Another Notch in my Bikeshare Belt

Another city, another opportunity to try a bikeshare system - in this case Chicago's "divvy." When I arrived on Monday, all flights had been delayed by an inch of snow. I was NOT thrilled to encounter one more spring snow, but the weather forecast was for warming temperatures by Wednesday afternoon - which was perfect, since that was when my work obligations would be over.

 Tuesday I had spent some time walking around my neighborhood, looking at the traces of green still coloring the Chicago River a week after it’s St. Patrick’s Day dye job. A statue of Nathan Hale showed him festooned by a whimsical snow cap atop his head.

On Wednesday I headed for the docking station just a block from my hotel, but when I got there the touch screen didn't work. My next try was successful, but finding easy access to the lakeshore path was more of a challenge. I thought I turned the right direction, but I ended up inside an enormous playground through which I had to walk the bike in search of an exit. Naturally it took me several blocks in the wrong direction, but once I escaped I was happy that the temperature was a comfortable 40-something degrees.

Chicago has an abundance of outdoor art – both sculpture and mural.

Once I got around a detour on the path, it was smooth sailing toward my destination: the Lincoln Park Conservatory, one of the nation's oldest botanical gardens - and free to the public. I knew I would have to change out my bike to avoid extra fees, and I suspect I didn't make it within the required half hour. I had to do a short stretch on city streets to dock the bike and do not think Chicago drivers understand about a three-foot passing zone. I resorted to the sidewalk in a few places and, thus, am still alive to write this blog.

The gardens were beautiful, featuring a palm room, a fern room, an orchid room, and a spring display - reminding me of what we have to look forward to in the next month or so.

Getting back onto the lakeshore path again entailed a bit of backtracking to cross the major road. I decided to get off north of my hotel to avoid the playground fiasco again. Finally I found a city street with an actual bike lane. Bike infrastructure in the downtown area seems much less developed than what I'm used to in D.C., Arlington, and Philly. However, as in cities everywhere, I didn't have to ride far for my lane to be blocked by a delivery truck.

After docking the bike, I saw a sign for State Street and remembered that I had scoped out a Mexican restaurant there. I enjoyed a late lunch at Cantina Laredo, which serves "new" Mexican cuisine. The avocado and artichoke enchilada, served on spinach and other piquant vegetables, was to die for.

 On Thursday I walked to the Amtrak station for a slow ride to  Wisconsin - near Devil's Lake state park - for a family visit. The double-decker train with its spacious seats and the landscape out my window made it clear I wasn’t on the East Coast!

Next month: Minneapolis for AWP conference, where I hope to add another bikeshare experience.

Lion - Lamb - Lion - Lamb: The March 2015 Errandonnee

When the 2015 errandonnee was announced the DC-area was still blanketed in snow and chilled by record-low temperatures. My usually-intrepid biking spirit had been crushed by winter. I failed to bike even once in February and, I think, made only two trips in January. The upside of my near-hibernation was that I started winter swimming (indoors), and I learned to make a tasty vegetarian Pho.

But life without bike riding is just not the same. My spirits were sinking and when I looked at the forecast for the beginning of the errandonnee I thought – I’m gonna have to skip it this year. With more snow falling and neither snow plow nor salt truck in sight, the roads were a hazard.

But this area being what it was, the weather turned and most of the accumulation melted the Saturday that the challenge began. By Sunday I was ready to pump up my deflated tires and hit the road.

March 8, 2015

#1 Personal Care #1 – Sun and Moon Yoga 2.5 miles

Leaving at 8:30 on a Sunday morning I knew my back route was still icy, so I rode on Lee Highway, counting on light traffic. It’s hard to describe the pure elation of riding after the long winter. Not knowing how long the good weather would hold, I decided to “trip chain”  and get as many errands as possible done in one day.

