Northwest Meanderings

Hiawatha Trail - Overrated

2010-09-06T10:31:00.001-07:00

I don't know, maybe I was in a spiteful mood, or maybe it was the $36 we paid for two people to ride down a wide path, too rocky for a road bike and too smooth for a mountain bike, and then be shuttled back to the top.

I mean, it's not bad - there are several vistas along the 15-mile route, and the tunnels and trestles are somewhat unique. But, this is definitely an easy family jaunt (i.e. bring your kids and non-riding spouse to experience the outdoors for the first time) rather than much more.

Don't plan on riding a decent clip because the majority of the crowds don't understand the concept of a) riding to the right to allow others to pass, or b) if you want to ride four across and block the entire trail at four mph, at least spin around your head occasionally and move over when others approach to allow them to ride at more than a walking pace. Or even c) if you can't do "a" or "b", at least be responsive to remarks about "passing on the left".

Love, Portland

2010-08-26T07:52:00.000-07:00

This Willamette Week article is a hilarious review of Portland. Much is inaccurate, but enough is true to be funny. And some good one-liners.

Banff

2010-08-21T19:08:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a vacation in Alberta to visit Banff and Yoho National Parks.

It was quite a wide range of weather. First a couple days of rain, then brilliant sunshine and temps in the 70s, and then continued dry weather but very smoky as a result of wildfires far to the west. But we at least had several days of clear weather to see all the amazing peaks and glaciers. The smoke only lasted two days and then the sunshine returned.

We took Mika along because dogs are allowed on National Park trails up in Canada, unlike the States. The hiking worked out well, but dogs are not allowed in eating areas in Canada, even outside on patios, so Mika got more hotel room time and car time than we expected.

We stayed in the town of Banff three days and Lake Louise four days. Both are inside the park and very scenic, but the town of Banff definitely is more exciting and has many more restaurants to choose from. Lake Louise is more relaxed and closer to more intense higher elevation hikes. We did some short hikes and canoeing while in Banff, and then some longer hikes near Lake Louise.

On one of the sunny days we started at Moraine Lake and climbed up to Sentinel Pass, 7.2 miles round trip and 2300 feet. The pass was at 8500 feet and looked out over several valleys, with many peaks and glaciers visible. Another day we started out at Lake Louise, hiked up to a tea house on the shore of Lake Agnes, and then continued up a rock formation called the Beehive to another even higher lookout, and finally back to the shore of Lake Louise.

This vacation was definitely the most I have hiked in a long time, and my feet held up okay.

Canoeing near the town of Banff:

Shore of Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park:

Sunrise at Lake Louise:

Mika, very sad about watching us eat dinner on the patio from afar:

Sherman Peak

2010-08-01T18:48:00.000-07:00

Took a quick trip two hours north of Spokane to hike Sherman Peak, between Kettle Falls and Republic. The loop trail began at the pass, 5500 feet elevation. Very pleasant five miles with a mix of thick, dark forest and open vistas. About half of the hike is in an area that burned about 20 years ago, so it is much more open than it otherwise would be.

Posting

2010-08-01T17:33:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have not been much into posting updates for many months now. I generally slack off during busy season, but just never picked it back up again this year. Maybe I will post more often if I try to save time by lowering my picture editing standards...

"Nightmare Scenario"

2010-01-02T15:34:00.000-08:00

Found an excellent social commentary by John Hagney via the Pacific NW Inlander, the local free weekly. One of the best articles I have read in months.

Palouse Falls

2009-12-20T11:17:00.000-08:00

Two hours southwest of Spokane lies Palouse Falls State Park. There are some excellent viewpoints of the falls near the parking area, but we decided to meander down to the trails in the canyon that travel much closer to the edge of the falls.

Above is the rapids above the falls. Just out of sight down in the gorge, the river turns right and then drops over the main falls. There is a rough trail along this entire gorge above and below the falls.

Below is the trail wrapping along the steep canyon wall, downstream of the falls but looking upstream.

It is a fairly easy hike despite the sketchy appearance, but having a dog leashed around one's waist does add a degree of excitement, given the sharp slope down to the sheer dropoff.

Libby will have to return with her kayak if she wants to go over the falls... Maybe when the thick slabs of ice are melted.

Mt. Spokane Summit

2009-12-13T18:29:00.001-08:00

We finally hiked to the summit of 5900-foot Mt. Spokane. We took the 130 trail from the first large parking lot to Bald Knob Picnic Area, and then turned straight up to the summit.

It was about 15 degrees, and felt warm where we started at the 4500-foot level, but cold on top with the stiff wind. We brought snow shoes, but as expected the two feet of week-old snow was quite crusty. As we trekked up the steep slope in light boots, we occasionally broke through the crust, but it was much easier than wearing snow shoes the entire way.

Mika had fun, and got a little frosty around the edges...

Lake Roosevelt Hike

2009-11-30T18:16:00.000-08:00

With snow at higher elevations, we decided to do a short hike out near Roosevelt Lake, near Hawk Creek Campground 30 miles upstream from Grand Coulee Dam. The trail leaving the day use area disappeared quickly, but we were able to continue along the sandy shore and then over land for several miles. There was a dark cave up above the lake, but we did not venture inside.

Mika enjoyed running free in the desolate open space, but when she started limping we found a prickly pear cactus in her paw. After pulling it out, she was as good as new.

Lower Stevens Lake - Almost

2009-11-10T21:00:00.000-08:00

On Sunday we drove about 90 minutes to the Idaho/Montana border near Lookout Pass. Our goal was to hike five miles round trip to Lower and Upper Stevens Lake, just below 6900-foot Stevens Peak. Turns out there was more snow than expected - about eight inches at the 4200-foot trailhead, and 18 inches when we turned around just below the first lake. It was fairly easy hiking in our snow boots, but Mika started having trouble with the deeper snow, and snow balls kept forming on her long coat. Next summer we will make it all the way!

