tandem bike friday!

i've seen a few, but none with the front rack like that. he also said that it was usually set up for three people (for him and his kids).

if you are reading this, sorry i cut off your head...but no time at the stoplight to move back to get the full picture.



see any crazy fun bikes on your commute today?

friday fun times: mixte parking only

things were looking a little mixte-crazy over on a bike rack at a busy intersection in SF recently.



they must have put up a sign saying "mixte only plz. kthx."

it's not every day you see three mixtes parked up on bike racks. i would love to see that happen more often. mixture of the old and the new. it's all good.

happy friday y'all!

scenes from long beach

no bike. two girls and a truck. only had these things to guide me along.

we stayed in long beach. went on a walk. this is some of what i saw.

this one is my personal favorite.

happy sunday!

the sweetest thing

sent in by a reader and former classmate of mine:

"cupcake bike stand outside of a cupckae store of course. long beach."

as that oh so wise movie, clueless, said back in the day it's "so sweet it's giving me a toothache." groans all around? yes, no? heehee.

as always, we love reader submissions!! especially right now when we're getting back into the swing of things, why not show us what you are made of?!

much love,

CTX

Zip Ties vs Snowpocalypse?

It's all ice and snow for the United States these days. Last night on the news they reported that every state except Florida has snow! So what is a cyclist to do when the frost was a surprise and studded tires are way expensive? Zip ties!!!!

Dutch Bike Company put up a post last November about this DIY solution to slipping and sliding through a winter wonderland. Makes me want to take the Bat up to Tahoe and give it a try!

Has anybody out there tried this? Did it work for you?

Hope For The Future

You know there will be a future for bicycling when you see children's bicycles lying about, waiting for their owners return. I saw a little piece of that hope on my way home the other night.

Two kids bikes locked up to a parking meter with Mom's (?) mixte waiting for the morning to come. Two tiny bicycles being kept outside so they can be used the next day to get somewhere.

It isn't just me seeing this, either. Fellow bicycle lover, Ian, sent me this lovely sight in my email.


A child's bike locked up outside a local school long after the school day was done.

Bicycles. They are not just for playtime anymore!

how to be nice to someone in two simple steps

one two...one two...

ONE:

and THEN........

TWO:

hopefully that made someone's day :)

friday fun times: one of these things is not like the other

as seen in a parking garage in downtown san francisco:

um, yah. free bici. be careful while parking your bike out there. m'kay?

happy friday everyone!

Groceries

We had to get some food shopping done this weekend. The cupboards were bare (despite a whole lotta of canning going on). We took the xtracycle and Cameron had his pannier on, but we still ended up filling my bags, too. Even Úna had a messenger bag to fill up.

By the time we got home, the shopping haul looked like this-

To get a sense of scale, my table is 6 feet long. On it are-2 bottles of wine, 2 bottles of balsamic vinegar, a pound of bananas, 2 pints of blackberries, a bag of chocolate covered blueberries, 5 pounds of tangerines, 2 huge boxes of TLC bars (Cameron keeps them at school as emergency snacks), 2 pounds of salad greens, assorted herbs, 2 pounds of trail mix, 5 pounds of pistachios, 10 pounds of cat food, 4 pounds of figs, 2 pounds of bread, a wedge of mimolette, 5 pounds of zucchini, 3 pounds of heirloom tomatoes, 2 pounds of rhubarb, a large bag of naan, a large jar of assorted pickles, a small jar of pickled banana peppers, a large eggplant, lemons, a pair of wool socks and 2 flannel shirts. Add to this my huge purse and a five year old... please do not tell me that a family of 5 needs a car in a place like San Francisco.

We ended up in several different places, today, including Costco. If we had driven, it would have been awful with all the parking lots and traffic. Instead, we had a good time enjoying the sun (light, at last!!!! No heat, but light!!!!) and snacking as we rode along.

You should try it!

Weekday Glide

It's a workday. You have things to do and stuff to carry. However you do it, do it by bicycle! Automatic style points for top tube gliding.

Stretchy

Sometimes a couple of bungee cords are all you need.

Wrap It Up!

Wicker bike! I want a wicker bike! When this gentleman pulled up next to me ( I think his name was Eric, but if not, and you know him, let me know and I will correct it) I was instantly covetous of his fine ride.

I was completely enthralled by just how thoroughly wickered his bicycle was. Everything was meticulously wrapped. Even the rack, which he said was his favorite part.

Look at how perfectly it is wrapped!

I particularly liked the seat. It can't be easy to get all of the contours right. I didn't think to ask him if it was comfortable.

Val thinks they may come from Viet Nam. I'll buy that. I wonder if David Hembrow would make one of these with an Old Dutch? Either way, I have declared this to be the Bike to Work Day bike of 2010!

Just think, if it breaks down you could turn it into a rocking chair!