Car-free American

83 year old bike commuter-Stan

2012-01-26T10:29:00.000-06:00

I met Stan this morning while having coffe at a Panera in Prairie Village, Kansas.

He is an 83 year old Bike commuter

This is Stan, he lives in Kansas City Missouri.

He has been commuting by bicycle for the 30 years. As you can see by his attire Stan is living proof you can where regular street clothes while bicycling.

Stan's commute this day is 6 miles round trip, he usually rides more but just got out of the hospital, so he says his endurance is down. At 83, he is an inspiration.

I hope I am able to ride like him at 83!

Carless in Montana

2012-01-18T14:38:00.001-06:00

Ginny Sullivan

This from the Adventure Cycling Association

CARLESS

Speaking of Adventure Cycling staffers, here's a link to a terrific story from the December 23 edition of the daily Missoulian about Ginny Sullivan, our special projects director, and her family's newly adopted car-free lifestyle in Montana's Garden City. "The lifestyle change hasn't been insurmountable for the Sullivans, who already did much walking and biking to get around town," writes reporter Keila Szpaller.

"[Sixteen-year-old] Mac would prefer to have a car for trips to places like Target, but he believes the family will be able to sustain the transition despite some obstacles. 'I think that we can pull it off, but when we need to go out to get dog food, it's quite a challenge,'

Mac said." Read the rest of the story here:

http://bit.ly/uh9szG

Transportation Law of 4.

2012-01-06T14:30:00.000-06:00

Carfree American has developed the, "Transportation Law of 4" or TL4. TM

Simply put, TL4 encourages people to think about, and try, alternative transportation before they jump in their car for a trip to the Quik Shop for a soda.

For driving adults: TL4 works like this, you need or want to go somewhere.

You ask yourself this question first: "Can I walk, bicycle, or take mass transit?" Then you ask yourself, "or should I take the car."

Four options.

For children and non driving folks: When you are going someplace with a driver, again ask yourself, and then ask driver, "Can we walk, bicycle, or take mass transit? Or do we have to take a car?"

There are times when the car is a good choice and necessary.Walking, bicycling, and/or mass transit may be a better choice. It is always nice to have other options.

I am comforted knowing I have access to a car anytime. I can borrow a neighbors, take a taxi, or rent a car. I have borrowed a car six times since being carfree.

TL4 is something to think about. I would like to encourage you to try this for one month. Let me know if you are game and I will do a follow up story on you.

The alternatives ways to transport yourself are cool and fun.

And besides,

You can always drive your car.

Peace and happy roads,

Bill

Brent Hugh, Director Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation, Car-lite Profile

2012-01-02T11:24:00.000-06:00

Tell me a little bit about you (name, age, occupation, carfree or carlite, where you live).

"Brent Hugh, 47, Exec Director of MOBikeFed, car lite, Raytown, MO."

Your family bikes for transportation, tell me about that and how it has affected your lives?

"It's made our teenager more independent. He goes everywhere he wants independently now (13 yrs). It has made us all healthier."

"The thing I didn't know/realize before starting, is it has made me more able to tolerate the climate--hot, cold, humid, dry, etc. Partly it's because you know how to deal with it (clothing etc) and partly because your body adjusts."

When did you start using a bicycle for transportation and what effect has it had on your life?

"Started biking in about 1998 when my doctor told me to lose 25 lbs or else."

"It was 3-4 years after that I realized I could bike to the drug store about 2 miles away, and it was downhill from there. (Before that I had ridden certain routes for exercise/recreation but since I was avoiding all traffic these never went near stores or commercial areas.)"

Please describe a typical day in your cycling life?

"Ride girls to school on our recumbent tandem + trailer bike (me plus two girls); Jonathan accompanies us on his own bike."

"Then maybe I ride to a meeting downtown KCMO or near the Plaza or KU hospital area, then ride home."

What kind of bike(s) are you currently riding?

"Rans Rocket recumbent and Rans Screamer recumbent tandem are my main rides."

"I also have a Trek mountain bike I ride occasionally, a 1970s Schwinn road bike I take on trips, and a Trek recumbent that is my "backup bike"."

In your opinion, what’s the best part about cycling for transportation?

"Fun!"

What’s the worst?

"There are some places you just can't go, even if you're fairly hardcore."

Do you have a favorite carfree/carlite story? (Something that really makes you smile or could possibly encourage others to use a bike instead of a car for transportation?)

"Stopped at a garage sale, some woman said, "You just get around **everywhere** on that bike!"--as though she didn't believe it possible I was covering such massive distances. Then she mentioned where she had seen me--about 2 miles away, or 10 minutes by bike . . ."

What are three pieces of advice you would give to someone starting/ considering commuting by bike?

"Don't set yourself up for failure. By that I mean, don't start out by saying, "I must do this every day, no matter what, and if I don't, I'm a failure." Because sure enough the day will come when it is too hot, too cold, to rainy, you have too much to carry, or whatever. If you can accept that 'Sometimes I bicycle and sometimes I travel another way' then all is OK. But if you envision yourself as a 100-percenter then that day you drive because of the huge thunderstorm or whatever because your reason to quit altogether."

"Start out small--say one day a week--and then gradually build up."

"Do it when you enjoy it. If you don't enjoy riding in rain, don't. If you don't enjoy it in weather over 95 or whatever, don't. If you don't like to ride below freezing, don't. And so on."

"There are ways around all of those difficulties and eventually you'll find them. But if you start out by forcing yourself to go when you are actually going to be miserable, pretty soon you won't enjoy it any more and then you'll stop doing it."

What changes regarding transportation would you like to see in the United States?

"Routine accommodation of bicycling and walking on every street and road."

"Go in and back-fill all the roads/streets we've built in the last 75 years or so where we forgot the bicycle accommodations."

Do you recommend cycling to friends/family members/youth or others? Have any taken you up on it?

"Some have, mostly my children."

"My parents and brother have recumbent tricycles they really enjoy."

Find out more about Brent and how to join the Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation
Dr. Brent Hugh, LCI #1335
Executive Director
Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation
Director@MoBikeFed.org
Phone: 816-695-6736
Fax: 210-579-2265
http://www.mobikefed.org/

The Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation is a coalition of bicycling, walking, running, and trails organizations and businesses representing over 30,000 Missourians and speaking for the 2 million Missourians who bicycle regularly and the 5.8 million who walk.

Join MoBikeFed's advocacy alert network:

http://mobikefed.org/email.php#announce

Carfree American supports the MoBikeFed and would like to encourage you too also. These folks work tirelessly for the rights of pedestrians and cyclists. They also are the ones who lobby for us so we can have street which are bike friendly and safe for our children!

Carfree Family of seven

2011-12-23T10:32:00.000-06:00

A rare photo of all 7
Summer of 2011

Can you have a Carfree Family?

YES!

A year ago, a Hillsboro family decided to get rid of their minivan.

Now the family of seven traverses the suburbs by bike. In this video, 15-year-old Vivianna talks about what the year has been like.

Thanksgiving is just like any day for our carfree family: food cooking before dawn, mom out for more before the store opens. Grateful for organic food, family, cycles, and the sun's brief appearance during a beautiful ride! November 24, 2011

We at Carfree American are so proud of this family of seven taking away the excuses of not being able to be carfree because of a family-they are proving YOU CAN HAVE A FAMILY AND BE CARFREE TOO!

You all are an inspriation!!!

See more pictures of the carfree family and let them know what you think on their

Carfree Family Face Book page

Happy Holidays and may you walk, bike, or ski for transportation this winter!

Peace,

Bill

Bicycling in winter

2011-11-30T12:00:00.000-06:00

Winter cycling guide

Every Fall as the weather turns cold people are always asking me,

"Your not riding your bike in this are you? How do you do it?"

Photo by Ellen van der Zwan

I smile and tell them, "I am riding in this, and I will be riding all winter and when I can't ride, I will walk." I smile.

And they roll their eyes, and say cliches like, "Well, your a better person than me. I could never do that"

But truth be told- they could. Winter cycling to me is the most fun. The extreme, often unpredictable weather, adverse road conditions, and lack of day light, make it an adventure.

I think having a positive attitude is a big part of it too.

Here are some things I do to make my rides, and commutes, safe and fun.

Prepared:
I am always prepared for changing weather. I carry extra clothing-shirt, gloves, neck gaiter, socks, hat, helmet cover, pants, and whatever else I may need.
Temperature drops of 30+ degrees are common in winter.

Bike prep:
My bike is well prepared for winter. I have fenders, rear rack, and multiple lights.

Actually three lights in the front an three in the rear. May seem excessive, but it is not, being visible is very important with the low light conditions of winter. Reflectors and reflective clothing are OK, but nothing catches the eye of a driver like a blinking light.

Lubrication-I use a generous amount of oil on my chain, gears, and derailleurs. The salts and sand are very harsh on the bike.

Obeying the laws:

One should ALWAYS obey the laws of the road. If you drive you know what they are.
Winter is a time for me to be hyper aware of my surroundings. I know the road conditions, what is in front, behind, and on my sides 100% of the time. I am also aware of options to get off the street if I have too-especially in icy conditions. I recently got pulled over for going through a four way stop without completely stopping during rush hour. It was the first time I was pulled over on my bicycle. When the cop told me why he pulled me over, I told him, "you are completely right, and I appreciate you looking out for me, I should have come to a complete stop." He told me most of the cyclists he stops argue with him even though they are breaking laws like going through Red lights of ignoring Stop signs. I have found over the years the Police are good allies to have, if for nothing, they will be the first ones to the scene if you get hit, and may save your life.

Biking skills in winter: 'What if you slip on ice or snow?" I think one of the best ways for a cyclist to prepare for the adverse road conditions is by learning how to bike on dirt and gravel trails with multiple terrains. Like mountain biking, winter road cycling has its share of obstacles: sticks, leaves, walnuts, sand, ices, snow drifts, branches, slush, mud, just to name a few. Mountain biking prepares you in that you learn how to go over and through obstacles like these. Tires are not as important as you might think, it is more about the pressure in the tire so experimenting with different tire pressures can help insure a safer ride.

Clothing:
Why ride in winter? Why not ride in winter?!
Layering, layering, layering! That is the key, there is no magic one piece of clothing, and in most cases less is more. For instance in winter I usually wear, in temps of 20f to 35f, skull cap, helmet rain cover, neck gaiter, fleece gloves, two light weight wick able long sleeve shirts, a light weight wind breaker with a back vent, cycling shorts, wind pants, or micro fleece pants, wool socks, hiking boots ( I use platform pedals).

I regulate my temperature buy the zipper on my jacket, and on my level of exertion. All this takes practice and what works for one person, may be different for another, so be patient. The only rule is: to go ride and experience it for yourself!

I have biked in blizzards, sleet, 31f degree rain, snow storms, when temps were well below zero, and all I have to say is: it is FUN!

So give winter cycling for transportation a try! Here are some resources that may help.

http://www.adventurecycling.org/features/howto.cfm

http://www.icebike.org/

Happy Cycling,

Bill
(All pictures were found online if you are the taker, let me know.)

Video from the Dutch-bicycling life!

2011-11-02T09:47:00.000-05:00

Cycling For Everyone from Dutch Cycling Embassy on Vimeo.

How to not get hit by cars

2011-11-01T09:46:00.000-05:00

Here at Carfree American we are aware most of our content is unoriginal, and we are cool with that, because our focus is to share our experiences, or others experiences, to people who want to share in a healthier lifestyle.

Sometimes there is no point in writing articles that have already been written well regarding Bicycle Safety.

One such article, we recently found, highlights "How not to get hit by a car while bicycling for transportation."

Everyone should read this as at some point in your cycling life you will be invovled in all these scenario's.

Thanks to http://www.bicyclesafe.com/ and Michael Bluejay for this wealth of information!

How to Not Get Hit by Cars

important lessons in Bicycle Safety
by Michael Bluejay

Around 33,000 people die in car crashes in the U.S. each year.
About 1 in 41 is a bicyclist.
THANKS FOR READING, AND RIDE SAFELY! :)

PS from Carfree American:

You do not think it could happen to you???

Here is a post of what happened to my friend Vanessa

http://carfreeamerican.blogspot.com/2011/02/vanessas-story-no-helmet.html

Be safe,
Peace, Bill

Resources and Education
http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/education/

Slow poem

2011-10-16T11:25:00.001-05:00

SLOW

While walking and bicycling I see things,
things
while moving slow
Slow is fun and good
but often misunderstood,

"I could never walk or bike for transportation"
my busy friend says,
"We have too much to do,
and too many places to go,
I need to move fast,
fast,
not slow!"

"Living your Carfree lifestyle
sounds well and good,
but it is not for me!
I'd rather drive a car
save time,
and be free."

"Now wait just a minute!" I say back to my friend,
"Bicycling and walking may be just the thing you need
just think about what you said,

"Too much of this
Too much of that
maybe a ride on a bike
or walk
would eliminate this and that."

"Too much of anything is not good
you know?
So again I say, go slow"

I continue my rant
my friend starts to listen.
I stand up tall,
To confirm my postion.

"You say you want to save time,
that I can see,
but time smelling flowers, seeing the world,
hearing birds, and feeling the earth
Is more important than driving,
Don't you agree?"

"Better to dump your car
and move slow
than sitting on your arse
in a metal cage
with no soul."

Stay hungry, stay foolish and Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T08:00:00.003-05:00

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish...Thank you Steve Jobs
In the late 1970s when the Whole Earth Catalog decided to call it quits and come out with the final edition, they came up with a interesting ending. On the back cover there is the scene of a country road, somewhere in America, and above it four words: stay hungry, stay foolish.

The Whole Earth Catalog was the paper equivalent internet of the 70s. It focused on the environmental movement of the time sharing information from; sustainable living, to Outward Bound, to gardening tools, to animal and human rights organizations, and to much more.

I remember lying on my parent’s bed reading it, as one cool idea morphed into another cool idea, just as the internet works today. It opened up my mind to possibilities’ I may not have ever known about.

Recently, I was having dinner with a friend of mine who I had not seen for 38 years, Duane Benton who is now 80. I was telling Duane about some of my entrepreneurial experiences and personal philosophies regarding my own life and my view of the world, and how much of those experiences help to shape who I am and have led me to the life I lead now as an entrepreneur and alternative transportation advocate.

Towards the end of our dinner, Duane told me about a commencement speech a friend of his had sent him, where Steve Jobs spoke to the graduates of Stanford in 2005. Duane said that Jobs spoke about his own life experiences and how they shaped his life and at the end of the speech, Steve described the back cover of the final Whole Earth Catalog, and finished his speech to those graduates, with, “Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish.”
Sometimes a few simple words can have great meaning. My friend Duane said the speech is one of “things you should read at least once a year to keep your perspective on life.”

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish can mean different things to people based on their own experiences, and that is fine. To me it means: Stay hungry for new knowledge and experiences, and Stay foolish by keeping a child’s curiosity and don’t let anyone tell you something cannot be done, try it anyway, touch it, feel it, smell it, taste it, experience it (Life) fully, so there will be no regrets later on.

So, Rest in Peace Steve Jobs. Thank you for sharing your life and wisdom with the World.

And to all of you, who now are reflecting on your own lives...

Stay hungry, stay foolish.

Peace,
Bill Poindexter
Carfree American

The 2005 Jobs Stanford Commencement Address:

"I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I’ve ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That’s it. No big deal. Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots.

I dropped out of Reed College after the first six months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?

It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: “We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?” They said: “Of course.” My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.

And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents’ savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn’t see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out okay. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn’t interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.

It wasn’t all romantic. I didn’t have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends’ rooms, I returned Coke bottles for the 5-cent deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the seven miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:

Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn’t have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can’t capture, and I found it fascinating.

