The Way She Moves, The Way She Walks

Not long ago, whenever I took the bus it was very rare that I wasn't in a rush to actually enjoy the ride. Either the bus would come too late, not at all, or break down two miles from work, therefore making the usual commute an abnormally high-stressed point in the day. My schedule is a little less pressing these days, but I still appreciate that commuting by bus means getting from Point A to Point B while simultaneously reading or putting on make-up without angering other drivers. Also, my inner social observer is gifted an all-access visual pass to people-watch. From style of clothing to accessories to the amount of dirt accumulating underneath the nails - resulting in thoughts ranging from "WTF?!" to "ooh-lala" - the writer side of me is always inspired, with a potential character born every ten minutes.

That said, I can't help but think that constant exposure to people in such a confined space makes me a little more observant than usual and therefore more sensitive to trends and styles that people would normally let slide. Take the pre-faded, pre-worn shirt or pair of jeans look, for example. We all know that there is nothing vintage about a faux vintage Justin Bieber t-shirt. You can't faux-vintage a sixteen year-old dreamboat's image in 2010, unless that dreamboat is Corey Haim (may he rest in peace). Another trend perhaps would be the bouffant, especially when assisted by the Bumpits. Holy hell. An irrational waste of plastic.

But all in all, a quick change in expression, mannerisms, reactions, the way one shifts their weight when the bus jerks suddenly - it's kind of fascinating. In a way it makes me miss New York. In visiting the city one to two times yearly, I've grown fond of the variety of people - age-wise and social class-wise - and at times the corresponding fashion. Who's reading what, who's rocking what. However, I have friends who for some reason say you can't miss somewhere you've never lived before. Of course I disagree, but that will have to be elaborated upon at a later time.

And, oh, the inevitable, sustainable love/hate relationship with lots of bodies packed into a small space. I remember my heart beating out an interesting rhythm while in line for the Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland once; rush-hour knows how to push the panic button just as hard. When wedged in like sardines after a long day only to crawl down the street and stop at another bus stop and to pick up more souls, crawling even further until one must push their way out the doors as if shopping at Macy's on Black Friday - it's all a bit ridiculous and should inspire a more concerted look at the frequency of buses. I truly believe that every thirty minutes isn't enough. Why not every fifteen (and why not after 9:00 pm? Okay, all right; one issue at a time).

Apparently I could go on. Rather, I should probably invest in a red pocket-sized notebook and pull a Chelsea Handler, making note on the details of my orange-boxed, florescent-lighted life instead of my horizontal life.

Photo via safran-arts.com

Morbid Curiosity

I think the smartest piece of advice I ever received from a friend was the following: ride your bicycle like someone is going to kill you.

Before I am misquoted, I did not say "ride your bicycle today as if it's your last". While that would be more poetic and ideal, what I actually said was: "Ride your bicycle like someone is going to kill you." However morbid a thought, it is packed with truth, and I find myself thinking this often while riding. Let's just face it head on - whether on foot or atop wheels, not everyone is paying attention. You could be wearing the brightest shade of orange, looking every which direction and using all available common sense - but all it takes is one person to pick something out of their teeth and therefore mess up your day.

I prefer to ride in the street wherever I go because for all intents and purposes a bicycle is a vehicle. I really think that cycling on the sidewalk is a dangerous preference, but I also believe that it is more dangerous to put yourself in what you believe to be harm's way. So while directed primarily at those who ride their bicycles in traffic, everyone of all backgrounds can benefit from this hammering of information. Now, without further adieu:

1. Stay out of the door zone. Staying out of the narrow area between parked cars and the right lane - the door zone - will give you enough room to avoid any collision with the swinging open of one's driver side door. It also allows for room to move a little to the left if any cars start edging out.

2. Look over your shoulder. If you don't have a rearview mirror device tacked onto either your helmet or handlebars, go about it old school and briefly look over your shoulder for oncoming traffic before you make a move out into the crosshairs.

