Today it really struck me, our numbers are growing! I saw 30-40 cyclists today on my way to work. It is the middle of January, barely above freezing, and the streets are chock full of people ridding bikes! Two years ago during my winter commutes I would see MAYBE one other cyclist, maybe. The winter used to be such a lonely time, but not anymore! Both Boston and Cambridge report increases in ridership, the Household Survey (done by the Census) shows an increase in ridership, and my eyeballs show an increase in ridership.

The best part is, I am increasingly seeing a lot of women out there riding. This tells me that we have reached some sort of tipping point. Women are usually far more sensible and level headed than men (sorry guys, it’s true), so seeing a large number of them riding bikes indicated to me that the level of infrastructure/law/whatever has reached a point where riding a bike is no longer seen as simply a daredevil thing to do. We still have a long way to go, but we have made great strides. I actually think the number one way to keep cyclists safer, is to get more people out of cars, and onto bikes, so this increase in ridership makes me very happy.

I can’t tell you why exactly so many more people our out riding, but I have some ideas. Gas prices have been creeping up, while wages are creeping down. Driving a car in Boston sucks. Bikes are cheep. Bikes are FUN! I think the last part is the real reason.

You see all these folk out there riding bikes every day while you are stuck in traffic and you say to yourself “they look like they are having a good time, why don’t I give it a go.” Once you try cycling you will be hooked. The freedom (both literally and figuratively from things like gas prices, parking, traffic), the way it makes your body feel and look (lets not downplay that bikers have sexy bodies) and the general sense of friendliness make biking a fantastic mode of transportation. I am not sure if it is because you are not in a little metal box, but I regularly talk to other cyclists, get waves, get howdys, and in general have much more interaction with my fellow human beings. It is actually a very pleasing way to interact. (contrast with the way motorists usually talk to each other, a series of finger gestures, and horn honks)

Stopping at red lights with 3,4, even 5 other cyclists makes me think that we might actually be changing the way people get around in this town. I see only good things in the future if this trend continues. A huge “HI!” to everyone I saw on a bike this morning, keep up the good work, and happy cycling.

Got this in the mail today, looks like a great time! Check it out!

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Art show, Auction and Party wrap-up CX 2009 at Wheelworks,
480 Trapelo Rd, Belmont
Thursday, January 21, 2010 6pm-10pm

Now that the post-race adrenaline has dissolved in blood and alcohol, it’s time to go back and savor the juicy bits of muddy war-times. It’s like a good aged wine (or whiskey), to be consumed, unlike recovery beer, by contemplatively engaging your palate to discover the nuances of this season’s cyclocross crop.

Here’s a preview scoop on what to expect:
- photography, posters, paintings
- free beer provided by Wheelworks and Cambridge Bicycle Racing Team
- free food by Sofra bakery
- friends, more friends and people who will become your friends
- music
- AUCTION (more on that here)

Those who anticipate transportation problems, please e-mail me to set you up with carpooling!
That was short, right?

Pedal Power Photography website has been slightly updated and highly recommend the Portrait gallery for your viewing pleasure.

Happy Holidays!
Hope to see you at the Show,

I am slightly embarrassed to say, that three years in, I have yet to find the perfect cure to a semester plus of law school. A day, a week, a few months, I can do. Any time on the rollers – from fifteen minutes to forever – can usually keep the insanity at bay. But a semester plus two years? It takes a lot of cycling to erase that kind of pain.

Take bikes away from the equation and I’m not sure what the normal law student is left with in terms of options as to how to resocialize. I have a feeling that it might involve a lot of sex. Or whatever the gastronomic equivalent is. On the other hand, that might just be my way of explaining the unnervingly large number of fat creepers which populate your typical law school. I like to think that it’s the inevitable result of too many hours scouring too many cases. You eventually end up fat and desperate.

In any case, left without my bicycles for the duration of 13 days, in another country no less, I’ve been at a complete loss. Roller-less, recovery is slow, and unsurprisingly involves staying far away from anything with a keyboard and a screen. And yes, that involves the internet.

I understand how that might sound. Like I’ve too easily turned my back on a best friend. Taken the proverbial shit on the guy who has always been there by my side. Kicked a fiance to the curb right as the limo to the wedding pulled up, so to speak. And the worst part? I’m sort of getting used to this.

Despite my mother’s fussing, I can get used to rolling out of bed and not really having much to do. Nothing about not putting on a bra until 3pm bothers me. It’s okay that the farthest I might travel in a day might be the distance from the kitchen to the bathroom, because it’s twice as far as the bathroom is from my desk back in Boston. And the fact that I’m riding shotgun in my mom’s car? Please. Since when was I an eco-freak that rode my bike around for environmental reasons?

