Wrapping up the Park Your Car! Challenge

I'm going to wrap up the Park Your Car! challenge rather than continuing on with it. The participation is fairly low. Those folks signed up seem to have gotten into the spirit of the challenge and plan to continue finding ways to get around other than driving all by themselves in a vehicle. Walking, biking, carpooling, and public transportation are all great alternatives.

I made huge strides towards using my bike rather than my vehicle this month and plan to continue this direction. The biggest surprise to me has been that I now seem to prefer to take my bike rather than drive. In the past, I've complained about the hassles of biking - the time it takes, the inconvenience of having to lock and unlock it at every stop as well as taking out all previous purchases so they don't get stolen. These are still a little annoying when I'm in a hurry, but less annoying than driving and dealing with stupid drivers. It's also nice when I can take bike paths and back streets, avoiding the bulk of the traffic lights on a ride.

I plan to continue to track my bike mileage for each trip but I will probably track the vehicle mileage more broadly. For driving, perhaps simply tracking the total miles driven per month with a list of why the vehicle was taken instead of the bike. (For example: dog training, heavy rain, trip out of town, etc.)

I hope this challenge has been useful to you. I've created a new logo that anyone can put up on the sidebar as a reminder to choose alternate transportation. This one doesn't link to or mention the challenge, so it won't become dated.

Here's the code to post this logo on your sidebar:

<a href="http://chilechews.blogspot.com"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2H3G4C5T6s0/SpyNyal-CnI/AAAAAAAACmg/ug8KE1oie5Y/s400/Park+your+car+mini+logo.jpg" /></a>

• Copy the code above.
• In Blogger, go to your layout options, and click on Add a Gadget.
• Select Text.
• Click Edit Html
• Paste the code you copied in the body.
• Then click Rich Text to confirm the image shows up.
• Save.

When you view your blog, the sidebar image should now appear.

Many thanks to all who participated in this challenge as well as to those who provided moral support!

Not as Good as I Remembered

After a month of eating much better - foods very low in fat and sugar - we splurged a bit this weekend with some richer foods. I'm surprised to find that they didn't taste quite as good as I remembered. And my body has been feeling sluggish and bloated, too.

This is a good thing as it means I can get right back on track with the healthy eating and not feel like I'm missing out on anything. It means we can save money by avoiding restaurants with this rich food; we'll just stay home and eat my homemade meals. It also means my weight loss will continue (after a probable little bump up from this weekend's gluttony) which makes me much happier.

Have you ever given something up for a month and then discovered you didn't really miss it all that much when you had it again? (Doesn't have to be food...)

Yard Saling by Bike

We used to occasionally cruise the neighborhood on our bikes over the weekend to check out yard sales. Going by bike has two advantages when yard saling: it saves gas and it also minimizes impulse buys. Well, it used to keep the impulse buys to a minimum. That's not necessarily the case anymore with the Xtracycles. Between the two of us, we can carry quite a bit!

We haven't been out to any yard sales in quite a while due to obedience training classes for the dogs. Their graduation today from Beginner class was held in the afternoon instead of morning so we finally had a free Saturday morning.

By the way, I have to share pictures from the graduation.


Doesn't Angel look scholarly? She won the obedience contest, which consisted of doing various exercises we'd learned in the class (like sit-stay, down, roll over, etc.) at different places throughout the store. Whoever got their dog to do each of these and return the fastest won a prize. Angel got a little pink squeaky toy that she is completely ignoring.


Polie looked handsome in his graduation cap as well. He was deemed "most improved" dog in the class. On the first day, he had to sit in the corner with the teacher because he was barking at the other dogs so much. We weren't sure he was going to make it through the class, but thanks to our hard work and his desire to be a welcome member of our pack, he's doing much, much better now.

But, back to the yard sale story. We headed out this morning on a couple of errands with the intention of stopping by any yard sales along the way. There were very few, perhaps because school just started. We finally found some on our way home. At one stop, I spied a couple of boxes of jars. The price was fair, not cheap but canning jars are never cheap here. I asked the woman holding the sale if she had any newspaper so we could wrap the jars to take on the bikes. With a stack of paper, we moved to a shady spot and wrapped each jar and placed it back in the box. I had no tape to hold the boxes closed but I had tucked a couple of bungee cords in the bike bag earlier. Those worked great.


The boxes fit on both sides of my bike and we continued on our way.

At the next stop, I picked up a few bras. Thanks to eating better and biking hundreds of miles this month, I am losing weight. I hate spending much money for clothes that are only going to fit briefly so I was thrilled to get these for next to nothing. Sorry, no pictures.

We mosied on to the next sale and found a couple of DVD movies at a good price. My sweetie picked up another Kurt Vonnegut book for his collection as well as a Ray Bradbury. Gotta love yard sales for cheap books and unusual selection.


At home, I unpacked the jars right away so that I will remember to wash them all. The next task, one that is a bit more time-consuming, is to construct a storage box for them. I save old boxes to cut up for dividers to protect the jars from nicks and cracks as they are moved around in the house. That will also be important for their eventual move to a new home.

We do need one other item to make yard saling by bike more convenient: some cards with information about the Xtracycles on them. People often come over to check out our bikes and it would be nice to hand out cards with the website address on them for those who are truly interested. More folks willing to haul their things on bikes means less cars on the road, and that's good for all of us. Well, not so good for the car companies or petroleum industry, but too bad for them.

Challenge Check-in

We're nearing the end of August. Have you significantly changed your transportation methods?

I have, and I'm looking forward to continuing to ride my bike rather than drive my car as much as possible. Thanks to the electric assist and the carrying capacity of my Xtracycle bags, I have been able to use my bike for many errands and trips around town, no matter what the temperature is outside and whether I've got a lot to carry.

As usual, though, transporting the dogs for obedience training was responsible for some of the vehicle miles. We are pondering ways to transport the dogs securely by bike but we don't have anything set up at this time and, quite frankly, I am not physically capable of hauling a travel full of dog right now. That will have to wait a bit.

Eegee's, a local sub shop chain, sells their empty 5 gallon pickle and pepper buckets at their corporate headquarters so I drove down to the south end of town this week to pick up 20 buckets for my sweetie's gardening projects. I think I could have fit 10 buckets in my bike bags (5 on each side) but not all twenty. Could I have figured out some way to bungee some to the snap deck? Possibly, but since it was almost 10 miles each way, I decided driving was the more prudent choice this time.

