Dottie and I are cooking up a little group ride adventure for her next trip here. Exact route and details TK, but we hope you'll keep the afternoon of Saturday, August 22, open for a stylish saunter through the bike lanes around my side of town. P.S. In other news, I'm in North Carolina (Sapphire/Asheville) for a long weekend. Hoping to rent bikes, hike and eat some good food -- drop me an email if there's anything I shouldn't miss!
read moreThough we've had a brief respite from the usual July heat these past few days, summer is the season when the hilly terrain of Nashville really gets to me. Lately I've been trying to look at it philosophically—the sense of accomplishment, building strength and endurance, etc.—but that can be hard when you're dripping in sweat. I guess I'm not the only one who has trouble with this. Yesterday the Guardian's Rick Williams shared some strategies for climbing efficiently on their bike blog. A few were surp...
read moreMy new bike crush is the Pashley Sonnet Bliss. I've discussed the Pashley Princess Sovereign previously, which is very similar except the Bliss is different colors and does not have a full chaincase. I seriously conisdered buying a Pashley last year, but the Azor Oma Dutch bike won out based on its incredibly sturdy and smooth ride. Recently I've been wanting a Pashley again - not instead of Oma, but in addition to Oma. Is that bad? If loving Pashley is wrong, I don't want to be right. I can't buy an...
read moreBiking with my brother over the Fourth reminded me that our first bike rides ever were taken together. The last time I visited my parents, I dug up some photographic evidence. These Schwinns were our first bikes ever. We got them for our birthdays (both in April -- yes, this is what April looks like in northern Minnesota) in 1985. Charlie was turning 4, and I was turning 5. Training wheels were the way to go back then... Here I am frowning at the handlebars (this bike stuff was serious business) while Mom adjusts C...
read moreLast night Mr. Dottie and I enjoyed a romantic dinner at a fancy French restaurant. I wanted to wear my new Saja dress, so I wore it. This is not an ideal dress for cycling because of the length. However, when you ride your bike everywhere, it comes down simply to wearing what you want to wear. If I limited my wardrobe because of my bike, I would resent the limitations. If I took a cab to the restaurant instead, I would be incredibly lame. So I threw on some small shorts underneath, put my basket on Oma for the...
read moreThis week brought a couple of changes for me. I got a rearview mirror for my bike. Still playing with the best way to adjust it, but it's nice to be able to keep an eye on what's behind me without turning my head. I got used to this little luxury while riding Oma last month. Now for the new friend: Wally was found abandoned at a nearby apartment complex a couple of weeks ago. After much debate, and assurance from Dottie that one must have at least four cats to qualify as a crazy cat lady, he came home with me...
read moreAs much as I love the sun, today's somewhat stormy and cool weather was perfect for cycling. The storms stopped before my ride home, which meant that the trail was dramatically less crowded than it usually would be (people are easily scared off by the rain) but I did not get wet. The temperature hovered in the low 60's, which meant that I did not sweat. I had a 16 mph headwind, so I simply popped Oma into 4th gear and took my sweet time. Mmmm, lovely. What is your perfect cycling weather?
read moreEach of us is a wealth of information about cycling in our particular cities. Here are a couple of opportunities to share your unique knowledge to benefit the greater cycling community: the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center Image Library and the New York Cycle Club's Cycling Risk Assessment Study (not limited to New York). Read on for the details. The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center has launched an image library of pedestrian, bike, and commuting photos for open use. The library is open for p...
read moreThe majority of my waking hours are spent in a skyscraper. My office has a big window with a view of Lake Michigan, but looking at the view only reminds me of what I'm missing. Without bike rides before and after work, my life would be pretty sad. Because of this, I try to really appreciate my time outside: winter, spring, summer or fall, I love it all if I can be outside on my bike. Today I focused on enjoying the summer sun - a rare bird in Chicago, land of the six-month winter. The sun reciprocated by playing...
read moreFrom me and Le Peug. We're celebrating with some macarons, brioche, cheese and of course, wine.
read more |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
