cycling

Cycling with Sookie and Sophie: The Saga Segues

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 3 Comments

I found a picture of both Sookie and Sophie, my two bikes. (A third bike is elsewhere; that one was ridden pre-blog/Strava.) The photograph was taken at a community event sponsored by Bike Austin that I helped with. It was attended by several dozen people concerned about bike lanes and sidewalks on two busy and dangerous roads and Austin City Councilmember Greg Casar in April of 2017. Why on earth did I have two bikes at the same event? Well, former BA Campaigns Manager Miller Nuttle forgot his bike, so needed to borrow mine. Something inspired me to snap this shot, and I really like it alot. With the recent news about Sookie, the Fuji Silhouette (left) having a fatal crack in her frame, causing me to have to ride Sophie, the Fairdale Weekender Archer all the time, it got me thinking more about my journey. Keep reading to hear more about this passing of the torch.

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Is Voting Revolutionary in This Election Cycle? Biking to Work the Polls in Austin, Texas

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 2 Comments

After riding my bicyle to three different locations over the last seven days in a row to work as a clerk for the county elections office during early voting, I have some observations.  Chief among them is that having a job again is both gratifying and exhausting, kind of fun but kind of annoying.  Another is that Austin is still a place that still has a whole lot of white people in it, especially due the high rents of downtown, which limits some people of color. But where there is diversity, it is quite varied.  Third, for the most part Austinites are a very well-behaved, clever and mellow bunch.

Fourth, voting is one of few times where people of all political stripes come together to exercise their right to participate in democracy, and that’s a beautiful thing whether you agree with voting or not.  And a fifth is that while voting is something that some people deride, some ignore, and others celebrate, it’s still a fascinating experience to be part of the process.  There are more things you might learn as I did if you just click on that little Continue Reading button.  It’s like voting!  Please vote to read the rest of this blog!  Vote for A Dude Abikes! Continue reading →

My August 2018 Biking and Walking Stats on Strava

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 3 Comments

This post is a brief review of my walking and biking in August through pictures, courtesy of the fitness tracking application, Strava.  Check ’em out, and enjoy all my sweaty efforts!  I’ve added alot of additional fun facts about my riding for those of you who geek out on numbers, or are just curious what a month of disciplined, diligent bike riding looks like.  Hopefully you had a few accomplishments too, and feel free to share them in the comments.  All images are Copyright Strava 2018.

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Bikeable + Walkable Cities = Cool! Bike Austin & Center for New Urbanism Happy Hour

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 1 Comment

One of the themes of this blog is that bicycling is both a solo sport and then again, it’s not.  You pedal your own bike, unless you’re chilling out on the back of a tandem.  But from the people that made your bike, all the gear and accessories, the roads, the food, the beer… it’s all connected into part of what we tend to call “the bike community.”  And by “we” I mean people, usually white ones, with the privilege to go to happy hours.  (You could say opposing racism and xenophobia are also one of my sub-themes.)

But hey, don’t even white people who happen to bike deserve to live in a bikeable, walkable city that works well, and not get killed in the process?  Yes! So when I heard that the advocacy and membership group A Dude is part of, Bike Austin, partnered with the Congress for the New Urbanism Central Texas Chapter (CNU-CTX) for their monthly gathering, I got myself down there to check it out.  What follows is my short report, with plenty of pictures. Continue reading →

An Imagined Chat with Sophie, My Fairdale Weekender Archer Bicycle

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 11 Comments

img_20180625_2348274661529426677.jpg

Hello?

What? Hi, who’s talking?

It is I, your Fairdale Weekender Archer bicycle sitting next to you, leaning on this pile of boxes.

Oh, really? I had no idea you – or any bicycle – could speak!

Well, I can’t. It’s really all just in your head.

Am I going crazy?

No, not at all.

Then what’s happening? What’s this about?

Well, I’ve been sitting here for a while, very patiently I might add, and I just evolved into having consciousness and telepathic ability. And I guess I’m just wondering something.

Yeah, what’s that?

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O Jogo Bonito: The Beautiful Game of Soccer (aka Football) and Yes, Bicycling

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 1 Comment

Back on February 5, I wrote a post titled “What the Super Bowl Can Teach Us About Sports Cycle-ology”.  The quadrennial soccer / football spectacle that is the month-long World Cup began June 14th, which very many people who are not living in a cave know.  After watching all 14 games over the last five days, I’ve been thinking about the lessons soccer aka football can teach bicyclists.  (I’m from the US, so I’ll call it soccer.)

THIS POST IS SPOILER FREE IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN ALL THE FIRST 15 GAMES! 

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Wowza! A 40-Mile Ride Makes My 4th 100-Mile Week in a Row

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 4 Comments

It was a very lazy Sunday.  I hadn’t done anything much save read Sue Grafton’s penultimate novel, X, and lounge around listening to classical music.  I wanted to see a movie, but it was a hot 18-mile round trip, and I could just stay home in the safety and comfort of my little rented casita.  Pages were read and turned, the phrases “page-turner” and “couldn’t put it down,” both applied.  Meals were eaten.  Time ticked by.   “What was I going to have to blog about Monday?” crossed my mind more than once.  It was 6:00 pm.  The temperature had gone down, and the light was turning softer.  I was 10 hours too late for the group rides.  But like a cat starved for food or affection or both…  Continue reading →

Rainy Friday Blahg Post: The Value of Sleep and Rest Days for Cyclists

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 14 Comments

workintexas rain ride.pngI think the title sums it up pretty well.  It rained.  Alot.  I had to go to a job search class and didn’t have the time or patience for the bus.  It was only a mile and a half so I rode, but the rains picked up.  The skies were thundering and lightning, and I almost had to stop.  It is Star Wars Day — May the Fourth Be With You — but gale force winds gusting over 25 mph were against me.  It was a blah day, and I was tired as usual, but I pressed on, as I tend to do, for worse or for better. Continue reading →

First Third of 2018: Round-up, Progress and Challenges

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 7 Comments

Today, May 2, 2018, I quietly observed my 18th year anniversary of moving back to Austin.  It was also the first day of the rest of my life since being laid off / liberated from my job of 11 years, the last day of which was six months and a day ago, on November 1st.  Accompanying those two milestones is the end of the first four months of the year.  With all of that, it seems like a good time to reflect upon where I’ve been, where I am, and where I’m heading.  Get out those oranges and reading glasses, because A Dude’s a-fixin’ to do some navel gazin’!  (Note to my non-US followers:  If you are not in the US, navel oranges are a common variety here, because they look like they have a belly button, aka navel.  And navel gazing — staring at one’s belly button — is a metaphor for self-rumination.  We don’t actually stare at it.)  Orange you glad I explained that? Continue reading →

Retired Pro Tour Cyclist Ted King on “We Got to Hang Out” Podcast at SXSW Day 6!

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 5 Comments

Hanging Out with Cool Cycling Celebrities

Today at the South by Southwest convention / festival / happening / big mess o’ people, I lucked into a podcast by three cyclists from Portland, Oregon.  Anna Grace Christiansen, Annalisa Fish, and Abby Watson at www.WeGotToHangOut.com (which you should totes check out) have a funny and informative podcast about bicycling.  Today’s guest was retired professional bike rider and now entrepreneur Ted King.  He raced in the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana and was a domestique for star Peter Sagan, so he’s the real deal.  So lucky for me, I got to ask a question on air and then meet and chat with all of them afterward.  That made it a pretty easy decision to feature them in today’s A Dude Abikes blog!  Readers:  you’re welcome. Continue reading →