Unfortunately, I also had to drive to my self-defense class one time this week. The previous day, my bike seat had come loose and began tilting upwards at a very uncomfortable angle. I swung by my sweetie's office on my way home for an adjustment and we thought the problem was solved. The next day, however, it tilted again about 3 miles into my trip to class. I had to return home and drive the vehicle to make it to class on time.

Interestingly, this made me very irritable. I was all set to bike there, mostly on the pleasant quiet bike path, and was not at all happy that I had to drive through crappy traffic instead. It's a good thing we get to punch and kick things in the class because it gave me an outlet for my frustration. My sweetie later solved the problem with the bike seat and it seems fine now.

I had one other problem on the bike this week. I did not eat enough food one day (or the night before) and consequently ran out of energy on my way home from the next self-defense class. I was very relieved that I had the electric assist available as the heat from the midday sun was also making me feel a bit light-headed. This was an important reminder to eat plenty of good, healthy complex carbohydrates to provide fuel for my body while doing so much exercise.

Here are this week's numbers.

Miles by bike: 92.4 (most of any week so far)
Amphours used: least of any week so far
Mile driven: 63
Miles per person: 53.5 (more trips alone - to class and for buckets)

I love that I'm using my bike more than I'm driving. When the weather gets cooler in a few months, I can start walking more for close errands, too.

The Vinegar's Alive!

Oops. I filled one of my vinegar-making jars too full yesterday and the fermentation process led to an overflow overnight. I suspected that I was trying to stuff too much prickly pear pulp in the jar but was too lazy to pull out another jar, make more sugar-water, and transfer some of the pulp.

It would have been less work to do that yesterday than having to do it this morning after cleaning up the overflow mess. Sorry, no pictures because I needed to deal with the clean-up promptly (and because I didn't think about the camera until I was almost done.) Suffice it to say that when I opened the closet this morning, the cheesecloth on one of the jars was bulging up, soaked in pink fluid, and dripping down the side. There was a puddle of pink liquid on the bag underneath the jar.

Yes, I put a bag under the jar yesterday as a precaution. Obviously my intuition was warning me there might be a problem but I didn't listen well enough. Unfortunately, liquid seeped off the bag so I had to clean the pink off the carpet, too. On the plus side, I overheard a conversation at the CSA on Tuesday about how nice it was that prickly pear fruit juice doesn't stain. Yay! It took some work, but the carpet did come clean. I would not have been so lucky with some other red liquids.

Of course, now with the pulp split between two jars, that means I'm going to have that much more vinegar when this is all done. Aw, who wants to practice moderation anyway?!

Making Vinegar

Alternate Title: Why does my closet smell funny?

I've spent the last couple of years learning how to preserve foods in a variety of ways. It's been tremendously fun, endlessly creative, and has added some very tasty variety to our menu. My focus seems to go through phases. For a while, I was making marmalade from every variety of citrus I could lay my hands on. Then I picked up a book on pickles and started doing a lot of pickling. The thrift store book on making liqueurs led to extensive experimentation with steeping things in vodka.

After a trip to a u-pick orchard recently, I decided it was high time I learned how to make vinegar. I tried once before, just putting apple scraps in water and letting it sit. It got disgustingly moldy and smelled awful so I composted it. This time, I wisely consulted an expert. Friends at my CSA raved about this book, Wild Fermentation, so I picked it up quite a while ago and have enjoyed the few recipes I've tried from it so far.

With my bags of apples and peaches from the orchard, and some plums from the store, I set about peeling and chopping fruit for a fruity steak & burger sauce recipe to can. As I worked, I put apple peels and cores in one jar and the plum and peach peels in another. A couple of years ago, I scored some square half-gallon jars off craigslist for an awesome price. These are the perfect size for my vinegar-making experiments.

Before I started working on the fruit, I prepared the liquid for each jar. Instead of just using plain water (as in my first attempt), I heated a cup of water and dissolved 1/4 cup of sugar in it. I poured this plus another 3 cups of water into one jar so that I had a quart of sweetened liquid ready for the apple peelings. I repeated this in the other jar for the other fruit scraps.


Here are the jars with liquid and fruit scraps, ready to begin fermenting. They are covered with cheesecloth to prevent dog furs from settling in them as well as to keep any fruit flies away. I put these on the floor in my clothes closet as I didn't want them with my other stored food. (If you brew wine or beer, make sure to keep brewing vinegar in a different area to avoid cross-contamination.) Put your containers in a dark place where they will not be exposed to light.

I stirred the mixture or rocked the container every day. In the first couple of days, the jars took on a nice fruity smell as the scraps began to ferment. By the end of a week, they had a distinctly vinegary scent to them. Note: If black or green mold develops on the surface, discard it all and start over. You can give your vinegar-making a boost by adding some unfiltered apple cider vinegar to the container when you add the fruit scraps initially.


At this point, I strained out the fruit scraps and then returned the liquid to my closet to continue fermenting. The difference between brewing wine and making vinegar is exposure to the air. To increase the aeration, I stir the liquid in the jars every day or so. It takes about two weeks to finish the process before the vinegar is ready. My apple and peach-plum experiments smell pretty strong already and are developing nice flavor; they should be done next week.

Once I realized this was proceeding well, I, of course, had to expand the experiment. Remember, I don't really do moderation well... When I sliced the remaining peaches to freeze, I started a batch of peach vinegar. When I sliced a bunch of apples for a pie, I started another batch of apple vinegar. The closet was getting crowded.

As I mentioned yesterday, I took samples of my prickly pear liqueur to the CSA recently. One of the volunteers recommended I try making prickly pear vinegar as a friend of hers made some that was wonderful. "It's well worth the effort," she told me. So, with my new batch of harvested prickly pear fruit yesterday, I started two batches of vinegar with them.


One is with fresh chopped fruit (right). The other is with the pulp remaining after cooking the fruit long enough to extract the juice for prickly pear lemonade (left).

I hope all of these vinegars turn out tasty. Then I hope I can find enough recipes to use them up. I'm assuming that vinegar will store well. I'm also betting that my friends would not turn down a bit of homemade vinegar if I offered it.


