is that tomorrow night Noel has said he will accompany me to Winchester station on the first dry run I am making (down Winchester, as there doesn't appear to be an alternative given the creek trail's untimely closed state). It'll be two crazy rides, but after that the way home should be clear.

Best news is that it will be a 12 mile day. That may be jumping the gun a bit after my weekend of time off the wheels, but there is no getting around it. I gotta remember to make sure my lights are charged.

I miss my bike

I decided that since my legs were so sore, maybe I just needed a couple days of time off from the bike to recuperate.

OH WOE.

I miss it. And I'm also nervous about riding again. On the plus side, I will commute back to the temporapt/Hotel Holmes with Noel on Tuesday, so at least I won't have to brave the first post-break ride by myself.

In other news, I briefly and awkwardly stopped by the opening of the Mission Bicycle store (in the Mission! NO WAI!) Maybe someday I will be able to afford one (with orange wheels/handlebars and a blue frame that will get stolen the next day!) but until then, I'm sure I'll be walking by this place, oh...EVERY WEEKEND haha.

Is it me or is the downside of having improved leg muscles this new and not entirely comfortable fit to all your pants?

/need shorts

We're moving to a .com!

But we'll still be a Blogger blog for now because I am no designer. I wish I were. Actually, I rather like this template, although there are a couple things I would arrange differently if I could. Anyways, uhm...yeah!

http://www.please-to-bicycle.com

Tell your friends ;p

Crashing The Hotel Holmes

Last night after a sleepy day at work, Noel and I repaired to his place...s. Here is the general route we took:

The suicide route involves riding down University, where cars speed and cannot see you around the turns.

Note that we rode down Winchester! There is actually bike lane on part of that, which was handy. So it's not that people don't ride down Winchester, it's just that it's a pain. Of course, once it is after 9, the whole area quiets down quite a bit anyhow. I have a feeling that it will not be too big of a hassle, even going the other way (when I eventually have to head back to VTA at night). I might try it. Or I might find a more wiggly way -- as long as I can make it to Diridon before 10:30.

Anyways, I'm getting off topic. We actually stopped at Walgreens for some supplies and whatnot, but in general it was a pretty quick ride. There was one point right around the overpass where the uphill the got the better of us (read: me) so we ended up walking a little ways. Still amazed how the slightest incline can kill your legs, although I had also already ridden six miles that day (and for a noob, that is something!)

Noel is very pleasant to follow, since he is a very considerate leader. Always waited up when I was being pokey and sore. He's a tad more illegal than me (after all this reading about bike salmon I was horrified to become one for a moment on Lark before we turned onto Winchester) but didn't get upset when I pointed that out ;D

When we got to the place (which yes, he calls The Hotel Holmes, and it is, rather!) I am staying, he google-mapped me the morning route, which I reproduce here, crayoned in MS Paint, as I have taken to doing since it is easier than finagling the google map lines unless you actually really want/need (which yeah, I sort of do, so we'll see what future posts look like):

It's not suicidal to ride down University in the morning because people assume that since it's light out cops can see they are speeding? You're also not in the blind spots around curves when biking towards work.

I think next time I doodle in MS Paint, I will make arrows for you. Anyways, I rode this by myself this morning. It's 2.9 miles and easier than it looks. I guess it looks pretty similar to the other route, because it pretty much IS the other route, except you take University. Once your'e on University it's a nice easy ride. It's that left turn and then the overpass that is alarming.

I wasn't scared, though.

I didn't really THINK anyone was going to hit me. I felt like they could see me and that I was communicating clearly. maybe it was confidence inherited in the draft from the cyclist ahead of me, but even on the overpass I wasn't scared.

***

I just took a break because it turned out Noel was going home on his "lunch" (dinner) break and I was able to tag along and get out of work on time. Might walk down the hill to find some food, but then again I might just eat some trail mix here in a minute and pass out. I'm exhausted.

