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From my slog up Baltimore on Wednesday morning


45 good reasons to commute by bike. My birthday is next Thursday and I'm taking a five-day weekend that will wrap up with Memorial Day. we are planning on heading out to the lake to go camping. That means it's time to fill up the Explorer's gas tank before the gas prices get even more outrageous. It was $2.09 just a few hours before and under $2.00 last week. I know, these prices aren't too terrible when you consider that many other places never dipped below $2.00 in the first place.


It's been a rainy, windy week.


I took the bus several times. The weather has been more finicky for Bike Week 2009 than in any previous Bike Week I've been through.


No, I didn't hit 78 MPH on my bike. I had my bike inverted to fix it up earlier this week. I also cleaned and lubed the chain. For giggles (and because I like the sound my aero spokes make) I put my bike into high gear and cranked the pedals as fast as I could by hand. This was the end result of that.


Downtown KC scenery.






My camera's wrist strap got in the way here. This is Lorin, following me down 12th street.


He noticed his bike wasn't riding quite right. The sidewall had blown out and the inner tube was bulging through it. This was taken after deflating the tube.


I cut up a juice box with my Gerber multi-tool, and we used the plastic-laminated cardboard as a "boot" insert for his tire. You can use almost anything as a tire boot as long as it doesn't easily stretch or tear. Other good choices are plastic packaging from granola bars or other nutriment items you might be carrying, or even dollar-bills. US Currency is made of woven fabric that can handle these kinds of strains for a short while.


I cleaned up with a Zogics CitraWipe after that. I got to thinking that this package would have been even better as a boot for Lorin's tire, but it was already fixed.


Homeward trip last night: bliss!


Another bike commuter showed up on this at the CCCKC meeting last night. It's definitely a major step up from the toy-aisle bikes at retail stores. I don't know much about the components but it doesn't look like a bad deal for $600. I'm just not sure I'd buy any dual-suspension bike new for under $1,000, though. That said, I would probably be very hard on a DS bike and I'd be hitting the trails a lot more often than I do with The Goat. At least this Motobecane has suspension lockouts.

No other cyclists in sight this morning -- a shame, really. It was close to my idea of perfect commute weather.

Bombing down 67th Street


Distant KCMO Skyline


I can't say the same for this afternoon. When I got out of the office, it was already raining downtown. I'll take the bus, thanks.

Refilling the ol' water bottle at Chatlain park on the way home.


This is Rich. He's a bit of a geek too.


He built a light system, including a slick voltmeter.


He cannibalized some tactical LED flashlights and heatsinks to build the lighting rig.


He's also a BMXer. Check out the one-handed wheelie. He can ride this out for a very long time. Crazy.


Red Hat Society. Old ladies, not operating systems.


Monday night recovery ride: Eric Rogers and Mark Rainey meet.


Mark Thomas gives the pre-ride speech.


Mark Rainey's Trucker has some sweet bar tape!


A pretty good crowd!






We stopped by OP City Hall


The Mayor made a proclamation for Bike Week.


Eats and drinks at Casa Paloma:

There are quite a few group rides going on during Bike Week, and
despite some chilly mornings and soggy weather in store for this week,
this evening is going to be perfect for a bike ride!

I'll be participating in the Tienda Casa Paloma ride tonight. It
starts at Tienda Casa Paloma near 83rd and Metcalf at 6:30 PM.

You can get more info here

It's hard to tell the future, but Ed does a pretty good job on KCWeather most of the time. It looks like Thursday's going to be the best day of the week for riding in the morning.

I can't make any guarantees about riding in the mornings, but if it looks like the weather will be nice enough (not raining, and no major rain headed our way as of 5:00 AM), I'll be at the same corner every morning this week. Just be there and ready to go by 6:00.

The convoy is ON for tomorrow morning , but I wouldn't blame anyone for not joining me. The conditions might seem sub-par for a bike commute.

The good:

• It won't be raining.
• There won't be much wind.

The bad:

• The roads will probably be wet in spots because it rained.
  
• Temps in the mid-40s might be a bit chilly for some.

The ugly:

• Me.

Remember: if you dress in layers and have fenders, these conditions are actually quite pleasant. Expect a crosswind and temps in the high 60s or low 70s in the afternoon.

I'll be at the Southwest corner of 85th and Quivira (one stoplight north of 87th St. Pkwy) a little before 6:00 AM. I'm shoving off at 6:00 AM SHARP (as according to USNO)

The Bike Commuter Convoy is making a comeback for Bike Week.

Starting just a few blocks from I-35 and 87th St. Parkway, we will ride to downtown Kansas City, MO. At a beginner-friendly pace, this ride takes about an hour and 15 minutes with a distance of about 14 miles. A decent "commuter pace" will get us downtown in about an hour flat. The slowest rider will set the pace, and we'll stick together with re-groups if needed. Those who know the route can feel free to take off at their own pace, however.

When: All weekday mornings during bike week (Mon-Fri)
Time: We will depart at 6:00 AM SHARP
Where: Parking lot on the west side of Quivira,
between 87th St. Pkwy and Monrovia/85th.

What to bring:

• Your bike
• Anything you need for work
• At least a rear flashing light

Also recommended:

• Reflective or bright-colored clothing
• Helmet
• Hydration of some variety

Route:
North on Quivira to 79th St.
East on 79th St. to Nieman Rd.
North on Nieman Rd. to 67th St.
East on 67th St. to Carter (just east of Animal Haven and the RR Tracks)
North on Carter to Merriam Dr.
North/Northeast on Merriam Dr. / Southwest Blvd to KCMO

I will take Southwest Blvd to Main to get into the heart of Downtown KCMO

No RSVP needed, but I wouldn't mind if you drop me a line and tell me you're in or ask any questions. Otherwise, please be present and ready to ride by 6:00.

Return Trip:
Bike Week will be kind of crazy for me and my return commute schedule could get a little unpredictable. I can help you find people to ride along with if you're unsure about the homeward trip. Alternatively, TheJO will get you pretty close to the start-point and the buses have racks that can carry 2 bicycles.

D Route: Drops off at 85th and Quivira DIRECTLY AT the start point
L Route: Drops off at Oak Park Mall less than 2 miles south of the start point
A Route: Drops off at 85th and Quivira, about 3 miles east of the start point

Weather Provisions:
If rain looks imminent for the morning commute, I will call off the ride. The D bus will still barrel through at about 6:20 AM if you feel like taking the bus with your bike. It can only hold two bikes, though.

I'm not sure who did it or when, but somehow the bike advocacy community in Kansas City pulled together and made Bike Week work! Check out the Calendar of Events, and see how many car trips you can replace with a bike ride next week (or all summer long, if it tickles your fancy!)

In 2007, bike week kind of threw the switch for me. I'd say that was probably the point where I started looking at my bike as my primary vehicle. Before then, I would ask "is it really logical to use my bike for this?" and afterward, I found myself reaching for the bike first unless there was a compelling reason to drive because in my situation, it really is more logical to ride my bike most places.

I rode home along with Karen last night, and we saw a few other cyclists on the road, including one guy in textbook commuter regalia (polo shirt, khaki pants, big backpack) riding along Southwest Boulevard. It was a bit windy out, but an excellent afternoon to be on a bike. When I got home, my wife and I took supper to Shawnee Mission Park to enjoy the evening.