In fact, I took some surplus Asian pears from the CSA this week so I could use them to make vinegar for the next cooking demo. It's scheduled for about 5 or 6 weeks from now, which gives it plenty of time to go through all of its fermentation.

Experimenting with Prickly Pear Fruit

Do you remember when I told you a few weeks ago that I poured sugar and vodka over my leftover prickly pear fruit pulp after juicing it for jelly? In case you missed that post, here it is.

Well, anyway, almost two weeks ago, I strained the pink vodka and added a bit of sugar syrup to it to finish off my liqueur experiment. My book on making liqueurs advises letting the liqueur rest for another few weeks after adding the syrup so I tucked it back in the closet and left it alone. A few days ago, I pulled it out for a taste. Not bad, but not quite as good as some of the others I've made.


I decided to take some in for the other CSA volunteers and staff to sample. On a hunch, I chilled it first. This was a good move as it was definitely better cold. I poured out little samples for the volunteers and a few CSA friends on both pick-up days. Everyone marveled at the beautiful brilliant color and all enjoyed the taste. I'd have to say it was a successful experiment and another great way to use a "waste product". In fact, I was telling one person yesterday how amazing I thought it was that the liqueur had so much flavor even after juicing the fruit first. My canning guru friend was there and reminded me that alcohol is able to extract flavors and components that water cannot. Of course!

Her comment got me thinking. If the vodka can get that much flavor out of "used" pulp, how much flavor would it extract from fresh, unprocessed prickly pear fruit? This morning, I harvested a few more fruits to find out. After cleaning and roughly chopping them, I put them in a jar, added a little sugar, and covered it all with vodka. I'll give them a couple weeks of steeping, add a little syrup if needed, age it, and then compare the flavors. If it's not substantially better, I won't bother in the future because I really do prefer the concept of re-using the juiced pulp for a second product as opposed to only using the fruit once.

I told another volunteer that I was experimenting with making vinegar this summer for the first time (post coming soon on this) and she told me a friend of hers made some awesome prickly pear vinegar. When I harvested fruit this morning for the second vodka experiment, I got enough to also try making some into vinegar. In fact, I decided to do the same experiment with vinegar-making that I'm conducting with the alcohol. I started one batch with fresh fruit, and then juiced the rest of the fruit and started a second batch with the leftover pulp.


From left to right: fresh prickly pear fruit in vodka, juiced prickly pear fruit pulp for vinegar, and fresh prickly pear fruit for vinegar.

It will take some time to see how these experiments turn out. However, I can enjoy a glass of prickly pear lemonade right now, using some of the juice I made this morning.

Try Walking Instead of Driving

Many Americans hop in their car to go everywhere, forgetting that there are other means of transportation. Perhaps the simplest, requiring no bus schedules, bike, or horse, is your own two feet. Anything within a mile of home qualifies as someplace one might be able to walk to rather than drive. For dedicated walkers, two miles each way may be a possibility, although I typically will opt for the bike at that point simply for the time savings.

Walking is a good way to get some exercise and become more familiar with your neighborhood. At a slower pace, you will notice features that are just a blur from the car, and you may get a chance to meet some of your neighbors. Wondering how walkable your neighborhood is? Check out your walkscore with this link Melinda mentioned a while back.

Once you've decided to leave the car keys at home and head out the door on foot, what next? Do you just walk out the door and go? Not quite. There are a few things you should consider.

Weather

Since you will be out in the weather instead of riding in an enclosed car, you need to dress appropriately. Since you're reading my blog, I'll assume you are pretty smart and can figure out that an umbrella is a good idea if it looks like rain and a coat is helpful if it's cold. For changeable weather, wear layers so you can adjust to the temperature changes as you go.


Comfort

Wear good walking shoes and clothes that are comfortable to walk in. If you need to wear dress shoes at your destination, take them with you and change when you get there. For those taking longer walks in hot weather, remember that cotton does not wick moisture. This may lead to painful chafing.


Safety

Put some thought into choosing your route. Watch for heavy traffic and be cautious of distracted drivers (who are texting, applying make-up, talking on the cell phone, reading a map, or eating while driving). Be aware of your surroundings and others walking in your vicinity, especially at night. Self-defense experts recommend that you do not wear earbuds or use the phone while walking as it decreases your situational awareness significantly. If loose dogs are a danger, consider carrying a "dog repellent" pepper spray (check your local laws for what is permitted) and know how to use it.


Carrying Capacity

If you are shopping on foot, you'll need a way to carry your groceries or goods home. You can use the bags from the store or, better yet, your own re-usable cloth bags, but lugging heavy bags home by the handles is tiring for the hands and arms.

A daypack is a great option for small to medium shopping trips. For larger trips, work up to carrying a larger backpack. Cold groceries can be packed together with a re-freezable ice pack and wrapped in a cloth grocery bag inside the pack.

Another option is to use one of those collapsible folding metal grocery mini-carts. I've never used one so I'm not sure how comfortable it would be to push (or pull?) for a mile or so.

Of course, you can also follow the example of some other cultures:

Balance a large basket on your head.Photo by Jared Zimmerman



Or carry two baskets using a yoke.Photo by woowoowoo


What are your favorite tips for walking instead of driving?

Checkin' in for Park Your Car! Challenge

I've been on the bike a lot this week and my legs are rebelling. I'm getting shin splints and ankle pain, as well as a slightly sore knee. Thanks to the advice of a running friend (or is that fiend?), I'm going to try an ice bath to see if that helps.

The heat got a little out of hand this week. I ended up heading out for an errand on the opposite side of town rather late in the morning on Tuesday. By the time I got to the store, it was 110 degrees outside and felt hotter thanks to the radiant heat from all the asphalt. I was running a little low on water and a lot low on battery juice, and frankly, I was getting a little bit worried about the ride home.

I used the store's restroom after making my purchase. Applying the concepts of evaporative cooling, I got my hair wet and then removed my t-shirt, soaked it in the sink, and wrung it out just enough so that it wouldn't be dripping wet. After getting it back on (a challenge with a wet shirt), I saddled up and headed home. The wet shirt did wonders to make me feel cooler but it was completely dry within 6 miles. Luckily, there is a little urban park at that point and I re-wet my hair and splashed my shirt again. Using the battery on the bike sparingly, I made it home where I stood in front of a fan with a glass of ice water until I cooled off.

