Thursday, May 28, 2009

Way to Go - City of Campbell, CA

Even after all of the Bike to Work Day Events the City of Campbell decides to get city employees on their bikes.  Way to Go.

According to the article posted today:

There were about 13 participants this year, which is a bit down from last year's numbers but still a good turnout, said Councilman Dan Furtado, who has participated in the event the last several years.


Furtado only had to travel a mile or two from his home to Campbell City Hall, but he said just being out there sends a message about the importance of reducing emissions.

"It highlights the fact of both exercise and that we could and should consider alternative transportation," said Furtado, who pedaled around on his 1950s Schwinn cruiser.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Sunnyvale Interactive Bike Map

Here are some routes and notes in the Sunnyvale Area.  If you would like to help and contribute 
some current data just let me know.  Hope this is useful.



View Sunnyvale Bicycle Map in a larger map

Paris Music Video

Posting Timeline



Random Acts of Artfulness - Guerrila Artist Identified


Secret to the Mystery of found art.

Last week I posted on Facebook a piece of art I found while biking south on Lawrence Expressway right before Prospect Ave.  What
 looked like a fish, was perched upon an exposed manhole cover four feet off the ground.  It was made of various car and other metal and plastic parts.   

Well this morning Patty Fisher, a columnist with the San Jose Mercury News may have answered the mystery.  It appears a Guerrila artists who goes by the name of Harry P. Rymate (get it ...gorilla) has been creating these works of art and leaving them around the valley.   It seems as soon as he leaves them out someone will just pick them up and take them home, just what the artist intended.  Any way if you see any of Harry's work leave a comment or take a photo.



Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Join me. Take the Challenge. The Drive Less Challenge!

Join me taking the Challenge to drive less in June.

TransForm
 (formerly the Transportation and Land Use Coalition
- TALC)  has put together a great summer program to get Bay Area Residents to drive less.

How It Works

1. You sign up to take the Challenge! To participate, Transform asks that you commit to either: 1) getting 10 people to support you at $5 each, or 2) donating $65 to TransForm. Here are 5 great ways you will help TransForm improve walking, biking and transit.

2. You pick a mileage goal that's right for you and then keep track of your miles.  No matter what your goal is, big or small, if you drive a lot or not at all, it all adds up collectively. Already planned a road trip in June?  Because the Challenge is focused more on the driving we do on a daily basis. 

3. You set a fundraising goal and then ask friends and family to support you in reaching your goals (both dollars and miles).  They've got tips and templates to make it easy! Don't want to fundraise? Simply donate $65 to TransForm and start your Challenge.

4. You chronicle your adventures via your Challenge page. Check out how others (or even "moi") are sharing the highs and lows in reaching their goals with stories, pictures, and videos. 

5. You compete for great prizes.  Prize categories include: "most entertaining posting", "most extreme story of avoiding driving a car", "most inspirational posting", "most supporters", and more.

6. You track your mileage and then share your results with us at the end of June so we can add up how many miles Challengers cut out of their lives. 

7. You celebrate with other Challengers at one of several post-Challenge parties hosted by Sports Basement around the Bay Area.

So Join me in June.




Monday, May 25, 2009

In Memory of Paul Benabides, 20

In was only just over a week ago, Saturday, that Paul Benabides was killed in a car "accident" near my house. This morning I went to go find any evidence, of the spot where he was tragically killed. I though I might spots flyers, posters, flowers, or candles. Since the newspaper report listed only Lois Ave., which runs North/South for about a mile, I peddled through the neiborhood slowly trying to find something that would remind neigbors ofthe tragic incident.

Peddling at a slow 5 mph I found no evidence of any accident.

Paul Benabides RIP
August 10, 1988 - May 15, 2009

Friday, May 22, 2009

Nice Little Bike Video

I think this is from Quebec....anyone know anything more on this video.  Just a simple catchy song.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Tivo this! From KQED Friday 9:00 PM "Blueprint America: Road to the Future"

Blueprint America: Road to the Future

Friday evening at 9:00 PM on KQED and tonight at 8:00 on PBS stations across the country, a new one-hour documentary film will highlight the state of affairs for Americas highway system.

Blueprint America:
"PBS reports on the infrastructure crisis"

Road to the Future:
Film Documentary

With examples drawn from Denver, New York, and Portland, veteran CNN correspondent and anchor Miles O'Brien will visit places where local officials and residents face agonizing choices between the easy status quo and the path less taken.
Good to see Jonathan Maus of Bike Portland and Janette Sadik-Khan

30 second video preview

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Who Wants to Go to Copenhagen?

Out of Copenhagen comes the blog Copenhagen Cycling Chic, although right now he is visiting Amsterdam.

Copenhagen - City of Cyclists from Colville Andersen on Vimeo.

A promotional music video I made for the City of Copenhagen's Bicycle Office.

Aimed at promoting Copenhagen's fantastic, unique bicycle culture. 500,000 people ride their bikes each day. 36% of the population.

