I rode Friday.

Bike tip: When riding on real windy days, if possible, the more indirect, out-of-the-way routes are better.

If nothing else, it can help keep you from riding forever into the same wind, which is a real drag.

Off By One

I couldn't make Friday work this week but I was able to give my car the day off yesterday and do a "Ride Thursdays." Tonight we have a big cut-over at work happening at 5:00 and the last bus out of downtown for me leaves at 5:30. Knowing I couldn't get home tonight due to the late cut-over I took the bus yesterday. Also the kids' schedule allowed me to catch the bus so the stars all aligned. Thursdays is turning out to be the best day for me to ride the bus each week! So bus every Thursday and perhaps carpool on Friday?

Happy Friday!

Tuesday too!

I rode today on the spur of the moment. It was a nice morning so I altered my clothing just a bit and jumped on the bike! Everyone should do this. It feels so good riding and knowing you are not polluting the air or spending money on gas!

Carpooling boom in VA/DC

Today's Today Show had a nice piece on a carpooling trend in Springfield, VA (Washington, DC), which is itself a revival of a program that was going strong there during the 70s oil embargo.

Live video showed dozens, if not hundreds of work-bound people standing along a fairly busy street, and a line of cars stopping to pick them up. Odd, but it seems like in that part of the country, lots of people are on the same interstate headed toward the same downtown.

The big advantage: Cars with multiple occupants can use the faster HOV lanes in Springfield. Check out the video.

Is anyone else leaving the car alone today?

I'm riding my bike to/from work today, and need to stop for an errand on the way home.

"The wife" rode to/from work Thursday, and is again today. I know Calep is on the bus today ...

Car Free Two Days In A Row

I rode my trusty Kona Paddy Wagon to the Park & Ride and caught the bus again this morning. It was about 10 degrees warmer this morning so the ride was much more comfortable. Much to my surprise I saw a co-worker on the bus! While I like to think what I'm doing is novel he tells me he's been riding the bus for about 8 years. And while the bus I ride isn't full it also isn't empty and the folks on the bus are all regulars. Again I encourage you to give it a try - you might be surprised who you meet!

Baskets and bags (you know I want to say "oh, my")

We rode to Hy-Vee last night to grab things for dinner, and foolishly didn't have bikes that were good to carry anything: No racks or baskets or trailers or whatever.

It doesn't take much to find a basket that will fit most bikes, just check the non-box hardware stores or even places like Target or WalMart.

Combined with the "greenbag" bags everyone is selling for about a dollar these days, you can get stuff home from the store in a pretty painless way, and won't find yourself trying to keep green beans from getting stuck in your front wheel.

CarFreeDays has a good rundown of some basket options. Email us if you want more info than this.

Making the Bus Work

Today was my first attempt at taking the bus to work. I cycled to the nearby Park & Ride and caught the bus at 6:20 (yeah - 6:20 A.M.!). There are two later runs from that same Park & Ride but I figured I’d better get there early and see if this was going to work. Short answer - the bus works!

Cycling to the Park & Ride it easy for me so that was a no-brainer. The Park & Ride is by my supermarket (the one I ride my bike to) so there’s no need to drive there. The bus pulled right up, I threw the Paddy Wagon on the front rack (and what a slick rack! I would love to have something like that on the Jeep!), and took a seat. And here’s the best part - I didn’t have to pay attention to the road. I just sat back and enjoyed the ride.

This is only the first ride but it was good and I intend to do this as much as possible. I bought a 10 ride pass for $16.50. That means I can get to work for $1.65. Based on the gas mileage my Jeep gets I’m saving money every time I ride the bus so there’s no way this is a bad deal for me. And my plan this afternoon is to ride my bike from Downtown to Jill’s office so I’ll save a bus ride AND get some much needed exercise. No way this isn’t good!

Here’s a link to my local transit authority. Give it a try!

On this day in history, busses began running

Thanks to Wired, we learn that on this day in history, the concept of bus transportation was born, and began in Paris.

It failed, history shows, because it was ahead of its time.

It's another local bike rack map!

It's easier to ride your bike somewhere, if you know you can lock it to someplace secure, and allowed, once you get there! Here's a map of the places we know about.

I'd LIKE to have a list of where racks are NOT located, but I don't have enough time for that.

If you know the location of a nice bike rack, let me know about it!


View Larger Map

Every Friday means you can PLAN!

I rode my bike home from work again Friday, after I managed to get a ride there in the morning.

This was fairly easy to do, because we planned it out during the week. Weather was a question, so I always had a "Plan B." My Plan B was the bus, and I knew what that was about because I have a bus schedule in the bag I bring to work.

I rode to the store later Friday to grab a missing ingredient for dinner, so this isn't JUST about riding your bike to or from work. It's about not using the car!

What's your Plan B?

This is working out great for Todd!

For the second day in a row I picked up Todd from his house. His Fuji also came along for the ride as he plans on pedaling home weather permitting. If the weather's bad I'll drop him by his house. This actually works out pretty well for me. I don't have to go that far out of my way to pick him up and if I drop him by home it gives me an opportunity to get off the Interstate just before the worst spot for slow-downs. Todd wins, the environment wins, and I get off the Interstate! w00t!

Greater Kansas City and Lawrence, KS area carpool resource

The Metro Area Regional Council has a neat online carpool link-up site here.

This might work a bit better than asking a neighbor who works a few blocks from where you do.

I added it as a permanent link.

(The Carpool Connection is a partnership of the RideShare Program at the Mid-America Regional Council and the City of Lawrence Transit System.)

Mom on the Move

My mom's doctor has asked her to incorporate exercise into her lifestyle to help regulate her high blood pressure, so she started walking on her treadmill at home.

A few nights ago we met for dinner and I filled her in on the Ride Fridays concept and this blog (and the newly published Facebook page). She called me last night to tell me she decided to unplug the treadmill, take advantage of yesterday's 75 degree afternoon and leave her car at home (!) by WALKING to the library and bank.

p.s. My mom scores extra points since the company my parents own is based at home -- so she never has to drive to work!

We forgot what day it is, but still ...

Calep picked me up today on the way in, so my car is at home, and I'm at work.

But I figure I'll either get a ride back, or take the 4:10 bus that stops right outside and gets me within a mile of my house about 45 minutes later.

We picked up mention on KCBike the other day; thanks, Eric!

Target @ 123rd & Metcalf

Tonight we needed to go to the ATM to deposit a check and get some cash. The Target at 123rd & Metcalf has a Cap Fed ATM so we hopped on the bikes and pedaled up there. Much to our amazement we found a bike rack by the main entrance! While the rack was a single pole with two hoops on it we were able to lock up our bikes while we did our banking. YaY for Target!

Threeforall:

We've managed to make this work three weeks running! This morning I rode along with Jill and Todd picked me up in front of her workplace. We kept my car off the road for a change!

Timing couldn't have been better either. Gas prices jumped more than $0.10 per gallon overnight based on the latest prices for crude oil. Why are oil prices rising? See this for an explanation.

Atlanta Has the Idea

Check out this article from CNN.

Sounds like commuters in Atlanta are getting a sweet deal! Three bucks a day from the Atlanta Clean Air Campaign turns out to about $60 a month... up to $720 a year! That is some serious incentive to leave your car at home and trek your way to work.

Yep, I survived!

Had it not taken me ten minutes to get my bike off Calep's roof rack, I would have made it home in about 45 minutes, and that would have included five minutes or so waiting at a train crossing.

A few days driving to the office this week took more time.

Hoping to see more carpoolers, bus riders, cyclists, skateboards, skooter-ers, whatevers soon!