DFW Point-to-Point

Odd Scene From a Bike

2012-01-24T20:19:00.001-06:00

Graffito on a wall in Bedford, Texas. Is that a Bomb?

Every once in a while, there's simple stuff along my bike commute route that simply seems - ODD. The graffito in the photo above is one such. Which also brings up the observation that there's a lot of construction going on along my route lately. Actually, other than the wasteful addition of lanes to yet another freeway (the 183 Airport Freeway), mostly, it is demolition. The mud in the photo above used to be a very nice motel. And they recently demolished one of those little tiny Starbucks drivethrough places within a couple of miles. And at least a half dozen other places. One wonders if they plan to grow food crops here as we go past "Peak Oil?" One documentary I recently watched forecasts that gasoline will cost $75/gallon within the next ten years. We shall see, but certainly I'd be surprised if it weren't much higher than at current before then. After all, the Chinese want to be "just like us" and THAT is a LOT of gasoline!

Imelda Marcos Rides a Bike

2012-01-22T13:38:00.004-06:00

Skiing Shifted My View of Expensive Footwear

This post isn't really about Imelda Marcos, though it turns out the lady who was famous for her collection of over 2700 pairs of shoes DOES have some bike connections. For one, David Byrne (yes, the one who rides around on a bike and makes observations about what he's seen) wrote about Imelda. For another, there is at least one bicycle dedicated to her. However, Imelda, or at least her interest in shoes, IS the inspiration for this post, and both Cafiend of Citizen Rider, and Jason of The Plano Cyclist, pushed the shoe fascination into full blown flower. The always excellent Cyclelicious Blog provided inspiration for the title.

Found on the Internet

Some of this shoe frenzy was prompted several years back when I learned to ski. At that time, I weighed about 90lb more than at current, but I still wanted to learn how to ski. As I told the ski instructor, "I want to learn to ski well enough that I can ski down the blue square slopes with my kids." Well, that's a whole different saga and a lesson in unintended consequences involving terms such as "tucking trees," but I found that the second hand boots I'd bought made skiing almost impossible. So I doubled down and went out and spent $300 for the rather ordinary boots you see in the photo above.

Back to the subject at hand, Cafiend piqued my interest in the linked post above when he talked about "Snow Sneakers" that were made by North Face. Well, as it turns out, there is a whole subculture of what purport to be waterproof shoes, some of which are also insulated. The old wheels started turning and it occurred to me that such a beast would be PERFECT for my commute, because it really doesn't get really cold, or really wet all that often here in North Texas, and even in Washington that is true (it DOES drizzle a lot there, but it doesn't pour very often at all).

First, I perused the North Face Snow Sneaker. These beasts run about $100 and LOOK a lot like the Chrome shoes that Justin recently blogged about except they don't accept cleats. For a dozen or so rides a year, I'll forgo cleats. My pedals work as platforms OR with cleats anyway.

Then, entirely by coincidence, Chandra called. Pretty soon, we were chatting like Imelda and her friends about shoes. It turns out Chandra has another variant on the "Snow Sneaker" called "trail runners." His were made by Salomon, though I initially thought he'd said "Solomon." Salomon! Why they made the bindings on my skis! Pretty soon, I was coming across many different kinds of shoes that might work very well for the unusual cold and wet days we get on occasion around here.

I don't think I want a full on hiking boot, because I value ankle flexibility when I'm riding my bike, so I've ruled out some of those. I'm also thinking I want something a bit on the big side, as well as waterproof and comfy with regular socks down to about freezing. My theory is those would work in many conditions and I can still add wool socks and toe warmers if it ever actually gets down to zero Fahrenheit ( a real rarity in both North Texas and in Western Washington. In addition, while I might have paid $300 once for those ski boots (and it was money well spent), I think these shoes should be more affordable. Like in the $100 ballpark, though I've looked at $200 shoes that have spd cleat mounting. Those come from Shimano, Lake, and other manufacturers.

Some that look intriguing include:

North Star Snow Sneaker II or III
Salomon Contragrip and Deemax 2
Merrell Winter Moc
Koling AIR Hiking Shoes (like hiking boots, but cut lower)
and a WHOLE HOST of others! Adidas makes 'em, Nike makes 'em. Keen makes 'em.

What's a poor, shoe-addled cyclist to do? It seems that when you admit you don't need cleated shoes, the world can be a many splendored thing...

Swap Meet

2012-01-21T06:38:00.001-06:00

Last year I went and found, among other things, a very nice Topeak mini pump for 50 cents, and other good stuff. Last year it was in January. Anyway, it is good to have on one's calendar...

Danger From the Wacky Left (Turn)

2012-01-19T22:36:00.001-06:00

WHY Do People Make BLIND Left Turns?

On Tuesday, in "Hard Right," I related how the vulnerable road user, namely one of those giant SUVs, put himself into a position to get squished like a bug. Somewhat conveniently, today's cautionary road tale involves a different danger, in this case, a"Wacky Left" turn brought back memories of getting hit in a very similar situation.

For those of you that may be nervous that either of these posts represent a sudden Steve political diatribe, settle down. I think this is probably the last "this sounds political" post title - unless I think of another one.

Today, I was an active participant and not a mere observer of two motorists having a close call. Anyway, here was today's situation:

I was northbound on Forest Ridge in Bedford, just a little north of the Airport Freeway. Forest Ridge is a sweet four lane road that I sometimes ride on the trip home. It represents a quarter-mile detour that avoids a couple of traffic lights that get clogged up frequently on the afternoon commute. You see, I really don't like to filter past my motoring cousins, nor do I like to sit through multiple light cycles just to show solidarity most of them would neither understand nor appreciate, though they WOULD notice me holding them up when they had to repass me.

I was in the right lane, roughly in the center of a 12 foot lane, perhaps a smidge to avoid the rough area and oil. Up ahead, in the left lane, I observed two cars that were stopped in the left lane. To all appearances, the second guy was waiting for the front motorist to make a left turn into the credit union parking lot. Being observant, I also noticed a third motorist a bit further ahead. Hmm. My antennae tingled just a bit. As I closed, I moved RIGHT in my lane. My loyal reader should practice that a little - "MY lane." But I digress.

