For One Lucky Lubbock Business: Be More Bike Friendly for $45

[By the way, traffic congestion in Lubbock is a very real problem. Fewer cars would be very helpful. More bikes could mean fewer cars. It's that solution to vicious cycle thing.]

I commute on a bike and I often run errands on a bike. To lock a bike up in Lubbock, you gotta get creative.

I literally hug a tree each day I bike commute. (But it's not a mesquite.)

 

At work, I chain my bike to a tree. I have a self-recoiling cable that I wrap around the tree and slip through the frame and the rear wheel. It often slips from my grip and makes me a great candidate for America's Funniest Home Videos or Lubbock's Dorkiest Cyclist. I don't love the idea of picking on a tree that way (although the hugs are nice), but my other two options are to chain it to a light pole in the parking lot next door or carry the bike up three flights of stairs and park it in my already cluttered office.



U-Locked to a handicap parking sign - another not-so-great choice.

 

See - I really do recycle!

 

I will finally get around to the point:

 

Yes, I get a little excited about a bike rack!

(Look in the Bike Parts and Accessories section.)

 

The point is that life is better when there's a good place to park your bike. And we cyclists like to work and shop at places that hook us up with a nice rack or even a mediocre rack. We like to talk those places up to others - even those strange people who don't try to ride a bike everywhere.

 

So, Lubbock businesses, how about it? But before you answer that question, please read this article:

 

Bikes Bring Bucks: 6 Ways Bicycling Benefits Businesses and Local Economies

 

The CliffffffsNotes for Business Guide to that link above:

• Want more jobs, read Benefit 1.
• If you're trying to increase sales, read Benefit 2.
• If your business suffers from high health care costs and too many sick days, read Benefit 3.
• If your business does not have enough parking, read Benefit 4.
• If you're a city planner or economic developer, read Benefit 5.
• If your business wants to attract more students, read Benefit 6.

 

See more fun racks here

 

So, Lubbock businesses, how about it? Who's going to rack up all those benefits for just $45?

 

May we find better and healthier ways for us all to get around and treat each other much better!

Father's Day Random Pics

A new bike rack in Lubbock:

The MH upcycled BMX at YellowHouse Coffee's brand new bike rack!

In front of the MH corporate office:

A ladybug punctuates tiny flowers

 Meanwhile in Waxahachie:

A Mayfly accentuates a plastic tub

Down in San Angelo, Texas:

This blue jay attacked JG repeatedly, much to the amusement of everyone who was not JG!

 Electric vehicles finally go Mainstream in Sweetwater, Texas:

It had to happen some time!

Douglas Adams invades a fortune cookie:

May your father's day be blessed regardless of who you are, where you are, and whether or not you are about to panic. Thank you for spending a little time here!

Saturday Random: Wooden Box, a Slug, a Hopeful Rack, the Finger

It's Saturday, and I had freedom to walk and pick up trash. What a thing!

Junked jewelry box

 Monopod? Gastropod? Mollusk? Slug!!!

These lines and concrete footers appeared at the local coffee this week. I am hoping for a bike rack!

It's been one of those weeks. The universe (and the garbage) keeps sending me the same message.

May you not find hidden meaning in garbage!

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.

Lubbock on a Bike - Why I Ride

The bike is one of my two big pushes for this year. The Lubbock mayoral race is heating up, and a safer town for biking is an issue I want to push, so let's discuss why.

Personal
I am forty-seven years old and I am obese - machines, mirrors, and doctors tell me so. I also have high blood pressure - again with the machines and doctors. I am obese and have high blood pressure because I have made a lifetime of lazy choices in food and transportation. In an effort to reverse these problems, I started commuting to work on a bike.

I have lost (some) weight and my blood pressure is improving, and some other things have improved too. I am happier. I like my town better. I have less anger. I have more energy. I am even eating better.

But lately I have backslid. I have gained a little weight. I have less energy. I like people less. I have even gotten depressed. Me and cookies? We're tight again.

What happened? At the beginning of December I parked the bike. I allowed cold weather and holiday traffic to temporarily discourage me from riding. After the holidays a big snowstorm hit and cold weather prevailed. The bike gathered dust in the garage.