So other than the invisible, ever-changing itinerary of “preparing for stuff we’re going to do just because tradition dictates that we should do it” which I’m told about approximately 5 minutes before we’re all supposed to leave the house, I’m flexing my lazy like The Situation tightens his abs in a club full of guidette hoochies. But like how nights at the same clubs [even on the Jersey Shore] can get old, I would be lying if I said that a part of me wasn’t itching to get back to my bicycles. Stuffing myself full of decidedly non-vegan goodies is pretty awesome, but I miss the messy, sweaty sessions on the track bike, or the freezing cold commutes on the Bianchi.

I’ve been missing the empty staring at blank Word documents as well. Who knew that laziness could be so…boring. But without bicycles, it seems a little silly to write about my life sans velos. Even if – and I’m being honest when I say this – the guilt of my silence is hovering over my shoulder like the stranger drafting behind you that you just can’t seem to shake off.

But just like that drafting stranger, there’s a new year [too] quickly approaching, and I’ll be back to bikes, Boston, blogs, and my boys before I know it. So let me savor this “doing nothing” thing for just a little bit longer. Because, come on, you know you’re doing the exact same thing, too.

Happy New Year, guys!

Hey all, go check out this Let’s Go Ride a Bike post for some tips and a video on dressing for the winter. Normally it would already be late in the season to begin thinking of these things but we’ve got a bit of a reprieve with the unseasonable warmth.

Got this in the email, looks like fun, and it’s FREE!

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Free Winter Bike Riding Seminar at Broadway Bicycle School. How to best prepare yourself and your bicycle for riding this winter. Wednesday December 16th from 6:30 – 7:30. Call 617-868-3392 to sign up!

“I saw you on Comm Ave last night,” a friend said.

“I thought about opening my door on you. You know, just to make it a little more challenging.”

As if this weather wasn’t challenging enough. I feel like a Yeti on a tricycle these days – sans the training wheels [unfortunately].

Yeah, I know, I know; I knew what I was getting into by deciding to be a year-round commuter in Boston, so I shouldn’t be complaining. I really wouldn’t be whining so much if there weren’t so many goddamn obstacles!

It’s not even the insane drivers who, through their sheer douchery, will teach you how to stubbornly take the lane and stay there while they honk at you incessantly. It’s the potholes.

Like my sanity due to being deprived of warmer weather, the streets are cracking under the pressure of snow, cold, and everything else. And of course, no one’s really doing anything about it.

Okay, so maybe I should do something about it. But at this point it’s almost like a masochistic little game. I want to see how long it’ll take until the whole street is just one big hole. And then I want to see how long it’ll take the city to notice it.

And of course, while this is all happening, I want to see if I can learn – through sheer necessity – how to do wheelies and bunny hops so I can climb out of any holes I get into.

Come next ‘cross season, I’ll probably be owning the races too. So, thanks, Boston!

you have been warned.

People often think I might have a few screws loose when I tell them that I ride my bike everywhere, everyday. They ask about how I get food, how I get my laundry done, but mostly they ask what I do when it is cold. My answer, I bundle up and keep riding! Here are some fun pictures from the last couple of days here in Boston. The salt trucks are working overtime, and as such I come home a bit dirty…but boy is it fun!

Started out the evening with friends at Shay’s in Harvard Square and then headed toward BoldSprints at Middlesex. Great ride down Mass Ave, which had this quasi-curfew feel to it — no parked cars, huge mounds of snow, and so few vehicles that every other one seemed to be a plow. No problem riding through the slush/ice mix, as my bike had some serious snow tires — always fun riding past stuck cars. Alas, when I got to Middlesex, found that the place was dark and that the event had been postponed — no BoldSprints. Dang! As I’ll be out of town on the make-good date (the 28th), it’ll have to be the next time around for me.

Got this in the mail today, Bikes Not Bombs continually impresses me with just how much they get done! If you have not been you need to go.

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WINTER WARMUP PARTY at the BIKE SHOP

Support Bikes Not Bombs’ youth and international programs by buying your holiday gifts at the BNB Bike Shop!!

at Bikes Not Bombs’ Bike Shop, 18 Bartlett Square (see map here)

Bikes Not Bombs’ Bike Shop invites you to celebrate the winter riding season at an afternoon party with free hot drinks (including local hot cider and hot chocolate from direct trade, locally processed cacao from Taza Chocolate and fresh local milk, plus homemade cookies and cakes baked with love by BNB mechanics.

Bike Shop staff will be on hand to teach you how to patch a tube and fix a flat tire. If you’ve never learned this valuable skill, now is your chance to learn for free, while enjoying sweet treats!

