Night Riding and Good Route Planning.

Yep, it's dark out there after work these days.  I had to make a quick run to REI after work a couple nights ago.  As a result I ended up riding on this portion of Kietzke (between Reno Toyota and Vasser) in an attempt to make it to a lower traffic road (Vasser).  While there are now bike lanes on much of Kietzke Lane....it's still not a fun or safe place to ride (even with good lights) at night.

So how do you avoid this type of situation.  The short answer is route planning.  I chose to ride out through the Reno Toyota and go down Kietzke Lane to Vasser (Red Route).  What I should have done to have a safer ride was head back out via Harvard Way and connect up with Vasser a little farther East (Green Route).

In my case I choose the red route on purpose (I normally do take the green route), just for a change of pace.  I have quite a few lights on my bike and person (4 total) so I wasn't too worried about being visible to traffic.  However, after even this short section on Kietzke, I was reevaluating this choice.  The sad truth is that while there is bicycle infrastructure on this road....I just didn't feel like people were expecting, looking out for, or aware that I was right next to them as they zipped along at 50 mph or more.

I'm tempted to use the analogy of "putting lipstick on a pig" for the bike lanes on Kietzke Lane.  While route planning is definitely the answer to safety.... I'm left wondering how to further implement bicycle infrastructure with respect to certain road types (e.g. 4 lane "highways").  Are we better off developing this type of infrastructure just so we can say it's there, and we "can" ride there.  Or should we be developing a network of neighborhood "greenways" (like my green route) where there aren't painted bike lanes (there aren't on much of Harvard Way), but bicycles are prioritized via sharrows or some other shared roadway designation on the lower speed, lower traffic streets?

Anyway, something to think about....

Another rider in the night.

As I headed out from work yesterday, I saw quite a sight.  Some nut on a bike.....Shocking, I know, that I would notice this.  This guys was different however, not just a kid on a bike or someone who couldn't afford a car.  This guys was decked out.  Bright front lights, multiple blinkers on the rear (including one on a jacket mount?), panniers with reflective piping.......and did I detect the glint of studs in those tires?

The only idiot I know who fits close to that description is me....and due to some laziness, my bike was right behind me in the back of the car as I drove to yoga.  So who the heck rides in this kind of weather....in the dark....on scary roads like Mill St.

I was so stunned (and driving) that I didn't get a picture (so I stole the one below from Reno-Rambler)!  

I did get a good look at the guy bike and immediately I had my answer.  It was none other than the rambler of Reno himself, the Reno-Rambler of long time bike blogging fame.

This picture is stolen directly from Reno-Rambler.blogspot.com

Could this be the perfect bike?  Lighting (check), rack (check), panniers (check), fenders (check), studded tires (not sure....but I know he has them), easily configured (check), no overly fancy suspension or parts (check).  One bike to do it all!?

The truth is, what I recognized was the absolutely classic Bridgestone MB-1 that I know he rides....and was in fact featured in his blog recently.  It's an excellent example of how one bike can be configured to run in any conditions for any purpose.

So hats to the Reno Rambler for keeping his pledge to ride every day this year!

Commuting these days / nights....

If you don't have a good light and you're still out there riding, it's probably past time!

Bad picture...but you get the idea. 

Once you are equipped, you'll find out riding in the city at night is actually a pretty experience.  Not too many towns are lit up like ours!