Moving right, I also prepared for braking or other evasive maneuver. Nothing definite other than stopped motorists ahead and knowing that the DANGER IS AHEAD. Then I saw the reason. A fourth motorist was waiting to pull out from the parking lot and the other three were trying to be "nice," not realizing that the parking lot motorist, making the "wacky left turn," would CREAM anyone coming up in the right lane.

In fact, I was more worried about this possibility than the average road user. You see, I was hit in just such a situation in Everett, Washington. Luckily I was not injured by the wacky left turner, though the Jaguar I was driving sustained several thousand dollars of damage. Even today, I'm AMAZED at how many motorists will attempt a totally BLIND left turn simply because someone waves them on.

To wrap up, moving RIGHT in my lane, though somewhat instinctive, was precisely the right action because it gave me a better view of what was going on with all those strangely behaving motorists AND it gave me an instant longer to react should a conflict really arise. Today, the wacky left turn was merely a threat. The sort of threat that helps me guard against commute complacency. Well, more or less. You see, cycling really IS fun and safe.

HARD RIGHT

2012-01-17T18:24:00.000-06:00

Entirely by accident, I almost witnessed a "right hook" collision on my way home from work. No, I was not an involved party, but I have to admit it was fascinating to watch the scenario unfold. It should remind us once again that it is unwise to pass on the right.

I was northbound, taking the role of the "red arrow" in the aerial view of Pipeline Road in Hurst, Texas. Pipeline is a somewhat conflicted five lane road. I had come upon the intersection and was watching the oncoming, eastbound traffic for a gap I could safely enter. Coming on, in the right lane (the lane of the green arrow, I saw an 18 wheeler truck heading east. Who knew what might be behind that truck? So I kept watching.

Somewhat unexpectedly, the 18 wheeler moved left into the left lane. Was the driver planning a left turn at my intersection? Well, as the truck completed the lane change, a BIG, silver SUV started to move forward, beginning to pass the big rig in his now open right lane. Well, the next thing you know, the 18 wheeler suddenly slowed (bringing the SUV forward further) and then it made its HARD RIGHT turn into a business driveway immediately in front of the SUV in his/her blind spot.

Well, that SUV driver was too startled to honk. So keep in mind that such a situation can and does victimize road users regardless of their vehicular choice. That SUV would have definitely fared poorly had this been more than just a "close call." No charges were filed in this incident - no police were present. Remember that there is a good reason why they have those "wide right turn" warnings on big rigs. Also remember that, most often, BOTH parties to a crash made one or more operating errors. Be safe out there.

Simple Cold Weather Locking Tip

2012-01-16T20:54:00.000-06:00

Hung Like THIS, Rain Drains into the Locking Mechanism and Freezes. WD-40 Helps Some

Last winter, I related my problem of a U lock freezing so that I couldn't open it. This is a lock that I leave at the rack at work. I really do NOT like to lug heavy locks around, but I DO like to lock my bike securely. WD40 helped. The lock was left on the rack as shown above.

HOWEVER, I found an even better solution for keeping U locks operating in freezing cold weather. THAT solution is seen below. What could be simpler than simply hanging the lock so moisture drains OUT of the mechanism instead of INTO it? DUH!

NOW, all we need are some HARD freezes to test this theory out. February is coming, so I'm optimistic...

Hung Like THIS, Moisture drains Out of the Lock and Avoids Freezing the Mechanism in Place
OnGuard has a Cover that Rotates to Keep the Key Working. My Kryptonite Hasn't Got Such a Cover

Bias Comparison

2012-01-15T15:11:00.003-06:00

Who Present the Greater Threat to Maim or Kill Other Road Users. These Guys?

In news articles, such as one in Austin 360 that was published just a week ago, in which cyclists were castigated for running traffic signals, it was stated:

"The difference, though, is in the consequences. A motorist can run a stop sign, collide with another vehicle and roll away with nothing more than a dented fender. If a car, which weighs about 3,000 or 4,000 pounds, collides with a bike, it can do grave damage to the rider. There is no room for error on the bicyclist's part."

NOW, in my opinion this represents a "windshield-centric" bias that Austin 360 didn't get called on, any more than troll commenters about bike-car crashes do. To illustrate it, instead let us change a few words and instead frame the issue from a pedestrian or cyclist viewpoint. The paragraph now reads:

"The difference, though, is in the consequences. A motorist can run a stop sign, collide with a large crowd of school children, and kill or maim a dozen or more. If a car, which weighs about 3,000 or 4,000 pounds, collides with a non-motorized user(s), it can do grave damage compared to a cyclist(s), pedestrian(s), or even an equestrian(s). There is no room for error or complacency on the motorist's part."

Fundamentally, THAT is why motorists are required to obtain licenses and registration. And we should never forget that. Those that read this blog frequently probably know that cyclist scofflawry infuriates me, but the potential and likely consequences of such actions are NOT the same as for a motorist driving a 4000 pound vehicle that is capable of high speeds. In contrast to the motorist, the cyclist is the most likely one to bear the consequences of his or her own inattention or BAD practice. I hear the mantra "same road, same rules,..." and that is something I pretty well subscribe to, but that doesn't mean that cars and bikes are the same. Bikes never have been and never will have the potential to be WMD*.

The DIFFERENCE is who suffers the consequences, the perpetrator or the innocent victim. AND the bias of the writer...

*Weapons of Mass Destruction

Or THIS Gentleman and His Charges?

Spam Spam Spam

2012-01-13T14:21:00.001-06:00

Trying to sneak on my blog today, "Helena" wrote:
"You should consider how a filing may affect your life, how not filing may affect your life and then decide which results are better for you..."

Is this kind of stuff increasing on blogs my loyal reader may write or read? Now you know one reason I moderate comments on all posts older than 14 days. It makes it tougher to sneak "bankruptcy" comments in such as the one above.

