Music Makes the Wheels Go Round

As a kid I had a dream--I wanted to own my own bicycle.  When I got the bike I must have been the happiest boy in Liverpool, maybe the world.  I lived for that bike.  Most kids left their bike in the backyard at night.  Not me.  I insisted on taking mine indoors and the first night I even kept it in my bed.

                                                                                                                       -John Lennon

When you think about it, it shouldn't be a surprise that there's such a strong connection between cycling and music.  The rhythm of the pedal stroke, the beat of the heart and the chorus of nature surrounding you.

I can't tell you how many times I've sung a song in my head to help me get up a grueling climb.  And quite often I'll notice a song looping in my brain--replaying several times over before I even realize it's there.

As I've mentioned in previous posts, poetry tends to write itself when I'm on a ride.  This must be similar to what so many musicians experience on a bike.  What are songs really, other than poetry set to music?

David Byrne

Two cycling musicians that come to the forefront of my mind are Neil Pert (drummer for Rush) and David Byrne (front-man for The Talking Heads).  Both have been cycling for years, and both have written books on their experiences on two wheels.

Awhile back, while thumbing through books at the library, I came across Bicycle Diaries by David Byrne.  I was shocked.  How could this book have gone under my radar?  How is it possible that I didn't know about it?  Since I was a pre-teen, I've been in love with Byrne's music.  His ability to completely re-invent himself every few years just makes me appreciate him more.  Now, I realize that I also love his writing.  I've gone through Bicycle Diaries twice--and plan on referencing it again and again.  While touring, Byrne brings his folding bike and explores cities around the world.  What I love is that he doesn't just write about the top "bike friendly" cities--he also explores some of the "least friendly"--and sees beauty in them as well.  David goes into great detail about bike infrastructure and what city planners need to focus on to improve ridership.  He brings up the ex-mayor of Bogota, Colombia as just one example...discussing what Enrique Penalosa did to completely change one of the most dangerous cities in the world in a very short time span.  David keeps a blog that often revolves around cycling at DavidByrne.com

One of David Byrne's bike racks

Next up is Neil Peart.  You may find this amusing but I really don't like listening to Rush.  I dated a guy in the early 90's that was infatuated with them.  I tried so hard to appreciate the music but it never happened.  When my mother-in-law sent me The Masked Rider--Peart's first cycling book--I just couldn't get myself to read it.  It sat on the shelf for months.  Then, my husband read it and informed me that I'd really enjoy it.  I picked it up and then, couldn't put it down.  I was so enthralled by not only his cycling adventure but how he viewed the world.  He was so honest and real.  My new found respect for him didn't get me to like Rush's music (although I think he's an amazing drummer) but it did get me to follow his writing.

Neil Peart 1992 Africa Tour

The first book I read by Neil Peart (drummer for Rush)

Luka Bloom's song Acoustic Motorbike is one of my all time favorites.  His lyrics capture the essence of what riding means to me.  Acoustic Motorbike was released in 1992--the year I was going through a dynamic shift in my personal world of cycling.  Bloom wrote the song after a concert tour that put him behind the wheel of a car for 5-6 hours a day.  He found himself realizing that when in a car, particularly in cities, a bit of a monster came out of him.  Shortly after that, he moved outside of Dublin and started becoming more serious about biking (he's been biking from the age of 8).  When asked the question if that's when he wrote Acoustic Motorbike, his reply was:

"Right.  The idea of the acoustic motorbike came about, funnily enough, when I was talking to my managers and one of the guys from the record company about what it is that I do and what it is that makes me different from say, rock and roll, or from folk music.  We were talking about how it's not really one or the other, but it's something in between.  so you have the Harley-Davidson, for example, as a symbol of rock and roll.  Well, a mountain bike is a symbol of what I do.  And one of my managers said to me, 'It's like an acoustic motorbike.'  It's a motorbike, but the motor is the human power, and that makes it acoustic.  I thought it represented a very interesting visual image for what I do.  The idea stuck with me.  So then when I went on this cycle around the west of Ireland, I decided to write a song, and then decided it was a great idea for an album cover."

