Biking Moms of Redwood City

Cars and parenting

2009-06-01T22:36:00.000-07:00

I am a big fan of this blog post from Fresno, of all places!

Cars influence parenting styles and behavior-- and, in turn, both help create dependent children.

I don't know when it started, perhaps when my daughter was two-years old and I started driving her to swimming lessons just a few miles away from our house. It started a parenting cycle that finally stopped the day my daughter got her driver's licence.

Shuttling my kids from one event to another became a lifestyle for me and my children. It was "expected." In fact, I swear, my husband's family competed to see which family unit had the busiest kids!

Heck, I didn't know any different! When I was growing up, I was never "involved" in after school activities, except riding bikes, playing kick the can, or riding bareback through the vineyards. About as involved in my after school life my father and stepmother ever got was to ring the dinner bell! I don't remember any of my friends doing anything structured after school--except chores. That is obviously why we did not end up at Harvard!

I was dating my children's father when I first witnessed the benefits of the car-centric, shuttle service childhood--a four-year-old that could sing and dance on cue! I didn't stop to wonder what the child--and family--were giving up in exchange for such "talent." Instead, I blindly followed this insidious, parenting experiment--and I hated every moment of it! The whole constant craziness not only eliminated free time for my children to play, but it created a lifestyle that required "fast" or processed foods. It became a sick feedback loop that also required more work hours to pay for all of their talent development. Did I mention that I had to hire a counselor when my child was in second grade--in order to help her process her stress. Sick! And I still didn't catch on!

My daughter is now 17-years-old. I am here to tell you that none of those talent building exercises helped her in the long run. She didn't even sign up for the school talent show, not even once! She has never used the tee-ball skills, the soccer, gymnastics, Aikido, Girl Scouts, violin, modeling, basketball, ballet, jazz, tap or tennis lessons in any of her endeavors.

The catch: this crazy child-rearing lifestyle is only possible if you drive a car! Cars alter the natural rhythm of living. The best gift you could possibly give a new family would be to save them and their family from a car-centric lifestyle. The children pay the greatest price; they become accustomed to dependence. Trust me, it is a miserable cycle!

Cool new kid-carrying bike

2008-11-10T07:26:00.001-08:00

My friend just sent me this link. Very cool! Too bad it's only available in Europe.

Biking with Babes!

2008-08-30T21:43:00.000-07:00

I know I've been totally lame about posting here. I had hoped that I would get some other biking moms to join the blog and post with me. But oh well.

Anyway, my biking buddy will be back on the bike in a few weeks, along with her new baby. So we'll be looking to do regular fitness rides and have other moms with trailers (or back seats, or front seats). If anyone is actually reading this blog anymore, and you might be interested in riding with us, let me know!

Food for thought

2008-06-30T15:53:00.001-07:00

I know there are some families who can't walk or bike their kids to school because of schedules or geography. But it's worthwhile to think about whether or not it's possible for you to use your feet or bikes to get kids to school this fall. Not sure? Try out a route or two this summer. Ask your neighbors and fellow parents about walking or biking in a group; safety in numbers, right?

Here are some great thoughts from a fellow RC Biking Mom:

In 2004 42,800 died on the nation’s highways -- a far, far higher number than either pedestrians or cyclists. (In 2003, the number of pedestrians killed was 4,749.)

I remained amazed that people think being in a car is safer than walking. In spite of being surround by steel, air bags, etc., you are far more likely to be killed in a car than on the street. Given that every American who is not house-bound is a pedestrian at some point and not everyone rides in a car, the numbers are astounding.

The most dangerous way for children to get to school is in a car driven by a teenager. The second most dangerous way is in a car driven by an adult. Both biking and walking are safer for children and for adults -- plus, it cuts down the waistline....
gotta go walk to school -

Smoked out

2008-06-26T09:01:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed, the air quality the last few days has not been so great. Tuesday early in the day was fine, but when I walked out of the house mid-afternoon, it was like walking into a cigar club. Or maybe it was more like pipe smoke. Anyway, it's a concern with regard to exercise. Yesterday during the exercise class that I teach, one of the moms complained of a scratchy throat about two-thirds of the way through class, so I cut the cardio portion short. This poorly written article says we're surrounded by fires, but doesn't specifically mention San Mateo County air quality problems. After I ride the boys to school, I'll decide whether to continue to my errands in San Carlos or go home.

