and point goes to utah

so when cyclists are run over by cars in texas and nothing really happens to the driver and no actions are taken by the city/state government....we just shrug and go, hm..o well? really? recently a settlement was reached in the death of a cyclist in utah and with it:

Josie's death sparked the passage of a Utah law requiring motorists to give three feet of space to bicycles, as well as numerous "Share the Road" signs, a video on bicycle safety circulated in the public schools, consideration in the planning of road construction for the needs of bicyclists and an annual memorial bicycle ride in the Salt Lake area, scheduled this year for Oct. 7. "Josie lives on," Johnson said, "and those things are positive."

want to sit outside in this awesome fall-like weather and watch a movie tonite? simon is showing CENTURY OF THE SELF, episodes 3 & 4 at 8pm as part of the Sustainable Living Movie Nites. info:

WHERE: Monkeywrench Books, 110 North Loop Blvd.
WHEN: Thursday August 31st
TIME: 7pm - browse the bookstore / 8pm - movie starts
BYO: food and drink
www.biketakeover.com

reading is fundamental. i have had this book for a few years, and finally getting around to sitting down and reading - The Immortal Class. Bike Messengers and the Cult of Human Power. i'm not very far into it. but, i liked this paragraph in his introduction. although, its a little dramatic. i dunno. maybe these times call for dramatic statements:

What these people don't know is that the bicycle is more than a sport and more than a job. The bicycle is a revolution, an assault on civilian territory, intent upon taking, from the ground up, responsibility for the shape of our cities. It is a mutiny, challenging the ever-one-way street. The bicycle is a philosophy, a way of life, and I am using it like a hammer to change the world and to redeem our war-torn cities. by: Travis Hugh Culley

porch sittin temps

a day to sit outside with tea
Originally uploaded by faster panda kill kill.

im giddy. i feel like running away with the circus for a while. this is good weather.

rain in the city

slick tires...

its very surreal. yesterday riding home from work....it wasn't hot. it felt great. i can't really bring myself to saying, 'fall-ish'....but ok, maybe it did feel a bit, a tiny bit like fall. i took the opportunity to take the pie on a bike ride. we haven't done that in a couple months now cuz of the heat. he loved it. we got back and i took him on a quick walk. when he is tired, he is better behaved. next up was tula. she's a good walker. well mannered and happy to be out. i sat on the porch - i read a book. good shit.

i owe some emails out and will get to that. i am under the gun on a couple projects at work and so im on quiet freak-out alert. but i do want to say thanks to gwadzilla, the cycling dude, nick, timmyc, fungoir, walker, whitney, dave nice, scott, pam, arleigh, simon and many others - anyway...thanks for visiting and for your comments and for linking to the info and saga of the helmet law stuff. onward...

sadly, i report a cyclist was killed over the weekend in broad daylight on HWY 360, which is a well traveled road for many cyclists with a huge shoulder. the driver was on medications and swerved into the shoulder plowing over and ultimately killing the cyclist, Arjun Khanna. i dont know what to say about this. it makes your heart so heavy. of course, there is talk about banning cyclists from this road now -- instead of the approach of creating harsher penalties for striking and killing or injuring a cyclist. keep riding - take care friends...

mi familia: early sunday morning

they sleep soundly, while i ride to san marcos to lay on a picnic table and watch the clouds float by. molee is the lump in the middle.

i used to hang out at 5mile dam when i was in college in san marcos. there were only a couple people out there today.

prolly because there is no water in the river. and what is there, is not flowing and icky. i will be anxious for the river to come back and ride out there to jump in, then ride back. total miles today around 65. good times.

city council meetings are long when the helmut law is last

waiting for the mandatory bike helmet number to be called
Originally uploaded by faster panda kill kill.

i've been trying to write this up for 2 hrs now. im tired. we left the meeting at 12am last nite and it was still going. got home. tried to go to sleep around 2. got up at 7. its been an exciting and draining week.

thanks thanks to all that came out! even mo and katie came out, our very sweet recent NYC transplants (ya they even rode their bikes FROM nyc to here in 7 weeks). welcome to austin -- now put your helmet on. ;-)

