Austin, Texas. Just the words call up images in the minds of people who have lived here a long time, the recently arrived, and those dreaming of coming here. I know this because I’ve been all three, obviously in reverse order. I’ll stipulate that we’re much better off than Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and most other cities in the state. This isn’t a comparison with them. But compared to the great bike cities of the world, to which Austin can aspire, we are surely lacking. And Austin sure thinks highly about itself. It’s evident in our slogans — The Live Music Capital of the World, Keep Austin Weird, The People’s Republic of Austin, Silicon Hills, The Third Coast (as if–we’re over 200 miles from the Gulf of Mexico).
Continue readingbiking
Sophie’s Revenge: Meet My New Bicycle Soqi, the Cannondale Quick 4
Faithful readers already know that two years and ten days ago, my Fairdale Weekender Archer I dubbed Sophie (because she was sea foam green and to follow after Sonnie and Sookie) was stolen by a brazen bicycle thief. It was a shock and loss I never really got over. Sophie and I passed 20,000 miles together; through this blog she was known in other countries, and we did some pretty epic rides. She is gone but not forgotten. But keep reading, for the rest… of the story.
Continue reading2023 In Review: I Did Other Stuff Than Bike, Too
In my New Year’s post I covered my year in cycling and a bit about the walking. In this post, I take a closer look at walking and my other daily activities and practices.
Continue reading12 Ways Not to Die on a Bicycle
Death comes as the end of all living beings, be they mammalian, amphibian, reptilian, and avian. To paraphrase a 1972 song that recently got stuck in my head by the band The Main Ingredient, “Everybody plays the ghoul, there’s no exception to the rule.” As my brother says, “Nobody gets out alive.” In this cheery and uplifting post, A Dude Abikes (c’est moi!) shares a few thoughts and a dozen pointers on how people on bikes can remain among the land of the living.
As the subspecies of Homo sapiens who propel themselves around on two-wheeled machines, bicyclists are certainly vulnerable road users and thus susceptible to death by car crash. “In 2021 there were 966 pedalcyclist fatalities, accounting for 2.2 percent of all traffic fatalities that year,” (in the USA). That’s 966 too many, but relatively encouragiing considering the 42,939 people who died total by car crash which includes pedestrians. Another stat says 20% of the cyclists in crashes with cars were drunk. Also, “In 2021 an estimated 41,615 pedalcyclists were injured.” This is according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. However, bicycling is still generally safe if you follow the rules and ride defensively.
So, what does one do to steer clear of the Grim Reaper, to avoid getting into that irreversible and proverbial pickle with that old black-clad creeper with the sickle? These tips are probably not news to most of you who are hard core cyclists, but they bear repeating. These tips are probably not news to most of you who are hard core cyclists, but they bears repeating. (Those two sentences were brought to you by Monty Python’s Department of Redundancy Department. Well, really just the second one, if you want to be precise. And where did the talking bear come from? What’s their story?)
- Know thyself. If you think you’re faster than that car barrelling down the road toward you, and you’re not, you’ll learn this lesson quickly. Be aware of your strengths and weaknesses, and ride within them. If you’re not sure, don’t risk it.
- Be visible. During the day you are more likely to be seen, but there’s also more traffic. At night can be fine with good lights, a safety vest, and brightly colored clothes are all great ways to remain among the not dead (yet), in the land of the living crowd. A very bright headlight that is flashing even during the day can really help you to stand out. Conversely, avoiding all of those things are a good way to get deaded quickly.
- Never trust car drivers to follow the law. Tonight on my daily ride, an idiot was driving a Jeep IN THE PROTECTED BIKE LANE HEAD ON! This happened as I approached an intersection, trying to enter the two-way bike lane HE HAD COMPLETLY BLOCKED. This was with a car right in front of me. Even if they signal or wave you on, watch them like hawks until they pass or you know you’re safe.
- Follow the law. There are plenty of cyclists who flaunt the rules. We’ve all half-stopped or rolled through four-way stop signs when no cars are around. But FFS, don’t go darting across red lights, rie in the opposite direction, fail to signal, and so on because you could die. Be predictable and act like the vehicle you are.