We took yet another route this time, but I'm not going to map it since I wasn't paying good enough attention. The main attraction, though, was that you bypass the overpass, yielding a much more pleasant ride. It is still unpleasant to bike in these jeans, though -- another thing I can fix for next week.

Downtown Campbell VTA to Lark and University, Los Gatos

Exhibit A

So it turns out the safest way to get from the Winchester VTA to work is to actually get off in Downtown Campbell instead and take the Creek Trail. So the full morning commute looks something like this (and we'll even color-code it for no reason other than that my blog is just that exciting):

San Francisco (not pictured)

1. Left 21st to Valencia (See if you can make it down Valencia without any red lights!)
2. Right on 14th
3. Left on Folsom
4. Right on 4th
5. Take Caltrain to San Jose Diridon (And don't be asleep when you get there and have to ask someone if you are in San Jose.)

San Jose (not pictured)

6. Transfer to the light rail going to Winchester
7. Try not to kill yourself (or onlookers or your bike or their bikes) hanging your bike on the rack
8. Get off at the Downtown Campbell station

Campbell/Los Gatos (see exhibit A)

9. Find Sam Cava Lane (I thought this would be hard, but it was just about the first street sign I squinted at. You get off on the left and it is continuing left across the street.)
10. Becomes Gilman Ave
11. Right into that park
12. Right once you enter the Los Gatos Creek Trail
13. Exit at Lark Ave
14. Don't kill yourself turning/walking left onto University (This is another turn I'll have to work up to -- I generally do that one on the way home left onto Harrison now.)

I got to work only a little while after I normally do, i.e. still early. They have confusing bike racks. I didn't really end up figuring it out. Seems like some people just stash their bikes in the game room -- maybe I will see about that.

Now that I know where the Lark exit is, the trail will be easier. And now that I know what a complete pain in the ass biking with a laptop backpack full of laptop and co. is, I will INSTALL MY RACK. I'm not sure getting my bike in the racks on VTA will ever be any easier.

Here is a photo I am using without permission:

(Thanks, wingless, unless you would rather I take it down, which I can and promptly.)

What's funny is that that bike is actually a later version of my bike, which is ALSO the bike that Noel rides. Anyhow, you can see what I have to contend with in the morning without me explaining how difficult it must be even when there are no other bikes, such as above, NEVERMIND the possibility of their already being a bike and its owner present and asking if you need assistance while you try to drive your vehicle up the wall and hook it precariously from this little peg on the top. Grah.

I guess I need to work now. That is what I came here for, after all. BIKE TO WORK DAY is tomorrow, kids, but once you figure out how to do it, you might as well keep on doing it, right? RIGHT? You will have such buff legs.

From San Jose to Los Gatos: The Daylight Route

Well, to my surprise and delight, co-worker Noel mapped a very handy route from San Jose Diridon to work, which we road on Saturday. It was about 12 miles and totally doable, although probably not twice a day, everyday, quite yet. (I will get him to send me the map he used so I can post it. Hopefully he has it saved somewhere...)

Unfortunately the Los Gatos Creek Trail (which makes up the majority of the ride) is closed after sunset, so I feel a bit foiled. He has stated that his next project is to map a street route, and I must say that I anticipate it highly.

I was looking at this map last night (which I am very happy exists), actually, trying to map safe passage even just to the Winchester VTA station (a nice next step, since it would boost the daily milage up to around twelve instead of making the rather a bit larger jump from six to twenty-four), but it appears hopeless to me without either a) taking the trail or b) getting road-killed on Winchester Bvld itself ("Extreme Caution," then "Alert," and then finally AFTER you pass where I work...a bike lane SHEESH).

Anyways, lunch is almost over and I haven't peeled my orange yet. Upcoming topics include: finally installing my rack?!?!? and scoping out the Mission library for bicycle books.

My current favorite bike blog...

is actually not a local one!! *gasp!*

Perhaps even... *dismay!*

but you can't really *dismay!* for too long once you check out Bike Snob NYC.

Obviously I have only been reading them for a short while, but their content has stood out from the other blogs I've been scrolling around in lately due to their tight, humorous writing.