None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But 10 years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, its likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards 10 years later.

Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something–your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.

My second story is about love and loss.

I was lucky–I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation–the Macintosh–a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30, I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.

I really didn’t know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down–that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the Valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me–I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.

I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.

During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, “Toy Story,” and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple’s current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.

I’m pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn’t been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.

My third story is about death.

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything–all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure–these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn’t even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor’s code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you’d have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up, so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.

I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying, because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I’m fine now.

This was the closest I’ve been to facing death, and I hope its the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma–which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called “The Whole Earth Catalog,” which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960′s, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: It was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

Stewart and his team put out several issues of “The Whole Earth Catalog,” and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.” It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Thank you all very much."

Presidential Speech I would like to hear

2011-10-05T10:46:00.000-05:00

Health. Without good health you have nothing.

My fellow Americans,

Ask not what your car can do for you, but what you can do without your car.

Without good health we have nothing.

It is my contention we have become a society of self destructive behaviors, which could be our doom if we do not make some simple changes.

The primary focus of my Presidency will be to focus on the Health of the country.

First the physical and mental health of the people.
Second, the health of the environment.
Thirdly the health of the community.

The people:
The health of the population will be the largest determining factor of the health of the country. Without good health, people cannot take care of themselves, or their families. They cannot hold jobs effectively. They become dependent on health care, when in fact they should be able to take care of themselves. Mental and physical health illness, in most cases can be reversed by living a lifestyle of good nutrition, exercise, feeling of self worth from a job, and a community that recognizes them as an important part of the whole. Making some simple changes will, I promise you, achieve a healthier society. For instance, people asking themselves simple questions before they leave their home can change their thinking and health for the better, like; “Can I walk, bicycle, to my destination or do I have to take mass transit, or a combination?” or “Do I need this, or do I want this?”

Thomas Jefferson, who suffered from depression, said he felt the happiest when he walked for three hours a day around the grounds of Monticello.

Environment:
The health of the environment is of paramount importance. We are the stewards of our environment and MUST take full responsibility. Too long we Americans have lived with the attitude of having choices when it comes to the environment. I am here to sternly say, we do not have a choice. For our future generations we HAVE to make changes NOW! One of the primary things we must do is limit car use. The car should be used as a last resort when it comes to transportation and travel for us to have a healthy environment. Benefits will be cleaner air, less noise, visual beauty, and a feeling of doing what is right. No one can argue if you turn on a car in a garage and close the door the room will fill with poisonous gases and you will die. Think of the planet is a big garage, and it can only handle so much of the poisons. Yes my example if childishly simple, but it proves its point.

Community:

The health of the community is necessary. We are social beings. We need interaction, self worth, neighbor support, and friends . Stronger communities will: bring better education, more jobs, stable businesses, financially stable people, happier families, cleaner environments, less crime, and better physical and mental health. Communities must become smaller not larger, and more of them. The days of the American to hop in the car and drive 20 miles, unnecessarily, to take their family to dinner, when numerous local restaurants are within walking or bicycling distance are numbered.

Neighbor helping neighbor is how this great country was founded. Communities will make America stronger as a whole.

Let us get America healthy again and show the world we are a great country. Let me also say it is important to understand we all share the planet and must get along. I believe we can live together in peace as long as we all take steps to create…no….make a healthy society by taking care of our; personal, environment, and community health.

How?
Simple techniques like changing our thinking toward better health. Like before you leave your home you ask, can I walk or bicycle to my destination, then, or do I have to take mass transit, or maybe a combination of the three, and then do you ask: do I have to car pool or take the car. By living this way you will be promoting the above heath and making the world a better place.

Being aware of the universal law of Cause and Effect. Our actions have consequences. Good or bad.
Change is easy. You may be uncomfortable, but that is normal part of change.

Folks, one last thing. Time is not a luxury we have. People are unhealthy, the environment is sick, and communities are being disbanded by urban sprawl and overuse of cars. Waiting for the time bomb to explode is stupid, when we all have the ability, intelligence, and good sense to make the change needed.

So, let us, together, make America a healthy place to live.

Carfree American

First Choice Transportation or FCT

2011-10-05T09:05:00.000-05:00

Teach your family and friends this:

First Choice Transportation- before you leave your home ask yourself,

"Can we walk, bike, or take mass transit to our destination?"

It is about shifting the thinking and looking at the car as a LAST CHOICE for your transportaition needs. Can someone create a logo for this?

World Carfree Day is Thursday the 22nd

2011-09-19T10:15:00.000-05:00

This Thursday is World Carfree Day.

What does that mean to you? At the very least, it may be a opportune time for you to think/act responsibly and bike or walk to the places you need to go that day...maybe the store, school, bike to school with your kids, walk, bike to the gym, bike to the bus stop and take the bus to work, walk to work, bike to a restaurant...well you get the message.

Give it a try, you may just get hooked. You know the benefits.

Here in the Kansas City area, on Thursday night, I will be attending Dinner and Bikes.

Celebrate World Car Free Day on September 22nd with an evening of dinner and bikes, and BikeWalkKC. We are delighted to be sponsoring the Kansas City stop of the Dinner and Bikes Tour. Three cyclists are touring the western states to talk about bike culture and the bike economy, and to prepare a delicious vegan dinner for our guests.

Writer Elly Blue, filmmaker Joe Biel, and travelling chef Joshua Ploeg will entertain us with photos, short films, and a great meal. This is a great opportunity to learn about bike culture in other cities and meet new folks right here at home.
Dinner and Bikes Tour Stops in Kansas City
Thursday, September 22nd, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
EventPort in the Crossroads Arts District
208 West 19th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Tickets $10 advance, $15 at the door (BikeWalkKC members get 50% discount)

More info? This is a note from Elly to me...

"Hi Bill,

Thanks a lot --
Here's our description of the event:http://
ramblingroadshow.com/archives/104

And here's a very charming write-up by our hosts in Vegas: http://lvzinelibrary.blogspot.com/2011/09/dinner-bikes-few-pictures-many-memories.html

And then here's my write-up about Vegas... maybe something KC folks can relate to? http://www.blogger.com/goog_1169026318
Looking forward to meeting you,
Elly"

Thanks Elly, we are looking forward to meeting you all too!

Sometimes carfree commuting involves using
multiple modes of transportation like: Bike to the bus,
take bus, then bike to work. This just adds to the
adventure.

For me, everyday is World Carfree Day. I love this life style and talk about it every chance I get.

May people like the idea, but are not sure how to try living carfree or at the very least carlite (owning a car, but using it on a limited basis).

I am here to say it is not hard at all. You all know how to walk. And I think most of you know how to ride a bike (if not call me and I will teach you immediately!). And I am sure you all know how to ride a bus or train.

All kids live carfree and love it!

Living carfree is alot of fun. It makes every trip you take more like an adventure, or being on vacation, seriously, it is awesome! It does take more time in many cases, but it is time well spent considering the benefits to; your health, the environment, and your community.

Kids live this way, so can you.

All you need is good pair of walking shoes. A bike, and you do not need to spend alot. Bikes are very personal, I would recommend a mountain bike...or a touring bike for your carfree lifestyle. Both are made tough and can be adjusted for your urban commutes.

I use a Trek 820 mountain bike I bought 4 years ago for $289.00, I think they are $329.00 now. I have modified it over the years, and it is my bike of choice for commuting, mountain biking, gravel riding, work outs, long distance touring, well...everything. It is an excellent bike, and very strong. I have at least 20,000 miles on it and have added stronger wheels, platform pedals, tires, tire liners, rear rack, fenders, seat, bar ends, and probably replaced most of the parts on it as over the years I have worn parts out by bicycling 365 days a year. If you have a bike use it. If you do not, get something simple, tough, inexpensive. Stay away from "comfort bikes." Go with a lower end mountain or road bike...it you go with a road bike, make sure it can handle wider tires and has the ability to hold a rack. I use Arkel racks and bags to carry my gear in.

This is my friend Thad Carson who is a mailman and
entrepreneur and full time bike commuter. Here he is running
errands with his son.

So go have some fun. If you have questions ask me hear and I will respond.

Peace, Bill

If you explore this site, you will find 20+ people who live this life style, lots of good articles and resources, and check out some of our sponsors. If find value in this site and would would like to donate we would appreciate the help!

Fathers letter to his 11 year old daughter

2011-09-16T16:47:00.000-05:00

Dear Emily, Written by Emily’s dad.

Hey Sweet Pea. I am so proud of you!

That was a great letter, now…how old are you again? ;) I appreciate your passion on the subject, and don’t worry Emily, your not going to die because of the environment. You will be fine and the Earth will be too.

Your teacher is correct that there are issues we need to deal with.

I promise you, there are people working on the problem right now. Scientists, inventors, car companies, energy companies, governments, and people like you.

I am all for your idea. Bicycling to work sounds great, and I have been thinking about it a long time. I have been driving a car for transportation since I was 15 and it is hard to change that habit. I was thinking the other day how silly it was to even drive to the grocery store like we do on Saturdays to get a week worth of groceries. Your Mom and I, and you, could bike or walk there since it is only .9 miles from our home. We could carry the groceries on our bikes, or put them in back packs, and carry bags. Wow, it is that simple and it sounds like an adventure.

Regarding you bicycling to the movies with your friends we will have to ask your Mom. I will look into that more. One thing for sure Sweet Pea, you will have to wear your helmet. And I do not want you to think I do not trust you, it is other people that concern me, like people driving and texting or talking on their cell phones.

Walking to places with your friends I am fine with, we have already talked to you about that. I think that is a really good idea. I will do more of that myself and I bet Mom will too!

I will go to the library tomorrow and get bus schedules to see what our options are for that.

I am with you on this Emily, but give a little time for the change, it may not happen as fast as you like. I am not sure what your Mom will say. Your sporting events may be a issue, especially that it is turning into fall and the days are shorter. But I guess we can figure out a way to carpool you girls together. Also, in bad weather, we will use a car at night, for safety reasons, if it is day, we will take that on a day by day basis. Again, I have to think of your safety.

I am excited for you Emily. Why don’t draw up a schedule of places you have to go and how you want to get there and bring it to me and we will plan this together with Mom.

Love,

Dad

Childs letter to parents regarding alternate transportation

2011-09-14T11:49:00.000-05:00

Written by Emily D. an 11 year old

Dear Mom and Dad,

I learned about the environment today at school. My teacher, Mr. Kellar, told us that the future of the Earth rest on actions of the people of the Earth. He says global warming is a real threat to our existence. He had some very impressive facts and names of scientists I have never heard of, and gave us a reading list to back up his points.

Mom, Dad, I am scared. I do not want to die, and I do not want to hurt the planet.

One of the solutions Mr. Kellar told us about is finding alternate ways for people to transport themselves. If people stopped using fossil fuels on a “unlimited” basis, there may be a chance damage done could be reversed. I believe him.

I have heard you both talking about global warming, we have seen news reports, the Earth Day special we watched on TV, and we even have some books in the house that talk about it. I even remember about Dad saying he had a environmental science class in college that talked about it?

I am confused; since Global Warming is real why do have two cars?

And…why do we use them all the time. Why do other people do the same thing when they know that one of the major contributors of global warming is car use?

Can we change as a family? Can we use alternatives for transportation, like walking, bicycling, and buses? When we are in the car I see other people who do not use cars. I think it would be good for the environment and it would save you money. Dad, if you bicycled to work you would probably loose that “spare tire” you are always talking about and Mom if you walked to work you would not have to drive to the gym everyday to work out.
My friends are asking their parents the same questions. We understand change will not happen overnight, but we know we can make change now by; walking or riding our bikes to school, carpooling to sporting events, walking to the grocery store and restaurants, staying closer to home and enjoying the parks close to home rather than driving to places we do not need to go.

Mom and Dad I love you. I want to feel safe that the world will be around when I am your age and I want my children to be safe. I am only 11, but I understand the problem.

So tomorrow, I will be riding my bike to school, I can do that everyday. In winter when there is snow, I will walk, I can do that. When I need to buy something I will walk or ride my bike to the store. My friends and I will go to the movies on the weekends and we will walk or bike there, if it is dark when we are coming home we can carpool home if we walked. If we need to go farther, we can take a bus. And I want to bicycle and walk with you two. Will you please make changes and allow me to?

Love,
Emily
(At the parents request her identity will be kept confidential)
Please share.
The parents letter will be published next.

New quote from the founder

2011-09-07T14:06:00.000-05:00

My Fellow carfree Americans:

"Ask not what your car can do for you, but what you can do without your car!" BP

Bicycling Across American: Profile of Eric Xu

2011-08-28T11:36:00.001-05:00

This weekend I had the opportunity to host my first Warmshowers cyclist, Eric Xu who is bicycling from NJ all the way to Seattle, Washington! Even though Eric was only here for about 13 hours because of a Shape Note singing performance (see video) he needed to get to in Lawrence, Kansas. We had a great time hanging out learning about each other.

Eric, a Wallstreet Analyst/ Shape Note singer/ Bicycle Tourist/ Philosopher, was alot fun to host.

If you are not a host on Warmshowers.org you may want to consider it, the experience of opening up your home to the world can be a very rewarding and rich experience.

This first video is Eric explaining his trip and giving some tips.

If you think you may be on the route Eric is taking and might be a host you can find him at Warmshowers and at facebook
Peace,
Bill

This second video is Eric explaining his use of flowers to pacify would be aggressive drivers as he crosses the United States...this a excellent cycling touring tip by Eric showing his use of ..."Flower Power!"

Elizabeth Kiker, VP League of American Bicyclists, Car-lite Profile

2011-08-17T14:43:00.000-05:00

Tell me a little bit about you (name, age, occupation, car-free or car-lite, where you live).

"Elizabeth Kiker, 36 years old, Vice President of League of American Bicyclists, car-lite, Arlington, Va."

When did you start using a bicycle for transportation and what effect has it had on your life?

"I started riding my bike to school in fifth grade, started again in college, and started as an adult in 2003. I was working at an association in Fairfax, Va. I’m a terrible driver, so I took the train and bus to work every day. I noticed that my entire commute had a bike trail that I could easily see out of the train and bus windows. One day, I decided to use it. I was riding an old mountain bike, and it took me a LONG time, but I loved it. I became obsessed, encouraging colleagues to ride, meeting them at their houses in the early a.m. to show them how to ride in, and riding all year round. When I saw the job opening at the League of American Bicyclists, I wrote an impassioned letter they still tease me about. The gist was: You MUST hire me! And they did."

Please describe a typical day in your cycling life?

"With two children under two, I don’t do a lot of recreational riding anymore. I do ride 7 miles each way to work, four to five days a week, all year round (excepting the blizzards this past February!) "

What kind of bike(s) are you currently riding?

"As a gift when my son was born, my husband and parents bought me a custom pink Waterford. I will ride it forever. "

In your opinion, what’s the best part about cycling for transportation?

"The mind boggles! There are so many answers. The sunshine is my favorite one. The freedom. The views! (I live in Arlington and commute to DC via Arlington Cemetery, the Lincoln Monument, and the White House …) The way it helps me lose my baby weight. The cost!"

What’s the worst?

"… pause … snow!"

Do you have a favorite car-free/car-lite story? (Something that really makes you smile or could possibly encourage others to use a bike instead of a car for transportation?)

