Georgia Rides to the Capitol - 2008

In March of each year, hundreds of cyclists from around metro Atlanta converge on the Capitol to show legislators our numbers.



And they were turning into bicycles, all across our nation -- from Joni Mitchell's early version of Woodstock

It was just one big celebration.

Lots of kids were riding this year. I wish I had gotten more photos of them.

The Emory T-Shirts (Blue with a white dot "Why Not?") were out in strong numbers. I think the Georgia Tech guys need to respond.

I had joined the Decatur group that approached from the East. When we got to the intersection of Edgewood and Courtland, we waited for the group from the north and then merged into a massive surge. I felt like I was rushing onto the field after a big win.

My co-worker who rides recreationally joined us for the trip in today. I also spoke with another neighbor who was riding for the first time. The emotional support and the enthusiasm for what can happen when cyclists take to the roads may win over a few more commuters.

All of this was great, but my best part was when we rode past the playground full of adoring fans (kids) at the Atlanta School in Inman Park. Last year I overheard a couple of boys talking to each other: "It's a bicycle race".

"No", said the second kid as he looked straight at me, "it's not a race."

This year I passed the school and my ego was bouyed instead of deflated.

Commute Summary

Round Trip Distance: 20.0
Number of Cyclists seen: billions (ok, only 1500 or so)
In-bound Route: Georgia Rides to the Capitol
Out-bound Route: Emory via Clifton
Weather: Missed forecast. We were supposed to have sunny skies and warm temps, but it was cloudy and cool (but not so cool I couldn't wear shorts though).

Wanderlust Commute

I rode a large figure eight this morning, headed away from the office at first, passing the office, and then swinging around behind the office to approach from the Georgia Tech side. If there was a homing device planted on me, it would have looked like I was trying to shake someone off my trail.

There was some purpose to riding 13.5 miles to cover 3 miles of distance, besides playing hooky, of course.

There is a hole in the pavement on the east end of the 17th Street Bridge. It happens to be right where the bike lane cuts across the right-turn only lane and is angled such that you are on top of the hole before you see how deep it is. Also, the cyclist could easily be distracted with crossing the lane of traffic and could miss (or rather not miss) the hole. I had wanted to get some pictures.

From 17thStreetHole

I thought my experiences getting this hole fixed would lead to some interesting posts. The Atlanta Bicycle Campaign has some contact information for people who can help get this fixed, but I understand it may need some updating. I may be able to accomplish multiple goals by pursuing this.

Just like my recreational commute.

Commute Summary

Round Trip Distance: 22.8
Number of Cyclists seen: more than I could count on the Georgia Tech campus; 13 coming back home
In-bound Route: Lullwater/PATH with extension to Atlantic Station and Ga Tech
Out-bound Route: Emory via Clifton
Weather: 45-degrees with wind out of the west; warm enough for shorts.

February Edition of 3rd Friday Commute

We came. We rode. We ate breakfast.

Since we had missed the Faster Mustache crowd on multiple trips to the Thumbs Up Diner, we dragged a founder of FM along with us to be sure we couldn't miss this time. Well, he was on a fixie, so actually, he dragged us up the hills.

Once the food was brought out, this same guy showed me what I should have ordered. It was a waffle folded over eggs and eaten like a taco. I might have to beg pardon from my usual French Toast and reckon with the waffelaco next month.

This group gets along well, the cycling well-matched and the breakfast location is right on target. Another +1 for recreational commuting and another excellent start of the day.

Commute Summary

Round Trip Distance: 25.8
Number of Cyclists seen: lost count, but there were 5 of us coming in from Decatur
In-bound Route: Decatur/Midtown
Out-bound Route: Emory via Clifton
Weather: Started out in the 30s, no wind and warmed up quick.

Rats! Had to work from home today

The computer system I support has been cranky this past week. This morning it was crying for attention from the moment I got up and didn't stop crying until it was too late to get in the shower. Another work at home day. Third time this week! I'm missing my time on the bike.

At first, I consoled myself with the thought that I would have been riding in the rain, but by afternoon, it was sunny and I was looking forward to the spin back home. I guess I can ride my bike home even when I already am at home, right?.