Lots of old spooky silver mine shafts in these mountains:

Near where we turned around, there was an expansive rock field 1/4 mile wide. The darkest "rock" is Mika following Libby:

SPD (Stolen Picture of the Day)

2009-09-28T12:10:00.001-07:00

I love this. So many people spend way too large a percentage of their income on private automobiles. And we all in the US spend way too large a percentage of general fund tax revenue on automobile infrastructure. Courtesy of Dalcio Machado - Brazil.

Priest Lake and Lookout Mountain

2009-09-17T14:17:00.000-07:00

After the 9/15 tax deadline, Libby and I took several days to relax - me from work, and Libby before she returns to school next week. The original plan was to camp two nights at Priest Lake, but that changed when a wet storm was predicted to pummel through the Inland Northwest on the second day. To cement the change in plans, I tweaked my neck and figured camping would be less than ideal therapy.

Instead, we headed up for a day trip, and maximized our time by barbecuing lunch at the lake, and then hiking up Lookout Mountain, adjacent to the northeast. Priest Lake is nineteen miles long and located in the Idaho Panhandle, barely below the Canadian border about two hours from Spokane.

To get to the upper trail head and limit the hike to about six miles, we drove several thousand feet up a long, steep rocky road. The Subaru handled the rough road nicely, but she is less than pleased about the fresh scratches down her side, caused by overhanging branches. Oh well, a new looking car is so... boring.

The lake meanders almost to the horizon from the 6000-foot level of Lookout Mountain, about 800 feet below the summit.

Libby and Mika resting near the summit, at the top of a sharply dropping ridge.

The historic lookout building no longer in use, alongside the more modern elevated structure.

The edge of the 500-foot cliff adjacent to the summit. Can you see Libby and Mika? Double-click to expand.

Looking over the cliff, at one half of the bowl-shaped alpine valley.

Sunflowers

2009-09-01T21:06:00.000-07:00

The sunflowers came up well near the front porch. Right now it is the brightest spot on the block.

Rock Climbing

2009-08-25T21:14:00.000-07:00

Libby got a full weekend of rock climbing with UClimb and the local Mountain Gear outfitter. She spent the weekend at Q'melin Park in Post Falls, Idaho, just 30 minutes from home. This is one of the prime climbing areas in the Spokane area.

She did well, and was one of the stars of the class.

Glacier National Park

2009-08-15T20:49:00.000-07:00

Libby and I, with our friends Joe and Jane, left Sunday for Glacier National Park. Six hours later we arrived at the Lake McDonald Lodge on the western edge of the lush park. The lodge is about 80 years old and built right on the lake. We enjoyed a great dinner of trout and such, and then had some drinks out by the lake. The weather was perfect - sunny and about 70.

After waking up on Monday, we first had to stock up on supplies and find a campsite. Most camps in the park are unreservable and fill up every night. It worked out well with us already being in the park, and able to find the perfect campsite early in the morning - the site popped up at the back of a loop at Avalanche Creek, surrounded by thick dark forest on three sides.

The remainder of the day we grabbed a shuttle to Logan Pass (the summit of the twisty, sole road intersecting the park), and hiked on the adjacent Hidden Lake and Highline trails. Hidden Lake was short and very busy, but ended in a fantastic overlook above the blue lake and steep thousand-foot cliffs and snowfields. Several times, we came within 20 feet of fuzzy mountain goats, grazing away as if we ambling humans were all part of their herd.

Highline is a long trail, so we simply went out and back for a quick three miles. It meanders along, only four feet wide, with a steep cliff above and below. We came along another goat on this trail, walking with her baby. At one point the mother was feeling a little confined by multiple groups of people, and she ran up through the brush and then popped out ten feet away, before scrambling away directly past us. The baby soon followed, after we squished over to the side and made ourselves as small and unthreatening as possible.

Tuesday, we drove over two hours to the far southeast side of the park, near Two Medicine. Scenic Point was the toughest hike on our agenda, seven miles and 2400 feet - okay, so we aren't super aggressive hikers. The day was sunny and very windy, but the wind did not really take away from the hike, it just added to it. Several times we had to hunker down and hold on as the gusts pummeled us on the steep rock.

This was the best hike I have ever completed - beautiful vistas, steep drop-offs, everything I like in a hike. No goats here, but vast mountain valleys, giant peaks to the west, and rolling prairie to the east.

Both nights camping we had perfect weather - dry and mild. On Wednesday I woke up to a spurt of raindrops, but then it remained dry while we ate breakfast and broke camp. Several hours later it started coming down, and remained wet for our last 24 hours in the park.

Fortunately, we had plans to stay the night at Many Glacier Lodge, on the northeast side of the park. Continued sun would have been pleasant, but the historic, shadowy lodge was the perfect place to spend a blustery summer evening. We also got out for a damp hike in a long, green valley adjacent to the lodge, heading up towards Iceberg Lake. Supposedly, many bear frequent this trail, but we were not lucky enough to be confronted. For our last night in Glacier we enjoyed another tasty dinner and drinks in the lodge, and then caught up on sleep while the wind howled around the eaves outside our top-floor room.

Seattle

2009-07-06T20:43:00.001-07:00

I am in Seattle for the week - a couple days of relaxation, followed by three days of tax training, and then the Coldplay concert on Saturday at the Gorge Amphitheater.

Prior to the training, I am staying at the College Inn just off UW's campus, at 40th and University. It is European style, with shared bathrooms. Not a bad deal at $70, given the location, breakfast, basement pub, etc.

This morning I rode about 50 miles through Fremont, around Lake Union to downtown, back to UW and then up the Burke-Gilman Trail to the north end of Lake Washington and out along the Sammamish River Trail. A pleasant 65 degrees, but very windy and gusty. Nevertheless, a good way to spend a morning.

In the afternoon I stopped by Gasworks Park, hid from the wind behind a barrier, and found some time to read.

Don't eat the dirt...

The pictures kind of suck because they are unedited. I only have my work laptop, and am unable to install recreational software.

Trail of The Coeur d'Alenes

2009-06-28T12:31:00.000-07:00

The weekend highlight was a 100-mile ride out and back on the mostly glassy-smooth Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes, from Plummer at the south end of the lake, to Pinehurst halfway across the Idaho Panhandle. Much of the trail meanders along various shorelines, and is quite scenic.