- Wear a helmet. Yes, they’re not perfect, they mess up your hair, and look silly. Try watching this crash test dummy (head only) video on YouTube by Chris Rollins on YouTube. The slow-motion in particular shows the graphic impact of a head hitting the road at 55 mph with a helmet (granted, it’s a motorcycle helmet) versus one without protection. Then go immediately to buy a helmet and wear it 100% of the time you’re bicycling. I once crashed on a shitty sidewalk and hit my helmet, not my head. That’s why I’m here and not dead. Here’s my post titled New Bicycle Helmet Poem, which has a link to a more serious post, Helmet Schelmet: Should You Wear a Brain Bucket on a Bicycle?.
- Plot your route. Ask your local bicycle shop, other bike riders, or even find your city’s bike map if they have one. But when going somewhere new (which is not often, since I’ve been in Austin about 27 years total), I pull up Google Maps, select the Bicycle option to highlight the green or dotted-green paths. These are usually safer ways to go. Usually; you can verify this yourself by looking at the street view to see if there’s a bike lane, a debris-filled narrow shoulder, sidewalk, or nothing. If it’s a commute, and you have a car, you could drive first to find the best way.
- Ride only on trails, sidewalks, and side roads. Depending where you live, you might be able to find shortcuts that take you away from major streets. I often ride sidewalks, especially when there are no bike lanes and traffic is screaming by at 50 miles per hour. Just check your municipality for where it’s legal; in most places, it is fine. Of course you have to pay extra attentiion to vehicles coming out of parking lots, especially if you are goiing against traffic; cars definitely are not looking for you. Then there are curbs, gaps, pedestrians, etc. Trails are great if they go where you want to. Streets are likely inevitable though at some point.
- Be willing to go off the beaten path. Some places are more bicycle-friendly than others, so be prepared for some dirt, mud, grass, and the like. Recently, on a ride in the ‘burbs of a certain large Texas city, I had to do some rough riding in the dirt. Although it could be anywhere, including Austin, it is more common for that area for a sidewalk to simply end. The alternative was biking on the service road of a tollway, so I chose life and stayed away from Death Race 2023 by going slowly over the uneven udeveloped earth.
- ABC — Always Be Checking. Keep your head on a swivel. Look as much ahead, to the sides, and behind you with peripheral vision. Some people opt for rear-view mirrors.
- Eliminate distractions. Never use headphones (bone conduction might be an exception, but still, I don’t), talk on your cell phone, or blast your Bluetooth speaker. These are no-brainers, which your head will bee if you do them and don’t see hear the silent electric vehiclee behind you with a distracted driver as they smash into your clueless body.
- Get an electric bike. I don’t use one (yet) or go out of my way to advocate for them, because it feels like cheating. I call them motorcycles, which they are, technically. And, although I’m a fathlete, I’m trying to not get fatter, so I need the exercise. However, they are less polluting than cars, so I’m not opposed to them whee operated safely. They are risky when ridden by inexperienced riders. But if you can handle them, they will give you extra power going uphill or to get out of the way of cars.
- Ride in a pack. Group rides are generally better especially on rural roads because there is safety in numbers. Unless you get some jackass who plows into your peloton. Vehicles generally will get the point and wait until it’s safe to go around you.
- BONUS: Don’t ride at all. This one makes no sense to me, because not bicycling does not compute. And, no risk, no reward. Not bicycling guarantees you won’t die by riding a bicycle. But if you get around some other way than by bike, those aren’t risk-free either. You could also include riding exclusively on a trainer with this point, because you’re not really riding. However, you could die on on a trainer, especially the kind with rollers, or from a heart attack, or sheer boredom.
I thought about including those newfangled air bags that iniflate from your helmet when it senses a crash, but it’s a product that’s not widely available yet, is expensive, and it won’t keep the rest of your body from being mangled in a crash.
Well, there you have it: a baker’s dozen ways to stay alive on your bicycle. Which is your favorite? What would you add to the list?
Copyright 2023 A Dude Abikes. All rights reserved. Shortlink for this post.
