Beyond blinky lights: A bicycle lane you bring with you
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Fellow Cyclists,
The Bicycle Commuter Act has been reintroduced in both houses of the US Congress. This legislation would provide bicycle commuters with tax benefits similar to those enjoyed by transit riders.
The League of American Bicyclists (LAB) has provided a web page with ready-made, editable letters of support:
http://capwiz.com/lab/issues/alert/?alertid=9520176
All you have to do is enter your name, addresss, and zip code, and a letter will automatically be sent to your congressman and senators. You may edit the letters or write your own if you wish.
Please take a moment to do this.
Also, please forward this information to other listservs, newsgroups, and web forums.
Thank you for your support!
The original article is here: http://frugalliving.about.com/od/foodsavings/tp/Slash_Grocery_Bill.htm
Struggling with a too-big grocery bill? Here are simple ways to slash it down to size:
1. Only Buy On Sale
Start a stockpile, and only buy items when they are on sale.
2. Plan Your Menu Around the Sales
Enjoy cheap meals throughout the week by planning your menu around the weekly sales flyers.
3. Be Willing to Substitute
Have a recipe that calls for an ingredient that you don't have? Then, see if you can substitute it for an ingredient that you do have. It'll save you money at the store and space in your pantry.
4. Buy Ingredients Instead of Prepared Meals
Frozen dinners and boxed mixes may be convenient, but they're also more costly. Get in the habit of buying the ingredients that you need to prepare the foods that you eat, and watch your grocery dollars go further.
5. Shop Seasonally
Foods are cheapest when they're in season, so learn when all of your favorite foods are in season, and buy them then.
6. Switch to Generic
Make the leap from name brand to generic brand, and you'll shave an easy 25% or more off of your grocery bill. Some generics worth trying: cereal, spices and baking supplies.
7. Buy Reduced Price Items
Want a true bargain basement price? Then, scour every aisle of the store for reduced priced groceries. Ultra ripe produce, scratch and dent items, closeouts, food at or near its use-by-date – it's all reason for a reduced price sticker.
Not sure you'll be able to use something before its use-by date? Then, toss it in the freezer, and you won't have to.
8. Shop at Drug Stores
Grocery stores aren't the only place to look for grocery bargains. Get in the habit of checking the drug store ads for deals on cereal, oatmeal, raisins, spices, baking supplies, soda, paper goods and more.
9. Cherry Pick
Stores tend to sell a few items below cost each week to entice customers to shop. Learn to spot these bargains, and snatch them up – even if it means going to more than one store.
For help spotting the bargains:
10. Stack Discounts
A sale is nice. A sale combined with a coupon and a rebate? Well, that's even better. Look for any and every opportunity to stack discounts, and slash that grocery bill right down to size.
11. Shop Locally
Local produce stands, farmer's markets and u-pick farms can be a great source for low-cost, high-quality produce.
OMG. Rick Crawford just described my dream office:
"We need to get rid of business suits, and make sure every facility has showers so that people doing big business feel clean and comfy after they commute to work on their bikes. It should be cool to do big business in casual clothes that can be stuffed into a backpack. And put a laundry room in the office too."
Read all about his "rant" here: http://www.velonews.com/article/78930/circles-wasting-energy-in-an-energy-challenged-world
I, too, have come to realize commuting by bike is something so much bigger and better than just feeding my inner hamster.
I'm back on the training plan.
It's been a few years since I last did a triathlon. Grad school and full-time work really isn't all that conducive for a regular training schedule. Sure, I can do it, but at the cost of other things that I had deemed to be of more importance. Now, with summer here again and I'm steadily getting a handle on my not-so-new job, I've got the time, the desire, and the plan in hand.
So far, I'm about 2 weeks behind in my workouts, but I actually made attempts to do it last week. It went surprisingly well. I was really sore after my weights and run workouts on Thursday, but I took Friday to walk it off and Saturday was Le Boyfriend's birthday party so that was an off day, too. Just as well. I rode and rode hard today, but the late evening heat is murderous! It's 91 degrees F and 42% humidity. Ugh! Anyway, it was a short, but sweet ride and now that I'm home in front of the fan with a cold compress to my head, I'm feeling infinitely better. The ride is as follows:
Something pretty cool happened yesterday during the party. The discussion of cycling came up, and although I'm no means hardcore anymore (like I ever really was!), several partygoers requested a basic cycling ride with me. Most of them were women. I was really surprised, but then I guess I remember being like that only 3 years ago myself. To be honest, this is a real opportunity. My cardio is fantastic, but my strength and endurance so far this cycling season is shit. If there was ever a time for so-called "lesser" riders to join me, now would be the time! I have the know-how of cycling and all the bizzare-etiquette down-pat. Besides, I like to teach and I could use a few easy rides that would at least just get me into the saddle a few more times a week (I can always follow up with a run or swim to cap the session.) So, I thought about it and I'm looking forward to starting up an easy-ride cycling group this week with some friends and acquaintances.
