Recently in Velo-city Category

[I know it has been a long time since I’ve done one of these, but this one is directed mostly at my wonderful colleagues at Change.org. Others are more than welcome, but I think most of you will find the itinerary prohibitive. Have no fear, I plan to do another one come September (when the weather on the bridge is less capricious, and they’ve reopened the western walkway).]

Folks! We’re meeting in Sausalito! It’s a perfect excuse to grab your bike and ride across the bridge!

When:

Friday July 29th. We need to be in Sausalito at 9am. We need to work the timeline backward from there, adding enough buffer so that nobody feels rushed.

Who:

Anyone who has a bike, can manage to stay (mostly) upright on it, and wants to ride across the Golden Gate (C’mon! It’s fun! You should do it at least once!)

What:

Riding a bicycle across the Golden Gate Bridge. Also, you might want to consult your doctor about ADHD, and/or cut down on the fine herb clouding your short-term memory.

Where:

The Bridge down into Sausalito, see below

...This time with 4 part harmony and feeling.

I’m putting together another all-abilities, all-ages, slow as molasses, stop & smell the roses bicycle ride over the Golden Gate Bridge on Sunday, June 22.

When:

Sunday, June 22th (next Sunday, not the day after tomorrow). My plan is to start at my house at noon or 1pm. If I’m riding alone, I can probably be at the bridge in 30 minutes, but connecting with people will modify that, and the schedule for this ride is necessarily a bit flexible. I’m also open to other ideas (see below)

Who:

Anyone who has a bike, can manage to stay (mostly) upright on it, and wants to ride across the Golden Gate (C’mon! It’s fun! You should do it at least once!)

What:

Riding a bicycle across the Golden Gate Bridge. Also, you might want to consult your doctor about ADHD, and/or cut down on the fine herb clouding your short-term memory.

Where:

At a minimum, the Bridge, but see below

Dear USPS:

Look, I know things are busy for you right now, so you probably won't even hear my cries over the din of all of the mail you're processing, however I have two comments:

1. "package tracking" != "delivery confirmation!" Please stop trying to confuse the issue
2. "Express Mail" my fat, pale, hairy ass!

In short, my package should have been here overnight 1 week ago (even giving you the benefit of the doubt). I have no visibility into your process. I just want my damn package!

no love,
E

Dear Random Cyclist Who Likes to Draft Me on Moffett Park Blvd.:

First off, I am greatly honored by your obvious trust in my abilities, but I have two questions for you as well:

1. Dude, seriously, what the fuck? That shit is dangerous done with people you know how to anticipate, but a random stranger? Yes, yes, I'm in awe of your mad skillz and your obviously far stronger cojones, but what the hell is wrong with you?
2. We've done this a few times now, you know I turn left at Borregas, do you not realize that when I look behind me I'm trying to gauge the likelihood of being mauled by a death machine as I enter the lane? Seeing your smiling face blocking my view is not helpful.

In short: thanks, now please back the fuck off!

No Love,
You Don't Even Know My Name

Dear Random Other Cyclist I'd Never Seen Before:

I'm sorry my passing you was such an affront to your machismo that you felt you had to be a complete prick about it. But let's compare:

1. I passed you, on the left, letting you know I was there, ("On your left")
2. You passed me, on the right (seriously, are you dense?) with nary a peep, at a stop sign, where you immediately made a left turn across my path!

I nearly ran right into you, asshat! If I'd been aware of what you were about to pull I might have out of spite. I hope your manhood has been vindicated. Now kindly cut that shit out.

Whatever.

(holy crap, where did today go?)

I did not do my civic duty this week and remind everyone that today is Bike To Work Day (which, as an acquaintence pointed out, has a better ring to it that "Drive 364 Days Day")

Last year, I said "next time, in Jerusalem Skyline (Blvd)." And I did that (in October, when we returned to Daylight Sanity^WStandard Time).

This time, I rode up to the Panhandle, met some folks, rode through Golden Gate Park to Ocean Beach, down The Great Highway, and out to Skyline. From there we rode to Junipero Serra Park, Back to Skyline, down to Cañada Rd, down into Woodside, up Whiskey Hill Rd, over Sand Hill Rd. I turned off at Page Mill, because we were late, when I should have continued to Arrastradero (I forgot where it crossed). From there I joined my normal ride down from Menlo Park (where I get off early for extra milage) at Oregon Expwy & 101 (there's a ped-brige over that leads to the Baylands trails. I basically leave traffic behind right there.

