riding along and
A DOOR FLIES OPEN OH NO!
no door prize for me

The door prize zone is the area three feet to the left of cars parked on the right. When a car door opens, it opens into this space and it can kill you. I am not kidding. You might be thinking, oh, I can just swerve around it. If you do that, you are swerving into the traffic on your left. This is why I don’t ride in the door prize zone.

I do tend to call out “Door!” when I see one open.

You – can pass me – if you want to
You – can just go – around
I don’t – appreciate – being followed
So please, just safely go around

San Juan, Puerto Rico, is not exactly the sort of place you’d imagine to be in dire need of a facelift and urban renewal. Images of a gorgeous coastline and old colonial architecture come to mind, but guess what? The old part of the city, “the Isleta,” is rife with poor urban planning scars, such as inaccessible beaches due to ports and an excessive reliance on cars. The government has decided to infuse the city with $1.5 billion dollars to re-develop San Juan and, most of all, make it a walking city, with no cars allowed.

More here.

(Side note: you are not isolated or cut off from the rest of the human race when you are on a bicycle. You can talk to people, instead of trying to run them over. Let’s get back to humanity, eh?)

I was proud of myself for stopping the line of cars behind me to let two hardworking people cross the street. And then I rode on.

Later, on Hackett, I saw a car stopped at an intersection. Cars in this area often stop IN the crosswalk, blocking the whole thing. Pretty sure this is illegal but it isn’t enforced. I usually go around behind them and ring my bell. Well today, the car stopped in the crosswalk saw me coming, put his car in reverse, and backed out of the crosswalk before I got there. I was astounded by his act of humility and courtesy. He had his window down, and I called out “thank you” as I passed.

Have any similar stories?

As usual, I don’t understand these sort of exclamations. I am moving, and I don’t look anything like Pee Wee Herman. Whatever are you screaming about?

Through the intersection we go, him screaming at me the whole way. I do my best to remain calm. He passes me, roaring the engine of his big white SUV. As they go by he calls out “Let’s go Pee Wee Herman!” And the young boy in the back seat is also heckling me. I am saddened that young boys are no longer riding bikes, but mistreating people who riding bikes. It’s like an important part of childhood has been slain by the Great White SUV.

But I let them go. Because I do. But if you’re familiar with Second St over there, you know the red lights can back up traffic. So a block or two later, the offensive SUV is stopped. I do something I normally don’t do. I pass them on the right. I ring my bell as I zip by, and I pass everyone in front of them. I don’t see them again.

What weird things have people called out to you?

I was out walking, which I do on occasion. I saw a cyclist headed out on New Scotland, riding with traffic, and wearing a helmet. I don’t see that often, so I was a bit shocked. A moment later, another cyclist came up New Scotland in the opposite direction. He was also riding with traffic and wearing a helmet. A few blocks up I saw a cyclist headed West on New Scotland. He had a bright, blinking headlight and a helmet. He was on the left side of the lane, stopped, signaling to make a left turn. Cars in both directions had stopped to let him go. It was stunning. It was beautiful.

So I want to say thank you to all of the cyclists who do NOT ride like jackasses.

This afternoon, after a ride to Washington Park, I washed my bike. I don’t feel like my washing process is particularly sophisticated. I use dish soap and hot water, and a rag. I am always amazed at how filthy a bike can get in a few weeks. Not just the fenders, but spokes, brakes, and the rear quick release. Ew, gross.

While washing my bike I wondered if something like this would make a good fundraiser. You always see kids holding up signs that say “car wash” (usually in barely legible neon letters) trying to raise money for their sports teams. Would a “bike wash” make any money?

The Practical Bicyclist’s Handbook, the Basic Field and Street Manual for Utilitarian Riding, features

• Farming By Bicycle
• Riding in Cleveland and Pittsburgh
• Bamboo Bicycles
• Bicycles, Women, & The Vintage Posters Bearing Them Both
• Two Gears Better Than One
• Bicycle Lights
• Shame & Guilt On The Commute
• and a bunch of other stuff worth reading.

Boneshaker is available from Wolverine Farm Publishing for $6.

The other day I was complimented on my sneakers.

(Too bad we don’t have a “style” category.)

I was photographed and interviewed for a Times Union article, which you can read here.

