WriteSmith.com » Cycling

When the day appears dark

Ed Smith — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 23:46:21 +0000

In his booklet “Road Vogue” on bicycling safely, Wayne Pein quotes Sir Arthur Conan Doyal from an article published in Scientific America in 1896. Now, when you mix the author of Sherlock Holmes with science and cycling, I get all happy. The quote itself is worth repeating here:

“When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, whenwork becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking.” Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, in an 1896 article for Scientific America.

Bicycling to the dentist

Ed Smith — Mon, 10 May 2010 15:30:43 +0000

I almost didn’t get up in time, but I managed to out the door with just enough time to make it to the dentist by bicycle. When I got here, I realized it would have saved me no more than 10 or 12 minutes to come by car.

Cycle Fresno Urban Bicycle Tours

Ed Smith — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:05:06 +0000

I’ve had this idea in the back of my mind for the longest time. I think downtown Fresno is actually pretty cool. There are lots of interesting buildings and fun places to explore. Wouldn’t it be great to have a knowledgeable docent guide you around town, stopping at interesting places to talk about the history or significance of a certain building? Of course, the best way to do this is by bike, because there’s no way you can cover enough ground on foot. And doing this by car would be a comical exercise in frustration; hop in the car, drive, park, hop out, look, repeat.

This year I am going to develop bicycle tours for three specific events:

In May, we’ll have a fun tour of downtown, highlighting Armenian history.
In September, the second annual Tour de Fresno will include a fun tour of Old Fig Garden.
And in October, the City of Fresno is celebrating it’s anniversary with many fun activities, including a bike tour with official docents.

Next week I’m meeting with representatives from City of Fresno’s Traffic Engineering, Parks and Recreation, and Historic Preservation departments. I’ve already reserved a domain name for Cycle Fresno Urban Bicycle Tours, and when I meet with the City I intend to present a proposal for how this all can work. So stay tuned!