Friday, October 22, 2010

Hit & Run

A cyclist-ANOTHER-cyclist was killed this week.

STARRS and bekindtoCyClists have both posted rewards, since the driver who killed the man stopped to get the bike out from under the car but but left the cyclist in the street to die.

We don't know much. We know it happened about 12:25 a.m. We know it was a man named Stacy Palmer, who apparently biked darn near everywhere (not at all uncommon in Flour Bluff), we know he was riding with traffic, and we know he was hit by a green GM passenger vehicle.

But we don't know if it was intentional, we don't know if it was a drunk driver.

We do know that this wasn't the first cyclist hit-and-run, and it probably won't be the last. It's just a bike-unfriendly town, and it's a real shame. It's an even bigger shame that it takes tragedies like this one to bring attention to the plight of cyclists here.

No more Jesse De Leons. No more Barb Savells. No more Stacy Palmers.

Stay safe out there.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

In the Bag

My original quest for a roomy, colorful rack trunk bag was so unsuccessful that I pounced on the first non-black one I could find.

It is great, but of course since purchasing it I've found a couple of intriguing options for my NEXT bag.

Terry Bikes' Juicy Rack Bag is adorable, unique, AND recycled. It doesn't have panniers, though, and I recently found them handy while trying to lug all my gear to soccer (I fit cleats, socks, shin guards, 3 bottles of water, wallet, bike lock, sunscreen and trail mix inside on Sunday).

And the Sherpani Vela, which is lovely, useful, and from a female cyclist-owned company...though sadly not being released until the spring.

My 2 Mile Challenge Update is...not as good as last week, despite a solid 30 miles of biking this weekend. I missed my commute all week (as well as Tuesday of this week) AND didn't even get to the store, so my numbers are way down. Only 34.12 miles.

It's not looking likely to hit that 400 miles, but maybe I can turn it around!

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Cycling in Fashion

I've noticed something odd.

Last Saturday, I biked to the Farmer's Market. On the way I stopped at a convenience store to get some cash, and had a nice little chat with a lady there about my bicycle (my "errand running" Huffy cruiser), the dangers of cycling in Corpus, and what good exercise it was. I was wearing a skirt (with short underneath, of course), sandals, and a tank top.

The other day I biked to the grocery, and as I locked up my bike had a family admire it (the little girl even asked her mom why THEY never got to ride their bikes to the store!) & chatted about my baskets and how much they held. I was wearing a sundress and matching pink tennis shoes.

On commute days, I'm in full regalia--padded bike shorts, jersey, tennis shoes--and no one says a word to me. Stuck in traffic, pausing for a bottle of water at the corner store, waiting at a bus stop, I seem to suddenly be "Other". A Spandex-clad Creature forcing her way on to the road, not to be engaged.

Has anyone else noticed similar treatment? Is "the serious cyclist" intimidating?

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Joining Politics

I was very excited this week to discover that the city has a Bicycles & Pedestrians Subcommittee that meets monthly.

I've added it to my calendar and, though it's in the middle of the work day, am going to go.

I'm not sure what to expect; I know that like so many cities right now, we're suffering a budget shortfall. But it will be nice to get in on the discussion, at the very least. Given that it's completely unpublicized unless you happen along that web page (as I managed to do), I doubt many people show up.

I'll have to remind myself to ride that day. Hopefully City Hall has a bike rack...

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

2 Mile Challenge Update

In the past week since starting the 2 Mile Challenge, I've biked ALMOST every day.

I did bail on my commute this morning as my cat did some things to make my life miserable this morning, delaying me to such an extent that driving was my only option. Am definitely hoping for better luck on Thursday!

ANYWAY! My Week 1 Total: 64.51 miles biked.

64.51 miles in one week.

Nearly 65 miles that I would've driven.

I don't think about it as I ride, but these miles--as few as 2 per day--really add up!

New goal: 400 miles biked by the end of October. And if I fall short...I'll pledge $100 to some sort of environmental charity (open to ideas in the comments). How about that?!

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Bike Commuting Report!


I was very excited to read this report on the growth of bicycle commuting. The wonderful news is that bike commuting is gaining ground. Look at some of those triple digit increases! Even in Corpus, where our percentage of bicycle commuters is under 1%, there has been substantial growth!

Unfortunately, here in South Texas you're still prone to this attitude...
Riding a bike to work says you are either poor, or have a DUI...

Apparently Mr. Pitbull has never priced a good bicycle.

Two bicycles parked in front of my officeMy workplace is fairly unique as we have lockers, showers, and a bicycle rack (plus indoor storage for bikes if necessary). I know that there are three or four part-time bike commuters at my job alone, and have seen a couple of others kitted out downtown.

But for the vast majority of the city, commuting by bicycle is a ridiculous idea.

Corpus Christi was named by Men's Health Magazine the "Fattest City in America", and the disregard shown both to and about cyclists (in terms of attitude and city planning) help feed that (no pun intended).