Luka Bloom's album

Peter Mulvey, Wisconsin folk hero, has captured my heart with his music and the fact each summer he does his Midwest tour by bike.  That's right, he loads up his guitar and belongings and heads out for weeks on end, playing at venues in big cities and small towns.

Mulvey is a very approachable guy.  Each year my husband and I make a pilgrimage to Cafe Carpe in Fort Atkinson to see him play with Jeffrey Foucault, Kris Delmhosrt and David Goodrich--collectively known as Redbird.  As most folk musicians go, he writes about his surroundings.  One of my favorite songs, Road to Mallow, ushers in images of summer rides through farmland.  If I remember correctly, last year he said that two-thirds of his Midwest tour had been done on bike trails and paths.  I guess this gives him the freedom to compose beautiful lyrics vs. worry about traffic.

Peter Mulvey on Midwest tour

Doomtree is this crazy rap collective from Hopkins, Minnesota.  They all perform solo and then get together, sometimes just a few at a time, sometimes all of them, and put on three hour, mind blowing performances.

Their lyrics are edgy and since they live in a city where cycling rules, they bike.  The best part is they put a video together showing my old stomping grounds in Minneapolis--by bike.  Drumsticks video

DJ Radish Sallis taking a break
from spinning in Madison to ride.

This post could go on forever.  If you're into how music and cycling go hand-in-hand, I urge you to check out Pleasant Revolution --a tour of musicians that travel by bike.  Ride on and may the beat be with you!

Do The Right Thing

"Real leaders are ordinary people with extraordinary determination."  -Confucius

Spencer Black and his wife, Pam, biking along the Pacific coast

Weather you know it or not, we, as cyclists are in the middle of a giant tug-of-war.  Yes, by sheer numbers, we are growing and trying our best to reclaim our space on streets (that our tax dollars pay for).  At the same time, the funding that provides us with safe routes to school and work is being stripped away at an alarming rate and is instead being applied to more "practical" things, like highways.

Thursday, February 2nd, will go down in my book of shame.  At 8:09am, the House voted against saving funding for projects such as:  safe routes to school/work, traffic calming, bicycling infrastructure, rail trails and safe bridge crossings for cyclists and pedestrians.  We lost this vote to the GOP 29-27, however, three Republicans voted to save it (Petri-WI, Johnson-IL and LoBiondo-NY).

You know how people say "I'll always remember where I was when JFK was shot"?  I will never forget where I was when I heard we lost the vote.  I was sitting in the Chicago public library, searching to see what happened with this vote, when I cam across Brent Cohrs' piece at www.chicagonow.com.  It was as if a giant fist slammed into my gut.  I couldn't breathe.  I wanted to cry.  I knew that with this one vote, we went back in time at least 20 years...if not more.  Until today, I have not had the emotional strength to write about my feelings surrounding this event.  Now, that my head has cleared a bit, I feel the need to touch on it in a different way.

In this piece, I don't want to spend too much time focusing on the vote since there has already been great articles written (see Dave Cohrs' post and Dave Schlabowske's post on the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin blog ).  Instead, I want to focus on the local politicians who are busting their asses to improve cycling in WI and throughout the country.

During the 2012 WI Bike Summit--held here in Madison last week--Rep. Tom Petri was recognized and awarded for voting against his party in support of saving the bike funding.  Although I commend Petri for doing so--and hope other republicans follow suit--I am amazed the folks who work daily to improve cycling infrastructure don't get awarded more often.  In my eyes, there are so many politicians that "do the right thing" and rarely get applause.

Being an active citizen in my neighborhood and state, I have either spoken with or written dozens of politicians expressing my concerns for bike/ped safety.  In doing so, I have made a few enemies but have also made many friends.  I think a few of them see my number come up when I call and know what the conversation will be about.  Some of these civic leaders that I admire, and will gladly give a standing applause to are listed below highlighting a few of their projects.

I have to start with Spencer Black.  Spencer and I are not only neighbors but we also serve on the WI Bicycle Federation Board of Directors together.  Although we don't ride together (he's an afternoon rider and I'm an early morning rider), we see each other enjoying the wonders of two-wheeling frequently.  

