“the social bike” #bikeschool edition 4

Hi. Thursday at 9P EST, I’ll be moderating this thing we call #bikeschool. Details below. Extra credit for watching this video via @egggman.

#BikeSchool edition 4 “The Social Bike” w/ special guests:

• #30daysofbiking creators –> @Patiomensch, @Zachamon
• Kaleidospoke co-founder –> @deaddisko

some other stuff you might find useful…

1. have FUN, be social, jump in!
2. login to your Twitter account from 9-10p EST
3. use the hashtag #bikeschool in your tweets
4. if you are using TweetDeck just click on #bikeschool from any tweet. add a column to follow the discussion
5. we also use TweetChat – SIGN IN (top right) for more controls
6. or follow along using this Twitter Search link
7. you might want to let people know your tweets will be a little crazy during the hour. Something like:  tweeps, I’m heading to #bikeschool chat so just ignore my crazy tweets the next hour… or better, join in here http://bit.ly/aUdGX9
8. the moderator will come with a few questions… ***Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. If your response begins with Q1, Q2, Q3 it will help us all follow along
9. feel free to have side conversations, ask other questions, stir it up and most importantly throw at least a couple heckle tweets towards @egggman and @lovingthebike
10. have FUN — no lurking — jump in!

she’s been around a few times

This weekend I saw a Toyota Landcruiser parked along the street outside the YMCA. My son had just finished up swim lessons and his swim buddy jumped in this old Landcruiser with his dad close behind.

I loved his Landcruiser and figured it had a story, so I told dad he had a beauty of a Toyota Landcruiser. It made him smile big and I thought, aha!, here comes the story…

Me: Hi! just love your Landcruiser. Toyota guy: Thanks, *big smile* I just recently painted her. See? It used to be red. A little rust coming thru, though… down here and along the wheels some. Me: Well, she’s a beauty. What year? How many miles? Toyota guy: 1988. Don’t know the miles, she’s been around a few times. Me: Wow! Where did you find her? Toyota guy: I’ve owned her since 1988, can’t remember the name of the place.

So glad I stopped to ask him about her. Toyota guy left me with the impression there was no way he would trade her in for a new one. I feel the same way about bikes… it’s hard to beat old steel.

election day

This is Eli’s bike (@esagor). I’m not gonna say a lot about it. I’d like you to help write this blog post instead.

flickr credit: esagor

If you’ve never commented here before, now is the time…

What do you think about when you see Eli’s bike? Bikes, politics, freedom, your crazy aunt Loretta – nothing is off limits.

Thanks for the great post!

#bikeschool – how to participate

Here’s what you need to know…

1. login to your Twitter account from 9-10p EST
2. use the hashtag #bikeschool in your tweets
3. if you are using TweetDeck just click on #bikeschool from any tweet. add a column to follow the discussion
4. or follow along using this Twitter Search link
5. or this TweetChat link is another option (there are probably more options)
6. you might want to let people know your tweets will be a little crazy during the hour. Something like:  tweeps, I’m heading to #bikeschool chat so just ignore my crazy tweets the next hour… or better, join in here http://bit.ly/9imv1H
7. the moderator will come with a few questions… Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. If your response begins with Q1, Q2, Q3 it will help us all follow along
8. feel free to have side conversations, ask other questions, stir it up and most importantly throw at least a couple heckle tweets towards @egggman and @lovingthebike

Thursday Night #Bikeschool (9p EST)

A couple months ago @egggman, @lovingthebike and I blogged about
sharing lessons learned using the hashtag #bikeschool. The hashtag has
taught us a lot. Not so much on technical issues, but more about life
lessons.

We’ve heard about kids flying free without training wheels and what
this has meant for the parent. There have been stories shared about
mountain biking, volunteerism, beer biking, icebiking, biking with a
family, and we’ve even had a couple Yogi Berrisms. It’s been amazing
and fun to be part of this.

We’d like to take #bikeschool to the next level. By all means keep
sharing your stories via blogs and tweets during the week using the
same hashtag, but beginning this Thursday, October 21 at 9p EST and
each Thursday through the rest of the year, we invite you to attend a
live 60 minute Twitter discussion moderated by either Mike, Darryl, or
myself.

We’ll identify the moderator each Thursday on Twitter at 9p EST sharp
using the hashtag #bikeschool. They will introduce a new topic or
question every 15 minutes to keep the discussion lively. If you follow
us on Twitter you know the discussion can get a little crazy. Expect
more of the same, but most importantly expect to make some great
cycling connections and have some fun.

So that’s Thursday night #bikeschool folks. Are you ready for some
cycling conversation? Questions? Contact @egggman, @lovingthebike or
@bikerly and we’d be happy to help.

