Back in April, I visited New York City to see my son’s orchestra perform at Lincoln Center. I took some photos of real live New York city cyclists, and here’s a sampling of what I saw.

Get that person an Xtracycle (or at least some panniers!).

The first beautiful day of Spring in Central Park.

Lots of pedicabs.

It cracks me up that this woman is on her cell phone.

And in this election season, here’s the one political pedicab that I saw.

If you’re interested in more pictures (not all cycling related), you can find them at my Flick page.

Here’s my version of what I’d like News 10 NBC to do (yes, I’m on a bit of bike theft rant these days).

Dear News 10 NBC Editors:
On 18 August 2008, News 10 NBC ran a story about Mayor Robert Duffy’s “Zero Tolerance” crime policy. Part of the story featured footage of a Rochester police officer nearly running into a cyclist on a street in the 14621 neighborhood. Reporter Ray Levato cited this as an example of “zero tolerance” for crime.

To use this incident as an example of zero tolerance is destructive to safe and congenial use of the roadways for motorists and cyclists alike.

In this specific scenario, both used poor judgment; the cyclist by not wearing a helmet and not being more aware of the car on his left; the police officer by not signaling or looking back and fulfilling his legal responsibility to exercise “due care.” While both used poor judgment, only the police officer committed a crime; unfortunately, the cyclist could have paid with his life. As a regular bike commuter and occasional driver, I am all too aware that she with the heavier vehicle wins, regardless of who is breaking the law.

As to zero tolerance, I’d like to see the police address the rings of bike thieves roaming our city neighborhoods…three bikes were stolen from my neighborhood this weekend alone, including my own.

Instead of presenting cyclists as criminals, I urge News 10 NBC to explore two related issues: 1) bike theft–who’s committing it, how to prevent it, and information about R Community Bikes (http://www.mpnnow.com/lifestyle/x1542100972), where people in need can get free bicycles rather than buy stolen ones; and 2) safe and courteous procedures for sharing the road between drivers and cyclists.

Sincerely,
Julie White
Rochester, NY
writer for www.rocbike.com

Isn’t that a beautiful bike? Here’s the story…it’s a follow up to my previous post. Tanya was driving down Plymouth Avenue in Rochester, thinking…”You know, I’ve NEVER seen a GT Nomad…if I see one, I will know that it’s mine.” A few blocks later, she saw someone on a GT Nomad, a young man, stopped in a parking lot talking to a woman in a parked car.

Tanya pulled in to the parking lot, got out of her car, looked him straight in the eye (not an easy feat, since she’s 5′4″ and he was over 6′), and said, “You’re on my bike. Get off my bike.” He got kind of flustered, and said that he paid for it, it’s his bike. This exchange continued for a few minutes, with him getting more agitated and saying, “I didn’t steal your bike…it’s my bike.”

She decided to try another tactic (this was her most prudent moment of the interaction). She said, “Let me start over. My name is Tanya (extending hand). What’s yours?” He reluctantly shook her hand and told her his name. She told him that she’s had the bike for over 10 years, and it means a lot to her, then asked him how much he paid for the bike…the answer, $20. She said, “I’ll give you $40 for it. Get off the bike and follow me home, where I have the money.” He did so, she put it on the bike rack, and in her least prudent moment of the interaction, invited him to get in her car.

His female friend said, “No, he’ll ride with me.” Was she protecting him from Tanya? I don’t know, but I’m glad she did it, for whatever reason.

They followed Tanya home, got their $40, and Tanya had her bike back. This whole thing makes me simultaneously proud and terrified.

But wait…there’s more. Tanya took the bike to Full Moon Vista to get a wheel (since the thieves had replaced her nice one with a cheap one), lights, etc. While there, she noticed a Trek that she had been researching. She called me to come down and try it out.

Kyle sweet-talked me into buying it (perhaps that’s because I practically begged him to give me reasons to buy it). Seriously, I tried it out and I love it! By the way, philosophically I’m totally with Adam on buying from Craig’s list…but there are two factors against such an approach. First, I’m not so patient as to wait until just the right bike comes along. Second, I did not inherit the lesbian mechanical-skills gene (maybe that’s because I’m bi, but that’s another story), and would feel totally overwhelmed at having to make major repairs/parts replacement.

One more thing…perhaps you noticed how well the water bottle matches the bike (come on, you can admit it!). Here’s a closer picture just in case you missed it…
I bought that water bottle on Saturday, the day before my Specialized was stolen. All I can say is that I must have been meant to have this sweet blue Trek.

I brought it home last night, where it is being kept in an undisclosed location…bike thieves, don’t even think about it! Like I said, you don’t want to mess with my butch girlfriend.