Like Riding a Bike

2012-01-12T19:56:00.001-06:00

I'm still in Montreal. Tonight, on the way home, there was a bit of snow on the roads. A caller in to a local radio station exclaimed: "Everybody's forgotten what to do when it snows!" 30Km later, I pulled into the hotel up in the Laurentians. Snow driving. Three times a week to Stevens Pass sticks with you for car control in snowy, winter conditions. Just like riding a bike. Time will tell if things are so sweet going back DOWN the hill. On a bike or in a car, I have found going uphill safer than going down. After all, going up the hill, you WILL be able to stop. As in skiing, an "oops" can result in a long slide. I just hope those AA pilots don't forget what to do in the snow. Luckily, expectations are higher for commercial airline pilots are higher than we expect from road users.

Blogsy Post and Cyclist in the Dark

2012-01-11T19:37:00.003-06:00

I've gotten a bit of a "view from behind the windshield" this week of a cyclist in the dark while I'm up here in Quebec. It has put me into a bit of a quandary. The cyclist in question has the legally required equipment and, in addition, wears high vis clothing.

Despite this, and despite the fact that I am FAR more attentive to cyclists than are most motorists, I found it difficult to judge closing parameters and how best to pass. Perhaps this is due to a combination of snow alongside the road, lights from other traffic, and perhaps a far, "off to the right" lane position.

My best photo of the situation is shown below. And in case you were wondering, my training kicked in and I made a full lane change when it was safe to do so in order to pass. A couple of motorists followed my example instead of cutting the guy close. Perhaps occasional ice contributed.

I'm not suggesting things would necessarily have been helped had he been riding in a more assertive lane position (though I believe it likely), but I was surprised to see what little help any of that high vis stuff is under the right (actually wrong) conditions.

Just sayin, be careful out there in the dark, snowy conditions. AND, if you often drive and encounter cyclists in the dark with other traffic on the road, how do YOUR experiences compare. Back in Texas Tarrant suburbs, I rarely see cyclists in such condition, though I ride in them daily. Hmm...

UPDATE - The cyclist had a reflector, reflective stripes on his panniers and a high vis vest. The red spot on his helmet is a blinky - looked like a Planet Bike Superflash, though not as bright as mine. I don't recall there being any other light - the low red is a reflector and wasn't very visible until I got close. I do not know if it was a CPSC or SAE reflector. My own reflector is an SAE which reflects better than a regular bike reflector in the lane position I usually am riding on similar roads. I shall have to do a future post comparing reflector types. I did not note it in the original post, but, while I'm far from being an uncritical fan of bike lanes, this might be one situation in which they might really pay off because there are no crossing conflicts and a "to the right" cyclist is difficult to assess and act properly with as a motorist. I do not know if a cyclist assertively controlling the lane would have made it easier - I have never seen one in such conditions.

Timmy Gets Fancy

2012-01-11T18:27:00.003-06:00

Well, Tim Horton might be feeling some competitive pressure. Not from Starbucks, which is mostly shut out from Canada, but from "the Maple Leaf Chain;" namely the great Canadian colossus sometimes known as "McDonalds" and their popular "McCafe." Lattes? At Tim Horton? What will come next; biscotti?

Personally, I'm not sure that Timmy's got all its marketing right. You get free wifi at McDonalds and that lets me text under the new Apple iOS without paying the exorbitant AT&T foreign data rates. Just remember: "McDouble, sans ketchup; ici; sandwich seulment, s'il vous plait."

Yup, I'm in Quebec once again. Somehow, I find that -17C in Quebec seems a LOT warmer than 2F would in North Texas. I'm not sure why this should be so...

Quebec Again

2012-01-09T14:43:00.000-06:00

We'll see what transpires this time...

Do As I SAY

2012-01-07T13:35:00.003-06:00

"Do as I Say, not as I do." We've all heard that at some time or other. Well, upon reflection, that definitely applies to my recent post. In it, in a video my kids refer to as "The Blair Witch Cycling Video," I pass an imaginary pedestrian by running off to the left of the path, rattling through the grass, and then returning on to the path. All in the dark. Well, reread the first sentence of this post. If you think about it, the previous post illustrates one reason why bike/ped paths are far more dangerous than most city streets, even if they are also more pleasant and less stressful for cyclists. It is called a DIVERSION FALL. Swinging off the grass back on to the path raises the risk your front wheel will catch on the edge of the path and suddenly dump you on to the concrete in an excellent test of your helmet's structural integrity. When I made that video, I picked a spot where I knew the edge of the path concrete wasn't much above the grass. Also, if you watch carefully, you will note that I run back on to the path at a fairly sharp angle, and then quickly swing left to avoid running off the other side of the path.

Anyway, the photo below illustrates a bit better how those path edges can be sneaky. Now imagine that edge in the dark. Even a strong headlight such as the Mighty P7 can't be counted on to reveal the danger. I feel fortunate that all the rubber rubbed off on the corner of that path came from wheels not belonging to me. So just do as I say. Please?

Oh, and I used BlogPress on an iPad to compose this post, adding a few items afterwards directly from the Blogspot post editor. BlogPress isn't good at adding post labels. Still, a post free from "real computers."

Path Passing on the Darkest Mornings of 2012

2012-01-04T19:33:00.001-06:00

Well, the challenge was posted. HERE. What is proper trail etiquette? This morning, I simulated same on a video. You'll see how things worked. No pedestrians were harmed in the making of this video and I'll imagine that y'all can see one reason why pedestrians present no danger when I pass, even if they go the WRONG WAY, as well as one reason why paths are a bit skitchy when I ride them. Really, I prefer roads. They're SO predictable!

OTOH, Cross bikes RULE!!!

Passing an Imaginary Pedestrian, ON a Path, ON a Cyclocross Bike

IN THE PREDAWN DARKNESS

Resolution Tested

2012-01-04T05:57:00.000-06:00

Yesterday morning, my resolution wavered. It was dark. It was cold. The Armadillo blew off the rear rim of my wife's bike (modern tire on an old, non-hook bead rim. About 3/4 miles from home which is too close to want to fix it in the dark but far enough to let me THINK; "Golly, maybe I ought to simply DRIVE" to work. After all, I hadn't done anything to get Buddy properly tuned after I got it back from the shop (at a cost of 0.6 Jaguar Units - bikes ARE different). Even when I got home, I thought about it once again. But then, all the stuff I'd taken off to take it in appeared, the tires were topped off, and then I was suddenly off again. A close call. Seeing the dusty parking pass didn't help...