Then, it occurred to me I could ride the indoor bike and console myself with a different thought: I'm addicted to something that's good for me and the planet.

Commute Summary

Round Trip Distance: 0.0
Number of Cyclists seen: I was looking out my window at cyclists going by
In-bound Route: N/A
Out-bound Route: N/A
Weather: Rainy in AM, but gorgeous in the afternoon (sorry I missed it)

Getting more people on Bikes

Greg Raisman is a Portland resident who recently wrote about how people like you and me can make life better for cyclists. He has a good bit of experience since his job promotes cycling safety with the Portland Office of Transportation.

I've had this idea of Recreational Commuting that I've been kicking around -- commuting and fun go together when you're on a bike -- and Greg's article puts some teeth in that idea.

Greg mentions Portland's "Breakfast on the Bridges" (video), for example. Lots of folks ride alone into the office, but what if you could meet several like-minded commuters for breakfast? This might be all it takes to tip someone off the fence.

Greg reminds us that "Safety in Numbers" works for cyclists and those numbers become self-increasing. He points out, "The more you ride your bicycle, the more likely it is that your friends will ride." Sand dunes are built one grain at a time.

I was also pleased the article mentioned family rides such as the one we have planned for Saturday.

Further supporting this idea of Recreational Commuting is this post on Commute by Bike. The stream of comments left by readers is impressive in both its number and the breadth of experiences. There are an awful lot of ways to get more people on bikes.

Commute Summary

Round Trip Distance: 18.0
Number of Cyclists seen: 20 (17 commuters)
In-bound Route: Wednesday Bike Train
Out-bound Route: Emory via Clifton
Weather: just below freezing in AM and windy; good afternoon temps and less wind.

January Edition of 3rd Friday Commute

I've been hearing about how a Faster Mustache crowd takes over the round table at the Thumbs Up Diner on Edgewood on Friday mornings, but I haven't actually seen so much as a single wheel. The diner is situated on a fine commuting route from Decatur into downtown Atlanta and is (reportedly) a popular breakfast spot for cyclists.

After hearing about the breakfast back in November, I swung by there a few times on my way into the office. It's only a mile or so off my standard route so it was easy to drop by on Fridays. At first, I arrived around 8:45 which was probably late. I didn't see anyone. Next Friday, I dropped by at 8:30. Still no one. Following Friday, 8:15. No one. 8:00. No one.

This pattern suggested I try a different approach.

In late December, we planned for the 3rd Friday Commute to arrive at 7:10. If we stopped and ate breakfast, we certainly couldn't miss the FM crowd.

This morning, four of us met at the Decatur Square at 6:40AM and rode a pleasant and chatty ride to the Thumbs Up Diner. We thought we would be fashionably late, but there were no bicycles outside. Then we thought we might be early and sat next to the round table expecting it to fill up soon. We were the only four cyclists that came in this morning.

Since we don't have any witnesses from FM, I'm offering this receipt as photographic proof that we ate breakfast at the designated time.



We'll try again next month.

Commute Summary

Round Trip Distance: 16.1 (13.2 inbound, direct route home)
Number of Cyclists seen: Lost count in AM. None in evening, but it was after dark and threatening rain.
In-bound Route: 3rd Friday Commute
Out-bound Route: Piedmont Park
Weather: Warmer and drier; sandwiched between the only two snow days Atlanta has seen in a long time. It was sunny and pleasant after we had finished breakfast.

Recreational Commuting

I'm sneaking up on this topic from the side so bear with me.

Virginia-Highland is life at front porch speed. The swinging of your arms as you walk down the sidewalk tells me you've got somewhere to go, but it also looks like you could use a glass of iced-tea. (For the non-southern readers, yes iced-tea, even in winter. I'm sure you'll remember it's always served sweet.) Take a seat on the swing. We're just talking about shifting gears to a more human pace.

Shifting gears is never far from my thoughts, and my office commute has been a part of down-shifting for many years. I had been walking to the office and started riding my bike to get some extra cycling miles, but soon learned there was more to this than simply getting from point A to point B.

