Mountain Biking, Speed, and Common Courtesy

I'm fortunate in that I live near the hub of Cobb County's current trail system.  Within a few miles of my home are the Silver Comet Trail, the Silver Comet Trail Connector, the Rottenwood Creek Trail, the Cochran Shoals Trail, the Palisades Trail, and the Sope Creek Trail.  Some of these trails are for pedestrians only and others are multi-use trails that welcome bicyclist.  And that's where the problem comes in.

Let's take for example, the Sope Creek Trail.  It starts near Sope Creek on Paper Mill Road and runs to the Cochran Shoals Trail along the Chattahoochee.  It's a multi-use trail where people including me, hike, run, walk their dogs, and bike.  But some cyclist seem to confuse a multi-use trail with a racetrack, bombing down into the valleys at pretty much full speed.  Now I understand the attraction of speed, it's fun.  But there's a place for it and it's not on a trail with two way traffic and where around the next corner could be a child or an elderly person.  The same thing applies to a lesser degree on the Silver Comet Trail, where hammerheads in pacelines swerve  around people pushing babies in strollers.  It's crazy, it's dangerous, and it's rude.  Just as the street isn't the place to see how fast you can go in your car, MUPS are not the place to see how fast you can bike.

I fear if cyclists continue to use MUPS as racetracks someone is going to get hurt, and sadly if history is any indication all cyclists will get the blame.

Halloween Bike Parade

I really wanted to get to the Streets Alive: Halloween Bike Parade but I found myself committed somewhere else.  Luckily, Cameron from Atlanta Bicycle Chic was there with a camera.

Bikes Seen Today In Atlanta

A Sears Three Speed

A Fuji Single Speed

A Linus Roadster and it's friend

A Torpadeo, a LeMond, and a Felt

And a Penny-farthing or, if you prefer, an Ordinary

Bicycles Outsell Cars in Italy

The Telegraph is reporting, "In a radical departure for the car-mad country, home to legendary marques such as Fiat, Ferrari and Lamborghini, 1,750,000 bikes were bought in 2011 compared to 1,748,000 motor vehicles."

Now this can't come as a surprise. Cars are expensive. They're expensive to buy, expensive to insure, expensive to maintain, expensive to run, and when times are tough the high cost of cars hits home. Will this happen in the US? Probably not, Italy has an extensive rail network that provides an alternative to driving. The US rail network, is not as extensive or accessible.

Brooklyn Cyclist Killed in Hit & Run

I was looking for an update on Anthony Dixon when I ran across this sad story. "Terence Connor was near Stewart Ave. in East Williamsburg about 5:15 a.m. when he was struck, officials said. He died later at Woodhull Hospital." The driver did not stop.

Speaking of Politicians

Meet Rob Ford. He's the mayor of one of North America's great cities, Toronto. He's also an idiot. Thanks to him Atlanta may be becoming more bike friendly than Toronto.

A Bipartisan Issue- Bikes

In this election year let's see if we can find some common ground between the parties.
President Obama on a bike. But Malia dear if you're going to wear a helmet it's important to wear it properly.

Mitt Romney on a bike, in a suit, and with toe clips. Who knew he and I had something in common.

Ron Paul on a bike. He famously challenged fellow candidates to a ten mile ride in a debate.

Jon Huntsman on a bike. Top Gun style.

Bill and Hillary Clinton on bikes. Hillary must have been the one that taught Malia Obama how to wear a helmet.

Jimmy Carter on a bike, with style!

See everyone loves to bicycle.

There Are All Kinds of Bikes

I spotted this homemade chopper style bicycle outside of the office.

Important Safety Warning from Bike Friday Regarding the Tikit

Tikit Stem Issue

The Mysteries of the Internet

Today's number one referrer, adresultpages.com for buy viagra.  If you came here looking for information about viagra I'm very sorry. 

The Gear Revival

One of the problems with Atlanta is that it's so spread out and composed of so many individual neighborhoods, it's hard to know about all the good spots. Well today I discovered a good spot. The Gear Revival is a neat little shop on Marietta Street on the westside of town. Now I don't get to this part of town very often but TGR is worth the trip. If you're the kind of person who loves outdoor activities, you'll love this store. Now I'll go ahead and warn you, this store isn't huge and it doesn't have everything under the sun, but it does have what you need. The proprietors have obviously spent time hiking, climbing, and biking because the store stocks the essentials and skips the crap. Stocking both new and lightly used equipment it's a great place if, like me, you have to live on a budget.

