Tag Archives: 2010

Fourth-Annual Xtracycle Tree Haulin (plus retrospective)

4th Annual Xtracycle Tree Haulin

We used to make a huge production out of the annual-tree claiming event. We’d load up the VW camper, grab a $5 (bargain!) Forest Service tree-cutting permit, drive up toward the snow for a while, and tromp around in the (snowy, wet, muddy,etc) woods, until we found a tree we could all agree on. Of course, said tree was always double the size we needed (they look smaller in the forest), so fresh we couldn’t bear to take it down until Valentine’s day, and that five-dollar permit usually involved an oil change, a swap to the snow tires, and at least a tank of gas. So really, $5 plus another eighty or so & change.

Bargain?

So when we seriously started doing the long-bike thing, we thought we’d give our auto-induced tree haulin’ a break for a year so we could support our local, neighborhood tree lot and find out if was really possible to haul (it seems so obvious now) our family tree via bike. I mean, it’s just a year, right? Then we’ll go back to fun way up in the snow.

Except, all of sudden it’s our fourth, haul-by-bike Christmas. It turns out we didn’t miss the old that much at all. In fact, we’d argue the new way is much, much better. Here’s why: Continue reading

Summer by Bike: The Video

As we’re wrapping up Summer 2010 (aside from 1980, the worst summer in 5 decades) and looking ahead to Fall, we still can’t stop talking about our terrible weather. Where did our glorious Northwest September go? (usually our favorite month of the year).

Despite the rain and clouds, we still enjoyed many fun times on the bike with family and friends. Check out the video we put together of Car Free Days summer riding.

When we watch the video we realize, it wasn’t all bad.

How about you? Tell us about your summer riding.

– Anne and Tim

Fiets of Parenthood Seattle, Sunday Aug 15th

(Video by Todd at Clever Cycles from Portland FoP)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“Fiets of Parenthood” Event Will Celebrate Family Cycling

SEATTLE, Washington (August 3, 2010) – On Sunday August 15th, from 3-6 PM, at John Stanford International School (just two blocks from the Burke Gilman Trail in Wallingford), local family cycling advocates will present Seattle’s first Fiets of Parenthood Family Cycling Extravaganza. Meant to celebrate and inspire families going by bike, this free event will feature a kids’ bike skills race, parent/child family bike obstacle course, bike decoration station, “Gelato Bike,” and a bike raffle for a stylish cargo bike from Globe Bicycles, with proceeds to benefit Bike Works in South Seattle.

The organizers, local family bike bloggers Totcycle.com, CarFreeDays.com, and friends, find Seattle to be a delightful city to bike a la familia, and have been encouraging a burgeoning community of families using bikes for everyday transportation, through their websites and events like Kidical Mass, a monthly fun, law-abiding family bike ride to local parks and attractions. Continue reading

Fourth of July Cargo Bike Ride..don’t miss it

They went thataway!The Fourth of July Cargo Bike Ride is on.

When: Sunday, July 4th at Noon (ride leaves at 1:00)

Where: Meet at the Pergola in Pioneer Square (1st and Yesler)

Bring: lots of food and drink

We’re notoriously late and have never actually made this ride. We’ve pedaled down to Pioneer Square and missed the ride on more than one occasion.

We don’t know our plans for Sunday, but we’ll try to make it.

Happy Fourth!

– Anne and Tim