GreenComotion

Sock Review: Col d'Lizard Darn Tough Socks

2012-01-25T21:50:00.003-06:00

I first came across Col d'Lizard socks back in 2006, when I started riding all through the year, in St. Louis. I might have gotten to know them through the IceBike website. Back then I bought a pair of their Merino Wool Skiing socks and their PolarTec tights. Both the socks and the tights saved my butt on many a cold day.

Since I was so good in 2011, Santa brought me a bunch of Col d'Lizard Socks for Christmas and I was delighted that I got them.

Just like the name says, Darn Tough they are! Worth every penny!!

I have used Col d'Lizard's products for a few years now. In fact, I still have the original pair of socks I bought back in 2006 and the tights. They are still in great shape. I use the Darn Tough Skiing socks (not pictured in this post), when the temperature drops below 25 degrees F. They still keep my toes nice and toasty.

If you are in the market for a good pair of sock, give the Col d'Lizard socks a try. I would recommend them to anyone, wholeheartedly, because they are so Darn Tough!

Paz :)

PS. Next post: Salomon XT Wings 2 GTX Shoes

Interesting Bike Commute Trends in the USA!

2012-01-19T14:00:00.001-06:00

Via the LAB, I came across a rather detailed article containing some very interesting statistics on Bicycle Commuting Trends in the US.

Click here to read the stats!

How are the stats from your city/state looking?

Austin-TX's statistics look pretty decent, but I say, DFW's are rather dismal :(
Hopefully, this will improve in the future.

In the meantime, I am going to do everything I can to ride as many days as I can :)

Paz :)

Green Pride

2012-01-17T17:38:00.001-06:00

I started highlighting, in florescent green, days I commuted by bike on my wall calendar last July. The calendar looked reasonably colorful at the end of the year.

Here is my new calendar for 2012! I have added a dark green check-mark to bicycle commute days, as you can see. I hope to make it a green calendar by Christmas.

I don't display a lot of stuff at work: no photographs, no chachkis, nada. But, I am proud to display my bicycle commute statistics.

How do you display your Green Pride? :)

Paz :)

PS. TC = Telecommute, D = Drove an automobile to work

Review: Buff Headgear

2012-01-17T17:26:00.001-06:00

I bought a wool buff and a couple of classic buffs this fall. Since then, the buffs have pretty much replaced my headbands (which I use on warmer days and during Table Tennis) and my "lost" Outdoor Research balaclava (which I use on colder days). On very cold and windy days, I use a combination of the the wool buff and the heavier-duty balaclava I have.

Here is my secret to layering. Layer one: Wool buff!

Ask anyone from colder climates and they will tell you it is best to layer clothing. I think the same is true for winter headgear as well. Layers keep you warmer!

Layer 2: Balaclava on top of the wool buff!

With the helmet on, I am ready to rock and roll!

Buffs can be used in different configurations around one's head and neck. I have so far found them extremely useful.

Here are some benefits:

Keep one's head warm during cold days
Use as a sweat band
Use as a head cover, more like a bandana
Use as a scarf around the neck
Use as a hairband, if you have a ponytail
Buff is great for all seasons

Buffs come in plain colors and attractive designs. I have one with drawings of bicycles on it. Need I say more?

Here is a picture of my other buff! Worn on the way to the Cycling Savvy class this summer.

Hope you are having a good week!

Paz :)

Different kinda ride!

2012-01-06T22:38:00.000-06:00

I managed to squeeze in a short ride on Friday evening. I took the Thorn Nomad MK II out for a ride. My initial thought was to hit the paved trail and ride about 10 miles.But, I ended up riding the unpaved, construction vehicle route adjacent to the new section of the Campion Trail.

The truck route is on an incline along the trail. I rode up the incline and it was challenging, particularly given the earth was a bit soft. And, yes, that little shadow you see is me :)

Here is a better view of the incline.

Now, I am up on the incline. I can ride close to 4 miles on this incline, as I came to find out during today's ride.

One needs the right tool for the right job! A cross bike (or the Americano) will work as well. But fat tire bike with low tire pressure is comfy on the incline, with loose gravel.