Like most people in the U.S., I spent a good portion of my adult life thinking of bicycling as a sport. Even during a long period when I rode my bicycle to work everyday, I was concerned with things like personal bests, total miles logged, and target heart rates… Somewhere along the way, I went through a mental shift that resulted in my viewing the bicycle primarily as a tool for transportation.

Definitely good stuff.

STOP THE HATE.

Really. Of all the things you could be angry about, like our infantile politicians, you’re angry at people on bicycles?

Nice, huh? I like that it’s not some rich dude in his super hero kit on a carbon fiber bike. It’s not some young punk in cargo shorts on a mountain bike. It’s just fun.

Thank Cog.

First, let me say that the waterfront is beautiful. Lots of grass and open space. People having fun. I saw people barefoot in the grass. Would never see this in Albany, where there is broken glass and garbage everywhere, whether it’s paved or not. In Burlington there are things to do on the waterfront, places to eat, places to shop.

I saw every kind of bike on the path. Girls in sun dresses on beach cruisers. Young guys on racing bikes. Kids on mountain bikes. I saw tandems. I saw whole families biking together. People were nice. There was a skate park with skaters and kids on bmx bikes doing tricks. I saw a bike polo game getting started. The only thing I didn’t see was a tall bike.

The bike path is clean and well maintained. There are maps every few miles. I saw things painted on the trail that said “cycle the city.” I could not help but think, this is what biking in Albany could be like.

i rode through the park
/ morning sun on dew on grass
/ / things motorists miss

We’re looking at some wonderful weather this week. Be nice, ride your bike, ring your bell.

I think this picture pretty much sums it up.

This was taken a few weeks ago on Clinton Ave, headed up hill. This is one of the “new” bike lanes they put down in the fall of last year. The paint is pretty messed up and cars use it like a right turn lane.

The other “new” bike lane they put down, the sharrows on Washington Ave, was covered by snow most of the winter.

I appreciate the new riding spaces. I use them daily. I think Albany could do a lot to make the city more bike friendly by clearing/cleaning the WHOLE street, from curb to curb. If half of the sharrow paint is covered by snow, it’s not helping anyone to have put it there. If the bike lane is filled with broken glasses and potholes, it’s not helping anyone to have put it there. If the WHOLE street, curb to curb, was clean, you could actually ride in the street- whether there were marked lanes or not.

Word is they intend to make more bike lanes. Which is a great thing. But if they aren’t going to be kept clean and clear, this is going to be an ineffective gesture. If the lanes become invisible due to paint loss after a few months, this will be a complete waste of time. Please Albany, let’s do this right.

(via EcoVelo)

It’s directions for my morning commute take me down Lark. Which is interesting since Lark has all those annoying cobblestone intersections. And buses. So I’m not 100% sold on it.

But this is a step in the right direction. Thank you, Google!

(Also thanks to Commute By Bike and Cyclelicious)

It goes on to be filled with lots of little short pieces. Interviews, poetry, book reviews, an advice column, thoughts one commuting by bike down south, and some excerpts from touring cyclists.

It’s a little book, it fits in your pocket so you can take it anyway. It’s rugged. It’s printed in elegant type. Highly enjoyable.

Before:
Waterproof. Lights. Don’t over-layer or you’ll sweat inside. Do not let drivers psyche you out.

During:
Go slow. Take it easy. This is not a race. Focus on keeping your bike straight and your breathing even.

Don’t be afraid to take the lane. In fact, take the lane. Trying to ride in the crap at the side of the street is often dangerous. You’re better off holding up the cars behind you.

Pull over every once in a while. This lets the cars get on their way (which, admittedly, it often not very much faster than you were going anyway). More importantly, it gives you a chance to catch your breath, shake the snow off yourself, and appreciate the winter.

Signal your turns. You do that anyway, right?

Be aware of (lazy) drivers who do not clear the snow from their cars. Many of them cannot see out their snow covered windows and will not see you. This applies to cars already on the road, but also cars pulling out of parking spaces. Refrain from yelling into their open windows as you pass by- you need to stay focused on the street ahead of you.

Side streets that don’t see a lot of traffic are nice because there are not a lot of cars on them. But they don’t get plowed as quickly, either.

After:
Get the snow off your bike. A rag is a good thing. Take a hot shower.