3. Look ahead. With or without use of a vehicle's turn signals, one should be able to at least have a good idea of what a car is going to do before it does it just by the way it's moving. Is it slowing down? Is it coming to a corner in general? Is it not stopping? As an aside, viewing most driving as unpredictable will actually make riding with, in, and around through and intersecting traffic more predictable. Look at least two driveways ahead and down the street long before you get to it. And for the lovely alleyway between buildings/homes - slow down, or better yet, stop.

4. Look everyone in the eye. Example: when coming out into an intersection while an oncoming car is inching rapidly into its left turn, look the driver in his/her eyes. Why? For two reasons: number one, the expressions are generally priceless. But more importantly - and therefore number two - you are seen by the to-be offender. They acknowledge your existence and are either forced to stop, recognize an error in haste, or both. (Hopefully.) And while they still might inadvertently try to kill you in some other instance, you'll still have the satisfaction of knowing that you were seen.

5. Check for signs that a parked car will be moving. Reverse lights, brake lights, a slight puff of exhaust and a silhouette of a head above the driver-side head rest are all surefire signs that a parked car might be gearing to go and quite possibly not see you when they pull out into traffic. Points 1., 2., and 3. will help in this case. With enough space to stay/get out of the way, allowing for other cars to pass, if any, and spotting the car from a block away, you will be able to get out of the way without a scratch.


Aside from the blatantly obvious - not running yellow-red lights, learning/using hand signals, the use of head and rear lights (which should be built-in at this point, but what do I know) and staying away from dark clothing at night - I find that that basic tips like these find their tried and true place in a number of bicycling situations. Whether riding on designated bike paths or commuting in light to heavy traffic - rinse, repeat, and use daily.

Photo via treehugger.com

Bikes, Peds, and the MTA - Oh My

This month I purchased a bus pass. I anticipated that I'd be doing a lot more commuting than I had been in recent months, so it only made sense. I've also been battling some sort of sinus infection for the last week, so I'd figure I'll take it easy. The only drawback is that I haven't on my bicycle nearly as much as I like to be. However, I predict that I will soon enough. Honestly, once the relative cold and fickle rain leads into warm springtime temps, I'll be back on the bicycle quicker than you can say Midnight Ridazz.

So enters my love/hate relationship with the Metro Transit Authority. I'm rather thankful that there are other means of transportation outside of a personal automobile. I find that commuting by bus gives me time to enjoy things - reading, for instance. People-watching. Thinking. Those sort of things. I met with friends at the Getty Museum on Saturday, which was actually a pleasant experience - two buses in under an hour and I was there. It was surprisingly a satisfactory experience.

The only thing I don't enjoy is when buses come either too early or too late (or not at all), or too infrequently, or stop running after 9:00 pm. I understand that the Valley isn't Ventura Blvd or Hollywood, but I still hold to the viewpoint that if there are people, there needs to be transportation beyond the spectrum of 5am and 9pm. For now, that's all I have to say on the subject.

I hope to make more frequent entries now that I've opened up the lines of discussion to "other than bicycles". The wheels tend to run a bit better when lubricated with all-encompassing point of view.

Simple Pleasures

My boyfriend's back. He's got the truck, so now it's just me and the bicycle. Rather conveniently, it's supposed to rain consistently next week, but I'm a trooper. It won't faze me much if it's just drizzle. Slight drizzle is as good as refreshing as a tall glass of water and its variants. And if not, then oh well.

I love my bicycle. Although I had the option of four wheels for the past two weeks, outside of stocking up on toilet paper and cat litter I rode my bicycle where I needed to go. The temps have been in the mid-seventies with very low wind-resistance, so despite any early morning grogginess, every ride has been a great one.