Temperature Twenty to Forty

2011-12-31T14:54:00.007-06:00

Top of the Photo - Attire for Temperatures Around Freezing for the Ride to Work
Bottom of the Photo, Attire for the Ride Home on the Same Day
You'll Note Wool Socks are Carried on the Way Home. They are TOO WARM for 50F Conditions!

Mostly, what I wear for my commute depends on the temperature and conditions when I leave in the morning. I'll bring along added items to make things comfy on the way home as well, but the morning is what really counts because that is usually the low temperature commute and shedding clothes is an option for the ride home.

The morning temperature ranges of interest in North Texas are (Fahrenheit):

over 60
40-60
20-40
under 20

In 2011, the coldest morning was 15F and the warmest was 86F. This time of year, it is rarely over 60 or under 20. Even with wind chill, I've never experienced morning temperatures under 8F, but even that is a perfectly manageable temperature.

Today, I'll talk about what I wear on my morning commute when the temperature is between twenty and forty. Unlike the 40-60 range, one needs to start seriously considering the cold, but extra measures are limited, and most North Texas cyclists have got the items they'll need.

Head and Neck

For headwear, I wear one of two balaclavas, though at the top end of the 20-40 range and with tailwinds, I often simply stick to my headsweat and pull it down over my ears a bit. Even when I wear a balaclava, I'll bring the headsweat for the ride home. I have a "winter cap" I got on sale last summer, but haven't used it yet. In addition, I accessorize with safety goggles in order to avoid watery eyes due to tears caused by wind in my eyes. Those stay in the trunk on the trip home. For those without a balaclava, a good cap and a neck warmer works as well. I'd wear my dinosaur hat, but it won't fit under or over my helmet. Still, dinosaurs ARE rather chic...

Core Warmth

Moving down, I really don't pay a lot of attention to the "layering" advice you often read in bike blogs. Frankly, it is simply more trouble than it is worth. I found that to be the case even when my commute was 20 miles rather than the current 7. Instead, I find that my "high vis black" cycling jacket in combination with a sweatshirt works just dandy. It is a simple combination. At the upper end of the range, I sometimes swap to a long-sleeved cotton tee shirt. In this range, I typically wear my "high vis black" soft shell gloves. These tend to be too warm for the return trip home, so I'll carry regular, full finger cycling gloves in the trunk. I really like the soft shell gloves, but if I didn't have any, a pair of windproof work gloves in combination with the cycling gloves cut the chill nicely. The LONG SLEEVES on the sweatshirt are an important ingredient, since they combine with the cycling jacket to keep my arms comfortable all the way down to the bottom of the temperature range. At the upper end of the range, I'll often eschew the sweatshirt in favor of a long-sleeve cotton t shirt.

Legs and Feet

For my legs, I wear work pants. I'll choose warmer ones when it is colder, but most work slacks work well even down to 20F. I also use reflective Velcro cuff bands which keep breezes at bay and grease off the pants. I have a few pairs of camo cuff bands, but haven't used them since the reflective ones seem to work just fine. To finish the outfit off, I use wool socks with shoes that work with the bike of the day. The wool socks are too warm for work so I carry a pair of cotton socks in the trunk. This is one area where my strategy changed. Formerly, I'd wear cargo shorts in combination with sweat pants, but my v3 commute (7 miles versus the v2 20 miles) makes that somewhat extraneous, particularly since I no longer drive on occasion in order to facilitate laundry exchanges.

Quick Switch for Work and the Ride Home

Thusly attired, when I get to work, I simply swap out the sweatshirt for a work shirt and swap the wool socks for cotton ones. Pretty simple,and I'll usually wear the cotton socks on the ride home. More often than not, the sweatshirt works fine, with the cycling jacket relegated to the trunk.

Commute clothes are really, however, what works for YOU. I prefer the KISS approach, without buying a lot of "special" items, and without having to carry much extra stuff along.

Safety Goggles Really Help at Freezing. The Cyling Jacket and a Sweatshirt Works Down to 20F
Nowadays, I Usually Wear Work Pants in the Colde. One Advantage of the Shorter, v3 Commute

Essentially English Christmas

2011-12-23T16:52:00.001-06:00

Paradoxically, the Internet can be both personal and impersonal at the same time. Today, I choose to pick one of the latter circumstances and also do the first book review that has come from this blog. A few readers may remember a commenter named "Ham." Ham had an excellent cycling blog, which you might visit here. In addition, Ham did and DOES have other blogs, probably the most prominent of which is his "London Daily Photo."

Still, this post really isn't about what Ham has done (or NOT done), but it is about a little (litterally) book that one of his friends, Danny Bent (or Green), has done as a labour (sic in American) of love. Actually, he did it about three years ago.

Anyway, to skip a lot of details, Ham had a contest on London Daily Photo and I was fortunate enough to win. MR HAM reminded me that he needed my address to ship this mysterious book, titled "ESSENTIALLY ENGLISH." Hmm, might that have something to do with today's blog post?

After a lot of other stuff, a package arrived last Saturday, JUST IN TIME for Christmas. It was AMAZING at how many pictures of the Queen were needed to get such a package from London to Texas.

Twelve Pictures of the Queen Were Required. Note What the English Use Instead of Postmarks

The very first thing I did, once I opened the package, was to verify that this is a book currently available, and, sure enough, it IS listed at Amazon.com. Then, I settled down. In view of the season, the one page seemed especially appropriate.

As it turned out, the book turned out to be a series of snapshots about what England is and has become. I was sad to hear about the double decker busses, and about the fate of the formerly ubiquitous phone booths. On reflection, it wasn't surprising, however. This book is one of what might have been called "high quality coffee table photo books," shrunk down to a much more convenient size. Personally, I liked it very much, and felt it represented good value for the money for someone who, like myself, likes the English and their occasionally quirky characteristics.

