the obnoxious smell that is phoenix arizona

There is no denying the fact that Phoenix stinks. Seriously, the city (generally speaking) has a bad odor to it. This is a fact that I never really came to notice until I started bike commuting. And as it has become custom for me to do, I contemplate these things while I am riding to and from work each day. It is easy to see why the city has a foul odor - there is litter everywhere, a plethora of cars and machines spewing pollutants, very little natural "greenspace," and trash cans baking in the intense sun. But why is that the case?

Reluctantly, and non-judgmentally, I think America's "car-culture" is, at one level, a root cause of such a catastrophe as a smelly city. It is our willingness to drive even only down the street to a store or friends house that facilitates the downward spiral into poor city conditions. When we step into a car, we are removing ourselves from our surroundings, and just as Robert Pirsig wrote about in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, viewing the world through a frame - just as we do when watching tv. All of a sudden, the world around us does not seem real, but mere fiction. And therefore the problems in that world are just as fictional. When we are in cars, we don't have to worry about the litter or the smell, because it does not exist. We do not see it and we do not smell it.

As I mentioned would happen, this blog is becoming more revealing about what I personally believe and feel - and because of that I will, from time to time, reveal more context about the life that I live. And here is a story:

This past Sunday at church, the priest (Father Gil) gave a well-delivered sermon about the growing disparity between rich and poor. Episcopalians use 3 readings from scripture during every Sunday service, and this week there was a reading from Luke's gospel about a rich man and a poor man, to which Fr. Gil stated the following:

What was the rich man’s sin that resulted in him being sent to Hades? It seems that his sin was what he didn’t do rather than what he did. He ignored the poor man Lazarus. He didn’t do anything to help Lazarus. He averted his eyes from Lazarus’ condition and did nothing to help him. [read more...]

And tying this back into bike commuting: it is our willingness to drive anywhere and everywhere, as modern Americans, that facilitates a culture that ignores the real problems of our own communities. I guarantee that no one who walks by all the trash on the road smiles and says, "that is so pretty, and the smell...heavenly!" Instead, we plop ourselves into a car to drive someplace, and are not confronted with the reality of it. It's not that we are always the ones creating the litter. But we ignore it, all from the comfort of our air conditioned, sea breeze-scented, rolling world-shrinker.

So it is only when we immerse ourselves in reality that we can truly see what the problems are. And I have the youthful ignorance to believe that when those problems become real to each of us, we will eventually reach a tipping point and do something about it. And because of that, I urge people to take a bike ride or a walk around something as remote and small as your own neighborhood, and if you see a piece of trash, pick it up. It's such a simple thing to do - and as we do it more frequently, it will become almost second nature, until we restore the care and respect for our surroundings. Our neighborhoods and our cities need it. And our conscience will be happy...

The Velorution is about more than bikes.

on becomming an addict

My name is Jeff, and I think I am a bike addict. I do not say these things intending to mock any sort of serious addictions. But I admit: I really like bikes and riding them. I own two, but yearn for at least 3 more - and that's before concerns of money even kick in. 17 miles pedaling a bike each day is not enough for me. I ache for more, and often I ache because I do more.

Case in point: last Wednesday I came home from work (to which I transported myself to by bike). Upon walking into my apartment, I decided I wanted to go out for a bike ride. I swapped out my road shoes for my MTB shoes, grabbed the mountain bike and headed right back out the door. I spent another good hour on my mountain bike - both casually cruising around the trails and hitting some big climbs and big hucks (jumps for those not privy to the cyclo-speak).

The best part of all this bike riding came the next morning when I woke up. My legs felt almost as fresh as they do every other day. When I first started bike commuting, I was pretty drained each morning when I first got on the bike. But over time, my legs have built their strength and stamina, and accepted that they will be pushed pretty hard every day.

There is a great feeling of satisfaction - knowing that my daily exercise is no longer limited to transporting myself to and from work. I am again free to roam the parks, the open road and the trails in the afternoons, and if I can ever get myself out of bed before 530 am, I will be free to roam these places in the early morning. I think the afternoon suits me just fine though...

But then again, wouldn't you do the same if this was right out your door?

yeah, it's got a hemi

It's Friday. I had another solid week biking to and from work. Thursday morning when I woke up, my legs were just too beat, so I broke down and drove the car - and yes I still have the Maxima I wrote about in a previous post.

After two full months of biking to work everyday with the exception of the first week in September, I am feeling more excited than ever about being a bike commuter. Wednesday after work I took the mountain bike out on the trails by my house and rode for a solid hour on some not-so-level terrain. Needless to say, that pushed my legs over the edge, and Thursday morning when I woke up, I had nothing left. And I am ok with that.

