mpls in motion

I've given up my car for a bicycle. Oh my. What now?                           [New Belgium Brewing, Tour de Fat Car-for-Bike trader] (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m) })(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga'); ga('create', 'UA-43039523-1', 'tumblr.com'); ga('send', 'pageview');

[mplsinmotion]

[mplsinmotion]

Love these posters. I would totally buy these if they were playing cards!

Check out the others here:

http://ellenschofield.com/portfolio/minneapolis-bike-tour/

[glanderco]

U Locked My Heart

[mplsinmotion]

Couldn't help but laugh. It's my first car-free winter, and I couldn't be happier that I don't have to deal with this shit anymore. :)

[mplsinmotion]

LOCK8 bike lock. Keyless. Alarm secured. GPS tracking. 

Holy shit.

[mplsinmotion]

Someday I'll be as cool as this dude. Someday.

[mplsinmotion]

People from Minnesota always make me so proud.

[mplsinmotion]

Base layer for my first winter cycling

Almost forgot that my order is on its way from Howies!

After much thought, I decided this base layer would be a crucial item to add to my winter cycling attire.

See it here.

Also, this is the first time I'm receiving something from Royal Mail! I'm royally excited. Probably too excited.

[mplsinmotion]

My mind is blown. It's a cycling revolution!

[mplsinmotion]

"After five months, 12 cities and 95,000 attendees, the 2013 Tour de Fat has wrapped. You raised roughly $500,000 for cycling nonprofits from Washington, D.C. all the way to San Francisco simply by drinking New Belgium beer — not too shabby. Cheers, and we'll see you next year. ♥" - New Belgium Tour de Fat

Thanks for the beer, the bike, and the awesome carfree year I'll be having!

[mplsinmotion]

This is sad. Somebody get these guys another bike, or two, or twenty.

[mplsinmotion]

The slow down

When I had a car, I always had a list of "things to do." I was adamant about completing these tasks, and struggled to get it all in.

My memory flashes back to moments where I drove to DSW 20 minutes away just to try on a pair of shoes, or the time I went to a coop 25 minutes away just because I needed a certain flavor of yogurt for my breakfast the next morning. I got so bogged down in tedious chores that I exhausted myself by the time I got home. 

Now, entrenched in a life without a car, I'm experiencing something I like to call the "slow down."

My notebook gets it. 

It may take me longer to get certain things done or to get all my groceries on one trip. But instead of living a life mixed up in daily minutia, I'm living a life surrounded by good people and activities that make me happy — all while keeping a clean apartment and a generally organized life.

I'm even cutting back on all the clutter, selling some clothes, and making meals instead of going out to eat all the time. Believe me, not dining out is the hardest thing to do as a biker. Becoming a cyclist means you also become a foodie. You're constantly exploring unknown parts of the city and happening upon diamonds in the rough. It's easy to make restaurants your end destination too, but for now, I'll pass on Longfellow's sweet potato fries. I'll miss you.

The only thing that really suffers from the slow down is my laundry basket. I think it can survive though.

[mplsinmotion]

Saturday beer run. Finally tried out the six-pack cinch.

[mplsinmotion]

Nice.

From Raygun.

[mplsinmotion]

My friend Jess makes some pretty flippin sweet watercolor art. I asked her if she would ever consider making a bicycle watercolor, and holy c$%& she delivered! 

You can find this and many other marvelous works of art on her Etsy page: Jess Buhman Art

You can show her some cyclin' love by getting the print above here.

[mplsinmotion]

Amber Dallman gave birth after riding Nice Ride to hospital

A friend at work shared a Facebook post she saw on her newsfeed. It read: "Listen up Portland friends, this is why Minnesota bicyclists are more hardcore than you: They take bike share to the hospital to give birth."

Agreed. :)

Will someone please do the same thing in winter? Winter + Nice Ride + baby on board = uber-hardcore

[allfixedgear]

Al’s Gardin.

[mplsinmotion]

Want. Can't. Resist. Color.