Riding in Reno

North American Hand Made Bicycle Show is this weekend!

2012-03-02T08:30:00.001-08:00

I posted this already last week, just to give you a heads up.....but here's your final reminder. The show is this weekend and it is going to be awesome. You can tell because just about every bike blogger in Reno and the Western US has it posted on their pages somewhere! I'm heading over tonight, so I'll try and have some pics posted on Monday.

Let's hope I can keep my wallet in it's proper place....and not come back with even more accessories for the xtracycle!

Headwind hardships....and auto mods.

2012-03-01T08:37:00.000-08:00

My commute home was character building yesterday. Meaning it was straight into a 20 mph head wind out of the west. Rather than take the river path (which is winding and longer), I opted to take the bull by the horns and head straight up Mill St. Turns out it was totally worth it, just for this classic shot!

Due to my impressive speeds into the headwind (11 to 13 mph tops), I managed to miss the light at Kietzke Lane. This not so patient lady felt compelled to illegally pass me (rather closely) so she could make her right turn on the red. I'm pretty sure some cyclists elbow might have been responsible for the original damage (and ghetto-tastic mod). But heh, at least she must be using her mirrors!

Determined not to let this be the highlight of the commute, I extended my regular westward route (yep, into the headwind) to visit some friends at a house warming party for a brand new home owner. I managed to get lost on my way there and added an extra mile into the wind! I then recalled I have a bike based GPS sitting in front of me and with the quick entry of an address and some backtracking I ended my headwind battle with a nice glass of champagne and a shrimp cocktail.

Now that's a good commute story!

Commute conundrums...but not really!

2012-02-29T09:07:00.000-08:00

I'm slightly annoyed this morning by the weathermen in Reno. They seem to be able to predict a storm, but only give or take 24 hours. This prediction is limited only to the fact that the storm will occur and that snow will fall above 8000 ft....they are incapable of predicting if, when, and where the snow from the storm will fall below 8000 ft.

I only complain because when selecting a bike from the quiver, snow is important. For example, yesterday I left the xtracycle (with fenders) at the office, opting to ride the mountain bike home. This choice was made on the dire predictions for many inches of snow....even in the valley. This choice was also made based on my traumatic commute on Monday, in fencer packing heavy snow and slush! So this morning when I left the house I was properly situated on the mountain bike with 2.3 tires, no fenders to pack with snow, and low pressure tires!

The problem was the roads and weather looked like this...

Please note the beautiful sun and lack of snow. Also note the streets are relatively wet, meaning fenders would be nice.

The river path looks even better. Again, note the sun and lack of snow.

Not even wet!

So basically, I was forced to have a good time hopping a few curbs and cutting portions of the trail. Totally fun and a nice change of pace on the morning ride! So remember, never trust the weatherman and ride any bike you like! Even when your not on the right bike it's still fun to ride and better than being in line on the entrance ramp to I-80!

Wintery Bicycle Path perfection.

2012-02-28T08:15:00.000-08:00

Nothing special today. Given the conditions yesterday, I was kinda thinking it might be an icy mess out there. Really it wasn't too bad. A little ice here and there but mostly just ice crystals on the roads with a few patches of "real" ice.

The real news is the bike path was already plowed (again) within 24 hours! Awesome job Reno parks department. They seem to do a better job than the plow drivers on the streets....meaning they plow the path from edge to edge. If the guys on the streets did this, the bike lanes wouldn't be boarder line unridable, due to the snow and large chucks of ice!

My 15 miles this morning.

2012-02-27T12:04:00.002-08:00

This was my route this morning...

Please note their are no pictures, as I was pretty much holding on for dear life.

All told this was my normal commute along the river, continuing on to an early morning dentist appointment (about 15 miles, if I started the GPS properly). Not sure if you looked outside this morning, but SNOW. Don't get me wrong, I actually like riding when it snows (or rains for that matter).

The problem is, this was just the perfect combination of temperature for snow/slush. This means snow and ice form perfectly inside the fenders when you ride in the soft snowy parts and eventually the bloody wheels just don't turn without some serious effort. Turns out these conditions make up the entire bike path and most bike lanes where no traffic has used them.

The solution is to ride more in the lane and get into the slush zone. The slush doesn't pack against the tires and riding involves a whole lot less friction. This is a good thing. The bad part is this means taking the lane. A risky endeavor in Reno on a good day. Again, SNOW. People in Reno loose their minds when it snows. I tried reasonably taking the lane, meaning just using the far right side. Idiots continued to pass within inches of me in conditions where they could barely control their 2 ton cages. This included a plow driver and a couple of NV Energy guys in huge trucks!

I finally took the center of the lane and things improved from a safety point of view but I bet they weren't happy with me. Anyway that was my morning. Oh, and I have a cavity....so I have to go back for a filling.

If you're as nuts as I am and still riding today, stay safe.

Aint it the truth!

2012-02-24T09:05:00.001-08:00

I found these at the RTC workshop yesterday. Now if only we can read both of them and view them from the other guys perspective! It doesn't take much, just a little common courtesy, patients, and common sense.

RTC 4th and Prater Workshop.

2012-02-24T08:58:00.000-08:00

Ok, I did advertise this a while back but I neglected to remind you all that it took place yesterday. My bad, work was busy and there just wasn't time for a post. RTC did a really nice job laying out the options and improvements that want to make along this corridor. This was the second workshop on this project so they have already looked at and incorporated some public comments and options.

I didn't snap any photos while I was there (sorry), but these are they types of ideas their looking at for the reconstruction.

Option one actually comes in 4 flavors including separated bike ways outside the "parkway" trees! How very dutch. They didn't have this on the flyers (just the posters) so you'll have to take my word for it. Option two has 2 different configurations as well. The public was give a chance to vote on which version they preferred. When I left the option 1 configuration was leading by a wide margin.

RTC also had detailed poster board maps (like 10) that laid out all the problematic zones in the corridor, along with zones that represented likely opportunities for improvement. It looks like they are really doing their homework on this. They also have a signature page that you can sign to help show support for their TIGER grant application (federal program that distributes funds for this type of project). This project will cost in the neighborhood of 12 million, so if you get a chance sign this! These funds are really competitive and being able to demonstrate community support for projects definitely helps.

Speaking of Hand Made....I need to build this!

2012-02-23T10:01:00.000-08:00

The xtracycle certainly has plenty of rack space. Lately, however, I've been feeling that space is just underutilized. Now I have guidance!

Might have to make mine hold bottles.....or a growler!

North American Hand Made Bicycle Show is next weekend!

2012-02-23T09:45:00.000-08:00

It's just over the hill....you should really go! Click on the image to go to the page.

UNR Farm rezoning meeting results.

2012-02-22T10:40:00.000-08:00

A quick recap of the meeting via KTVN channel 2 (sorry about the commercial):

Under bridge lighting....a comparative study.

2012-02-22T08:41:00.002-08:00

Under bridge lighting along the bike path.

I'm not sure if you can tell....but this light is not currently working. It hasn't been working in the 5 years I've been bicycle commuting. And just for reference there is exactly one light under this bridge.

Under bridge lighting on Mill St. (I-80 underpass).

I'm also not sure if you can tell....but this is a state of the art, high intensity multi-led light. It definitely works because it's brand spanking new. I'm guessing it puts out the lighting equivalent of a small star.

This bridge merits 10 of these lights (yes, only 4 are pictured here).

To complete this exhaustive study. The old, broken lights are utilized in areas designated specifically for pedestrians and cyclists. At the best these probably ran a 40 watt light bulb (450 lumen). The new, functioning lights are utilized in areas designed for cars (and probably are the equivalent of a 100 watt light bulb (1600 lumen)) x 10 in this case.

The average bike light or flashlight produces ~30 lumen, compared to a car's headlights capable of producing between 1200 to 3000 lumen.

So, why do we put the best and brightest lights in locations designed for vehicles that have the capacity to produce tons of their own light, and leave old non-functioning lights in locations were people who have limited capacity for generating light are designated to walk or cycle?

The answer is complex and multifaceted (I'm sure of this). However, the answer is not common sense!

UNR Farm under pressure....if you want to see improved local food programs please attend!

2012-02-21T08:11:00.000-08:00

Contrary to what you might think...I don't jump on every bandwagon that rolls past me. However, being into bicycling means being into what I eat. I'm not a huge fan of power bars, gels, cliff bars and the like. Rather, I like to garden and produce as much good organic food as I can. There aren't a lot of opportunities for farming around Reno and the UNR farm is one of them. While they don't do a lot on the local food front yet, we should protect this land so we can expand this effort in the future!

What we certainly don't need is more light industrial (there is plenty of vacant light industrial all over town). Besides Kimlick Lane (or Clean Water Way) is a great little ride through the farm and there is almost no traffic since it dead ends at the water treatment plant! Come out and join us to help protect the UNR farm. Details below:

Contact: Ann Louhela

775-351-2551

louhela.ann@gmail.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Community Forum Scheduled to Discuss Future of

UNR Main Station Farm & Wolf Pack Meats

Local food advocate Shelley Brant plans to attend the Community Forum regarding the UNR Main Station Farm re-zoning proposal, and she has a list of questions for University officials. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 21, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m., at Joe Crowley Student Union, University of Nevada, Reno. Doors open at 5:00 p.m.

UNR will host the public forum at the request of the Reno City Council. University officials submitted a request to re-zone 104 acres of the farm from agricultural to light industrial for potential development at the Council meeting in December. UNR officials asked the Council to delay the vote as a result of public outcry over the re-zoning request.

Flooding, public education, further erosion of open-space, and the future of Wolf Pack Meats located near the property are among public concerns. More than 200 citizens attended the December meeting to voice opposition, and an online petition received more than 10,000 signatures.

The future of agricultural education at the University is one of Brant's main concerns. The 104 acres proposed for re-zoning are among the most fertile on the farm. Additionally, Wolf Pack Meats, a facility for research and teaching, is located directly across from the acreage, and the slaughterhouse would likely be labeled undesirable, rather than a community asset, as development encroaches.

"Colleges across the country are expanding ag education because of the growth of the local food industry. UNR is perfectly situated to offer a unique and highly valuable ag program, and I would like to see the administration rebuild the College of Agriculture to suit 21st century needs," Brant said. She added that Nevada students are leaving the state for education elsewhere and that Utah State University attributes increased enrollment to Nevada's lack of agricultural programs.

Free parking for attendees to the Forum will be available on the third and fourth floors of the Whalen Parking Garage, and directional signage will be posted on North Virginia Street. Additional parking is in proximity to the Student Union.

Brant encourages the public to attend. More information about local food can be found at her Local Food Northern Nevada blog, http://lfnn.blogspot.com/.

BPAC Law Enforcement Committee.

2012-02-20T08:54:00.000-08:00

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee formed an enforcement group last month. It's probably not what your thinking (like above). Rather it's a group aimed at making contact with the local law enforcement agencies and establishing a relationship from the perspective of bicycle riders and pedestrians. The point is (in my opinion) to remind the officers that there are other users on the roads and we have rights to that space...just like cars.

I know this is opening the door to a lot of conversations about scofflaw cyclists and pedestrians with death wishes. We're hoping that education to both drivers, riders, and pedestrians can be best communicated with the help of local law enforcement.