42 spoke against the proposed law. 2 spoke as neutral. 19 spoke for. if nothing else, it was an amazing gathering of a very diverse and intelligent and well-spoken group of urban cyclists that do not want a mandatory helmet law but do want to work with city council towards forward thinking ideas and actions for a safer cycling experience in austin.

it would be awesome if bruce todd, the proponent of the MHL, realized after last nite this is his chance to work with the very passionate cycling crowd and become a hero to them and the city for a bike friendly austin, but without the helmet law. to say: yes i want to work with you guys, i believe in bike urban transportation - lets move forward and address the real issues you face every day on the streets of austin. he is free to speak to as many people as he wants about his accident experience and educate about helmets. to me, and others, this is a much more heroic position he could take and accomplish his goal of safe cycling. meaning, if that really is his goal. its not clear to me.

but i dont see that happening. we will work this from a grassroots effort up. sometimes those work better and are more cooperative anyway. i hope we continue the momentum we have from the meeting last nite.

its hard to call out people who spoke well last nite. i was so impressed with what each of the 44 speakers brought to the podium. and there wasn't alot of overlap of points. there was applause after each of the 44 speakers against. and there were lots of diehards that stayed up to the end. i've heard from a few people that said they stayed up to watch it on public TV till the end also.

speaking of: it will be re-broadcast. and/or you can read the transcript. cuz i know all u guys need something to do over the weekend. ha. you have to see the woman that sang 2 songs during her time at the podium. superbly austin. :-)

• austin american statesman says helmet measure fails
• austin skate notes writes up his thoughts on the meeeting
• we got cycleicious-ed

this man and his wife were cool. they were there late into the nite and then he was called to speak. he said he had ridden 24,000 miles between CA and Florida cross country and now lives here and pulls his 80pound wife around in a cart behind his bike. he said he has never worn a helmet and he will not start now. he was soft spoken and firm and i really wanted to go drink a beer with them and have them tell me about their adventures.

people get ready

TONITE: THURSDAY, AUG. 24 6PM. Austin City Hall, 301 W. 2nd St. the more bikes we have - the more fun.

the city council meeting is this evening. there are extra bike racks. :-) we were down there signing up to speak (no i am way to shy to get in front of a microphone and a roomful of people. i would burst into flames. so, i donated my time to patrick g.) and BSS has set up some extra bike racks. please come down if you can. even better, if you want to speak - go sign up. you can sign up all the way to the start of the meeting. the agenda item is: 89. you can also just sign up and register your opinion (FOR OR AGAINST).

online things you can still do:

• e-mail via a online form the mayor and council
• sign the online petition. all you need is: name, DOB (or voter registration number) & address. you can keep your information private.

here's my city council letter. I know many can do better than I can - so I challenge you to write one up today! :-)

resources:

• league of bicycle voters - nohelmetlaw.org
• 15 reasons to oppose the mandatory helmet law
• helmet law wiki

what would leslie do...

leslie, dood i asked if you would pose with my bike...i didn't know you were going to straddle it ;-)
Originally uploaded by faster panda kill kill.

riding a bike can be one of the simplist things a man, woman or child could do. humans have been on two wheels for a long time. when you ride your bike, u use your own power and strength and determination to reach your destination. along the way, you are given a chance to go at a different pace than the rest of the world. you can take your time and notice people, the wind, the sounds of the city, the quiet along a trail and smell fragrences of each season. or you can speed through town at a good clip feeling more alive and aware with all of your senses on high. you sweat. you get dirty. in and out of traffic, off to a more quiet street, through a neighborhood, up the hill and down the other side, back into traffic....you flow. this, and more is riding a bike.

i hope that more people can experience the simple act of riding a bike under their own power. running an errand, a trip to the grocery store, a commute to and from work, a slow ride with your dog, pumping your best friend to the pool, biking with your kid to school, riding from your house and escaping to the trails and woods.

