on Monday this week I hit 100 roundtrip bike commutes so far in 2012. I haven't missed a workday bike commuting since mid-2009. It's been a lot of fun and I've been enjoying my cargo bike (a Surly Big Dummy) and Jamis Coda flatbar road bike. Both of these were purchased used.
I have been active on social media sites the past year or two, instead of emphasizing this blog.
I also have begun volunteering at a local bike co-op.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Biked through the snowy winter!
I have maintained a perfect commuting year thus far in 2010 by bike, despite it being the 4th snowiest winter on record here in these parts. 41 inches of snow has fallen.. A timely investment in December in some Nokian Hakkapellita 308 all-condition studded 26x2..125" MTB tires with kevlar bead, enabled me to get through the tougher winter road conditions with no real problems. The greenway trail was snowed out for a couple of weeks but I rode on the plowed roads instead.
I've continued picking up trash and recycling it as I go, each day.
The avoided carbon emissions have added up to 21 trees worth from the recycling, and 22 trees worth from the bicycling miles. Although it's only mid-March, my mileage has reached 450 miles. It's all good!
Warmer weather has returned, albeit with rain. Highs this week should be in the 50s most days!
I've continued picking up trash and recycling it as I go, each day.
The avoided carbon emissions have added up to 21 trees worth from the recycling, and 22 trees worth from the bicycling miles. Although it's only mid-March, my mileage has reached 450 miles. It's all good!
Warmer weather has returned, albeit with rain. Highs this week should be in the 50s most days!
Friday, January 8, 2010
Checking back in
I had a banner year bike commuting in 2009. 206 bike commutes!
it topped my 2008 numbers which totaled 156.
My goal for 2010 is to do at least 5 more than in 2009. i.e., 2011 or more. That's feasible but I'm asymptotically approaching the 100.0 percent trips to work being taken by bike, the absolute limit of what'll be possible this year, otherwise known as a "perfect commuting year".
I've been logging my trips in bikejournal since the beginning of '09. It's been a lot of fun!!
it topped my 2008 numbers which totaled 156.
My goal for 2010 is to do at least 5 more than in 2009. i.e., 2011 or more. That's feasible but I'm asymptotically approaching the 100.0 percent trips to work being taken by bike, the absolute limit of what'll be possible this year, otherwise known as a "perfect commuting year".
I've been logging my trips in bikejournal since the beginning of '09. It's been a lot of fun!!
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
December 4: 131 roundtrips and counting
It's a brisk cold day of about 30 degrees, and the first snowstorm of the year is due to hit us overnight, anywhere from 2 to 7 inches of the white stuff depending on who is doing the forecasting. I rode the bike home tonight after leaving it parked in the building at work over night yesterday. The batteries on my headlight may be running low at this point, or maybe it's due to the cold temperatures this week. Anyway, it felt good to get the excercise, and to enter the warm house afterward again. On Monday I picked up another dozen bags on the creek bank trees and shrubs by the Kroger, and tonight retrieved another 5 or 6. Last Friday was a banner day for all, with a bunch of bags, plus 10 cans and 9 plastic bottles also recycled. They just keep piling up out there...
Today was funny, I read a hilarious announcement about Solstice event planning locally. Only the planners didn't quite get the difference between solstice and equinox, too busy trying to relate it to some zen thing of yin and yang, and internal cells in the body just waiting to be releasing the positive energy called forth by whatever was being planned.
However.
I wanted to post some info about the concept of Solstice. For me, it's a cool one to consider, taking a moment to tune into the earth year and its cycles and all that.
A couple years ago I heard about a Japan-originating practice on the Solstice called Candle Night. You can view the website in English translation by clicking a button on the page there...
Candle Night represents a simple opportunity to slow down and pay attention to what is going on with the earth, and in yourself (summer and winter), and to share insights as points of light via their innovative graphical webpage map of the earth viewed from space at night. Plus there's some cool background ambient sounds to go with it.