With the 10 mph wind at my back I averaged 21 mph all the way out. The super flat trail also made it easier to keep up a good pace. On the way back, however, the wind plus my lack of conditioning slowed me down enough so the average speed for the entire ride was 18.5 mph.

The bridge above is where the trail crosses the lake on the old railroad trestle, and then continues north towards Harrison.

These moose enjoyed the marshy areas along much of the trail.

Unfortunately, I once again apparently consumed too much water in relation to electrolytes, and was sick for 24 hours afterwards. I think I have some type of imbalance, because it does not make sense to me that I am in okay enough shape to go out and ride for six hours without being exhausted, but a sodium or potassium deficiency results from that same amount of exercise. Maybe I should get that checked out...

Camping at Bowl & Pitcher

2009-06-20T16:48:00.000-07:00

Our first camping trip of the year was Friday night. The Bowl and Pitcher Campground at Riverside State Park is along a scenic stretch of the Spokane River only several miles from downtown. Nothing fancy or desolate, but a good easy trip.

Despite unpredicted rain all Friday morning, the skies cleared in the afternoon, so we decided to risk it. There was only a 20% chance of rain in the evening, and the atmosphere appeared to be drying out nicely.

We made camp and got in a good hike across the wooden bridge and up around the surrounding cliffs, and then made dinner. Around 10 pm, thunder approached quickly. At first it appeared to be missing us to the north, but we had no idea the expanse of the approaching storm (the entire region got soaked). We packed what we could in the car, and then took cover in the tent.

The rain started with a vengeance. Amidst the thunder and lightening the storm preceded to drop almost an inch of rain in about 30 minutes. Of course the tent leaked, but not as bad as I expected. We basically stayed dry. Mika lucked out this time and did not have to sit in one of the wet spots, like she did on our last camping trip to Olallie Lake, which also ended with a deluge.

Immediately after the rain stopped, I took a quick trip to the restroom and was not surprised at a large lake covering the campground, as well as a rushing creek twenty feet away from our tent, slowly draining the entire area.

Ripples throughout the campsite, where none existed the night before, are always a bad sign...

Garden Update

2009-06-17T22:11:00.000-07:00

Beans and kale are coming along. We have been eating lettuce for weeks.

Cirque du Cycling

2009-06-14T22:25:00.000-07:00

The Mississippi neighborhood in Portland was full of bike activity on Saturday with a parade and criterium race. Both events followed a 0.8 mile loop with spectators lining the entire way. And of course plenty of good food and drink options nearby.

A Little Rain

2009-06-08T12:16:00.000-07:00

We finally received rain today for the first time in over a month. This place feels like a desert. Well less than eight inches of precipitation in the first five months of the year - and that is the wet season.

After today's very modest rain, everyone is whining. It has been sunny for weeks - what do these people want? A drought with dead trees and crops? Fires? Shut the hell up. The rain is refreshing - enjoy it.

The Whole Valley is Green

2009-06-07T20:57:00.001-07:00

Today's highlight was a 70-mile ride including the suburban hell known as Spokane Valley. Picture endless ranch-style homes, few community gathering centers and an overall theme in which cars come first and people second. Come to think of it, I saw few parks as well. But after all this bitching and moaning, I must admit bike lanes are much more prevalent in "the Valley" than in Spokane. Not that bike lanes are necessary, or even safer, but at least they encourage new cyclists to venture out.

The ride's highlight included several loops southeast of Spokane Valley, out through the Saltese Flats area on Chapman, Linke, Saltese Lake, Henry, etc. Smooth, meandering roads with pretty farms and mountain backdrops. Hence the picture above.

The title of this post will be recognized by fans of The Farming Game. Collect $500!

Peppers are Popping

2009-06-06T20:50:00.000-07:00

Some of the spinach was harvested, and tasted deliciously sweet. However, a white rust fungus started spreading, so I yanked out the remaining spinach before it got established in the soil and causes problems next year.

In its place is a cherry pepper plant from the local nursery. In back, the beans are going strong.

Mmm - Coffee...

2009-06-03T18:45:00.000-07:00

Hammer is a local roaster in Spokane with several local coffee houses. This sign describes me well prior to my morning coffee.

SPD (Stolen Picture of the Day)

2009-06-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

Goats seem to be safer...

Long Ride Hangover

2009-05-31T13:55:00.000-07:00

This weekend I completed my longest bike ride of the year so far. I traveled the paved Centennial Trail from Stateline (near Post Falls) through Coeur d'Alene to the very end of the trail along the lake, 23 miles out.

On the return trip I turned north up to Hayden Lake, then 24 miles around the lake, and eventually back to the start. 85 miles for the day - more than I expected, but I underestimated the size of Hayden Lake. Although, a coffee stop and pub stop broke up the ride and made it more manageable. The loop around Hayden Lake is beautiful - mostly smooth, little traffic and scenic. And, the Aryan Nation compound along one shore has been gone for ten years - that's nice.

With bright sun, wind and 88 degrees, it was actually warmer than it felt while on the bike. I definitely got tired, but never near-collapse exhausted. During the drive home, however, and then afterwards for several hours, I felt like death - nausea, bad headache, etc. This sometimes happens to me after rides longer than a couple hours. I need to figure it out. Usually I hydrate well, and get a mix of electrolytes, but my body does not like the extended exertion. This time I was probably a little dehydrated, but that's better than the time I overhydrated during and after the super-hilly De Ronde van Oeste Portlandia Ride, and ended up in the emergency room with low sodium.

Libby tells me that I am simply old...

First Garden Success

2009-05-28T12:41:00.000-07:00

In March I spent ten exhausting hours double digging a small 64 square foot plot in the backyard, loosening the soil over a foot deep, removing hundreds of pounds of rocks (probably 300 or 400 pounds), and mixing in layers of compost. The effort was much more involved and ass-kicking than I expected, but now vegetables are bursting forth like I have been watering with Stumptown coffee. French-pressed.

Romaine lettuce is in the foreground above, with Red Leaf behind that.