"I have so many! Some are from when I went out of my way to ride … like riding to Baltimore to meet friends for lunch (50 miles each way) or riding 10 miles out of the way to meet a colleague and show him how easy it was to ride to work. I do love every commute in the summer—I always try to stop and offer help to cyclists in need. Last week I saw a guy pushing a bike and offered him a tube or air. He said no thanks, that he was close to his hotel, and I rode on. The next day, at the same place (almost) I saw another guy pushing a bike. I stopped to help and he said, “Didn’t I talk to you yesterday?” It was the same guy! He was a tourist in town and had been low on air the previous day and then had a blow-out the next day. Both days he declined my offer of help, but it was fun to chat."

What are three pieces of advice you would give to someone starting/ considering commuting by bike?

"You can do it!"
"Have someone show you a good way to get to work by bicycle --- it most likely won’t be the way you drive. "
"Don’t worry about all the gear --- just ride the bike you have and use a backpack, and then buy stuff later."

What changes regarding transportation would you like to see in the United States?

"More bicycle friendliness! More complete streets, more transit options, many, many fewer short car trips, and a lot more design for bicyclists."

Do you recommend cycling to friends/family members/youth or others? Have any taken you up on it?

"My dad commutes to work every day in Houston, Texas and my mom commuted before she retired. I’ve inspired at least 10 friends to start bicycle commuting, and my husband is even more dedicated to it than I am. I love spreading the word about riding to work!"

Anything else you would like to add?

"I love learning more about what bicycle advocates—people just like me, all across the country—are doing to transform their communities for bicyclists. My favorite League program is Bicycle Friendly America, where we certify communities, states, and businesses that are leading the way in bicycle friendliness. Find out more at http://www.bikeleague.org/!"

Note from Car-Free American: The folks at the League of American Bicyclists are fighting for the rights of cyclists and the education cyclists and those interested in cycling. These are the people promoting cycling on a national level. I would encourage you to take a look at their site and see all the great things they are doing for us.

Their mission: "To promote bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation and work through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America."

The way I see the world

2011-08-16T09:30:00.000-05:00

Car Free.

Who are the carfree Americans and why are they so cool?

2011-08-01T16:59:00.001-05:00

Chrissy and her daughter, Hannah

Making a difference?

"This is Bill, he is part of a new carfree movement sweeping the country." Chrissy said as she introduced me to her husband. "He writes about living carfree and how if benefits people." She explained with sincere enthusiasm.

I see Chrissy and her two kids when they bike to the store.

Her husband, less impressed, said, "cool." and went back to his bagel and kids.

She is just one of hundreds of people who I have talked to, bumped into, taken pictures of, written about, or inspired over the last few years by living carfree.

FYI there are more carfree Americans than you think! And yes, they are cool. I will tell you why.

First, you can own a car and be carfree. What? It is true, being carfree can be just a walk or bike ride to the store, or maybe a bus ride to the theater, or maybe a cab ride to get a pizza. Carfree is being in the moment, with out the use of your car. If you are lucky enough to be able to live completely without a car, you are one of the lucky few. Most of you will keep on owning a car throughout your life. Sorry to you hardcore carfree purists, but it is a fact.

So, I say to all you who at some point in your day, or week, can manage to take a carfree trip by foot, bicycle, mass transit (or other-rollerblade, electric bike, skate board, etc) you are cool.
You are making the world a healthier place.

By taking a carfree trip you are promoting:
Physical and mental health
Environmental health
Community health

I learned 11 years ago, without good health you have nothing.
We, as human beings, have a responsibility to stay healthy, keep our home/planet Earth healthy, and live in healthy communities.

Right?

Seriously, let us make this world a better and healthier place. Take the time to try living carfree at some point in your day and reap the benefits.

Loretta Henderson cycling solo...AROUND THE WORLD!

whether you are traveling the world like Loretta Henderson or bicycling to the local grocery store like Chrissy and her kids, Hannah and Cole, you can make a difference.

What is in his future?

True we do not know how much a difference we are making, but I assure you a difference is being made.

The future:
There is a story I heard years ago about a guy who was jogging on a beach at dawn. As he approached the beach he noticed it was covered with thousand of starfish that had washed up on it from a storm the previous night.

With the sun quickly rising the starfish seemed to be doomed.

See the enormity of the situation the man thought to himself, "I feel bad, but what can I do, I am just one man and there are thousand maybe millions of starfish."

The man still decided to continue with his workout carefully trying not to squish too many of the starfish. In the distance he could see the figure of a person that seemed to running back and forth from the beach to the ocean.

As he got closer he saw a young woman, covered in sand and sweat. She was frantically gathering the starfish and throwing them as far out into the ocean as she could mange. The man could see she was passionately sobbing.

He called out to her, "what are you doing?"

She Yelled back, " I am saving the them! Help me!"

He replied, "There are thousands more, the sun is up, how can you possibly think you will make a difference and save them all?"

The young woman looked him in the eyes with a look of defiance. She reached down and picked up one starfish, and threw it in the ocean.

"Made a difference for that one!"

The future starts with you...

you,
we,
us can make a difference,

but it starts with one.

Peace,

Bill

Adventure Cycling Association: Historical Bike Routes: The Possibilities Are Endless!

2011-07-22T13:19:00.000-05:00

Adventure Cycling Association: Historical Bike Routes: The Possibilities Are Endless!

Anniversary-2 years without a car!

2011-07-15T17:24:00.000-05:00

Parent shopping with daughter by bike

Two years living without a car. Living in a car-centric town, this has been no easy feat in the winter in below -0f weather or now in the 100f + heat index days. But it has been very rewarding, as a matter of fact, one can say I have completely incorporated the carfree lifestyle into my existence and guess what, it works!

Everything from the profiles to the Cycling W3R Expedition are a direct result of this lifestyle.

Dogs walking human

I believe with all my being that people should live carlite or carfree whenever they get a chance. The mission holds true:

getting gas for lawn mower

To promote the carfree/ lite lifestyle and see the health benefits: Personal, Environmental, and Community.

Here are some pictures showing carfree
living..enjoy

Homeless guy in KS

Coyote guarding my bike

Art the committed commuter

truth

art

entrepreneur

there is soooo much freedom in
bicycling for transportation

Peace, Bill

If you would like to share your Carfree or Carlite life with us...go for it! We would love to hear from you!

Cycling W3R: Newport to Providence-Car-free trip

2011-07-07T10:18:00.002-05:00

Rhode Island Part 1: Newport to Providence

Cycling W3R Expedition

Part one the route: Newport to Providence

Newport

I love everything about Rhode Island.

I arrived by ferry (this a short video of the crossing) to Quonset Point, RI from the Island of Martha's Vineyard. My ocean crossing, although much shorter than the French in 1780, was very choppy, causing me a bout of seasickness (What? I am from Kansas, what did you expect? ;) )

Quonset Point is a big industrial area where ships and planes were made in the past and today. Before we arrived I called Peter Rice who had previously given me advice about cycling the roads in the Newport area and had told me if I needed a ride to Newport to call him as the bridges in did not allow bicycles. Peter answered, and said he would be there shortly. I was impressed by his generosity.

Laura the owner

Once off the ferry, I decided to bike around the area while I waited for Peter.

Out of place of all the industrial building was a lone mobile restaurant called Quonset Hut. It was so out of place I had to stop and take a picture. Laura the owner came out to greet me. She was a tough, weather worn, hard working woman who bought the trailer and set up Quonset Hut in the area where she herself use to work on B-52 Bombers in the early 70s. She had many ideas how to make her business successful and was very kind to me, even giving me a free bottle of water. This was my first experience with the hospitality I would become accustomed to from the people of Rhode Island.

Peter Rice and I at the Rochambeau
Statue.

Peter drove up and we headed toward the bridge on Highway 138 that crossed Narragansett Bay. Once on the bridge I understood why cyclists were not allowed. The lanes are narrow and traffic heavy. There are local buses to get across I will try on my next trip.

Once in Newport Peter took me around the town explaining to me the history of the area and showing me alternative cycling routes out of town. Pete is retired from the Navy and is originally from ND. Pete is also a member the Narragansett Bay Wheelmen. I think in all we spent three hours exploring the area and the routes.

I next headed to my home for the night, a Hostel called the William Gyles Guesthouse. The owner, Merrilee, a cyclist, was still at her job, so we decided on meeting an hour later, then she could check me in. $35 bucks for the night! I went for a short ride exploring Newport.

I made it back to the Hostel in time for Merrilee to check me in and to meet my roommate, one from California, and another, Andy from Ireland.

Andy has been back packing around the Eastern US for one month and still had a month to go. He was heading to a place in Maine where he was going to work on a sustainable organic farm for two weeks in exchange for room and board. He found it on a site called, WWoof or World Wide opportunities on organic farms. Cool!

Newport at night!

After getting settled in and a shower, rolled into town to find WiFi and get some food. There I met a young woman, Chelsey, soliciting Blood Donations for the Red Cross. Chelsey is one of those people who can look at you in the eye and you know she has a kind soul. I let her know that I was in need of my blood as I was going on a long bike ride. She readily agreed with my choice and loaded me up with some free life savers candy.

I went back to the Hostel for a short time and then went into town with Erica, another guest, who was a grad student from CA for a glass of wine. Seeing Newport at night is a site. Great restaurants, many people, ships on the water, history oozes from the ground here. The people are friendly.

The next morning I was up early. I think I may have had three hours sleep as the neighbors across the street form the hostel had a party till 2am-ish. I got up at 6am and made a light breakfast, studied some maps Peter left me, and wrote in my journal.

I checked out of the Hostel and rolled into town. I spent some more time exploring the town of Newport on two wheels. Bicycling is one of the best ways to see the town. Although the streets have traffic, and sometimes are narrow in town, the people are use to cyclists. There is a loop, where you ride south on Thames to Wellington, then heading toward Fort Adams, and winding your way on great roads with ocean views and then back into town passing mansions and lots of tourist waiting for their buses. There is a bike map available at all the bike shops and hotels to help guide you.

the start

Around 9am I made my way to my start point. The Rochambeau statue on Wellington.

The Start

The morning was perfect, sunny, mid 70s, slight breeze, the smell of the ocean, seagulls speaking in turn. I made my way to the start point. I was interviewed by a local Newspaper, and then the start was at 10am. Just me and Rochambeau-the present with the past.

I would take a left here to Memorial.

I made my way on the Cycling W3R route I had decided on after exploring three options with my local route adviser, Peter Rice. My objective was to make a safe route, staying close to the history, and finding one that would be good for most levels of cyclists. The official W3R route out of town is on Route 114, which is becomes very busy with traffic, no shoulder, not fun. The other route was going through Navy housing, with lots of turns, little views. The third, and the one I chose, went west on Wellington to Thames. Right to Narragansett. A left, rolling past some beautiful homes to Annandale. Left to Memorial Drive.

On Memorial drive I passed a gorgeous beach on my right, then veered left to Route 214 North. 214 is simple, a wide shoulder, low traffic.

USS Saratoga

I took 214 North to 114 North. Took a right there and took my 2nd left to Gate 17 entrance of the Navel Base. Once on the Gate 17 road, I headed west to Burma Road. Coming down to Burma Road is amazing as once you crest the hill and go down the road your view is Narragansett Bay and the decommissioned Aircraft Carrier, the USS Saratoga. The Saratoga is impressive to behold, and seemed to be waiting for me to roll by in celebration of the Cycling W3R, as the theme, the past meeting the present again seemed relevant. On a side note, according to the Cycling W3R Expedition Historian, Robert Selig, the three most significant battles of the American Revolution were; Bunker Hill, Saratoga, and Yorktown.

My view to my left heading north on Burma Rd.

Once on Burma Road, I quickly realized why so many locals recommended it to me. A well maintained two lane with little traffic and nice shoulders. I headed north and had views the bay on my left and greenery on my right. I took it to Stringham Rd. Not well marked, but a distinctive sharp right turn, I had to pull out the GPS to make sure of my location.

This made me laugh...

I took a right on Stringham, and rolled slowly uphill to 114 North. There was a Dunken Donuts on the other side of 114. Traffic on 114 was heavy. I stopped for some food and drink.

Heading toward the Mt Hope Bridge

Fuel up on a bagel and donut, I next headed North on 114. This section of the route is NOT fun, with no shoulder, high traffic, and poor road surface. I felt vulnerable here and took my time focused on the bumpy potholed filled maze in front of me while constant prayer were being sent out to the universe for my safety as cars and trucks speeded by with little regard for my existence.

The saving grace on 114 for is the consistency of the W3R signs marking the route. It was a comfort.

Patriot's Park
Patriots Park is a memorial to the 1st Rhode Island Regiment, known as the Black Regiment. The park is located at the junction northbound of Routes 114 and 24. A flagpole commemorates the site where the Black Regiment fought off a Hessian attack, saving the American line, on August 29, 1778, during the Battle of Rhode Island.

Luckily the poor road only lasted a few miles then I was able to turn left towards Mount Hope Bridge. And then, between Highway 24 and 114, in a very odd place there was located Patriots Park-recognizing the Black Regiment. I stopped for a quick picture, but was eager to roll north, so did not explore.

Stopping at the bottom of the bridge
taking a picture over my left shoulder.

I got to the Mt Hope Bridge, a narrow two lane, with grates every 50 feet or so, lenght over 6,000 feet! I was glad I had wide tires. Traffic was medium, but the bridge being long, and very high, with obstacles in the way, and traffic at my back I was not able to enjoy the amazing views of the water below. Although the ride over was intense, I never felt in danger, cars were respective, as long as I kept my line, all was well.

A few minutes later, I was off it and stopped and took a picture over my left shoulder to see what I had done. Wow.

This was when I got on
the East Bay Bike Path
from Oliver St in Bristol.

Next the road greatly improved, I stayed on 114 and rolled into the town of Bristol. A gorgeous town, the water at my left. I slowly made my way to Oliver St. Then left to the East Bay Bicycle Path.

My choice to go into Providence was 114 or this Bike path. I chose the bike path, although at some point I would like to explore 114 in this section. The bike path is amazing. 14.5 miles to Providence without having to get on a road. Very well maintained, it looks more like small two lane road than a bicycle path.

I meandered my way on the path, passing a young girl at a Del's lemonade stand! I have never seen this on bike paths, and am impressed!

The Bike path, gave a view of what the land looked
in 1781.

I continued past the towns of Barrington, and then Riverside. I stopped a grocery store in Barrington which was a few feet off the bike path.

There I met a woman, Jackie, who was getting her groceries on her single speed Schwinn Stingray, and was curious about my loaded bicycle. I told her about the expedition, and we talked about the route for awhile. She gave me some advice about downtown Providence, I would soon( unknowingly) regret not taking.

First views of Providence from the East Bay
Bike Path

I made why way north to the Riverside area, and although I was getting closer to Providence, the bike path was a low stress alternative to bicycling into a big city.

I made my way to Providence, took a left on a sidewalk (still part of the East Bay Bicycle Path), with the highway on my right, I was about to go urban! Yikes!

Stay tuned for Part two; Providence to Joy Homestead and getting lost!

Side note: On a side note, I am still fund raising. If you like what you are reading and seeing, chip in some bucks and you will get more! ;)
Peace, Bill

Profile of Ana Reinert-Kansas City, Mo

2011-06-16T11:50:00.002-05:00

Tell me a little bit about you ?

My name is Ana Reinert and I work as a product designer at Hallmark. In my spare time, I write a blog called The Well-Appointed Desk. I'm married to a lovely, Park Tools-trained bike noodler/letterpress printer. I live in the "dodgy end" of Brookside, a suburban neighborhood in Kansas City and I am doing my best to live a carlite life. I don't have any children but I do cater to four very needy cats.

When did you start using a bicycle for transportation and what other
forms of transportation do you use?