This BPAC group is in it's infancy and we're just beginning to try to envision how to make the community a better place for all types of traffic. If you have ideas on items you'd like to see addressed please let me know!

One idea that I'm pursuing is to help cut down on the number of bike ninjas. Meaning riders out at night without lights! This is especially prevalent around the UNR neighborhoods where I ride regularly. I'll be attempting to work with some of the local NABs (Neighborhood association boards) to get funding to purchase lights that can be given away to riders who are out at night without adequate lighting.

From Yehuda Moon comics written by Rick Smith and Brian Griggs.

Bike path gets plowed before your street does!

2012-02-17T08:13:00.000-08:00

I should have posted this yesterday, but it was busy at work. Just a quick note of awesome for anyone who rides on the cold, snowy days. By yesterday morning at 7:15am the river path had been plowed and was ready for riders. Yep, plowed within 24 hours of the storm! I bet that is a better response than some of the neighborhood streets got! Keep up the good work Parks Department.

Also, just for reference....note the gal out for a walk. Proof that I'm not the only nut who uses this path!

Great Basin Community Food Co-op is now a "real" grocery store!

2012-02-16T08:22:00.000-08:00

I'm sure everyone has seen this in the paper, but I had my first experience yesterday evening. And the results are.....that we now have a "real" grocery store that is downtown and it's the Great Basin Food Co-op to boot! No more hunting through the cute, but very crowded little store on Arlington. You can now peruse full sized isles and still get organic, locally sourced foods with ease!

After such an awesome introduction, I made sure to swing by this morning to snap a few pictures. So make your way over to the new location on Court St. and Flint St. and check them out!

Oh, yeah and just in case you think they've lost their way in the expansion/relocation....check out all the bike rims integrated into the railing design. These continue into the inside as parts of the shelving. If that still isn't bikey enough for you, check out the last picture and see what I found parked around the side of the building!

Yep, the world as you know it has changed.....double tall bike grill! I have to find out when they fire this thing up. I want to be able to say I've had a burger cooked on a bike!

A riding editorial.....wooo hooo!

2012-02-15T09:13:00.000-08:00

Woke up this morning to snow on the ground. Woooo hooooo! Now given the winter "conditions" (or lack there of) to date I certainly have not put the studded tires on the xtracycle. So, break out the mountain bike and air down the tires to 30 psi! Ready to go!

Out of the drive way and on to the neighborhood streets!

I definitely had the best road conditions....the unpacked snow on the shoulders wasn't hardly slippery at all! You do want to watch out for the off angle sections though. The biggest concern is the drivers who don't seem to know that a 4x4 may accelerate just fine, but it doesn't stop any better than a car.

Down the hill to the i-80 bridge.

My chuckles at the state of highway traffic were audible enough to get a responding comment from a guy out walking his dogs!

At the next intersection I watched as two cars both tried to stop as if the streets were bare at a 4 way stop...yeah, not so much. The both slid right through for a lovely low speed fender bender! You should have seen the absolute looks of dismay on both drivers faces, priceless. I gave them a huge thumbs up and headed through the intersection (sorry, no picture....if I hung around after the thumbs up my life might have been in danger!).

The rest of the ride was quiet with a few early passing pedestrians and just a couple other brave riders. The fresh snow muffled everything but the river and made for a really relaxing commute! I'll wager that most people can't say that if they drove in this morning!

The only part of the ride that got my heart beating a bit faster was when I left the river path for my short section on Rock Blvd. An inch plus of ice on the roads and the snowplow extras pushed into the bike lane. The traction and the riding weren't a problem, but the traffic was pushing it at 30+ mph and sliding around (and way to close to me).

After watching no less then 3 cars slide through red lights at the corner of rock and mill, I made it safely in. All told it took about an extra 7-10 minutes compared to my normal commute (and a lot of that was my stopping to take pictures). One of my office mates told me his commute took 30 minutes extra today.

So lesson of the day. If you want a low hassle snow commute.....break out the bike! Enjoy the snow day!

A Dangerous Game.

2012-02-14T08:47:00.000-08:00

Rock Blvd. got a new treatment last year that included a few bike lanes. It is a nice upgrade allowing users who need access to areas south of the river to jump off the river trail and cross the river via the Rock Blvd. bridge (rather than continuing on out to McCarren Ave.). Specifically, this is the area of improvement.

All and all, it really is an improvement with designated and marked bike lanes replacing what used to be just a wide shoulder. However, the lane on both sides terminates at the entrance to Rock Park and the line striping leaves a little to be desired.

If you look at the photos below you might notice the current line stripping has a sharp jog right after the entrance to the park. An inattentive motorist (or one talking, texting, or looking for a dropped ipod) might continue straight on and end up cruising right down the bike lane!

I see what they were going for....a nice smooth entrance for the new and improved bus stop. I just don't want the guy in the over sized pickup sharing the bike lane with me when he doesn't intend to! So if you use this new section, keep an eye out for tailgaters or the vehicle persuasion!

Stop. Look out the window. Why are you here!

2012-02-10T11:47:00.000-08:00

Seriously, it's like 60 out and it's Friday. Go Ride your bike!

p.s. Yep, I'm totally stuck in the office too....but one can dream!

National attack on biking, walking, and public transportation.

2012-02-09T10:37:00.000-08:00

I usually try to keep my politics focused at the local level because I think this is where a regular person can actually make a difference. However, the currently proposed national transpiration bill is so bad that even regular people are going to need to help stop this thing. Below is an article from D.C. Streetsblog that summarizes where we're heading. If you care about walking, bicycling, or public transit you should read it.

When you finish, and if you want to help. Here is a link to a nice auto email that will tell your representative how you want them to vote! http://support.railstotrails.org/Save_Trails.

Six Lies the GOP Is Telling About the House Transportation Bill

by Ben Fried and Ben Goldman

The transportation-plus-drilling bill that John Boehner and company are trying to ram through the House is an attack on transit riders, pedestrians, cyclists, city dwellers, and every American who can’t afford to drive everywhere. Under this bill, all the dedicated federal funding streams for transit, biking, and walking would disappear, leading to widespread service cuts and more injuries and deaths on American streets. But to hear the Republican-controlled Transportation and Infrastructure Committee tell it, they’re not harming anyone.

John Mica and John Boehner would have you believe their bill is a blessing for transit. It isn't.

In a statement, committee spokesperson Josh Harclerode told Transportation Nation earlier this week:

Republicans are not anti-transit, but we do recognize that the Highway Trust Fund is paid for by highways users, and cities and local governments must look at developing a similar user fee system for transit users.
This bill gives more flexibility to states to fund their most critical transportation needs, and under this bill states can also use the funds authorized under the highway program for transit systems if they so choose.
Because of the struggling economy, changing driving patterns and more fuel efficient vehicles, the Highway Trust Fund is in repeated danger of running dry. The Republican bill stabilizes the Trust Fund for the next five years, ensures states have the ability to fund their most critical transportation needs, and also guarantees transit funding.

Transportation myths die hard, and here the House GOP is trotting out a bunch of them — plus a few new sadistic rhetorical flourishes — to justify what’s quickly becoming known as the worst transportation bill ever. A quick primer on how the Republican leadership is lying about their bill:

1. The House GOP is not guaranteeing transit funding. They’re eliminating guaranteed transit funding.
Ask anyone who works in public transit, and they’ll tell you this bill would wreak havoc as soon as it is passed. By ending the policy begun by Ronald Reagan of funding federal transit programs with gas tax revenue, House Republicans would cast a pall of uncertainty over just about every transit agency in America. The Republican “guarantee” is nothing but a guarantee of more haggling over limited dollars as transit programs go up against other spending priorities in the general fund. Without the certainty that gas tax revenues provide, transit agencies will immediately move to cut service and raise fares, exactly what Americans don’t need while gas prices are rising and jobs are still scarce.

2. Highways are not “paid for by highway users.”

Gas taxes and tolls don’t cover the cost of highways, not by a longshot. In 2007, for example, user fees only covered 51 percent of highway costs, according to Subsidyscope. In other words, roads are subsidized — on a much larger scale than transit.

3. The House GOP bill does nothing to “stabilize” the Highway Trust Fund.
The bill relies on one-shot fees from gas and oil drilling to make up for the deficit in the Highway Trust Fund. While this would ensure that highways are subsidized even more than they are now, it’s a completely inadequate way to pay for transportation infrastructure, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.

4. There’s already a “user fee system for transit users.”
It’s called the farebox.

5. “Changing driving patterns” are not endangering the Highway Trust Fund.
The truth is that even though Americans are driving less, the nation’s transportation funding system would be on solid footing if the federal gas tax kept pace with inflation. But since the gas tax is much lower in inflation-adjusted dollars than it was in 1993, the last year it was raised, the Highway Trust Fund is depleted. Congress and President Obama could solve the problem by taking another page from Reagan and adjusting the gas tax.
(The other Orwellian touch here is that the House bill doesn’t actually include any policies to adapt to “changing driving patterns.” In fact, it seems to have been drafted with 1950s-era driving patterns in mind. A bill that accounts for changing driving patterns would reflect the steadily increasing number of American transit riders, cyclists, and pedestrians, and the decline of driving per capita. Instead, the House bill puts all its resources into infrastructure for driving.)

6. States already have the “flexibility” to spend their highway funds on transit — the problem is they don’t like to.

States have had the flexibility to spend their highway funds on transit for decades. But highways are what they know, so highways are what they build.

When the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act passed in 1991, it was supposed to mark the end of an era, says Deron Lovaas, Federal Transportation Policy Director for the Natural Resource Defense Council. The interstate highway system was finished, and federal transportation money would go to increasingly to other things — dedicated funding for bike/ped projects, an expanded transit program, a larger program for congestion mitigation and air quality improvement, all part of an enlarged Surface Transportation Program. States could “flex” STP funds however they wanted. “Unfortunately, the track record for flexing STP has been very poor,” said Lovaas. “State highway agencies focus on highways.”

If the House GOP really cared about local control of transportation funds, they could draft a bill that distributes federal funding to cities and towns. The problem for John Boehner and the oil companies who back this bill is that cities and towns spend transportation dollars on things like transit, biking, and walking.

Thank you Parks Department!

2012-02-09T08:31:00.000-08:00

Somebody has been out cleaning up the river path this week. Not just the standard empty the trash cans, but removing debris (bark, rocks, etc) from the trail and even cleaning out the underpass at East 2nd / Glendale Ave.

The underpass is one area that's gotten really bad in the past few months. It fills with wind blown dirt, tumble weeds, abandoned shopping carts, and rocks. It's also an s-type curve that has a blind entry so these obstacles are sometimes detected on short notice. Usually it's restricted to one lane due to the debris and makes for a potential accident waiting to happen.

I can only imagine that the someone is a Parks department employee who is not slacking and doing more than is required. I'm sure that if that person did only a moderate job....emptied the trash cans and called it a day, that no one would know. Instead he busted out the broom and shovel and made a difference in my morning. So here's a big thank you to who ever did a little extra work this morning!

Taking the scenic route.

2012-02-08T08:45:00.000-08:00

Today I just wasn't in a hurry to get to work.....so I took the time to cruise down the river walk. It's really nice in the winter mornings. Just a few people, burbling river, an no traffic. If you haven't changed up your commute lately, try taking the scenic route, it might just improve your day!

Pedestrian safety forum results.

