Monday, March 7, 2011
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!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
media article..walking at the fish hatchery
So, biking did not happen this week with the rain and the SNOW up here in the mountains. Is it springtime yet? On a positive note my family and I took a trip to the Bobby N. Setzer Fish Hatchery in Pisgah Forest at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education. We walked on approximately 2 miles of the trails which were laid out in an interpretive format through a hard wood forest. I guess what I enjoyed very much about it, besides being outside, was the environmental aspect of the walking trails. The Center had placed at various points along the trail information about rivers, plants, trees and the impact humans can have on their environment. The displays were cohesive and really brought to the forefront the idea that everything in nature is connected, that life is connected, and that humans are no different in that respect. We too are a part of life and nature. What happens in our surroundings affects us.
As for the fish hatchery, hmmm......did you know that the rainbow trout and the brown trout are not native to the Carolinas? The rate of reproduction for these two types of trout are exerting pressure and competition on the only native trout population of North Carolina, the brook trout. Here again for me is an example of the impact that humans can have on their environment. According to the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, brook trout populations are being pushed into the headwaters of streams high in the mountains. As a side note the brook trout is the third type of trout grown and stocked by the fish hatchery.
With the thought in mind that life is so interconnected, I came across an article on a child cancer cluster that is causing families in Sandusky County, Ohio alarm, specifically a 12 mile area in Sandusky County in Clyde, Ohio. I know...I know, from walking to fish hatchery to cancer cluster, but bear with me. This article showed me the vulnerability of humans. We may exert a lot of control over our environment, but what happens in it can affect us. The article I read talks about the high number of children that have been affected by various types of cancers and tumors all within a very small area. There has been no definite link that these cancers have been caused by anything in their environment although there is a lot of speculation.
Article Presentation
I never printed out an article, but I read this one (in case you'd like to see the original format):
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110304114856.htm
It's basically saying that it's possible that the reawakening of a cooled-down magma chamber can be reawoken in a matter of months. It talks about how previously, they thought it could take years for the heat to reawaken the chambers. According to Burgisser, reheating a volcano into activity happens in three stages: fresh magma rises and heats the viscous magma, which in turn melts and rises, spreading the heat even faster and thus awakening the volcano. The group did their studies on Mount Pinatubo, which proved that it took anywhere from 20 to 80 days to become active, but another volcano gave results that say it could take up to 500 years.
Also, this weekend was quite rainy, so unfortunately I didn't go on any adventures. Oh well, next weekend will have to have two. :)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110304114856.htm
It's basically saying that it's possible that the reawakening of a cooled-down magma chamber can be reawoken in a matter of months. It talks about how previously, they thought it could take years for the heat to reawaken the chambers. According to Burgisser, reheating a volcano into activity happens in three stages: fresh magma rises and heats the viscous magma, which in turn melts and rises, spreading the heat even faster and thus awakening the volcano. The group did their studies on Mount Pinatubo, which proved that it took anywhere from 20 to 80 days to become active, but another volcano gave results that say it could take up to 500 years.
Also, this weekend was quite rainy, so unfortunately I didn't go on any adventures. Oh well, next weekend will have to have two. :)
Link Between Walking, Cycling, and Health
I found an article on Sciencedaily.com titled Link Between Walking, Cycling, and Health. The study found that communities with more walkers and cyclists are healthier than those where people must rely on cars to get around. The researchers analyzed city- and state-level data from the United States and international data from 15 countries to study the relationship between "active travel" -- bicycling or walking rather than driving -- and physical activity, obesity and diabetes. Their results showed that more than half of the differences in obesity rates among countries is linked to walking and cycling rates, and that about 30 percent of the difference in obesity rates among states and cities is linked to walking and cycling rates. The study reinforces the need for U.S. cities to encourage more walking and cycling for daily travel by providing safe, convenient and attractive infrastructure, such as sidewalks, crosswalks, bike paths and lanes, and intersection modifications that protect pedestrians and cyclists. In the study researchers also suggest that infrastructure improvements should be combined with restrictions on car use, such as car-free zones, traffic calming in residential neighborhoods, reductions in motor vehicle speeds, and limited and more expensive car parking. This study reinforced what we are learning in this class and would be a great way to prove to the Winston-Salem community that greenways are a great option for our city.
This week I rode for an hour in the gym because it was a pretty hectic week and I only had time to ride at night. Yesterday I went skiing in Banner Elk, North Carolina. It was my first time and it was so much fun! It was really tough and it rained the entire time, but I would love to go skiing again! My legs are very sore today from 4 hours of skiing, but I had a great weekend!