Liberal bicycle laws in Idaho!

2008-06-24T21:40:00.000-07:00

Who would have thought?? But apparently it's true. Since 1982, Idaho has had a law on the books that allows bikes to treat stop signs like yield signs and stop lights like stop signs. California is now considering the same thing, apparently. An idea whose time came long ago. But what would Woodside cops do with their weekends?

Published Wednesday, May 14, 2008, by the San Francisco Bay Guardian

The Bike Issue: Don't stop
Bike lessons from Idaho

By Rachael Daigle

In the two miles between my home and office in downtown Boise, there
are five stop signs and 10 traffic lights. On a good day, I can make
the journey without coming to a complete stop.

That doesn't happen in my car because, of course, I'm a law-abiding
driver. Yet on my bicycle, it's possible for me to cruise through
all five stop signs and effortlessly cruise right on through the
downtown corridor without once touching my feet to the pavement.

And in Idaho, it's completely legal.

Although cycling commuters here often bemoan the city's ineffective
bike lane system and criticize the lack of public bicycle parking,
nary a word is spoken about the state's progressive bicycle traffic
laws. Thanks to some forward-thinking state legislators a couple of
decades ago, Idaho's bike laws are the envy of cyclists throughout
the country.

The concept is a simple one that allows bicyclists to keep their
momentum without ever taking the right-of-way from motorists:
basically, stop signs are treated a yield signs, and stop lights as
stop signs. Bicycles can legally blow through stop signs as long as
it isn't another driver's turn. And at red lights, bicycles must
stop, but can proceed if the intersection is clear

"There are lots of good reasons for it," said attorney Kurt Holzer,
who specializes in bicycle accidents. Aside from the fact that a
waiting cyclist won't trip a traffic light changing mechanism, Holzer
said the laws are in place for safety reasons. "If you have a bike on
the right side and a car wants to turn right, the law allows the bike
through the intersection, through the area of conflict, so the biker
can get out of the way."

Newcomers to Boise often muse that people are less defined by what
they drive than what's hanging from their bike racks. Boise's mayor
endorses the bicycle and is a regular bike commuter. Mayor Dave
Bieter is often seen pedaling to City Hall on his red 1969 Schwinn
Typhoon -- the bike he got for his 10th birthday.

Rather than each faction exerting ownership over the pavement,
cyclists should know and follow all the laws, while drivers should
concede that bicycles are different from cars and should therefore
be subject to different laws. Stopping at empty intersections is
cumbersome for drivers and cyclists alike -- but cyclists aren't
likely to kill pedestrians with their carelessness.

By drawing a legal line in the sand between cars and bikes, allowing
them different rules in the same environment, Idaho's bike laws
ultimately foster a mutual respect between drivers and cyclists. In
Boise it's common to see road signs instructing drivers and cyclists
to "share the road." It may be common sense advice for cyclists, but
to motorists, it's a subtle reminder that bigger shouldn't mean
better.

Rachael Daigle is a staff writer for Boise Weekly.

Trailers

2008-06-12T18:39:00.000-07:00

I have two trailers: a single Burley and a double Chariot. There are a number of subtle, but important, differences.

Burley
Doesn't fold down (at least not my model)
Pretty light
Attaches to any bike
Front wheel flips down to make it a stroller
No parking or hand brake (at least on
my model)

Chariot
Folds down easily and small enough to go in a small station wagon
Kinda heavy
Requires special equipment installed on bike for attachment
Separate bars and wheel carried in back of trailer for jogger, easier set up for stroller
Parking break under back storage

Of course, these are the highest-end models. I got lucky and found a used Burley for only $100 and then decided to shell out the big bucks for the Chariot since I use it so much. (I would loose my mind if I couldn't ride my bike!) Target and other stores have much lower-priced models, which I don't have any experience with.