First, I live too close to the office. Three miles isn't far enough for a proper bike ride. As exercise, three miles makes a good walking distance, but for a bike, 12-15 minutes isn't enough.

This led to experimenting with new routes that cover more distance. Each day was like opening a present. That's the best I can explain being able to go wherever you wanted. You didn't know where you were going or what you were going to see, but you knew it was probably something you wanted.

At this point, I realized I was having fun. I was satisfying the suppressed desires from my Hooky-Deprived Childhood.

It was only natural that I wanted to share the fun, so I began social commuting. A group of us would chat and ride along our route. Since few commuters share the same route, we would frequently try routes we haven't tried before and the fun started multiplying.

The line between "cycling as recreation" and "cycling as commuting" was first blurred and then almost disappeared altogether. Getting to the office was minor compared to the other goals I was accomplishing:
- becoming more fit,
- making and keeping appointments with my life,
- building relationships with family, friends, and neighbors,
- saving some gas (if I had actually taken the car),
- shifting gears to a more human pace - not really slower, but more sincere, more direct, and more alive.

So, I started down this path thinking I was simply getting a few more miles during the week and ended up learning the many rewards of counting a different sort of blessing.

While there are certain commitments I can't push aside, I make sure that one of my commitments is to enjoy the time spent commuting. I hope you can join me in spirit, if not along my route.

OK my guest and friend, thanks for stopping by. I'll see you on the road and we'll both be smiling.

Fort Collins, CO tries its first Winter Bike to Work Day

This morning we rode through a chilly drizzle to get to work on our Third Friday Commute from Decatur to Midtown. The Third Friday Commute is a year-round bike pool for those of us who don't want to wait until May for the official Bike to Work Day.

Fort Collins, Colorado was probably chillier for their first Winter Bike to Work Day. I guess here in Atlanta, we're not the only ones who want more Bike to Work Days.

My Hooky-Deprived Childhood

I was a straight kid in High School. When others were skipping class, I was sitting right in front of the teacher. As you might expect, this led to many repressed desires:
- going places just for the fun of it
- escaping outdoors, especially someplace new
- smiling at people I didn't know
- coming up with excuses for being late
- Spring Fever in December (could be the 72 degree weather, though)

It was tough for me to acknowledge, but I experienced a hooky-deprived childhood.

Fortunately, there are therapeutic programs for the hooky-deprived. One program that has worked for me is called "Ride your Bike to Work".

This therapy program channels the pent up hooky energy into meaningful and productive activity. Consider the benefits of satisfying your hooky urges by riding a bike to work:
- You'd never realize you're not just playing around
- You get to go places you don't normally go
- At a cyclists pace, you can greet and chat with neighbors and fellow commuters
- You get to be outdoors when everyone else is inside of a box (people with convertibles are excepted, but that hooky therapy is not as cost effective).
- You'll have interesting stories to tell once you get to the office.
- And then there's the side effects: exercise, improved air quality, cost savings, congestion reduction, mood improvement.

Tell them Cycle Man recommended that you ride your bike to work.

Rec Cyclist or Utility Cyclist ?

As 2007 draws to a close, I've taken a look at the cycling miles I've logged over this past year. I've logged my miles and trips by categories so I could tell what kind of cyclist I am. There are two ways to look at this.

If you take the number of miles I've ridden, it is fairly close. I've ridden about 10% more miles recreationally. This includes the 460 miles I rode on BRAG and this is about the difference between the two. Based on this analysis, you would say I'm a recreational rider like most riders in the US.


If we look at the number of trips however, it shows a different picture. I ride my bike to work instead of taking the car and it shows in this graph.


The difference is the miles per trip. Rec rides average about 40 miles per ride and commutes and errands average about 7 miles per trip.

Do Utility cyclists get more respect than Recreational riders? I find that motorists are more courteous to me when I've got the panniers on the back and I'm wearing street clothes. I guess counting miles or trips is less important than what I wear when I ride.

3rd Friday Commute - a Bike Pool

Bike to Work Day in May is fine, but why do we have to wait so long? Aren't there enough of us to have mini Bike to Work Days throughout the year?

