Who are you? I am the Multitude?

When walking today, from my apartment on Burnet Ave to my job on North Salina St - approximately 15 minutes or so - I counted the number of other walkers who I encountered, and came up with a whopping number of 15! Yes I am being sarcastic. At 9:00 am on a sunny Friday morning, albeit quite cold, i would expect to see more people outside going places, that indicates a healthy neighborhood to me.

Cause when it is warm outside you see more people in any case, people just hanging out on the sidewalks, playing outside, etc, but when it is cold out you know the people you encounter out on the streets and sidewalks are participating in some sort of engaged endeavor, thus the number of folks out would indicate more economic and social activity.

I was just thinking all this cause of the differences in my perceptions from this walk compared to the more dynamic walk I used to have from Westcott to the University. Tons of people out on the sidewalks going to do their thing, and I wondered if the lack on the Northside could be realistically taken as a deficit in community?

I want the multitude out with me, even when my breathe freezes as it escapes my mouth. What better time really?

This Is Not Your Bike.

Someone tried to steal my bike this morning. Even with the nice "Please Don't Steal My Bike" sticker that i have plastered on the handlebars - I always knew that wouldn't be enough to stop them!

I was at my apartment on Burnet Ave, making a quick pitstop between an appointment in the morning at the Tech Garden for a meeting with a business client, and then biking up to my regular office on North Salina St. I wanted to run in and grab my lunch which I forgot to take along with me in the morning, and while I was there I was going to use the bathroom and check my email on my laptop.

So since it would be a relatively quick stopover I didn't bring my bike inside my apartment, something I would normally always do, instead just locking it to the stair banister with the cable lock. So few minutes later as I'm sitting at my laptop I notice a shadow against the venetian blinds on my windows. This is a normal occurrence when anyone walks by the front of the apartmentt, but this time the shadow stopped right outside the window next to my bike and I knew immediately what was happening. I walked over and peaked through the blinds for a few seconds watching this young teenager fiddle with my lock, then pounded so hard on the window that I would have felt bad if I would have given him a heart attack with the surprise.

He moved off down the sidewalk and I came outside and told him that was my bike. Whence he proceeded to tell me it was his bike, he walked over to me now caught in his guilt and proceeded to tell me that he had a bike just like that stolen a few weeks back on Hawley. I showed him my Syracuse bicycle license plastered on my tube and he asked me if I was sure it was my bike cause he thought it was his. And that if he called the cops to come to check it out if I thought it would check out ok? Seriously, you're gonna call the cops, ok.

Now, you really don't go fiddling with someone else's property unless you know for pretty sure that it is what you think it is - in this case - your property and not theirs. So I was pretty worked up over it. Can I give him the benefit of the doubt - probably not, and I won't really feel bad about it either. Call me militant and harsh - but I sometimes have a short fuse when it comes to bicycle issues - why, who knows, probably because most people just don't give a damn even when you try to explain things to them - like my bicycle license here.

And please, Don't mess with my bike, don't even touch my bike unless I tell you it's ok or I'm standing right next to it - This is not your bike. Just because it is parked on a sidewalk or outside an apartment or a business, it is not your bike to touch, you wouldn't touch someone's car would you? Nuff said.

Are you kidding me?

Why is it that people only notice the bad weather in their lives? You understand? What do you suppose is the ratio of folks going around complaining on a daily basis compared to those going around happily and joyful? Who knows, maybe it is equal, but I think we tend to notice the negativity more.

So that is what has brought me back to this blog today. I make no excuses for starting a blog and then not posting for ages. I am busy with life, I have a full-time job, I am the Board President of a non-profit organization in my spare time, I have a girlfriend, a dog, a house I am buying to fix up, I like to take up time cooking meals rather than buying them, I like to lay in bed and read sci-fi ---- point being, time is precious and short, and blogging sometimes seems pretentious or otherwise pointless in relation to what I could be doing with my time.

But today I (along with U.) was verbally assaulted on James St in Syracuse, right on the 400 Block as we were riding past the EconoLodge, the Snowdon and the gas station on the Corner. And something ugly like this I notice and it makes me want to write. Turns out that a car of people couldn't be patient over the course of one half of a city block because they just had to get into the Sunoco parking lot 10 seconds sooner. I don't know, maybe they were afraid someone was going to buy the last ice cream sandwich before they got there.

