More on bikes

So much happening these days. Planted my garden early this morning, CFL challenge in full swing and I signed up to be a block leader, and now that the weather has turned nice I am back on two wheels.

One great thing about my bicycle is that a few years ago I invested in two metal fold-out carry baskets which hang off the back sides of my bike. They are super easy to use, fold in and out for when I need them or not, and all my "stuff" fits in them - my purse, my carry bag with calendar and notebook, and my computer bag.

I am really trying to ride whenever I can. I was tempted yesterday to drive my car, especially since it was a hot day and I had meetings both downtown and the westside. Instead, I packed a change of shoes (professional look), my water bottle and lunch, filled the two carriers with all my stuff and made my way downtown.

A few weeks ago I noticed that the 'summer' traffic in Saratoga seemed to be picking up. If you've not experienced the joys of getting on your bike and getting around town faster than most cars, I encourage you to try it. I travel side streets and less travelled roads when I can, but I'm also becoming more comfortable with riding in downtown traffic and doing what cyclists call 'taking the lane.' This means riding in the middle of the road as if a vehicle. If traffic is slow enough, it's actually better than vehicles trying to get around you on narrow double-lane roads.

Since May is Bike Month, there's been a lot of bicycle-focused events and activities. Saratoga Healthy Transportation Network's Bike to Work Day last Friday was a great success, with over 200 participants. Below is a video from fellow bike commuter Dave Levesque, recording his bike commute into town that day.


I'm also posting a really cool video of bicycle commuters in the city of Utrecht, the 4th largest city in the Netherlands. I have good friends who live in the Netherlands. When I visited them a few years back, their only mode of transportation was 2 bikes, foot, bus and tram. They raised two young children without a vehicle. Each bike is fitted with a child seat on the front and back, and two paniers on the back. I can write from experience, these are hefty bikes. You have to be in pretty good shape to bike with two small kids and groceries in your paniers. But, they did it. It's difficult to describe what it's really like living in a community where bicyclists and pedestrians have the right of way and transportation planning for automobiles is secondary. Here is the video of a typical morning commute in Utrecht (via a Facebook posting by a friend in Albany.) Enjoy and be inspired!