And, regardless, it was touching to find out more about Dan Bent/Green, and the man who sent the book to me. Ham. Merry Christmas.

As for Ham's cycling blog:

Ham to me, RXXX

Cyclesafe&happy? It's not dead, its lack of movement is due to it being tired and shagged out after a long squawk. To be exact, this period of inactivity coincided with me changing roles within IBM to work at the company I am in at the moment which is very demanding. Combined with the commitment to London Daily Photo (which at some point transmutes into my retirement plan, as it publicises me when I transmute into a Blue Badge London Guide, including cycle tours) something had to give. On the other hand, the journey reduced from 27 miles each way to 18, so it is easier doing it every day, although it is still cross town.

Oddly, it was this last couple of weeks I have been considering reviving it again, if only sporadically, I may just do that now.

And yes, I would like to help Danny, he has such enthusiasm, such commitment, makes you proud to be human. I think you'd enjoy his book, too. Not because it's great literature, but because you want to be there, too.

Small book will wing its way,

Regards
Ham

Sometimes the Internet really IS small and personal. Again, have a Happy Christmas all!

Bicycle Commuting Tips: The Truth and Myth of Blood, Sweat, and Tears

2011-12-16T17:59:00.001-06:00

On my blog, I try to avoid simply regurgitating material I see on other blogs. However, other blogs do provide inspiration. One such provided the title for today's post. Well, almost, because I couldn't resist adding two words to John Romeo's excellent essay entitled "Bicycle Commuting Tips: The Myth of Blood, Sweat, and Tears." If you haven't already, go read it. THIS post is, however an entirely different theme. JRA's premise is that bike commuting really isn't something to get worked up over. He thinks cycling is, and I fully agree, fun and safe.

However, besides the myth of blood, sweat, and tears, there is truth in each of the items. What's more, a lot of the truth is different than a prospective bicycle commuter might imagine.

Even a Minor Impact Can Make a Lot of Blood if You Happen to be Taking Blood Thinners!
This Incident Didn't Even Do Much to the Helmet Other than Get Blood All Over the Strap

LET THERE BE BLOOD

You're More Likely to be Hurt HERE Than By a Car

I have experienced two episodes of this during my bike commutes. Contrary to commonly expressed fears, neither involved any sort of motor vehicle by any stretch of the imagination. In the first case, a deep vein thrombosis caused a pulmonary embolism. In the second, while I was away for a week on vacation, a construction crew dug a trench that I rode into on my first day back. During the same period, two of my friends DIED of chronic breathing conditions that would likely never have become serious had they done things like cycle regularly - and I know many more that are dealing with other, mostly avoidable chronic conditions. In my own case, cycling has helped me sustain a 100 lb weight loss and quit smoking. The blunt truth is that, while I have fallen a number of times during my commutes, these falls mostly occur on the small minority of miles associated with bike paths. ALL the objective evidence is that cycling is pretty safe and gets an order of magnitude safer with a minimal amount of instruction about how to operate the bike safely. Of course, Bike Ed will not protect you against DVT. Sorry. Of course, I am not the best authority on blood since I seem to draw it even on the rare occasions I need to use a stapler to complete an expense report. Is that really an industrial accident?

Sweat DRIPS From My Headrag as I Stop for Coffee

SWEAT
Sweating is a major way your body helps regulate its temperature. If you live around Dallas, and ride anywhere much over a mile, you WILL sweat. What's more, as I have discovered, after a ride of 5 or 10 miles, you will sweat again even after taking a shower. However, I was fortunate enough to read Effective Cycling by John Forester. What? Isn't he that "crabby old vehicular cycling guy?" Yup. But in that book, he also taught me stuff I didn't realize about sweat. Stuff I have since confirmed elsewhere. And, as it turns out, the presence of a shower at work, while nice, is much less relevant than people imagine. If you doubt it, take a good shower, then work up a good sweat. Relax and towel off after about 15 minutes. Now enlist reliable sniffers. You see, as it turns out, what makes sweat stinky is the bacterial culture associated with stale sweat. Your reliable sniffers will not be alarmed while you are fresh, but they'll be cranky by your stink the next morning. What this means is it really does not matter a whole lot whether you take your shower immediately before or after your morning commute. Either way, use lots of soap. Give yourself time to cool down, towel off with a fresh towel and apply deodorant. What's more, this is a good procedure even if you have showers at work since you'll otherwise simply sweat some more after your shower. From a personal standpoint, the ideal situation is an individual shower room, lockable from inside, with adjacent assigned lockers, in a location where you can work or relax for about 15 minutes before the shower. Like a cafeteria where you eat breakfast before your shower. But basic sweat is easier to deal with than most imagine. I sweat on my commute even in the winter. I have learned other sweat secrets, but there may be co-workers reading this. Still, if it is hot and you STOP sweating, worry about the first topic.

Men Like it Simple. Soap and Shampoo and No Messy Goo!

Safety Goggles Can STOP Those Tears
Sweat? Not So Good

TEARS
I think that JRA was "turning a phrase" with the tears item. However, those that commute in freezing conditions know this is a real problem. You see, going down a hill, the 20 or 30 mph wind in the eyes will quickly generate enough tears it can be hard to see properly. However, this problem has a solution that is simplicity itself. Simply pick up a pair of safety goggles. Most manufacturing areas make these freely available to employees. Much more stylish ones can be picked up at any hardware store. And safety goggles don't seem to work very well at keeping sweat out of your eyes.

Torn Between Two Lovers

2011-12-14T17:37:00.002-06:00

Buddy, a Couple of Years Back....

Buddy's undergoing surgery. After more than 8000 miles, combined with a ten speed rear gear set, that bike's got issues. Per the call yesterday: "YOU NEED TO CHANGE THE CHAIN EVERY THOUSAND MILES!" Well, I've changed it once, about 4 thousand miles ago. So fix whatever is worn!

Anyway, after 8000 miles, I guess I'm not surprised I need more than simply a new chain. This is going to cost some coin. My estimate - a Jaguar unit or so.

