Abandon Your Car is not a slogan or ideology so much as a reminder to all of us to get away from our petro-mobiles as often as we possibly can and embark on life as an adventure by bicycle.
i will forego my usual commentary and observations for this post and just wish a full and speedy recovery to congresswoman Giffords from the folks here at ABANDON YOUR CAR. our deepest condolences go out to the friends and families of the other victims of the Arizona shooting as well.
congresswoman Giffords is obviously a "real cyclist", not just an election-seeking politician riding around the neighborhood in search of a photo-op and a few more votes. in fact, she's a member of the Congressional Bike Caucus. here's a couple of links to articles from TusconVelo; one is an interview with Rep. Giffords, the other is a short article describing a ride she took with a friend on the night before the shooting.
check out her custom whip, put together by Dave Bohm over at Bohemian Cycles: urban tires, SPD's, disc brakes, internally-geared hub, comfortable and sensible geometry, custom paint job, and, equipped with LIGHTS front and rear.
that's what i'm talking about: a real bike for a real cyclist.
happy Martin Luther King jr. day, everyone. get out and go for a nice ride today... to honor all of those who are unable to do the same, but would certainly be out there if they could.
some of the best riding in northwest Colorado will be traversed by several hundred cyclists on saturday when Kent Eriksen's Tour de Steamboat takes to the high mountain roads again as part of a great fundraising event for Sunshine Kids.
the parcours features two substantial climbs: le passage d'oreilles de lapin and le Passage de Fuseau (Rabbit Ears pass and Gore pass)
this event has grown in popularity over the past several years, now to the point where all 3 available ride options are filled to capacity. so, sorry to say that if you have not yet registered already you will have to wait for next year's ride to participate. sign up early to be sure that your spot is reserved for the next time around.
also know as "the Gore gruel" for good reason. this can be a brutal, remote slog in the high mountains when ridden unsupported.
fortunately, refreshments will be served on saturday.
here's a photo i took in Amsterdam a few years ago. this is the bike storage facility (3-story parking garage, more like) right outside the Central Station where the trains take passengers to and from the airport and other destinations all around Europe. they sure make it easy to get around, even for Americans who are unaccustomed to efficient, clean transportation. you can even take your bike with you on the trains.
my other favorite city by the bay is without a doubt San Francisco. here's some music to set the mood, so crank up the volume and rock out like it's 1982 all over again:
say what you want about San Francisco- the weather, the traffic, the tourists, the cost of living there, the food, the bike culture... i love it there anyway. ah, yes, the San Francisco bike culture; something near and dear to my heart. as far as living in a big city is concerned, San Francisco would be at the top of my list of favorites. it is unquestionably the epicenter of the fixie movement on the west coast. it would be easier to count the riders who are not riding fixies than to count those who are.
fixies. whatever.
for an urban area it is a cyclist's dream come true, even though there are the usual motor -v- bike conflicts and cyclists (mostly in the downtown financial district) getting squished on a fairly regular basis. the city has committed in a big way by investing in alternative transportation solutions, cycling being one of them. they have trains out there that go all over the place- and are hauling people instead of cattles or coal. the people can bring their bike onto the trains with them when they commute into the city or out to the 'burbs. imagine that. or if they want, there is plenty of bike parking and safe storage facilities available at the BART stations. on top of it all, the city has just approved 34 miles of new bike lanes and 45 of 46 proposed cycling-related capital improvement projects. those bikeys out there in SanFran sure get it all, don't they? anyway, i commend the people who stuck with it and made it happen and raspberries to the naysayers and the guy who sued to try and stop civilization from moving forward.
