Just Ride

So, doing a reading at Bookworks last night, when I spot the above book on the shelf.   Not one to let a book about biking (that's pretty much staring at me from across the room) pass me by, I buy it and crack it open while I'm working on sleep. 

Now, as any good biker knows there are lots of arguments on how to negotiate the roads when you are on a bike.   In fact, there's a whole "school of thought" about it called, "Vehicular Cycling" versus Segregated Cycling (even some elements are labelled as Urban Cycling).   The arguments go back and forth, talk about the efficacy of one over the other, the safety of one over the other, etc. but the bottom line is that neither argument really wins on the one issue that really matters:   creating a society that is structured in such a way as to make cycling normal not the exception.   That's what I want.  

I'm tired of having to make the argument again and again that cycling is not dangerous.  I'm tired of having to explain to people that getting around Albuquerque on bike doesn't make me some sports enthusisast, adrenaline junky.  It doesn't.   I get around Albuquerque on bike (mostly) because I find it a cost effective, environmentally friendly, safe, and fun way to get to where I want to go.   For me, it's not about the ride...its about the destination and how I choose to get there.

Thus, Petersen's book, is a good fit.  He even points it out with the very first sentence, "My main goal with this book is point out what I see as bike racing's bad influence on bicycles, equipment, and attitudes, and then undo it."  Broken into 8 short sections:  Riding, Suiting up, Safety, Health and Fitness, Accessories, Upkeep, Technicalities, and Velosophy, the book has short chapters that offer practical, non-nonsense solutions to many of the vexing questions people have about cycling if they are not a racer.   Most of the points are no-brainers (No...the shirts, shorts, gloves, shoes aren't necessary), but I was also pleasantly surprised about how candid he was when he talked about wearing a helmet.  

In almost every piece of literature that is widely distributed one of the first pieces of advice is "Always wear a helmet."   Now I'm not opposed to helmets, but I do feel there is a false sense of security that comes with wearing a helmet.  By it always being point number one (the one point that almost everybody reads) novice cyclists get the impression that that's all they have to do.   It's not!   As Petersen points out:

       Helmets increase risk compensation.  Any protective gear you wear or use--

       a hazmat suit, a bulletproof vest, a parachute, snake-proof boots, or a bike helmet--

       increases the likelihood of you taking a risk.  That is the point:  protection so 

       you can do the thing that would be dumb to do without it.

I almost jumped out of bed when I read that.   Here is a book on cycling, and he isn't toeing the party line on helmets.   By extension, he is also implying that when every bicyclist, organization, government entity aggressively advocates for helmets (a piece of safety equipment) they are also sending the message that cycling (any kind of cycling) is dangerous and requires wearing safety equipment.   Thus, if the goal is to increase the number of cyclists, then stressing the dangers of cycling is working against that.  For example, what if on your first day of teaching in a rough urban school they said, "Oh...it's really not that dangerous, but here's your bulletproof vest in case things get out of hand."   I'd certainly want to teach there.   So do our words match our actions? 

For the record, I always wear my helmet when I mountain bike (because mountain biking is dangerous), but almost never wear my helmet when I ride around town (because bicycling around town is not dangerous), but I get lectures about it all the time.

What troubles me is best illustrated by the link to Adventure Cycling that has "Always Wear a Helmet" as item #1 and "Always Bike Carefully" as item #10.   Really?  The single most important point in bicycling safety is "Always Bike Carefully" and its the last item on the list?  

Not wanting to stray too far off topic, I'd say that Petersen's book, thus far, lives up to its promise.   So, if you know someone who is new to cycling, I'd recommend this book as a good way to get acquainted with bicycling, and as an adult who doesn't race its nice to know I'm not the only one.

American Triumphalism

Of course I remember that day.  When it actually happened, I was on my bike.  I was a substitute teacher at Menaul School and was riding along the North Diversion Channel Bike Trail.   At about University & I-40, it turns north and I'd take my mountain bike down this gravelly social path (it was way more fun to bounce down that than the paved path a little bit further) and then ride up University to Menaul then down Menaul to the school.

