Joe Flood

Tag: biking

  • Bikes and Bias: Why You Shouldn’t Trust the Washington Post

    IMG_8399.jpg
    Bike terrorists who deserve to be run over, according to Washington Post columnist Courtland Milloy.

    There was a time when the media considered itself a fourth branch of government. They were the ones responsible for “keeping them honest” and “speaking truth to power.” Objective arbiters of the truth, journalists were an elite class charged with communicating the news to the rest of us.

    No organization embodied this high-minded civic sentiment more than The Washington Post, the paper of Woodward and Bernstein, the paper that brought down a president.

    Today, the Washington Post published a poorly-written, factually incorrect, hate-filled screed advocating violence against cyclists. The author was Courtland Milloy, a Washington Post columnist, who writes:

    It’s a $500 fine for a motorist to hit a bicyclist in the District, but some behaviors are so egregious that some drivers might think it’s worth paying the fine.

    Believe it or not, but this piece (with its factual errors, stereotyping and threats of violence) was reviewed and edited by editors at the Washington Post.

    Several commentators (including me) had a tweet-exchange with one of them, asking how this could pass the Post’s supposedly rigorous standards. His reply:

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    You know what other views are widely held? Millions of people believe that Obama was born in Kenya. Others think 9/11 was an inside job. And a big chunk of the US population is certain that UFOs exist. But you don’t see their views in the Post. Why not?

    Because the Post has editorial standards. They do not allow the beliefs of violent, racist crackpots on to their pages.

    Unless you’re Courtland Milloy. He’s kept on staff because he’s supposedly the voice of black Washington – though he no longer lives in the city. Lacking a black perspective on the op-ed page, they pay him handsomely for the odd column, though his hate-filled rants would not be tolerated from a white writer. It’s patronizing liberalism at its worst, literally the soft bigotry of low expectations, and occurs despite the fact that there are plenty of talented black voices in this city.

    Why not look for an African-American Ezra Klein rather than hanging on to this relic from the Marion Barry era?

    Bikes have a way of revealing biases. For example, gentle-voiced Scott Simon of NPR, also hates and stereotypes cyclists. What other strange views does he hold? Are there other groups he thinks should be singled out for punishment? How do these biases influence what NPR covers?

    Reporters say nasty things about cyclists because they can. Slurs against cyclists are acceptable while stereotyping other groups is not. Reporters give voice to this hate because there is no punishment for it. These biases exist and influence what stories get covered – and what stories don’t. Anti-cyclist hate is acceptable in the pages of the Post while the birthers are not.

    The media is not objective. Do not believe what The Washington Post says. The Internet and Twitter provide wonderful real-time fact checking. We no longer have to blithely accept what our self-appointed guardians write, especially if they disgrace themselves by publishing hate-filled rants.

    The media is not a fourth branch of government – the Internet has assumed that role. Read critically and make up your own mind.

  • The Things We Carry

    Bag contents - I'm clearly not carrying enough crap
    Sunglasses, Kindle, spoon, outdated coupons – the rather pathetic contents of my bag. I need to carry more crap.

    Americans have too much stuff. And whether it’s an SUV, a bike or on foot, we like to carry all of our crap with us.

    A measure of status used to be that a man wasn’t encumbered by a knapsack. That was for the working class. A gentleman carried nothing more than a billfold.

    Contemporary America has reversed this – now it’s the poor who carry nothing while our elites strap all manner of bags and belts to their person to haul their electronic devices and luxury goods.

    No one really needs an iPhone, iPad, Kindle and digital camera with them all the time – they are devices whose purposes overlap. Yet, many people carry all this – and much more – in messenger bags, a utilitarian tool that’s been transformed into an emblem of the creative class. Thou shall know the web designers by their Timbuk2 bags…

    The digital age was supposed to free of us from physical objects. After all, everything is in the cloud – photos, videos, books, travel plans, schedules, mail. Yet, this development has lead to a profusion of devices that Americans feel compelled to schlep with them at all times.

    Case in point: the San Francisco cyclist carrying around a veritable apothecary on wheels. In addition to the requisite i-devices of her generation, she has medical supplies, a beauty kit, foodstuffs, bike tools and portable radio gear. She’s better outfitted than Amazonian explorers of the last century. All of this stuff she loads onto a Dahon, a folding bike. I have a Dahon. Loading it with twenty pounds of gear defeats the purpose of this small, practical bike.