When I was living in Chicago, I rode my trusty bike to and from work everyday unless it was snowing or bitterly cold. It was not a particularly bike-friendly town most of the time I lived there but somehow, since moving to KC, it feels even less bike-friendly. The first few years here in KC we lived downtown and I relied largely on a vintage Vespa as my main mode of transportation. Since relocating to a more suburban area, I spent more and more time driving and less time being carlite but that has been changing. I am trying to increase my radius incrementally.

What is a day in your bicycling life like?

A few years ago, I read about the 2-mile challenge(http://2milechallenge.com/map/) so I sat down and mapped out the 2-miles around my house and realized that a lot of my errands fell within that range so I started riding to the store, library and other short-distance errands. Then I just got to where I enjoyed riding my bike so much I just started riding everyday. In the winter, I even put my bike up on a trainer and ride just to keep pedaling.

Do you recommend cycling to friends/family members/others? Have any
taken you up on it?

I often recommend riding for low-impact fitness and the sheer joy of pedaling with the wind in your face. I joke that riding my bike is my favorite stress-reliever and it "keeps me from killing people" at work.

What kind of bike are you currently riding?

Right now, I'm riding a 2008 Giant Transend which has been nicknamed "The Pigeon". I am in the process of restoring a couple vintage bikes-- an 80s-era Raleigh Mixte and a late 50/early 60s era Fleet Wing which is a fixed-gear cruiser. Oddly, all my bikes are blue.

In your opinion, what's the best part about cycling for transportation?

Getting there is half the fun when cycle for transportation. It also gives me time to think. If I'm in my car or on the bus, I feel like I have to do something else while traveling -- listen to music, the radio, etc -- but on a bike, I only pedal. I think and I look around and really see the neighborhood.

What's the worst?

Cold weather. I have asthma and riding in the cold is absolute misery for me. I am trying to find ways to lessen the risk of an attack while riding in the fall and winter because I so miss riding outside during those cold months.

Do you have a favorite carfree/carlite story?

I love being able to skirt all parking issues when using a bike for transport. I used to park my bike on Michigan Avenue in Chicago in front of whatever shop I needed to visit. Even in Brookside, I don't have to loop the block to get a spot near the Roasterie or the drugstore, I just sidle up to the nearest post, pole or bike rack and I'm done.

What are three pieces of advice you would give to someone starting/
considering commuting by bike?

1) Find a good bike that is comfortable for you. It might not be the fixie, road bike, or beach cruiser you had your heart set on but if its comfortable and you feel like you can control it, you are going to ride it a lot more and enjoy doing it.

2) if you're going to commute, you'll need fenders, handlebar cupholder (so you can stop at the coffee shop on the way) and a messenger bag. Lights come in handy too.

Ana and her husband

3) Start small. Ride to the post office, drug store or other nearby errand and work up to a full commute.

Anything else you would like to add?

My next plan is to get a folding bike to keep at the office for running lunchtime errands and just to have an excuse to get outside during the day.

Thanks for the interview Ana. If you too would like to be featured on Carfree American, just reach out to me or, maybe, I will bump into you on the road like I did Ana.

Pedaler's Jamboree carfree weekend!

2011-06-03T17:59:00.001-05:00

Last weekend I had a blast at the Pedaler's Jamboree.

This event was a carfree music festival on the Katy Trail from Columbia, Missouri to Boonville, Missouri and back.

There were over 1000 bicyclists who participated in the event. Here are some videos I took and pictures from my good friend David Rainey.

I rolled with Mark Rainey, David Rainey, Nancy MacDonald, and Tim Oberle.

Thanks to Mike Denehy and the staff of the Pedaler's Jamboree for putting on a great event!
Special thanks to Stephanie and Melissa for being so gracious.

The MKT trail was gorgeous

I hope to see you all there next year!

Mark Rainey...i am not sure what he is doing

Our tents

lots of bicycles and no cars!

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great music as we rolled

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Christopher and Mandy's honeymoon transportation!

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cliffs and ancient native American writings

strongest bicyclist award goes to Mellon Head

Pedaler's Jamboree founder Mike Denehy

Bike Commuter Profile-Mark Fisher

2011-06-02T11:21:00.000-05:00

Mark Fisher is a Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Kansas Medical Center and a full time bike commuter! I was rolling this morning and bumped into Mark and got a quick video interview, so enjoy! Bill P.

How to bicycle for transportation in the rain.

2011-05-18T09:18:00.004-05:00

Mia Birk in her rainy town of Portland

How To Bicycle For Transportation In The Rain
By Bill Poindexter aka Carfree American

This being Bike to Work week many of the new cyclists may consider a rainy day a day to hop back in the car. Don’t fret my bike friendly Americans, a little rain won’t hurt you.

One of the greatest things about biking for transportation or travel is being outside and an active participant with the weather. There are few things in life more rewarding than bicycling in the rain.

Rain riding can be a fun, safe, and rewarding experience. The savvy carfree or carlite American can use the following strategies to insure a successful commute.

Thad Carson is a mail carrier and creater of Taddihogg
cycling hats. He commutes by bike all year long in all
weather. Here he is delivering hats on a rainy day.

Carrying clothes and gear:
For dry clothes and gear: Stuff your items in a garbage bag and then insert them into your backpack.

Or pick up some quality panniers (saddle bags) that are waterproof and/or have rain covers.

I use Arkel panniers and Arkel rear trunk called the Tail Rider that has a built in rain cover.

Protecting your body:

I love this built in rain cover on the Arkel Tail Rider

If it is warm wear your wick away bike clothing and get wet. If it is 70f or below you may want to wear a light rain jacket or poncho, but be warned, you will warm up quickly and will most likely sweat thereby getting soaked anyhow, so you will want to regulate your temp by, ideally having a rain jacket with a lot of vents, and if you do not have that, you can regulate temperature by zipping and unzipping and keeping your effort and pace to the point wear you do not sweat much.

My favorite rain jacket from Showers Pass

What to wear, what to wear…in the rain?
I am a big fan of wearing anything for short nice weather rides, say a couple of hours, or rides where I am doing errands or rolling to my favorite bistro for dinner.

But…here it comes…

When the weather turns amiss I throw on my cycling gear-bike shorts, wicking shirts, and cycling jacket (if needed). Cycling clothes have evolved and serve a purpose-light weight, pull sweat/ moisture away from body, offer low wind resistance, and keep you warm on a cool day and cool on a warm day. With advances in fabrics you can choose wool or synthetics.

Bike shorts also are a must to the regular cyclist. The padding protects the tender underside and helps to insure a more comfortable bike ride. The shorts take a little getting use to, but once you get over the “diaper feel” you will use them on a regular basis for rides over an hour. Cycling clothes come in many styles and sizes so you do not have to have the look of a pro racer. As with all things cycling it comes down to your own individual style and preference.

Arriving wet:
Bring a towel, a change of clothes, find a bathroom and do your thing. I am told by female friends there hair and makeup are issues-well you just have to figure out a way to make it work.

If a wet day, you may also bring an extra set of cycling clothes for the ride home so you do not have to wear the wet ones you might have been unable to dry on your cubicle wall.

Excuse not riding in the rain.
Generally there are ways and routes to safely ride in the rain. Be creative, you can at the very least bike to a bus stop and take mass transit, or even walk, before resorting to using a car.

Some safety guidelines for rainy weather:

a. Use front and rear flashing lights day and night for more visibility.

b. During a thunderstorm find shelter and wait for storm to pass.

c. Down pours can be dangerous and hard to see the road ahead, best to find shelter and wait it out.

d. Rain can cause streets, lane lines, metal, or newly paves roads to be very slick so use caution especially on turns.

e. Be predictable to other cyclists and drivers by keeping a straight line.

f. Look ahead for debris caused by the rain and use caution.

After ten years of riding in all types of rain, I have found riding in the rain can be very rewarding and extremely fun! Anyone can ride on a nice day. The different feel, smells, sounds, sights, and feeling of riding in the rain makes any rainy bike ride more epic and allows for a great story after the ride.

2010 Ride for Silence was cancelled because of rain
but these folks rode anyway to pay there respects to
fallen cyclists.

“You rode your bike to work?” Your coworker will ask. “ Yup”, you say, dripping wet and smiling.
“In the rain?” The person blurts out loudly.
“Yup!” you say smiling even more.
“That is awesome.”…and so it goes.

Live and ride.
Peace, Bill

15 Car-Free Myths and Truths

2011-05-05T12:43:00.003-05:00

15 Car-Free Myths and Truths

By Bill Poindexter aka “The Car-free American”

1. It is hard to live car-free!
False. It is not hard to live car-free. It may be inconvenient, but not hard. Think about it, people had been living car-free up to the early 1900s. No one died because they did not own a car, nor will you if you go car-free or car-lite. It takes time to get use to it, but it all come together and becomes more natural than car use. Basically being carfree is getting back to nature-you get healthier, it is good for environment, and you meet your community-face to face rather than car to car.

2. It is always fun
False: Not always, but most of the time it is. Usually the weather is the fun or non fun factor. But there are other factors too; heavy traffic, if you are tired, or sick, or a strong headwind. Then again, those are all factors that make driving a car not fun too.

3. People look down at you
True: sometimes they do. That is ok; at the end of the day most secretly wish they could live carfree.

4. You have to have special equipment
False: Good walking shoes and a bicycle. And you do not have to have an expensive bicycle, just one that works well for you. Overtime you’ll figure out your own personal style of transportation. Keep it simple.

5. You will lose a lot of weight
Maybe, if you burn off more than you take in. You will get fit-that is for sure.

6. You will save money
True: No more gas! No more insurance! No more car payment! No more personal property tax! No more oil changes!

7. You cannot live carfree if you have a young family
False: You can, millions do (billions), it is just more inconvenient until you become use to it. It is definitely easier in more urban settings and some suburban. If you live in the country it may not be practical, in which case a car is necessary.

8. You will get hit by a car or crash
Big false: Nonsense! Only if you don’t pay attention to your surroundings. The odds are still in your favor…not to get squished. I have spent 10 years riding in traffic a have never been hit by a car. I ride with the assumption the drivers do not see me.

9. People will make fun of you if you do not own a car and /or bike places
False and true: Well, if they do, make fun of them back. They are jealous you are out enjoying yourself.

10. You will instantly be “Green.”
False: There is more to being green than just using alternative transportation. Carfree is a step in the right direction.

11. You will miss out on event because you won’t be able to get there.
True, sometimes that does happen, but you will be able to see and feel much more than you ever have in a car, so you’ll gain much more richness in your life. You will also learn to support events in your local community and you will add value as you arrive by your own steam. It makes your transportation an adventure!

12. I will have to own special clothes for bicycling?
False: You can wear anything you want. If you are riding longer than an hour, you may want to make sure you are wearing something comfortable. Bike shorts were made for a reason. Time on the bike will be your best teacher.

13. I do not have time to be car-free
False: most Americans waste a crap load of time in their cars going to places they don’t need to go to or watching TV. I suspect you could find a bit of time to get healthier, save the environment, and make your community stronger. There is always time to do something good for you. It comes down to needs versus wants-“do I really need to drive to the Wal-Mart to buy more crap I don’t need.” Or “can we hop on the bikes and go to the local store to buy what we really need?” Then again...there are exceptions:)

14. Car-free means never owning or driving a car
False: It is a little confusing I admit. Typically Car-free means living with out a car and Car-lite means owning a car, but using it on a limited basis. Any journey you take without the use of a car, no matter the distance, is car-free.

15. Living car-free makes me happy!

TRUE: I love the lifestyle. Living car-free has helped me become healthier, I feel like I am polluting less, I save money, and I have developed very strong relationships in my community because of my lifestyle.

Bill Poindexter is the creator of the blog, Carfree American. He lives in the car-centric suburbs of Kansas City and has lived carfree or carlite for the last 10 years. He is also leading a small expedition, over 700 miles and through 9 states this summer on a 230 year old National Historic Trail to; map out a safe Bicycle Route for the National Park Service, to promote the benefits of bicycle transportation, and to remember the sacrifices made during the American Revolution. You can follow the historic expedition at: http://www.cyclingw3r.blogspot.com/

10 Things I Love About Living Carfree

2011-05-04T12:57:00.000-05:00

10 things I love about living carfree:

1. Saving money: I figured I save about $6,000.00 per year, that covers gas, car payment, insurance, maintenance, and property tax. Back in 2000, when I had two expensive cars I was paying about $15,000 per year. It varies per person and family. What would a few extra thousand dollars do for you and your family?
See article, How to Pedal Towards Financial Freedom from our guest, Tammy Strobel

2. Walking in my neighborhood: Before I started walking for transportation I would see many of neighbors through the glass from my car or they were a blurr as I rode past on my bicycle. Walking has allowed me to meet my neighbors, their kids, their pets. Every time I stop and chat with someone, my community becomes stronger, better, safer. Neighbor supporting neighbor.

3. Bus rides in my city: I love riding the bus! It reminds me of vacations as a kid because that was the only time my family used a bus for transportation. The bus, as trains and trolleys, is still a treat to me. I love conversing with people on the bus, reading, or watching my city roll by.

4. Breathing easier: Without good health I do not have anything. 10 years ago, after years of physical neglect I would get short of breath just walking on my block. For years I admired people whom walked and bicycled for transportation; they always, no matter their age, looked healthy, and happier. I like knowing I am not adding to air pollution.

5. Good use of my Time: I decided ten years ago I did not want to waste my time. I made a choice to live deliberately and fully aware of how precious life is and not waste it on things that do not matter to me.Time moves too fast! The average person may live 700,000 hours (age 80). Now subtract 8 hours/ day for sleep-now your down to 467,200 hours of life. Then take into account, eating, washing, pooping-well there is another 2 hours per day and there goes another 58,400 hours and now you are left with 408,800 hours. Then how much time do you commute to work, watch TV, surf the internet-2, 3, 5 hours per day? Then of course how old are you now, yep, subtract those hours (8760 hours per year). What are you left with and how are you going to use that time. I decided ten years ago, I would use my time left in healthy and productive ways. Living carfree allows me to engage life fully. At age 47 I figure I have about 289,000 waking and sleeping hours left, I will spend it wisely.

6. Confidence: With the recent disaster in Japan, one is reminded how easily life and standard of living can be washed away. Nothing you can do about it. If you are healthy you can get yourself out of situations some of your neighbors may not be able to. Living carfree as made me more confident that I can survive volatile weather conditions or possible future disasters. If something happened, I know I can walk or bicycle out of the area on my own terms by passing traffic. I do not need to be rescued. Everyday before I leave the house I make an assessment of what to expect; how far am I going, what is the weather going to do and could it change. So I make sure I have the right food and clothing. Living carfree is very similar to backpacking or bicycle touring. Although the distances are shorter, the basics of travel are the same. Confidence comes with being healthy and fit from walking and biking for transportation and also being prepared.

7. Using all my senses: I am aware of my surrounding when I am walking and bicycling. Spring is here in Kansas City. Everyday I; see signs of plants blooming, smell the change of the season, feel the soft new grass under my feet, and I hear the birds singing.

8. Leading by example: “That is so cool, wish I could do that.” “Still riding your bike for transportation? Your doing it right, the world needs more people like you.” “I really admire you, I see you all over the city, you are an inspiration to me.” These are some statements from people in my community every week. There are many more. I live by the words of Ghandi, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” I feel like I am making a difference, even if at a grassroots level. People see me living this way, gives them the courage to try alternative transportation, and dump the excuses not to.

9. Using my body: I love, love, love using my body for my transportation needs. In the last 10 years I lost over 100lbs, became very fit, and mentally strong. In Dr. Bob Arnot’s book, Guide to Turning Back the Clock, he calls the bicycle “the ultimate time machine.” Saying, “a bike is like and extension of your body, it replaces tired, worn joints, and inelastic ligaments. Since you can maintain heart and lung power well into your sixties, the bike becomes a fresh, elastic young new set of ligaments, muscles, and joints…riding a bike rewards you with a dynamic cardiovascular system, springy, powerful muscles, and the body of a much younger person.” Walking also has its benefits. Using my body for transportation allows me to feel great everyday, mentally and physically.