The bike shop is filled with items that make great gifts, from bells to gloves, repair manuals to gift certificates, cozy woolen baselayers and caps by Ibex, and locally made Taza Chocolate bars, which will be appreciated by even the non-cyclists on your list! Remember, every purchase you make at the BNB Bike Shop helps support our programs for young people here in Boston and our projects overseas. We need your support now more than ever.

WINTER WARM-UP PARTY Schedule:

Saturday, December 13, 3-7 PM Enjoy home-baked cookies and treats, local apple cider and flat-fixing demos every half-hour, plus get a coupon for discounts on winter bike maintenance.

Sunday, December 14, 1-5 PM Taza Chocolate will be here to let you sample their distinctive stone-ground chocolate and answer questions, and we’ll make their delicious hot chocolate! Plus, BNB mechanics will give free flat-fixing demos every half-hour, and we’ll give out vouchers for discounts on winter bike maintenance.

See you there!

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GIVE A HOLIDAY GIFT to a LOVED ONE by DONATING TO BNB

Looking for a meaningful gift for a friend, family member, or loved one? Instead of buying another mug or sweater this year, you can give a donation to Bikes Not Bombs in that person’s name. We’ll send a gift card for the holidays that lets that person know that their holiday gift this year is helping to empower more young people in Boston with leadership and job training, and helping bring more bicycles and jobs to people in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

In these tough times, a gift like this is more meaningful than ever!

Make your donation with a credit card online at http://active.com/donate/bnbgift

* Once you’re online you’ll tell us where to send the Holiday Card acknowledging this gift (we can send it to you or to your gift recipient).
* If you’re making a last-minute gift, we can send an email to your gift recipient on a date of your choosing, and the card will come in the mail later.
* If you choose, your gift can also make your loved one a Member of Bikes Not Bombs with all the membership benefits.
* You will receive the tax deductible receipt for this gift.

Another way to make this gift is to call us at 617-522-0222, and ask for Arik, Jasmine, or Jeremy!

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SETUP YOUR OWN GIFT PAGE!

Help Bikes Not Bombs by setting up your own page where others can donate to BNB as a holiday gift to you. Just go to http://active.com/donate/bnbgift and then click “Become a Fundraiser” at the top of the page. (Many of you have done this before when fundraising to ride the Bike-A-Thon.)

If you want, you can add photos and write something on your page about why BNB is meaningful to you. Then email out the address of the page to those who might want to make a donation as a gift to you. People are motivated to give because they know YOU and they’ll care because YOU do. You’ll see your efforts turn into powerful support for BNB, and you’ll have a few less Far Side mugs to find a place for this holiday season. (Not that Far Side mugs aren’t funny and useful for making tea, but you’ve already got 3 of these, right?)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

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GOODSHOP ONLINE PURCHASES SUPPORT BNB
http://www.goodsearch.com/goodshop.aspx

Thinking of shopping online at Amazon.com, Ebay, the Apple Store, BestBuy, L.L.Bean, Barnes&Noble, PetSmart, NewEgg, Target, or many other online sites? A percentage of your purchase dollars can be donated by these stores to Bikes Not Bombs if you just know how to do it!

Start at http://www.goodsearch.com/goodshop.aspx, choose Bikes Not Bombs as the recipient, and then choose the site (Amazon.com etc) that you want to shop from. Then make your purchases as you normally would and they’ll tell you how much money is going to BNB. That’s all!

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GOODSEARCH
http://www.goodsearch.com

Do your online searches through Goodsearch instead of Google, and every time you search they will donate a few cents to BNB. This has already raised well over $100 for Bikes Not Bombs. Make Goodsearch your default search engine and you’ll be sending a little money to BNB every week without even thinking about it!

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MEMBERS, WORK ON YOUR OWN BIKE
Thursday December 4th

See the full info here
You must sign up in advance, by contacting Matt Coe at 617-522-0226 or mattcoe@bikesnotbombs.org

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HELP SEND BIKES TO GHANA
Sunday, December 7th

Join us to help load a 40′ shipping container full of bicycle aid for the Village Bicycle Project in Ghana! We start at 10:30 am and work until we finish, which we expect to be 3:30 or 4:00pm. We’ll take a break around 1pm for a pizza lunch (provided) and a short talk about the project. Volunteers can come for any part of this time that works for you. Experience not required. We’ll be moving, sorting, and loading bikes, wheels, and spare parts. You may wish to bring work gloves. This event happens rain or shine!