You can see the paved path, extension of the Camption, beyond the bike, in the distance.

In some parts, riding the incline is trickier, at least for me.

The incline goes past the Bride Not Too Far, all the way to MacArthur and Beltline. But that's where it ends, at least for the time being. I hear of plans to connect this to trails in Coppell.

BNTF in the background. It is quite lovely here at sunset. It is very picturesque!

Another view of the incline from the little path along the canal in Valley Ranch.

If you are in Irving, I highly recommend riding the incline. I am not certain how long it will be around. I expect they will eventually build some kinda path over it. But, while it lasts, it provides a different kinda riding experience to some!

Paz :)

How green is that?

2012-01-04T14:09:00.001-06:00

My two-dollar plant has gotten much bigger. It is the best plant I ever bought.

I am a proud parent of a great looking plant. The Americano is proud as well, as you can see! After all, both the plant and bicycling are quite green. Hope your week is going great!

Paz :)

New Harmony, Indiana - A photo essay!

2012-01-02T21:38:00.001-06:00

While on vacation in Indiana, over Christmas, we visited the historic town of New Harmony. This was one of the highlights of my vacation. It was nice to meet our friends in New Harmony and make some new friends. I had a blast!

New Harmony is a great town with a lot of history and lots of great people. There is so much more to New Harmony than I can tell you. You can read about New Harmony here.

Below is an assortment of photos from New Harmony. The captions tell it all, for the most part :)

This was my first stop in New Harmony - The Yellow Cafe and Bar. Very laid back, I loved it!

Next stop, the Coffee Shop!

I didn't buy any coffee here, but we had a great conversation with the owner.

Sometimes, I need a large cup of coffee :)

Antique Schwinn outside the Antiques Store!

Inside the Gallery, an interesting piece of art!

More from the Gallery...

More from the Gallery --- Is my Hawaiian reader looking at these? :)

Catholic Church in New Harmony?

Outside the Roofless Church!

Statue outside the Roofless Church!

Another view of the Roofless Church's compound with the Wabash River in the background!

The Roofless Church was designed by Phillip Johnson, who was also the architect for the Water Garden in Ft. Worth.

A quick peek at the Roofless from outside the gates!

Finally, the famous Roofless! So, calming!

Inside the Roofless!

Looking at the "ceiling" of the Roofless Church!

Down the road from the Roofless, looking at the Atheneum!

Trees at Tillich Park

Trees at Tillich Park. I could spend hours at this park, with a book or my journal!

One of the several historic cabins built by the settlers.

Circa 1819-1822 and still standing!

The infamous Atheneum - A must see!

Interesting quote # 1

Sarah's - A delightful place for refreshments!

Beautiful older building in New Harmony!

A lovely cabin that caught my eye.

More Gorgeous houses!

My friend's Peugeot bicycle. It had the same kinda fenders as Steve's. Blumels!

Black Kitty famous even in New Harmony!

Interesting quote # 1. This resonated very well with me.

I would love to go back to New Harmony again :) Hopefully, some day soon!!

Paz :)

Scenes from Evansville, IN

2012-01-02T21:10:00.001-06:00

Well, I am back!

Happy New Year to y'all!

I spent a few days with family in Evansville, Indiana. It was a very relaxing holiday. Shared great meals and conversation with family! I took my bike with me, but I didn't ride much. I rode about 10 miles around town and a few in the driveway, with my niece. But no regrets about not riding longer, there is always time for that back in Dallas. Evansville wasn't particularly colder than Dallas, but I saw a dusting of snow while in Indiana :)

Below are an assortment of interesting photos from around Evansville! The captions tell it all :)

Chaka gets the news first :)

Shaggy LCI!

Learning some maritime history?

Different kinda bank, eh?

Ohio River, downtown Evansville! (Very windy day)

USS LST 325 in the backdrop!

Teaching rock-dodge trick to my niece!

Back to work tomorrow and I am looking forward to it. To start the new year, I put one wheel in front of the other and rode 10 miles, running errands today.

