Shopping Cart Cargo Bike Follow-up (Instructables!!!!!)

  Some lucky Austinite got a bargain at $60!

Mesquite Hugger readers tend to be excited whenever we post about various ways to haul things on or in bicycles. I have to admit that one of the harder parts of riding a bike daily is figuring out how to transport stuff. A little while back we posted an article that highlighted a shopping cart bike for sale on the Austin Craigslist that garnered a lot of attention and a bit of inspirational drooling. And why not? When was the last time you pushed a cart around a store? They are amazingly useful for hauling stuff, but they are not really built for distance, speed, or real-world surfaces. Bicycles are normally not built to haul much stuff, but they are well adapted for speed, distance, and rough surface travel. And every mad scientist/maker/tinkerer/wierd-person-with-a-welder-and-a-junky-yard knows that when you hybridize two good things you come up with one truly great monstrosity! If you don't believe me, sit down and watch a movie marathon on the ScFi channel some time.

This town (Lubbock, TX) is severely lacking in mad-scientist hangouts - especially since Rusty moved across town - so I have been hanging out on Instructables a lot more. And Instructables is a great place to be further inspired by other mad-scientist types. There are even a few shopping-cart bikes over there:

Cart Bike by zieak

 

This one has been on Instructables for a long time, but the tiny wheels always scared me away.

Instructables Homemade Cart bike

 

This one is pretty sweet. The builder cites being inspired by the other two that are featured here.

Matte Resist's Cartbike

I have a feeling that this one was the original inspiration for everything else on the page. If you like going off on tangents, do some searching on the author/builder Matte Resist. I hope to read more of his writing soon.

Shopping Cart Furniture!

 

(I threw this in just because this post gave me the tangential excuse to feature another cool Instructable)

May your peanut butter get together with your chocolate and make a great cargobike peanut butter cup!

PS. Some local guy posted an olla Instructable recently. Check it out if you are really bored.

Lubbock on a Bike: Happy Ride to Work Day 2015! (Getting over Leaf envy)

On the days I ride the bike to work, I often cross paths with a Nissan Leaf on Utica Avenue. Electric cars are pretty rare around here, so they still catch my attention. And I have no problem admitting that I am a little green with envy when I see someone cruising Lubbock streets in a BEV (battery-electric vehicle).

 The old red 'goose this morning

But this morning I looked at that guy silently cruising along, and I had no desire to trade places with him. This morning was a rough ride. The wind blew north. I rode south. It rained last night and there were lots of puddles. And every bit of it felt good. I have been riding enough lately that the tired feeling is not overwhelming. Riding to work on a bike is not a task. Riding to work on a bike is an accomplishment. I did not mindlessly drive in comfortably numb, distracted, and stress-filled boredom. I achieved a goal.

And my ride today was massively greener that Leaf guy's ride. The bike I am commuting on now is one that has been with me since before I had a cell phone or an internet connection. The ride did not require electricity. The wear and tear on the bike and the road was minimal. And there's a good chance that I am in better health now than I was when I left the house this morning. Very little (in comparison to the Nissan) went into building and transporting the bike to me. The bike does not cost money to register, insure, and operate like the car does.

Poor, neglected Leaf

 

Yes, I'd still love to have a Leaf (or one of many other BEV's available), but I would like to think that even if I did own one, it would spend lots of days in the garage while the bicycle was out enjoying the world.

May you get off your butt already and join the National Bike Challenge! (Toni and Spencer, you two are my heroes this month!)

Lubbock (Not) on a Bike: Happy Ride to Work Day 2015, Snagit! (Updated)

[UPDATED 5-14-15]

[Okay, I admit it again - I was wrong, and my editor did not catch my mistake. Ride to Work Day is the palindromatic 5-15-15. That means I (and you) still have a chance to ride to work. And snagit, let's get on our bikes and ride!]

I admit it. I am a fair-weather biker. I watch the weather closely on days that I plan to ride. And Iry to ride as often as possible. And I really wanted to ride today to show support for a great movement. But today is some seriously lousy riding weather.

 

 This is the view from my little truck (Lucy) this morning.

 

Since I won't be riding (much) today, I decided to do a little writing. I want to encourage you to ride (on nicer days).

 

Your world is better each day that you choose a bike over a car because

• your heart is healthier
• your brain is healthier
• your lungs are healthier
• your legs are sexier
• you are in a better mood
• there is less traffic
• you save money
• fewer greenhouse gases are being released into the atmosphere
• the air is cleaner
• you are less likely to kill cats, dogs, birds, bees, butterflies, children, pedestrians, and others
• you are statistically less likely to die on a bike than in a car
• the petroleum industry has less control over you
• you always get preferential parking
• your car is wearing out more slowly
• there is less noise pollution (even if you sing while riding)
• the Mesquite Hugger loves you (platonically speaking)
• you know you made a better choice for you and others.

May you spread joy and health with your choices!

In case you want someone else's take on Bike to Work [Week], check out this Eben Weiss article in Time:

BikeSnob: The Problem with Bike to Work Week

And some other links to encourage your cycling self:

http://bikeleague.org/bikemonth

nationalbikechallenge.org/

peopleforbikes.org

Lubbock on a Bike: May Dates (National Bike Month 2015)

The National Bike Challenge began eight days ago. There's still plenty of time for anyone to join. Please do! As of today, there are eight riders from Lubbock who have logged miles in the challenge. And there is room for lots more! Remember, the challenge runs through September 30. Here is a chance for the Lubbock niche issue to show that we do indeed ride here.

nationalbikechallenge.org

(Lubbock-area cyclists, if you join the challenge, please consider joining the LUNA-tic Bikers Challenge Team. We'd love to have you!)

Next week (May 11-15) is Bike to Work Week and Bike to Work Day (Wednesday, May 15). Learn more here:

http://www.bikeleague.org/bikemonth

So Lubbockites, Texans, Americans, you have the weekend to get those tires aired up and the chains oiled. Here's your chance to get healthy, save money, and increase your joy. How about it?

One more bike date to remember is May 20: Ride of Silence. I have not seen any news about it for Lubbock this year, but I will keep my eyes open.

May you find health and joy while your feet are pushing pedals.

Lubbock on a Bike: National Bike Challenge starts today! ¡Yo soy un LUNA-tic!

The National Bike Challenge begins today, and I am excited! From May 1 to September 30, I will strive to ride a bike as much as possible. I will strive to lose weight, build muscle, lower blood pressure, save money, create less air pollution, create less noise pollution and generally line the world (and humanity) better.

Please join me, so you can strive for and reach some similar goals.

The National Bike Challenge

May we pedal our way to better!

PS - If you are in the Lubbock area, consider joining Team LUNA-tic. More info at http://www.ourlubbock.org/

PCR: Olla Update Photos

 

I have a notoriously black thumb, so I thought it was worthwhile to show a  photo progression. 

I am going to need a funnel to reach through the overcrowded plants! Woohoo!

 

And the next generation of ollas are in production...

May  you and your personal carbon reduction projects thrive! Thank you for reading!

Electric Transport Minipost: Bike and Car Links

Two helpful electric vehicle stories that appeared this week:

Mo-Tobi, I missed you this morning!

I rode the ebike on Monday. I rode the regular bike this morning. This morning I sure wished I had taken the ebike.
Treehugger gives us an ebike primer (with a short-term link to a free ebike ebook)

Green Car Reports gives us an Electric Car Price Guide
And the list starts with the Mitsubishi MiEV, Snagit!

May your EV dreams come true!

PS for Lubbockites: I noticed a used Chevy Volt on the Pollard used lot this week. Used EV cars are quite the rarity around here!