This was a great ride. I always enjoy riding. There are times when it's hard to ride alone, or when someone else is being difficult that can make it challenging, but i can usually enjoy the bike itself, the scenery or the fantastic weather. Today riding to work in the morning the weather was fantastic. Heavy rain, but no wind. It was very nice.
Tonight after the volunteer work party, a good group of us rode north from Bike Works. These are always the best rides. Riding at night in the city is one of the most wonderful things. Tonight the crescent moon and an extremely bright planet Venus were shining down on us as we left Bike Works for the dark shore of Lake Washington. Good company, quiet roads and a beautiful calm night made my legs strong. One person was heading further north than Capitol Hill and i stuck along the lake with her for a few miles, crossing the Montlake Bridge and doubling back over the University Bridge. It was a very pleasant ride and conversation.
On the way back i decided to ride up Interlaken Drive. I was coming from the other direction so i couldn't ride through the heavy dark forest of car-free Interlaken Park, but instead came through the shaded wealthy houses on the approach from the west. My strong legs and quiet bike gobbled up the smooth fast pavement and glorious curves of the dark quiet street. It was magnificent.
Wait a minute! My QUIET bike?
For a several weeks i've had a terrible creak in my bike when i stand up, or when i pedal hard. While i love a quiet bike, i accept little sounds, rattles and squeaks, if i know what they are and know they are not doing any damage.
I COULD NOT identify this creak. I tightened the crank bolts, a common cause of creak. Bottom bracket too. I took apart the cranks, handlebars, stem, and examined every inch of the bike. I had my bottom bracket professionally replaced. It really needed it. It was creaking, but that didn't get rid of the annoying creak. My expert mechanic couldn't identify it. I was getting pretty stressed about it. I was starting to worry it might be a frame crack!
I installed new handlebars recently, it wasn't that. I've been adjusting them every couple of days, trying to get used to them. I took apart the stem, cleaned it and greased it. That didn't fix it. I re-ran the cables. Nothing seemed to do it. Yesterday while doing something else, i popped off the front wheel. I adjusted the generator wire and rattled the locking quick release skewer a bit and i cleaned the dropouts and put a tiny layer of grease on them. Then i re-mounted the wheel.
I guess that must have done it. It was raining pretty hard on my ride out this morning so i probably wouldn't have heard it if it was creaking. But it was quiet riding across the city tonight.
My bike was quiet again. For the first time in weeks. It was calming. My new handlebars were finally perfectly adjusted, and i was adjusted to them. I enjoyed the ride in the rain this morning, loved my steel fenders too. I really enjoyed the company on the beautiful, stealthy night time scramble up Lake Washington. And as i sped through the sweeping curves from Roanoke to the start of the climb in Interlaken, i felt one with the bike, i felt fast, felt strong. I felt happy.
29 March 2012
17 March 2012
Washing My Bike
I just finished washing my bike.
I try to do it a couple of times a month in the winter. It's not just to make it look nice, although it does look nice now, sparkling out on the balcony in the sun. There are three more important reasons for washing my bike. First, it rides better; i'll get back to that. Second, i get a chance to look at all the parts of the bike, and notice if anything is amiss: spokes or bolts loose or missing, anything like that. Third, it makes it possible to touch it, to make repairs or adjustments.
I ride in the rain a lot in the winter. I love rain and i really enjoy riding in the rain. One evening last week i took a couple of cyclists from Portland up through the little car-free urban rainforest of Interlaken Park, and up the back side of Capitol Hill on Interlake Drive in the pouring rain. It was a glorious ride, very joyful.
The only drawback of riding in the rain is that a lot gets kicked up and stuck to my bike: mud and leaves of course, but the worst is this thick black mudlike substance which is what happens when the sandy black grit that sheds off car tires mixes with water. This nasty car offal can cover much of the bike, and all of the wheels. The braking surfaces on my rims get a thick layer of this sludge covering them and that can really effect my braking ability and can even damage the rims. The reflective strips on my tires get covered with with this slurry cutting their effectiveness. This slime is so extensive and so nasty that any time i touch the lower part of the bike, i get this black grease on my hands. And it won't wash off of my fingers very easily. Some people think it is chain grease or oil, but it's not, it's little grains of car tire.
When i want to work on my bike, when something needs fixing, or if i'm going to take my bike to the shop, i always wash this crap off before i do. Yesterday riding home i heard some rattles that i want to check out. Today i am going to take a look at the bike, tighten some bolts, fix a few small things, make sure everything is tight and well adjusted so this was the time to wash it.
I fill a small bucket with natural dish soap and hot water. I take the bike out into the carport and spray it down with the hose. I use a wide setting on the nozzle and avoid aiming at the bearings in the wheels, bottom bracket and headset. The bike doesn't get any wetter than when i'm riding in the rain, so nothing can be damaged. We've all heard horror stories of cyclists who used a pressure washer on their bike, forcing all the grease out of the bearings. I'm careful to avoid anything like that. Then i take a sponge and scrub down the frame, and components.
