How to: load bike on bus

Saw this little illustrated how to and had to post for my friend Siel, who has expressed some concern about the whole bike on bus thing.

Shes gone carfree, which I'm way impressed with - something I keep yapping about but haven't yet pulled the "sell" trigger. I'll definitely proclaim it to the world once I do. Meantime, for anyone else a little wary of using the bus bike rack, check it out.

Just about every city with bike racks on buses have their own little instruction page, so clearly this is a shared concern, simply a matter of trying it once.

I used to do this all the time living in Santa Cruz, but haven't yet in LA, my obstacle has more been figuring out the bus system, again just a matter of diving in. But what if you're on tight schedule, and the racks are full? I'd rather be safe and just ride, but its a nice option for commuters going a long distance.

Workout for the planet

I admit it, I spin.

Though I find the premise somewhat ridiculous, i.e. people driving to sit on a stationary bike and burn calories (I ride there mind you), I love my friend Riley's class at Revolution Fitness....she plays kick ass music, does her best to get me in on my tight budget.....and inspires many first timers to get out on the road and RIDE.

But what if....what if all that energy, currently vaporized into body heat and sweat, could be recaptured and channeled into something useful?

I've heard it takes alot of effort and steady pedaling to generate enough power for small tasks, but were talking about an entire room full of people, all breaking a sweat to go nowhere, squeezing a days work frustration and road rage into a fierce 50 minute workout.

I've been dreaming of this for years. And so have others...this image from Adbusters is from a design contest, didn't make it into the issue, nor has the concept been developed but ITS TIME HAS COME!

Chocolate and bicycles

As if these two aren't already a match made in heaven, add a super ecologically-friendly, socially-conscious, uber-fair-trade component, and you have Choco Sol.

The Toronto based chocolate store provides a rich, sensory journey, inviting chocolate lovers to dive into the full, rich cocoa experience - from the beans' origin in Chiapas, Mexico, to their Northern destination, where they are ground by bicycle power and transformed into Manna.

Sadly for me, the company is in Canada, or I could order a choco-gram delivered by bicycle!

I've always known chocolate is good for my psyche (at least in small doses) but check out some of the other benefits, listed on the website:

*Promote cardiovascular health
*Protect us from toxins
*Increase the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain that promote positive outlook
*Counter acts clinical depression
*Balances brain chemistry
*Build strong bones
*Detoxify the liver
*Support healthy pancreas functioning

I could say much, much more about this sweet project, but you'll have to read for yourself, I've gotta go find some chocolate RIGHT NOW!!!

Prevent a massive CARonary: Critical Mass

What do saturated fat and automobile traffic have in common? In steady doses, and without preventative measures, both lead to severely clogged arteries.

This was highly apparent at last Friday’s celebratory Critical Mass ride, the 2 year anniversary for Santa Monica and the official Bikewinter 2007 launch. Over 300 cyclists gathered at the Santa Monica pier to celebrate the fossil-fuel free fiesta....


....while grueling gridlock brought LA traffic to a screeching halt.

As if planned to underscore the event’s message, an accident on the dreaded 405 freeway spawned a fustercluck of epic proportions, clogging arterial routes, trapping motorists in their metal boxes, and sending the collective blood pressure through the roof.

Read the rest of this story here:

Green Ambassadors and the Rubbish Rig

Not only is it a pedal-powered boat, its made out of recycled-plastic bottles. If THAT doesn't turn you on......skip this blog.





This brilliant application of reuse combines the talents of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation, two bicycles, 75 plastic bottles, Marcus Eriksen, 4 plastic bread cartons, the Green Ambassadors, a 50 ft. plastic bag rope, one Barbie doll head, and Sara Laimon.


Sara is a femme force I met a year back at green drinks, saw her next at her going away to Brazil party, and then various green gatherings; fitting that I'd catch up with her at green drinks tonight.


The plastics issue originally drew me to Sara, but I've since discovered she's working on far more, a revolution of charged youngsters aiming to spread the word - to other youngsters.

They've been making waves every since. Brewing biodiesel, appearing in documentaries, tabling at alternative energy/transportation events, generally kicking plASStic.

Sara has big plans to educate and inspire the nation's youth, yes all of them, on environmental/social/progressive issues.....we'll keep an eye on her.

FRIDAY. FIESTA. BICICLETAS.

Bike Fiesta of the year, comin' up this friday.













WHY YOU SHOULD BE THERE:














*Because its the 2 Year Anniversary of SM Critical Mass.
*There will be lots of bikes, and rad, beautiful people ON bikes.
*Because rumor has it that Yolanda will soon be riding again.
*Because you don't wanna miss the AFTERPARTY......which kicks off 2 weeks of bikeadventures.



Some random images from last month's ride.....chose this first one b/c there in the background, I spot Molly, an amazing young woman I met last year, sparking a solar revolution at Samohi....















And Zack, the man who pulls it all together.