Rich Experience

“Ride Your Bike to Work Day” prompted me to reflect a bit on some reasons I ride. Cycling is not for everyone, but it is a rare essence for those that have gotten addicted. What’s more, though it might seem illogical, the contrast between things we don’t like as cyclists, and those that inspire us, adds to cycling’s charm, at least for me.

For me, selected flats, getting unexpectedly soaked, a whiff of stale roadkill, an encounter with a socially-challenged or cluelessly ignorant motorist, a strong headwind as I head up the hill towards home on Old Denton Road with a construction truck on my tail, the abysmal road surface on Westport, and even hot or frozen slush water in the water bottle all add to the richness of the experience, and build commitment when combined with the far more frequent positive experiences. I think we need some unpleasant things to help us better appreciate the sweet ones.

Motorists do not experience the road and things surrounding it as richly as cyclists. It’s not just the speed, or the cage, HVAC, and electronics surrounding them, but the combined totality that insulates and numbs them from fully experiencing what they pass – and much more so than in times long gone. My motorists do not know the joy of waving to my concrete guys, or of going over to the fence in order to say hello to the buffalo herd next to Cabelas, of the smell of fresh baked goods, or of the crossing guards and kids that wave when I go by. Motorists never see lizards basking in the morning sun, much less execute a rock dodge to avoid running them over. The baristas at Starbucks mostly don’t really know one motorist from another at the drive through. They ALL know the crazy cyclist, and they offer him ice water when it’s hot. Motorcyclists know some of what I speak, but even they are insulated by their power, noise, and speed. A brisk tailwind means much less to a motorcyclist. Pedestrians and joggers, on the other hand, are constrained by their slow speed and limited range. They just don’t have the opportunity to experience as wide a palette of glorious sights, sounds, and smells.

Bikes, and cyclists, ARE different …

Yes, the Buffalo ARE Back in the Pasture Next to Cabelas...

Trust Me

Buffalo Calf Drinking Milk (You May Have to Use Your Imagination a Little!)

Seen yesterday, in celebration of "Bike to Work Week," off of Old Denton Road, near Fort Worth Alliance Airport. The first buffalo calf of the year. Trust me, it's in that overenlarged crappy cell phone photo at left. It's one of those "light brown" spots.

I don't know why, but the buffalo have been hiding up here instead of the main pasture over by Cabela's, and the herd is much smaller than it was last year. Perhaps most of them have been moved.

New buffalo calves are a reliable indicator that the cold weather is gone and it's about to get, well, let's say it'll be warm enough that at a major coffee place, I'll just ask them to fill my water bottle up with ice because it'll melt really quick. FWIW, their ice is made from triple filtered water. I still drink my coffee hot, though.

Cyclist Choice

Here and here, I talked about parking lots that I ride through on my route from home to work. With the ChipSeal Highway 287 thing, I’ll reveal that, at least one place along my route to work, I usually ride on a shoulder. What’s more, I’m not ashamed to admit it. I even discussed it with Chip, and I came away convinced he supports my right to ride on it in accordance with Texas Law. Actually, now that I think about it, given my current route to work, I could sound more dramatic to simply state that, on my route to work; I ride the shoulder at every possible opportunity. More to the point, just as Chip does on his rides, I make the choices that work in my riding circumstances, and I'd rather not be second guessed by others. It is my butt on the saddle.