First, let me say that I did not have my studded tires on. I will blame the weather people for that. For weeks they’ve been saying “omg blizzard we’re all going to die” and I’ll put on my snow tires. And then it won’t snow. At all. And then I have to take the tires off again. Which means I’ve wasted two hours of my life because somebody on tv lied to me. Sigh. So this time I called their bluff and did not put my snow tires on. More on this later.

I did have waterproof clothes and a ton of lights.

So we start from the bottom of Orange Street, which wasn’t bad. It was less than an inch of snow, really. After a block I turn right and climb a steep but short hill that is all snow. My back tire is slipping but I keep it upright and make it to the top to wait for the light. Studded tires would’ve been nice here, but the hill was short so…

The light turns green and I go left up Clinton. The conditions here are slush-tacular. The bike lane is at least visible, if not clear, and I easily pedal my way up the hill. At one point I think to myself “all you haters can eat my slushy wake” and then remind myself to breathe and pay attention.

I take a left on Lake, which is pretty clear. I cross Central and then take a right on Brandon. Brandon is a little one way street with no traffic. I go two blocks in peace, slowly cruising through the coating of snow and trying to enjoy what winter there is.

Left on Ontario. I have to pull over to let a bunch of cars by. No biggie. The first part of Ontario is a mess, in my opinion. It looked like they plowed it, but all they had really done with turn snow and slush into a layer of ice. I wasn’t having any problem with it, taking it slow and steady, keeping my bike straight and moving forward without any sudden movements. Cars, on the other hand, were not having as good a time as I was. Tires spinning all over the place.

The second part of Ontario, which would be after Madison, had some nice wide patches of fresh snow, so I stuck to that. Downhill past the Playdium, slowly, letting the hurried drivers go do whatever it is they’re in such a hurry to do.

Right on New Scotland I pick up a set of tire tracks. This is like one cyclist unintentionally leaving a long greeting in the snow. New Scotland is pretty heavily trafficked so it was clear enough. I took a left near Sycamore, and so did the tire tracks I was following. Those were some skinny tires.

My neighbor said “doesn’t matter what the weather is, you’re on your bike.” I replied, “hell yeah. This is the most fun I’ve had in a week.” And then I banked up the driveway. Strangely enough, the driveway had 3 inches of fresh powder in it.

A really enjoyable ride. There were only two or three spots I thought my studded tires would’ve been nice, but I didn’t regret calling the Weather Channel’s bluff this time. It was also nice to have an excuse to ride slowly, and just enjoy riding my bike, and enjoy winter.

Why are these called “pandas?” Well, ya see, there’s this rad chick who goes by the name faster panda kill kill. She takes rad self-portraits while riding her bike. They are so rad, in fact, that a group was formed to record similar self-portraits cuz, really, just about anyone who has a camera and rides bikes also takes these self-portraits.

Here are some examples

Here are some, done by other people, that I really like

Check out the Flickr group, get out your camera, and have some fun!

9) It’s just as fun as when you were a kid. You go zoom! and whoosh! You’re a sky creature, not a miserable earth-crawler. And you get to the end of your commute feeling invigorated and intensely alive.

He’s from the cable company. I tell him we don’t watch much tv and he can understand that doubling what we pay for cable doesn’t make a lot of sense. Then he says, “one more question, where do I go to get a real man’s bike?”

To be honest, the first thing I thought of was something you’d see bombing around London in the 1920s. But I guess that’s just me. I must’ve looked confused, so he explained, “you know, you go to Toys R Us and they have ladies bikes and kids bikes. Where do I get a real man’s bike?”

Ah.

We had some conversation about getting what you pay for. I explained that I paid $500 for my bike when it was new, which may sound like a lot of money to someone who buys a bike at Toys R Us, but I’ve had it for almost a decade. It’s my winter commuter and I put it through hell. It’s worth buying a real bike.

I told him to go to Downtube, because that’s my local bike shop and I’m loyal. I also told him about Klarsfeld’s way up Central. He knew where they were, but it had never occurred to him to go there. I said, “yeah, if you go to a real bike shop, you’ll get a real bike.” He laughed and said thanks.

A week later, I still feel good about helping someone who wanted a good bike.