This happened again on Thursday on my way home from my self-defense class. It was the first clear, hot day that I'd made that long ride. What a difference the sun makes. It was miserable on the way back, but at least this time I had plenty of water to drink. I even thought ahead and froze one of the water bottles so it would be cool for the ride home. Still, I felt like I might overheat so I stopped frequently at the water fountains along the River Path to wet my hair and shirt. I probably looked a little foolish to the others on the trail, but I really didn't care. Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do regardless of whether it makes you look like a fool.

My bike errands this week took me to stores, the library, the post office, to a couple of pet-sitting gigs, and to my self-defense class. For trips with my sweetie and I, and often the dogs, too, we used the vehicle. Dog training is responsible for a fair amount of driving, more so now that we are trying to take them to more places where there are other dogs and people present. They need to learn to deal with distractions and there just aren't enough in our own neighborhood. House-hunting is also likely to start adding more miles to the vehicle.

The actual numbers are as follows.

Biking this week: 79.8 miles

Amp hours used: slightly less than last week

Driving this week: 66 miles

Vehicle miles per person: 41.5 miles


I feel good about my progress but I'm a little worried about the ankle pain. Right now I'm off to soak my lower legs in ice water. Hopefully you will not be able to hear my whimpering.

Update 15 minutes later: Okay, that's just insane. How can people submerge body parts in ice water?! I can't do it. Just can't. I tried 5 times and lasted no more than 10 seconds at the most. To me, it felt like fire and intense pain.

Should I try one more time?

More Scavengers on the Streets

The City of Tucson picks up oversize trash for its residents twice a year as part of its waste management service. This "brush & bulky" pick-up allows people to put out yard waste and tree trimmings, old lumber and pipes from the back of the garage, disgusting furniture that Goodwill rejected, old appliances, scrap metal, and various other stuff just too large to fit in the garbage can for weekly pick-up.

We've been living here in Tucson for over five years. When it's time for the brush & bulky pick-up in our neighborhood, we keep an eye out for anything of interest that might show up on the curb. This year, I scored several useful items.


Just yesterday, I picked up this stack of plant pots. These will be especially handy right now as my sweetie is switching to more container gardening so that we can move our garden with us once we find a house.


I spotted four of these last weekend while we were out riding. My sweetie wanted to pass them up because he didn't need them for his plants. I, however, had a need for them.


I saw the wheels on the bottom and knew they would take care of a problem for me. For maximum benefit, solar ovens need to be adjusted frequently to face the sun directly. This can cause wear and tear on the bottom of the case, and food can spill if the case isn't moved carefully.


My solar oven is now on wheels. I can turn it with ease. My other solar oven is a little too big to fit on this but my sweetie is going to take the wheels off another one and put them on a larger piece of wood for it.

We've picked up a few things like this here and there, but our scavenging efforts never compared to the serious waste pickers. For years, we watched as a few trucks cruised through the neighborhood, loading up old appliances, repairable furniture, and any usable materials. Most of these trucks had Sonora plates and were taking this stuff back across the border to sell in Mexico.

As in any society, the scavengers serve an important role. They minimize the amount of stuff that ends up in the landfill, redirecting usable materials back into service. Although I don't know for sure, my assumption has always been that the fellas from Mexico were repairing the appliances and the furniture to resell, helping reduce our garbage and stimulate their economy.

There has been a dramatic difference between our current brush & bulky pick-up and previous ones. Instead of a few trucks cruising the streets, there have been dozens of them driving continuously up every street and alley every day for almost a month. The notice for each neighborhood arrives about three weeks before the pick-up begins and it takes the city a week to collect everything in each neighborhood.

What we are noticing in our neighborhood is that metal salvage, rather than re-use, seems to be the focus now for the scavengers. Instead of one or two trucks going by each day to see what people have put out, several trucks are going by per hour and they are often hauling big trailers already full of stuff. The piles are picked through and every scrap of metal is hauled off. Less furniture seems to be leaving the curbs, although other usable material gets picked up. One of our neighbors cleaned out their storage and put out several boxes of perfectly good tiles. It took a day and a half, but those were eventually picked up by someone who noticed them behind the brush.

I'm thrilled to see materials diverted from the waste stream but I have to wonder about this. With the apparently fierce competition going on for salvage now, and the amount of driving involved, are any of these guys actually making money after filling their gas tanks? Scrap steel recycling brings $100 per ton (or 5 cents per pound for smaller quantities). The heavier the load, the more gas their vehicles are using, and these guys are doing a lot of driving. It takes a lot of appliances to make up a ton. Honestly, I'd rather see people repairing and re-using these appliances than just selling them for scrap, but based on the loads in these trailers, I'm assuming they are just going straight to the recycling yard.

Another concern is what this increase in scavengers means. It means there are a lot more people that have to look for alternative ways to make money locally. Despite the claims that the economy is recovering, there are still a lot of people unemployed and a lot of people losing their homes. Due to the size of the city, there is a brush & bulky pick-up happening somewhere all the time. I'm betting that every neighborhood in Tucson is seeing this increase in scavenging during their brush & bulky pick-up and that this trend is not going to reverse anytime soon.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

The best thing to do on a hot afternoon is take a siesta.


It's even better when you can find a bit of cool tile.

Liar

This is not always true anymore. Oh, well. When it's over 100 degrees and I'm already hot and tired, I'm gonna use the electric assist. To make up for it, I promise to rehydrate with local, organic watermelon.

By the way, for those of you concerned that this is going to become only a bike blog, don't worry. I will be posting about other subjects again soon.

Like this observation. I am not the only one lying today. At a food sample table earlier today, the woman told me the dressing featured was "low fat". I looked at the ingredients label - the first ingredient was water and the second was oil. There were 110 calories per serving with 70 of those coming from the oil. That, my friends, is not low fat. That is 64% fat....or in other words, high fat. I'll betcha the woman keeps claiming it's low fat, though.

What lie(s) have you told today?

Are you leaving your car parked?

Another week has gone by in the Park Your Car! challenge. Whether you are signed up for the challenge or not, you can leave a comment about using transportation other than your car. Have you walked anywhere this week instead of driving? Did you ride your bike instead of burning gas? Did you hop on some form of public transportation instead of riding solo in a car?

Every mile that you travel by some means other than your own car reduces your carbon footprint. Every mile that you travel under your own power - walking or biking - strengthens your body, improves your health, and helps you slow down to appreciate your life. Every time you leave your car parked, you extend the life of your vehicle and save money.

