High five

Late last year I got a new camera for my birthday (Lumix LX5). The adventures of a new camera have certainly begun, and I'm having tremendous fun. I'm patiently waiting for the point where it takes me a quick click+turn to get it to the right setting, 'til then, the learning process is curving. Luckily I am very patient.

I hadn't even bothered to look down at the camera to see the outcome because I was caught enjoying the moment.
And seeing this moment made me smile and feel very happy inside. I saw what I assumed was a young couple and more than likely the parents, biking with their son (in a kid-seat behind the dad) out on a fantastic 63°F January weather. Seconds after I had attempted to capture the photo, I saw the mom +dad high-fived each other.
It was a such a sweet sighting.

The future is looking good.
xxo♥m

Small Moments

Precious cargo

The other day I had a few minutes to spend and observe the recent changes to Market st. from the view of a muni rider. I decided to step out of the bike lane universe, got off frenchie and walked over to the little Muni island, which stands in the middle of the street. I luckily had my camera within reach because it was a really cool moment to see this happy mom, telling her daughter about some kind of cartoon I am not quite familiar with.
I thought that was nice. A good sign of the times and the good things to come ---- and already happening. Here and now.

Market street at 9th.

Heels and hills

Our city isn't flat.
Our city isn't 90° in August.
Our city has all kinds of bicycle riders.
San Francisco moms on wheels rock.

What Did You Do This Weekend?

Quiet family weekends are always a good thing!

Time with friends is a great way to enjoy the afternoon and a little people watching.

Riding around on your own can be peaceful, even when everything around you is go-go-go.

Just remember that your four legged friends need some quality time with you, too.

What did your weekend look like? I bet it was better on a bike : )

One momentum, please

I'm happy to present this article with you, it is my first written-printed piece, I hope you enjoy it:

Momentum-The Magazine for Self Propelled People | What to Wear by Meli

You can now pick up your Momentum magazine around a number of local bicycle/coffee shops. Cheers!

Teach Your Children Well

Do you have kids? If so, I bet you remember the last time you took a look at your precious angel and thought "do I really need to be with you today?" as they sprouted a second head and whined about whatever the hell it is they decided to whine about this time.

For myself, that was today. All day.

After running errands and grabbing a snack, I decided to tag along with James and Cameron. James just finished building Cameron a road bike and they wanted to go ride and play at the big empty parking lot at City College so Cameron could learn about his bike (which is very different from his every day bike).


I figured that a few acres of smooth pavement, free of cars and open for bicycle speeding would help contain the beast that Declan had decided to emulate for the last several hours. James loaded up the F.U.B. with his bike and Declan's and off we went.



James wanted to ride his Miyata around one last time before he turns it into a fixie (I know. You don't need to point out to me just how much opportunity there will be for teasing here).



While James taught Cameron the joy of the "brifter" and how to pedal with one leg (bonding),



I played with Declan.

There is a path that runs the length of the reservoir and leads nowhere. It has a great view and is one of those places a little kid can feel like they are having an adventure without any real danger of anything happening. I let him lead me up there so he could show me the stellar view of the motorcycle class taking place (as well as the McDonald's he has never been in but always tells me is his favorite).


When everyone was done, Declan was in a much better mood. He has been wanting to ride his bike on the street with us ever since we took off his training wheels. The streets in the neighborhood were unusually quiet and I had James with me to play sweeper so now seemed like the time.



After firm instructions to stay on my right side and a promise from him that he would listen, we started off.



This is an ironic picture to me. This is Phelan Ave. and it is currently one of the most contested streets in San Francisco in the battle for traffic calming and bicycle infrastructure. This is one of the things that has caused my neighborhood to be considered the least bike friendly neighborhood in San Francisco and my neighbors to be the most anti-bike.

I am very proud to say that this is the first City street that my 4 1/2 year old son has ridden on his very own bike.



Declan was great the whole ride home. He listened, he kept his eye open, he watched for cars and he made sure I stopped at the stop sign : ) We couldn't do this most days in my neighborhood, but I am glad we were able to do it today.

Get those kids on their bikes! They will thank you for it : )

Taxi Service

Every time I ride across town I notice more and more people with kid set ups on their bikes. The best thing is that for the first time I am seeing an increase in woman carrying kids on their bikes! So tonight, I present some of the wonderful pictures of people transporting children that have been sent to us through the Flickr group.

photo by Xander n' Dante (Toronto)

photo by efeb (Copenhagen)

photo by Iam Sterdam (Amsterdam)

bicyclesonly (New York City)

photo by Meligrosa (San Francisco)

photo by Cleverchimp (Portland)

photo by fnagrom (California?)

photo by ktieche (San Francisco)

How do you get your kids around? Share the knowledge!

Family Life

So Monday has come upon us again and it is time to get the family out to school and work and soccer and violin lessons... this is what it looks like!

Time for a play date?

Home from school

Kids can ride for themselves.

The whole family can participate in getting around.

SRO commute.

Cross town traffic.

First day of school!

Japanese commute cuties!

Headwind stops for no Dad!

So go out there and get those kids to ballet on your bike! They will thank you for it!

38 Weeks

You are not a real, dedicated cyclist until you have ridden clipless at 38 weeks of pregnancy! What's that crap about the weaker sex? : )

Happy Birthday Adrienne!!

Adrienne and I met not even a year ago. Feels like way longer. We met via bicycles and without the internet, I don't think we would've known we had so much in common. Well, we are chatterboxes, and we are photo factories, so that probably would have happened even sans the interwebz, SF is a small city. Very small. Anyhow, I'm very thankful for meeting her and her loving family and it has been one of my favorite things that has happened to me from riding a bicycle in the city.

Her birthday is today and the day here in SF started off with a tremendous sound of thunderstorms, yes very loud ones (I know this wont impress anyone from Texas or the south, but hey, that's rather unusual out here) Because it's electric!!
♥Happy BDAY hot momma on wheels!! /♥xo.meligrosa

Powered by parents

12 wheels, cool kid & one super groovy mom

I took these pictures on the way back from spending last Sunday at Stern Grove. Good times. It was nice to ride through the park when it was still closed off to motorized vehicles (around 5pm). Hanging out with parents and kids on bikes this year, has opened a new vision to a city and its relationships between bikes, other bikers and overall traffic that otherwise I would have never been able to be aware of, not even in a decade of riding sans kids. So this is for all parents out there. Ride on! /♥xo.meligrosa

bug dad


go faster go

Four San Francisco "Supermums"

One of the people who has been influential in my bicycle activities has been Mikael Colville-Andersen over at Copenhagen Cycle Chic and Copenhagenize. His pictures of Copenhagen life are beautiful, but it is his sharp wit that brings me back for more ( I am a sucker for quick come backs).

One of the frequent subjects of Mikael's camera is what he calls the "Supermum". I would be lying if I said his pictures didn't have some influence on how I ride with Declan. His recent visit to Tokyo is well documented at both sites, but his most recent series of Japanese Supermum's is just begging for a response from us here in SF. While I have to work a bit to get these shots, I think that SF can hold its head up in the emerging world of the "Supermum" : )





Three on a match may be very bad luck, but three on a bike is just plain wonderful!



Sometimes, when all there is is a line of paint between you and the world, you have to be Super to give your kids the freedom to ride themselves.



Time to go to the museum? What better way than by riding through the Park to get there?



If you want your kids to be joyful, you have to be joyful in what you do. I think this Supermum has figured this out.



And in the interest of shameless self promotion, I offer up myself, following another Bikey SF Mom. When we start riding in packs, the world will be a better place!