Thursday, April 8, 2010

Neighborhoods and residents on a street that block transportation planning for bicyclists should be required to pay for ALL street upkeep and repaving in front of their properties. 

Blocking a regional transportation plan for bicyclists should remove these people's streets from any subsidy in transportation infrastructure. Similar to how federal road money is often tied to some federal directive (no federal highway funds if states didn't cooperate with the federal speed limit, for example) a group of NIMBYs should also receive no subsidy for their local transportation infrastructure if they block regional transportation planning and infrastructure that supports bicycling.

a group of neighbors that got toghter to remove a bikelane should also receive no subsidy to maintain or repave their road. Their streets need paving, sweeping, patching, etc, they foot the entire bill, taxed annually for it, for blocking developing regional transportation infrastructure. of course, blocking implementation and removing 'passing facilities' :rolleyes: is music to the ears of some bicycling 'advocates'; i can't expect unbiased opinions about bike infrastructure from well disguised southeast 'bicycle driving' obstructionists for instance.

'bicycling advocates' that value NIMBY parking issues and local trash collection rituals over planning for bikes in the transportation mix really leave me wondering. Local NIMBY obstructionists that fight planning and implementation of bikeways should foot the entire bill for their local street maintenance, similar to how federal highway funds are withheld if states fail to meet federal transportation directives.  

Screw NIMBYs and their local 'can't put a bikelane HERE' - Theres several similar local 'parking/bikelane?' issues brewing around Seattle and the country. the religious based opposition to a bikelane thru a hassid neighborhood in NYC springs to mind. make the locals pay fully for ALL street upkeep.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Oh, beautiful, for spacious skies, and ample waivers of pain.



 Some bicycling rabblerousers have gotten their chamois in a bunch over a liability waiver being required for  an upcoming dutch bike event in Chicago sponsored in part by the Dutch consulate. 

News Flash: America is a litigious, petty, CYA society where even  organizers of an elementary school cake walk might require participants sign a liability waiver.

Go bike!

Monday, April 5, 2010

bacon moderation


Preride yesterday morning. Bacon under the broiler, hashbrowns and eggs in the cast-iron skillet. Bacon is a non-addictive vice, yet tough to eliminate totally from ones life without a religious dietary prohibition.  Eating bacon is a guilty pleasure.  

 What a grand counterpoint to the usual bowl of whole grains and raisins.  Even the dog got a nibble.

Does the Greek virtue sophrosyne apply to the eating of bacon? The painter in William Whartons' Scumbler pointedly smoked six cigarettes a year.

 Read some Plutarch last night.  Heavy hitter. 

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Mossy rock 

A day off leads to expected haunts without leaving the city. There's a lot to see if you scale the view. Adjust the fine focus and take another look.


Somedays, 50 degrees and blustery is a prescription for stopping to smell the roses,  if there were any blooming roses to sniff. I settled for brackish breezes giving me a crisp lash to the cheek at this stop.


Happy Easter is a little bit glib - Holy Easter? 

If you go for a ride today, relish it.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Took a bike to Maui last month


Packed a Surly TravelersCheck to Maui last month. I  checked in at West Maui Cycles in Lahaina for some local 411 about good riding there and the local riding conditions.

Always check in at a local shop to pick up some energy bars and local pearls.

After getting appraised of  a '17 degree' section deferentially  referred to by the shop employee as 'the wall' and a couple of other, lesser climbs on the route around West Maui decided it was well worth trying to bag.


 I hit the highway the next morning about 7AM sporting a pocket HD camcorder and with an elcheapo helmet camera duct taped to my chainstay . i brought along a half dozen energy gels, a half gallon of water, and an inking i would be having a sublime and potentially challenging riding experience.

 I poured thru that half gallon, and more than a half gallon more, on my ride around west maui that morning. Maybe its because i was wearing wool?

I rate this ride as one of the best 10 rides on the American Pacific for the scenery, challenge, lack of traffic and classic feel. One of the best.