What’s the Mission?
In my last post, I wrote about different kinds of cyclists I see in my neighborhood, lamenting that there’s no one quite like me. That same day, Honking in Traffic posted Who’s biking? Choice or necessity, which tells about the writer’s encounter with a Latino cyclist who is bicycle commuting out of necessity. The writer [...]
Portland may be a bicycling mecca, but out where I live? Not so much. I’m in East Portland, which used to be farmland and was later converted into suburbia. We have large residential-only districts, big-box shopping centers, and wide, busy arterial streets.
There are some streets with good bike lanes, and there are quiet residential streets [...]
I looked out the window after school today, and saw rain pouring down on students and teachers as they loaded the buses. It didn’t look good for me, and I’d parked my bike outside and left all of my rain gear (cheap poncho and plastic bags) in the Freeloader bags, where it was already getting [...]
I still think about it every time I step off the curb. Is someone going to plow into me? Even if I think they’ve stopped?
I haven’t ridden my bike since the accident, because I want to take it in for a tuneup first. I’ve been walking and busing instead. And I’ll definitely be biking again [...]
Because I’m not. I looked out at the downpour this morning in Portland, Oregon, and promptly went into whine mode.
Yes, we’ve gone from sub-freezing temperatures to a soaking rain. Temperatures are getting into the 40’s, so at least we’re not so cold. The problem is that I don’t have rain pants I had some, but [...]
I checked the temperature on weather.com before leaving work today, and it said 27 degrees…plus “feels like 14″. Brrrr! I suppose that’s normal in some parts of the country, but in Portland, Oregon these are probably some of the coldest days of the year. And yes, I’m still cycling, kids and all.
What do we wear?
Me: [...]
After I fixed a printer late this afternoon, a co-worker asked me “How late do you stay, anyway?”
“Oh, 4:30 or 5, depending on what time I get here,” I replied.
“Are you still riding your bike? Do you try to leave before it gets too dark?” she inquired, looking concerned.
Well, yes, I do ride my bike [...]
“Well, you’re entitled to your opinion, but I don’t agree with you.”
Maddeningly, that’s where we left it.
I’m usually the one who’s trying to help people talk to each other. I’m likely to say “So what you’re saying is…” And I think I’m pretty tolerant of people’s opinions most of the time. But I’ve got my [...]