Hope y'all had a nice holiday!

Wish you a Very Healthy, Happy and Prosperous New Year!!

Paz :)

Rawhide and rambling

2011-12-18T17:53:00.001-06:00

Couple of more days before I on my family vacation for the year. In the meantime, I have been trying to complete all my work projects and home projects. I can't say I have ridden much, other than an occasional ride or two to work and to the stores.

Shaggy and Chaka are busy playing, "Dominator" and the cats are enjoying the fireplace and living the life! Part of me wants to take a bike with me on the vacation, but I am not sure if I will have enough room in the truck. I could always rent or borrow one at the destination.

I am not sure if I will have an opportunity to blog while on vacation. So, if I don't catch you before Christmas, have yourself a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

See y'all soon!

Paz :)

Two in a row!

2011-11-29T21:26:00.001-06:00

I started riding to work yesterday.

I can signal reasonably well with my left hand now. I am still undergoing therapy.

Hopefully, I will be fully recovered soon.

Paz :)

Trailer Talk: Nov. 25, 2011

2011-11-25T21:25:00.001-06:00

I do not have a kickstand on my Thorn and Brahma. However, Brahma the Brompton does not need a separate kickstand, as one can use the rear rack to "park" a Brompton.

When I don't have 64A, the cargo trailer attached to the MKII, parking it is quite easy. I simply lean it against a stationary object and lock the bike to the stationary object. This stationary object is usually a gate or a bike rack or a lamp post.

I have considered adding a center kickstand to the MKII, but that's a topic for another post, really!

Today, I learned something new about parking the MKII with 64A attached to it. It may sound trivial for some of you veterans out there, but to me it was a valuable lesson.

When parking your bike (without a kickstand) with the cargo trailer attached to it, you may want to...

Lean the bike towards the stationary object a lot --- more than how much you would normally lean it, when you do not have the trailer attached to the bike.
AND/OR Secure the bike to the stationary object (in this case the gate) tightly, so that the bike does not move forward/backward/sideways.

Taking these precautions this might eliminate the bike from moving, which can cause the loaded trailer to fall on your foot/feet, when you are loading it or securing your cargo. Believe me, trailer falling on your feet is no fun!

That's all the news in this edition of "Trailer Talk"!

Have a Great Weekend!

Paz :)

Early Signs?

2011-11-25T00:42:00.001-06:00

I cleaned out my closet, book/music collection this week and donated a bunch of stuff to Goodwill.

During that process, I came across these two photographs of me from 1993.

Early signs of a Long-term relationship with bicycles?

Too late now :)

Paz :)

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T00:51:00.001-06:00

I have a lot to be thankful for: a great wife, a great family, a great group of pets, a good job, a roof over my head, great bikes, great friends, etc.

I didn't always expect to have all these, but I am thankful for all that I have.

Happy Thanksgiving to you!

Paz :)

Testing the limits

2011-11-21T14:50:00.001-06:00

My arm is getting better. Chaka is not the only one testing the limits. I rode 5 miles yesterday. Today is rest day. I spent much of it cleaning out my closet and the garage. I also got rid of a bunch of older books and about two dozen computer cables and other junk.

I am off this week, so I will post more when I have stuff to share.

Have a Great Week!

Dysfunctional Relationship

2011-11-13T23:41:00.001-06:00

After the fall last week, I went out with Brahma this evening. While I did not have any problems pedaling, I could not signal very well with my left arm. I only have limited mobility moving it sideways.

I am undergoing therapy to bring about a functional relationship with my left arm.

If I feel brave, I will try riding to work tomorrow.

Have a Great Week!

Paz :)

Fall?

2011-11-08T22:04:00.001-06:00

As though I spooked myself, I fell off my bike last night. It was raining and I couldn't see the muddy patch, I suppose. I have hurt my left shoulder, but not broken. I am undergoing Chiropractic therapy and I am off the bike for a bit.

I will resume posting soon as I am able.

Be well, y'all!

Paz :)

Scenes from the first Car-Free Streets Festival in Fort Worth, Texas!