I personally haven't tried bike seats, with the kid riding on the back or front of the bike. Frankly, my balance isn't that good, and I'm afraid I'll fall over. But lots of people love them, so if anyone has experience with those and would like to share, we're all ears!

Heading to Stanford

2008-06-04T18:58:00.000-07:00

Someone put together this nice route to Stanford that is very flat. It uses Hudson to cross Woodside which sounds OK, but I prefer Massachusetts. From there you take San Carlos to Selby, go left on Selby, right on West Selby, left on Atherton, right on Barry, and follow this route the rest of the way. I always enjoy riding around Stanford, especially on the weekends, when it's super-quiet. This is also a good way to get to downtown Menlo Park. Then, if you go down Santa Cruz Ave. to University to Menlo Ave, cross El Camino and the tracks, and turn right on Alma, you find a ped-bike path that gets you to downtown Palo Alto.

Some serious hills

2008-05-28T21:36:00.000-07:00

...at least for someone towing 70 pounds of kid and trailer! Today I tried to ride from the Sanchos - Emerald Market area up Oak Knoll to Five Corners. I was ok for a little while, then had to get off and push the rig for a bit, then got back on, and turned around after just a few more tenths of a mile. If I had consulted my map (I always keep a copy of the San Mateo County Bike Map, a great resource and usually available at local bike shops like Chain Reaction), I would have realized I had just a fifth of a mile to go before reaching my goal. Next time.

This is a really tough ride, as you can imagine! Give it a try if you are wondering if you can commute by bike in the hills, but make sure your brakes are in excellent working order first! Check out my Bikely map of the of the route.

Routes around the RC

2008-05-23T20:29:00.000-07:00

Planning routes can be challenging when you're concerned about the best way to go towing a trailer. If you want to plan your own routes, try the streets early on a weekend or holiday morning when you won't have to worry about too much traffic. Or, get some help from Biking Moms and Bikely, a great resource where cyclists help each other out.

So far I've only created a couple routes on Bikely, one of which is for getting to Whole Foods. This can be tricky because Jefferson can be a barrier for cyclists and because of some dead-end streets. (The other is just a mile long but shows you how to avoid the big hill at Alameda and McGarvey.)

Specifically, the way to deal with Jefferson is to take Hudson. There's a traffic signal there. Actually riding on Jefferson is not recommended -- even if you aren't towing a trailer -- because it's two lanes of fast traffic with no bike lane and parked cars on both sides.

I looove stuff like this

2008-05-23T16:33:00.001-07:00

Q&A

2008-05-19T15:11:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Astrid for today's Q&A!

Q. I'm looking to buy a hybrid bike and a child seat for my almost 3-year old. Any recommendations of bike brands and places to buy a bike?

The bike shop to go to in Redwood City is Chain Reaction on El Camino between Jefferson and Woodside. The staff is really knowledgeable and helpful and they have a big selection of bikes. I think REI is also a good place to buy a bike. And my favorite all-time bike shop is Menlo Velo on El Camino in Menlo Park, near the new Safeway. I bought a bike there shortly after we moved to Menlo Park from the Midwest nine years ago. I still have the bike and they still remember me and give excellent service for good prices. They have a good selection of commuter-type bikes. They have a good service plan, too.

As for brands of bikes, I haven't been in the market for a new bike in over five years. But if I were going to buy a new bike now, I'd probably look at Bianchis, since I have a Bianchi road bike that I love and a couple of my friends do, too. I also like the Breezer bikes they have at Menlo Velo and some of the "town" and other bikes at Talbots in San Mateo.

Q. Do you know if the downtown has bike parking? I haven't really noticed.

A. There are bike racks scattered around downtown that look kind of like this, but aren't nearly as cool because they don't have the bicycle in the middle :-)

The perfect commuting capris

2008-05-17T22:08:00.001-07:00

Sometimes the right gear can make a big difference. I've been looking for the perfect bottoms for commuting all spring (who wants to wear spandex all the time?) and I found them at Lucy. And they're on sale! I also am a fan of Lucy because they carry their pants in lengths, and at 5'2" that's kind of a big deal.