You can take my car, my computer, my TV (if I had one), heck, even my wallet. But not my bike! I have a bad history of bikes being stolen, and each time I have learned from the previous theft. But this most recent time really gets me. The first time, it was stolen from the parking garage next to my workplace. The solution? Bring my bike up and put it in a storage area (thanks to my very bike-friendly supervisor). The second (and third) times, it was stolen from my own garage, which had a bum lock. The solution? Fix the damn lock (yes, I’m a slow learner sometimes).

This, the fourth time? It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, my partner and/or I had been outside in the backyard nearly all day, and the garage door was open since we were going in and out of it to get tools for gardening and chicken-keeping related work. Our bikes were in the garage, not visible from the driveway, unlocked.

Thinking that no one would ever dare come into our yard while we were home, with lots of visibility from adjoining lots where other neighbors were around doing their own yard work, we didn’t worry about the bikes. When we came outside after a half hour inside, both our bikes were gone. As we looked around, we realized that they had come through our neighbor’s back yard, trampling the fence, and into our garage. There was a small kid-sized bike abandoned in the neighbor’s front yard.

We think they were looking for bikes and were tipped off by the bike rack on our car in the driveway. We always close and lock the garage when we’re not home, but I never would have thought someone would be so bold to come into our yard and garage when we’re obviously home. Several of our neighbors who can see our backyard were in and out all day, but somehow the thieves found this window of opportunity.

Funny, I grew up in a small town where most people never locked their houses or cars or garages. There were a lot of not-so-great things about growing up there, but that level of trust is something I really miss. Obviously I need to be a lot more distrustful…we are already discussing solutions to prevent this type of theft.

Anyway, that’s my bike above, before the existing fenders were added, and my partner’s was a GT Nomad, silver-grey, with fenders, kick stand, water bottle holder, and front pack.

Well, I was planning on getting a second bike this year, but now I’ll just get ANOTHER first bike. It’s hard to believe, though, how attached I was to that bike. I don’t believe in heaven and hell, but there should be a special hell for bike thieves.

p.s. any suggestions on other theft deterrent strategies to consider (so I don’t have to keep learning the hard way)?
p.p.s. new bike suggestions encouraged–under $1,000, hybrid, good for commuting, able to tow a small trailer, lighter than the previous Specialized I had.

I love many things about living in Rochester, and now I can add the Rochester Twilight Criterium to the list.

Not only was it an awe-inspiring race, but you could get close enough to get vertigo from the wheels spinning by as a hundred cyclists rode flat out in the rain.

And, it being Rochester and all (the city that’s more like a small town), I ran into a lot of people I knew, including Kyle from Full Moon Vista, who verbally ambushed me after my awkward ohmygodcrossthestreetbeforemorecyclistscome run across Broad Street with a, “Nice sprint, Julie.”

I do have one complaint…what’s up with the pro women being relegated to a 5:00 start, before all the men, a lower purse, and little to no media coverage. The men’s race was billed as “the main event.”

Anyway, you can find media coverage here.

Put it on your 2009 calendar!

While “staycationing” is all the rage right now, my partner and I chose to vacation this year…RocBike readers might be interested in some of the reasons why, along with tips for keeping it somewhat low-impact.

Read more here .

Although I’ve been commuting to my office in downtown Rochester regularly for some time now, my job sometimes requires me to attend meetings at the other campus of MCC (Monroe Community College, for non-Rochester readers). That campus is on E. Henrietta Rd., a clogged main artery leading to the land of malls, big grocery stores, empty big box stores, and continued building of new big box stores which will likely fall empty in a few years…and the road is currently under construction so it can handle even more car traffic.

Hence, I have not been anxious to ride my bike there. But then, a stroke of genius! I could ride the Genesee Riverway Trail to the Erie Canal, get off the canal path next to Monroe Community Hospital, and in keeping with Adam’s rules of riding on the sidewalk, take the sidewalk a short distance to campus.

Given that I’ve lived in Rochester for 18 years and been riding the trails for 12, one could say my stroke of genius was somewhat belated. Nonetheless, last week, I did it…I rode from my home (smack between the two campuses) to the Brighton campus of MCC, from there to downtown, and back to my home at the end of the day.

It was a beautiful day, I had little traffic to deal with, and I got in a decent amount of exercise. The only downside was the fact that I changed clothes three times in the middle of the work day. But it’s summer, which makes a change from shorts to a sleeveless dress pretty easy (I keep multiple pairs of shoes at work, as well as an all-purpose dress jacket, so that I don’t have to tote them). Having short hair makes this kind of commute a breeze as well.

Here are some of the highlights.

