Notices by Marty Cormack (martycormack@urbanists.social)

@ascentale @bikenite #BikeNite A8:
While riding the Shooting Star State Trail yesterday, I surprisingly spotted blooming Marsh Marigolds much sooner in the season than expected.

@Cyclist @ascentale @bikenite
#Bikenite A5b:
I too have had shoelaces caught in my chain, and yes it can be almost crash inducing at speed.
I've developed a habit of after tying the laces, tucking them under an eyelet loop below so they stay centered on the top of the shoe. After I discovered this technique also prevents the shoelaces from coming unexpectantly untied anytime, I now do this all the time, even when not riding.

@ascentale @IoanSaid @hyenachow @bikenite
#BikeNite A2:
The brand I have an emotional attachment to is Schwinn, a company established in the city of my birth, Chicago, and the brand of the first 4 bikes I owned. When in high school and a golf caddy, I caddied for Frank Schwinn who was the CEO of the company at the time.

Of all the bikes I owned, the 1967 Schwinn 26" Typhoon Coppertone was and still is my favorite.

When you get unbelievably favorable weather this time of year, you take advantage of it. It was sunny and topped out in the 60'sF, so I made sure to take an adventure ride. I rode the Wapsi Great Western Line Trail in Northern Iowa from Bailey Station to Lyla's Marsh and back for 42 miles. I saw a Ring-necked Pheasant, two Red-tailed Hawks, several Bald Eagles and more White-tailed Deer than ever for that trail. I had a nice picnic lunch at Lyla's Marsh.
#BikeTooter

#BikeStreak Day 150:
I'm taking it easy again today, though it would be an ideal day weatherwise for a long ride. I rode my ebike to have coffee with the hockey guys, a round trip of 12 miles. One of my hockey buddies was asking for advice on what bicycle trails to ride in the region, so I compiled a list of the trails that are within a 2 hour drive from here. So if you're ever in SE Minnesota, NE Iowa, Western Wisconsin and want to ride, here it is:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FAnKonDO9ap9xdSLfduUfzjBjvoO6Kw-cr_VgChum2I/edit?usp=sharing

#BikeTooter

After 4 years of turmoil and torment, I recently and finally came to the decision to leave the church-institution I was born into, and had whole heartedly embraced and served until 2020. It was really hard because it was an essential part of my identity for 60+ years and my family's identity. I tried to come to terms with what I experienced in 2020 and 2021 and I thought I had made a successful comeback earlier this year to only have the issues come back up and trigger me again. 1/2

Am I the only one who cringes every time I hear the now common terms "Human Resources" or "Human Capital?"

We are flesh, blood and bone people, living, breathing, parents, siblings, children, loved ones, friends, spouses, etc. etc. We aren't things as "Resources" and "Capital" imply.

I find those terms far below the intrinsic dignity that every human person deserves.

I'm feeling sick and disgusted. Tonight's local TV news reported of a man being charged with 1st degree criminal sexual assault on a 14 yo girl. They showed his picture and I immediately realized it is a person I would see most days when riding the city multiuse trails. It was not the first time he's been charged. I feel sick that I've interacted with him, if only to politely say hi when passing on the trail. Ouch

When I was a school district tech director for 11 school years, a ransomware attack is what most often kept me up worrying at night. As a result we moved a lot of things out of our own managed data center and to various cloud and hosted services. The hosted services had more security expertise than our small staff had, and not all our eggs were in one basket.
https://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/in-wake-of-nearby-cyberattacks-rochester-area-schools-say-it-could-happen-to-anybody

There has to be a special place in hell for:

1) People who break glass bottles on multiuse paths and leave it there. (I had two bicycle tire flats last week due to small glass shards after riding on an urban MUP.)

2) People who dump construction/remodeling waste along out of the way places along multiuse paths. (I saw potentially beautiful urban places spoiled by dumping.)

#BikeTooter

@CloudyMrs
I have always used bike shoes with recessed SPD clips. My current pair is Specialized RIME 1.0.
I'll wear them down to 25F but at that temperature I have battery powered heated socks and an overshoe weather cover.

@CloudyMrs
Because of the frequent (and correct) use of "New Year's Eve" or "New Year's Day." It is possessive and not plural. But leaving off the apostrophe and Eve/Day suffix is incorrect.

Day 253 #BikeStreak
We are having a very nice December day, bright sunshine, light winds and it is supposed to reach above 50F later this afternoon, likely exceeding the record high for here on this date. I rode my #ebike to go to coffee with my hockey team. If I did not have to skate tonight (and did not want to keep my legs fresh for hockey) I would have gone on a much longer bicycle ride. But I will enjoy the day anyway. I spotted a Bald Eagle perched over Bear Creek.

@CloudyMrs
Today was 32F. I have a warm pair of Columbia winter boots that I wear when riding flat pedals, and have a polypropylene sock liner under thick wool socks. This is good down to 20F. Colder than that and I replace the thick socks with battery powered heated socks. Below 0F I'll add a layer of thin merino wool socks.

Day 249 #BikeStreak
I totally forgot that yesterday was global fat bike day, otherwise I would have ridden mine. But nature helped me make up for it as this morning there was a light coating of new snow on the trails so riding my fat tire #bicycle with studded tires was my best option anyway. The temperature was near freezing and there was a foggy mist. But that meant it wasn't too cold and no wind. So I managed a 15 mile ride on Bear Creek and Zumbro South Trails.
#BikeLeans
#BikeTooter

So my favorite team, #mnwild , in the midst of a 7 game losing streak, just fired their head coach. Just yesterday I told my wife after their disappointing loss that part of their problem is the defensive and penalty killing systems in use, and a coaching change was (IMHO) needed. So today's development was not a surprise.
#NHL

I kept on riding. My adrenaline was flowing and I did not want a confrontation. My wife said later that if I was a good #bicycle ambassador, I should have gone back to check on the dog. I don't think what I was likely to say after the scofflaw owner's dog nearly caused me to crash would have been close to diplomatic, so I disagreed with her. How should I have handled it, considering how upset I was?
3/3
#BikeTooter

So do any other #bicycle riders here have as many problems with dogs as I do? I've been bitten by dogs multiple times while riding in the past few years, the most seriously was a couple months ago. Last Friday I was riding on a state trail, where state law requires pets to be on leashes. A walker had a little yappy dog off lease ahead of me. I gave an approach warning a long way off and they attempted to grab the dog, but it escaped.
1/
#BikeTooter

It then started chasing me. I did not know whether to speed up, slow down, or stop, but as I was bitten painfully in the ankle in a similar situation, I kept riding my #bicycle on what was a straightaway. The dog caught up and was starting to outrun me. Suddenly it turned right in front of my wheel and I ran it over! A bigger dog or a slower speed and I would have certainly crashed. I did see the dog in my mirror run back to the owner who said it's OK.
2/
#BikeTooter

Day 34: Today was a re-run of yesterday, bright and sunny, but cool and windy. But since I need to train for an 85 mile ride Saturday, I decided to use my road #bicycle and fight the wind. I rode the Douglas State Trail to Pine Island, but rode the roads back to SE #RochMN for 46 miles. The Douglas Trail provides some shelter from the winds in most places, but they were fierce in the open areas. But once I got to PI, I knew I had a good tailwind home.
#cycling
#BikeLeans
#BikeTooter