Bike Blog

It’s too damn early, my breath is frosting my glasses and the bike is as cold as a popsicle. I’m out in the carport in two sweaters, sweat pants and polyester head-condom. On go the bike gloves, the helmet, and lastly the Road ID bracelet (for the time I might be too mangled to speak for myself). There is the usual fumble to get the 20 lb saddle bags (pre-packed the night before with a full set of office clothing, a towel, a bike pump, repair gear, my breakfast and my tinytop) over the back rack. Whenever I ride without […]

Had to ride in today. The car is having severe electrical problems – everything except the headlights and recharger is out – no windows, no moonroof, no mirror adjustment. Even the heated seats are out (and damn, did needed them this week). So its in the shop and I’m on Kiki’s broomstick (i.e. my bike). So had that going on, and a late start because I had to curse the dead batteries out of a tail light (with the help of a screwdriver). Found myself playing bus-tag up 1792. You know the game, where you are riding and a city […]

Was sitting at work today, the Cannodale leaning against the cube wall, when I got a sad call from a friend. Turns out his father passed away this weekend. He’d been found lying in the middle of the road with his bike. Maybe he’d had a stroke, or perhaps had fallen and hadn’t been able to protect himself. Either way, he never recovered. It really hit me later, as I put on my bike clothing for the ride home, that this is a dangerous pastime. Even with helmets, gloves, all that, there is still a risk. Orlando is one of […]

It was just about freezing when I drove in today (in a warm car with heated seats). Yes, I’ve ridden in the cold and sounded like Axle Olson from the Great Waldo Pepper about it – “I didn’t like it much!” Came up behind a cyclist. It was dark, yet not only was he not showing lights, he was wearing all-black pants and parka. He had his hands off the bars, tucked into his pockets. But the thing that really took my breath away was when he got to the red light I was slowing for. With his hood obscuring […]

I met my lover on the road this morning, a magificent full moon in the bed of her royal sky, dropping away into the west. She bathed the world of concrete and neon, and that of the lonely cyclist, with her gentle albedo. I could see why the ancients worshiped her and why writers hack descriptions of her beauty. Glorious! While marveling at her glory, I came across an FUV squatting troll-like in my moon-washed bike lane. Massive, dark, sinister. Someone didn’t feel like manhandling their man-machine into their driveway last night and abandoned their siege engine in the road, […]

Riding home late from a nearby ops session, the air brisk, the hour late. Just enjoying the whir of my spokes and my easy exertion. Coming up on a cross-street, I hear someone shouting “Stop! Stop!” To my right, a half-block away, a figure running towards me. I’m just wondering what I’ve done this time when a little Scotty dog bolts through my headlight, running like Toto from the Witch of the West. The pup is going like a fuzzy torpedo south, leaving its owner far behind. “I’ll keep him in sight,” I call out, wheeling left and walking the […]

I’ve gone three days without a drop… of petroleum. Thursday and Friday I ground out the commute on the bike. Friday inbound was really interesting with the heavy mist that soaked as bad as any rain. Late out of work, too, riding after the rush was done, oddly quiet and peaceful. Today I spent the morning readying the train layout for its next ops session. Rode over to the hobby shop on my bike. How gratifying that the bike rack in Little Saigon (where the hobby shop is) was filled with bikes. I’m sure the people at AA (automobics anonymous) […]

Yeah, its ironic. On the bike beneath leaden (hell, rainy) skies, sitting at a stop light, waiting for the oncoming left-turn lane traffic to get their red so I’ll get my green. A look up into the light-shield overhead. Yeah, its yellow. They’ll be stopping soon. A look to the oncoming lane. Here comes an FUV, racing along like a barrel of gluttons, flying to make his hard left turn on slick pavement. Light: Bing Sizzlesizzlesizzle go his tires as he slides through on the one-second-old red, crossing across my nose and my right-of-way. And the irony? The Lynx transport company […]

Sunday afternoon, driving home after some unauthorized workplace-printing. Stopped at a light, six or so cars back, a little to the left so I can see forward. Just as the light is changing to green our way, a young kid on a tricked-out bike flies into the intersection, running in on a stale yellow. Now, I don't know what he did, but suddenly I see his back wheel going into the air – a horrific spill. I couldn't see what might have caused it but he had the entire 4×4 lane intersection to himself between the lights. Could have been […]

The city had my bike path blocked off so they could leaf-blow it. I had to detour. A guy was stacking copper pipe on the loading dock at work, in front of the door he would shortly be using. I had to wait until he shifted his stuff to get in. I realized the back fender had come apart and was rubbing. Had to fix it in my office, dripping sweat. Forgot my badge when I went to the showers. Had to bang on doors (Willllmaa!) to get back in. There was SOMEONE ELSE in the showers today! Six years of […]