Yep...

From Midnight Ridazz own, Richard...

Use Your Incentive! Buy A Bike!

You are about to get some money from Uncle Sam. I have a very easy way for this money to earn dividends beyond your wildest dreams. This small amount spent correctly, will improve your health, improve your mood, save you money on gas, and will open you up to your neighborhood.
Here's the plan:

Step #1 - Get your "Economic Stimulus" check or direct deposit. (Yay! I have $600.00 or $1200 for married couples.)
Step #2 - Look in your garage, or storage area for that bicycle that you used to ride. (If you don't have a bike, skip to Step #4)
Step #3 - Take that bike down to your local bike shop for a tune-up.
Step #4 - If you don't currently have a bike, go buy a bike at your local bike shop. You should get a bike that fits you. Have the shop recommend a simple bike for you to get around town with. Fit it with a basket, or rack so you can haul stuff that you picked up on your errands. A backpack also works, and you probably already have one. These are trips around your neighborhood you would normally take by car.
Step #5 - Buy a helmet, and some flashing lights. You want to be SEEN by drivers.
Step #6 - RIDE!! Every time you are about to get in the car, say to yourself, "Self... Can I run this errand on my bike?"

By following these steps, you WILL become healthier, save money, discover your neighborhood, and generally feel good. You will notice things about the world around you and find a long lost sense of freedom and adventure.
You've just been given free money. Put some of it away, sure. Pay down your debt, sure.
Trust in this... Health is wealth. Invest in yourself and buy a bike.

(Wear a helmet)

Roll Populi

The wheels on the bikes go round and round...
We can't avoid it. The news stream pounds into our heads the spectre of great socio-economic collapse spurned by higher and higher fuel prices, further reinforcing the Bush Plan.
However, an alternative is taking shape. A silent revolution of commuters dusting off the transportation in their garages and storage areas.
I see people on bicycles riding to work.
I see more people now on bikes as I drive, and I'm joined at stoplights by more cyclist commuters as I ride.
This is a beautiful thing. Think about it, as fuel prices go up, more people will turn to alternative transportation. We take buses and trains. We ride our bikes. We car pool.
Thus, we reduce airborne pollution and greenhouse gases. We become healthier by exercise. We discover new things and places in our own backyard, and become more social with other human beings.

My only request: Wear a helmet.

This Here's Nishiki Country...

Good Day!
Well, the sun is shining, and the rains have subsided. It's back on the bike time and I will never ever hibernate through the winter again. It doesn't do anyone any good.
So, in my contemplating the commute from Culver City to Burbank again, I built up a new (old) bike. Embracing the "steel is real" philosophy, I picked up a 1986 Nishiki Prestige from a seller on Craigslist. By all accounts, I should have stripped the frame and repainted, but just wanting to take a crack at rebuilding and overhauling a bike for the first time, I left it.
So now instead of rolling up to work on my graciously donated Cannondale, I'm now pedaling along on a proper tank of a bike. The bike came with these gold anodized Araya rims, so I trued them up and repacked the bearings over at Bikerowave in Santa Monica, and wrapped them with Continental Contact touring tires. Stripped all the parts off, replaced the headset, brake levers, cables, and chain. Swapped out for a new-to-me front deralieur. Added a Jandd lightweight rack for the back and... Wow. I've done a lot to that bike.
Either way, rode up to work for the first time this year last week and made it. The reward for an hour of climbing is flying at 30mph down Barham Blvd. to the Studio. Not bad.

So, I think that I'll be saving on fuel costs the more I ride into work. Just too bad that the fat I lose won't be made into biodiesel. That would be very gross. "Soylent Fuels"?

Rain+Malaise = FAT!