All told: 60 miles. 4 hours. We averaged 15mph, which isn't bad considering all the climbing. I'm not sure how much I did, but since Skyline was involved, it has to be at least a few thousand feet of vertical.

So, 60 is the new 50, and I may ride to Palo Alto this evening (for a total of 70).

Oh, and I forgot sunblock, so I'm a bit pink.

I remember that feeling.

That's frostbite.

Edit: Also from yesterday's ride. Today I rode longer, but I got up an hour later and brought gloves.

. . . I'm a bad conservationist. And a terrible ambassador.

I broke a spoke on my touring (& commuter) bike last the previous Thursday. Since I'm lazy, I haven't fixed it yet. Since I'm lazy and incredibly busy, I tried to take it to someone to do it for me (they were closed), but that's not what makes me a bad person.[*]. It just means that I spent some time this weekend (finally!) getting my Stumpjumper into a ridable state, and I've been commuting on that.

Yesterday (Thursday) morning I contemplated making up for slothish behavior earlier in the week by getting off the train in Menlo Park and riding in from there, but I wimped out, since I was going to be riding back to Palo Alto for games at Matt's house.

. . . Then fate handed me a second chance. There was a fatality in Mountain View, we were held at Menlo Park with no idication how long it would be.

I set out with the intent of riding through the Baylands & Shoreline.

It's a bit short on the notice, but I was wondering if anyone would be interested in trying this again? (this time, with a much more amenable start time!)

Edit: I was just reminded that the Speakeasy anniversary is Saturday. I plan to be incapable of staying upright on a bicycle, thus disqualifying me from doing this on Saturday.

When?

Saturday, August 19 or Sunday, August 20th (this coming Sunday). Sometime in the late morning to early afteroon, this time the start time is negotiable. I know better than to give folks a choice, but I'm open both days, if we have a majority one day, we'll try that day. If not, I may just have to ride both days.

Who?

Anyone who has a bike, can manage to stay (mostly) upright on it, and wants to ride across the Golden Gate Bridge (C'mon! It's fun! You should do it at least once!)

What?

Riding a bicycle across the Golden Gate Bridge. Also, you might want to consult your doctor about ADHD, and/or cut down on the fine herb that appears to be clouding your short-term memory.

Where?

At a minimum, the bridge itself, but see below.

My mountain bike was hanging in the garage last night (ok, maybe it was yesterday morning).

This morning, it was gone. The garage was LOCKED for the intervening time. Nobody who I know in possession of keys has any knowledge of where it went. (Well, ok, I didn't ask Diana, but she's in NYC for a month caring for a failing mother, I figured she's got enough going on)

Everyone's first reaction (including mine) has been, "are you sure you didn't take it somewhere and forget?" (it's also been my 3rd, 5th, 17th, and 642nd reaction)

It was in our garage with 3 other bikes, two of which would have been much easier to take, as they were not hanging. There were other things in there that would also have been easy to take, computers, etc. Only my bike is missing. I feel targeted (I can't help thinking I've misplaced it, but I KNOW I saw it there yesterday.)

My favorite bike in the whole freaking world is gone. Not the one I have been (playfully) thinking about replacing. FUCK!

I'm in shock.

More later.

Cantilever brakes are still the bane of my %$#!&ing (bike maintenance) existence. Only an engineer could have thought that a single nut to adjust 4 degrees of freedom simultaneously was a good thing. I marvel at the simplicity, but it means that the slightest adjustment becomes "time to start over." I'm also out of practice, though regular practice never really helped all that much.

I hope they're toed properly, because I'm not taking it for a test ride tonight. I don't think I could take starting over again.

EDIT: (7:30am) Test ride complete. They appear to be toed & adjusted correctly. I'm not THAT far out of practice.

Last chance!

If any of you were thinking about riding with us over the Golden Gate Bridge tomorrow and hadn't spoken up yet, please get ahold of me. You're more than welcome to come, but arrangements are being made.

Currently I'm meeting folks at 17th & Valencia at about 9:20 and making our way up to Golden Gate Park. The current plan is to try the Marin Headlands ride. Stork says it's gorgeous, and I've never actually done it. I'm still more than happy to go with folks to Sausalito, though.