Take the current post, for instance. This, to me, feels like pretty classic Bike Snob NYC. It's long and seemingly rambling, as there are many topics: little bit of booze nooze, little bit of crazytown bicycle pix, little bit of goofy CL -- all with sparkly commentary you actually want to read rather than just scroll by; while other bloggers may feel the need to just post a string of consecutive blurbs, Snob just mashes them all together. I said "seemingly"rambling because even though Snob touches on a number of topics, they are woven together so deftly with some wit reaching back to earlier in the post (my favorite kind of jokes, really) that the end result is perhaps even more entertaining than individual posts (although you can -- and Bike Snob NYC does, as well -- reach with a hyperlink, too).

Anyways, expressing some quick love on my lunch break :D

PS - For "wheel eyebrows" and esp the weather report -- thank you. I know for sure I have never laughed so hard about a bicycle-related topic.

BREAKTHROUGH: Caltrain to Home

I for some reason always felt it was necessary to turn off Townsend, when really, it not only has a bike lane after a big long stretch of practically having a bike lane (roomy parking, and not parallel -- so no real door zone, just a...pulling out into your face zone ;D) BUT it also segues perfectly into Division, which as we have learned before, is a very handy street.

Eventually I will quit pussing out and actually make that left turn onto Harrison. Or maybe not. Either way, I do like to bike home down Harrison.

I wish other cyclists made at least a token attempt at obeying traffic signs. I don't always make SUPER COMPLETE STOPS (and yes, at 4 am when there are no cars, I am guilty of skipping the red light waits -- although this morning I managed to make it all the way down Valencia without reallllly hitting one o_O felt very fancy) but during what could conceivably still be considered rush hour traffic, it seems like there are definitely lights and stop signs for a reason.

One lady walking the other day said to me as I had one foot on the ground during a red light, "You have a bike, you don't have to wait."

GRAH X_X

Anyways, no more hassle on the way home. Townsend to Division to Harrison it is. Hot dog :D

In other related news, Saturday I am meeting up with one of the CS leads at work, Noel, to have an afternoon Los Gatos bike trip. He is also interested in forging a path to Caltrain/light rail, so we will forge it together. He is also lending me an apartment for two weeks, so I'll learn that route as well. Yee hoo.

Rainy Rain

I have come to a conclusion regarding cycling in the rain:

FENDERS ARE WORTHLESS.

Not that mine are on at the moment, but I can imagine how it would go. You just have to realize that rain falls OUT OF THE SKY and does not spin up off your wheels. Some of it that has already fallen MAY INDEED come spinning up off your wheels, but that will be the THE MINORITY compared to the vast quantity of droplets coming down (and, in San Francisco, oftentimes sideways) directly on your head, thighs, shoulders, face.

You will need a rain jacket and certainly rain pants AND SHOES WITH GRIP. At that point, having a fender, not having a fender -- what is the difference? You will be protected from any and all water, whether it comes out of the sky or off of your wheels.

I rode from Caltrain to the Castro yesterday and it was so incredibly soggy. That, and glasses do not have wind shield wipers! Nor do they have..."glasses wipers."

This morning it was still raining, so I decided to do the BART/walk thing. Really, though, it wasn't THAT much drier and it took longer, of course. I guess the other reason, though, is that I'm planning on hightailing it over to the Kabuki after work to catch a flick before bed, which is INCREDIBLY irresponsible, given my current zombie state. We'll see. I suppose I could've biked, but, you know, zombie state. I need some sleep first.

At least don't power spray my bike until I walk away, please ;_;

I followed that route I described last night (in my sleepy haze) to a T, and have reached some conclusions:

~ It is A THOUSAND MILLION times faster than the BART/walk plan. I was locking up by 4:23 AM, so it took about 20 minutes. Granted, this is no traffic and I was FLYING, but still -- fast.

~ When you get there at 4:23 AM there is probably (usually?) a place to park by a tree outside the Bike Hut.