Below is spinach in varying stages of growth, with pole beans shooting up in the background.

The sides and back of the slightly raised bed garden are constructed of 8" x 1" untreated cedar planks, and the front is 4" x 4" cedar. All is held in place with 18" wooden stakes pounded into the ground. A higher raised bed would be preferred, but the material necessary was too expensive given we are only temporarily renting. And finally, a wire fence, to keep the Mika out of trouble.

Along with lettuce, spinach and beans, there is kale, radishes and beets. Most of which typically do okay in partial shade, given most of the garden only gets about five hours of sun daily. We will see if the beans can produce in such conditions.

SPD (Stolen Picture of the Day)

2009-05-11T22:00:00.000-07:00

Kids, always use protection. Safety first! And if something fails, it's good to have a backup plan...

Spring

2009-05-01T13:34:00.000-07:00

Thank god it has finally warmed up. Several days in the 70's so far! Maybe it won't even snow again this "winter" - although last year it supposedly snowed in June. The fact the snow did not stick provides minimal comfort.

We were here for Spokane's latest all-time record snowfall of 97 inches. The previous record was 93 inches. I guess that is exciting, but it would have been better if the City had been able to plow out the snow berms after the first storm, rather than most streets being restricted to half-width for three months. An issue I probably noticed more bike commuting.

To enjoy the warm weather we escaped town for an easy three-mile hike on Mineral Ridge, an hour east of Spokane on the northern edge of Lake Coeur d'Alene. The trail climbs 800 feet and then travels along a spine-like ridge with excellent views of the lake on either side. This is one of the best hikes within an hour or two of Spokane.

Q'emiln Park

2009-04-25T14:13:00.000-07:00

Quick hike today at Q'emiln Park in Post Falls, Idaho, a short 20 miles east of Spokane. The park has some sweet rock climbing we enjoyed spectating.

This is the bottom wave of a huge kayaker-eating rapid below one of the many dams on the Spokane River. And some tool who got in the way of the photo.

SPD (Stolen Picture of the Day)

2009-04-15T19:38:00.000-07:00

Tax Season is over!

SPD (Stolen Picture of the Day)

2009-03-21T22:25:00.000-07:00

Early season bike races often include awful weather. And any time of year at 12,ooo feet can provide awful weather. He probably tossed his water bottle after it froze solid.

Cold

2009-02-21T17:24:00.000-08:00

Random scenes from the continuing icy winter. Above is our side porch with a light snow covering. This must have been early December because you can still see the tops of the houses. Okay, I am being dramatic. Barely.

Below is the disappearing sun (3:45 pm or so) on our Mt. Spokane snowshoeing adventure. It was zero degrees. Our hats are frosted from our breath, and Libby's hair is frozen as well. Fortunately, frozen hair does not snap apart...

Mika, the black ghost of the frozen Inland Northwest. Hoping to tackle you in the snow and lick you into a dog saliva popsicle.

SPD (Stolen Picture of the Day)

2009-02-10T21:27:00.000-08:00

Bicycles can most definitely be a viable transportation alternative. Okay, this is a tricycle - but you get the point.

49 Degrees North

2009-01-18T21:51:00.000-08:00

Nothing like the classic cheesy picture at the ski resort. Might have been better if I had just landed in the top of a tree...

Palouse

2009-01-11T20:42:00.000-08:00

We found time for a quick trip about one hour south of Spokane to Steptoe Butte in the midde of Palouse Country. This is an area of beautiful rolling hills created by the Missoula Flood thousands of years ago, when an ice dam broke and a giant lake drained across Eastern Washington on its way to the Columbia River and the Pacific.

We parked near the bottom and hiked up a snowy road, about six miles round trip. The road was inaccessible by vehicle, but fairly easy to walk up. No pictures from the top of the butte because it was enveloped in thick fog. Mika had a fine time running around in the deserted state park.

Snow

2009-01-06T10:32:00.000-08:00

Here is a quick picture from the first snowstorm on December 18. Libby is working hard, but requiring significant supervision. This is only the first twenty inches of the year. Note the garbage can thrown into the snow bank by the plow.

Beginning with the the time of this picture, over the course of three weeks we received 80 inches of snow. Rather impressive given the average winter in Spokane is 45 inches, and the all-time record is 93 inches. We will likely blow past it this year.

SPD (Stolen Picture of the Day)

2008-12-31T13:45:00.000-08:00

Happy 2009! Enjoy the beer while we still have economic and societal stability capable of producing such a quality beverage.

Shiny New Studs!

2008-11-04T21:56:00.000-08:00

There is a chance of snow later this week. Bring it on!

On average it snows five inches in Spokane by early December, and 45 inches all winter. Bring it on!

Human Power

2008-10-05T18:23:00.000-07:00

I have not had to cut grass since I was a kid. I recently lived in a house in Vancouver for six years, but that house fortunately had a yard full of native trees and shrubs, and absolutely zero grass. I only had to water several times a year. It was low maintenance and environmentally friendly.

Well, now we are renting in Spokane, and it was difficult to find a house with a reasonable yard. I purchased the Scott Classic Reel Mower, and finally used it for the first time this weekend.

It works fairly well, and is fun to use. One hassle is that the cutting blades jam on tiny sticks, so one has to pick up loose debris in the grass prior to mowing. It is difficult to get up close to obstacles, and it leaves a few random uncut blades, but overall, results in a cut that is good enough for me.

Home

2008-09-28T18:40:00.000-07:00

Some quick pictures of the house we are renting in Spokane. It is situated in an older neighborhood only three miles from downtown. Parks and trails are in ample supply!

There are definitely some pros and cons with an older house, but we enjoy many of the peculiarities. The neighborhood is absolutely filled with older, interesting homes.

CdA...

2008-09-21T09:04:00.000-07:00

We took a quick day trip to Coeur d'Alene on Saturday. This town and lake are only 30 miles east of Spokane.

The highlight was a 14-mile ride near Beauty Bay, on the northwest corner of the lake. The ride involved an 1800-foot climb up a narrow, mostly paved road, along a lush creek. Then, four miles on some of the best singletrack I have ridden in years. Narrow, roller coasty and scenic. The trail section of the ride is the Caribou Ridge Trail.

