Posts tagged ‘bicycles’
utilitaire and a little more
Trailhead Bicycle shop
Utilitaire 6.12: it began as a trip to the bike shop, #8 on the control card (for the second time). And then transformed into a fun family-friendly community ride on the Greenway, and finally a quick stop for dinner – along with picking up a few boxes of girl scout cookies. Mmmm. :)
Dillon is home from school for a quick weekend visit, and we took a ride to the bike shop. Our shop owner, Charles, had also gotten a small group of us together at the end of the day for what is hopefully the first of many more family fun rides on our local Greenway. The idea is to bring families together for some easy and kid-friendly rides, promoting a little more bike friendliness within our community, and working on building/strengthening an advocacy network. I think there is also a leaning toward trying to fill the rides with “bicycle variety” – fixies, cargo bikes, and other non-typical bicycle”oddities”. As the weather warms up and the days grow longer, we hope to include other activities like themed rides, bike picnics, frozen yoghurt stops, maybe even a wine-and-cheese type of stop for the adults. Who knows? We’ve also talked about incorporating some of the Utilitaire-type destinations and goals into the mix, but ultimately to appeal to a wide range of cycling abilities and interests, and get more people out on their bikes.
ready for fun
soon-to-be-new-dad Jeff test driving & planning ahead
We left from the shop, rode the Greenway from end to end, and stopped to a few minutes of discussion and planning within our fledgling start-up group. I think we all had fun; I know I did. Mostly, I hope we can grow the group and the idea … I would love to see more of my local friends join in the fun. I took a lot of photos and am posting a few – hope these friends don’t mind, as I didn’t really get permission.
After the group ride, Mark, Dillon and I headed back, stopping for a quick bite on the way. I didn’t manage to get a full-fledged night ride in as I had hoped … but we did get home before it started to rain. Night rides will have to wait for another day.
gathering
Dillon tries out Jeff's fixie
Charles, owner of Trailhead Bicycle
chicago
It was lovely to spend the week in Chicago, altho sadly without any snow this year. I love the city during the holidays – the lights, the decorations, the window displays. While it is a heavy dose of opulence and extravagance, it feels somehow acceptable in is own way – at least on a temporary basis during the holidays.
We walked and walked, took in a movie and a play, shopped and ate … the foods I remember from my childhood, growing up near the city. It brought back dear memories of Christmastimes past, and it is sweet to be able to share it and make new memories with my own boys who have come to love this city.
We saw plenty of bikes, a number of cyclists, but once again, my attempt to capture a bike messenger in flight never happened. One of these days …
Tonight we will ring in the New Year at home with friends, and look forward to adventures on the road ahead in 2012 – and wish you all the same. Cheers!
bicycles and fireworks
Best way ever to celebrate Independence Day … family, friends, and Xtracycles packed for a picnic, concert and fireworks along the river. :D
Happy July fourth!
Coolidge Park & the Walnut Street Pedestrian Bridge, Chattanooga ... at dusk
let the fireworks begin!
day 1 of the next 25 years
- “holding hands”
Yesterday was our 25th wedding anniversary. There were beautiful flowers, heartfelt messages and cards, and a lovely romantic dinner, reminiscent of our trip to Italy… yet how does one even begin to write meaningful post about something like this, without sounding like a smarmy greeting card? I had to leave that to my beloved partner, friend and husband – Mark. He sent me an email early this morning:
Happy Day 1 of the next 25 years!
Yes. Just ….. yes. 
As we near Thanksgiving, and celebrate this personal milestone, I am reminded of how beautiful my life is, that I am well-loved by an amazing and inspiring family, and that I can think of no person I would rather continue on this journey with than my husband Mark.
A very happy Day 1.
25 years later... (Steamboat Springs, CO - March 2010)
the center of my universe - my family (Washington DC by bike, October 2008)
dear friends
on the streets of Florence
Dear Family and Friends,
I have returned. A bit changed, no doubt – as inevitably happens when visiting a new place, meeting new people, experiencing new things. Happy, tired, filled, and fulfilled. Full of bicycle memories and wonderful food, the warm colors of of the Tuscan landscape, the lyrical and expressive sounds of the Italian language. Awakened to important lessons – learning the beauty of living slowly, savoring the flavors, taking in the landscape, speaking through actions and gestures.
I’ve been debating on how best to tell some of the stories of this trip … As you may have already guessed, there is an excess of photos (will be putting final cut on my Flickr as I manage to get them uploaded) along with experiences on the bicycles that are probably too numerous to re-tell. But for my family, and especially my boys away at school who wanted some details, I have decided to tell the story over the course of several days (and several posts). So please bear with me – and check in as often or as little as you care to. I guess that’s the beauty of the blogosphere, isn’t it?
The story begins in Florence, where we arrived and had roughly a day to spend walking and enjoying this incredible city before setting out by bicycle across Tuscany. The architecture is stunning – from the cathedrals and museums to the Ruine Anno (river) and Ponte Vecchio. Bicycles and cyclists are everywhere. From the young and hip, to the older and more classically chic Italians, everyone rides bicycles.