~ There may be a guy power spraying the sidewalk who will inch closer and closer to your bike even as you are removing your velcro lights. Poor bicycle doesn't need a bath! Please to not spray meeeeeeeee.

~ Riding down Folsom is great, as there is a bike lane the whole way and you don't have to monkey around with that freeway entrance nonsense or whatever screws up the Harrison route, BUT...

~ Riding down 4th sort of sucks despite it being one way, because you need to switch lanes (Left! Left!) due to...YES, the freeway. I can't imagine doing this at any time other than quarter after 4 AM (when there is like one taxi on the road). Also, there will be more buses in the mix at other times.

~ Oh, that's why my hands are cold!! I forgot my gloves! Ahhhhhhhh @_@

I sort of wish my final commute were at the pre-crack of dawn, too, because it is really the very best time to be out on the road with a bike. In the evening everywhere will be crawling with cars -- I mean, I'll be doing the San Francisco leg of the trip at like...7:30 pm or something. Booooooo.

Race to work, race to bed: A baby bicycle step

Tomorrow I'm going to bike to CalTrain by taking Valencia to 14th and then going down Folsom before turning onto 4th as recommended here. No map today because damn I'm hella tired and damn I only get six hours of sleep. I left work a little late, though, so that explains it. I'm banking that biking will be about a thousand (or maybe two) times as fast as BARTing (not to mention I would rather not have to buy THREE monthly passes, for May -- when do I have time to find a VTA one, anyhow? Why can't the machines just sell them? The VTA machines are horrible, as we already know...) walking, so I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out. I have a good lock, and the Bike Hut is right there, as Dominic pointed out. Even if my bike isn't actually IN it, it should be good deterrent, right? Time for bed -- not joking! I don't want to live on caffeine like I did today. Hydration and exercise and leaving on time so you don't stress out. That is the life. Me and my happy bike will save the day *doesn't know what she's saying anymore*

Don't Be Lazy

Well, ok, real quickly........

my final work schedule has been decided and it is actually such that I would not have to ride at all...

M-R

11 PM - 10 AM

i.e. no weekends, when the trains have shortened running hours (although holidays will be short...that said, I can take company holidays if I want to).

This is completely unexpected.

I guess, though, that I am not going to let that deter me from getting tons of exercise. I will just check the weather the night before and see what it looks like. If it's gonna storm or something, I can take the drier route *shrug*

I'm slowly realizing I will never have time to blog again, but I'll keep you posted on that ;D

Bike park bummer (but some good news, too)

I investigated Bike Hut next to the 4th and King CalTrain today. Great system and an affordable-seeming repair shop, too. Anyways, I was all excited about the possibility of starting off with just doing the easy leg of the trip (CalTrain and back -- no sweat) and parking all day in a safe, indoor location. Unfortunately they don't open until quarter to seven and I need to catch the train at either 4:55 or 5:23 (yeah, AM), so that's not gonna happen. I can actually take BART at 4:17 in the morning, though, if I want to, so at least that is nice. Walking just seems cruel. It takes about an hour. Even if I take BART I will still be walking part of the way, though. Biking is really the fastest, but I'm just not sure about leaving my ride out all day long, even with a good lock and cable, is the smartest idea. 

The other thing is that it's just a good way to get miles in during the week. It is pretty unlikely that I will get home after a long day and a long commute and be like, "Hellz yeah, 8 o'clock! Time to get on the bike!" unless of course, I have somewhere to go. I might ride down to SafeWay tomorrow for lunch supplies. Food is dwindling around here and I need to think of not only things I can take to work to eat, but simple things I can eat when I get home.

Incidentally, news of the day is that Cryptic has a bicycle commuter reimbursement program. Something like 20 dollars a month? I clearly need to look into it more. 

Shopping Aftermath (Dammit, math...)

