If you live in Santa Cruz, it’s time to give biking to work a try, and get treated like a star for doing it. The 21st Annual Bike to Work Week is May 10-17 and local businesses offer free breakfast from Scotts Valley to Watsonville. Wanna meet me at The Buttery for free goodies?
In the nearly two years I’ve been commuting by bike (wow, I can’t believe it’s been that long!) I’ve successfully inspired at least a handful of folks to give biking a try. Most aren’t crazy enough to sell their cars, but they’ve found that getting past mental excuses and giving it a go changes their perspective on transportation options. In my efforts to inspire more folks, I’m going to start posting my Reasons to Ride. Please feel free to submit yours and add your thoughts. Enjoy and get riding already!
Reason to Ride #1: Gas Prices are Murder
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you know that it can take $100 to fill your car with fuel. Sadly, the prices are not expected to get any better and regular gasoline vehicles will become increasingly less realistic in day-to-day life. Not having to visit the pump saves you time, money, and–at this point–sanity. Why not save yourself $400 a month and buy a bike instead?
Recently we were lucky enough to enjoy a few days of summer-like weather. Locals basked in the sun wearing swimsuits and everyone seemed content just to sit still and enjoy it. But in typical Santa Cruz fashion, the sunny weather turned to a foggy morning. So foggy in fact that I couldn’t see the road ahead of me and I needed to turn on my front and rear flashers to be visible. I know it’s only Spring, but the way the weather is behaving you’d think it was July!
Bike rack that is (get your mind out of the gutter). I’ve been noticing some of the amazing art and creativity that go into the bike racks in various shopping centers. This one was spotted in Park City, Utah, during a recent sans-bike road trip (hence my lack of posts). Have you spotted any great bike racks? Share yours!
Spring weather is finicky and unsatisfied. One day will bring sharp biting winds, another humid warmth or a deluge of rain. When a warm day crops up (especially after a few cold ones) the residents can’t help but switch into their tank tops and flip flops and stretch their legs with man’s best friend.
The planet doesn’t know that our calendars have officially decided it’s Spring, but the flowers have announced its arrival. Everywhere I ride I’m enjoying a variety of blossoms in shades of pink and milky white and petals that flutter down in the wind creating a kind of warm snow. I only wish they came around more than once a year.
My iPod is an essential part of my daily biking gear. I often listen to Podcasts of This American Life and RadioLab to fuel my mind while I burn calories. But good music can transport you to another reality during a ride. To help inspire you through a hilly ride I’ve put together a Biking Energy iMix available in the iTunes Store. But sometimes what you’re looking for is a ride to relax and rejuvenate. For a sweet ride I offer the Sunday Biking Stroll. While the iTunes store didn’t allow me to include every song I would have liked, the lists are a good start if you’re seeking some spinning inspiration. Enjoy and share your favorite exercising tunes.
Every day I ride by this sign for Churchill’s Piano Rental and Repair. The building is old with paint peeling from the sides and I’m fascinated as to whether or not this business still exists (and if you can indeed rent a piano). I recently thought the question had been answered as I rode by and my peripheral vision caught the open lid and four legs of a grand piano. Or was it? I stopped to take a second look and realized the vision was, in fact, a camper shell on stilts from the adjoining business. Do you think this was just a beautiful coincidence?
Spring has officially begun. Good news is that the sun and longer days have arrived. Bad news is that it’s often been a bit windy, requiring greater pedal power as my unzipped windbreaker turns into a sail. I’ve noticed a lot of folks are making the best of it though. Lately I’ve spotted at least two or three kites on my ride home each night. It got me to wondering, just when was the last time I flew a kite? What about you?
To some, St. Pattie’s day is an excuse to wear multiple (uncomplimentary) shades of green simultaneously, but to the folks at Britannia Arms Pub in Aptos, it was a chance to drink without apology. Or at least that’s how it looked when I rode past at approximately 5:45pm March 17th. I guess it’s no different than how American’s celebrate the 4th of July, but it was entertaining to see the pub so full– on a Monday night no less–that the patrons spilled over into the parking lot. I wonder how many attempted to “drink and ride” home?
Category: 
May 9, 2008