We went the entire weekend without driving the car. That's big for me. Not a single trip in the car. While I have tired legs, life is pretty amazing right now. I managed about 36 miles on my dear Kona Lisa. (With Lily on the back, I might add.)
We've modified the child seat to attach to my back deck and it works great. Lil is much more comfortable. We're getting more looks and comments about the bikes these days. People are noticing us. I like that. We are visible and can promote cycling lifestyles.
I'll be back to driving tomorrow, but just to and from work. Still haven't figured out how to get all the kids to Westminster by bike. That will come with time. Until then, I'll look forward to my car free weekends and the freedom of my bike. :)
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Let the Year of the Longtails Commence
Chris has really dialed in the CannonballX and other than a "quirky" front derailleur, it is running beautifully. Kona Lisa got her brake lever fixed on Tuesday and I took her for a run this afternoon to the grocery store.
Oh, dear readers, going to the grocery store on your bike is a beautiful thing. The whole family went on two bikes tonight. Boone behind Chris, Lily with me. I bet our travel time is about the same amount of time as when we drive. No hunting for parking spots. Glorious I say! For those of you who fear the functional trips on your bike, let me reassure you that once you have your bike equipped with panniers or a basket, trips like that are so easy! Even with the kids...
Speaking of bikes and kids, check out Bike Arvada's blog on the subject. Enjoy!
Oh, dear readers, going to the grocery store on your bike is a beautiful thing. The whole family went on two bikes tonight. Boone behind Chris, Lily with me. I bet our travel time is about the same amount of time as when we drive. No hunting for parking spots. Glorious I say! For those of you who fear the functional trips on your bike, let me reassure you that once you have your bike equipped with panniers or a basket, trips like that are so easy! Even with the kids...
Speaking of bikes and kids, check out Bike Arvada's blog on the subject. Enjoy!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
CannonballX or the Frankenstein Bike That Sits Behind the Couch
Our little family is a fan of human-powered transportation. We all have two bikes a piece. Excessive? Maybe. But it feels oh so right. Today our latest "creation" entered the family, the CannonballX.
CX has been the dream child of my husband for many months now, perhaps a better part of a year. I don't remember what turned him on to the idea of a longtail bike, but when he got the idea he ran with it. His infatuation with them eventually led to Kona Lisa's purchase and subsequent love affair with the family. (Everyone--especially the kids love to ride on the Ute!)
With that said, we seriously began to embark on our "Year of the Longtails" a few weeks ago. With our extra cash (thanks to Uncle Sam) we bought Lisa and ordered an Xtracycle conversion kit. Chris's 1994 M300 Cannondale MTB, which we lovingly referred to as the Cannonball, would be the donor bike. He painstakingly took it apart, leaving nothing but the frame. 17 years of fun had left the Cannonball in rough shape cosmetically. We found a place in Golden willing to powdercoat the frame for us. As if the hand of God guided the process, both the frame and the kit came in yesterday. Hallelujah, thank you Lord! It is rough being the wife of a man who obsesses over his bikes.
Today was construction. We (mostly him, but I was great moral support and Google search aficionado and Lisa and I made a couple trips to the local bike shop for little things) assembled the bike. It's pretty amazing to see how and why things work the way they work on a bike. I'm no pro after today, but I do know a lot more about the mechanics of bikes. Now to explain the title of this post. I like to think of the CannonballX as more of a Frankenstein bike. He has parts from the Giant OCR (RIP), parts from the Orange Blossom Special and soon parts from my road bike. He is a conglomerate of all the bikes we have loved over the years and I kind of think it's appropriate.
So it sits behind the couch tonight, waiting to be ridden.
CX has been the dream child of my husband for many months now, perhaps a better part of a year. I don't remember what turned him on to the idea of a longtail bike, but when he got the idea he ran with it. His infatuation with them eventually led to Kona Lisa's purchase and subsequent love affair with the family. (Everyone--especially the kids love to ride on the Ute!)