    The SF cyclist is not the only pannier-stuffing bike hoarder out there. Lifehacker profiles people like her in Featured Bag, a celebration of conspicuous consumption as measured by the amount of crap you can haul on your back. There’s even a Flickr group where aficionados proudly display the objects that they carry. They share them with us for they are signifiers, indicating the schlepper’s class, profession and beliefs. A person carrying three-pounds of salad and a copy of The Alchemist is going to be considerably different than someone with an Android tablet and stun gun. Know the bag, know the person.

    We’re defined by what we carry. Whether it’s an iPad or a particular brand of lip balm, every object we carry has meaning – exactly like hoarders. But hoarders at least get to leave the hoard. We put it in a backpack and take it with is.

    Death is the only separation from our stuff. Does it have to be?

    Vikings were buried with their household goods. Ancient Egyptians were entombed with the items that they’d need in the afterlife.

    Americans should adopt this practice. Death should not part you from your beloved Altoid Smalls or Aveda sun screen. You should not have to say goodbye to your Ortlieb panniers. “Bury me with my Tumi!” should be the cry.

    Objects so precious that we strap them to our back deserve to follow us into death and beyond. We are the things we carry.

     

  • Bike Therapy: Visualize Your Ride, Your Life

    happy hipster
    A cyclist enjoys a fall day in Washington, DC.

    Can you write your way to the ride you want? To a certain extent, I think you can.

    That’s Mary Gersemalina on Chasing Mailboxes, a great blog devoted to biking, run-commuting and coffeeneuring.

    In her post, Mary talks about visualizing the ride that she wants. She doesn’t want it to be a story of failure, where she doesn’t measure up to faster riders. Instead:

    I wanted my story to be about working through whatever unexpected challenges the ride offered.

    Mary is shaping her narrative through positive visualization. Rather than dwelling on what could go wrong – a broken chain, a flat tire, a hot day – she focuses on the positive nature of the experience and her own strengths, imagining how she will tell this story when she’s done.

    We are the stories that we tell ourselves. The mind is good at telling you what you can’t do. These stories limit our potential. While this negativity may have saved our ancestors from being eaten by lions, it’s not so useful today.

    With her visualization exercise (imagining telling the story of this ride), Mary gets past her negative thoughts, recognizing that while there will be problems, she has the strength to overcome them.

    In addition to being the queen of coffeeneuring (where you bike to different coffee shops), Mary also created the Errandonnee Winter Challenge, in which you pledge to conduct twelve errands by bike. The opportunity to be a part of this positive, group activity caused me to set aside my preconceived notions about winter cycling (it’s too cold, dark) and start using my bike for just about everything.

    The experience of conducting ordinary activities by bike turned what was once a weekend activity into an everyday one. By completing twelve errands over twelve days by bike, I got to be a part of the errandonnee narrative. Rather than believing that winter was too cold for biking, I now have the errandonnee story: you can do anything by bike, any time of year.

    Hey it's my #errandonnee patch! #bikedc
    The coveted Errandonnee patch.

    And I got a patch.  Never underestimate the power of tchotkes on human behavior.

    Biking is therapy for many people. It’s a joyful exercise that combines the thrill of accomplishment (I biked all those miles) with the pleasure of seeing the changing landscape. We’re problem-solving primates who like to move – biking is ideal for that.

    And scientific research has demonstrated that everyday cycling makes you happier.

    Bikes are happiness engines that provide rich rewards for anyone who will ride them.

  • Tour de Fat Recap: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

    Mohawk nation

    More than 7,000 people descended upon Yards Park in Washington, DC for the third annual Tour de Fat. For those unfamiliar with this unique event, it is a celebration of bikes, beer and fun sponsored by New Belgium, the Colorado-based brewer of Fat Tire.

    I’ve attended every year for it brings together two of my great loves: bikes and beer. Here’s what it was like: (more…)

  • Friday Photo: Tour de Fat Edition

    the couple that bikes together, stays together
    The couple that bikes together, stays together. Maybe.