Oh yeah, they have bikes too. A really interesting selection of used bikes several of which I wanted to bring home with me. So make some time this weekend head over to the westside and visit Mitch or Jen at the Gear Revival, it's worth the trip. Don't believe me, maybe you'll believe Fox5!
The Gear Revival

 You might me wondering how I discovered TGR and what I got there. Don't worry all will be explained soon.

Ann Althouse and I Don't Agree On Much

But we agree on this. "Pushing helmets really kills cycling and bike-sharing in particular because it promotes a sense of danger that just isn’t justified..." "... in fact, cycling has many health benefits." Now I mostly wear a helmet but there are times I don't. The solution for cyclist safety isn't more helmets, it's more cyclists, and more cycling infrastructure.

Atlanta Bicycle Chic

A great Atlanta based cycling site I just stumbled across. They're getting a link in blogroll. Atlanta Bicycle Chic

Why is the Scattante Emerald City So Popular

In the six years this blog has been around, one post is by far the most popular. On January 8, 2009, I made a comment about how nice the Scattante Emerald City looked. For some reason that post has almost a thousand more hits than my next most popular post. So what gives? I also happen to notice that much of the interest in the Scattante comes from Greece, Poland, and Russia. Are those counties filled with single speed enthusiasts? Inquiring minds want to know. http://atlantabybike.blogspot.com/2009/01/scattante-emerald-city-single-speed.html

Predawn

New Trails in Cobb County

This is part of the new trail that will eventually connect Cochran Shoals to the Silver Comet and Kennesaw Trails.

Update on the Anthony Dixon Hit and Run

According to WSB's Carl Willis, cameras near the accident scene have been able to identify the vehicle that hit Anthony Dixon as an older model black Honda. The police say it will likely have damage to the passenger side and possibly the windshield. Police also say the suspect may have decided not to drive the car following the accident, so if you see a car matching the description or know someone will an older black Honda who has suddenly stopped driving it the police ask that you look for evidence that they may be involved. If you know anything please contact the Cobb County Police Department. Anthony Dixon's neighbors say he rode his bike to work everyday and often had to start before the sun came up. His bike was outfitted with lights, he was likely doing everything right and yet he was still hit from behind. As we hope for Mr. Dixon's recovery please remember to be careful out there.

Flying With the Bike

I really don't like renting cars when I fly to other cities. The cars usually suck and it's expensive. So the logical solution is to take one of my bikes with me, but that's not as simple as it used to be. To bolster their profits airlines have started charging bag fees and evidently they see cyclists as cash cows. Delta will charge you $150 each way to transport your bike. Southwest is more reasonable at $50 each way but neither is as good as Denver based Frontier. Frontier charges just $20 for economy ticket holder to fly with a bike that's less than 50 pounds. However, there's a way to avoid these high fees through the magic of folders. A boxed folder will usually be treated like any other checked bag. But until I get my Brompton, if I want to fly with my bike I'll have to pay. Bicycling Magazine has more details.

Canton Hwy Hit and Run

Yesterday, Anthony Randolph Dixon, of Marietta was riding south on Canton Highway when he was struck from behind near the East Piedmont intersection and critically injured.  Cobb County Police are searching for a dark compact car that left the scene of the accident.  Anyone with information about the accident should contact the Cobb County Police at 770.499.3900.

Lazy Lazy Lazy

Last post July 2010!  Let's see what we can do about that.

As predicted here

MARTA has announced its intention to switch to a distance based pricing structure. Which sucks. We seem to be following the DC Metro model when we should be following the Chicago El/Commuter rail one.

Country Dogs and City Dogs

Do you know the difference between country dogs and city dogs? City dogs tend to be behind fences or on leashes. Country dogs too often run free. Last week while riding through rural north Georgia a dog chased me for the better part of a mile.

Spring Has Sprung

It appears that spring has come to Atlanta, and with it March showers. So I took a very foggy wet ride and was thankful for my fenders.

Why Are You Trying to Kill Me?

Situation: I coming down a fairly quick downhill on a bike laden down with books. The driver looks right at me and then starts to pull out in front of me to turn left across the street. Now here's the great part once he pulls out into the lane he stops, I guess he suddenly sees me. So now I have to hit the brakes hard. Did I mention the bike was packed full of books? So the rear wheel starts to slide out and I start doing the calculations should I go down or try and ride her out. I choose to keep it up and manage to straighten her up stopping just a few inches from the car.