#2 Personal Business #1 – Library .5 miles

From yoga, I headed to Arlington Central Library to return the DVDs I’d checked out in anticipation of the snow. I didn’t end up watching them, but it’s always nice to have them on hand. The roads were clear, but the bike lanes often still had icy snow. Either that or cars were parked in them because there was still icy snow at the curb.

#3 Personal Care #2 – Whole Foods – 1.5 miles

My next stop was to replenish my supply of high-quality probiotics. Just how much good bacteria does one need? I decided 42 billion per dose should be plenty.

#4 Store #1 – Walgreens – 0 miles

I had parked in the bike corral at Revolution Bikes for Whole Foods and Walgreens trips. There were lots of people out and about, celebrating the beautiful afternoon.

#5 You Carried What?  #1 – 4.5 miles

On to Trader Joe’s for dog food and a 12-pack of toilet paper. That pretty much fills the Burley Travoy. Perhaps these aren’t the most exotic items to carry on a bike – but I couldn’t tote either without the trailer which, by the way, is where I proudly display all my coffeeneur and errandonneur patches.

#6 Non-store errand #1 – Post Office – 1 mile

After my first set of errands, I took a break to have lunch and visit with a friend. Thanks to daylight savings time, it was still light – and warm – so I went back out to check out the roads on my “back route.” It was pretty clear by 6 p.m. 

#7 Non-store errand #2 – ATM – 1 mile

On the way home I stopped to take a photo of my least favorite curb cut in Arlington – intersection of Lee and Harrison. Seven errands in one day; 11.5 miles – not bad!

March 9, 2015

#8 Work #1 – 11.5 miles

I wondered whether I’d remember how to get to work on my bike – it had been so long – but it was, you know, like riding a bike: you don’t forget. There was still some ice on the Mt. Vernon Trail, but the Custis Trail was clear – thanks to Arlington County’s commitment to clear the paths…yay! I was cyclist number 221 on the Rosslyn counter. But on the way home my “back route” from the metro was impassable: solid ice.

Note the pile of grimy snow

No biking here!

March 10, 2015

#9 Social Call #1 – .5 mile

Went to Pret a Manger for a quick dinner before class. Took a Capital Bikeshare in the rain. It’s just not that pleasant and the app indicated that the closest station to class was full, so I had to park 2 blocks farther away.

CaBi not very balanced on a rainy day - one station full and 2 blocks away a station nearly empty

#10 Wild Card #1 – .5 mile

Took a CaBi – again in the rain – even harder rain this time – from class to the Metro. My rain boot slipped on the pedal. It was dark and rainy – not much fun – but not very far. I was glad the two-rides-in-the-dark rule was eliminated this year – but ended up riding in the dark anyway.

March 12, 2015

#11 Work #2 – 11.5 miles

What a difference a few days make: the rain was over, the temperatures rose again and the ice was completely gone – even on my back route from the metro. It felt like spring! Clearly a lot of people agreed – leaving even earlier than I had on Monday, I was cyclist number 398 on the Rosslyn counter.

Sunny on the mall - workers on the reflecting pool

March 13, 2015

#12 Arts & Entertainment #1 – 5 miles

Biked to Ballston for a movie. Parked at the Metro and was delighted to see that there is a bike pump and tools in the center of the bike parking area. I don't recall seeing that last year. Coming out there was a light rain. I figured I might as well bike home, because even if I put the bike on the Metro, I’d still have to ride a mile home anyway. The sign by the bike rack near the mall was less friendly. 

The rain stayed light and the temperature was fine – but almost half the streetlights on George Mason Drive were out…grrr. And – I had a second dark ride.

Great bike repair station

Always such a bummer when they threaten "removal"

March 15, 2015

#13 Personal Care #2 – 5 miles

Yoga again – the wind, the wind, the wind – especially on the way home – straight into it all the way! Nevertheless, it was such a delight to have a full week of frequent bike riding. By the second Sunday I was starting to feel like my old self again – that is, a younger-feeling version of my old self.

