Today is Bike to Work Day, and the City of Austin pulled out all the stops another year in a row to show their appreciation to all the bike commuters out there.  Adam and I decided to take advantage of this holiday with a round-about ride into the office. We stopped in our hood at Bouldin Creek Coffee House, then meandered our way over to the Texas Bicycle Coalition. Free breakfast and bicycle talk all around! Please be Kind to Cyclists and League of Bicycling Voters made a presence handing out info and bike centric goodies. Austin designer, Ryan Rhodes had some seriously cool tshirts for sale for his new project Viva La Bicicleta. Buying one today.  What a great way to celebrate our bike friendly city AND get my workout in, all before 9am!

See you in the bike lane.
@BBrosLindsay

Austin is a pilot city for Daimler AG’s Car2Go car sharing program. They basically dropped a fleet of 200 Smart ForTwo cars on the city with a very smart reservation system powering the whole operation. I won’t go into details, but you can with help from this great little article by Kate X Messer.

Having recently sold a vehicle, I saw this Smart invasion as an opportunity to become a one car family again. My biking to work works on most days, the commute is only five miles one way. But what of early morning meetings where you need to show up dressed in more than lycra? The Car2Go program held out the promise of closing this gap. The buses in Austin simply don’t cut it. So this was my personal intermodal opportunity to seize. I signed up.

Now Car2Go isn’t cheap to use. But you have to hold it up against the real monthly cost of owning a vehicle. which is more than you think when you consider – your payment, annual registration, inspection, insurance, gas, maintenance, and time spent overseeing maintenance. This says nothing of environmental costs which vary depending on what you drive or how you get around. So when you do some accounting, the cost per minute model that Car2Go uses is put in it’s proper context.

And that’s really what this method of transport forces us to do – consider. Consider where we are going, when and why. Consider each trip. Consider the costs. I love this side effect. The forced consciousness. Riding a bike is much easier by comparison. But we do have to reconsider the whole matrix of how we get around and we all know it. So what are we willing to do as individuals, companies, and municipalities to drive efficiency up and environmental costs down? How grand will our vision be? The ideas can come from anywhere, and they need to.

Several years ago now Andrew Yates of Beef and Pie Productions asked if the Butler Bros would like to become a sponsor of their nascent cycling team. Filled with mountain bike masters, a few good roadies, and people who take having a good time seriously we knew it would be a great fit. Mike and Andrew (Beef and Pie) are old friends. We met Mike at GSD&M in the mid nineties when he was a copywriter and Andrew around the same time when he was a still shooter (he still is). Today they run a great production company that’s focused on both commercial work and documentary film. The rest of team Beef and Pie is stocked with designers, ad folks, a judge, lawyers, a scientist and entertainment types. It’s all very Austin and all very fun. We hope to see you in lycra soon.

Annick Beaudet project manager for the City of Austin’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Program asked us to help with laying down the “law” of the trail.

The trail is near and dear to our running shoes, bike tires, and BOB’s. Last year we designed the new identity for the Trail Foundation. While this poster was a much simpler project to execute there was some great learning…I wasn’t aware that the “speed limit” on the trail is 10 MPH for instance. Let’s just say it took me a little longer to ride into work today.

Big thank you to design partner Toby Sudduth for jumping in and creating the look for this poster at a moments notice. Keep your eyes peeled for it at local bike shops and blown up big this weekend on the trail.

And yes, we can all get along on the trail if we just take a minute to remember a few simple rules.

Happy Trails.

We are gathering a group of Austinites that can help him see this vision to fruition. As a bike friendly office with two full time bike commuters rolling in and out each day we’d love to see it go. If you want Austin on the B-Cycle map get off your Facebook and get over here. If you have any great ideas for how to drive grassroots awareness of this mission drop us a comment, tweet it, or just launch it into the universe in your own special way.

A – That depends on how you get to work Mr. Middle Class Small Business Owner.

Q – Well I ride my bike. I actually sold my car. So again what’s in the bailout for ME?

A - There’s this one thing I think you’ll like, you energy bar eating, bike riding hippie…hold on…(turning pages SFX)…Here it is. We call it Sec 211, “The transportation fringe benefit to bicycle commuters” and it goes a little something like this:

(i) QUALIFIED BICYCLE COMMUTING REIMBURSEMENT- The term `qualified bicycle commuting reimbursement means, with respect to any calendar year, any employer reimbursement during the 15-month period beginning with the first day of such calendar year for reasonable expenses incurred by the employee during such calendar year for the purchase of a bicycle and bicycle improvements, repair, and storage, if such bicycle is regularly used for travel between the employee’s residence and place of employment.

(ii) APPLICABLE ANNUAL LIMITATION- The term `applicable annual limitation means, with respect to any employee for any calendar year, the product of $20 multiplied by the number of qualified bicycle commuting months during such year.

(iii) QUALIFIED BICYCLE COMMUTING MONTH- The term `qualified bicycle commuting month means, with respect to any employee, any month during which such employee’
(I) regularly uses the bicycle for a substantial portion of the travel between the employee’s residence and place of employment, and

A cute commute.

Inspired by the genius of Copenhagen Cycling Chic and bikeportland.org, along a bit of a Texas twist, you get The Cute Commute Calendar. Afterall, who can go wrong with a calendar full of cute chicks on bikes? Especially ones that could drop you on a hill and look good doing it.

The calendar features a variety of cute local Austin bicyclist chicks who ride for transportation, racing, and recreation. Photogaphy is courtesy of local professional photographers including previous Butler Bros intern JB Sauceda. Currently in production, the calendar itself will be designed by the Bros, showcasing six Austin photographers, and 15 of Austin’s own cute bicycling gals.