I started the week off by burning a whole lot of carbon. My sweetie and I drove out to a pick-your-own orchard almost 100 miles away. This is a once-a-year trip to harvest local peaches and apples, not a trip we make regularly. We invited a couple of friends from the CSA to ride with us, and, of course, the dogs got to come, too. We had a grand time visiting during the trip and enjoyed picking wonderful fresh fruit. Needless to say, we had to partake of the fresh peach pie while we were there. Yum!

Other than that trip, most of the vehicle use was for shorter trips in town that were hard to do by bike: taking the dogs to obedience class, picking up a heavy bag of dog food (I'm still learning to handle the bike with heavy loads), going out to dinner twice with different groups, etc. On the way to the second dinner, it began pouring rain and I was really grateful that I had not taken the bike. It also would have been difficult logistically as the ladies and I met at one location briefly, and then drove a ways to dinner. Taking the bike would have meant arriving quite late for dinner (and soaked!)

I did ride my bike a lot this week, as you already know from my reports of my big rides. In addition to those 45 miles, I did quite a few other errands by bike, including shopping, banking, pet-sitting, the library, and the CSA. Although I was tired on the way home from my class on Thursday, my legs felt stronger this week than last. They were fine today, even on the way home from the CSA with a heavy load of fresh veggies.

Do you want the numbers?

Vehicle use: 235 miles - Holy cow, that's a lot! However, let's break that down per person since most trips had at least two people.

Per person vehicle use: 82.5 miles. See? Better...

Bike use: 83.7 miles. Aren't you impressed how I worked the numbers to show that I biked more than I drove or rode in a vehicle?

Use of electric assist: less than last week

Oh, almost forgot to include one trip to the store on foot - 1.5 miles round trip.

Despite the one long trip by vehicle, I think it was quite a successful week. How was yours?

A Whiff of Deja Vu

Take Tuesday's "Big Ride" and Repeat, with a few variations.

I did not plan to ride my bike to self-defense class again this week. Seriously. However, when the weather is cloudy and cool in the summer, it's best to take advantage of it. Bright scorching sunny days will be back soon enough. Luckily, something caused me to charge my battery last night, despite it not being totally drained yet.

Unlike Tuesday, I got out of the house early and made it to class with plenty of time. In fact, I had enough time to stretch out my leg muscles before having to work them again in class. (Just for the record, I hate stepping lunges. Hate 'em, hate 'em, hate 'em. I'd much rather strengthen my legs by riding my bike!) I used the electric assist slightly more than on Tuesday to get to class but more for speed than anything else.

The way home was an entirely different story. As soon as I got on the bike, it started sprinkling. Summer rains can turn into downpours on a dime and I had no desire to get soaked. My leg muscles were also still tired and needed the help. These factors, and one more, compelled me to use the assist for much of the way home, although I still fit in a short side trip to a natural food store for a few additional veggies for Gallo Pinto tonight. (Links to recipes here.)

The final factor that made me crank the throttle today was my tendency to overdo a new exercise program and end up overtraining. It was with some surprise years ago that I learned beginning athletes can overtrain just as easily as elite athletes. Overtraining, in a nut shell, is simply pushing the body too hard without adequate recovery time. I was lucky that first time that I figured out what was going on, but it was annoying to lose weeks of exercise while recovering from the overtraining. I did it once again and really do not want to repeat the experience. It is unpleasant physically, mentally, and emotionally.

So, I took it a little easier on the ol' bod today, not that my legs can tell. I ended up using almost five amp hours today compared to the mere one that I used on Tuesday. I can live with that.

The Big Ride

Yesterday started out as an overcast and slightly cooler day. I decided it was a good day to see if I could make it to my self-defense class on my bike. By car, the distance is 10.5 miles but I knew it would be slightly longer taking the winding curvy bike path - well worth it to avoid traffic and traffic lights.

I hadn't planned to do this ride yet so I had not charged my electric battery to full capacity. I'd already used almost 3 amp hours out of an available 10. This made me a little nervous as I originally intended to have the option of using the electric assist to get me there faster and to get me home after a tiring class, speed being important in the hot part of the day.

As the weather was a little cooler this day, I decided to pedal more on the way there, saving the precious battery juice for my ride home. I figured an hour would be plenty of time to get there but I didn't get out the door until 55 minutes before class, which was cutting it pretty close. Still, I was psyched to give it a try.

It's just a short two mile ride to get on an East-West bike path along the dry Rillito River bed. Once on that, I had miles of no traffic other than walkers, runners, and other cyclists. In addition, the path is lined with the burrows of round-tailed ground squirrels who are incredibly cute to watch.

About twice as big as a chipmunk, they are sandy colored and often sit up like prairie dogs. When relaxing, they sprawl out flat on the ground with their back legs splayed out, only to jump up and run into their burrows when they perceive danger. I enjoyed watching their antics as I rode, and marveled again at the few with rufous (reddish) pelts. I've never seen this color in other parts of Tucson. The color stands out, which ought to make them more susceptible to predation, but perhaps the high human activity along the path helps keep the coyotes at bay. Coyotes are not at all uncommon down in the wash but perhaps they don't make it up onto the top of the banks where the squirrels live and especially not during the day when the squirrels are active.

The squirrels scurry back and forth across the path, often dragging or carrying a mesquite bean in their mouths. This high protein bean is a great food source for them. Often they sit upright holding a bean in the front paws and nibble on it. (Click here to see pictures of the cute little buggers eating mesquite beans.) I saw one yesterday with an odd-looking bean. I realized as I passed it that it was not a bean at all. It was a small lizard and the squirrel was busy eating it head first.

But, I digress. As I rode, I avoided using the electric assist except to get up a few little inclines where the path went under a major road. I didn't want to wear my legs out too much for class or the ride home. About a mile and a half before my destination, I had to get off the path and onto a major street for the rest of the way. I knew my time was running short and was irritated when my bike failed to trigger the green turn light, making me have to wait through another entire light cycle. I used the assist to make it through the huge and busy intersection more quickly and then used it sporadically the rest of the way as the road climbed a bit.

It took me longer than I wanted to find a place to lock up the bike, so by the time I got inside, I was late for class. This was not a big loss as the first 15 minutes are usually aerobics to warm up and a core workout. My muscles were certainly warmed up! I made it through class and then got some extra water for my ride home.