In the photo, you can see the shoulder I ride on. It’s the only shoulder actually ON my 20 mile route to work (which is why I can say I ride on it at every opportunity). It is the shoulder of the northbound I-35W Service Road between Cabela’s and Westport Parkway, near Fort Worth Alliance Airport. It exists because there is a “right turn only” lane behind the photographer; facilitating entry into Cabela’s. In addition, a couple hundred yards back up the hill, there is a four way stop, so traffic coming down the hill is unlikely to drift onto that shoulder, having been woken up by the stop sign and the right turn lane. The stop also results in a debris-free shoulder. What’s more, the shoulder turns into a third traffic lane well before Westport. There are no driveways or crossing traffic anywhere. Off to the right is a large buffalo pasture. Anyway, there is little danger, whether I ride on the shoulder, or the right hand traffic lane. The left hand traffic lane is more hazardous (it would actually be legal for me to ride there since I’m usually the only one on this road), because traffic exiting I-35W can be merging into it at a high rate of speed. Anyway, my usual sequence is to turn right from Cabela’s, coast down the hill on the shoulder, making a head check shortly before the shoulder disappears into the new right lane. Shortly thereafter, I move left into the rightmost of the two hand left turn lanes as I approach Westport. I delay the leftward move until I can be sure I will not be endangered by people exiting I-35W. While it may seem odd, this overtaking traffic actually has the right of way over those they overtake. Some places emphasize this by posting “Yield to Ramp” signs. Basically, I treat the shoulder as just another traffic lane. Except on the rare occasions when trucks are parked on the shoulder, there is no discernable safety or other advantage to me to ride in that right hand traffic lane. On the other hand, I can’t imagine anyone would be terribly upset to actually see me riding in that right hand traffic lane, because I rarely see motorists in ANY of the lanes other than those exiting from I-35W. By the time those motorists see me; I am usually in the middle lane, looking left, and waiting for the ramp traffic to sweep by before changing into that left turn lane. This is a location I use extra caution with my left turn signal, because I do not want a motorist, flying down that ramp, to alter his/her course or actions. I flip the left turn signal out ONLY after the motorist has committed to an intended course of action (left, straight, right). Then we communicate so each of us get where we want to go with no fuss or muss.

Yes, I agree that riding shoulders is not something that is wise in the abstract, but like many "all or nothing" positions, I think the best policy really depends on circumstances. What's more, I believe the Texas Legislature agrees with me, which is why they used "may" in their wording about cyclists and shoulders. Some cop wants to charge reckless driving against ChipSeal for NOT using the shoulder. I'll oppose that strongly, and some might claim I oppose it beyond any rational point. Some ideologue that wants to attack me FOR using the shoulder, I'll oppose that too. Either way, I want to hear the facts and data that say why I am wrong, and they are right. This is a country that was purposely set up to support minorities and avoid extremes. I like that. And THAT is part of the point of THIS post. Yeah, I DO stand with Chip, and I think he stands with me as well.

Back to Work With Buddy

A Bit of Added Warmth and a Morning Sun Enticed the Cabelas Buffalo Herd out to Graze

It's been over three weeks since I rode to work. February has had lousy weather, including the first-ever "zero on the motorcycle meter" day I've seen. It hasn't all been the weather. I'd lost some of my desire to ride to work. I was feeling a bit hollow, partly due to the ChipSeal legal problems. They gnawed at me more than I liked. I didn't find myself going out to the sun room just to LOOK at Buddy. Partly it was just that I've been riding to work pretty much in the dark since Halloween. Today, however, I decided that Buddy needed a bit of exercise and also needed to show off its new fenders. While motorcycles may still have been in short supply at work, it was their loss. Even the buffalo were back out in the morning sun, grazing away. The expectant buffalo mothers-to-be were building their strength for the Spring arrival of new calves. Looking down over the valley (canyon by North Texas standards), the control tower of Alliance Airport signaled I was almost to work. The only thing missing was a T-38 jet screaming overhead.

A Sight I Aways Find a Morale Boost is the Sight of the Fort Worth Alliance Airport Control Tower

In this Case, Seen from the Fence Separating the Cabelas Buffalo Herd from the Cabelas Parking Lot

Even Buddy decided to show off a bit, demonstrating the stability that a bike has when its owner forsakes complicated, newfangled contraptions such as kick stands. In the background, is my nomination for "best parking lot anywhere to ride through." A six lane access road with a median and no traffic is about as far from "the parking lot your mom warned you against" as it is possible to get.

Kick Stands are for Sissies!

And, on the way home, it was not only still clear, but the north wind acted as a tail wind, easing my concern the new fenders had slowed me down a whole bunch. I stopped only to take the shot below, one that illustrates why even motorists don't think it's a good idea for them to drive across the grass in parks.

Motorists Taking Short Cuts in City Parks is Frowned Upon

Actually, the Tracks Were Probably from Nearby Gas Drilling Activity

or City Maintenance. Still, it's a Good Thing There are Lots of Roads Around!

Aren't Buddy's New Black Fenders Elegant?

Oh yeah, they still remember Buddy and me at Starbucks as well. Golly, but a nice commute really clears up the crabby factor!

No Bird Poo or Gadgets Today, Just a Working Bike

Waiting for Afternoon Coffee to be Consumed

Even the Carbon Seatpost Looks Pretty Relaxed in this Shot

The First Time Buddy Went into one of these Coffee Stores, a Regular Opined:

"I hope you only paid half price for that bike. It's only got half a seat!"

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