The main part of it is scrubbing the wheels, the rims and the tires, but also the spokes. It's very satisfying work! The rims start off looking all nasty and covered with the black slime, and i just scrub it off. It doesn't take very long. I pay particular attention to the braking surfaces on the rim and the surface of the brake pads themselves (that alone makes a huge difference!). Then i rinse it off. I do each side of each wheel at a time, so i rinse four times. It only takes 10 or 15 minutes, even when it's really bad. Sometimes i will scrub the chain and cogs with a toothbrush and degreaser, but usually not.
Now my bike is really clean and i can work on it. Everything will last a little longer, and when i pedal out the driveway tomorrow, it will ride smoother, shift better and brake more crisply. And it looks pretty sharp too!
I try to do it a couple of times a month in the winter. It's not just to make it look nice, although it does look nice now, sparkling out on the balcony in the sun. There are three more important reasons for washing my bike. First, it rides better; i'll get back to that. Second, i get a chance to look at all the parts of the bike, and notice if anything is amiss: spokes or bolts loose or missing, anything like that. Third, it makes it possible to touch it, to make repairs or adjustments.
I ride in the rain a lot in the winter. I love rain and i really enjoy riding in the rain. One evening last week i took a couple of cyclists from Portland up through the little car-free urban rainforest of Interlaken Park, and up the back side of Capitol Hill on Interlake Drive in the pouring rain. It was a glorious ride, very joyful.
The only drawback of riding in the rain is that a lot gets kicked up and stuck to my bike: mud and leaves of course, but the worst is this thick black mudlike substance which is what happens when the sandy black grit that sheds off car tires mixes with water. This nasty car offal can cover much of the bike, and all of the wheels. The braking surfaces on my rims get a thick layer of this sludge covering them and that can really effect my braking ability and can even damage the rims. The reflective strips on my tires get covered with with this slurry cutting their effectiveness. This slime is so extensive and so nasty that any time i touch the lower part of the bike, i get this black grease on my hands. And it won't wash off of my fingers very easily. Some people think it is chain grease or oil, but it's not, it's little grains of car tire.
When i want to work on my bike, when something needs fixing, or if i'm going to take my bike to the shop, i always wash this crap off before i do. Yesterday riding home i heard some rattles that i want to check out. Today i am going to take a look at the bike, tighten some bolts, fix a few small things, make sure everything is tight and well adjusted so this was the time to wash it.
I fill a small bucket with natural dish soap and hot water. I take the bike out into the carport and spray it down with the hose. I use a wide setting on the nozzle and avoid aiming at the bearings in the wheels, bottom bracket and headset. The bike doesn't get any wetter than when i'm riding in the rain, so nothing can be damaged. We've all heard horror stories of cyclists who used a pressure washer on their bike, forcing all the grease out of the bearings. I'm careful to avoid anything like that. Then i take a sponge and scrub down the frame, and components.
The main part of it is scrubbing the wheels, the rims and the tires, but also the spokes. It's very satisfying work! The rims start off looking all nasty and covered with the black slime, and i just scrub it off. It doesn't take very long. I pay particular attention to the braking surfaces on the rim and the surface of the brake pads themselves (that alone makes a huge difference!). Then i rinse it off. I do each side of each wheel at a time, so i rinse four times. It only takes 10 or 15 minutes, even when it's really bad. Sometimes i will scrub the chain and cogs with a toothbrush and degreaser, but usually not.
Now my bike is really clean and i can work on it. Everything will last a little longer, and when i pedal out the driveway tomorrow, it will ride smoother, shift better and brake more crisply. And it looks pretty sharp too!
14 March 2012
Seattle-henge
I saw some media attention last summer given to a group of people celebrating Manhattan-henge -- July 12th and May 31st the days when the sun sets directly in line with the streets of Manhattan, spectacularly sinking between the towering buildings of New York City. Manhattan is canted 29 degrees north of due west, so the streets point at 300°. So i thought i'd figure out when Seattle-henge would be. On that evening, at sunset, you should be able to look west over the Olympic Mountains at and see the sun set directly down the middle of a Seattle street. Pretty cool!
Seattle has really astonishing sunsets almost every night, especially this time of year when the clouds put on a great show, so this could be amazing. The sun sets behind the front range of the Olympic Mountains and you can follow the mountain peaks it sets behind from your location from day to day, as the sunset moves north in the spring and south in the fall. There is a common legend in Seattle that on the Equinox the sun sets BETWEEN the peaks of The Brothers (Alfred & Edward). It turns out that depends on your exact location, but The Brothers are close to due west of Seattle.
Seattle has three different street grids, due to the competition between three pioneers all trying to get the city built on their land grant. This has turned into one main street grid that covers all of King County and two tiny sections downtown.
The grid at my house on Capitol Hill is the main street grid, based in Pioneer Square It is aligned so that the streets are directly east-west, (270°) and the Avenues directly north-south (0°).
The Central Business District streets, (in yellow above) aligned with the shoreline are canted at 238°.
Belltown is very odd, with the streets canted far south of west at 220° meaning that the Avenues are more likely to get a sunset than the streets, they are north of west at 310°.