2011-11-03T22:00:00.000-05:00

Below are some photos (minimal commentary) from the First Car-Free Streets Festival in Fort Worth!

I rode the TRE from South Irving to Fort Worth.

It is just as easy to carry coffee in the water bottle holder of the Bromtpon T-Bag!

I ran into another bicycle commuter on the TRE. This guy wasn't going to the festival as I was, but was headed to work. He had a decent ride, a Marin, with disc brakes, mudguard and all.

I saw a some bikes at different stations.

The T-bus that runs on Natural Gas! I wanted to take a photo through the open door of the train, but the cigarette smoke on the platform got to me :(

Possibly, the world's largest ceiling fan? :) I found this at the T&P station in Fort Worth. I was a bit bothered to see ash trays at each of the tables though. So, was the fan there to disperse the yucky smoke or was it there to keep the people cool? I can't believe they allow smoking in public places, still :(

More bikes, locked-up at the TRE station! To me, the red Cannondale looks more securely locked-up than the scooter.

I rode from the T&P station to Magnolia Avenue, where the festival was. The roads were more or less deserted, quite possibly because of the festival and the street closures!

I stopped by a side street, where there was Kids Bike Rodeo. I chatted with Nicky Stevens (Trinity Bicycles), who was conducting the event. There were a bunch of kids, including a couple of Nicky's, riding around in that area.

Here is Nicky, with his adorable child!

As you can tell, Brahma went to the festival with me :)

There was live music at the festival. Live and it was played by a cyclist, who hauled the equipment on his bike. Yay!

There were a bunch of booths, promoting different stuff. Here you can see the infamous "Water Booth"!

Right next to the "Water Booth", was the Jenga Booth. Man - this thing was ginormous and looked totally fun!

I met Christina of Bike Friendly Arlington and her cool Surly. The Surly was a practical, well-equipped bike!

I call this Moi Monet :) The blue wheel and the turf were added by someone else.

Cool Barber Shop and a nice street light to go with it!

Pedicab - yowza! Now, if only they spelled my name correctly ... :)

Quite possibly, the coolest tandem I saw that day!

Skate Jam - ya!

Cyclists do get hungry!

I forget the name of the establishment, but you got the door # and it is on Magnolia Ave! This guy has good eats and he asked me to bring my bike in. Need I say more?

Close-up of the cool tandem!

Got some yoga and some Beatles to go with it...good vibes y'all!

That's all folks :) I had a good time!

Paz :)

DART Vader - Part Deux

2011-11-03T21:30:00.000-05:00

As promised in my last post, I called DART first thing on Monday morning and filed a formal complaint reg. DART Vader. I was asked several questions, including:

A description of the incident
The location of the incident
Time of the incident
Route # of the DART bus
Bus # of the bus DART Vader operating

I provided the operator all of the above except #5, the existence of which I did not know about until PM pointed it out to me. However, as I strongly suspected, DART were able to identify the driver based on the location, route number and the time of the incident.

I was told that a the incident would be reported to the particular region to which the driver belonged (depending on the route #) and that the CSR (Customer Service Representative) would call me back on/before Nov. 14th regarding the outcome of the investigation. However, the CSR went on to add that I may not be let know the actual disciplinary action taken against the operator by the CSR and that I would have to contact the Legal Department, if I needed that information. I was provided a reference number.

I wasn't expecting a callback from DART until next week or so, but surprisingly enough, I got a call back from DART today. I was informed that:

Corrective action has been taken by DART
The operator has been "advised" that his/her behavior was unacceptable and that it will not be tolerated
A Field Supervisor has been assigned to the case and this Field Supervisor will ride on the bus to make sure that the operator behaves like he/she is supposed to behave
Mystery Riders may also be added to the bus(es) that the operator drives
It has been made clear to the operator that any such a behavior in the future will be dealt with very strict disciplinary action

Well, folks - I was happy to hear that than nothing at all from DART. Assuming DART told me the truth, they are possibly doing the right thing. At least, it is a step in the right direction.