For those of you that live in Wisconsin, you probably know that Spencer served 26 years on the Assembly.  He retired just over a year ago--many had to fight back tears--but hasn't stopped working for the state and community.  His life is dedicated to helping the environment and improving cycling conditions.  He served on the Governor's Bicycle Council, helped passed legislation setting up the state's trail system and a new complete streets law, chaired the committee on Balanced Transportation which initiated the first significant state funding for bicycle facilities, worked on "dooring" legislation making it illegal to harm a cyclist by carelessly opening doors and requested that studies be done to show the financial gain the cycling industry brings to Wisconsin.  If this isn't enough, he and his wife, travel around the country biking together.

Brett speaking to cyclists that are riding to oppose bike budget cuts

 

Brett Hulsey is not only my state rep but also a friend.  He's one of my "go to" people when I have a question about local environmental issues and almost always shows up to my bike events.  Brett took over in the assembly when Spencer retired (he holds Spencer's old seat).  When running for this position, he could often be spotted on his bike bringing yard signs and fliers to those that wanted them.  Brett also serves on the country transportation board with hopes of improving the bike/ped infrastructure in Dane Country and throughout the state.  The picture above shows Brett at the first Bikers Against Walkers Budget ride around the capital following the news that Governor Walker would be cutting an enormous amount of funding for state bicycle projects.  I have to say a special "thank you" to Brett for also speaking at my first all women's bike event last year!

Dave Cieslewicz

I couldn't write this piece without talking about Dave Cieslewicz (formerly known as "Mayor Dave" in Madison).  I moved to Madison when Dave first took office and was so thankful to have a mayor that supported cyclists.  Coming from Minneapolis, I can't help but make comparisons to Mayor Rybak.  I asked Dave what bike projects he's most proud of and he quickly responded with this:

"Probably the biggest thing I'm happy about in all the biking stuff we did was put $50 million in the capital budget over five years for bike and ped improvements. It was the first time we had ever established a budget category for these projects and we boosted the funding. I don't think you'll find too many cities (and none our size) making this kind of financial commitment. And it's infrastructure that will make the casual biker feel safe enough to commute on a regular basis."

In 2007, he launched the new Platinum Bike Initiative and created the Platinum Bike Committee.  In 2010, he, along with Kathleen Falk and several other local leaders, traveled to Europe to study several cities bike infrastructure.  Their hopes were to bring back ideas that could be applied to Madison and Wisconsin.  Since then, Madison has adopted "bike boxes" and "sharrows" to help keep urban riders safe while in traffic.

If the above projects aren't enough, Dave also started the B-Cycle bike share program with Trek and 20 by 2020--an initiative to get people in Madison to take 20% of their trips by bike by the year 2020.

Kathleen Falk

 Finally, I'll talk about Kathleen Falk who is the former Dane County executive and is now running for governor.  The first time I met Kathleen was at the Saris gala--the largest fundraiser for the Wisconsin Bicycle Federation.  She was dressed up and yet still on a bike that shows how you can power electronics through the wattage the bike produces.  Kathleen is a true environmentalist.  She leads through example and was one of the top users of the B-Cycle bikes in 2011.  When plans for the highway 12 project from Madison to Sauk City were being made, she insisted that a bike path be put along side it.  At the time, I questioned this.  Now, I can't believe how many cyclists, walkers, roller skiers and inline skaters use it.  The phrase "Build it and they will come" fits this scenario perfectly.  Because she supports cycling as a positive means of transportation, I know that if she becomes governor, she will continue to improve Wisconsin's bike friendly legacy.

Each person and action is a drop in the bucket, but together, we CAN make a difference.  I urge you to take a moment and thank your local politicians who support bicycling.  More importantly, I ask you to volunteer with organizations that improve cycling, like the Wisconsin Bicycle Federation.

