No Naked Cyclists in Alabama

On wine labels, that is.
Because Alabama has nothing more pressing to worry about than nekkid women. Especially nekkid French women. Won’t someone think of the children (who, I’ll point out, don’t buy wine)?
As NPR points out, “Fat Bastard” on a label is still A-OK.
(thanks to my bro and Dottie for a heads-up on this home [...]

More on the Guardian's Bike Coverage

I’ve long been a fan of The Guardian, so when they launched a bike blog over the summer that collates all their cycling coverage, I signed up to receive updates. So far, I’ve not been disappointed. It covers a broad range of cycling culture and news.
There are women contributors who write about everything from harassment [...]

The Importance of "Real People" Profiles

I’m in love with this recent article from The Guardian, “We wouldn’t be seen dead in lycra shorts.” The article profiles real London cyclists from different sub-tribes who all cycle for transportation. Their stories are presented simply, relying largely on the cyclists’ own words. The writer does not wander into cliched [...]

A Change of Scenery

I had a lovely ride this morning on the lakefront trail and a lovely ride this evening on the city streets. My heart always thumps wildly when I ride in the Loop (the core of downtown Chicago) during rush hour, but that must be good for the cardiovascular system. A special thanks to [...]

An Open Letter to ActionWipes

Dear ActionWipes,
Good news first: you work! you really work. Better than the old damp paper-towel routine. Better than a washcloth and soap (no need to rinse).
You’re reuseable.
You do your best to make your packaging environmentally friendly.
You’re convenient.
You included a nice little handwritten note on my order slip.
Thank you for all of those things.
But do you [...]

Busty Bike Fashion

Few magazines are both fun and intelligent: Bust, Bitch, Paste and Lula are my favorites. Sure, all magazines are selling something, but at least these are fresh, smart, fashionable and mostly free of body hate. Imagine my pleasure when I saw that the new issue of BUST has a photo spread of “Bike [...]

Under the Magnolia Tree

Hello, I am back. This is the second in a series of slightly shaky videos documenting my commute. Not sure the full fun of whizzing across the crosswalk and ducking beneath the magnolia was captured here, but I had to give it a shot! This is the closest nature enroaches on my fairly [...]

Bike Path Etiquette: Chicago's Lakefront Trail

During the summer, Chicago’s Lakefront Trail is the most popular destination in the city.  People come to jog, walk, cycle, play volleyball, lounge on the beach and people-watch. The trail is a multi-use path, not simply a bike path. Some cyclists sneer at commuters who use the path in the summer because it [...]

Bicycle Beauty

The bicycle is an aesthetically perfect creature. So simple and beautiful. Lately I’ve been noticing a lot of bicycle inspiration floating around, particularly in the design, style and fashion world. I started collecting gorgeous bicycle pictures this past month from some of my favorite inspiration blogs. A sign of the times. [...]

Cyclist's First …

There are some milestones that every cyclist experiences: first time riding to work, first time riding in the rain, first time yelling at a driver, etc. Warm and fuzzy memories. Today, Melissa experienced her first time yelling at a driver: “Thanks for almost hitting me!!!!” He totally deserved it for nearly [...]