100

2008-05-16T08:01:00.001-07:00

Turnout for Bike to Work Day was high, despite the high temps. I had to be too many different places to bike anywhere yesterday. Were any of you out there braving the heat? How did you cope?

Happy Bike to Work Day!

2008-05-14T21:43:00.001-07:00

Thursday is Bike to Work Day. If you're out and about on your bike check out the "energizer station" at the Redwood City Caltrain station. I'm sure they'll give you a banana even if you're biking to the store or school and not work :-)

The new Biking RC

2008-05-14T16:53:00.000-07:00

I've just revamped this blog to aim it towards moms towing trailers in Redwood City, mostly. Hopefully I can get some other parents to contribute, sharing stories, tips, etc.

Berlin loves bikes!

2006-09-30T08:16:00.000-07:00

I’m enjoying my visit to Germany’s capital city and constantly noticing bikes. They are everywhere. As is bike parking. And it’s not like in the US, with a rack here or there. Streets are often lined with long beams intended for bikes. (I don’t know if bike theft is a big problem here, but bike locks seem to be more heavy-duty than most I see in the Bay Area.) Bike “lanes” often are carved out of sidewalks and merge onto the street when crossing. They are very well-marked and respected by motorists.

I estimate that 95 percent of cyclists do not wear helmets. Maybe this is because they are given enough room by motorists so that there aren’t accidents? (Which is fine, unless you’re clumsy.) I’ve seen lots of men in suits and women in skirts on bicycles, too.

Burrito heaven

2006-09-20T03:54:00.000-07:00

It's not surprising that this guy thinks the best taqueria in the Bay Area is in Redwood City. What is surprising is that the one he picked is about a mile from our house, up the hill, where all the gringos live.

We checked it out on Saturday (I've ridden past many times and never knew it was there). Man, those are good burritos. Definitely two meals worth.

No, I'm really not scared

2006-09-07T23:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I rode downtown for story time at the library and to drop something off at city hall. As always, I got lots of questions about the Burley in its stroller mode. "That's quite a contraption!" people say. "It attaches to the bike," I say. This is often followed by, "Aren't you scared?" And I say something about how it's so visible, being bright yellow, and having it's bright orange flag. I just don't understand why it's scarier to ride around with him in his car seat in the trailer than in his car seat in the car, going 40 mph, or 70, for that matter...

great ride!

2006-09-06T09:40:00.000-07:00

Last night as I was getting ready to go to the gym, I debated with myself about whether to ride or drive. "It's dark, and the light on my mountain bike is dead," I said to myself. "And it takes forever on the mountain bike." (I pretty much never ride my road bike (a blue Bianchi) anywhere that I would need to lock it up.) Then I remembered how much I love riding at night after rush hour. So I got on the Bianchi with my cable lock in my bag and off I went.

It took me about 15 minutes less to ride the Bianchi there than it does with the mountain bike! Since my u-lock lives at the gym, I had two locks for the Bianchi.

Since the batteries on my headlight died on the way to the gym, I stopped at the 7-11 down the street from the gym to get new ones. After I got back on with the fresh, bright light, I promptly knocked the light off it's mount (I don't think I had put it back on properly) and it crashed to the ground, separating into half a dozen parts all over the El Camino gutter. I managed to find all the pieces and batteries, reassembled it, and it actually worked!!! The people at Cat Eye build those things to last...

Car-Free Life Tests Commuters' Skills

2006-09-05T17:30:00.000-07:00

Car-free commuting is common in large cities with extensive public transportation, or in famously bicycle-friendly cities like Portland, Ore., but the surge in gasoline prices is making people across the country wonder if they can get to work without a car.

A survey by the Pew Research Center in June found 55 percent of drivers said they had cut back on driving in response to high gas prices.

However, making shorter trips or letting the car stand in the driveway isn't a very good way of saving money. The real savings come when you get rid of the car altogether.

In 2004, U.S. households spent an average of $650 a month on transportation, of which only a fifth was gasoline and motor oil, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The rest was mainly the cost of the car, insurance and repairs. Only $37 was spent on public transportation, which includes air travel.

No Burley on the train!

