48 Hour Car Ownership

I was a car owner this week — for an entire 48 hours. I blame my first mentor for my defeat because she drilled into me the value of service to community. That is why I volunteer for several organizations, one being the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, which meets in locations throughout the state.  I serve as Vice President and that role means that I can’t make excuses or miss meetings.

After weeks of trying to hitch a ride to the board meeting with several folks in the area, I admitted defeat. And so off to Tallahassee I went in a very comfy, full size, gas guzzling rental car. In fact, it cost me just as much to rent the car for two days as it did for the gas it took to get there and back.

Anyone who has driven to Tallahasee from Jacksonville can agree that it is the most boring ride known to man.  You can’t even make phone calls to pass time because the service in the wilderness is, lets say, sketchy.  I drove there one day and back the next, loathing most of the ride, and even pumped gas once (I forgot how much I dislike that entire stinky process). It was actually a bit of a relief to unload the car yesterday. The next meeting is in May in Gainesville, so wish me luck in finding some unsuspecting victim to cart me back to my alma mater. Let’s Go Gators!

Piece of Cake

Something interesting happened yesterday, although I am not sure I can properly explain it because it was more of a feeling than an incident. After biking back to Riverside from downtown, I pulled up to the office, and as I was locking my bike I had a satisfying realization. My commute hadn’t really been a big deal. It was effortless, so to speak. I think that is because biking is really just becoming part of my lifestyle, so I have stopped thinking so much about the process. It has taken four months but it is a good milestone to reach.

That upward trek along the river walk that takes you over the railroad bridge used to be my nemesis. I would have to mentally prepare myself each time I approached it.  Not the case yesterday. Instead, I stopped at the top and enjoyed the view for a few minutes, thinking about all of the people have enjoyed this serene spot. The beautiful weather may have had something to do with my epiphany. I am going to enjoy it while it lasts.

Naturalist Deux

I am so bummed that my previous post entitled “Naturalist” disappeared from WordPress — thanks to the mobile application not syncing correctly. Or maybe it was an anti-drunk text application and Siri thought it was saving me an embarrassing moment. After all, who in a sober state would pontificate about how lovely it is to be closer to nature and how they’d like to live the life of a snail or turtle?

While I can’t recreate the steps I will take to end my daydreaming and live life like nature, I can re-post this awesome snail shot and the sweet little turtles all stretched out and sunning themselves. I spotted those two by the culvert at Willowbranch Creek.

 

Loud Voices

Canterbury Street

While I did capture one of my favorite canopy trees walking home from the kid’s school this week, I’ve been hitching rides most of the week from my hubby. He’s been off work and it has been nice because we rarely get time to talk and catch up with one another. Juggling the kids and work and a household leaves little idle time to conjure up dreams about our future or even just to be silly with one another. The car rides to work and downtown to meetings, talking and laughing together, have been a treat.

On my way back from downtown today I took advantage of the last week of the Riverside Trolley service operating beyond Five Points. As I was daydreaming, and lamenting the death of the trolley actually going into a residential area, I noticed this great sign along the roof line. Did you know that cursing is a “no no” on the bus? When I read this I got an uncontrollable urge, like someone with Tourette’s, to reel off curses as if I were Yosemite Sam “#!$%&*”. Alas, I was a model citizen despite what was going on in my head.

Retro Style Throwback

This week I had the special treat of having a beer with my predecessor’s son.  Bonnie Grissett was an amazing woman. I knew that when I took over the job at RAP almost four years ago, as I secretly wished I could do a matrix download of her immense knowledge bank. I had no idea; however, that she and I had so much in common, including the bicycle.

Germania Club

David shared with me that their family lived near the old Germania, or German American Club, which was located near where the YMCA is today. It was there, at her house on Riverside Avenue, that Bonnie hosted a punk rock show back in the day (at her son’s insistence). And it was when they lived there that Bonnie bought a bike from Lakeshore Schwinn, completely outfitted for commuting.

She had these huge expandable bags installed on each side of her cycle so that she could use the bike to go grocery shopping. Fond memories now replace the teenage awkwardness felt when friends would say “I saw your Mom at the grocery store yesterday.” I truly wish I had a photo of her and her Schwinn but the picture in my mind might be even better — a strong, independent and determined woman biking because it was meaningful to her not to use her car if she didn’t have to do so.

The fact that I now have the opportunity to follow in her footsteps is an honor. I have had the best feeling all week after meeting with David and I am proud to be throwing back to Bonnie, a woman going green before green was cool.

This Next One’s the First Song on our New Album

The Beastie Boys gave me a shout this morning for much inspiration and made me recall that I have a blog. While I have not been the best about using that blog, I still have been doing my thang — biking, hitching and riding transit. Three months down and it is easier, although not without some inconveniences from time to time, mostly due to me stacking appointments too close together.