The most amusing thing I learned from DART is that DART Vader is a female. Actually, for some weird, possibly irrational reason, it bugs me...

Paz :)

Harassment by DART Bus Driver aka DART Vader Part I

2011-10-30T00:46:00.000-05:00

This is the latest and greatest harassment by a Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) motorist yet.

I was headed out East on Valley View Lane this afternoon. Around 1:58 PM, I was riding in the right lane on Valley View, closer to the intersection of Josey Lane and Valley View Lane. In my rear view mirror, I saw the DART bus behind me, but didn't think much of it, as this is not abnormal vehicular behavior. I have had DART buses trail behind me, especially if there was a bus stop close by. In this case, there was a bus stop coming up, a few meters ahead of me, so I didn't think much of the DART bus's presence, in the same lane as I was, behind me.

And, suddenly, I hear a rather loud, "Beep, Beep", only this time the honk was not from a private vehicle, a private citizen's car or a truck, but the DART Bus Driver was honking at me. I was a bit puzzled, but I kept pedaling.

But, then I heard the honking again and the bus got closer to me. I felt threatened! I pulled out my camera and started shooting pictures in succession.

Soon as I started taking photos, the bus driver seemed to back off! I was still not sure what the intention of the driver was: was he gonna run me over or was he done harassing a law-abiding citizen, operating his vehicle on the road in a lawful manner?

So, in order to ensure my own safety, I pulled into the strip mall right across from the Autozone on Valley View Lane, which is a few meters from the bus stop. From there I shot the picture below.

Next, from my "safe haven", I called 911. I hate to waste tax payer money, but I had no other option, in this case, except to file a Police Report. A police officer from Farmers Branch showed up in a matter of minutes and I told the officer what went on. The Officer ensured me that I had every right to be on the road as did the DART bus driver, provided me the police report number and then left in the general direction of the DART bus. The Police Officer also went on to suggest that I should also contact DART regarding this.

As seen from the pictures above, the driver of Eastbound Bus # 535, was the one who harassed me.

I will be contacting DART first thing on Monday morning, both in written and by phone.

I have been honked at private citizens of DFW, which I think is ignorant. Now, I have been harassed by the very public transportation, which I am trying to promote. I don't get it.

What am I missing here? I thought DART would have educated their operators regarding the rules of the road, but clearly I am wrong! Apparently, DART's operators aren't taught what they need to know, before they are given the keys to vehicles, which in the wrong hands could potentially be lethal weapons.

This is a serious matter and I certainly hope that DART will do the right thing!

Please stay tuned for updates.

Chandra E
Dissatisfied Tax Payer and DFW resident
League Cycling Instructor # 3059

Meet Blue Velvet!

2011-10-26T23:03:00.001-05:00

I found Blue Velvet, the Bridgestone Carmel on Craigslist. A friend of mine and I drove to Denton to pick up, Blue Velvet and her mixte counterpart, which my friend kept. We were told the parents of the feller who sold us these bikes, bought them around 1985 (we have the original sales receipts and the manuals), but never rode'em, which was hard to believe at first, but on more careful examination, I have to wonder if that claim could really be a true one! Not a blemish on either bike! Given how little we paid for this bike and its companion, we got a very nice deal.

The tires do show some very minor signs of aging near the rim, but other than that the tires do hold air pretty well. They haven't lost any air pressure since Sunday night or whenever they were aired before that point. The tires are 27 x 11/4 Bridestones. The paint job is very original and quite lovely. It is a darker blue with some sparkle.

The mudguards look brand new. I ain't kidding.

Some kinda Shimano pedals, with a flat pedal on one side and provision for cleats on the other?

The gears were a bit sticky and the chain was dry as a bone. I lubed the chain and the various pivots and adjusted the Hi/Lo settings a bit to get the gears to move without sticking. Suntour 6 speed cassette in the rear and two chain rings in the front for a total of 12 gears. I haven't explored how well spaced or hill friendly these gears are, as I haven't taken the bike beyond a square block of where I live, just yet.

Does it say Carmel T. E. ? Touring Edition, may be? I can't figure out that font very well. What do you think?