Wow. My legs were tired as I headed out. They had also stiffened up since I'd had no time to stretch the muscles before class and we mostly did upper body work. It was still overcast but the temperature was starting to climb. Nevertheless, I was determined to peddle as much as possible, not only out of principle but also to make sure I had enough battery power for the last incline just before home. It was slow going - my speed was about 1/3 less than what it had been on the way there. I stopped more frequently for water as well as to let my rear-end have a break from sitting so long. Every time I used the assist, I carefully watched the counter to keep track of how much I was using.

Eventually I made it to the final uphill stretch. I used the assist more liberally to make it home, especially since I was starting to feel pretty hot. When I pulled up to the door, I wasn't sure I'd be able to get off the bike. I did, though, got inside, and spent plenty of time stretching the tight muscles in my legs, shoulders, and neck. Then I ran the numbers.

The round trip ride was 22 1/2 miles long. Not only is this the farthest I've ridden in one day in ages, it was on a much heavier bike than usual. (Long bike frame + Xtracycle kit + electric assist and battery = heavy bike!) I used just under 1 amp hour for the entire trip, meaning I barely used the assist at all. For example, if I didn't pedal at all, the battery charge lasts for about 20 or 30 miles (I don't remember which). If I always rode like this particular trip, the battery charge would last for 225 miles!

It's good to know I can make it. On a sunnier and hotter day, I would have to use the assist more just to avoid getting heat exhaustion. I doubt I'll ride my bike tomorrow, but I will probably start riding it into class one of the two days each week. By the beginning of September, I hope to start riding it every time. With increased fitness, the time it takes me to get there should get a little shorter as well.

Chow Hound

...the continuing adventures of Angel and Polie...

The dogs are doing pretty good with their obedience training and they get along great most of the time. Angel, however, is pretty territorial around the dog treats. If one person is dispensing treats in the house, she does not think that Polie should get any. She will snap at him if she perceives he is limiting her access to them. She will be mean enough that he then either refuses to come in the same room with her or rushes by and hides behind the recliners so she can't get him.

Don't rush to the assumption, though, that Angel is the only jealous dog in the house. When it comes to attention, Polie is total hog. If either of us gives Angel attention, he will try to push in to get not just his share of the attention but hers as well. This is not atypical for a husky breed. We had a husky years ago and he was quite the attention-hound, too.

We are working with both dogs to curb these annoying habits, but something new surfaced last week. We feed the dogs twice a day at the same time but separated by a couple of feet. Angel must have been giving Polie the evil eye because once they were released from the 'Stay' command before being allowed to eat, Polie ate his food in nothing flat. Unfortunately, he immediately threw it back up...into his bowl. Sure, inhaling his food is one way to keep Angel from trying to come get it but it doesn't do much good if he throws it back up. This happened again the next meal except he thoughtfully went over and threw up on the carpet instead.

We tried standing between the dogs so he would feel protected. Didn't help; the food still went down (and back up) almost instantly. We started feeding him his meals in small portions over the course of about an hour. While this worked, it wasn't a great long-term solution. We've done some reading in the past about dogs bolting their food and one concern is the amount of air they ingest while doing this. It can cause some real problems so this was a serious problem that had to be addressed.

When we first got Polie, Angel was bolting her food (but not throwing it back up). We put one of the dog toys in her dish to slow her down but it only took about two days for her to figure out to remove the toy before eating. Luckily, she slowed back down and no longer bolts her food. This showed us, though, that just putting something in the bowl was not likely to be a long-term solution for Polie.

I got online to find a solution and I did. They make dog bowls to slow down fast eaters. Some are merely sectioned and others have bumps in them, but the one that intrigued me had three posts in the middle of the bowl leaving little room for the dog to bury his snout in the bowl and inhale. Another nice feature the brake-fast site touted was the bowl's slick bottom. The more aggressively the dog attacked its food, the more the bowl slid around to slow it down. Yeah, baby, that's what I'm talkin' about!

The local feed store was on the list of retailers so I biked down there last week to buy one. It wasn't cheap as far as dog bowls go, but definitely cheaper than an emergency vet visit for bloat (especially worrisome since Polie is half-German Shepherd, a breed prone to this). Anyway, I'm here to report that the bowl is working great.



There's not a lot of room for Polie to fit his snout in there,
so he can't gobble up the food quickly anymore.


"Damn, I hate this bowl!"


Angel's already done and licking an empty bowl.


Polie's still working on his. They are supervised when eating
and we're working hard to train Angel to leave him alone during meals.

A cheaper solution might have been to find a large rock to put in Polie's bowl. The considerations there would have been finding one large enough that there was no chance he could swallow it and one smooth enough that it wouldn't cause abrasions while he was eating. There aren't too many large smooth river rocks around here but I suppose I could have gone hunting up one of the mountain canyon trails and taken one illegally. (Nothing is permitted to be removed from state or federal parks.) I'm okay with having spent the money for a good solution to the problem and I was happy to find that the local store carried this in metal bowls rather than the plastic ones I saw online. The bowl should last a lifetime.

P.S. For food that will turn you into a chow hound, too, check out the tasty Thai Sweet Potato Patties on my other blog.

Quit Being a Wimp

This morning, we racked up a lot of miles on our vehicle, but there were four people and two dogs traveling so that helped lower the per person carbon miles. My sweetie and I headed out to a U-Pick orchard with a couple of my CSA friends to harvest peaches and apples. Now that we know we're staying locally, I can fill my freezer with sliced peaches.

When we got back home, I rode my bike just over a mile to pick up some lunch. Then I sat down with my food preservation books to come up with a plan for all my fruit. We'll eat many of the Gala apples raw but I also plan to can applesauce made from a combination of Galas and Jonathons. We'll eat some of the peaches raw and I'll freeze quite a few, but I also want to try a couple of canning recipes: Steak and Burger sauce (made with peaches, apples, and plums) and a Peach and Pepper Relish.

I needed a few ingredients for these recipes.

"I'm driving," I told my sweetie, "since I'm not sure if I'll have to go to a couple of stores to find the ingredients."

He understood; he knows how tired I am from the past week's cycling. And it was two o'clock and hot outside. While he headed out to do some gardening, I looked at my list again. "Dang it," I thought to myself, "I should take the bike."