Yo. After such a triumphant accomplishment that was the MS150, I let myself go. Haven't biked to work in months, blamed it on the rain, and worst of all, I neglected my bike.
Friday night I got off my 15lb heavier ass and gave the bike a good once-over. It didn't even seem mad at me. Took the (very) light layer of grime off the bike. Lubed the chain, cables, pedals, and dérailleurs. Greased the seat tube, and pedal threads. Wiped the whole thing down. Checked the tires.
Found a couple of punctures, but the sidewalls are holding up fine. I have these Slime tubes which make the bike ride a bit heavier cause you're spinning goo within the tires, but I know it's saved me from a couple of gnarly flats. Dunno. Maybe replace the tires and put in normal tubes? Eh.

The thing I need to get back is my motivation. After last year's Acura LA bike tour, I was so jazzed about going 22 miles and getting a medal, that I formed a team and signed up for the MS150. Train, train, hate, train, love, train, train, love, hate, indifference, love.... MS150.
After it was all over, I went into my LBS and saw what would be my next bike, a Torelli Countach. Italian steel. Lighter than my aluminum Cannondale. Ahh to dream.
Then...
I sat down on the couch.

The next few months will be retraining my body to love the bike. Retraining my brain to love 6:00 am. Retraining my motivation to know that 40 miles is a nice Sunday ride.

Stay tuned...

Post Ride, Post Bike, Post Bio

Hi There.
Well, the Start to Finish MS 150 ride was a resounding success, save for the fact that the second day was stopped at mile 30 due to extraordinary winds. Those same winds ultimately caught SoCal on fire for a few weeks. Not good. Thanks to all who donated and especially thank you to Robyn, Andy, Michele, Mindy, Mike & Olivia for being our core team. Next year in Jerusalem.

Haven't done any serious riding since the MS 150. I am a bad cyclist. I blame the daylight savings. Can anyone re commend a good light?

Where has all the biodiesel in Southern California gone? WTF??? Marina Del Rey's pumps are out. There's only one working pump at Conserv Fuel, and they certainly don't want me to Conserv Money because their prices are outrageous. Even SoCal Biodiesel Co-Op's prices are high. I'm halfway to spending my saturdays degreasing the combs of Venice Beach hipsters to make fuel.

Well, looks like it's back to the bike to thwart the evils of my own fat ass, and the oil cartels.

I'm Back!

Well that was a heck of a hiatus from posting on the Bike and Bio Blog. Good to be back.
So news up to the moment...

Putting together a team to ride the "Start to Finish MS" bike tour in October. Andy and I have been training and riding a lot more than we were. It's a good thing. Keeps me motivated. The team is nearly at our fundraising goal and we've got some great supporters behind us. Thanks to all.

I rode from Culver City (home) to Burbank (work) two weeks ago Wednesday. What I thought was an insane route a few months back was pretty manageable. Just keep eating and drinking and conserve energy, and it's do-able. Also it's got a great "you're insane!" factor behind it.

The biodiesel machine is truckin along just fine. Almost to 100,000 miles. Shed a tear and look forward to it's new life as a 100k+ car.

More to come...

Cyclist? Bike Enthusiast?

Alright. Do I need to define myself? Am I a cyclist if I'm not competitive? Am I a bike enthusiast if I ride for more than just the scenery?
I started riding a bike when I thought that I wanted a leisurely ride on Saturday morning down to the beach. I got a rusty old beach cruiser. Replaced the tires, re-packed the bearings, and got a new seat. Now I call the seat a saddle. I gave the cruiser away when I got my hybrid. I thought that riding to the beach would be more fun if I went a little faster, if the bike held together better, I could go farther. I could explore more. I found that I liked going faster and I got a bike computer to tell me how fast and how far.
Then came the road bike. A co-worker of mine found a Cannondale SR900 among thousands of beer cans in a forclosure property. He got $800 worth of recycling, and I got the bike and a mechanic's stand. I cleaned it, replaced the pedals, and got a new saddle. Now I can go even faster, I feel like I could go farther, and I can really start to build technique and a body that lycra wouldn't embarass.
Is this what I want out of cycling? Can I exist in two camps of bike riding? I want to lose more weight and am well on my way. I want to ride to work, and to do that, I need to build up my cycling endurance. So, is it bad to train on the road bike and then choose the hybrid for commuting?
I can't stand the gym anymore. Being stationary sucks. I think the only way to figure out what keeps me riding is to just keep riding. Not worry about which bike as long as I am on a bike.