December: The Last Month to Work on Your Goals for This Year
‘Tis the season, it’s that time of year. For some, the hap-hap-happiest. For others, a terrifying hellscape of war, poverty, and all the rest of humanity’s ills. For the fortunate, life goes on without as much suffering. For the able-bodied, it’s the last 31 days to strive toward whatever fitness goals you may have. That includes this dude, for whom it’s time to put the hammer down and finish what he started. (Seriously, why am I holding this hammer?) After the holidays, another new year is looming. When the tidings of comfort and joy, forced capitalist present-buying and the same old songs are over, there will pressure to make another batch of New Years resolutions. With all that is going on in this out of control world, maybe all that one has control over is moving your body, even if it’s in small ways. How have you been moving and grooving yours?
Continue reading4 Years of Consecutive Daily Cycling* + 4,000 Miles Thus Far in 2023
The day after my last post, I hit this milestone of 1,461 days of biking in a row*. That blog was a pretty good one if you missed it: 10/10/2023: What to Do Before a Big Bike Ride. It was prompted by my annual long ride, which I did the next day. The weather was cool and overcast with a little breeze and mist. Then it warmed and cleared up a bit; an almost perfect day for riding. I stuck to my favorite Southern Walnut Creek Trail again like last year’s ride, which was delayed a few weeks due to illness. Though the trail was not totally empty of the humans, it often felt that way. Because I had followed (most of) my own advice in the above post, it was a good ride, and I could have kept riding another 15-20 miles, but I stuck to my goal of 58. Naturally, I was kinda bushed, but I had managed it again for the eighth year. One small step for humans, one giant ride for moi.
Over the next few days I took it easy, and over a week later, I’m back to my usual around 15-20 miles a day. Four years every day is a pretty big deal, but it went by with no fanfare. By now, the daily riding is an habit. Unless illness, injury, or death happen, I figure I may as well keep the streak going. Especially since the media and sometimes people constantly remind me that I don’t match their ideal or preferred shape and body weight. Doing less over the summer plus stress added pounds. Slowing down, riding less, and doing other things more, especially making the filthy lucre needed to survive unafforable Austin, make sense. But as David Byrne and Talking Heads told us, “We’ve got to stop, stop making sense.” It sure seeems like there’s more senselessness out there in the real world, e.g. the US Congress and the MidEast.
So, news flash: Rome is burning (has it ever not been aflame?). Meanwhile, A Dude is biking, entering year five of this daily pedal, from one mile in the snow and ice or when sick, to 58. Every ride is the same, and it’s also different. A road less traveled, a new street taken for the first time, changing seasons, sights, sounds and smells. A pack of Volkswagen Beetles meeting up at the Top Notch Burgers passed me the other day; today I saw a dog with blue ski glasses on (the owner said it was to protect her eyes which just had drops put in them). The friend with the titanium freshly installed in his shoulder told me, “Every ride could be your last in Austin.” He’s got a newfound apprecation for life, thanks to the hit and run he survived with some scratches and a new collarbone. But he’s going to get back on the horse to bike to and from work soon as his doctor approves. Like the old Timex watch commercials, we “take a licking but keep on ticking.”
I finished the book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth recently. Even star athletes and others at the top of their game got their not by some mystical gift called talent. They found methods to do their best. We can do the same in our chosen (or even unchosen) arenas. They put in the work. They–and we–may also embody the notion: “Live every day like your hair is on fire.” It’s a quote that comes from several different Buddhist sources. Sounds painful. To simultaneously have urgency and equanimity seems difficult. (Especially if you don’t meditate regularly; I wish I could.) But if you have passion and perseverance, they will take you far. In some cases, literally. Like 4,000 miles this year for me.
Is that enough? I try to imagine not biking and cannot. Why would I quit? Trying to imagine it produces a different kind of emotion, something that would baffle me and at least feel like it hurt psychically, a subtle form of torture even. Not bike? It does not compute. Or is it too much? I’ve asked several doctors of late if they think I’m overexercising; none have said yes. Instead, they all encourage me to keep doing it. One may have said “If you get tired, ride less.” If I did’t exercise when I’m tired I would never do it. I do rest, just not enough, even though I try. Sometimes the body and brain simply require me to do lower mileage days, so I comply. “Ride less” seems logical to a point, but to this overweight an aging dude, mostly it sounds ridiculous. I recently read William Shatner’s book Leonard. Spock, as played by Leonard Nimoy, would not approve. It’s a conudrum to which he would say: “Fascinating!”
