January 26, 2007
Since I’ve been doing a fair amount of winter biking, trying it out and really liking it so far, I thought I’d share with you what I’m doing at “my day job” as a massage therapist. Hey, a little cross-promotion never hurt anyone!
From now until the end of Winter (March 21), I’m offering a discount for anyone who bikes in winter to their appointment. You can treat yourself and your stiff muscles to a one hour massage for only $35. That’s $20 off my normal rate per hour. I really hope that this provides some incentive to some of my regular clients to hop on their bikes as well and brave the winter without burning gas in their cars on a few occasions.
For more information, how to book an appointment, and more about my approach to massage and bodywork, visit my website for A Peaceful Touch Massage and Bodywork. My office is located in the Uptown district of Minneapolis, south of Downtown on Hennepin Avenue South.
August 29, 2006
(1 minute video - 5.6MB download)
This past Friday’s Critical Mass was just a fun and enjoyable bike ride through Minneapolis. No one was hurt, arrested, or otherwise unhappy. Some great moments included a very distinguished looking man on the street interacting with us:
Man: “Critical Mass? What’s a Critical Mass?”
Bicyclist: “It’s kind of a bicycle celebration.”
Man: “Oh! Very good!”
Click on the image above for a video of the ride! Special thanks to Jon Hain of Uvulittle Records for allowing me to use the song, Coma Savant, by The Coma Savants in this video.
For more information about Critical Mass:
Critical-Mass.info
Bicycle Lane Yahoo Group in Minneapolis
August 23, 2006
I thought I’d give you all a taste of the Bike-In at the Bell event that I went to on August 12. The event was held at the Bell Museum on the campus of The University of Minnesota. Click the image above for a small video (2 min, 10MB) of Dreamland Faces and their musical merriment. Sit back and enjoy while you browse photos on Flickr.
All in all it was a pleasant gathering of bike shops, a “fix-your-bike” station, organizations tabling information, and great entertainment. I’m considering doing the Tour de Sprawl bike ride from Woodbury to Hastings, MN with the Sierra Club. $15 gets you a great meal featuring local foods, and a tour of what good suburban, bike-friendly development looks like.
July 6, 2006
The Sixth Annual Bicycle Film Festival starts today in Minneapolis! Films will be featured at the Riverview Theater, the Bell Museum, and The Soap Factory, followed by a big block party celebration! I’m particularly interested in the film, B.I.K.E., which follows members of the Black Label Bike Club.
For more information go to the Bicycle Film Festival Website, and click on the schedule for the stop in Minneapolis!
June 30, 2006
What a great day for a bike ride! Around 5:30pm on Friday, June 30, the weather was beginning to cool down as I rolled into Loring Park. What a site! Gathered around the fountain that greets you at the park entrance were about 200 people, ready to become traffic. On this last friday of the month, the “happy coincidence” of bike riders assemble all across the nation in metropolitan areas as a show of solidarity for people-powered transport. This was now my third Critical Mass ride, and has now become my favorite. This one I will remember for a long long time.
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June 12, 2006
With the Oregon Coast bike ride coming up in about a month and a half, I’ve now added a link to the side bar of my blog talking about how others can support me for the ride. I’ll be fundraising for my travel to and from portland, bike rental, and other gear that I’ll need to purchase for the trip. All together, these expenses will be approximately $800.
I won’t be asking for much, and you can get really great gifts from me for donating $10, $25, or $50 for these expenses. I’ll be giving those who donate, pieces of original art in the form of picture postcards from the trip, large photos of the Oregon Coast, and 20-page picture booklets from my own photos of the tour.
Not only will this ride be a physically challenging one for me, but I’m hoping that the people I meet and the places I see will give me many things to bring back to my own community in Minnesota.
I would love your support! I’ve done other fundraising for causes like the Minnesota AIDS Walk in the past, but none that puts me in the middle of something extremely challenging and hopefully - extremely life changing - as this trip promises to be.
If you are interested in supporting me, please visit my fundraising page.
Thank you all for your continuing support!
-Scott
June 7, 2006
My last day in Madison was a bit overcast, as the weather forecasters were calling for storms by 3pm. I decided to change my Greyhound tickets to the earlier bus departing at 2:20pm so that I wouldn’t have to be stuck walking or biking in a storm to catch the bus.
I was able to fulfill one more goal of the trip, by doing Tai Chi on the rooftop of the Monona Terrace Convention Center. When I lived in Madison, this was always something I wanted to do, but never got around to doing. The cooler weather made for an easier time doing the movements, and it gave us all some great motivation for our final exercise of “swaying in the wind like trees”. At the end of the class, the teacher came up to me and used me as an example for a point he was making about relaxing your body in order to be more stable. He had me tense up and stand aggressively, and showed students how he could push and topple even a big guy like me who had all of his muscles clenched. Then he put me in a stance and had me relax and ground myself calmly in the pose, relaxing into any muscle tension. He tried pushing me over this time but was unsuccessful.
The point of the exercise was to illustrate that in life, while so many stressors and experiences come upon us continually, that by maintaining a relaxed and grounded poise within ourselves, that we are less likely to topple and fall. I really enjoyed this class, and the metaphor of the exercise especially.
After a few moments of gazing across Lake Monona, I descended the elevator to the ground level where I had parked the rented bike. I had to wipe away a few tears while I unlocked the bike, as I was feeling a bit sad that my trip was ending. I felt like I was saying good-bye to a wonderful new friend.
I know I’ll be back.
One of the bike routes I didn’t get to take was the 18-mile commuter trail that originates at Camp Randall, circles down past the Madison beltline highway and comes back up to downtown. There is also a new portion of a bike trail being constructed that is aptly called “The Missing Link“, and I will save that one for next time too.
Special thanks are in order for this trip.