I found a new barber. His name is David and cuts hair in Culver City at George's on Sepulveda. He's been racing bikes for years. When I asked him how to train and get better, he said, "Go from where you get on the path all the way down. Pass Manhattan Beach. Go to Palos Verdes, up the hill by Trump's golf course and come back. Do that every weekend for a year, and then maybe you will be ready for a club ride."

I think I'll stop wondering, and just keep riding.

500 Miles and Runnin'!

I thought it was awesome when I rolled into work and my trip odometer read 475 miles. Then I decided to just drive home normally and head directly to USA Fuel in Marina Del Rey. Pulled up to the pump, and there it was. 500.1 miles.
Beauty!
That was on 50/50 petro/biodiesel. This tank is all bio. Let's see what this puppy can do.
I have been accused of driving a bit grandmotherly since getting the TDI. I want to suck as many miles out of the tank as possible, but also, I'm getting used to the dimensions of the car.
Peppier driving to come.

Pictures from the Acura L.A. Bike Tour

Pictures of the lovely Robyn, and my intrepid compatriots, Andy, John, and Brad. Had fun. Felt good. I need to ride to work. Just once.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40598603@N00/sets/72157594571608674/

The first real fllup. 458 miles on this one...

Wow. After years of thinking it wasn't so bad getting 23 mpg in the Alero, and then the years of thinking, 23 mpg sucks and I need a new car, getting 458 miles to the tank is awesome!
Right now, it's working out to about 38 mpg, which is pretty good. I've been doing more coasting. Coasting is good. Sometimes coasting pisses off the driver behind you, but whatever. The light is red, calm down.

So here's the deal. I did 7 gallons of petro-diesel, at $3.09 / gal (which was the lowest priced fuel at the station. Hah!) And then I went to USA Fuel in Marina Del Rey and topped off the tank with Biodiesel. I don't know what the deal is, but the car is noticably quieter at idle. Must be that lubrcity thing.

I sold my car (the Alero) Thursday night and things are good. Got a car cover for the Jetta so the Burbank sun and grime doesn't destroy the finish which was so well cared for by its previous owner. Got a car wash today, and I love the diesel.

I still feel weird filling up half as often as I used to, and always being able to find a vacant pump. It will be interesting to see what happens to gas prices this summer.

As others have said... I'm burnin the bean!

Withdrawal

This is amazing. I fueled up on Sunday, and it's Thursday, and the gas guage has barely moved! I'm going through serious gasoline withdrawal here. What am I going to do with the extra time each week where I don't have to stop and fill up?

So taking the advice of other TDI folks on TDIclub.com I pushed in the vent button while filling up, and got the maximum full-ness out of the tank. We'll see how far it goes.

Oh, and if you know anyone looking to buy a '99 Olds Alero V6 with a really nice interior, let me know.

Quite a Day. Both Biking and Bio-ing

Well, today was amazing. Acura L.A. Bike tour this morning (3:30 Wakeup!!) and this evening, i picked up my 2003 Jetta TDI.
I'm psyched. Got a medal for riding the 22 miles through Los Angeles with my buddies, and I got my car. Great day.

This morning, my lovely wife used the utility of her SUV to drive two of us to the bike tour, and we met the other guys at the parking lot.
We lined up, and in a barrage of booming fireworks, the ride was on!
We got to see parts of LA we normally wouldn't or couldn't ride through if there were traffic. Props to all who rode and finished. Thoughts out to the person who had a nasty fall on the bridge. Hope everything is okay.
We finished, met for breakfast, and then got some sleep. I'm going to train for the MS 150 in October. Now I definately feel like I could ride to work.

