Super Late BTWD Wrap-up

This picture goes at the end, but I am dumb and lazy. These are the lovely people from the Sweetwater School District in Chula Vista along with a representative from Bike Warehouse. They talked me into entering their drawing. I suppose I didn't win.

This is the first stop from my trip at the San Diego Zoo. I apparently left too early for the Adams Ave. Bike Shop people. They weren't open yet. The Zoo had a pit stop open in their parking lot. this is Skink Floyd. He is a skink from Australia (I forget which type). These are the folks from the RECON Environmental sponsored pit stop. I believe they are dressed up as 4 of the threatened local species they are working to protect. Had a good time at this pit stop.
Even when they made me pose with them for a photo.
I didn't get any pictures from the Ridelink sponsored site. I did get to speak with someone from Ridelink about the new Sprinter service in north county. She told me that they have been overwhelmed with bicyclist and that they are working on figuring out how to have this brand new service work better for cyclists. That is the kind of thing I like to hear.

These great ladies work at the Hard Rock Hotel. They had a great spread and were real excited to be hosting this event. It was their first year doing it so hopefully they will do it again next year.

From there I got on the trolley and rode 4 stops into Chula Vista (since I was starting to run late to work). Went to the REI sponsored stop at the BFGoodwrench Aerospace complex. They had a mechanic out doing minor repairs and adjustments on bikes. Plus, free water bottles and tire levers. Good times.
Then I headed down to the first picture and then broke a spoke on my way to the bus (see Bike to Work Day Bummer).

All in all, I'd say the day went pretty well for the city. More sponsors it seems, now we just need more cyclists. Or I need to ride where the cyclists are riding. One of the two.

-Matt

Direct link to REI Cycling store

News Stories I like to read:

Today I must be in a good mood. Instead of being snarky and wanting to blast a fat NO DUH! at these newspaper writers, I am just happy that the stories are being published and hoping that it might help to convert a few more people.

Today, it is three stories that say: "Save gas, Bike to work"

The Economic Times - (perfect name for a paper to run this story)
The Newark Advocate
Galesburg's The Register-Mail

-Matt





Direct link to REI Cycling store

Bike to Work Day Bummer

Photo from Flickr

Late last night I changed my plan for Bike to Work Day. Since people actually read this blog now, I figured I should try to do you all a service and try to report how BTWD went in San Diego. I stayed up a little late mapping out a route that would take me past 7 different pit stops. This route was 27 miles one-way. No problem I figured, since I'd be getting my miles anyway, I'll substitute a short jaunt on the trolley between downtown and Chula Vista and a quick ride on the bus at the end of my trip.

Would this take longer? Sure. But I'll just get up and out a bit earlier than normal. Anything for my new found readers!

Let's just say that everything went very well early on. I'll post a better report and pictures later. But as time went on I knew I was going to be later and later to work. So I rushed to my bus stop, where there was a bus waiting. Not wanting the bus to leave without me, I rushed up onto the sidewalk so that I could be seen. At that point my back tire locked up. Didn't have a chance to look at it until now.

Broke a spoke.

I contend that no routine damage is so detrimental as a broken spoke. Does it kill your ride? No. You can still ride on it. But I know from experience that riding on a broken spoke only leads to breaking more spokes. I went through a month after I started riding where I broke 4 spokes. I asked what I was doing wrong and what I could do to stop it. I found out that any riding on a broken spoke weakens the other spokes. I had him rebuild the tire.

This means that my trip home, the first time I was going to ride all the way home without using the transit system, is going to be strictly by transit. And what is worse is that I will likely have to wait for a bus that doesn't already have too many bikes on it.

Bummer.

-Matt

Direct link to REI Cycling store

Bike to Work Day - San Diego

I'd be remiss if I weren't to at least acknowledge that Bike to Work Day is tomorrow. I'm fond of Bike to Work Day because it has been, over the last two years, the day where I finally take the plunge and skip the car or public transit and make the ride to work on my own power. It is incredibly liberating. I also like it because, much like the number of visitors to this blog after a link from Commute by Bike, the number of riders on the street jumps up dramatically.

The link for San Diego information is here via Ridelink
If that doesn't work work your way through the Ridelink page

Here is the list of all the rest stops in San Diego: (pdf file)

I'll have photos from my trip tomorrow!




Direct link to REI Cycling store