In the last two weeks I've realized the strength of my legs, oddly having moved faster and with more strength than ever (perhaps a way of resisting the urge to be sedentary). I've also found that it took a lot less time to get where I needed to go by bicycle than by truck, and not once did I shell out one cent that I haven't already spent on parking. Of course every mode of transportation has its time, place, and benefit (I love taking the train when I can - Pacific Surfliner represent), but I'd be lying if I said it didn't please me to no end knowing that a hop, beeline, and snap of the lock at times meant a quicker arrival than a firing of the engine and incidental rock star parking.

Life's simple pleasures, indeed.

Photo via smallsight.wordpress.com

Two vs. Four

I didn't ride my bicycle today. I was far too tired. With a pseudo-hectic schedule (imposed by others and myself), life has simply caught up with me. I'm never prepared for its arrival; therefore, I'm exhausted. Not many people would find that enough of a reason to not ride their bicycle, but... well, let's just say that I've been awake for six hours and I'm still cutting through the grogginess of early AM on nearly seven hours' sleep. Unwarranted.

So I decided to drive my boyfriend's truck today. When I started the engine, I couldn't help but wonder about something that's a been a bit of a back-and-forth self-debate for a few years. Before I begin, I'd like to preface with a quote byBikeSnobNYC, that "idiots travel by foot, car, and bicycle". No one is exempt.

Driving isn't necessarily a brainless activity. I would like to think that in the most ideal of situations all drivers are paying attention and have their wits about them (a fantasy, at best). In my cycling ventures I've noticed the following [what I call typical] symptoms of Vehicle Acclimation: delayed reactions, instances of alarm, tail-gating, brake-happiness, and speed-OD'ing. There's always one that will mess it up for everyone.

Oddly enough, in situations where I feel less than on I've found that driving or taking public transportation is a plan B that rarely fails, at least when it comes to my standard of comfort. I've never found driving to be all that difficult. In some cases, for lack of a better phrase, it's like riding a bicycle - hop in and go. Contrary to what some say, driving is not rocket science (beware anyone who thinks it is). God forbid you must think to parallel park or make a u-turn, but on the general whole, if you've your senses there is no reason that a car cannot be an efficient mode of transportation. Unfortunately, not all of us are that gifted.

I will never say that I'm the best driver in the world, but I'd like to think that having been a pedestrian for, I don't know, ever and a cyclist for the last few years has helped me with driving in ways that I couldn't imagine if I never had the exposure. On a bicycle you can be booking - especially downhill, especially in traffic - and booking on two wheels in a precarious situation is often as intimidating as it is exhilirating - and it's just as exciting the second and third time as it is the first. It only makes you want to climb higher and go faster. But if I didn't make good use of my peripheral vision, obey traffic laws or exercise overall caution, I'd probably have broken both my legs by now.

I don't know if many strictly-drivers can say that, but why would they? I can understand how the thought wouldn't have need to arise unless one was in an accident or ever has a close-call. Driving/being driven is comfortable, yet I appreciate knowing what it feels to be vulnerable. I don't have to get in an accident to do better, and my reflexes are sharp enough that - in not having steadily driven for six years - I can hop behind the steering wheel of a rarely-handled Ford F150 and not freak the frak out.

Now before you get all up in arms, trust me when I say that if my boyfriend were not in New York and didn't leave me his truck, I would have ridden my bicycle today. I suppose the purpose of this is also to say that no matter the circumstance - if it's "too cold", "too wet", or you're "too tired" - you should never feel bad for relying on a plan B, even if when you look back on it in hindsight you could've ridden your bicycle without a hitch. And in the meantime, use any and all "vulnerabilty" to your advantage, because it will only make you more badass.

Happy cycling~

Do You Love Your Bike?

This is a question that has been nagging me for the past three weeks. I would like to direct this question to anyone and everyone - but most especially university students. My mother works at CSUN, and living close by I try to have lunch with her a couple of times a week. In my heading up there, I've noticed that it's very much the bike-friendly environment as it's always been - so much that even I can overlook the multitude of riders who decide to go without a helmet. Small potatoes; their brains, not mine. What I am least enthused about, though, is the way a lot of students have been securing their bicycles - or rather, have thrown caution to the wind and forgone any real sense of security whatsoever.