So long blasts on the horn were followed by yelling out the window at me for being inconsiderate or something to that effect, yes, the effect was harsher believe me. I think they said they were gonna call my momma or something. Oh yeah, and here's the kicker, I got threatened that I was "In the 'Hood!" Honey, that's my 'Hood, you just don't know it yet. Get out of your car and soak up some of this beautiful November weather, and get a life.

Now that I got that out, I can be happy again, enjoy the day Syracuse, it's a beautiful world if you're willing to take some time and see it.

EconoLodge Not So Neighborly

I live on Burnet Ave. The Econolodge that resides on ### James St has it's parking lot and trash disposal area butting up against the backside of its property on Burnet Ave. I guess they don't have much respect for those of us around its back end. Apparently, form the evidence of this picture. The Econolodge folks feel it is ok to simply blow their garbage onto the sidewalk and street that I use on a daily basis.

Oh well, I guess if they do not have to look at or have it on its property then its not their responsibility any more. Well they are sorely mistaken. I went to the lobby on Saturday night after I noticed this mess, and had the desk jockey there call the manager to tell him about the problem. Unfortunately I couldn't understand 1 word of it as they were speaking Indian. But I was told it would be taken care of.


Well as of this morning (Wednesday) it's not. I think that's long enough to have your maintenance personnel, or even yourself if you are the manager, to go out and clean up your mess. 4 days is long enough for me to see this mess. Who do I talk to at the city about this?

At least the yard next door, in which much work has gone into cleanup and renovation of the previously discarded home there recently, presents some joy and beauty to our street. Beautiful little purple violets(?) popping up so sweet.

Throw Away Culture Pollution...

...or, can't you at least wait until you find a trash can?

Walking down any street in the city, especially in the spring once the snow has melted, shows just how careless folks are with their consumer lifestyles. There are a number of little pocket parks on N. Salina St. Like this one here, that have nice little rose bushes in them, which however, are perfect traps for trash.

Of course, the simple issue here is that folks are polluting their own environment with their own trash. But the deeper issue is that there is soi much trash in the first place. See all the objects in that first photo? Where do you think they were cradled from?























So, I ask you, who do you think is responsible for our throwaway culture? Throwing away our resources and throwing away our lives?

One More Go

I almost forgot a final issue concerning my need to better implement non-car use into my daily work life. One thing I also have to be aware of is my need to haul large items, like a conference display board and table materials like brochures, computer, etc, to events. So how can I make that easier?

Strategy #4 - Bicycle Trailer. Time to think seriously about buying, designing, building a bicycle trailer to accommodate this sort of need. I could have used this for the ESF Green Building Conference last week, as it was downtown and I wouldn't have needed to drive if I had a different way to transfer all the display items. So why not a cargo trailer for my bike. It would have to be weatherproof too though so as to not harm the papers and such inside. But it could also be used for many other things, like grocery shopping, transporting gardening materials around town, etc.

Frustrating, Strategies for the Future

After having a job at the university last year, as a student Teaching Assistant, in which I was able to do most of my work on campus, I now have a position that requires me to visit various sites around the city and beyond. How frustrating it is becoming to try and use my legs to get where I need to go. Just in the past week I have had appoitments in DeWitt, East Syracuse, and Turning Stone in Verona. These are realistically bikeable (except Verona) though the time required would prevent me from having that time available to me as productive work time in the office. So what is a person to do? Here are some thoughts I have on strategy for the future:

1. Schedule as many of these types of appointments as I can on a single day and link them together so that the driving route with my car is the most efficient one I can come up with. This will take quite a bit of planning on the front end, and won't always be possible depending on the schedules of my clients, but I can try my best.

2. Get very intimately acquainted with the CENTRO bus routes in the city. I don't have much experience riding the buses here in Syracuse, never needed to before as I relied on walking and bicycling mostly. I guess it's time to study the CENTRO website.

3. Take a step back from from attendance at numerous meetings and events that aren't 100% necessary. This sounds easy, but I do make many contacts and network quite a bit, so getting out and to these sorts of business and topical sessions are very valuable to me. I can at least give more critical thought to if I need to attend them or not for now.

