Service Projects!

Today everyone signed up for service projects.  In case you missed OR didn't write down who is in your project group here is the break down.  Make sure you exchange email addresses and phone numbers.  Also make sure to send an email to your service contact before the end of the week.  One email from the group is fine.  Also make sure when you meet with your contacts you go as a group.  As you begin working on your service projects, please be responsible and demonstrate a good work ethic.  Tony, Matt, & Nick are all busy people and we do not to waste any of their effort, because we don't show up on time, or request multiple meetings because you don't coordinate with your group well.

MST
Teshenia
Shannon
Sarah

Novant - Wellness Product Development
Meghan
Cassie
Brittany
Nicole
Kiva

Novant - Bike City/College
Lane
Amy
Desiree'
Tia

CDI - Creating Buzz about Bikes (& current usage)
Alannah
Heather
Erika
Olivia
Kristen

Moore's Springs Trails Visit

Yesterday, a group of 6 people made their way up to Moore's Springs Trails for a sort of orientation and meet the property day.  Nick and I drove the group the 45 min drive from Salem's campus (not that bad).  Sarah brought her friend Jen and Shannon brought her friend Tiffany and we had a lovely guided tour through the property.  Tony McGee meet us at the farm house directly off of Moore's Spring Rd. and sent us off into the woods to see the place first hand.  This is now my second time up at the site, but I had never been to the main parking area and farm house.  It is quite a nice location for enjoying the outdoors.  We made our way up the trail and were shortly met by Tony on his bike.  He guided us around some of the 6 miles of trail.

We spent some time discussing what the students might get involved with, but we also enjoyed the wonderful weather and the smell of the woods.  We were met on the trail by a group of 5-7 mountain bikers who all "performed" for the camera.  One of the bikers that we met offered to lend a couple bikes and other gear to anyone that wanted to try it out.  I don't think Shannon or Sarah were convinced :)  I know I would at least try it after seeing the wider areas of trail.  After all, Saturday I survived falling off the Salem Lake Trail and almost ending up in the lake (advice... don't get distracted and look at dogs passing you as you go around a turn).  If anyone is interested, let me know!

 

So we had great time and Tony suggested we all come up for a camping trip at the end of the semester.  That is once Shannon and Sarah (and other students) get working on the campground!!!

Mountain Bikers are a Little Crazy

Hello again,

So for my service project, I have decided to work with Tony and Moore's Spring Trails. A group of 6 of us went out yesterday and it was awesome. The people out there were really nice and really passionate about the sport. It was refreshing to meet such nice people. After our 3 hours tour, we came back to the parking area and got to know a few of the bikers more personally. A large group that we took video and photos of were from Greensboro. We also met the owner of a cycling store called Re:Cycle. He would be an awesome speaker for events or for other peoples projects. He takes parts off of old bikes and creates something new, hence, the name of his shop.

I was really interested in the other service opportunities offered but I think that this would be the best pick for me. The trip really isn't that far (maybe 45 minutes) and if a group of us all wanted to go a carpool would be a great option.Professor Allen also said she would be willing to join us on Sunday's if she didn't have prior engagements.

If anyone has any questions, Shannon and I can share our experience in class today.

Happy Volunteering :)

A Tour of Old Salem

Hello Everyone!

I was not really in the distance biking mood this week so, my friends and I went on a tour of Old Salem and rode briefly on Salem Lake Trail. I've actually never been on a tour and it was really interesting to see things that I never knew were there. If you haven't gone a tour, I strongly encourage you to go before you graduate. I've found myself trying to make up for lost time a lot lately. Next on the to-do list is going to a Vineyard and pick Blue Berries.

If you have any suggestions for my must-do list, please let me know :)

Service Projects and More Biking

Over the last three classes I have enjoyed getting to meet people who are working to make our community more bike-friendly. I thought that all three of the men who spoke to us really seemed dedicated and passionate about their work. I think that all three will help the community greatly. The project that I am most interested to work with is the one with Matt Gymer from Novant Health making surveys. I think that it will be interesting to survey Salem students about their health and wellness and what they think would help them to become healthier. This project sounds like it could really tell us a lot about the level of wellness on campus and what students would like to see change. I am excited to get started!

I biked for about an hour on Saturday to take advantage of the beautiful weather. I biked in my neighborhood and was excited to see some other people doing the same thing! I am enjoying the biking component of this class more than I had expected!

Tia/ Speaker reflections

The guest speakers this week were very informative and thought provoking, although I missed the one I was really looking forward to hearing, and thats the guest from Novant Health. I was especially interested in this one because I would like for my service project to be centered around health and wellness. I really enjoyed Tony McGee and his info about Moore's Spring Trail . I have always wanted to explore that particular geographical area where the trail is located, and I like the hands on aspect of the project. I think gratification will come when you can look at the finished project and say "I actually contributed to that!" Nicks presentation was the most innovative way to approach the project. I have never really been into technology on that scale, but I have made up in my mind that I want to visit the center to get a first hand look at what the center is all about.

A walk and service project

I went out this afternoon to map out a way to get to Salem by bike with the least amount of involvement with traffic. Initially, I went down Marshall (I live on 1st) and then crossed over on Academy. I took the strollway back and this seems to be the best option to avoid traffic. I'll have to walk my bike (when I get one) up 1st as it's one way between my place and the strollway, and then bike once I reach it. I wanted to ask if anyone has opinions/ideas about buying a bike. I've been doing research online, but with all the info out there, it's kind of overwhelming. I don't want to spend a bazillion dollars on one, so that leaves the custom bikes out, but what should I be looking for in an everyday fixed gear bike? This was much simpler when I was a kid and all I had to decide about a bike was whether or not to get the white wicker basket with the daisies on it. :)

As for my service project, the one with Novant Health on Bike City USA seemed the most appealing to me since one of my majors is Creative Writing. I wasn't in class the day the person from the Center for Design Innovation came, but the project on Generating Buzz About The Bike also seems interesting since it involves creativity, too.

Service Project & Wellness

I have came to the conclusion that I am interested in working with Novant Health for the qualitative research surveys for my service project. I am solely interested in this project, particularly because I am a Sociology major, and by completing some of this research may, perhaps, enhance my knowledge when it comes to qualitative research and other sociological methods that I may use. I am actually excited about this project, because we (as a class) are not limited to only classroom knowledge, we will gain more knowledge about the world in which we live in, if we explore and discover what's really out there.
I am excited to complete my service learning project in this class, because it will enhance my knowledge as a Sociologist, and I can actually go out and see how society works and thinks about the new products I will introduce to them.

I haven't biked or anything this week, but I have worked out for my Health & Wellness Class, and for my own sake, because I need to become healthier than I am now. I worked out all weekend, and I helped my mom sign up for Daily Plate. I have not signed up, quite yet, because I am also completing a Behavior Change Project in my other class, and I will sign up for Daily Plate later, because I cannot make as these drastic changes all at once. Hopefully I will start biking more, because it is fun, and its healthy, and Spring is coming soon, so I may as well grab some biking shoes and get to riding.

Wellness Goals: One reached, one barely missed, one demolished

This week I had three wellness goals, bike an average of ten miles per day, give up coffee and diet soda (essentially most/all caffeine), and give up dairy and wheat.  I must say I was pretty kranky at times, but I made it and now I'm about to watch the Oscars (my guilty pleasure of the year).  So where did I succeed and where did I fail miserably?

I was able to stay off Caffeine all week, and plan to stay away from it, it wasn't too bad and I'm now headache free.