What are the positives of all this riding? Well, I’m so glad you asked! I’ll tell you. A daily ride takes the guesswork out of knowing if I’m exercising (on top of my daily walk and much longer streak of practicing yoga every day). My resting heart rate is lower than my age… and it’s been going down even more lately. That’s just one of the health benefits of exercise. There’s also: Vitamin D (when I am out in the sun–with hat and sunscreen), the feel good hormones, weight loss or at least maintenance, building muscles and lung capacity, being out in nature, seeing cool shit, meeting interesting people, being part of the community (what are called the social determinants of health), improved balance and coordination, increased brain stimulation, more self-confidence, having fun. The list certainly goes on.
Maybe my streak will end tomorrow. I would be pissed but probably also feel a little relieved. Besides, it has *not been verified by the Guiness Book of World Records (or anyone else, for that matter). But hey, check my Strava statistics. So I’ll do me, and you do you. Ride your damn bike, or not. Do whatever it is that you do to keep your mind and body somewhat healthy in this often very unhealthy world. As former folk singer and Unitarian Universalist minister Fred Small once sang, “We’re all just temporarily able-bodied.” Death comes as the end for us all. Let’s just hope it’s not today.
Take it from me: If the day ends in “y,” it’s a good day for a bike ride.
Copyright 2023 A Dude Abikes. All rights reserved. Shortlink to this post.
10/1/2023: Third Quarterly Report of My Bicycling Strava Stats
I’m not religious, but Halle-freakin’-Berry! Or lujah, or whatever. The record high heat has finally peaked in Central Texas. We had 80 days of 100 degrees or more this summer, and the average highs were higher than ever. Weather patterns mixed with global warming definitely made it a miserable time. The good news is that the triple-digit days are over for a while. Fortunately, this week we’ll be getting some much needed rain and sustained highs in the 80’s for the first time in four months. Weather is definitely a major factor that influences one’s bicycle-riding. Adn let me tell you there were a lot of nights full of sweat, suffering, and struggle. Nevertheless, your dude A Dude Abikes has somehow persisted to pedal.
September in Texas is still pretty hot. Avoiding the sun’s harmful UV rays is more important than ever. One thing that has helped me do that is going to the gym and using the indoor trainer aka stationary bike. I was required to change abodes (move) again, but at least I’m nearer to the gym for a little while. The trainer is boring as heck, like watching a drill making a tunnel, but the air conditioning, fans, and watching videos make it tolerable. There are no hills, just a knob to adjust the resistance, but also no trafffic or getting slowed down by riding sidewalks. Instead of my usual 10-11 mph, I’ll get to 13-14. I always feel like I’m cheating, except I know I’m not, because I sweat like a CEO at a Congressional hearing.
In July and August I rode 407 and 406 miles minus about 40 miles walking each. I did pretty well to make up for the hot months by totalling 596.9 miles in September (again, subtract 40 in walks). That’s a pretty substantial increase. Lower temperatures certainly helped, although I still do most of my riding at night, and it can still be in the 90’s “real feel” temperature counting the humidity.
Another help was the loss of some weight. I’d put on some pounds for several reasons: avoiding the heat meant less exercising and being inside with the air conditioning meant food was nearby. Food is fuel… except when it isn’t. Being a fathlete (fat athlete) is not easy; I do my best to make good dietary choices, but after over five years of that not accomplishing much, I have to remember that genetics, health challenges, and access to high-quality food, also make life challenging. Plus, I had the stress of finding new rental housing in Austin’s exorbitantly priced market and the moving, so stress eating does happen.
Luckily, peer pressure from the new housemate and a smaller place means less late-night cooking. I also have been watching a lot less television by not having a TV in my bedroom and have lost access to several streaming services. I’m still having a salad most nights, but often am not hungry for much else. These are all small, but good things–marginal gains–that hopefully will accrue into better habits and health. It’s not a linear progression, and just like you, I’m a work in progress.
