We had a crazy wind storm yesterday and everything was blown about. And today I found the juxtaposition of things human-made and those natural to be an interesting combination. Here’s a few things I saw. From top-to-bottom:
A rotten apple in the middle of the street. A small fabric ball on a rock. A sock in a bush. A thistle that survived yesterday’s wind and was still swaying in today’s.
Beautiful isn’t it? It’s a slice of a loaf of Ezekiel Bread I made yesterday and had for breakfast and lunch today. It’s airy but not too airy…firm enough to make a nice sandwich bread but at the same time soft enough that most people–even those used to supermarket bread–would enjoy it. You can see specks of beans visible in the cross section. But this is another example how you can really play with the basic recipe…adding or subtracting ingredients as you like (without upsetting the basic bread structure). What’s different about this particular loaf is not what I left out of the recipe but what I added…a cooked and diced sweet potato. Why, you may ask? Simply because it had been sitting in my fridge for a few days and I wanted to use it up. It adds a bit more softness and flavor to the bread and at the same time mashes in and becomes part of it, barely detectable.
OK, first a couple things. The title of this post is a bit incorrect…it should read how I ride a bike, but I didn’t want it to sound too self-centric (but isn’t that what everyone’s blogs are about…themselves). And the photo above is not recent; it is one I took last spring when I had to move my bikes from my living room for spring cleaning (yes I keep my bikes off to the side in the main living space of my house…don’t you). But they are still the same bikes I ride; from back-to-front…the Yuba Mundo (a cargo bike and still my favorite everyday bike), my winter bike (an old Trek which I bought at a flea market and fixed up and outfitted with fenders and racks), and a Dahon folder (which I use for quick zips around town and bring on day trips to Toronto).
I guess that the main reason for this post is the current topic of gas prices. In my neck of the woods it has hit about $4/gal and is expected to go higher and there are many areas of the country where it is already higher. And yes, to my European friends reading this, I am aware that it is twice that already (so why do we Americans whine about it…because we are spoiled). Anyhow, why you may ask, am I writing about the price of gas on a simple-living/pro-bicycle blog…well the answer is obvious isn’t it. One of the solutions, I really believe, is to hop on a bike (just one of the solutions). I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I don’t mind the price of gas going up, but also that it didn’t effect me (a little). For the first time ever this past week I filled up the tank in my truck (or nearly filled it up). I’ve owned this particular vehicle for nearly 4 years and have never filled it from empty to full…well you can imaging how surprised I was when I stopped filling at $65 (US) and there was still room for more. The reason I put gas in it was that I am planning a couple-hundred-mile trip next week…otherwise a tank full of gas like this would last me at least a month, likely longer.
Anyhow, I’m assuming that if you are a regular visitor to this blog you already support green/human-powered propulsion…but if not, this post is for you. Here’s how to ride a bike (or at least how I do it)…a few suggestions.
Firstly–and this may sound obvious but it’s not necessarily the case–get a bike that fits you well and is comfortable to ride in ordinary clothing…get a bike that is fun to ride and one you enjoy riding. When I see people riding hunched over or with seats that are way too low it makes me cringe, and racing bikes that require spandex clothing are fine for the weekend warrior but to ride every day and in all conditions a bike where you sit up straight–and with fenders and racks to carry your stuff–is not only more comfortable but also way more fun (just my humble opinion).
Next–and this may be the most difficult part–change your mindset. Don’t think of riding a bike as just a weekend adventure–or even worse, a chore–think of it as a viable means of transportation, especially if you live in a city or town. This is actually what inspired me to start this blog more than four years ago…to ride a bike (rather than use a car) anywhere within a two mile radius of my house (click here for my original post). Do I keep this commitment religiously? Mostly, but not always. I use my truck about once a week, less in the summer months.
Living in a condensed area really is key to riding a bike as everyday transportation, I think (this would be much more difficult in a rural or suburban setting). I am fortunate to live in a closely populated neighborhood that has a score of 98 (out of 100) from Walkscore.com…meaning there are plenty basic–and not-so-basic–needs and necessities within walking/biking distance.
I of course could go on and on here, but I won’t (ok, maybe I’ll go on a bit longer)…the previous was the lecturing part, now here is where I get preachy.