The Solstice is the day that, literally, the "Sun stops..." In the case of the winter solstice it is the shortest daylight of the year. From this point on, the days stop getting shorter (even as we head into what we call "winter". Hence the celebrations related to "bringing back the light".
The druids and other prehistoric cultures who watched the sun's journey during the year understood this astronomical calendar in ways we have apparently lost touch with in our modern urban culture.
Examples are amazing to study.
Maeshowe on Orkney in Scotland, and Stonehenge are the most notable archaeo-observatories of which I am aware.
Right here in Ohio we have an amazing record of prehistoric civilization with the mound builder native cultures, who also appear to have understood this intricate dance of the sun and moon quite well.
I believe that if we can appreciate it more ourselves in this modern time, we would gain better insight into our surroundings and earth context (sense of place).
I discovered today that there is actually a Observatory Mound within the Newark Earthworks monument (near the Octagon mound-- the one that's a GOLF COURSE of all things). I find this fascinating, as apparently others have before me.
Wikipedia's entry for the Newark, Ohio area notes:
"During the prehistoric period, Newark was an important center of cultural activity. From 100 BC to 500 AD the Newark area was transformed by the Hopewell culture. They built many earthen mounds, creating the single, largest earthwork complex in the Ohio River Valley. The earthworks covered several square miles. Observatory Mound, Observatory Circle, and the interconnected Octagon span nearly 3,000 feet in length. The Octagon alone is large enough to contain four Roman Coliseums. The Great Pyramid fits inside Observatory Circle precisely. The even larger 1180-foot-wide Newark Great Circle is the largest circular earthwork in the Americas, at least in construction effort. The 8 feet high walls surround a 5 feet deep moat, except at the entrance where the dimensions are even greater and more impressive. Archaeogeodesy and archaeoastronomy research has demonstrated advanced scientific understandings by the prehistoric cultures in the area by analyzing the placements, alignments, dimensions, and site-to-site interrelationships of the earthworks." [source: Wikipedia.org]
On this last topic, I delved deeper on other websites and learned More on the Observatory Mound.
Today was funny, I read a hilarious announcement about Solstice event planning locally. Only the planners didn't quite get the difference between solstice and equinox, too busy trying to relate it to some zen thing of yin and yang, and internal cells in the body just waiting to be releasing the positive energy called forth by whatever was being planned.
However.
I wanted to post some info about the concept of Solstice. For me, it's a cool one to consider, taking a moment to tune into the earth year and its cycles and all that.
A couple years ago I heard about a Japan-originating practice on the Solstice called Candle Night. You can view the website in English translation by clicking a button on the page there...
Candle Night represents a simple opportunity to slow down and pay attention to what is going on with the earth, and in yourself (summer and winter), and to share insights as points of light via their innovative graphical webpage map of the earth viewed from space at night. Plus there's some cool background ambient sounds to go with it.
The Solstice is the day that, literally, the "Sun stops..." In the case of the winter solstice it is the shortest daylight of the year. From this point on, the days stop getting shorter (even as we head into what we call "winter". Hence the celebrations related to "bringing back the light".
The druids and other prehistoric cultures who watched the sun's journey during the year understood this astronomical calendar in ways we have apparently lost touch with in our modern urban culture.
Examples are amazing to study.
Maeshowe on Orkney in Scotland, and Stonehenge are the most notable archaeo-observatories of which I am aware.
Right here in Ohio we have an amazing record of prehistoric civilization with the mound builder native cultures, who also appear to have understood this intricate dance of the sun and moon quite well.
I believe that if we can appreciate it more ourselves in this modern time, we would gain better insight into our surroundings and earth context (sense of place).
I discovered today that there is actually a Observatory Mound within the Newark Earthworks monument (near the Octagon mound-- the one that's a GOLF COURSE of all things). I find this fascinating, as apparently others have before me.