When I first started bike commuting, my legs were tired every morning when I woke up, and it would take me a good mile or so to get up to speed. But now, every day I feel powerful right from the start - and it lasts all day too. I have plenty of strength left when I return home every night too.

Case in point: I beat a truck going up a hill this afternoon! A traffic light brought me to a slow roll about 4 cars back. Once traffic started moving, I settled into my spot behind a truck, catching a little bit of a draft and using the break from the wind to keep up with the few cars that were on the road. I hear an old beater pick-up accelerating behind me and in the lane to my left. As he starts to pass me, I began pedaling harder and harder - all the while beginning a slight incline. From the roar of the engine I could tell the truck wasn't just easing up the hill. I began to pull ahead - at the same time the roar of his engine gets louder and louder. We peak the hill (about a quarter mile climb) and I am slowing down to 33 mph. It was a nice rush...

So the lesson for all you kiddos: take rest when you need it, eat your fruits and vegetables, and love the Velorution! Happy Friday all.

oh, for the love of updates

Some may call this bragging - and I am OK with that. My "reach" has gone beyond this blog a few times recently, and I wish to draw attention to that.

• I did my first post for bikecommuters.com yesterday [link currently unavailable].
• C.I.C.L.E. posted Bike Commuting 102: Get Your 'If's,' 'And's,' and 'But's' on the Saddle - part 2 of a 4-part series I wrote.
  

So, the Velorution is alive and well.

Bikecommuters.com experienced recent server problems, and my post was lost. We are trying to revive it but it might be a goner...if it shows up I will post a link.

this is like winning the pulitzer prize

A large number of the readers of this blog make it here from links on bikecommuters.com. To those of you, this will not be news. To everyone else, it probably will be.

As of this week, I will be a contributing writer on the bikecommuters.com site. I am officially the resident newbie - by roughly 8 years. I did my first post for their site yesterday.

I am excited about the opportunity to post content to a much larger and heavily trafficked site. Fear not loyal friends: I will continue to post items on this blog as well. In addition, BJ aka Will will also join me in posting on this blog as he chronicles his adventure into the world of bike commuting.

I anticipate - and this is not a promise by any means - that this blog will begin to shift more towards the personal and not so much the generic. The posts I do for bikecommuters will be more geared (ha - get it?) towards encouraging people to consider/take-up bike commuting, while the posts here on the Velorution will (most likely) drift towards my personal reflections on bike commuting. During my "August commuting project" I had hoped to write often about the social and "philosophical" side of bike commuting - but in all reality I wrote more about the what and not the why. I intend to write more of the why here.

So do not fret dear reader, for the Velorution has not forgotten you.

riding in the rain in huntsville AL

My best friend, BJ aka Will, has recently begun bike commuting as well - except he is doing it in the sweltering heat and humidity of the South. He is a 24-year-old aerospace engineer in Huntsville, AL, with a similar cycling background as myself. I asked him to write about riding in the rain, so here goes, courtesy of BJ aka Will:

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So, you have decided to help your world, your community and yourself by shedding the four-door motorized covered wagon in exchange for the smaller, pedal-powered uncovered bicycle. Great! But inevitably, your will will be tested by certain road blocks that will try to force you back into the convenience of a car. One of these obstacles I recently came in contact with was Mother Nature, the very entity I am trying to protect. During my morning routine before work, I checked the weather because I thought it looked a little darker outside than usual. Sure enough, the reports called for a 100% chance of rain all day long. What do I do now? I finished up my routine, hopped on my bike, and pedaled to work like normal. It was my first commute into the rain, and I definitely learned a few things, like cars don’t care if they splash a biker with puddle water. So, I would like to pass these tips onto you so that your first ride in the rain goes smoothly and safely.

1. Make yourself visible.
   This one is arguably the most important. Rain generally involves low visibility and while most drivers remember to turn their lights on at night, they forget that the law states they must have their lights on when their wipers are on. Make sure you have at least (more is better) one blinking light attached to you or your bike. RoadID makes a great little blinking light in multiple colors that I use called the Firefly Supernova. You can clip it to your backpack or seat bag and it is highly visible even during the daytime. Also, wear lighter colored clothing that has reflective material in it.
2. Keep your stuff dry.
   If you are like me, you carry all of your work clothes with you on your daily commute. Needless to say that wearing soaking wet clothes around the office sure wont impress the boss, even if he knows you are riding your bike to work. There are a couple of options you can use here. Almost all Timbuk2 bags are made with a waterproof liner that will keep your stuff from getting soaked, plus they look cool. Don’t feel like carrying stuff on your back? If your bike can accommodate, strap on some waterproof panniers to carry your gear and keep it dry. Don’t feel like spending any more money? Use your regular backpack and/or panniers but shove all your stuff into a trashbag (preferably a clean, new one) from under the sink first.
   