we have a good bike community in austin. i feel fortunate and lucky to be a part of it. biking means lots of different things to each of us. but i think for each of us, its a way to live our life on our own terms. in some small, but significant, way. there are many varied reasons for a person to ride a bike. i'm not one to scoff at any of them. to get some place, recreation, riding a bike is your job, training, blowing off steam, being a rebel, being individualistic, etc. i have a soft spot in my heart for the transportation cyclists. those of us that make the bike a daily part of our lives. for our own transportation to and from work, school, as a job, for errands...it becomes like a another body part. you are never far from your bike. the bike is comforting. its freedom. in fact, it becomes a highlight of your day. the ride to and from your destinations is the adventure. you can't wait to get outside and on the road to the next place or simply to home.

i really dont know why im writing this down. i meant to write about the mandatory helmut law. it goes to vote Thursday, this week. this law will take something very simple and make it difficult - without any real improvement to the overall safety and bike awareness for cyclist and motorists in austin. it will make riding a bike without a helmut an offense that could have you pulled over by the police. fined, bike confiscated, arrest? i'm not sure what happens really.

to be clear: im not anti-helmet. im anti-MANDATORY helmet LAW. i am very much pro-biker of all kinds, safety and bike community. but i'm not a pro-bike racer. i just like to play like one in my imagination. i would rather our efforts as a 'bike friendly city' are towards safer and improved roads and streets, a positive approach towards bicycle safety and traffic awareness classes and information, incentives to folks for riding their bikes and a 'share the road' campaign that involves bicyclists of all kinds and ages throughout the city.

please take some time to do a few simple things for your voice to be heard. thanks..

• e-mail via a online form the mayor and council
• sign the online petition. all you need is: name, DOB (or voter registration number) & address. you can keep your information private.
• please attend the city council meeting THURSDAY, AUG. 24 at 6PM. Austin City Hall, 301 W. 2nd St. the more bikes we have - the more fun
• simon mentioned a bike-in movie and beer after the meeting to purge our brains of politics. more info when i get it
• 15 reasons to oppose a mandatory bike law by the league of bicycle voters
• maybe leslie will come out on a yellow bike. more animal hats for everyone.

a big thanks to the tireless efforts of the league of bicycling voters and all the others that have been involved and participated, gathered information and statistics and donated monetarily during this process. ride bikes...be safe friends.

PSA: yellow bike release

this is the idea
Originally uploaded by faster panda kill kill.

eastside lee and yellow bikes rolled up last nite outside of wheatsville with 2 truckloads of bikes. they lined them up and set them free. we were grabbing something to eat before bike-in movie. so that was really cool to see. then, this guy took off on one. if you aren't familiar with the program, yellow bikes takes donated bikes and refurbishes them, paints them yellow and releases them to the city of austin. anyone can come up on one, jump on it and ride to their destination and leave it for the next person.

yellow bikes is a underground hero of mine. thank you to the good people there. it is also a open bike shop. you can take your bike in and use their tools to work on your bike. you will find knowledgeable people there that can help you out also. put some time in the shop too. they are always looking for people to work on bikes. right now, it looks like their big need is a new location. their building at the old airport is slated for demolition. go to their newly designed and beautiful website to learn more about them and how you can get involved. we are very fortunate that they are part of our community.

the release lineup.


your a champion when u ride a yellow bike. this guy is about to become a champion. tell your friends...


we then sat outside in the august heat and watched simon's bike-in movie up against waterloo cycles wall: need for speed. set in the early 90's it is a documentary of NYC bike messengers. i highly recommend it for style points alone. there is a madonna look-a-like badass messenger and a former chippendale dancer messenger. and a group that calls themselves the xmen and dress in full body amour. lots of brightly colored spandex. metro was there and i told him i expect to see some of these wardrobe ideas worked into his messenger fashion collection.

*** keep riding bikes. we have a big week coming up with the helmut law going to vote on THURSDAY, AUG. 24 and b.todd "biking is a privilege, not a right" retching up his cowbell of bullshit..

much to do before then. see u in the trenches.

being fried and bike routes

proven: plants cannot water themselves
Originally uploaded by faster panda kill kill.

things are frying. sizzling. here. 100+ all week. next week we have 90's. which means 100. whit suggested turning down the thermostat and going into hibernation. seems like a good idea. i am moving like molasses in this stuff.

yet, tim still sports a amish - or charles manson, depends on your viewpoint, beard. i still wear a corduroy hat when cycling, the pie wears a aquavest around the house and g likes to do movie rides at 5pm.

here's a list of bike routes to theatres we've compiled that we reguarly ride from central austin. hope you might be able to use them. they are in google maps.