As I checked in I noticed everybody standing by a television in the office and that's when I got it.   Two planes had crashed into the north and south towers of the World Trade Center, and a third had crashed into the Pentagon (I don't remember when I got the news about Flight #93).   I was stunned, and the networks showing at first the plane hitting the south tower, then the endless repetition of the north tower collapsing then the south tower collapsing.   It was confusing and I still can't get the image out of my head. 

By about mid-day, the principal called the whole school together and tried to soothe every one.   I know I needed soothing.   The whole thing seemed surreal.   At the time, I'd never been to New York and the image of the towers was mediated by television or movies.   I wanted to understand it.  I wanted to be able to explain it to the 7th & 8th graders as we watched the news reports in the classroom for the rest of the afternoon.  

By the end of the day, I was emotionally drained.   I was still confused, and it probably took a whole month for me to really grasp the significance.   What seemed to be shaping up in mind anyway was the ungodly amount of death and destruction that was a part of this event and it was only just beginning.

We can certainly rationalize and justify, but no amount of either is going to bring back the 3000+ that died that day, or the innocent civilians we continue to kill in Afghanistan, or the innocent Iraqis, or soldiers just doing their jobs.   The spectre of war...an almost malevolent spirit...was unleashed that day.   And I know that my more liberal friends can argue about how we shouldn't have been surprised.  That American foreign policy is more about empire than we're lead to believe.   But nothing changes the fact that a lot of people who died did nothing more than show up for work.  And nothing changes the fact that as a direct result we started bombing a country in Asia in an effort to close up terrorist training cells and capture/kill the masterminds and as a result have killed numerous people (no matter how hard we try to avoid it) that are doing nothing more than living their life.

So when I read the news, today, about us finally killing Osama Bin Laden, my confusion comes back.   Yes, I'm relieved that we finally got him, happy even.   But I'm also a little sad that as a species we still can't move beyond solving our problems violently.   And I'm also a little bit sad that in all the YouTube videos, and news reports, we're still not connecting that part of the reason we are even meddling in the affairs of that part of the world is our addiction to oil.   And as I navigate in traffic and cross busy streets and inhale exhaust fumes, I wonder if there is more that I can do.   How do we break our addiction to oil?   How do we do it responsibly?   And I can't help but think that if a lot more of us would just get out of our cars a bit more often, try biking to work, taking the bus, walking our neighborhoods, we'd discover that living peacefully is possible, beautful, and will create the world we want to live in.

I'll see you on the streets.

Biking as a Viable Alternative

In my digesting of all things biking, all the time, I've been coming to grips with the sort of schizophrenic messaging we (as a society) engage in when it comes to biking.

Take for example, the basic standards in regards to what exists and what doesn't exist in ABQ.   Recently I was surprised to see a bike box on Martin Luther King at Edith.   What is a bike box?

Bike Box

Yes, we have a bike box in ABQ.   Yet, I'm not even sure cars know its there or even how to use it?   First off, its not painted green like this one pictured above in Long Beach.   And, second, I've yet to see a story about it or any mention on any city website about how its supposed to be used.   Supposedly, based on a forum post I dug up, cars are not supposed to turn right on red at intersections with a bike box.  Perhaps? 

Messaging.  

How do we encourage people to bike?  How do we let people know that not only is it a viable alternative to driving but that its not dangerous, doesn't require all the fancy gear, and depending on the length of your trip and end destination provides amenities that cars can't (like not having to pay for parking and better health)?

Ontology of Biking

Here it is.   Your GRE word for the day:   Ontology  Basically, the "Ontology of biking" would be the study of "being a biker."  And for your reading pleasure, I present:

Click for Full Image

I didn't spend $40 on insurance this month; I didn't spend $80 on gas this month; and I didn't spend $200+ on a car payment this month.   Yep, I saved a lot of money.   It's estimated that by getting rid of your car, you'll save $3,000-$12,000 a year.

So what does "being a biker" mean?   It means:   planning your trips, adding travel time when necessary,  never worrying about parking, but worrying about bike security; breathing in fresh air not recirculated vent air, actually hearing birds, dog barks, the sounds of the city instead of drowning them out. 