Wikipedia's entry for the Newark, Ohio area notes:
"During the prehistoric period, Newark was an important center of cultural activity. From 100 BC to 500 AD the Newark area was transformed by the Hopewell culture. They built many earthen mounds, creating the single, largest earthwork complex in the Ohio River Valley. The earthworks covered several square miles. Observatory Mound, Observatory Circle, and the interconnected Octagon span nearly 3,000 feet in length. The Octagon alone is large enough to contain four Roman Coliseums. The Great Pyramid fits inside Observatory Circle precisely. The even larger 1180-foot-wide Newark Great Circle is the largest circular earthwork in the Americas, at least in construction effort. The 8 feet high walls surround a 5 feet deep moat, except at the entrance where the dimensions are even greater and more impressive. Archaeogeodesy and archaeoastronomy research has demonstrated advanced scientific understandings by the prehistoric cultures in the area by analyzing the placements, alignments, dimensions, and site-to-site interrelationships of the earthworks." [source: Wikipedia.org]
On this last topic, I delved deeper on other websites and learned More on the Observatory Mound.
Such as the following tidbits:
..."It's interesting that this implies a regular pattern of activity
of lunar observations at the Octagon, synchronized to the solar year, where
activity is concentrated in the latter half of the year. Note that the
maximum southerly moonrises exhibit a complementary behavior, where they
are only visible during the first part of the year, ending around the
summer solistice. An intriguing idea is suggested by the fact that the
design of the High Bank earthworks near Chillicothe, Ohio, which include a
practical carbon-copy of the Octagon structure, but oriented to the south,
has been shown by Hively and Horn to include the maximum southerly moonrise
azimuth. Thus, as suggested by Hively and Horn, the two earthworks, over
50 miles apart, may be complementary parts of the same observatory. This
speculation is strengthened by the remarkable findings of Brad Lepper,
Archaeology curator of the Ohio Historical Society, who has traced remnants
of a road, marked by two parallel earthen banks, that stretches between the
Octagon and its counterpart at High Bank."
"Using infrared and aerial photographic surveys, Lepper has found more
traces of this road, now all but obliterated by agriculture and other
development. He concludes "that the Great Hopewell Road was a virtually
straight set of parallel walls 60 m apart and extending a distance of 90 km
from the Newark Earthworks to the cluster of Earthworks in the Scioto
Valley centered at modern Chillicothe... The function of the Great Hopewell
Road is unknown, but similar structures built by the Maya were monumental
expressions of politico-religious connections between centers."
"The Octagon was used July through December. The solistices mark "the
changing of the guard" and quite possibly the attendant ceremonies included
a procession along this Hopewellian "Sacra Via," from Chillicothe to Newark
after the summer solistice, and from Newark to Chillicothe after the winter
solistice."
WOW.
I would conclude that the most authentic local solstice observation in Central Ohio, would draw on this ancient prehistoric legacy. The obvious event for December would be held in Newark someplace near the Observatory Earthworks, and could be most properly followed by some sort of symbolic or physical travel to Chilicothe. It might be appropriate to use light signals (fiber optic cable?) to send a message to Chillicothe (Ohio's first state capital), right past the hills that are part of the Great Seal of Ohio. Imagine the prehistoric signal bonfires set on strategic hilltops and prehistoric mounds aligned along the former Hopewell Road....
The new Hopewell Road could be our very own internet, the Information Superhighway.
I would conclude that the most authentic local solstice observation in Central Ohio, would draw on this ancient prehistoric legacy. The obvious event for December would be held in Newark someplace near the Observatory Earthworks, and could be most properly followed by some sort of symbolic or physical travel to Chilicothe. It might be appropriate to use light signals (fiber optic cable?) to send a message to Chillicothe (Ohio's first state capital), right past the hills that are part of the Great Seal of Ohio. Imagine the prehistoric signal bonfires set on strategic hilltops and prehistoric mounds aligned along the former Hopewell Road....
The new Hopewell Road could be our very own internet, the Information Superhighway.
What would today's Solstice message communicate?