2012-02-07T11:07:00.000-08:00

I wasn't able to attend the safety forum last night but here's a quick video coverage from KTVN Channel 2 news.

Sorry about the ad.....it's worth a few second wait to see the coverage.

Bike path regression....averted. Also, I am not alone!

2012-02-07T09:03:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update on the bike path construction woes I posted yesterday. I emailed with Jeff Mann in the Parks Department and was relieved to find out the patches they put in are temporary while some of the construction is ongoing. I take the to mean the final product will be much improved.

I'd say I need to calm down, relax, and take a breath before firing off such posts (and emails)....but it seems I might be one of a select few watching such things. And if being a pest results in path improvements verses degradation, then a pest I am happy to be!

Speaking of those select few....looks like about 4-6 walkers and one other intrepid bicyclist! I saw as many as 4 sets of tracks in various places along the path. I don't know why people don't ride when it snows....I think of these as some of the most fun commutes! I mean come on, it's like being a six year old. Power slides through the corners, covered in slush and mud, 20 foot skid to the intersection with stop signs. Best riding ever!

That being said, there was one power slide / skid I could have done without this morning. It was here at the blind s-curve (where locust st. terminates at the river in an apartment complex).

While the image above may not be to scale....I meet a RPD cruiser right in the blind spot of the s-curve that was covered in snow and has a pretty good off angle slope. I was moving along at a pretty good clip and so was he....fortunately, we avoided a head on collision. Although my resulting two foot down, both wheels locked power slide was not graceful.

I always ring my bell before entering this corner and I did so today. He had a window down but obviously didn't hear it. I wish he would have give a quick beep of the horn since he uses both lanes. Either way I'm glad to see RPD in any form out on the river trail. In fact if they increase the number of patrol passes, I promise to work on improving the grace factor of my power slides!

Just a reminder.... this event is tonight from 5-7pm at Lawlor.

2012-02-06T10:34:00.000-08:00

From the RGJ:

Public input sought at UNR forum on pedestrian safety

Posted by MarkRobison at 1/17/2012 1:17 PM PST on rgj.com

Condensed from a press release:

The University of Nevada, Reno will host a Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Forum for both the campus community and the community at-large 5-7 p.m., Feb. 6, in Lawlor Events Center’s Silver and Blue Room. The public forum will allow for discussion of laws, problem areas and what local agencies are doing to promote safety on the University campus and its surrounding community. Public concerns, suggestions and input will be encouraged.

In addition to University Police and a number of University departments, other agencies involved with the forum are the City of Reno Neighborhood Advisory Boards, Nevada Department of Transportation, Nevada Highway Patrol, Nevada Office of Traffic Safety, Regional Transportation Commission (RTC), Reno Police Department and others. Wendy Damonte, KTVN Channel 2 news anchor, will moderate the forum.

Agencies represented will briefly present information on their safety efforts during the past year, current projects and future plans. The RTC will present plans for area streets and additional crosswalks. Troopers from the Nevada Highway Patrol will discuss their concentrated enforcement efforts on pedestrian and crosswalk violations over the next several weeks. The University Police Department will share its partnership with the 11- to 17-year-old gifted students at the Davidson Academy, located on campus, to improve pedestrian safety around campus. The motto of this program, created by the Davidson students is, “Look Up, Unplug, Stay Safe.”

There will be informational displays and handouts, and agency representatives will be on hand to answer questions. Public parking will be available on the top two floors of the Brian J. Whalen Parking Complex on North Virginia Street.

Kings Canyon to Ash Canyon Trail Public Meeting

2012-02-06T10:04:00.000-08:00

Taken from MusclePowered.

Kings Canyon to Ash Canyon Trail Public Meeting
February 13th 5-7 p.m.
Carson City Community Center- Bonanza Room
851 East Williams Street

Lumos & Associates’ Tom Young and Chas Macquarie survey the Ash Creek bridge site

Carson City and Muscle Powered have been working with the U.S. Forest Service and public for many years to develop a trail system along the foothills of the Carson Range with connectivity to Carson City. Most of the trail will be located on Forest Service lands and some will be on Carson City lands.

The project proposes to construct approximately 6 miles of single-track trail designed for non-motorized uses including mountain biking, hiking and equestrian between Ash Canyon and Kings Canyon. Trail access points will be Kings Canyon Road, Waterfall Road, and Ash Canyon Road
This meeting is one of the last steps before we can start construction on what is sure to be a fantastic trail!

If you would like to learn more about this project, have questions, or would like to show support for the trail, please attend this meeting.

Thanks!

Regression....to hoping.

2012-02-06T09:15:00.000-08:00

The river path is a resource.....sometimes for runners, sometimes for cyclists, and sometimes for less desirable locals. It is however, a resource (even infrastructure) and a really nice option if you need to travel between Reno and Sparks without using a car. It is worth protecting and repairing and making every attempt to keep it up. It's not that hard. A phone call to the right place can go a long way. I still am impressed that one call to the Parks Department resulted in the number of lights working along the path going from 47% to over 90%!

Not everyone realizes this. And in this case I mean these guys:

They were pretty good on the surface....they had ped/bike detour signs and took down the closure when they weren't actively working on the site. However, their attention to detail on the reconstruction of the path leaves a lot to be desired.

The work they did required a trench to be cut across the path and then the northern section of the path to have about 12-16 inches cut away. Presumably to get access to some pipe, wire, etc. They then should have back filled to a level grade and patched their work with fresh compacted and rolled asphalt. They kind of did this.....

Except that they neglected to back fill to an adequate grade, lay the asphalt at the correct temperature, compact the asphalt roll it smooth, etc. The result is a patch that is below grade (a noticeable bump) that will only compact further with time, the asphalt they did lay is already crumbling as you can see in the photos and has a large number of small open holes. So they used too little asphalt and didn't compact it properly.

In addition the strip they "replaced" along the northern edge of the trail is seriously graded (sloping) to the north. An inattentive or inexperienced person catching this edge could easily be angled into the loose pea gravel and then down the river bank in a rather unfashionable method. It's also about as smoothly rolled as a motocross track.

So all the details aside....we shouldn't have to tolerate this type of second class quality on our paths. We wouldn't tolerate it if they guys rebuilding interstate 80 left us with this type of infrastructure! Why is it ok to treat the non vehicle infrastructure in this way?

Hopefully, it's not. Hopefully, a call to the Parks Department will have these guys back on site to fix their initial mess. So I guess here's to hoping!

You can do anything on a bicycle!

2012-02-04T10:00:00.000-08:00

I found this little gem on a blog I read regularly. If you thought daily life can't be conducted from the seat of a bicycle have a look!

THE MAN WHO LIVED ON HIS BIKE from Guillaume Blanchet on Vimeo.

Then if you want to check out a cool girl on a bike, check out the blog I found it on!

The Green Lane Project.

2012-02-03T13:37:00.000-08:00

While Reno might not be applying for these programs yet, it's exciting to see that these projects are being pushed in some of the "leading" bicycle friendly cities.

Green Lane Project from Bikes Belong on Vimeo.

My understanding is, to be selected as one of the six cities to get funding for this type of project, the city must "have a plan or vision that is supported by elected officials, leading staff, and the community." I'd say we have the plan (thank you BPAC), the leading staff, and even support in the community. It looks like what we really need is some elected officials who will step up to the plate....

And just so you don't think Reno could possibly qualify for such a program while competing against larger cities like Chicago and Portland. The application states it's not just about which city is the leader in bike infrastructure, rather that cities chosen will range from "known leaders" to areas that are "just embarking on making space for bikes."

Who knows....maybe Reno should apply!?

Bike funding defeated....1950's mentality here we come!

2012-02-03T11:43:00.000-08:00

This article is take from the League of American Bicyclists. Written by: Darren Flusche

Strong fight from Rep. Petri & others, but pro-bike amendment defeated by two votes

Representative Tom Petri (R-WI) and his colleagues Timothy Johnson (R-IL), and Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ) showed themselves today to be strong and brave defenders of biking and walking, a balanced transportation system, and livable communities. Thanks also to Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) for co-sponsoring the pro-biking amendment and all of the democrats who votes for it.

The amendment lost by just two votes. This was a strong showing in a very difficult political environment. The House leadership strongly opposed the amendment, so our thanks goes to Reps. Petri, Johnson, and LoBiondo for standing with their constituents and people everywhere who value walking and biking. If these Congressmen represent you, please let them know you recognize their efforts.

Watch this inspired performance from Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR) in which he says we’re going back to the pre-1980s in this country:

Let’s keep the fight going at the National Bike Summit.

Here’s the breakdown of the vote. Remember, votes for the Petri amendment are good for biking and walking programs and votes against are bad.

Votes in favor of pro-bike Petri amendment

Altmire (D-PA)
Bernice-Johnson (D-TX)
Bishop (D-NY)
Boswell (D-IA)
Brown (D-FL)
Capuano (D-MA)
Carnahan (D-MO)
Cohen (D-TN)
Costello (D-IL)
Cummings (D-MD)
DeFazio (D-OR)
Edwards (D-MD)
Hinrono (D-HI)
Holden (D-PA)
Johnson (D-TX)
Johnson (R-IL)
Larsen (D-WA)
Lipinski (D-IL)
LoBiondo (R-NJ)
Michaud (D-ME)
Nadler (D-NY)
Napolitano (D-CA)
Norton (D-DC)
Petri (R-WI)
Richardson (D-CA)
Shuler (D-NC)
Walz (D-MN)

Votes against Petri amendment

Barletta (R-PA)
Buschon (R-IN)
Capito (R-WV)
Coble (R-NC)
Cravaack (R-MN)
Crawford (R-AR)
Denham (R-CA)
Duncan (R-TN)
Farenthold (R-TX)
Fleischmann (R-TN)
Gibbs (R-OH)
Graves (R-MO)
Guinta (R-NH)
Hanna (R-NY)
Harris (R-MD)
Herrera Beutler (R-WA)
Hultgren (R-IL)
Hunter (R-CA)
Landry (R-LA)
Lankford (R-OK)
Long (R-MO)
Meehan (R-PA)
Mica (R-FL)
Miller (R-CA)
Miller (R-MI)
Ribble (R-WI)
Schmidt (R-OH)
Shuster (R-PA)
Southerland (R-FL)

Building better bike lanes.

2012-01-30T12:24:00.000-08:00

Reno has been building bike lanes around town at an impressive rate over the last few years. I believe this is a good thing for a city like Reno. Traffic has continued to increase as our population grows and having an alternative, dedicated (non-car) infrastructure provides a way to get some of us out of cars.... thinning out traffic for those who still want to drive.

The current expansion of bike lanes does get more people out riding bicycles. Sort of a build it and they will come mentality. However, the bike lane design currently used still puts riders in a fairly vulnerable position adjacent to traffic. This means that some people who might ride are still intimidated on certain sections of road and therefor may chose not to ride as much as they'd like to.

This video clip put together by the city of Portland, Oregon shows what the future of bike lanes might look like.....bike lanes 2.0 if you will.

On the Right Track from Mayor Sam Adams on Vimeo.

Weekend wanderings.

2012-01-30T09:41:00.000-08:00

Sunshine, temperatures in the 50's, and Craft bottle shop celebrating a one year anniversary. Sounds like a good excuse for a bike ride! So Sunday afternoon was spent with a leisurely ride down to Craft to enjoy time with friends, some premium home brew from Jeff Currant, and the goat parking. Yep, goat parking.