Anyone else have any thoughts or ideas for these types of strategies? I'd love to share them on this here blog if ya do!

Start of the Day

The start of my daily walk, is heading up my front steps and past my prayer flags.

from wikipedia:
The five colors represent the elements,^[1] and the Five Pure Lights and are arranged from left to right in a specific order. Different elements are associated with different colors for specific traditions, purposes and sadhana:

• Blue (symbolizing sky/space)
• White (symbolizing air/wind)
• Red (symbolizing fire)
• Green (symbolizing water)
• Yellow (symbolizing earth)

Traditionally, prayer flags are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. The flags do not carry prayers to 'gods,' a common misconception, rather the Tibetans believe the prayers and mantras will be blown by the wind to spread the good will and compassion into all pervading space. Therefore, prayer flags are thought to bring benefit to all.

The I-81 Challenge

Here is a new website I have just come across (or at least it is new to me), although the subject is not new. What the heck to do with the viaduct portion of I-81 on the south side of Syracuse now that it is reaching the end of its built life and is going to need tons of money pumped into it?

Well some folks argue that it should just be taken down, and traffic routed around Syracuse via Rt 481, leaving a more pedestrian friendly and connected neighborhood and city, especially bridging the gap between University Hill and downtown.

The website doesn't have much content yet, but it might be worthwhile keeping an eye on.
The I-81 Challenge

Newest Umbrella Acquisition

This is my newest umbrella acquisition, from the Volunteers of America store in Auburn, NY. It was priced at $4, but I was able to get it down to $3 just by asking them if that price was the best that they can do.

Quite a good deal actually, especially considering I paid $2 for the folding gold lame Totes 'brella I picked up a few weeks back. This one has much more charm and sophistication to it, is made of cloth, and the wooden handle is stamped "Made in Italy". I think I got a keeper, someone else thought so too, as it is well used, but should still provide me lots of cover for the whole $3 I paid for it.

Can't wait to try it out when the rains start back again!

Clean Cities FY09 Petroleum Reduction Technologies Projects for the Transportation Sector

Anybody out there know anybody out there who would be interested in pursuing these monies for better alternatives to petroleum transportation structures. Just a shout out in the dark about a funding opportunity.

http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&flag2006=false&oppId=45498

Instruction posted for how to use the new-fangled hanging bike racks at SUNY-ESF. Any one out there know what the name of this kind of rack is or who manufactures it?











The hanging bikes in action at ESF, and underneath the eaves of the building, protected from the elements.














Though of course, it is Winter, and the majority of racks on campus are now nude, until the warm springy weather joins us again. How do you get students to bike more in the winter? Have a fender program on campus?

BikeCNY

"BikeCNY!" is a project of the Syracuse-Onondaga Cycling Coalition, a member-directed organization advocating for bike lanes, bike routes, and shared roadways throughout the Syracuse Metropolitan Area."

I must confess I do not know much about the workings of BikeCNY. I know a guy named Pete who is involved though and maybe it would be worthwhile paying more attention to their efforts and using my blog here as another source for distributing news from these guys. News hasn't been updated unfortunately since October 24, 2008. And the Google Groups email list for BikeCNY hasn't been active since Nov 20, 2008 wither. But there is an upcoming meeting scheduled, so they must still be relatively active - "Our next meeting will be on Monday March 23, at 7:30pm. It will be at 412 Kensington Rd. in Syracuse"

There is a lot of valuable info on the site though, so I do recommend checking it out. And they have a a cool Google Map about the proposed bicycle grid in Syracuse too.

A Thursday and Friday of Non-Walking

So it's a bummer when work demands my use of a car. I guess it doesn't demand it, but I have not taken the time to figure out the most efficient way otherwise to transport display materials over distances without my car. Thursday night was the Northside Business Reception at St. Joe's hospitals beautiful waterfall conference room. (Dang, I didn't get a pic of that, but I did of my Green Energy Aware program display).

And that display is what I'm talking about here. I need to carry the big display board, two boxes of materials for distribution, and the laptop set-up. I guess a bike trailer could work, but I don't have one as of now, and it would have to be pretty weatherproof against the rain and snow.