What started as a suggestion from AB, “Hey, how about a project with something related to bicycles. You like bicycles”, has exploded into collaboration of many individuals associated with the cycling community. I am continually amazed and excited by the enthusiasm of individuals I have met in the month and a half the project has been in existence, not to mention how interesting they all are as people who ride bikes.

When I announced a bikeSummit in my own home, I had 16 of the most diverse bicyclists arrive at my doorstep (by bicycle) to have a productive AND positive conversation about the cycling community over dinner. There was a web programmer from Oakhill sitting next to one of the unofficial leaders of Critical Mass, sitting next to a bicycle shop owner, sitting next to a bicycle messenger, sitting next to a PHd candidate at UT, sitting next to a… And it was one of the most informative, exciting conversations I had the chance to be a part of.

So what’s in store the next couple of months?

The photographers will start shooting the lovely ladies later on this week and on through September. In the mean time the Bros will be designing the look/feel of the calendar and I will be recruiting resources to produce the final print version of the calendar by the end of October. Why the end of October? Because with the launch of The Cute Commute Calendar will be the launch of the bike+austin website. Sneaky huh.

The purpose of bike+austin is to unite new and experienced Austin cyclists by connecting existing facets of the Austin cycling community including advocacy, transportation, racing, and recreation. Bike+austin also strives to inspire the general public to view cycling and cyclists as a valuable part of the transportation ecosystem.

The goal of the website is to create an interactive virtual space for the community to find useful, current information regarding all things cycling in Austin. Bike+austin will feature local bicycle rider profiles to create a positive, personal connection between the general Austin public and the cycling community. Bike+austin will also include a calendar listing various cycling events, and a space to report stolen bicycles and aggressive driver situations.

The current atmosphere of the cycling community consists of fractioned groups that have minimal dialogue with one another. While the increase of gas prices and interest in cycling for transportation has started some lines of communication, no central information hub connects everything cycling in Austin together in a simple, yet appealing way.

In the meantime, my gal pals and I will be hitting the streets in our cute, cute, cute sundresses as we commute to work, the grocery store, the spa, for errands, for fitness, and for FUN. Come join us and be a part of something amazing.

M

bikeaustin@gmail.com

Mmmmm. What a combo. Team Beef and Pie gathered in Blanco Texas for the Real Ale Ride this past weekend. The promise of beer and sparsely traveled roads is all the inspiration the team needed to set the alarm clocks early. Well that and the fact that Pure Austin owner and B+P team rider Beto Boggiano was a major event sponsor and was brewing B+P’s own blend coffee out of the PA Airstream. Could I have chosen a better team to roll with? No. See the images provided by Mike Woolf here.

Thanks to everyone who helped me exceed my fundraising goal of $2500 for the Livestrong Challenge!

Wanted to share a little bit about the day:

We saddled up early and headed to Dripping Springs. The ride started at 7:30 AM. Truth be told a friend and I went off a little early. We thought, why not lead out Lance! So for us the ride started peacefully in the rolling hills on the county roads of central Texas. The sunrise was beautiful. Massive rays reaching up through an enormous bank of high clouds. Longhorns lazing behind barbed wire. People from out of state definitely got there money’s worth on the Texas scenery front.

The wind was blowing fairly hard early, which makes one a little nervous when riding a hilly 90 mile course, but it felt great. It looked like a winter day though the temp was in the mid seventies. We cruised along through the first couple of power stops sponsored by Power Bar.

When we hit the third aid station, in Wimberley, we were about 30 miles into the ride. We stopped and were greeted by a fantastic group of volunteers. As they were helping us with our bikes a brightly colored and fast moving train whooshed by. It was Lance and the lead group. That was the last we saw of them all day. We got back on and started pedaling. My buddy Colin, who works for the LAF, pulled me through a long gradual climb, into a head wind, on the way into Blanco. I’m sure I retuned the favor at some point… Around mile 40 we started connecting with more riders. This was a lot of fun. People were really hammering so we got caught up in that for awhile. We agreed not to get caught up in that again. Didn’t think we could hold 25 mph for another 45 miles.

The aid station at mile 52 had folks dressed in Poodle skirts. Elvis was blaring. Good times. The atmosphere at this ride, especially emanating from the volunteers, is one of gratitude. Many of these folks are cancer survivors and they know how to seize the day. They gave great energy and always said, “Thank you for riding.” To which I always responded, “Thanks for the PB&J”

Around mile 70 I was hoping to see mile 89. Getting tired. Lots of riders from the shorter routes were feeding into the 90 mile course. It was fun. Everybody was huffing and puffing and urging each other on. The sun was coming out now, it was a little after noon as we hit the last five mile stretch and popped out onto 290 heading east. We made the turn into Dripping Springs High and the crowds were there cheering and welcoming us back. I must admit I felt a little veclempt. I thought of everyone that had supported me via their donations. I told my buddy Colin (see photo above) that doing the ride made me proud of the people I know, that they would take time to give. He responded by saying, “That’s why I do what I do.” I understood.

Thanks for your support. The Austin Challenge raised $3.7 million!

Marty and I have talked quite a bit about how biking to work is the silver bullet solution for so many of the “problems” facing our country today. Here is a list of things a simple cycle to work checks off:

1. reducing your carbon footprint
2. reducing our dependence on foreign oil
3. reducing traffic congestion
4. reducing the need for a bypass later in life

Marty believes full time bicycle commuters should receive massive tax breaks. I wouldn’t disagree with that based on my proclivity to pedal places. Instead of waiting for the government to catch up with our big ideas we’ve decided to act locally, very locally. Hence forth every time one our own bikes to work they will also count a five dollar contribution from us into their IRA. Helmets are mandatory, spandex is optional.