You're not the only one who is confused. It's a bike blog and we're talking about goat parking? When we arrived there was a clearly marked sign being hung on a pole by Ty (owner of Craft) that said "Goat Prkn".... and below on the sidewalk was a nice 6ft by 4 ft carpet. We often lock our bikes up to this pole so I thought maybe this was some strange reference that a younger, hipper cyclist might recognize. I decided not to risk an misinterpretation and locked up the bikes along some adjacent sidewalk.

We were joined shortly afterwards by several other sweat rides including this beauty.

For long time readers of this blog (all 5 months of it) you might be interested to know that this is the leisure suit preachers newest ride. Perhaps on a future biking to bars ride he will read from the good book (the cyclist manifesto) while being chauffeured through town!

However, back to the parking situation. Turns out goat parking is exactly what you think it is.... it's where you tie up and park your goats while popping in to the local bottle shop!

These guys are feinting goats and were definitely the stars of the afternoon (well really that was Jeff Currant's beer). But once you have a beer in hand, how can you resist heading outside to pet some goats! They were popular enough that chairs were brought out and a crowd formed around the goat parking for the better part of the afternoon.

Unfortunately, as we were gearing up for the ride home later that evening, animal control paid the goat parking lot a visit. Apparently, this parking arrangement isn't in line with city ordinances. I for one am more than willing to share the parking pole with the goats!

Reno Bike Project now offering memberships!

2012-01-27T13:00:00.000-08:00

.....Taken from the Reno Bike Project page.

RBP Membership Program

Interested in taking your involvement with the Reno Bike Project one step further? Consider becoming an annual member! Like many other non-profits our success is directly linked to the involvement of our volunteers and community support. We are proud to have an active and thriving volunteer program, but there are other ways you can show the love to RBP. We have several tiers of membership you can choose from.

Pedaler Member $25

The first tier of membership includes a membership packet, which contains RBP stickers, a button, our informational pamphlet, a RBP water bottle and a membership card. It will also subscribe you to the newsletter so you can stay informed on events and all things RBP related.

Commuter Member $100

The Commuter Membership tier includes all the benefits of the previous tier as well as and 10 hours of free shop time per year. It is also renewable at half price with 20 volunteer hours in the shop or at events.

The Randonneur Membership $250

The Randonneur Membership includes all the benefits of the previous two tiers as well as a RBP t-shirt and 10% off regularly stocked new and used items in the shop. You will also have access to 20 hours of free shop time per year and the Randonneur Membership is also renewable at half price with 40 volunteer hours in the shop or at events.

Lifetime Member $2,500

As a RBP Lifetime Member you will receive all the benefits as the other membership holders as well as free entry into all RBP events, a personalized head badge displayed in the shop and a free professional tune up every year for life (excluding parts).

Cities for Cycling....modern bicycle design....there's a guide for that.

2012-01-27T11:11:00.000-08:00

If your interested in what the NACTO guide is there's a link at the top of the blog.

Custom Bike Rack.

2012-01-27T09:01:00.000-08:00

I'm guessing this isn't a rack that's available as a standard model from Yakima or Thule! If you're going to go to the trouble (e.g. you want to show it off), why not build a roof mounted version.

Bike Path construction update.

2012-01-26T12:52:00.000-08:00

Last week (or earlier this week...can't remember) I posted on a closure of path at Broadhead park. I did reach Jeff Mann of the Parks department and he told me it would be intermittent. Turns out this was true as the closure had been moved off the trail on my ride home.

Yesterday, however, it was back and there was actually work being done!

I am actually impressed that they have signs specifically for this, including a bike/pedestrian detour sign.

Unfortunately, if you follow the signs you'll be heading south indefinitely, as the signs on either side of the project are the only two signs present. I get it, you just detour around a single city block and you're back on the trail. It does beg for the question: What if you did this type of detour to auto traffic (e.g. no signs)....I bet you'd have some pretty annoyed drivers! Or what if someone unfamiliar with the trail and roads encountered this? It just seems like another prime example of second class treatment when you're not automobile traffic.

Ok, so enough gripes on detours. The path was already patched up by this morning. They have cut some of the asphalt and laid new asphalt in it's place along one edge of the path. The new asphalt seemed a little less than quality work (I could see holes here and there), but we'll see how it turns out once the completely wrap up.

BPAC Meeting Tonight!

2012-01-25T10:47:00.000-08:00

The Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) meets on the 4th Wednesday of the month at 6:30 pm in the RTC Planning Conference Room, 600 Sutro Street, Reno.

Next meeting: Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Agenda

Item 1 Approval of Agenda (for possible action)
Item 2 Approval of Joint November-December 7, 2011 Meeting Minutes (for possible action)
Item 3 Public Comment
Item 4 Web Awareness/Communication (for possible action)
Item 5 Update on Projects (for possible action)

Christina Leach - 4th Street Corridor Study
Michele Dennis - Plumb Lane Improvements
Roger Hanson - New Bus Routes
Sun Valley Improvements—Washoe County (Patrice)

Item 6 Establish a Law Enforcement Sub-committee (for possible action)
Item 7 BPAC Map (for possible action)
Item 8 Update Project Lists (for possible action)
Item 9 Member Items
Item 10 RTC Staff Items
Item 11 Public Comment
Item 12 Agenda Items for February 22, 2012 BPAC Meeting
Item 13 Adjournment (For possible action)

Pop rocks!

2012-01-25T10:21:00.000-08:00

Nope. Not that kind. Rather this kind (see below). Note the small rocks perfect position at the edge of the bike lane (in this case on Mill St.). Now don't get me wrong. These don't pop your tire, rather if you hit them just right with the edge of a moderately well inflated front wheel, they will shoot (pop) out the side. Sometimes they really go and shoot out into the vehicle lane.

If your timing is just so, you might even get a satisfying ping as the pop rock connects with a vehicle that is a bit to close to the bike lane. I'm not encouraging you to use pop rocks as convenient projectiles to tame vehicle traffic. However, it is very likely that a vehicle had a role in depositing the pop rock in the bike lane (along with other detritus). Really, all we're doing is returning said material to the location it originated from.

It is a rather fun riding game. See if you too can master the pop rock!

Complete Streets a Reno overview.

2012-01-24T08:45:00.000-08:00

This presentation is courtesy of Michael Moreno and RTC staff via our last Regional Transportation Committee meeting. In my option, RTC has the right mindset on making our community more livable. While complete streets is just one aspect of this, I've been impressed with the depth of the thought process our regional planners, advisory staff, and traffic engineers (yup, these guys are even on board) are going through in evaluating and improve our infrastructure for all modes of transportation. It's a slow process to get through all the planning and get these types of designs implemented, but the RTC is turning the corner and we're seeing the results all around town!

LOS = Level of Service (meaning how many cars it handles in a "reasonable" time.

ADT = average daily trips (I think).

p.s. I know some these have small fonts and are hard to read. The maps are just not up to snuff even in my "original" copy. I will send you the whole report if you leave a comment with your email but they're still hard to read.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Meeting!

2012-01-23T10:13:00.001-08:00

The Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC)meets on the 4th Wednesday of the month at 6:30 pm in the RTC Planning Conference Room, 600 Sutro Street, Reno.

Next meeting: Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Agenda

Christina Leach - 4th Street Corridor Study
Michele Dennis - Plumb Lane Improvements
Roger Hanson - New Bus Routes
Sun Valley Improvements—Washoe County (Patrice)

An ode to fenders!

2012-01-23T08:31:00.000-08:00

There are people in this world who do not appreciate fenders on a bicycle. They say they make a bike look dorky, clunky, and complain of the weight they add. I heartily disagree and today I am far drier because of these marvels.

So without further ado....

Fenders are flashy and curved just right. Fenders protect from the slush that arrives in the night. Fenders you say slow me down, take away. At least my rear end is quite dry today.

The streets in my neighborhood this morning.

Fenders in action!

Ok, so I might not be publishing as a poet any time soon. But all the weight weenies and guys who think fenders aren't necessary in Nevada have a rear end that looks like a giant skid mark this morning.

The Reno Bike Project - an underutilized resource!

2012-01-22T08:54:00.000-08:00

The Reno Bike Project put together a nice little video to (re)introduce themselves to the community. Have a look and then get down there and check them out!

City of Reno....an alternative to the bulldozer!

2012-01-20T08:36:00.000-08:00

One of the agenda items at Wednesday's City Council meeting was basically whether or not to bulldoze the "illegal" bmx park here in Reno. The city staff actually made this recommendation in writing to our council members to protect the city from liability. See the link here if you want to read the report.... http://reno.gov/agendas/citycouncil/2012/01/staffreportlinksjan18reg.pdf.

Fortunately, city council members have some memory of childhood days and they have at least chosen to continue investigate alternate options.

I for one grew up on neighborhood bike "tracks" and trails. In fact kids built them on every vacant lot in the local burbs. They provided hours of uncorrupted fun for us. Meaning I wasn't out buying meth or holed up in front of the tv playing video games and gaining weight. If you don't buy my arguments that this type of thing is good for kids.....check out the latest video via Bikeportland.org.

Taken from Bikeportland, published by Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor) on January 19th, 2012

More meeting information (if you want to get involved).

2012-01-19T11:46:00.000-08:00

Here's the latest on the Mill and Terminal traffic study corridor.

Please attend if you can. A strong showing from the cycling community lets our local leaders know that this type of project is important!

Bike path closure at Broadhead Park.

2012-01-19T09:07:00.000-08:00

If your commuting on the river path, there was an unannounced closure this morning.

This is really getting to be a bit of a pet peeve with me. This is basically our highway if you commute between Reno and Sparks each morning. Can you imagine if the I-80 construction was set up this way. No warning, no detour, no alternate route posted. I'm gonna guess any construction project operating in this manor on even a minor road used by automobiles would cause serious consternation (to put it mildly).

Yet, when it's the bike path, a couple cones and please turn around and retrace your steps until you can find an alternate route yourself is just fine. A double standard if the powers that be really consider a bicycle a valid method of transportation. (I realize this is a dubious statement at best.)

Anyway, this is your heads up on the closure. For the record, you are viewing the entire closure....yep, about 10-12 feet. I used my advance cycling skills to ride through the construction site (sarcasm intended). You should evaluate your own skills prior to such a crossing! Based on the markings, I have a notion that they may be excavating across the trail soon. So, be aware that this may turn into a real detour. I'll make some calls and see if I can find out what's up.

A reminder we can all use!

2012-01-18T09:58:00.000-08:00

The Holstee Manifesto Lifecycle Video from Holstee on Vimeo.

Perilous Patches.

2012-01-18T08:23:00.000-08:00

Nope, not the kind you create after riding through a field of goats heads. Rather the slick little patch of ice left over from the weekends snow. If your riding early in the day those last little remnants of snow and ice are still out there. You know they are, hiding in the shadow of a building or where that nice tall oak shades the road.

You're not thinking about them this morning because it's 42 degrees today and you're riding in your springtime gear! In fact the sudden warm up in morning temperatures probably even has you out gunning through some turns since the bite of the weather isn't so cold. All of a sudden as you lean into that turn, it's there....a patch of melting ice the size of a pizza. Your Lance Amstrong inspired cornering turns into a power slide that a Japanese drifting fan would be proud of. You might just be good enough to recover....or you might be enjoying some early season raspberry.

