Uncategorized

Austin Bike News Roundup for February 4, 2019

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 1 Comment

It’s hard to follow up my profile of the amazing Dena Kinate.  If you missed it, you should go read it right now then come back.  But I’m going to try.  What comes to mind are miscellaneous bits of information about biking news.  I’ll try to make it interesting for those who aren’t in Austin, but no guarantees.  (That’s not an invitation to move here like 150 people do a day — or some crazy number like that.)

Anthony “Tony” John Diaz. Source: Change.org petition
Change.org petition

The Aftermath of Bike Fatality #1 of 2019

I hoped there might be more of an update about the cyclist killed last week.  He was identified as Anthony “Tony” John Diaz, a nice guy who worked at a TV station.  The only other update is news reports from witnesses that the bus driver was said to be speeding up and slowing down and generally acting erratically.  Drug tests and more information will take a while.   There’s also a petition to put a white ghost bike white ghost bike where he died, but the University of Texas threatens to enforce their policy to remove abandoned bikes. And amazingly, his aunt was quoted as saying she forgave the bus driver.

Another Bike Shop Bites the Dust

performance bicyclesI was planning on a story about Performance Bicycles which closed its North Austin store due to bankruptcy of its parent company, Advanced Sports Enterprises.  That link says 40 of the 104 stores would be closing.  The south store appears to be open still, for the moment.

However, that happened two days earlier than advertised, so I missed the chance to go take pictures and talk to staff.  Anyway, hopefully brands like Fuji will survive.  That’s the maker of my now reitred Silhouette named Sookie.  We traveled together about 13,000 miles since summer of 2015.  Here is where you can (and must!) read my “interview” with Sookie.  Austin is lousy with bike shops, though.  Fortunately, the head of the Performance repair department has been swept up by one of my favorite stores, Sun & Ski Sports,

Bike Austin:  Rising from the Ashes

I’m not at liberty to say much about what Bike Austin is up to, mostly because it’s not much, and I wasn’t at the last meeting.  But I was at a previous one, at which two dozen of notable Austin cycling advocates got together.  The call was for an initial group of volunteers to join the four remaining board members to try to reinvigorate the organization.  After a number of setbacks and the departure of all its staff, the decision needed to be made:  Do we continue the organization?  And if so, how?

Bike to Work Day 2019 BA FB
811 people are interested, 200+ going — that’s pretty good! Source:  Bike Austin Facebook page

Fortunately, enough people feel strongly that Austin deserves and needs a strong organization to advocate for safety for cyclists.  The plan is to do it as volunteers for now.  I hope to be involved as time allows.  But it’s encouraging to see that while the website is out of date, the Facebook page is advertising Bike to Work Day. 

So, mark your calendars for Friday, May 17, 2019.  The day is usually observed by having numerous stations around town with donated drinks and snacks for bike commuters.  There’s also a contest for those who can visit the most stations, collecting stamps, with a party and prizes afterward.  I volunteered with the afterparty last year and had alot of fun.  Let’s hope it happens this year, too.

Biking Slower, but I’m Still Going

The massses aren’t exactly clamoring for my own personal news, but I’m including my training log for the last 35 days just for fun.  I had a slowdown this week.  Tomorrow I see a doctor and maybe he’ll have some idea why this seems to have been going on for some time now.  Sure, I’m averaging 105.5 miles/week, but it’s been taking me a longer period of time for a while.  Some of that is due to the winter cold, wind and rain.  Part of it was a pretty strong cedar fever reaction that turned into a chest cold and sinus congestion if not infection, the last vestiges of which (I hope) I’m still fighting off.  There’s also that big-boned bike gal named Sophie who is er, slower than the more svelt Sookie who as mentioned is now retired due to a crack.  Saturday, I slept for over 10 hours, but last night I was back to my old tricks of burning the candle at both ends  Maybe there’s just a sleep deficit that will take time to correct.  And with no rest days off the bike since December 25th, I am due for some serious rest and relaxation.  But I have places to go and things to do, and so there’s no rest for the wicked.  Speaking of sleep, good night!

Strava training log 010119-020319
A Dude Abikes’ training log on Strava

Thank you for visiting me on WordPress or www.ADudeAbikes.com.  Feel free to add your Likes and Comments and to Follow the blog through WordPress if you have it, or by email.  Contact me on the About page with any questions.  Please feel free to Re-blog and Share as long as you give credit and the permalink to this post.

© 2015-19 A Dude Abikes. All rights reserved.

ADAB Profile #2: Dena Kinate — This Wild Horse Just Wants to Roam Free (Part 1)

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 5 Comments

She walked onto the patio like she was walking off her yacht.  I was waiting for her at the back of a coffee house overlooking Lake Travis.  It was a rainy, lazy day, and she had texted to tell me that she had just awakened from a nap and was running a little late.  Dena was sporting a long mane of naturally curly hair (never combed except in the shower), brown with blond highlights), a plaid shirt with a few buttons undone, short shorts and canvas shoes.  She gave a cute, shy little wave and then came around to the picnic table to give me a polite but gentle hug.  Thus began a fascinating interview, series of calls, texts, emails and a photo shoot that would lead to this profile.