And the guy is still just sitting there. Sigh...

#test#
test

#test
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Right Now

Right now I'm looking at a Specialized Roubaix that's ridden by one of my law professors who is also a bike commuter. He brings it into class with him while I have to lock my bike up outside like a sucker.

Thinking About Lane Position

Yesterday on my way back from the thrift store I was passed by another cyclist. This is nothing new, I'm kind of slow, people pass me all the time. But what struck me was our difference in lane positions. While I ride inside what would be a cars passenger side tire track (sometimes even further to the left) the guy who passed me rode right on the white line.

Now in metro Atlanta most roads do not have shoulders; so for my safety I take the lane, but I'm in the minority. Most cyclist I see ride almost on top of the white line. Now if there is a shoulder and it's sufficiently wide (at least two handlebar widths) I will use it, otherwise I'm out in the lane forcing cars to go around me. So how about you? Where do you ride?

How the Other Half Lives

Riding around for a week on roads covered with sand, gravel, and salt has given me a new insight into what northern riders endure. Having cars pelt your face with this stuff isn't fun.

An Adventurous Start to the New Year

We're just seven days into the new year and I've already had many days of subfreezing rides, snow, ice, and an encounter with wrong way driver on a one street. Only 358 days left to go.

1 Letter 2 Trips

I rode to the post office today and when I got there I discovered that I had left the letter I intended to mail at home. So I rode home and then back to the post office. If I were in a car or had something to do this would have probably annoyed me, but on a bike even in the cold it was ok.

By the way, Mr. Toyota RAV4 I want to say thank you for not speeding. I mean it must be difficult enough to drive with your knees while texting on your iPhone that speeding would have just been too tough.

Saved from Destruction

A bridgestone kabuki and a Maruishi road ace were headed to the dump but with my penchant for Japanese bikes from the 70s and 80s, I just couldn't let them go. So I pulled them out of the dumpster and brought them home. The components on both are in pretty rough shape but the frames are straight so I'll be fixing them up over the next few weeks.

Mirrors and CVS

I tend to prefer handlebar mounted mirrors over helmet or glasses mounted ones primarily because I don't always wear my helmet or glasses. However, handlebar mounts tend to attract vandals and I lost another one todays while my bike was parked at Publix.

In happier news, kudos to the new CVS on Powers Ferry Road. Look what they've got:

Well Shoot

Laid off 23 days before Christmas. I guess there will be fewer commuting and shopping miles than I anticipated this month.

Fatal Accident Closes All Lanes of I-285

Which forces thousands of cars onto the normally quiet streets I use for my bicycle commute. The result, a madhouse of frustrated drivers and one bicyclist trying to keep it in perspective.

Road-raging firefighter gets 120 days for shooting at bicyclist

Tuscon Bike Lawyer has the scoop.

No Bicycle Commute Today

The old tendinitis in the ankle is acting up today, so the bike stayed home. I'll tell you the truth, every time I drive on Atlanta's highways they get scarier.

Your MPG

38 miles per gallon

Created by The Car Connection

Assuming you consumed 1 gallon of liquid food mixed with water, this short survey will tell you approximately how far you could walk before you passed out ran out of gas.

Any Weather is Good

It's kind of a drizzly and overcast day in Atlanta but I thought it was great weather for a ride. Bicycling in that misty rain is right up there with hiking in misty rain, it's one of those things that's hard to describe why it's so pleasurable. But it is. And riding today with my cranks spinning slowly and the headlights of cars trapping the mist in beams of light, all seemed right with the world.

Morons Video Themselves Attacking Bicyclist and Pedestrians

In what tend to think of as bike and ped friendly Minneapolis.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Test

The Making of a Retro-Grouch

As I get older I'm starting to notice some traits emerge, that once would have shamed me. The other day I noticed I was drinking from a water bottle that was stamped "Made in West Germany" and wearing a t-shirt that almost 20 years old. So I suppose it's only natural that my taste in bikes has become decidedly old-school.

So imagine my glee when I discovered this:


The Schwinn World Tour, its a pretty conventional touring bike at a great price but what's that I see? Yep a quill stem. I can't tell you how happy that makes me. In my opinion the threadless headset is one of the great abominations of modern cyclery. Sure it may have it place on racing bikes where every ounce of weight counts, but quite frankly it makes no sense on most bikes. So why is it now so common?

edit: if the Schwinn had horizontal dropouts it would be almost perfect.