I biked an average of 9.25 miles per day, not bad considering it rained most of the day Thursday and while on my ride today.  I also hiked ~3.5 miles at Moore's Springs Trails with Shannon, Sarah and some of their friends, so I'm counting this a very near miss.  I did not bike at all Thursday and Friday, so I was able to make up almost all my mileage.  Most of my biking was on the Salem Creek trail, but I did do an hour of spin class for variety.

As for the dairy and wheat, I did well until Friday, when we had a diner guest, but I was pretty restrained, considering we had Italian cuisine (I even made dairy & wheat free Eggplant Parmesan). Something bad happened on Saturday, I was exhausted after teaching all day and then riding 18+ miles so when I got home I had about 1000 calories in cheese and crackers (my weakness).  This was unfortunate because the lab I taught on Saturday was all about enzymes and we used lactase and lactose intolerance to help us learn the concepts.  I was able to get back on track today and hope to continue to make improvements on my commitment to keep away from the yummy things that hurt me when I eat them.

Wellness

I decided to hike this week and did some trails near my house. I love that I can get outside without having to get in my car and then hike/walk/bike. The season is on the verge of changing and hiking was a good way to experience that. It reminded me that life is connected which is one of the main themes in this class. The world is connected and our survival depends on the continued preservations and survival of not just humans.

The talk by Mr Gymer from Novant Health was fodder for discussion around our dinner table this week. Growing up in a different country makes me look differently at health and food, maybe? The amount of conversation that revolved around food for me was a bit unsettling when I first moved here. I don't believe I had ever talked so much about food, the having it, the depriving one's self of it to lose weight, the ready availability of it, the food and weight conversations etc. My Mom, husband and I leaned in the same direction when it comes to this talk of food and weight. Before my philosophy was eat when you're hungry, enjoy it, stop when you're full and junk food/sweets were an occasional thing.

My point with all that said is this, I very much embrace the idea of there being different aspects to maintaining wellness and health. Food is just one aspect of being healthy, well and happy. I am not discouraging the idea of being aware of what a person eats, but making it such a focus to the detriment of other aspects of a person's life that are just as important skews one's view.

As for which project I am interested, would love the quantitative research project but from the point of view of moms, specifically stay at home/part time working moms who need access to mobile resources to maintain health in their families.

Next week, biking...

Alannah - A weekly hike continued..

For our project, I'm considering Bike City USA, because I am interested in human behaviors.. I must admit though, I do wish the trail building was a little closer. I'm excited to get started on my data collections. :)

This week, we went to pilot mountain for another hike. We took the shortest trail (which was still 1.7 miles one way) but to my personal dismay, the trail we chose didn't go up to the top. So I don't have any cool photos from up there this week! It was still a good walk though, and I could see in this trail the building techniques that were discussed last Monday.

Biking, not quite what I imagined. And Project Idea.

So I went biking this week instead of my usual run. I did stationary biking though. I biked for around 2 hours. I would have much rather went running, but do to an injury I am not allowed to run for at least another week. So until then I am allowed to bike and that is it. I was extremely upset to find this news and am still to scared to get back on a regular bike. The fear of destroying the bike is too much for me at this point. Overall the biking went well. I did a lot of reading but in general I was bored. Sitting for that long was irritating, especially when I'm used to being outside and running on the greenways.

I have also been trying to figure out what I want to do for my project. I am trying to pick something that is interesting to me and something that I could be good at. I would like to do either the Novant Health, health product development or Center for design innovation's creating buzz about the bike. I like the first topic because I am good at surveying and studying people. I like the second one because I love the greenways in Winston and feel that they have really changed my everyday life. I am on them almost everyday and think more people should be aware that they exist.

10 Mile Ride on Cary's greenway

While home for the weekend, I decided to take advantage of the great greenway system that Cary has to offer. I started at my house, rode about 1/2 a mile to the beginning of one of the greenways and followed it until it ended. It is approximately 5 miles until the end of the greenway (which they are in the process of extending), so in total it was about a 10 mile ride. I love riding this greenway because it is so beautiful. The greenway is fairly difficult to ride because there are about 6 huge hills. My legs are still burning after my ride yesterday, but it felt really good to get out and enjoy the nice weather.

As for my project, I think I am going to work with Novant Health on the health development project because it sounds like something I would really enjoy. I already have some ideas for products, but I would like to see what the Salem community thinks we need! I really enjoyed all the speakers, but I think Novant Health will be the best fit for me.

Biking w/Kiva

I think all three projects sound interesting. Being outside and actually having hands on experience with building a trail sounds neat. I wish I did not live so far from Moore's Spring Trails. The drive is really not feasible for me. Novant Health and Center for Design Innovation seem to be going in the right directions as well. They both seem to have a zest for healthier communities and are interested in what people think and how people do things. They all three seem to want to make an everlasting change for the goodness and well being of thier communities and surrounding communities. It seems that the main objection is to educate people and promote awareness of healthier choices. Any of the three would be a fun challenge.

I did not get to do a lot of biking this week do to personal reasons with my mom. I am still riding my stationary bike when I can. My 4 mile goal has not been reached but I am doing 2 things that might spark some interest. I started the LIVESTRONG (my plate) calorie tracking. I was amazed that this week I consumed over 70% of fat while watching what I ate. I guess the solution is to eat nuts, bark, berries and leaves! I am not giving up yet. The second thing I am doing is wearing a pedometer. This tracks how many steps you take in a certain period of time. 10,000 steps = 1 mile. It is really cool. You would not believe how many steps you can take in a short period of time. I am not breaking any records but it is interesting all the same. The most I have calculated in one day was 15,867 steps. I am getting a little braver about the whole bike experience. Yesterday, while in Walmart (I am all about Wally World) I checked out the bikes. I saw one that I might purchase. It is called a Cruiser. Nothing fancy, just a regular bike. We will see what the future holds. As usual, Bike On!

Almost Learned to Ride

Today, was my first try/ attempt at learning how to ride a bike. I met up with my professor Louise Allen and Nick from Center for Design Innovation to try to teach me how to ride, we got the bikes but it turned the bike was to big for me, my feet barely touched the ground and we couldn't find another so I hope to try again next week because I will learn how to ride a bike. Speaking of Nick and CDI I am so excited to work with them for my class project otion capture is so exciting especially when you intergrate it with the environment and the importance of biking. As far as myplate on livestrong, I have been tracking my food but not my exercise I plan to start that next week.

Spin

Since we have had these beautiful days of weather lately, I was really looking forward to getting a chance to take the bike out and go for a ride. However my only day off was this past Thursday, and of course, it rained all day... grr. But I did have a chance to head to the gym and go for spin on the stationary. I love the way I can really get into my work out and go "hard core," as my cousin and I call it. LOL So at least I had a chance to get some exercise in. Can't wait for some more great weather to take the ride outside!
On the project side of things, I am lost! There are so many great options, and I have so many ideas floating around in my head.. It's going to be a tough choice for sure!
Hope everyone has a great weekend :)
Heather

Stationary Cycle Time

Once again, I mounted a bike this week. Not in cycling class this time, but on a stationary cycle machine in the gym. It was one of those "sit back and read" bikes. So I did just that, sat back and enjoyed a good book and global climate change. I pedaled away on that bike for nearly two hours, just reading away. Can I walk today? That's debateable. My legs burn. My muscles are severely fatigued. Note to self, and this class, do not; I repeat, do NOT, pedal away into never-look-at-the-clock land. In addition to riding the bike yesterday, I rode at Hidden K Stables on Tuesday. We cantered for almost an entire hour. My buttocks and abs hurt well into late Wednesday. I've most certainly gotten my workouts in for the week!
As for the service project, I'm interested in doing quantitative research at Novant Health. However, I was compelling to raise awareness by The Center of Design Innovation. I most definitely have some thinking to do this weekend...