In the meantime, I'm riding my wife's bike. It is a bike with uncounted mileage. When I asked her when that bottom bracket was last rebuilt, the response was "you need to rebuild that?" That bike, while more than 40 years old, still keeps on running. So, what is YOUR definition of a "beater bike?"

40 Years and Counting. Pay NO ATTENTION to that thing that LOOKS Like a Kickstand!

No Teenager

2011-12-13T17:58:00.003-06:00

These Glasses are NOT the Same as My Latest. :-(

Today, I picked up my first pair of prescription glasses. Bifocals. It's part of what, if I'm lucky, is a slow downward spiral. I can't see wearing them when I ride, despite what the doctor said.

UPDATE BASED ON READER THOUGHTS!
I'm not a doctor. In fact, I don't even play a doctor on television. HOWEVER, I have heard various things about items readers commented on. FIRST off - fogging lenses.

My optician just put me on to some brand new antifog stuff that's supposed to keep lenses clear. There's the "manly side" of the box that looks remotely like Tracy W who has lens fog trouble on occasion. Then, the other side of the box shows a feminine side. Apparently men wear hats and women drink some sort of hot beverage. And THEN, there's the third side that contains the all-important website. My optician is looking for feedback on how this stuff interacts with lens cleaning solution.

The anti-fog URL

Next up - sunglasses. These new glasses have "stick on" sun glasses. Of course, it may be a few months before I can accumulate much experience. The glasses themselves have a variable focus with no sharp line between the top and bottom. For the moment, it means I have to get used to looking "up" or "down" or "in between." It'll come. Still, at present, I'm taking my "Costco cheapie reading glasses" to work or other places I'm riding on my bike. If I crush a pair of $10 glasses, I don't get upset. OTOH, the "proper" ones cost a whole lot more, even after vision plan reimbursement.

Sunglass Lenses Stick on From the Bottom With a Magnet. Not Much Use in December, So a User Report Will Have to Wait

Finally - laser surgery and "changing of the eyes as we age." Apparently, most people tend to become more "far sighted" as they age. That means you see stuff far away better than stuff nearby. What's more, most people have less ability to adjust the focus of their eyes as they age. What THAT means is that laser is less effective for old people than for youngsters. This is because old people can have laser to get a different "best" focus, but they still have less adjustability in their eyes. Bifocals are needed for those whose eyes have gone out of whack so far as to not focus perfectly much of anywhere. In my case, I guess I could have laser surgery to allow me to see perfectly once again for distance, but it might well not "last." And, for the record, when I was 21, my eyesight was 20/10.

Where IS that walking stick?

Paranoia

2011-12-08T17:01:00.012-06:00

Looking Down Bedford Euless Road, the Freeway is in the Distance at the Bottom of the Hill
This Morning, I Made the Trek Up in the Dark

"Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get you!" Reading remarks from a lot of people, writing about their cycling, suggests that there's an overwhelming sense that motorists are somehow intent on creating danger for cyclists, either by evil intent or simply by lack of attention to the task at hand. Usually, I'm not overly prone to such paranoia, but this morning it was in HIGH GEAR. Conspiracy theories had nothing on me.

Things were uneventful on my ride into work until I crossed the 183 Airport Freeway and began the long climb up the hill of Bedford Euless Road in Bedford Texas. The photo below is looking down that hill. The Freeway I mention is in the very distance in that photo. As you can see, Bedford Euless is a pretty straightforward five lane road. It's easy for motorists to pass me. Mostly they pass me when I'm climbing the hill, because that's the direction where our speed differential is greatest. It being the morning commute, it was dark. As usual, I had my two tail lights lit, I had my rear reflector, and I was using "the flamethrower" head light on the "low" setting.

Well, about a block south of the freeway, I was passed by three or four motorists. One of them failed to realize there was a cyclist ahead that required a lane change in order to pass and had to wait two or three seconds to make her lane change. Nothing real untypical. Or was there? As it turned out, there was yet one more car behind me. I looked back again and saw a Mercedes with its left turn signal on, or so I thought. THIS car, however, did NOT pass. After a block, this began to disturb me, because I'd been planning on taking "the first left" to visit some canine friends along the way. I deferred this plan because it seemed imprudent to move over with a motorist directly behind me.

Finally, the motorist changed lanes and I did a head check. NOW, the right turn signal was on and I wondered if the motorist was planning to make a right turn from the left lane across my path. Paranoia washed over me. It didn't abate any when the motorist changed back to the right hand lane; again directly behind me. What was this guy thinking? Why would a motorist follow a cyclist UP a hill with a perfectly good second lane to use for passing? Was this a nutjob who was just waiting for an opportunity to try out that new assault rifle?

About this time, I realized the motorist didn't have turn signals on at all, but rather had four way flashers. What? Was this a case where he was planning some mayhem against my person, or was it an extreme case of a misguided attempt to "play protective parent?"

Well, eventually, I got to the top of the hill and made my left turn about a block behind where I was standing when I took the photo. To my amazement, the Mercedes continued along, in the right lane, with its four way flashers flashing. It neither speeded up nor did the driver or passenger seem the slightest bit interested in where I was going.

Lesson: Sometimes when you're paranoid, you're just being paranoid!

ACE

2011-12-07T19:43:00.000-06:00

After more than two years of bike school and bike ed "how to teach" school, I heard the term "ACE" for the first time last summer. Specifically, on or about July 20th. I'll not make you, my loyal reader wait for so long.

ACE stands for "Abilities, Conditions, Equipment." Unlike the image from Wikipedia at the left, it does not imply a "death card" or "the top ranking card."

Instead, it is a recognition that sometimes situations differ, not only from cyclist to cyclist, but sometimes even for the SAME cyclist. Let me present a few examples:

For the first example, I'll relay the example that led me to hear this acronym for the first time. It was prompted by a Bike League LCI discussion that innocently started as "Under what conditions, if any, do you tell students that it is unsafe to control the lane?"

Among other responses, my own was "I'd say blind corners near a bar at closing time qualify as pretty dicey places to control a lane." Actually, I was criticized for this, with an inquiry about whether I thought the cyclist would be any safer hugging the curb. Actually, in such situations, I'd probably simply find a way to get around the corner completely OFF the road. While I have a lot of faith in my motorists, it isn't BLIND faith. Just sayin'

After a whole lot of other discussion, Preston Tyree, until recently the Bike League Director of Education, dropped the "ACE" bomb. Wow, why didn't he mention this in our LCI Seminar?

