Whether it’s cold or whether it’s hot, we’ll have weather, whether or not.

I am aware that my opinion doesn’t count for much except to me, but the Internet makes it possible for any damn fool to have a forum. Mostly, my personal forum is about bikes and using local resources. Coming further south and leaving the Exurbs of Atlanta means that I was not trapped in the Amazing Weather Event of ’14. Instead, I ride year round, have an abundance of fresh produce well within riding distance and I don’t have to put up with snow. This posting isn't about either.

It’s easy for Yankees who are familiar with cold weather and driving in the snow to be disdainful of a city like Atlanta being immobilized by less than 2 inches. After experiencing my first winter weather in the South I realized that showing my transplanted-Yankee-icy-road-driving-prowess was badly misplaced because of the too large number of unskilled drivers who braved the cold and ice while turning me, other drivers and assorted inanimate objects into unintended targets.

Atlanta has virtually no geographical limits to its expansion, has inadequate mass transit to accommodate the people who live within the Atlanta metropolitan area (as designated by United States Office of Management and Budget) and no means for commuting from beyond the metro area other than highways and cars. So, when something compounds the commute, like foul weather, bad things are sure to happen.

Weather projections were more than adequate for the recent “disaster” but as is often true, especially among Atlanta city officials, the fear of looking bad was a part of their decision making process. Atlanta for all its desire to be an international city has an inferiority complex and bad press is especially upsetting, or so it seems. The governor hastened to suggest that the Weather Service warnings were inconsistent, yet the entire metro area was placed under a warning long before schools and businesses opened. There was no lack of forewarning only lack of good sense. The governor feared the potential loss of revenue if business closed and gave no regard to the thousands of kids and tens of thousands of commuters who suffered.

Maybe the governor wasn’t living in Atlanta and environs for Snowjam ‘82 or the sleet and ice in January of 1988 or the Blizzard of ’93. I was. It sucked every time. Staying home might be an inconvenience and it might make the area look wimpy to snow-veteran northerners, but it keeps the roads from turning into temporary residential communities. Took me hours to drive less than 10 miles during the ’82 Snowjam, not because I could not handle conditions but because of the gridlock of cars. Kids miss one more day of school and businesses don’t open; seems better than the aftermath of this recent foolishness. The National Weather Service and the Weather Channel had everything correct. And if looking wimpy to snow-skilled Yankees is an issue just watch how they handle the next week-long 90 plus degree days.

Bikes, Coffee and Biscotti

I'm not a Vegan and I've never played one on TV, nor have I recently stayed at a Holiday Inn Express.

When I visit the Haile Farmers' Market I don't go with the intention of buying something from one of the several vendors offering Vegan products. I have my favorites and staples: Caprihaven Dairy Goats; Cypress Point Creamery; Tree City Coffee; Firefly Farm and Cross Creek Honey. Additionally, there's always a good chance that one of the local growers will have some appealing produce which can include Southern Peas, Romanesco, scallions, peppers, carrots and other things depending upon the season. Recently I've added another favorite; Sweet Thursdays Cafe, another cottage kitchen making something worth getting.

Having something to add to a morning-break cup of coffee is pleasant and biscotti are frequently the perfect thing. Christy the owner and baker of Sweet Thurdays makes a damn good biscotto which is like a step back to childhood when you dunked everything . . . well . . . I did!

This week I chose two 2 packs of her Double Chocolate. Last week it was Cherry Chocolate. I have never cared much for hard bits of stuff in dunkable confections, so nuts, typical to many commercial biscottis, while acceptable, don't win full favor. I was pleased with Christy's offerings.

Lest anyone question the relationship between Coffee and Bikes . . .

Archer Braid Trail prepares to meet Haile Plantation

It appears that utility work has advanced for the extension of Archer Braid Trail from its current terminus at SW 91st Street to the eastern end of SW 41st Place where a large spool of wire is awaiting use. Trees were cut several weeks ago and excavation markings have been place on the south side of 41st Place where it meets Tower Road.

East to the end of SW 41st Place near Chapman's Pond, GRU's Kanapaha Water Reclamation Facility and UF's TREEO Center.

