Bike to Work Day!
2006-06-28 03:07:01.331251+00 by
ebradway
6 comments
In Boulder and Denver, this happens to be Walk and Bike Week. And tomorrow is Bike to Work Day. With over 100 places to grab a free bite to eat in Boulder alone, tomorrow will mark my first longer ride on the BikeE RX. I've taken a few longer spins and got many of the bugs worked out - tire pressure, air shock pressure, locks, bags, etc. But this will be my longest yet - about 15 miles each way. Rather short by Dan's standards...
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Coyote Grits Food Work, productivity and environment Bicycling
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comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):
#Comment Re: made: 2006-06-28 16:18:01.7777+00 by:
Dan Lyke
Even when I've been biking to work somewhat regularly (a stint while I worked over in Berkeley, for instance), every time I've tried to bike to work on "Bike to Work Day" (which for us is in May) I've always had something else come up. This year it was taking a coworker to catch a bus to the airport.
One of these days I'll get to take advantage of the freebies...
#Comment Re: made: 2006-06-28 16:51:47.753337+00 by:
ebradway
First stop: Boulder Chamber of Commerce for a cup of water and a smoothie. I rode past Celestial Seasonings (the herbal tea company) earlier but didn't see their breakfast station.
Second stop: Boulder Co-op for an egg-and-cheese wrap
Third stop: Dushanbe Teahouse for some eggs, potatoes and biscuit and some oil on my chain and some tweaks to the front derailleur.
Fourth stop: Wild Oats on Broadway for pancakes and sausage.
Fifth stop: Buchanan's Coffee Pub for a bagel with cream cheese and mate latte.
Met Sean, a tech at Full Cycle on The Hill just across Broadway from where I work on campus. He's an avid BikeE fan and, until three days ago, did some major trail riding on his fully-suspended BikeE FX. Very good to know that there is a tech at a shop just a short walk from my office who knows BikeEs!
Other big note: Riding on the road shoulders, marked bike lanes, and even sidewalks sucks compared to cruising the Boulder Creek Path. The only challenge was knowning when to get off the path as it's completely surrounded by natural space even though it threads right through the middle of Boulder. And you'd really have to try it to see how it's light-years beyond the riverwalk in Chattanooga. One easy thing to point out is that there are regular marked lanes - sometimes just two and sometimes three - two for bikes and one for peds.
#Comment Re: made: 2006-06-29 11:37:13.335863+00 by:
petronius
After all these breakfast stops you'll need the ride to burn off the calories!
#Comment Re: made: 2006-07-06 03:00:21.221754+00 by:
meuon
Friday is "Bike to Work" day in Chattanooga, we'll see what breakfast at Miller Plaza is really like. I'm guessing coffee and donuts.
#Comment Re: made: 2006-07-06 20:22:32.501863+00 by:
Dan Lyke
Since I'm becoming a part of putting on biking events, it's what people arrange to put out. Coffee (a stimulant that's banned in professional bike competition!) and large quantities of calories: Good.
On the other hand, if you can find a food establishment that'd like to be the post-ride hangout for your local club rides, getting them involved in this would seem a good PR move. I'd go for coffee and pastries 'cause they're easy to eat on the move...
#Comment Re: made: 2006-07-07 13:13:55.222167+00 by:
meuon
Bike To Work Day, Chattanooga Style.
Have a great ride into Downtown.. it's a beautiful morning, and coming down the mountain is a poetic mix of curves. It's a good steady climb to the Red Bank Tunnel, something that only a couple of months ago was a unsurmountable obstacle.
Zip down to the NorthShore, hit the Walnut Street Bridge and see familiar faces both walking into work, and out for some early AM exercise. Smile, when you realize that you are also becoming one of those familiar faces to them, as you catch a few "'Morning" grunts from the joggers.
Miller Plaza: 7:30am, should be breakfast. No-one there. Hmm.. Two other bikers ride by looking around, one stops and we chat. We decide.. Hmm.. hungry, lets go get breakfast. I offer up Porkers, we have a good breakfast there, chat.. and go back to see if others show up. Riding by Miller Park, we see bikes, a pop-up tent and stop. Well, we missed most of it, coffee is gone, and there are a few pastries left, so we stop and chat. They saw us ride by the first time, but we did not see them. We'll know where they are next time though.
Eric, it may not be Boulder's level, but I met some great people, many of whom I've seen elsewhere riding but had not talked with yet. Exchanged phone numbers with another recumbent rider.. shared some stories.. both of biking and other things.. And then rode to work. I'll give it a 5 for getting the directions mixed publically (they list the Plaza and the Park), but a 10 for friendly community building karma.