I put blue ice in a couple of insulated grocery bags and stuffed them in the Xtracycle panniers. I walked outside in my bike shoes to let my sweetie know I was heading out.

"I'm taking the bike."

He was surprised.

"This is why we bought the electric assist. I've got to quit being a wimp about taking the bike."

I pedaled to the store (4 miles) with very little assistance from the electric motor, did my shopping, and loaded up. I'd planned to make another stop but decided the frozen food needed to get home quickly. I used the assist most of the way home for speed but still pedaled the whole time to keep my legs moving. It was better than taking the vehicle and gave me more practice balancing a load on both sides of the bike.

Park Your Car! Challenge Check-in #1

It's one week into the Park You Car! challenge. How did you do? Were you able to replace some or all of your driving with walking, biking, or riding public transportation? What went well and what didn't?

My bike became my main means of transportation this week. I didn't find it too burdensome, although I learned some important lessons along the way. When traveling on a bicycle, the resulting breeze is somewhat cooling even on a hot day. Unfortunately, this meant that I wasn't always aware of my body temperature while riding during the heat of the day. There were several times when I felt okay on the bike only to discover I was overheated once I stopped. The solution to this is easy - use the electric assist more when it's really hot out. (We're talking 100 degrees and higher here.)

The other realization which has dawned on me just in the past couple of days is the folly of going from very little riding to a lot in a very short period of time. The general rule of thumb is to increase mileage by about 10% a week. Well, I went from less than 5 miles per week to a whopping total of almost 70 miles this week on the bike! My body is fatigued and my legs are very tired. My records show an increase in the amount of juice I've had to use from the electric assist towards the end of the week as my legs began to give out.

I will continue to ride my bike, but I will not feel guilty about using the assist as much as I need to. Just being on the bike now is helping me gain fitness which will result in less and less use of the assist over time. Even if I used the motor and never pedaled - which I don't do - the environmental impact would still be far less than driving the equivalent distance in a much heavier vehicle. I'm moving in the right direction and will keep improving over time.

I only used our gas-powered vehicle six times this week. Once was to get to our dog obedience class; we don't have any other way to transport two big dogs to class. We also all went out to look at a house for sale later in the day. For both of these trips, one vehicle carried two humans and two canines. I drove to two self-defense classes this week because I just couldn't ramp up my mileage that much in the first week. This would have added 42 miles to my total. Based on how my body feels right now, I'm not sure I'll be biking to those for another week or two. I took the vehicle for another errand midday when I was just too tired and the temperature was too high to consider biking. And finally, I had to gas it up this morning while the temps were low so that was another short trip.

For those who like to crunch the numbers, I biked 69.8 miles this week and was in a vehicle for 61 miles (50 as the sole occupant). I consider this a successful week and am looking forward to continuing next week.

Now it's your turn to report.

Chile's Bike Commuting Tips

Riding a bike instead of driving to get to work or do errands does not have to be difficult; it just requires doing a little research, being prepared, and making the commitment. There are plenty of resources to help you get started. For instance, if you do an Internet search on bike commuting, helpful sites such as these come up in the search results:

Bike Commute Tips Blog
Commute by Bike
Ken Kifer’s Bike Pages
League of American Bicyclists

Many websites for specific locations also come up in the search results. To see what's offered in your neck of the woods, add your city or community to your search. I've also added a list of bicycling links to my sidebar for you to explore.

I want to share some things I've learned from my bicycling experiences. I invite you to share your tips in the comment section. Bike commuting is a great way to lower your carbon footprint, get some exercise, save money on gas, and improve your life.


General tips

• Got bike? If you don't have a bike, it's hard to start commuting by bike. For good tips on what to look for, check out my sweetie's guest post on buying a used bike. If you have the money to go buy a new bike, make sure to shop at a reputable bike shop rather than the big box stores so that you get a good bike put together by qualified mechanics. For those on a budget, check yard sales, ads, and craigslist for additional gear. (Don't buy a used helmet, however.)


• Wear a helmet. Serious brain injuries can occur even in accidents at very slow speeds. Replace your helmet after a crash even if it looks perfectly fine. Its ability to protect your head will be compromised, and it's just not worth risking your brain.


• Comfort counts. If riding is uncomfortable, you will be less likely to choose the bike over the car. Get a seat that works for you and make sure your bike is adjusted for your body. Here is just one example of how to adjust your bike fit.


• Always lock your bike. You always lock your car when you leave it, so why wouldn't you do the same for your bike? If your bike is your ride, you don't want to come out of work, a store, or even your home to find it missing. Buy a quality lock and use it.


• Always take water with you. Even a short trip may take longer than you expect if you get a flat tire. Some metal water bottles will fit in a bike's bottle cage and some now even offer a sport top for active people.


• Know your local cycling laws and obey the rules of the road. Some communities provide a handout of this information, often available at local bike stores. Here are the bicycle traffic laws for Tucson.


• Find a good route. The safest route may not necessarily be the one with the shortest distance. Check with your local bike shop for maps and suggestions.


• Plan ahead. Biking may take longer than driving and you need to allow time to lock up your bike at your destination.


• Allow time to change clothes and clean up at work. If transporting your work clothes in good condition is impossible by bike, consider driving in every Monday with a week’s worth of work clothes. Bring the dirty clothes home on Friday in a bike bag.


• Learn to repair a flat and change a tire. You'll save money and time if you know how to deal with your own flat tires. Carry a small bike pump, flat tire repair kit, and spare tube with you. If you get a lot of flats, consider sliming your tubes or buying flat-resistant tires.


• Get out there and ride. No amount of reading can substitute for experience.

Tips for Carrying Stuff

There are plenty of ways to carry stuff on your bike. Some are fairly low-cost while others require more of an investment. How much you need to carry will determine your needs. I recommend against hanging bags of groceries from your handlebars, though, as this makes the bike less stable.

Don't forget to check thrift stores, ads, yard sales, and craigslist to find these options used.

• Backpack - this option lets you take everything with you at each stop. The disadvantages are carrying weight on your back and sweat soaking your shirt.


• Rack - mounting a rack over the rear wheel provides a platform for carrying stuff, as well as a place to attach other options. Versatile.


• Bungee cords - great for securing stuff to racks. I keep a couple on hand most of the time, just in case.