This week I rode for an hour in the gym because it was a pretty hectic week and I only had time to ride at night. Yesterday I went skiing in Banner Elk, North Carolina. It was my first time and it was so much fun! It was really tough and it rained the entire time, but I would love to go skiing again! My legs are very sore today from 4 hours of skiing, but I had a great weekend!
Roller Skating on the Greenway
Taking advantage of the sunshine on Friday afternoon, I packed up my roller skates and drove to the greenway across from Jefferson Elementary on Robinhood Road. This greenway is near my home and I often walk my dog here, so I knew that it is a primarily flat, straight path winding behind several new neighborhoods beside a stream. This greenway is so peaceful, with no noise from the parkway like the other greenway near my home. There are also horses grazing alongside part of this path, which makes it a little more unique than some of the areas in town.
Although the weather was crisp, I warmed up quickly as I skated up and down the path. It felt so good to be out in the fresh air after being cooped up inside the last few weeks, and I was very happy I decided to roller skate. Bicycling is fun, but for me it's not as enjoyable as roller skating. Hopefully the temps will rise a bit and my ride will be a little more fluid without so many bulky layers, yet I am happy to be out and active on the greenway now.
I know I visit these paths at a time when most people are working, but I prefer having little traffic to compete with other than some seniors walking the path. I have noticed as the days grow longer that the parking lot for this particular greenway is often packed now when I pick my daughter up from Jefferson in the late afternoon. I'm not sure if more people are cycling than walking in the afternoon, but it is a popular spot that has attracted many locals.
Although the weather was crisp, I warmed up quickly as I skated up and down the path. It felt so good to be out in the fresh air after being cooped up inside the last few weeks, and I was very happy I decided to roller skate. Bicycling is fun, but for me it's not as enjoyable as roller skating. Hopefully the temps will rise a bit and my ride will be a little more fluid without so many bulky layers, yet I am happy to be out and active on the greenway now.
I know I visit these paths at a time when most people are working, but I prefer having little traffic to compete with other than some seniors walking the path. I have noticed as the days grow longer that the parking lot for this particular greenway is often packed now when I pick my daughter up from Jefferson in the late afternoon. I'm not sure if more people are cycling than walking in the afternoon, but it is a popular spot that has attracted many locals.
Profile of Cycling Community in Ann Arbor, MI
When Bicycle Magazine compiled their list of the top 50 bike friendly cities in the US, they helpfully supplied some criteria for what makes a top 50 city. Some of the aspects are: the city must support a vibrant and diverse bike culture with smart, savvy bike shops; segregated bike lanes; municipal bike racks; bike boulevards; and cyclists from the city have the ear of the local government. In researching the bicycle culture in Ann Arbor,MI, I was able to identify all of those qualities. The city website, a2gov.org/government/publicservices/systems_planning/Transportation/Pages/Bike.aspx offers cycling enthusiasts a plethora of information regarding the bike culture in Ann Arbor. One is able to find information on bicycle routes, parking, planned community events and clubs involving cycling and what the plans are to improve the infrastructure of the cycling routes throughout the city. There are also many links to other organizations in the community servicing those who partake in cycling.
It is obvious the bicycle community in Ann Arbor is very organized. The Alternative Transportation Committee, an organization comprised of city staff, county staff, citizen advocates and the DDA meet monthly or bi-monthly to review information pertinent to the cycling community. Because the members of this organization are culled from all areas of Ann Arbor, the needs of cyclists throughout the community are made known and addressed in a timely manner. To support these endeavors financially, Ann Arbor reserves 5% of gas and weight taxes for non-motorized transportation projects.
Ann Arbor exhibits such a strong commitment from the local citizens and government to stress the importance of utilizing non-motorized transportation and it has become a model city for communities looking to implement an alternative transportation system. The following is a list of accomplishments the city has been recognized for as it strives to embrace and strengthen the bicycling community:
Ann Arbor
-designates funding used for cycling infrastructure improvements, promoting awareness of cycling opportunities and resources throughout
-in 2009 received Silver Ranking from League of American Bicyclists for being a bicycle friendly community
-in 2008 received a Gold Level Award in Promoting Active Communities Assessment, a state initiative to promote active living in Michigan. AA “can document achievements in making it easy for people to be active”, boasts the AA city website
-the City of AA is adding over 10 miles of on-road bike lanes this summer, bringing the total to nearly 60 miles, 140 bike hoops, 32 secure bike lockers, on-street bike parking downtown (2010)
-many scheduled community biking events
-laws: helmet, headlights and rear reflectors after sunset, keep to the right of the road, any cyclists on sidewalk must yield to right of way of pedestrians
-bicycle parking must be included in all new construction projects: protected storage lockers, bike racks
It is obvious the bicycle community in Ann Arbor is very organized. The Alternative Transportation Committee, an organization comprised of city staff, county staff, citizen advocates and the DDA meet monthly or bi-monthly to review information pertinent to the cycling community. Because the members of this organization are culled from all areas of Ann Arbor, the needs of cyclists throughout the community are made known and addressed in a timely manner. To support these endeavors financially, Ann Arbor reserves 5% of gas and weight taxes for non-motorized transportation projects.