Whether on a trainer or on the streets of Austin, the time and effort that my daily walking, yoga, and especially more bicycling takes is… a lot. I wrote complained about that in my previous post, When You Can’t Get Your Drug of Choice: Bicycling. In fact, in September I exercised for 92 hours, which is over two work weeks. The math is pretty clear: I really should simply quit cycling and get back to work full time. In 2016-17, the first two years of my biking and blogging and journey, I totalled to 10,000 miles on the bike. All but one of those months I was employed full time.
However, we humans are not always rational robotic machines, are we? Also, I suck at math. But there is one formula I’ve seen the last three months which I do fully understad: less exercise = more fat. My weight was up a lot, and after about 200 more miles, it’s back down by almost as much. So while I definitely need to get smarter about time management, I’m not ready to quit. My resting heart rate shot up due to stress, and now it’s down even lower than it was before. And by the way, I just saw my cardiologist and he approves.
In 2020, the first year of The Pandemic, my monthly average was about the same as last month: 550 miles. (Read all about that at A Devil of a Year: 6,666.66 Miles Bicycled…) I’m older now, but it’s nice to know can still throw down and ramp up if I need to. Hopefully, I can keep it up. (“That’s what she said,” according to one Mr. Michael Scott, a paper company manager in President Joe Biden’s hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
So, the first three quarters of 2023 are in the bag. October will bring my big annual ride and four years of consecutive daily cycling (not verified by Guiness–neither the Book of World Records nor the dark Irish stout). Autumn also has more rain and temperatures falling, and then we have the cold of winter. Milder than many sure, but Snowpocalpyse and ice storm power outages could return. If more trainer rides are forecast, so be it. I’ll continue to strive towards my goal of 5,309 miles. Don’t ask me why, that’s just the way it is. And hey, I’m doing my tiny part to reduce my carbon footprint.
How were your first three quarters of cycling or other activities? Feel free to share your thoughts below. Thanks for reading!
Copyright 2023 A Dude Abikes. All rights reserved. Shortlink to this post.
When You Can’t Get Your Drug of Choice: Bicycling
A really nice guy I know was recently riding to work when was the victim of a hit-and-run crash. The driver was at fault and fled the scene in classic cowardly fashion. No cameras or witnesses and the cops could not care any less. My guy’s clavicle was broken, he had some road rash, not to mention his quality of life is severely reduced for at least a couple of months because the sling his arm is in. After a successful surgery permanently implanting a lot of metal into his shoulder, he’s okay, and never had too much pain. He said he’s not in physical pain but he is bummed because bicycling is his drug of choice, and the doctor said he can’t ride for a couple of months. That sucks, because he can’t get his (endorphin) high. What’s a cyclist (runner, swimmer et al.) to do?
Continue readingAustin Bike News Roundup for August 1, 2023
It’s been a while since I did one of these roundups, and since a new month is starting, I figure why not? Like many places around the northern hemisphere, Central Texas is suffering through a record red-hot sweltering summer. We just passed 22 days in a row of temperatures of 100 F or over and are on track for an all-time record of 30 consecutive days. So far this summer we’ve had a total of 41 days in the triple-digits… and counting. It’s enough to make you want to stay inside in the air conditioning.
Which is exactly what the doctor(s) ordered for this dude. So, I’m mostly biking inside on the boring, loud trainer to avoid the soul-sapping sultriness and the very harmful ultraviolet rays. Bicycling may be a solution to pollution, but not if you’re collapsing from heat stroke and getting skin cancer. Don’t do that. I’ve learned the hard way that we need to over-hydrate and slather on that sunscreen. Still, bike news in Austin continues, so here’s a little of that.
New Bike Polo Court
According to the local NBC station KXAN, Austin got a new bike polo court. Thing is, it was exactly on the site of the previous place where bike polo was played. A little like The Who’s “meet the new boss, same as the oldboss.” The Austin Texas Bike Polo Social Club asked for a grant for the City to upgrade it, and that’s what happened.
I’ve been by to watch them players a few times, and it’s entertaining. A special bike like a BMX helps, and you need some excellent bike-handling skills, a willingness to get hurt, although it’s certainly tons safer than street cycling. Abs of steeel don’t hurt. After the games there are celebrations with libations, often the case with cyclists of all stripes.