Minneapolis Biking

I researched the biking conditions for Minneapolis, and I discovered that it's actually one of the best cities for biking around. It currently has 46 miles of roads with clearly dedicated bike lanes and then has a total of 84 miles of off road bicycle paths. In 2007 the city was awarded second place out of 50 cities with the most workers that commute to work on bike with a total of around 7,200 residents that bike to work daily (Portland was #1)

Minneapolis adjoins with St. Paul and together the "Twin Cities" have a population of 3.5 million

Minneapolis- St. Paul scored a 95.86 on the overall sprawl index which ranked it as 38th out of the 83 areas measured by Smart Growth America.

Overall, I think that Minneapolis is, as a community, focused on biking as a transportation option, and for residents, biking is a fesable and safe option.

Hello All,

So now that I've discovered this new world of biking I'm really excited about getting out in the community and just having fun and learning. I'm a really terrible biker right now, but I've been out riding, I've been trying to replace two trips that I would normally drive, so I try to ride to Krankies coffee now because that's within my distance limit that I won't have a heart attack en route. I've also been out on Salem Creek Trail a few times, and I've improved each time that i've done that (granted I still have to walk up the main hill, haha) The first time I went was on a Wed. I think and I was really surprised to see how many other people were out, and the amount of families that were out together. So my first time out was really enjoyable, enough so that I've been out several times since then.

Hooray!

Hello girlie fries, (not to be confused with curly fries! LOL! )
I just biked, (stationary, 2.79 miles in under 10 minutes) My goal now is 4 miles. Hooray! Hooray! A sailor's life for me, and lost 67.6 calories. The tension level was very low or high? It was the easiest to peddle. My husband and I are going to start walking on the track that we have right here in our neighborhood. The LIVESTRONG is a very rude awakening!! (My Plate) Must try it. For dinner, I am having grilled chicken, open range, with a salad of fresh veggies accompanied by yes, oh yes, a cocktail. Hiss, boo? Water too! I feel really good at this point, but the best is yet to come. I bike on an average of 12.4 to 13.2 miles per hour. The soreness is much better today. I like Dr. Allen's advice and my fellow student, " The soreness works the weakness out and do a little bit everyday." My world is changing, hopefully to keep it up as a life change. As usual, BIKE ON!

What is spinning?

Yesterday Matt mentioned spinning, and I know Desiree' tried a spinning class at the local YMCA.  But is anyone else interested in trying this version of cycling?  I attended the Power Spin class this morning at the Gold's Gym on Reynolda and mentioned the grassroots biology class to my instructor and another instructor who was in the class.  They said they would love to have my students out to try a spin class.  Anyone interested?  It is intense, but you might find it fun to try it out.  If you are interested, let me know, we can pick a day (Sunday?) and I will make arrangements with the club.

Now I would much rather ride outside, but it really is two different ways to experience something I enjoy.  Outside, it is quiet and I can pay attention to my surrounds and have some moments of peace and reflection.  Inside, the music is pumping and so is my heart.  It is the only place I get the chance to listen to Top 20 music :)   Tomorrow in class, I will remind everyone of this opportunity to try a spin class at Gold's Gym, in addition to the two trips (biking & trails) this weekend.  If you are interested in biking on Saturday afternoon, let me know tomorrow so that I can reserve the bikes!!!

After class Ride

Motivated and inspired by our guest Matt Gymer (who averages over 30 miles on his bike daily), I decided that I will try to bike an average of 10 miles daily this week.  I already know biking on Friday and Sunday will probably not happen, so I knew I needed to get a jump on this week.  I realized that riding up to Salem Lake and back from Salem College is only 9 miles so I knew I needed to do more to reach my goal today.  But I didn't have a lot of time so I knew I couldn't make it around the entire lake either.  So after I went to Salem lake and back I then headed to Washington Park.  Making my ride just over 11 miles for today, not bad for about 45 minutes of riding.  I was pushing pretty hard, due to my time limitations, but I'm extremely happy with my ride today.

I will say I am exhausted.  I car pool with my husband and so everyday after class I walk over to his office in downtown Winston-Salem.  Today this mile long walk was really difficult after the fast/hard ride I just had.  I know I need to eat some food, maybe I'll try that Vega recovery drink, since I'm trying not to eat dairy, so my old Whey protien shake is out of the question.  I'll let you all know how it tastes.

One last note.  This is your own journey.  Do what you think is sustainable (what you can reasonably keep up with) and that you enjoy doing.  Set your own goals in this adventure into wellness and environmental responsibility.  Make sure to notice the big and small changes.


Websites from Today's Class:
Daily Plate
Backroads - Active vacationing
Brendan Brazier - Vegan Ironman
Wellness at Salem

UPDATE... Oh boy does that Vega taste good!  Can you sense my sarcasm?  I bought samples of 3 different flavors, so I'm hoping the next flavor is going to actually be palatable!!

Burning Muscles & South Carolina

This week, I chose to cycle in the Fitness Center at Salem. I biked for 60 minutes with the new personal trainer. In addition to biking, I did squats for 30 minutes. Once again, I find my leg still burn. During the work out, my lungs felt great. My heart didn't beat out of my chest. Nor did I have soccer moms showing me up all around. It was great. This week, I hope to hit the cycling class again. Time was just an issue this week.

Every Tuesday, I ride at Hidden K Stables. I'm on the Equestrian team and have lessons once a week, in addition to a hack ride on my own. Yesterday, we had a show in Virginia. SOOOO in addition to riding a bike once this week, I've ridden a horse three times. Oh how my muscles burn...

Also, I've researched Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston blows me away! In 2009, the mayor created a "Charleston Bicycle Friendly Community Task Force" to increase the use of bicycles in Charleston. This city blows me away...you can essentially bike or walk EVERYWHERE! This committee is currently in the process of developing an action plan for developing a completely bicycle friendly city. In addition to reading about the amazing works of this committee, I read a blog called "sirbikesalot". He's amazing. Check it out for sure! (sirbikesalot.com)

Washington, D.C.

Lucky number 13 on the Top 50 Bike Friendly Cities list is Washington, D.C.

The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) is a very active and well known across D.C. and the surrounding areas. They have many events year round, have bike education classes, and are active in the development and expansion of bike ways.

The website is awesome, I suggest you check it out. It is a great inspiration for anyone wanting to get ideas on how to expand their area's bike program.

http://www.waba.org

Friday morning I hit the road and headed back to Wilmington, NC. It got up to 75 degrees this weekend, it was perfect bike riding weather.

I took out my beach cruiser and rode to Wrightsville Beach. Wilmington is trying to be more bike friendly. They have recently added large trails around the area that leads up to Wrightsville Beach. This made it much easier to get onto the beach.

Wrightsville has a loop around the center of the island, that is great to ride around and also for running. It was such a nice time, it makes me miss living on Wrightsville Beach and biking everyday.

