Dirt Town

I've really, really been slacking on these posts. Don't worry, I've been on the bicycle, and taking photos, and seeing cool stuff. I've just also been busy (and maybe a little lazy).

First, let me get things caught up since the great ice storm... which wasn't really an ice storm in the technical sense, but rather four inches of heavy, wet snow which melted and then refroze into solid ice. After several days of near immobility (except by foot or train), they managed to dump massive quantities of sand, dirt, and gravel on the roads. Within a few more days, the ice melted away. The gravel did not. Some streets looked more like a cyclocross track than an actual city street - the grit was several inches deep.

The next week, they brought out the streetsweeping machines (a rare occurrence in these days of fiscal austerity) to clean the grit up. The Edgewood Avenue bike lane was one of the priority routes, thanks to pressure from bicycle advocates. The RD Abernathy bike lane still has some problems, due to untrimmed street trees that prevent the sweepers from getting close to the curb. And other roads are just simply a mess. Still. Bicycles really can't use several feet that are usually available at the outside of the lanes, and cars kick up horrible dust clouds when they pass. But hey, it's better than the epic snowdrifts in Boston!

Those Hardy Souls

Atlanta has a reputation for being, well, kind of wimpy about winter weather. But I haven't really seen that, especially among Atlanta's non-motorized crowd. By wednesday, when the roads were still slick with sheets of ice and my office remained closed, there were still people riding down the street. I was out that day, walking to the grocery store.

By thursday, when schools were still closed and my office opened 2 hours late (with co-workers trickling in hours later), the bicycles were still rolling. Everyone who could get out of their driveway just wanted to be out, in fresh air and sunshine!

The cabin fever reached a crescendo on sunday afternoon, as the temperature soared to almost 50 F and the roads became almost completely passable. Young and old, spandexed and casual, I saw more people riding bicycles that day than I did on some of the finest days last autumn!

Snow and Ice and Everything Nice

As the whole world knows, we have had some epic weather here in Atlanta. It wasn't that much snow, and it wasn't one of those ice storms that knocks down every utility pole for 100 miles. But it was 4 inches of snow followed by freezing rain and then a deep freeze. In other words, it was a plow and salt situation, and Georgia owns very little of either. Any surface that was not cleared of snow on the first day became a treacherous patch of ice and semi-frozen slush. The whole region came to a standstill.

Snow and ice blanket a local park

My office was closed from monday through wednesday last week, and had a half day on thursday. Schools were closed for the entire week. Stores ran out of essential items like milk and snow shovels as delivery trucks failed to arrive (some trucks tried to get through and caused horrendous wrecks instead). Most businesses didn't open at all. The roads weren't closed, but they probably should have been.

Aside from the closings, though, I was marginally affected by all this. MARTA canceled all bus service but kept the trains running pretty reliably. So it took me 20 minutes to walk or slide to the station instead of 15...I could still go to most of the places I normally travel to as long as they were open. On monday, I went sledding with my neighbors and then fell asleep while the Beau (now fiánce and co-habitant) went across town to see his family. On Tuesday, we cycled to the train station and rode it over to Decatur for drinks and dinner. 

Walking bikes to the station entrance

I didn't take any pictures on the road due to the slippery conditions. Honestly, we walked our bikes as much as we rode them! But it was good experience, learning how they would handle on the ice and goop. By friday, public authorities had covered almost every street with a thick mixture of gravel, dirt, and sand (but did nothing to clear sidewalks nor enforce statutes require property owners to clear them). It became feasible to get around by car, truck, or bicycle, but with new hazards from gravel patches and thick clumps of icy crud. That's a whole 'nother story, coming soon!

Our tire tracks remained frozen in the slush.

Hibernation

Happy New Year! Good Solstice! Merry Winter Holiday of Your Personal Preference!