Then Friday, I set up at the SBDC Survive and Thrive session at Onondaga Community College. I guess I could take the bus and lug all this stuff onto the bus with me, but I haven't rode the public buses here in Syracuse before, so I would need to familiarize myself with the routes/system and get myself acclimated to the experience.

So in both cases I used my car. At least I get paid mileage for going to OCC!

Transportation Alternatives

This site is the grail for the dealio I'm talking about here on my blog, they cover it all relating to biking, walking, and public transport from the advocacy and promotions point of view.

Although TA focuses on New York City, there is a ton of great info for learning how to advocate in your own city. The Resources page provides useful links, and the Campaigns page provides lots of inspiration for action here in Syracuse. Check it out.

Freedom to Discover

Although I love riding my bicycle, and I could easily get to work in 5 minutes with it (though I like the fact that 20 minutes walk gives me a better workout than 5 minutes of riding), it really is true that you see and discover more if you slow down, and in my case walk.

Take for instance this little patch of green space along N. Salina St. You could drive or bike past it every day, and unless you stopped, you wouldn't know it. But even if you are just walking by, you have enough time to absorb its essence and its purpose, and even scan the sign even if you don't stop to read the whole thing (which is what I did today).




Turns out that this route is part of "The Freedom Trail", yep that's what I discovered today. And it's all about Syracuse as the "Central Depot" of the Underground Railroad. More about the Freedom Trail can be found here: http://www.pacny.net/freedom_trail/

I think I'll stop and read the whole sign next time through :)

Tools for Walking to Work

This is my newest umbrella. I bought it at the Salvation Army store in Auburn. It is gold and makes me feel like Bea Arthur when I carry it. It cost me $2.99 and is Totes brand. I took it into the office today and hung it on a coat rack. It is now my emergency umbrella for when I don't take my best umbrella into the office in the morning.

Show me your umbrella, I just showed you one of mine :)

Buried Treasure

Amidst the drift of ice and snow;
lies buried treasure deep below.

But this is a treasure you won't come searching for soon. Unfortunately, at this time of the year, when the ice and snow melts away, the treasure often finds you, and the bottom of your shoe.

I'm talking about dog shit (or poo for the sensitive eyes and ears out there). I don't want to single any park out, but I just happened to be walking past James McGroarty Park on the Northside the other day just after the big thaw, and lo and behold, treasure abounded.

View of the treasure on the sidewalk surrounding James McGroarty Park.











A bonus image of treasure up close, just for you my reader :)











Poo bag post, with missing poo bag holder.











I don't think I need to mention that dog poo can contain pathogens such as roundworm, giardia, and E. coli; can burn grass with high levels of nitrogen; and can pollute lakes and streams from runoff (some estimate contributing up to 30% of water pollution in an urban environment).

Let's get real people, clean up after yourself. Reasons to scoop, from thewagway.com:

1. To Protect local water quality

2. To Protect our children from disease

3. To Monitor your dog’s health

4. To Respect our community and the visitor experience

Umbrella for Hire?

I have to admit I did not give 1 iota of thought today to the fact that it might rain. I mean, it has literally been below freezing temperature-wise for the past 6-8 weeks, zilch chance of the wet stuff. So when I would head out to walk to work during this period, all I had to make sure of is that I was warm enough.

So I find myself stuck at the office, staring out the window at a constant drip, with an appointment about 15 minutes walk away coming up, and no umbrella. Where oh where did my little 'brella go, oh where oh where can it be? I know exactly where it is, at home right inside the front door of my apartment.

I recently went thrifting for bowls to eat lunch out of here at the office. We had exactly one bowl before that, I guess I'm the only one who likes bowls here. So I picked up a set and brought them in. Now I am never bowl-less at lunch time. Guess I might need to do the same with some umbrellas :>)

On the Road Again.....

Back in the day, I had a blog.
http://bicyclecommutingnow.blogspot.com/. It was about bicycle commuting. My highs and lows. My challenges and triumphs. My stories. I was biking about 4 miles to work and then 4 miles home. I moved to a new city. I lived too close to work and school, and I walked a lot more than I biked. The blog floundered. It is time for a resurrection, and an expansion of consciousness. Welcome to a new and improved blog, about alternatives in Syracuse, NY.