Life is better when I ride.

On a bigger scale...
...the bicycle has bigger virtues. Most of those virtues involve treading lightly. The opposite of treading lightly is having each of us hopping in a 4,000 pound gas-powered vehicle every time we have a small errand to run. The same lazy choices that made me fat and unhealthy have led us (collectively) to even bigger problems. Each time we choose a car over a bike we choose to damage the air we breathe and we actively promote the destruction of soil, water, and the ability for life to thrive. We have reached a point where we understand the damage we are doing, but we choose the short-term comfort of easy (and poor) choices. Petroleum consumption also encourages us to be unethical in our acquisition of more oil. We love cheap oil no matter who we buy it from or how much damage it does. Those of us who live near the oilfields see the unemployment we create by buying cheap middle-eastern oil. It is a vicious cycle that leads us all to wonder why our society is going to hell in a handbasket. Everybody grows more hopeless, then we jump in our cars, drive terribly, and make each other madder and more hopeless. (Personally, I would rather see us pursue homegrown renewable solar, wind, etc.)

A simple question - are you happier or less happy after your drive to work, school, etc.?

[I blog (Yes, I know, this is a Why I Ride post...) to keep myself on track for making healthier choices, both for myself and everyone around me. What I'd really love, as a human and a blogger, is a revolution of healthier choices for all.]

Why I ride? The decision to ride is a series of small but impactful choices: a less damaging commute, a happier life, better health, and a simple way to make life better for all. (By the way, I also like how much money I save by riding, but that's a topic for another post.)

May you find a way to make your own healthier choices, and may we see more people on a bike.

Instructables Minipost - Get out your bike and your mad scientist tools!

Any excuse to feature a dog wearing goggles - link below

The weekend is almost upon us and I was thinking that you've had the winter blues lately, that you need to get out and do something, and snagit, you need to work off some of that winter weight! Here is a little inspiration to get you and your weenie dog back out in the garage and eventually back on those not-so-mean streets!

Bike Blinkers!

Bike-Powered Meat Grinder!

Another Hot Rod/Rat Rod Trailer!

Add a wooden bike basket!

A bicycle sidecar!

A bicycle sidecar for your weenie dog!

May you and your dog soon be riding stylishly and cleanly past the mean and evil gas stations of the world!

Bonus post link: The previous rat-rod bike trailer post

Bicycle Commuting Products: A new variation on skinny biking - Flipcrown

If you poke around Mesquite Hugger much at all, you have probably seen a post or ten that mentions biking being a path to being skinny. Last summer I dropped about fifteen pounds in the National Bike Challenge and I have kept that weight off through the winter. And I hope to drop that much again this spring and summer. For me, biking is a path to skinny.

The internet is an amazing place, and it constantly amazes me how far this little local blog reaches. Last week I was contacted by Patrick Jacquet. Patrick is half of a pair of self-proclaimed cyclophiliacs from Ghent, Belgium who do design work. (Digging their bikes and their linguistics!) Patrick contacted me to ask if I would check out their new bike products and their Indiegogo campaign that starts today. I did, and I must say that they have some cool offerings for bicycles, especially for bike commuters who find their bikes to be tough to store, park, or transport. In essence, these guys have created some sleek hardware to help you make your bike really skinny and easy to manage.

 

If you want to convert your own bike for skinny storage, they can hook you up with several options - and they will even offer you a way to hang your skinny bike on the wall. On the other hand, let's say that you want a complete skinny bike, these guys have some really beautiful bikes for sale - the kind that you would not be embarrased to hang on your living room wall. Who says that a bike can't be living room art as well as your way to work? (My ebike has been hanging out in the dining room for a week, and my wife has shown amazing patience with my piece of "art".)

Patrick and Rob, I wish you success in your campaign and commend your beautiful work.

May you and your bike be as skinny, adaptable, and beautiful as you want to be.

