2016 National Drive Electric Week in Lubbock, Amarillo, Abilene, Odessa-Midland, and Wichita Falls!!!

National Drive Electric Week 2016 is September 10-18.

 

We may need a bigger battery pack! (Click the map to find an event near you.)

 

May we find what we are looking for and may it be healthier for us all!

 

PS - More NDEW news to come, but no events.

They say it's your birthday, Mesquite Hugger

[Blogger warning: prepare to read a lot about me me me if you venture past this point!]

Yep, it happened again, my birthday rolled around this weekend. And it was a great birthday weekend. Not anything crazy, but good times with great people and a little slowdown time. Good stuff.

I get all reflective around anniversaries and such, so I sat down and started looking at where I am. I won't bore you with all of the details, but I will bore you with the mesquite huggery stuff.

So, what have I been doing right this year? Carpooling the recycling, riding a bike, and trying to spread the word.

Carpooling recycling: Thank you, Texas Tech recycling!!! Thursday is now recycle day - I drive the truck to work. My office and three households load their recycling into the truck. I swing by my mum's house and pick up her recycling, and (of course) I take our recycling and a fair amount of neighborhood stuff to the university. (An old friend of mine is working over there and putting his life back together after some hard times. Through him, I can see where the recycling program is doing much more for our community than just recycling.) Thank you, Texas Tech!

Love the bike!

Yes, you knew I couldn't skip the bike. Lots of miles going to work and running errands. I feel better. The planet breathes easier. Our bank account is suffering less too. Pedaling is good stuff!

Yep, I represented there!

Spreading the word: I gave a few talks, worked with the Citizens Climate Lobby, and blog readership is up. We are making some progress.

What have I been doing okay? Giving up the gasoline, gardening and greener yard work, being politically active, and being friendlier to others.

Second-hand mower that needs no gas!

 

Giving up the gasoline: It's not just the bike! I have been planning my trips better and driving a bit more mellowly. And there's a lot of pedaling. I picked up a second-hand cordless lawnmower, a second-hand cordless weedeater, and a first-hand cordless chainsaw. Still burning more than I want to be, but it's progress.

Food Is Free Planter

Sweet! (pepper)

The carbon munching garden? It's doing pretty good, especially the Food-Is-Free planter. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and squash are growing like weeds! The weeds aren't growing like weeds! The roly polies are under control, the squash bugs are (somewhat) under control, and the tiny predators are fat and happy! The olla planters are doing well but would be doing better with more time devoted to them. The compost boxes are cranking out plenty of compost.

Basil Flower

Eggplant Flower

Squash Flower

Political activity: I learned early on not to talk politics and religion in polite company.*

People keep smiling back at me!

Where have I stunk the place up? Project completion, decluttering and minimizing, and pursuing solar power.

Project completion: The electro-pigeons gather dust. Electric Bridget gathers dust. The electric pickup gathers dust. The greenhouse pieces gather dust. (I should become a dust collector since I seem to have a knack for it.) But the home-made panniers have been a great boon to my biking.

Decluttering and becoming a minimalist: I have actually re-homed quite a bit of stuff this year, but it is spoons full from a mountain. And I really want a cargo bike, snagit!

Pursuing solar power: I do consistently use a solar-powered bike light, but that's about it.

May your reflections show that you are blessed and ever more green!

I'd marry her!

 

*I thank God for each and every one of you who takes time to read this blog and I pray that you are blessed regardless of your political affiliation, religious beliefs, gender identity, or hatred of dorks on bikes.

Radwagon Reviews

I get pretty steady emails from a number of electric and cargo bike makers. You might think it's because I am a big-time blogger, but it's actually because I subscribed to their email lists.

Rad Power Bikes emails me the most often. Most of their emails tell me when RadMinis and/or RadRovers are back in stock. And I am always a little disappointed that there's never any RadWagon news. (I wonder if the big bike is not the big seller the other two are? That would make sense - not everyone is quite ready to go full-on cargo-bike hardcore-ism. Am I?) So I was pretty excited earlier this week when they emailed me about an update to the RadWagon - it turned blue!

Which would you choose?

I don't really want the blue one - the orange one matches my safety vest and such, but it does turn out to be pretty good marketing. You see, I've had Radwagons on the brain all week since receiving the email. As I've been researching all the cool roadster bikes for this week's posts, that $1599 cargo bike with 48 volts and 750 watts and lots of cool features sounds like a heck of a bargain.