    What can you expect at tomorrow’s Tour de Fat?

    1. A fun and safe bike ride around DC with people in costumes. Last year, we did a wonderful loop around Lincoln Park.
    2. Wacky bike-based entertainment, music and games. The photo above was from a corral of impossible bikes to try out.
    3. Delicious beer from New Belgium. This year they’re going to have some interesting seasonal varieties.

    Everything kicks off at Yards Park in DC starting at 11 AM. Check out my photos from last year to sample the frivolity. Look for me on my beloved foldy bike. See you there!

  • In the Blueberry Soup: The WABA Vasa Ride

    Riverside check-in for the WABA Vasa ride.
    Riverside check-in for the WABA Vasa ride.

    I survived the legendary Washington Area Bicyclists Association (WABA) Vasa Ride. The ride began early Saturday morning at the House of Sweden in Georgetown. Riders got to choose from three route lengths: 15, 30, and 59 miles. Destinations and routes were not disclosed before the ride. When you checked-in, you were given a cue sheet.

    Which I just glanced at, seeing that we were going to Potomac. I signed-up for the 30-mile ride and figured I’d just follow the pack. Wrong!

    Starting off from Georgetown, the group of a hundred riders or so threaded its way up the Capital Crescent Trail before making a right (what? should’ve looked at the cue sheet!) at Fletcher’s Cove and heading up Reservoir Road to MacArthur Boulevard.

    Once on MacArthur, the road cyclists accelerated away from me on my Specialized Sirrus. I lost contact with the peloton. Behind me were a mass of slower riders – I hope you’re not following me, because I didn’t read the cue sheet…I knew that MacArthur would eventually lead me to Potomac so I kept going.

    It was a lovely morning for a ride. The route went through the leafy-green Palisades, then past the faded Glen Echo amusement park, across the single-lane bridge at Cabin John, by the Old Angler’s Inn and the entrance to Great Falls. The road was filled with cyclists, some from the WABA ride, others just out enjoying the day. Every kind of bike and every kind of rider was represented.

    It had been a gradual incline up from the river before we reached the massive hill at Great Falls. The top of the hill was a natural stopping point for many cyclists, including me. The Vasa ride went from here to Potomac via Falls Road before returning by Persimmon Tree Road (I found out later).

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    The first half of the WABA Vasa ride.

    Cars were speeding along Falls Road. I didn’t want to deal with that. And I’m not good at following directions or being part of a group. (more…)

  • Errandonnee Winter Challenge: Twelve Errands by Bike in DC

    I am a weekend cyclist. I primarily use my bike for fun and recreation. Plus, it’s the quickest and easiest way to get around DC.

    What I liked about the Errandonnee Winter Challenge is that it recognized the utilitarian aspects of cycling. It’s not about riding vast distances clad in lycra. Instead, the Errandonnee Challenge was to use your bike for 12 different errands over 12 days. While there were also sorts of complicated rules, provisos and mandates (the contest was created in Washington, after all), the idea was to use your bike for everyday activities, highlighting how you can do anything by bike.

    I looked at it as an opportunity to use my bike more often. Or, rather, bikes, for I would be completing this challenge on two of them – a Specialized Sirrus and a Breezer Zig7 (a foldy bike).

    And I would capture it all with Instagram.

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    Errandonnee 1: Marie Reed Field
    Distance: 2 Miles
    Category: Health
    Bike: Specialized Sirrus
    Remarks: It was a short city ride to the play the beautiful game on this new turf field in Adams-Morgan.

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    Errandonnee 2: Georgetown Waterfront
    Distance: 10 Miles
    Category: Health
    Bike: Specialized Sirrus
    Remarks: There was no way I was staying inside on a warm Saturday. After lunch, I biked to Georgetown to get some sun, then made a loop around the National Mall before returning home.

    //instagram.com/p/lVEJv1t6X0

    Errandonnee 3: Gibson Guitar Room
    Distance: 2 Miles
    Category: Work
    Bike: Breezer Zig7
    Remarks: The next day, I spoke on a panel about screenwriting for DC Shorts Mentors, a four-week class on filmmaking. The class took part in the Gibson Guitar Room, which is a super-cool private venue near the Verizon Center.