I ended up going with Arkel's Commuter bag, after reading the testimonial about how someone got hit by a car, bike went flying, and their bag stayed on the rack, laptop fine. If I am lying dead on the side of the road after an accident, my bag had BETTER be on my rack. Plus the way they described the usage possibilities, "If you need to carry a laptop, extra clothing, a pair of shoes, lunch and all of your very own 'nick nacks', then, the Commuter is right for you," is exactly what I need it for (minus the shoes. My job doesn't require dress shoes and I am too poor to have cycling specific kicks.) Can't wait for it to arrive.

Happy hour local shopping consisted of fenders (black, although for some reason the lady was trying to sell me pink ones, sheesh), Valencia Cyclery water bottle (I needed one and I might as well represent), water bottle holder (may pick up another, we'll see), fingerless gloves (mostly to keep my hands warmer, but they are padded to keep pressure points comfier, I guess), and a rack. This stuff will get installed at some point soon. Maybe I'll bother Joseph again, "Trade you time on Rock Band for bicycle assistance!" (He helped me with my wheel and seatpost locks, and the holder for my u-lock that makes me too nervous to use; I don't mind throwing the lock in my backpack, anyway.)

Once all that was bought (mostly by my mom as an early b-day present! Thanks Mom!) I had been planning on picking up some a couple pairs of skinny jeans, since the only pants I really feel very comfortable riding in right now are my Anthropologie cords, but then I realized that what I really need is a good jacket. Hoodies and my puffy vest are good, but when it's chilly and the wind really starts blowing, they don't cut it. I really really REALLY want to take advantage of this sale. This jacket is exactly what I want and they have it in blue. And it's half off. Who could ask for more? The only problem is that I have student loan payments to make, not to mention a 200 dollar CalTrain pass to spring for. I'm probably also going to get a VTA pass for at least the first month while I continue to work on getting my mileage up. Soooooooo, grah. We'll see about that. Also want to grab the waterproof cover for my bag, which I should do with the jacket, if I order it, to save on shipping (10 bucks!)

*yawn yawn* I guess I gotta think about sleeping soon. Another long day tomorrow, but just Kabuki and Casto theaters so it should be an easy ride. Key word: "should" ;D Either that or I won't be able to move when I wake up. We'll see. I wouldn't feel like too much of a pussy if I took the day off of the bike tomorrow. Did a decent job today.

Lost in Presido-land

Ohhhhhh boy. Today was a long day -- and cold! But yes, let me tell you what happened with the bike route. Instead of sticking with what I know (Kabuki) I decided to go for mileage. "Ah ha, the Presidio! That sounds far!" I thought. INDEED.

The Presidio is also a maze, and it didn't help that I was going to a place that doesn't yet exist (the Disney Museum), and to a building that is part of that place, but not at the main address. Anyways, this is more or less the route I took. I am too lazy to show that I missed the Mariposa turn and went all the way to sixteenth before heading East, etc.

You may recognize this as part of this Bikely route, which loops the city in about 30 miles. I'd wager this is about a third of it? Less than half, but still a pretty substantial chunk. Obviously a little round about, but for a reason, since you're not pushing up any hills or heading down Van Ness, which seems like sheer madness. Not that the Embarcadero wasn't busy on a farmer's market morning, but they have a bike lane ;D

I actually got quite lost before I even got to the museum the first time. Just in the Presidio. What is it about this place? I guess if I had a map (or iPhone!) it would help. Anyways, so I tooled around there for a while before finding the museum, but what I saw was the clearly under-construction main building, and not the hall where the reception was taking place. I think part of my problem was that I thought I was taking tickets, since that's what I signed up to do. I had heard of the Letterman Digital Arts Center (Is that what it's called?) in relation to this event as well, so then I figured it must be over there, so I called my friend Xav for an address, which it did not really have, aside from cross streets.

Later on I realized I could've just cut through some places, but I ended up going all the way back to Mason and missing a turn and going down Laguna to Chestnut and then still ending up frightfully lost for quite some time even though I was in the correct complex. There just weren't any signs...at all. The Yoda fountain, though, I did finally find that. (I love that it has its own Yelp page XD) 

So I parked my bike, got it locked up well (easier to do it around actually bike parking spots than streets signs, when it comes to the thickness of my frame and whatnot), and went inside only to find that actually, my shift was working the after party which WAS back at the Disney Museum (but at a hall around the corner). I got minorly lost on the way back there, but eventually found it. 

