If you think car-free schools aren’t possible in North America. Think again.
P.L. Robertson elementary in Milton, ON (a suburb of Toronto) just opened this month with a car-free drop off policy. And they didn’t just create a policy in their school operation manual, they also designed a car-free process to back it up.
How in the H E double hockey sticks did they do that? Don’t they know it’s the middle of winter? They live in Canada….it’s cold outside? Continue reading
Posted in alternative transportation, bigger than here, bikes, In other Cities, kids, neighborhoods
Tagged Canada, car-free school, everyday fitness, Milton, Ontario, walk to school
*updated with cider stand info below:
Thanks to Tom of Bikejuju for raising awareness of the situation in Haiti and specifically promoting Paul Farmer‘s Partners In Health (PIH) and their Stand with Haiti campaign as a worthy place for donations.
When I was in graduate school and working in an undergraduate library, “Mountains Beyond Mountains” by Tracy Kidder was the required “Common Book ” for all UW freshman. Me, as a good librarian, and Anne as a member of the extended campus community, chose to read along. It wasn’t long before we found ourselves touched deeply by the story of Haiti, Farmer, and his organization PIH. Continue reading
Posted in bikes, cargo bikes, extravehicular activities, news
Tagged cider, Greenlake, Haiti, Partners in Health, Paul Farmer, Stand with Haiti, xtracycle
I spent two fantastic days in Marin, CA this week visiting with old friends and hanging out with their families. Just north of San Francisco, Marin is the epitome of car culture with traffic jams, packed parking lots and streets clogged with luxury cars.
At least they are doing something right with the kids: they get to school on bikes. Continue reading
Posted in alternative transportation, bikes, In other Cities, kids, neighborhoods, School
Tagged bike-to-school, kids, Marin, Safe Routes to School
Victory! Bikes Rule
Inspired by Streetfilms Bike Vs Car Vs Transit, the Car Free Days family took a challenge of their own: Bike Vs. Bus from our house in Ravenna to Westlake Park in downtown Seattle for a little holiday in the big city action.
The event:
A door-to-door speed test pitting Tim’s Xtracycle against Anne and 2 kids on foot to the bus stop, then on the bus to Westlake Park. Our departure times and routes were the same, but the outcome would be different Continue reading
Posted in bikes, extravehicular activities, seattle, streetsblog
Tagged Bike Vs Bus Challenge, bikes, bus, metro, Race, seattle
Adrienne has a great post about women and families and getting more of them on bikes. (Thanks for the tip, Val). This is a subject I love to talk about.
Stereotype or not, women, with their concerns about safety and protecting the children, need to feel safe if they are going to embrace cycling as their primary mode of transportation.
I do have hope. Continue reading
When the already short Seattle days end at 4:18 pm (the earliest of the year!), the window for an after-school tree-gathering-family-bike adventure is small.
We tried to grab the kids right after school, bundle them up in extra (or is it Xtra) layers and hustle our way over to the local summer berry stand/temporary pumpkin patch/Christmas tree oasis while the feeble sun still shone.
Though we did our best to make our selection in the waning light and hightail it home before everyone turned into a Popsicle, it wasn’t meant to be. Not to point fingers, but damn, those kids are picky. I think we liked it better when they didn’t get to vote. Instead, we shivered up a storm while we picked up, fondled, and rated what seemed like every Noble Fir on the block. I finally stepped in with fatherly veto power to break a three-way tie (no surprise to anyone who knows me: The winner was $11 cheaper) and get us on our way with a minimum of bloodshed.
Then it was on the bike for a should-be-quick trip home in the dark. And Did I mention it was cold?
Hell yes. We even resorted to ducking into a Starbucks for cocoa and cider so the kids’ little piggies could thaw out before the final leg home.
Said Fir now sits in a bucket, hydrating in preparation for its month on stage in the lights. And me? I’m already over the voting scandal and looking forward to the fourth anniversary adventure.
More photos here
-Tim
A few weeks ago Tim and I attended a highly inspiring talk by Alex Steffen at Town Hall.
We had hoped to go with Julian of Totcycle (family bike folks represent!), but that fell through. For Julian and others who couldn’t make it, check out a few of these to get a flavor. Alex is also the keynote speaker at three of the major events during the Copenhagen summit, so if you are in the neighborhood…
The entire evening was magical: introduction by mayor-elect Mike McGinn in his first post-election appearance, the inspiring and motivating talk by Alex, yummy beer in eco keg cups from Fremont Brewing, followed by hop-lubricated conversation with like-minded Seattleites interested in changing the city. Plus all of this bookended with rides to and from downtown with my favorite cycling buddy. 
We left Town Hall filled with hope for positive changes in Seattle. We all have a lot of work ahead of us if we want to grow Seattle into a dense sustainable city designed with people in mind.
How are we going to do this? Continue reading
Posted in bigger than here, bikes, Human Powered Politics, neighborhoods, sustainability
Tagged Alex Steffen, beer, change, density, sustainability, Town Hall Seattle, urbanism, Worldchanging
Head’s up: Anne and I were out for ride with a neighbor on Wednesday and noticed an upcoming Burke-Gilman trail reroute.
Apparently a small portion the trail needs to be closed December 14 – January 3 to allow early prep work for the future University Link light rail station.
An easy detour is available on Mason Rd, the lightly-traveled access road which runs parallel and just above the trail grade.
More from Sound Transit:
Posted in alternative transportation, bikes, Burke-Gilman Trail, mass transit, neighborhoods, seattle, traffic
Tagged burke-gilman trail bikes, light-rail, link, signage, signs, sound transit, UW
photo courtesy of Worldchanging
Worldchanging is hosting two events at Town Hall this Wednesday, November 11th and Thursday, November 12 featuring Seattle’s own –Alex Steffen, executive director and co-founder of Worldchanging, publisher of best selling tome on sustainability and internationally renowned speaker.
What’s not to like? Food and drinks provided by Skillet, promises of live music, introduction by mayor-elect, Mike-likes-bikes, McGinn and a free glass of beer from Fremont Brewing Co. We’ll be there on Thursday – come on down and join us!
Click the event link to get the scoop and buy tickets Continue reading
Posted in alternative transportation, bigger than here, bikes, Human Powered Politics, seattle
Tagged Alex Steffen, events, mayor, Mike McGinn, seattle, Town Hall, Val Kleitz, Worldchanging
I’m a little behind on my blog / RSS reading (like 6-9 months, oops) so maybe this one has been all over the Inter-Webs. But even if it has, I don’t care. I love it and I’m posting it here anyway.
Nate Byerley, CEO of Xtracycle, spent some time filming his daughter Davis and their commute to school on a PeaPod (child seat) -equipped Xtracycle. The result is the perfect video to share with anyone who wonders why children should be transported by bike.
Watch and then answer me this: Have you ever seen such joy (“I see a kitty! … Scream with me!”) from ANY child strapped into a video screen-equipped mini van or SUV?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Bikes are better!
Thanks Nate!
-Tim
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