Bicyclist Hit!!!

At first, I thought this fire hydrant would be the highlight of my morning commute:

But only 100 yards beyond this intersection, things got much more interesting. It wasn’t the three bicyclists I had seen (a promising signal of the coming revolution). It was the sad inevitability of wayward motorists smashing into right-minded bicyclists.

I was headed east at the moment, coming to a stop at a traffic light because I am neutral-good. Mr. G. appeared to head south at the intersection when he got the green. An aging pickup truck also moved northward, turning left and then smacking Mr. G. as he headed into the intersection (having the right of way). The truck's driver had his eye on me, he alleged, leaving Mr. G. out of the driver’s sight as the rear of the truck swung its fateful turn! Fortunately, Mr. G was up and walking right away. Fortunatley, his shiny Trek roadbike was seemingly unscathed. Fortunately, the driver and the bicyclists were sane people and didn’t start screaming at one another. Fortunately, I and another spiffily dressed cyclist (whose bike had shiny fenders) offered assistance. It seemed to all end well…

Boiling to the Springs

Most family and friends shared their doubts about my riding this morning, with the temps and humidity being offensive by 9am. I was a bit reluctant to hit the road myself, and by the time I rode 4 of 12 miles I was feeling pretty tired.

Nonetheless, most of the ride to Boiling Springs is devoid of cars on weekend mornings. However, signaling the coming exurbanite hordes and their sprawling homes is a razed wooden fruit stand (right side of photo below), cleared away for a gasoline station and convenience store. Alas, the quaint response to the intersection of two state road is to be overrun by incorporated concrete and cash registers...and the pathway for my bicycle is to be made more dangerous by cars entering and exiting a gas station.

Summer Irony

Being a (very proud) father of two I am tasked with driving them to day camp throughout the summer. That is, the school bus does not pick them up at the front of our home, and placing me at the wheel of an automobile instead of a bicycle for most of the summer. What irony -- some of the best months of biking forgone to a hulking minivan!

Dead Head?

I rarely ride with headphones, but it's tempting to have one's favorite tunes going while pedaling. But I can see the wisdom in recent legislation that fines headphone use among riders. Also referred to as a "squid" thing to do among Portlanders. Canadians feel similarly. I suppose I have no other choice than to abandon the tunes, thereby making today my last ride con musica.

Old Helmet

For the first time in at least a year I dealt with a flat tire. My broken pump provided just enough pressure to hobble from the office to a gas station, where I paid a full dollar to start the compressor! Given the leak's slow pace, I was able to make it home before losing all pressure.

Stopped at the bike shop on my return trip seeking a new seat. Aside from realizing I can find much better prices on Amazon, the shop owner quipped that I need a new helmet because so much of the plastic shell is disentegrated. UV light, he claimed, will weaken the integrity of the foam. Really? Not so says the Bike Helmet Safety Institute!

Knowing More Terrain

Yesterday I rode a faster clip toward the office as I had left home later than expected, but I felt well prepared to do so having biked twelve miles Sunday to Boiling Springs. On the afternoon return trip I met another bicyclist behind the hospital (a short cut sans traffic) and she and I rode together for a minute, and waited at a traffic light for another. From our conversation it was apparent that bicyclists have a knowledge of terrain so much more intimate than motorists. She reflected this knowledge, describing a pedestrian tunnel near a park that she uses to avoid heavy traffic on a state route. I hadn't made the connection before. We parted ways at that light and I felt that I had not only built a better mental map of bike commuting, but developed another link in the human web that is so more accessible outside of cars.

First Longer Trip

Around 8:45am I set out to Boiling Springs on the trusty Trek 800. This was a 12 mile trip, passing through Mechanicsburg borough and many farmettes (many of which are being converted to sprawl). Traffic was surprisingly light -- almost nonexistent -- especially when I reached country roads (e.g. Rt. 174). My bike seat was a painful pressure and I now know that for longer rides something more comfy is in order!

One bicyclist passed me with nary a greeting! Alas he must be so serious?

Bicyclists' Friends: Utility Workers

Lest I grow too jaded about the state of bicycle-friendly commuting here in central PA, I was happy to have a utility construction crew stop traffic for me as I rode up a hill where they were digging. Two "stop" sign holders blocked traffic at both ends of their dig site and waved me through, making my inclined passage in the narrowed road a bit easier.