So my reward for something like 2 hours of biking was four hours on my feet volunteering, but it was really worthwhile :D (A story for a different blog, perhaps.) Also, I'm pretty psyched about having biked such a "long" way. (Yeah, I know it's nothing, but I've only been at this for...two weeks?) I guess that must've been around 12 miles, at least? So it seems that I am definitely capable of doing my the "to" part of my commute. I cheated today and got "from" taken care of by the bf in his Outback: X but hey, baby steps.

The Mission to the Kabuki Theater [now with more awake]

I'm trying to remember how I came up with this route. I think it's stealing a fair bit from a Bikely route that goes much farther, but I can't remember which one, sorry : / I had the link, but my computer died while I was out working the festival (which was fun, btw!) [Man, I was really tired last night

Anyways, both of my shifts today were at the Sundance Kabuki Cinema. Here's the map:

So you can mostly see it went something like this.

1. Fly down Valencia. If you're closer to that other place we were talking about, that is fine, too. [What? What was I talking about?]

2. I don't dare actually bike across the mess that is every street in the world hitting Market. Is that lame? I don't even bike left turns unless it's not busy at all. It's cool that [you ;D] can switch from person to machine so fast just by getting on or off your bike. 

3. Franklin --> Fulton --> Webster 

At one point it got really windy, which was a little alarming. I actually parked on Webster, not right next to the cinema.

Oh man, I'm so tired. I was going to say a ton of stuff, but this will have to do for now.

Invitation

So I've been thinking about this blog and it seems like it would be fun if more people wrote for it. I have friends in lots of places, and some of them ride bikes, so why not? If you know me (or want to know me) and think you might like writing about your experiences with your bicycle (for free and fun), let me know!

I already added Seth, who will no doubt introduce himself and his bike shortly (NO PRESSURE, SETH :P) He's in Wisconsin and knows more about bicycles than me (which is not hard)! 

The Why

I had been meaning to get a bike for a while, but it became a necessity when I found out I got a job in Los Gatos. Los Gatos is not really NEAR San Francisco, nor is it on BART or CalTrain. It's a bit out there. It's possible to arrive around the corner from my job via a few different public transportation systems, but I anticipate that the hours they run (especially on the weekends, during which half of my work "week" will transpire) will be incompatible with the times I need to commute. 

For comparison purposes, here is the route I took when I went for my interview:

BART downtown

Walk or bus to CalTrain

CalTrain to San Jose

Light rail to Winchester

Bus to Los Gatos

Actually I recently got some good news regarding this. I had expected to start straight off with the 4x10 schedule (instead of a normal M-F, 9-5, a 5x8, I guess), but actually we're doing a 5x9, so it's M-F, 8-5. This means I can actually commute as explained above (leaving at the crack of dawn -- whoo!)

The good thing about this is not that I can be lazy and pay more money, it's that I can work up slowly to biking everyday and don't have to jump into it all at once and probably strain all my muscles (I'm still a wimp, remember...)

It also means I can take a little more time to plan my route, which is good because I'm not organized AT ALL! ;D

The eventually plan will be to bike to CalTrain and then bike from San Jose to Los Gatos. It's 24 miles, give or take, round trip. I won't find out my final schedule until Monday (I think this Monday, anyhow!) and I'm not sure when that will start, but I'm hoping that I can get a F-M overnight shift. If I work during the day I will get off and not be able to get home due to a lack of running trains! It means some biking in the dark, but I bet traffic is a cinch at night in Los Gatos. 

