2nd Avenue Quandary

Soooo...I occasionally go through a bout of doubt.  I doubt anyone cares.  Mostly this means that I don't have much I care to say.  Thus the break.  I'm back though...for today.

Despite my lack of writing, my mind has not been blank.  In fact, I've been mulling over the quandary that Spokane has drummed up...proposed bike lanes on a major one-way, 3-lane arterial street.  The bike lane has been proposed by the bicycle activists.  The City Councilmen that love cycling have latched onto it with a death grip.  They really really really want a dedicated bicycle lane on this major street despite the facts that have been placed before them. 

The facts are: 

1. 2nd Avenue is a congested route to travel.  Based on an engineering study conducted by the City of Spokane, the current level of service of the street as it stands rates from A to C level. (Think school grading system here.)  When you take away a lane to dedicate it to bicycles, the predicted level of service drops to the range from C to F.  That's failing, by the way.  That's not the general goal here.
2. 2nd Avenue is a dangerous route to travel.  From the same engineering study, it was reported that the accident rate is at 10.5 accidents per million vehicles.  Compare that to this:  the most dangerous streets in the big cities of America have accident rates around 3 accidents per million vehicles. 

And yet when the engineer recommended not removing a vehicle travel lane based on the result of this study...the councilmen immediately responded that we should definately NOT walk away from this idea.

That's when the issue turned to the social networks of Twitter and Facebook through our friends at Bike to Work Spokane.  No doubt flamed on by some of the City Councilmen. 

I am flummoxed by the blind eye and deaf ear of these councilmen.  It kills me.  I have ridden on 2nd Avenue and I generally try to avoid it.  I've driven on 2nd Avenue...in fact I used to drive it daily.  It's not a street that needs a diet.  It is a mover and a shaker.  A lot of drivers depend on that street, and it should not be cut back to serve a few bicycles.

I am a cyclist.  I don't want to ride on 2nd Avenue.

Wince...Ohhh.

This weekend I played hard.  Friday night we joined several couples for some flag football for about an hour and a half.  Muscles all over my body were making themselves known before we even left the field.  Saturday afternoon I went wakeboarding.  For the first couple of minutes, I thought my run would end soon due to the sore muscles that screamed at me, but the screaming faded as I got comfortable on the water, and I continued for one of the longest rides of the season. 

Yesterday I walked around like an old man with a stiff neck.  I complained all day long.  No one felt sorry for me.

Today I very carefully threw a leg over my bike and hoped I could pedal.  To my joy, although some riding muscles were sore, they returned quickly to use, and I actually made it to work despite headwinds.

Still, sitting here at my desk, every time I move outside of my typing position I wince.  I'm trying not to complain...too much.

Riding vs. Commuting

This morning I went on a ride before commuting to work.  The ride was pure pleasure.  The commute was fun, but felt old. 

Ten miles of riding at an easy pace was the morning order.  My neighbor, riding an old bike that he resurrected last year to try cycling, joined invited me along.  We rode at his pace, which was decent, and had a nice chat. 

Near the end, as we climbed out of the river basin, he said, "You don't have to wait for me."
To which I responded, "Yeah, but now I'm interested in what you do for work."  So for the next few minutes I quizzed him on the intricacies of his work while he slogged to keep pace up the hill.  Actually, he did really well.

For me, it felt so great to make time to ride with someone, that even if he were pushing me beyond my limits, I still think I would have had a great time.  I like doing many activities for the social aspect.  I like doing some things enough that I will do them on my own also.  Lately, cycling is my lone wolf sport, but I really enjoy good company for a ride!

Company

Last night a neighbor of mine invited me to join him on a morning ride before work.  I jumped at the chance, despite the fact that it will force me to be late to work that day.  Today I cannot suppress the excitement that little ride has ignited in me.  Having done very little riding at all anyway, and most of what I have done alone, I'm thrilled at the chance to go out with a friend. 

I don't know why, but having company - and particularly company that is familiar - makes cycling much better! 

Cyclists are Climbers

Perhaps not all cyclists will assume the title of "Climber" because of what such a title might mean, but I suggest that unknowingly, every cyclist is a climber. 

I just spent the weekend backpacking with a group of scouts.  The trail we hiked began at a steady uphill grade and commenced for 6 miles like that.  At the 6-mile point, however, the trail turned UP.  We then climbed 2000 feet in about 2 miles. 

My preparation for this event consisted entirely of my daily commute on the bike.  I made no direct attempts at improving my hiking strength/skills.  Although I felt a dull and constant burn at my hips for the load I was carrying, I felt no pain in the quads for the work being done there.  In fact, when the boys were barely shuffling along with the heel of one foot rarely clearing the toe of the other, I was just waiting and walking and wondering how long it would take to dry my boots out after the rains of the day. 

I'm not saying that the work was not difficult, because the trail certainly took its tole, but I am claiming that my cyclista quads are great for climbing mountains!  So, although it may require a break from the bike, I believe all cyclists are climbers.