Total – 45.5 miles and 13 errands: feelings of joy – immeasurable!

December Days of Sun and Cloud

December proved to be a good month for cycling: the warmer days often overcast, but the colder days crisply sunny. On one of the overcast rides to work, I stopped to snap this lovely view of the Potomac from Memorial Bridge.

X-Mas morning dawned mild, and with no little children at home I was free to take a lovely ride along the Four-Mile Run trail, which is scenic and moderately hilly. Shorts and a hoodie were all the protection I needed. In the aftermath of heavy rains, the bridge preceding the steepest hill was overrun by inches of water, so I gladly diverted to the W&OD trail. I looped around the deserted shops at Shirlington, seeing only a disappointed couple rattling the locked doors of Caribou Coffee. I was glad I had my ride before a day of driving: first to Frederick for Jewish X-Mas (yup – Chinese food and a movie) with my child; and then, in the dark, to Philly to spend the weekend with the Cycling Yogi.

Most of our days were spent walking my dogs in the Wisahickon Park – a glorious off-leash adventure for my aging-but-still-intrepid Westies. The only blot on our enjoyment of the park was an encounter with an imperious equestrienne who insisted that all dogs be leashed at all times (although many people allow their dogs off leash in the park, except for on the wide carriage trails that are used by runners and cyclists). Even as I hastened to get the little fellows on their leashes so she could pass without trampling them, she growled at me: “You better hurry up!” Her demeanor was reminiscent of the Wicked Witch of the West: “I’ll get you my pretty…and your little dog too!”

Despite a rainy forecast for Sunday, the weather cleared up by 7 a.m. – so we headed for Valley Forge. The Cycling Yogi biked the entire 34 miles. I drove the first (and last) 7 miles and then biked the 20-mile round-trip flat section of the Schuylkill River Trail. The Cycling Yogi’s such a stud…he arrived at our rendezvous spot on bike just minutes after I got there by car (and on the way home – he beat me back!) The temperature in the low 50s was just right; we stopped at Valley Forge Park for a snack, and headed home with just the barest few sprinkles of rain upon us.

I figured I would close out 2014 with a New Year’s Eve day bike commute to work. Despite the sub-freezing temperatures, I managed to work up a sweat. I don’t know if it was the colder temperature or the lighter-than-usual traffic, but I shaved 5 minutes off my normal commute time. Got home to find my "coffeeneuring" patch in the mail and am contemplating where to place it on my bike trailer.

Looking forward to another fine cycling year ahead…happy new year!

Biopace - Guest Blog from the Cycling Yogi

I was blessed that Biking Yogini bought me a brand, spanking new bike last month, vintage 1990 from Arlington’s Old Bike Shop.  It was a replacement for a bike stolen from in front of her office on my previous visit.  Truth to tell, I never really felt good on it, and was not sorry to see it go.  But I liked the new old bike from the first.  It’s a city bike, straight handle bars and glass-resistant tires, as is my wont.  

The next day I took it on the Capital Crescent trail, ten miles up to Bethesda.  It felt faster, easier to pedal than the bike I’m used to at home in Philadelphia.  I was surpised how zippy it was, but thought it unlikely that that extra energy could come from being on Day 4 of a water fast.

Riding to the train station the following day, I noticed a wobble in the front chainring. not left-to-right, but forward and backward.  Looking down, I could see the chain moves slightly out and in with each rotation.  An elliptical chain ring!  Maybe that’s why it felt so zippy.

After I got home, I googled “elliptical chain ring” to see what I could learn.  Here’s the story:

Early in the history of velo-sport, enthusiasts had the idea that the portion of the pedal cycle where feet are at top and bottom is a dead zone where it’s not possible to exert much pressure.  Wouldn’t it be more efficient to design the chain ring to move quickly and easily through that part of the cycle, and provide extra resistance for the downward thrust?  Thus was born the elliptical chain ring.  The long diameter of the ellipse is perpendicular to the pedal arms.