Why Seattle is the 4th Bike Friendliest City

When most people think of Seattle,they think of rain, coffee, and the Emerald City-like skyline. What most people don't know is how bike friendly Seattle is and how large a biking population the city has. Over 520,000 citizens ride a bike for recreation and up between 4000 and 8000 people use their bike for transportation on any given day. The weather in Seattle is certainly a major concern, the city has an average rainfall of 37 inches per year and it rains about 50 percent of the time. Those that use their bikes as a means of daily commuting can take advantage of the city buses which now include multiple racks on the front. This is useful when a biker is met with foul weather and has to quickly change their mode of transportation. There are some cons to this bike friendliness that are not so friendly. Seattle's terrain can be very tricky with its steep hills and dangerous slopes. The city can account for a large amount of emergency room visits and even deaths based on bike accidents, most of which could have been prevented by wearing a helmet.

When I think of factors such as weather and terrain, it would seem to me that Winston Salem would be the easier of the two to navigate on bike. The weather here is almost always nice, even when you factor in the often hellish heat southern summers can bring. There is really no extreme terrain here, which may also more desirable. Yet, even with these factors working in favor of Winston Salem, this area is still considered the second most sprawling, which is not conducive for greener modes of transportation such as biking and walking.

Maryland Biking and Walking

I did not do any biking this week, but I always do quite a bit of walking. I actually had the pleasure of exploring a new city this weekend by walking. Some friends and I traveled to Clinton, Maryland for the weekend. We traveled by car and it took us about 5 hours. On the second day of the trip, we decided to take the Metro train into DC, which was about 30minutes by train. Once in the city, I was amazed at how close everything was. There was nothing that could not be reached by a 10 to 15 minute walk, including the capital building, Washington Monument and Reflecting Pool. There was not a huge bike presence. I noticed this right away, and I will say that I don't think I would have been comfortable riding in that area. The streets and sidewalks were wide, but still most opted to walk. Clinton, were we stayed for our trip, was located in sprawling Prince George's County. This area, in my opinion was not bike, walker, or even car friendly because everything was so far away from everything else, and even by car it took forever to arrive at any destination. After seeing the sprawl in that area, I am even more surprised that the Triad is listed as number 2 on the list of the most sprawling areas.

Not this week

I did not get to go walking this week, my week has been so hellish its not even funny, but I found out that my project state of Baltimore MD is very bike friendly with trails and hiking opportunites, more information to come.

"This bike was not meant to go up hills"

Hello Again!

This week was fabulous and there was ample opportunity to get out and do stuff (including bike).

So, my friend, Jenny and I rented bikes from Salem and went on our way again to Salem Lake again.

We did not get as far as I did last time. First of all, the bike I rented was very comfortable but not very athletic. I wanted to spare my butt this time, so I got the cruiser bike. Mistake, mistake. I'm thinking of buying a seat cushion for the athletic bikes because their seats really hurt the caboose, but the cruiser is hard to get up hills.

These bike rides are really giving Jenny and I the opportunity to bond a lot too. She has been my closest friend since my first year and I will miss her a lot when we graduate. I've also learned some stuff about Old Salem.

I love the various picture opportunities that are along the trail and I love photography so I think I will use some of them to shoot later.

One thing that I think would really improve the trail are solar powered lights. It got really dark around 6:30 so we couldn't ride very much of the trail. I don't really know how much the solar powered lights would cost but they would be most appreciated by all types of people.

We passes a few bikers but more walkers. It was nice to see other people using the trail.

San Francisco - Bike friendly city

About 95% of San Francisco's streets have bike lanes, and more than 70% of people in the city say they ride more than twice a week, at least. The number of people that bike to work doubled between 1990 and 2000 and is still growing (of course). The San Francisco Bicycle Program is dedicated to making the streets safer and enhancing biking as a viable mode of transportation. They have garage bicycle parking, maps for bike routes through the city, and even a 50 - page guide to biking practices customary in San Francisco. Lastly they have the coexist campaign, which educates cyclists and motorists in the rules and regulations when sharing the road, right down to debris in the roads.

I didn't cycle this week. However, Sunday was my day spent out at Hanging Rock State Park, taking the hike to the top of the mountain. It was excellent and exhilarating, I even climbed a few rocks. (; I never remember my camera but the one time I did, it came in handy. Most of you from NC have seen the view, but for those of you that haven't, it's lovely!

Philadelphia: One of America's Most Bike Friendly Cities

I chose to research Philadelphia for my top fifty bicycle friendly cities project. My family visits Philadelphia regularly and, in my experience, it does not seem like the most bike friendly place so I wanted to see just what is going on there that makes it so bike friendly. After doing some research, however, I realized that there is quite a bit of work being done to make the city a haven for bikers.

The majority of this work is being done in conjunction with the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, a non-profit organization which was founded in 1972 with the aim of making bicycling more attractive to residents as well as providing more resources for people who choose to bike. On their website I was able to find a number of important things that would help a person begin biking. I was able to gain access to information regarding bike shops, bike trails, biking clubs, commuter routes, bike rentals, laws regarding bicycling and bicycle education classes. All of these things help to create a vibrant bicycling community.

I looked at some of the maps for different commuter routes and was astounded by how easy it would be to bike through Philadelphia. This group has made biking in the city a much less daunting task. I think that the coalition is the single greatest asset to the biking community in Philadelphia.

Unfortunately, I did not continue with my bike riding this week. I did, however, take a long walk on Saturday. I enjoyed being outside on such a beautiful, sunny day!

Miami is becoming a bicycle friendly city by the year 2012. The key advancement of bicycle routes and facilities will create a full array of accommodations for cyclists by allowing cycling to be an easy alternative to automobile usage or for recreational enjoyment of the city itself. Miami will also become a safe place to ride a bicycle this will also create a more livable and vibrant city for many residents of Miami.

The Bicycle Action Committee (BAC) was formed in 2008 as a means to push Miami forward to become a bicycle friendly city. The Bicycle Action Committee is composed of representatives from various city departments, business owners, and cycling advocates. The BAC was responsible for the creation of the 2008 Bicycle Action Plan which set in motion the 2009 Bicycle Master Plan which sets to make Miami a Bicycle Friendly City by 2012.

Miami also obtains cycling groups that are separated throughout the city such as the Everglades Bicycle Club, 305 Critical Mass, Emerge Critical Mass, and the Green Mobility Network is also a club. Miami is really pressing forward to have cycling paths throughout the city by the year of 2012.

15 Most Active Cities

America's 15 most active cities - Time Magazine Article

Lets see how these cities compare with the top 50 bike friendly cities?!

Readings now on Moodle

Sorry it took so long.  New readings are up on Moodle.  Check them out.

Sublime, Sunshine and Bike Trails; the LBC

Long Beach, CA

#23 on the top 50 list of Bike Friendly US Cities

Let me start by explaining the title of this blog. I chose Long Beach, California (LBC) to research because I am in love with the band Sublime and the Long Beach-Huntington Beach area in general.

Sublime originated in LBC in 1988 and because of my awesome older brother, John, this ska punk sound was/is a big part of my life.

I dedicate this blog to my fellow Sublime lovers and ska heads everywhere :)

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It is no wonder Long Beach, California is on the top 50 list. The area (including LA) offers over 30 bike trails totaling over 400 miles. The longest trail (that I could find) was 89.9 miles and ran from LBC to San Diego, CA. (Note the Picture below)

Here are some facts about the Long Beach area:

The city's green lane project in Belmont Shore (sharrows, bike boxes) earned an award from the Institute of Transportation Engineers for best innovative project of the year (2010). In an effort to provide sustainable transportation alternatives to the community, as well as a safe route to several neighborhood schools, the City of Long Beach is also installing a “bike boulevard” on Vista Street, extending from Temple Avenue to Nieto Avenue.