The path is unmarked next to Monroe Community Hospital.

I’d much rather be on this “roadway” than the one under construction at the top of the post.

This is near the University of Rochester and Genesee Valley Park, where three local trails converge.

The downtown library…a grand building.

Don’t you miss the days when buildings had inspirational quotes inscribed on them?

Home away from home.

But probably not the kind you think…

That is a cross-stitch pattern, which you can purchase from Radical Cross Stitch, to benefit the Austin Yellow Bike Project.

And check out the Power to the Pedal design competition. Here’s my favorite entry, which combines biking and music:

Imagine a bike rigged up with that along with the Down Low Glow, cruising along your daily commute!

That supremely well-lit bike welcomed me and my partner to the Sugar Maple Trailside Inn in Florence, Massachusetts on our luxuriously long summer vacation (well, not as long as those who summer on Nantucket, another one of our stops, but long for us). The inn is filled with bicycle decor and bike and rail-trail related reading materials, is right next to a rail trail, and has two cruisers available for guests to borrow. Not only that, one of the hosts is an experienced advocate for rail trails.

Jason recently wrote about plans for expanded trails in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and rail trails do indeed abound in the parts of the state I’ve visited, which include the Berkshires, Pioneer Valley, Cape Cod, and Nantucket.

So if you’re looking for a good cycling destination, check out Massachusetts, and I recommend a stop at the Sugar Maple Inn!

Jason already posted the local news story about the Adore Your City bike ride. I finally got to meet regular commenter Keith, and was surprised by how many people I knew there, since this was my first group ride, outside of a few Critical Mass rides in the past (which are a totally different kind of experience!). There were people from my graduate classes, a former colleague, and Rochester’s Mayor Robert Duffy and his wife.

The first route (map here) was nice and easy, a pretty slow pace and some beautiful scenery along the Genesee River and Rochester’s Corn Hill neighborhood. It took a different kind of cycling with such a large group (about 60), but it didn’t take long to get the hang of it, and it was really fun to be such a large presence on the city streets. Since it was 9 am Sunday morning, we were pretty much the only presence on the streets.

Quite a few people (maybe 10-15?) just did the first route. By that time, I’m pretty sure I was the only one on a seriously heavy city bike, although there were also a couple of tandems there, including a recumbent tandem. Or at least I felt rather conspicuous. The first part of the second route was very familiar, covering ground I’d just ridden a few weeks ago. Once we turned to come down Old King’s Highway, through Durand Eastman park, I still felt strong, but definitely slower on those hills, and I was near the end arriving at the meeting place where everyone was waiting. I finished out the second route at the end with Kyle from Full Moon Vista, who was riding sweep.

At that point we were back at home base for lunch. Except there wasn’t anything really filling that I would choose to eat (I’m vegetarian). I’m not complaining, as I should have confirmed with the organizers whether there would be veggie options. But I needed re-fueling in a big way, and given that I’d already been lagging behind, I decided to call it a day. I headed home and inhaled two plates of pasta. The total? 39 miles for the day, at a considerably faster pace than my usual (and a considerably faster pace than the advertised 12-14 miles/hour).

It was a good ride, for a good cause. But as with any first-time event, there were a few snags. We were scheduled to complete the second route by 11:30. We completed it by about 1:15. I’m told that those remaining did one additional route, for three, rather than the originally planned four, completed routes. It went slow partly because of traffic (there was more on the second route than the first) and because it was a no-drop ride. There were a few flat tires along the way, and the riders were at various speed levels. Also, there weren’t enough restrooms for all of us at Full Moon, so the potty line was loooonngg, meaning we were just standing around waiting for a long time before heading back out for the second route.

I think some of the more advanced cyclists were frustrated by having to wait for the slower. At the same time, we were cycling at a faster rate than advertised, and the intention seemed to be that all levels would be accommodated. I really liked the fact that it was designed to be accessible to a wide variety of levels. While I like riding for recreation and physical challenge, my primary purpose is still transportation (the fact that I also love being on a bike is just icing on the cake).

I’d like to see more people cycling for transportation, and thus the more people that are encouraged to bike, the better, at whatever level. There are quite a few events that promote cycling solely as a sport for those with the time and money to participate. Let’s have an event that doesn’t exclude that part of the community, but that DOES include other portions…those who cycle because it’s the most affordable form of transportation, those who just love being on a bike, those who are committed to cycling as a sustainable form of transportation. Let’s promote cycling for people at all levels…to improve our roads, our air, and our community’s health and vitality.