2006-08-28T19:48:00.000-07:00

Friday I took a little impromptu Caltrain ride. I went down the fancy-shmancy camera store on Cal Ave in PA and got hassles on the way there and back. Apparently you can't bring a stroller onto the train unless you can break it down and put it in the luggage compartment. I think technically it is possible to fold the Burley down, but I'm pretty sure it requires an engineering degree.

The conductors* said they'd let me slide since it wasn't during commuter hours (they obviously felt that they were being very generous). But to sum up: mommies can't ride to the station and bring their babies on the train and then ride somewhere else.

*To be technical, their badges now say " proof-of-payment enforcement office" or some such ridiculousness, since all they do now is occasionally check for tickets and harass bikers. (Don't get me started on the whole proof-of-payment bidness.)

The great Jefferson barrier

2006-08-23T19:33:00.000-07:00

It's just about unthinkable to ride a bike on Jefferson, and it's difficult to get across it except where there are traffic signals. This makes it extra-hard for me to get to Whole Foods, particularly since for some reason the road that runs parallel to Jefferson and runs behind WV is broken up. This forced me to go through the gauntlet of first-day-of-school traffic at McKinley/ North Star (that's another post for another day, or maybe later today).

The San Carlos Dead Zone

2006-08-11T17:21:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been a while since I posted. I didn't do much commute-riding during the big heat wave. But I'm back in the swing now.

Today I rode from the REI in San Carlos to downtown San Carlos. I guess I should have just taken Brittan to Laurel, but there's no bike lane there, so I went down Industrial (where there's a nice new bike lane) and got into the turn lane to Holly. If there's a cut-through under the train station for cyclists, I wish I'd known about it. Then I rode across El Camino and turned left (backtracking) onto Laurel without a bike lane or even good shoulder. Blech. Too many left turns, not enough bike lanes. Anyone know a good way to cross that region between El Camino and Industrial?

Doggie in the trailer

2006-07-16T10:28:00.000-07:00

A new adventure: On Friday I took Wallace to the groomer (this is what he looks like after he's gotten his haircut) in the trailer. Just picked him up and put him in there. He seemed to enjoy it, or at least tolerate it.

The trailer on the Bridge to Nowhere

2006-07-12T16:54:00.000-07:00

The other day I tried something that I've been wondering about for a while: riding over the Bridge to Nowhere with the baby in the trailer.

For those of you who don't know, the Bridge to Nowhere is the common name for a little bridge over Redwood Creek on the east side of 101. It connects the Redwood City Marina (a group of houseboats) with the former-future Marina Shores area. To get to the bridge from the north, you have to wind through Docktown, past a gate, through some high weeds and climb up a steep, five-foot, dirt run-up to the bridge. On the other side is a rutted, open field before you get to the car dealers and the movie theater.

Despite its remoteness and it's name, it's really the Bridge to Everywhere. If it weren't for this bridge, you would have to go the really long way around and cross 101 at an interchange at least once to get to and from a large number of destinations, like Pacific Shores, Redwood Shores, the movie theater, the new Class 1 bike path from Whipple to Redwood Shores Parkway, etc. If you commute over the Dumbarton Bridge and want to reach any destination north of downtown RC, it's an important link.

So anyway, I wanted to see if I could get the trailer over the Bridge to Nowhere, and I did. I has to push the bike, with the trailer, up the dirt embankment, which was no easy task. The toughest part is keeping one's footing. But I made it, and the boy was safely ensconced in his car seat inside the enclosed trailer. It was a fun little jaunt.

Total for June

2006-07-06T14:19:00.000-07:00

In June I rode 103 miles that would have otherwise been car mileage. That's more than twice as much as in May!

I can't say it's getting any easier. But yesterday when I was tempted to use the car for a couple short errands, I talked myself out of it with the knowledge of how good it would feel to burn calories instead of gas.

Cross-country cyclist killed

2006-06-27T07:34:00.000-07:00

This really hits home for me because my uncle is one of the cyclists on this ride.

Here's a blog written by one of the riders (and a former journalist) so you can follow the adventure.

