Date:         Fri, 27 Feb 2004 16:25:26 -0600
Reply-To:     Stan Wilder <wilden1-1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stan Wilder <wilden1-1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Friday and Bicycles
In-Reply-To:  <BC64CC2A.3A4DD%gnarlodious@earthlink.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

I'm on a street that is only three long blocks in length.
On one end there is a grade school and the other end just ends at an
intersection.
We have lots of dog walkers and joggers along with just the older folks that
walk.
Our street works out good for this since it is double width but with no
sidewalks.
Most of the dog walkers and joggers come from neighboring streets.
Our street is attractive to persons that Walk, Jog or Walk the Dogs since
almost nobody ever parks at curbside and the width of the street gives some
idea of safety.
Many of my neighbors have school age children and none of them ever ride
their bicycles on this street, that's parents or children.
None of the children at the elementary school at one end of the street ride
bicycles to or from school, the bike racks are empty.
As a school aged kid I rode my bicycle on trips that were as long, round
trip, as 30 miles in Dallas area.
Folks around Dallas load the bikes on racks and go to specific bike trails
or parks that have bike routes.
It's comical to see some of the groups riding the specified bike trails.
With just standard required helmets and the optional knee pads, elbow pads,
tighter than skin spandex cycling shorts, shirts with designer labels they
cut quite a figure of how the biking wardrobe can reach or exceed the price
of the bike.
I just use my bicycle to ride from the Westy to the bathrooms at the State
parks and of course just around the park areas.
Lots of families take the bicycles on camping days since it's about the only
safe place a kid can ride a bike nowadays.

Stan Wilder