This lady crossed my path last spring while on a Greenway

10. Adventure: The best part of living carfree. I found out early on, adventure is relative to each individual. Some people go on week, month, or year long trips for adventure in far away places. I have had hundreds of adventures within miles of my home here are a few: been chased by a thunderstorm, ridden by the light of the full moon, walked and rode in temperatures from -5f to 108f, been beaten up by hail, ridden sick with a temperature of 102f, met hundreds of people-from homeless to the well to do, had projectiles thrown at me by people in cars, got caught in a funnel cloud on a overpass and was hit by rain in all directions that stung, seen thousands of animals that were killed by cars, ridden in rush hour traffic in downtown and the suburbs, been run off the road by 5000+ pound machines(cars and trucks), ridden on ice, walked 9 miles home with my bike after two flats, been caught in a blizzard at midnight with 40mph winds, heavy snow, seen sunsets and sunrises that brought tears to my eyes, seen numerous wildlife-bobcat, beaver, owls, coyote, deer, woodchucks, snakes, lizards, otter, herons, and many more all while biking or walking for transportation, and many more adventures. Whether riding a mile to the store, or farther, all these things equal grand adventure.

What are somethings you love about living carfree or carlite?

Share your thoughts here or on the Facebook page.

U.S. Bicycle Route System news!

2011-05-02T10:26:00.003-05:00

New flash! the Adventure Cycling Association is now an official partner with the Cycling W3R Expedition. "They inspire people to travel by bicycle!"

They do great things when it comes to bicycling! Also today they are kicking off a fundraiser for the U.S. Bicycle Route System! So help make the USBRS a reality by donating $10.

"During National Bike Month (May 2011), Adventure Cycling Association is working to raise $30,000 to support the creation of an official U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS) -- once complete, it will be the largest official cycling route network in the world!"

Please share this with the WORLD!

Peace, Bill

Carfree American News-Tweed, caps, fun, and far away expeditions

2011-04-28T07:24:00.001-05:00

Whats this? A carfree Tweed ride??? This years the KC Tweed Ride will be held at the historic Cliff Drive which is carfree on the weekends.

In the spirit of “The Golden Age of Bicycles” the Groody Bros. Bicycle Restoration Project cordially invites you to attend in the second annual Kansas City Tweed Ride – Velocipede & Tweed Indeed! Please join us on Saturday, April 30th, 2011 at Cliff Drive, Kessler Park in Kansas City, MO for an afternoon of sophisticated social revelry upon the most marvelous machines ever devised by man.

"This is about style not speed, elegance not exertion. This is to be considered a family affair to be enjoyed by the young and old alike. We encourage you to bring your own picnic fare enjoy at a designated stop along the route. We are considering a prize for the most creatively clever picnic portage contraption!"

I will be there talking about the carfree expedition- Cycling W3R and will have some cool Taddihogg Tweed Cycling Caps with me for a few lucky riders.

Next,

Taddihogg is a new KC based cycling cap company who is a sponsor for the Cycling W3R Expedition and Carfree American. Thecaps are very comfortable and functional!

Hope to see you at the Tweed Ride!

Cycling for transportation is an epic expedition

2011-04-17T09:33:00.005-05:00

Planning

I am, in partnership with the National Park Service, leading a carfree expedition this summer on the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route (W3R). I'm handling planning and logistics for the 700+ mile, 9 state expedition to map out a safe Bike Route for cyclists. I am finding, with the exception of the marketing and fundraising, this large expedition is similar to the short trips for transportation I do everyday.

Making sure the bicycle is ready to roll

While cycling for transportation I am always aware of the weather, my route, how long it will take, the possibilities of side trips, what gear I need to have-and what is optional, the terrain, my bike-wear on tires, potential for emergencies, how I feel, and the list goes on.

Every trip is a mini expedition, and can be just as impactful as going on a long bike tour.

Short trips can be epic trips

Back in 2001 when I learned about the Adventure Cycling Association I quickly realized how my cycling for transportation trips were similar to the adventure stories I read in their magazine, Adventure Cyclist,(they will send you a free copy). The "how to" advice for travel by bicycle was exactly what I needed to learn as it helped me to be a successful an confident cyclist.

Cycling for transportation is relative to each individual, what may be a short trip for one cyclists, may be a grand adventure for another. When I first started bicycling for transportation that first 14 mile ride to the gym was as epic, in my mind at the time, as any ride I have done since. :)

Sarah getting groceries for her family

I have a friend, Sarah who bikes 3 miles to work and goes to the store on her bike. Married with kids, her bike trips involve the same careful planning as mine. When I talk to her, she will tell me stories of her exploits on that six mile commute that are every bit as interesting as more lavish cycling expeditions.

Epic fun!
Peace,
Bill

Follow me this summer, starting July 1st, as I roll through wilderness, suburbia, and urban wilds as I map out a safe cycling route on the Washington Rochambeau Revolutionary Route (W3R) National Historic Trail.

One picture post

2011-04-15T08:43:00.000-05:00

Thanks to whoever took/ made this pic, nicely done! Carfree American

This picture is worth a thousand words.

Riding the bus can be an adventure

2011-04-13T13:27:00.001-05:00

My first time using a bike rack on bus

How do you ride a bus?
On April 16th, in Kansas City, there is a "How to ride the bus" clinic.

April 16: Waldo, 75th & Wornall, on the far side of the CVS parking lot, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Almost sounds silly, but in these days of high gas prices many people want transportation options. Here in Kansas City the bus is the only mass transit option.

I remember the first time I put the bike in the bike rack on the bus, it was intimidating.

"According to the American Public Transportation Association, riding public transportation saves individuals, on average, $9,904 annually and $825 per month based on the March 4, 2011 average national gas price ($3.47 per gallon-reported by AAA) and the national unreserved monthly parking rate."

But be well assured, it is all easy and there is not reason for embarrassment. Everyone had to have a first time.

Giving yourself more options for transportation can be fun. Make a game of it, and instead of thinking of it as something daunting. This of it as an adventure-map it out and explore.

So walk, bike, or take mass transit.

Peace, Bill
A starter kit for bus riding in KS

Product Review-Arkel Tail Rider

2011-04-05T01:00:00.001-05:00

Tail Rider from Arkel.

After 6+ years and more than 40,000 miles of commuting, S24Os, and micro adventuring, through four seasons every year, in all weather(even a blizzard, numerous thunderstorms, 100f + degree heat, hail, sub zero temps, etc.), the Tail Rider is my choice for a trunk bag.

From Arkels site:
"In a nutshell: People sure are vocal about what they want - and it suits us just fine! Arkel has designed what might be the sleekest trunk bag available. A single glance shows how different it is: sleek, uncluttered and aerodynamic. The Tail Rider is fully insulated, has an immense opening, many internal pockets and a divider to keep the content from shifting around. Waterproof zippers keep a sudden rain outside, but for longer rides the Tail Rider has an integrated rain cover. That's sweet! A built-in expansion bellow will stretch for more carrying capacity when needed. Finally wrap it all with lots of safety features and the package is the best you can wish for short or long rides alike!"

Love the built in raincover!

I love the Tail Rider, I have been commuting now for 10 years and tried different trunk bags, but none had the durability, functionality, nor the room of the Tail Rider.
I cannot say anything bad about it.

The color has faded on it over the years, but I see that as a badge of honor rather than a negative.

Arkel's customer service is excellent too, over the years I had questions about the Tail Rider and other products and I always received a quick responses from the owner and great answers to my questions.

Being a carfree American and bicycle commuter I have to have a product I can rely on 100% of the time. Arkel is that company, the Tail Rider is that product. Thank you Arkel!

Arkel

Tail Rider

$108.95 US

Two colors: Red and Black

Five car-free tales from the streets.

2011-04-04T21:01:00.000-05:00

1. I interviewed for a job recently, they made me an offer,
with one condition,
they told me: "You have to own a car."
I said, "If I do not buy a car is that a deal killer?"
"Yes." They said. "You have to own a car."

2. I was rolling on the road, the day was cold, in the teens. A car slowly passed me, it was surreal, I looked over to the left, only to see two little blonde girls looking at me with faces pressed up against the glass of the mini-van window. I thought, how I must look like an animal in a zoo to them, as they looked at me in awe. But then thought, no, they are the ones in the cages, I am free.

3. The day was hot, 96f, high humidity, I was heading south on Lamar. I felt this heat before, it was nauseating, I tried to not get stuck at a stop light with cars next to me spewing exhaust. I cannot see it, but I know it is there. Exhaust, ozone, the wind blows lightly, it does no good, the temperature on the bike computer reads 110f, the asphalt is at least 120f. I feel sick and anxious, what if there is no air. "Shit!" I think, " I will die at this intersection, at the hands of the automobile." Then the light changes, and I can breath again. I roll away and life is good again.

4. I saw this man crossing the street with his bicycle.

He had all of his belongings on his bike, so many in fact, he could not ride the bike, it had become a shopping cart like bicycle.

I said "hi", he looked up and gave no indication he wanted anything to do with me.

5. On a Spring day, I was running some early morning errands on my bicycle. I was rolling in midtown KC.

It was one of those fresh Spring days low 70s, sunny, slight breeze, with the smell of flowers blooming. Perfect.

I pulled up to a truck full of Kansas City, Missouri Parks and Recreation employees while waiting for the light to change. They were all black. I looked over at them and they looked at me, a white guy on a bike in a major intersection at 7a.m. We all smiled, I said, "How are you all?"

One gent, laughed, big grin, he was a heavyset man, and said, "Awww man we are doing great! How are you?"

We all talked gloriously about the weather, my bicycle, and work. The light changed and we said goodbye. As they pulled away, I remember thinking how stupid racism is, people are people, and it does not matter the color of their skin...period.

Got any carfree or carlite tales to share?
Peace, Bill

Car-free Cycling Expedition this summer!

2011-03-29T06:35:00.002-05:00

Cycling the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route (W3R), a National Historic Trail.

600+ miles, 9 states, the same route that French General Rochambeau used, in 1781, to march his army from Newport, Rhode Island, across Conneticut, to meet with General Washington in New York.

Then both armies marched through NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, and on to the British held Yorktown, Virginia where, together, they defeated the British and Lord Cornwallis, in the battle of Yorktown.

This summer I will, in conjunction with the National Park Service, will be Cycling the National Historic Trail-the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route on its 230th anniversary.

Primary mission: to map out a Cycling route on this National Historic Trail from Newport, RI to Yorktown, VA.

Secondary missions:

1)To promote cycling as an excellent form of transportation and as a way to see our National Park System.

2)Show how cycling for travel and transportation can improve the health of: people, environment, and communites.

3) Lastly, but most importantly, the Historical Significance of this National Historic Trail, and to honor those French and American soldiers who sacrificed so much for us to live in this great country of ours.

We will be rolling in wilderness areas, suburbia, and cities. This is one of three expeditions planned.

Your support is needed.

Making this bicycle route a reality takes alot of time and effort. We will be looking for the best and safest route for each state section of the trail. If you would like to be a part of this Expedition, right now the best way is to financially support it.

The official Expedtion site is http://www.cyclingw3r.blogspot.com/ and will give you a link to the Facebook page.

You can email me directly for a address or questions. bill@poindexterrecruiting.com

Be a part of something Great!

Thank you,

Bill Poindexter, Expedition Leader
Cycing the W3R Expedition 2011

More details will be coming in the weeks to come.

Car-free American: Can you help and support Carfree American?

2011-03-20T10:40:00.000-05:00

Car-free American: Can you help and support Carfree American?

Can you help and support Carfree American?

2011-03-17T13:04:00.003-05:00

Our cause needs your help! Yes it is your cause too. :)

My focus and passion are strong, promoting: better physical and mental health, a healthier and cleaner environment, better and healthier community relationships, and saving people money so they can invest in their families. All the above are the results of living carfree or carlite lifestyles. That is the mission

I have projects, programs, and ideas in the works that I have shared and will be sharing.

Here are a few:

Interviews of people who live the carlite or carfree lifestyle, how they do it, and what they have gained from it. For exampe: Amie's in Reno, James in Denver, or Brent in Kansas City

Techniques and tips: like TL4 or Transportation Law of 4, changing thinking for personal transportation from just jumping in a car and going. Instead asking yourself, "Can I walk, bike, take mass transit, or a combination of the three, or do I have to take the car."

Upcoming book- How To Live: Without A Car-tales from the streets

Pitching a idea to some companies and DOT's for a game to increase Drivers awareness of; pedestrians, disabled, children, cyclists, and anmials. The game is calls Looking for the Five or Look5.

I was asked to write an article for the new Adventure Cycling website: http://www.bikeovernights.org/ which focuses on the fact people can have great cycling adventures just a short distance from their homes. That is suppose to come out on April 4th.

This summer I am mapping out a bicycle route for the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route-A National Historic Trail and will be working in conjunction with the National Park Service. The trail is 680 miles long and goes through nine states, MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, VA. The significance of the trail is this is the route the French and American Armies took, in 1781 on their way to capture and defeat the English at the Battle of Yorktown. The trail itself is well established, but not well planned for bicyclist. The NPS is trying to get more people to visit their Parks, Scenic Trails , and National Historic Trails on top of a bicycle so as to promote less congestion and pollution. I will be officially announcing this in the next few weeks. You heard it here first.

All these things take time and money. Yep, I need your help. If you find value in this blog, the Facebook pages, these projects, the mission, my passion for making this a healthier world, please make an in-kind donation. This started out a hobby and I am making it a passionate cause for the good on the grassroots level. There is no profit as all monies will go towards making these projects, and future ones, a reality. You will be making people, the environment, and communites healthier.

What do you get out of it?

The satisfaction of knowing you are helping someone who wants to make a difference, you will be a part of this in a actively passive way. Honestly that is all I can give right now. Your name will go up in lights as a sponsor.

I am also looking for people to help with these ideas and may be looking for some people to go on the working tour this summer, fyi.

With your support all these things will happen.
Thank you,
Peace,
Bill

You can always reach me at bill@poindexterrecruiting too.

10 reasons to bicycle for transportation from people just like YOU!

Moving beyond the automobile: Bicycling-from Streetfilms

2011-03-01T14:44:00.000-06:00

Moving Beyond the Automobile: Biking from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

Six myths of bicycling for transportation

2011-02-27T17:07:00.000-06:00

Helen McConnell- see her profile

Six myths of bicycling for transportation by Adam Voiland, US News and World Report

(Every picture is of a real life bike commuter, just click the link below the picture for some great advice frm people who live the life.)
Biking is a reliable, safe, fun, and cheap way to get around—and it happens to be good exercise, too. Still, myths about bicycle commuting persist. Here are six I’ve noticed over the years; feel free to add your own in the comments section.

1. It’s too dangerous. Yes, there’s real risk associated with bicycling. Bikers do crash and get hit by cars. But how dangerous is biking in comparison with other forms of transportation and with our perception of the risk? A lot less than you might think.

see Kat's cafree profile

Consider the calculations of a company that performs safety and failure testing, previously called the Failure Group and now known as Exponent. The company looked at a variety of activities and determined that the number of fatalities per million hours of exposure was 0.26 for biking, 0.47 for driving, 1.53 for living (all causes of death), and 8.80 for motorcycling. In other words, they found that the risks of biking were about half that associated with driving and a sixth of that associated simply with being alive.