After four sweet miles, the final two miles of the trail involved rocky sections with intense exposure, so we walked significantly. We were warned ahead of time about this last section, so it was no surprise. Despite not being able to ride this part, the scenery just got better, and the ride was well worth it.

My Bike Lane

2008-09-17T20:12:00.000-07:00

Wow, it has been a month since my last post. I have been busy with my move to Spokane. Hopefully, now I will be a little better at intermittent updates.

My bike commute is now only seven miles roundtrip, between the South Hill and downtown. It is so short I take frequent detours, not just to learn more of the local streets, but to achieve a ride of a respectable length.

Today was my first post on Spokane's page of MyBikeLane.com. There are very few bike lanes in Spokane, so I feel I need to do my part to protect what we do have. I report each violation to the police, so we will see if it eventually does any good.

Nice. Thank you for THAT.

2008-08-19T22:09:00.000-07:00

Should I bunny hop onto the sidewalk, or veer closer to the high speed traffic?

Not Too Many Bikes - Only Too Many Idiots

2008-08-11T17:55:00.000-07:00

Wow, there are so many irresponsible cyclists out on the road these days. Something has to be done, because the chaos and tension is really beginning to flourish. Like pools of grease on a pepperoni pizza.

Some of these fools are kids, who will always be doing stupid things. Some are brand new cyclists, who will hopefully learn quickly, and get some traffic common sense, before they kill themselves or others. But many are experienced riders, who just think it is okay to buzz pedestrians in crosswalks, blow traffic stops at high rates of speed, and zigzag between moving cars. Just because you CAN do it, does not mean you SHOULD do it. WTF?

I ride a lot, but I also drive, and I know it is hard to avoid hitting some of these fools.

This has nothing to do with following the letter of the law. Slowly rolling a stop, at a perfectly clear intersection, may be illegal, but it is safe. And therefore not stupid. Just illegal. Two very different things.

At first, I theorized that maybe cyclists, on average, are just dumber than drivers. That would be awful, because there are a lot of stupid drivers out there. And hell, most cyclists ARE drivers, some or most of the time. On further reflection, I think cyclists and drivers share relatively equal levels of idiocy - there are just fewer consequences when cycling, so the stupidity of some people is more likely to shine through in all its blazing glory.

Ironically, the consequences to individual safety are greater when on a bike, compared to inside of a steel cage. But who worries about such a thing like death? The more prominent concerns are traffic fines, dealing with insurance, and expensive car repairs - all these issues are are much more likely to result when stupidity exists behind a wheel, instead of on a bike.

Well, that's great. What to do? Tougher fines for cyclists? There's not enough cops to make a difference. Licensing of cyclists? As if you could read a mini-plate on the back of a bike as it weaves through traffic? C'mon.

Besides, licensing of cyclists, like mandatory helmet laws, have some advantages to society, but in general significantly reduce the number of people riding bikes, which is the last thing we want to do at a time when many more people are finally making more responsible environmental choices. And more bikes on the road also results in increased safety for everyone, as drivers become more aware of bikes, pedestrians and other traffic deviations, and eventually become more careful.

Unfortunately, drivers are also becoming more aware of the plethora of idiots on bikes.

SPD (Stolen Picture of the Day)

2008-08-06T19:55:00.001-07:00

This is a great picture. Osaka, Japan. No, it is NOT a cat. It is a dog. Yes, I had somebody ask me that - would that be a big ass cat, or what???

Slimed - in a Good Way

2008-08-04T07:29:00.000-07:00

I have been riding my new bike (the Schwinn Fastback) since early March. During these 2,500 miles, I have not had a single flat tire, despite inadvertantly ramming through piles of glass and other sharpies on an almost daily basis.

I have been running Bontrager Hardcase tires, which are quite flat resistant. No tire is fool proof, however, and I believe there has also been some luck in the equation, as well as the Slime tube I have been running in the rear tire. This is a tube that comes filled with gooey green gunk, which is intended to fill small tears and holes the instant they occur.

This entire time, I had no idea if the Slime was working or not, but recently I began noticing spots of green goo on my bike. I thought I had been a paintball gun target, or maybe I had hit a can of something toxic laying in the road. Eventually, I realized it was Slime, from inside my tube. There had been no issues with pressure loss, but I figured it was time to replace the tube, if there were holes to the point that goo was occasionally spraying out.

Apparently, the Slime substance works damn well. Upon removing the tire, I was almost doused with a pool of green goo. It had leaked out of the tube, but was still sealed between the tube and tire, and was sloshing around outside of the tube as I rode. There appeared to be mulitple puncture spots in the tube, and amazingly the goo still held on and prevented a flat.

Nice. Much easier to change a tube at home, compared to a flat on the side of a road with cars screaming by...

First Bike Move

2008-07-27T15:32:00.000-07:00

I finally participated in a bike move - the general idea is to get as many people, bikes and trailers together as possible to help someone, usually a stranger, move to a new residence. Sometimes one mile, sometimes ten miles. Usually this person is car-free or car-light, and/or otherwise involved in the local cycling community.

This was the first known bike move in Vancouver. Brenda was moving about twenty blocks, from downtown Vancouver, north to the Uptown neighborhood. Fortunately, she had a small apartment, so the ten or so cyclists that showed up were able to move almost everything in two trips. It is amazing how many large items can be moved by bike, given the correct equipment. I was impressed with how much I was able to haul with my little Burley Nomad trailer, but it was nothing compared to the expansive homemade flatbed trailers.

The actual transport was a very slow process, up some minor hills and through several busy intersections. The loading was even slower - it takes some time and skill to get a large load balanced on a relatively small trailer. We were successful, despite several tipsy and otherwise dicey moments, and after the hard work were rewarded with delicious pizza and drinks at the new apartment.

Stupid People

2008-07-21T20:57:00.000-07:00

A new feature I am attempting. The Stupid Person of Today (SPOT) thread! Hopefully recurring - but not too often. I can only handle so much stupid...

