The New Family SUV

Found this Surley parked outside of the Saratoga REI. This Surley "Big Dummy" outfitted an ExtraCycle kit has all a Silicon Valley Family Needs; two child carriers, a pick up bed located in the front, complete light and horn kit and even 4 water bottle holders.






The child carrier looks like it is a hand built custom kit complete with a child proof kick plate.







The Extracycle bags on the rear provide plenty of room for groceries and the bed up front is perfect for larger items such as the kids toys.

If any one wants go share their families "SUV" and their stories of a car free or car-lite life, leave me a comment here.



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Don't Let The Flag Fool You

So Let me get this straight. If I drive a truck (solo of course) bigger than most Japanese houses, and I stencil an Amerkin flag on the side of the truck (which is almost the size of a highway billboard), I am an American Patriot.

How did we get here. How does this supposed to represent hard working, sensible, tolerant Americans. The sheer energy just to move this thing off of a stop light could power my home for 2 days.

It's no wonder why former President Bush how to go to the Saudi's; hat in hand to beg to keep the oil spigots open. Middle East oil barrons just love to see pictures like this. More money to fund terrorist projects.

So please sir, ask yourself this question; "Who is the true American Patriot, Me, or that guy on the bicycle I just ran over?".

Honey, When Did I Get So Fat. I Used To Fit Into This Parking Space.

What was the extra-ordinary, is not just the everyday and ordinary.


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Hey, Where Do We Park Our Tanks?

Or ...Tree Mulch is the Only Off-Road These Beasts will ever see.

Las Palmas Park, Sunnyvale, Ca, USA
The two photos below show (illegal) overflow parking at a local park even though there was ample parking across the street.





For those of you who read this blog from, Europe, Brazil, Australia, and and Japan; I don't make this stuff up; this is not Hollywood, this is real life in the Silicon Valley. We are overrun with cars; and not just Euro and Japan size cars with 2.5 liter engines, but monsters; the size of my aparment when I lived in Tokyo.





In the pictures above these 4WD beasts drove over "dangerous" Tree Mulch to find these covered spaces.

As James Kuntsler mentioned in "The Geography of Nowhere"; "if beings from another planet landed on this one they would think that it was inhabited by automobiles." If they saw this scene they would observe that the big fat earthlings were having a summer picnic.




The photo above was taken a couple of days ago showing just how brazen we have become.

I would welcome any comments you would have.
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No this is not Amsterdam, yur in aMerka

I'm trying to be positive here. This guy or

gal could really use a bike. Think of the cleaner air, increased health,as well as the school children who can walk, ride, and play.

So fellow cyclists, let's show this guy just how healthy and fun cycling can be.






THIS is why I Ride.

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Alert - Large Branch Down

On Miller in front of Both Lynbrook High School and Rainbow Park in San Jose. 10:21 AM


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Cash For Clunkers Approved!

Had to take a photo of this car while riding


by this morning. The sign on the windshiel says "Cash For Clunkers Approved.

The car was parked at a Shell station at the corner of Stelling Rd. and Stevens Creek Blvd. in Cupertino. Can't figure out what the direct connection to the Shell Station.


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No Pants Ride - Bike Love and No Pants

Friday Night's ride witnessed about 2,500 riders with just about all showing their "No Pants", which included grass skirts, tennis dresses, anatomically correct male biking shorts, bikinis, pajamas, kilts and all manner of no pants.

Dont Miss next month's Ride....

Beach Blanket Bike-Along

Meeting at a new location

Marketplace Center

Tonight "No Pants Ride"

It will be 70 degrees tonight; don't just sit at home. Meet at Dick's Center tonight at 8:30 fir a nice ride through San Jose with about 1,000 of your neighbors.

Rememer, no pants; skirts, kilts, shorts, pajamas or other. Just no pants!



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1AM Discovery Sunnyvale-Saratoga Rd.

Came upon this sad sight on a 1 AM ride. Must be recent; candles still burning and flowers still fresh.