• Arbor
• Brodie
• Westgate
• Barton Creek
• Metropolitan

2nd annual giro d' ghetto closes with a shebang

all hail kris kong in a headband. so that was some fun times. the last nite was individual time trial. we rode from the ped bridge to 1st to red river north, then left on 53rd to epoch coffeeshop. there are many to thank for this week-long of racing. lets start with brian and shelly and elizabeth and nutting (for the cool stencil work) and epoch coffeeshop for the beer and pizza last nite and ron for making that happen. i put together the spokecard design and maybe there will be more made cuz we ran out the last couple nites. also: a huge thanks to everyone that came out - a big big warm group hug. its folks coming out that makes all this fun and a good group of bike freaks. lots of good healing thoughts go to boner. he came out for the finish and we were all glad to see him up and about.

well its easier to look at pictures than read. so, here's what i have.

tyler got some fotos of the drag race on thursday nite.

last stage: giro d' ghetto

riding bikes is fun - checking the race loop map
Originally uploaded by faster panda kill kill.

tonite is the last stage of the giro d' ghetto. it will be a individual TT. the fast class is still up for grabs. and 2nd/3rd place in the hoddy ho class is also (kris has 1st wrapped up). i finally got to race friday nite. it was the long race. i think one lap was bout 15miles=ish. super great route. thanks brian! this is the kind of race i like. a course sheet that says, go here, turn right. then go here and turn left. i had a great time. just fun to be back out on the bike.

patrick took the win in fast class. ben took a fall on some slippery pavement. but was ok with some road rash. come out tonite and race against yourself. 8PM. Ped Bridge. or show up at Epoch coffeeshop on North Loop. that's the finish location. party to follow.

have a fun day.

gentle ben: leader of the pack

as of wednesday nite, ben remains in the yellow cap. in close pursuit is patrick. 5 points away. im anxious to hear how drag racing went. it was my last nite on the out of town project. i was there till 1am. i have washed my hands of it. sweet. i plan to be racing (drafting whitney if i can hang on haha) the long race tonite. i need some long time on the bike. no more cars. next time i'm in a car: i want to be embarking on a long road trip. to a secluded spot in the woods. with a wood heated jacuzzi. and a cold stream. to chill the beer. and a "bear activity" posted sign -- just to throw in some excitement.

scratch acid sept. 2. drag racing tonite.

this is david yow in scratch acid. this is not my photo. credit goes to a guy named dixon. scratch acid will be in town sept. 2 with blowfly at emos. blowfly was a songwriter for KC & the sunshine band by day, at nite he becomes superhero blowfly from the 70's who raps xxx song parodies. who knew there was a demand for something like that.

im little girl happy at the chance to see scratch acid again. i saw them a few times, back in the day, as they say around here. i met him when one of my college art teachers brought him to dirty's, the hambuger joint i worked at in my last semester. scratch acid broke up and yow was in 2 other bands: rapeman and then jesus lizard. i wish i still had my jesus lizard tshirt. it was a mickey mouse character straddling a rocket. i used to wear it camping alot.

its always fun to go to these shows and see people you haven't seen in a million years. i saw kevin from ed hall at cyclecide one year and he said: 'its hard to believe we both made it out alive'. a ST37 band member worked at fresh plus down the street from me. i see the agony column lead singer on his bmx bike every now and then. i worked with theresa, one of the drummers from butthole surfers, at i love video for a while. we saw the crust reunion show last year. in fact, a year ago i saw john, a friend that was frontman for crust, at starbucks. i had to rub my eyes a couple times that we both could end up at starf*cks getting frufru coffee. anyway: this post is going nowhere. come out to emos sept 2. should be a loud walk down memory lane.

i rode my bike today for the first time in 4 days. i've been a car driver lately working on a project out of town. im very glad to be back on the bike.