Occasionally, there are people so stupid, the entertainment value merits documentation. Well, today was no exception. Today, we actually have multiple SPOT's. Gosh, get out the sponge and let's scrub.

First, on the way into work, southbound on Broadway, stopped at a red light at Burnside. Several other cyclists are waiting, as well as many cars. But not Me First - also on a bike. Me First decides there is no stopping - hell, never mind the multiple people already waiting at the light, and never mind the lack of visibility of cross traffic.

But, we get to see Me First again. Me First is slooowwww. Like, fat old lady slow. Within a block of the light turning green, several other cyclists are now bunched up in the bike lane, while Me First plods along at a walking pace. Lovely. Nothing wrong with slow, but maybe consider your pace before flying around other people through a traffic signal. As well as blatantly contributing to the perceived bike vs. car ruckus. What a SPOT.

Later, on the way home from work, in Vancouver eastbound on Evergreen at Grand. Stopped in the bike lane at a red light. A trashy Honda pulls up, looking as if it spent the last decade under a sand dune in the Australian Outback. Is that sand stuck on the windshield? Old woman with a huge cigarette hanging out of her mouth, at the wheel. Do they even make cigarettes that long? Huh, must be custom rolled...

Light turns green. We both go. Unfortunately, Tobacco Ho is turning right, across my lane. She bellows, "You FUCKER! Yo' lights red!" I stop, with her bumper resting on my calf, as she is halfway across the bike lane. I refuse to move. Not smart - I could become a SPOT, myself - so to speak.

Conveniently, her window is open. "Actually, I have the right of way, because you are crossing a lane, and there is somebody in it - ME." Tobacco Ho is getting furious. "No, I have a green light, you punk!". Several more phrases are exchanged, some of which I am unhappy about, given my goal of assertive but friendly interactions with other road users. Oh well.

We quickly part ways, swear words still flying out of Tobacco Ho's wrinkly mouth. It takes me a moment to realize she actually thought the crosswalk signal, which was red, applied to me on the road surface, in the bike lane. WOW, no clue. Another SPOT! Imagine that.

Be safe out there - lots of SPOT's to watch for. And no worries - I will be the first to admit that I will often be a SPOT myself. Look for that soon...

Strange Lights and Attack Pigeons

2008-07-18T08:10:00.000-07:00

A lively bike commute this morning. I don't always ride, but when I do, it is a trek from central Vancouver to the Fox Tower in downtown Portland. Usually via Interstate Avenue or Vancouver Avenue, but occasionally I mix it up with other routes.

Passing Esther Short Park in downtown Vancouver, a young man with an extremely loaded down bike and backpack waves me down. He looks like he has been on the road, ahhh... his entire life.

"Dude, how do you get into this park? It's all gated, like prison."

"Oh, there was a concert last night - just go around to the back side."

"Dude, you have STRANGE lights. I can even see them in the morning!"

"Yup, these are bright ones. Morning, evening, afternoon - pretty much anytime. Ummm... see ya later."

Several moments later I am jettisoning myself across the narrow bike way on the I-5 bridge across the Columbia River, and hear a buzzing whirly sound. I glance up, being careful to avoid weaving into the metal structure flying by about 18 inches on either side of me. Silver wings everywhere! Pigeons are launching off the bridge, flying within inches of my head, and then sweeping out over the water. I had no idea these chunky winged rats could fly so quickly and aggressively.

Fortunately, no permanent damage. Maybe a few nightmares...

A Crossing to Anywhere?

2008-07-16T09:25:00.000-07:00

A timely and interesting discussion on a website opposed to a significant British Columbia transportation project. It reminds me of the current fiasco with the Columbia River Crossing - the proposed updated connection between Vancouver and Portland. For various reasons, including safety concerns and obsolescence of the current infrastructure, I support a new bridge. But, nothing like the 12-lane monstrosity currently proposed. Eight lanes (four each direction, including one auxiliary lane), plus high quality bike ways and light rail, is two more lanes than currently exist, and is enough to stabilize and improve the crossing, without needlessly increasing traffic and contributing to unsustainable suburban sprawl. This is a rendering of the 12-lane option:

An excerpt from Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream, by Andres Duany, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, and Jeff SpeckNorth Point Press, 2000, pp. 88-94.

The simple truth is that building more highways and widening existing roads, almost always motivated by concern over traffic, does nothing to reduce traffic. In the long run, in fact, it increases traffic. This revelation is so counterintuitive that it bears repeating: adding lanes makes traffic worse. This paradox was suspected as early as 1942 by Robert Moses, who noticed that the highways he had built around New York City in 1939 were somehow generating greater traffic problems than had existed previously. Since then, the phenomenon has been well documented, most notably in 1989, when the Southern California Association of Governments concluded that traffic-assistance measures, be they adding lanes, or even double-decking the roadways, would have no more than a cosmetic effect on Los Angeles' traffic problems. The best it could offer was to tell people to work closer to home, which is precisely what highway building mitigates against.

Across the Atlantic, the British government reached a similar conclusion. Its studies showed that increased traffic capacity causes people to drive more--a lot more--such that half of any driving-time savings generated by new roadways are lost in the short run. In the long run, potentially all savings are expected to be lost. In the words of the Transport Minister, "The fact of the matter is that we cannot tackle our traffic problems by building more roads." While the British have responded to this discovery by drastically cutting their road-building budgets, no such thing can be said about Americans.

There is no shortage of hard data. A recent University of California at Berkeley study covering thirty California counties between 1973 and 1990 found that, for every 10 percent increase in roadway capacity, traffic increased 9 percent within four years' time.For anecdotal evidence, one need only look at commuting patterns in those cities with expensive new highway systems. USA Today published the following report on Atlanta: "For years, Atlanta tried to ward off traffic problems by building more miles of highways per capita than any other urban area except Kansas City…As a result of the area's sprawl, Atlantans now drive an average of 35 miles a day, more than residents of any other city." This phenomenon, which is now well known to those members of the transportation industry who wish to acknowledge it, has come to be called induced traffic.