New bikeway signs can be found throughout Long Beach to identify designated bike routes and provide wayfinding information for cyclists. Generally you will find even numbers assigned to east/west routes; odd numbers assigned to north/south routes; and route numbers increasing as they progress from south to north. The signage was funded through a grant provided by Metro, and they include new route numbers that have been assigned to all bike paths, bike lanes and bike routes that correspond to the City’s new bike map.

Population Size: est. 492,653

Sprawl: Long Beach is located at 33°47' North, 118°10' West, about 20 miles (32 km) south of downtown Los Angeles. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 65.9 square miles (170.7 km2), with 50.4 square miles (130.5 km2) of its area being land and 15.4 square miles (40 km2) of it (23.42%) is water. It is important to note that there is some ambiguity in where L.A. bike trails end and LBC trails begin.

Demographics: According to the 2006-2008 American Community Survey,the racial composition of Long Beach was 44% White (Non-Hispanic Whites: 30.0%), 40.2% Hispanic or Latino (of any race), 15.4% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 11.2% Asian, 0.8% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 4% from Two or more races, and 24.1% of some other race

Below you will find a city map that is often posted for bikers and walkers.

Here are some pictures of the LBC Bike Trails:

Cleveland Ohio and Running round 2

Cleveland Ohio is #39 on the top fifty bike friendly cities in America list. Cleveland has a trail from the southern border of the city to Akron which is about 110 miles long. It has also started a bike rental program for summer. The goal is to eventually add a parking garage with showers and a changing room to the start of the trail. ODOT has also come up with a $6 million dollar project to widen bike lanes throughout Cleveland.

There are several different bike trails throughout Cleveland. There is the Cleveland Lakefront Bikeway, Harrison-Dillard Routs, Euclid Corridor, and Veteran's Memorial Bridge and Lorain Carnegie. That constitutes about 80 miles of pathway for bikers. One bike lane goes the whole length of Euclid Avenue. Cleveland also has many plans for some indoor bike trails during the days when the weather is not permitting for people to be outside.

There are also several projects trying to get more bike trails in Cleveland. One group is trying to get a bike trail/ walking path along I-90. Another group is trying to get access to Cuyahoga Valley National Park to put in some bike trails. Some groups organize bike races and games involving bikes to get more people interested in biking. Making Cleveland a bike friendly city.

Also I went running this week instead of biking again. This time I went a different way on the greenway. I ran from Salem College to Salem Lake and back. It was a beautiful day for a run. I really enjoy running on this greenway. I can't wait until everything starts to bloom again. I really do enjoy running but hopefully sometime this semester I will get the courage to get on a bike that is not stationary again. I hope the weather continues to stay nice as the semester goes on because this makes going on long runs more enjoyable.

Two days at Salem Creek Trail

I am so thankful for the nice weather.  I was able to get out both Saturday AND Sunday on Salem Creek Trail.  Very good friends came out on Friday night and after my Biol010 class on Saturday we all went for a bike ride on the trail.  We started from the Salem College parking lot and did about 14 miles.  The weather was nice, warm in the sun; chilly in the shade.

One neat thing is who we ran into on the trail.  First Chris (our friend from Asheville) recognized his high school physics professor.  This was the woman who's class inspired him to study physics and go on to get his master's degree in the subject.  After she passed he realized who had just passed him and decided to go "chase" her down to tell her about how her class changed his life.  How many of these people are there really?  We decided that of course she would be happy to hear this.  As a teacher it is always nice to hear about student success stories and how you might have influenced someone in a positive way.

Then we were passed by Charles, owner of Mock Orange Bikes.  I believe MOB is the local bike shop that helped Salem acquire the bikes they have for students.  Nick caught up to him and we proceeded to have a 5 strong bike brigade on the ride back to Salem. 

Half way thru the trail we are at the far end of Salem Lake and there is a small parking lot for bikers/walker/joggers to park.  For all those attendees at the Greenway trail public meetings who ask "Do people even use the greenways that are in existence?".... YES!  This parking lot was packed...people had even double parked others into spots and what is not shown is the large number of cars along this road. 

Today it was a little colder and I was a little sore so I took it easy and only did the paved part of the trail and did not go around Salem Lake.  I think this reduced my ride to less than 10 miles but it was still fun and I feel a bit of accomplishment for going on two good rides two days in a row.  I have promised myself to actually return to my spin classes on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and hopefully I can start riding again after class on Monday and Wednesday afternoons.  I have also promised myself to take control of my nutrition starting tomorrow, since I know I am intolerant to both wheat and dairy, I need to stop eating these things.

That is a nice transition into class tomorrow.  Mathew Gymer from Novant Health will be out to talk to the class about the health aspects of biking and how to get the most out of our biking experience this semester.  I am pretty excited for class tomorrow.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The Top 50 Bike Friendly Cities were chosen by a number of factors, including the existence of segregated bike lanes and municipal bike racks. All of the Pittsburgh Authority Garages have bike racks. The Century Building downtown offers secure, covered bike parking inside re-purposed shipping containers. For $100 per year, you can rent a place inside. Also, there is a large number of free, outdoor covered bike parking at this location. The University of Pittsburgh offers bike parking and secure bike lockers, where you can store your bike, helmet, and shoes all in one place. Carnegie Mellon offers the same. Hundreds of Three River Bike Racks are already set up throughout the city. These unique public art racks provide parking for two bikes each. In 2010, there were five miles of bike lanes and sharrows already in Pittsburgh, with a promise of 25 more in the next two years. Bike PGH, a non-profit cycling group in Pittsburgh, also provides bicycle valet parking for some of the large events in the city.

Columbus, Ohio Greenway

My top 50 greenway city and state is Columbus, Ohio. COG stands for Central Ohio Greenway Project. This organization started in 2007 to present. Thier goal is to connect 12 surrounding counties by local trails and trail systems. COG feels that recreational trails can be thier most valuable natural resource to promote exercise, commutes and the ability to enjoy the outdoors. The Olentangy Trail is a paved 18.4 miles and connects Worthington to Columbus and Ohio State University. The Alum Creek Trail is a paved 24.36 miles and connects to shopping in Easton and the Bexley area. The Scioto Trail travels through the heart of Columbus. Blacklick (currently under construction) will be a paved total of 15.36 miles that will eventually connect to the Alum Trail. For the expert trail rider, there is the Big Darby Trail with 4 miles of crushed gravel. The trail will eventually connect to Heritage Trail that currently offers (total 7 miles) 3.3 miles of horse trails. Central Ohio Greenways are very serious about thier bike riders and are trying diligently to have this project completed by 2012. The COG is working with MORPC which stands for Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission. There are 5 parts to their strategic plan. 1. Improve sustainability 2. Increase mobility 3. Improve communication 4. Grow membership and 5. Be a leader in regional, state and national policies. The main focuses of this group are air, energy, greenways and water. Ohio State University and the city of Columbus will be the first, United States hosts, of a meeting of the world's most respected minds in ecological science. The meeting will be held September 30th - October 5th in 2012. There are 10,000 plus members that are based in Washington, DC that have elected to co-host this international event. For more information and a map that shows the connecting Columbus trails go to www.centralohiogreenways.com.

Reaching My Goal

Hello ladies! I have not quite reached my goal of two miles on my stationary bike. I am; however, exercising on a regular basis. I am a very busy, active person. This made me feel like I was in shape. Well, I am not. Being busy and active are totally different than being in shape. Whew! This morning I rode a little over 6 1/2 minutes and reached 1.7 miles. It probably does not sound like a lot, but for me, it is really good. My 2 mile goal is right around the corner. My next goal will be 4 miles. Hey, who knows, I might eventually get to 10 miles! Bike On!!!