I was honestly amazed to learn that Corpus was a bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community according to the League of American Bicyclists. The City certainly doesn't promote it. But if Oso Hike-and-Bike Trail ever gets finished, and if Corpus remains true to its urban plan (adding bike paths to widened and/or repaved roads), there is nowhere to go but up!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Love and Bicycles

Five years ago, I fell in love with a bicycle. It was the Dahon Cadenza, a glorious folding hybrid. I tracked one down on eBay for $600 or so, and I still love it.

Earlier this year I picked up a fixed-gear cruiser for running errands and, while it's comfy & good for cargo, it's not a love affair like my Cadenza.

Today, however, I found something that rocked my world: the Dahon Ios XL.

The one thing I'm iffy on is wheel size; the Cadenza has 26" wheels, and going down to a 20" wheel seems a little scary. I do like my visibility, and the Cadenza is literally a perfect fit for me.

But. But but but. Look at how SLICK it is. How small it folds! And the bells and whistles! *fans self* The fenders, the built-in light, the AMAZING ReeCharge system... You can charge your phone or iPod while biking. This is THE commuter bike, am I right? Pop on my rack and I'm ready to rock!

The problem? It's $1500. The very cheapest I've found it for is $1349.

Plus that would mean I have 3 bikes...unless I sell one of them to pay for the Ios XL, but that sounds a little like selling a child.

If I had children. But I could hardly afford both children AND bicycles, now could I?

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

On the Inequality of Bike Lanes

Randomly Ending Bike Lane...right before major intersectionSouth Texas doesn't much care for cyclists. Down here, you are expected to have a motor vehicle, even if it's one of those weenie little compact cars. The majority drive SUVs & trucks.

This may explain why we have so few designated bike lanes (I can think of only four streets off the top of my head: Holly, Kostoryz, Ennis Joslin and Ocean Dr.). What's maddening about these bike lanes is the varying sizes of the lanes (and the fact that they occasionally disappear altogether).

On my morning commute, I head a couple miles down a street with no bike lane to Ocean. At Ocean, the bike lane is EXTREMELY small--barely wider than my handlebars. It widens and narrows along the route, and by the time I hit Cole Park it's big enough to park an SUV in (because people park SUVs in it, of course). Cole Park is also where it disappears, so the rest of the ride is done in the street.

On my ride home, I'm largely on streets without bike lanes (though on-street parking lanes are sometimes present, and a nice buffer unless I have to go around a parked carBike lane randomly starts back up again after intersection) until I hit Holly. Holly is another road where it widens and narrows at random before disappearing at Staples and picking up again after the intersection--not the greatest situation.

The narrowness of the lanes in some spots is more than a little ridiculous--at Weber I was stuck awkwardly between the right turn lane and the traffic at the light. The first truck at said light had a side mirror that jutted out so far it actually blocked the bike lane; had I pulled up next to him it would've smacked me in the head when the light changed.

The problem, I think, is that the city never considered bike lanes until 2005, at which point they decided that any street being resurfaced or widened (Ennis Joslin, Kostoryz, and Holly so far) needed to include a bike lane. So they aren't really widening the street at all, just giving cyclists whatever's leftover after shaving a little bit off of the rest of the lanes. Not an ideal situation, but it's better than nothing!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Challenge!

I may be a bit late with this, but I just discovered Clif Bars' 2-Mile Challenge.

I've signed up and will keep a running tally on my miles here per week. It sounds like a great way to a) encourage more biking b) reduce trips by car and c) make money for a good cause!

Two miles isn't as far as you think; they have a handy tool that lets you input an address and get a 2-mile "bubble" from that address. There is a TON of stuff within 2 miles of my house!

Monday, October 4, 2010

Summer Absence

Well, as of early July I paused my bike commute. It was hot as all get out and the bus stopped the Southside Express for lack of riders. Most people have trouble with winter commuting, mine's going to be summer.

We did, however, get our first cold front in late September and it's now delightfully cool. I've also tweaked my route: my new route is slightly longer, but a much better ride. Less traffic, wider roads, and more shade.

But I haven't solved the problem I always have: cargo.

I currently wrap up my purse (with phone, ID, and entry card), plus whatever I'd forgotten to stock my work locker with, in to a small, soft-sided bag that came with my luggage. I then bungee it to the rack and off we go.

While I've been looking for a rack trunk, I've been disheartened to find that they're almost all completely, boring BLACK.

First I decided to make my own, using an adorable bicycle-themed fabric I scored on Etsy. My original plan was to waterproof it (either by having it laminated at $60/yard or via linseed oil for old school oilcloth). This looked to be expensive and time consuming.

And then I found this one. First off, it's YELLOW. Have you ever seen such a happy little trunk? It's also got fold-up panniers, which would come in handy in case I unexpectedly needed to carry more cargo. It also comes with a little waterproof sleeve (a raincoat!) to put over it in case of inclement weather; though the reviews say that it does a good job of staying dry even without it.

I did, however, leave Houston WITHOUT the adorable yellow rack (I decided that buying 2 jerseys, new cycling shorts, an "I <3 My Bike" T-shirt & a mini air pump was enough bike-related spending for the weekend)...but am now having my Houston-based friend buy it for me & send it back with her family. I can't wait to try it out!