So, if you’re listening, Adore Your City organizers, first of all, THANK YOU! I know it was a lot of work, and I am really appreciative of the chance to participate. I am sure that everyone has advice for you for next time…here’s mine. Please don’t make the next ride less accessible to slower, less experienced cyclists. Maybe you could have two levels of routes…one faster and more advanced, and one slower and shorter. How about a short training ride beforehand, not for the physical training, but to help people learn about the fine art of riding in a group? And please, pretty please, more potties and some carb-rich veggie food next time?

When one of my students found out that I had decided to bike 45 miles (in one day, a point I had to clarify) before my 45th birthday, she said, “Couldn’t you have just done a mile a day?” At one point I would have said the same thing.

I am distinctly NOT of the “no pain, no gain” mind set. I rather think that life brings plenty of unwanted pain all by itself, and there is no need to bring more upon myself. I’m more of the, “If it’s not fun, why do it?” mind set.

Strangely, and quite surprisingly, I found my 45-miler a complete pleasure. I started out looking like this, at about 10 am:

In between, at 2 pm, I looked like this:

I ended up looking like this, at 5 pm:

See what I mean…happy in the beginning, middle, and end. I won’t describe the route itself, as portions of it have been well-described here and here. I rode from near the University of Rochester on the Genesee Riverway Trail, all the way up to Lake Ontario, back to the U of R, through Genesee Valley Park, and to Perinton, just past Schoen Place in Pittsford, on the Canal Trail, then back home to the South Wedge of the city. I highly recommend it. Varied and beautiful scenery, and lots of places to stop, use the facilities, fill the water bottle, and grab a bite to eat.

Go to my flickr set for more pictures.

I will, however, share a few things I learned in the process of preparing for this ride.

1—Ride the route in advance! This was the mistake I made back in November, and I was determined not to make it again. I’d ridden from home to the lake two or three times before the big day, and from home to Pittsford/Perinton many times. I knew what to expect, how to pace myself, and when my next stop would be.

2—Although contrary to my nature, some amount of training was necessary. Throughout the icy winter I stayed in shape by taking spinning classes. I always thought that biking inside was rather silly and pointless. Maybe, but it’s a great workout, and I doubt I could have done the 45 miles so painlessly otherwise. Then, as soon as the weather got nice, I got back outside and made sure to get in some longer rides than usual.

3—Make it public. I am not so sure I would have actually done this, by my birthday, had I not posted my personal challenge here and at My 45th Year. May is a crazy time for someone so integrally connected and committed to the educational system through my children, my work, and graduate school. Normally I would have been writing rather than riding on a day off from work in May, and it would have been very easy to just say, “I’ll do it later,” if I hadn’t made a public commitment.

4—Rest and stretch along the way. There is a picture, from which I’ve spared myself the public humiliation, of me on the ground in a rather unflattering yoga pose. But the stretching helped keep me going and minimized next-day soreness. We stopped about every 10 miles, took some pictures, got some water, had a snack, and stretched. And we stopped at about 30 miles for a nice lunch. At that point I really needed the fuel. We also stopped in at Towpath Bike in Schoen Place, where they had this sign that says it all.

(Just for Jason…now HERE’s a packet boat:)

5—Find a buddy. It really helped to have my partner Tanya along for the ride. She’s been cheering me on all year, getting me to take spinning classes, making sure I remember to get out and ride, and her company on the big day was invaluable.

6—Use your mind to help you along. After lunch, we biked out to the turn-around point . At that point, it was only 15 miles back home. I decided to think of it as a separate ride. Just a little 15-miler. No big deal, I do it all the time.

And speaking of mind games, watch out for self-imposed limits. I was one of those kids picked last in gym, scrawny, and nerdy and brainy on top of it. Notice that “athletic” is not on that list. At some times during this year I had to remind myself that I can do this. I still don’t think I’m athletic, but I am fit, strong, and healthy.

Now, I should say that I was not totally pain-free after the ride. About two hours after, I crashed and I slept very soundly. That night and until about mid-day the next day, my body was a little stiff and pretty tired. But considering that I expected to be dragging myself to the 45th mile, a little soreness after the fact seemed like a victory.

The next big event for me will be the Adore Your City bike ride. I’m not sure if I’ll do all 4 routes, though. I suspect that me and my clunky hybrid may be struggling to keep up with the group speed, so it depends on how that goes. Will I see any Rocbike readers there?

After a powerful Earth Day sermon that echoed many of the themes in Michael Pollan’s recent call to each individual to do something about climate change, and included a mention of the Rochester Chicken Club (of which I am a proud member–watch my personal blog for more on that topic), I came out to find this on my parked bike.

And this week, on my ride to yoga class, where I met my daughter, my new Ortlieb panniers managed the task of carrying our two yoga mats admirably.