Bike Shop Happy Hour vs. The Shopping List

Valencia Cyclery is having a happy hour event on Thursdays this month where clothes and accessories are 20% off between 5 and 7 PM. Today (later...like after the sun comes back up) is the last day I will be able to go since I'll be commuting home next week, so it looks like I have some shopping to do. I'm wonder what of the things I want/need I should try to get. Here are some things I have come up with that would be nice to have:

Repair kit

This is sort of necessary, but I think what I need to find out is the extent. I've heard all you REALLY need is "two spare tubes, tire wrenches, and a pump." Maybe a multi-tool. *doesn't even know (yet) what a multi-tool is* I do want to learn some basic repair stuff just in case, though, as you can tell if you've browse my links.

Fenders

Duh.

Rain Clothes

My mom shipped out my rain jacket, but I wonder if that will be too big to ride in. Even with a jacket, though, my legs and feet will get soaked. Trying to figure out what to do. They certainly make rain pants and covers for shoes and things.

Clothes in general

I'd like to get a pair or two of straight leg skinny jeans to wear when I'm riding around town, but I'm not sure what to wear for the commute (which I guess I still haven't explained in detail -- next post). I guess just whatever is comfortable, since it will be disgusting by the time I get to work anyhow. Luckily, I hear they have showers.

Eye Gear

I have a lot of problems with wind in eyes making them tear up completely so I can't see anything. Not exactly the safest way to ride, one-handedly while trying to dab under your glasses with the other hand, nor does it look cool to be crying and biking down the street, lol. I don't have a solution here yet. Some people say wrap around sunglasses'll do it, but I feel like I would a) need sunglasses but also not sunglasses, since I will eventually be riding at night, I think and b) something that goes over my glasses. Maybe goggles? I hear they fog up. I don't know!

Gloves

This is a must. When I went to Xav's house (which I could map out in a future post -- it's about a five mile ride) my hands were so cold! Of course, that was pretty tricky because I hit the fog wall. Got super cold and damp. I need a better jacket for this type of thing, too *mentally adds that to the general clothing section* Seems like fingerless gloves would be the way to go? I don't really expect it to keep my hands warm, per se; just cutting the wind would be nice.

Water Bottle Holders

This is another no-brainer, but the bike didn't come with even one, so I will have to figure it out.

Rack and Bags

Yes, the pannier debate continues. Biking with my backpack on is not such a big deal, but it really depends what is in it. Right now I have biked comfortable with a notebook, textbook, and the bike lock, along with some incidentals like cash, cards, DS, maybe a couple CDs -- whatever.

The thing is if I am taking fresh clothes, food, my laptop, etc, then it could get bulky. I can recognize the fact that having panniers will make me feel like I can carry more when it will still be just as hard to move the bike with more stuff on it. I think my real dilemma is that I don't want to just get one big, waterproof bag, since that would throw off the balance. I was thinking if I carry my laptop and maybe clothes in one back, and everything else (toys, books, food) in the other bag, then it would be ok, but I wonder how much that really is.

Also I'm just really paranoid about how to make sure none of this stuff falls off in the middle of the street. Plus I like feeling pretty narrow -- fit more places and cars are less likely to clip you?

Let me know if you have any ideas on things that are good to have. I can't afford much now, but anything worth while will be looked into :D In the meantime, I'm going to bed z_z

Please to Link

So the link list is already steadily growing, mostly from blogs I am bringing over from my Google Reader, which is also a new trend. Been Yelping and RSS aggregating. I guess one project of this blog would be to actually dig in a bit and read these blogs closely so I can give them each a proper introduction. Mostly I just grabbed anything that looked interesting regarding bicycle fashion, design, culture, repeat, happiness...

Anyways, more on that later. And if you have any good links, let me knowwwww...*yawn*

Recent Rides

I meant to be keeping better tabs on this. The first actually strictly transportation as opposed to "Let's see if I remember how to ride a bike" ride I took was to jury duty, on Bryant.



This is not a very long ride, just two miles. I'm not sure the turn to Bryant is marked in the right spot, but I can't remember it exactly. You do have to turn, though. Some kind of funny downtown road, like it goes head on into itself with two one-ways or turns into a free-way entrance -- something like that.

