"Look out for that Snowbank!"

We got our first major snowstorm this week. It being my day for daycare drop-off, I decided to try the Roo in the 6+ inches of snow. Within fifty feet of the garage I saw a clearly impassable snow drift in the alley. I decided to pedal harder and attempt to plow through..."thwump" went the Roo as it stuttered to a stop. I knew then this was going to be a hard 1 mile slog to Theo's daycare. But we turned around, passing the garage and the opportunity to let reason prevail. How could I stop this adventure with a 3 year old giggling and hooting the whole way down the alley as we bounced over small snowbanks and large bumps? We pressed on, hoping our reindeer fill-in, Moxie, would give us some extra pull. Not. Within 2 blocks of Theo's daycare, we ditched the Roo and walked the last bit.

It was a one-hour adventure for a normally 20+ minute trip. But I wouldn't trade the stories that Theo is still telling for anything. I would however get a studded tire for the rear wheel to give the Roo a little more bite through the snow.

Skeleton out of the closet

"You really don't have a car?", people often ask. "That's right...oh, except I do have an old van in the garage." Not many people in Minnesota know about my old van. It hasn't run for years. It suffered the neglect of 6 years during my PhD program. But she had many good years before then. Fourteen years ago when I was just graduating from college, I fell in love with a 1967 Ford van parked on the streets of Providence. I wasn't looking for a van, but this "mystery van" re-kindled a van-fetish I had as an early teenager. Long story short, I bought the van, friends named it Banshee, and I had many adventures driving it with Hillary across the country to move from Rhode Island to Arizona. After five years of western adventures it helped move us (along with Hil's long-gone SUV) to Minnesota. With its wheels under the front seats, primitive suspension, and table-top steering, Banshee was a very fun vehicle to drive, especially descending twisting mountain roads of the West. Check out a short video from our travels in Arizona - featuring a descent of one of the windiest roads I have experienced.

At 12 miles to the gallon or so, I was always a bit ashamed of the environmental non-performance of old Banshee. That is one reason I became an avid bike commuter as soon as I arrived in Tucson. But Hillary, many friends, and I have many fond memories of trips with Banshee - van camping in the desert, the ill-fated Arkansas airport camping-police escapade, seeking old Route 66, speedometer peeping, and many more.

Upon moving to Minnesota for graduate school, I belovedly made sure Banshee had a garage for the winter. Unfortunately, the gas and gas tank fouled the first winter rendering the fuel system virtually inoperational. Still devoted to the old gal, I made sure the house we bought had a two car garage to afford her a space. Crazy how much we will do for a car!

But for 8 years she sat, including 3 years of Theo's life, and now Henry's first 9 months. Hillary didn't go for the idea that Banshee could become Theo's 16th birthday car and wanted the space for our growing collection of bikes. My interest in sinking time into fixing a gas guzzler waned. Once the reality of a second kid sank in, I got over my 14 year attachment to this van. As a last act of devotion, I cleaned her out and photographed her to put her in the best possible light, or as best was available in the garage she was stuck in. And then I put her up for sale on eBay.

"It's like putting the old lady out on an ice floe", exclaimed one friend upon hearing the news of Banshee's sale on eBay. Well, it's not quite do dire. It turns out that these 1960s Ford Econolines are popular with some teenagers, and their fathers. Banshee attracted 11 different bidders in two different auctions (the first buyer fell through- his teenager had bid for it in his name without his knowledge!).

But Banshee has found what I wanted- an owner who would fix her up and make the best of this classic. The buyer drove all the way from Florida with his 13 and 8 year old sons to pick her up. He and his older son will spend the next two years completely restoring her and then she will become the son's first car when he turns 16. Too bad, Theo missed out. Here are some photos of the emergence of Banshee after eight years in the garage, headed back to the sunny south. She got out just in time as I write here while our first big snow of the winter arrives.

Me and the boys sitting in Banshee for one last time.


Banshee's new owner, sitting in her for the first time. Hopefully this was the last time she will have to be winched up onto a trailer!

Bidding a fond farewell to Banshee.