The time is now.   Get out of your car onto your bike. 

Not Knowing

It's not just about biking;

it's about walking, running, skipping, taking the bus, sitting, standing, wandering into the comic shop that is rarely open (even during its posted "Open" hours).

It's about sitting on a sculpture - giving up trying to "figure it out" since even the sculpture itself is still trying to "figure itself out."

It's about witnessing the subtle changes in temperature, noticing the new growth - the mulberries -- smelling whats bloomed - the lilacs -- witnessing the damage to our city streets- the pot holes -- weighted down by our buildings, our water, our very presence.

It's about having the time to write in this blog since my options on this extremely windy, allergy provoking day have limited my options.


It's about getting on the city bus at the start of a day, being a part of a community of adults who have learned that beyond knowing their next stop, the rest of the day will most likely not go as planned.

It's about deciding to walk home instead of busing it, so I can fill my senses with the offerings of the city streets and hope the rest of the day is as much of a surprise as the earlier one I had planned.


"Not Knowing" may bring fear to some...but to me, it brings an opening to new realms - both sensory and emotional.

It's not just about biking.

DIY

I admire the folks who have lived their lives with the DIY philosophy...

I wish I was 15 again and could argue with my mother when she suggested I had my brother, some boyfriend, or some neighbor guy help me with some technical challenge I was having. For instance, if my car was having trouble, I was not encouraged to fix the issue, nor, was I encouraged to even completely understand what the issue was. Of course, I could have developed my own inner "gumption" to become a more practical and handy individual, but, alas, I chose to focus my attention elsewhere. So, I grew soft and did not exercise those "handy" muscles.

I am still not incredibly handy, but I have developed a strong desire to understand the technical world around me and to appreciate the process of learning how to do it myself - even when it means I have to give up some luxury in order to do so.

Spare Tube

A few months back, I had another particularly challenging day at work and was ready to practice yoga in order to re-claim some inner calm. When I approached my bike, I noticed the back tire was extremely low... the inner tube had a hole. Normally I would have just pumped some air and moved on...but, I realized, this wound was too big and pumping air would not do. Also, it was raining and cold, so I could not stand outside debating my next move for too long.

Although I had all the forces against me: foul mood, cold, rain and flat tire...I decided to turn this into a "yoga and the art of bicycle maintenance" moment. So, I moved back into the work space from where moments ago I could not wait to escape, turned my bike upside down and readied it to be repaired. Now, changing a tire is not a huge deal...but, had I had other options that rainy day, I most likely would not have had the bike with me in the first place. Instead, I had to sit with it, look at it, understand how to deal with it myself and... do it myself. Although replacing an inner tube is not major repair work, it did feel good to let go of my original plan and completely focus on the issue at hand. The repair became a meditation for me, as I had to move through my frustration in order to take off, insert and replace the back tire ( which, by the way, is not as easy as replacing the front one).

By the time I was done, I was pleased with myself...mostly because I was able to re-focus my energy enough to find the pleasure in the job. I was able to let go of the day while taking care of something myself. I had no choice...and, because of that, I had opportunity to step into that philosophy I so admire.

Albuquerque in 2035

Been poking my way through Mid-Region Council of Government's 2035 Metropolitan Transportation Plan and let me chime in on what I think it says about ABQ.

First, you know the development on the westside, southwest heights, and Rio Rancho?   Well, there's more of that in our future. Here's a quote:

By 2035 the projected level of growth combined with an imbalance between housing and
jobs will result directly, and indirectly, in:

• a doubling of vehicle miles traveled per day from 16 million to 32 million
• a leap in vehicle hours of delay from 400,000 to 1.5 million
• one million daily trips across the Rio Grande (doubled from today)
• a reduction in the labor markets captured for key employment centers
• a compromised quality of life (which is often a key factor when employers are
• choosing where to locate their businesses)
• higher transportation costs which reduce housing affordability

Second, you think your commute sucks now?   Not much is gonna change.   And the only way to really keep it about the same is to improve the bus/train system.  Check it out:

Can We Build Our Way Out?
Preliminary analysis using the region’s travel demand model was performed to show the
magnitude of shift required from single-occupant vehicle (SOV) mode to transit modes in
order to meet the anticipated increase in river crossing demand. For example, in 2035
30 to 35 percent of travelers will need to be riding transit or using another non-SOV
mode to maintain reasonable vehicle speeds on Paseo del Norte. The other river
crossings showed similar results, reinforcing the need for projects that support reliable
people movement across the river.