GIRO D' GHETTO: DRAG RACE TONITE 8/10. 9PM. Lamar Ped Bridge. you've had your rest day. wear your coveralls.

pet peeve #53

no bitchin and moanin. retraction: some is ok. its kinda fun. but it must involve a pitcher of margaritas. otherwise, say it once, we can both go: that sucks and then move on.. especially over the phone. i'm not a big phone person anyway. when it rings, i just stare at it and hope that it stops. only because not since college have i been comfortable talking on a phone. if alcohol is involved, i am a little better with it. i really try. and its not because i dont enjoy talking to people. its just the phone device itself. unless i'm on top of a mountain and need to be rescued cuz i'm about to eat my fingers due to starvation.

so to recap: lots of things do suck. there is lots of work and bullshit to deal with when trying to accomplish things. this is how it goes. why moan? *unless said refreshments, as noted above, are present. but if there is a situation which needs attending to. shall we get to the point. take care of the situation. adapt. and move on. realizing. nothing is perfect. nor should it be.

stressful day 3 will be over at midnight tonite. will be back in town and on the bike. i'll be like cinderella. only backwards.

for you GIRO D' GHETTO peoples: its a rest day. but: no patches on your privates allowed. drink some water and whiskey. strategize your plan for the DRAG RACE on thursday. yeah. will (finally) see you there.

git your spokecard.

Giro d' Ghetto checkpoint race tonite & party

r.e.load bag
Originally uploaded by faster panda kill kill.

happy birthday elizabeth! i believe she is giving away her r.e.load bag to the winner of tonite's checkpoint race that she organized. ya, right......you'd have to pry it from her cold dead fingers.

head out to the ped bridge for a 9PM start of tonite's GIRO D' GHETTO stage race. i know it will be all kinds of fun. the race will end at the sidebar for a party celebration. IMPORTANT: $30 bar tab is up for grabs for tonite's stage winner. this stage winner will have lots of friends.

sounds like brian is putting on some fun races. glad folks are showing up. i've got results posted as they come in. i hope to get out for the drinking part, if not the race tonite. but i'm still kinda out of town. that sucks for me. but not for you - so, go have fun.

10 trackstars in a fountain

Originally uploaded by shortpantsmonkey.

here's a couple pics from pete's "im moving and going to law school" checkpoint race on friday. results: 1st. little john. 2nd. patrick. 3rd. PJ. (ryan took the podium photo - he has a few more from the race if you click on that foto) all the top 10 that came in were 45min and under, i think. fuckinfast riders.

i had another mind melt staring at the manifest full of numbers and street names and east and west. i followed nick to the manifest pickup, then to the first checkpoint and tried to stay with him - but of course, he zipped away. this is after he had a collison with another racer 3 seconds after the start on congress. nick, i didn't like watching you & your bike bounce around the road like that. i do already believe you are bouncy. :-) but, nick jumped up and was back on the bike and came in 4th i think. didn't seem to slow him down, although he was riding with a untrue wheel.

so after really trying hard to concentrate and tell myself: "gah megan you suck figure this shit out!" - i headed over to the finish and took pictures of the last checkpoint. im sorry i didn't get everyone coming through. i left early to ride to s. austin and watch a movie. thanks to pete for putting it on. everyone looked happy and was having a good time. good luck in law school. and nick is ok - just sore.

REMINDER: GIRO D' GHETTO STARTS TONITE: SUNDAY 8PM PED BRIDGE info and schedule

checkpoint race tonite & giro d' ghetto starts sunday

Giro d'Ghetto Alleycat Race - long climb nite
Originally uploaded by faster panda kill kill.

friday. aug. 4 - checkpoint race
5:30PM
little city on congress downtown.
come out and sweat. wear mittens.

sunday. aug. 6 - giro d' ghetto
8PM
Lamar Ped Bridge
Individual TT - Mountain Stage

The Giro d' Ghetto is Brian's brainchild of a 8 day stage race on the streets of Austin. there are 2 rest days (wed. and sat.) and each stage is a different kind of race. this year we have: Individual TT (Mountain), Crit, Checkpoint, Drag Racing, Long, Individual TT (Flat). We had a great time last year - come out and race and hang out. no EPO doping. beer is allowed.