There were enough bike commuters last month for a small group to ride into Midtown from the Decatur Square. We'd been chatting on the SBL Forum about co-ordinating our commute (not as easy as you would think), and managed to generate sufficient enjoyment to ensure we wouldn't have to wait until May for the next Bike to Work Day.

I'd like to invite both experienced and new bike commuters to join me Dec 21 on another commute from Decatur's Square into Midtown. I'm offering a list of routes to entice the fancies of a broad group of riders. Participants can vote which route we take.

1. The first choice is a repeat of our Nov 16 ride. It climbs Mt. Coventry to get to Emory Village, and then passes through Virginia-Highland to Piedmont Park to reach 12th at Peachtree.
   
2. The second choice climbs Mt. McLendon then turns onto Clifton to follow the Freedom Park PATH trail to 5th and Peachtree.
   
3. The third choice also climbs Mt. McLendon but continues through L5P down Euclid to Edgewood. This route brings us past the Thumbs Up Diner on Edgewood. Downtowners can continue, but the route will turn north on Jackson to join the PATH trail to 5th and Peachtree.
   
4. The fourth and southernmost choice doesn't have a mountain to climb, but the route isn't flat either. It heads south through Oakhurst to join Hosea Williams Blvd. and then hooks up with Wylie to the Krog Street Tunnel before joining Edgewood. This also brings us past the Thumbs Up Diner and also turns north on Jackson to end up at 5th and Peachtree.
   

Rules:
Rules? We don't need no stinking rules!

OK, some suggestions:

• Meet at the Decatur Square at 7:15AM. Leave before 7:30AM.
  
• We're trying out scheduling this for the 3rd Friday of each month.
  
• Those who intend to participate get to vote on the route we take. I'm leaving it open how we come to a consensus.
  
• We ride at a commuter's pace, 10-15 MPH.
  
• No set timetable. If you'd like to join in after we leave the square, let someone know where to look for you so we don't miss you.
  
• Traffic laws are obeyed. Safety and Courtesy are good for everyone's morning.
  
• Flexible on changing the route based on the whimsy of the participants. We're getting to work, but the point is to enjoy the ride in.
  
• Beginners are welcome and encouraged. We're a friendly group.
  

Old Friends vs. New Friends

At the corner of N Highland and the Freedom Parkway, the 8:24AM stop on the Wednesday Bike Train, I faced a dilemma. I could either try to catch and recruit two new guys who just joined the path ahead of me, or I could hang back with maptester who was pulling up to the intersection.

I'd like more riders to know about my year-round Bike to Work days, but it's also good to ride with the guys you have ridden with before.

I guess it's nice to have these choices.

I rode with maptester. There will be plenty of chasing to do on other days.

Commute Summary

Round Trip Distance: 17.7
Number of Cyclists seen: 24
In-bound Route: Wednesday Bike Train
Out-bound Route: Emory via Clifton
Weather: Had to shed my windbreaker.

Social Commuting

A foursome of riders met at a coffee shop on Decatur's Square and rode into work this morning. Four guys riding into work together isn't unusual, except perhaps for the following:

1. The guy who led the ride had the day off from work
   
2. Route ended up only within 2 miles of second guy's destination
   
3. Third guy rode 4.5 miles in the opposite direction to start out (we passed his house 2/3 of the way back in)
   
4. Fourth guy rode 10+ miles out of his way to join in and had to refuel (peanut butter sandwich) upon reaching our meeting spot.
   

Was it worth it? Oh, we're going to do it again.

We chatted and learned more about each other. We took our time. We chose the scenic route a couple of times. SO different from being stuck in traffic.

People want to be part of something bigger. Although this isn't very big, I think we want this to succeed. We're calling it the Decatur/Midtown Bike Train on the SBL Forum.

Yes, getting to work is something we're going to do one way or the other and yes, all four of us are experienced bike commuters who enjoy riding to work. But, we went out of our way to meet up with each other in freezing temperatures to be a part of this.

In our quiet unassuming way, we became the change we want to see in the world, and that is a very social commute.