The original saddle in mint condition. It is quite comfortable, though the Brooks lover in me, is pondering about the possibilities.

Big whopping rear reflector. I like it.

Quite possibly the original bottle cage! The original decal in great condition. If you look closely, you may see the discoloration in the exposed brake cable. Do you think it makes sense to wipe it with WD-40 to get rid of the discoloration (oxidation) and not change the cable, as long as it works well?

More stickers and decals, showing the country of origin and the type of steel.

The handlebar grips are spongy and soft. I think they may be the ones I want to replace first, if anything.

This afternoon, I took the new bike to The Bike Shop at Las Colinas for a overhaul/tune-up. The guys at the shop told me it would be $49.99, minus 25% due to the sale they are running right now, which I thought wasn't a bad price and so I dropped it off. The guy called me a few hours later and assured me that there is nothing wrong with the bike and that the bike is in excellent condition. He did say that he adjusted the gears a bit and charged me $16 and change (including taxes). I appreciated the quick turnaround, honesty and the savings. Thanks, guys!

So, that's the story in a nutshell. I will put the bike to test over the next couple of days, hopefully ride to work, if I can.

I would like to use this bike as a alternative commuter and for running errands. Let's see what the future holds :)

I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on what I should watch out for, which parts you would change if it were up to you, etc.

Paz :)

New Addition Hint!

2011-10-25T21:38:00.000-05:00

There was a new addition to the family this weekend. Nope, it is not an animate thingy. Here is a hint:

What will you get if you combine the object/structure in the first picture, that's used to cross the river, with the big object in the second picture? To solve this rather clumsy puzzle, you have to think like a "nerd" :)

I don't want to give it away...

Dogs Gone Hiking!

2011-10-22T11:02:00.001-05:00

When I had a couple of days off recently, me & T decided to go hiking with the dogs. I had to drive a few miles to get to near BNTF.

Chaka and Shaggy, posing happily. They did not go for many long walks over the summer and they were ecstatic to get out.

As much as Shaggy tried to train Chaka and put her in her place, in doggy terms, she is in love with him. She can't leave him alone and he actually goes and hides in the closet sometimes, just to get a break :)

I suppose love works in mysterious ways. Awww - the joys of life :)

Have a Great Weekend!

Paz :)

PSA: 1st Open Streets Festival in Fort Worth Texas

2011-10-22T10:56:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow (and Oct. 30th) is Open Streets Festival in Fort Worth. I am planning to attend.

Hope to see you there!

Paz :)

Image courtesy of OpenStreets.ArtsSouth.com

Vehicular Cycling in Madras/Chennai, India, from many moons ago!

2011-10-15T12:14:00.001-05:00

Madras aka Chennai is a famous city in Southern India. I got a masters in Madras and lived there for a few years, worked there, commuted there, etc. I had a lot of fun when I was there. Hence, Madras will always be special to me! I even remember going to a job interview (no suit, but nice shirt and tie) on my bike. I didn't have a car. The choices were: a) ride your bike or b) ride in the very crowded public transportation. I rode whenever I could. I rode to work, the beach, to the movies, etc. It was a lot of miles, in hot, humid, conditions, but it was special and fun.

Recently, a friend of mine sent me an email with photos of Madras, which is 372 years old. Some of these photos show lots of bicycles, like the ones I learned to ride on and rode for a good many years, back in the day. There are some other photos which might interest some of you who might be interested in them from an art/history perspective.

While the traffic and the road conditions look horrendous, believe me, people got around on their bicycles, in spite of all those "bad" things.

So, here are a bunch of photos* of Chennai, from way back when, for your viewing pleasure.

Have a Great Weekend!!

The streets in 1961 in and around Kothawal Chavadi, the city's wholesale vegetable and food produce market founded in 1803 in Black Town, now George Town, were always scenes of congestion created by handcart men, headload carriers and lorry drivers all competing for space during the day. It was only when the market moved to the western suburb of Koyambedu in 1996 that this congestion eased a little.