But my worry with the RadWagon has been a quality thing. It's a whole lot of bike for the money. I have feared it was too much bike for the money. I figure it's a Chinese bike spec'ed by an American company, and I hope that nothing is lost in the translation. If you are looking for a bike to replace your car, you want that thing to be dependable. So I keep an eye out for Radwagon owner reviews.

You have to do a little searching, but the general consensus is that most owners are extremely happy with their Radwagon purchases:

The Syonyk Review - one of the most thorough reviews from a guy who knows e-bikes

Mr. Money Mustache (This one is a bit of a stretch - the Radwagon shows up several times in the comments - not the article, but it's compelling stuff.)

Radwagon discussion on Reddit

Radwagon anybody? (From Bike Forums)

Big, powerful, orange beast from Seattle (and elsewhere) you have me e-bike tempted. I guess I need to go home and find something to sell. Let's see. $1599 + $175 shipping...maybe I need to find a few things to sell.

May you find a green (and possibly orange) form of transport to get you around joyfully.

PS. For those of you getting tired of two-wheelers, I got a new phonecamera lense for my birthday and National Drive (Not "Ride") Electric Week fast and silently approaches. So there should be a bit more diversity in upcoming posts. Hang in there and pursue green heartily! Our planet needs you!

Three MORE Low-Cost Electric Roadster-ish Bikes

In case you missed the last three bikes, you can find them in this post. Today's post is the one where I thought to myself, SnagIt, I forgot the________! After doing that a few times, I just decided to make another post. Don't be surprised if I do it again next week.

Karmic Bikes

The first on the list is one I was super excited about, then there was a little controversy of some kind, and it fell off of my very overwhelmed radar. But it survived the ripple, Kickstarted successfully, and now it's available for outright purchase. And it has one very big distinction from the other 5 bikes featured -  its frame is purpose-built for a mid-drive motor. (I drooled a little as I typed that.)

Karmic Koben

The Karmic Koben is a beauty that looks more expensive than it is. It is also very cool for a $1899 bike. (There is a more expensive version - the Koben S - that costs quite a bit more, has a bigger battery, and will do 28 mph, but I am featuring the  base model since it falls into falls into our sub-$2000 range. FYI, if you're looking for a step-through frame, Karmic is currently Kickstarting their Kyoto model.)

Impressive stats for both models!

\

The big deal about mid-drive is better weight distribution, a different type of power distribution, and it's a whole lot easier to change a flat tire. The big downside is wear and tear on the drivetrain and sprockets.  One reason many people choose mid-drive is to take advantage of a bikes many gear combinations, but the base Koben is a single-speed model. Hmm. (I know I said that I would not talk about the Koben S - but that's a phenomenal spec list - check out that CVT rear hub!)

 

The Koben S with the cool NuVinci hub!



 

Riide

 

Strangely similar and radically different from the Karmic Koben is the Riide. It's pretty elemental: single speed, throttle only (no pedelec), no fancy display boards, no removable battery. You don't find many e-bikes that are so close to being a plain, old, everyday bike. If you are trying to simplify BUT you really want an e-bike, this is the machine for you.

 

Riide

 

It has a 36 volt 250 watt power train. The battery is inside the frame. It has a top speed of 20 mph and a range of 25 miles. It weighs 40 pounds. It does not come in lots of colors. It doesn't come with lots of options. It's a take-it-as-it-is-or-don't-take-it-at-all bike. I like it a lot, but it may be that I was drawn in by their spoken-word Kickstarter video: (I just don't know if I am cool enough to ride it.)

 

 Riide Kickstarter Video

 

What don't I like about the Riide? Two things - the lack of a removable battery pack and the lack of pedelec system. As a guy who parks on the first floor and works on the third floor, I am a big fan of having my battery to go. (I really like that on the GenZe.) And I like the subconscious push of a pedelec over the very conscious choice of a throttle.)

 

For those of you wanting an e-bike but struggling to come up with the lump sum to buy one, Riide does have a fairly appealing finance program to help get you on your way - they call it the RiidePass program. [Blogger note: Don't create debt for yourself! Yes, Admiral, it is a trap!]

 

The Vela

 

And now for something completely different: the Vela. Nope, it does not come in matte black. Nope, the bars aren't flat and this thing does not look fast when it's sitting still. But it does have a certain Downtown Abigail appeal and it comes in at a pretty low price. It even has free shipping for you peeps living in the USA.

