Jack Edinger, a fellow board member at the Durham Bike Co-op, and Anne Fairchild are the next Bull City Bikers.

What bike(s) do you own and ride regularly?
Anne: Trek multi track 730 w/ plastic crate attached!
Jack: Currently ride a 1983 Trek 630 fixed-gear conversion. I also have an ever-changing fleet of frames and project bikes. I counted nine bikes in my workshop this morning, four of which are built up.

What's your primary flavor of riding?
Anne: Commuting, tooling around town, occasionally for fitness
Jack: Daily commuter, weekend errand-runner: road bike flavor. I occasionally do some mountain biking, but it's been a while.

What's the length and frequency of your average ride?
Anne: I typically ride about 15 min. six times a week at least
Jack: Too short, only a few miles to work - but I ride back home for lunch. I would guess I ride an average 20 miles per week commuting, plus a few extra miles on the weekends. I try to make up for my short commute by riding in all weather conditions, year-round.

Why did you start riding and why do you still ride?
Anne: I always biked around my neighborhood growing up. As a young adult in the mid nineties I thought mountain bikes were "cool" and purchased one thinking I would ride it, but in hindsight it was mostly about image. Now I have a utilitarian bike that I ride to get around town easily, reduce my carbon emissions, save money, and to keep as active as I can. I also like being a part of the world when I am riding as opposed to being trapped in a steel can.
Jack: I started riding bikes at a very early age - was very much into BMX as a kid. I lived close to elementary school and would sometimes bike to school. I was the youngest of four boys, who all had bike-boom-era 'ten speeds', they were undoubtedly the reason I started cycling.

I also rode to class when I was an undergrad at UNC, until my bike was stolen when I was a senior. I didn't replace it, and consequently did not ride much - if at all - for many years. Four years ago, my wife Anne and I moved closer to my job at Duke and I started riding again. My first commuter bike was her old mountain bike! It was then that my passion for cycling was renewed. I soon discovered the joy of fixed-gear and was hooked.

What's the most unusual thing you've seen while out for a ride?
Anne: An orange cone w/ a face painted on it at the intersection of Hillsborough and Carolina where I cut through to get to work because the road is blocked off to cars. Who made it and why? It has been useful keeping the Duke lot overflow cars from parking so that we can still bike through the narrow passageway.
Jack: I wouldn't say I have seen anything unusual, other than typical Durham quirkiness. My wife now commutes to her job on Ninth Street, and I work on East Campus, so we often cross paths when I'm riding back home for lunch as she heads to work in the afternoon. That's the best, getting a kiss on my commute!

How would your world be different if you wake up tomorrow and there are no more cars?
Anne: I think my world would change a lot less than the average person. I can get about everywhere I go by bike. I would have to work a lot harder to see my family in Chapel hill I guess.
Jack: My world wouldn't change that much... I suppose my summer commutes wouldn't be so hot! We'd probably be a lot busier at the bike co-op as well.

What's one thing Durham could do to become more bike friendly?
Anne: Bike racks on Ninth St. and driver education about bicycles so they don't act so scared around us!
Jack: More of everything: bike racks, lane striping, dedicated bikeways, driver education, you name it! I personally think Durham is headed in the right direction and has made significant progress towards this goal in recent years. I have faith and confidence in a bike-friendly future for the Bull City. The one thing that we really need, however, is the political will to make it happen. That, and more folks on bikes.

Posted by nicomachus at 8:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I first met Ken Kaye, 45, after he emailed me about his plans to bike the Outer Banks with his son. We met up at the Durham Bike to Work Week breakfast, and he told me what an incredible experience his barrier island tour had been. He has plans for a cross-country bike trek, but for now he's settling for overnight camping trips by bike.

You can check out the full details on his father/son bike tour over at crazy-guy-on-a-bike.

Ken, what bike(s) you own and ride regularly?
I'm down to one, and it's an all-rounder. 2006 Trek 520 touring bike, complete with rear rack and fenders.