Riding a bike to save gas money is just one of the many reasons an adult should ride a bike…for me it’s more of a bi-product. The real reason I ride, and I’ve posted this too many times to count (click here to read one), is that I enjoy it on so many levels. It makes me feel free. When I pedal and coast through traffic and see people trapped in their metal boxes (which they work so hard to make payments on) I sometimes feel sorry for them…that I wish they knew the joy of what it feels like to be on a bike (again) and out in the elements (and by that I mean all elements).
Today, for example, it was really something to be on a bike. It was not that cold (32F/0C) but it was very windy…crazy windy, wind gusts up to 70mph/112kph. I’d be lying again if I said it wasn’t difficult…but it certainly was exhilarating. At one point, when the wind was to my back, I was coasting and must have been doing more than 20mph/32kph. I was on a side street and weaved back and forth while I looked up to the sky and watched the tree tops sway in the wind.
Keep in mind that I am not a 20-something fixie kid…I turned 50 this past fall and still love to use a bike as my main transport. This may not be that uncommon to the Europeans reading this, but stateside it is a rarity…I know of only a few people my age in this city that choose to ride a bike when they can drive a car. This is not meant to be a braggart’s statement, I’m simply stating a fact.
Here’s an example of my day. I had a meeting at my church in the early after noon (2 miles each way), then after a quick lunch went to the health club for a steam-and-swim (1.5 miles). Then I rode and did some errands, shopping, stopped at a coffee shop, and for a couple beers (maybe 6 miles total). All the while I burned some calories, cleared my head, pedaled into and coasted with the wind, got the best parking spaces, and snickered as I passed petrol stations.
I really believe that if more adults would get on bikes they would remember how much fun they are to ride. Simple as that. Saving gas money is just a minor part in the bigger picture (for me).
I’ve posted the below video a few other times but I never tire of it. I came across it randomly a couple years ago. And in the event you’ve yet to see it I encourage you to take the 60 seconds to watch it. It could be me narrating it, but it’s not.
A gym bag full of wet clothes. A canvas bag containing–among other things–two books, a magazine, an extra camera, and a few pens and pencils. Eight small wine glasses, two Indian meal moth traps, and a red reflector on a 4ft/1.2m stick (for the front yard, not the bike). And also a full cup of hot coffee in the handlebar cup holder.
To see more in the Things That Can be Carried on a Bike series, click here.
A canvas bag (on the front rack) containing–among other things–a spare camera, a book, and a few recipes. A cardboard box (on the rear rack) containing 5lbs/2.2kg of whole wheat flour, 2 pints of spiced lentil soup, and two roast chicken dinners.
I really enjoy lentils….and I’m grateful that I do. Because not only are they super-healthy for you, they are also a great medium for all sorts of flavors and textures…and not just vegetarian recipes. Anyhow, a purveyor at work gave me a couple pounds of these lentils as a sample (pictured above)…beautiful aren’t they? I made the below soup recipe for staff lunch today…it was so good (if I do say so myself) I had a double serving. It’s also really easy to make. And while I used the above multi-colored lentils, any lentil will do…some just take longer to cook than others. The spices I used (pictured below and also listed in the recipe) are also interchangeable…add or subtract whatever suits your personal taste. And listed at the bottom of this post are a few links of other easy and delicious lentil recipes.
Spiced Lentil Soup
Makes about 3 quarts
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon whole fennel seed
1 teaspoon whole coriander seed
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 pound lentils (about a cup)
3 cups diced tomatoes
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
½ cup lemon juice
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in aheavy soup pot. Add the onion, carrot, bell pepper; saute untiltranslucent but not browned. Add the garlic and saute another minute.Lower the heat and add the curry, paprika, cumin, turmeric, fennel,coriander, and salt. Stir the spices for about a minute to bring outtheir flavor, than add the lentils; stirring to coat with the oil andspices. Add the tomatoes and broth; bring the soup to a boil thenlower to a simmer. Cook the soup for about 30 minutes, then add thelemon juice. Continue to simmer the soup for another 30 minutes, oruntil the lentils are very soft. If too much liquid evaporates addmore as needed.
For other lentil recipes on this blog follow these links:
I had a crazy chaotic day at work today…just one of those days. Busy all day. And when I left at around 4pm I was surprised to see that it was raining…a light but steady mist. It looked almost like fog. And after rushing around a kitchen all morning and afternoon it felt good to be outside; the mist felt good on my face. I am blessed in that the place that I work–while not the perfect job (but what job is)–is located in a beautiful century-old building and has a lovely walled-in garden just outside the back door. Anyhow, when I came out of the door–rather than hop on my bike right away–I looked at the things around me…needed a few minutes to decompress. Here’s a few things I saw.