Hanging in front of Jenks House B&B

I have had the opportunity to participate in some cool stuff. Intuition invited me to come talk about my biking experience during their Slow Foods Bike Tour last month. The tour started at the brewery and led on a bike ride to a couple different houses where owners cooked up a meal from items produced in their backyard gardens, right in Riverside Avondale.

After my spiel at Intuition, Cari equipped me with a growler of beer —Mmmmm.  The first stop after that was Jenks House B&B where Tom and Ila Rae opened their doors, garden and kitchen to us — and served us some delicious soup and some of the best okra I have ever had in my life. They might just be the best people I know. I had to depart the tour from there to go save my husband from a 6 year old birthday party.  Showing up with a growler made me “that Mom” but I had a good story for why I was carting alcohol to a kids party so all forgave.

I also got invited to talk about my commuting experiences in Duval for MetroJax as a guest writer next month.  There are some impressive people on the list of guest writers and I feel extremely honored to be included among them — really super pumped to be asked to participate.

As an insiders view of what else gets me pumped, here is the video version of my inspiration bike ride song today:

Dirndl Twilight Zone

Not drunk, although I certainly look it.

It’s a good thing that I had an extra set of clothes for my ride home after RAM‘s Oktoberfest Friday night. I might have been arrested or propositioned, or both, sporting a dirndl as I rode through Riverside at 11pm.

While it is just over three miles to the market from my home, a few people were surprised that i didn’t hitch a ride. Maybe that is because there is a general feeling that riding home at night by oneself isn’t very safe.

Because of other people’s safety concerns at night, I almost always get an offer to stick my bike in someone’s trunk, pickup bed or even in their backseat. Sometimes I do take them up on that offer, especially when I am really tired and/or not feeling very aware of my surroundings.

After Oktoberfest, I decided to ride home on my own and it felt really good to ride in the dark with the cool Fall air against my skin, at first.  Once I passed King Street, the neighborhood became so desolate that I felt like I was in a Twilight Zone episode.  The one where a couple wakes up in a fake town after a wild night of drinking (which I found and posted below for your viewing pleasure). There was no one out at all, not even on their front porches.  Spooky?  Yes, but not enough to keep me off the streets at night (even on Halloween).

Trucking It

I have been M.I.A. the last couple weeks but I have good reason. I have been so freaking busy! I moved the RAP headquarters (temporarily) one weekend only to have to move my personal home the next. Now almost recovered, I thought it would be good to share the value of “the truck”.

I grew up around big vehicles because us southerners love our vans, trucks and duallies. While I do think S.U.V.s and trucks are gas guzzlers and truly not necessary for most people’s everyday lifestyle, there are some people who use them for work. I recognize and have a major appreciation for that, especially when that work involves hauling my heavy furniture and a ton of boxes from one place to another.

Thank you to Frank from R.A.M. and to Two Men and a Truck (which actually had three men) for lending your trailers, trucks and brawn to the effort. Moving stinks in general and it is definitely a moment when those of us without a vehicle need others to come to our rescue. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that all that moving may have diminished the lower carbon footprint I’ve been working so hard towards for over two months. But, what’s a girl to do?

Show Off

I got some gadgets today! My favorite I just installed on the bike — a mount for my iphone so I can easily listen to music. Following closely behind is “One Good Earbud,” which actually takes the sound that would be divided between two earphones and puts it in one. That way you can hear songs clearly while also being able to hear road noise (so you don’t get yourself run down because you are deaf to the world). I also got a nice rain jacket that is snug around the wrists and head. The helmet, I hate — they are all just enormous monstrosities and I am convinced that there is no getting around looking just a tad special in one.

I also want to show off the box I installed on the bike a couple of weeks ago, courtesy of my hubby. It is the perfect place to display support for my favorite brewery, Intuition, where I am number 117 Mug Club member. It also nicely holds my Crystal Floyd bear bag that always get comments from the security guy at City Hall. Without fail, as my bag emerges from the x-ray scanner, he comments “what a cute little bear, until he tears your head off.”

Florida’s Hills

Florida is so flat. Sometimes that is nice on a bike because you don’t have to work that hard to get around. But hills are also fun and so the few I get to coast down everyday are a special treat.

Herschel has a gradual, gliding dip near Boone Park but my favorite slope is where Willowbranch Creek divides Oak Street.  There is a little pedestrian bridge that crosses over the water right there and the incline makes for a little excitement every morning on my way to work.

Doesn't look like much, and my stupid finger got in the picture, but trust me it is a fun dip.