A view of the flyover coming up over Gemini Circle, in July 1972. The landmark construction has stood the test of time in traffic planning.

The ornamental Doric column in the High Court campus was the support for Madras’ second lighthouse, built in 1841. After the High Court was built in 1892, this lighthouse moved to its tallest tower in 1894 (on extreme left) till a new lighthouse was built in the late 1970s on the Marina. The pillar lighthouse, seen here in 1962, still stands tall east of the High Court buildings but bereft of its light.

Dr. A.V. Rajagopal’s house and clinic replaced Raghunatha Rao’s Krishna Vilas on West Mada Street (R.K. Mutt Road now) where national leaders met in December 1884 to discuss the formation of a national movement to seek freedom from the British. The discussions here and at Ranga Vilas in Egmore led to the formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885. That first discussion was marked with a plaque that long remained in Dr. Rajagopal’s clinic, but, sadly, vanished when the building was pulled down in the 1970s.

A panoramic view of Marina Beach on an evening.

This automatic, electrically-operated traffic signal at a junction in Egmore, photographed in September, 1953, is probably the first automatic traffic signal in south India.

The caption accompanying this archival photograph, describes "a traffic jam” on the Mount Road-Blacker’s Road crossing.

A massive crowd surging towards Rajaji Hall to pay its last respects to departed Congress leader K. Kamaraj on October 3, 1975.

Hundreds of workers manually clear the river bed of the Cooum near Willingdon Bridge in 1971, during one of the many phases of the Cooum Improvement Scheme.

Horse-drawn jutkas were still part of the public transport scene in Madras in 1979, especially opposite Central Station.

A bird’s eye view of Park Town’s pride – from left to right - Sydenham’s Road, Ripon Building – headquarters of the Corporation of Madras built in 1913, Victoria Public Hall built in 1887 and Moore Market built in 1887. Behind these majestic buildings sprawls a lake with the South India Athletic Association’s ground beyond, boasting of the Moore Pavilion, seen at the top right of the picture.

Spencer’s majestic building was still there – in the background – in 1976, watching over an increasing flow of public transport, but minimal private transport on Mount Road.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Road, formerly Esplanade Road in 1961, with the open Esplanade having been where the High Court buildings (on left) came up. It was a pleasure indeed to drive a car then, especially the stylish Morris Minor (in the foreground), on the wide, empty roads flanked by majestic buildings still standing today.

Paz :)

*Photos courtesy of The Hindu newspaper.

Special Delivery : A Hula hoop

2011-10-15T11:57:00.000-05:00

Back in 2007, I was introduced to the joy of hooping by my lovely wife. I started out making a hoop or two for just our family. Then, I made some for some of my friends in St. Louis.

Recently, one of my friends at the Table Tennis club, mentioned some interest in getting fit and having fun while doing it. So, I made him a deal: I will deliver a hoop for him to try - no obligations. If he felt like continuing hooping, I would make him one, provided he bought the materials.

Hence, last weekend, there was - Special Delivery: A Hula Hoop! It is a win-win for all.

Making a Hula Hoop is quite easy. All it takes is some irrigation tubing, a connector (to connect the ends of the tubing and complete the circle), some duct-tape and some electrical tape.

To decide how big your custom hoop should be, all you have to do is to measure the distance from your feet to your breastbone (measurement a) or chin (measurement b) or in between your breastbone and your chin (measurement c). It is recommend that the diameter of the hoop be roughly the same as measurement a or measurement b or measurement c. I prefer using the measurement c.

Once you decide how large the hoop should be, make the appropriately sized circle with the irrigation tubing and the metal connector. Then you can decorate your hoop with duct-tape and some electrical tape. Make sure to let your imagination run wild :)

Hooping is a great way to stay in shape and have fun while doing it. It is relatively easy on the knees. However, like any physical activity, there may be some risks associated with hooping as well, so take it easy, should you decide to do it, especially with how wildly you swing your hips.

If you don't want to make your own hoops, no worries. There are plenty of commercially made hoops available at places like Hoopnotica.

Have fun hooping!

Paz :)