Cycle Santa Monica!: October 2006

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

American Spirit

Sharing some American spirit, à la Tesla style. (smile)

You might be wondering what does the band Tesla have to do with "Empowering Cyclists, Skaters, and Pedestrians, In Santa Monica and the Westside, Using Environmentally Friendly Vehicles, Using Earth Friendly Renewable Fuels".

The connections will be revealed later. For the time being think "Tesla" and the visions of Nikola Tesla. Think Tesla Motors. Think AltCar Expo.

Think. Think. Think (smile)

Frank Hannon of "Tesla" Rocks the National Anthem (Denver, Colorado - April 6, 2006)

Tesla - Getting Better

The reason for posting this video of the heavy metal rock band "Tesla" singing "Getting Better" will be explained later. In the mean time look for the clues embedded in the video (wink)(smile)

Monday, October 30, 2006

Unusual Protest

This is a video news report of a bicycle protest on the campus of Oklahoma University (OU) that was very interesting and hilarious...

Smog Check

This is the trailer for the video "Smog Check"... a story about choices.

Parade Of Pigs...

Lexington Barbecue Festival
A Local Legacy
Did you know that Lexington, North Carolina, is known as the Barbecue Capital of the World? In Lexington, October was officially declared "Barbecue Month" and the cycling event, the Parade of Pigs (also called the Tour de Pig), in the photo is part of the month-long celebration known as Barbecue Festival.

If you didn't already guess, Lexington is famous for its barbecue. The city's first barbecue restaurant opened in 1919. Lexington barbecue is pork shoulder basted with "dip," a mixture of water, vinegar, salt, and pepper. It is cooked slowly over hickory wood until it is "fall apart tender." One pound of pork takes about an hour to cook. Today there are over 20 barbecue restaurants in Lexington.

In the 1994 Barbecue Festival, 11,000 pounds of barbecue were served to more than 100,000 people. But eating isn't the only thing people do at the festival. In addition to the Tour de Pig, there is Piglet Land, where there are rides and games for kids.

Related Posts:
- Wandering Wheels
- Louisville Kentucky Mayor talks Bike

Andrew Carnegie Bikes

Andrew Carnegie worked as a telegraph messenger boy, riding his bicycle to deliver messages before people had telephones

Picture Credit: Hine, Lewis Wickes. "Four A.D.T. messenger boys, with bicycles, Indianapolis, Indiana." August 1908. National Child Labor Committee Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress.

Friday, October 27, 2006

Z-Coil Shoes

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Velorution

video of a critical mass bicycle ride in Paris France (April, 2004). Note the participation of walkers(pedestrians), skaters, and people in wheelchairs that ride with the bicyclists in the critical mass event.

The people in this event had just experienced one of the hottest summers in Paris France. It was so hot and for so long, that over 8000 people died as a result of the high temperatures in Paris, with many more people dead throughout France as a result of that unprecedented heat wave. You can find reports of this by googling "death" "paris" "heat"

Video Description:

"avril 2004, Paris, France
Auto, boulot, dodo..Nos villes et nos campagnes sont bétonnés et défigurés pour être pratiquables par les voitures. Alors que le climat se réchauffe, le nombre d'irresponsables citadins en 4x4 explose...Est-ce là une bonne façons de rêfléchir a une nouvelle politique énérgétique? Le collectif Vélorution!, en partenariat avec de nombreuses autres associations comme Greenpeace, organise tous les premiers "

Friday, October 20, 2006

Love Bus

In a recent press release of the Big Blue Bus company in Santa Monica. They reported on a story about 2 people who met, fell in love, and followed with a proposal to get maried. See story below.

Recently the Big Blue Bus Charter Services provided a very special and unique charter ride up Ocean Avenue down through the Santa Monica Canyons and Pacific Coast Highway ending at Casa Del Mar hotel. We all know that public transportation gives people more opportunity to interact with our neighbors and people in our communities as opposed to sitting alone isolated in a car. And, here is a perfect example of how public transportation can bring people together.

One of the Big Blue Bus’ regular passengers recently told us the story of how she met, fell in love with, and even proposed to the man of her dreams on a Big Blue Bus:

The first time I saw Greg was when he got on the Big Blue Bus (Line 1) at Rose and Main Street. Even though we both lived in Venice, and only eight blocks apart, I had never seen him before.

I was on my way to class at UCLA Law School, and looking at his briefcase brimming with books, I could tell that he was, too. I was struck by his electric smile and the friendly, “Good morning” he gave to the driver.

It was actually three weeks before we even spoke to one another, and he took the opportunity on a ride home on the Big Blue Bus to strike up a conversation about law school.

From that point, whenever we met going to or from school on the bus, we would sit next to each other and chat about classes, families or football.

