My commutes have been so lovely lately. Ever since I took the long way home for the Summer Games, I've continued taking the same relatively quiet route to and from work. Now I can't believe that I never discovered this route for over two years.
The route is all calm two-lane streets with bike lanes. Both the car and bike traffic are much lighter and more considerate. Trees line the way, shading me from the hot sun. Kids wait on the corner for school buses. People walk their dogs.
Bonus: I pass r...
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To the Argo Tea girl handing out free smoothie samples on the street corner: thank you so much for bringing a sample to me while I was waiting at the stop light and hanging around to take back my empty cup when the light turned green. I did not ask you to do that, but you must have seen how longingly I looked at the smoothie in the 90 degree heat. You, my dear, are an angel.
What is the nicest random act of kindness you've encountered while riding your bike?
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Another Summer Games contestant who entered via email is Molly from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Molly really went the distance, participating in part 3 of the games during her honeymoon in Montreal, and her stories always put smiles on our faces.
From Molly:
I organized lunchtime group ride for the library where I work. It was a small group, only 4 people, but we still had fun. We rode to the Farmer's Market and I think we all came back with asparagus.
Story: There's an organization in Ann Arbor that promo...
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I took the Lakefront Trail on the way home, stopping to snap some pics with my little point-and-shoot. Feels like a long time since I enjoyed an easy summer commute on the Lakefront Trail.
Ah, can you feel the sunshine and the lake breeze? That, my friends, is the good life and it's totally free.
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Enjoy another Summer Games entry sent to us through email. Natalie and her family explored the Virginia Capital Bike Trail for Part III, Bike a Greenway.
From Natalie:
We went on the first part of the Virginia Capital Bike Trail, which is under construction and eventually will connect Richmond to Jamestown and Williamsburg. This spring, we rode one of the longer sections in the middle, but we hadn't ridden the part that was in town.
You start by going through a door-sized opening in the flood wall,...
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Although it seems like all my friends ride bikes, sometimes I'm the only one in the group riding. I suppose I could ditch the bike and go along with everyone else, but I'm loathe to give up the freedom and fun. Such was the case this weekend.
Saturday was a very full day, starting with a 9 mile ride to the Field Museum, where I met Melissa and Chanh. After looking at dinosaurs, we headed back to my neighborhood for dinner. They had taken the train in from the 'burbs, so they continued with public transportat...
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Congratulations again to Evie of the lovely blog, Now for Then. She will very soon be the owner of a shiny new Batavus BUB courtesy of Fourth Floor Distribution. Â Evie won the bike by completing two events for each of the three parts of the games. Â However, she went far above and beyond merely completing the events; she incorporated the challenges into her life with enthusiasm and wrote about it all so wonderfully. Â The fun radiates through her blog. Â Here are Evie's entries.
Bike date - ride with a friend an...
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The moment is here! Dottie and I wanted to find a way to draw for the prizes together, so we gave Wetoku a spin. The sound leaves something to be desired, but it was fun to be on screen together. Watch the video, or just click through the jump to see the list of winners if you can't stand the suspense. 
Round III Winners:
Kaitlyn of Thoughts of Mint Green - Banjo Brothers commuter backpack
Karen V. - Crane Bell from Rivendell
Liz Y. - Queen Bee Panniers
Linda N. - Soma Deco ...
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In the spirit of the LGRAB Summer Games, last week Le Peug and I rode downtown to go to a party celebrating the release of a new bourbon from Maker's Mark.
Riding downtown isn't completely new for me, but I've only done it a handful of times—and this was the first time I rode from the office to downtown and then to the Gulch. The picture below shows the new Pinnacle building on the left. It blended into the sky better before they branded it, but such is modern life.
The place, the bourbon.
When ...
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The LGRAB Summer Games have come to an end and we're getting ready to announce the final winners tomorrow morning. Many thanks to everyone who played! We're not done with Summer Games fun here, though. Over the next week, we'll be posting entries that blog-less people emailed us and also putting together more recaps.
The first emailed entry comes from Kari in Minneapolis. This is such a fun story - enjoy!
From Kari:
Yesterday, during my commute home, I complimented a woman on her unique bicycle ...
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