Commute Summary

Round Trip Distance: 22.1
Number of Cyclists seen: Didn't pay close attention; too busy chatting
In-bound Route: Decatur/Midtown Bike Train
Out-bound Route: Emory via Clifton
Weather: Below freezing for the first time this season

Slow, Steady Train

Despite the number of different people I see riding the Wednesday Bike Train route, I'm not sure we'll ever have even 10 people riding together. On the other hand, our Sunday Morning group ride often carried much fewer than 10 for several years. Now we typically get at least a dozen and a couple dozen on good days. The encouraging news is there has only been one day out of the last 7 weeks that no one joined me on the ride.

This morning I was accompanied by Amy, a Ga Tech student studying Civil Engineering. She has a full appreciation of communities whose amenities are within easy walking and cycling distance. It is an idea whose time has come.

I haven't posted a panorama in a while. I had made a few recent attempts, but this is the only one that I've been pleased with.



The bridge in the lower right-hand corner reminds me of the winter of 1982. I was a student at Tech at the time and we were in the middle of Snow Jam. A sudden afternoon snow storm caught many people downtown and everybody joined in a big party across the city. All the roads were blocked with stranded cars so lots of people were walking everywhere.

Several of my best memories occurred during those few snowed-in days, but the "sledding" day is near the top. We took sheets of linoleum down to Candler Park (pictured here) and slid down the 1/4 mile hill that ended at the bridge you see in the panorama. We tried over and over to steer a sheet of slippery flatness across that bridge without falling into the water. The hill is out of view to the right of the bridge.

Most of the steering involved picking the initial fall line because the best you could do with your feet or hands was keep your head facing the trees you wanted to avoid. About half-way down the slope was a ridge you would disappear over. On Graham's turn, we watched him disappear over the ridge and then turned our eyes to watch if he would cross the bridge. We didn't see exactly what happened, but what we could see gave us a pretty good idea. One of the dogwood trees whose top was all we could see, had the snow shaken loose. This observation fit well with our next observation: an empty piece of linoleum sliding across the bridge.

Commute Summary

Round Trip Distance: 17.8
Number of Cyclists seen: 37 - A very good number
In-bound Route: Wednesday Bike Train
Out-bound Route: Emory via Clifton
Weather: 57 in AM, 70s in afternoon. Mostly sunny.

Decatur to Midtown Bike Train

Back in September, two events -- which would otherwise have been quickly forgotten -- coincided and made whoopee inside my head:

• I tossed a Bike to Work Day flyer while cleaning off my desk.
  
• I read a post about a Commute Train.
  

I had tossed the flyer thinking it would be nice to do this more than once a year. The post talked about people who were organizing informal bike to work days.

This got the Wednesday Bike Train going. On Friday, a group of us will be riding in from Decatur. Before long, we'll be having Bike to Work days all the time.

SBL Forum could become Bike Commuter Magnet

The Southern Bicycle League (SBL) has one of the more popular forums for Atlanta. It's where my Wednesday Bike Train gets the most online traffic and it may be getting the attention of new commuters.

The ride and route I posted below from myCyclingLog.com is what I recommended for a new bike commuter I ran across earlier today on the Commuting Routes forum. Recruiting and encouraging new riders is really what I wanted to accomplish with the Bike Train, so maybe it is working after all.

Sun, Nov 11, 2007 - 14.60 mi [Cycling]
14.60 mi in 00:52:52 hours at 16.57 mi/h on Trek 1200. [Cycling] Checking out a route I wanted to recommend to a new commuter. The route listed below is part of what I rode.
Posted from My Cycling Log

EastlandHeights-GSU

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

Wed, Nov 7, 2007 - 8.60 mi [Cycling]

Wed, Nov 7, 2007 - 8.60 mi [Cycling]
8.60 mi in 00:37:29 hours at 13.77 mi/h on Trek 1200. [Cycling] Came across two riders at Candler Park. I rode with Rick along the PATH until Jackson Street where he turned south toward Spelman where he teaches. He had ridden from Avondale.

The other rider only shared our route until Moreland and I didn't get his name. He was riding into Midtown.

First day with long pants. 34 Degrees when I started.
Posted from My Cycling Log

Halloween Bike Train

21 people dressed up as a cyclist today, including myself. None of the cyclists stood out, but someone at my office did. A recently married woman wore her wedding gown to work.