Learn how to properly lock your bike
Pretty sure I’m on top of this. I have a u-lock and I make an effort to lock both my rear tire AND the frame to something secure.
Start a Commuter Challenge
Sorry to say, probably not going to happen. Although, when Bike To Work Day comes around, we’ll see what happens.
Motivate a co-worker to commute by bike
A guy I work with just bought a single-speed and is looking forward to commuting. If I’m allowed to say so, he’s a little jealous of me.
Join your local advocacy group
What local advocacy group?
Take photos to inspire others and yourself
Do this all the time and love it. A post on this topic is forthcoming.
Setup a commuter zone
That would be the back hallway of my apartment. It’s dirty and smells bad. ha hah.
Practice preventative maintenance
Seriously. I was supposed to check the tired pressure yesterday, but forgot. Will do it tonight. After this rain, the bike is also going to need a little wipe down.
Invest in your gear
Loving the waterproof stuff I got for Christmas. Have new panniers I can’t wait to try out. Lights, warm clothes, they are worth every penny.

The 9.3-mile stretch of the old Delaware & Hudson Railway right of way runs from the Port of Albany to Voorheesville.

Way to go, Albany!

I see winter riding in three big areas: weather, darkness, and traction.

Weather. It’s cold. Dress warmly. The question I get most often is “aren’t you cold?” I reply that I have four layers on and they seem shocked, like it never occurred to them to dress appropriately. Sometimes thermal long-johns under my pants. Warm socks. I bought a little hat that fits under my helmet to keep my ears and head warm, and sometimes, when it’s really bad, I wear a fleece hood. I have some awesome lobster gloves that keep my hands warm. The thing to remember is that your body temperature will increase as you ride.

Snow? Or, in our case, rain? Waterproof clothing is the bomb. I was gifted a pair of waterproof overpants and they are perfect. They don’t have any kind of lining, they go on quickly over my pants, and they keep my pants from getting soaked. It is not fun to be cold and wet, and it’s worse when your wet clothing starts to freeze. This is the voice of experience talking, here.

The only thing I haven’t figured out how to beat, yet, is the wind.

Darkness. It’s dark on the ride in, and it’s really dark on the ride home. The answer? Lights. This winter I’ve been running three different lights on the back, one of which is on my messenger bag. They all flash different patterns. On the front I have two lights, one which flashes and one which is steady. And my monkeylectric lights.

I’m sure I look ridiculous. But at least drivers can see me. It’s so frustrating to see people riding around in black coats with no lights. I can’t even see them. Lights are cheap, people. Get some.

Traction. In the fall I ordered a wicked pair of studded tires, so I’ve been itching to use them all winter. They are really great… when there is snow and ice on the road. They dig right in and I’m not worried about sliding or spinning out, even when braking.

But all we’ve been getting is rain. Monday morning the “big snow storm” was all slush. Running the studded tires on bare pavement is a pain in the arse. They are heavy and slow. Climbing hills will kill you. And the studs are starting to show signs of wear. So it’s worth spending the time swapping them out.

I’ve enjoyed riding this winter. How’ve you been doing?

Information about our aptly timed Ride of Silence is here.

Veer is a documentary about the Portland, Oregon, bike scene. It is large and multifaceted. They follow a couple of groups around, from the DIY bike repair shops, to the lobbyists, to the synchronized mini-bike dancers, to the bike chariot racers. There’s a lot, so it’s worth seeing, whether you ride your bike or not.

I think people in Oregon are perhaps too interested in riding mini-bikes (kids bikes) and tall bikes. But at least they’re having fun. And that’s what I think is important. The majority of this documentary is about people having fun on bikes and changing what riding a bike means. They talk about how it’s not just about fitness or transportation anymore.

If Veer is meant to be inspirational and make you think about the bike community in your city, I think it sets the bar unreasonably high. Portland has been building their bicycle community for decades. I didn’t see anyone in that documentary whining about being passed too closely by a car, or crying about a lack of bike lanes. In fact, one guy got a ticket for breaking traffic laws and actually shook the officer’s hand. Cyclists in Portland are responsible riders. In Albany, we’re still struggling to get people (drivers and cyclists alike) to recognize that bikes belong in the streets.

• ABC Quick Check! Air, brakes, cranks and quick releases
• Follow the rules of the road
• Ride defensively
• It’s not a race
• and he offers some tips on cleaning up

I would also like to add: smile.

Jungle Coaster was really impressive. The movie starts with footage of them goofing around in Panama. You get to see them jump up stairs two at a time, and then ride all the way down. These guys obviously know what they’re doing. So you can appreciate it when you see the “trail” they rode on to get to the Pacific and they have to walk. Climb. Carry their unis. Ouch. There’s footage of them crossing bridges I would be reluctant to cross on my own two legs, and leaping up onto fallen logs, and it’s really exciting to watch them go. But, no machetes? Ha ha. Everybody really enjoyed it, and half the crowd left when it was over.