Still, that may seem a little hard to believe, and, as someone who spends a lot of time looking at statistics, I know how easily number crunchers can accidentally overestimate or underestimate a health risk. (This website, created by bicycle advocate Ken Kifer, has a detailed look at the incomplete and uncertain nature of bicycle safety statistics. And this blogger, posting on Grist, a website that features environmental news and commentary, offers another perspective on the Exponent stats).

see Mia's carfree profile

So, for the sake of argument, let’s assume that the Failure Associates study is an underestimation and consider another thorough report that measures the risks using a slightly different yardstick—the number of fatalities per billions of kilometers traveled rather than per hour of exposure. The Rutgers University researchers who completed this study concluded that, per kilometer traveled, bicycling fatalities are 11 times as high as car occupant fatalities. Seems pretty grim for biking until you look at what the same study found about walking. Pedestrian fatalities per kilometer traveled were 36 times as high as driving fatalities, suggesting that walking is more than three times as dangerous as biking.

That said, there’s still more that we bikers can do to take responsibility for our safety. A disturbing 24 percent of fatal bike accidents involve an intoxicated rider, according to the National Center for Statistics and Analysis. And fatalities aside, research shows that bikers get into many minor accidents that could be prevented. Numerous studies have shown that the failure to wear lights at night or a helmet significantly increases a biker’s risk. And, until more bike infrastructure is built (and it should be as it improves biker safety, too) bikers have to behave like cars when we’re in heavy traffic—which means that, like cars, we can’t ignore the rules of the road. Finally, newer riders have to be especially careful about drivers opening doors (you’ll get clipped) and making turns (they can’t always see you), and about riding on the sidewalks (you’ll get hit by cars exiting or entering driveways).

see Tammy's carfree profile

The bottom line: It’s not that biking is without risk, but some perspective is in order, especially when you start to factor in the many health benefits that biking provide.

2. It’s too far. The ride might take too long or take too much out of you if you live more than, say, 10 miles from work. But consider ways to expand your potential range. Many commuters, for example, use folding bikes so they can go partway on a commuter train (Swissbike uses technology originally designed for paratroopers to make the Hummer of folding bikes). Within city limits, many municipalities are now allowing bikes on buses or subway cars, too.

see Clarence's carfree profile

3. I'll need an expensive bike. Not true. You should be able to get a new or used bike suitable for basic commuting for less than $500. Find a good, local bike store with a knowledgeable staff (not, in other words, one of the big-box stores), explain the terrain and length of commute you’re considering, and they'll help you choose the appropriate frame and number of gears you’ll need. In fact, Eric Doyne of Shimano’s public relations team tells me that “lifestyle” bikes—designed for everyday, casual riders as opposed to the high-performance racing or mountain bikes designed for enthusiasts—are huge growth areas for the bike industry right now.

If you’re just starting out, you may want to look for a functional, commuter bike that has fenders to protect your clothes, a kickstand, and a comfortable seat. And, if you’re really looking for a relaxed ride, take a look at the new class of “coasting” bikes that are designed to reconnect people with carefree memories of biking as a kid. They feature pedal brakes—called coaster brakes—instead of hand brakes and an automatic shifter, and while they’re not designed for speed, they’re a great way to get reacquainted with the saddle, says Doyne.

see Darren's carfree profile

4. It's impossible to carry the stuff I need. If this is what you think, you’re toting way more than the average person to work or you don’t have the right bag or features on your bike. A good basket or touring panniers will mean you can easily carry a computer, change of clothes, lunch, a few books, a slew of folders, and whatever other gadgets you regularly carry. Take a look at this bike and this pannier bag set if you’re looking for inspiration.

5. There’s nowhere to shower. Jeff Peel of the League of American Bicyclists says that many people do worry about this, but that there are numerous alternatives beyond simply showing up at the office smelly and sweaty. First, check to make sure that your building doesn’t have a shower somewhere. Mine does. If it doesn’t, check nearby gyms or fitness clubs. Many offer shower-only memberships for bike or running commuters. If you’re still striking out, Peel says, it’s amazing how far you can get with a sponge bath in a regular bathroom. Baby wipes work like a charm.

Andy Cline-Carfree profile

6. Biking will make me impotent. This is a charge that has circulated since the late 1990s, and there’s a kernel of truth to it. There is evidence that serious bike riders can experience temporary and even long-lasting erectile dysfunction if they log lots of hours on a racing seat that doesn’t fit properly. But there are now plenty of seats like this one with ergonomically designed cutaway grooves that take the pressure off the key arteries and nerves. And if you really want to play it safe, there are noseless saddles, too. As long as your saddle fits correctly and you don’t ride as much as somebody training for the Tour de France, biking is more apt to reduce your odds of erectile dysfunction than raise them, since the exercise will help keep cardiovascular disease—a major cause of erectile dysfunction—at bay.

What are your thoughts? What myths are you aware of?

If you like this you may like:

Bike Commuting 101-The Bare Necessities at EcoVelo

Art

2011-02-26T15:25:00.000-06:00

Car Free

by Tatsuro Kiuchi

First year highlights, pictures, and stats

2011-02-08T16:23:00.000-06:00

These helmets were donated with the help of carfree American
by the Brain Injury Foundation

Carfree American- the first year

CFA Blog views last month about 2,456 +
CFA Facebook views last month about 11,000+

There are about 300 fans signed up on the blog and Facebook page

Viewers:
People from all over the planet are looking at the sight –the top viewers are United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Australia, Poland, South Korea, India, Russia, France, Argentina, Romania, and Portugal.

Top three viewed posts
http://carfreeamerican.blogspot.com/2010/12/kansas-cyclist-rolls-25000-miles-and.html
http://carfreeamerican.blogspot.com/2010/10/guest-post-how-to-pedal-toward.html
http://carfreeamerican.blogspot.com/2010/10/panniers-and-peanut-butter-book-review.html

People interviewed for Carfree American-all either carfree or carlite and all advocates for alterative transportation.

1. Mike Reiman-Retired musician

Mike Reiman

2. Ami Lamb-Geologist

3. James Osborne-blogger

4. Mia Birk- author, President of Alta Planning and Design, adjunct Professor
5. Abby-Lawyer in KC

6. Kat Marriner-Graphic Designer and travels world with husband Willie Weir

7. Max Poletto-cycling advocate

8. Elizabeth Kiker-VP of League of American Bicyclists

9. Julie VanMater-Graphic Designer

Andy Cline

10. Helen McConnell-Food and Beverage Manager

11. Brent Hugh-Director of the Missouri Bicycle Federation

12. Andy Cline- Professor of Journalism

13. Kelly Benjamin-Pro Cyclist

14. Bob- White collar gig

15. Darren Alff-Traveler and Online biz owner for bike touring

16. Clarence Eckerson, Jr-Director of Video Production for Streetfilms

17. Eric Rogers-Web Developer and transportation advocate

Tammy Strobel

18. Noah Dunker-blogger

19. Keith Gates-Systems Analyst, blogger

20. Tammy Strobel-blogger, author, consultant

21. Evan P. Schneider- Editor, Boneshaker: A Bicycling Almanac

22. Laurie Chipman-Illustrator and graphic designer

Community

Guests posts:
Tammy Strobel-Writer and photgrapher

Corinna West-Writer, speaker, poet, photographer, mental health advocate.

Tamia Nelson-Writer and photographer

Me?
I learned a lot this year and I am thankful for the experience. I hope that people have enjoyed and found the site useful.

Thanks to people who helped and encouraged me along the way.

The streets of Kansas City

Special thanks to Randy Rasa of the website http://www.kansascyclist.com/ for his advice, friendship, and promotion of the site.

Thanks to Allan at http://www.ecovelo.info/ for their advice on blogging and writing.

Thanks to people who comment on the Facebook page on a regular basis http://www.facebook.com/#!/carfreeAmerican I really appreciate it-Don, Helen, Caroline, Rui, Aaron, Tim, Zeke, and all the rest!

Thanks to other sites or people who promote the site. Thank you for your help!

Good health and cleaner environment

The Future?

I have some cool projects planned will be announcing in the next few weeks, and I will be on the lookout for people who have stories to share with you all.

If you have any thoughts or comments about the blog or FB page I would love to hear them.

Logo Designer:

One last thanks to Jeanne Barnhill for the carfree American logo design, she did it pro bono for me and I really appreciate her help!!! Here is her email address is you would like some design work done amgrafx@earthlink.net and she can be found on Facebook too.

Thank you all!

Peace, Bill

The original first post one year ago today

2011-02-08T09:58:00.001-06:00

This is the first post I did on 2/11/10 and I still stand by the statement 100%:

walking to work

To be clear, it is not that I hate cars, it is just that I feel better when they are not around.

I will not own another car until they come out with one that does not use Gas and one we can afford. I was told today by an auto industry insider( a sister in law of a top executive of a major auto company) that they have a Water based fuel engine, but cannot figure out how to make money from it. Wankers.

I have been carfree since June of '09. This is my second time carfree, first time was from 2001 to 2004. I then became carlite from 2004 until June of 2009.

I do believe the world would be a better place if everybody walked, used bicycles, and used mass transit for transportation. I am not going to try to sell you that idea, even a hamster knows the benefits of wheels and walking.

I am going tell you what it is like to be and feel a carfree American.

my preferred mode of transportation- the bicycle

Generally cars and Americans go together like baseball and hot dogs, but carfree and American
that is sort of a oxymoron.

I know, if I lived in a big city or college town being carfree would not be a big deal .

I live in a suburb of Kansas City where being carfree is a oddity. Few bike lanes, crap sidewalks, no/ or little public transportation.

I am alone on the streets and sidewalks most of the time. Alone in my carfree lifestyle, alone in walking and cycling for transportation. I am to most people an oddity, but I feel strong and healthy.

I am a carfree American. Join us in the carlite/ carfree lifestyle.

2/08/11 note: Thank you for taking the time to read, share, and be aware of Carfree American.

The highlights of the blog will be posted this afternoon, and you will have a chance to meet some other people who choose to live a life where they use alternate transportation for most or all of their needs and for different reasons. Peace!

Vanessa's story-no helmet

2011-02-06T19:46:00.000-06:00

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A woman on a bicycle was struck by a truck near the Country Club Plaza on Tuesday morning.

Witnesses told police the woman on the bike had the right of way on the busy street near West 46th Terrace and J.C. Nichols Parkway.
She was pedaling north on J.C. Nicols Parkway when a truck travelling south made a left turn and struck her.
Witnesses said she was hurt badly but looked conscious when medics took her by ambulance to an area hospital.

"One year ago today(September 16th, 2008), I was in a bicycle accident during my bike ride to work (as I mentioned in my previous post). I was riding my bike 0.9 miles from my apartment to work when a couple in their 70's made a left turn in front of me with their Chevy Silverado pickup. I hit the truck broadside, with my head hitting the passenger side window. I then hit the pavement and was briefly unconscious. When the ambulance arrived they noted finding me in a small pool of blood, I was intermittently agitated and confused with a Glasgow coma scale of 14 (whatever that means)."

"I don't recall the accident or the ambulance arriving to take me to the hospital (which was less than half a mile away) but I do remember lying on the emergency room table as my clothes were cut off of me and a nurse talked to me. She asked me general head trauma questions, like "Do you know what year it is?" and "Do you know who the President is?" I suffered from a fractured skull with a small amount of brain hemorrhaging. I couldn't move on the emergency room table, and I remember having a really difficult time answering the nurse's questions. I was able to answer them correctly, and to my amazement even rattle off the phone number to my mother's work so the hospital could notify her of the accident. X-rays showed I had broken my jaw and right clavicle and fractured my left clavicle. I was also suffering from a bad case of double vision, whirling vertigo (a.k.a. room spins) and was temporarily paralyzed on the left side of my face."

"I always wear a helmet now.....even a short ride can go horribly wrong and change your life forever."

Read the rest of Vanessa's amazing story on her blog and find out more about her recovery and some of the positive things that came form the experience back in 2008.

I talked to Vanessa a couple of weeks ago to ask her if I could share her story, and if, after 2 1/2 years after the accident if she still wears a helmet?

She said, "Of course you can share my story - yes I still wear a helmet all the time. :) "

Vanessa and her husband Brian

Wear a helmet or not?

I have heard all the arguements for and against. I have found personally it comes down to two things: personal choice for adults, and responsible adults teaching their children bicycle safety. I personally always wear a helmet and always will.

Vanessa's story speaks for itself so I will end this post here.

Let me know your thoughts.

Peace.

First Anniverary is Feb. 8th for carfree American

2011-02-03T14:10:00.001-06:00

In celebration, Carfree American is asking all people of the world to come together for one day of carfree awareness.

We are calling Feb 8th

Carfree American Day

Walk, bicycle, or use mass trasit for transportation on Feb 8th!

The benefits of a carfree/ carlite lifestyle are: good health, cleaner environment, and better sense of community. And save some money.

If you live carfree for 21 days (if you do anything for 21 days it becomes a habit), and find out what thousands of people are so excited about.

More posts up to and on the 9th are coming!

and...

Here is the facebook event page post:

The carfree American blog is having its first anniversary on Feb 8th. In celebration we are asking followers, friends, and fellow carfree/carlite folk to share in, share, and promote this event.

Winter is usually not associated with carfree, but thousands of us still live the lifestyle even in frigid temps. With all the unrest in the world, maybe a little exercise is what people need to settle their differences peacefully.

So on the 8th-please walk, bike, ski, snow shoe, sled, ice skate, surf, crawl, take mass transit, or whatever is your favorite way to travel in winter when you are going to work, or the store, or roaming around your community.

Carfree American is about promoting: better health, cleaner environment, and community well-being.

We are committed to pormote this lifestyle 365 days a year.

Thanks and Peace!

Bill

Kansas City, Missouri- Adopts Livable Streets resolution

2011-01-28T09:38:00.000-06:00

Kansas City adopts Livable Streets resolution.

Kansas City, Missouri, January 27, 2011 - The Missouri Bicycle And Pedestrian Federation proudly announces a giant step forward for bicyclist, pedestrians and motorists today as the Kansas City Council adopts the city's first Livable Streets resolution 110069.

http://cityclerk.kcmo.org/liveweb/Documents/Document.aspx?q=NqJpNXtnk1JvB%2fxWC5843a%2f8iRslPm%2b%2fRgAgRmcSSA4tznDk%2fcMjkkg0ymAfSFJL

4th District Councilmember Beth Gottstein initiated the resolution, stating “This resolution will provide safe access to public roads for all users by encouraging transportation improvement plans consider the safety, access and mobility needs of all travelers, regardless of age or ability”
"Councilmember Gottstein has been a tireless supporter of Complete Streets efforts. From her work on the back-in angle parking demonstration to her participation in the annual Car Free Challenge, she has supported the bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit users in Kansas City, MO and across the metro area” states Eric Rogers, Vice President of the Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation.

This resolution, together with policy changes recently adopted by the city, helps to ensure that more Kansas City streets are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users. Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities will be able to safely move along and across a complete street. Kansas City is moving to the forefront of transportation parity in Missouri following the adoption of similar Complete Streets policies in Columbia, De Soto, Ferguson, Crystal City, Festus, Herculaneum, St. Louis, and Lee’s Summit. There are over 200 jurisdictions formally committed to Complete Streets according to Barbara McCann, the Executive Director of the National Complete Streets Coalition.

Brent Hugh, Executive Director of the Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation states, "A Complete Streets policy means our roads and streets are designed for everyone--the old, the young, people with a disability, people who walk, bicycle, take the bus, or drive. Complete Streets improve safety for all road users and may improve adjacent property values. This resolution is a great step forward for pedestrians in Kansas City – what a remarkable way to start the New Year."