The farthest north that the sun sets from Seattle is 307° on the Summer Solstice (day length 15 hours, 59 minutes). On the Winter Solstice the sun sets 72° farther south at 235° (day length 8 hours, 25 minutes 53% of the length of the longest day). The sunRISE gets as far north as 53° and as far south as 125°.
From Capitol Hill, and the rest of King County, since the streets are due west, the Seattle-henge is on the Spring and Autumn Equinoxs. Watch on these days to see the sunset straight down Seattle's streets!
In 2012 it's:
Mar 17 sunset at 19:19 PDT,
Mar 18 sunset at 19:20 PDT
Sep 23 sunset at 19:04 PDT.
Belltown is canted too far north and never gets a direct street aligned sunset. For most of June the sun sets only 3° south of a direct line up the Avenues, but it never reaches it completely.
Since the Central Business District streets are at 238°, the 2012 Seattle-henge dates for the Central Business District are:
Jan 11 sunset at 16:39 PST,
Jan 12 sunset at 16:41 PST,
Jan 13 sunset at 16:42 PST,
Nov 27 sunset at 16:22 PST,
Nov 28 sunset at 16:21 PST,
Nov 29 sunset at 16:21 PST,
Nov 30 sunset at 16:20 PST.
Now this should work for Sunrise too, on the main street grid. (The sunrise is not visible from downtown.) Looking east towards the Cascade mountains you should see the sun RISE directly up a Seattle Street on the equinox,
Mar 18 sunrise at 07:15 PDT
Sep 23 sunrise at 06:58 PDT.
Seattle has really astonishing sunsets almost every night, especially this time of year when the clouds put on a great show, so this could be amazing. The sun sets behind the front range of the Olympic Mountains and you can follow the mountain peaks it sets behind from your location from day to day, as the sunset moves north in the spring and south in the fall. There is a common legend in Seattle that on the Equinox the sun sets BETWEEN the peaks of The Brothers (Alfred & Edward). It turns out that depends on your exact location, but The Brothers are close to due west of Seattle.
Seattle has three different street grids, due to the competition between three pioneers all trying to get the city built on their land grant. This has turned into one main street grid that covers all of King County and two tiny sections downtown.
The grid at my house on Capitol Hill is the main street grid, based in Pioneer Square It is aligned so that the streets are directly east-west, (270°) and the Avenues directly north-south (0°).
The Central Business District streets, (in yellow above) aligned with the shoreline are canted at 238°.
Belltown is very odd, with the streets canted far south of west at 220° meaning that the Avenues are more likely to get a sunset than the streets, they are north of west at 310°.
The farthest north that the sun sets from Seattle is 307° on the Summer Solstice (day length 15 hours, 59 minutes). On the Winter Solstice the sun sets 72° farther south at 235° (day length 8 hours, 25 minutes 53% of the length of the longest day). The sunRISE gets as far north as 53° and as far south as 125°.
From Capitol Hill, and the rest of King County, since the streets are due west, the Seattle-henge is on the Spring and Autumn Equinoxs. Watch on these days to see the sunset straight down Seattle's streets!
In 2012 it's:
Mar 17 sunset at 19:19 PDT,
Mar 18 sunset at 19:20 PDT
Sep 23 sunset at 19:04 PDT.
Belltown is canted too far north and never gets a direct street aligned sunset. For most of June the sun sets only 3° south of a direct line up the Avenues, but it never reaches it completely.
Since the Central Business District streets are at 238°, the 2012 Seattle-henge dates for the Central Business District are:
Jan 11 sunset at 16:39 PST,
Jan 12 sunset at 16:41 PST,
Jan 13 sunset at 16:42 PST,
Nov 27 sunset at 16:22 PST,
Nov 28 sunset at 16:21 PST,
Nov 29 sunset at 16:21 PST,
Nov 30 sunset at 16:20 PST.
Now this should work for Sunrise too, on the main street grid. (The sunrise is not visible from downtown.) Looking east towards the Cascade mountains you should see the sun RISE directly up a Seattle Street on the equinox,
Mar 18 sunrise at 07:15 PDT
Sep 23 sunrise at 06:58 PDT.
13 March 2012
Seattle Has Four Seasons
I ran some errands this afternoon. It was cold and clear. About 35 degrees, blue sky. Very nice.
I left home on and rode a mile up hill to my first errand, parked and locked up under the clear blue sky. I was only there about 3 minutes, so very soon i was riding again. As i rode along the crest of the hill, about half a mile to my next errand, the west wind kicked up and blew me around a bit - it was fun. I bought a cookie and chatted a bit at the bakery and was soon on the road again.
I rode to the food Co-op, another half a mile. As I was in line at the Co-op it got very dark and started raining hard. I took my shopping basket out to the bike as the rain changed to graupel (also often called winter hail). It was coming down very hard. In the 2 or 3 minutes it took to pack the food in the trunk bag of my bike, a quarter inch layer accumulated on my seat. I thought it was really cool. A couple of people sitting at the coffee bar by the window were smiling at me. I smiled back like, isn't this great! I think they were actually laughing at me.