With that said, we seriously began to embark on our "Year of the Longtails" a few weeks ago. With our extra cash (thanks to Uncle Sam) we bought Lisa and ordered an Xtracycle conversion kit. Chris's 1994 M300 Cannondale MTB, which we lovingly referred to as the Cannonball, would be the donor bike. He painstakingly took it apart, leaving nothing but the frame. 17 years of fun had left the Cannonball in rough shape cosmetically. We found a place in Golden willing to powdercoat the frame for us. As if the hand of God guided the process, both the frame and the kit came in yesterday. Hallelujah, thank you Lord! It is rough being the wife of a man who obsesses over his bikes.
Today was construction. We (mostly him, but I was great moral support and Google search aficionado and Lisa and I made a couple trips to the local bike shop for little things) assembled the bike. It's pretty amazing to see how and why things work the way they work on a bike. I'm no pro after today, but I do know a lot more about the mechanics of bikes. Now to explain the title of this post. I like to think of the CannonballX as more of a Frankenstein bike. He has parts from the Giant OCR (RIP), parts from the Orange Blossom Special and soon parts from my road bike. He is a conglomerate of all the bikes we have loved over the years and I kind of think it's appropriate.
So it sits behind the couch tonight, waiting to be ridden.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
I haven't driven to the grocery store in a while. I don't think I have since I got the Ute, but I could be wrong. Taking Kona Lisa to the store is great. I don't ever have to hunt for a parking space, it takes about the same amount of travel time, I'm getting a little extra exercise in my day and I don't even notice the weight in the bags. Today I bought four reusable bags worth of groceries. Loaded evenly in the two saddle bags and I flew home just the same. (Uphill even!)
Speaking of going to the grocery store, there was another Kona parked at the King Sooper racks when I got there. A "Dew" I believe. While locking my cable, it's owner came out of the store. I thought I'd get a congenial nod, but I didn't. Pretty sure he was jealous of my Lisa. :)
Speaking of going to the grocery store, there was another Kona parked at the King Sooper racks when I got there. A "Dew" I believe. While locking my cable, it's owner came out of the store. I thought I'd get a congenial nod, but I didn't. Pretty sure he was jealous of my Lisa. :)
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Can't We All Just Get Along?
I get that there is always going to be someone in the world that is annoyed by me, I get that not everyone will like me and I get that I will not like everyone I meet. I don't waste my energy on worrying about that. What I don't get is the idea that people will scream out their car windows at me (while my small child is on the back of my bike) while I ride down the street.
Case in point, Saturday we jumped on the bikes and did a mini tour of Arvada. Breakfast in Olde Town, the army navy surplus store and the a jaunt to Echter's Nursery. It's less than 1/2 a mile from our house to the nursery--riding our bikes there makes sense. The street leading to the garden center is Garrison. Garrison has a wide parking lane on either side. I would like to assure the boy driving the SUV that I would have ridden in that lane given the opportunity. Alas, he needed to get to the hospital or get to a fire so he could save kittens or something heroic along those lines and had to gun his engine, lean over to the passenger side and scream at Lily and I, "Get OVER!" as he flew by. (He had already yelled at Chris and Boone as he went by them). I'd like to think about 10 seconds after he did that he was shaming himself, but I doubt it.
I understand that sometimes people get in a hurry and need to be on their way. I'm probably not the first obstacle he encountered that morning, but I'm not sure what we were doing that was so horrendous as to deserve his vocal rants and raves. I don't understand the possibility of endangering the life of a complete stranger, not matter how upset I am.
Not all people on bikes follow the rules. I hope that because I am a respectful and responsible person, I reflect positively to the noncycling community. I would like to think we can just all get along, if they only see that I'm not out to annoy them purposefully, nor am I riding recklessly. I, in turn, promise not to assume all drivers are like the boy in the SUV.
Case in point, Saturday we jumped on the bikes and did a mini tour of Arvada. Breakfast in Olde Town, the army navy surplus store and the a jaunt to Echter's Nursery. It's less than 1/2 a mile from our house to the nursery--riding our bikes there makes sense. The street leading to the garden center is Garrison. Garrison has a wide parking lane on either side. I would like to assure the boy driving the SUV that I would have ridden in that lane given the opportunity. Alas, he needed to get to the hospital or get to a fire so he could save kittens or something heroic along those lines and had to gun his engine, lean over to the passenger side and scream at Lily and I, "Get OVER!" as he flew by. (He had already yelled at Chris and Boone as he went by them). I'd like to think about 10 seconds after he did that he was shaming himself, but I doubt it.