The mechanism at work behind induced traffic is elegantly explained by an aphorism gaining popularity among traffic engineers: "Trying to cure traffic congestion by adding more capacity is like trying to cure obesity by loosening your belt." Increased traffic capacity makes longer commutes less burdensome, and as a result, people are willing to live farther and farther from their workplace. As increasing numbers of people make similar decisions, the long-distance commute grows as crowded as the inner city, commuters clamor for additional lanes, and the cycle repeats itself. This problem is compounded by the hierarchical organization of the new roadways, which concentrate through traffic on as few streets as possible.

The phenomenon of induced traffic works in reverse as well. When New York's West Side Highway collapsed in 1973, an NYDOT study showed that 93 percent of the car trips lost did not reappear elsewhere; people simply stopped driving. A similar result accompanied the destruction of San Francisco's Embarcadero Freeway in the 1989 earthquake. Citizens voted to remove the freeway entirely despite the apocalyptic warnings of traffic engineers. Surprisingly, a recent British study found that downtown road removals tend to boost local economies, while new roads lead to higher urban unemployment. So much for road-building as a way to spur the economy.

If traffic is to be discussed responsibly, it must first be made clear that the level of traffic which drivers experience daily, and which they bemoan so vehemently, is only as high as they are willing to countenance. If it were not, they would adjust their behavior and move, carpool, take transit, or just stay at home, as some choose to do. How crowded a roadway is at any given moment represents a condition of equilibrium between people's desire to drive and their reluctance to fight traffic. Because people are willing to suffer inordinately in traffic before seeking alternatives--other than clamoring for more highways--the state of equilibrium of all busy roads is to have stop-and-go traffic. The question is not how many lanes must be built to ease congestion but how many lanes of congestion would you want? Do you favor four lanes of bumper-to-bumper traffic at rush hour, or sixteen?

This condition is best explained by what specialists call latent demand. Since the real constraint on driving is traffic, not cost, people are always ready to make more trips when the traffic goes away. The number of latent trips is huge--perhaps 30 percent of existing traffic. Because of latent demand, adding lanes is futile, since drivers are already poised to use them up.

While the befuddling fact of induced traffic is well understood by sophisticated traffic engineers, it might as well be a secret, so poorly has it been disseminated. The computer models that transportation consultants use do not even consider it, and most local public works directors have never heard of it at all. As a result, from Maine to Hawaii, city, county, and even state engineering departments continue to build more roadways in anticipation of increased traffic, and, in doing, create that traffic. The most irksome aspect of this situation is that these road-builders are never proved wrong; in fact, they are always proved 'right': "You see," they say, "I told you that traffic was coming."

The ramifications are quite unsettling. Almost all of the billions of dollars spent on road-building over the past decades have accomplished only one thing, which is to increase the amount of time that we must spend in our cars each day. Americans now drive twice as many miles per year as they did just twenty years ago. Since 1969, the number of miles cars travel has grown at four times the population rate.· And we're just getting started: federal highway officials predict that over the next twenty years congestion will quadruple. Still, every congressman, it seems, wants a new highway to his credit.

Thankfully, alternatives to road-building are being offered, but they are equally misguided. If, as is now clear beyond any reasonable doubt, people maintain an equilibrium of just-bearable traffic, then the traffic engineers are wasting their time--and our money--on a whole new set of stopgap measures that produce temporary results as best. These measures, which include HOV (high-occupancy vehicle) lanes, congestion pricing, timed traffic lights, and "smart streets," serve only to increase highway capacity, which causes more people to drive until the equilibrium condition of crowding returns. While certainly less wasteful than new construction, these measures also do nothing to address the real cause of traffic congestion, which is that people choose to put up with it.

We must admit that, in an ideal world, we would be able to build our way out of traffic congestion. The new construction of 50 percent of more highways nationwide would most likely overcome all of the latent demand. However, to provide more than temporary relief, this huge investment would have to be undertaken hand in hand with a moratorium on suburban growth. Otherwise, the new subdivisions, shopping malls, and office parks made possible by the new roadways would eventually choke them as well. In the real world, such moratoriums are rarely possible, which is why road-building is typically a folly.

But the real question is why so many drivers choose to sit for hours in bumper-to-bumper traffic without seeking alternatives. Is it a manifestation of some deep-seated self-loathing, or are people just stupid? The answer is that people are actually quite smart, and their decision to submit themselves to the misery of suburban commuting is a sophisticated response to a set of circumstances that are as troubling as their result. Automobile use is the intelligent choice for most Americans because it is what economists refer to as a "free good": the consumer pays only a fraction of its true cost. The authors Stanley Hart and Alvin Spivak have explained that: We learn in first-year economics what happens when products or services become "free" goods. The market functions chaotically; demand goes through the roof.

See original article link for references

Bike Fun. REALLY Bike Fun.

2008-07-13T20:01:00.000-07:00

My classic Portland “bike fun” evening culminated with the The Night Ride on Saturday, July 12 – a fifteen mile loop performed in the toasty nighttime air, in a thick sea of flashing strobes and glittering LED’s with thousands of other happy cyclists.

Obviously, this is a ride to, shall we say, prepare for.

I arrive downtown late afternoon. My goal is to hit as many never-been-to-before food, coffee and beer destinations as possible, all before the 9 pm event. Nothing like mixing depressants and stimulates with bike fun, and all on a hot afternoon in the mid 90’s. I plan on meeting a friend for the official ride at 9 pm, but I am on my own for the rest of the merriment.

4 pm - Fox Tower to Hawthorne Bridge. Then 7th to Belmont to 32nd. Not much of a hill, but my goal is to ride slow and not get too soaked. Glaring sun, but the breeze feels good. Ah yes, here we are, the Pied Cow Coffeehouse. A new haunt for me, and I like it. The inside of the Victorian house is relaxing and quaint, but today calls for a beer on the thickly shaded and expansive garden patio. Okay, maybe two beers - it is early...