Personally, I have the most enthusiasm for the solstice, because it signals sunnier days to come. I am strongly affected by light (or the lack of light). I love lots of windows and time spent out of doors in the daylight. As daylight dwindles in the winter I find it harder to get out of bed into the dark morning and discouraging to go anywhere or do anything in the evening. The things that get me by are midday walks in sunlight, cheerful holiday lights, and the distant promise of spring and longer days ahead.

Vintage display bike hanging in the warm and happy Brickstore Pub

The past few weeks have been a big ol' winter hibernation blowout. Such a good time to huddle indoors with friends and food and drink. I work on an academic calendar, and the entire university shuts down for the week before New Year's, plus an extra holiday day or two. So I haven't been at my desk for the past, oh, 11 days or so. I stayed home and busted through an extensive project list, and didn't leave the house at all some days. Then there were holiday parties and family stuff, playing in the snow and trying to see the lunar eclipse, and finally and New Year's blowout weekend. I have had very little to blog about in this time, unless you are into rearranging furniture.

Now it's back to work, back to schedules and daily adventures. Back to posting. Once I find my camera, which I misplaced after a party...

The Big Chill

Compared to the northern cities, we don't have much to complain about... but Atlanta has seen a bit of wintry weather this week. Monday and Tuesday saw lows in the mid-teens, and we didn't get above freezing for several days. Although it was cold, it was also dry, and cycling was no trouble at all. Just a couple of extra layers. For myself, I added a thin balaclava under my hat and scarf, wore a thick wool sweater, and put on some thick acrylic tights under my pants. I also wore my warmest gloves with a liner underneath. And I was perfectly fine for the 30 minute ride to work. OK, my toes got a little cold, but I was wearing the same midweight wool socks and dress boots that I had been wearing all autumn...

Then things got exciting. They were predicting snow on Wednesday night, and I was really looking forward to it. I love snow! It's so pretty. I figured I would take my bike on the train if it got bad before I left work. But instead of snow, we got ice. Super-slick sheet ice, black ice on the bridges, ice on everything. Not like a real ice storm that knocks down all the powerlines, just freezing rain that fell wet and froze when it hit the cold ground. The news gave out some description of a "thin layer of arctic air at ground level" or something like that.

At any rate, it created havoc for commuters. No one had expected the ice, so they left work at their normal time and promptly started sliding off roads and crashing into things. I know people who fell walking, who fell bicycling home, who had to abandon their car miles from their house. In fact, thousands of cars were left in the road, traffic on highways and suburban arterials was at a near-standstill, and over 1,000 car crashes were reported. I had no trouble cycling to and from the MARTA station, and MARTA was running just fine. I have to admit feeling a little smug about this, and also feeling guilty that I feel smug...

Sweet Relief

This city is finally starting to cool off a bit. I think today was the first day that it stayed below 90 degrees, and the lows are actually dipping into the 60s again. To me, it feels like the first spring thaw used to feel when I lived up north, like I have barely survived nature's brutality and can start to enjoy being outdoors again.

I have been coping with the heat as best I could, through popsicles and iced coffee, and low-exertion bicycle route choices (lots of shade and minimal hills). I've been using MARTA a lot, too. An effortless, air-conditioned train ride is awfully appealing, especially in the middle of the day when the sun is high and trains aren't too crowded.

Now the worst is over, and I'm really enjoying being on the streets again. So are a lot of other people. There were a couple of weeks where I hardly saw anyone riding a bicycle, at least relative to this past spring. But with reasonable weather, students back in school, and so forth, bikes are a noticeable portion of the traffic again. I'm glad to see the trend continuing.

I'm also really glad that I finally got a picture of this guy on his Dutch-style bicycle, who I've seen in the Castleberry Hill/Railroad District a few times before! It still isn't a good picture...the bike kind of looks like an Azor, with a built in rack and double top tube. Anyone know this bicycle?