How about a big Comma. ,
Go to Candle-Night to send your own solstice message of truth,
to the globe by fiber optic light signals!!
Friday, November 16, 2007
Mid November
I've reached 125 bike commute roundtrips this year now today. Feeling pretty good about it, I think I'll continue for at least a while longer.
This week the plastic trash blowing off the Kroger lot is getting notably worse, as the windy weather comes through. I can only imagine what it was like last year before we started trying to do something to curtail its passage into the creek. This morning I picked up about 12 plastic bags plus lots of paper ad circulars that were temporarily hung up in vegetation near the trail at the top of the creek bank, and in the greenway trail area that passes back by the store's dumpster. On the way home I retrieved another 8 plastic bags plus 7 beer and alcohol bottles, 3 snack bags and more paper at the same locations. Oh, and also on my way home I picked up about 8 election signs (4 for Coleman, 4 for various city council candidates) which had been knocked down by someone, but not picked up. They went into city trash cans.
I am really getting concerned about plastic accumulating in the marine environment after reading two articles last week. One in Orion magazine entitled Plastics Are Forever
and the other in the SF Chronicle. The "Garbage Patch" in the Pacific Ocean at the North-pacific gyre location is apparently 1000 miles in diameter, twice the size of Texas, and growing by leaps and bounds each year. It's being studied by the Alagita Marine Foundation.
The Orion article says there are 6 of these plastic islands of flotsam in our global seas. The amount of plastic there is mind boggling, as is the longevity of it in the environment. The effects on over 200 marine species are no big surprise, but I was taken aback to learn most of the junk appears to be sourced from continental urban runoff and river discharges, rather than, say, seagoing ships.
If today's experience for me is typical, and 10-15 plastic bags (but for my intervention) would have gone straight into this river from this one local grocery store, I can only imagine how many other similar sources are adding to the plastics eco-mess globally on a daily basis. Heaven help us. Or, better yet, education and proactive best management practices need to be taken now to control this pollution. Banning plastic bags like San Francisco has done, is starting to sound like a worthwhile option. I'd also like to see more trash excluding controls at storm drain inlets. Wider natural vegetated buffers along the rivers, like the 150 feet recommended here locally, would be another good start. Here's a link to a .pdf fact sheet with more tips and info. (requires Acrobat Reader )
This week the plastic trash blowing off the Kroger lot is getting notably worse, as the windy weather comes through. I can only imagine what it was like last year before we started trying to do something to curtail its passage into the creek. This morning I picked up about 12 plastic bags plus lots of paper ad circulars that were temporarily hung up in vegetation near the trail at the top of the creek bank, and in the greenway trail area that passes back by the store's dumpster. On the way home I retrieved another 8 plastic bags plus 7 beer and alcohol bottles, 3 snack bags and more paper at the same locations. Oh, and also on my way home I picked up about 8 election signs (4 for Coleman, 4 for various city council candidates) which had been knocked down by someone, but not picked up. They went into city trash cans.
I am really getting concerned about plastic accumulating in the marine environment after reading two articles last week. One in Orion magazine entitled Plastics Are Forever
and the other in the SF Chronicle. The "Garbage Patch" in the Pacific Ocean at the North-pacific gyre location is apparently 1000 miles in diameter, twice the size of Texas, and growing by leaps and bounds each year. It's being studied by the Alagita Marine Foundation.
The Orion article says there are 6 of these plastic islands of flotsam in our global seas. The amount of plastic there is mind boggling, as is the longevity of it in the environment. The effects on over 200 marine species are no big surprise, but I was taken aback to learn most of the junk appears to be sourced from continental urban runoff and river discharges, rather than, say, seagoing ships.
