Lubbock on a Bike: Shops, Bike Racks, and Feeling Welcome

Tell me it ain't true!

 

This one breaks my heart for a few reasons. First, it is the bike shop closest to my house. Second, the customer service was great AND a very friendly Australian shepherd greeted you at the door. The last reason is in the pic. That "store closing" sign is on a bike rack - one of two bike racks in front of the store.

 

When it comes to bike commuting and infrastructure, I believe in the Field of Dreams philosophy - If you build it they will come ride.

 

Worth a read for small business owners

 

Sun Adventure is/was the only bike store in town with a bike rack out front for customers. And I have loved that about them. I like businesses that actively promote and encourage local cyclists, and it seems like no one would want to do that more than a bike shop. Sure, you can always find a tree or a light post or a street sign, but that's just one more reminder your town gives little thought to those who ride.

 

So, Lubbock cyclists, please help me out here. Help me spread the word about businesses who do provide a bike rack, who make an effort to make a cyclist feel welcome. Please email or tweet photos of your favorite local business. MesquiteHugger@gmail.com or @mesquitehugger.

 

May you patronize businesses that support you in turn.

Derelict Hat Day in the Trashy 'Hood

Yep, walked to the coffee house this morning. As is my habit, I stopped and picked up trash along the way. There are often trends in the trash - beer, cigarettes, Starbucks, Monster, etcetera - but this is the first day it's been hats.

Christmas in February? Santa has fallen on hard times in these parts.

May the trends in your trash

May your 'hood have no trash - trendy or otherwise. May you be blessed with wisdom, patience, and joy.

A Good(will) Surprise in Lubbock Recycling

Eddie Perez of Goodwill

 

Recycling. It's something we don't do terribly well in this part of Texas. So I get a little excited every time I learn about a way that recycling is going well here. I got a little excited today!

 

I went on a tour of the Goodwill Industries of Northwest Texas facility on 34th just east of I-27. There I learned that Goodwill has an electronic waste contract with Dell computers. Yes, there is an outlet for electronics recycling here in our dusty town! And there's no big procedure to it. If you donate unwanted, outdated, or non-working electronic equipment to Goodwill, they will try first to sell it in one of their stores or in their clearance store (the Pound Store), but if they don't sell it, they will package it up and send it to Dell to be dismantled and recycled. And that has me excited, but it does not stop there.

Goodwill also works at recycling all unsold materials. The tour took us through the salvage warehouse where they sort all unsold items. The metal items are sold to Jarvis Metal for recycling. Clothes and textiles (even stuffed animals) are baled, sold, and shipped to recyclers and resellers. Even shoes get the treatment. Eddie Perez explained to us that they work diligently at keeping donated items out of the landfill. He even spoke of finding new recycling opportunities such as CD's, DVD's, and X-rays. That's not to say that they are at 100% on recycling, but it's a world above what we normally see and they are striving to do better.

 

While there, we also had the opportunity to tour their document shredding facility. The bales of shredded paper are sent to secure facilities in the US to be turned into pulp and recycled. I was excited to learn that (walk-in) residential shredding is encouraged  (32¢ per pound) and they take unopened junk mail (they remove plastic windows and shred plastic credit cards and such). If you worried about it, they have provided an observation window to allow you to see your documents being shredded.

 

Yep, things are looking good for recycling at Goodwill and they do all of this while working at their Mission Statement: To Create Job Opportunities for People with Barriers To Employment. More recycling, more jobs, and a better quality of life for our town.

 

[MH sidebar: I need to head back to the Pound Store this weekend - I saw crutches and messenger bags there - the perfect ingredients for building the panniers from the MH post earlier this week. Such a great resource for us DIY upcyclers!]

 

It's a great day when you find out about great things going on around you. May you also learn great things about your neighbors.

 

 

 

 

Lubbock Local Arts and Food: Jacob McCoy Burton Performance Friday Night

(Photo from Visit Lubbock)

The re-scheduled performance is Friday night at Yellowhouse Coffee (3017 34th St, Lubbock - September 19).

While you're in the 'hood, why not plan to try some local food 34th Street for dinner:

Chinese/Thai: Uncle Chein's 3004 34th St

Mexican: Aranda's 4001 34th St or Picante's 33814 34th St

Innovative Cuisine: The Vine 2623 34th St or the Crafthouse Gastropub 3131 34th St

Texican: The Caprock Cafe 3405 34th St

Indian: India Palace 3021 34th St # A

May your soul and your stomach be satisfied!