First, to my wonderful partner, Michael, who tagged along with me for a very short, less than 48-hour trip. He needed to return to work on Monday. To our friend Jason, who was so wonderfully hospitable to us. A home cooked meal on Sunday night was a wonderful touch! To Tim, my great tour guide, I will need to find a fun “object d’art” for you at some point as a thank you! To Jon and the staff at Motherfools, you all rock! I was glad to have a place to rest and geek out on my laptop! To the Madison Hostel, you run a wonderful refuge for weary travelers, and I will keep coming back. The inexpensive private room downtown was so incredibly comfortable and homey. You just don’t get that at a motel. And finally, to Machinery Row Bicycles, who rented me the best bike! The Gary Fisher Zebrano hybrid is one that I’m now considering buying for myself now! I was also glad that all of the rental bikes at Machinery Row come with a rear rack. This was so important for my commuting purposes.
To everyone out there reading:
Go to Madison and rent a bike if you can! I can see why it’s rated so high as a bicycle friendly city. Take advantage of this, and spend some time “people-powering” yourself around the town. I think you will find it incredibly enjoyable!
June 4, 2006
If there is a thought that sums up my trip thus far to Madison, it is that I was able to re-discover the beauty of this city. I never biked around this town when I lived here, and I think it’s a shame. I’ve only gone around one lake so far, and the trail was beautiful!
I may also re-think my choice of bicycles in the future. I rented a 24-speed hybrid bike, and I absolutely love it! I can climb hills faster and easier, and I don’t tire as soon as on my Breezer. It’s not as “pimped out” as my bike, but for pure utility and ease of ride, I may have to consider a bike like this in the future.
My friend Tim took me on a 13-mile ride around Lake Monona the first day I was in town. He’s a natural storyteller, so his interpretation of Madison History, trails, and the various “Objects d’Art” as he called-them along the path was both humorous and enlightening.
Sunday was a day of spending time with Michael and our friend Jason. I was able to catch a nap after Michael left for home. A $41/night private room at the Madison Hostel is such luxury at a low price. I’m right off of the Capitol Square, and a 30-second downhill ride to a trail that takes me to my favorite coffee shop, Motherfools. It’s so comfortable at the hostel.
Sunday evening was quiet, and I decided to take a bike ride at midnight. I traveled from the square down to Olin Park to catch a beautiful view of the capitol building and Monona Terrace across the shore of Lake Monona. Breathtaking and stunning.
This evening’s 10-12 mile ride made me feel as if I were falling in love all over again with the city of Madison. I lived here from 2000-2002, yet I feel so blessed to now rediscover her from a new perspective. I am beginning to feel a kind of “understanding of the terrain” when I travel by bike. There’s a connection that you just can’t feel in your car. I have no windsheild, no obstructed view of the stars above me at all angles, no sound of my car engine blocking out the sounds of nature. I feel as if I can breathe in the entire city, and feel as if I am a living part of it. It’s an exhilarating feeling!
Monday I travel to the west side of Madison for a voice lesson with my teacher, Wendy. I’ve not seen her in 6 months since last I was in Madison. Vocally, I guess I’ve been resting. So many other joys of life have been flowing in feeding my creativity, that I just hadn’t thought that it was time to have another lesson. Lessons with Wendy are like life coaching sessions or therapy. Things unlock. I let go of things. I open myself up, and she is able to find ways for me to vocally produce Art. I’m looking forward to it!
Two more days left in Madison! I’m already feeling this trip is too short.
June 2, 2006
Late this evening my partner, Michael, and I are boarding a bus to Madison, WI! I’ll be renting a bike from Machinery Row Bicycles, and exploring the town I lived in from 2000-2002 on a bike! Should be lots of fun! I plan on biking the 13 miles around Lake Monona the first day.
Other things to do include seeing great friends, eating vegan soup at Motherfools Coffeehouse, going to a concert given by Perfect Harmony Men’s Chorus, the Dane County Farmers’ Market (it’s huge!), and hopefully do some Tai Chi on the roof of Monona Terrace before I leave on Tuesday! Everything in between will be filled in once I get there!
I took a day of rest yesterday after biking 27 miles coming back from Mounds View, MN to Minneapolis. The Anoka County Mississippi Regional Trail Corridor is under construction, and is looking like it may prove to be a great trail when finished!
Today I need to run a few errands on the bike to the Guthrie Theater (I have a new part time job there!!!!), and to Saint Mary’s University, then packing! Yes I’m a procrastinator!
I’ll post pictures while in Madison! Have a great weekend!
Total Distance Wednesday: 27 miles.
Total Distance Yesterday: 5 miles.
April 30, 2006
Ahh.. lots of cool things in the last few days that I’ve had so little time to post about!
First, the artist JAO, is pictured here with her wonderfully crafted “speed painting” of this bicycle mural for the future Freewheel Bike Center that will be located ON the Midtown Greenway! It was a great event with free pizza and lots of energy! JAO will be making appearances in the Twin Cities a lot this summer. Check out her website for more details!
Critical Mass was a bit damp this month, but I did get some good riding in with them! Not as many people this time, and the route that some chose took us way out of downtown with some hard hills to tackle in the Northeast part of Minneapolis. Maybe May’s Critical Mass will be warmer and sunny and attract more riders!
Finally, The Hub Bike Co-op’s Bike Expo was full of good energy! Some great discounts and free things made it a great time. I got to try a blueberry smoothie that was created in a bicycle powered blender! I also got a free tire patch kit, a Twin Cities Bike Atlas for only $5, and I bought a small waterproof cargo bag for the back of my bike. Now I can carry my camera and some small things on my bike much easier.
Total Distance Thursday: 18 miles.
Total Distance Friday: 13 miles.
Total weekend Distance: 4 miles (rain).