This is by far my favorite mussel recipe. It is so delicious and so easy to make…simply put everything in a pan and cook it for a few minutes. I made this for staff lunch today at work. They can be eaten alone or served over pasta or rice (the recipe yields a delicious broth). Or if you want to be a Francophile you can eat them with French fries (moules frites). The only diversion I did from the recipe below was that I added a sliced lemon simply because I had it at hand.
Moules Marinière
Makes 4 servings.
3 pounds mussels, washed, rinsed,and de-bearded
1/2 cup white wine
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 plum tomatoes, diced
Sea salt and cracked blackpepper to taste
1 handful flat-leaf parsley, washedand chopped
Place all of the ingredients except theparsley in a low-sided pot or a very large skillet. Cover the pan andplace it over a fast flame. Cook the mussels, shaking the panoccasionally, until they open, then cook for an additional minute.Remove from the heat and sprinkle the parsley across the mussels.
I’ve posted this video in the past but not in a while. I thought I’d re-post in the event you haven’t seen it. When I first came across it I was mesmerized…I still am. I think it’s beautiful. Maybe it’s the music, I’m not sure. It captures the street scene more than a hundred years ago from the view of the front of a street car. The people look so happy…they were likely trying to be on film, something that was new at the time. One thing (one of the many things) I like about this film is the amount of bicycles that people are riding, which would also have been brand new at the time (at least the type they are riding, which are similar to those we still ride today). Anyhow, it’s a little over seven minutes long. Watch a little or sit back, sip some wine or a coffee…and be mesmerized.
If you’ve been to this blog before you know that besides riding bikes, cooking, taking photos, and looking up at the sky and wondering what it’s all about….I am also a “dog person.” That’s Maxwell (the blond one) and Franklin (the black one) pictured above. They’re brothers from the same parents but separate litters (Maxwell is older). I’ve posted pictures a few times before (click here) but the very first canine photo I posted was of my beloved Jack Black Kerouac (Jack) about four years ago. The reason I mention this is that I never thought I would have “small” dogs own me but they do. And the reason I wrote quotes around the word small is because pugs are said to be big dogs trapped in small dogs bodies…and it seems an appropriate statement. They are so expressive. Comical at times, but also serious. Maxwell carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. Pugs have a very long history, but to think that they are direct descendants of wolves–as all dogs are said to be–makes me laugh a little. Their main mission each day is to eat, crap, sleep, and play a little…but mostly seek affection from me. To come home after a long and sometimes annoying day at work and have these little guys (err…big boys) come up to me snorting and wagging their little curly tails is something really special. Anyhow, I took these photos today and thought I’d share (the pictures and my thoughts).
Well this is interesting. The above photo is a zoomed in version of one I posted yesterday (scroll down one post). It was one of a few photos I took at dusk, and in the post I referred to it as the moon with a star visible. A reader of this blog commented that it wasn’t a star but the planet Venus (thanks Lauren!)…she also sent me this interesting link. The below photo I took this evening, and if I am reading it correctly, it is the Moon, Venus, and Jupiter…pretty cool. The top photo was taken at dusk whereas the bottom one at night, hence the different locations of the planets. It’s also interesting in that when I took the bottom photo tonight I snapped a half-dozen or so over the course of ten minutes. And while I took the photos I kept the camera stationary and in the exact same position…I just changed the light settings. And after uploading them and looking at the photos in succession I can see the planets move just within the ten minute time span…it’s easy to forget (or difficult to imagine) that the rock we stand on as I type these words is spinning and hurtling through space. Anyhow, if you want to learn more about these planets, their alignment, and their visibility, here’s a couple links with pictures, diagrams, and text (here and here). You can also see a few additional photos that Lauren took and posted on her blog, It’s Knot You. Lastly, here’s some brief text from the articles that are linked.
“Do you see two bright objects in the west after sunset? They are the sky’s two brightest planets – Venus and Jupiter – and you can see them simply by stepping outside and gazing toward the west in the hour after sunset. Venus and Jupiter are fantastic to see in late February 2012 and will be at their peak in mid-March 2012.” (source)
“This arrangement will be visible all around the world, from city and countryside alike,” Phillips explained in a NASA announcement. “The moon, Venus and Jupiter are the brightest objects in the night sky; together they can shine through urban lights, fog, and even some clouds.” (source)
A gym bag full of wet clothes, a canvas bag containing–among other things–a spare camera, a 4lb/1.8kg bag of dog food, 3 liters of red wine, and $56.42 (US) in groceries.