Dreams

Last night I dreamt of riding the Schwinn on a narrow path in an Autumn wood. I could smell the fire in some hidden hearth while the wind lifted leaves into the air like so many fairies dancing around me.

It was a good dream.

The $13,000 Schwinn Paramount

I overslept today and wound up driving to work, so on my lunch break I rode over to Roswell Bicycles. It's what I would call a typical bike shop, a lot of road bikes, a smaller selection of mountain, hybrid, and kids bikes. And of course there's the $13,000 Schwinn Paramount.

Now for my bicycle heresy, if a bike is worth $13,000 it belongs in a museum not hanging from the ceiling of a LBS. That is all.

Almost Perfect

Once again a reminder of why fall in Atlanta is so great. A cool morning and a 70 degree afternoon with sunshine created what just may be the perfect day for riding. So much so that after the ride home I unloaded the bike and took a spin around the block just for the heck of it.

By the way, a tip of the hat to Mr. I'll Pass You on This Hill despite being at least 30 pounds heavier than you and riding a mountain bike with knobies. My hat is off to you sir.

Why We Ride

Last week was bad. By Sunday I felt like I had the weight of the world on me. So I looked at the old gray mule who responded "don't look at me like that, I need BB maintenance, new wheels, and look at that cassette." But she bore me again across the hilly roads of my neighborhood out toward the far suburbs to the exoburbs, and a funny thing happened. As I rode my troubles seemed less troublesome. As the number of miles climbed so did my spirit. Soaking in the smells and sounds and tastes of the road for a short time there was nothing else just man, bike, and road. And that was good enough.

Alpharetta Gets the Job Done

Less than a week ago the Big Creek Greenway was under about 3 feet of water. When that water receded it left a thick layer of mud in several places. Well I'm happy to report that Alpharetta's parks department has done a great job clearing the trail, allowing me to enjoy it on my lunch break again.

Weather Gods and Unwise Decisions

The Weather Gods had a laugh at my expense on Saturday when they unceremoniously dumped about a million gallons on my head without warning.

Speaking of water, I decided to ride along the river to check out the flood damage only to discover that it was closed because of raw sewage contamination. Well that makes sense I thought and turned to cross the bridge back toward home. That's when I saw them. Despite signs warning to stay out of the river, there was a group of people doing baptisms in the muddy water. I'm all for ritual and such but there's a reason they put those signs up.

MTB Style Commute

The recent rains have left quite a bit of mud and dirt on the roads. As a result my bike currently looks like crap. This is one of those times where I really wish I had an IGH on the commuter. Needless to say this weekend cleaning and adjustment will be on the to do list.

Sad News

It appears a man may have drowned wading across the same flooded bridge I considered crossing Monday. Remember, pay attention to your instincts they're there to keep you alive.

A Ride to Remember

Showing more enthusiasm than sense, I rode yesterday in the worst rain Atlanta's seen in quite a while. The trip into work was wet but uneventful, the trip home on the other hand was like no other.

By 3:30 flooding had taken place in many lowing lying areas, and I found potential routes home blocked by not one but two overflowing creeks. I briefly considered attempting to wade across a flooded bridge but thankfully disregarded the idea. Then there was a mudslide being dutifully cleared by a single police officer armed only with a shovel, a couple of dead ends as I attempted to find a new route, and three wonderful car drivers who stopped to see if I wanted a ride.

Two hours later I reached home wet, exhausted, and smiling.

A Cyclist Best Friend in the Rain

More important than even fenders, a bright yellow poncho or rain cape. If you think drivers normally ignore cyclists throw in some rain and you're practically invisible.

Flued

My home has been hit by the flu. Starting with my youngest kid and working its way up to me. The good news the symptoms are really pretty mild, a general crummy feeling, head congestion, and sleeping 22 hours a day. So be on the lookout and don't ignore the symptoms lest you spread it to someone else.

Yet Another Reason to Commute By Bike

It makes it harder for the the man to keep tabs on you.

Seriously people, what happened to my country?

Good Idea/Bad Idea

A special thanks to B. Beck who explained that the Faster Mustache 24 was responsible for the wrong way riders on Piedmont. And while I approve of the FM24 as a great idea at a great time of year, I think the wrong way riders should get the equivalent a stern lecture from all of us who know better.