It's hot out there

2006-06-22T18:08:00.000-07:00

I about died getting back from my ride yesterday. I think towing the boy and a big bag of cat food around in the middle of the day when it's 100 degrees is not the best idea. At least now I've suffered for my cause. And burned a lot of calories.

You're going the wrong way!!!

2006-06-20T15:30:00.000-07:00

This morning on my training ride around Woodside, I encountered two different riders heading toward me in the bike lane. One called out "Sorry!" as I passed. Now, if you're sorry, why don't you just ride in the correct lane?!?

Biking a better city

2006-06-15T21:48:00.000-07:00

Last night was the second (I was sick and missed the first one a couple weeks ago) meeting of Redwood City's new bike-ped advisory committee (not sure it has an official name yet). As with any new body, we're still determining structure and specific goals. More later...

Half way through the month, I've already put 49 miles on my bike that would have gone on my car; just 10 less than all of last month! One more trip to the gym (13 miles round trip) and I'll have a new personal best!

Whole Foods and jackasses going to Taco Hell

2006-06-14T23:21:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, Whole Foods is very hard to bike to. It's at the corner of El Camino and Jefferson. Jefferson (between Marshall and Alameda) is the worst road for biking in Redwood City (second only to Woodside). It's necessary to take some round-about way to safely and effectively get there from anywhere.

In other news from my biking exploits yesterday: I was on my way to the gym and passing the Taco Hell in San Carlos on El Camino. Some chucklehead in a hatchback tapped his horn at me, then cut me off as he turned right in front of me to head towards the drive-through (as an aside, I have nothing against the drive-through now that I have a kid, but I'm pretty sure this guy did not have a kid with him). I cried out "hey!" to which he replied, "shut up!". So, the message here is, "I'm going to honk to let you know that if you don't yield I will run you over, crazy biking girl!" Grrr.

Sequoia Century

2006-06-04T14:40:00.000-07:00

I did the 60k ride, which I think was just about perfect for my current level of fitness. As always, Western Wheelers did a great job. The route was incredibly well-marked, support was great, good food, etc. I'm amazed clubs are able to pull off events like this and only charge what they do.

Kathy likes the sound of this...

End of the month

2006-06-02T20:48:00.000-07:00

As you might be able to guess, my bike commuting petered out in the last week or so. I did do several errands on the bike (with Arthur in the trailer), but before that I was mostly doing errands with the hubby and going places like Ikea and Orchard Supply, with too much stuff for the trailer.

The good news is, I traveled 59 miles on my various errands this month. Assuming my car gets about 23 mpg, this means I save a whole two-and-a-half gallons of gas! According to the EPA's Greenhouse Gas Calculator, that's 63 pounds of greenhouse gases. Better than nothing. Now, if every family in Redwood City did the same thing...

Climbing hills and car-pooling

2006-05-23T22:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a good day for leaving the car at home. I walked to a moms' group meeting for this month's book discussion. Then I carpooled to the babysitting co-op playgroup.

Today, not so much. But I got a lot of errands done that would have been tough without the car.

Just rec rides this weekend

2006-05-22T01:14:00.000-07:00

I drove to a baby shower in Los Gatos yesterday, but I managed to carpool down there, which is as good as biking.

I fully intended to bike to my afternoon appointment in Menlo Park, but didn't get back to Redwood City in time. Argh.

Today dad and baby and I drove down to Menlo Park for the Sunset Celebration event, but by the time we got there, it was pouring.

The forecast says sunny-and-70s for the next 10 days, so there should be little impedement to leaving the car in the garage (which is good, since the engine light came on as I was driving home yesterday...)

Bike-everywhere Month continues!

2006-05-19T15:06:00.000-07:00

I didn't actually bike anywhere yesterday, but I didn't use my car, either. I walked to "work" yesterday at Red Morton Park and stopped at the store on the way home. I love my neighborhood.

It sounds like Bike To Work Day was a big success. 172 energizer stations in the Bay Area?!? Awesome!

Today I rode to my volunteer gig, then to get lunch downtown and then the library. It's now pouring in Redwood City, so, if I end up going to the gym to climb today, I might drive...