What's your primary flavor of riding?
I do a combination of family rides on the ATT, 10 mile commutes (roundtrip) and training rides for Tour de Cure and MS150.

What's the length and frequency of your average ride?
A family ride or commute will be 10-12 miles. A club/training ride will be 20-40 miles, whenever I can fit it in.

Why did you start riding and why do you still ride?
I came back to cycling at age 40 when my dad asked me what I wanted for my big birthday. I had been taking Spinning classes at GSK and realized how much I had missed being on a bike, so I asked for a bicycle. I still ride for many reasons. It's an analog experience in a digital world, it sets my inner 10 year old free, and it gives me a greater chance of seeing another birthday.

What's the most unusual thing you've seen while out for a ride?
In this area, there are bison on a farm out on Cornwallis/Mt. Herman Church Road going toward Hillsborough. Makes me smile every time I see them in the pasture.

How would your world be different if you wake up tomorrow and there are no more cars?
It would be a very interesting experience getting the kids to school and getting myself to work on time. Cycling for errands, groceries, commuting, etc, is wonderful until you factor kids into the equation, especially small ones.

What's one thing Durham could do to become more bike friendly?
Commit the money that has been authorized to build the bike/pedestrian bridge over I-40 near Southpoint, and pave the southern portion of the ATT from Southpoint to the Chatham county line. That would give us a "spine" running all the way up to the DBAP. Doing these things will encourage family and commuting rides in the southern part of the county, which is growing very strongly right now. Do it already!

Posted by nicomachus at 7:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Eunice Chang, 28, learned to ride a bike not long ago. Nevertheless, she's hooked. In addition to wearing suggestive T-shirts, Eunice's skills include photography and making the "pupscicles" for Locopops.

So, Eunice, what bikes do you own and ride regularly?
A Breezer Uptown 8, U-frame. I call it Gale the Maroon Marauder.

What's your primary flavor of riding?
Mostly commuting, though the overall flavor is to have fun. if it ain't fun, don't ride.

What's the length and frequency of your average ride?
It depends on the seasons. In this land of mostly-summer, I'd say, about twice a week, mostly weekends, with an average of 5 miles, sometimes more depending on what I plan to do on weekends. I drive on weekdays so I try to make the weekend car free as much as possible.

Why did you start riding and why do you still ride?
Short answer: Because I had to and because it's fun.

I still ride because it's fun but also because it's extremely practical to bike in North Carolina, the land of mostly-summers. Being a born and raised New Englander, I've never really been used to the heat, and I'm prone to heatstrokes. Walking forces me to stay outside in the heat for much longer, and takes more time to get somewhere. Biking offers me a quick, efficient, gas-free way to get around, as well as providing those rare breezes to cool me down. That and it is much nicer to come back to a warm bike seat than a burning hot metal car.

What's the most unusual thing you've seen while out for a ride?
Smells. My favorite riding season is spring-- the air is rich with scents of wisteria, jessamine, honeysuckle, and just about every flowering thing. Sometimes I'll smell someone's dinner or burning chimneys.

Probably the most unusual thing while I've been out for a ride is a old preserve in Christchurch, New Zealand. The preserve had the original species from when the British first started colonies and is protected from the outside by gated cages (it's open to air and sunshine, but not to invading bugs or other critters). Very rare sight, especially so when most of the world's landscapes are changing.

How would your world be different if you wake up tomorrow and there are no more cars?
Throw a party. Cancel my gym membership, because then I'd have to bike 6 miles each way, 12 miles per day to work. Probably get another Xtracycle so my partner and I can haul more stuff around if we have to. I'd also garden vegetables more often and be efficient about my grocery trips. I'd also bake more often because I would certainly need the fuel!

And I would be far less cranky because not only does biking as exercise provide endorphins, I wouldn't have to put up with dangerous drivers.