INFO
2006 Giro d' Ghetto info - i've just been informed i will be receiving some updates to the Giro page....so, check back later this eve for more details.

info, results, photos, a little movie from last years

riding in pants in august

im facing danger head on. i mean with my long pants on. as i ride by many will stop and say, 'how does she do it?'. and i will peddle on, sweat dripping down my back with a idiot grin and that catchy ricky martin song running through my head....living la vida loca.

someone dare me to put a stocking cap on. c'mon. im feeling strong. i can do this. double dare me to put some wool socks on. i'm going where no man or woman has gone before. throw in $5 and i'll put some armwarmers on too.

dog throwup and helmet debates

my dog molee threw up on me twice last nite. the second time, i had to get up and change the sheets. but just like what usually happens after you throw up, he was fine and went to sleep. i ran out of his usual dry dogfood and fed him canned last nite. that's what was all over my arm.

The Dionysium debate on the helmet law was interesting. me and whitney rode up there and met greg. we saw amy and billy in line, but they were going to see a movie. smart girls. on the way over, whit and i were riding the lamar bridge taking a lane, when a truck pulled up alongside of us and told us that we needed to be on the other bridge and motioned to the pedistrian bridge. we both said, 'what?' i added, 'we are traffic too.' and in fact, we were traveling at the same speed as the cars going over the bridge.

in other places where bike commuting is a huge part of their society and way of life, this conversation would not have happened. possibly, we wouldn't even be discussing the helmet law. because their public is aware of and cooperates with the huge bike commuting population. it is ingrained in how they move about their city. here, we are and have been all about cars. bike commuters are a very small segment of the population. someone said this to me recently and it was kinda news to me. only because much of my social and transportation life revolves around the bike and other bikers. bike riding has also changed how i drive a car. i drive slow. i didn't used to. but i am never in a hurry anymore if i drive a car. or, i dont allow myself to be. if i encounter a cyclist, i give them lots of room. and people should fall back in love with their turn signals.

thanks to patrick goetz and former mayor bruce todd for getting up there in front of a full house. the evening ended with a sing-a-long pirate song. seems appropriate.

resources:
nohelmetlaw.org
austin helmet law wiki
bicycleaustin.info

helmut law debate tonite 7pm

brian says talk to the hand
Originally uploaded by faster panda kill kill.

come out to alamo drafthouse south lamar TONITE (TUESDAY, AUG 1. $8) to hear former mayor Bruce Todd argue for the helmet law that will be on the city councils plate later this month. Patrick Goetz, bike commuter and 'everyone on bikes' supporter will debate the con side of the argument. please come out if you can. would be good to have a big crowd there.

i haven't heard a real debate other than when we all start talking loud over way too many beers, since high school.

it will be no surprise really that i do not support a helmut law on many principals. i have thought this through several times and wrote something up, i'll post it soon. its nothing special.

here's what i do support: bike riders. helmeted or not. bike commuters of all kinds, anybody riding a bike to the corner store or to a place that you might normally drive. i support people who do not own autos and rely solely on their bikes. i support those that have actively cut back on their driving and started bike commuting to jobs, school, errands, etc. i support a cooperation between the city of austin and bike commuters towards creating a safer environment for cycling. and i support a cyclists right to the roads.

this law will mainly target bike commuters in the city of Austin proper or those that cycle from the outskirts of town to a job or school and those who's job it is to ride a bike and deliver packages. this law would also be an easy way for the city to say: 'see we did something and that means we care about cyclists". in my opinion, it does not.

put the necessary resources and money towards positive enhancements and support for better bike commuter and cycling transportation in the city of Austin. this approach is more progressive than slapping a helmut law on the books, which has been proven in the past to discourage cycling and put a strain on our law enforcement agency.

we should not be discouraging people who use their bikes as transportation, but rather use incentives and bike education (for cyclists and motorists) and safer cycling conditions on our roads to encourage more cyclists and bike commuters.

ride your bike up there, wear a helmut or not - support your choice to choose. thanks for riding bikes.

info on the debate tonite

anonymous made a good point. if you want to send your own thoughts regarding the helmet law to the mayor and city council, visit nohelmetlaw.org and use their online form to send your comments. be heard.