By Peter Burns

Bike Computer

Sometimes people ask me how many miles I ride each week.  I used to say that I did not keep track because I have OCD tendencies and it would be all too easy to get caught up in mileage.  In June my OCD  got the upper hand.  I went on the Vermont Bike Commuters Facebook page and asked about bike computers.  One member told me that she was getting a new bike watch and that I could have the old one for what I thought was a very reasonable price.  I biked out to Hinesburg and picked up the watch.  It took me a couple of weeks to figure out how it worked.

By Peter Burns

Wrong-Way

One July morning I was walking my bicycle toward the corner of South Union Street and College Street.  South Union is a one way street with a one-way bike lane headed south.  I saw a young woman going the wrong way in the bike lane.  Disobeying certain rules puts the rider in danger and is annoying to drivers but I most strongly object to behavior that makes it harder for other bicyclists.  That what riding the wrong way in a bike lane does.  When she reached the corner of South Union and College she very conscientiously signaled for a right-hand turn.  This seemed ironic for a couple of reasons. First of all, because she was going the wrong way, there was no car traffic behind her to signal to, and there was also no oncoming traffic either.  It also seems silly to blatantly disregard the bike lane rules and then be so careful about signaling. 

By Peter Burns

My Bike

I ride you almost every day, all around the town;

You are my faithful steed and friend, none better to be found.

Yellow is your color, Salsa is your brand;

You are the finest bicycle, for you I’ll take my stand.

Yes, you have some nicks, some paint that’s wearing thin;

But if we stick together, we will always win.

Twelve months a year I’m riding, through sunshine rain and snow;

You’ll always be with me, no matter where I go!  

You may be made of metal, with plastic accessories,

But in my mind, you are as alive, as birds or beasts or bees!

I am forever grateful, that you are in my life;

If you were only human, I’d ask you to be my wife.

By Peter Burns

Panniers 

I have a rack on both of the bikes I use for commuting.  I have two large panniers and two smaller ones.  The large ones are red and the smaller ones black.  Most days I use just one pannier, but sometimes I need two.  Ortlieb is the company that makes my panniers.  The panniers are waterproof and sturdy but from time to time the plastic buckles break.  Ortlieb has been good about replacing the buckles.  I know that the panniers are waterproof because a couple of years ago when I was riding on a narrow dirt path next to Gilbrook Pond in Winooski, I lost my balance and tumbled into the pond, bike and all.  Luckily I was not hurt, but the bike was briefly submerged and so was I.  Later, when I opened the pannier, I discovered, to my surprise, that everything inside was dry.  I was grateful for the high-quality equipment and also grateful that nobody saw me falling into the pond!  

Pannier is an interesting word. Outside of the biking community, not everyone knows what it means.  It comes from the Latin word for bread.  Originally a pannier was a basket for carrying bread.

By Peter Burns

During the current crisis,  I have continued to work full time at a group home for people with psychiatric disabilities.  It has been a blessing to have some structure in my week and a paycheck.  I know many people have struggled financially.  I  miss teaching classes and contact with friends.  I walk and ride.  I have not been able to swim so walking and riding have become even more important than usual.

By Peter Burns

During this time of the Coronavirus, bike riding and walking remain a viable way of getting around and staying mentally and physically healthy. The days are getting longer and the temperatures are slowly climbing.  One silver lining to this terrible crisis is that there is much less traffic than usual.  For that I am grateful. Until we are told otherwise we should get out and walk and ride.

By Peter Burns

Shoes 

Over the years I have purchased many pairs of bike shoes. I bought most of them new, but recently I have found used bike shoes at Outdoor Gear Exchange in the consignment area.  They are much cheaper than new shoes, but the challenge is finding the right size.

By Peter Burns

For the past few months, I have alternated between writing about walking and writing about bicycle riding. With this blog, I am combining riding and walking in the same post. I walk and ride every day, so it makes sense to write about them together. Some individual sections will still be about just bicycle riding or just walking, but others will be about both.

By Peter Burns

Winter Riding

My yoga teacher recently mentioned embracing winter.  While that may be going a little bit too far, there are some advantages to riding in the winter.  There are fewer bike riders and pedestrians when it gets cold and snowy.  That means I have fewer obstacles to contend with on my rides to and from Burlington on the  Riverside Avenue bike/pedestrian path.  We will set aside, for now, the irony that I teach winter bike riding workshops which are designed to get more people out on the road in the cold. Also, even though there are many more winter riders than there were ten years ago, I still get comments about how tough I must be to ride through the cold and snow.  There is also the unearthly beauty that, from time to time, manifests itself during the winter.  Ice and snow and afternoon sunlight combine to create a paradisiacal scene.   Last but not least, if your ride through the winter you will be in shape for longer rides when it gets warmer and bike riding is actually enjoyable again!

By Peter Burns

My Walks

I mostly walk-in Winooski or Burlington.  For personal reasons I hardly ever travel, so I am a local walker.  In Winooski, I sometimes walk for exercise.  I do a circular route that includes the  Winooski schoolyard and also a graveyard on Weaver Street.  This route takes about an hour.  Last spring as I walked, I noticed where the blackberries were blooming.  My plan was to return to those places in the summer when the blackberries were ripe, but I didn’t time it quite right and missed the best of the blackberries.