What's one thing Durham could do to become more bike friendly?
Educate people that streets are for all forms of mass transit, whether it be on foot, two, three, four, six, or eight wheels. I feel that Durham is stuck in a "streets are for cars only" mentality. There's been progress, but most of these are made by dedicated bicyclists. I would love for everyone to understand that cars are not the only form of transit available and that they are not always necessary, and that in the near future they may very well lose their dominance on the streets as oil supply declines. Also, drivers need to understand that Durham is a city where most sidewalks end and thus provides very few options for people who do not drive...other than the street. They need to learn how to share and to be careful and considerate of pedestrians and bicyclists.

I would love Durham streets to look more like Netherlands or Denmark in terms of bike lanes, but I understand that involves a lot of money. I sigh when I read in the paper that much of the public transportation funds are being invested in making roads wider in order to alleviate congestion. You'd think that if you wanted less cars on the roads you'd have to provide car-free alternatives that are easily accessible, like park and ride rail stations, or even park and ride bus stations, instead of providing even more roads for even more cars, thus not really solving the problem of congestion. Basically, Durham should invest in more available public transit, which will result in less cars, which in turn will result in more bike friendly streets.

Posted by nicomachus at 12:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Durham residents aren't the only ones who tap into to Durham's bike-culture. Even visitors, like Gary Macy of San Diego, know the Bull City's bike-friendliness and let it change their ways while in town. Macy, 56, is a professor of theology and religious studies at the University of San Diego. He spent last year on sabbatical at the National Humanities Center, in North Carolina. That's when his love of biking was born.

Bike(s) you own and ride regularly
I used to ride a Trek 7300. I really miss it. Sigh.

What's your primary flavor of riding?
I like just tootling along a bike path, or a road with a bike path. I like to enjoy the weather, the scenery and the exercise.

What's the length and frequency of your average ride?
While at the Center, I rode 14.5 miles 3 or 4 times a week.

Why did you start riding and why do you still ride?
I started riding by accident. I rented a bike in Durham, NC while on sabbatical and loved it. I went out, bought my own bike and rode it for the entire time I was in Durham. I parted with the bike with great sorrow. I don't ride in San Diego. After much thought and a great deal of research, I decided it was just too dangerous.

What's the most unusual thing you've seen while out for a ride?
Probably the top of a steep hill appearing magically, without much puffing and blowing and strain. There are moments biking when you and the bike seem to be still and road is moving beneath you. I remember that from rowing, too. It is always a joy and a surprise when it happens.

How would your world be different if you wake up tomorrow and there are no more cars?
My ride to work would be delightful. I could bike again! My other trips would be a horror. San Diego's public transportation is very limited, slow and unreliable.

What's one thing your home town could do to become more bike friendly?
San Diego could make the bike lanes really safe for bikes. On one of the roads I would have to take to work, the bike lane is used by cars as a separate lane, and frankly, I just can't pedal fast enough to get out of the way when the cars are going fifty miles an hour (see puffing and blowing above). Our police are underpaid and understaffed, since the city is several million dollars in debt. There is little hope that the laws about bike lanes will be enforced anytime soon.

Posted by nicomachus at 11:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Even though I got behind and am posting this in April, there is a March Bull City Biker. And his name is Michael Bérubé.

Now, some of you may already know him for one of at least two reasons... first, he's a professor of Literature and Cultural studies at Penn State University. A leader in academia, he's well published in his field and engaged in a perpetual debate with conservative "academic" pundit David Horowitz over whether there can be an articulate and sound anti-war movement in this country. Second, he's a reknown blogger who occasionally even blogs about cycling. Example.

For the month of March, Bérubé endured a short-term fellowship at the National Humanities Center. After an incident where he backed his car into the NHC Director's car, he decided to stick to his original plan and bike to work. He lived downtown and rode a borrowed bike along the American Tobacco Trail and the Cornwallis Rd bike lanes to get to Research Triangle Park.

Since he's a cyclist and famous blogger, I thought it would be fun to make him the March Bull City Biker and see what he has to say about cycling and Durham.

I asked him first what bike(s) he owns and rides regularly...
The dang bike claims to be a Trek Clyde with a Bontrager frame, but the Clydes online don't look anything like mine. Maybe I have a decidedly ungangsterlike Clyde Commuter. But it's black and silver, and that looks cool.