Ann Arbor exhibits such a strong commitment from the local citizens and government to stress the importance of utilizing non-motorized transportation and it has become a model city for communities looking to implement an alternative transportation system. The following is a list of accomplishments the city has been recognized for as it strives to embrace and strengthen the bicycling community:
Ann Arbor
-designates funding used for cycling infrastructure improvements, promoting awareness of cycling opportunities and resources throughout
-in 2009 received Silver Ranking from League of American Bicyclists for being a bicycle friendly community
-in 2008 received a Gold Level Award in Promoting Active Communities Assessment, a state initiative to promote active living in Michigan. AA “can document achievements in making it easy for people to be active”, boasts the AA city website
-the City of AA is adding over 10 miles of on-road bike lanes this summer, bringing the total to nearly 60 miles, 140 bike hoops, 32 secure bike lockers, on-street bike parking downtown (2010)
-many scheduled community biking events
-laws: helmet, headlights and rear reflectors after sunset, keep to the right of the road, any cyclists on sidewalk must yield to right of way of pedestrians
-bicycle parking must be included in all new construction projects: protected storage lockers, bike racks
Biking and media article
I went to the Y on Main today to ride a stationary bike. I'm a member and I work out there 2-3 times a week, but I'd never used the bikes before. I can't remember the last time I was on a bike, so I figured I'd start out with something simple. I'm not sure if I've ever ridden a stationary bike before, so I had to figure out all the screens, but it was pretty simple. I set my level pretty low and I did 4 miles in twenty minutes. That was about as far as I could go since I left my ipod at home and was bored out of my mind. It had a tv on it, but you had to have ear phones to listen. I'm not sure if the ipod ones would work on it and I didn't want to use some that other people might have used as I'm a mild germaphobe. I liked the fact that it shows how fast you're going, the miles you've gone, calories burned, and time you've been riding, but I have to remember to bring something with me next time to stave off the boredom. The guy beside me was reading a book, which I doubt I could do while riding, but he was also on one of the bikes with a back on it. Maybe I'll try one of those next time. My friend Kevin is going to help me find a new bike. He's really, really into bikes (he owns 21 of them), but not in that annoying "hipster" way, unlike this guy:
I love Portlandia.
For my media article, I found one called "Dolphin Deaths in Gulf Region Spike, Probably Because Of That Massive Oil Spill That Happened" (as I said, I'm not being facetious; that really is the name of the article) by Jason Linkins from the Huffington Post. Baby dolphins are dying at an alarming rate on the coasts of Mississippi and Alabama. As of the time the article was written, 17 baby dolphins, some barely three feet long, had washed up on the coasts. I've since found an update siting that they've now found 60. Some are stillborn and some die soon after birth. Oil from the BP oil spill remains stuck on the bottom of the sea floor in the Gulf of Mexico. The microbes that were touted to quickly degrade all the oil (supposedly by 2012) have worked on about 10% of it. Unfortunately, the media coverage on the oil spill has almost completely died out. Where is this area going to stand in 20 years? In fifty? Does BP not understand the ramifications not only on the sea life, but on the people who's lives were sustained by it? Or do they just not care?
I love Portlandia.
For my media article, I found one called "Dolphin Deaths in Gulf Region Spike, Probably Because Of That Massive Oil Spill That Happened" (as I said, I'm not being facetious; that really is the name of the article) by Jason Linkins from the Huffington Post. Baby dolphins are dying at an alarming rate on the coasts of Mississippi and Alabama. As of the time the article was written, 17 baby dolphins, some barely three feet long, had washed up on the coasts. I've since found an update siting that they've now found 60. Some are stillborn and some die soon after birth. Oil from the BP oil spill remains stuck on the bottom of the sea floor in the Gulf of Mexico. The microbes that were touted to quickly degrade all the oil (supposedly by 2012) have worked on about 10% of it. Unfortunately, the media coverage on the oil spill has almost completely died out. Where is this area going to stand in 20 years? In fifty? Does BP not understand the ramifications not only on the sea life, but on the people who's lives were sustained by it? Or do they just not care?