I suspect it'll be one of those things where we meet at Huckleberry and God-only-knows what kind of outfits and shoes and bikes I'll see. I'm thinking of scheduling two rides: one for Friends and Family which will be an anything goes SLOW ride on a protected trail; the other will be a very basic Beginning Road Cycling group and we'll discuss clothing, nutrition, signaling, etiquette, spinning/cadence, terrain strategies, and underwear vs. chamois. :)
Man, what a depressing way to end the day. :(
There's been a lot of talk of death today. First, my sister asks me about the VT Shootings. I really haven't revisited it much in my mind since last April 16. Probably for a good reason. (It's depressing.)
Katrina Cometa (of the Radford cycling group) was recently attacked by a dog while she was cycling. She lucked out, breaking hips and other bones. But I just learned that Forrest "Fess" Green, a professor at Radford University, was riding his bicycle when struck by a car. He passed away today in the Roanoke ICU. Don, a Pulaski cyclist just placed a memorial for Fess on the introduction (Enter) page of thedrivewaygear.com. Iain wrote the below email to the NRVBA listserv:
Folks,
I'm sure many of you have stories of Fess Green as I do. I hope you bring them in your hearts to Fess's service later this week (arrangements to be announced). I think his wife, Millie, would very much appreciate your attendance an hearing your appreciation and memories of Fess.
It is difficult to think of a person who has been more involved and giving to NRV cycling in his own way than Fess. As Matt O'Toole now does for the NRVBA, he fought persistently, stubbornly, intelligently, and patiently to improve the lot of cyclists, young and old, in this valley. Without him, there is some question whether the bicycle path in Radford would exist. Without him, it is doubtful that planning for alternate methods of transportation in the NRV would have been considered 10 years ago. Cantankerous, yes! Opinionated, yes! A man who involved himself in giving back to his community, YES! They don't make them any better.
I also remember my rides with him. His learning to use clipless pedals--ouch! His fondness for a rollicking good time. His stories of his wanderings around the world on his bike, in a canoe, on a hike, and even by cruise ship. His wisdom about the confounding frustrations of trying to get community projects implemented. Many of us are riding, hiking, and water-crafting on improvements that Fess was an instrumental part of. His authorship of a book communicating his passion for the history of this area and cycling culminating in his book:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Wilderness-Road-Odyssey /Fess-B-Green/e/9780936015941 &sourceid=Q000000630
http://countryroadscollections.com/artistinfo.htm#fess_green
I've attached a few pictures of Fess (thanks to Katrina Cometa & Linda Burk for contributing). This is how I will remember him.
Blessed, following winds, my friend and colleague,
Iain
I do sports. Well, I try to do sports as much as possible. Since moving to BBurg, however, the fall/winter mold is killing my sinuses. I hate taking drugs. Oprah (yes, the one from TV) suggested something called a Neti Pot. I got one for Florin (le boyfriend). He loves it and it helped him immensely. I tried it out. It works, but I wasn't so keen on the amount of (forceful) pressure that I felt was being delivered. It made me want to shove Q-tips into my ear canals.
I did some more research online and found out about something called Sinus Irrigation. It's a method of sinus cleansing that uses a device that looks amazingly like my WaterPik. Sure enough, they are more-or-less the same. So ... I have a WaterPik Model WP-65 and I bought the little "SinuPulse replacement sinus irrigator tip" (made by Health Solutions, Model SPST) from AllerG.com. It didn't say on the web site that it would fit WaterPik WP-65, but it did say that it fit the WaterPik 60 and 70. I figured that WP-65 was in-between and it would probably work. (It fits! It does work! To the left is a picture of it.)
I LOVE it. I like it so much better than the SinuCleanse Nasal Wash/Neti Pot (image on right), if only because I can control the pressure coming out of the WaterPik and thus, the sinus irrigator tip. I also really like the pulsating action; it causes less pressure upon my tear ducts and ears. I've also found that I only need to use it every 2-3 days to have completely clear sinuses for just about that long. It's amazing. I have to say that it's really making breathing easier which is making exercising a lot easier, too.