When i took my basket back into the Co-op, there was a crowd around the door staring at falling ice (or refusing to go out in it, i don't really know which). I rode a few blocks north on 16th Ave E in the heavy shower of pellets. Because it was graupel and not rain or snow, i wasn't getting wet! It was fun riding in it.
Then i turned west to go down the hill towards my house. Riding into the (strong) wind, downhill, with that graupel coming into my face was a challenge.
When I got down to 11th Ave E it wasn't graupel anymore; it was big fluffy snowflakes coming down very heavy! Visibility was about 50 feet. I loved it. It was snowing so hard that there was little bits of accumulation at the base of trees. I went through Cal Anderson Park and the plastic turf soccer field was completely covered, completely white.
By the time i got to the library about 8 blocks later the snow was turning wet.
When I left the library 10 minutes later, the sun was out, the sky was blue and it was noticeably warmer, i had to take my sweater off for the ride 3 blocks home.
Just another Seattle bike ride. I was gone slightly over an hour. Rain, snow, sleet, sun, wind. Seattle in the spring is always like this.
Who says Seattle doesn't have four seasons? We have them all in one hour!
I left home on and rode a mile up hill to my first errand, parked and locked up under the clear blue sky. I was only there about 3 minutes, so very soon i was riding again. As i rode along the crest of the hill, about half a mile to my next errand, the west wind kicked up and blew me around a bit - it was fun. I bought a cookie and chatted a bit at the bakery and was soon on the road again.
I rode to the food Co-op, another half a mile. As I was in line at the Co-op it got very dark and started raining hard. I took my shopping basket out to the bike as the rain changed to graupel (also often called winter hail). It was coming down very hard. In the 2 or 3 minutes it took to pack the food in the trunk bag of my bike, a quarter inch layer accumulated on my seat. I thought it was really cool. A couple of people sitting at the coffee bar by the window were smiling at me. I smiled back like, isn't this great! I think they were actually laughing at me.
When i took my basket back into the Co-op, there was a crowd around the door staring at falling ice (or refusing to go out in it, i don't really know which). I rode a few blocks north on 16th Ave E in the heavy shower of pellets. Because it was graupel and not rain or snow, i wasn't getting wet! It was fun riding in it.
Then i turned west to go down the hill towards my house. Riding into the (strong) wind, downhill, with that graupel coming into my face was a challenge.
When I got down to 11th Ave E it wasn't graupel anymore; it was big fluffy snowflakes coming down very heavy! Visibility was about 50 feet. I loved it. It was snowing so hard that there was little bits of accumulation at the base of trees. I went through Cal Anderson Park and the plastic turf soccer field was completely covered, completely white.
By the time i got to the library about 8 blocks later the snow was turning wet.
When I left the library 10 minutes later, the sun was out, the sky was blue and it was noticeably warmer, i had to take my sweater off for the ride 3 blocks home.
Just another Seattle bike ride. I was gone slightly over an hour. Rain, snow, sleet, sun, wind. Seattle in the spring is always like this.
Who says Seattle doesn't have four seasons? We have them all in one hour!
07 March 2012
Capitol Hill tunnel is almost finished!
A few minutes ago on my way home i walked around the Capitol Hill station dig site. I wanted to see if Togo, the tunnel boring machine coming from the University Station, had finished it's tunnel.
I really want to see it break through the wall if i can!
None of the windows from the sidewalk have a direct view of the wall that it will break through when it arrives at Capitol Hill station. I could see close to that point from one window and another window is directly above the wall, right where Twice Told Tales used to be. It doesn't look like they have broken through yet but there is a lot of activity. They have built a bridge for workers to cross over the wall and they have cleared out the floor of the station where the breakthrough will happen. The big mud pit where the dirt dug out of the downtown tunnel is being dumped before being loaded into trucks is much smaller now.
I walked the route for a few blocks and it seemed very clear from the placement of surveying equipment, bore test holes and shake measurements that the digging machine was under Thomas Street, between Broadway and Federal Ave. I couldn't feel any shaking.
That's only 1 block away, 200 or 300 feet left to go! I think that means it could break through this weekend.
I would love to actually see the machine break through! I know it's a long shot, but i'm going to go by there Saturday afternoon after work and i'll drop by a couple times on Sunday too. I won't be around Monday and Tuesday but i'll check in the evenings. So i hope it happens on Sunday or Wednesday and maybe i'll get to see it!
UPDATE Monday: I looked in again today and the breakthrough has not happened. I asked a worker at the gate at Broadway & Denny and she said since that tunnel is being dug by another company she has no idea. The worker at the gate on John seemed certain the breakthrough will happen on March 20th. I'll be there watching!
UPDATE Tuesday March 20th: When i got home at 8pm they had not broken through and they told me it had been delayed from 3pm to 12 midnight. At 10:30 i went out and walked around the entire project; as before i couldn't find any good place to view from. There were two TV stations there, as well as newspapers and bloggers. I tried to talk my way in with the media, but it didn't work. Eventually i found a window on Broadway with a little bit of a view. I stood there for 3 hours watching the workers inside, but i slowly came to the conclusion that my view was not going to see the breakthrough whenever it actually happened and i got cold and went home. The newspaper said they broke through at 4am. There was a picture of me in the newspaper looking in the window.