The other movie was Red Light Go, which is about alleycat racing in NYC. They introduce you to some bike messengers who are your main characters, and they explain why they’re bike messengers. Then they get into the races. Which scare the crap out of me. It’s super cool to watch these guys careen through traffic, pedestrians, each other, but I’m glad I don’t have to do it. There are no rules, no concern for anybody’s safety. It’s about being a daredevil and winning. And they’re very good at it.

As I was riding home I was thinking about going to the Troy Bike Rescue and building my own alleycat bike. I wanted to treat each ride to work and ride home like a race. Go go go. I was all hepped up on heavy metal and attitude. By the time I got home I had come to my senses. I’ve never even raced in an alleycat.

Perry Woodin’s “Jungle Coaster” followed by the classic feature — “Red Light Go”
Upstate Artists Guild Gallery, 247 Lark St. (across from Ben & Jerry’s at Jay St.)
Doors open – 6:30
Showtime – 7:00 (Some announcements stated a 7:30 show time. We will have a special “critical mass” video as a warm up while we wait for latecomers.)
Contribution please ($5 suggested) to offset UAG’s costs.

It’s Bike to Work Week
Go ahead, use the full lane
‘Cause you deserve it

I showed up for the group ride. I watched the people coming and going on their boats.

Nobody showed up, so I took off on my own. It took me about 40 minutes to get there, and I felt like I was “booking.” The Corning Trail was like running a gauntlet of bugs. I couldn’t keep my head up because they’d get in my mouth, nose, and eyes. I could hear them pinging off my helmet, and feel them getting stuck in the hair on my arms. Ew.

The valet parking left a little to be desired. But then, maybe I was just too early. Still, it’s nice to see people’s bikes.

Troy Bicycle Rescue was raffling off this sweet cruiser bike.

Eventually the movies started. They were wonderful. There really was something for everyone. Monty Python. Footage of unicyclists in an ice race in Schenectady. A bit about not doping in bike racing. Women biking across the country, or cutting down mountain trails. DIY bike repair. Everything.

My favorite was “Ski Boys” by Benny Zenga. It made me want to be a kid again. You can watch that one here.

Then the ride home. I got stopped on 6th by some young guys who loved the MonkeyLectric lights on my bike. Perhaps it’s racist of me to say this, but white people do not appreciate the glory of LEDs that make a pattern when they spin around. I rode home alone. Going through Menands was wonderful. The traffic was light, the street lights were on. I just took the whole lane and sped along. I rode with no hands for blocks and blocks, my windbreaker flapping like a flag.

More pics here.

Gandhi said “be the change you want to see in the world.” I think about this every day. I’ll write an article about riding with traffic, and then I’ll go out and I’ll see somebody riding against traffic, and I hope they see me, riding with traffic, and I hope they get the hint. I’ll write an article about obeying red lights, and not riding like a jackass, and I hope that every time I stop at a red light and be courteous to the other people on the road (and I mean drivers, too), that they see that, and recognize that. I hope that for every drunk-in-the-afternoon college jock who sarcastically calls out “nice bike,” there’s some kid who sees a grown up riding a bike with his lunch in a basket on the back and thinks “that’s cool.” I hope that a driver sees me signaling my intention to turn, or waiting for a green light, or stopping for a pedestrian in a crosswalk, and says “whoa, a cyclist who is not a self-righteous punk.”

(To be honest, I always thought this was the point of Critical Manners. That as a group we would teach each other how to ride safely and responsibly, and we would show the rest of the world that not everybody on a bike is a jerk. And maybe we could get some new people to show up once in a while, and if we were nice to them, and made friends with them, maybe they’d stick around and learn something and pass it on.)

I don’t think we all have to go to Capital Hill with bikes and signs and protest. What we all have to do is be nice and ride our bikes. Be nice. Ride your bike. Ring your bell. Wave to other cyclists. Say “hi” to people raking their lawns. Be happy, smile, and enjoy riding your bike.

The Times Union published a story today about a 14-year-old cyclist hit in Albany.

