Archive for the ‘Cyclist: I Saw You’ Category

Bucket guy!

Monday, November 28th, 2011 by Erica Meurk

It's a bike! With a bucket!

I spotted him first. It was 7:45 a.m. on a rainy Tuesday morning in October. He was on a bike, riding up the (quite steep) hill outside our kitchen window, pulling (what looked like) a giant black bucket behind him. And in the bucket, he was carrying not one, not two, but THREE small children.

I yelled to my roommate, “There’s a guy outside! And he’s riding up the hill! With three kids! In a bucket!”

And yes, despite the early hour, I used four exclamation points.

Henceforth, he became Bucket Guy.

I’ve been told that Bucket Guy’s bike is a Madsen. (New to me, and I’m quite intrigued.) I haven’t yet managed to flag him down as he huffs his way up that hill, but my roommate has. She pedaled up behind him last week and sent me this email:

The bike comes built that way, with the “box,” as he called it, attached.  It can hold up to 600 lbs!  And there are seatbelts for four kids (one of the three kids in the bucket told me this!).  I asked him if he rides a lot and he said, “as much as I can.”  Then I was just about to ask him if he’d like to talk to you sometime but we went in different directions and he was starting up a steep hill so I didn’t want to make him lose momentum.

So it goes. Bucket Guy, whoever you are, I salute you. Thanks for making my days a little brighter.

Posted in Around town, Commuting, Cyclist: I Saw You | 1 Comment »

Holiday Suprise

Monday, December 27th, 2010 by Serena Lehman

Look at this guy. Look at him and be wowed. This gentleman made my night. Dare I say he made my month. He reminded me of how joyful riding a bike can be.

Last week I led my second annual Winter Solstice Daily Ride. It was billed as “Put on your bike lights and let’s check out some pretty holiday displays.” I showed up with my standard gear, front white and rear red lights, plus another orange light on the back. I knew I could have been more festive but was just thrilled it wasn’t raining. A couple other folks showed up, and one person had a battery powered string of Christmas lights on. I was impressed to say the least. And then this guy shows up. I am sure words came out of my mouth. I couldn’t tell you what they were, I was so amazed. Jim Olsen and his bike were covered from top to bottom in Christmas lights, all battery powered. We rode up to Candy Cane Lane off Ravenna Boulevard, which has crazy light displays, but Jim’s display was by far the best. As a fellow rider commented, “You couldn’t have hoped for anything this good.”

Something pretty magical happened along the ride. As most people who ride bikes know, there is tension between bicyclists and drivers on the roads. When I ride to work, I feel the impatience of drivers wanting to pass me. I know I have every right to be on the road, but I feel a twinge of guilt for holding people up as well as a little nervousness about a driver passing too fast and too close. On this ride with our magical Christmas tree on wheels, that didn’t happen. People who drove by slowed down and gave us space. People called out how great it was. “You guys are so cool,” came from the passenger inside an SUV. People wanted their picture taken with Jim. We (mainly Jim) were being celebrated as bicyclists for spreading joy. I know many of us ride for utility and, as activists, it is important for us to remind people that bicycles are not just childhood toys, they are actually useful tools. That said, bicycling makes many of us happy. The gift Jim gave to me is that he allowed us to make others happy by bicycling.

Checkout a King5 news story on Jim.

Happy Holidays!

Posted in Around town, Cyclist: I Saw You, Daily Rides, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Dear fellow cyclists

Thursday, September 16th, 2010 by M.J. Kelly

Some interesting discussion going on at the Cascade forums about this sign, located at the NW corner of Dexter & Mercer. Have you seen it? The author clearly wants us to know s/he is a cyclist (read: one of us) and is frustrated enough by other cyclists who disobey traffic laws to paint a sign. You know who the author is talking about… that guy or gal who just can’t manage to hang at the traffic light and jumps out to take advantage of a gap in traffic.

Now imagine if drivers did that.

But no one was there. No one was watching. It’s a dumb intersection and the light is too long. …I didn’t see the pedestrian in the black coat. I didn’t expect a cyclist to be coming that fast. I didn’t mean to hit them.

Really, is there a justification that holds water here?

For the record: while there may be some out there who think it’s no big deal to skip or selectively apply the rules of the road, doing so is not something Cascade promotes, supports or advocates. To put a more positive spin on it, Miss Panniers would suggest riding visibly, predictably and lawfully. And considerately, too.

Posted in Cyclist: I Saw You, Photos | 10 Comments »

Cyclist: I Saw You

Saturday, February 6th, 2010 by Cyclist I Saw You

I don’t see you every morning, but when our paths cross, you heading in the direction of Group Health Hospital, me heading to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, you always wave or call out “Good morning!”  You on a road bike, sleek, confident, strongly pedaling up the hill.  Me on my upright Green Granny bike, but proud to be part of the cycling-to-work crowd.  Thanks for brightening my day!

Give a shout-out to a special cyclist (or bike) you’ve spotted around town, and we’ll publish it here. 

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Cyclist: I Saw You

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 by Cyclist I Saw You
8:17 a.m., riding north on Dibble Ave NW.  What was it… 19 degrees?  Me -  2 sweaters, 1 down jacket, wool hat, hot coffee in hand, running to catch the bus.  You - AND your young daughter, pink puffy jacket - pedaling your tandem, smiles peeking through puffs of I-see-your-breath.  You two are waaaay tough!

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Cyclist: I Saw You

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 by Cyclist I Saw You

I had to make sure that your efforts were also known.  I saw you pedaling down the street with a Christmas tree, a 7 foot Douglas Fir on…not your trailer, not your Xtracycle, but…on your BACK.  Strapped to your back, making you unsafe under doorways and keeping smelling air freshener fresh, I saw you and the two drivers who honked at you and gave you the wave and the thumbs up sign.  I wish I could have seen how you’d strapped it to your backpack, but thank you for not making any excuses about the Christmas spirit.

Posted in Cyclist: I Saw You | No Comments »