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Peet's Coffee at Homestead & Foothill

Given that this coffee shop is situated at two heavily used bike routes; on Foothill Experssway and Homestead Rd., along with Starbucks competion just 39 steps away it would only seem natural for the local favorite to cater to cyclists.


Well they do have a bike parking rack although of is not covered it is somewhat close to the entrance. It looks, however that it was just added after the fact since it was shoehorned between the car parking lot and the business/shop walkway.

Given the local being well used by cyclists I would expected just a little more.

I would give this business a B+.



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San Jose's Calabases Library Bike Parking

While on my way home this warm summer evening I stopped by the local library branch to do an after hours book drop off.



I was pleasantly suprised when I saw the signs pictured here (sorry for the nightine quality). A local bike shop; Calabases Bike Shop provides the free lock rentals. What a great way to show the community you care. Now if only the neighborhood streets were more bike friendly. Oh well; baby steps, right.



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Bike Lane Alert - Cupertino

Tree Down in bike lane and sidewalk.; on Prospect Rd. and Via Roncole, just west of Saratoga-Sunnyvale Rd. in the eastbound lane. Caution - bikes headed downhill at a high rate of speed.



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New Section of The San Tomas Aquino/Saratoga Creek Trail

This Friday, the City of Santa Clara will
conduct a ribbon cutting/opening ceremony to celebrate the completion of Reach 3 along the San Tomas Aquino Trail.

This section of the trail will start from Scott Blvd. and continue to a parking area located at Monroe St. and San Tomas Expressway. With the completion of this section, the trail will now extend from the San Francisco Bay Trail to the north, for a total of 3.8 miles. When the trail is completed (with the completion of the 4th reach at 4.0 miles) the trail will extend all the way to Pruneride Ave. and cover almost 8 miles.



For more information see the trail map provided by the City of Santa Clara.

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THRIVE! On FREE Valet Parking

So....Kaiser Permanente, my health care provider, the ones behind the ad campaign entitled "THRIVE"; wants me to eat blueberrys, have healthy relationships and


ride me bike. All good, until you ride you bike to the Santa Clara/Homestead facility and are greet by multiple multi-story parking garages and speed/radar signs.

When I asked the valet if they would park my car....excuse me... bike; they laughed...

Oh well at least pharmacutical stocks were up today in heavy trading.


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Share the Road Summer Bike Clinics

Share the Road Summer Bike Clinics
 with the Silicon Valley Bike Coalition

July 25 and August 8 and 22, 2009

REI  and the Silicon Valley Bike Coalition will be hosting bike clinics at REI Saratoga. Multiple 45 minute clinics will run between 11am and 3pm. Check out SVBC's Share the Road presentation and get basic bike maintenance tips to keep your bike in top shape for summer rides, commuting, and trails.


11am - Share the Road

12noon - Get to Know Your Bicycle

1pm - Share the Road

2pm - Get to Know Your Bicycle


SVBC's Share the Road campaign is a collaborative project that aims to promote safety on Bay Area roadways and to generate goodwill between motorists and bicyclists. Spearheaded by the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, and joined by partners such as Webcor, REI, Bikes Belong Coalition, Low-Key Hillclimbs and others, we believe that respect and awareness will make the road safer for everyone.

REI's Get to Know Your Bicycle is a free clinic to better acquaint you with your bike, so that you can maximize your comfort and safety on the road/trail. You'll learn how to perform a pre-ride safety inspection and outfit with essential accessories, remove a wheel, fix a flat, change a tire, and make simple nut and bolt adjustments for comfort and performance.

top photo by Mark Stosberg

Nice Cruiser Spotted in Campbell

Looks like an Electra parked in front of Stacks Restaurant in Campbell.



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Spotted in The Glen

These two beautiful Electra "Hollywoods" spotted at Peet's Coffee in Willow Glen, San Jose, this morning.



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Park San Jose

This sign seems so natural for a city that boasts "Come Downtown to play. We have over 23,000 parking spaces".

Translation - Cars are are number one priority. Bike/Ped projects.....nah.....not on our list.




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Nice Surley Long Haul Trucker

Saw this nice Surley Long Haul Trucker today, fully outfitted for touring. Nice steel frame.


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