As a commuter I've seen dozens if not hundreds of wrong way riders on my commute over the years and when possible I've told them about the proper way to ride. But if we in the larger cycling community can't follow the rules what hope is there of getting a casual rider to?

So for the record FM24 good.

Wrong way riding bad.

How I Nearly Killed a Cyclist

Saturday night I was driving the family to Fox Brothers for some delicious BBQ, when a cyclist comes through a red light to make a left hand turn not 10 feet in front of me. Now I was pleased as punch to see so many cyclists but I was less pleased by some of the recklessness I saw, including someone coming full speed off of 14th street and heading south on Piedmont against one way traffic.

And that's my old man rant of the day.

Why I Am Not a Filmmaker

Susan: Rest In Peace

I don't there's anyone in the bike blogosphere who hasn't been inspired by Susan Nelson's story. Sadly last night , Susan's fight came to an end.

As a Buddhist I try and be mindful of death and remember the transitory nature of life. Still when death comes to the family of even a virtual friend, it's hard not to be affected. So today my thoughts are with Elden and his family; and with Susan who showed more courage and strength in a few years then most do in a lifetime.

Rick Smith Said It Best

ABB is closing for a while. I'll still be riding but I've recently just become too busy to keep the place up. Keep your chains clean and I will see you around the block.

Today's Road Treasure

Vice grip pliers. Very nice.

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The Big Creek Greenway

Lately I've spent my lunches riding along the Big Creek Greenway. I can't tell you what a wonderful little ride this is. Sure it's your typical MUP, some bicycles, some joggers, some kids, but what makes the Greenway so special is its environment. There are few places in metro-Atlanta where you can ride through an honest to goodness wetland, but this is one. This ride should serve as a reminder of how crucial wetlands are. Of course years ago some one decided that a major sewer line should follow Big Creek, as a result on rainy days the unmistakable stench of waste fills the air.

Still it's a nice ride. Like sailing I think bicycle touring and commuting makes people into environmentalists, and that's a good thing.

The Horror!

Bicycle tan has returned.

Cartersville by Bike

Today I went to visit my mother in rural Cartersville, Georgia. It's about 50 miles outside of town and I brought my bike so that I could get my brother out for a little desperately needed exercise. I love riding in the country. Compared to riding in the city it's a dream. Quiet roads, fresh air, all the things I love. It's little wonder that the Beautiful Back Roads Century is so popular.

And although there were a fair number of people in pickups driving too fast, most drivers were far more courteous than those I deal with in town. It was great. Now as for riding with my brother, well that's another story.

All About Bicycling (1975)

I was at the library the other day and the Friends of the Library were having one of those used book sales to raise money, and that's were I found this gem.

From All About Bikes

All About Bicycling circa 1975. It's a time capsule from the bike boom and a reminder of how much things have changed. The first thing you notice is that All About Bicycling treats bicycling as a serious form of transportation. Of course the bike boom of the 70s was driven by the gas crisis, but All About Bikes focuses on the other benefits of riding for fun, fitness, and transportation. There are sections on racing and maintenance. They even included a section on touring.

From All About Bikes

Modern readers will notice that no one, except in the section on racing is wearing any kind of helmet. I guess our skulls were a lot thicker back then. Well there is this one guy.

From All About Bikes

More than anything this book reminds me of just how far we've regressed. Bikes were once seen as a serious transportation alternative, now it's seen as fringe activity or a political statement.

Now for a picture that will break your heart.

From All About Bikes

When's the last time you saw that many bikes at any school?

Dear Bicycle Riding Ladies of Alpharetta

Today while riding out for some lunch I saw your group leave the Barnes and Noble near North Point. You all seemed so happy on your bikes, you made me happy too even though I had to go back to work.

Thank you.

Ouch!

Last night after Easter Dinner, me the kids, and the inlaws were playing a little ball. I hit a dribbling line drive toward 2nd and took off toward first base. That's when my non-athletic daughter decided she was going to try and tag me out. So I had the choice of bowling her over or stopping short. I stopped, or at least I tried to stop that's when bad things happened. My ankle was nice and swollen but had subsided somewhat by this morning.

Rather than push my luck I did the long drive to work this morning in the rain. People ask how you can bike to work, I want to know how you can drive. It was awful, rain, traffic, accidents. I was more tired when I got to work than when I left home.