Let's go through ACE

Ability - Anyone that is able to ride any kind of bike, whether with two wheels or four, has SOME level of ability. Some of us have been riding for many years, in various conditions. Some of us have less extensive variety in their experience base. ABSOLUTELY, ability should present one variable that each cyclist should consider in his/her riding, whether in traffic, or in some sort of "cycling facility." While I STRONGLY believe that we should all be looking for ways to improve our abilities, we will always represent a spectrum of cycling, from complete beginner, ranging up to "the best transportation cyclist in the entire world," whoever that might be. While I might claim to be in "the 1%" in this regard, that certainly leaves a lot of room for me to learn new tricks. It's part of why I write this blog. To share.

Conditions - I ride differently on different days. One positive aspect of watching weather and traffic reports before I leave home is to help me realize just how much more dangerous things are out there on the road when visibility drops and traction goes to heck. Even in such conditions, cycling remains safe compared to, say, motorcycling or regular motoring, but I'm a pretty risk averse guy. While I'm perfectly willing to ride in the dark wearing basic black, I'm really NOT inclined to ride my bike down the Alliance Gateway Freeway in the dark and fog. No, I don't have any data to show I'm at any real risk, but we all "draw the line" somewhere. In the fog, I take an alternate route. In the rain, I take an alternate route. I'm willing to pay the two minute penalty in the time it takes me to get to work. Peace of mind is worth two minutes to me. YOUR mileage might vary.

Equipment - This is one I have a the most difficulty with. Certainly, I have experienced situations where failed equipment has caused me to behave differently. When I broke my bike chain with no tools to fix it, I coasted along on the sidewalk "a la scooter" to get home. Ditto for when my headlight pooped out and I had no spare batteries. I admit it, I'm too "chicken" to ride on the road in the dark without lights. I'll leave that to people more daring than myself. People I sometimes refer to as "ninja." On some occasions, a sidewalk really IS the best way to go. But such occasions are, for me at least, pretty rare. IMO, there's a definite interplay here with the "Ability" and "Conditions" elements. Also, what sort of acronym would "AC" represent? We're not here to pitch defunct British car manufacturers! I'm doubly troubled by this one, because Preston cited a bike with a trailer as a situation in which one might not want to control a lane. I wondered, and inquired, how a trailer affected the safety of lane control. Never got an answer. All I can say is that I cannot see any way in which the presence or absence of a trailer should affect one's decision to control a lane. It is either safe, depending on ACE, or not. If not, and there's no alternative, one might be dragging that trailer through a drainage ditch. Certainly, there are improvements that can be made to our road system. No further comment...

Oldfool Leads to the Lost Ark

2011-12-06T20:48:00.004-06:00

It's strange how sometimes we pick up stuff from the Internet that the authors never intended. A recent post on the excellent blog "Oldfool" is a case in point. You see, it led me to find out where one of the largest treasure troves of Southern California and, indeed United States aviation history has wound up. In fact, a modern day "Ark of the Covenant" to an aeronautical engineer such as myself.

The trail started here. Within that post, was the comment

"...college at the Northrup institute of Technology in Inglewood, California."

That comment caused me to reflect on my own association with Northrop University, where I co-taught a composites design course for a number of years. I still remember the photo of Jack Northrop in the library. THAT caused me to peruse Wikipedia, where I found what I already knew: Northrop University was no more. My recollection varied from Wikipedia a bit, with the law school playing a more prominent role in my memory about the downward spiral, but basically, the place went kaput as described here.

Still, the Wikipedia article raised a question: "What happened to the aviation collections?" Specifically the "American Hall of Aviation" and the "David Hatfield" collection. It seems to me that the vanishing of collections with a half million pieces would leave a trace somewhere. A half million pieces of aviation history. GONE! It was like the mystery of the Ark of the Covenant, as popularized by a movie, entitled "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

Like an Internet version of Indiana Jones, I started to search on the topic. It was pretty quick that I discovered that Northrop University has more or less been taken over by a pretty good Charter High School. On their web site, there was nary a word about what happened to either the American Hall of Aviation OR the David Hatfield Collection. Hmm.

Northrop Institute of Technology, Transformed into a Very Good Charter High School - Via Google Streetview

Looking futher, the trail led to a former Lockheed employee by the name of Carol Osborne. Due to her interest in the whole thing, she inherited some of the artifacts and was named as the executor of the collection.

Carol Osborne, Surrounded by Amelia Earheart's Sister and Bobbi Trout. In 1987 Via 2009 Airport Journals

It happened this way: from "Airport Journals"

Although Northrop University campus still exists, its doors were closed in 2003. Many of the historical pieces that were located in the library are now in storage and owned by the Museum of Flight or Osborne. The AHAH library was legendary to aviation and Hollywood.

Prof. Hatfield had a passion for aviation history and had already authored 12 books, from mythology to his "Pioneers of Aviation: A Photo-Biography" series. By the 1980s, Hatfield was producing a series of videotapes called the "History of Flight," chronicling the subject from ancient times to the exploration of space, all for the purpose of educating young people and future generations. He was amazed with the new technology. When Hatfield passed away at the age of 77, he left behind his aviation history and videotaping equipment to an astonished Carol Osborne. It changed her life.

Besides uncounted thousands of photos, the collections included interviews with over 450 aviation pioneers before their passing. Over a dozen had their licenses signed by Orville Wright. Yes, THAT Wright brother. It is an irreplaceable collection. Video interviews with the pioneers at the very beginning of aviation. Mostly, these are people connected with Southern California.

The question remains, however, "what happened to all this stuff?"

The "Airport Journals" article offered a clue. Namely, the "Museum of Flight." But WHICH Museum of Flight. I first went to the logical ones in Southern California, but found no joy there. I saw a few mentions of the collection, but nothing about where it resided.