Ride Between the Raindrops

Mikael Colville-Anderson - over at Copenhagen Cycle Chic/Copenhagenize - has claimed that the average person who rides a bicycle for transportation will rarely encounter rain. After this week, I'm starting to believe him. On Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, I narrowly missed rainstorms on my evening commute. On Friday, I actually left work just as the sprinkles were subsiding, had a dry and pleasant ride, and felt the raindrops start to fall again within a block from home.

I don't object to riding in the rain. I have the gear I need to stay dry where it matters. Being out in the rain can be refreshing, and I certainly don't melt. Anyone who knows me will tell you that there isn't an ounce of sugar in my ingredient list. I do avoid riding when lightning is present.

I'm really, really glad that it is raining regularly. The past month had been hot and dry, and my garden was struggling. But it is inconvenient to ride in the rain - covering everything up and trying to keep my camera dry! I like the current pattern, in which it rains every day but stops when I need to go somewhere.

The Joys of a Rainy Day

Many bicycle riders have commented on the extra feistiness exhibited by drivers when it's raining. I personally suspect this is because driving in the rain is miserable - all the highways slow to a crawl, it's hard to see, and many cars are either inching along or speeding like maniacs without regard to the conditions. And they just have to chug along and deal with it. Miserable.

Bicycling in a light rain is no big deal, as long as you have some kind of rain jacket or poncho, and maybe a hat with a wide brim. Or you know how to ride holding an umbrella. I haven't mastered that yet!

It's also exhilarating. That beautiful, fresh smell of damp earth and greenness. The interludes of chilly air, steam, or light mist.

But when it really starts pouring, it's just a big, fat excuse.  Duck in somewhere for a beer until the rain lets up - and don't forget to call your friends who might be nearby. Pop in to a store you've been meaning to check out, but are always in too much of a hurry. Or just find a good awning and watch the downpour.

Late afternoon rainstorms yesterday and today have created just such a situation. Watching the giant red blob on the radar yesterday, I phoned the Beau and asked if he wanted to wait it out somewhere with me. We settled on Park Tavern - a few minutes away but they have $1 beer when it's raining. We were actually there for 30 minutes or so before it started pouring.

They have a huge patio where we could watch passing traffic, as well as joggers and soccer players in the park. Even though I write about this stuff every day, I was still amazed at the number of bicyclists I saw while we were there.

After the rain tapered off, I headed home myself. There weren't any drops of water actually falling from the sky, but they were still spattering off the trees. The pavement was soaked, and huge puddles stood at every low point. Fortunately, I was dressed in rainy day fashion - patent leather shoes and a synthetic-fiber skirt which resist light rain and dry quickly. And skin, of course. You don't get much more waterproof than your own skin.

Hot and Wet

Happy Solstice/First Day of Summer! Atlanta is already well into its typical summer weather pattern - temps in the 90s every day and scattered thunderstorms every afternoon. I thought June was usually a little milder than this. Did it get hot early this year? At any rate, it will be like this through August or September.

This means that I have to be prepared for rain at any given moment. But, since it will be a short shower rather than all-day rain, I can leave the Giant Orange Poncho at home. Instead, I just carry a small rain jacket with me. It takes up a lot less room.

I'm pleased to note that plenty of other people are handling the weather in style.

This guy came prepared with a rain jacket. It even matches his chinos.

This gal is not only staying cool on a hot summer afternoon, she also appears to be scoffing at the gas prices, the gas-guzzling truck beside her, and the entire industry of oil drilling that they represent. If you really want to protest offshore drilling, leave the car at home and ride a bicycle!

Summer Survival: Take It Easy

Many people think of the bicycle as some sort of exercise equipment. But it was actually invented as a labor-saving (and time-saving) device. On a bicycle, you need a fraction of the time and energy that you would expend to walk or run the same distance. It's been called the most energy-efficient form of travel. So why do we often associate bicycling with exertion and sweat?