CSUN is in the north Valley and has a lot of security, a fact that I believe has bred a common line of thinking: that there are so many bicycles on campus; who'd want to take the time to steal my bike? I can kind of understand that. I can understand also that when late for class, sometimes you might only have time to throw a u-lock on the front tire and slide into a seat. There also might be the reasoning that as long as the bike's got a lock on it, it's locked up - plain and simple.

Now, the latter reasoning makes absolutely no sense to me. Whether you've a cable, a u-lock, or a chain - if you're merely locking the front tire to a rack, your bike isn't properly locked up. And while I can understand throwing on a lock quickly to make it to class - I'd rather be two minutes late then know that I did a half-assed job at making sure my mode of transportation was locked as best as possible.

If one has gone long enough without the threat of their bicycle being stolen, I can understand the thought of not finding it absolutely necessary to buy a second lock for the rear wheel and frame. It wasn't long ago that I slacked in effort when locking up my bicycle, and even now I sometimes question whether I'm doing it "correctly". I do know that it would break my heart of my bike went missing, or any part of it. Wheels, seat; you name it, heart crushed. Besides, I'd have to figure out how to get home. Then I'd feel stupid.

Whatever one does and wherever one goes, one should be able to leave their bicycle parked without any real nagging doubt that someone will take their ride home. I don't think anyone wants to be the person whose bike went missing because it was just too easy. At least if you did everything right and for some freak reason it still went missing, the plaguing thought of blatant naivete will be a lessened issue. Sure, you'd have to figure a way home, but at least a guilty conscience wouldn't follow.

Perhaps it's only me, but nothing these days is more pleasing to the eye than a well-locked-up bicycle. It's a sign that someone's been paying attention, which I wish wasn't as few-and-far-between a sign of intelligence as it has become.

Surely there's a remedy somewhere for this?

Photo by gruber via Flickr

Remain Seated Please

I found the bicycle parking at Disneyland yesterday.

On the east side of the Resort towards the hotel trams and to the far right of the dog kennels there lies - well, not a ton of bike parking, but enough for the one in 2,000 people (or less) who might ride their bicycle to the Happiest Place on Earth.

Disneyland is approximately 48 miles from where I live. I have biked a half-century (50 miles) before, and from Azusa to Long Beach (approximately 59 miles), so the idea of bicycling to Disneyland isn't that far a stretch. With my friends' friendly competition for the month of January having come to a recent close, I for sure know that I am comfortable in riding relatively long distances, having cycled at times almost 40 miles a day. I only hope to be riding a lot more during the month of February.

I just don't know at this point of anything more than 60 miles in a day. With the round-trip distance to the Disneyland Resort totaling nearly 100 miles... well, let's just say that I've not yet trained for a century or greater. It's not that I couldn't or wouldn't do it. I would never have thought I'd have ridden my bike to the city of Paramount from Griffith Park, or across the way from the Queen Mary herself. I've been inspired by the great weather we've been having lately;. At this point, bicycling to Disneyland is merely a fun thought

Still, 2010 so far has been all about trying something different, or at least working with a new approach instead of the old and stagnant. So here's the deal, then: I will work out a feasible route and set a goal for, say, early spring to ride on down to Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom. (I'm actually a little surprised in perusing teh interwebs that someone hasn't mapped out a route already. Looks like I'm own my own!) Either I'd play at the Park for the day, book a cheap-ish hotel down the street and ride back the following morning, or perhaps I'd have the gumption to ride back the same day. Who knows?

What will be fun this month will be keeping track as to my endurance and overall abilities, and perhaps I will aim at an ambitious act either in late March or early April. Yeah, I may not like being dirty, or tired even, but I'm all about an adventure. And when it comes to Disney, it's nice to know that Walt and I have something positive in common.

Wanna ride with me?