What's your primary flavor of riding?
Commuting, Clyde-style.

What's the length and frequency of your average ride?
3-4 miles, two to four times a week once the central-Pennsylvania tundra recedes.

Why did you start riding and why do you still ride?
Because I live about a 20-minute walk from my campus office at Penn State, and I don't have the 40 minutes/day to spare. Driving in takes 3 minutes, parking takes another 5, and the walk from the parking garage is 10. The bus schedule is pegged to the sunspot cycle, I believe. Biking, by contrast, takes six minutes one way, ten the other. (It's all downhill to campus, and, strangely, all uphill home.)

What's the most unusual thing you've seen while out for a ride?
Well, I'd have to go back to my days biking around midtown Manhattan in the early 1980s, when on one occasion I saw a man walking a llama up Sixth Avenue.

How would your world be different if you wake up tomorrow and there are no more cars?
First I'd pocket a couple thousand dollars in auto insurance costs (I have a 19-year-old son), and then I'd buy me a bike that has more than four speeds. These central-Pennsylvania hills demand some serious shifting.

What's one thing Durham could do to become more bike friendly?
Through a short-term visitor's eyes? It would help if downtown didn't look and ride like an archaeological dig. But that Tobacco Trail rocks.

Posted by nicomachus at 10:28 AM | Permalink

February's Bull City Biker is Danielle Newton (27), a local mountain bike racer who's originally from California. Not afraid of the dark, she's the organizer of this winter's weekly night ride on the American Tobacco Trail.

What's your primary flavor of riding?
I'm a mountain biker at heart. I was a tomboy growing up, and I guess I still kind of am. I crave dirt, logs, roots and the sound of leaves crunching under my tires. But I spend a lot of time training for cross country mountain bike races by riding my cyclocross bike on the fire roads at Umstead State Park and the Duke Forest. I sometimes ride on the road, but it's not nearly as much fun as ripping through tight singletrack and riding over a log pyramid! I also sometimes ride my bike to coach my swim team, and I will do more of that once the weather warms up.

What's the length and frequency of your average ride?
In the middle of my race season last year, I rode 4-5 days a week -- most rides were about 2 hours. Right now, I'm in my base building period, so I'm just riding for fun with no real schedule. I'm not using a heart rate monitor, and I'm trying to learn how to climb at a moderate pace, because I'm a pedal-masher freak when it comes to climbing!

Why did you start riding and why do you still ride?
I've always enjoyed riding, but I didn't get serious about it until my parents bought me a new bike after I graduated high school in 1996. I was 17 years old, craving solo adventure and just something bigger than I'd ever done before. I remember my first big ride - I rode from Dixon to Vacaville (in Northern California, where I'm from) and back in a couple of hours. My Mom yelled at me when I got back home, said it wasn't safe for a young woman to ride that far by herself.

I rode everywhere - to classes, to work, to the library. I joined the Chico State Cycling Team my sophomore year and raced a ton from 1997-2000. I'm still riding and racing after all these years because it's so much fun. There's nothing more fun than getting out in nature, feeling the wind on my face as my heart beats out of my chest on a gnarly climb. It's just plain FUN -- that's why I ride.

What's the most unusual thing you've seen while out for a ride?
For about a year after September 11th, whenever I'd ride my bike from Sausalito to San Francisco going over the Golden Gate Bridge, I'd have to ride past fully armed National Guardsmen on bridge watch. When I'd stop in the middle of the bridge to look out at the ships coming into the Bay, I could feel their eyes on me, as if they were sure I was going to reach into my Camelback and pull out a bomb or something. I understood why they had to be there, but it sure did give me the heebie-jeebies.

Speaking of guns and arms, I do remember seeing a real skeleton posed with an AK-47, complete with rounds hanging off it, in someone's front yard. I was way out in the middle of nowhere, near Pescadero, CA. I guess that was their way of saying, "No Trespassing".