   As far as your body goes, I prefer to not use a rain jacket. They can become steamy and uncomfortable during the summer months and you will generally be wet (from sweat or rain) by the time you arrive anyway. Plus, I shower when I arrive at my destination, so I am getting wet either way. If you don’t shower when you arrive at your destination, then use the rain as a chance to cool off and rinse off the sweat (just be sure to pack a towel in your trashbag).
   
   However, if you don’t shower AND you wear your off-the-bike clothes while you are on the bike, then be sure and pick up a set of cycling-specific outerwear. Come to think of it, I may pick some of this up to prepare for winter riding…
3. Wear eye protection.
   Sun glasses, swimming goggles, whatever, but you need something to keep the rain drops from stinging your eyes and making you lose sight of what's important... the road. If you normally wear sunglasses while you ride, pick up some clear lenses to replace your darker ones while you ride in the darkened conditions of the rain.
4. Be more cautious.
   If it’s raining, you may have a tendency to go faster so that you can get out of the rain more quickly. This may not be the best move. The roads are slicker, traffic is worse and your own visibility can be poor. So slow down. Be more attentive to the road conditions. Watch for rear-approaching headlights and be ready to make quick moves to avoid accidents. Be careful riding through puddles as there may be underlying potholes ready to give you a flat or bump you into traffic. Also, your braking ability will be slightly deteriorated due to wet rims and brake pads, so leave ample room to slow down when approaching stop signs and red lights.
5. Use common sense.
   If you look out the window before you head out, and you can’t see five feet into your yard because the rain is so thick, don’t go out. Stick around inside for a few minutes to see if it will lighten up. Pay close attention to the weather radar and look for any breaks in the storm, so that you can make your ride safer.
   
   If you are already out on your bike and it really starts to pour and lightning is striking all around you, duck into a nearby gas station or grocery store. If you aren’t near any public areas, hide out on a nearby front porch of a house until the rain subsides. I’m sure the owner of the house won’t mind if you hang out there for a few minutes (just use your better judgment). And if they do, just move down to the next house.
   
   If none of these options exist or the rain just seems like it will never let up, always have a backup plan. Have a cell phone or a few quarters for a pay phone so that you can call someone to come pick you up.

And don’t worry about being late to work, your boss will be more than happy to see you arrive a little late than not at all.

Well, those are a few of the lessons I learned during my first couple of excursions through the rain. Hopefully they will help your next soggy ride go smoothly and safely.

get to know your co2 cartridge

I made a rookie mistake and it just caught up with me today.

As I was taking the elevator down to the basement to get changed for my ride home, the cleaning lady (who happened to be sharing said elevator) commented on how sleek my road bike was. She caressed it with a gleam in her eyes, and then squeezed the tires - much to her surprise, and my dismay, the rear tire had no air in it. No biggee - I have fixed a flat on the fly before, and I had what I needed with me. Well, almost.

Apparently - and I should have known this (part 1 of the rookie mistake) - there are two different kinds of CO2 cartridges: threaded and non-threaded. Threaded cartridges have threads around the tip (like a screw) that allows you to screw the cartridge into the inflation device.

The last time I purchased CO2 cartridges, I must have bought non-threaded. As I go to fix my flat, I discovered that my valve-thingy was meant for threaded cartridges, and therefore the non-threaded cartridge I had with me would not properly work with the inflation system - rendering me fubar-ed.

The good news is: non-threaded cartridges CAN work with threaded valve-thingies. Not perfectly - but it works. If you connect the valve from the inflation system to the valve stem on your tire/tube, you can push the cartridge into the inflation valve with enough force that will puncture the seal on the cartridge and allow the system to function in a limited manner. There is no way to control the flow of gas into the tire, but when it is all you have, it will work.

I imagine that a threaded cartridge will NOT work with a non-threaded system in this manner. If you know for sure, please leave a comment.

I was able to inflate my tire enough so that I could limp home. Since this was all a bit of a surprise and a "let's see if this works" effort, I know I could have fixed the tire a bit better had I known exactly what I was doing. I carry a frame pump on my mountain bike, but I have been riding my road bike lately, and failed to move the pump from one bike to the other (part 2 of the rookie mistake). I am going to put the pump in my backpack right now.

Happy, smart and safe riding! Here's to the Velorution and the humbling mistakes we all make.