Yep...good bye Single Occupancy Vehicles.

But now for some juicy bits about biking.  Let's start with this acknowledgment, "A significant challenge to increasing the use of alternative modes such as walking and bicycling is changing people’s perceptions, which in large part is accomplished through education efforts."   Right...let's end the perception that biking is not a viable way to get around our fair city.  It is.   The more of us who do it; the more the planners will design our roadways with us in mind.  

But this is not to say that biking/walking as it stands right now doesn't have some problems and pose some risks.   They write, "Safety is a considerable challenge because bicyclists and pedestrians take on
disproportionate risk with every trip, particularly in New Mexico and its urban areas."  Albuquerque doesn't compare favorably to other cities in bicyclist and pedestrian fatalities.  The report simply tells many of us what we already know, biking/walking is downright dangerous here.

The report really does contain a wealth of useful information about what getting around Albuquerque looks like and what it will look like.

What's guiding their decision making? It's nice to see that the Obama administration's Department of Transportation has implemented some forward thinking initiatives in regards to making cities more livable.

Ultimately, though, planning can only do so much.   The rest is up to us.   So talk to your county commissioner or city councilor and demand that our streets are safer for bikers and pedestrians, then park your car and enjoy the fresh air.

Grateful

Tuesday

Work left me sort of flat. Usually the act of getting in my body (yoga, running) is good medicine. Leaving work at 5pm, I knew I would head home and probably not do either one.

If I was in a car, that would simply add to the heaviness of the day. Instead, I took the long way home along the bosque and my spirit was lifted.

Spring. The air is fragrant, and I get a front row seat and a choice to commute on any path that will deliver me home a more satisfied and grateful being than when I started.

Night Rider

 Bike Powered Bike Lights

Tuesday, March 15 at 9 pm, Mindy and I set out from the Santa Fe Outlet Malls to catch the 9:54 NM Rail Runner back to Albuquerque.   The ride is only 2.5 miles, but that is not the real danger this road poses.   The quickest, perhaps only, bikable route is to pedal south on NM 14.   The route has a distinctly rural feel to it meaning that it is dark.    

Now I'm pretty fearless and have a sort of connection with my bike because of lots of hours riding in the dark, sometimes intoxicated, sometimes altered in some other way.   So I know to feel the road beneath me, follow the white stripe along the shoulder (when it's there) and just keep moving through loose gravel, over random pieces of junk that seems to accumulate on the sides of roads.   My biggest fear is puncturing a tire while riding over a nail, board, etc.   Basically, riding on shoulders suck.   I want to get over as far as a I can, but most shoulders, especially if the road isn't designated as a bike route is just inviting trouble.

NM 14 is not designed with bikes in mind.   The shoulders are littered with gravel and debris and the traffic moves much faster than the posted 55.   The road widens and shrinks, meaning some people will give bikers a wide berth at times while at others cut a biker off because they are angling for the on ramp of the highway.   And there are multiple, dark, on and off ramps that you have to go through while riding.   So basically, riding this road at night is just asking for disaster.   Even with my attached bike lights (pictured above) and another one that is attached to my stem, the light is really only helping speeding drivers see me because they certainly aren't enough to ride by on this stretch of road.

Thus, it was with relief that John Flax of Theater Grottesco stressed that taking Mindy and I to the train stop was not a problem.  He has a truck and goes that way to get home.   We gladly took him up on his offer on Wednesday.

I wish I could point to a better solution than "find a ride" to the train station, but unless the state does some major improvements, this road, especially at night, is way too dangerous.