SW41st Place at Tower Road across from Kanapaha Park.

It will be very interesting to see the solution for ABT crossing Archer Road.

ABT west to Archer.

Paved trail from SW 91st end of current ABT to SW 75th Terrace, paralleling Archer Road.

Coffee, Again

Maybe I am too old and I miss the point, but there seems to be something wrong in the world of personal coffee brewing. It’s not that I think I am an authority on coffee; I know what I like but I know that preferences are personal. What I don’t understand is why people are embracing top-dollar single cup coffee makers.

The most common reason for their use and popularity is convenience. Yet, the amount of additional waste created for the sake of spending less time making a cup of coffee seems to be extreme. I’m not a “tree hugger” but I have accepted responsibility for the waste I produce for the convenience of not making my own soup from scratch or food for my cat. I don’t keep a goat or cow out back so I can have milk without using having to buy plastic bottled products. Seems to me that there’s a range of convenience; some things are practical and others come closer to being a matter of disregard for reality. That the big name Keurig can be fitted with a reusable device thus eliminating the need for disposable containers makes more sense.

I hadn’t paid any attention before and was stunned when I saw the cost of the little prefilled coffee things for the Keurig; almost $10 for 4.2 ounces of coffee? Fifty dollars a pound for coffee? Does the desire for variety of choice justify paying that much for convenience? I bet it’d be much cheaper to buy some imitation hazelnut flavoring or ground cinnamon in the spice section of a grocery store.
Makes no sense for me to promote that idea that there are much less expensive single cup coffee makers; $12 versus $100. As with everything, it’s about personal preference and choice. I drove English sports cars (’66 and ’67 MGB) in a past life and there weren’t too many less practical vehicles in the cold and wet than cars with Lucas electrics.

The bottom line, as we tend to say now, is that it makes no sense to add additional plastic to our waste. My Kitchen Selective single cup coffee maker with a reusable filter makes coffee equal to the single cup French press I formerly used. Water is heated to 190 degrees. I can use as much or as little coffee of any variety. I can add flavorings if I wish. And the coffee, roasted locally, costs me $10 a pound.

The Meaning of the Season?

We gathered things we’d received from parents, other relatives and girl friends (maybe), not by plan but spontaneously. Timing mattered and had anyone thought beyond the day it all might have happened differently; no one did and the result exceeded the potential result from good planning. It kinda just happened.

I find the commercial promotion related to the end of each calendar year to be sad, painful, disheartening and myriad other negative adjectives. Certainly, there are hopeful and uplifting stories and incidents that reflect an awareness of the alleged meaning of the time of year. Too much, though, focuses on extremes of indulgence: Black Friday’s hysteria; that there is such a thing as Black Friday; Cyber Monday; having to have this or that or some other matchless toy; and the too common familial conflagrations around a tree, bush or candle array.

For me, the events mentioned above were a part of one of the more meaningful holiday gatherings I experienced. Cookies and a cake or three, all parts of “care packages,” along with not very tasty, purloined oranges arranged atop a 4 by 8 piece of plywood (mahogany, at that), some cobbled together decorations and a synthetic, odd representation of a pine tree acquired by someone “off the economy” made the day’s brief gathering a real event of caring and sharing. Not surprisingly the warmth dissipated by day’s end, too much alcohol and returning to “work,” but for the hour or so before the Oreos softened from the high humidity, the cakes were consumed and the oranges ignored, it was a perfect moment.

French Indochina, known then as Vietnam; December, 1966. Welcome home those of you who made it and are still hanging on.

No Reason to Hurry Winter

December 1 is the first day of Meteorological Winter, but here in northcentral FLA we're still hanging on to sunny days and mild temperatures.

The pictures below are evidence that both Crinum Lilies and Honey Bees like it that way.




If you like the pictures feel free to Click on 'em for a larger JPG.

Some Animated GIFs - 6th Annual Fourida 6

Maybe I have too much time on my hands?

Some animated GIFs from the Florida Bike Polo Championship

Riding Here

What I say here has little or no impact on the rest of the World, but that’s of no importance to me. My blog and my choice of what to say; simultaneously the biggest plus and minus about the internet.

