Author Archives: Anne

The (bike) Revolution will be Stylish

Posted on January 23, 2008 | 3 comments

Nice piece in Momentum about Jorg & Olif – City bike company in Vancouver BC. We get excited every time we read about interesting bike shops popping up. Anne first read about Jorg & Olif in Inhabitat a little over a year ago and was impressed by their stylistic approach to marketing their bikes. It’s a good way to reach a certain segment of the population – you know – the ones who buy $400 shoes. Continue reading →

3 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, bigger than here, bikes, consumerism, Human Powered Politics

Tagged bikes, carfreedays, europe, marketing, revolution, transportation

Perfect for the Spatially Challenged

Posted on January 22, 2008 | 11 comments

I had a brief period of panic outside of Trader Joe’s today. I guess I’m used to the two-Xtracycle Trader Joe’s runs. You really don’t need to worry about whether it’s all going to fit or not when you’re loading up two. Sometimes Tim and I even fill up a shopping cart and a couple hand baskets and still get everything on the bikes.

I tried to be aware of the one-bike issue today – I set up my six cloth bags in the cart (the number that normally fit in the Freeloaders) and filled up each bag as I shopped. I was pretty confident I had showed enough restraint to get it all on the bike. Then I went to check out. As I was re-bagging after the cashier rang my stuff up, I noticed my six bags were bulging.

When the cashier read me the total – $205.68, mild panic set in.

Continue reading →

11 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, BIG Loads, bikes, seattle, shopping, xtracycle

Tagged bikes, freeloaders, groceries, kona, seattle, sun, trader joes, ute, xtracycle

Neighborhoods and Bikes: Ballard

Posted on January 22, 2008 | Leave a comment

It’s fun to re-discover neighborhoods by bike. Sunday we took an afternoon jaunt down the Burke-Gilman trail with the kids. We’ve visited Ballard more frequently since we’ve been on two-wheels than we ever did in our car. Some of the things that make the neighborhood a bummer by car (lack of parking, long traffic light waits, and its misfortune of not being on the way to anywhere) actually make it more desirable from a pedal-powered perspective. It’s a 30-minute cruise from our house — far enough away to make it an afternoon destination yet close enough to make it doable with the kids on the back of the bikes.

Continue reading →

Do you really need a shower?

Posted on January 18, 2008 | 11 comments

Interesting discussion on Bike Hugger yesterday about accommodations for bike commuters. I agree – facilities for all types of cyclists are needed in urban areas. It would be great if Seattle provided secure bike storage facilities similar to bikestation around the city. Wouldn’t have to be huge – the size of a couple of parking spaces would probably be enough. Heck – I’d sure ride downtown a lot more for entertainment, errands and shopping if I was sure I’d have a secure place to park my bike. Tim and I often rule out downtown as a date destination because we’re not comfortable locking our bikes on the street while we’re seeing a movie etc. (edit by tim – especially in light of horror stories about stolen bikes, racks and all)

However, I don’t really understand the need for showers in the workplace or in a bikestation type facilities. Do you really need one? I’d think if you could just take a shower at home, dress properly for the weather, slow down a bit so you don’t work up that much of a sweat, you wouldn’t need to shower once you got to work.

Do you think these people shower when they get to work?

Continue reading →

11 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, bikes, Commute, seattle

Tagged bikes, bikestation, commuting, cycling, seattle, showers, transportation

You deserve that treat

Posted on January 12, 2008 | Leave a comment

The best thing about running errands by bike is you can justify that cookie at the end of the day. We stopped in at the Dahlia Bakery after a day of running errands. I did manage to resist their famous coconut cream pie – which they sell in 4 different sizes including a coco bite for $2 – for those who can’t justify a whole pie. Mmmmmm. Maybe next time.

-Anne

Yearly Budget

Posted on January 7, 2008 | 2 comments

I’m doing the dreaded beginning of the year stuff – cleaning out the closets, getting rid of stuff and reviewing our budget. In the process, I ran across our 2007 budget – it was pretty amusing to read it. The budget contained a line item for gas – $200 a month. According to my girlfriend that’s nothing – she pays $200 a week. We’ve only put 2 tanks of gas into our car since the end of August. That’s a lot of walking around money!

In the wake of gas price increases, have you seen your gas expenditures go up or down?

– Anne

2 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, gas, Human Powered Politics, neighborhoods, sustainability, traffic

Tagged alternative transportation, bicycle, budget, cycling, gas, walking

In for Service

Posted on January 7, 2008 | 1 comment

Tim has spent the last couple of rainy days in the garage with the Xtracycles putting extra coats of polyurethayne on the snap decks and footies and installing my Christmas present – Brooks B17 Women’s saddle. It’s like having my car in the shop – I have to find alternative transportation.

Yesterday, the seven year old and I were all set to go to PCC – dressed for the weather with hats, gloves and coats etc. We were helmeted and ready to go. We went out to the garage to hop on the bike and found it apart. I didn’t know the bike was “in the shop” (I guess Tim and I should work on our communication). Bummer. Dinner guests were arriving soon so we had to _gasp_ drive to the store – no time to walk or take the bus.

I felt pretty dirty driving 1/2 a mile to the store – first time I’ve done that in months.

– Anne

1 Comment

Posted in alternative transportation, bikes, shopping, xtracycle

Tagged alternative transportation, biking, cycling, xtracycle

New Year’s Day ride update

Posted on January 1, 2008 | 4 comments

We had a great time riding to Golden Gardens today. The weather was great – (it didn’t rain), the pace was slow and the company enjoyable. We even witnessed some Christmas tree burning in the fire pits on the beach (yes, they really do burst into flames) as well as some hardy folks doing New Year’s Day polar bear swims in Puget Sound – Brrrrrrrrr.

Great way to start the New Year.

More photos here

– Anne

4 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, BIG Loads, bikes, extravehicular activities, longbikes, seattle, sustainability, xtracycle

Tagged bicycle, bikes, cargo bikes, seattle, xtracycle

Holiday Loop

Posted on December 22, 2007 | 2 comments

We took the kids to see Santa at University Village yesterday afternoon/evening. It started in the afternoon but ended in the evening but that’s a whole nother story that I’m trying to put behind me. Let’s just say Santa doesn’t have a very good process. The kids enjoyed it all and the four year old got to put in his Santa request for Beef Jerky so all is well.

After the Santa experience, we took the long way home through Candy Cane Lane. Ester is right on – I wouldn’t want all of that traffic clogging up and polluting my street every day for 3 weeks. I’m sure when the tradition started 48 years ago, people walked through the loop to enjoy the lights and decorations. Now, the few hardy walkers are overshadowed by the drivers. We couldn’t help but be annoyed by the drive throughers. They wouldn’t want to get out of their car, would they?

Happy Holidays and keep riding!

– Anne

2 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, bikes, extravehicular activities, kids, neighborhoods, seattle

Tagged , bicycle, bikes, christmas lights, santa, xtracycle

New Years Day Ride – Meet at Greenlake

Posted on December 20, 2007 | 2 comments

We had a great time on the Day-After-Thanksgiving ride from Pike Place Market to Gasworks Park.

Val shot us an email about the first ride of the year. Meet at noon at Greenlake near the basketball court and baseball diamond on the east side of the lake.

We’re planning to be there. This time I don’t think I’ll be able to keep Tim from loading up the bikes with everything we might need to keep us warm and fed. We have the space on the Xtras so why not? Live a little.

– Anne