Top Bike Friendly City- Cary, NC

I chose to research Cary, NC because it is my hometown. According to bicycling.com Cary made the list because "Cary residents rode their bikes more and spent more money on cycling equipment last year than those in almost any other city on this list." While Cary is "not necessarily known for being a great cycling city" according to bicycling.com, I would have to disagree. The town of Cary has implemented a "Bicycle Plan" in which the overall goal is the make bicycling more efficient, safe, fun and practical in Cary. They have created a map of Cary bicycle routes that will help citizens choose routes according to their own bicycling needs, preferences, experiences, and abilities. They have also striped approximately 10 miles of roads to designate bike lanes, added 300 distinctive "Cary Bike Route" signs to identify selected routes, and created an education program to encourage bicycling in Cary. According to the Town of Cary the plan was created to "establish Cary as a Bicycle Friendly Community, with an interconnected transportation network that allows for the needs of the commuting cyclist as well as the needs of the casual or recreational cyclist." The town's future goals include creating a network of bicycle routes that will serve every planned and existing activity center in Cary, to improve the road network to better accommodate bicycles through wider outside lanes, bike-sensitive traffic signals and a bikeway maintenance program, and to promote bicycling as an efficient and healthy transportation alternative by providing facilities for bicycles, including places at important destinations to park them. I think Cary has done an excellent job of making the town more bicycle friendly. Nearly every time I drive in Cary I see at least 5 people of bikes and when the weather is nice I usually see at least 25 people on bikes. I can connect to many different greenways close to my house. I wish I could utilize them more, but attending Salem makes that difficult. I unfortunately did not get to ride my bike this week because I have been sick. I hope that I start feeling better soon because I would love to ride to Salem Lake!

So the weather was not as fabulous as predicted this past weekend or maybe that was just for those of us who live above 3300 feet. I did brave the chilly wind, replaced my inner tube and took a ride. It was good. The wind in my face....not so good. The weather dampened my riding mood, but it was great to be cycling. It gets the heart pumping and it gave me time to think. I'm looking forward to it warming up and I'll be very happy to start riding regularly again. My bike ride did get me thinking though. I don't live in the city and my address is in name only so I can jump on my bike or take a walk down the road without having to worry about sharing the road very much. The traffic is very, veeeerrryyy light. In that way I think I'm lucky. I don't have to worry about finding a safe bike route or worry about being bumped by a vehicle or crossing a major road or highway. I've lived in other places as well and I can't imagine having to ride so close to a lot of fast moving vehicular traffic. I feel a sense of freedom that I can do that. Maybe that's how some of the riders in Arlington, VA feel.

Arlington from what I've been able to learn definitely deserves to be on the list of top 50 bike friendly cities. They have an organized group that promotes cycling, they have multi-use lanes, bicycle lanes and even designated bike routes. Over 100 miles of a combination of the aformentioned in a very urban area that has a population that now tops 200,000. I'm not sure how high the percentage of people is that actively take advantage of this infrastructure, but it is there to be used. Along with the greater Washington area there is also a bike sharing program, bike racks in multiple locations and bicycling classes. Despite it's very urban character the compactness of the city (26 sq. mi.) may have something to do with the logistics involved in developing such an extensive amount of bike trails, lanes and routes. It has been named as a bicycle friendly city, walking friendly city, and a family friendly city. Maybe it's development has more to do with a group of people realizing that we can't ride in cars all the time.

Upcoming Events - Group Bike Ride and Trail Build: Weekend of February 26 & 27th

I wanted to announce a couple of class events I now have on the schedule.  These will be outside of the normal class time but I think it would be good to have some activities as a class, I understand if you can not attend.

Saturday Feb 26th (3pm-?):
Weather permitting, I will be going on a bike ride to Salem Creek/Lake trail.  The entire out and back from Salem is about 14 miles and will take between 1-1.5 hours.  If you don't want to or cant go for the entire route you can always turn around.  The part around the lake is unpaved and a bit rough in places, so if you are not comfortable you could always lock your bike up and walk it for a bit.  There are 12 bikes on Campus and I will find out what we have to do to get some/all of them during the weekend (update later).

Sunday Feb 27th (9am - 4pm):
Weather permitting, I will be going out to Moore's Springs Trails for the weekly trail build.  If anyone is leaning in the direction of working on this project I suggest you join me and find out for sure.  Even if you switch projects, you can count your time at MST towards your 30 hours.  I have room in my car for 3 extra people but if I get a bigger turn out (especially of students without their own transportation) we can take two of our cars and take up to 8 students (I have another driver).  Hopefully if more students want to come we can arrange a car pool.

FOR BOTH EVENTS.  We will meet outside the Science building on campus and leave at the time mentioned above.  If you have any questions email me or comment here!!

In other news...I am having issues with my email account and having trouble posting to Moodle.  I do have a new chapter to post, and will do so as soon as humanly possible.

Moore's Spring's Trails

Is it alliteration if the "S"s come at the end of the word?

 Ok so I wanted to provide a link to the Moore's Springs Trails Facebook page that Tony McGee referred to in class today.
 
Facebook Page

Also if you'd like to learn more about StokesCORE here is the website.

http://www.stokescore.org/

We will spend some time on Monday the 28th to discuss the service project options for the semester and lay out exactly where students are needed, so stay tuned for how to get involved with the trail building project.

Get involved with Greenways in Winston Salem

Do you want to get involved with greenway development?  Do you want to learn what a greenway is?  Feel free to attend one of the two public hearings that are left for public comments on the W-S master greenway plan.  There is a lot of information about Greenways in W-S at the link below.

Public Hearings on Greenway development

A really easy way to get involved, especially if you can make one of the meetings is to take the online survey about Greenway development and your usage.

Survey

How do I get a bike to ride? Part 1

So what do you do if when you got to your bike for last week's bike ride and it was broken?  Well if you are on Campus you can walk on over to Shober House and sign out one of the 12 bikes that Salem owns for this purpose.  Then they will tell you which bike to go check out in the basement of Betting Hall.  You can check a bike out over night as well and return it in the morning, if you want to plan a late evening or morning ride.  If you have any questions please ask.

Biking

I absolutely love being outside, especially since I live in Pilot Mountain. The air is so crisp and clean. My daughters and I are always outside playing games, listening to music or just walking around the neighborhood. I haven't been on a bike in some time, so it was hard to get the comfortable on it because of the uneven ground. My girls were on their skates and they thought it was hilarous to see me biking. Although my legs and butt was killing me, it was refreshing to be back on a bike. I sort of took me back to my childhood for a second. I felt carefree. It was great!!! (STILL SORE...LOL)

Biking

I LOVE to bike. I use to live on Wrightsville Beach, a small island town off the coast of Wilmington that is approximately 3 miles long. The fastest, and most fun, way to get around on the island is with a bike.

But I have had a very, very busy start to the semester. With 5 classes, community service, and another outside class it's hard for me to find free time in the daylight. So, instead of biking outside, I hoped over to the fitness center and jumped on a bike. It's not as much fun as biking outside, that's for sure. But it is a great way to get exercise, and it is no walk in the park. Today's beautiful Spring-like day makes me want to make time to bike, which I will be sure to do.

Biking, or rather, Cycling Class

With Scholarship Weekend this past weekend and 2 major exams this week (Tax and Business Law), waking up before the sun was my only option to get a bike ride in....rather, to attend a cycling class. The YMCA offers a 6:30am cycling class. So I decided to give it a try.

