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.

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.

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...

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.

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.

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*

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.

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.