Tag Archives: xtracycle

Taking the new skis for a ride (with Paris)

Posted on April 26, 2009 by Tim K | 4 comments

I recently scored a smokin’ deal on some telemark skis on craigslist. Because I harbor a special guilt about my addiction to making turns (pretty much the only reason we own a car is for getting to the ski hills, and I don’t even want to think about the massive carbon footprint of the ski industry), I sure wasn’t going to drive to SoBa to pick up the planks. Continue reading →

4 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, BIG Loads, bikes, Burke-Gilman Trail, cargo bikes, xtracycle

Tagged ballard, bikes, g3 craigslist, parishilton, skis, soba, xtracycle

Leaf-Blower Elegance in a Bike-friendly Package

Posted on April 1, 2009 by Tim K | 14 comments

Oma Tanker As most of you know by now, the team at Car Free Days is involved in an outright crusade to drive less and ride more. So far it’s been great. We’ve been riding (our Xtracycles and Anne’s Oma, mostly) nearly everywhere we need to go.

Those of you adept at reading through the lines, however, have probably noticed a little discord along the way. There was our son’s brush with hypothermia on the New Years cargo bike ride. There were challenging logistics for a 10pm wedding reception in Auburn. And we still get grief for the 50″ Plasma we scratched the crap out of hauling it home from Costco on the Xtracycles. And yes, the hills. Always the damn hills.

In many cases, my friends, pure people power isn’t the only answer.

We’ve dabbled with the idea of powering our Xtracycles with a Stokemonkey. Everyone we know who’s used one loves it. And Todd at Clever Cycles is a total peach. Really, the Stokemonkey is a perfect product, save one major shortcoming: They run on electricity. Franky, we just can’t condone the wasteful use of electrons wondering if perhaps a salmon got trapped behind a dam or a seagull met its demise at the blade of a wind turbine.

Though people can overlook such negatives, we at Car Free Days like to think our moral junk is of a stiffer quality than average. So that’s meant schellping our damn kids up the damn hills on our damn bikes with only our damn legs to thank.

Until now…

Continue reading →

14 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, bigger than here, buildin' the xtracycle, consumerism, gas, Ha, safety gear, sustainability

Tagged alternative transporation, april 1, april fools, e-bike, motorized bike, oma, seattle, xtracycle

Reading

Posted on February 20, 2009 by Anne | 16 comments

Some kids watch movies on those ever-so-handy-back-of-the-seat-dvd players, our kids read books on the back of the Xtracycle. Why not? Someone else is “driving”. The Snapdeck is a great place to sit back and enjoy a good book.

Even though the kids have been reading back there for some time and I’ve grown accustomed to the sight, it still makes me smile. I also chuckle when on-lookers stop and ask, “do you know they’re not holding on back there?”

Yes, I know. Thanks for your concern.

It’s beautiful in Seattle today. We’re going to ride up to the library and checkout some new books.

Have a great weekend!

– Anne

16 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, bikes, kids

Tagged kids, reading, snapdeck, xtracycle

What’s in your Bike Bag?

Posted on February 11, 2009 by Anne | 15 comments

What's in your Freeloader?

While searching for a Band-Aid in my FreeLoader the other day, I came across a few of the strangest things. This prompted me to take everything out and do some early spring cleaning. (Thankfully cleaning out a FreeLoader is not at all similar to cleaning out a car – I didn’t find spilled milk or moldy cheese or anything gross in there).

Find anything interesting in your bike bag lately? Please share!

– Anne

15 Comments

Posted in bikes, xtracycle

Tagged bike bag contents, spring cleaning, xtracycle

Xtracycle Shuttle Service

Posted on January 19, 2009 by Anne | 2 comments

Since the kids were out of school today we decided to spend the day at the Science Center. The Science Center is in the middle of Seattle Center on Lower Queen Anne, six miles from our house and just a little too far for me to haul both kids on the Xtracycle.

One fifty–pound passenger is completely doable. Add another and they eventually get bored and pick fights with each other. No fun for anyone. Especially not the pilot.

Usually, when I travel distances over three to four miles with both kids, I take the bus. But after days and days of fog in Seattle, the sun finally appeared and it was beautiful. I just couldn’t bring myself to load everyone on the stinky bus for the 30 minute ride.