I understand that sometimes people get in a hurry and need to be on their way. I'm probably not the first obstacle he encountered that morning, but I'm not sure what we were doing that was so horrendous as to deserve his vocal rants and raves. I don't understand the possibility of endangering the life of a complete stranger, not matter how upset I am.
Not all people on bikes follow the rules. I hope that because I am a respectful and responsible person, I reflect positively to the noncycling community. I would like to think we can just all get along, if they only see that I'm not out to annoy them purposefully, nor am I riding recklessly. I, in turn, promise not to assume all drivers are like the boy in the SUV.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Excuses...or the lack thereof
It goes without saying that I love my Ute. I didn't realize how much I loved it until I was pedaling to the store in the snow and 30 degree temperatures. Not once thinking about the car and smiling that I figured out a way to ride to day.
Speaking of which, April is 30 Days of Biking. Remember to use that as an excuse to ride your bike--even if it's not a cool Ute like mine.
Speaking of which, April is 30 Days of Biking. Remember to use that as an excuse to ride your bike--even if it's not a cool Ute like mine.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Carlite And Carfree With Kona Lisa
My darling husband has an infectious attitude in regards to cycling. He isn't a "jersey guy". You know them, they have their freshly shaved legs wedged into matching cycling bibs and wear a "I-might-be-sponsored-by-Chipotle" jersey. No, he's not one of those guys. In fact, since the carport massacre of 2010, he doesn't even own a road bike. (RIP-Giant OCR)
BUT--my husband does think a bicycle can make our family better. (And we've got a pretty great family.) Because of this mentality we have gotten rid of the second car and increased the number of two wheeled transporters in the family. And because he believes in the power of the bike, I believe too.
Last week, I made the suggestion that our family integrate carless weekends into our life. It's not completely feasible to get rid of the car every weekend, but for most, our family will be quite successful.
What will going carlite for our family by going carfree on weekends mean?
First, it will be an instant way to make memories as a family. Our children are old enough to enjoy the rides and are becoming bike enthusiasts themselves. Joy and adventures go hand in hand.
Secondly, it becomes a built-in opportunity to create a healthier lifestyle. I am the first to admit I need to loose weight, but I never find the time. Building the bike in to travel means I am burning calories to get to and from the grocery store.
Of course carfree weekends equate to less gas being used and thus less money being spent on travel. It will take a while to offset the cost of the Ute in gas money saved, but eventually it will. And at the current prices it will be sooner than later.
I still love Forester Gump, our trusty Subaru, and all 260,000 miles on him. I have a new number one in my life, Kona Lisa. She's pretty and strong. And I'm pretty sure Chris is right, she will make our family better.
BUT--my husband does think a bicycle can make our family better. (And we've got a pretty great family.) Because of this mentality we have gotten rid of the second car and increased the number of two wheeled transporters in the family. And because he believes in the power of the bike, I believe too.
Last week, I made the suggestion that our family integrate carless weekends into our life. It's not completely feasible to get rid of the car every weekend, but for most, our family will be quite successful.
What will going carlite for our family by going carfree on weekends mean?
First, it will be an instant way to make memories as a family. Our children are old enough to enjoy the rides and are becoming bike enthusiasts themselves. Joy and adventures go hand in hand.
Secondly, it becomes a built-in opportunity to create a healthier lifestyle. I am the first to admit I need to loose weight, but I never find the time. Building the bike in to travel means I am burning calories to get to and from the grocery store.
Of course carfree weekends equate to less gas being used and thus less money being spent on travel. It will take a while to offset the cost of the Ute in gas money saved, but eventually it will. And at the current prices it will be sooner than later.
I still love Forester Gump, our trusty Subaru, and all 260,000 miles on him. I have a new number one in my life, Kona Lisa. She's pretty and strong. And I'm pretty sure Chris is right, she will make our family better.
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