The weather was good this morning, so my hopes were high that I would find someone to join me on the Bike Train. I waited until two minutes after my scheduled time, but no one joined me at the start. Coming through Emory, I found a few headed in other directions. At Paideia, everyone seemed to be headed to the school. At the Candler Park Bridge, I arrived a minute early and waited until three minutes late. I only saw a man walking his dog. I raced up to the next stop hoping to sweep someone on the uphill. Empty. I hung around at the Carter Center and saw a few bikes headed in perpendicular directions.

The near misses were making me hungry to bag a riding partner. The hunt was getting serious. My eyes opened wider. My head swiveled.

I got to the next stop two minutes early and spotted someone crossing the bridge ahead of me, but was blocked by the traffic. There was a risk of losing my prey even though it appeared to be moving slowly. The light changed. The traffic parted and I rode through in hot pursuit. When I came over the bridge, my prey had vanished.

Since I was ahead of schedule chasing the ghost, I waited for a minute or two and then it occurred to me I should be waiting instead at a spot where more riders typically come by. I was off again.

Approaching North Ave, I spotted a rider ahead of me at the light on Ponce. I knew the pattern of this light and knew they would probably get away. If I hadn't delayed at the last spot, I probably would have caught them. It turned out they did get away.

I was still early though and decided to hang out on 5th street. I always see cyclists headed my way on 5th street. Well, I didn't see anyone by the time the light changed so I sat and waved the traffic around to wait for the next light. Still no one showed up on a bike, but I still had time so I waited for another light. Finally, looking behind me down the street, I saw a cyclist approaching, and then they mysteriously disappeared. Well, actually, they turned one block before reaching me. For a moment I considered chasing them, but if I had caught them, it would have ruined my story.

Sometimes you come back empty-handed, but I'll treat that as a reminder that sometimes, the journey is the destination.

Commute Summary

Round Trip Distance: 18.0
Number of Cyclists seen: 20
In-bound Route: Wednesday Bike Train
Out-bound Route: Emory via Clifton
Weather: Sunny and just the right temperature

Bike Train in the Rain

We had a record number of Bike Train participants this morning.

OK, we actually tied the record and the record is only three, but with all the rain we were riding through, I'm happy there were three of us. After rolling down to Aurora through a steady drizzle, I was expecting to ride by myself the whole way. When I got to the 8:17 stop in Candler Park, a couple of guys from Decatur rode through. I joined them and we chatted about the route and where we were headed. It turns out Aaron also rides to AT&T and we work in adjacent buildings. Our companion for the ride works up at Colony Square.

There is a streak I've got going that looked like it was going to be broken today. Ever since chainstretcher rode with me on the Bike Train two weeks ago, I've spotted him either coming or going every day that I've commuted by bike. Today, it wasn't until I was less than a half-mile from the house that I spotted chainstretcher topping off the hill I had just crested.

Not seeing chainstretcher for months if not years and then seeing him every day was wild enough when it happened three days in a row, but this has been running two weeks now.

Must be some kind of juju. It feels like good juju.

Thought you might enjoy Michelle's story about Kitty juju. It's a little bit spooky. Yes, black cats and ... well, you can read for yourself.

Commute Summary

Round Trip Distance: 18.2
Number of Cyclists seen: 15 cyclists, many of them waterlogged
In-bound Route: Wednesday Bike Train
Out-bound Route: Emory via Clifton
Weather: Rainy on the way in, 50s on the way home.

Report from the 8:17AM stop

This morning I rode with chainstretcher starting from Aurora Coffee in VaHi. The timing is a little bit of a squeeze for chainstretcher since he's trying to get to his office by 8:40 and there lies one of the challenges to the Bike Train. Not everyone has the same schedule.

This did not diminish the ride.

• We rode a little quicker and the cool morning allowed a good work rate without too much sweat.
  
• We ran across a couple other people we knew, but because of our schedule, did not ride with them.
  
• Spent some face-time with some folks we only know through the forums.
  

On the way home, I spotted Jeff by Candler Park while I was chatting with Barry who rides with us on Sundays.