I only wish I had known about this sooner. I've told all of my friends and family about it. I really doubted it would work, but I'm glad that it does. Probably the best $15 I've spent in a long time.
Streetsblog » Ciclovía: A Moving Experience in Bogotá, Colombia
This is INCREDIBLE. It is safe, it looks like so much fun, it involves getting outside, and it's social networking in classic style. Watch it and want it!
I'm cross-posting because I think this is an important thing to mention.
Okay. Today I was innocently googling for a lost blog that I used to share with some female cyclist friends. When I googled the terms I was looking for, I got two top hits that linked to her blogs and a truckload of my own Twitterings right beneath. I scanned the page and was thinking, Huh! I'm surprised but it's fine and dandy--WAIT A MINUTE! I came across one of dubious nature at the w3top.org site. Using MY Twitter information, they have created a FAKE Twitter-Date hook-up site for ... me? ... based out of the Netherlands? Say WHAT?!?
According to them, I'm also seeking a: woman. Uh-uh ... No, I don't think so!
Like I said, Twittering just got a little creepy, if only because other people use my public information for things of dubious and unauthorized use. My next question is, "How do I make them stop?"
You know, there's a few places around here [Blacksburg, VA] that could use a "bicycle lift." Check it out:
Whenever I cannot ride an event, I try to volunteer my time instead. It's great because I get to help and encourage people, drool over hot cyclist bodies and bikes, and support my love of the sport so that year after year we'll have these events to do. Sometimes, we get feedback, and other times we don't. The recent NRVBA Mountains of Misery ride the following comments came in. It's comments like these that keep me jazzed about volunteering for century cycling events:
"Great rest stops–well timed and well stocked." -- Chris DeFalco
"Everything was just excellent, well-organized, great rest stops, good food, and most of all, the -people- who worked all the stops were the nicest, friendliest and most helpful I have ever encountered on any century ride.
Some standouts: The girl at the school rest stop who put 4 cups of ICE in my camelbak, and the lady who ran along beside us about halfway up the last climb dousing us with water and then giving us a push up the hill. Also, all the people who just offered encouragement in the last mile. Wonderful." -- Charles Bouldin
"Thanks for another fantastically supported ride. Also, the volunteer staff needs to be praised for their outstanding contributions. Specifically, their cheerfulness, their encouragement along some of the climbs, the cold drinks and food ready as needed. Thanks again to the young man that filled my water bottles for me with 9 miles to go. Thanks to the enthusiastic angel for the misting with 2 miles to go." -- Morrison
This article about Ian Million and his helmet crossed the Virginia Tech Cycling list-serv today. He survived an over-the-handlebars dive AND having his head run over by a truck. I thought it was worth sharing.
Lesson of the Day: Wear your helmet whenever you ride!
Dogs. I love them. I have one. In fact, I'm dreaming about buying my 70 lb. pooch a trailer of his own to hitch onto my bike so he can come along for those day-long rides. But ...
... other people's dogs. That's a whole 'nother matter. Why is it that when springtime rolls around you can't go anywhere and ride without being chased like you're a lycra-encased meatsicle?
Solution? New Fox Labs Flip Top Pepper Spray. Secure it to your bike and ride knowing it's close-at-hand. Excellent protection against savage country dogs. Ah, if only we could use it against the irresponsible owners of said dogs ...
An editorial about cyclists and streetlights in the Roanoke Times today caught my eye. Even better was one of the responses on the associated bulletin board. I've included that here for your reference.
Allen Muchnick : http://www.vabike.org
Responsible agencies can cost effectively enhance bicycle activation of magnetic loop vehicle detectors by 1) ensuring that the loop sensor is adjusted to detect a waiting bicycle and 2) installing a small bicycle-specific pavement marking to identify the sweet spot for placing bicycles over the wires. Common aluminum bicycle wheel rims provide ample metallic material quite close to the ground and should be adequate to activate the loop detector if the wheel is placed *directly* over the wire. Unfortunately, most bike riders do not recognize magnetic loop detectors, much less know how to activate them. Cyclists and others can report nonresponsive VDOT traffic signals at http://www.vdot.virginia.gov/travel/citizen.asp or by calling 800-367-ROAD.
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