Front Seat Driver

"Daddy, you're going to hit that car," exclaimed Theo as we biked to school with him perched in his Bobike seat. This was a milestone statement for Theo after a year of "Bobiking". Our favorite aspect of the Bobike is the running commentary that Theo makes about the turning leaves, his day at school, or the truck that just passed. With him safely seated between you and the handlebars conversation is so easy. What other form of transportation affords such closeness? But Theo crossed a line into front seat driving today. Never before has he offered biking advice. He was right - we were set to hit a parked car. But it was 40 feet ahead and we were riding to the right side of the road to allow cars to pass.

Phrius in the Fall

With cooling temperatures and a chance of snow this weekend, I am soaking in the best of early fall commuting. Rode in today at 40 degrees F and mostly cloudy. Felt phrius and refreshed by the time I got work. The fall color is really coming along. Theo made much commentary on the leaf color as we recently bo-biked to school earlier this week.

I am disappointed that I was not able to celebrate International Bike to School day yesterday with Theo. But I am remembering the excitement we had last week when he biked the whole way to school (1 mile). I received the news via email from Hillary: "Theo rode his training wheel bike all the way to school! He was so proud (as was I). Moxie [our new pup] was too." It feels great to welcome another bike commuter to the bike lane at the ripe age of 3.

Commuting "European Style"

I typically ride my 8.5 miles, 40 minute commute in shorts and a t-shirt and then take a shower and change into my work clothes at my office. Today, the last day of fall, with the coolness in the air and the fact that I was about to miss the last bus, I decided to bike commute "European style". I have always envied those who could just hop on their bike in their work clothes and walk right into the office. Today was my trial day. It worked great. For reference, here were the conditions at the time I reached my office: sunny, 66 degrees F, SE wind 9 mph (this was a refreshing, cooling headwind), 65% humidity. I am hoping for many more commutes like this this fall!

"Rooing" into a Picnic at Minnehaha Falls State Park

One of our favorite summer evening dinner trips is biking 4.5 miles along the Mississippi River to Minnehaha Falls State Park. Often we eat at Sea Salt, an awesome, casual seafood restaurant next to the falls. Wanting to save some money, yet catch what might be the last warm summer weekend evening at the park, we packed a picnic with Henry and Theo in the Roo. The beauty of biking to a picnic with the Roo is that you can roll the kids and gear right to where you want to be, unroll your blanket and food, and pull out the baseball mitts and balls to feed Theo's insatiable desire to hit the ball. You can also roll within earshot of the live music at Sea Salt and within "sipshot" of their fine Surly beer :).

Batting the ball to live music at Sea Salt. Baseball has been a major highlight for Theo this summer. He is quite a good hitter and took pointers from the Twins game we saw in July.

Ice cream is also a big attraction at Sea Salt. While Theo has worked on his batting, Henry has developed quite a swipe, especially for Sebastian Joe's chocolate-peanut butter ice cream.
Oh how fast the late summer days end. Where just weeks ago we could ride home in the light, night falls as we leave the Park and head home to another summer-late bedtime. Thanks Sea Salt and Minnehaha Falls for all the great visits this summer. Until next year...

Celebrating our Veloduct - the Midtown Greenway

As a car free family we are blessed to live within 3 blocks of the Midtown Greenway. This former rail corridor provides a 5.5 mile bike-pedestrian path through the heart of south of Minneapolis. It is our "veloduct" to the Mississippi River to the east and the Minneapolis Chain-of-Lakes to the west. Along this route we frequent the Midtown Global Market and, before kids, the nightlife and shopping buzz of Uptown.

Tonight we celebrated the Greenway and the Midtown Greenway Coalition by attending the Coalition's Progressive Dinner Fundraiser. Here are some pics of us and some of the other celebrants.

I caught up with Hillary, Theo, and Henry riding the "Roo". Hillary and Theo donned their sprout helmets and pinwheels from the May Day parade. Note the pinwheels on the Roo.


We encountered Coalition staff members in their super hero duds...

And Executive Director Tim in his cowboy duds.


First stop, appetizers on the west side of the Greenway.