    //instagram.com/p/lVWmS8t6dR

    (more…)

  • Bikes, Beer and the Arts: 2013 in Photos

  • Friday Photo: WABA Edition

    I'm a WABA member because...

    DC is a land of tribes. “Where do you work?” is the first question that you hear at a Washington party. It’s an attempt to discover your tribal affiliation – are you Government, Lawyer, Liberal, Nonprofit, Corporate or Something Else? The purpose is to determine whether you are friend or foe, superior or inferior.

    It’s a silly practice based upon the assumption that people are defined by their jobs. But work is not a passion for most people. Most of us are defined by our interests, rather than our jobs.

    Case in point: The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA). At last night’s Holiday Party at the Bier Baron, I met an incredibly diverse group of people. They were young, old, women, men, gay, straight – one of the most eclectic gatherings you’ll find in self-sorting DC. They included everyone from government employees living in the suburbs to entrepreneurs working in the city.

    And they weren’t interested in what you did for a living. Instead, the talk was of winter cycling tights and the best bike route to Silver Spring. “How many bikes do you own?” was a popular question. With just two bikes, I was an outlier among the avid cyclists.

    New bike lanes and the advent of Capital Bikeshare has led to an explosion of cycling in DC. In the crowded 15th St Cycletrack, you see scores of bikers every morning – women in dresses (yes, even in this weather), hard-core commuters and elderly tourists on red Bikeshare bikes.

    Which is why I’m glad to be a WABA member. It’s not just the sexy legs. It’s that cycling is a shared experience that bridges communities across the city. I’m a WABA member because biking in DC is fun.

  • Seven Coffeeneuring Trips in Washington, DC

    Cappuccino at Peregrine on Capitol Hill #coffeeneuring
    Perfect cappuccino at Peregrine Espresso on Capitol Hill.

    When I first looked into the Coffeeneuring Challenge, I thought to myself: so many rules! You can tell it’s a contest created by a Washingtonian.

    But the strictures were good-natured and amusing, a Byzantine level of complexity that obscured a simple idea:

    Bike to seven coffee shops over seven weekends from October 5 – November 17.

    There’s something about completing a goal, even an arbitrary one, that excites the imagination. It provided motivation to get me out of the house and on my bike. Here’s where I went:

    1. Buzz Bakery in Alexandria
    Date: October 6
    Distance: 17 miles
    Drink: Coffee (and a cupcake)
    This was  a really pleasant ride on the Mount Vernon Trail. This branch of Buzz Bakery was right off the trail but I had never been there before. That’s what I liked about coffeeneuring – it provided inspiration to visit new places.

    2. Big Bear
    Date: October 15
    Distance: 6 miles
    Drink: Coffee
    Next stop Hipsterville as I fixed my foldy bike and crossed the city to Big Bear in Bloomingdale. Note: I took advantage of a special proviso of the coffeeneuring rules that allowed weekday adventures by those effected by the government shutdown.

    3. Union Market
    Date: October 20
    Distance: 8 miles
    Drink: Cappuccino
    I’d never been to Union Market, and followed some crazy Google bike directions to get there.

    4. Capital Crescent Trail
    Date: November 3
    Distance: 18 miles
    Drink: A bad cappuccino-like substance
    I love the CCT. It’s my favorite trail in the city.

    5. Peregrine Espresso
    Date: November 10
    Distance: 9 miles
    Drink: Cappuccino
    It was a beautiful day to visit Capitol Hill, and experience the best cappuccino in the city.

    6. Illy Cafe
    Date: November 16
    Distance: 7 miles
    Drink: Cappuccino
    A hidden spot in the city, I’m a big fan of hanging out at Illy and reading – or writing – a book.

    7. Buzz Bakery at the Navy Yard
    Date: November 17
    Distance: 11 miles
    Drink: Coffee (and a cupcake)
    I wrapped things up by going to a Buzz Bakery, but this time in the revitalized Navy Yard neighborhood.

    What I liked about the Coffeeneuring Challenge is that it gets you in the habit of biking places. And drinking coffee (not that I needed help with that). By combining a fun activity with a goal, it’s a perfect expression of the joy of biking, demonstrating the great time that you can have on two wheels.