Well, if you are trying to go as fast as you can, then you will put a lot of effort into it. And it's tempting to go fast - we are programmed to save time and be competitive in our hectic lives. Personally, I am constantly running late (why is it so hard to get up in the morning??) so I try to hurry anywhere I can. Plus, a cyclist often feels pressured to keep up with car traffic as much as we can. It's easier to choose your own pace on a quiet street or on a bicycle lane, track, or path.

But ultimately, your level of exertion is your choice. Pick a maximum level and let that determine your speed. It's not as easy as it sounds! There's a strong urge to sprint to make it through a green light, or to pedal harder up a hill rather than climbing slowly in a low gear. But I remind myself that it's worth it to take it easy. I might gain a few minutes by rushing, but I would lose them in cleanup time once I reached my destination. I would get even sweatier walking to the train, and I'm not going to give up all the conveniences of the bicycle just to drive in an air-conditioned car.

I'm not alone in advocating a moderate pace. Dottie from Let's Go Ride a Bike discovered the benefits of slowing down, too. And there's even a Slow Bicycle Movement that touts all the benefits of slowing down. I also see plenty of Atlanta bicyclists taking it easy in the heat.

Oh and one final note on summer sun and heat... No matter what you are doing - riding a bicycle, mowing the lawn, or sitting in the park - be sure to drink enough water, wear sunscreen, and know the signs and treatment of heatstroke and heat exhaustion.

Summer Survival: Sweat Control!

Sweat is certainly one of the biggest concerns for the urban cyclist, especially here in the South. Trying not to overheat helps. But today, I want to focus specifically on products and tricks for preventing, reducing, and removing sweat.

It starts when you get out of the shower. I have this stuff. It's supposed to contain crystals of that deodorant rock thing? Basically, it's a spray that with salts that are supposed to prevent bacterial growth in any sweat that does occur. Sounds gross, yes, but it's an effective part of the strategy. It won't prevent sweat, though, so once the spray dries apply your favorite anti-persperant. I tend to sweat pretty easily, so the anti-persperant will minimize my sweating but not completely prevent it. If it's really hot and humid out, I may layer a little powder over the anti-persperant (and perhaps on my back and chest too). I like powders that smell like perfume or lavendar, not like babies...

Before I head out the door, I pick out an outfit that will keep me cool. Seersucker is great, as are gathered or blousy outfits that allow air to circulate. If I need to travel in super hot conditions, I'll make sure to have a tank top as my first or only layer, and may carry a dress top to put over it at my destination. If I sweat, I'll be able to wipe the sweat away before it come in contact with my clothing. Depending on conditions, a hat may help by shading your face.

Finally, I also carry a felt cloth with me for freshening up when I arrive. I get it damp and spritz a little of the crystal spray and my favorite perfume on it, and put it in a zip-top plastic bag. I can wipe off any traces of sweat from my face and body, and then rinse it every few uses. So far, so good!

Summer Survival: Shade

Summer is in full swing here in Hotlanta, and I wanted to share a few of my own tips for staying cool and un-bedraggled in the summer heat.

First is shade. You never really think about shade if you are driving around in an air-conditioned car. It's just a lighting condition. But out on the blacktop on two wheels, a shady spot can be, oh, 10 degrees cooler than an exposed area a few feet away. Make it deep shade and the difference is even greater.

For a cyclist, this knowledge gives you some summer survival strategies. You would think that Atlanta would have tons of shade everywhere, since the entire region is naturally heavily forested and trees sprout up like weeds. Really. Let me show you my garden. I have to keep pulling oak trees out of it!

So, it should be really shady, but it's not. The state Department of Transportation has outright banned trees along most of its roads, saying that they are a hazard for cars that lose control and run off the road. Any trees that are placed along state roads have to be behind the sidewalk (so the pedestrians will provide a buffer?). In general, trees have not been required along city streets, nor even a planting strip where you could put them, nor any city or regional plan to plant them. They are considered an unaffordable luxury for most public works departments, and some local utility companies have successfully had street trees banned in certain jurisdictions. In addition, existing trees tend to get cut down for development and other projects.