Only Love Can Make It Rain

Atlanta receives some 50 inches of rain a year. That's considerably more than legendarily soggy Seattle which only gets 38 inches a year, so you would think Atlanta drivers would have no problem with a little precipitation. Well you would be wrong. Really wrong. The fact is anytime water falls from the sky Atlanta's roads are suddenly filled with thousands of chicken littles who give surrender what little driving skills they possess to a bizarre ritual that I call Atlanta Rush Hour Rain Syndrome.

Today as I rode home dodging drops falling from the sky I saw ARHRS in full effect. What are the symptoms you ask. It's easy to spot, it will start slowly with a driver perhaps on their cell phone accelerating wildly on a wet street. Other drivers will spot this behavior and begin to emulate it. Thats when the first accidents occur. These will be minor, fender bender types but never fear bigger and better things are on the way. After the first accidents tempers increase with backups, that's when the manic merging begins. Manic merging is a blind attempt to shove your front bumper into a spot before someone else can take that space. ARHRS inspired manic merging often is exacerbated by cell phone use leading to the classic corner to corner crash. Now all lanes are blocked. What is a driver to do? Why cut through a CVS parking lot or course! And here's where ARHRS comes into it's own, what happens when you have a line of cars cutting quickly through a narrow drug store parking lot? A toyota pickup backing out and getting hit by a subcompact.

And believe it or not, the highways were worse.

To be absolutely honest, I only witnessed the last of the accidents an reasoned out how they got to that situation.

Idle Bike Thoughts Vol. 5

Don't eat sugar cookies an hour before heading home or you might run out of gas when you need it the most.

Today's Sexy Bike Errand

Delivering dog's fecal matter sample to the vet. Yeah baby.

Death, Taxes, and Flats

Three things you can't avoid. On a downhill curve, I felt that wobble that we all know so well. It appears the tube split near stem, so I sat on the side of the road and changed my tube. At least I couldn't have picked a nicer day for it, blue skies and a cool breeze.

Speaking of breezes, I saw something today that reminded me that despite the fact that I'll probably lose my job any day now, I'm a lucky guy. Cutting through Sandy Springs, I saw a man who was obviously troubled screaming profanities at the leaves blowing by him. At least I have my wits about me, and my family and friends, and last but not least my bike.

If This Weekend Were a Japanese Game Show...

It would be called Super Bad Weather Weekend Bike Maintenance Extravaganza! Fixed up the old Trek Hybrid for my brother. Did some work on the kids Trek to get it ready for Craigslist. Stripped the Huffy. Fixed the squeaky wheel and continued to work Schwinn.

Happy Day

Jansport, as promised, has come through with new straps for my old pack and I found my REI dividends statement. So tomorrow I'll ride over to Perimeter to use it and my 20% of coupon.

Squeak

Squeak squeak squeak. Yep there's something funky with my rear wheel. I didn't have a chance to inpect it once I got home, but a cursory roadside inspection ruled out the easy subjects, something rubbing. So I guess it's the bikes way of telling me its time for spring maintenance. Rain is predicted for the weekend so it's time to break out the tools.

Spring Biking Hazards

Well I guess spring has sprung. It was 82 degrees when I left for home this afternoon, and yes there was some sweat. But with spring comes a whole new batch of biking hazards.

Traffic

Spring is nice but there's something about it that makes people go absolutely crazy behind the wheel. It usually lasts until the real summer heat hits. Maybe it has to do with riding with the windows down.

Construction

Yes construction goes on all the time here in Atlanta, but spring always brings its share of new projects. Within a week or two there will be new detours and flagmen causing headaches for your favorite bicyclist.

Pollen

Ah yes, the true yellow menace. Pollen here in Georgia is something that has to be seen to be believed. On windy days you can see great clouds of the stuff in the air.

The Bradford Pear

I don't know who brought this monstrosity to the US, but they deserve to be shot. Planted by the hundreds of thousands by overzealous builders who wanted flowering trees, the Bradford pear has a fragrance that wikipedia describes as sickly sweet. Most people will tell you however that they smell of fish. There's about a thousand of these suckers between me and work.

I Hate Daylight Savings Time

That is all.

Rare Sight

The old gray mule in snow.

From PESO

Extra bonus, snowy section of the Appalachian Trail where I was hiking just before I got sick.