After all, every day, on my way into work (at 4pm), I see all these "soccer moms" unloading a mini-van full of little munchkins and bags of soccer and swim equipment...AND THEN heading off to cycling class. They perch on their bikes and pedal away. How hard can it be, right?

I ALWAYS THOUGHT that cycling was for "soccer moms", until I attended a cycling class. Well, I discovered it's not made for the light-hearted, or the feeble-footed. This cycling class was a no-joke, kick-butt workout. I've swam and ran for exercise lots. I've considered a triathlon, thinking the bike portion can't be that difficult. Well, it may not be that difficult, but it's also not that easy.

Yes, yes, I've biked before. For the months I lived in Yosemite, biking was actually my main mode of transportation; but cycling class kicked my butt. End of story. KICKED MY BUTT.

My legs burned. My heart felt as if it would pound out of my chest.

At 7:45, we climbed off our bikes, laid on our yoga mats, and persisted to do 15 minutes of "Ab Attack". At 8:00AM, sharply, I died.

Now, I consider myself rather athletic; but I must admit, I now look at "soccer moms" in a whole new perspective. Cycling class...here I come. I shall not let those "soccer kick-butt moms" conquer you while I fall by the wayside.

Stationary Adventure

I can honestly, but shamefully say that I have not rode a bike in about 12 years. My 13 yr old daughter has a bike that we keep in storage, so I pumped myself up mentally for a lovely bike ride only to find that her bike needed to be pumped up literally. Upon finding a pump, I realized that my efforts were in vain: the tire had a hole in it. This led me to Salem College fitness center to utilize that stationary bike. I am a frequent user of the center, but I never use the bikes. I chose the standing bike because it seemed more realistic than the one that you sit down to pedal. It was quite uncomfortable at first. The seat was the biggest obstacle for me. Once I became used to it, the discomfort became less of a distraction. I used the setting keys so I could track my distance and calorie burn. The first 20 minutes were a breeze. I lifted myself off the seat and set the incline to simulate a hill climb. That was a bit challenging, although my calorie meter began to tick off alot quicker. My heart rate stayed within 138 and 142, and I did break a sweat around the 25th minute. I think I would have preferred riding outdoors because I became quite bored around the 35th minute. It did turn out to be a good work out, my stats ended at 2.6 miles, and 340 calories burned. I will definitely ride outdoors next time!

Biking with Friends: An Adventure to Salem Lake

Hello, Hello, my Salem sisters and fellow leaders of today!

My first experience biking was nothing less than interesting. I went on the trail to Salem Lake with two of my dearest and nearest friends. Not to my surprise, we had a lot of fun.

We rode for about an hour and a half (45 minutes there and back) and we stopped along the way to look at wild life, nature and to take various pictures of our surroundings (BELOW). The only time I had been on the trail before was in biology lab when I so gracefully slipped in mud. It reminded me of when I was a kid when me and my mom would go on bike rides to get from place to place. I think that was more out of necessity than pleasure, but I always thought it was fun. It gave me a chance to get outside, get fresh air and to bond with my friends in a new way.

Some people bike for sport, but, for now I think I'll bike for pleasure. My friends and I have arranged a time that we are going to go biking every week now. I'm excited to explore new green ways and watch the seasons change in a very new kind of way.

Oh! It was FREEZING, which was not so fun. This week's biking trip will include some nice chap stick.

Sniffly Walk

I'd been waiting to do the bike ride until I felt better, but my cold didn't budge by Sunday, so I did a walk instead. I started out at the head of the Salem Creek Trail off Peter's Creek. First off, I've never seen a trail that started at the back of a shopping center before, nor have I seen an almost completely paved trail. Maybe I'm a bit spoiled? I've only ever been on trails in the mountains or the country, so I was a bit surprised with the asphalt and the power lines and the constant awareness of cars nearby. I guess I thought it was going to be more nature-y and quiet. The creek had a fair amount of litter on and around it, too, also something I didn't expect. I didn't walk terribly far, just to Main Street and back. It was a fairly nice afternoon which was pleasant, but I couldn't really enjoy the fresh(er) air because I couldn't breathe! I'd like to see what the other trails/parks in the area have to offer, as I doubt I'll try this one again. It did make me want to try to find some of the trails I used to use back home when I was a kid, so that's positive. I think a lot of them are grown over by now, but maybe I can suss something out.

Biking in the snow a no-go.

My trip took me to parts of the country where biking this time of year would be considered downright crazy.  Not to say I didn't see people biking in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Maine.  Luckily among the work, I was able to take a day to enjoy my time in the winter wonderland that is Acadia National Park.  The park has miles and miles of carriage roads which are used by pedestrians, equestrians and cyclists in the summer, and by cross-country and skate skiers in the winter.



I am a horrible skier, I just don't get that much practice now that I live in the south.  But I really do enjoy it when I'm not falling (I fall a lot).  I was able to get in about 4 hours of skiing.  The conditions were not ideal, it was icy even for skiing, and we weren't able to cover that much ground.  I did find out that my dog likes to run alongside us while we ski.  I wasn't sure if the whole family could enjoy this activity because he tends to get bitey when people "move oddly".

It was a warm sunny day on Friday (about 34F) so we took full advantage.  It is amazing how much you miss when you're whipping by in your car and how the simple act of slowing down can bring peace.  I think we should all consider ways to slow down our lives.  The acceleration of everything in our daily lives is very much what has gotten us into such a mess, both our bodies and our earth.

Biking, no thank you. I think I'll go for a run.

So I considered trying to go bike for the hour and fifteen minutes. I considered it for about a day. Then I remembered what happens every time I get on a bike. I crash. The bike is always fine and I end up a little banged up. Well I didn't want to risk ruining the school's bike and I enjoy running. I took this as my first running challenge. I ran for an hour and fifteen minutes. It was not the fastest I have ran but it was a good run. I love all the trails around Winston-Salem. I run on them almost everyday when I'm at school. I waited most of this week for a nice day and I'm glad I did. This weekend was much warmer than this week. While I am sad that I did not get the biking experience I would not be upset if I went running every time we were asked to go for a bike ride. I am used to running long distances but I had not run for this long in a long time. It was a challenge that I am glad to have completed. I look forward to the next.

Walking Time of Reflection

Today, I took my walk around campus, God's Acre and the trail across from the soccer fields. I would have loved to bike but don't know how, would love to learn how though. My walk was a reflective time with my mother who passed away six months ago, remembering moments with her before she got sick, remembering birthdays, watching our favorite TV shows together and lunches at our favorite place Panera Bread. This time is very special because it was a time for me to cry, talk to her and realize just how much she means to me and how much of an inspiration and motivation she was and is to me, something I did not realize when she was alive. My mother has inspired me and is my sole motivation to do a documentary in honor of her and as an inspiration to others and to hopeful find a cure. She was also a big environmentalist and lover of nature, she loved trees and wanted to get involved in its conservation and saving them but never had the chance. I want to get involved in tree conservation not only in honor of my mother and her reawakening my interest in trees but also watching Earth Keepers and seeing Wangari Maathai and remembering seeing her before in another documentary and how many of her words stayed with me and growing up hearing the same words from my mother and seeing the devastation of trees being cut down and deer being driven out of their homes in the area I lived. I remember when I first moved there and so many deer were around seven years later no deer being around because they had been driven out by trees being cut down( for ridiculious and selfish reasons) and being hit by cars because they have no where to go. My mother and I find out they was a environmental/senior center who needed volunteers to plant trees so her and I would go plant trees whenever they needed help. Those moments are close to me because not only are we helping the environment but it was also bonding time for us. We soon stopped going because of her illness and other issues but I plan now to go back and volunteer there and other places to plant trees and to stop the needless tearing down of them. I think this class will give me the tools and network neccessary to start my goals.

