Articles

Here is a sample of articles about biking that I've written for this website and regional publications in the Seattle area.

Bicycle touring in the Seattle area:

My Favorite Seattle Streets: The city of Seattle is expanding the network of bike lanes, trails and connections that will help cyclists get around the city. Here's an offering of my favorite routes to navigate our streets. Biking Puget Sound Article: Favorite Seattle Routes, part 1 and Favorite Seattle Routes, part 2

Texas Bike Tourists: Ten members of the Fort Worth Bicycling Association made a July 2007 trip to the Puget Sound region, on a tour that went from Seattle to Bainbridge Island to Port Angeles to Vancouver Island to Orcas Island to Whidbey Island and back to Seattle. Ringleader Rick Wilson contacted me about route advice... BPS Article: Texas Cyclists Take on Peninsulas, Islands of Puget Sound

Climate Change Crusader: In the 10 p.m. gloom behind me, I heard a voice. “Is this trail safe?” Riding after dark through Myrtle Edwards Park two days before Hempfest, the answer didn’t seem very positive. But then I realized the guy asking the question must be a visitor, so I tried to answer, offering my opinion that some of our bike trails could be more 24/7 if a few lights were added. BPS Article: Prioritize the Planet: Climate Change Cycling Tour Chugs Through Seattle

Tour Community Gardens: Need a break from your P-Patch? Hop on your bike and visit your fellow community gardeners. You can check out trellis techniques, ogle garden art and chat with your counterparts. Below are suggestions for using your pedal power on a tour of 10 P-Patches along the flat, well-traveled Burke-Gilman Trail... P-Patch Post Article: P-Patches of the Burke-Gilman Trail: A Bicycling Tour

Spring Pedal to the Tulip Fields: Itching to get out on your bike and enjoy the spring weather, but concerned because you aren’t really in biking shape yet? Fields of blooming tulips await, on a flat, scenic ride through Skagit County... BPS Article: Two-wheel Through the Tulips

Seattle bicycling history:

Developing Seattle's Bike Paths: When Seattle was a young city in the 1890s, being a cyclist meant blazing a trail through heavy forest, making the slow trek with virtually no services, and possibly being greeted by a bear … or Seattle’s first bike cop. BPS Article: Forests, Scorchers and Bears: Early Cycling in Seattle

Bike commuting:

Riding in Traffic: Want to know how to feel safer on the streets? “Learn how to ride differently,” says Chris Cameron. Three key ways: become traffic, don’t get hooked by a turn and keep your head up. The director of bike commuting for Cascade Bicycle Club talks safety in a BPS interview. BPS Article: New Bike Commuter? Three Tips for Safer Riding

More Traffic Tips: A recent article in The Seattle Times called “Danger in the Bike Lane” discussed “right hook” collisions and points out how dangerous riding in city traffic can be. I found the article to be a bit heavy on fear but it does offer some practical advice. BPS Article: Stay Safe: Riding in Urban Traffic

Surviving Seattle's Hills: Thousands of commuters take the cycling challenge on the annual Bike to Work Day, and in hilly Puget Sound, a roller-coaster route is virtually inevitable. Crosscut.com Article: Bike to Work: How to Survive Seattle's Hills

How to Use Mass Transit: Do gas prices have you cycling more? Many people are considering mass transit rather than driving. As cyclists, we can take our bikes on any of our mass-transit vehicles, making transit an even more attractive option for errands, meetings, events or recreation. Here are some tips to make mass-transit work better for you. BPS Article: Bikes + Transit: Beat the Gas Guzzlers

Health and fitness:

Cycle Coach Talks Indoor Training: Does winter weather mean that you hang up your bike and seek out other ways to stay fit? Consider an indoor cycling class (brand name: Spinning) as a way to stay in cycling shape even when the weather is uncooperative. Training guru Craig Undem of Cycle University took time out from his sold-out indoor training classes to talk to me about the benefits of this workout. BPS Article: Winter Training? Take Your Body - If Not Your Bike - For a Spin

Cancer Survivors Bike for Health: Most cyclists know Lance Armstrong’s story, and how cycling served as an inspirational goal in his battle against cancer. But you might not realize that such a scenario is being repeated regularly on the trails. Cascade Courier Article: Cancer Survivors, CBC Friends Take to the Wheels

Just for fun:

Armchair Bike Traveling: If you’ve ever bicycled down an unfamiliar route and found yourself delighted by the people or sights you encounter, you share an experience with many recreational riders, including me, adventure cyclist Willie Weir and musician David Byrne. To some degree, we are all grooving on the unknown. Read my review of their recent books, which made me want to pack up and hit the road. Crosscut.com Article: Bikes and Diaries: Willie Weir and David Byrne Helped One Cyclist Get Through the Winter