I am surprised and a bit angry that there was no attempt to let the public watch the breakthrough. I understand the security issues, but it wouldn't be hard to have a small roped off area with bleachers. I really hope they do that for the second tunnel next month, but i'm not hopeful.
UPDATE April 5th: Yesterday i heard back from Sound Transit about the possibility of seeing the second machine breakthrough. They said NO WAY. They also told me that breakthrough was due to happen this afternoon. I walked down there this evening and there was a lot of activity, but as before all the viewpoints into the site can't see that end of the hole. It's great that the tunnel digging is finished, but it's very frustrating to be so close and not be able to see the finish.
I really want to see it break through the wall if i can!
None of the windows from the sidewalk have a direct view of the wall that it will break through when it arrives at Capitol Hill station. I could see close to that point from one window and another window is directly above the wall, right where Twice Told Tales used to be. It doesn't look like they have broken through yet but there is a lot of activity. They have built a bridge for workers to cross over the wall and they have cleared out the floor of the station where the breakthrough will happen. The big mud pit where the dirt dug out of the downtown tunnel is being dumped before being loaded into trucks is much smaller now.
I walked the route for a few blocks and it seemed very clear from the placement of surveying equipment, bore test holes and shake measurements that the digging machine was under Thomas Street, between Broadway and Federal Ave. I couldn't feel any shaking.
That's only 1 block away, 200 or 300 feet left to go! I think that means it could break through this weekend.
I would love to actually see the machine break through! I know it's a long shot, but i'm going to go by there Saturday afternoon after work and i'll drop by a couple times on Sunday too. I won't be around Monday and Tuesday but i'll check in the evenings. So i hope it happens on Sunday or Wednesday and maybe i'll get to see it!
UPDATE Monday: I looked in again today and the breakthrough has not happened. I asked a worker at the gate at Broadway & Denny and she said since that tunnel is being dug by another company she has no idea. The worker at the gate on John seemed certain the breakthrough will happen on March 20th. I'll be there watching!
UPDATE Tuesday March 20th: When i got home at 8pm they had not broken through and they told me it had been delayed from 3pm to 12 midnight. At 10:30 i went out and walked around the entire project; as before i couldn't find any good place to view from. There were two TV stations there, as well as newspapers and bloggers. I tried to talk my way in with the media, but it didn't work. Eventually i found a window on Broadway with a little bit of a view. I stood there for 3 hours watching the workers inside, but i slowly came to the conclusion that my view was not going to see the breakthrough whenever it actually happened and i got cold and went home. The newspaper said they broke through at 4am. There was a picture of me in the newspaper looking in the window.
I am surprised and a bit angry that there was no attempt to let the public watch the breakthrough. I understand the security issues, but it wouldn't be hard to have a small roped off area with bleachers. I really hope they do that for the second tunnel next month, but i'm not hopeful.
 | |
| the view of the hole, the media tent and my little window photo from the Sound Transit webcam |
 |
| That's me peering fruitlessly in the window. photo from the Seattle P-I the next day. |
 |
| The wall waiting for the breakthrough.I drew in the approximate line of the lower limit of my view from the window on Broadway. photo from Capitol Hill Seattle Blog |
UPDATE April 5th: Yesterday i heard back from Sound Transit about the possibility of seeing the second machine breakthrough. They said NO WAY. They also told me that breakthrough was due to happen this afternoon. I walked down there this evening and there was a lot of activity, but as before all the viewpoints into the site can't see that end of the hole. It's great that the tunnel digging is finished, but it's very frustrating to be so close and not be able to see the finish.
27 February 2012
Does LAB belong in Bikes Belong?
The Alliance for Biking & Walking, Bikes Belong, and the League of American Bicyclists — the three largest national bicycling advocacy organizations — intend to merge into one group.
Tim Blumenthal, head of the industry-backed Bikes Belong, will lead the new organization.
This is very concerning.
The claim is that this strange merger might create a stronger, more effective organization. But the opposite seems much more likely.
First off, i'm very worried about the fact that we will have fewer voices, even if there is a possibility that the only remaining voice is a little bigger.
I think it's been great having Bikes Belong in the mix these last few years. Finally having an industry voice was very valuable and it worked well with the League. But to let it take over our 100 year old advocacy organization -- that is a disaster. LAB has always been the check and balance on the bicycle industry, and often pressured the industry to focus more on transportation than various unnecessary dead ends. But now the industry is going to actually run LAB? Bikes Belong, formed primary by Trek and often guided by the League, is a relatively recent attempt by the American bicycle corporations to advance bicycling. It is an industry group supporting a pro-industry agenda.