To see a few other things that I’ve carried on a bike, click here.
I’ve mentioned before that on Saturday mornings I often make my son French Toast for breakfast (click here for multiple recipes and photos) but today I made a variation…whole grain pancakes. And why I call this a 3-in-1 recipe is because of just that…I made three things out of one recipe. I often make and post recipes for bread on this blog where I use the same dough for a loaf of bread and pizza (click here for many recipes and photos) but today I also took a bit of the pre-ferment and autolyse (soaking flour) and made pancakes. Yum! Firstly, let me just say that pancakes are not my favorite food…not sure why, just don’t really care for them. But these were so delicious–if I do say so myself–that I ate half of them as they were coming out of the pan, sans syrup. I also topped them with fresh blueberries, caramelized banana, and pineapple syrup (click here for recipes one how to do this). This is an easy way to make pancakes using any of the whole wheat recipes you find on this blog…the next time I make Ezekiel Bread I’ll use some of it for these. Anyhow, the recipe for the bread dough and pancakes are below.
Whole Grain Pancakes
Serves two
1/2 cup fully fermented whole-grain starter (see recipe below)
1/2 cup autolyse (hydrated flour…see recipe below)
1/4 cup milk (more if needed)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Combine all of the ingredients together and cook in either butter or oil or a combination of both. Top with your favorite fruit and syrup (click here for syrup recipes).
Whole GrainBread
Makes 2 loaves
1 cup (6.6oz/187g) 7-grain mix
3 quarts (96floz/2.83L) water
____________
fully cooked grains
2/3 cup (5.3 oz/157ml) cookingliquid
2 cups (11oz/312g) whole wheatflour
2 teaspoons (.2oz/5.6g) instantyeast
____________
4 cups (21oz/595.3g) whole wheatflour
2 tablespoons (.5oz/14g) vitalwheat gluten
1 1/3 cups (10.5fl oz/315ml) cookingliquid
____________
1/4 cup (2fl oz/59.1ml) honey
1/4 cup (2fl oz/59.1ml) olive oil
3 teaspoons (.3oz/8.5g) instantyeast
3 teaspoons (.5oz/14.1g) koshersalt
Combine the grain and water in a mediumpot and bring to a boil; lower the heat to simmer and cook the ricefor about 45 minutes or until very soft. As the grain cooks add morewater to the pot as necessary because the cooking liquid, which isfull of nutrients, will become part of the recipe. After the grainsare cooked allow them to cool in the liquid to room temperature,refrigerating if necessary. Then drain it, squeezing it with yourhands or the back of a spoon, reserving the cooking liquid.
Place two bowlsside-by-side; one will hold the pre-ferment, the other autolyse. Inone bowl combine the cooked and drained 7-grains with 2/3 cup (5.3oz/157ml) of the cooking liquid, 2 cups (11oz/312g) whole wheatflour, and 2 teaspoons (.2oz/5.6g) instant yeast. Stir just untilcombined then cover it with plastic wrap. In the other bowl combine 4cups (21oz/595.3g) whole wheat flour, 2 tablespoons (.5oz/14g) vitalwheat gluten, and 1 1/3 cups (10.5fl oz/315ml) cooking liquid; stirjust until combined then cover it with plastic wrap (take care not toget yeast into this bowl). Allow the bowls to rest at roomtemperature for about an hour, during which time the preferment willbegin it’s job multiplying yeast and fermenting flour, and theautolyse will soak liquid, swelling the gluten.
