One of my favorite events when we used to live on Alki was the Car Free Days [now called Summer Streets], I’ve written about it before here and here. Walk. Bike. Shop. Play. Breathe. On Sunday, May 23 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Alki Avenue SW from California Way SW to 63rd Avenue SW is being opened up to pedestrians and cyclists. Basically they shut down the roadway to cars, and give the streets back to walkers, bikers, hop scotchers, and anyone who wants to use them. I’ve seen block parties, and lemonade stands, yard sales, and temporary parking space gardens. It’s a great program, and one of my favorite events on Alki. I hope if you are around town you’ll come ant and join the boys and I pedaling up and down the Ave.
Have a look at the official site here.
You can even “like” the idea on Facebook.
For the longest time, I have felt like I needed something. Like I needed to go and talk to the trees, stick my feet in a river, listen to the wind, and count the stars. I grew up out in the country. Where on a cloudy moonless night you can’t see your hand 2 inches from your face. I have lived in the city for well over a decade now, and I have only recently realized I was missing a connection to mother earth that I didn’t even know that I had lost.
There exists something, in the Aboriginal Australian peoples … (thanks to Crocodile Dundee for our deep cultural understanding of Australia) called a walkabout. A trek of young Aboriginals where they would trace the ancestors paths. To me, I see it as a journey out in the world without your “stuff”, where you can connect with your ancestors, spirit guides, gods, or what have you.
This idea has been in my head now for about 18 months. I’m not talking about one of those 6 months sojourns that people go on. I’m thinking an extra long weekend, to maybe about a week. Just head out in to the woods, the mountains, the desert, I don’t know that it matters, I just feel like the requirement is that I not be able to see any man made light sources.
These guys just did a rideabout in Australia, and put it all on film. They went from Sydney to Melbourne on fixed gear track bikes. That idea seems crazy to me, but the spirit of this trailer is the spirit I am looking to find. Have a look …
I think I’ll be watching that when it comes out.
So what keeps me from going on my walkabout? Well realistically it’s all about money and time (isn’t everything). I only get a couple of weeks of vacation a year, and I really want to spend those with my family. So when the choice comes up for a trip with those I love, or clamoring around in the forest, I always go with them.
So what’s a guy to do? I would rather spend my free time with my family, and I want to spend my work time enjoying work. However, I am beginning to think that I might really benefit from a few days– out, with my thoughts, and wind on the leaves. I feel like I might come back a better version of myself which my work mates, and familial bundles of joy might really appreciate. Hmmm …
Firstly … if you are a subscriber, I apologize, profusely.
What kind of person doesn’t update their seldom updated blog for 4 months? How do I expect to keep anyones attention, or inspire action, or even reaction … I have no idea. I’ve been bad. I know. I’ll do better.
A few things on the horizon …
A summer retrospective.
A long term, conversational review of the Raleigh Sojourn (a clue, I still love it).
Random thoughts on how throughly messed up education funding in this country is.
and last but not least, the annual publishing of the kid’s wishlists (alright that one is mostly for my mother
Many people who read my blog, or know me, have heard me talk about The Fat Cyclist. I have often referred to him as my bike idol, my virtual guru. Seemingly trying to find fitness and health, through cycling and having some similar hurdles to me, aka kids and utter lack of time.
I rode in the Seattle Livestrong challenge this year to help show my support for Elden’s (Fatty’s) wife, Susan, who has been battling cancer.
Elden has managed to let all of his fans & friends in on his life in such a way, that leaves me speechless and choked up reading his last few days of posts. See, Susan is not doing well right now.
I am hoping that you will go over to his blog, and show him and his family any support that you can. Leave a comment, or just read, but please send him whatever good vibes and prayers that you can.
Fatty I am willing you all the strength that I have. You are in the thoughts and prayers of myself and my family.
I had so much fun helping to organize a “Walk & Roll Wednesdays” program, trying to encourage the children of Sanislo Elementary, and families, to find ways of getting to school that don’t involve driving. So, with Feet First, and the Go! Project we have organized this little effort to persuade folks to walk and ride. Hopefully it has shown the other drivers in the community that the roads around our schools, don’t just belong to them. The goal being for them to take notice that there are a lot of children in the area and encourage them to slow down, in addition to encouraging our families to leave their cars at home.
Well, long story, short (shorter anyway) we’ve had some special things for the kids on a couple of mornings, this morning, we did some light tune ups on the bikes of the kids who ride to school. Mostly just tighten bolts, clean chains, nothing major. But it was my little brain child, and I don’t think it could have gone any better. We had what looked like about 20 kids come to school on two wheels. Which was ’bout a 1 trillion percent increase (dartanyon math).