So remember to watch for the icy patches! And enjoy the warm weather commute!

Pedestrian safety forum....Feb. 6th from 5-7 pm.....mark that calendar!

2012-01-17T14:04:00.000-08:00

From the RGJ:

Public input sought at UNR forum on pedestrian safety

Posted by MarkRobison at 1/17/2012 1:17 PM PST on rgj.com

Bridge repair.

2012-01-17T13:17:00.000-08:00

So all you river path users know that just past Champion Park, the river path crosses to the North side of the river via a pretty nice pedestrian bridge. The deck of the bridge is made out of some type of rough cut lumber and has always been a bit on the bumpy side, but no big deal.

Well, last week someone (the parks department?), put some plywood patches on a few sections. I'm not really sure why. I don't think we were in any danger of punching through and dropping to our deaths in the raging river below.

The patches themselves are made out of 1/4 plywood and have nice 45 degree cuts on the sides (presumably to reduce the bump) and they seem to be secured well enough. I'm just not sure they really make a difference.

I'm guessing the bump to go up and over the patch is about the same as the bump they cover. And the rest of the rough cut lumber is still it's normal bumpy self. So I'll call it maintenance and say the parks department is looking out for our well being. I think I'd rather they spent the $$$ on a bum patrol once a week in the summer!

Downtown documentation.

2012-01-17T09:50:00.000-08:00

Last week I posted an video showing the innovative "green phase" pedestrian crossings in the Netherlands. It's not unheard of in the US either, but I was pleasantly surprised that Reno even has a intersection with this design (Virginia St. and W. 2nd Ave.). Here's the proof!

Also note, that even in tough times Reno is reinvesting in and revitalizing the pedestrian infrastructure. The sidewalks on W. 2nd are being upgraded to a nice patterned walkway from the previous narrow bland concrete sidewalk! Every once in a while I really thing Reno just might be on to something!

Busy bike lanes....battling (bike) traffic on the morning commute!

2012-01-13T07:30:00.000-08:00

Even us cyclists have to fight traffic during the morning commute.

Really, it was completely ridiculous....I even had to queue up in line behind this guy at the stop light at Arlington and 1st. I'm just not used to this level of congestion on my winter commuting days. I mean really, what is this Portland? I guess I'll have to come to terms with my belief that the city of Reno and RTC are building these lanes just for me!

Ha, just kidding. It was nice to see another winter commuter.

RTC Reno....on the right path.

2012-01-12T12:36:00.000-08:00

I know you hear me say that the RTC is actually a pretty good organization a lot. I thought it might drive the point home to see what they picked up on at a recent public outreach meeting.

Not so different from the Dutch....or Criss,Cross, Crash!?

2012-01-11T12:38:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of a trip to the Netherlands just last year, so I've had the fortune of observing a few of these intersections first hand (including this one). As the video shows....it's a little intimidating the first time you see it! There are also a few frames of some similar treatments in LA (designed with Pedestrians in mind), but wait....I believe we even have this progressive treatment in Reno!

I can't remember for sure but I believe the intersection of Virginia St. and 2nd St. is structured this way!? I'm going to have to check it out on the ride home to verify.

The rack chronicles.

2012-01-11T09:29:00.000-08:00

I guess I took these pics a while back and never updated the rack locations section of the blog. These are pretty obvious and get plenty of use during the Artown series. The do really well as overflow parking for the rest of downtown if you don't mind walking a couple blocks.

Located on Wingfield island at the amphitheater. Typical squiggle rack. Probably get 6-8 bikes on each one (although I've seen more during summer Artown events). They are cemented into the ground so security is not an issue. Close to the park so security is a-ok for Artown...A little remote if your perusing downtown. There are quite a few local homeless in the area.

Also located on Wingfield island at the amphitheater. Unique swing out design makes these really unobtrusive. Two bikes on each one (room for 18 total). They are cemented into the wall so security is pretty good. The steel is fairly light weight but overall they're an neat design. Same as above on the security issue. These get a plus for creative design!

Mountain Biking in January.

2012-01-09T16:31:00.000-08:00

Normally a post with this name would be macho over the top pictures of idiots trying to mountain bike in 3ft (or much more) of snow. Or perhaps it's a trick post about a nice trip to red rock country down in southern Utah....

Nope.

This year none of that is necessary. If you want to experience the mountains this year, it looks like you'd better put on your trail running shoes or grab your bike. A quick morning ride on Peavine Mountain revealed only the slightest traces of frost on some shaded north facing slopes.

The trails were in really good shape despite the lack of any moisture for the last month and a half. Even the banked corners are holding up....especially since the trail builders have adopted some more advanced techniques as of late (note the log backed banking).

The trail feels a little bleak with all the dry grass hanging around without a trace of snow this time of year. I tried to tempt the snow gods with the next photo...if you haven't been here.....the bench my bike is leaning against is made out of an old snowboard. Come on snow gods, get angry.

A final view from above the Poeville Reservoir (well that's what I call it). Nothing but dry grass and wide open trails as far as the eye can see.

So, if you're one of those guys (or gals) who hang up your bike after the "season" ends. Dust off your gear and head for the nearest trail head. For at least the next 5-7 days the forecast is dry and mild.

Get involved...or the meeting list for January.

2012-01-09T10:32:00.000-08:00

Ok, so you've decided that Reno is changing (albeit slowly) for the better! Here's some options to get involved.

First up, the Regional Transportation Plan (Citizen's working group). Come hear the big picture ideas that are being sculpted into the 2035 plan. We'll also be reviewing the input from last months public outreach, so if you want to know if your opinions were heard, stop by!

January 12th at 5:30 pm
Topic:
2035 RTP CWG Meeting
Location:
RTC Board Room, 2050 Villanova Drive, Reno. Served by RTC RIDE Route 19.

Next up, the BPAC (Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee). Come hear what's going on specifically for bicycles in Reno.

January 25th at 6:30 pm
BPAC MEETING
Topic:
Agenda & Support Materials
Location:
RTC Planning Conference Room, 600 Sutro Street, Reno. Served by RTC RIDE Routes 5 & 15.

Next up, the Mill and Terminal corridor study group will have a public meeting on January 26th. I'll let you know when I find out the actual location and time.

Path to Success....Reno's standing.

2012-01-09T09:12:00.000-08:00

Last week I posted a list of 50 things that Mia Birk (largely responsible for Portland's bikability) put forth in her Book, Joyride. Here's the list of the items I think Reno (and / or RTC) is making the grade on. My comments on each item in italics.

Oh, and for those of you keeping track. I'm saying we have had some success on 19 of the 50 items in Mia's list. Not bad as a start....however, 19/50 on a test gives you a 38%. That's an F on a flat grading scale any way you slice it. However, if you're grading on a curve this might just be a passing grade.

I'd argue that when evaluating bicycle infrastructure in the U.S. you pretty much have to grade on a curve or we (the students) might lose faith in the cause. So think of this as 38% better than we were even a few years ago. Take the improvements and run with them. If you like the improvements, get involved and help us push for even more. And remember to enjoy the ride!

Ok, this one is tough....but I think Reno has it's heart in the right place. There are condos downtown that stalled but they are trying to get people back downtown. The river front and "central" downtown are definitely improved for walking and plans are in the works for Virginia st. Bus transit is improving (the rapid on Virginia St.) and bike access on buses is pretty good.

3. Develop and adopt a robust, visionary, comprehensive bicycle transportation plan. Use the planning process to engage your community in a deep conversation about the future of transportation.

Check...thanks to our BPAC Committee!

4. Develop a network of bikeways that is connected, comprehensive, and gets people from where they are to where they want to go. It should be a combination of off-street paths, on-road separated bikeways, and low-stress neighborhood greenways and must appeal to a wide variety of ages, cycling skill levels, and trip purposes.

Well, we are at least building bike lanes.

7. Start with the low-hanging fruit: easy-to-implement projects.

The road diets and bike lanes are exactly this...let's see if we can keep the ball rolling.

10. Adopt “Complete Streets” policies and/or legislation, then execute! Unenforced policies and plans that sit on shelves gathering dust are worthless.

The Mill and Terminal and the 4th and Prater Way studies are working towards this goal.

11. Backlash is normal. Expect it, prepare for it, but don’t back down. Changing built infrastructure and deeply ingrained habits is really hard stuff.

We've seen this on the Mayberry bike lanes and on California Ave. So far so good.

28. See the bicycle as a tool for empowerment and social change, not just sport or transportation.

Ok, I might be jumping the gun on this one. There are people in Reno / RTC who have this vision though.

29. Foster community groups to recycle and reuse bikes for the good of underprivileged youth.

I don't know if Reno is fostering them...but we have the Reno Bike Project. If you haven't checked them out, head down. They are a nice group of people.

30. Don’t let weather challenges dissuade you from creating bicycle friendly infrastructure.

It's Reno, our weather is pretty much made for bicycles.

32. Put away the Lycra for short trips; embrace cycle chic.

Ok, Reno might never be chic...but the bike lanes aren't for the roadies, they're in locations that allow us all to move around the city.

33. Encouragement key #5: integrate bike safety education into schools and invest in comprehensive Safe Routes to School programs. Start now.

We have a safe routes to schools program. It's not well publicized and I'm not sure how robust it is. I sure don't see many kids riding or walking to school.

34. Face the naysayers with solid research and facts.

RTC does this....the problem is the City of Reno often contains the naysayer.

39. Wherever you are, that’s where you start. Tailor solutions to your community’s unique topography, urban layout, demographics, and growth patterns.

Let's hope we have this type of vision.

40. Have hope: even the most closed minds can open.

I don't think we'd have any bike lanes if many people in "the system" didn't already have some. Let's get involved and bolster them.

44. Collect data on the number of people on bikes, estimate and project usage, measure your success, continually report back.

We're doing this on our complete street studies.

45. Design your bikeway network not for those who are already cycling but those you would like to attract - those interested in bicycling but concerned about safety and desire low-stress bikeways separated from motor vehicle traffic or shared in low-speed conditions.

Again, our recent road diets are a good start on this.

48. Have patience, persistence and faith.

49. No matter what obstacles you encounter, keep going.

There are a couple red-necks around Reno. We're going to get some blow back. We will have to fight to keep moving forward.

50. Open your streets to people on foot or bike and celebrate every success. Most of all, enjoy the ride!

Ok, Reno hasn't done this. But there are those of us who are believers in progress...and I for one do enjoy the ride!

Now that's green.

2012-01-06T13:26:00.001-08:00

Path to Success.

2012-01-06T08:16:00.000-08:00

This is an excerpt from Mia Birk's book Joyride. I thought it might be interesting to post it and then give a quick rundown tomorrow on what I think Reno has accomplished on this grand plan.

50 Keys to Transforming Communities and Empowering People, One Pedal Stroke at a Time

1. Look beyond the bike: bicycle transportation succeeds best when combined with investments in compact development, transit, and walking. Engage in and support various efforts to help shape your sustainable community.

2. Key human elements: strong local political leaders, effective community advocates and well trained and supported City staff. With one or two, you can make some progress, but it is the combination of all three that is the recipe for success.

