Big Apple Blog

Our trip to Costa Rica was short and extremely sweet. I will elaborate more on the start of the trip, which took place without our luggage, as well as all of the other gory details later. For now here is a taste of the tropics.

Its been quite the year for travel and we are wrapping it up with a trip to the tropics. We are Costa Rica bound and hope to enjoy some sun, sand, surf, and suds. This will be our first trip in this hemisphere south of Tijuana. We will be in a coastal community on the west side called Mal Pais.

Happy holidays!

Bicycle deaths in NYC are up 64% in 2007 as compared to 2006. Recently a cyclist was killed when a person in a truck, parked in a bike lane, opened the door and knocked a cyclist into traffic. Times Up sponsored a demonstration that was taped and you can watch below.

Gothamist story here. A memorial ride to remember those who have died is scheduled for January 6th. More details here.

I recently made a couple of commuter purchases that I have been very pleased with. Commuting means carrying lots of stuff and for years I have relied mostly upon a backpack. Backpacks are convenient because typical pannier bags if left on a bike in the city would be gone by the time you got back. The problem with backpacks is that they are sweaty and if you are carrying heavy loads it can be a pain.

When perusing the Nashbar site recently I stumbled across a bag that is part backpack and part pannier. You can use it as either as the pannier rack panel zips off to reveal backpack straps.

It incorporates a huge waterproof bag that can hold a ton of stuff.

Fold it over and cinch it down and you are good to go.

It has been a huge relief not to have to carry a heavy load on my back all the time. And if I am stopping at the store I can convert the pack quickly and take it with me. At $44.99 the bag is a real steal. Check it out for yourself here.

Want proof that some people have a little too much time on their hands? Exhibit A – building a life size Star Wars fighter and trying to launch it.

On a recent flight I happened upon a copy of Bicycling Magazine. I was stoked when I found that the feature article was on Critical Mass. Critical Mass is all about raising awareness of alternative means of transportation that do not involve the burning of fossil fuels.

Overall it was a great article but the editor kind of threw a wrench into the whole thing. Here is the cover . . .

Here is the start of the article . . .

And look what advertisement is right smack dab in the middle of the article!

Irony at its finest.

The big wigs behind the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission are seeking to eliminate Peddy Cabs in NYC and a Peddy Cab owner is fighting back. He is transforming his Peddy Cabs into delivery vehicles and is getting the backing of many local business owners who want to “green up” their business. Take the 2:58 to watch – it will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

It’s not always necessary to buy parts. Sometimes a little creativity can save you some bucks and give your ride a little style. Plastic water bottles are getting a lot of flack for filling land fills, but they can also be used to keep road grime off. With a few zip ties and a box cutter or scissors you can design fenders of your own.

I cut this bottle in half and put it on my seat tube to keep the grime off my legs. I have a seat post rack that keeps the dirt off my back, but it does nothing to keep road grit from splashing off the seat tube and all over my legs. The bottle is simple and does the trick . . . in style.