The way back is slightly different, in that I definitely take Division back to Harrison. There's a bike lane on Harrison, so it's far less harrowing (hehehe) than trying to ride the whole way down Bryant, for instance, which would be hellish. I need to consult some references about how to deal with buses better.

The second ride I have done more than once (the first time was a nightmare -- never been so asthmatic in my life o_o) is to the bf's house:



It's a little longer, almost three miles. Note that this location is approximate. Also note that google maps can be tricky for this purpose; please disregard the Eureka loop -- there is actually a foot path I will describe. Anyhow, I looked at the bike map to try to find minimal hills (which is tricky, considering he does live ON TOP OF A HUGE HILL. 

Valencia you can fly down, it's so easy, with the bike lane. 18th is trickier when it is busy and doubly tricky because of the sneaky incline. It seems like a flat enough street, but you really feel even the slight angle when you're on a bicycle. Then again, let's remember that I'm a noob! (But I guess I haven't explained that yet, soon enough ;D)

Turning onto Douglass basically means getting off your bike and shoving up a couple steep hills. Pretty intense, but there are even harder trials ahead! At the top of the hill you actually get to shoulder it and take some stairs. This is very much a one step at a time affair, but I have definitely daydreamed of being able to take these two at a time at a run. You earn an easy coast over to 23rd, but then come two absolute beasts of hills to get to the top of 23rd. 

The first time I got to the top of that (after not even managing to bike all the way down 18th without a couple breaks) I was pretty much dead. It's definitely the hardest I had even consciously pushed myself, physically. When you're pushing up hills it is easy to say, "Oh I'm just walking, pick up the pace!" but that is a good way to, say, hurt your knee : X heh (Had a brief scare one morning where I limped around for a while, but it went away pretty quick! Whew!)

The second time it went a lot better, and I didn't take any breaks on 18th. Just to push up the hills in those two spots I mentioned. I should bust out a paint program or something, or maybe find a better bike route site. There is one, I think...

Anyhow, my next project is to figure out how to get to the Kabuki theater without taking too many hills, and then the Disney Museum in the Presido. Volunteering at the San Francisco International Film Festival this weekend. 

My Bike (of April 22, 2009)

Here is what I can tell you about my bicycle right now:

- It's a used Trek 7300 FX, mens (for better or for worse).

- It works.

- I bought an OnGuard Bulldog DT 5012 Bicycle U-Lock and Extra Security Cable, but am finding my bike frame is pretty thick, so it seems pretty tricky to lock it up sometimes.

- I got wheel and seat post locks. The original quick release bolts (bolts?) are in my room, not getting oil on the floor.

- These are the lights the lady at the bike shop recommended. VERY bright. I like them a lot, and also that they velcro to anywhere you want to attach them. All over the frame, looped through a backpack zipper tie or something, you know. I'm trying not to think about how much money I would've saved buying them at Amazon.

I'll take a pic soon, since I know at least one person who would like to check it out.

A Word About My Bicycle Blog

It's not laid out yet. I'm just starting. I'm also just starting the whole bicycle thing (albeit not from scratch), but that is a different post. No, this post is about the title, because I feel like it might be necessary.

If I feel it is necessary to write an explanation, then why did I choose such a title?

That is a very good question!

Clearly (if you are a geek?) the title is Engrish in the same vein as "Please to enjoy." Maybe there are some people who employ this type of common ESL error in hurtful ways, and those people are losers. Whenever I see or hear this wording, though, it just makes me feel happy. It gives off very genuine, earnest, and upbeat vibes. As it happens, that is also the way I feel about my bicycle and learning to commute and starting this blog. Thus, "Please to Bicycle." (Incidentally, I also just like the way it looks aesthetically. The other top choice was Ride a Bike, but I didn't want "bike" to ever be construed as "motorbike," and "Ride a Bicycle" just doesn't have the same ring.)

Maybe even having this "About" disclaimer somehow makes me racist, but I don't think so. I really hope not.

I guess the other bottom line here is that this is my blog and I can't imagine many people checking it out, although I will try to provide useful and interesting content/links alongside the mundane tales of commutership and whatnot.