3. Develop and adopt a robust, visionary, comprehensive bicycle transportation plan. Use the planning process to engage your community in a deep conversation about the future of transportation.

4. Develop a network of bikeways that is connected, comprehensive, and gets people from where they are to where they want to go. It should be a combination of off-street paths, on-road separated bikeways, and low-stress neighborhood greenways and must appeal to a wide variety of ages, cycling skill levels, and trip purposes.

5. It’s not just the bikeway infrastructure, it’s the attitude. Embrace the role of encouraging people to bicycle as part and parcel of the way you do business.

6. Get your traffic engineers on bikes as a regular part of their job.

7. Start with the low-hanging fruit: easy-to-implement projects.

8. Court the media and don’t freak out if you get negative press. It’s important to get ‘bike’ in the public consciousness.

9. Set aside at least one percent of your transportation budget to get the ball rolling.

10. Adopt “Complete Streets” policies and/or legislation, then execute! Unenforced policies and plans that sit on shelves gathering dust are worthless.

11. Backlash is normal. Expect it, prepare for it, but don’t back down. Changing built infrastructure and deeply ingrained habits is really hard stuff.

12. Look to the world’s best cycling cities for planning and design guidance.

13. Work hand-in-hand across bureaucratic boundaries to create complementary off- and on-street bikeways.

14. Iconic, highly visible, albeit costly off-road urban pathways are worth the investment. Garner funding via grants, partnerships, local funding, tax measures, hook, crook, and creativity. The more you invest, the more your community will reap the benefits of active transportation.

15. Top priority: upgrade bridges and pinch points.

16. Institutionalize care of bikeway facilities into daily maintenance practices.

17. Fully integrate bicycling with your transit system through low-stress bikeways to stations, storage at stations, and provisions for bikes on transit vehicles.

18. Build relationships with local leaders, and take them on rides to see the good and bad and to envision future possibilities

19. Retrain officials throughout every facet of government to understand the needs of people on bikes.

20. Integrate requirements and incentives for bike parking, showers, and lockers into building codes.

21. Train developers, architects, and all staff involved in building permits, planning, development and design.

22. Encouragement key #1: celebrate bike commuters with events and contests.

23. Encouragement key #2: invest time and effort in the personal touch: one-on-one mentoring (a.k.a. personal travel planning programs or individualized marketing programs) to overcome resistance and mental barriers.

Tie your network together with bikeway signage noting destinations, mileage and time.

Whenever you ride, be courteous, obey the law, and smile and wave at any motorist who shows you the slightest shred of kindness.

Send thank you notes to public officials who support bicycle transportation.

Encouragement key #3: hold mega-fun car-free community events, which are a wonderful way to connect people with public space and open their hearts and minds to bicycling.

See the bicycle as a tool for empowerment and social change, not just sport or transportation.

Foster community groups to recycle and reuse bikes for the good of underprivileged youth.

Don’t let weather challenges dissuade you from creating bicycle friendly infrastructure.

Encouragement key #4: focus on women! When women and children ride in significant numbers, then you know you’re making progress.

Put away the Lycra for short trips; embrace cycle chic.

Encouragement key #5: integrate bike safety education into schools and invest in comprehensive Safe Routes to School programs. Start now.

Face the naysayers with solid research and facts.

Understand all sides of an issue, then look for and create win-win solutions.

Fight just as hard to avoid car-exclusive, bike-hideous roadway, bridges and interchanges as you do to create something new.

In the suburbs, focus on building off-street paths and shifting short trips in neighborhoods to bike or foot. Let go of the focus on the long, hard-to-impact journey-to-work trip.

Use the shared lane marking (a.k.a., ‘sharrow’) where the speed differential between cyclists and motorists is low, to advertise neighborhood greenways, or to fill in short gaps. Detailed guidance on the sharrow at http://nacto.org/cities-for-cycling/design-guide/.

Wherever you are, that’s where you start. Tailor solutions to your community’s unique topography, urban layout, demographics, and growth patterns.

Have hope: even the most closed minds can open.

Design for what you want to achieve rather than what is dictated by traditional traffic models.

Do not let fear of being sued prevent you from doing the right thing. (It rarely happens, and you’ll be fine if you follow key #44.)

Carefully document your decisions, base them on best practices, monitor the situation, make adjustments as necessary.

Collect data on the number of people on bikes, estimate and project usage, measure your success, continually report back.

Design your bikeway network not for those who are already cycling but those you would like to attract - those interested in bicycling but concerned about safety and desire low-stress bikeways separated from motor vehicle traffic or shared in low-speed conditions.

Take leaders on a ride in a bicycle-friendly city like Portland, Boulder or Ft. Collins, Colorado, Minneapolis, Vancouver B.C. or Davis, California.

It starts with us: find at least one driving trip per week – to the store, school, restaurant, park, or friend’s house - and switch it to foot or bike.

Have patience, persistence and faith.

No matter what obstacles you encounter, keep going.

Open your streets to people on foot or bike and celebrate every success. Most of all, enjoy the ride!

© 2011 Mia Birk. Excerpted from “Joyride: Pedaling Toward A Healthier Planet”, 2nd edition, Cadence Press.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease...or lighting on the river path.

2012-01-05T08:17:00.000-08:00

A little dogged persistence and a few good contacts at the city engineering department and parks department have paid off. Most (90 % give or take) of the lights along the river path now seem to be working! So a big thanks to Steve and Jeff and their respective departments. It's really refreshing to know that once you've made contact with the right people you can get things done.

So with that said....the proof is in the pictures.

So if you've been avoiding the path on your evening commute, it's now well lit and you will really notice the difference. Don't be afraid to give it a try.

New Years Day...you might be done with beer....but we're just getting started.

2012-01-02T11:05:00.000-08:00

While many of you were laying on the couch in serious recovery mode, I was putting the absolutely best Christmas present into use. 11 Gallons of Coffee Stout ready for a round of vigorous fermentation in it's new home!

The wort smells like chocolate brownies....killer!

Fermenting away within 3 hours.

Peavine New Years Eve ride.

2012-01-02T10:56:00.000-08:00

A little catch up post. New Years Eve morning we headed out for a short ride on Peavine. For those of you in the know....we just rode the quick lower fence line loop.

The unload.

The trail.

Traffic....if you look closely above the green post, just to the right.

The dog leads on the way back to the trailhead.

Transfer time....and it's not about transportation!

2011-12-31T08:58:00.000-08:00

A year old Shiraz....meets a brand new American Oak barrel!

Chili pepper Red and a Wee Heavy....on tap in one week!

A good read about a good ride....the evolution of Portland bicycling infrastructure.

2011-12-29T08:04:00.000-08:00

I forgot to mention one of my Christmas presents. The book Joyride by Mia Birk. If your interested in improving bicycling in our region you want to read this....it will definitely light a fire under you.

Oh yeah, and it's just a good read....225 pages took me about two days...meaning I didn't put it down much. If you want to get a copy or read an excerpt go to http://www.miabirk.com/.

Grocery run and fresh flowers.

2011-12-27T10:00:00.000-08:00

I'm off from work this week so the posts might be a bit intermittent. Biking will continue but with a little more random routes. This morning it was a grocery run for supplies to make some chicken noodle soup. While I was out I picked up some fresh flowers for wifey. Somehow they just seem like a good idea when you're traveling by bike.

Bikey Christmas spoils!

2011-12-26T08:26:00.000-08:00

This is some of the bikey loot I scored for Christmas this year! Reflective stick-ons, an incredibell, spok lights, a black diamond head lamp, and a planet bike stealth super blink tail light. Oh, and I had to throw in my super cool new toe shoes. These are specifically so I can look even geekier while running. However, if I wear them while riding the geek factor should multiply by 100!

Hope you got all the loot you were hoping for. Merry Day after Christmas!

A truely timeless Christmas message!

2011-12-23T11:11:00.000-08:00

You know it's cold when.....

2011-12-23T09:23:00.000-08:00

There are ice flows in the Truckee river!

Sorry about the crappy cell phone photo.

Needless to say, I wasn't particularly bright this morning and chose the shoes with more ventilation on the ride in. While I could still feel my toes when I arrived at work.....they didn't feel warm!

I don't want to be a bike Ninja!

2011-12-22T09:01:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I put in a few more miles than normal due to an evening meeting. It was a nice change of pace and gave me the chance to bike some areas I'm not that familiar with in south Reno. It was also nice because I got the chance to ride with someone on the way home! One might say doubly nice since that person is my "bike mentor" and one of the reasons I turned to bike commuting.

Anyway, on the ride home the conversation turned to a topic that we both hold in high regard as regular bicycle commuters....namely, being seen by cars and not becoming a statistic! So while the rigs that the two of us ride are remarkably similar (mainly because I'm a copy cat) we do use some different lights, reflective treatments, and visual safety systems. Here's the list between the two of us:

Lighting:

Planet bike 1 watt dyno hub lights.

We both use this light as our primary because you never have to think of batteries and remember to charge. If the front wheel is spinning, you've got a headlight!

The Niterider Minewt.

This is my extra rechargeable headlight that I employ when in really dark areas or in zones of high traffic when I want to make sure I have more lights for drivers to see me.

The Downlow Glow.

This is the system my friend uses. The neon under lighting makes for great front, side, and rear visibility and looks cool to boot! I wish I could get one but they don't seem to be on the market any longer.

Looks something like this in action....very cool!

Planet Bikes Super Flash. A good way to be seen.

This is the tail light we both use a version of. The pulsing pattern of blinks is a real attention grabber for the motorist coming up from behind you!

Planet Bike Turbo. The above with more watts.

For the record, riding behind the turbo last night was an eye opener. This stupid thing is so bright I'm still seeing it burned into my retina this morning!

Reflective gear:

Adventure Cycling's reflective rear triangle.

We both use this little gem on the rear of our bikes. Looks like a traffic sign that drivers are used to and is a big reflective surface. Most drivers at least slow down for this type of symbol.

Shower Pass Reflective jacket.

This is something the peddling preacher (search earlier posts for this reference) uses. I don't have a cool reflective jacket yet, but it would be a really good idea. It's a shame I didn't thing to ask for this for Christmas!

Anyway, that's a quick list of our attempts to be seen by drivers. What type of gear do you use to be seen?

City by bike (via the ever improving Google Maps)!

2011-12-21T12:31:00.000-08:00

This will be my route today due to work and meetings. I think I'll sleep well tonight.

~20 miles of commute (30+ if I go to REI on lunch).

Just as a note....this is the Google Maps bicycle planning and it's almost the exact route I would take if I hadn't looked! For those of you who don't know, this means that Google Maps is improving!!! So if your on the Bike Reno Map making squad, keep adding those streets into the system. You're helping make every route better.

Or if your not involved....check out BikeReno to get involved with improving Google Maps.

River Path Lighting update.

2011-12-20T08:21:00.000-08:00

In an effort to get more of these I touched base with a contact in the Traffic Engineering department for the city of Reno. He let me know that the lighting is the responsibility of the Parks department (and provided me with a contact). I've emailed this new contact with the rather grim statistics on how many of the lights are currently working. We'll have to see what comes of it....I know the parks department was subjected to some pretty harsh budget cuts over the last few years. Hopefully, they can still afford light bulbs!

Always pay attention to the signs....they may be in your favor!

2011-12-19T13:07:00.000-08:00

Powers that be...