COLONIE – A 14-year-old is in stable condition at Albany Medical Center Hospital after being hit by an SUV Monday as he crossed Central Avenue.

Police said the incident occurred at 5:47 p.m. between Colonie Center and Northway Mall when Carlos Perez of Albany rode into the path of a Honda CRV driven by Colleen Williams of Albany.

Perez was thrown from the bike and landed on the hood of the SUV before rolling to the ground, police said. He suffered a concussion, broken bones and cuts on his head and neck, police said.

No tickets were issued. Witnesses said Perez was not crossing in a designated area and also said Williams had a green light.

Anyone who witnessed the crash can call Sgt. Robert Donnelly at 783-2744.

Also received this by email, from the NYBC:

In order to promote cycling, advance traffic safety, and raise awareness of bicycling and pedestrian-related issues amongst our elected representatives currently in session, the New York Bicycling Coalition has organized a full roster of Bike Month activities in the Capital District. Exciting activities include bicycle safety education courses and LCI Training Seminar; a bicycle-themed art show; “Two Wheels Good” film festival; the ever-popular SIGMA Commuter Contest; National Bike to Work Day; and the National Ride of Silence. Please consult the full calendar (attached) and refer to www.nybc.net for more information and ways to get involved.

5/1-5/2: Traffic Skills 101. Taught by certified LCIs, this 9-hour curriculum gives cyclists the confidence they need to ride safely and legally in traffic or on the trail. Covers bicycle safety checks, fixing a flat, bike-handling skills and crash avoidance techniques. Recommended for adults and children above age 14, this fast-paced 2-day course prepares cyclists for a full understanding of vehicular cycling. Location: SUNY Albany Downtown Campus, 135 Washington Ave. Draper 147. For full details and course registration info, visit http://nybc.net/?page_id=3 .

5/1-5/22: “Grand Tour: Bicycle, Transportation & Travel” Art Exhibit. Upstate Artists Guild, 247 Lark St., Albany. Opening Reception & Urban Ride 5/1/09, 6-9PM. Note: special bicycle-themed art & reception at Downtube Bicycle Shop, 466 Madison Ave., Albany. 1st Friday Ride, hosted by the Albany Bicycle Coalition, will stop at Exhibit and other 1st Friday art venues. Donations accepted to benefit ABC & NYBC. For more information, visit: http://upstateartistsguild.org/GrandTour.

5/8: “Two Wheels Good” Bike Film Festival. The Sanctuary for Independent Media, 3361 6th Ave., Troy; 7 PM. Collection celebrates all aspects of bicycle culture, from competitive mountain biking to urban “alleycat” racing to daily commuting, bike polo, and Critical Mass. Selection includes a variety of filmmakers and spans genres from documentary to narrative, animation to sports, art & music videos. Co-sponsored by NYBC and Troy Bike Rescue; valet bike parking available. Admission by donation ($10 suggested, $5 student/low income). See www.mediasanctuary.org for details and directions.

5/8-5/10: Bike to Albany’s Tulip Festival. A highly anticipated spring tradition, over 200,000 tulip bulbs will blossom into a sea of colors amidst of thousands of attendees Mother’s Day weekend in Washington Park. The City of Albany is taking a step forward to promote green initiatives and reduce congestion on the roadways by encouraging attendees to RIDE, rather than drive, to the event. Designated racks and valet bicycle parking and will be available at the Willett & Madison Ave. entrance and featured as part of the Tulip Festival Wellness Garden, promoting wellness of mind, body, spirit, and planet. Steiner’s Sports will be on-hand to offer free safety checks and quick tune-ups to keep you rolling. Visit http://www.albanyevents.org for full schedule of activities.

5/13: Driver’s Ed. For Cyclists: a FREE Hands-On Training For Educators. 7AM – 2:30PM, Six Flags Great Escape Lodge, Queensbury. Educators who work with children grades 4 and up will gain the skills and instructional techniques necessary to teach students in P.E. classes, after-school programs and summer camps. Topics such as age-appropriate bicycle handling skills, bicycle laws, cyclist’s responsibilities, proper bike and helmet fitting, the use of gears and breaks and how to avoid crashes will be covered. Participants will also receive instructional materials and have an opportunity to take part in hands-on skill drills. Training is co-sponsored by NYBC, GTSC, Glens Falls Hospital and Upper Hudson Primary Care Consortium NYSDOH Healthy Heart Programs, the Cornell Local Roads Program, and Bike New York.