5 pm – Back down Belmont, down 26th and finally Powell. And then back up the hill several blocks to Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB). I have been aspiring to visit this bike & organic themed pub ever since it opened in March. The beer is fantastic – I am pacing myself so I only have the IPA, and the happy hour German sausage. Tasty. Especially the beer. HUB is large and pretty, but unfortunately also sterile and rather chain-like. Where am I, Red Robin with a dash of cannabis? The poor service probably further taints the atmosphere for me. The waitress totally blanks on my food order, and I have to remind her I still have no food, after my beer is long gone. Fake apologies abound. On the way out I leave a tip, and I have yet to figure out why.

6 pm – Back up 26th to Harrison, Ladd, Hawthorne and downtown. Then up Jefferson to 14th, and eventually 21st. Time for stimulants to balance out the beer and tasty sausage. Coffee Time, to be specific. One of the best coffeehouses in the city. Clearly, today will be iced coffee, given the temperature. Let’s add a shot of espresso as well - hell, I’m feeling silly. The coffeehouse has great music playing in the background, but I forget to ask about the artist before leaving.

7 pm – Need to stop back at the Fox Tower to get my helmet in the car. Required for the official event later this evening. Hmmm, where to now? Back down 14th to Bridgeport. I like the remodel completed a year or so ago, although it is more stark and modern, with much less of the cozy brick. But the beer is delicious, as always. What was it? I think a Ropewalk Amber. Actually I am fairly sober. I have been spacing out the beers, and consuming food and plenty of water. Sat at the bar next to a young lady in the midst of a thick book, who turns her shoulder away from me as I sit down, just to clarify she is not interested in any cheesy bar come-ons, as if there was any doubt. Ah, that’s okay – I have a date with a bike.

8 pm – Time to think about heading to the start, under the Broadway Bridge adjacent to the train station. Let’s see - four beers, several coffee’s worth of coffee, and a large spicy sausage, over the course of four hours. Perfect. Everybody should be so lucky.

The start of the ride is sprawling chaos, and I never find my friend. Our respective phones ring several times, but we miss each other and don’t hear the rings over the noise of the crowd and the beating drums. That’s okay – the evening is cooling off and I am looking forward to a good ride. And donuts.

It takes some time to get going, given the tapered wave start (we don’t have a closed course), but by dusk I am off. I’ve never seen so many twinkling red and white lights. Everyone is having fun and bantering back and forth. Hmmm, one more beer sounds really tasty. Just for giggles. A quick stop at the Mississippi Pub at the top of the first and only real hill on the course. A relaxing fifteen minutes out on the warm patio, and I am back on my bike. Most cyclists are riding politely, and most drivers are being careful. I am probably in the middle of the long, extended pack.

After Albina, Ainsworth and Willamette, we come to St. Johns. Filmed by Bike movies are showing amidst crowds and popcorn, but I keep moving. I dawdle a little more at the disco party on the north end of Vancouver Avenue. Nice - pretty girls dancing... Even better, yummy chocolate bars and sour candy. Okay, let’s go. The friendliness and chattiness on the road continues.

11:30 pm - Back over the Broadway Bridge, and I have finally stopped at the finish for my free donut (a chewy maple bar), lots more water, a little rest, and I am ready to head home. I am only slightly tired from the seven-hour splurge. I hope I am in town to do it again next year.

Woe is Mika...

2008-07-09T16:07:00.000-07:00

After months of psychotic and incessent licking, the sores on Mika's leg must be dealt with. An expensive round of antibiotics and steriods helped, but without a halt to the actual licking, the sores will never go away on their own. Enter - the Doggie Cone!

Obviously, she is thrilled. She has perfected the droopy posture that says, "somebody please HELP me". Actually, despite working vigorously to wring out every possible drop of sympathy, she now deals with the persecution with the maturity of, well... a mouse.

Steamy Spin

2008-07-01T14:48:00.000-07:00

The Mt. Adams Bicycle Tour on Saturday, June 28 was strenuous, but very fun. I arrived at the little hamlet of Trout Lake as registration opened at 7:00, since it would be getting mucho caliente by midday. Waking up at 4:30 on a Saturday was rough. I immediately discovered the upper loop of the two-loop course was not to be - still closed by snow from our crazy winter. Instead, the course included an out-and-back on what was previously the upper loop, then the lower valley loop, and then I decided to tack on an extra 20 miles, so I could still achieve my 100-mile first-time goal. Not the 105 miles as planned and advertised, but good enough.

The top of the out-and-back on FSR 23 approached the western flank of Mt. Adams, and climbed consistently from Trout Lake for about 15 miles. However, it was never very steep, and the smooth pavement and thick, silent forest made it feel like a magic carpet ride. It was fantastic. The temperature was only in the 60's at this point, with some odd pockets of much colder or hotter air due to the soft swirly breeze and uneven heating. Needless to say, the ride back down this eternal hill was a blast. Only once did a situation necessitate leaving behind some rubber on the pavement - to avoid an ambling deer!

Back in town, the bottom of the out-and-back connected with the valley loop, which dropped along the White Salmon Rive down to BZ Corner, and then up over a nasty climb, over to Glenwood. At first there were endless farms to sidetrack me, including delightful goats and fluffy llamas. After the steep ridge climb from BZ Corner - actually tougher than the longer upper climb - we dropped back down into a large marshy valley and wildlife refuge, with sprawling Mt. Adams always in the background. Very beautiful. By this time it was getting hot, and the high angle of the sun made shade a rarity.

I finally made it back up over another ridge and down a steep grade back into Trout Lake, where I moseyed around for the last 20 miles. By the time I finished it was 92 degrees, and I had been out there well over six hours, including 45 minutes of stoppage time. I was trashed, but recovered quickly. The last five miles were excruciating, especially given I had been back in town for what seemed like forever, and was plowing on in the heat, attempting to obtain an arbitrary distance goal.

The scenery was definitely the best part of the ride, but the friendly volunteers were a close second. I would not have made it without multiple food and water stations, even though I was packing supplies myself. And just stopping in general, on a long ride like this, is a huge relief. Racing 100 or 200 miles without taking breaks would be super difficult. I had plenty of aches and pains on this ride, and although I was pushing the pace on a personal level, I also stopped five times, which made a world of difference.