 

 

Vela Bikes

 

The removable 36 volt battery pack hangs out in the seat tube and carries the bike about 20 miles. The motor is a geared 350 watt rear hub motor. It has a USB port for charging your stuff and it has a built-in burglar alarm. Yep, I said it.It comes in four different colors. It's all pedelec - no throttle at all. It weighs a respectable 42 pounds. And it's as cute as a buginarug. AND, it comes with built-in front and rear lights!

 

So, how about you? Which one airs up your tires? Can you see yourself leaving the car at home and flying to work on one of these? Me? I got an email from the Radwagon people yesterday - it now comes in blue! (But I think I still like the orange one better.

 

May you find some way to quit burning fossil fuels and to enjoy life more. Thank you for reading!

 

PS. I will shoot for a super-cheap e-bike post in the near future for you broke cheapos like me!

 

 

Serenity

So try this.

Go sit on the porch, or the patio, or wherever (preferably outside) for five minutes.

Sit quietly. Don't fidget. Don't reach for your phone.

Five minutes.

How'd you do?

Try it again tomorrow.

May you revel in the silence.

My Dream EV - My Wife's Nightmare

My greatest EV dream is a small, street-legal, electric truck. I'd happily settle for a small hybrid truck.

Apparently, my wife married a man with odd tastes. I used to drive a less shiny version of this:

Ford Econoline Pickup

And I think this is cooler than the Batmobile:

The '59 El Camino - so cool

And I have wanted one of these since I was 10 years old:



Subaru Brat

Do you see a pattern evolving here? But you may have noticed that I went through a radical conversion a few years back. The conversion has to do with finding ways to drastically reduce the damage we are doing to the planet that supports us. So now my dream vehicles burn little or no gas (or diesel or propane). I keep hoping Nissan will offer up a battery powered small truck...

El Leaf-amino? Ranchero Leafo? Leaf-Brat?

...or Toyota will pry out a Prius pickup, but it just doesn't seem to be happening. Sigh...

Prius Tote

So there I was browsing through Ebay this week when I saw a version of what I've been hoping for: a slug-bug electric truck!

The bed does seem a bit shallow.

It's definitely out of my price range.

It looks like it's a 96 volt, lead-acid battery setup and has about a 25-mile range. More  importantly, it's PDC - pretty dang cool! But I can hear my wife, "I don't get it. It can't decide if it's a car or a truck. It needs to be one or the other."

But love is blind - she told me a few weeks ago that she'd love me even if I brought home an old Ford Ranchero. Yep, she loves me!

If only it were electric. Sigh... (Find it here.)

May you haul your stuff greenly, funkily, and joyfully! (And may your baby love you, too!)

Three Low-Cost Electric Roadster Bikes

For all you electric bike fans who are not cargo bike fans, I decided today was a day to veer away from my heavily laden single-track mind and offer up some bikes for normal people.

 

Roadster? Roaster? Donuts! (Dave Palmer Art)

 

Are you looking for an electric bike that is just a bike? You know - not a dedicated road bike, not a dedicated mountain bike,  not a cruiser, not a cargo bike, but a bike that could do a little bit of each? Well, it's a category I have been watching closely for a few years now. Keep in mind, that I am very cheap, so I have not been watching the Stromers and HaiBikes and Felts and such. I have been keeping it in the sub-$2000 range, and I am trying to stay out of the Kickstarterisms for this group so that you can keep these stewing and not have to make an impulse buy to get in on the deal. (Two of these, however, are only available for pre-order right now.)

So let's jump into it. The first bike on the list is no stranger to those who have poked around Mesquite Hugger in the past. It's the GenZe e-bike. It's technically one model that is available in a few different frame configurations. It's a solid bike with a few very cool features and it comes in at a very reasonable $1499. A few basic stats: 36 volt removable battery pack (integrated into the frame!), 250 watt hub motor, throttle/pedelec/human power/walking and stair climber modes, cool digital readout, it weighs only 46 lbs (not bad in this price range), disc brakes, and a 7-speed Shimano derailleur. It also comes in three frame sizes for the sport model and two sizes for the step-through model. Lots of good stuff. I hope silver is your favorite color - the GenZe comes in silver, silver, or silver. The frame is aluminum.

 

[GenZe sidebar: GenZe also offers an electric scooter that seems to be doing very well. I have been watching an electric scooter sharing company in San Francisco (Scoot Networks) that has adopted the GenZe 2.0 and is having great success with these low-cost ($2999) workhorses.] 