I really wanted to ride my bike. Continue reading →

2 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, bikes, kids, xtracycle

Tagged alternative transportation, shuttle service, xtracycle

Bike the Vote: Car Free Days goes Xtracycle style

Posted on November 4, 2008 by Tim K | 6 comments

Anne and I are holdouts. We, unlike the rest of the county, prefer in-person voting over the mail-in/absentee alternative. Call us old fashioned if you like (and this article does), but we really enjoy seeing our neighbors while we soak up the mood at our local community center on Election Day.

We also think in-person voting is darn useful for getting get the kids involved in their democratic responsibilities at a young age. For my money, there’s nothing better for inspiring responsibility than bringing your kids with you to vote. I vividly remember standing behind my mom in the big metal voting booth and craning my head in wonder as she yanked the curtain and started pulling the levers that cast her vote. By the time I was old enough, those booths were gone (dang!) and I had to make do with hanging chads and coloring in bubbles.

But I still got to vote.

Booth or no, the experience is rich. Our polling place was just humming this morning. We’ve been voting at the same community center for 12 years and have never seen it so busy.

Continue reading →

6 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, bigger than here, bikes, extravehicular activities, Human Powered Politics, xtracycle

Tagged bikes, election08, election2008, xtracycle

Are Xtracycles taking over in your part of the country?

Posted on September 21, 2008 by Anne | 22 comments

photo by Beth Hamon via BikePortland

According to BikePortland, Xtracycles are taking over. Have you experienced the phenomenon in your part of the country? I love the shot of the gaggle of Xtracycles all lined up. Awesome.

Can’t wait to see a similar shot in Seattle. Seattle definitely has more Xtracycles cruising the mean streets than a year ago.

If the seven Xtracycles in the photo do in fact all belong to women, there’s something to be said for women being the key to a successful bike culture. What an excellent shot and powerful statement about the success of Portland’s bike culture.

– Anne

22 Comments

Posted in bigger than here, bikes, longbikes, sustainability, xtracycle

Tagged bike culture, bikes, women, xtracycle

Has it been a year already? (our year of Car Free Days)

Posted on August 19, 2008 by Anne | 12 comments

Life and summer and perfect weather and kids going to bed late and too much work for Tim have gotten in the way of bike blogging these past few weeks. We figure it’s summer and the kids are out of school and we’re free and easy to go where we want, when we want and we’d much rather be outside riding than sitting in front of the computer prattling on about riding. A long winded explanation excuse for why we’ve been lame bloggers these past few weeks.

We have a lot of experiences stacked up to share with you–they will most likely trickle in this fall when the weather turns and we’re hunkered down inside. There you go, all the excuses we could muster for now. Continue reading →

12 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, bigger than here, bikes, kids, sustainability, xtracycle

Tagged alternative transportation, bikes, xtracycle

Big Loads, the Friendly Competition

Posted on June 27, 2008 by Anne | 5 comments

Tim and I are engaging in a friendly “big load” competition. We both know Tim is bigger and stronger and can carry more but it’s still fun for me to pretend I’m in the running. (Ah it’s the little things that keep marriage interesting).

The loads are really hard to gauge since we don’t have a scale that will register that much weight. So our method for determining who is the burliest Xtracycle grocery shopper is how much we spent at Trader Joe’s. I hauled $205.68 back in January. Tim’s latest load was $209. I’m pretty sure he bought more wine and cheese and other expensive stuff than me so I know I’m winning. ; – ) Maybe we need to bring in a neutral third party to be the judge?

Happy Friday! It’s a beautiful day in Seattle – I hope it’s nice where you are.

– Anne

5 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, bikes, shopping, xtracycle

Tagged alternative transportation, BIG Loads, grocery shopping, xtracycle

Getting a Ride

Posted on June 19, 2008 by Anne | 2 comments

Tim picked me up from an appointment on his Xtracycle last week. It sure was nice to be the passenger for once. We rode a little under two miles like this–not a bad way to travel.

I kept asking Tim if he wanted me to get off and walk and he repeatedly said, “No”. So I sat back, savored the view and the experience and enjoyed the ride. I have to say it was quite nice. Good thing Tim is a safe rider, you really have to trust your captain when you’re the passenger.

– Anne