3 People I Saw Within 6 Miles on 1 Bike Ride

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 4 Comments

I ran into three people I know in the span of six miles while riding my bike last evening. What are the chances of that, especially with many people staying home because of you, know, the thing? Well, I’ve been in Austin, Texas for 20 years and 16 days. So I have met plenty of people in that time. These three encounters got me to thinking about acquaintances, friends, colleagues, bona fides – in short, the other humans who comprise my community. At a time when the fabric of society is being shredded, while some people sew face masks, what does it mean to be homo sapiens? As George Costanza put it in a Seinfeld episode, “We’re living in a society, here!”

The first in my trio of random encounters was with a fellow volunteer with Bike Austin, who lives around here somewhere. She was a follower of this blog and may still be. It was nice to see her out on a bike ride with a mask, which like mine was down since we were far enough apart. She asked how I was and I asked her the same; she’s well, doing her job, but from home. We parted and wished each other well.

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Cyclist Concocts Clever Coronavirus Comedy

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 2 Comments

While we while away the days in semi-sheltered states during the worldwide whirlwind of a punishing pandemic, A Dude is still doing his daily walking, biking, yogaing, and writing, which take hours and are a lot of work that I’m not being compensated for. I’m waiting for work or illness to begin (hopefully not the latter). So while there’s not a lot going on regarding all my daily habits and activities, except that I keep doing them. they do all relate to the one topic at the top of everyone’s mind: health. “Laughter is the best medicine,” it’s said. To which I add, “…except for real medicine.”

I’m not a doctor, but some people have said that I’m funny. So here are some attempts at making you laugh, chuckle, guffaw, smile or yuk it up. You can read my previous attempts here, here and here, This is best read aloud in front of a crowd of semi-drunk people. If it’s just you, and you are allowed to have a few adult beverages, then you can read this in front of a mirror for a similar effect to a comedy club. I own my own comedy club, actually. It’s a bat with the words “Ha Ha Ha!” written on them. Just kidding. Let’s proceed.

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But I Would Bike 500 Miles, And I Would Bike 500 More

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 6 Comments

Does it surprise you that I’m still riding my bicycle around 17 miles a day, which totals 500 for the month? It surprises me a little, even though I’m the one who decided to “make it so.” That’s because it’s a lot of effing work. Like most everyone, I’m having to deal with how our long international nightmare is impacting life. And a big part of my life is bicycling. I also had to move residences mostly by myself, have been having knee pain, had a fall and although minor the road rash just finally healed, and I am not exactly sleeping better these days. Somehow I just can’t give up the biking habit — at least not yet. So another 500 miles in the bag, for over 2,000 for the year. Not bad.

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Some Interesting and Cool $#!& I Saw or Learned Today

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 6 Comments

Sometimes there’s not much on the main topic of this blog — bicycling — to write about. Fortunately, there’s no law requiring that. I’ve diverged into all kinds of posts: book, TV and movie reviews; a few original poems and puns; political rants; spiritual topics; imaginary interviews with my bike Sophie the Fairdale; profiles of other bike riders; conversations with writers; posts with mostly photographs; nutrition; walking; yoga; and writing itself. Probably a few other things, too.

Now I’m trying something new, a bit stream of consciousness. Trigger alert: I used a bad word in the title, but you already know that. I’ll repeat it for shits and giggles. Because somewhere, if someone giggles too hard, they also have the shits. Anyway, it’s about some interesting and cool shit I saw or learned today. I hope you enjoy it. We’ll start with a bicycle fact anyway.

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Moving A Dude’s Abode and Body: A Buddhist View

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 11 Comments

It was moving day. Again. Or days, rather, because who would I ask to help in these times? As a perpetually underpaid and underemployed renter in high-priced Austin, Texas, when my lease is up, it’s time to move on. And these days have been hot ones, too. On the thermometer it was 93 — tying the record. With high humidity it felt much hotter, 101, which is a lot for early May. The average high is 10 degrees cooler, at 89. I feel both the burns, from sun and in the muscles. But importantly, I still got some stuff moved. And moving my abode and my body as much as I do are worth some rumination.

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510 Miles Biked in April & 2,012 in the First Third of 2020

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 17 Comments

Another month, another milestone. My bicycling has been a daily affair for some time now, and I’ve kept that streak alive. And that has made keeping my numbers consistently up from last year. I don’t want to leave big numbers to do at the end of 2020, and long rides aren’t a great idea in case of breakdowns or injuries. So I’m out there daily putting up the numbers. As I often do at the end of a month, I like to look at the statistics, so this is what this blog is about. No fake news here! Just A Dude’s journey by bike (non-motorized) through the streets of Austin, Texas.

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I’ll Tell Ya What I’m Watchin’ on My Telly (Part 1)

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 10 Comments

Liike many people during this time of mandated respite I’ve found solace in a program of the filmed entertainments, or two (or ten). When I’m not biking, walking, writing, doing yoga, eating, sleeping, or reading, I enjoy some downtime streaming on the old boob tube, the small screen, the idiot box. I call it my digital storytelling portal. (Not really, I just made that up, but it’s not half bad.) Anyway, I’m appreciate the art — especially the writing — that goes into these shows. Herewith are some of what I’ve been enjoying (sans spoilers).

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The Coronacles of Blarneya, Part I

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 6 Comments

2020 was to be the year of plenty. For me, I was planning for better health, a tolerable job, and a decent and steady place to live. I hoped to create a stronger body, smarter mind, better relationships and improved community. Instead, I’m like everyone else — suffering and struggling through absurd days that seemed unimaginable two months ago (outside of the movies). Wearing masks, cowering in our houses, staying away from people, anxious about what’s next: that is how it is now. Life in the time of COVID-19 can be described by the lesser known, more derogatory use of the word for an Irish town with a famous castle and stone. Parts of me come from somewhere over there in Eire. Point is, it’s a bunch of blarney..

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10 Pros and 10 Cons of Coronavirus Bicycling

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 4 Comments

I cannot remember a lot about the time I think we’ll start calling B.C. — Before Coronavirus. It wasn’t that long ago in late February and early March when times were pretty good, if not care-free amazeballs with wonderment and splendor. We could shake hands, hug people, go to restaurants, and ride our bikes in gangs. Now we’re wearing masks, avoiding each other, eating canned food, growing our hair out and getting cabin fever. Be that as it may, life goes on, but it’s hardly recognizable in many ways. Bicycling is still allowed here in Austin, Texas, fortunately, so during my daily rides I’ve noticed a few things. Well, 20 things, to be exact. So I’ve compiled them into this handy list of the Pros and Cons of Bicycling Through the Pandemapocalypse.

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