We went on our first date on January 15, 2005 and never wanted to be apart a day after that. On September 8, I asked him to marry me on the Big Blue Bus (many thanks to Rosita D’Costa and Michael Brown). He said yes. I have traveled all over the world, but my most important trip was that one hour route from Venice to UCLA and my heart is indebted to the Big Blue.

This story reminds me of the song "The End"(Link one, two) (by the Doors, written and sung by Jim Morrison, another UCLA alumni who live in Santa Monica and Venice).

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

SM Crcitical Mass

Video of the Critical Mass ride in Santa Monica (September 1, 2006).

"Video clip, edited with some stylish complimentary music from the critical mass community ride that meet at the Santa Monica (California) Pier, the west coast end to Route 66. Also some clips from the Santa Monica Bay bike path and Venice and Venice Board walk, and Palisades Park. Clipe of pedicabs, tall bikes, low-rider bikes, and recumbent bikes."

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Low Energy Lifestyles

This video is from a lecture titled "Low Energy Lifestyles: Lessons From Cuba". It includes the audio plus the power poin presentation. Fairly good quality. The speaker is Pat Murphy and the presentation is about 45 minute in length.

Video description

Low energy lifestyle lessons from Cuba, an excellent documentary on living locally and sustainable living. Peak oil, community solutions, Cubans, run out of oil, discovery, production, demand, growth, forecasts, presentations, decline, years, depression, recession, global, world, energy, industrial civilization, alternatives, bio-fuels, land, fossils, returned, invested, EROEI, renewables, pv, solar, wind turbines, gasoline, changes, lifestyles, current, new way of life, finite, natural resources, survival, environmental, agriculture, smaller, walkable communities, cooperation, social interaction, economy, economic, efficient, efficiency, strategies, usage, decreased, reduced, increased, walking, bicycling, declining, higher quality of life, recycling, reuse, way less driving, standard of living, consuming, carbons, housing, habitat for humanity, crops, green revolution, food, pesticides, fertilizers, farmers, organics, self-sufficiency, grown, growing, cooperatives, markets, mass public transportation, carpooling, hitchhiking, trolleys, buses, hybrids, eco-friendly villages, rooftop gardening, urban gardens, cisterns, lowered utility bills, electricity, passive, insulation, zero energy, permaculture, values. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this video is distributed without profit, to those who have expressed interest, for research or educational purposes.

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Green Urbanism

(click on images to enlarge)

Another title for this post could be "Free Electric Bicycles".

In the book "Green Urbanism: Learning from European Cities" (see image of book cover on right) I read, among many other interesting things, of a special program in Palm Springs(California), which is funded by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (page 192-3) (Reference, via Google books).

To participate in the program, and get to use the electric bicycles for free, participants must put down a small deposit, go through a brief training program, be willing to maintain a daily trip log, and a the end fill out an evaluation questionnaire.

Here is a nice quote from the book which I would like to bring to your attention.

In adapting bicycle transport to the American scene, one potentially powerful idea is to more effectively promote the use of electric bicycles. The electric bicycle has the advantage of overcoming many of the real(or perceptual) problems of bicycle use to the United States. They would allow many Americans to overcome the limitations of topography, distance, and weather. They would provide a partial answer to the problem of those needing to wear office attire and the desire not to arrive at work as a bundle of perspiration (shower and changing facilities would also address the problem of course). Significant technical improvements in electric bikes have been made, and now several major manufacturers make them.

One of the most interesting local electric bicycle programs can be found in the city of Palm Springs, California. Here, funding for the Electric Bicycle Demonstration Program(its formal title) has come from a grant from the South Coast Air Quality Management District. Under the program, the city has made available about thirty electric bikes to residents to borrow and try out for a month. To borrow one of the bikes, a citizen must put down a small deposit, go through a brief training program, be willing to maintain a daily trip log, and a the end fill out an evaluation questionnaire. The program uses bicycles from four different manufacturers. Creatively, the city has installed four solar charging units (including at the regional airport and on the roof of city hall); thus, the bikes have become known as "solar bikes".(4)

The demonstration project has recently ended and the last group of participants finished their time on the bikes. City officials feel the program has been successful, and indeed it has already been emulated in several other places. Interest in the bikes has been high, and participants have ranged in age from 18 to 80(City of Palm Springs, 1998). Experience in Palm Springs shows that even in this very hot climate, bicycling is possible, at least with the power assist given by electric bikes. In the words of one participant: "I have a very short commute, and in the hottest parts of the day you just use the electricity and a little less pedaling" (Haberman, 1997,p.83). The electric boost helps solve the problem of arriving at work drenched in perspiration. And, it provides an important mobility option to elderly residents and those with health problems. Similarly electric bike initiatives, then, may represent an important adaptation to the American cultural context, as well as to the weather and topographic conditions in many American cities.