This video highlights who they are and what they do. Shot over a period of four months.


Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Is This The End Of The (Suburban) World As We Know It?


Notice to Residents of Victorville - "Your Home May be Worth Less Than Your SUV"

As a follow up to my last post this morning (Is This The End ExUrbia as We Know It?). I went back to check on some of the other "possible unfinished developments" that Guaranty Bank, (currently at 64 cents a share - GFG) or any other bank may own. I had to stop because my eyes and hands were tired from clicking. If you think this real estate thing is over, you may want to think again.

Someone borrowed money from Guaranty, or B of A, or Chase/WAMU to pull the building permits and get the heavy machinery to start construction. Somebody lent on the hundreds of empty pads that dot the high desert. I'll tell you one thing; the bank presidents - they aint living in Victorville.

See Zillow Graph (You may have to scroll down)

Los Angles Times - "Housing Crunch Becomes Literal in Victorville"

Each Pin Represents a New Development in Victorville; a city of 100,000


View Victorville Real Estate in a larger map

Is This The End ExUrbia as We Know It?



Partially completed Southern California housing tract demolished

Original Article in the Daily Press Los Angeles Times - Article "Housing crunch becomes literal in Victorville"

In a story Associated Press article syndicated by the San Jose Mercury News, the demolition of the remaining partially constructed was noted. The article desribed the site as follows:
"The planned 16-unit tract on the fringes of a suburb about 65 miles northeast of Los Angeles included four finished homes with granite counter tops, whirlpool bathtubs and dual-pane windows."
Two things worth noting about the above statement. "Fringes of Suburb" is an understatement. Victorville is over 80 miles from downtown Los Angeles. According to Google Maps the drive to Victorville is over 80 miles which theoretically takes over 1 hour and 20 minutes and up to 2 hours, 40 minutes in traffic. Also to get to Victorville you would need to drive over a 4,200 foot high pass through the San Gabriel and San Bernadino Mountains. On some of the worst commutes; the trip could take over 5 hours, round trip.

Notice that the article described the homes with granite counter tops and whirlpool bathtubs, a classic add on at the hight of the real estate bubble.

Victorville is classic suburban type development gone wild and gets my Golden Asphalt Award . The gobbling up of desert land is clear noticeable from "the air" as you view the city on Google Maps . With only a 2007 population of just over 100,000 it has hit the suburban big time with their own mega mall, creatively called "The Mall" (I'm not making this up) featuring stores such as Sears, McDonalds, and Starbucks.

If you want to buy land next to this mall its only $7 million.



San Jose Bike Party - This Friday


This Friday is Troll-Out Night. Also come ride on the new Mary Ave. Bridge.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Vauban - Realistic Experiment?

Yesterday's New York Times reported on a town in southwestern Germany, nestled between the French and Swiss borders that has made a civic commitment to go car-free or more realistically as car-lite as possible. Titled "In German Suburb, Life Goes On Without Cars", the article (along with photos) describes a suburb of Frielberg, Germany (Google - My Maps). The Times also featured a discussion page about going "Carfree in America?".

Comparing Sunnyvale to Vauban

After reading the article take a look at the pictures that I have linked above and also my map created on Google Maps to get an idea of the scope of the car-free village. I am always curious the amount of land devoted to roadway. In a previous blog post I took a look at a corner of Sunnyvale, California (which due to the square mile grid pattern makes it a little fun and easy). In that post I estimated that this purely residential area devotes about 20% of its land area to road way (not counting the concrete used for driveways on private lots). In Vauban I calculated that less than 4% is used for auto roadways!

Here are some additional links on Vauban
Bike Portland - "Germany's Car Conscious Community"
The Christian Science Monitor - "New German Community Models Car-Free Living"

Also this article is linked to in the New York Times article - "Students Give Up Wheels For Their Own Two Feet"



Vauban Photo courtesy of Ecofaubourg at Fickr



View Vauban in a larger map

Monday, May 11, 2009

Tragedy in the South San Francisco Bay This Weekend.

This weekend the Bay Area lost two 16 year olds to tragic traffic accidents this weekend; one in Union City and One in Half Moon Bay. Not only is the coincidence of the events striking, but the young age that they were taken from us should not go unnoticed.

Juan Rodelas Jr . was killed and his passenger was injured after Rodelas lost control of his speeding Corvette on Central Avenue in Union City.

An unidentified 16 year old male was struck by a car while crossing Highway 1 in Half Moon Bay just before midnight on Friday (Google Maps ).


View 2009 Fatal Vehicular Accidents in South San Franciso Bay in a larger map

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Santa Clara County Sheriff Pleads Guilty in the Death of Two Cyclists


Sentencing Set for June 25

Deputy James "Tommy" Council pleaded guilty yesterday (May 8, 2009) in the deaths of two local cyclists Matt Peterson and Kristianna Gough.