Check these two out - they dressed as the Greenway!

This fellow seemed like a great contender for the best dressed costume, but he actually came directly from his office in his work clothes. (He's Danish.)


Hillary on her way from appetizers to the main course at the Midtown Exchange.


With the pinwheels and the matching helmet, Hillary won the best decorated bike prize. Henry was there to collect the gift card which Theo obsessively guarded. (I think he went to sleep with it!)


Eastward to the final stop - dessert. Stopped to photograph the awesome bike-pedestrian bridge that threads the Greenway over Hiawatha Avenue and the Light Rail Line.


Thanks to the Greenway Coalition and all of its supporters for all they do!

Facing the rain

When it comes to avoiding the worst weather during my commute, I have it made. If it is raining or snowing I can always take the bus. Walk 4 blocks, hop on the 53 and get dropped off 35 minutes later in front of my office at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Today I chose the rainy route. I woke up psyched to ride to work. But it started to rain during breakfast. I decided to just go for it. The rain was moderate at times but then eased as I reached the State Capital (above). I lucked out and avoided the possible thunderstorms. My feet and shorts were wet, but it was so worth the ride. I looked at drivers imagining myself in their seat saying, "that poor biker, what a miserable day to be riding." But my feeling was just the opposite.

Chautauqua, NY - a bike-friendly community embedded in my knees

From the scar on my knee a memory emerges. I was about ten-years old with my family on our annual vacation at Chautauqua Institution. I was biking along on my banana seat Schwinn when I spotted my sister, lifted my left hand from the handlebars to wave to her, and flashed a goofy grin. She waved back. I waved more exuberantly, until my front-wheel hit a bump launching me head-over-heels and grinding my knee into the gravelly road. Twenty-eight years later the scar persists as a reminder of the place where I first experienced the freedom of a bike.

Where I grew up there was no biking to the candy store. But for two weeks every summer my family brought our bikes to Chautauqua and my parents let us ride everywhere whenever we wanted. We biked to Bestor Plaza to get candy at the bookstore, to the lake to swim, to art class, and to Boys and Girls Club. Best of all, we biked across Thunder Bridge, named for the sound made by bikes crossing it. This 135 year old community is so safe and bike-friendly that mom and dad comfortably let us go wherever we wanted, as did all other parents. And it continues today. As I write looking over Chautauqua Lake, Chautauquans of all ages cruise by on bike and foot. Mom and dad now save themselves the walk and catch the bus that passes in front of the house. Lecture and concert-goers crowd their bikes around the Amphitheater.

I look forward to the year when Theo and Henry and their cousins are roaming freely on their bikes with the Chautauqua breeze in their hair. As the roads are much improved, with any luck their knees will fare better than mine.

P.S. To find out more about the photo I used for this post, check it out here.

We got a mini-van(!)...bike style that is

The addition of a second kid to an American family frequently leads to the addition of a larger car. Indeed we wondered how we could continue using bicycles as our primary mode of transportation with the addition of Henry to our family. With Theo, once his neck could handle it, we strapped a car seat into a Burley trailer to get him around with us. Although a Burley can carry two kids, it can't carry two kids and a car seat, let alone groceries. Like so many American bike things, it is designed more for recreation than transportation.

Traveling to Copenhagen in 2005 to visit Hillary's sister, Polly, and her husband Camron, opened our eyes to a city alive with bikes being used for transportation. It was absolutely amazing. Mamas and papas biking their kids everywhere on cool trikes of various designs, postal carriers on custom bikes, electric bikes, "posterbikes", etc. Check out the slide show to the right for pictures of bikes from our trip. If I remember correctly, about 80% of the population in Copenhagen uses a bike. Bikes are for transportation - no Spandex - people ride to work in their work clothes. One of my favorite shots is the woman in the business suit and high heels waiting at the red light.

With the birth of Polly and Camron's first daughter they bought a Nihola transport bike to get around during their year in Copenhagen. In the slideshow there is a picture of Hillary riding it. Interested in bringing these great bikes back to America, they also bought a Winther Kangaroo. Not needing two Danish transport bikes, they generously offered our expanded family the Kangaroo, which we affectionately call "Roo".