How would your world be different if you wake up tomorrow and there are no more cars?
I'd have to ride to work, back and forth 2 times a day, because I work a few hours in the morning and few hours in the evening. I'd also have to build up a "townie" bike with a big basket on the front, for getting groceries and stuff. I wouldn't get flipped the bird, honked at or have to breathe exhaust fumes during my rides into work. I'd have to leave for the Tsali race a week in advance, in order to ride there and not be too tired to race by the time I got there. Come to think of it, this all sounds like fun! When's this gonna happen?

What's one thing Durham could do to become more bike friendly?
Durham needs to expand its open space greenway trails to include some that go from the east side of town to downtown.

Danielle's stable of bikes includes a 2006 Marin Mill Valley cyclocross bike, a 2005 Marin Mount Vision Pro full suspension race bike, and a 2002 Marin Team Issue hardtail race bike. Does she like Marin? I'd say so.

(Danielle, on a recent night ride, demonstrates her trademark dismount.)

Posted by nicomachus at 2:52 PM | Permalink

I've realized two things while doing interviews for the Herald Sun as The Outspokin' Cyclist: first, that cyclists are always interesting people with stories to tell; second, that I don't have the space to tell them all in print.

But the web is rarely ever restricted by space... so beginning today, I'm launching an online series of interviews with Durham cyclists. I'll ask each Bull City Biker the same six questions, and through their answers we might shape a more complete picture of who's out there riding in Durham.

A stranger when I stopped him on his way to work one morning, Robert Weeks (45) is a bike fanatic, so he was game to answer a few questions – no matter how strange.

What's your flavor of riding?
Commuting, Road, Family Recreation

What's the length and frequency of your average ride?
12 - 14 miles, 4 - 5 times a week

Why did you start riding and why do you ride still?
When I was a child in NJ and as an adult in NYC I rode or walked pretty much everywhere. I moved to Durham in 1997 and didn't ride regularly for a long time after that. It seemed like drivers here didn't know what to do around cyclists, and it looked pretty scary to be the person on the bike.

I think I started riding this time around for my health. I have a wonderful wife and a four-year-old son whom I'm crazy about. We also have a baby coming this summer so I want to try to be around for as long as I can. I spend my days sitting in front of a computer, which isn’t what the human body was designed to do, and it has taken its toll on my body as I get older. Riding my bike is such a welcome change from the sedentary computer/car passive lifestyle. I get to feel like a kid again, I get to challenge myself physically, and I get a great endorphin thing going when I ride. If I skip a day now I really miss it, so I'm usually out there riding regardless of the weather. I guess this is the form my mid-life crisis is taking. It could be much worse.

What's the most unusual thing you've seen while out for a ride?
There are these days when I’m riding to work where most of the pedestrians and cyclists are smiling and saying hello to each other. It’s such a great way to start the day. You don’t get that random human interaction when you are in a car.

How would your world be different if you wake up tomorrow and there are no more cars?
Hmm, I guess I'd have to ride all of the way into work and back. My commute would probably be a lot safer, but it might be a bit brutal pulling my son on the trail-a-bike for 40 miles a day. We'd probably need to invest in a good horse and buggy to supplement the bicycles.

What's one thing Durham could do to become more bike friendly?
It does seem like Durham is moving in the direction of being more bike friendly lately. The ATT and the new bike lanes really enhance the quality of life here. I’d love it if the 501 Corridor trail became a reality in the not too distant future but that isn’t looking very likely these days.

The one thing I think would really help the most is more driver education. I don't think many drivers realize that bicycles are vehicles with full rights to the road in NC. If the state DMV would put questions about this on the drivers license and license renewal tests, I'd think that would be a great first step in educating drivers. I've had people in cars yell at me to get on the sidewalk and much worse. They seem to have no idea that cyclists are actually allowed to be riding in the road or how to drive when there is a cyclist near them.

One last thing idea is to install a public restroom along the ATT, one that is large enough to bring your bike in with you.

Robert's bikes
1998 Trek 950 (pictured), 2000 Trek 2000, Adams Trail-a-Bike, 2005 Schwinn Pea Picker reissue

Posted by nicomachus at 10:48 AM | Permalink