I splurged on the panniers after I decided that an XtraCycle is not right for me, at this point. (Sorry, Jason!) An XtraCycle is great if you want to be able to give someone else a ride, but my 17 and 19-year olds aren’t likely to want to be seen on the back of their mom’s bike. And everyone else I might be traveling with would likely ride their own! So, I got the panniers instead; they hold plenty of groceries and are very easy to use. I recommend them if you’re in the market.

Bikes, chickens, and yoga…together here on RocBike.

Well, in a little behind-the-scenes conversation at Team RocBike, Jason actually accused us of having become…motorists (due to the paucity of posting here of late). Jack, as is his right, responded with righteous indignation.

I, however, did not. Sad to say, my winter months were full of more driving than cycling. My excuses? I took on an extra teaching gig in the ‘burbs, necessitating several 13 hour days with no way to be everywhere I needed to by bike (or bus) commute; I have a 17-year old daughter who required (until she recently got her license) rides for herself, her trumpet, and her 20 pound backpack to various musical performances and events throughout the 7-county area; and, well…I don’t like to bike on ice, which is mostly what we had throughout January and February. (p.s. if you think I’m exaggerating about the length of my days, the weight of DD’s backpack, or the locations of her performances…I’m not.)

So now I atone for my sins (and you get to help!). I’m participating in the Adore Your City bike ride and community service project to raise funds (and do some physical labor) for Rochester’s “Clean Sweep” project. I have to raise at least $180! Please consider sponsoring me through PayPal, at my45thyear@yahoo.com.

Our friends over at Full Moon Vista are organizing the ride. Registration deadline was April 1…I don’t know if they’re still taking riders or not, but give them a call if you’re interested in riding yourself!

Here’s to much more riding in April!

Not THAT kind of sex!

In a recent round-up of “Links of the Day,” Gordon Price at planetizen.com quotes columnist Thomas Friedman:

“Being green, focusing the nation on greater energy efficiency and conservation, is not some girlie-man issue. It is actually the most tough-minded, geostrategic, pro-growth and patriotic thing we can do….”

Friedman goes on to comment about our current leaders: “when it comes … to making ourselves energy efficient and independent, and environmentally green - they ridicule it as something only liberals, tree-huggers and sissies believe is possible or necessary.” In Price’s words, the underlying message is,” Real men don’t ride bikes.”

Does environmental sustainability have to be justified in terms of its supposed masculinity? Conservation is only okay as long as it’s “pro-growth,” “patriotic,” and “tough-minded”?

Of course, not all who ride bikes are doing it for environmental sustainability. For some, it’s simply an athletic exercise, a sport; it’s about competition, equipment, gear, speed, duration, and length (oops, my mind drifted to the other meaning of sex for a moment).

Anyway, I imagine for many RocBike readers, some level of commitment to reducing our contribution to environmental degradation is also a factor in our cycling.

This all reminds me of a conversation I had with media critic and anti-violence activist Jackson Katz (who will be speaking at the MCC Damon City Campus on April 30–email me for details) during the 2004 presidential election, who spoke of the role of gender in that campaign. He has a new lecture, in which he analyzes “images like George Bush in the flight suit, Kerry as a war hero, Michael Dukakis in the tank, Reagan on horseback and Clinton as a good ol’ boy … and shows how male voters are powerfully influenced by cultural constructs of presidential masculinity.” Listen to the language of the current campaign for how stereotypically “masculine” characteristics are spoken of, and, in a new twist, how the view of those characteristics changes based on the sex of the candidate.

And while you’re at it, pay attention to the culture of cycling. What characteristics are valued? What voices are heard? And, if we’re being honest, do we sometimes work to present ourselves in the “butchest” way possible, even when it might be a bit of a stretch?

I’ve been writing quite a bit lately at my blog about issues that affect women. Here’s one I hadn’t gotten to. The message I take from the kind of rhetoric by Friedman: Ladies, we may as well take our overly sensitive, on-the-rag, crybaby selves somewhere else, because we’re just in the way of the real men getting on with the geostrategic work of saving our planet. Nothing we need to worry our pretty little heads about.

Oh, and you girlie-men, tree-huggers, liberals, and sissies? Come on over to our little corner. You may not be women, but in the political rhetoric, you’re a little too much like us, and therefore just as easily dismissed.

So, I was driving along listening to holiday music on WARM 101.3, and on comes John Tesh. (Okay, that’s a sentence you won’t often hear from me.) Anyway, he does these little segments on the radio called “Music and Intelligence for Your Life.” Maybe you all knew about this? Me, if it’s not on NPR or in the Utne Reader, I pretty much don’t know about it. (Well, just so you don’t think I’m a total stereotypical liberal The Socialist Worker makes its way into our household occasionally as well.)

