Writing Where t is a Factor
Time (t) is the enemy of all writers. It was certainly mine this weekend -- I accomplished nothing. Granted, in my case, that was because I regularly placed other priorities ahead of my writing.
This is something that has frequently been a problem since I departed college -- time, or lack thereof, has a serious negative impact on my writing. The two key points where I'm impacted are:
- Productivity
- Loss of narrative thread
The first of these is somewhat obvious. If you're not consistently making the time to write, you're simply not going to produce much.
Intro to Bike Commuting, Part IV
Photo by jessflickr. Licensed under the Creative Commons.
[This piece is the fourth in a five-part series in this blog about how to effectively commute by bike. For Part I, click here.]
I'm hoping that my earlier posts about bicycle commuting got some of you inspired to get out there and start riding. Here in Minnesota, it's still a little bit on the cold side, and (as I write this) in almost the middle of April we're under a winter storm warning. I've been working on building a commuter bike, since my commute is about 7.5 times longer than it used to be. A single-speed won't suffice anymore. (I'll detail the completed bike in a future post.)
So. You've been commuting. You're probably dropping weight, and starting to see a general improvement in your moods. But things could be better. This section will discuss things to improve your commuting experience.
Framebuilding
So for a long time, I've wanted to start building bicycle frames. It's not just an issue of wanting to make cool bike frames (though that's a part of it), but I've had this weird urge for years to make art bikes. But beyond that basic urge, I never really had any strong, overwhelming ideas.
Yesterday, I finally had my idea, and it's pushing my buttons (in a good way). So I think that I'm going to find some basic metal-working classes to take over the next year, and sign up for a class with a framebuilder for early 2009 (after I have some vacation time banked up). I'll be using the next year for some general research and some practice working with tiny batches of materials in an effort to get an idea of what I can and can't do with the materials.
The end goal is to produce a series of three bikes -- one for myself, and two that I'll sell. They'll all have the same theme (to be revealed at a much later date), and I'll probably make a variety of types: road, cyclocross, and mountain frames. In addition, I'll probably create custom frames at the hobbyist level, mostly for myself and friends -- they supply the tubeset and (optionally) lugs, and I'll build them a frame.
So now I need to do research on framebuilding classes, which all cost about the same amount. There's Doug Fattic, there's Yamaguchi, there's UBI (United Bicycle Institute), and others... If you've got recommendations, I'm all ears.
Intro to Bike Commuting, Part III
Photo by drocksays. Licensed under the Creative Commons.
[This piece is the third in a five-part series in this blog about how to effectively commute by bike, as other articles appear, there will be cross-linking between them. For Part I, click here.]
Contingency Planning
The most important thing you can do as a bike commuter is to remain mentally flexible. As long as you hope for the best and prepare for the worst, you should be fine. That said, there are things you'll encounter on the road that require a certain set of behaviors, and can ameliorate negative situations.
Drivers. You need to understand one thing --
Intro to Bike Commuting, Part II
Photo by red5standingby. Licensed under the Creative Commons.
[This piece is the second in a five-part series in this blog about how to effectively commute by bike, as other articles appear, there will be cross-linking between them. For Part I, click here.]
Getting Started
The first thing you need to do in getting ready for a bicycle commute is a reality check. There are two questions that need answering -- are you healthy enough to undertake a bicycle commute? And, is the distance to the office something you can realistically ride?
The first question is something you should discuss during a consultation with a doctor. I am not a physician, and thus not qualified to provide life-or-death medical advice in this series of articles (or anywhere else in my blog). Should you be healthy enough to make a weekly commute, by all means move on to the next question.
Intro to Bike Commuting, Part I
Photo by Richard Masoner. Licensed under the Creative Commons.
[This piece is the first in a five-part series in this blog about how to effectively commute by bike, as other articles appear, there will be cross-linking between them.]
Introduction
Recently, I wrote about the out-of-control energy costs that are plaguing the United States, their impact, and put forward a pair of ideas about reducing the amount of oil we have to import. One of these ideas was a once-a-week bike commute. (The other was adopting, nationally, a four-day work week with 10-hour days.) As a long-time cyclist, and someone who has been working in bike shops since 1999, I am exposed to all manner of cyclists, including commuters. I've also used a bike to commute to jobs -- some as close as 2 miles, some as distant as 17 miles. This piece is intended to help you get started, plus teach you things that you'd rather not discover the hard way.
The main reasons for commuting by bicycle are obvious -- you'll save money on gas and you'll end up more healthy. In the grand scheme of things, you'll be helping the national economy by reducing demand for oil, and you'll be helping the whole planet by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. If those aren't reasons enough, think of it as a fun way to reduce stress and get in shape, and as a reason to buy a few cool toys.
So. You've decided to commute to work. Part Two will explain what you need to do to get going.
Part One: Introduction
Part Two: Getting Started
Part Three: Contingency Planning
Part Four: Improving the Experience
Part Five: Commuting in Extreme Conditions
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I'm at Don Pablo's - Roseville (2700 Lincoln Dr, Roseville). [fontosaurus]
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Checked in at Don Pablo's - Roseville
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I favorited a YouTube video -- Cycles http://youtu.be/-0Xa4bHcJu8?a [fontosaurus]
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have my Friday off, so here's my Follow Thursday: @mightywombat, @veloveggies, @Scoutwell_Cat, @kilgette, @actualmiles, @DoWhatITellYou #ff [fontosaurus]
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Man, talk about enabling commerce. http://is.gd/aeKE9 [fontosaurus]
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Mmmm. Thunderstorm. [fontosaurus]
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I'm at 3M Center- Building 225 (3M Center, Building 225, St. Paul). [fontosaurus]
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Checked in at 3M Center- Building 225