The streets are typically European – narrow, cobbled, winding, and always charming. Everyone gathering in the piazzas in the evening for food and wine and fellowship. The food was beyond description; olive oil, rosemary, porcini mushrooms, crusty bread, vino rosso, and light fragrant pasta dishes … hard to get enough. And of course, our daily GOD (Gelato Of the Day).
Twenty-four hours is not nearly enough time properly see and appreciate this beautiful city, but we managed to walk until our legs nearly fell off and saw as much as we could. Simply, it was breathtaking. And I want to return someday.
So began the adventure….
family transport on the streets of Firenze
lunch at a sidewalk trattoria, and the things that would become imprinted in my mind: bottles of olive oil and bicycles (because it really doesn't get any better, does it?)
our lunchtime view - Piazza del Duomo
red bicycle outside of a trattoria
no one seems to care when they don't always ride on the righthand side of the lane...
she could seriously be my role model
Firenze (Florence) - one of the gems of Tuscany
someone stole our bikes (kind of) …
Rest assured – the bikes were not stolen. Just their image… I will explain.
I have hesitated to even post this, because I mostly feel that it’s not what I’m about, not what I want this blog to be about. But I also feel quite strongly about right and wrong, ownership and theft, lessons learned, and I think there is an important message to be conveyed.
(Not to mention I also owe Casey, Jenn and Stan some beer and pizza over this one. 
Imagine my surprise when one of my twitter friends, Casey – a great guy, biochemistry PhD candidate, and fellow Xtracycle owner out in Montana(!) – sent me a note saying he was pretty sure he had seen a photo of my bikes in a local magazine, Outside Bozeman. Yeah – as in Bozeman, MT. And really, what are the odds of that – on every level?!
naughty, naughty Outside Bozeman...
So I managed to get a copy of the magazine, just to see if he was correct. And sure enough, there they were – my photo of our bikes that I had taken almost three years ago out in our front yard. In Tennessee.
They had apparently pilfered the photo off of either my old blog, or from my Flickr set – both of which expressly state “License: © All Rights Reserved by (me)”. They never asked for permission, they offered no attribution.
So, what to think? Part of me was a bit conflicted. If it encouraged anyone to start riding a bike, or even purchase an Xtracycle, I felt like this was a good thing and served a good purpose – and really, it’s one of the main reasons I like to share my love of bikes and biking through photography and blogging. And yes, it was exciting (to some degree) to see one of my photos in print.
But I also feel very strongly about copyright, ownership, asking for permission to borrow or use or modify, having heard several stories of other peoples’ photos being “stolen” for profit-making endeavors (made into postcards, store flyers, etc.).
Wrong is wrong. And in the end, after discussing with several people in-the-know, I decided it was important to let this magazine know that I didn’t find their actions appropriate or ethical. I wrote a letter, and I sent them a “republication” invoice for the use of my photo. And waited.
Two days ago, I received a small and brief hand-written note of apology along with a check for what they claim was “twice their usual rate” – basically about enough for beer and pizza, but more importantly, evidence that they had gotten the message. And hopefully won’t resort to doing this kind of thing again. (Or so I like to tell myself.)
When all is said and done (and photographed and posted and published), I want to be clear about a couple of things … First, I am more grateful than any of you will ever know for the kind and positive comments I get on my photos that appear on this site, on my Flickr, and on ShutterCal. And while I strongly respect ownership – of all art forms, from photography to music to any other medium – I am typically honored to share, to offer the use of my images to those who are considerate and ask. Please know this, and please feel free to ask. (As long as you don’t intend to print postcards to sell…).
Over the past months it has been an privilege to collaborate and share photos with people like Rick from Xtracycle, Darryl at LovingTheBike, and even recently with an online poetry journal, POOL, put together by another amazing friend and photographer in her own right. A couple of my friends have wanted prints of certain shots, and I am so very flattered to offer them. Every one of them has honored me by asking, been more than generous with attribution, and provided me with a wonderful opportunity to share what I love. Because in the end, photography is meant to be seen; and if the bicycles I love are in the mix, even better.
So – Casey, Jenn and Stan … I will buy the beer and pizza, but I have decided to send the proceeds of this little experience to the Dan Austin and the great people at 88bikes – because it just feels like the right thing to do in the end. Someday, possibly, I will be able to put my camera to work for an endeavor like theirs….
from Outside Bozeman ... to 88bikes.org
#330daysofbiking Day 94: other bikes in France & “the numbers”
wishing I was on this French bicycle adventure; (photo by Mark - Saint Maio, France)
bikes by train, en route from Paris (photo by Mark)
beautiful day to be biking; Saint Maio, France (photo by Mark)
Well, Mark is back home from France … and I am thanking him for these beautiful photos (and wishing I could have been there). Not the bicycles of Le Tour, but incredibly beautiful just the same. For my wonderful and silly friends who have said they like my photos, I am thinking I will officially hand over all of the photo gear to Mark and let him take over. He had my Lumix point-and-shoot on his trip, and came back with some of the most incredible shots … castles, bicycles, narrow French cobblestone streets, coastlines and azure water. He has “the eye”; I give up.
