May 9th, 2008
Iranian Couple Cycling the World for Peace and Environmental Conservation Arrives in Spokane May 7th
One year ago, on April 29, 2007 in Tehran, Jafar Edrisi and Nasim Yousefi started their journey to promote peace and environmental conservation by cycling around the world. Since then, the Iranian couple has logged more than 8,405 km on their bikes—across ten countries and two continents—and planted 33 ‘peace trees’ along the way.
They are scheduled to roll into Spokane on Tues., May 7th and be our guests for a week before cycling to Canada. Their trip continues for another year as they plan to cycle through Japan, Korea, China, Nepal, India and Pakistan before heading back to Iran. Jafar and Nasim have received wide media attention about their peace and environmental mission, including interviews on CNN, BBC and many others. For more information and photos, visit http://www.rmc4peace.com/index.htm
Jafar and Nasim’s Schedule of Events in Spokane:
May 10, at 9 AM Planting Peace Tree at Pauli Judd Park
Area cyclists are invited to bike to the park and enjoy a pancake breakfast.
Bicyclists will meet at lower Manito park pavilion at 8:30 AM as their starting point.
May 10, at 6 PM Welcome Reception at the Community Building (35 W. Main)
Open to the public, finger foods and beverages will be served.
About Jafar and Nasim:
Jafar and Nasim’s both hold bachelor’s degrees in computers. They serve as International Eco Tour leaders and are both avid rock climbers and mountaineers. They each hold a grade 3 coach certificate of rock climbing as well as, ice climbing. Nasim was the head coach of the Iranian Women’s Rock Climbing team and together produced more than 10 educational multimedia CDs for children.
Posted by Jon Snyder in News | No Comments »
May 7th, 2008
Steve Rumsey, of North Columbia Monthly, sends us this advisory:
Spring Mushroom Hike at the Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge
Mycologist Jim Groth will lead a one-day mushroom foray on Saturday, May 17, on the Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge. Emphasis will be on collecting morels for the table, but also included will be identification and ecology of all fleshy fungi encountered.
Participants should meet at the Refuge headquarters at 9:30 a.m. To get there, follow the brown Refuge signs as you head east out of Colville on Highway 20. Bring a bag lunch, water, collecting bag (no plastic) or basket, and rain gear, and wear long pants. Also bring binoculars if you wish — birds and plants will be included for those interested. We should be finished collecting by 3:30 p.m., followed by mushroom preparation and cooking demonstrations by members of the Slow Food Upper Columbia organization.
Please RSVP by calling Jim or Jo Ann (509-684-1379) if you intend to participate. The mushroom hike is sponsored by the Friends of the LPO.
The Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge is located 13 miles southeast of Colville and provides habitat for migratory birds and wildlife. Established in 1939, the Refuge includes six types of forest habitat from meadows and wetlands, to Ponderosa pine forests to subalpine fir forests, and is the largest refuge in the state. The public is welcome to visit the LPO to enjoy the wildlife and scenery, to hike, mountain bike, horseback ride, and cross country ski in the winter, and to hunt and fish. The LPO is a great place to learn more about the natural history of the area, and offers outdoor photographers unique opportunities for capturing images of native plants and animals as well. Visitors are encouraged to tread lightly, of course, both to preserve the habitat for wildlife and to improve their chances of seeing deer, bobcat or wild birds.
For more information or to get on the LPO newsletter mailing list, contact the refuge by phone at 509-684-8384 or by mail at Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge, 1310 Bear Creek Road, Colville, WA 99114. The website is www.fws.gov/littlependoreille/.
The Friends of the Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the conservation of native fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats on the LPO, providing educational opportunities, and fostering understanding and appreciation of the refuge. For more information, or to join the Friends of the LPO, see the website at www.refugefriends.com.
Posted by Jon Snyder in News | 1 Comment »
May 6th, 2008
OTM reader and commuter Luke Bakken
Luke Bakken noticed an omission in this month’s Guide to Buying Your first Adult Bike:
“I just wanted to point out that the guide left out one entire category
of bicycles that are appropriate for first-time buyers: recumbents.
While not as familiar (or inexpensive) as their upright cousins,
recumbents offer far superior comfort and some aerodynamic advantage over “wedgies”. I have been commuting on my recumbent up and down the South Hill for several years now and can attest to their hill-climbing ability (you may remember me in a photo from a way-past Out There issue on bicycle commuting [December 2004]).
Thanks!”
Luke
Thanks for the input Luke. You can read the article that Luke was featured in right here:
“Don’t Run Me Over I’m Just Biking to Work” (OTM 12/04) Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Jon Snyder in News | 4 Comments »
May 2nd, 2008
CARS ARE TRANSPORTATION? Cars are time machines. Cars collapse space and time like no other form of transportation. You could get somewhere by foot, horse, train, or boat before the car, but it might take you hours, days, or weeks. We’ve become addicted to that time travel, so much so that when our car trips are slowed by even a couple seconds it pisses us off.
I try to keep that in mind when I get buzzed, honked at, or flipped off while riding my bike to work. Granted the vast majority of cars are quite courteous, but it’s hard not to wonder about the truck that cuts me off and then peels out to show it’s disgust at my presence, or the Prius with the “Share the Road” license plates that buzzes me, cutting through my lane while passing. (Actually happened to me on Earth Day this year!)
But then I remember: cars are time machines. They carry an unspoken promise of delivering their drivers to a certain place, quickly. And nothing is more frustrating than losing a second or two passing a cyclist or waiting for a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
I’m not being glib. I know the feeling. I own a car and when I’m in it my intellectual musings about our modern transportation psyche take a back seat. I want to get where I am going. Now. It takes concentration to stay out of a crosswalk until a pedestrian has left. Operating a car has an aggressive effect on our state of mind. I’ve seen it happen in even the most unlikely drivers.