If today's experience for me is typical, and 10-15 plastic bags (but for my intervention) would have gone straight into this river from this one local grocery store, I can only imagine how many other similar sources are adding to the plastics eco-mess globally on a daily basis. Heaven help us. Or, better yet, education and proactive best management practices need to be taken now to control this pollution. Banning plastic bags like San Francisco has done, is starting to sound like a worthwhile option. I'd also like to see more trash excluding controls at storm drain inlets. Wider natural vegetated buffers along the rivers, like the 150 feet recommended here locally, would be another good start. Here's a link to a .pdf fact sheet with more tips and info. (requires Acrobat Reader )
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Bike Commute Goal Exceeded
Today, Halloween-- I managed to exceed my goal of +50% more bike commuting roundtrips in 2007 vs. 2006! My total today reached 118. With any luck I can get to 125 or more this year yet. Today was 36 degrees F in the AM and 63 in the PM. Quite a contrast.
The past two days I've tried wearing some earmuffs and these convertible glove-mittens called "wombat gloves" from Descente. Both seem to help ease the cold wind factor. As I get warmed up I still need to ventilate to keep a heat balance internally... Riding with lights in the PM is helping me feel safer on the streets.
I'm still thinking of various winter bike options ranging from singlespeed (I have something worked up on an old 26 inch MTB frame) to something else that I don't own yet, a steel or ti 700c cross bike. I know I need room for fenders... not an option with my standard roadbike really. Maybe I'll go back to my last-year's ride, an aluminum rear-suspension 26 inch cross bike. First I need to fix its flat tire. :-( no big deal, just need to get it done.
I'm continuing to pick up at least 10 pieces of trash per day. Today on the way into work I had about 3 aluminum cans, a beer bottle, some plastic bags, and a shopping cart (which I towed back about 4 blocks to the Kroger store entrance). Oh, and a leather baseball in great shape from behind a tree by the ballfield-- I gave this to my co-worker Chris for his kids to play with. On the way home, I ended up with about 8 aluminum cans, a couple plastic bottles, a McDonalds bag and cup with plastic lid, and about 12 plastic bags that blew off the Kroger lot into the trailside areas near the creek behind the store. Got two at the top edge of the creek bank, others near the back of the building that had apparently been there for a while. Thankfully, the chain link mesh fence installed this summer by the CRPD at the edge of the parking lot for the Kroger, does seem to be greatly reducing the amount of this trash moving toward Alum Creek. Hmm, it seems like I'm closer to 30 today than the minimum 10 items. Well, winter and dark days will make it hard for me to keep this up indefinitely.
The past two days I've tried wearing some earmuffs and these convertible glove-mittens called "wombat gloves" from Descente. Both seem to help ease the cold wind factor. As I get warmed up I still need to ventilate to keep a heat balance internally... Riding with lights in the PM is helping me feel safer on the streets.
I'm still thinking of various winter bike options ranging from singlespeed (I have something worked up on an old 26 inch MTB frame) to something else that I don't own yet, a steel or ti 700c cross bike. I know I need room for fenders... not an option with my standard roadbike really. Maybe I'll go back to my last-year's ride, an aluminum rear-suspension 26 inch cross bike. First I need to fix its flat tire. :-( no big deal, just need to get it done.
I'm continuing to pick up at least 10 pieces of trash per day. Today on the way into work I had about 3 aluminum cans, a beer bottle, some plastic bags, and a shopping cart (which I towed back about 4 blocks to the Kroger store entrance). Oh, and a leather baseball in great shape from behind a tree by the ballfield-- I gave this to my co-worker Chris for his kids to play with. On the way home, I ended up with about 8 aluminum cans, a couple plastic bottles, a McDonalds bag and cup with plastic lid, and about 12 plastic bags that blew off the Kroger lot into the trailside areas near the creek behind the store. Got two at the top edge of the creek bank, others near the back of the building that had apparently been there for a while. Thankfully, the chain link mesh fence installed this summer by the CRPD at the edge of the parking lot for the Kroger, does seem to be greatly reducing the amount of this trash moving toward Alum Creek. Hmm, it seems like I'm closer to 30 today than the minimum 10 items. Well, winter and dark days will make it hard for me to keep this up indefinitely.
Friday, October 19, 2007
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