But in practice, cyclists never liked them very much.  They felt harder to pedal, not easier.  In time trials, they didn’t seem to improve pedaling efficiency.  And, worst of all, they seemed to be associated with injuries.  There was a characteristic whiplash of the knee that came from the quick reversal of direction at the bottom of each pedal stroke.

Through the years, the elliptical rings were brought back by different companies in different variations.  Later models were less extreme, closer to circular, but they never caught on.  The old knee problems persisted.

The late 1980s were the dawn of computer-aided design, and innovative engineers at Shimano in Japan took up the problem and determined to do it right.  Their curiosity was sparked by the persistent finding that cyclists preferred round chain rings to elliptical, and they thought: maybe a reversed ellipse would be even better.  What would happen if we rotated the ellipse 90 degrees, so there is increased resistance in the “dead zone”?

The best thing they did was to keep an open mind.  They tried lots of different ring shapes with lots of different cyclists.  They asked for subjective impressions, and also measured performance in long rides and in sprints.  Out of their research came the Biopace chain ring.  The widest part of the ellipse is almost aligned with the pedal arms, rotated about 80o compared to the version that had failed repeatedly.  

The Biopace was an engineering success, but a marketing fiasco.  The literature was over-hyped and over-explained.  Too much information.  There were no knee injuries, but Biopace never caught on, and in 1994, Shimano stopped producing them.

I was home in Philadelphia, away from my beloved new bike, but I emailed Yogini and asked her whether the wide part of the ellipse was aligned with the pedal arms or perpendicular.  She sent me a photo that confirmed my suspicion that I had been riding Biopace.

I wondered if I could retrofit my Philadelphia bike?

Though Biopace hasn’t been manuractured in 20 years, there is an aftermarket on Ebay.  I counted the teeth of the large and middle chain rings on my Astral 700.  52-40.  I found a set of chain rings that matched close enough at 52-42, and from the picture, the 5-point mounting looked to be compatible with what I had.  I lost the first bid, but I was the only one bidding on the second.  They arrived a few days later, $16 included postage.  

I have never monkeyed with a front chain ring before, but I thought I’d try to install it myself.  It took an hour and got me thoroughly greasy.  5 Allen lugs for each of the two rings.  The hard part was that the Allen lugs fit just barely between the teeth of the next smaller chain ring, and each one took some wiggling and jiggling to get it into the hole.  The front derailleur had to be moved ¼" higher because it rubbed against the chain when the ring reached its widest point.  I attempted this on my own, but must confess I took the bike into the shop for final adjustment, to keep the derailleur from rubbing.

It works.  I have two zippy bikes, with brand spanking new 20-year-old chain rings.

2014 Coffeeneuring Roundup – 74.5 Miles Total

I completed my rides early, taking advantage of the lovely October weather and trips to NY and CA. I love being able to bike in cities away from home, and this year’s standout was my first journey – to Box Kite in NYC. Photos and commentary are on three previous blog posts, but here are dates, locations and distances:

Oct. 4: Box Kite (NYC) – 4 miles

Oct. 5: Filicori Zecchini (NYC) – 2 miles

Oct. 12 – Pie Sisters (Georgetown) – 11 miles

Oct. 18 – Busboys & Poets – 17 miles

Oct. 20 – Carmel Coffee Roasters (Carmel, CA) – 12.5 miles (vacation date)

Oct. 24 – Mojo Bicycle Shop and Café (SF) – 5 miles (vacation date)

Oct. 26 – Trader Joe’s (Arlington) – 8 miles

And, even though those seven trips would be sufficient, to complete the coffeeneuring challenge, I couldn’t resist another couple rides:

November 1, 2014

After a bit of Halloween candy indulgence, and with cold rain in the forecast, I decided to venture out on the early side in search of a new coffee venue. One day last week, as bike and I were headed home on the bus from Rosslyn, I spied a new-to-me coffee shop, Bean Good, right next door to the Rosslyn branch of the D.C. icon: Ben’s Chili Bowl.