To my surprise, he gave a plug for a book called How to Live Well without Owning a Car by Chris Balish. If you’re reading RocBike, you probably don’t need this book. But if you’re looking to give a nudge to someone in your life who’s looking to make some changes, this is a good book. Recognizing that not everyone is able and/or ready to go completely car-free, he also gives good tips and examples of going “car-lite.”

There are also some interesting factoids, to wit:

–40% of car trips are two miles or less.

–80% are within eight miles of home.

–49% of Americans live within one mile of a transit stop.

–Every time a cyclist makes a four-mile round trip commute by bike rather than car, she prevents 15 pounds of toxic tailpipe emissions from entering the air.

Good talking points for more sane commuting options.

I also read The Art of Urban Cycling: Lessons from the Street, which is linked over there in the sidebar. Our local library only has one copy in all of its branches, and it took me 2 months to get it. Right now 4 people have it on hold.

It was well worth the wait. A former bike messenger, the author contrasts the vehicular-cycling principle (bike as though you’re operating a motor vehicle) with the invisible cyclist principle (assume that no one sees you but acknowledge that you are vulnerable). The first advice I got on commuting was “bike like a vehicle.” But that never sat quite right with me. Most of the time I bike like a vehicle, but there are times when there’s no way I’m gonna share the road with hundreds of people in SUV’s who just got off work and have one thing on their mind…get on 490 and get the hell home. This book made me feel more confident in my urban cycling “style,” and also presented a lot of situations I hadn’t considered that I should be prepared to deal with.

One caveat–this book is not for the new, faint-of-heart cyclist. Had I read it right after my daughter’s accident, I may never have gotten back on a bike. There’s a whole section on injuries, which basically says…you’re gonna get hurt, get ready for it. While that may be a badge of honor to some, I prefer to stay as much in one piece as possible.

He skillfully weaves in cycling history, research about cities and what makes communities work (and how bikes contribute to that), and effective cycling strategies, with a realistic attitude (don’t expect car drivers to change,the modern city isn’t going anywhere fast, deal with it and take responsibility for keeping yourself as safe as possible).

These quotes encapsulate his philosophy: “Bicycling is better. Life is too precious to spend it in a car,” and his last admonition to readers, “Be considerate to other road users, especially the noncyclists, poor fellows. Ride with fear and joy.”

All in all, you should read it…me, I’m going to pay the out-of-print price to have my very own copy.

p.s. What’s up with bicycle tag? Was my picture too blurry? Have you all given up? Has the cold gotten to you? Have I really stumped you?

Although I have many reasons not to move away from Rochester, if I do ever move, it will be to Toronto. I took a brief trip there over the holidays and it has tons of resources for both crafting and cycling. I’ll stick to the cycling aspects here.

First of all, bike lanes, lots of them.

Second, community-based resources for bicycling.

Third, cool cycling art.

There were also bike racks everywhere, and in every store, there were people who were clearly using their bikes as their primary form of transportation. On top of that, electricity-powered streetcars, a bus system, AND a subway.

And to top it all off, a a 10-year Bike Plan. They’re having a Coldest Day of the Year ride on January 30, their statistically coldest day of the year.

With a burgeoning bike culture here, and steps to reduce climate change, including “Curb Your Car Week” coming from Brighton, dare I hope for such amenities here in Rochester?

What do you think?

Those of you who are experienced racers, cyclo-tourists, or intermediate-long distance cyclists, you may want to move along, unless you enjoy feeling superior to us neophytes (in which case, go right ahead!). For those of you who, like me, are re-discovering cycling, bike mostly for transportation, and are looking forward to more and more cycling, perhaps you will learn from my experience today.

A re-cap: when I turned 44 this past May, I set myself a few goals, one of which is to complete a 45-mile bike ride before my 45th birthday. There have been many benefits to setting this goal, beyond the achievement of the goal itself, which I have written about before here at RocBike. Still, once I set a goal, I don’t let go of it. I ‘ve wanted to do it before the cold winter months of Rochester, because I know it will be harder to get out on my bike as the winter progresses.

So, I set out today with high hopes, planning to bike from Fairport to Newark along the Erie Canalway Trail. I even emailed Jack for a recommendation for a good diner along the way for our midway break. My partner Tanya, also a cyclist, came with me, and a fellow cyclist shot our starting photo at the Canal Park in Fairport.

I’ll cut right to the chase. I didn’t get to 45 miles. I did, however, learn a few things which I’m passing along to you.