The Roo has been a wonderful addition to the family. Hillary felt liberated as she could take both kids with her wherever she went. Henry's car seat straps in securely leaving plenty of space for Theo. Theo can climb right in and sit down on his own. He loves looking out of his own zip-down window. With the kids up front, a strong metal frame supporting the pod, and a heavy molded plastic base it feels much safer than riding with kids in a trailer. You can also easily see the kids and hold a conversation. There is plenty of head room for years of growth. We look forward to sharing more Roo adventures! For another family's Kangaroo adventures in hilly Scotland check out Musings from a Stonehead.

Feeling Phrius in Spring

Like any good Minnesota spring, this one has been sheepish. In all of March I biked the 17 mile round trip to work only 5 times. I was finally able to shed the studded tires of my winter bike, "I.N.D.Y." (It's Not Dead Yet), and mount my summer commuter ride, the "Italian Stallion". Last week provided three fantastic days for the bike commute. The conditions were perfect: ~30 degrees for the morning ride, cool enough to spare me the need to shower at work -- and 50+ degrees for the ride home, allowing me to soak in the spring sun that is pulling at those tree buds. In fact the conditions were so fine that I did my first trip home along the Mississippi River for 2009. This is a 15 mile route that quickly leaves the bustle of downtown St. Paul streets and takes you to the quiet of the Mississippi River Gorge. Granted, another sign of spring was the occasional section of trail that was under 4 inches of water (as pictured above). The Italian Stallion did not flinch.

Earlier last week I was finally able to take a day off from work to hang out with Theo, Henry, and Hillary. Thirsting for spring we put Henry in the Moby Wrap (a fantastic baby carrier for busing and walking) and caught a bus to Macy's in downtown Minneapolis to see their annual spring flower show. Theo had a blast spotting big buildings, excavators, and Bobcats from the bus and pigeons on Nicollet Mall. Henry snoozed away, his brief appearance outside the Moby earning as much attention as the blooming flowers on display. Now all we need are some Minnesota spring wildflowers to complete the picture!

Riding Phrius with Baby

Everyone thought that our car free life style would end with the birth of Theo nearly three years ago. Grandparents thought it was irresponsible, unsafe, or something or other to not have a car as parents. Car seat lugging parents couldn't fathom it and predicted we would give in. Frankly, we were pretty sure our car free life might end with the birth of Theo. But when you are car free you adjust your travel patterns and you equip yourself differently. This starts with the most basic piece of baby equipment - the stroller.

In preparation for Theo's birth we knew we needed a stroller that could be walked comfortably up to a mile+ and that had storage space for a work bag, groceries, or produce from the Midtown Farmers Market. So many American strollers are designed around the car - folding compact to fit into a car, designed to carry a carseat, and equiped with little storage space. These designs make sense if you have a car, but little sense if you don't. Having seen many pedestrian-oriented prams in Europe, we sought out a European pram. Hillary trolled Craigslist and found a Swedish Emmaljunga for sale. These prams are pricey new and not easily available in the US. We bought the Craigslist one and many accessories from a Minnesota family that had lived in Sweden. An excellent find it was with large wheels, a suspension system, a bassinet and a toddler seat.

Theo loved the Emma. He would just nap away in its roomy bassinet, which also served as a crib when we traveled. At just ten days old we strolled him to the Farmer's Market and used it like a shopping cart, filling the large bottom rack to the brim. On the way home we foraged for berries in a community garden, surrounding Theo with cherries, berries, and flowers.

Now the Emma is serving us well for the addition of Henry to the family just last week (3/4/09). On Monday we seized a relatively warm Minnesota day and took Henry for his first walk in the neighborhood. The Emma comes with a cozy sleeping bag which Henry nestled into. With the addition of the scarf, hat, and mittens hand-knitted by Aunt Meg he was ready for the elements. For Theo we pulled out the "Froggie" side car that came with the Emma. He absolutely loved it. It was like a little skateboard for him. He giggled with delight, peering over his new baby brother as we took our first walk as a family of four.