My Media Article
The article I found was called Gulf floor fouled by bacteria oil feast by Janet Raloff. I found it on science news. It basically talked about some oil eating bacteria that has been found on the gulf floor where the oil spill occurred. The deposits that are being seen on the floor now area combination of microbial waste, oil and other remaining things from the clean up effort. There are streams of bacterial slime that are being found making the oil easier for this microbial cauliflower to digest. This slime picks up cells and other things in the water and becomes heavy and sinks to the bottom. The n the article talks about the dead corals and sealife that is also being found on the bottom of the gulf. This slimy waste is just a thing that is able to show more of what was affected by the oil spill. There is going to need to be some heavy monitoring of the life in this area to see what all was affected and what is able to continue living.
Lots to Share!
I have so much to share this week!First, I wanted to talk more about my article. Actually, I had two--which fit nicely together. The Naked Bike Ride article was my favorite. I thought the ride was a creative way to express cyclist vulnerability when braving the roads with automobiles. I have included a video from the World Naked Bike Ride 2008, which was held in Vancouver. (Beware, there is some "indecent exposure"; but I assume we're all over 18...aka can watch "R" rated movies.)
World Naked Bike Ride Vancouver - 2008 from Ian MacKenzie on Vimeo.
The second article is about the "1 METER PLEASE" campaign for cycling on the roads. This campaign focuses on educating drivers the distance needed to pass a cyclist on the roads safely, being 1 meter. "The key thing for motorists to remember if they come upon a cyclist from the rear and cannot give at least one meter of space when passing is to wait until they can," states avid cyclist and campaign founder Joe Mizereck. (View Article.) The campaign has recently introduced a campaign jersey. Cool, huh? (:Next, last night, while babysitting until 2am, I downloaded lots of cool Apps to my phone. Boredom officially set in after UNC's unfortunate win. Two that I am particularly excited about is a running program. It creates my workouts and talks to me while I run. The second is a calorie counter. I thought this would be an easy way to continue to count my calories without having to log online. I do plan to create a myplate.com account this week, but in the meantime I like having the calorie counter with me at all times on my Blackberry.
Also, I'm really excited to get started working with Matt Gymer at Novant Health. I think this project is going to be pretty cool. I also think the myplate.com website is going to be pretty amazing and help me control my "in" calories, which is something every American could use. I hope my group can help Novant Health promote this website! Plus, I love the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Here's the link to the website in case any of you are more curious: MyPlate. Also, for you Facebook users, you can follow LiveStrong on there as well.Lastly, this week, I rode on Tuesday. I had plans to head out to the barn today, but the rain has stopped that! I did hit the pool yesterday for a few hours and got a good couple (4) thousand yards in. (So i got wet anyway.) My arms are dead today...
Rain, Rain, go away, come again some other day.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Reflections on the Week
¡Hola!Bonjour!Hallo!Olá!!
I hope your weekends are going well. This week was CRAZY busy and I wasn't able to get out into nature and bike. I had to do a stationary (booooo) totally NOT as fun. What-so-ever. I'm 100% positive I burned more calories on the stationary bike but it was quite the different experience. It did not bring the same tranquil, peaceful feeling that biking outside does. I think I will get back to biking outside next week.
I'm really excited because I'm going to Pensacola for Spring Break and I will be able to bike there anytime I want (assuming the weather is as fabulous as it usually is this time of year).
<---- This is a bike trail in Pensacola!
Reflecting on This Week's Discussion
I really liked hearing about everyone's articles in class on Wednesday. It was great to see people speak with passion about environmental issues. My group, Lane, Tia, Shannon and myself, discussed a few different things, but the issue that we talked about the longest was the oil spill in the gulf. Lane brought in an article about baby dolphins and it was so sad! (Below is a picture of a marine biologist taking samples from a baby dolphin that was found on the Alabama coast) It literally pissed me off. So, I went home and I called my state representative in Florida and told him that I didn't think the problem was solved and that just because media coverage was gone didn't mean that it wasn't still on the mind of Florida residences.
It was quite a short conversation, especially, since, I had to leave it as a message with his secretary. At any rate, I think it is important that we never forget what happened and that we personally try our best to monitor how the Gulf is being effected.
I hope you all have a great weekend and I will see you Monday!
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