After an hour or so, combinethe ingredients from both bowls into the bowl of an upright mixerfitted with a dough hook. Add the honey, olive oil, salt, and 3teaspoons (.3oz/8.5g) of yeast (add the yeast and salt on oppositesides of the bowl). Knead the dough on medium speed for about 8minutes. Place the dough in a lightly oiled container, cover itloosely, and allow to ferment for 1-2 hours, or until doubled inbulk. Deflate the dough and allow it to ferment an additional 30minutes. Turn the dough out onto afloured work surface and cut it into 2 pieces. Shape into loavesand place into lightly oiled pans. Loosely cover the loaves withplastic wrap and allow to ferment for 30-60 minutes, or until doublein size and when gently touched with a fingertip an indentationremains. Preheat an oven to 450f (232.2C). Bake the breads forabout 30-40 minutes, adding steam to the oven a few times (eitherwith ice cubes or a spray bottle) and rotating the breads every tenminutes. The breads are done when they are dark brown and soundhollow when tapped upon. Remove the breads from their pans and allowthem to cook on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
“One is astonished in the study of history at the recurrence of the idea that evil must be forgotten, distorted, skimmed over. We must not remember that Daniel Webster got drunk but only that he was a splendid constitutional lawyer. We must forget that George Washington was a slave owner . . . and simply remember the things we regard as creditable and inspiring. The difficulty, of course, with this philosophy is that history loses its value as an incentive and example; it paints perfect man and noble nations, but it does not tell the truth.”
“One thing alone I charge you. As you live, believe in life! Always human beings will live and progress to greater, broader and fuller life. The only possible death is to lose belief in this
truth simply because the great end comes slowly, because time is long.”
“There is in this world no such force as the force of a person determined to rise. The human soul cannot be permanently chained.”
“A little less complaint and whining, and a little more dogged work and manly striving, would do us more credit than a thousand civil rights bills.”
“The worker must work for the glory of his handiwork, not simply for pay; the thinker must think for truth, not for fame.”
This post is related to my prevous post regarding my latest experiment in self-propelled mobility…a trailer attached to the Mundo. A few people have asked me how I attached the hitch to the bike seeing the Mundo–with its long wheel base–is not suited for an attachment to the traditional axle attachment. How I attached this (to the frame instead of the axle) would work–I think–for other trailers and other bikes. Anyhow, here it is.
Firstly, above shows how the trailer attaches to the hitch; the top is detached and the one just below it shows it attached. What’s unique about this trailer is that it has a quick release using a version of a high pressure hose connector. That said, these trailers are not intended to carry incredible weight like some others. Nonetheless, it has suited me well, and I have in fact owned it long before I owned a longtail cargo bike. These trailers are great for doing your daily errands and hauling a week’s worth of groceries while keeping everything dry.
Pictured below is how I attached it to the frame using an existing bolt. On the Mundo there are two bolts on each side of the frame holding the rear drop-down bars in place (pictured in the first of the photos below). I’ve eyed these bolts for months while holding the hitch up to them in various positions trying to figure out how it would work. BicycleR Evolution trailers offer two hitch options; I have c-hitches on two other bikes, but on the Mundo I used the standard hitch. Anyhow, the hitch is meant to attach to the axle but also has two smaller holes, one of which fit perfectly in place of one of the bolts on the frame of the Mundo. After tightening it, it felt snug but I didn’t feel comfortable with it being held with just the single bolt (which is much smaller than the intended axle rod attachment) so I also used a hose clamp for added security.
Anyhow, there you have it. I likely won’t use it often on this bike, nor will I carry super heavy loads in it (as the Mundo was built for that); though I have carried a full case of wine in it on another bike. My plan is to use it for extra large grocery trips, gardening trips, or for when I want to keep things dry. As mentioned in the previous post, the Mundo rode great while pulling it. but today it’s snowing out so I’ll use another bike. Stay tuned for pictures and updates of the Mundo-trailer in use…
If you’ve been to this blog before you know that I ride a bike as often as I can, not great distances or in races but for my everyday transportation around town…and I also like to carry stuff on my bikes, whatever stuff a person would normally carry in their car. Besides my cargo bike (Yuba Mundo) I also have a few other bikes, most of which are equipped with a hitch for a BicycleR Evolution Trailer. The Mundo’s frame isn’t built to accommodate a trailer and I’ve been trying to figure out how to attach it for a while. Sometimes, I suppose, a 7ft bike is simply not big enough (most cargo bikers will agree, I’m sure) and that one can always carry more things with their own human power. Anyhow, I finally figured out to attach a spare hitch (and it was actually pretty simple). I took it for a test ride tonight while empty…and as usual the Mundo handled exceptionally well; I really could not even tell I was pulling a trailer. I likely won’t use it often but it is nice to know it’s available when I need it. And when I do…I’ll post pictures. I’d enjoy hearing from other cargo bikers regarding their experiences pulling a trailer.
Urban Simplicty 