Tia/ Projects/Biking

At this point, I am clear on my vision for the project, but I am not so clear as to how my vision will fit in with what the group wants to do. My group and I have not met to discuss exactly what it is we are doing, and I'm a little uncomfortable about that. I sent them both emails to see if we could set up a time to meet outside of class. As far as biking goes, I was finally able to check out a bike from Shober that was in full operating condition. It was an old fashioned cruiser bike, but thats just my style. My schedule did not permit me to get out on the Saturday bike ride, but Sunday and this morning gave me an opportunity to get out and ride. I LOVE IT!! Part of what I would like to do for my part of the project includes biking for at least 30minutes to an hour per day, so if I am able to get outdoors and ride versus riding a stationary in the fitness center, this part will be a breeze! I'm still going to check into getting a new tire for my bike at home, the only issue then would be transporting the bike to the cool places because my neighborhood is nice, but I don't really want to ride here, too many hills. :-)

China Puts Forth Energy Intensity, Carbon Intensity and Total Energy Consumption Targets in Twelfth Five Year Plan in Effort to Tackle "Unsustainable Economic Growth" | Barbara Finamore's Blog | Switchboard, from NRDC

China Puts Forth Energy Intensity, Carbon Intensity and Total Energy Consumption Targets in Twelfth Five Year Plan in Effort to Tackle "Unsustainable Economic Growth" | Barbara Finamore's Blog | Switchboard, from NRDC

Biking & a Change of Plans/ Tia

I finally did it! I went to the Shober House on Salem's campus, I checked out a bike ( which was sooooo easy), and I mentally prepared myself for an exhilirating bike ride with Prof Allen on Saturday. Saturday comes, I get off work at 11am, and its cloudy and drizzling. I keep my eyes on the sky, watching brief breaks in the clouds, hoping for a glimpse of sun rays trying to break through...no such luck. As the afternoon progressed, the winds increased, and the light, misty rain started coming in sideways! I did not give up hope! Finally, at 3:15, I gave up on my hopes of cycling for that day and emailed Prof Allen to notify her that I could not join her under such yucky weather conditions. However, today is Monday, and I get to keep the bike until 5pm today. The sun is shining, its a little chilly, but I can handle that. Can't wait to share about how this ride goes!

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.

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.

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!