For more information on complete streets visit
www.mobikefed.org/completestreets.
The Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation is a statewide, not-for-profit, membership organization that advocates advancement of bicycling access, safety and education in Missouri under section 501(c)(4) of the IRS code. mobikefed.org

RESOLUTION NO. 110069
Expressing the Council’s support for the concept of “Livable Streets” as a means to promote great neighborhoods, healthy and active people, and a thriving community.

WHEREAS, active living is a way of life that integrates physical activity into
daily routines, and the goal of active living is to accumulate at least 30
minutes of activity each day; and

WHEREAS, active living promotes walking and bicycling for transportation,
recreation and physical activity; and

WHEREAS, streets and sidewalks are an important part of our community that serve
transportation needs and are also a part of the public realm where people live,
shop, interact, and travel; and

WHEREAS, the built environment influences residents’ choices to be physically
active and may be designed to provide a variety of opportunities for physical
activity; and

WHEREAS, “Livable Streets” safely facilitate movement of people of all ages and
abilities from destination to destination along and across a continuous travel
network; and

WHEREAS, the design of each Livable Street differs based on the context of each
street; and

WHEREAS, a “Livable Street” is safe and inviting to pedestrians, bicyclists,
transit riders, the disabled, children, senior citizens, automobiles,
motorcycles and buses; and

WHEREAS, Livable Streets can be beautiful places built to pedestrian scale; and

WHEREAS, a Livable Street can be the focal point of tight-knit communities where
neighbors enjoy spending time; and

WHEREAS, Livable Streets are environmentally sustainable; and

WHEREAS, Livable Streets are economically thriving; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:

Section 1. That Kansas City is committed to providing safe and livable
neighborhoods for residents to build community and be physically active.

Section 2. That Kansas City supports the concept of Livable Streets as a means
to promote great neighborhoods, healthy and active people, and a thriving
community.

Section 3. That the Livable Streets concept is consistent and complies with the
City’s efforts to develop a bike and pedestrian friendly, multi-modal and
sustainable community, promoted in several City initiatives including the FOCUS
Kansas City Plan, adopted under Committee Substitute for Resolution No. 971268
on October 30, 1997; the Bike KC Plan, adopted under Committee Substitute for

Ordinance No. 011288 on August 15, 2002; the Walkability Plan, adopted under

Resolution No. 030211 on March 20, 2 003; the Green Solutions Policy, adopted

under Resolution No. 070830 on August 9, 2007; the Climate Protection Plan,

adopted under Resolution No. 080754 on July 24, 2008; the Trails KC Plan,

adopted under Ordinance No. 081052 on November 20, 2008; and the Zoning and

Development Code, adopted under Ordinance No. 100394 on June 10, 2010.

Well done to all the activist and advocates in Kansas City to help make this possible!!!

Mike's ride

2011-01-09T20:37:00.002-06:00

Mike

“I knew I had it as early as 1999.” Mike Reiman told me in one of our interviews as he sipped his coffee. “I had symptoms, mainly the oscillating hand movements.” He seemed almost indifferent, telling me. One could see he has fully accepted the grasp of the disease, eleven years, after the first signs.

I first saw Mike on a weekly organized group ride in 2009, called the Brookside Ride, in Kansas City. The group was moving slowly up a long hill, and I noticed a rider solo rider ahead of me.

The rider seemed focused on the road ahead, but seemed overly careful and cautious, I could tell there was something going on even though his line was true.

Uncertain what his issue was, I chose to ignore him on that first ride together. The second time on the ride I passed him and made some silly comment about the weather. The third time, I saw him after the ride with a group of cyclists who went for food and drink at a local pub. I sat at another table, and later that night the Brookside Ride leader told me, after I inquired about this man's story, that his name was Mike, he had Parkinson’s and that he use to play with the Chicago Symphony, then moved back to KC after he retired and was living in Brookside with a relative.

Mike's story was worth telling. But I did not do anymore group rides that year and did not see him again.

A year later I saw him in the grocery store in Prairie Village and introduced myself. Then, a few months later, he was at a coffee shop in Brookside and we had the first of many long and interesting conversations.

Getting ready for a downhill ride in the Rocky
Mountain National Forest

“I grew up in Waldo, in Kansas City.” He said with a smile, “I got my first bike in 1968.” Staring out the window I could see he was thinking about the past.

Mike moved from KC to Chicago, and back to KC. He is living with a relative in Brookside. He lived in Chicago for a number of years, going there to study music at Northwestern. He played Trombone and the bass guitar. He studied with the Chicago Symphony and worked at golf course for his career.

“I started commuting to work and for errands in the 1980s; riding my bike for transportation made more sense than using my car.” He said with a serious tone, “By the time I got in my car, dealt with traffic, and parking, I found I could already be inside the store if I had ridden my bicycle.”

I asked him about the Chicago winters.

“I still rode in winter when I could.” He smiled, “I remember one time, when it was snowing heavily, I got on my mountain bike and rode to a restaurant to meet friends for dinner. There I was, fully bundled up, wearing a ski mask, rolling up on my bike. My friends just laughed.”

Mike developed symptoms of Parkinson’s and self diagnosed in 1999. “I wasn’t officially diagnosed with Parkinson’s until 2003” He stated as he looked me square in the eye, not seeking any recognition .

Mike and I in PV

“Did you slow down your bicycling?” I asked.

“No!” He said with conviction, “I rode more!” He told me he did not want the disease to get the better of him and the more he rode his bike the better he felt.

And ride he did. Eventually, he moved back to Kansas City to live with a relative in Brookside. Bicycling became a life style and a way to keep the disease at bay.

Mike rides with a passion and unassuming peaceful quality. Over that last couple of years the disease has caused him to ride less. But he rolls on, and with the help of physical therapy, massage, chiropractor, and acupuncture, he has been able to continue riding and keep the pain at a manageable level.

“I am not able to get the 15-20 miles a day I was doing the last few years, but I am able to ride.” He said, then he told me about riding down to the Plaza and back from his home the day before we met for the interview, it was 25f degrees. He grinned "Just like anything else in life, I have my good days and bad days."

I asked what adventures he had lately and he excitedly told me he was able to ride the Katy Trail over the last two years.

Mike staying in a hotel caboose on the Katy

“In 2009, I rode from Clinton, MO to Jefferson City.” He said proudly. “It was hot, July, and like a lot of people, I ran out of water. Luckily I met someone who shared some with me.” He said and he laughed, “Then I got caught in a four day rain and decided to stop at Jefferson City.”

In 2010 he finished the trail riding from Jefferson City, Missouri to St. Louis. “Last year was harder, there was more pain.” He said solemnly. “I finished though, and made a video.”

Mike is doing well, winter is here, and for someone with Parkinson’s winter is no fun. On our last interview in November, he told me he had been hiking on some mountain bike trails, yes, hiking. He is as active as he can be. Still riding when he feels up to it, no matter what the weather and staying active.

If you are lucky and in Brookside, you may just bump into Mike. Be sure to chat with him.
Mike you are truly and inspiration and I appreciate the opportunity to get to know you. You have a disease that is tough to live with, but your inner fire is stoked and I am excited for your future adventures. I look forward to riding with you soon!

Mikes Katy Trail video:

Kansas Cyclist rolls 25,000 miles and still going strong

2010-12-04T11:29:00.006-06:00

photo by Randy Rasa

25,000 Miles

Congratulations to Randy Rasa for his epic milestone of riding 25,000 since he started keeping track of his cycling in 2004.

"Hit a big milestone on last night's ride: 25,000 miles (since I started keeping track in 2004). The Earth is 24,901 miles around. On my next circumnavigation of the globe, hopefully I'll have a chance to see more of it!" Randy said yesterday.

Randy is the creator of the site Kansas Cyclist . It is an extraordinary informational website where he shares; resources, news, events, places to ride, advocacy info, trail information, photos, and a first class calender of rides for Kansas and the surrounding states. His podcast is full of information and features that has a NPR feel.

He also has a blog, DirtBum, where he is "exploring Kansas back roads by bike." The photos are incredible.

Randy and me on a Kansas City, Mo urban adventure

I first met Randy last year and realized his intense passion for cycling and all things regarding cycling. One of the most interesting things about this rogue computer programmer gone cycling addict, is his intense love for history and riding gravel.

If you happen to be driving on rural Kansas gravel roads, anytime of year, and you see a lone cyclist on a Surly Long Haul Trucker, (day or night), in the distance, it is probably Randy.

photo by Randy Rasa

His knowledge of the local history and bridge history makes riding with him extremely interesting,
but be warned,
he likes gravel and minimum maintenance roads so bring your fat tires and have the time of your life!

Bill Poindexter, Randy Rasa, and Nitin Pai, on a gravel ramble
to Louisburg, Kansas and surrounding area. Circa 2009

Randy lives in the country and is carlite. I am amazed when he rides 20-30 miles from his home into the city for a "ride" and then rides 20-30 miles back out to the country, usually at night. A true adventurer, cycling advocate, photo journalist, historian, programmer, naturalist, lover of life and all things related to cycling.

We salute Randy Rasa for his 25,000 mile trek. Congratulations!

Check out Kansas Cyclist, and DirtBum for more about Randy and his adventures! See some great photos! He is also on the board of directors for the State wide advocacy group KanBikeWalk

Amie Lamb, a carfree story in Reno, Nevada.

2010-11-30T03:34:00.004-06:00

Amie let us know she recently had a anniversary, carfree for a year! I sent her a note of congratulations and asked her to share her story for us:

Honestly, earlier in the decade, I didn't have a car in Portland for 6 years (out of high school) and got around by bike. A Trek 7600 multi-track, she has been most faithful. Mostly it was because I was too poor and stubborn to get a car. And I felt like a bad ass riding those hills every day. Riding up Broadway and beating the lights is so much fun. Riding over the Sylvan Hills is just brutal.

Then I moved to eastern Nevada for a few years to work as a geologist. I broke my carless streak there. Except for recreational riders, people on bicycles were generally thought to be riding because (1) they have had their license revoked, (2) they have no friends to give them rides, or (3) their cars are broken. There was tangible social pressure to not commute by bike. Weird, really. People refused to ride to work because they were scared of what their coworkers would think. Bizarre.

After three years there, I moved to Reno to go to grad school. I've been in Reno for over a year, and my car broke down last November. I could have replaced it or done more repairs, but got rid of it instead.

The arch-plan was become carless again! by (1) letting the car break down and get rid of it (2) emplace infrastructure to make it easy for me to not drive and save time. I reasoned that I would rent cars occasionally when I needed them to go on trips to the field. Also, I intentionally found a neighborhood with everything I needed within easy human-propelled distance (work, the co-op, parks, downtown, bus lines, yoga studio, etc.) Downtown is less than a mile away, the co-op is a 10 minute walk, yoga across the street, school is 2 miles away, even good restaurants and bars are a stone's throw away. And I haven't replaced the car yet, (though honestly I was wishing for one in the really cold and snowy winter last year.)

Cool picture of Amie, well, Amie's, look closely.
(photo by Melissa Test)

So that's the story. I love riding, it makes me happy. I like the wheels rolling and that smile that spreads across your face, I like not being sealed from the outside elements, and that extra blood rush/flow, warm quadriceps, and breathlessness from pushing up a hill. And not having to drive around the block to find parking. The motivation to start biking has become equally pleasure and principle -- that fact that cars generate the most CO2 in the first three miles of driving (while the engine is warming up to max combustion), and the average commute is that long. It feels selfish to poison the environment for convenience. That is a 15-20 minute bike ride vs a 10 minute drive, plus parking...

As a side note, I really think that a lot more people would go carless if there were infrastructure for it. Because it's a pain in the butt to do it here, compared to Portland. Better educated (commuting) populace, better trains and buses (my friend actually was on a greyhound last month where someone died of an overdose, and I myself will never suffer the indignity and unpleasantness of a Greyhound ride again). The habits of people to just jump in their cars is a well-ingrained and convenient ritual, that doesn't really even gain a whole lot for them in the long run. I'm sure you know the laundry list -- more disconnected, higher bills, dirtier air, weenier, etc. So, bike riding and walking.

As a second side note, fortunately, as a city, Reno is really active in the bike advocacy arena. Elly Blue and Joe Biel came through town with the Portland biking story during their Bikestravaganza tour, and I had the opportunity to organize the event. It was really, really heartening. A lot of people came to the forefront who are active and passionate about improving cycling in Reno, and it was a fabulous experience.

Thanks for putting up a page and being an advocate.

Cheers,
Amie

Great story! Thanks for sharing Amie! If you want to learn more about whats going on in bike advocacy in Reno check out the Reno Metro Bicycle Advocacy Group or Metrobaggers as they call themselves.

Guest post- People Ask: Why Do You Ride A Bike? by Tamia Nelson

2010-11-23T10:25:00.000-06:00

People Ask: Why Do You Ride a Bike?
by Tamia Nelson

When I was 17 years old, I shattered my leg in a crash when downhill skiing, and as a consequence I spent five months in a full cast. My bones finally healed and my cast was removed, but my leg was weak, my knee would give out unexpectedly, and my leg hurt badly even after short walks. I began to despair of returning to my active lifestyle. But I had a new ten-speed bike. I lost patience with lameness, so one day I pushed the bike to the porch steps, cringed as I threw my bad leg over the saddle, and sat there with my good foot on the step and my bad foot on the pedal. It felt great to be back in the saddle, but could I ride? I shoved off and rolled onto the road. I COULD ride, I found to my delight. All that summer I cycled everywhere, and my bike brought me back to full strength. My good leg did the work and helped my bad leg to recover. I couldn't walk, but I could bike.

I'm sometimes asked why I cycle everywhere and in all weathers. The folks who ask me this question don't bike, so they can't comprehend without help. I try to explain, and I keep it simple. Mobility and freedom. That's why I ride. Beautiful countryside, the pride which comes from cycling well, and breaking away from car dependency are all icing on the cake.

This is a condensed version of Tamia's original article, "I Can't Walk, but I Can Bike…", published on her website, Tamia Nelson's Outside. She can be reached through her website's Contact page, or by sending her an email directly.

Showers Pass Touring Jacket-user review

2010-11-19T11:54:00.000-06:00

Love this jacket!

A fantastic jacket!

Showers Pass Touring Jacket. Showers Pass is out of Portland and is an exceptional company. "Showers Pass clothing is technically engineered cycling gear for racers, commuters, messengers and everyday cycling enthusiasts. Inspired by the challenging rides and weather of northern California and the Pacific Northwest, we have been combining top-notch fabrics with innovative, functional design elements since 1997. The result? Truly superior cycling outerwear." from the web site.
Showers Pass Touring Jacket
“The ultimate touring, commuter, and bike messenger jacket.”
Price: $150.00 Sizes s-XXL, Colors: Black, Blue, Yellow.

I own the Black Jacket in XXL

Review

This jacket is made for bicycle people, but is great for hiking, cross country skiing, and running. Full cut so there is room to layer and extra mobility. Drop down tail to keep your butt dry in a deluge or warm in a snow storm. The ventilation, 12 inch two-way pit zips and large back vent is perfect. Highly reflective, choice of three colors, chamois collar, light loop on rear vent, chest pocket with audio port, two cargo pockets, cuffs are gusseted for air flow regulation. After four seasons of use the only problem is minor wear but integrity of jacket is strong. It is breathable, water proof, wind resistant, but is bulky and does not pack well.
I have used it biking and hiking in temperatures ranging from 5f degrees (layered) to 60f degrees. In rain, snow, sleet, drizzle, thunder storms, hail, wind, and even a tornado(kidding).

The ventilation is fantastic! Keeping the rider dry inside and out.