*Just as I was finishing up this piece, I received a post stating that the Cardin-Cochran Amendment had just been accepted as part of the base Senate transportation bill, MAP-21.  If this ends up becoming law, it will ensure that local governments, school systems, and metropolitan planning organizations are able to access funds to make bicycling and walking safe and accessible.  Please go to the League of American Bicyclists for more information and write your senator stating that you support this!

A Day of Joy

A little event I started last year...looking forward to year two!

Winter-Bike-to-Work-Week...Madison Style

As the mercury drops and snowflakes fall, many cyclists put their steed to bed for the winter.  Not so for a group of riders part of Madison Bike Winter (at this point over 730 strong).  Started by Aaron Crandall a few years back, this group has been showing the Midwest how it's done in the winter months.  Many cyclists are familiar with summer bike to work weeks held around the country but aren't familiar with the winter version.  For Madison Bike Winter, this is the week to introduce and encourage cyclists to ride in the winter and celebrate with those that already get out there and play in the snow (even though we haven't seen much this year yet).

This all started out as a winter bike to work day which was set aside last year since most of us were down on the capitol protesting.  Instead of making a repeat of the first year, Aaron took it upon himself to create an entire week of activities.  Several members got together for weekly "meet-ups" to plan one or more daily activities for the week of February 12-18th...and enjoy some good beer.  As usual, there was a plethora of great ideas and we actually had to narrow it down.

How did I get involved in all of this?  Simply put, misery loves company.  I have to admit that I'm not that fond of winter.  Growing up in Minneapolis, I found ways to "get through" without going crazy.  Skiing, speed skating, dog sledding, winter camping and winter biking all made the cold months a tad more bearable.  The one winter I lived in Hawaii was actually heaven.  There just weren't enough bike routes to make me stay on the big island (I do have my limits).  So knowing that I'd be in a Northern climate for awhile, I decided to make the most of it and join Madison Bike Winter.  It hasn't let me down!  Although there are days that riding feels like pulling teeth, I look at it as an adventure.  There is a quote from Sigurd Olson that sums it up best...

 "You cannot turn your back on any challenge, physical or mental.  If you do, you diminish yourself, and the next time it will be easier to say 'no, I can not do it'.  If you take the hazards as they come and survive, you will be stronger and better and the trip will be a milestone in your life, one you will always know as a turning point."

Although I was unable to attend every activity, I captured a few of the highlights. 

Jason talking about physiology (Aaron and I are in the front row)

Sunday got it all rolling with a "how to" workshop that Jason Boynton from www.boyntoncoaching.com and I put on at Machinery Row bike shop.  We discussed how to dress to stay comfortable in cold temperatures (layers are key) how to be seen by cars and the physiology of staying comfortable in winter.  A studded tire demo was also given by the staff at Machinery Row.  Here's a short news video shot at the shop http://www.wkow.com/story/16919057/winter-bike-to-work-week-kicks-off?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6735662

Monday was absolutely packed with a "bike to meditate" at Monona Terrace, an after work party at B-Cycle and a MEAThead no-drop ride around lake Monona.

Stray Cat staff handing out free coffee to commuters

My yoga for athletes class

Tuesday was titled Stray Cat Tuesday since Stray Cat Bicycles www.straycatbicycles.com handed out free coffee for commuters.  I also taught a free yoga for athletes class at Harbor Athletic Club to help folks stay flexible with the cold weather riding.  Because of slight "mix-up" on the planning end (we thought Valentine's Day was Wednesday), our Valentine's events were one day late.  Just another excuse to spread the love for bikes another day!

Single speed ride to Great Dane

Wednesday was "Love Your Bike Day"!  Machinery Row treated us to 50% off tune-ups and a "singles" ride (single speeds were encouraged).  Those not-so-brave souls got to do some indoor training at Speed Cycles.

Ali's yoga for cyclists class

Thursday Ali Dwyer brought us back into alignment with a yoga class at Mound Street Yoga

Friday we celebrated an end to a wonderful week by gathering at Brocach Irish Pub on the capitol square.  I was so happy to see such a huge turnout and even happier to meet some folks I hadn't met yet.