Biking....No...Walking....Yes

This class has had me thinking of biking and the exhilarating feeling that I get when I'm biking. It makes you feel like you're flying and free. It gives me a thrill, especially when you're coasting down a hill after the heart-pumping effort it takes to make it to the top of that hill. Unfortunately, I couldn't pursue that taste of freedom this week because when my husband pulled our bikes out of the shed we store them in for the winter my tire was flat and my husband's front tire was flat. No bike riding for us until we make the time to tune them up and replace our inner tubes. Somehow riding a stationary bike does not give me the same feeling as riding outdoors does, so I opted to do something different this week until I can give my bike a tune up. Walking became the back-up plan.

We tend to take a lot of bike rides and walks as a family so this was not that different for us. In the area where we live the traffic is at a minimum and the big things to watch out for are dogs and the occasional bear. Didn't have to worry about the bear this time of the year and the dogs, well, I was hoping to not have a repeat experience of being chased and having to use my hiking stick or repellent spray. Today's walk went without any dog-chasing incidents. We all had fun and it was wonderful to get outside with the thoughts that soon we would start to see signs of spring. Walking relieves tension in a way that not many other activities can. You can walk without having to think about it. Your mind can wander from this to that. The tension in your body slowly unwinds as you walk. It's not the same thrill as bike riding, but just as effective in connecting you to the world around you. Biking makes me feel like I'm flying and walking makes me feel grounded. Had a great experience.

Hopefully, if time permits, I'll be writing about biking next time.

Friday Bike Ride

I took my 2 year old with me for a beautiful Friday bike ride. We  ride with family up in Mount Airy every once in a while on the weekends, but I thought this would be something special for him and Mommy to do :) We went and rode around Salem Lake and just had a wonderful time. We love the outdoors and riding and any spare moment we get, weather permitting, we are out of the house and enjoying the fresh air. Riding is a great way for us to spend sometime together while enjoying the world around us.

First Bike Ride

I decided to take my bike ride on Sunday since it was such a beautiful day. My children, Sophia (7) and Miles (5), love to ride their bikes around our neighborhood. We live in a cul-de-sac bay of townhouses off of a very busy road, so usually I don't allow them to leave the bay. On Sunday we rode together up to the park near our home. It was exciting for them to leave the neighborhood, yet too nerve wracking for me, I have to admit! Although we had fun and they did fine, the traffic is intense on Robinhood Road, which is the road the park near our home is on. I was too focused on the children's safety to feel relaxed and enjoy the ride, and I was very happy to return to our neighborhood.
Not willing to give up on the experience because of the high volume of traffic near our home, we road around our cul-de-sac and had a picnic lunch. I let Sophia and Miles practice riding their bikes in the parking lot around our neighbors' cars, which will help them become more proficient riders. Hopefully by the end of the semester we will be able to take our bikes out onto one of the trails in Winston. It is certainly something we enjoyed doing together on Sunday, and I look forward to making time for more frequently rides as a family.

My Biking Adventure

OMG! The first part of this adventure, I tried a stationary bike and rode for approx. 2 minutes. (how embarrassing!) I visit my mom quite often, in my old neighborhood, and decided that part two of this adventure would be riding a bike instead of driving through the neighborhood. I was wobbly at first because the bike was old. I first rode down a hill (almost busting my #!*) with the handlebars shaking back and forth. Less than a couple of minutes I started to gain control but was still a little nervous. A new road had been built at the bottom of the hill and I had to struggle, not only to stay on the bike, but to make it up the hill. Eventually, I had to push the bike. It became somewhat humorous which caused me to become even weaker. Coming down the hill in the opposite direction was exciting! (Still nervous about wrecking!) I had never really noticed all the new industrial plants and businesses while driving. This experience was definately an eye opener but fun. I MAY ride with my nieces and nephews at some point. This experience has, however; motivated to reach personal goals on the stationary bike. I did not realize just how out of shape I am in. Bike On!

First Week Bike Ride

I took a bike out onto a friend's farm, as they have a few trails laid out across their land. We rode through a few pastures and eventually came up to a mountainside, which was the most beautiful view. I didn't even imagine any city around Kernersville had that kind of view, I should admit. I enjoyed the ride for the most part, it was calming and quiet. All we heard were the occasional sounds coming from the various animals surrounding us. It was nice to have some time to get away from a classroom and the busy work schedule of daily life. When all was said and done I was VERY sore, but I felt good, like I had just taken a mini-vacation for a few hours. I have to admit - though I did enjoy it, I doubt I will be doing it again, at least not unless I can get a little physical conditioning in.. haha!

Biking: Week One

This week I began the biking portion of this class. Since my schedule is a little hectic right now I decided to do my biking in the fitness center, but I hope that later in the semester I will be able to ride outside. My legs started to hurt towards the end and my lungs felt a little tight when I was finished, but seeing that I had biked five miles made me feel like I had really accomplished something. I also found that I felt more relaxed when I was finished because I had been concentrating on something other than school and homework. My bike riding experience was really positive, and it is something I would definitely be interested in doing again. I am not sure that it will become a daily thing, but I would really like to make sure to try and work in some time each week for bike riding. I am looking forward to seeing how this will progress over the semester.

First Assigned Bike Ride

With it still being fairly cold out, I decided to ride one of the bikes in the fitness center. I was excited about this assignment because I used to really enjoy riding my bike, but I haven't in months. I rode for an hour while I listened to music. It felt really good and I was proud that I rode for 8.5 miles. The next day I thought I would be really sore, but surprisingly I wasn't. I have really enjoyed this class so far and I am excited to start working on our service projects.

Winter cycling...

Stop one along the work trip that will eventually take us up into the snowy northeast, is Penn State, in State College, PA.  Last night I walked around the college town with empty streets, I guess everyone was watching some important football game.  I came across this... advertisement? bike rack? Both?  What I found striking was that even though I found it difficult to walk on two feet, due to the ice in some spots, there were plenty of people braving the ice, and cold and cars on bikes around the campus.  There are a lot of bike lanes and greenways, both from what I can see and what I've been told.  A member of the lab I visited on Sunday told me that he bikes in everyday (rain or shine) about 3 miles.  Now 3 miles on a bike is a very nice commute.  I was also informed that people in State College, are "used to bikers".  How do we get the folks of Winston-Salem "used to bikers"?

Ok I do want to mention it here, I will also send an email around to everyone.  SAFETY FIRST.  I was watching the Vlogs from week #1 and a couple students scared me with comments like "I think Dr. Allen is trying to kill me" and "I rode to staples...and almost died".  My first reaction, before hearing the end of these honest comments was that you rode on the road and maybe had a conflict with an automobile.  It turns out that these "near death experiences" were due to the newness of this particular mode of transportation and the body's physiological response to exertion.   This is another issue entirely and please be wise as you bike, if you have never biked before, grab a friend to help you learn (yes, I know you are out there), and know your capabilities, if you can't go for a hour (unlikely in the gym due to boredom), bike for as long as you feel good.  Either way, please be SAFE!!!  Please wear a helmet and remember if you do choose to ride on a road that automobiles are big, heavy, fast, and dangerous.  People in Winston-Salem are not used to sharing the road, so please use extreme caution and use the greenway trails (no traffic) or small residential roads with light traffic.