NOTE: this event does not happen at Bikes Not Bombs, but around the corner at 179 Boylston Street. For more information about this event (including directions and a map) and info on the Village Bicycle Project, see here

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LADIES WINTER RIDING WORKSHOP
Monday December 8th
6:00 -8:00 pm

An evening of information and skill sharing to prepare for winter cycling!

At the Bikes Not Bombs Hub, 284 Amory Street, Jamaica Plain. There is no charge for the workshop.

Contact Christina for more info at christina@bikesnotbombs.org or 617-522-0222
See the flyer here

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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Phone-A-Thon Volunteers Wanted

The annual grassroots fundraising favorite is happening now. You can be a crucial volunteer by helping raise money and talking to some other cool supporters of BNB!
***Note we’ve added some new sessions since the last time you saw this!***

About 30 volunteers (you included) will join us to call people who love BNB, have already given to us, and need a little friendly reminder/contact to get them to give again/give more and get re-inspired about BNB’s awesome work.

Here’s why you should come spend two or more sessions with a BNB Phone-A-Thon crew:
1. It’s an easy way for BNB to raise $30,000 – 40,000.
2. It’s great training for any other fundraising you may want to do in your life. (Training and coaching provided at each session.)
3. You get to talk to lots of people who love BNB’s work. (Our favorite part.)
4. You get free snacks (or dinner, if it’s time).
5. You earn volunteer hours for your valuable time at each session!
6. You’ll meet some new BNBers, and that is always fun.
7. You’ll get to meet BNB Board members, all of whom do at least two of these phone calling shifts!

Please email jasmine@bikesnotbombs.org or call 617-522-0222 if you are interested and/or have any questions call/email to sign up for two or more sessions. We also need volunteers to provide food! Locations TBA.

Sessions:
- Saturday, 12/6, 10:00 AM-2:00 PM
- Sunday, 12/7, Noon-3:30 PM
- Tuesday, 12/9, 5:30-9 PM
- Saturday 12/13, 10 AM- 2 PM

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Office Volunteers
Needed for data entry. Come get to know the BNB staff in our dynamic office while helping out!
We especially need your help in January and February. Contact Jeremy at jeremy@bikesnotbombs.org or 617-522-0222.

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Volunteer with a Truck or Van
We could use a volunteer with a vehicle that can carry about 10 bikes or more to stop in on a weekly basis to do local transportation within Jamaica Plain, moving bikes, recycling, and trash. Contact mattcoe@bikesnotbombs.org or call Matt at 617-522-0226.

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HELP TEACH YOUTH IN EARN-A-BIKE

We’ll give you a full course in bike mechanics, and then you will help teach young people to rebuild and earn a bike to be their own! Go on fun rides and teach safe riding and environmental issues. Female and male volunteers needed. Spanish language skills or youth-work experience are helpful, but no experience required.

INSTRUCTOR TRAINING:
Every Saturday from January 17th through March 21st. 11:00 am – 2:00 pm each Saturday.
This is a free course in which you learn a complete overview of bike mechanics, theory and methods for teaching young people, and safe riding skills and guidelines for leading youth rides. No experience is necessary, just commitment! You also get credit for volunteer time, which can count towards earning a bike or parts for yourself.

THE TEACHING:
Once you have the skills, choose 1 day a week to teach in Earn-A-Bike (for the duration of at least one session) For youth, the training also gives you the potential to work as a paid instructor during the summer. Teachers who want to run this class in your own schools are also welcome to apply!

For the full info and to download an application, see here and scroll down.

Contact Elijah at 617-522-0222 or elijah@bikesnotbombs.org

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MECHANICS JOB TRAINING COURSE
January 19th – March 21st

Interested in the bicycle industry but don’t know where to develop your skills? Bikes Not Bombs is offering an 80 hour bike mechanics apprenticeship course designed to graduate participants into jobs at local area bike shops upon completion. BNB offers 9 class placements, for teens (15 and up) and adults that are serious about becoming professional bike mechanics, but don’t have formal training. In past years graduates have taken jobs at Bikes Not Bombs, Broadway Bicycle School, Ferris Wheels, Community Bike Shop, Cambridge Bike and other bike related businesses. The cost varies based on need, and fee waivers are available.

The course meets three days a week: Mondays 3:30-6:30, Wednesdays 3:30-6:30, and Saturdays 2:00-5:00

See full info and download an application here (scroll down)
Applications must be received by January 9th to be considered.

Contact Matt Picard at matt@bikesnotbombs.org or 617-522-0222

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WANT LIST

- laptops!
- a regular supply of rags
- digital video camera
- and more!

Full info at http://www.bikesnotbombs.org/donate#stuff

Contact Arik at arik@bikesnotbombs.org or 617-522-0222 if you have things to donate. Please check in before donating, thanks!