 Typical streetscape - exposed, some recent plantings, a few mature trees 

We have an active non-profit organization, Trees Atlanta, that works to promote tree cultivation and to plant trees in strategic places. However, their lack of familiarity with transportation issues, especially for bicyclists and pedestrians, has resulted in some poorly-executed projects - there are endless examples of their trees obstructing sidewalks, protruding into bike lanes, blocking traffic signs, and even removing portions of the sidewalk.

Nonetheless, there are still ways to find some shade for yourself. On a hot afternoon, you might plan your entire route around the shadiness of the available streets, or at least avoid long exposed stretches.

The deep shade of Oakdale Road, near Emory, is a treat on a hot day 

You can also take advantage of small patches of shade, especially when stopped at a traffic light. I only start to overheat when I stop moving and no longer have air flowing over me. In this photo, I have carefully placed myself in the shade of a thick lamp post. My arms and legs are sticking out, but most of my head and torso are shaded. There is also a sign casting a small shadow on the handlebars.

Mini-shade

Short Sleeves, Bare Legs, and Baseball

We seem to have skipped spring and gone straight to summer! Last week I was wearing a light jacket in the morning, this week is tank tops. I'm kind of dreading the really hot weather. Hopefully this is just a fluke. It's been sunny and in the upper 80s. From what I understand, most of the eastern U.S. is having the same weather.

I went bare-legged for the first time this year, and my skin was blindingly pale. I also remembered that I will have to be a little more cautious about skirt length, since I won't have the extra coverage of tights and long coats. I think this is about as short as it should get, at least without some sort of modest under layer.

The other sign of spring, or maybe summer, was the Atlanta Braves opening day. There's some new player that everyone seems to be excited about. Not my thing, obviously. But the game caused a five hour traffic jam that extended well into midtown (3 or 4 miles away) on surface streets and much further than that on the highways. Drivers were angry, frustrated. I really felt bad for them!

For the Northerners

Spring has arrived in Georgia... Fields of daffodils are blooming everywhere. They are accented by tulip magnolia and redbud trees, and the occasional spray of forsythia. On the streets and sidewalks, people are blooming in flowered dresses and pastel colors.

Summer Fever

72 degrees!

Today was a beautiful, summery day. Such a shame to be inside at the office. But then, a lovely ride home.

However, the weather seemed to make everyone else squirrely. I heard the first yelling motorist in months. She was yelling not just at me, but at the cars in front of her as well. How dare we travel on her road, make turns, and stop at traffic lights! Whatever. Maybe they've been yelling the whole time, and I just couldn't hear them because their windows were rolled up... But more likely, people are feeling cooped up in their cars. I know traffic has been bad for motorists lately, especially on the expressways. In addition to pent-up driver frustrations, there were also blissful pedestrians crossing the road without looking, people taking a drive around the block in junky cars that could barely move, and a few misbehaving bicyclists. Alas.

Fortunately, the weather was too nice to worry about all that. It's better to notice the sun on your face and the breeze on your skin.

Stopping is Good

The worse the weather gets, the more useful it is to have your bicycle running properly. I usually have a few wonky things going on...a kickstand that I have to nudge back into place after riding over a bump, a shift lever that needs to be retightened every few months. I'm sure there are people who would spare no expense and effort fixing these things immediately, but they don't really bother me. I can work around it.

So, when my rear brake line started freezing up earlier this winter, I just used the front brake. It's not the safest thing to do, but not really a problem on dry pavement and moderate speeds. Then came the ice and snow. Riding with compromised traction AND compromised brake management was not okay.

Fortunately, I had just read an explanation of frozen brake cables and how to repair them, courtesy of Bakfiets en Meer. "Blue Belle" was particularly susceptible to this problem due to her brake cable setup: an exposed cable which uses short lengths of cable housing to route around curves. The cable gracefully follows the step-through frame, requiring an extra turn where the top tube meets the seat tube (see photo!). 