I took the city route, correctly predicting that there would be little traffic. With a base layer of smartwool, a wind-resistant outer layer, wool socks, balaclava, and full-finger gloves, I was dressed for the weather. I’m always happy to find the right combination of cold weather and clothing. It’s a fine art to balance the layers needed to avoid discomfort without overdoing it and ending up sweaty.

The “coffee bar” was surprisingly spacious, with a full array of pastries and such and a whole wall of wine to go – if that’s your thing. I ordered a one-shot macchiato, got a double (strangely in a paper cup – even though I was staying to drink it). It was a bit sour for my taste and required extra additions of milk. But the shop was doing a brisk business, so the locals must like it – despite its lack of a bike rack.

 Fueled by my double shot – I breezed home in no time, glad to have had an energetic start to my day.

Total distance: 10 miles.

November 15, 2014

 Yesterday the challenge was to get into gear for the real cold. My I-phone registered 34 degrees, but once I suited up properly the ride was actually quite pleasant. First stop was Pilates and then, on the way home, I got free coffee at the Heidelberg bakery, where I’d stopped for a loaf of my favorite 3-seed bread. It really doesn’t count as coffee, but being able to add it to my list helped motivate me to get out on the bike. For pretzel fans, Heidelberg featured pretzel bread and huge pretzels, the size of pizzas.

Total distance: 5 miles

And with that, I complete my official coffeeneuring for another year. I had intended to ride into DC one Sunday to try the Ethiopian coffee ceremony, but that will have to wait for another time.

California Coffeeneuring - A Vacation Adventure

October 20, 2014

The lengths a crazy bike enthusiast will go to to enhance her coffeeneuring challenge may surprise some readers. But is not the spirit of the challenge to encourage riders to try new things and pursue adventure on two wheels?

I flew to San Francisco on Sunday and drove with the Cycling Yogi to Monterey for a visit with his 92-year-old mother. She lives in Pebble Beach, just off one of the country's most magnificent roads: 17 Mile Drive. His mom borrowed a bike for me, and the Cycling Yogi already had a vintage Schwinn in her garage (see his guest blog, posted 9-23-14).

So on Monday afternoon we rode from her house to Carmel, where I had found the Carmel Coffee House and Roasting Company, boasting the area's best coffee. But I hardly needed an incentive to ride the hills along the ocean, stopping to see (and hear) the seals on Seal Rock, to take in crashing waves and windswept pines, and to glimpse a red headed woodpecker. The hilly terrain was enjoyable because every up had a down...none too extreme...well, almost none.

The least favorite part was the last mile or so, which became very trafficky. Once we entered Carmel, I had to walk my bike up the few steep blocks to the coffee shop, where I enjoyed an iced mocha (with just a bit of whipped cream), having worked up quite a sweat - even in the high-60s temperature. On the long stretch down into Carmel, I correctly predicted that I'd have to walk back up, but the rest of the return was smooth pedaling, taking the slightly shorter inland route...still beautiful.

Total distance: 12.5 miles

October 24, 2014

On Wednesday, after a day hiking in Pinnacles National Park, we returned to San Francisco, where I had a few days of work, followed by a mini-vacation continuation. I had two goals for my first-time SF bike experience...to try the Bay Area Bikeshare, and to ride "the wiggle" - an east-west route that avoids climbing the hills for which SF is so famous.

I had checked out a Bikeshare the previous afternoon to get a preview. My big mistake was making my foray during downtown rush hour. It was one of the first times I concluded that I would rather have walked than biked. How sad is that? To its credit, the SF bike shares have 7 gears (most cities have only 3) and they proved adequate for the hills I tackled on my first ride. The challenge was going up hills punctuated every block by traffic lights. I'm used to climbing my biggest hills on bike paths...not having to stop and start. Hats off to SF cyclists who are up to stop-and-go hill climbs!