(I'm also feeling sorry for my friend and usual climbing buddy, David, who is getting married today in what was to be an outdoor wedding.)

I'm starting to think that commuting via bike is a little like brushing your teeth. You know it's good for you, and sometimes you think about skipping it, but you always feel better after you do it.

Still trying...

2006-05-17T19:51:00.000-07:00

but sometimes I have to pull the car out of the garage. This morning I rode to the gym towing Arthur (my longest ride with the trailer to date: 13 miles round trip). But this afternoon I had to drive to Mountain View for a work comittment (Dad didn't get home in time to babysit for me to ride to the train). I did see one bike commuter at this event...

Curb cut-outs?

2006-05-10T23:47:00.000-07:00

There's a section of Roosevelt between Valota and Upton that is sadly devoid of curb cutouts. The rest of the city, in my experience, does ok with this. What gives?

The problem with public transit

2006-05-08T12:32:00.000-07:00

I spent about half an hour this morning fussing with Samtrans bus and Caltrain schedules to figure out a way to get to a meeting in Milbrae this afternoon. It is certainly possible to do it, but would take 90 minutes of travel time in each direction, compared to less than 30 minutes via car. With Arthur's nap-eat schedule, that's just not possible. So I have to drive. On the bright side, it's just a one-time thing.

Part of the problem is the public transit schedule: if there were more than one train per hour that went from Milbrae to Redwood City on the return trip, it would save me a lot of time. But kudos to SamTrans for being more-or-less coordinated with the train schedule.

Too bad; it's a perfect day for a walk (or four).

A weekend drive (no getting there without the car)

2006-05-07T23:28:00.000-07:00

Drove down to Henry Coe State Park with my buddy Adam for a little overnight backpack. Lots of wildflowers! What a great park.

Good stuff!

2006-05-05T15:00:00.000-07:00

A day like this is made for bike commuting. Some clouds, some sun, not too hot. This morning I took Arthur to the home day care where I volunteer, then continued to Trader Joe's, where I bought fun things like Clif Bars and trail mix for this weekend's backpacking trip. Since I was near a Boulanger, I had to go there for soup in a breadbowl. Mmm, carbs.

It's pretty easy to take the trailer off the bike and roll it around the store behind me, so I don't think I'll even need that stroller attachment.

I got lots of comments about how "neat" my little set-up is. I guess it helps to have an insanely cute baby in there.

I am lame

2006-05-05T09:06:00.000-07:00

I fully intended to ride to the gym last night, but I woke up from my nap at precisely the time I should have left to meet my climbing partner on time. Commuting via bike or public transit takes some planning and discipline. The car is just too easy.

A "rec" ride, but no trailer

2006-05-03T22:34:00.000-07:00

Not much to report today. I turned an errand in Menlo Park just off Alameda into a 12- mile ride with hills up into Woodside (sans kid). I had been planning to take the bike and trailer to the library downtown (about 2 miles) for storytime, but Arthur decided to take a nap. The whole family took the car to dinner tonight (dad doesn't ride).

Crossing Jefferson

2006-05-02T17:48:00.000-07:00

It appears as though there are a lot of people who don't know that any intersection creates a valid crosswalk. The first time I crossed four-lane Jefferson (no bike lane there, btw), no one yielded to the lady with the stroller and the cute little doggie. I was at Topaz, where there are no crosswalks painted. The second time, I crossed at Upton, where crosswalks are painted on both sides of the intersection, and the first vehicle stopped.

An easy day for leaving the car at home; all my destinations (Baby Boot Camp, play date, grocery store and neighborhood meeting later tonight) are three-quarters of a mile away or less.

2006-04-26T22:27:00.000-07:00

So my first set of errands during my attempt at leaving the car in the garage for a month went so-so. I rode to playgroup, no problem. Then we went to Boulanger for lunch. No bike racks, so I had to lock the bike to a handicap parking spot sign. I rolled the trailer into the restaurant. But since I don't have the stroller attachment yet, Arthur tended to slide forward and almost out of the seat.

It's warm out. I need a shower.

(This should have been dated May 1, but something was screwy with Blogger yesterday.)