5/14: SIGMA Commuter Contest. This exciting competition pits bicyclists against motorists and transit riders during rush-hour traffic to determine the most efficient means of transportation. For the past 5 years, the bicyclist has been the winner–join us this year to see if we can make it 6 in a row! Start time: 5PM sharp. Location: Starbucks to Starbucks (10 N Pearl St., Albany to Stuyvesant Plaza, 1475 Western Ave.). Fabulous prizes courtesy of Sigma and Steiner’s Sports.

5/14: VEER the movie. Two showings! 7:30 & 9:15 pm. The Madison Theater (Albany). Special one-night screening of new documentary of the Portland, OR cycling community. Sponsors include: CK Cycles, Steiner’s Sports, The Downtube, The Dead Presidents Lounge, Bomber’s Burritos, Lark Tavern, 518prints.com, UrbanVelo.org. $6/($5 for ABC & NYBC members). Membership is free and you can sign up at the door. ABC will also be collecting $$ donations for the KONA AFRICA BIKE PROGRAM.

5/15: National Bike to Work Day. Sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists, individuals across the country are encouraged to commute to work by bike. The Saratoga Healthy Transportation Network is sponsoring the “First Annual” Saratoga Bike To Work Challenge. Companies with offices/workplaces in Saratoga County are encouraged to form Bike To Work Teams and compete for the highly coveted “The Gear Head Trophy.” To register, go to www.healthytransportation.org. For more information and resources on bicycle commuting, visit www.nybc.net.

5/16: Club Picnic, Ride and Swap Meet. 10AM, Colonie Town Park. The Mohawk Hudson Cycling Club invites all local cyclists & their families to come celebrate Capital Bike Month with the club and meet some new cyclists/friends. Rides of varying categories (casual, tour, mountain bike); potluck lunch; post-ride swap meet. Consult the Ride Calendar on http://webmhcc.org for full details.

5/20: National Ride of Silence. 6PM. Start location: Corning Preserve, Albany. 12 mile route will pass ghost bikes commemorating the deaths of 3 local cyclists. For more details, visit www.rideofsilence.org or www.nybc.net .

5/29-5/31: LCI Training Seminar. Becoming a League Cycling Instructor (LCI) certified to teach BikeEd is a great way to help cyclists in your community. If you are an experienced cyclist and would like to teach others, consider taking the next step towards certification and help bring the joy of safe cycling to others. NOTE: Road I is a prerequisite for a certification seminar. For full details and course registration info, visit http://nybc.net/?page_id=3. Co-sponsored by NYBC, Bike New York, and the League of American Bicyclists.

Nominations Currently Being Accepted for NYBC’s Commuter of the Year Award
NYBC is seeking nominations for its annual Bicycle Commuter of the Year Award. Bicyclists of any age who are NYS residents and commute to work or school on a regular basis are encouraged to apply. Submissions should include a brief written description, in 50 words or less, of why the person nominated is worthy of the award; deadline is Monday,May 11th. Winners will be announced on National Bike to Work Day: Friday, May 15th, 2009. Entries may be sent to: New York Bicycling Coalition, P.O. Box 8868, Albany, NY 12208 or e-mailed to Claire Nolan, NYBC Board Member, at cbnolou@yahoo.com

Celebrate National Bike Month: enter our 2009 Bike Giveaway and help make New York a more bicycle-friendly state!

Win a new Originate Urban Cyckel, generously donated by CK Cycles, and ride in style. Join or renew your membership to NYBC from now until August 31st, 2009, and your name will be automatically included in our 2009 Bike Giveaway drawing!

Grand drawing to be held September 1st, 2009. For official rules, photos, and other details, visit www.nybc.net .

It’s going to be a fun month.

That said, I would like to thank all the nice people who stopped to let me make a left turn. Your courtesy is a glorious beacon of hope. I know letting me turn in front of you cost you precious seconds, and I want you to know I appreciate your sacrifice. Which is why I waved and smiled.

Skills, man.

Here’s my “vision.” The ABC website puts some useful content up there. Things like “how to ride safely” and “how to keep your bike from being stolen” and “how to buy a new bike.” Then they make up little cards and tags bike, like this.