But we have no right, as drivers, to that expediency. We have no right to violate pedestrian and cyclist rights to gain a few seconds. We have no right for unlimited and unrestrained use of resources to support our automobile time travel.
A solution? It’s not just more new bike/ped infrastructure. We need more education and participation. Drivers in our town need to be educated better to respect the rights and safety of pedestrians and cyclists-and realize they aren’t being slowed down that much. Cyclists need to get in the street and ride more. Every responsible new cyclist in town increases visibility and awareness and makes it safer for those of us who are already riding. Please support Bike to Work Spokane May 12-16.
Visit: www.biketoworkspokane.org
Posted by Jon Snyder in News | No Comments »
April 28th, 2008
The New York Times had a great piece comparing to pieces of environmental futurism last week. Ernest Calllenbach’s Ecotopia, a story where the Pacific Northwest secedes to creates a new country is contrasted with the new James Howard Kunstler novel, World Made By Hand. Peak oil guru Kunstler’s book raises an interesting question; is it impossible to motivate people to change through hope and optimism? Or must we be scared into to doing right by the planet? Kudos to the New York Times for outing Kunstler as Y2K enthusiast. According to the Times, “Kunstler went long on Y2K, predicting ‘loss of comfort and modern convenience,’ possibly escalating into disease and chaos.” Credibility gap? You decide. You can read the piece here.
Posted by Jon Snyder in News | No Comments »
April 25th, 2008
Everyday Cyclist writer John Speare at last night’s Bicycle Master Plan meeting.
Bicycle democracy to be exact. Last night’s Spokane Bicycle Master Plan at the West Central Community Center was successful and well attended. A hundred or so folks got to see maps of proposed bike infrastructure and long network plans. City Planner Ken Pelton and Bicycle Advisory Board members Bob Lutz and John Speare eagerly fielded questions. WSDOT also presented on state bicycle plans and got an earful from Spokane City Council member Richard Rush, who asked for more state support of bike/ped projects. Councilman Steve Corker was also in attendance. If you haven’t crashed the Bicycle Master Plan party yet there’s still time. Read about it here:
OTM collumnist John Speare has an eloquent posting about the Master Plan here:
http://cyclingspokane.blogspot.com/
Read more about it at Metro Spokane here:
http://metrospokane.typepad.com/index/2008/04/get-yer-bike-pl.html
Visit the City of Spokane’s Master Bike Plan site and take the survey and give feedback:
http://www.spokaneplanning.org/master_bike_plan.htm
Or attend the final meeting:
Tuesday, April 29, at the Northeast Community Center, 4001 N. Cook, from 6 to 8 p.m.
Posted by Jon Snyder in News | No Comments »
April 23rd, 2008
A few months ago I stumbled across the biggest backcountry trash heap
I’ve ever seen. While rock climbing in Northrup Canyon, near Banks
Lake and Steamboat Rock, I found approximately 2 or 3 acres of rusted
cans. I couldn’t believe it. My climbing partner and I hypothesized
that they came from the workers on Grand Coulee Dam. Roughly 65 years
ago, in the middle of nowhere, it wouldn’t have mattered much if this
is where the dam workers dumped their garbage.
Awhile later, I mentioned this to another climbing friend who happened
to be one of the participants in the massive Yosemite Valley Clean Up
last year. She reported that there was “trash” in Yosemite Valley that
they were ordered to leave be. Some old mining camps, burned down
trapper cabins, and some other odds and ends were off limits from
clean up.
I always figured that if it didn’t grow there, it didn’t belong there.
Then again, aren’t ALL artifacts trash. Which makes me wonder, how
many more decades until this spot in Northrup Canyon is an historic
site or off limits from clean up.
-Jon Jonckers
Posted by Jon Snyder in Jon Jonckers | 4 Comments »
April 21st, 2008
Sunday’s paper had big news for our family. One of our favorite musicians, Lucinda Williams, is coming to play an outdoor show in Spokaloo this summer. For free. according to the Spokesman Review she’ll be playing Pig Out in the Park on August 31.
Longtime Williams fans will understand just how cool this is. Historically Williams has not toured extensively, and as far as I know, has never been to Spokane before.
Posted by Jon Snyder in News | 1 Comment »
April 18th, 2008
It’s been a long time since there’s been a weekend with so many outdoor activities. For your consideration:
Tonight:
Lands Council Auction
Saturday:
Spokane River Kickoff
Earth Day Spokane
Sunday:
Spokane River Run
Komen Eastern Washington Race for the Cure
Paris Rubaix Race Party
3pm Elk in Brownes Edition Vintage Cruiser Ride (see Lemon Peeler pic above)
No mere mortal could do them all, but don’t you owe it to yourself to do at least one?
Posted by Jon Snyder in News | No Comments »
April 17th, 2008
If you are looking for evidence of progress in all things bicycle related in Spokane County look no further than the Spokane Regional Bike Plan unveiled by the Spokane Regional Transportation Council yesterday.
I’m just starting to make through the document’s 40 some pages but so far it looks thoughtful and comprehensive. Check it out for yourself and give them feedback.
There are also meetings for the City of Spokane Master Bike Plan this week. Check out the meeting time and take a quick survey at the above link.
You could be forgiven for getting all these plans confused. The bottom line is that they are both crucial to the future of cycling in our area. This is a great time to get involved and promote two-wheeled activities in Spokane.
Posted by Jon Snyder in News | No Comments »