Lesson One: When setting out with a specific goal in mind, be familiar with the route. I’ve ridden various sections of the Erie Canalway Trail, but not this one. The terrain was not what I expected…(wet) crushed cinders. (Actually, my book Cycling the Erie Canal describes it as “stone dust.”) I expected the cinders, but hadn’t considered the effect of the recent wet weather on the surface. At times it felt like I was biking in sand. You can see the mud that’s splashed up on my bike (along with the remnants of Thanksgiving’s snow).

Lesson Two: Park midway, not at the beginning/end. Tanya’s a faster cyclist than me, and I caught up with her munching on her apple at Palmyra’s Aqueduct Park.

When I told her that we were 1/4 of the way done, she uttered some words from which I will spare you. She hated biking on the surface we were on. What’s more, when we did the math, we realized that we were going quite a bit slower than usual (I was biking about 60-75% of my usual MPH), and that there was no way we could get to Newark and back to the car before nightfall. Not wanting to bike after dark on the unlighted canal, since we both have headlights more useful for being seen by others than illuminating darkness, we came up with Plan B. Bike back to Fairport, have lunch there, then bike on to Genesee Valley Park, on a paved portion of the trail, and BACK to Fairport to the 45-mile mark.

Lesson Three: Give yourself plenty of time. While our new plan seemed reasonable, there was another thing we hadn’t considered…the wind. The weather forecast had predicted gusts 15-20 MPH. I didn’t think it would be too bad, but we were biking right into it. The last 6 miles to Fairport felt like twice that.

The clock was ticking as I got to Fairport Village Coffee…

T. was already ensconced with a cup of coffee. We ordered some veggie chili and a portabella panini, plus I got myself a ginger soy decaf latte (all were excellent, by the way). And then we both agreed that we were done for the day. We would have had to really push it to finish before dark. It made me feel a little better that she, the stronger and faster athlete, was achy and tired, too. She had just biked her usual 20-mile route yesterday and had felt fine. We could only guess that the combination of the terrain and wind, quite frankly, were just more than we were ready for, given the time we had given ourselves to complete the ride.

Lesson Four: When at first you don’t succeed…you know the rest. I was disappointed at first that I didn’t make it. But really, I have 6 months to make it happen. It will be incentive to keep in shape and keep biking! Considering that, until I set myself this challenge, biking 8 miles was about as much as I was willing to push myself, and then only in warm weather, I feel okay about it. It will happen! Can’t you tell by the look on my face, at 24.24 miles?

On the RocBike podcasts, Jason refers to me as the “knitting cyclist.” Actually, I should write that as the “Knitting cyclist.” Note the capital “K.” There are knitters who knit more than me, knit better than me, have knit for longer than me. But that doesn’t mean they are a Knitter. Knitting with a capital “K” means you have a Knitting Identity. Inevitably, you have gone through the painful stages of:

–questioning (will my family still accept me as a Knitter?);

–isolation and reaching out to community (where can I meet other Knitters like me?);

–acceptance (okay, I’m a Knitter, now what?);

–coming out and proud (I knit wherever and whenever I please, damn it, and you will just have to deal with it! This phase also often includes the procurement and display of various knitting-related tools, jewelry, and bumper stickers); and

–identity synthesis (yes, I’m a Knitter, but I’m also many other things…don’t fence me in).

Today it occurred to me that I may be in the process of becoming a Commuting Cyclist. I needed to run some errands, which could have been done quite easily by bike. But it was a bit rainy, I was tired and pressed for time, and I thought, “Oh, what the heck. I do my part to save the planet. Today I want to drive!”

Wouldn’t you know, while in Abundance Co-op, I ran into Jack, still with his helmet on. Oh, the shame!

But it was more than shame that sparked this realization of a newly-forming identity. On the drive home, I really did wish that I had biked. It would have been so easy, it wasn’t raining that hard, and the fresh air would have helped me wake up.

I see some more bumper stickers in my future. Do you think they make any that say “Knitting Cyclist”?

–Biking with others makes you feel more empowered on the road and gets you more respect from drivers.

–Wind Chill isn’t just a stat that the TV meteorologists (who take an approach to weather that can only be described as “weather as horror flick”) came up with to scare us into watching their forecasts (and accompanying ads).

I left the house this afternoon in 50 degree weather, with only Lycra tights (yes, I do own Lycra, but in my defense it was purchased in the 1980’s…and although in perfectly good shape, is in the fashion of the 80’s), a tank top, and a cycling jacket. When I stepped outside it was downright temperate. When I started biking, I realized it was a bit windy. My uncovered ears and fingertips were FREEZING! Next time, I’ll make sure the extremities are well-protected.

–Give the bike a good once-over every time you ride.