I read numerous bicycle oriented blogs and websites. Learning about the extent of the bicycle culture and subculture is fascinating. Usually I agree with what is said and sometimes I don’t. I don’t, for instance, care to assert my right to be on roads when confronted by a ton or more of steel and plastic guided (or misguided) by someone whose point of view is me as obstacle. I favor coexistence, though, like the turmoil of the 60s and 70s of which I was a part, I know that there are too many opinions to have riding be as I wish it to be.

I have a difficult time understanding the idea that riding in America should emulate how it’s done in Netherlands. Never been there and unlikely I’ll ever get there, so it’s impossible for me to have a valid opinion about the superiority of the infrastructure that permits the apparent bicycle haven that is Amsterdam. French Indochina (after they changed the name) plus brief visits to the Maritime Provinces of Canada and border towns of Mexico are the limits to my world travel and bikes were not part of my reasons for being there. Maybe I am too ethnocentric or unaware to comprehend the more worldly view of how riding should be done. Or, maybe I am justified in seeing it from my anecdotal perspective.

I think I used up all my activist desires “back in the day” and that’s why I cannot relate to some of the ideas proffered for how to deal with automobiles and their drivers and our current way of doing things. I have a long history as a gearhead and accumulated vast numbers of miles behind the wheel of cars ranging from eccentric to desirable. I once calculated that I’d driven in excess of a million miles since passing my drivers’ test in 1962, so I know a little about driver mentality. Fifty thousand miles a year was commonplace.

For me, the most important thing that I can do as a rider is to protect myself when riding among cars by accepting the inherent danger of being there. That means putting aside angst and anger, concerns about yesterday’s argument and this morning’s breakfast while taking my presence in the line of cars seriously; not fearfully, not lost in music flowing from earbuds; and not with the idea that my rights exceed the damage that’ll be done to me if I assert my rights to the wrong person or ride carelessly. Being in traffic is a full time activity whether on a bike or in a car.

Living successfully is a matter of finding balance. Riding a bike is the same, but it’s not solely about remaining upright. Among the best things the average rider can do is to emulate good drivers, meaning yielding when it’s the best choice, observing rules of the road (as the law expects) and using our presence to demonstrate that coexistence is possible even in the face of those who ride through stop signs, ride two or more abreast, ride without lights or ride the same foolish way that some people drive.

Avid, Fashionable and Gender Indifferent

Recently I've read several bicycle related articles dealing with "issues" related to riding bikes. They are; defining who is an "avid" bike rider, "fashionable cyclist shaming" and how to get more women to ride bikes. An avid cyclist is someone with a great interest in bikes, a rider should wear what he or she chooses and everybody should ride bikes. <shrug> I don't see the conflict. Apparently, others do.

Why mention this now? Because I witnessed a convergence of all three of these issues in an unusual context; the 6th Annual All Florida Bike Polo Championships that happened at Kanapaha Veterans Park on the roller hockey rink. Four on four competition was intense and testy, fast and exciting and well worth the price of admission which was nonexistent.

For now, a few pictures will suffice to turn the above words into tens of thousands because seeing is the only way to fully understand the grassroots passion of the avid and fashionable women (and men) who thrashed, bashed, swung, slipped, won, lost, and had a helluva a time. It wasn't about who had the right bike, correct attire or whether a team was comprised of men, women or something else. It was handlebars, pedals, spokes, tires . . . all the truly good stuff.

If you have any interest come on back occasionally 'cause I'll add links to larger images and post some more, also.

Veterans Day, 2013

One of the recurring activities of the Gainesville Cycling Club is the annual ride during Veterans Day. The first stop of this year's Poker Run was at Veteran's Park in advance of the Veterans Day activities. Registration fees will be donated to Fisher House now under construction at Randall VA Medical Center.

The event was well attended, the weather was fine and the riders added a wide range of color options to the pre-event activities.

Below are some photos from the event. Clicking images will open a much larger image.

The first arrivals.

And then the Peloton . . .

Being patient for a good cause.

Parking made simple!

Fashion sense, two-wheel style.

Preparing to roll.

On the road again.

And event is only as good as the people who help make it happen.