"Final Fiesta" party at Brocach

To cap off the week, Saturday we rode down to the winter farmer's market for local goodies and followed it up with an urban spin.

Thanks to all of you who participated in these events and an enormous THANKS to those who put the events on and donated raffle prizes (special "thanks" to Machinery Row who not only handed out coffee two days but gave us discounts all week).  Let's hope that we inspired other communities to celebrate winter vs. dread it.  For more information on Madison Bike Winter, please visit it's facebook page
www.facebook.com/madbikewinter.

My New Experiment

When I started this blog in July, I never expected people to actually read it.  I saw it as a journal of sorts.  Not that I was against anyone reading it, I just never thought people would want to read about my views on biking.  I must admit that I'm not only surprised but very happy to see folks from around the United States and the rest of the world tapping into my "journal".

My excitement comes from the adventurer in me.  You see, before moving to Madison, my husband and I spent many years traveling and living around the world.  For the past 8 years this has diminished due to work commitments, having a "furry child" and house projects.


By seeing the places my readers are from (Russia, Germany, UAE, Australia etc.), my interest for travel has been sparked once again--not that it ever truly died.  This got me thinking--always a dangerous thing.  What would happen if I made connections with some or many of my readers and spent time traveling around the world, exploring where they live by bike, and then write about it in my blog?


I've always had a "bucket list" of places I've wanted to go but this could open up a whole new world.  Better yet, the travel would be through the eyes of a cyclist.  So here's my request from you reader...if you are at all interested in connecting with me for this possible adventure, please e-mail me (kierstin@harborathletic.com), facebook me at Kierstin Kloeckner or leave a message on my blog and we'll start this process.  On my end, my husband and I are often times open to having cyclists visit us here in Madison (one of the best bike cities in the U.S.).  If this isn't up your alley but you know someone that might be interested, please feel free to pass this on.  Let the two wheeled adventure begin!

Why?!

 Here's a video that a friend sent me...and folks think I'm crazy?

http://www.skinet.com/warrenmiller/vintage-clip-of-the-week-extreme-snow-mountain-biking-by-warren-miller?cmpid=enews020912#.TzV9rUSwZEk.blogger

A Week of Kindness

Most cyclists have been caught in a situation before where they kick themselves for their stupidity.  Last week, while the weather seemed a bit more like spring than February, my giddiness took over and I headed out for a ride...without a spare tube.  I got a mile or so into the ride when I realized I had left the pump and tube at home.  I took the "lazy" way out and decided to keep going.  I hadn't had a flat in ages but as most of you know, when you don't bring an umbrella, it rains.

As I neared the furthest spot from my house, the unmistakable wobble came from my front wheel.  Sure enough, the tire was going flat and there I was, 15 miles from home (not that far but too far to walk) with no choice but to hitch a ride.  I walked to the nearest gas station and took a chance.  I'm not sure why luck was with me but the first person I asked actually lived two blocks from me, had a pickup truck and was on his way home.

This was one of the many acts of kindness from strangers that washed over me last week.  A couple days later, while in Chicago, I found myself dumbfounded by folks doing really wonderful things.  All were small gestures on their own, but compiled together made me say to my husband, "If everyone took just a moment out of their day to help someone in need or compliment someone, the world would be a much better place."  This way of thinking is not new or profound--in fact it's ridiculously simple.  I just feel that we are all so caught up in our daily routines that it's not something we give much thought to.

As a cyclist, kindness not only makes the day a little brighter, it can actually save a life.  A small thing like giving at least three feet of passing space while driving, or if biking, saying "on your left" while coming up on a pedestrian can make a huge impact.  Being raised in Minneapolis, "Minnesota Nice" was a joke.  In fact Jeff Frane, writer for Bike Jerks www.bikejerks.com, actually makes caps that say "Minnesota Nice" on them.  As I get a bit older, I realize how important that way of thinking is.  Niceties are not a joke.  We need to implement them into our day once again if we want to all live together in a peaceful way.  I urge you to take a moment and practice this--because it does take practice.  I know that because of the kindness others have shown me, I will try my best to pass this good energy on.