For over a century (the entire history of the bicycle!) the LAB/LAW name was the gold standard. They were steadfast and dependable in their strong and thoughtful support for all cyclists. While by no means perfect, they are one of the most effective organizations i know of. Not only are they responsible for bicycles being allowed by law on every street in every State (the main advocacy push of the 1970s) but they also advocated for and got PAVED STREETS! (The main advocacy push of the 1890s!) Now it is proposed that they became simply an arm of the bicycle manufacturing companies?
Mature movements have many voices with different perspectives. That is essential. That diversity is a good thing. In the last few years it seemed that we (the bicycle movement) were finally maturing. I love that flowering: the multiple different groups and sub-movements, many voices of many different bicyclists, different perspectives and viewpoints. Consolidating into only one voice seems like a terrible step backwards from that maturity, marginalizing us yet again, not only on the local scene but on the national scene. At least on the national level we have always, always had someone we could depend on to stand up for us: The League of American Bicyclists. Ooops!
We do want the bike industry in the public sphere, talking to Congress and localities and we need the League speaking out -- they are the most important organization in the history of bicycling. And we need them to be independent of the bike industry, to work with it but also to put pressure on it.
Secondly, mixing the Alliance for Biking and Walking in with the big bike organizations is clearly a big setback for both pedestrian advocacy, which will be overwhelmed by the bikes, and for cycling advocacy. Cycling's two biggest voices, soon to be only one voice, will have to make time and room for pedestrian issues. That could feel like (and could really be) an afterthought, and that would be a tragedy for pedestrians. Or it could cut into the ability to speak for the nation's bicyclists, which would also be terrible. Pedestrians, that's ALL OF US, need a strong national voice, it's hard to imagine how that voice will survive this merger.
Third, and worst, by lumping cyclists and pedestrians into a single block, we send the message to the opposition that we're all the same, with the same crazy demands trying to interfere with the 'normal' drivers. It makes it sound like we're just a bunch of irrational anti-car people with no clear message.
It perpetuates the idea that bikes and pedestrians are the same, with the same needs, ignoring the fact that, while most cyclists support pedestrian issues, and some pedestrians support bike issues, our space (in the city) our needs and our priorities are not only very different but very often in conflict. These conflicts will only increase as urban cycling increases. It is important for all of us that all of those needs are addressed full time by strong voices for both bikes and pedestrians.
The fact that industry rep Blumenthal will be CEO, not Executive Director indicates that the players themselves do not see this as a non-profit organization. Does that mean they also don't see it as a membership organization? Or are they just trying to get the extensive, activist membership to support the for-profit bike industry?
Since the 1890s The League has been a membership based organization. They have used that strength, as the voice of REAL cyclists, to effect great change. Again, it is the idea that MANY VOICES are stronger than just one. For decades, the bicycle industry just wanted to focus on new inventions and expensive toys. The industry is largely responsible for the widespread idea that bicycling is recreational only. It abandoned transportation cycling in the 1960s and pushed hard AGAINST transportation cycling throughout the 1990s, pushing people to buy over-engineered mountain bikes, and the 2000s forcing everyone towards farcical racing machines. These mistakes are at the core of many of the issues we struggle with today.
The League of American Bicyclists has been our steadfast voice throughout this: representing bicyclists and pushing back against the industry. Now they are merging with, and probably being consumed by a private industry group? How do you do that with a membership organization? I don't understand.
Andy Clark, the president of LAB says on his blog that none of the groups are in trouble, and that no programs will be reduced, no one laid off.
But we all know that mergers never happen because everyone is strong: they happen because one or more players are weak. When there is no good purpose for this surprise announcement, and a lot of concerns, i have to ask: why now? What is the pressing need to weaken our strongest voice and silence the chorus in favor of a monolithic voice of private industry?
25 February 2012
February Capitol Hill tunnel update
Currently there are three TBM, Tunnel Boring Machines, digging 21 foot diameter holes through the hill i live on.
In only 4 more years (22 years after we voted for it) there should be light rail trains running in these tunnels. I've been facinated by the tunneling process: i frequently stare down into the big hole where the station will be and a year ago i calculated the route of the tunnel using GPS and walked the entire length. That was fun!
Sound Transit's website has generally monthly project updates, however they only show the most recent and the updates don't say WHERE the machines are, only how many feet they have dug so far. So i've been processing the data they release and posting maps showing the monthly progress: September, October, December, January. The February data was released this week. Here are the current locations of the three TBM:
Brenda has just started it's second run, and is under the plaza at Seattle Central Community College.
Balto has passed out from under Volunteer park, crossed E Prospect St and is heading for 13th Ave E.
Togo is under the corner of Lowell school, near the corner of 11th Ave E & E Mercer St. Getting close to the end!
Sound Transit's website has generally monthly project updates, however they only show the most recent and the updates don't say WHERE the machines are, only how many feet they have dug so far. So i've been processing the data they release and posting maps showing the monthly progress: September, October, December, January. The February data was released this week. Here are the current locations of the three TBM:
Brenda has just started it's second run, and is under the plaza at Seattle Central Community College.
Togo is under the corner of Lowell school, near the corner of 11th Ave E & E Mercer St. Getting close to the end!