I need to give a huge giant thanks to the 2 fine gents who helped to tune up the kids bikes; first Scott from my office, and Stu the awesome proprietor of Sanislo’s favorite bike shop, Alki Bike & Board.
I’d also like to give a Big ‘Ol thanks to Jen Cole from Feet First, and the Go Project.
The Sanislo Tune Up Team (from L->R; Stu, Me, Scott)
Me banging on some elementry schooler's bike for bike to school day.
Our practicing expert bike wrench putting on the finishing touches
This Bike to Work/School Month has not gone so well thus far. On the days when I had the time to bike the weather has been a major disappointment, and on the days that it was nice out I undoubtedly needed to use the car.
Luckily one of my very favorite summer events is coming around again, this time with a new name. What was formerly car-free days (now summer streets) has got it’s calendar for the whole summer up online.
I really love the idea of having some sort of permanent street system that truly allows for pedestrians and bicycles to feel safe. I am sure it stems from the people paths (that if I recall correctly actually allowed for cars, but made darn sure they were going slow), that meandered through the cottages next to one of my childhood homes in Shawnee, PA. I also recall with great fondness the little central business district up in Ithaca, NY that converted to a no car zone …
Walk. Bike. Shop. Play. Breathe. City streets are being opened for people to have fun, celebrate the spirit and personality of their community and support local businesses. Each event is organized by a local organization. Because Celebrate Summer Streets are community driven events, they can be whatever you want. Ride a bike, skateboard and play music, and get to know your neighborhood businesses.
Read the City’s press release about Summer Streets.
Visit a Street Near You
This year the city is supporting art walks, farmer’s markets, parades, fundraiser 5K Walk/Run events and more by expanding these local events to include Seattle Summer Streets.
From April through September 2009, be sure to check out the following Summer Streets celebrations:
Yesterday was the 60 days out mark, for the Seattle LIVESTRONG Challenge ride. I’ve been getting in more and more training, and am pretty confident I’ll be crossing the finish line come June 21st. Where I am sorely lacking though … is in the sponsors and donation department. Aside from my own starting donation, I have received exactly 1 other donation (thanks Mike!). I know it’s a tough year, and that cash is tight, but I need to see some cash flow … Whatever you got! 5, 10, 20 … 100 bucks. Whatever you can afford, I’d love to see it come into my page, please.
I’m desperate for help from you though …. I have faith that I can pedal that far, but I need all my friends and family (heck, even strangers) to sponsor me.
Please, Go to my LIVESTRONG Page and donate. Anything you can, anything at all.
http://seattle09.livestrong.org/dartanyon
I am riding in honor of my grandfather, my morfar, he died of cancer several years ago, and I remember thinking then that I wished there was more I could do. This is what I can do today, and I am hoping that you can join me in my fight!
A strange man builds a world using holographic tools for the woman he loves.
This award winning short was created by filmmaker Bruce Branit, widely known as the co-creator of ’405′. World Builder was shot in a single day followed by about 2 years of post production. Branit is the owner of Branit VFX based in Kansas City.
Maybe it’s the crazy long hours that we’ve been putting in at work (a little over 40 by the end of the day … Wednesday), or just the fact that I might just still be an east coast country boy at heart, by I like a little spring snow.
I realize for much of the country, winter weather is a fairly typical. Winter comes in waves of snow and ice, and bitter cold. That being said the pattern here in Seattle is usually something like this … Some small bit of winter in late December, followed by near summer like weather for a couple of weeks, immediately followed by 3 months of gray and rain.
This morning however I woke up to this …
So while my good friend Jake is rolling around guiding a tour group at the Tour of California (follow his twitter updates here), hanging out with Lance Armstrong, and sipping frozen beverages in the sun, we are getting up early to scrape the ice from our cars …
Today is Yesterday was World Cancer Day, and it seemed like a fitting day to have a “better late then never” launch of my LiveStrong Challenge participation.
There is a ride in Seattle this year (as well as San Jose, Philly, and Austin), so I decided to put my butt in the saddle for a much longer ride than I am used to to try to raise some money for a very worthy cause.
I’m desperate for help from you though …. I have faith that I can pedal that far (training to ensue soon), but I need all my friends and family (heck, even strangers) to sponsor me.
Please, Go to my LIVESTRONG Page and donate. Anything you can, anything at all.
http://seattle09.livestrong.org/dartanyon
I am riding in honor of my grandfather, my morfar, he died of cancer several years ago, and I remember thinking then that I wished there was more I could do. This is what I can do today, and I am hoping that you can join me in my fight!