In the large public parking garage near the Moscone Center, I happened to spy protected bike parking. If you have a fancy bike, the very modest 5-cents-per-hour charge for a locker seems like a good investment.

San Francisco has one of the highest cycling and bike commuting rates in the nation. This astonishes me, not only because of the terrain, but because of the grossly inadequate infrastructure. In my brief experience,  I observed sharrows on busy streets and almost no dedicated lanes. Traffic is clogged and drivers are aggressive and impatient. A big problem with the Bikeshare system is that it only operates in a tiny section of the city, so it's hard to find docking stations close to one's desired destination. After my first short ride, I docked and walked, which took me past the fanciest upscale coffee boutique I've ever seen: Nespresso. I took a photo, but was turned off by its sleek glamour, and was not in the mood for a $5+ coffee.

The next day, in the dark of early morning, the Cycling Yogi and I walked from our SoMa hotel to the Coit Tower, where I captured the sunrise over the bay and we got some private instruction in Qi Gong and Tai Chi from a local practitioner. It helps that the CY speaks Chinese! From there we walked down the Filbert Steps, where we nabbed the last two bikeshares in the nearest dock. We rode along the Embarcadero, which had the skinniest bike lane I've ever seen...proving that you can be too thin...certainly if you're a bike lane!

But the coffeeneuring trip was scheduled for the afternoon. We rode down Market Street to where the wiggle begins - behind the Safeway at Duboce Park. On our way, I chatted up a nice young cyclist as we made our way out of the busiest section of Market St., and he told us there would be a dedicated lane and less traffic soon. Even once we got to the wiggle, there was a lot of traffic, but indeed, the route was quite level, despite steep hills all around us. The route was clearly marked with green bike sharrows, painted at close intervals on the roads. Cute little "bike highway 30" signs also were posted frequently.

 We ended at the panhandle of Golden Gate Park. Had we not been on bike shares, which charge up the wazoo for rides over 30 minutes, the park would surely have provided a nicer place to pedal.

But we turned around to stop at Mojo Bicycle Shop and Cafe for our liquid refreshment...just a few short blocks (and one modest hill) off the wiggle. Bringing our bikes inside was no problem, and I ordered an iced Thai Tea - a slightly sweet, rather orange-tinged, cream-laced concoction, which provided a tasty and refreshing treat.

The Cycling Yogi did not enjoy the SF bike infrastructure, noting that he feels much safer riding in his home town of Philadelphia, or in my DC/Arlington area. I'd have to concur. In addition, I had numerous glitches with docking station malfunctions. After returning my bike, I repeatedly got text messages exhorting me to return my overdue bike. I'm now BFFs with the consistently friendly and helpful customer service staff at Bay Area Bikeshare, who repeatedly checked their computers and promised to remove any overdue charges from my credit card. Also, the CY informed me that the Bikeshare seats were not scrotum-friendly...something I am incapable of evaluating on my own.

But all-in-all, I enjoyed getting to know the Golden Gate city by bike. The weather was glorious, and I got to coffeeneur on a Friday, since I will be flying back home all day Saturday.

Total distance: 5 miles

October 26, 2014

This morning required a quick adjustment to East coast time, as I had to get to the yoga studio by 9 a.m. to teach my two Sunday morning classes. With the beautiful October weather, I added some "errandaneeing" to my coffeeneuring. From yoga I cycled to Clarendon, where I was picking up a new set of glasses, then on to Trader Joe's for a pound of coffee and some tea. I try to avoid the big chain stores for my coffeeneuring adventures, but my home supply of beans was not going to last the week and TJ's was on the way home. I selected an organic, fair trade, blend. I added some extra hills to make stops at the ATM and post office before returning home for lunch and preparations for my return to work.

Total distance: 8 miles