22 February 2012
Being There
When we first heard the dog, Ryan was 50 meters or so ahead of me pedaling through thick Northwest rainforest on Sandy Hook Road in Kitsap County. This would turn into one of the most memorable dog encounters i've ever had on a bicycle.
It wasn't the deep threatening bark of a guard dog, the kind that makes a cyclist's heart skip a beat. It was a yip yip yip of a very excited, perhaps overly arrogant, little city dog. As we passed a small break in the thick ferns a tiny 5 inch high, fluffy, yellow dog came shooting out of the driveway, as if fired with a rocket. The little dog seemed certain that it was as ferocious and frightening protecting it's territory as an angry lion.
I was a little shocked when it didn't stop at the end of the driveway, but instead shot right out into the street. My deeply embedded cyclist's dog alert kicked in a little late. I recovered a bit and held my line as the squirrel sized dog fiercely yelped at Ryan's passing; and then, when the bicycle was safely past, continued it's high speed trajectory straight out into the street, making it clear that it COULD have eaten that invader alive if it WANTED to.
My brief fear dissipated, but was replaced by a worry that i might run over the cute little bugger. As i neared the point where i was going to have to take evasive action, the little dog noticed me coming down the road and was completely shocked, never considering there could be two of us. Forgetting any attempt at false heroics, it decided to turn around and head for the safety of it's yard. However it was still moving forward very fast from it's unrestrained launch out of the driveway, and it's tiny claws could get no grip on the wet rainforest asphalt. Sliding half way across the pavement like a fluffy yellow hockey puck, it finally came to a stop near the center of the road. Instantly it's legs started pumping to get away from the approaching bicycle, to try to get it back to the driveway, but the only effect at first was straight out of a roadrunner cartoon: the dog stayed in one place as all four feet moved independently, frantically slipping on the pavement.
I was no longer in danger of hitting the cute furball, but i was laughing so loudly that Ryan heard me. The dog's paws finally got some traction and Ryan turned around just in time to see a five inch yellow streak heading back into the rainforest.
Ryan and i were 40 miles into a 50 mile loop from the Bainbridge Ferry up to Port Gamble and back down via Big Valley Road, historic Poulsbo and Lemolo Road. It's a wonderful, hilly ride. We stopped at Chief Seattle's grave in Suquamish on the way up after having a magnificent breakfast at the Streamliner Diner in Winslow right off the ferry.
At the end of the day we took a detour on Bainbridge Island to kill some time waiting for the ferry. We passed a really cool crooked little house, with a bigger crooked house being built next to it.
Following the forecast, and the weather of the past several days, we both prepared for wet, cold, windy weather, loading up on extra layers of wool and jackets. Except for a brief sprinkle at Port Gamble it was a warm, calm, magnificent day, with dramatic clouds and hints of blue. We both rode in a single long sleeved layer carrying a HUGE bundle of clothes on our rear rack.
I was pretty slow all day. Ryan is always faster than me, but i was slower than usual, and i'm pretty tired tonight. There were hills that were a bit of a struggle and i probably shouldn't be this tired; but i am and it feels kind of good. 51 miles and 2,800 feet of climbing.
It was a wonderful ride, a loop i have been wanting to do for a long time and one i'm sure i will do again. The riding was GREAT, but the best part was the exhilaration of being in these amazing places, the expansive water views and the dark mossy rainforest.
Much of the area we passed through is deeply and forever Salish. It's a powerful feeling for me visiting, passing through. We stopped to see if the Suquamish museum was open (it wasn't, which guarantees another ride!) and breathed their air and felt the power of their land where the forest meets the sea. I adore the forest of cedars and moss and ferns. I love the clouds and rain, the mountains and fjords, the streams and hills. I love this Salish land more than i can express.
We talked all day. We talked about the news, about our daily lives, about bicycles, but we kept coming back to the reasons that we ride. We agreed that the physical exertion is valuable. We both share a joy in such an amazingly elegant machine driven by our own power (and the fuel at the bakeries along the way). We agreed that the pure fun of the wind in our hair, the rain on our face, the road moving beneath us is a pleasure that would be hard to live without
But for both of us just the being there is the heart of this thing. The bicycle is just the means, the thing that gets us there and puts us right in the world. Feeling the world, experiencing the places, the things, the weather. Being in it, maybe even being a tiny part of it briefly, i feel special. My joy is deep. Like so many rides, the places and the experience, and the honor of the experience will stay with me for a long time.
That and a little yellow dog sliding across the road.
It wasn't the deep threatening bark of a guard dog, the kind that makes a cyclist's heart skip a beat. It was a yip yip yip of a very excited, perhaps overly arrogant, little city dog. As we passed a small break in the thick ferns a tiny 5 inch high, fluffy, yellow dog came shooting out of the driveway, as if fired with a rocket. The little dog seemed certain that it was as ferocious and frightening protecting it's territory as an angry lion.
I was a little shocked when it didn't stop at the end of the driveway, but instead shot right out into the street. My deeply embedded cyclist's dog alert kicked in a little late. I recovered a bit and held my line as the squirrel sized dog fiercely yelped at Ryan's passing; and then, when the bicycle was safely past, continued it's high speed trajectory straight out into the street, making it clear that it COULD have eaten that invader alive if it WANTED to.