This looks neat and keeps the cable from snagging me. But it also creates a low point which collects water - hence the freezing problem. (Please ignore my scratched paint...)

I ordered new brake cables on amazon.com (for 70 cents each!) since the old one was rusty and frayed at the end. I unscrewed the clamp at the rear brake, which allowed me to pull the cable all the way out, through all of the cable housing bits and finally out of the brake lever. As it came out of the low point section of housing, rusty water poured out. Yuck yuck yuck! I took all of the housing bits and squirted WD-40 oil through them until it ran clear. Then I reassembled it with a new cable. Hopefully the remaining oil inside the housing (and maybe a plastic bag in heavy rainstorms) will keep it from happening again. For now, I am frost-free and good to go.

The City Transformed

 

 Another rare snow event in Georgia. Several inches fell, cloaking trees, lawns, everything in white velvet. Bicyclists rode home carefully, or just walked their bikes.

Car traffic became horribly snarled as the white stuff started to fall, then disappeared as the storm progressed. Everything looked strange and beautiful.

 

 

Windy Weather

Well, we aren't experiencing "Snowpocalypse" or "Snowmageddon" or whatever you want to call it (although snow days and group snowball fights kind of sound like fun). But the weather still discouraged me from cycling to work today. The temperature is a little below freezing and winds are 25 MPH, with gusts up to 40 MPH. A few crystalline flakes of snow drifted in the air as I walked to the train station, and the thin sunlight only contained the idea of warmth.

Personally, I think windy days are the worst sort of weather for bicycling. A stiff wind can nearly bring you to a standstill, no matter how hard you pedal, even downhill! And the gusts feel like they might blow you right over, or off the side of the road. Now, on a humid, shadeless day in late summer, I might feel differently. But right now I'm voting: Down with wind!

 

A flag whips in the high wind

Gee Shucks

Sometimes I really regret it when I don't ride. Wednesday was a lovely day this week, a warm and sunny respite from the rain. For some reason, I left my bicycle at home and took the train. The day turned out to be gorgeous, and some errands and meetings came up. As I got to a meeting, 20 minutes later than if I had cycled there, I was really kicking myself. And then, just to top it off, I spotted this breathtaking 50s-style bicycle parked outside the meeting. I can't tell if it is new or a restoration. Anyway, Blue Belle would have loved to park next to this lovely guy.

PS - Kudos to Christa from Bike by the Sea, for her "Map of the Cycle Chic Network".

Happy Heels Heatwave!

It finally got above freezing here, and it feels like summer! For me, it was cause to leave my insulated boots at home. Instead, I went for the faux-suede boots in black, with brown stockings and skirt and an off-white sweater. I feel so feminine again! And the boots have grippy "Aerosole" bottoms which will help with the few lingering patches of ice.

In bicycle news, I strapped my bag of tools (a tire pump, spare tube, and Clinique case containing a couple of wrenches and such) onto the back rack with a bungee cord. Removing this weight from the front basket really improved the handling. I have not been comfortable with more than a few pounds in the front. Plus I'm still trying to relocate my headlight from the handlebars, to avoid blockage due to stuff in the basket. For this trip I just had my lunch bag in the basket and the elastic in the back.

What I really need is a "trioband". These were utterly ubiquitous in Amsterdam and they seem super convenient. They secure the front, back, and middle of your load which keeps if from scooting around or squirting off the back. And, they actually mount on to your axle. This is very important. It prevents one of the major sources of bungee failure - slippage of the attachment hook - and reduces the chance of theft from a parked bicycle - I've had regular bungee cords stolen.  I like the red one in the link, but there are plenty of others. The problem is, I cannot find them for sale on any American website. Seriously, do a web search. They only come up in the UK and The Netherlands. I will pay international shipping if I have to, but why haven't US distributers figured out how useful these things are??