On the last Critical Mass, I rode a bit with Rohan, who runs the ABC website. He agreed that they really need some content up there and offered to sign me up. I agreed. I haven’t heard anything. But seriously people. You can’t spend all your time and energy bitching at the government because they won’t make you a dedicated bike lane. You have to help people have fun riding their bikes.

Seriously. How hard is it to put in a bike rack?

Similar to current Commuter Check programs for public transit and parking, employers can offer the bicycling benefit as a pre-tax salary deduction, saving on taxes for the individual and the company or as a subsidy, which is also tax deductible for the company.

More here.

Anybody say anything nice to you lately?

This image was featured today at one of my favorite blogs, BAGnewsNotes. Head over there for details and discussion.

BikeHacks has a bit about the Fibre Flare, which looks like a light saber for your bike.

And if that’s not enough of an eye-sore, how about making your WHOLE BIKE reflective? (Via Commute By Bike)

If you’ve had any luck in this area, please let us know.

The Initiative for Healthy Infrastructure at the University of Albany has completed its feasibility study on the Central Avenue Bikeway. You can download a PDF of the study at the IHI site.

I took a spill turning the corner from New Scotland onto Myrtle. No damage. Just shook me up a bit. If I’d had studded tires (yeah yeah I’m working on it) it might not have been an issue.

I’m just happy to be riding my bike again.

(Thanks, Paul)

I lucked out, because they sent us home early. This meant there was not as much snow at 2:30 as there’d be at 5, and there was also some daylight.

My bike doesn’t have studded tires yet.

The ride up Orange Street taught me a lot. I could not ride in the tracks cars made because the packed snow would just break away, and I was sliding all over the place. Lark Street was so messy I actually got off my bike and pushed it to a side street. Which I couldn’t ride on either.

Washington Park was a dream! There was nobody there. The snow was unbroken and I just cruised through it. It was beautiful.

From there I rolled through the snow at the edges of streets down to New Scotland. New Scotland was a mess. I don’t know what I was expecting. I cut down to Helderberg and rolled through that.

It took me an hour to get home, and the trip usually takes 20 something minutes. I knew it would be slow, I didn’t know it would be that slow. It was exhausting work. And then I had to shovel when I got home. I am glad I did it, but it is not the sort of thing I want to make a habit of. I could’ve walked home in a little more than an hour and I wouldn’t have been as beaten, nor as near to traffic.

Some people would say the biggest mistake I made was doing this at all. I say the biggest mistake I made was not wearing waterproof pants of some kind. My pants were soak through by the time I got to the park, and then the water in them began to freeze.

After a pilot run in 2007, United Parcel Service is once again adding bicycle carriers to meet its holiday demand. It’s a tack that, like alternative fuel vehicles and other measures the company has historically taken to reduce operational costs, provides an attending environmental benefit in the form of reduced carbon-dioxide emissions.

According to Norman Black, a company spokesman, the bikes simply make sense at this time of year. “You and I are having this conversation on the peak day of the peak season when all the volumes come together and hit us at once,” Mr. Black said. “You can imagine what a challenge it is to be able to dramatically increase your network’s capacity to reliably deliver packages,” he added.

The company typically delivers nearly 15.8 million packages a day. During one five-day stretch of the pre-Christmas peak last year, that jumped to over 20 million a day.

Read the rest of the story at the Times site.

I saw a lot of trikes with rear baskets. Bright, fun colors. Most of the bikes I saw were cruiser types. People don’t ride around all kitted up. I saw no spandex, no bike jerseys. I didn’t see many helmets and almost no day glo. At night, the streets are so well lit, and wide, that you don’t have to disguise yourself as a Christmas tree to ride around. I was shocked. I kept thinking “that is NOT safe” and my brain threw red flags all over the place. But then I started to realize that all of the defensive measures are not really necessary in The Big Easy. It didn’t seem to me that anybody was going to be hit by a car there.

I saw a lot of really nice bikes locked up in less than perfect ways, but at least reasonable ways, which meant to me that people know how to lock their bikes and are not worried about having their nice bike stolen. This is a far cry from our little town, where people break into your house to steal your beat up piece of crap bike.

A neat thing was the Canal Streetcar. It goes up and down the center of Canal Street. Reasonable public transportation, for sure, but I saw a lot of bikes riding up and down the streetcar lane. I don’t know if it was “legal” but the cops didn’t mind. I thought it was a really clever use of public transportation space.

(Oh, yeah, yay RocBike is back up!)