My brief fear dissipated, but was replaced by a worry that i might run over the cute little bugger. As i neared the point where i was going to have to take evasive action, the little dog noticed me coming down the road and was completely shocked, never considering there could be two of us. Forgetting any attempt at false heroics, it decided to turn around and head for the safety of it's yard. However it was still moving forward very fast from it's unrestrained launch out of the driveway, and it's tiny claws could get no grip on the wet rainforest asphalt. Sliding half way across the pavement like a fluffy yellow hockey puck, it finally came to a stop near the center of the road. Instantly it's legs started pumping to get away from the approaching bicycle, to try to get it back to the driveway, but the only effect at first was straight out of a roadrunner cartoon: the dog stayed in one place as all four feet moved independently, frantically slipping on the pavement.
I was no longer in danger of hitting the cute furball, but i was laughing so loudly that Ryan heard me. The dog's paws finally got some traction and Ryan turned around just in time to see a five inch yellow streak heading back into the rainforest.
Ryan and i were 40 miles into a 50 mile loop from the Bainbridge Ferry up to Port Gamble and back down via Big Valley Road, historic Poulsbo and Lemolo Road. It's a wonderful, hilly ride. We stopped at Chief Seattle's grave in Suquamish on the way up after having a magnificent breakfast at the Streamliner Diner in Winslow right off the ferry.
At the end of the day we took a detour on Bainbridge Island to kill some time waiting for the ferry. We passed a really cool crooked little house, with a bigger crooked house being built next to it.
Following the forecast, and the weather of the past several days, we both prepared for wet, cold, windy weather, loading up on extra layers of wool and jackets. Except for a brief sprinkle at Port Gamble it was a warm, calm, magnificent day, with dramatic clouds and hints of blue. We both rode in a single long sleeved layer carrying a HUGE bundle of clothes on our rear rack.
I was pretty slow all day. Ryan is always faster than me, but i was slower than usual, and i'm pretty tired tonight. There were hills that were a bit of a struggle and i probably shouldn't be this tired; but i am and it feels kind of good. 51 miles and 2,800 feet of climbing.
It was a wonderful ride, a loop i have been wanting to do for a long time and one i'm sure i will do again. The riding was GREAT, but the best part was the exhilaration of being in these amazing places, the expansive water views and the dark mossy rainforest.
Much of the area we passed through is deeply and forever Salish. It's a powerful feeling for me visiting, passing through. We stopped to see if the Suquamish museum was open (it wasn't, which guarantees another ride!) and breathed their air and felt the power of their land where the forest meets the sea. I adore the forest of cedars and moss and ferns. I love the clouds and rain, the mountains and fjords, the streams and hills. I love this Salish land more than i can express.
We talked all day. We talked about the news, about our daily lives, about bicycles, but we kept coming back to the reasons that we ride. We agreed that the physical exertion is valuable. We both share a joy in such an amazingly elegant machine driven by our own power (and the fuel at the bakeries along the way). We agreed that the pure fun of the wind in our hair, the rain on our face, the road moving beneath us is a pleasure that would be hard to live without
But for both of us just the being there is the heart of this thing. The bicycle is just the means, the thing that gets us there and puts us right in the world. Feeling the world, experiencing the places, the things, the weather. Being in it, maybe even being a tiny part of it briefly, i feel special. My joy is deep. Like so many rides, the places and the experience, and the honor of the experience will stay with me for a long time.
That and a little yellow dog sliding across the road.
13 February 2012
Worst Day Of The Year Ride
Bike Works' first community ride of the year was tonight. The name is more of a reference to tomorrow (Valentines Day is no fun for those of us who are single), than the rain.
It didn't rain.
We had a good group and a very fun ride up to Fremont, using the wonderful new connector trail under the Ballard Bridge.
(The yellow lines are bridges! The topo maps don't know that there is a road hanging above the canal or the valley and actually adds in that elevation as if we went down and back up. So i drew in the major bridges we crossed.)
It didn't rain.
We had a good group and a very fun ride up to Fremont, using the wonderful new connector trail under the Ballard Bridge.
28 January 2012
January Capitol Hill tunnel update
Currently there are three TBM, Tunnel Boring Machines, digging 21 foot diameter holes through the hill i live on.
Sound Transit has a page with the most current (generally monthly) project update. I've been using that data to plot the locations of each machine on the map.
The January data was released this week, so here are the locations.
Brenda is currently being trucked back up to Capitol Hill to start over again on the second tunnel.
Balto is exactly where Togo was last month, under 17th Ave E & E Galer St.
Togo has made it to the Water Tower loop at volunteer park!
Sound Transit has a page with the most current (generally monthly) project update. I've been using that data to plot the locations of each machine on the map.
The January data was released this week, so here are the locations.
Brenda is currently being trucked back up to Capitol Hill to start over again on the second tunnel.
Balto is exactly where Togo was last month, under 17th Ave E & E Galer St.
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