Big changes require small steps. Today's steps look like they're pointed in the right direction.

Commute Summary

Round Trip Distance: 16.5
Number of Cyclists seen: 32 (14 in, 18 out)
In-bound Route: Wednesday Bike Train
Out-bound Route: Emory via Clifton
Weather: low 60s inbound; mild outbound

Out on the Edge of Darkness there rides a Bike Train

Now I've been happy lately
thinking about the good things to come
and I believe it could be
something good has begun

-- Cat Stevens, Bike (Peace) Train

This morning I enjoyed the company of Jeff from Decatur. We rode along the PATH portion of the route from Moreland to Jackson street smiling and feeling pleasant about our good fortune to be riding bikes to work.

Commute Summary

Round Trip Distance: 17.6
Number of Cyclists seen: 35 total (17 inbound is a record)
In-bound Route: Wednesday Bike Train
Out-bound Route: Emory via Clifton
Weather: Mild and drizzly inbound, but the pavement stayed dry. Overcast but dry outbound.

Wednesday BikeTrain: Candler Park to Ga Tech

Here's the first fruit of a plant seeded back on back on Sep 7th. In a nutshell, I didn't want to wait until Bike-to-Work Day to ride into the office with other cyclists, so I published a route and invited others to join me.

The route below is an interactive map. Clicking on points within the map provide times we expect the bike train to be hitting those intersections. You can also zoom and move the map around by clicking and dragging.

Wednesday BikeTrain: Candler Park to Ga Tech

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

To make this easier to follow, I've summarized the times below.



A few points about this route and how it works:

• Beginners are welcome. The more the merrier.
  
• This gets people on the Tech campus in time for 9AM classes. We hit Peachtree at 5th street at 8:42 AM.
  
• I ride every Wednesday, rain or shine. 19F in January wasn't too cold for me.
  
• The route is suitable for both in and out, but I've only got times listed for the inbound.
  
• You'll notice this route heads away from Midtown and over toward Emory to start. Most commuters would join in around Candler Park or so, but Aurora Coffee in VaHi is not a bad place to meet.
  
• You can join or leave our train at any spot.
  
• Traffic laws are obeyed. Safety and Courtesy are good for everyone.
  
• Leave a comment if you'd like to ride with us.
  
• For some history, the SBL Forum has a topic for this route, but again, current discussion can occur here using comments.
  

Bike Pooling

This past Wednesday at the office, I was clearing my desk when I considered whether or not to toss a flyer I had for Atlanta's Bike to Work Day back in May. I had kept the flyer around thinking how nice it was to see so many people on bikes. I was able to let go of the flyer with the consoling thought that I could probably startup a monthly bike to work ride.

The next day, I find a post on Commute by Bike -- published the same day -- about commuting with other cyclists.

It must be a sign.

Today I set about recruiting other riders. Already it's going pretty well.

I talked with a rider who hasn't started commuting. He lives a few miles from me in the opposite direction of the office, but is still within cycling distance. I offered to ride in with him. This led to a discussion of routes and I think we'll have a new commuter before long.

On the ride home I struck up a conversation with a fellow commuter I had not met before. I asked if he would join in a bike-to-work day. He's interested, so it looks like there might be something to this.

I'm still sorting out the approach, but here's some of my ideas:

• Treat it as an outreach to recruit new riders and get them comfortable with a bike commute.
  
• Let others know about my route on a particular day of the week (Wednesday's say) and invite others to join along.
  
• Find a route more likely to pick up a good number of riders, meet those riders and invite them to ride together.
  
• Find and recruit existing bike commuters to help build up a social network along a specific route.
  
• Work out different planned routes for the various Friday's of each month. For example, first Friday is Emory through Piedmont Park to Georgia Tech, second Friday is from Grant Park to Midtown.
  
• Publish our trials and tribulations so others can learn from what we've accomplished.
  

It's all about getting cyclists on the road.

Commute Summary

Round Trip Distance: 17.9
Number of Cyclists seen: 19
In-bound Route: Lullwater/PATH
Out-bound Route: Emory via Clifton
Weather: Warm but still had plenty of water left in my bottle