Lubbock on a Bike: The Local Paper Supports Cyclists and the "Niche"Speaks

Last month, our local paper published an article in which the mayor referred to bicycle infrastructure as a "niche issue". Apparently, I am not the only Lubbock cyclist who took issue with the piece. Last week, a group of cyclists held an informal meeting with city representatives to discuss the need for better safety options and come up with plans for the future. And I am (guardedly) optimistic.

Lubbock Cyclists Mobilize to Address Bike Safety Concerns (January 14)

Our View: Improving Local Bike Travel Could Be Good for Lubbock and Tech (January 6)

Road Rage: Lubbock Cyclists Decry Lack of Safety (December 13)

May you cycle safely, save money, lose weight, lower your blood pressure, and care less about gas prices. And may your city support you in all of that!

Bonus links - a few more MH posts on the topic:

Lubbock on a Bike: No Love from the Mayor

Lubbock on a Bike: National Bike Challenge in August

Bicycle Friendly America: How Bike-Friendly Is Your Town?

Finding a Bike Rack in Lubbock

A Very Quick Post about an Upcoming Lubbock Bike Ride

Bike to Work Day 2014: Bring it on, Lubbock!

 

Lubbock on a Bike: No Love from the Mayor

An article in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal this weekend has had me thinking about bicycling in our town. In the article, cyclists were minimalized by our mayor, Glen Robertson. "...cycling is a niche issue that concerns a small segment of the population." I also learned that the mayor feels that bike lanes are a waste of money. (To be fair, though, he was elected through a campaign based solely on saving money for our citizens - not on improving life, health, or safety for those who live here.)

Road Rage: Lubbock cyclists decry lack of safety

I have been a bicycle rider all of my life, but somewhat recently I turned into a bicycle commuter. I live in the center of town and my home is located five miles from my office. In case you are familiar with Lubbock, my commute requires me to cross Indiana Avenue, 50th Street, Quaker Avenue, Slide Road, and Loop 289 South. People who know my commute refer to me in terms ranging from brave to suicidal. I am surrounded by people who would love to ride, but they are too scared to ride in this town.

USDOT Survey: How Bike Lanes and Paths Make a Difference

I love riding and the benefits of riding; however, I am a fearful man and I have learned the most dangerous obstacles in my commute:

• unleashed dogs
• mothers in GM SUVs
• men in F250 Ford trucks
• anyone driving an Escalade
• people who roll through stop signs
• anyone on the phone while driving

And it is very clear that most of these resent my intrusion on their territory.  They bark, honk, flip me off, and occasionally swerve at me.

Outside of these groups, though, I find most of our drivers to be friendly and courteous.

PeopleforBikes.org: Protected Bike Lane Statistics

Memphis Ave south of 50th St

(You can see where the lane/stripe ends)

No stripe

I do not feel welcome on our streets. I do my best to stick to our infrequent bike lanes and nebulous bike routes. (If you are wondering about the difference, a bike lane has occasional signs and painted lines, a bike route has occasional signs only. In Lubbock, bike lanes are suspended as they near busy streets and public schools.) I mostly use the lanes and routes located on Flint Avenue, 42nd Street, and Memphis Avenue. (If you would like to experience the challenge of maneuvering a Lubbock bike lane, try crossing 50th street at Memphis on a bike. It's like being a mouse at the cat farm.) I try to stay on residential streets and avoid school traffic. I do my best to follow traffic laws and to be courteous, and I never ride in traffic on busy streets. I even use bike lights and a helmet. I love my wife dearly and want to return home safely to her every day.

Cyclists, please be safe out there and watch out for yourself.

May you live in a place where your elected officials view you as something more than an insignificant niche.

Tiny Post: Fun with Bike Racks

So, there I was in Taos checking out a cool bike rack to share with all of you, but I really needed to have what the young'uns are calling a bio break these days. After the break I came back to snap a pic, but I had to wait a while. The bike rack had become a playground. After a few minutes, a father figure said, "That's enough! Let's go." Kids scampered away, and I snapped the pic.

So today I am checking out a blog entry about a family that has two cargo bikes and no car, and off to the side I notice a link to Kids on Bike Racks. I clicked on it, and now I am smiling.

May you click onto a smile today too!