He also kind of saved my butt for this post, photo-wise. We received a day of rain today – very much needed after all of the recent heat. I managed to swim in the morning before everything started, and snuck in a quick ride in the evening after some thunderstorms moved through. It was late and overcast; nice for riding, but not so great for photos with only my iPhone along.
My only big news for the day involves some numbers. Since April 1st (the start of #30daysofbiking), I have officially ridden a bicycle on 94 of the past 100 days. Whew. And no, I have no idea of the mileage – I have no interest in keeping track. For me, this is about getting out on my bike, or a bike, as close to every day as I possibly can. Sometimes I miss a day or two (oh, say … when kids develop appendicitis, that kind of thing). And sometimes (like tonight) my rides are barely more than a few miles up the road and back. Sometimes it is the road bike, sometimes the Xtracycle. But for me it’s all about the challenge (and delight) of pedaling each day, no matter what the destination, the distance, or the type of ride.
So now, I officially have 265 days remaining until March 31 – the one year marker from the beginning of #30daysofbiking – and I will do everything possible to ride 236 more days between now and then, to reach my #330daysofbiking goal. Three hundred and thirty days out of three hundred and sixty-five. Sometimes it feels like a big number, and other times not so big. Mostly, I have such wonderful recollections of the beautiful rides, the fun times with my family, the flowers, the cows. Even the rain.
And grateful to the friends who are following along with me … hang in there with me, ok? 
my only lame-o photo of today's ride ... thanks to Mark for saving me today
#330daysofbiking Days 75 & 76: water to water
in the pool, first light (Dillon)
Sometimes, my posting is like way I ride hills … lagging behind.
Yesterday I began the day with an early morning swim with Dillon. Came home to pick up the rest of the crew, and the boys and I headed to Chattanooga. Mason and the Governor’s School group were coming into the city on a trip to visit the UTC SimCenter (because that’s their idea of good times and excitement, lol) - and we decided to meet him for lunch and a quick visit. It was brief, but I think he was happy to see all of us … and likewise.
Enjoyed some good conversation about the Tour de Suisse, some geeky physics jokes (which were basically over my head), and a review of this years’ crop of Governor’s School kids – impressive as always. And when I mentioned to Mason that I missed riding with him, he responded in his typical manner, “Yeah, I miss riding with someone who’s a lot slower than me …” I, of course, hit him for that one.
Chattanooga: bicycles, Matt, Dillon
Came home and got out for a ride … into town for a haircut. That was the extent of it. :-P No camera, no pictures; just taking care of business. By bike.
Today it rained for a while, but fortunately the weather cooled off a bit. When it started to clear in late afternoon, Mark and I decided to head to the river for a paddle. I wanted to ride, so Mark hauled the boats and let me go by bicycle.
Spent a couple hours out on the water, exploring a few new stretches of shoreline. Rumbles of thunder in the distance, but beautiful skies and very comfortable temperatures. Fish were jumping everywhere, herons overhead. Spotted a beautiful Kingfisher, but couldn’t catch him by camera. Paddled back to the landing in the golden twilight. Rode home as the sky was turning pink. Perfect.
paddling
#330daysofbiking Day 57: memorial day
flags along the way ... Memorial Day
End of the long holiday weekend. Spent the day working outside, running a few errands, and finally had an evening ride. One of the houses we passed had a fence lined with flags. On bikes, in the evening, it was a good time to remember … The sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, grandparents – who have served or are serving. Waiting for peace, waiting to return home.
One of my ShutterCal photography friends, Brian, who had once served in the Army, put it very well:
You don’t have to believe in, like or support a war or the morons who start them (I certainly don’t) but it is VERY important to (honor) and respect those who willingly put their lives on the line by serving in ANY uniform.
Remembering. And wishing for peace.
at ease
#330daysofbiking Day 37: cinderella for the day
Mason's Roubaix, a la Lens Baby
Today was Mother’s Day. I loved this weekend. Everybody home, I was treated like a queen. The guys took care of all of the yardwork, the laundry, the dishwashing, and even brought me delicious lattes each morning. They even took care of sorting through and storing all of the “dorm stuff” recently brought home – which was quite a pile. Spoiled, yes I was! And loving every minute. It was just so nice to be able to kick back and do some of the things I wanted to do, and not have to worry about the things I should be doing. So – Mark (especially) and boys (if you are reading), it was wonderful treat and a perfect Mother’s Day gift, and I thank you!
Other perk of the day was getting to ride with the boys again, and playing around with the camera – and Lens Baby. Kind of an odd thing to work with, and a pretty definite learning curve – or a who-knows-what-you-will-get surprise. .
The boys and I took another late ride, not very far from home. Mason decided to take a detour and added on a few miles, but Ross and I just pedaled together, chatted, and looked at cows. Played with the camera of course – and since I was still in cinderella mode, the boys were very accomodating and let me mess around with some biking shots. The temperatures were pretty cool today – a change from the past week – but beautiful for riding.
So, it’s nearing midnight and I guess my reign is over … Great while it lasted!
Lens Baby randomness
my Lens Baby "babies"