That would be a picture of my rear reflector caught between my back tire and my frame. It came off during today’s ride. I was in a rocky area, and I thought maybe I had a rock caught in the spokes. All of a sudden I couldn’t move AT ALL. Had that happened in traffic or going downhill…yikes. Major wipeout.

–It’s all about the gear.

I finally got some Power Grips (and new pedals) put on my bike by the good people at Full Moon Vista, along with a new helmet, which is much more comfortable and lightweight. So much more comfortable for head and toe.

–Brighton has a new park! I accessed it off the Erie Canalway Trail, just east of Clinton Avenue.

I took my kids to many soccer games at Meridian Centre Park, back in the day. They’ve recently added a trail and boardwalk system (still under construction, I believe) through wetlands adjacent to the fields. Note to soccer and baseball parents: This would be a great place to explore in between games.

–I can’t get enough of nature this fall…I find the colors intensely inspiring. I think someone famous already said this, but it seems to me that art is just our inadequate way of trying to capture the inherent beauty (including the starkness of decay and death, soon to come) of the natural world around us.

–Crows start their pre-roosting activity as early as 3:45 pm this time of the year. (That’s when they start to gather to fly to their roosting site, where they will sleep for the night.) There’s a reason that Halloween decorations always conjure images of crows. This is the time of year, after families have been raised, that they begin gathering in flocks at night. Pay attention the next time you notice a bunch of crows gathering. The noise coming from a large group of crows is quite impressive.

Not that I need any more reasons to bike, but it’s worth remembering that I wouldn’t have learned any of these from inside a motor vehicle.

I’ve been cycling off and on since forever, but when I started working within two miles of my home, two years ago, I began to bike more frequently. It seemed ridiculous to get in my car and contribute to the melting ice caps, all to go a distance that I could get to just as quickly on bike as by car. That led to running errands, visiting friends, going food shopping, all on bike. Since my 45th year challenge, I’ve stepped up the cycling even more. It all started when Pat from the Rochester Bicycling Club wished me a happy birthday, and suggested that I should bike my age in miles.

I thought, I can do that…in fact, I probably could have done it that day (which was my 44th birthday), but it undoubtedly would have hurt. I’m going for the low-pain ride…so, in addition to the daily cycling, I’m going for longer and longer rides on the weekends. My goal is to do the 45-miler over Thanksgiving weekend.

But there are other reasons that keep me biking, beyond the first motivation of cutting my carbon footprint and the second of celebrating this turning point year, in which I can finally feel myself relaxing into the sheer unpredictability of life.

I keep biking because it connects me to my neighborhood, my community. For example, I take night classes at the University of Rochester, also only two miles from my home. Most of my classmates (like me) are full-time employees and part-time students. They say that they don’t really feel that connected to the graduate program, because they drive in and drive out, often in darkness…straight from the parking lot to the classroom, and back again.

On the other hand, I bike up Mt. Hope Avenue, alongside the Genesee River, past the UR tennis courts and apartments, past the library, and behind the academic quad to my classroom. On this ride I think often of my former father-in-law, now gone for fifteen years, who worked at UR for many years. When I first met him, he gave me a tour of the campus and told me its history. I’ve forgotten most of it, but I do remember that where the campus stands was once a golf course. I often picture that golf course and think fondly of him, one of the most loving and ethical people I have ever met.

On Halloween, I saw undergrads in costume heading out for the night on the UR bus, graduate students in the library (probably oblivious to the fact that it was Halloween), and on the way back, I biked parallel with another student heading from campus to our neighborhood. (Actually, I passed her going up the hill on McLean, and since she was half my age, this made me quite pleased with myself.)

It really does make me feel connected to be on my bike, instead of ensconced and climate-controlled in a car. And to be perfectly honest, there’s nothing like bike commuting to give you that slight, “I’m so cool AND I’m doing the right thing” tinge of self-righteousness. I might be overtaken by the self-righteousness if I weren’t having so much fun noticing the changing of the seasons and feeling the strength in my body that comes from propelling yourself rather than letting a motor do it.

And speaking of strength, I’m also noticing a huge leap in my strength and endurance. My 20-mile bike ride last weekend felt like nothing, even without padded bike shorts! (For more on the significance of that last detail, see Hubris.)

As the weather turns cold, I’m wondering if I can maintain this level of cycling throughout the winter. For one thing, I have to dress “professionally” for my job, and carrying the layers of clothing needed to change into, along with the layers I’ll need to wear, feels like a bit much. For another, money put into the current bike to outfit it for winter is money that can’t go towards an XtraCycle next year! I’m counting on the RocBike community to give me the right tips and help me keep the motivation to keep it up!

Speak up in the comments–why do YOU bike?