From PESO

Too Early to Think About Summer?

No matter how you cut it, this is going to be a lean year. So I thought I should probably start planning my summer bicycle tour early. But where to go? Ideally I would love to get to Quebec, but that's going to be expensive. I've always wanted to do RAGBRAI but I might like a more solitary ride. Maybe something in the great lakes region? My youngest daughter wants to visit colleges on the west coast, maybe we could combine a trip. I toyed around with a trip around Lake Champlain. At this point its all still planning at this point. And before I tour I should really replace my rear cog.

Mysteries of the Digestive System

Well I've been sick pretty much all week. I don't know if it was something I ate, some kind of bug, or maybe during my hike last week my water purification didn't quite do the trick. Regardless, I've been on a diet of saltines and gatorade all week. Yesterday I ate a little better, and this morning I actually got out for a ride. Of course because I hadn't eaten well all week I was pretty much crap. So why did I force myself to ride? Because right now it's snowing, big wet clumps of snow falling from the sky. Snow is rare here in Georgia and if you get a chance to ride in it you can't pass it up no matter how bad you feel.

Now That's Customer Service

Jansport is replacing the straps on my 19 year old backpack for free.


Rode the old gray mule through the drive through at the bank today. Even though it's technically forbidden the teller took my business without saying a word.

Build Quality

It's easy to tell when something has been made with an eye to quality. If you ride my Schwinn it feels like a million bucks, my old Centurion despite being a low end model was made with the fit of a thousand dollar Atlantis. It seems that now build quality is something only for niche markets. It's all about producing as much as you can as cheaply as possible.

There's a reason build quality is on my mind. This morning as I loaded my pack for a hike one of the straps broke. After almost 20 years and thousands of miles my Jansport Nepali failed. There's nothing spectacular about the pack but it does the job it was designed for and it does it well. It can carry enough supplies for a month in the woods and it does so without complaining. It's an external frame, I know most everyone prefers internal frame packs but I'm old fashioned and I like the ventilation an external frame provides. Made before the china boom, the old Jansport was made in the US. So tomorrow I'll call Jansport and keep my fingers crossed that they have replacement straps, if that fails I'll probably try to rig a homemade solution. Old packs are like old bikes, it's hard to say goodbye.

It's Not the Bike It's the...

Electra Townies up Georgia's toughest climbs.

Slow Motion Crash

Yesterday we had some pretty severe storms blow through. This morning I discovered the the results. On one of my turns a bunch of debris had washed into the road, I didn't see it until I was right on top of it resulting in a wipe out. Luckily I was pedaling at 1/4 impulse so nothing was hurt except as they say my pride.

How Far Is Too Far

A friend asked just how far is too far to ride. My answer is simple, if you have enough time there's no such thing as too far. I then introduced him to Crazy Guy on a Bike. He was blown away. That's when I realized that to many people the idea of bicycle touring is a foreign as communal living. So I'm trying to get him to join me on a short overnight tour, just to see how doable it is. I'm convinced if more people tried bicycle touring there would be a lot more bicycle tourists.

Idle Bike Toughts Vol. 4

Potholes can appear overnight and usually will hide themselves on the darkest part of your ride.

Sick

I've been suffering mightily over the last few days. It's as if I went to India and drank a gallon of water from the mighty Ganges. As a result there's been no riding, no going to work, no nothing. Hopefully I'll feel better this weekend.

Top Ten anti-cyclists

The League of American Bicyclists has a list.

It Always Happens

The worst weather of the day arrives in time for the ride home. In this case a crazy wind in my face the whole way.

Backup Your Data

Warning this post has no bicycle content.

The hard drive on my 2.5 year old MacBook failed today. Most of the stuff is protected by backups but some is not. Remember to backup your data frequently.

Now for Mr. Angry eyes:

It turns out apple knew it had a problem with the seagate drives in these early intel macbooks and have refused to recall them. Not a good show. I've got 4 computers in my house from 4 different manufactures, and I've been using computers since 1983. I've never had a hard drive fail so quickly. Even if apple had simply publized the defect I would have known to replace the drive before it failed.

Bad apple.

Ironically yesterday I was ready to sing Apple's praises as they detected someone trying to frauduently use my card at Apple's online store.

FYI: I'm writing this post on an old gateway laptop running linux.

From Bad to Worse

What's worse than losing one lane on West Peachtree during rush hour? Losing two lanes. I'm getting tempted to do a little wrong way sidewalk riding.

