Riding in the rain

& Freezing my fingers and toes. I dunno. It might not be the smartest thing in the world when you are sick to go out riding your bike in the rain/hail/snow?! If you happen to be running an experiment where you dont drive for a month, then I guess that's what you do. Never mind that your car is parked in your driveway and your bike is locked up in the garage.
2 more days and it will be a month without using my car. I will give a complete breakdown of costs and what I felt the outcome was like when the 31 days are up.
In the mean time, im glad I have a waterproof rainjacket and pants, serious gloves and gore-tex boots. Id say my look is reminiscient of Randy from a Christmas Story when he goes outside.

Building my trike and getting a ticket

Mostly its been nice not driving my car. I feel invigorated riding my bike and I have a sense of freedom that I don't have behind the wheel. The temperature has been dropping and last night, riding back from my parents place to the Bart station at 10pm my ears felt like they had frozen off. I started riding with my thermals and a heavier jacket which for the most part keeps me warm while riding. The only thing I really don't like is the extreme temperature changes from being outside to going inside.

I thought I would be saving money by not driving my car. As soon as I started this experiment the cost of gas tanked! As you can see, I got a parking ticket for parking in front of my house before the street cleaners came. $53.00 buh-bye!
I need to seriously consider selling my car and canceling my insurance because this experiment is starting to cost me money. Money for Bart. Money for Zipcar. Money for insurance...




In addition to the parking tickets,spiders have been making their home...


Aside from the cold, the parking tickets and the spiders, I finally put together my 2007 Burningman project. I had purchased a tricycle that I was going to mount a sound-system to. I balked when the theme was the Green Man and I couldn't figure out a way to have an environmentally friendly mobile set-up. I had been meaning to put together the tricycle anyhow but thought I didn't have the right tools to do it. Today I really examined everything and realized that not only do I have everything I need, but that it would be fairly simple to put together.


And after bruising my hand, and straining my back and bending the fenders I finally got it together. After I went on a test ride I realized I had to flip the platform over, as I installed it upside down.
The finished product is pretty cool and im anxious to explore different ideas of what I can do with it...

Carpool

Yesterday, B and I went to see Spencer Day perform at the Napa Valley Opera House. We didnt want to rent a Zipcar, especially because we knew so many people going. It turned out that my friend who lives down the block was able to drive us there and two other friends gave us a ride back.
We were scheduled to leave around 4:30 but B was running a little late, but to give him credit he called me when he was home and then ended up at my place 20 minutes later... We left around 4:40 and there was merciless traffic from my house to Vallejo. I'm just glad we weren't driving and that it was possible to make it happen to actually get there...
We went out to a place called Ubuntu, a vegetarian, yoga studio restaurant that got very good reviews. We enjoyed our meal, but not the bill, and in afterthought every dish was covered or made with cheese, and our tummies were a little non-plussed later in the evening. Maybe it was the entire bottle of wine??
The concert was great, with Spencer singing new songs, backed by a great group of talented musicians. He finished with Leonard Cohens, Hallelujah, which brought the house down..
After the show we got a ride back and B made the comment that it helps when you have a community of friends who drive too. Im leaning more and more towards the idea of getting rid of my car, but Im waiting for the rain to star first to see if I can make do.

Maybe it is possible?

Yesterday was a crazy bike ride! It started with an appointment in downtown Oakland, and then heading back home. I refueled and then headed to Ashby Bart and onto El Cerrito. Earlier I had gotten a call for a job in Kensington and I mapped out their house and decided that I could ride there but would take Bart to El Cerrito. What I didnt take into account was how much uphill there would be!
I arrived in El Cerrito and looked at my directions. It looked like I was heading to the top of the mountain (hill!). I starting riding and ended up in a cemetery. The roads didn't have any names so I just kept heading uphill. I passed small groves that had been overgrown with trees and brush and had toppled head stones. I looked out to the City which peaked through the hills, with a group of Asian headstones made out of marble lined up in front of me. I was out of breathe, wrapped in my Kafia, gloves and carrying too much equipment. I continued to head up and I found a gate that lead me to the street I was looking for. Unfortunately for me it was straight up hill. I wasn't prepared for the incline, and road and walked my bike up. Finally I made it into Kensington and to my clients house. She opened the door and asked where I parked. I said I left my bike in the garage. She was impressed, and frankly so was I. As I sat working on her computer sweat dripped down into my mouth as I slammed back 2 full glasses of water. I had planned on going to the gym, but felt fairly convinced that this was enough exercise for the day.
I realized that I was going to have to take her computer and my only option was to strap it into my basket on the front of bike. I saddled up, secured her computer and proceeded to head back to my house. The computer was blocking my bike light so I put that in my mouth and coasted down the hill. My crank started to give, and as I peddled, I thought my pedal was going to fall off. I had to hold the computer, my bike light (it was making me drool) and the brakes as I negotiated the turns and bumps back down to Shattuck. Every time I hit a bump, I would slow down and brace the computer so it wouldn't bounce.
I got near the Cheeseboard and thought now was a good time for a pizza. I propped my bike up and went in and bought a whole 1/2 baked pizza, tossed it into my bag, which had my laptop, disks, and cables, hopped back on my bike and road down Shattuck. I got to the Missing Link and thought they could fix my pedal. It was as simple as tightening a bolt, and they had me on my way. I continued down Shattuck until I got to my street where I disembarked and took the picture below.
Craziest ride ever. Oh, and I fixed the computer and I just finished the pizza. Delicious!




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Just my luck!

I have yet to use my car. It has also been relatively pleasant weather. The moment it starts to rain im going to have to figure something out. Rainproof gear is probably going to be the first priority.
Anyhow, I rented a Zipcar to pick some people up from the airport and their plane was delayed. I couldnt cancel the reservation or I would have been charged, and stupid me didnt realize I had only booked it for 2.5 hours, so I was able to extend it 1/2 an hour for free (i guess the lesson is always book hour increments, even if you wont use them).
The car was out of gas again, and had a few chips in the windshield. I wish they would outline what they will or will not charge you for, beacause when I picked up the car it was pitch black and I couldnt see anything until I got to the gas station.
I made it with three minutes to spare, the same as last time, but at least this time there was a parking space.
The idea of a bio-diesel car is sounding more and more appealing.....