Here’s a shot from ATXBPSC of Israel Tellez on the old court, who was going to the world championships in 2019.
Battle of the Bike Lanes
While individual short sectoins of road or intersections are still getting improved thanks to the 2016 bond money, there’s stll a ton of dangerous and missing infrstructure. There was going to be an agenda item at a recent City Council meeting on the ATX Walk Bike Roll plan. Axios Austin and others reported on this in relaton to an increase in cyclist deaths (four in 2023) and a lot more pedestrian deaths. Word from an informed source said there was likely going to bee a postponement.
The goal is to build 1,200 miles of lanes, but they are only at around 415 miles. At the rate they get built, something like 50 miles a year, we’ll all be dead before they’re installed. Especially if there’s not enough funding. Or the roads are melting or Texas is under an ocean again due to global warming. I wish them luck, but I’ll file this in the “I’ll believe it when I see it department.
Mamma Jamma Time
The ride to support women with breast cancer took a hit during the pandemic. It has downsized and relocated an hour north to Taylor, Texas. Instead of eight Austin agencies, the proceeds all go to the Big Pink Bus which conducts mammograms for underserved and uninsured women in Central Texas. It’s still a grat cause. I did three of these rides myself. If you’re around and want to ride, register here, or wherever you are, you can donate here.
Bike Texas Annual Member Appreciation Gathering
I don’t have much to do with these folks but I once went to their Cyclists in Suits lobby day, which was kinda fun. Their annual meeting is coming up on September 10, 3-5 pm. It’s a members-only appreciation event. They closed their office and now have a trailer on a lot on Springdale Road, so let’s hope it’s less hot outside. The meeting will include:
- Meet and greet BikeTexas board members, staff, and fellow Texas bicyclists
- Check out their new donor appreciation wall
- Admire their beautiful new mural by our own Faith Schexnayder
- Enjoy beverages, light snacks, and plenty of shade
- Share what’s happening for biking and walking near you
- Hear from folks who are making a difference for Texas bicyclists
Go to this link to register.
Mellow Johnny’s Moving Sale
It’s your last week to save with the MJ’s Moving Sale. The long-time shop owned by Lance Armstrong is moving into a newer building closer to, ironically enough, the Lance Armstrong Bikeway after many years on 400 Nueces Street.
This summer is shaping up to be too hot to pack up EVERYTHING in the shop and move it to their new spot. So they’re having a moving sale with their best prices ever on all in-stock new bikes, clothing, helmets, MJ’s branded gear, sunglasses, and more.
Through August 6 save 10, 20, even 30% on bikes. Every bike is on sale. All accessories purchased with a new bike are also 20% off (normally 15%). All MJ’s branded gear–kits, tees, gloves, socks, bottles, and more–all of it is 30% off. All clothing is 30-40% off. All sunglasses are 30% off. Car racks are 15% off. All helmets are 25% off. And all bags are 30% off.
Shop early for the best selection! Sale prices are for in-store, in stock items only. No special orders. No combining offers or discounts. (For example, no Mellow Bucks on sale items, no club discounts.) Discounts applied at register.
That’s all for this edition. Remember the three Hy’s: Hydrate, Hyde from the Sun, and Hy-Tail it to your indoor trainer.
Copyright 2023. A Dude Abikes. All rights reserved.
7/7/2023: Forget France! Ride The Tour de YOU & Fight Climate Change
It’s July and sunflower season, so that means it’s Tour Time. That is, Le Tour de France, that grueling 3,000-kilometer bike race and tourist advert. Sure, there are two other grand tours: the Giro d’Italia in June and La Vuelta de Espana later in summer. But France is the big dance. I used to be an avid watcher of it, then stopped for a while due to a certain disgraced US rider who was based here in Austin, Texas. I began watching it again, and then stopped again. Mostly because of the huge time suck involved watching andn not knowng many of the new crop of riders. I kinda miss it, but I’m just trying to make sure I get on my own bike every day. The spectacle of the Tour is captivating and the stories are interesting. But what if we got curious and made our own stories more interesting? What if we could find fascination in our short rides to the store, or the commute to work, the weekend jaunts on the trail, and more?
Continue reading
A Dude Abikes 