2011-12-19T09:24:00.000-08:00

My route and ride vary a little from day to day. It always involves a leisurely trip down First St. to Arlington Ave. and then I've got a lot of options.

One option involves a jog on the bike lanes on Arlington Ave. and then turn on Island Ave. and rolling past the post office and then through the Sienna's "parking lot". From any of these options I then get a choice of riding the river path all the way to Sparks or jumping on Mill St. in a minimal attempt to show drivers we do use the bike lanes.

Lately, however, I've been more and more interested in how city streets are laid out and which are given priority for improvement or which are ignored. The Sienna's parking lot used to be a section of Mill St. (in the recent past). They obviously made a deal with the city to create their parking lot across a city street.

A quick shot looking back at the Sienna "parking lot".

My question is what rights did the city retain. The river path faces an an awkward jog at this point and right now requires a rider to dismount and utilize a stairway to continue into downtown. Could the city still impose rights for a path that runs through the Sienna parking lot? There's plenty of room and a rider could then utilize Island drive to get access to downtown. It might provide more connectivity and better flow for folks exploring town by bike. With all the imminent bridge construction coming up and modifications to the street crossings caused by the bridge design, now might be the perfect time to ask some of these questions.

We're all in this together....

2011-12-16T11:00:00.000-08:00

Interesting, this video about a year old but it's new to me. Seems like it takes the right tact on how we need to build bicycling up (rather than ram it down peoples throats). It happens to be focused on mountain biking and trail building, but the similarities with bike lanes on the local streets is hard to ignore.

Anyway here's the trailer to get you thinking!

Pedal-Driven: The Official Trailer from Howell at the Moon Productions on Vimeo.

Mill and Terminal Traffic counts.

2011-12-16T08:42:00.000-08:00

I've been waiting on the results of the Mill and Terminal traffic study for some time. A few months ago I got a little impatient when they weren't posted to the web site (millterminal.com) so I started posting comments. Turns out the comments sat in moderation for a few months....so eventually I tracked down an email to find out what was up.

I guess I should have done this sooner. Once day later Katy of Fehr and Peers had the results in my inbox! So without further ado here are some initial numbers posted with respect to intersection and lane. The long term goal is to turn the Mill / Terminal corridor into a "complete" street where biking and walking are real options.

Oh, yeah. If your interested in this project, there will be a public open house on January 26th from 5-7 pm at the Hyatt Place (at the intersection of Plumb and Terminal).

Crisp....but beautiful!

2011-12-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

The Godfather calls!

2011-12-13T08:57:00.000-08:00

The call out has been made at BikeReno this morning. After producing one of the original digital (Google based) bike maps for our area. BikeReno needs our help to update the modern version....since RTC and regional entities have seen fit to grace us with 50 plus miles of expanded bike lanes and facilities! If your interested please read the repost below and get in contact with BikeReno!

P.s. In the land of bicycle blogging this is like getting a "request" from the Godfather! Let's see if we can handle this in the bicycle family and not have to call out the enforcers! See BikeReno if you're not following the reference!

Don Vito Corleone

Reno Bike Map Project

December 13, 2011 By: Jeremy Tags: maps

Hey everyone, I’m putting out a call for volunteers to work on a mapping project for the Reno/Sparks area. Basically, I want to compliment the RTC bike map by entering bike lane/path data into Google Map Maker. This data is used by Google Maps to create bicycle directions. It’s pretty easy to do (I’ve put a tutorial under Reno Bike Map), and the more people who work on it, the less we have to do individually. If you’re interested, please send me an email (jeremy@bikereno.net) and we’ll coordinate who’s doing what streets to avoid duplication of effort.
Thanks!

River Path Update.

2011-12-13T08:19:00.000-08:00

Shake the frost and ice out of your beard (or scarf ladies), the results are in for the river path light pole stats and the upgraded entrance ramp.

First up, the construction I noted last week at the "entrance" of the river path was indeed an expansion of the graded section from curb to street level, so you shouldn't have any problem entering even if pedestrians are present (so bunny hopping the curb isn't necessary). Just for note, I don't believe it is possible to bunny hop an Xtracycle so this works out great for me.

So the other note for today is I did count the lights that were on vs. off on my commute home last night. Just as a refresher, last week I counted them (each and every one) as I rode in. Between the automobile museum and fisherman's park there are 92 lamp posts. I guessed that 50 to 75 percent were not working. The real numbers (drum roll please) are:

45 lights like this (working).

47 lights like this (not working).

So for you math folks out there that works out to 49 % working and 51 % not working. And to top it off, the lights that do work are in some of the nicer areas like parks. The areas most likely not to work....under bridges and in the longer isolated sections of the trail. NOT a good combination of factors for safety!

Anyway, those are the numbers. Now on to the hunt for the most important number....the one that reaches the person who can get these lights working again. I'll keep you updated if I find it!

A shot in the dark.

2011-12-12T13:29:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that I'm a fan of the river path here in Reno/Sparks. It's a perfect fit for my commute and let's face it, it's probably safer than some of my surface street alternatives (Mill St.). It is however that time of year when it gets dark early and even with a good light there are some pretty dark and isolated portions of the trail. It doesn't particularly bother me (and I've never had a negative experience), but I'd wager that some riders find it a little uncomfortable.

I realized however, it really doesn't have to be this way. When the trail was built someone was on their "A game" and incorporated lighting all along the trail!

And the numbers are impressive! There are a total of 92 lights between the "start" of the trail at the Automobile museum in Reno and Fisherman's park in Sparks (yep, I counted).

View Larger Map
(Roughly the area shown above or 1.8 miles of trail)

The problem is that about 50 to 75 percent of the lights are not working (I'm guessing at this)! So that "A game" designer has been defeated by one of three things (at least in my mind).

One option is simple lack of maintenance. If this is the problem we should be able to resolve this quickly because almost every pole is numbered and should be able to be reported to the appropriate city, county, or "other" entity. Assuming one can locate the correct person to contact.

Hello, City of Reno? Yeah, light post #8 on the river trail is out.

Option two, is a little more bleak. Maybe the powers that be have chosen to kill the lights along the path to save a few bucks on the power bill!? I hope this isn't the case (since some of the lights work), but you never know.

Option three, is that some of the less reputable folks who use the river trail have messed with the lights over time to try to get access to power and have buggered up the wiring. This would be the worst scenario as it involves finding $$$ to fix whatever has been done. However, I've taken a look around several of the lights and there are no obvious signs of destruction.

So, tonight I'll repeat the count on the way home and see if I can actually tabulate the percentage of "out" lights. Then I'm going to try my hand at some serious city politics and see if we can't get them working! Lord knows the city wouldn't tolerate street lights that were burnt out in high percentages.

I know it's the Holidays....

2011-12-12T12:24:00.000-08:00

The holiday season is upon us and you have to love living in a region where you can ride your bike pretty much year round. So I guess what I can't decide is....Is this guy going completely overboard? Or am I just jealous I haven't gotten around to putting Christmas lights on my bike?

Transforming tall bike.

2011-12-09T09:23:00.001-08:00

Ok, if anyone want's a cool project for the winter months.....figure out how to engineer this!

Bike path entrace gets an upgrade?

2011-12-09T08:45:00.000-08:00

I was planning to ride in on the surface streets and the "dreaded" Mill St. (which is really pretty good), when I notice some orange cones at the entrance to the river path.

So being nosy and needing something to blog about I promptly changed plans. It looks like they have redesigned or expanded the sidewalk / street interface.

Sorry about the blur factor....cameras and bikes are fine until you make it 20 degrees and have medium weight gloves to work with! From the looks of this shot I think they widened the portion of the sidewalk that grades down to street level so you don't have to funnel so narrowly to access the trail. This is a pretty good improvement, as pedestrians and cyclist were often competing for space on the narrow entrance.

I'll swing by next week to see if my guess on the improvements is right.

Bicycle / Pedestrian improvement list 2011 - 2012

2011-12-08T11:12:00.000-08:00

If you've ever wondered if there are any improvements coming to your neighborhood, here's your answer. 51 miles of new bike lanes in 2011 and almost 33 miles of new lanes slated for 2012! Check out the list and then check out the lanes! Sorry about the low quality scans, it's been a busy morning.

Note the asterisk - if you want to know why it's not done, see my rant here!

Another round of bike rack roundup.

2011-12-08T09:29:00.000-08:00

Happened across a few more bike rack options this week during the commute.


Located on Island Ave. (just across from the Episcopal Church), room for six bikes, great location for overflow parking at Wingfield. Super secure and in a high visibility location. Thumbs up for another art rack!

Ok, this second one might be a little weak, but it caught my eye. It took me a minute to ponder....is this a bike rack? I think the answer is yes, a portable bike rack (and no I'm not talking about the pole). Think about it, what a quick and easy way to set up a secure temporary bike parking area!

Located a block from Court street (on the hill above Wingfield Island). Actual address is Pickard and Flint. One maybe two bikes. Not even sure if it's a pseudo-portable bike rack or what. Cool idea if it is!

Holy BPAC Batman!

2011-12-08T08:24:00.000-08:00

Ok, I didn't post and let you guys know that there was an alternate scheduling of the BPAC (Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee) due to the holiday season. I did think about it, but I figured no one cared. Man on man was I wrong. Last nights meeting was basically standing room only and the conversations were dynamic and rather invigorating (as far as I was concerned).

So why all the excitement? Well, to start with, most of the bloggers that inspired me to get involved in the Reno bike community were there and the conversation amongst the BPAC committee members was on how to make contact with the cycling community (and spread the good word). So just for reference if you're looking to read about bicycling in Reno you should check out:

Reno Bike Project, Reno-Rambler, Bike Reno, or Bike Carson

The really cool part last night was each of the bloggers (or reps from them) was present last night (with the exception of Bike Carson....it's a long drive). The discussion was opened to comments from each of the bloggers and the thought of collaboration, repetition of content, and reaching all age ranges of cyclist was hashed through. Reference was even made to Bike Portland, which is probably one of the more far reaching and successful blogs in the regional bicycle community. I think the RTC might be realizing that they don't have to do it all. If they focus on the build it and they will come mentality, the existing local blogs will get the word out.

If this happens to interest you I'll throw you a last minute bone....

Today at 4-7 pm at the Discovery Museum in Reno the RTC will be holding a public workshop on the Regional Transportation Plan update of 2035. This is an open house where you can put in your two cents on how our infrastructure grows (both bike, ped, and car). So if you're ready to get involved come join us!

Justice is served.

2011-12-07T11:13:00.001-08:00

Wacko Nutso Bike Commissioner.

2011-12-06T15:21:00.000-08:00

Sorry you have to watch an add on this one....it's totally worth it. This chic is playing with the big boys and making a dent in transportation culture!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Entrance Ramps....not just for cars!

2011-12-06T12:53:00.000-08:00

Found something that makes my morning commute just that much more fun. Really its a pretty impressive thing since I enjoy my ride thoroughly! This particular gem acts like a highway entrance ramp....for bikes! Most people would call it a bus stop, but that's just silly. Anyway enough talk...have a look!

Bicycle entrance ramp or bus stop with access to the park....you decide!

Slightly banked turn to maintain speed!

Straight shot entry into the new bike lane!

Nicely disguised as a bus stop so motorists don't get angry about the city building bike infrastructure!

Just back from Portland....