Almost by chance, I happened upon a Southern California website that provided insight into the mystery. Here, it stated:

Carol Osborne explains that, as Dr. Hatfield's Executor, she only dealt with his personal property.

The large Northrop University / American Hall of Aviation History collection went first to Santa Monica 'Museum of Flying' and then to Seattle 'Museum of Flight'.

I don't understand why our local Southern California aviation history is in a truck cargo container, un inventoried after years. It should be here, in our area, where we will take care of it and display it.

The similarity with the movie became obvious. Hence the video clip below, though instead of the "government guy," we could substitute the "Boeing Museum Guy" instead.

Still, there is hope for the aviation legacy of California, hidden away in a Seattle museum. From the "MUSEUM OF FLIGHT" web pages, we find references to both collections, though neither is available to the general public. Specifically,

THE HATFIELD COLLECTION

MORE, DISGUISED AS NORTHROP and other DOCUMENTS

Bad Hair or Bad Bike Day

2011-12-05T22:29:00.002-06:00

Passing a Loading Schoolbus While on WHEELS is Illegal. Passing One as a PEDESTRIAN is Perfectly Fine. Not All Drivers Understand This.
Actually, Probably not all Police Understand This. Fortunately, I Didn't See Any of the Latter Today.

Like a lot of things in life, not every day commuting on a bike is memorably positive. Today was such a day. I got frozen, honked at, yelled at, shorted, and cut. Well, some of these are not nearly so dramatic as they sound. First off, on the way to work, despite the encouraging words of our local weather forecasters, I ran into some "wintry mix." Such might not be notable to my loyal reader north of the Mason Dixon line, but it is cause for motorist madness around North Texas. The wintry mix left motorists that are normally benign a bit snippy. One such honked at me as I was in a left turn lane and the motorist was in the middle lane and not slowed down by me by as much as a single millisecond. I don't have any idea why a honk would have been considered appropriate other than some cyclists behave unpredictably. Hmm, on second thought, I can't imagine why a motorist would think that honking at a cyclist, operating predictably and legally OR OTHERWISE would be helped by such noise. Anyway, on to the yell.

Most of the way to work, I came upon a school bus that I often encounter on my v3 commute. I usually encounter this bus when it stops to pick up a handicapped student. Usually, I'll dismount from my bike, shoulder it, and legally walk past the bus before remounting and continuing on my way. It's an advantage of operating a vehicle that can be carried along. Today, however, I decided to simply stop behind the bus as my motoring companions must do (have YOU ever tried to carry a car on your shoulder?). You see, my goggles had fogged up a bit and I took the opportunity to rearrange everything. Unexpectedly, the bus driver yelled at me. At first, I wondered why until I realized she was trying to tell me to get on past. Erroneously, she thought it was fine for me to go and that I might be endangering myself in some way. After a couple of exchanges, I shrugged, shouldered the bike and walked past. Better to simply avoid conflict than to attempt to make a point that wouldn't be appreciated by anyone present. I think the driver was trying to be nice. Or encouraging. Who knows.

THEN, after this GRUELING morning commute, in contrast to the last week or so of half days and half vacation days, it transpired that I had to work an ENTIRE 8 hour day. I thought my fingers were going to turn into "bony fingers." Life is tough (though tomorrow, I'm taking the commenter advice from my last post and taking a full day off to make up for today). Full days are a situation not to be encouraged, at least when there's still 42 hours of "use it or lose it" vacation left.

Coffee Isn't Quite the Same When Syrup is Shorted

On the way home, as I often do, I stopped for coffee. Unfortunately, they were out of "sugar free mocha," so I was "shorted." THIS was the worst part of today's commute, though it was due to no ill intent by any person or corporation, whether part of the 1% or the 99%. SAD FACE!

To finish things off, I decided I needed a haircut and Buddy and I stopped by the haircut place next door. This is the same place I went with my wife's bike, and they allowed Buddy the same parking place of honor. While there, it occurred to me that "bike people" are less sensitive to prices of things like haircuts than are "car people." Somehow, a couple of extra bucks for a haircut seems a lot less important if you've got an extra half hour ride in the rain to save those couple of bucks than if you're simply burning a tenth of a gallon of gas. Maybe there's still hope for the human race...

Buddy Occupied this Spot Today. With no Kickstand, it Leaned Against the Wall. There was Some Sort of Aggie Propaganda There Today, Too.
For the Moment, Honk at Me if You Want to See the UW Huskies BEAT THE BAYLOR BEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Conflicts in the Dark Season

2011-12-04T16:23:00.002-06:00

Slightly Damp on Friday. The Rain was Reminiscent of Seattle as I Finished Coffee at a Seattle-Based Coffee Store

Lately, in this, the dark season of the year, I've been experiencing conflicts related to my bicycle commuting. You see, my new, shorter commute has allowed me to ride much more often on my v3 route than I did when I used to ride to Fort Worth Alliance Airport, sometimes referred to as "the v2 run." In moments of fantasy, I even imagine giving Jon Grinder, the "Cal Ripkin of bike commuting," a run for his money. Of course, that'll never happen.

However, amazingly, due to a combination of circumstances, I've managed to run up nearly as many miles in 2011 on a 7 mile commute as I did the year before on the 20 mile run. Still, "nearly" only counts in horseshoes and atom bombs. I'm actually about 150 miles down on the year, and now, in this dark season, I'm conflicted by the meaningless desire to come out "on top" and the much more meaningful desire to not lose out on what has mysteriously accumulated to a larger than desirable amount of "use it or lose it" vacation time.

2011 Mileage Is Close, but Vacation Beckons

Partly, this conflict has been getting addressed by taking half days of vacation, such as on Friday. After a hard, half day at the office, I stopped for a leisurely coffee on the way home. As I finished up, I glanced at my watch. All in all, a very "Seattle-like" day, with drizzle and an indicated bike computer temperature of a balmy 48F. Boy, some of these days at work lately simply seem to be FLYING by!

Hmm, It's After Noon, Better Hop on that Bike for the Daily Bike Commute Home!

In other news, our forecast suggests a remote possibility of some early December snow in North Texas on Monday night! Hmm, time to get those knobby tires ready yet?