Continue reading →

Austin Bicyclist Death 2019 #1: Anthony John Diaz, Run Over by a City Bus

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 10 Comments

I’m sitting outside a 7-11 late on a Wednesday, just down the street from the huge football stadium on the University of Texas campus. It’s where a cyclist, aged 39, with a helmet and lights on both the front and back of his bike, was hit, dragged under and trapped by a Capital Metro bus Monday night. It was there that he died. I just learned about this horrible tragedy tonight, and so I biked over here – a place I ride by regularly. I’m mad and sad, yet relieved it was not me. Because it could have been me. That doesn’t help Anthony, his friends, family and others who knew him. Continue reading →

Mmm… A Melange of Musings on Monday

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 3 Comments

Sometimes there’s no one theme that presents itself for a post.  Instead, a mixture of many motifs manifests.  (Alliteration apparently attracts A Dude. )  I’ve noticed myself thinking about three main topics:   1) creativity, especially the art of writing, and the necessity of commerce; 2) all the bicycling I do (and to a lesser extent, walking and yoga), and 3) issues about nutrition and health.  Of course I also consider weightier things like the temporary end of the federal government shutdown, the sad passing of a former neighbor, and the goings on in the lives of friends, family and my town.  So I’m gonna touch on the three themes, and perhaps we’ll stumble upon some insight or wisdom useful to you.  But sometimes, a blog is just a web log of what’s going on, and its not going to change your life.  To quote the farmer in the movie Babe, “That’ll do, pig.  That’ll do. Continue reading →

14 Years Not a Slave to Cars

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 9 Comments

In what’s become an annual post, now for the fourth year in a row, I am obligated contractually (by Mother Earth) to inform you that I am still carless.  Losing my car on January 25, 2005 was not my choice.  Continuing to do without one has been.  What does it all mean?  Well, I mostly bike (4,554 miles in 2018, to be exact).  I also walk to get around, though that’s more for exercise, 30′ a day.  I have also used the bus, ridden in friends’ cars, and twice last year I borrowed cars for extended periods.  So while I’m not 100% internal combustion engine-free, I still do not own a car.  I don’t want a medal, but I do think it’s an important accomplishment worth blogging about.  Thanks for reading.

Continue reading →

Some of the Bike Blogs I Follow – Part 2

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 3 Comments

After a couple of posts about creativity, I’m casting about for a topic more about my main theme of bicycling.  So, I thought I might talk about my free visit to a registered dietitian today.  But I can summarize that in four words:  less sugar, more vegetables.  OK, so that topic is deadly boring as cold toast.  And toast is something I gave up with all the processed grains last year, to no visible effect whatsoever in terms of weight loss, energy (actually it’s lower), or ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound.  Next! Continue reading →

Thoughts on Melissa McCarthy’s Movie About a Writer’s Struggle to Succeed

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 3 Comments

It’s the opposite of my last post about being inspired by creative people. The recent Melissa McCarthy movie “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” paints a bleak picture of a lonely, struggling writer who turns to forgery to pay her bills.  McCarthy was nominated for a Golden Globe for her moving portrayal of one author’s quest for respect and success.  It’s difficult to write about a movie without spoilers, but I’ll try.  This isn’t a review so much as some thoughts about the difficulties for writers to be creative and stay true to their vision while dealing with the realities of commerce.  This is a theme I often struggle with as I continue to blog and write my book without any compensation in sight.  A review in Town and Country was titled “Can You Ever Forgive Me Is the Funny-Smart-Sad Crime Caper You’ve Been Waiting For”  .  By the way, it’s based on a true story.

Continue reading →

Finding Your Muse: How Being Around Other Creative People Helps You Create

~ A Dude Abikes

Last night I attended my first Third Thursday free event held by the Texas Writers League.  I’d heard of the League, but it took me hearing their director Michael Nolin speak and also met him at another event, the One Page Salon, to get me to a TWL event.  After the panel, I went to a book release party for OPS host Owen Egerton, who has helped inspired me to keep on writing and to call myself a writer.  At the latter event I met a couple involved in the Austin film industry, and had a good long conversation with them about their art.  And then a fellow blogger made a really heartfelt comment about a recent post of mine.  A day later I still find myself energized by this synchronicity.  So I gotta write about it.

Continue reading →

A Dude Abikes in the News!: One Year Later…

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 8 Comments

…I’m Still Ready for My Close-Up

That’s right, A Dude Abikes was featured in the local newspaper.  I blogged about it on January 15, 2018, and since it’s exactly a year later today, it seems appropriate to remind older readers, new followers and visitors, too.  The blog is titled “Read All About It!  A Dude Abikes Featured in the Austin American-Statesman.”  While it did not catapult me to stardom or anything, I thought it was a pretty decent write-up.  It was by the now former reporter and author of the Fit City blog, Pam LeBlanc.  (She continues to write about her travel and fitness adventures at this link.)  In the year since that post came out, I have continued on my own journey.  Please click on through to read more!

Continue reading →

Austin, Texas Weekend Bike News: Around the Town

~ A Dude Abikes ~ Leave a comment

A Visitor of Some Renown

Dr Lugo in town.png

Dr. Adonia E. Lugo, (maybe I’ll call her Doctor Wheelgood), who is Affiliate Faculty in Urban Sustainability at Antioch University Los Angeles, was here in Austin for the Imagine Austin Speaker Series.  Her talk was called, “Mobility Justice: People Power & the Future of Urban Transportation.”   Those in attendance said it was quite good.  I wouldn’t know.

That’s because unfortunately, I didn’t hear about it until after the fact, which really bummed me out.  A guy who knew about it said he was sure I was the one who told him — until he noticed I wasn’t there.  Well, duh!  I actually blogged about her recently in The Invisible Or Utility Bicyclist An Ignored Population.  In it I reference her book (which I need to get and read and review here).  It’s called  Bicycle/Race: Transportation, Culture, & Resistance, a memoir about racial justice and sustainable transportation.  The good news is that her talk was recorded on video and will be forthcoming at this City of Austin link. Continue reading →