2011-12-05T11:49:00.000-08:00

This is what it's like to be a cyclist there......

Well, ok, not really. It's just a comic from the Onion.com (meaning this is satirical folks), but to me it illustrates a pretty funny point with regards to drivers in Reno. Drivers don't want to be bothered with cyclists using lanes on "their" roads and impeding their speedy progress.

Now that there are a few bike lanes around Reno, there really are areas where it's faster (and now safer) to get around by bike. And if your speedy and catch the lights right you really can outpace a car for miles at a time (Mill St. is definitely one)! You know every time you pass a line of cars queued up and then catch the light as it changes to green this is how they feel!

Don't hate me....

2011-12-02T14:45:00.000-08:00

Well, maybe you should because I leave for Portland in a few hours and I'm going to be going.....

Here......

And Here......

And Here....

And I'm going to be riding these.....

Sad news.

2011-12-01T11:21:00.000-08:00

Ecovelo has decided to call it quits as of January 1st of next year. If your not familiar with Ecovelo check it out at http://www.ecovelo.info/. The amount of information is impressive (over 3300 posts with lots of how to) and some really fantastic bicycle photography. It's also a big loss because they post from just over the hill in Sacramento, so a lot of the events and information were local and open to us Renoites without a super long drive (well at least compared to San Fran or Portland).

The good news is even though the site will go quiet, they are going to leave it up for us as a resource for a couple years. So get over there and peruse the good stuff while it's there!

Thanks for the ride Ecovelo....we hope you enjoy your rides from here on out!

The shame....I didn't enjoy my commute last night.....or did I?

2011-12-01T10:49:00.000-08:00

The day started off with extra miles to deliver some things to a convention I'm working at the Nugget in Sparks. No problem, sun was shining and I got to alter my route to work, plus I got in a few extra miles. Everything is bikey and great!

Then off to the office for a day that was jam packed. My mood at this point is still good, but I seem to be sighing a lot. No problem the ride to back to the Nugget should charge up the batteries right? Yeah, the wind was not my friend on the way over....batteries and mood still low.

Sitting the booth at the convention and chatting with clients went well. It did pretty much suck the rest of my energy out. Now it's 7:30 and it's bloody cold and windy as hell. Also notice I lost one of my locks today. Have about 10 miles home in a headwind. For the first time in about 4 years I am not really loving it....Oh the shame!

Turns out even though it was a slow (10mph max) ride, the headwind warms you up in about 2 minutes! And I rode straight up Victorian/4th St. so I go to see an area I don't ride that often. The hill kick my butt, but boy did I sleep like a rock last night.

Overall, bike commuting vs. bad attitude and no energy..... Bike commuting still wins!

State Bicycle Plan Survey.....fill it out!!!

2011-11-30T10:33:00.000-08:00

Below is a total copy and paste from Bike Carson and Muscle Powered that was written by Jeff Moser. I'm reposting with the hope that a few more people will stumble across it here. I realize this is totally ironic since Jeff is probably one of 5 people who even knows this blog exists! But hey, here's to hoping! Just to reiterate.... All credit for the write up goes to Jeff at Bike Carson.

Statewide Bicycle Plan Survey

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Jeff Moser

The Nevada Department of Transportation is developing a Statewide Bicycle Plan for the state highway system in Nevada. The project is focusing on policies, programs, legislation and infrastructure that increase safe bicycling in rural communities in Nevada. The intent of this survey is to learn more about people’s preferences for bicycling in Nevada. Your input is critical to the success of this plan. The following survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete and they are accepting responses until Tuesday December 6th.

The link to the online survey is here:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NevadaStatewideBicyclePlan

Here is the PDF Version of the Flyer if you’d like to share it.
Don’t forget to complete the survey by Tuesday, December 6th, 2011!

Food truck lot in Reno....What do you think?

2011-11-30T09:25:00.000-08:00

I've got a trip to Portland coming up this weekend. One of the things I'm sure to do is catch lunch at the food carts. If you're not familiar with this you are missing out. Basically, the bulk of a city block that used to be a vacant lot is now permanently packed with food trucks (or carts in some cases). So you can get a gyro while your friend gets Thai or Ethiopian food at the cart to the right or left! The choices are just about endless and the food is fantastic (it really is).

We're not totally missing the boat here in Reno. We've seen expansion beyond just the average taco trucks with guys like Gourmelt, Kenji's, Cheeseburger Island Style, and others. What we don't have it the awesome centralized location like they have in Portland. So what do you think...

There are a few vacant lots around Reno and Sparks. Somebody needs to get on this and get the Reno food cart movement kicked into gear!

Bicycle Haiku.

2011-11-29T15:42:00.000-08:00

Taken from NBCNewYork.com

New York goes poetic to promote street safety

New York City Department of Transportation

Half of the 200 signs will be hung in pairs, with the image and haiku text together. Others will carry QR codes revealing the haiku.

“Too averse to risk / To chance the lottery, yet / Steps into traffic."
That's a reminder to pedestrians in New York City to follow traffic rules when crossing the street.
The city is waxing poetic to boost traffic safety.

Colorful 8-inch-square signs featuring safety messages in haiku are being installed at high-crash locations near cultural institutions and schools, including the Bronx's Grand Concourse, MoMA, downtown Brooklyn and the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.

City Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan announced the new safety campaign, called Curbside Haiku, on Tuesday.

• Read the original story at NBCNewYork.com

Paid for using a state grant from DWI funds, the series includes 12 designs with accompanying haikus that each deliver a targeted safety message by focusing on one transportation mode.
For example, a sign featuring the silhouette of "Walking Man" is paired with the haiku “Too averse to risk / To chance the lottery, yet / Steps into traffic."
• See all the designs (.pdf)

Half of the signs will be hung in pairs, with the image and haiku text appearing. The remaining set feature an image with a QR code to allow New Yorkers to access the safety message via smartphone.
Artist John Morse wrote the haikus and designed the accompanying signs. More than 200 will be installed.

Driving is so much easier!

2011-11-29T10:35:00.001-08:00

This has been around since the BP oil spill, but it's good to post it every once in a while just in case we begin to forget.

Created by Mark Fiore. See more at http://www.markfiore.com

Roadside Memorials.

2011-11-29T09:14:00.000-08:00

I just noticed yesterday that the roadside memorial at 4th and Washington has been spruced up. In fact, if you didn't know better you'd think someone was decorating for the holidays. I won't forget this one anytime soon since I happened past the scene of the accident about 2 minutes after it happened. In this case it was motorcycle vs. taxi. Any other analysis aside.....the guy on the motorcycle lost.

I know some people think this type of memorial is tragic, sad, disturbing, or even an eyesore. To me it's a reminder that a real person died here. It was probably preventable if either (or both) parties had just taken a bit more time to make sure the intersection was clear.

I don't have a great transition here.....I guess I could talk about a number of cyclist I follow on this route each morning who blow through stop signs and the danger they put themselves in. It could be a segway into how the driver they tick off might take it out on some innocent cyclist later on who does stop for stop signs, and how messed up this is.

What it really reminds me of, with the holiday season upon us, is that perhaps we should give the gifts of courtesy, patients, and kindness on our daily commutes. Doesn't matter if your in a car, on a bike, or walking. It sure would make one part of everyone's day a little better!

Dogs and bikes.

2011-11-28T11:18:00.000-08:00

My pup is past these days due to some very expensive knee surgery, but this is still an awesome video!

Lily Shreds trailside. on pinkbike.com

Holiday Ramblings...

2011-11-28T09:10:00.000-08:00

The long holiday weekend was exactly what I needed. I'll try to keep it brief, but here's what happened in the shortest form possible. To start the weekend off right (e.g. preparing for eating tons of turkey and other goodies), the bicycles were loaded with appetizers, wine, and fresh baked bread. We proceeded to attempt to burn some calories before sitting down to our first Thanksgiving dinner with a good friend from our grad. school days and her family.

It's amazing how quiet the roads are around noon on Thanksgiving day. I don't think we saw more than 4 cars on our 4 1/2 mile ride. If that isn't enough to get you out....you should smell the amazing aromas you catch on every street as you ride by houses where turkeys, and hams, and other goodies are all cooking. It really is amazing (and you don't experience this in a car).

After some good conversation, massive amounts of food, and a quick ride back home....we did pack up the car for the drive to Thanksgiving number two. Riding was an option but time pushed us to make the trip in the car.....wifey likes to be punctual! More turkey was sacrificed that evening and many additional good times were had!

The next day it was time to pay for our sins in the form of an extended version of our weekly trail run. By extended I was thinking 6 miles or so....turns out extended is 10 miles or so. Ahhh well, more room for turkey leftovers.

The crew...red sleeve belongs to our leisure suit preacher and beer maker extraordinaire.

Needless to say that the remainder of this day was spend between the hot tub, couch, and eventually the kitchen. Yep, kitchen....after two turkeys at other folks homes, we decided we needed one of our own for leftovers. So the afternoon was spent prepping all the items we still were craving!

The day after the marathon run and marathon cooking session. Someone in the group decided we needed to clean up our act....literally. So Sunday afternoon we loaded up the bikes again (seven layer dip and sour beers....yes) and headed out for a soap making adventure at the a friends house.

Since the friend is the leisure suit preacher and his wife, six home brewed beers were available on tap (in addition to what we contributed) while we played with caustic chemicals and made soap! Other than the steps with lye it's really not too bad (in terms of hazard)!

Seven layer dip is a bit awkward to carry even with an Xtracycle.

Preparing the lye. Note the gloves and goggles!

Melt down all the oils and scents.

Add the lye mixture and stir....for an hour!

Pour into your mold and add color.

Remember to enjoy yourself while working!

So, by the time we finished up dusk had descended and we had a nice ride home. Well, it would have been nicer if I'd remembered to put wifey's front light back on her bike after charging. Caught a little flack for that...but we did have my dyno hub light so we managed to get home without incident. I'd love to say we crashed on the couch at this point....but we ended up doing some clean up in the almost completed brewery building out back before crashing straight into bed!

So that's the long and short of my holiday weekend. Hope yours was as enjoyable!

How safe are your neighborhood steets?

2011-11-23T15:03:00.000-08:00

The Guardian (UK) just posted a map that sends a chill down my spine. It shows the 369,629 people who died on America's roads between 2001 and 2009. I think about things like this every time I opt to take Mill St. to work rather than the river path. I know it only takes one driver on a cell phone or hunting for a radio station to drift into the bike lane and add me to this map. I guess it's why we have a new law that tries to protect "vulnerable road users".

It does raise the question of why I ride Mill St. occasionally. It might be silly...but I think the drivers improve around cyclists when they see them more regularly. I also believe it helps them appreciate some of the local road diets if they see an uptick in cyclists using the lanes. I'm not sure if I could prove either case based on my lone self riding through the winter, but I can hope. On a lighter note....happy thanksgiving!

Now that's how you light a Xmas tree!

2011-11-23T09:07:00.000-08:00

From the RGJ:

Andrew Highison of Envirolution keeps pedaling to provide power for a their holiday tree decorated with recycled materials at the Outlet at Legends on Tuesday in Sparks. Envirolution was among many area nonprofits and businesses decorating the trees to raise help money for charity. They will be on display until Dec. 5. / David B. Parker/RGJ

Click the caption for a link to the whole article.