Sunday Errands By Bike

It's Sunday which means groceries. Then there was the ride to Home Depot to get some keys made and price plywood. Unlike Jett my Home Depot has no bike racks to the old gray mule wound up locked to a rental concrete mixer. Then a meandering ride back home.

I think I saw some guys from Atlanta Cycling but they were going way to fast for me to catch. Besides nothing would look more ridiculous than a bunch of lycra glad guys on road bikes followed by me on the commuter with panniers stuffed.

Beautiful Day for a Ride

Just pedaling around today, although I did have to run a few errands. I took a round about route to town, through Piedmont Park and mid-town, and back through Buckhead to home.

Some of the things I saw today:
A guy on a bent with a plastic bucket attached to the back, presumably for storage.
Lots of lovely ladies on bicycles.
A guy flying through town on a single-speed or a fixie.
An old friend I hadn't seen in years. (sometimes Atlanta feels like a very small town)
Lots of people in cars looking for a place to park.

Planning a Ride

I've got nothing to do tomorrow, the wife is busy, the kids are busy, the dog is the dog, so why not go for a ride. I've got no particular destination, I'm just going to ride until I feel like turning around. That's a good thing.

Why?

Really, why try to read a book while driving. You know they have audio books at the local library. We all know that distracted driving leads to accidents, reading while driving should be a big no no. Sometimes I wish I had a camera on my phone so I could snap a shot of these idiots.

How I Feel When I Drive

As always Rick Smith's Yehuda Moon gets it right.

Idle Bike Thoughts Vol. 3

An English Three-Speed or its American equivalent produces more smiles per mile than just about any other bike.

Danagers of Driving and Sleeping

This story should be an eye opener for everyone. If a police officer can fall asleep at the wheel causing a fatal accident, anyone can. Generally I hate to get up in the morning, and with my busy schedule, I'm always tired. But bicycling has a way of waking me up, and if I do fall asleep on my bike the only one that will be hurt is me.

The Bike Friendliness of Ikea

I've mentioned before the fact that the Atlanta Ikea located at Atlantic Station has bike racks, but a recent shopping trip there has convinced me that Ikea is the most bike friendly of the big box stores. In fact if I had my Xtracycle or a Big Dummy I could have easily transported the futon mattress that we recently purchased.

Amtrak and Georgia DOT Endanger Beltline?

The Beltline is Atlanta's plan for a new intown transportation corridor composed of light rail and multi-use paths. It's had a fitful existence so far, with a step back for every two steps forward. Last week it may have had its legs knocked out from underneath it. Amtrak and the Georgia Department of Transportation have filed papers with the Federal Surface Transportation Board that lay claim to a planned section of the Beltline along the northeast corridor.

Amtrak's plans include a "high-speed" rail connection with Charlotte, North Carolina. And while I'm a big fan of inter-city rail, Amtrak's plans are fundamentally flawed. First their "high-speed" rail isn't really high-speed. Because Amtrak plans to use existing tracks, the same ones currently used for freight, the top speed would be limited to 100 miles an hour. Which sounds fast but when you consider the train (like the Acela in the northeast) would likely have to slow down many times on the route, you realize 100 mph isn't that fast. Secondly look what it would have to compete with. Want to go to Charlotte, a regular Amtrak ticket will run you $62, let's estimate a high-speed train ticket would be $100, what are the other options. Well you could drive, 250 miles at 25 miles per gallon that's ten gallons, at $4 a gallon that's $40. Of course you can't drive 100 mph but on that stretch of road the speed rarely drops below 75. Or you could fly on one of Airtran's internet specials for $39.

Now don't get me wrong, I want high-speed inter-city rail. I just want it done right. To have real high-speed rail we need new tracks exclusively for passenger rail. And it has to be subsidized. I know that's a dirty word in the USA, but if you want people to use a cleaner more efficient mode of transportation you've got to make it cheaper while making other forms of transportation more expensive.

So if you want to save the Beltline and want to stop Amtrak from creating another money hole, write your representatives in congress and the Georgia DOT.

Stretchy

As I close in on 40, I'm rediscovering the value of stretching. Now I make a practice of stretching before I do any serious exercise. And if I don't like today, well I pay for it with aches and pains. So my advice for you younger folks, stretch more when you're young and maybe you'll feel better when you get to be my age.