 

Genze e101 Sport

What's that? You're allergic to aluminum? You don't want to be seen riding around on recycled beverage cans? Well, maybe this next one will be more to your liking. Its frame is not metal at all. It's carbon fiber (or "fibre" for those of you from across the pond and whatnot). And it comes in a very stealthy matte black. It is from our old Canadian Beast-maker buddies, Daymak.

 

Daymak EC1 (Electric Carbon 1)

 

There are three versions available that cost $1899, $2399, and $3499. And they weigh 34, 32, and 28 pounds respectively. That's right - the cheapest version is 12 pounds lighter than the GenZe. I'll focus on that less expensive version - it's a 21-speed, has a removable 24 volt battery pack (the more expensive ones have 36 volts), has a 250 watt motor, disc brakes, and front suspension. But the big deal here is the carbon fiber frame - you just don't see that stuff in this price range - and 34 pounds is nothing to sneeze at. The bad news? If you want one next week, you are out of luck - this one is only available through pre-order at this time. But it is a cool machine.

This next one is for you speed junkies. The GenZe and the Daymak are both limited to 20 miles per hour, but the Cross Current has no such limitation - it'll do 28 miles per hour. If you are accustomed to riding around in a car, that may not sound like much, but if you are used to bicycle speeds, 28 mph is flying! 20 mph on a bike is actually impressively fast for us mere mortals. 28 will make you feel like a two-wheeled Chuck Yeager.
 

Juiced Rider Cross Current - One Bad Mamma Jamma!

The Cross Current is a product of Juiced Rider or Juiced Bikes, a small but very well thought of e-bike company best known for their rather sweet cargo bikes that have up to a 100 mile range.

[Okay, I'll be honest here. This one is my fave by far.]

Just like the GenZe, it costs $1499, but it is very impressive in features and hardware: Kenda e-bike tires (!), Samsung removable 48 volt (!) battery pack, 500 watt (!) motor, Tektro hydraulic (holy moly!) disc brakes, and an honest-to-goodness torque-sensing pedelec. Almost all e-bikes in this price range have cadence sensors - not the vastly superior torque sensors. This means that the Cross Current responds to how hard you pedal, not just to the fact that you are pedaling. Sweet!

And, it comes in sexy red or matte black. (For those of you who are worried about such things.) It also comes in three frame sizes, you can get a bigger battery for $200 more, and it has mounts for a utility rack (which has this eco-cargo dork all excited.) Sure it weighs the most (49 pounds), but who really cares when you get this much bike for the money!

(While visiting the site, I noticed that they are cross-currently sold out, but expect to have more in stock in late September.)

Add some taller bars, the bigger battery, a rear cargo rack - yep, I want one. Sure, I want a cargo bike, but this thing is cool sexy fast and all kinds of stuff that make the heart beat faster. Oh so cool!

 

May your heart beat faster and your carbon footprint be smaller.

 

Gratuitous Dog Pic with a Scoot Networks GenZe 2.0

 

 

 

Razor Does It Again! My new favorite EV - the Street Fighter!

[Two electric motorcycle posts in one week - unheard of.]

It happens at least four times each year - I find myself wanting a motorcycle: Spring, summer, fall, and mild winter days.

You may not think so after reading the post earlier this week, but I really like motorcycles. The simple act of riding one engages my brain in a way few other things do - leaning, shifting, braking, not getting run over - it's all exhilarating stuff. It takes up a lot more of your consciousness than most activities in life. And I find it highly addictive. It's also expensive, impractical, and downright dangerous. This is why I find myself wanting a motorcycle instead of having one.

On top of all that, it's hard to find a decent, affordable, electric motorcycle, and I am doing my darnedest to give up fossil fuels. So, snagit, no more motorcycles for me. But they still catch my eye.

One of my favorite gas-powered motorcycles is the Ducati Monster. I love the lines, I love the trellis frame, I love the shape. I just don't like the internal combustion engine.

This Ducati parks in the parking lot outside my office every day, tempting me. If only it came in a less expensive, electric version.

Actually, now it does! It's just a little smaller than I had hoped:

The Razor RSF650 in all its glory!

Will and Connor Armstrong (The Twins!) Review the RSF

Billy Griggs tells about the Razor Street Fighter

For about $600 you can have one of these fully electric (junior) bad boys of your very own. It can go 17mph, run for more than 50 minutes per charge, and carry 220 pounds. Honey, I am going back on my diet again - only 20 pounds to go!

