Blog Archive
National Bike to Work Day
Friday is National Bike to Work Day (or walk to work day, but come on, who's gonna do that?). I'm celebrating this national holiday by renting a stretch Hummer limo and riding it all around town with a megaphone, telling people on bikes how awesome I think they are. I will be handing out candy and cigarettes to children. Should be fun for the whole family!
Or I'll just bike to work as usual.
I took my bike in for a tune-up this week, and I have to give a shout out to Bike Tek of Springfield, Illinois. They were totally awesome at squeezing me in right away and having the bike done very quickly. They replaced my tires, chain, the brakes -- and they cleaned it up like it was brand new. It has never ridden so well since I bought it, and I couldn't be happier.
I got some new tires because I have developed a problem with flats as of late. The route to my new workplace is much more questionable than either of my two old routes, and there is always a place or two where I have to try and avoid freshly broken glass. The new tires have a layer of kevlar or something that should help keep them full of air. We'll see how it goes.
For anyone in town who's interested in the route, here's a map (click the link below the map for a larger version):
http://img.humzoo.com/daveheinzel/full/daveheinzel_0_4....
I'd love to get some sort of collaborative, online map going where bikers around the town could comment on roads and point out good routes, but I'm not quite sure what tool would be best. I'm sure Google has something, but I'm having issues with their maps program tonight (took forever and a day to load that whole map above). Anyway, an idea for later down the road.
Wear a helmet, Dave!!
I would love to celebrate Friday is National Bike to Work Day - but unfortunately I can't, I don't work. So, I will try to do the next best thing although it is not a national "day" yet - skim a boat over a lake surface!!
Have a good one, Dave!!
I'm planning to ride mine to work tomorrow. I hope it is fully documented.
I wish I could join you, and I actually have a shorter distance to bike than you do, but I am working on contract and don't know how keen they would be about me rolling the two wheeler into my cube. I am actually working down the street from you at 11th & Stevenson. We should meet up for lunch some time.
Side note: the trail pass by the new Macarthur extension is open again. Sarah and I rode it last night.
Awesome! So glad to hear it's open again. Can't wait to ride down to Chatham sometime and pick me up some sweet treats at them's Hucks.
hurray!!!!!!!!! am going to hit it up next day off!
PS......good article about the the lack of bikeability of Springfield in the SJR....raises some biking concerns
I work nights, and I can't leave until Mrs. Communist gets home from her normal-hours job. Something about it not being legal to leave kids home alone.
And I live too far away from downtown to make it to work on time. Otherwise, I'd totally be there.
And I'd like to second your endorsement of BikeTek. I got mine tuned up there, and it works like a dream again. I also like to ogle their old Schwinns.
So, I totally had it planned to bike to work with several of the other teachers, but Shoo has given me whatever nastiness he had. So my body feels like I've been drop-kicked several times by a Yeti, and my head is so full of glop that I can't even stand up straight. (Thanks for sharing, Mr. Shoo.) So, I will be in my car, hoping to not hit one of you bikers. But I will be with you all in spirit.
www.mapmyride.com is a sweet site for that. You can have a login and create routes that other people can try. Cool site. I have used it around Mooresville, to get some ride ideas.
Unlike Dave thinks, people still walk and use their feet (I know--shows my age!). I will do my usual 1 mi. walk from the first bus stop coming into the city to my building. And that's quite something for me since it is nearly 60 degrees at 5 AM and I'm already hot. Not a summer person. Supposed to be 94 today so even if I could ride a bike on streets without getting killed (not much of a bike rider) or didn't work in an area that makes for a very long commute on a bike, I'd never manage riding home in 94+ (they are always low!) temps. Good luck to all the bikers on their commute...and do wear those helmets! :)
I stand by innocence that I didn't get Mrs. Shoo sick. I don't claim those germs.
The ride to work this morning was awesome. 5.3 miles, average speed of 17.4 mph. There were TONS of people out there too. Just not on bikes. I did see a couple on scooters though, wearing matching outfits. So cute. It is true that I passed them.
A guy from NPR West rode his bike to work today too and recorded the whole trip. It was a cool story.
I am celebrating National Bike To Work Day by celebrating NASCAR Day, and honoring the sport that uses the most gasoline of any sport, ever.
Woot!
Don't they measure their fuel consumption in gallons per mile? They probably should.
Courtney totally rode her bike to work today:
http://www.humzoo.com/daveheinzel/photos/5/36/
They also include gallons that don't make the fuel tank and get dumped on the ground.
oh, and gallons per barrel used in infield campfires.
Dad and I got mixed up. We thought it said "Take your BOAT to work day!" We had a lovely afternoon on Lake Springfield where we saw gobs of blue herons.
I would love to ride my bike to work everyday, and I could as my jobs are usually only a few miles from home, but I have to lug around about 400 lbs. of tools with me, so it's not really an option. It would be fun to pull up at the lumber yard though and ask for '20 sheets of plywood, please'.
theres a new bike trail going up that ends right at my house. Along the sangamon river.
I'm a big supporter of short distances, so why not try going to work 'as the crow flies'... couldnt hurt!, right?.. might save a mile or so.
no blog on the new iphone?