30f degrees, sleet/ rain, wind, and I am warm and dry

The only negative is the the drop down tail. I works great while riding, but sometimes can get caught on the seat when stopping at a intersection causing an anxious moment so the rider has to stand up off the saddle for the tail to clear the back of the saddle. Also the tail, when held up by two snaps, can sometimes come unsnapped when, bending over, which makes me annoyed because I have to check if it is up down- I think buttons instead of snaps could fix this problem.
Overall I give this jacket a 4 out of a possible 5 rating and would recommend it to all!

Reviewed by Bill Poindexter

James Osborne-carfree American profile-Denver, Colorado

2010-11-18T14:48:00.001-06:00

Tell me a little bit about you (name, age, occupation, married, kids, carfree or carlite, where you live)?

Cargo bikes work for transportation too!

James Osborne, 27. I have been married for 6 years and we are expecting our first little one next year. We live in Centennial, Colorado, a southern suburb of Denver and have for a few years. I try to be car-lite as much as practical, and my wife and I share one car.

When did you start using a bicycle for transportation and what other forms of transportation do you use?

About three years ago the car I had for several years started having serious issues, and I realized I was driving it less and less. We lived just a few blocks from a light rail station and it was very easy to ride to the station and take the train the 9 or 10 miles to my office. Finally I realized it was ridiculous to have a car sitting in front of our house that barely worked and I never drove, and we sold my car for pence.

What is a day in your bicycling life like?

In short, fantastic! Our house is about 8 miles from my office and it’s easy for my commute to be mostly on off-street paths or neighborhood roads. Riding feeds my eating habits and keeps my stress down. Commuting allows me to get a lot of riding in without taking too much time away from other things.

Do you recommend cycling to friends/family members/others? Have any taken you up on it?

I’ve slowly spread bikes among friends and family. I try not to be too self-righteous about it, as I realize it’s not for everyone. This year I convinced a co-worker to ride with me on Denver’s Bike To Work Day and she has been bike commuting about one day a week since then. I have other friends that ride and my brother-in-law has ridden his commute for quite a while.

James and his Surly Long Haul Trucker

What kind of bike are you currently riding?

My daily driver is a stock ’08 Surly Long Haul Trucker. I was riding a road bike before I started commuting regularly and prefer a road bike for rides of more than a few miles. Riding year round in Denver is usually a breeze, but we usually have to deal with a few weeks of snow. When the roads are bad I pull out a dedicated ice bike, an old rigid Trek mountain bike. On the advice of Peter White (http://www.peterwhitecycles.com//) I got some Nokian Mount & Ground studded tires, which I can’t imagine the winter without.

Ice biking!

In your opinion, what’s the best part about cycling for transportation?

I have to pick just one? I suppose I would have to say getting to ride my bike every day. Sure there are health, environmental and financial benefits. But mostly, I just like riding my bike, and I like that commuting lets me ride my bike.

What’s the worst?

The occasional inconvenience of an out-of-office meeting or something out of my routine. All of life is a trade off, and there are downsides to driving that, in my opinion, far outweigh the downsides to biking.

Do you have a favorite carfree/carlite story?

I love the first warm spring ride, when I can leave the house in the morning without a jacket and in shorts. I love jumping on my ’74 Schwinn Collegiate for a cruise to the grocery store or the bank. I love riding adjacent to bumper-to-bumper traffic and realizing that I don’t have to be part of that if I don’t want to.

What are three pieces of advice you would give to someone starting/ considering commuting by bike?
1) Ease your way in; don’t feel obligated to spend $1,000 on a new bike and gear just to try it.
2) If you know someone who rides a lot, talk to them about what routes they might suggest.
3) Ride when you want to. If it becomes an obligation quickly, you won’t want to ride!

Anything else you would like to add?

The best bike is the one you want to ride.

Thanks James and congrats on being pregnant!!! I see a trailer is in your future!

Read more about James and his carfree life at
http://onelessindenver.blogspot.com/

Weekend KC events- KanBikeWalk meeting/ride and Cranksgiving.

2010-11-16T13:01:00.001-06:00

On Saturday the 20th. Our good friend Randy Rasa of the http://www.kansascyclist.com/ will be leading a ride before the annual KanBiewalk meeting:

KanBikeWalk (http://www.kanbikewalk.com//) is holding their annual

meeting this Saturday (Nov. 20th) in Olathe. This is a great opportunity
to participate in making our local communities, and the state of Kansas
as a whole, a better place to ride a bike.

I'm leading a casual social ride, starting at 10am from the Indian Creek
Branch of the Olathe Library. This is located right on the Indian Creek
Trail (about 129th & Blackbob), so it's within easy cycling distance for
anyone in Olathe, Lenexa, Overland Park, Leawood, and other KC-area
cities. If you prefer to drive to the meeting, that's OK, too -- there's
plenty of parking space at the library.

Randy Rasa

The ride will be about 20 miles at a leisurely pace. The ride will
showcase some of the great facilities we're lucky enough to have in
Olathe. Most of the route will be on paved trails and streets with bike
lanes. If you haven't experienced some of Olathe's newest facilities,
such as the bike lanes and new multi-modal interchange on Lone Elm, the
bike lanes on 127th, and the new section at the southern end of the
Indian Creek Trail, here's your chance to get a guided tour!

After the ride, anyone who's interested can gather at Spin Pizza on
119th Street (a great local bike-friendly business) for lunch, with the
open house meeting to follow back at the library at 1:30pm.

I know most of you are interested in improving the safety of our
roadways, and ensuring that we'll always have a place to ride. Those
things don't happen by accident. People -- you and me -- have to speak
up and get involved. There are lots of ways to do that, and KanBikeWalk
is trying to help all Kansas bicyclists and pedestrians speak with one
strong voice. We can do more together than we can alone. Here's a great
chance to step up and make your voice heard.

Even if you're not able or willing to become involved in the
organization, we'd love to have you ride with us, no strings attached.
All are welcome!

Here are the details on the ride and meeting:
http://www.kansascyclist.com/news/2010/10/kanbikewalk-annual-meeting-2010/

Hope to see you there!
Randy

Then....our good friends Jeff Perry and Sam Swearngin are inviting us to

Cranksgiving on Sunday the 21st

Local cyclists will come together, ride, buy food and necessities, for those less fortunate. Some ride slow, some fast, but all welcome.

Where: Anita Gorman Discovery Center,4750 Troost Ave, Kansas City, MO

When: November 21, 2010 12:30 pm
What:Bicycle Alleycat Race to support St. Peter’s Food Pantry
Cranksgiving Alleycat Race
November 21, 2010 12:30 pm

On Kansas City, Missouri November 21, 2010 - For the fifth year in a row, bicyclists in Kansas City will ride an Alleycat race through the city, starting at the Anita Gorman Discovery Center at 48th and Troost stopping at grocery stores to pick up one or two items and rolling on to another, visiting up to 10 stores before finishing at St. Peter's Legacy Center at 6415 Holmes Road. Groceries will be donated to St. Peter’s Food Bank.

Cranksgiving, first organized in New York City in 1999 ,by Antonio Rodrigues and continues to be run there. After Rodrigues moved to York, PA, the event spread to there as well as to Des Moines,IA, St. Louis and other cities throughout the country.

The first Cranksgiving in Kansas City was started by local photographer and cyclist Michael Forrester, with Grant Redwine and Jason Wingate. The race brought together riders from the various communities within Kansas City area cycling. The following year, the Greater Kansas City Bicycle Federation and 816 Bicycle Collective began organizing Cranksgiving.

In 2009, riders filled the stage at the Brick with food donations. “In the first event,” says director Jeff Perry, “we gathered foods for a Thanksgiving dinner. It seems that hunger has become a larger problem, so now I ask the riders to gather staples like peanut butter, soup and cereal. Another item that the food banks have asked for in the past is soap and other personal care products, because people can’t use their food stamps for those.”

Alleycat races started as a competition between bicycle messengers and involve a number of check points, much like a typical work day in a messengers life. At Cranksgiving, riders are given a manifest that has a list of grocery stores and items to purchase. Riders will start riding at 1PM and finish at St. Peter’s at 3PM. Methods of carrying groceries vary from messenger bags and backpacks to baskets, panniers and even cargo trailers.

Riders pay no entry fee and register the day of the event, receiving a spoke card and manifest.
(Special thanks to Eric Rogers for description)

For additional information
Contact Jeff Perry, cell 816-807-7276 or jeff.perry@gmail.com

Cranksgiving see event site on Facebook

Hope to see you there, and tell your friends!!!

Gobble, gobble!

how to share the road-from our friends in Maine

2010-11-13T08:54:00.000-06:00

I like this sign very much. It is not just a "Share the Road" sign.

It is statement that is considerate and peaceful to all who travel on the roads no matter what the mode of transport.

It simply states, "how to share the road."

Well done and

Thank you Bicycle Coalition of Maine

Free classes to cyclists in KC- Fixn a flat and bike skills from MoBikeFed

2010-11-10T14:44:00.000-06:00

MoBikeFed

Just in from our friends at Missouri Pedestrian and Bicycle Federation
MoBikeFed has two great clinics this month. Both are free and open to the public... so bring a friend or two!

Fix-A-Flat

Thursday, November 18
6:00-7:30 PM
KC North Community Center
Tired of loading your bike into the car for trips to the shop for flat repair? Get your hands dirty and learn the foolproof methods of fixing this nuisance. No more begging for a ride home… guaranteed.

Register here: https://mobikefed.org/civicrm/event/info?id=7423&reset=1

Bike Skillz
Saturday, November 20
11:00-12:30 PM
Tony Aguirre Community Center
Get some practical riding experience in this clinic. You’ll practice the essential riding techniques and even learn some emergency maneuvers. Bikes and helmets are required.

Register here: https://mobikefed.org/civicrm/event/info?id=7424&reset=1

Eric Bunch

Program Coordinator

Missouri Foundation

for Bicycling and Walking

573.701.2492

(Please come to the classes if you can and take a look the the MoBikeFed site for more info about all the great things they do for you in Missouri and join them! These are advocates and activists that live the carfree/carlite life!)

Carfree history-and win a bike

2010-11-09T15:47:00.002-06:00

In 1961, philosopher Paul Goodman wrote the essay Banning Cars from Manhattan. 50 years on WCN has teamed up with the makers of the new film Paul Goodman Changed My Life to encourage you to suggest what should be done where you live.

JSL Films, in partnership with the World Carfree Network, the Alliance for Biking and Walking, the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, and Dissent Magazine, presents the Paul Goodman Changed My Life bicycle contest.

Bike contest

In 1961, Paul Goodman – social thinker, activist, poet and novelist – with his brother Percival published the essay Banning Cars from Manhattan in Dissent magazine. Forty years later, though his influence is felt throughout our culture, his books have fallen out of print and his name is all but forgotten – and widespread adoption of alternative transportation is a more pressing topic than ever.

Trailer for Paul Goodman Changed My Life from Israel Ehrisman on Vimeo.

To honor Goodman’s legacy of taking a critical eye to our urban structure, we’re asking you to write your local government – your mayor, or city council – with five ideas that could be implemented in your area to promote forms of transportation that reduce global warming. We’ll randomly draw one person from North America to win a new bicycle donated courtesy of Breezer Bikes, and one person from Europe to win a new bicycle donated courtesy of Biomega. Enter today – the contest expires on November 30, 2010.

(I love history and thought this would be good to put on the blog, please give me your feedback on this and let me know your thoughts! Bill -carfree American)

Go Slow-pictures, videos, and nature

2010-11-02T15:38:00.001-05:00

bike commuter and truck

we all have a story...what is yours?

nancy's bike, waiting for nancy to finish lunch at Cafe' Provence

I walk and bicycle all around my city and I see, feel, smell, and hear things most people miss and I am sad for them

lonely old schwinn in need of a riding owners

nature is something we as humans all have in common. walking and bicycling allow nature and our primitive wild self to come alive

homeless man, kansas city, what you see is all he owns

living carfree is more about living than just not owning or using a car.

it is more natural to walk or bicycle for transportation

Shad , racer, husband, father of two boys, riding fixie

living now, and with purpose is what matters
your heart pumping the oxygen rich blood through your veins...that matters too.

live free but go slow
you don't want to miss the ride...

Guest post- fresh fall apples and the homeless guys

2010-10-29T15:10:00.001-05:00

The fresh fall Fuji apples and the homeless guys

By Corinna West, guest blogger.

Saturday I rode my bike to City Market. They have a really exciting program, the SNAP program, where people with food stamps get their cards swiped and then get double the amount of tokens to go buy food. Some things are cheap at City Market and some things are more expensive, but it’s worth getting as much as I can carry. Plus it’s great to avoid some of the hidden costs of buying industrial food. In a book called Life, Inc, about how corporations have taken over, the author said that an organic apple shipped across the country does more environmental damage than a conventional apple bought locally. It pointed out that Whole Foods uses huge shipping, warehousing, and distribution systems that are virtually indistinguishable from the way Wal-Mart operates, complete with having to buy from large corporate suppliers in order to fill their needs.

So I bought two pecks of apples and loaded them on the bike. I can load a lot of stuff on the bike. That day I filled the panniers with baked goods and vegetables, then just put the two big bags of apples on top of the rack and tied it down with inner tubes (bungees for bicyclists).

I rode to where my friends were meeting at YJ’s across from the Arts Incubator for the 3:00 Explore the Urban Core bike ride. Pretty often my friends give me flack for carrying lots of stuff on my bike. They especially razzed me about time I slid two three pound iron railroad spikes into my panniers to take home for my 9-year old nieghbor who loves railroads. Then I forgot about the spikes and rode around with them in my bags for two weeks till I finally investigated that odd clunking noise. So I gave all of my friends fresh fall Fuji apples before the ride. If you’ve never had orchard fresh apples, they are incredible. Much better than stored apples. They were so good that my friends kept asking for seconds and thirds on the apples as we got further into our ride.

But the apples were pretty heavy. Two pecks is a lot of apples. We rode our way to Kaw Point on the Riverfront Heritage Trail where we ran into some homeless guys that are my friends. Last week I’d been trading them hot pepper ice cream from Tropicana for beer while they told me about a crocodile that lives in the Kansas River. They’d seen some homeless dogs run over to the river and the dog’s leader ran into the river and started swimming circles and barking around the crocodile. Neither dog nor crocodile got eaten that day. I’m not sure crocodiles can live in our climate but it made a great story along with the ice cream and beer. The hot pepper ice cream was so hot that even the Cuban and the Mexican had to eat it slowly.

So those were the homeless guys I ran into on the bike ride. They asked me where I was going, because they knew I lived fairly close to the bike bridge where they were hanging out. They said, “You ought to leave those apples here and just pick them up when you come home.” The Cuban said, “No one will take them. We’ll just see them and say, ‘Oh, some apples,’ and eat a few of them. But I’ll just take them into my house here and they’ll mostly be right here when you come back.”

So that’s what I did. I just kept about six of the apples with me in my panniers because they were so delicious that my bike friends and I might need them on the rest of our ride. I rode around the rest of the afternoon with my bike friends, rode to the Mexican restaurant, rode to my one friend’s house on Paseo to help him carry stuff, rode to my other friend’s house in Kansas City north for a party, rode to the overlook on Main, and came back after midnight for the apples.

There they were, minus the 1/2 peck that me, my 9 bike friends, and the 3 homeless had eaten all in one day because they were so delicious.

That’s how we improve our economy – by building local, sustainable livable communities, then just living out enjoyable lives and talking to one another, and making friends with everyone around.

Find out more about Corinna and her adventures and good works at:

Corinna West: Human Hand Wordworks

Motivational speaking, spoken word poetry, catalyst for change