[My eco-hot-rodder brain has already been at work: new front forks, a heavy duty rear shock, 48 volts of lithium batteries, and an upgraded controller with regenerative braking. Yep, that little bike is gonna burn up the streets very quietly. Maybe I need to look at upgraded brakes and an air horn too!]

Honey, I know what you're getting for Christmas! I hope it comes in matte black (The Ducati Monster Dark is my wife's dream bike) by then!

Here are a few Bonus Razor posts for your hooligan enjoyment:

I found my new dream electric vehicle - move over Tesla

Razor Ecosmart Scooter vs. the Storm Ebike

My we all find our dream vehicles, and may they not have tailpipes belching poisonous gases.

Scrounging - the Low-Budget DIY Hardware Store

A bit of brainstorming:

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Upcycle

Cheapo Mesquite Hugger who wants to improve the world WITHOUT spending any money

Materialism versus Minimalism versus way too much crap versus way too many unfinished projects

So, let's talk construction dumpsters.

Residential - drawers, 2x4's, and a few ceiling fans

 

JG's daughter and some neighborhood kids are wanting to build a clubhouse. They are all around 8-11 and they are full of ambition and ideas. These industrious kids came up with an amount of cash they need to build the clubhouse - $150. We have been discussing the clubhouse at work. It's one of those things where I realize how differently I look at the world around us. One guy said, "A hundred and fifty dollars - they're not going to build much with that." Several heads nodded agreement. I was thinking That sounds like $125 too much to me.

Guess where this one is.

That's one tall shadow! (and lots of good lumber)

Another residential - pallets and paneling

 

Commercial - lots of shelving and display racks

 

The five sites above are all on my bike ride from home to work. I did not have to go looking for them. When you start looking, you will be amazed at how many you find. People trash a lot of stuff, and a lot of it is very useful stuff. It's not rare to find doors, windows, furniture, appliances, bikes, lawnmowers. If you are into the idea of reduce, reuse, recycle, and upcycle, be watching for construction/remodeling/demolition sites. Me, I try to keep projects in mind and scout while I am out. For example, I need to build some garage shelves soon. I have had my eye out for a few solid-core doors for that project. Sunday afternoon I started building a pallet dog bed (similar to one below) for Condo, our senior greyhound. I have it all cut out, sanded, and ready for home-brewed-coffee stain. So far, I have not spent a penny. Nor have I contributed to a tree being cut down. Also, there is less crap headed to the landfill.

 

Find it here

 

 So, let's talk etiquette:

1. ASK first! We are trying to be responsible stewards - not thieves or gunshot victims. (Remember, I live in Lubbock where two men recently shot each other over a ladle.) If you cannot find anyone to ask (or they tell you no), forget about that one and move on to the next.
2. BE SUPER CAREFUL! Wear leather gloves and safety glasses. Be mindful of what type of waste you are dealing with: nails, screws, glass - these can all tear you up. Be just as mindful of other types waste that can also be harmful to your health - things like mold and medical waste. Again, it's better to walk away than to risk personal injury.
3. Leave the place nicer than you found it. Don't scatter stuff around or make a mess. Besides it being the right thing to do, it will also help to make sure that we scroungers stay welcome there.
4. Show off your new creation or brag about your $ savings - that way we can encourage others to make a dent in our overwhelming waste stream. (Please send pics to the Mesquite Hugger. I love this stuff!)

May you find joy in working toward better!

 

(To Bella and the Blondies - can't wait to see the clubhouse!)

Climate Change Denial

I keep thinking about it. When the facts are there, the science is there, the logic is there, and the crazy weather reinforces the truth every day, why would people continue to deny that it is real, that we are causing it, and that we need to do something about it?

I am not the brightest guy around (I am not a scientist, but...), but I think it's a guilt thing.

If you admit that climate change is real and is man made, then you have to admit that you are consciously and willingly harming others for your own convenience. Then you have your conscience and your public image to deal with. And heaven knows we don't want that.

Bill Moyers interviews Texas Tech's Dr. Katharine Hayhoe

Nothing to see here.

My heart and my prayers go out to the people of Louisiana, the people of the Philippines, and all of the others who are suffering the results of our ongoing denial.

May we get past guilt or blame or whatever it is and get to work fixing this overwhelming problem.