These and other promising experience suggest that American cities and towns can and should be much more bicycle friendly. Bicycle travel can become, as it has in many of the European cities examined, a legitimate and important mobility option and part of a sustainable healthful lifestyle.

There are other interesting stories in the book Green Urbanism of interest on electric bicycles, among other things. You can use the link above (via Google books) to explore more of the book.

It would be great to have authors of books like this one at the Santa Monica "AltCar Expo" (scheduled for December 10-12, at the Santa Monica Airport), to speak more of these and other things that they address in their book and perhaps to answer questions from audience members etc.

(click on image to enlarge.)

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Fish On Bicycle...

Fish riding a bicycle. This is a statue sculpture. Not sure of its origin or location. If anyone has this info. Please let me know so we all can know. Inquiring minds would like to know. Thank you.

(click on image to enlarge)

Freedom and Security

John F. Kennedy spoke eloquently on the continued importance of freedom of the press even so in the face of issues of national security.

Like in other speeches he attempts to raise conciousness about these issues at the Ameriican Newspaper Publishers Association at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York, New York. on April 27, 1961.

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Fuel From Air

This is a CNN news piece on a car which is powered by compressed air. In addtion to being a zero emmission vehicle it is also claimed to actually make the air cleaner by removing particulate matter from the air. And It is also claimed to be friendly to the pocket book at a cost of about $6,000 per car. They are small and efficient, and make a puttering sound similar to combustion engines. However these cars do not combust anything except the idea that the there is only one viable choice in transportation. You can add this one to the others, include bicycles, electric bicycles, and electric cars which are all environmentally friendly vehicles. I hope to see a CAT at the santa Monica AltCar Expo.

Bicycles in 3D

Pull on your stereogram glasses(red/blue lenses) to see these bicyclists riding in 3D. (The red lense over left eye and blue lense over the right eye). Click on image to enlarge.

Moyers On America

Video Description:

Legendary journalist Bill Moyers criticizes the Religious Right for misinterpreting the teachings of Christianity as he reads from his book Moyers on America and follows with a celebration of poetry with excerpts from his Fooling with Words in this unforgettable program with host Dean Nelson marking the 10th anniversary of the Writer's Symposium by the Sea sponsored by Point Loma Nazarene University. Series: "Writer's Symposium By The Sea" [Public Affairs] [Humanities]

bicycle enconimics

North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan steps into the Colbert Nation to discuss his new book, including some bicycle economics, in his new book "Take This Job and Ship It", to discuss how brain dead politics and coportae greed is selling out America.

Riding The Wind

This video is of a a recumbent bicycle riding bicycle trail in Florida. This rcumben bicycle also has an electric power assist to help the rider go further and fasterthan they could otherwise go by "human power" pedaling alone. The electric power assist is whisper quiet and continues to allow the cyclist to experience riding the trail as if they were flying like a bird throught the wind. This video was shot with a bicycle helmet camera and with choice music in the background. (52 minutes)

Video Description:

This is a 52 minute video of the Withlacoochie trail taken from my helmet cam from about 9am on October 1, 2006. The sun angle caused some ... all » flaring in the video, but the trail and riders and scenery remains visible. The vehicle is an Alligt Alleweder velomobile, three wheels, two in front steering, one in back providing the power through 24 gears.

The Withlacoochee Trail is a Rails to Trails conversion of 46 miles end to end running in the center of the state of Florida. It is as wide as a roadway with minimal crossings at the north and south ends. It passes through Inverness, Floral City, Istachatta and other small Florida towns.

There are many recumbents visible in this clip, as well as an unusual mode of transport, the Trikke, sort of a three wheeled push scooter that does not require to be pushed.

This video covers the fifteen and a half mile north portion from Inverness FL. I had video taped the northbound ride, but found my camera had disconnected itself when I put it into the bag. Accidents happen.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Reader Question

hi!
first, thanks for all the great work you do on your blog. i'm constantly referring folks over to it, and i was hoping to do that again today. i am looking for the video you put up of the fire department removing a u-lock from a bike. is that still up there somwhere? i'm having a devil of a time finding it. thanks in advance for any help you can provide... :)

Hi. Thank you for writing.

Here it is: U-Lock Cutting

And FYI, if you want to find other archived posts on the Cycle Santa Monica! blog there are two fairly good ways to do that. You can go to google.com and type in "cycle santa monica" (see example image on right - click on image to enlarge) and then add a space and any words you remeber seeing in the post to the search. You can also use the blog's search engine. You can find it at the top of the page at:
http://cyclesantamonica.blogspot.com

However, I think the google way seems to provide the best results.

Thanks,
(smile)
Cycle Santa Monica!

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Imagine...

This video has info which will help you manifest what you would like in your life. That might be clean air, beauty in your world, and space that feels safe. The power to manifest that in your world is within you. The video is one hour and thirty minutes in length. Thank you.

She Can Skate!

That Girl Can Skate!