In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In
practice there is.  — Yogi Berra

The technical details: 10 Steps to #bikeschool

dips and perspective

Some remarkable stuff on the internets last week. Amazing posts from amazing people:

• Ayacucho to Cusco via the Pebble Pedalers
• Perspective is Everything via @amsterdamize
• Double Dip Recession via @T_Starry
• Pre-Ride via @bikecrave

I haven’t been on my bike as much lately because of the time commitment that comes with marathon training — the inspiration behind my last post on cycling’s social impact.

@morebikes calls it “the most perfect blog post. Ever. Period.” I always always appreciate comments like this, but I think this description best fits @dorthybitestoto’s first post back on March 10, 2010 which is completely awe-inspiring –> Letter to My Daughters

Learning the way along the way… much thanks to the #bikeschool cohort.

happy stories, #30daysofbiking, the secret, Austin safari, etc.

Happy cycling stories this past week… some highlights:

• The Secret via @ecoveloinfo
• Who, knowing the truth, would choose anything else? @letsgorideabike
• 30 days of biking – part 2 via @patiomensch
• Austin Safari via @T_Starry
• Happy Bike Stories via @cyclelicious
• You’re Never Too Old to Learn via Kassidy @lovingthebike

30 days of biking part 2 starts up September 1. I’m excited for this again… it may spike the number of posts here or it may not. Learning the way along the way. #bikeschool

bike school, pink, B ride, jackassery, etc.

So much bike goodness on the web this past week I could barely get my biking and running in. I managed, but work had to suffer. Some highlights…

• What is #bikeschool? via Taylor @MontagueBikes
• Start where you are via @bikecrave
• the pink bike via @morebikes
• #Bikeschool – Back to School via @T_Starry
• A Little Bike Schooling on the B ride via @myrnacgmibus
• Practice safe #jackblammer a visual reminder via @egggman

There were other lessons this week. It’s not always about the bike at #bikeschool. Thanks to @SaraSantiago for the best lessons of the week. I’m so glad to have found Sara’s blog. Everyone needs a hefty dose of jackassery served with a smile.

I’m also super happy @cyclelicious replied to my “Bikes as Art” comment, pointing me to rule 8. This is going to save me hours in the garage.

We’re leArning the wAy Along the wAy – live streaming right now at #bikeschool.

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[editor’s note] – I found the email subscription widget this weekend so if you would like future posts emailed to you just click the button on the top right. BAM! It’s easy. Make it a great week.

The best of #bikeschool

Last week Darryl @lovingthebike, Mike @egggman, and I launched #bikeschool. Short stories, lessons learned by bike – blogged or twittered using the hashtag #bikeschool. If week one is any indication, I think we are in for some excellent stories. Here’s a few of my favorites from week 1.

The best by @bikecrave

Return to the Elemental by @mtbgreg

#bikeschool (Secret Girl Stuff) by @annaphase

Old can be good by @T_Starry

For the win, my favorite comes from the #bikeschool dean himself – A Hero, Fallen by @lovingthebike. Sometimes the best lesson is off the bike. Happy Monday, bikers. Let’s make it a great week!

#bikeschool

It was an arctic February day (-10 F) when I decided to get off the couch and go for a bike ride. It had been months since my last, but I was determined to kick Old Man Winter where the sun wasn’t shining.

Layers, face mask, goggles and gloves, I pedaled. My wife thought I was crazy. So did the neighbors. I loved it, and spent the rest of the weekend researching winter cycling gear. That weekend marked my addiction to icebiking. I continued biking through the Winter, taking pictures and facebooking the heck out of my adventures.

I also bookmarked a whole pile of blogs. It was a great opportunity to learn something new. Not the normal bicycle maintenance tutorials but stories about people, their bikes and why they ride them. After reading bike blogs for months I wondered if I should start one and be part of the story telling. So I asked some of my favorite bloggers why they did it. Most of their feedback is shared on my first post.

Months later, it’s a helluva lot warmer. In fact I often wish for snow crunching under my tires and a tug of hot chocolate Schnapps waiting at trail end. But, I’m enjoying the ride more than ever. I’m blogging about it and still love to read other people’s bike stories. I want to read them all.

That’s my #bikeschool lesson. There is no such thing as bad biking weather, only bad biking gear. Like Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote: “Into each life some rain must fall.”

Now head on over to Loving the Bike & The Old Singlespeed for more #bikeschool fun. And, here’s an important note so get your iPads ready…

If you have a bike story of your own – lessons learned through cycling – blog or tweet about it using the #bikeschool tag so we can learn together.

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