Why I write so little about Electric Motorcycles

I was updating the Electric Motorcycles link page and noticed (once again) that I seldom write about electric motorcycles. It always surprises me. I write about bicycles, electric bicycles, electric scooters, electric mopeds, and electric cars fairly often, but I rarely find myself inspired to write about electric motorcycles. I guess I got it out of my system before I started blogging. And for me, they don't make that much sense. It may also be that I live in a flat, boring place that does not inspire one to ride that much.

Getting it out of my system:

This one did it.

I once bought a brand-new electric motorcycle. I bought it discounted because it was an unsold earlier year model. It was a 2011 Zero XU. And it was a brilliant motorcycle - when it was working right. Which was rare. It literally traveled twice as many miles in the back of a pickup to be repaired by one of the nearest authorized repair facilities than it did under its own power. It had an advertised range of 25 miles. It had an 11 mile range on a warm day and an 8 mile range on cooler days. It would occasionally just shut off while I was riding it. And Zero was really terrible to work with for both me and for their authorized dealer/repair facility. I had dreamed of owning a Zero, and it turned out to be the single-most miserable ownership experience I have had in my life. So every time Zero announces a new model or extended range or a good discount...I don't bother to post about it. And Zero is truly the only significant electric motorcycle provider in the United States, snagit!

Money:

When you look at the cost of an electric motorcycle (or the cost of converting your own -  especially the batteries), it's hard to swallow spending that much money on a toy that will haul only one person and very little stuff. They are cool. They are sexy. They are fun. But they are not practical, and you have to pay for insurance and registration. When I had mine, I found myself constantly running home to get the car so that I could buy groceries or take someone with me. It made very little sense as transportation and I was not wealthy enough for it just to be a toy. So I don't write about them very often.

Value:

When I compare the virtues of an electric motorcycle to those of a Nissan Leaf or a Genze 2.0 Scooter or an Electric Yuba/Juiced Rider/Vanmoof/Radmini/etc., I start having a hard time being excited about another electric motorcycle. And until we see more electric motorcycles with attainable prices, I just don't see that changing - especially not when I can pick up a gently used Leaf plus a home charger plus a pair of Radwagon Cargo Bikes plus a plus a pair of Detroit Bikes plus a weekend getaway to the mountains with my wife for less money than one Empulse.

May we reach a point where we are overwhelmed with great electric offerings, but we are not there yet.
.

Fossil Free Friday: Swapping Your Car for a Bike

That's an honest to goodness bike trail I am parked on - really!

Nope, I haven't done it yet. But I keep getting closer. I am about 50/50 on car trips vs. bike trips now. The ratio changes a great deal if we're looking at miles traveled, but it's still progress.

A Bike Is Your New Car

[Self-congratulatory sidebar (Feel free to skip this part.) I recently spent time in Alamogordo, New Mexico; but I did something a little different on this trip - I took my bicycle. I ran errands and explored the town. And I came to an amazing realization - I could do it! I climbed hills. I was able to haul (small) stuff. I haven't known if I was physically up to it. I figured out that I am. And I was doing this on a non-electric, non-cargo bike. Imagine what I could accomplish on an electric cargo bike!]

The idea intrigues me. For me, it's the most financially realistic path to giving up the gas. (Although a used Leaf is sure tempting too.) Giving up the gas is one way I work at being the MIWB and pursuing personal carbon reduction. As I watch climate change quickly become the new norm, I pray that countless others will take on similar quests. So, how about you? Does the bike in your garage ever call your name and say, "[Insert your inner super-hero name here], pick me! Together we can save the world!"?

A Bike That Will Replace Your Family Car

I was in a meeting this week with a guy I had not seen in  a few years. We were discussing how long it had been. He said, "But I see you all the time riding your bike to work." It's was strange to realize that I have become that guy. I think I like it!

My Family Gave Up Driving for 30 Days to Stick it to the Man (This is a long article but very worth the read. I love the section about the Xtracycle. "The Xtracycle cargo bike is popular in bikes-will-save-the-world places like Portland, Oregon, and Berkeley, California, but in our own it was the oddball equivalent of a blue-footed booby showing up on the seawall." Where else can I get that many hyphens, a cargo bike, and a booby all in the same sentence? I could hang out with this Todd Balf guy.)

So there you go, a few articles to read, a few personal anecdotes, and pictures from a faraway and exotic land of enchantment. How about you? Do you ever ride? Do you ever take a bike trip in place of a car trip? Are you looking for ways to do less damage in your everyday running about?

May you bless and be blessed.