Bluetiful Monday

Rode Bluetiful twice today, once on a Tour de Starbucks and this afternoon on a trip to Batteries Plus. Also drove the car once, to pick up some food for the kids before they left to go down south.

Score: Bikes - 7, Autos - 3.

Weekend Update

Rode The Roadley twice yesterday, didn't have to drive the car at all. Score: Bikes - 5, Autos - 2.

The kids came up from southern Arizona yesterday, bringing little Keira with them. One of their friends just had her own baby yesterday and they had a lot of newborn diapers and an extra car seat for her.

Saturday Report

Rode the bike for a second time yesterday, and drove the car twice. Score: Bikes - 3, Autos - 2.

I would have only had to drive the car once, but I didn't have a couple of things on the list. Also, I needed to check out an After Christmas sale on an item which wouldn't have fit on the bike.

Auto Limited Week?

So, Thanksgiving Auto Free Week was a bust and this long, Christmas through New Years holiday/vacation week is definitely going to require an automobile.

I'll call it an "Auto Limited Week."  I'll try to make sure to collect all the errands requiring a car into as few trips as possible, and use a bike for as many of the others as I can.

Christmas Day I did not use a car at all, rode Bluetiful on a grand tour to find an open Starbucks, and this morning (12/26/09) I rode The Roadley on a Tour de Starbucks.  The current score is Bikes - 2, Autos - 0.

36°F at 6:30 AM!  Felt it in on my ears and fingertips, the BMX gloves just barely work at that temperature.

Happy Holidays!

I've been busy, but I just wanted to drop a note here and wish everybody, especially all you bicyclists, a safe and happy holiday season!

December 7th, Memorable for Another Reason

Monday, December 7th, 2009, 11:00 PM, my lovable old Labrador woke me up, wanting to go outside.  Usually, he only does this if he is sick, or I don't get a chance to walk with him before I go to bed, and is in desperate need of a potty break.  This time, he just stood there in the back yard and watched and listened to the brisk wind.

We went back to bed, but he stirred again a few minutes later and started panting; a sure sign he is upset about something.  Once more we went out into the back yard, once more he did nothing other than stand and listen, and once more I convinced him to go back to bed.  The wind seemed much stronger.

Fifteen minutes later, at about 11:20, I awoke to the wind howling around the house.  My Lab was in his bed, but his eyes were open and he raised his head and looked at me when I got up and looked out the bedroom window.  The trees seemed to be squirming around in the air and there was a good, driving rain.

I got up and had the dog follow me out to the entertainment room.  It was so noisy, it sounded like the room was traveling on a freight train.  I made a cup of tea and sat with my Lab until things quieted down about an hour later.

The streets have been a mess and I have been unable to commute for the last two days, even though it only rained Monday night.  It was the most violent storm I can remember in a long time.

The Grill Next Door

There is a little burger joint about two miles from my place which has all the elements of a perfect exercise ride.

This is a poster in the window:

Here's a picture of Sami, who I believe is the girl in the poster, with Bluetiful:

See what I mean?  All the elements of a perfect exercise ride:  gets your heart rate up, is obviously bike friendly and has great scenery.