Tonight we went down to Long Beach and met the guy from whom I bought my TDI. That thing gets FAST on the freeway! I'm looking forward to "walking the walk" and it's onward from here.

Today was a great day. Felt accomplished, and now I have a new car.

Pictures from the ride soon.

The Bike Tour is Next Weekend!

The Acura LA Bike Tour is next weekend. Looms large in the distance.
Was at a wedding this weekend. Didn't ride and ate too much.
It's only 26 miles. WTF?

The TDI Cometh!

I am joining the resistance.
Enough research. Time for the action.
I did some of the ol' maths, and it would take me about 5 years in full-tank biodiesel fillups to equal the cost difference between what I would pay for this car and a new Prius. All the while, if I got tha Prius, still supporting the oil addiction.
If the Hummer is to Heroin, then the Prius is to Methadone. "Ease off. Ease off..."
I'm going cold turkey.
Again, I've been going back and forth for two years now. Prius... Biodiesel... Prius... Biodiesel... Enough.
My car is in need of an upgrade, and I can't wait to start driving my TDI.
Also, California is out of carpool lane stickers, and my company ended it's Hybrid incentive through Commuter Services. So, I'm getting my veggies and pumping it into the tank.
Hopefully my withdrawal from gasoline will be an easy one.
Three buckets...

The Training Ride

This Saturday, despite the threats of rain, Andy, Jon, and I went on a ride in preparation for our attempt at the Acura L.A. Bike Tour. 17 miles. Not bad. And that's in traffic! We started out at 10:00 am and rode up Sepulveda (North). We met Jon at the corner of Venice and Sepulveda, and then we all went East toward La Brea. Confirming that we were all good to go, we headed North on La Brea to Olympic, West on Olympic and back to Sepulveda, which we took South back to the start.
We made it up the hill at Century City, and the surprise rise just before Palms going South on Sepulveda. All for the reward of a smoothie at Mateo's in the strip mall at Sepulveda and Lucerne.
Even with traffic, stop lights, and our huffing, we did the loop, which my bike computer put at 17.3 miles, in about an hour and 15 minutes. That's good enough for me. It also made me think that I could do the ride from Culver City to Burbank, which is only 14 miles. That's the goal. Ride to work. It's a little insane, but I'll do it eventually.

Good ride. Looking forward to the Acura LA Bike Tour!

Volkswagen into the Green

http://www.channel4.com/4car/ft/feature/feature/7134/1

Volkswagen in recent decades, in terms of technology, been the diesel leader in the US. We have the TDI, and for those of us looking to get the most efficiency out of biodiesel, the TDI is the way to go.
I still haven't bought my biodiesel ride yet, but it's nice to see that Volkwagen is still looking toward a green future, and solutions for the immediate future that make sense.

greenoptions.com - A Review

Well, there's a new green blog out there, and since it got a hugg, thought I'd give it a try.
Including me, there are about a few hundred others out there who think that a green blog is a good idea. A good way of educating a community of users as to how better to make a change for the better.
I applaud all, including GreenOptions.com
Overall the site is attractive and well set up. There are links to daily stories about the greening of society, and those trying to make a difference.
Keeping true to the cause of Bike and Bio, I surfed GreenOptions.com
to see what's on their radar about bicycling, bike commuting, and biodiesel. Well, I was a bit disappointed. There was no mention of biodiesel, and the biking links were pretty sanitized and (pardon the pun) recycled. However, Green Options seems like it has a future, and I look forward to their link farm growing.
With bikes back in the news, and the mainstream media trying to convince people that sharing the road with cars is SO DANGEROUS, any site that promotes biking as a viable means of transportation is a good one.

Onward into a greener future.

Dunn in the House

Today I shoplifted some Ju Ju Be's.
See. That's the last time.

Dr. Dunn is awesome and will be the benevolent savior of our species on this planet.
Listen to him.

Breaking Away

I've never seen "Breaking Away" before. It's awesome. Benefits of being home. Phlegm is the downside.