Rental Phrius for Winter Fish

Riding Phrius includes many modes of transportation for us - bike, bus, walk, carpool, borrowed cars, and rental cars. Of all these, a rental car is essential for escaping the city. A 30 minute bus ride takes me from work to the MSP airport and its many rental car agencies. The perks of renting are numerous. We get a car nicer and cleaner than any we've ever owned. Theo is thrilled with a car adventure. We get some style points (or not?) when we land a PT Cruiser. What more could we ask for?

This President's Day Weekend we escaped with three other families (riding Prius, mini-vanish, and sedanish for those who are curious). We drove 130 miles to the Heartwood Retreat Center in western Wisconsin. As eight adults and eight kids under the age of eight we shared a modern duplex cabin right next to the x-country ski trails. While the skiing conditions were lousy, trail walking, sledding, skating, and ice fishing were great. Skating on the big Hoinville lake was wonderful. The return of sub-freezing temperatures following a week of thawing made for the incredible booming sounds of the ice tightening in the lake's basin. It can be unnerving as you skate about, but is a classic northern winter lake experience. As the lake boomed, the kids were ice fishing in the many holes we drilled during their naptime. Here's Theo with his first fish caught fishing through 2 feet of ice.

The Rental Phrius propelled us 273 miles for only $72 dollars (+$20 of gas) for three days of winter escape. A fine deal that left us free of most other costs of that car and enriched with a great family outdoor experience with friends.

"My feet not cold daddy!"

Nineteen degrees on the TCF bank sign - not too cold for a Minnesota daycare dropoff. I considered zero degrees F. the limit for biking Theo the 1 mile to his daycare. If it were that cold, we would call a taxi or get a ride with another daycare family. We have done this many times this cold winter. But having observed how the little Theo furnace heats up the Burley trailer, we tried a -4 degree morning the other week. Wind pants, insulated booties, and face mask for me. Blanket, boots, scarf, and balaclava for Theo. We biked the 5-10 minutes. I opened the trailer flap to the gleeful announcement, "my feet not cold daddy!" A furnace he is. One day I will measure the temperature differential inside and outside the trailer.

But today it was a balmy 19 degrees. We were treated to a 1/2 inch of snow on the ground and flakes were still falling. Ephemera. By day's end the snow was mostly gone, but we were lucky enough to roll through the crisp, snowy air. Amidst the rush to work, the snow slowed me down as I enjoyed it by bike.

First bike commute of 2009

After 2 months of a rutted bike lane frozen by a cold Minnesota December and January, I seriously craved my bike commute to work. By last Friday, temperatures had finally risen to convince me that bike lane conditions had improved. I seized the day and mounted my bike for the 8.5 mile ride to my office in St. Paul. I paused on the Lake Street bridge and soaked in the view down the frozen Mississippi River Gorge. I savored the clearing bike trail along the river and the lane along Summitt Avenue - there was at least 5 inches of ice-free lane! Finally I was back to starting my work day invigorated by the ride.

Phrius in the winter

It has been two months since I bike-commuted the 8 1/2 miles to my office in Saint Paul. I love winter biking for so many reasons - the quiet, the rising sun cutting the crisp air, the exercise. I also respect the alertness it demands of you as you navigate the changing and sometimes challenging road conditions. But 8 1/2 miles on packed, rutted snow in the bike lane is just not sustainable for my nerves, no matter how many carbide-tipped studs I have in my tires. And it has been wicked cold much of the time. So it has been the bus entirely for 2 months.

But fortunately the winter does not cut down much on our transportation within the neighborhood. Trips to daycare, friends' houses, to cafes, to the food coop and grocery store are often done by bike. A developing family tradition is to go to the neighborhood garden center to get a Christmas tree. We pull right up, strap the tree to the cargo trailer, snap some pictures, and deliver the tree to the front door of our house.

Introducing Riding Phrius

"What kind of car do you drive?" "A Phrius", I replied. My family has been car-free, "riding Phrius", for over 5 years. This blog shares our car-free life - from our daily bike commute to work and daycare to the surprises of the Bus 21A gourmet.