• Rack bag - a specially designed bag that attaches to the rack to hold your stuff. They are not all that big, but there's enough room to toss in a change of clothes or a bag of groceries.


• Baskets - wire baskets often hang off the rear rack, providing a place to just toss your stuff and go. Bungee cords are handy for taller items. Some baskets also fold flat when not in use, a nice feature for crowded bike racks.


• Panniers - these soft bags also hang off the rear rack but are easily removed at your destination. Made with a variety of materials. If rain is possible, be sure to select a waterproof pair. (Mine have a rain cover in the top pocket that provides complete coverage during bad weather. I love the bright yellow color on the rain covers as it increases my visibility as well.)


• Cargo bikes - these are bikes designed for carrying more stuff on a regular basis. They are great for businesses that deliver by bike as well as individuals looking for ways to transport goods without driving. My Xtracycle is a type of cargo bike.


• Trailers - a way to seriously increase a bike's ability to haul stuff. There are many types of trailers available, ranging from home-built options to expensive but very sturdy designs that you can use to move darn near anything. (There are people that move from one home to another by bike, including all their major appliances!)

Tips for Biking in Heat

• Bike early in the day when the temperatures are cooler. This doesn't always work if the places you are going don't open early.


• Dress in lighter clothes, especially fabrics that wick away sweat. Technical fabrics are much cooler on a hot day than cotton or denim. Check thrift stores to buy used.


• Wear a helmet. A bike helmet with good ventilation will keep your head cooler (and more protected in an accident) than riding bare-headed.


• Wet down hair and/or clothes. Evaporation will help cool you off when it's hot.


• Electric assist. This is my answer to dealing with 100+ degree summer temperatures in the desert. I can use a little, or a lot, of power to keep me from getting over-heated.

Tips for Biking in Cold

I don't have as much experience with biking in cold weather other than a chilly and wet winter in Oregon. However, even severe winter weather is not an excuse for the dedicated cyclist.

• Dress appropriately for your conditions. This may mean dressing in layers to retain heat and checking out clothes made specifically for cold weather sports. Find what works for you.


• Learn appropriate riding techniques for ice and snow.

Tips for Biking in Rain

• Wear a waterproof outer layer. A good "shell" will keep you from getting soaked. This is especially important in cold weather where being wet and chilled can lead to hypothermia. For drenching rains, remember to look into rain pants as well as a jacket.


• Fenders. These will keep water and mud from spraying up your backside from the back tire. Definitely worth it if heading out to an important business meeting!


• Keep your seat dry. Cover your bike seat with a plastic bag when leaving the bike in the rain. Remove bag before heading out and your butt will stay dry.


• Slow down and pay close attention to road. Rain makes the road more slippery. Manhole covers and painted road lines get very slick so avoid them if at all possible. If you can’t avoid them, ride straight over them without turning or braking.


• Be visible. Drivers can’t see as well in poor conditions so wear bright rain gear and use your lights.

Tips for Biking at Night

• Be visible! Drivers will not be able to see you as well as you can see them.


• Have a bright rear blinking red light and a front headlight. The brighter, the better.


• Ride defensively. Assume that cars will not see you and ride accordingly.


• Know your route. Hitting unexpected potholes can be hazardous.

Share your Tips

Do you have some additional tips to share? What were the important lessons you learned when you began commuting by bike?

Pink & Prickly (or "Playing with Cactus Fruit")

It's prickly pear fruit season again. A friend and I went out picking fruit on her in-laws' private property on Friday and then made jelly on Saturday. We each picked enough to fill a 4 gallon bucket with fruit, and then cleaned and processed them at our own homes to get the juice. Last year's tutorial, with pictures, will show you how to do this.


The only thing I did differently this year was cooking the fruit in the solar oven rather than on the stovetop. It worked perfectly well and kept the house a little cooler.


I woke early on Saturday and decided to make my jelly right away. Surprisingly, it only took one hour from start (heating the water in the water bath canner to sterilize the jars) to finish (removing finished jelly from the boiling water bath canner). By then my sweetie was awake and the dogs needed their walk. When we returned, I still had time to clean the pans and whip out another batch of jelly before dog obedience class.

In the afternoon, I rode over to my friend's house to help her make a batch of jelly and one of syrup. Thank goodness I took my Xtracycle with the new electric assist because I forgot a couple things and had to go back home for them in a hurry and in 100+ degree temperatures! When we finished, I really didn't feel like doing another batch of jelly or making syrup at home.


I was hot and thirsty, though, so I threw together some prickly pear lemonade. I didn't measure anything. I had about an extra half cup of lemon juice left and added about the same amount of prickly pear juice. I made a sugar syrup in the microwave with about half a cup of sugar and a cup of water. Ice cubes cooled the syrup off when the sugar was dissolved. I mixed the juices, sugar syrup, and another couple of cups of cold water. The pink brew was delicious poured over ice and made 3 large servings.


The prickly pear lemonade was so tasty we decided to just freeze the prickly pear juice rather than making it into anything else. This morning, I threw together a single glass of pink lemonade after 14 miles of bike errands by putting 2 lemon ice cubes, 2 prickly pear ice cubes, and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a glass, and then filling it with water.


That was just about right but a little tart. Sugar mixes into cold drinks much better if dissolved into hot water first (as in a sugar syrup).


Last year I mentioned that I did not compost the cactus fruit pulp leftover after straining the juice. This year, I will....but not just yet. In yet another one of my liqueur making experiments with fruit remains (like the pomegranate seed use and re-use), I stuffed the prickly pink pulp into half gallon jars, added 1 cup of sugar, and then filled them to the top with vodka. I'll let these steep for a week or two and then start sampling to see if they're ready. Since I could find nothing about doing this online, I don't know how long to let them steep. Some liqueurs are ready in a week while others take a few months.

Actually, I did find plenty of references to prickly pear liqueurs online but most were recipes for mixed drinks using prickly pear syrup. In Malta, locals make a prickly pear liqueur called Bajtra and in a small community in Sicily, they make one called Ficodi, but I could find no recipes online. On the island of St. Helena, prickly pear fruit (called Tungi) is distilled into whiskey. In Flagstaff, Arizona, a distillery makes vodka out of prickly pear fruit but distilling is a process that is way out of my league. I will be sure to provide an update later on my experiments with making prickly pear liqueur.