We heART Bikes

I can't remember exactly how I found the We heART Bikes Fundraising Art Show, but the 'open to everyone' caught my eye. Anyway, I got a few images prepared and submitted them. I hope they help raise some money for the cause.

The Reno Bike Project, which puts on the event, is a non-profit that promotes the bicycle in many ways. They, like other bicycle co-ops, understand that bicycles are not a standard luxury for everyone. Check out their website here: http://blog.renobikeproject.com/

Colorado has a host of bicycle collectives. Organizations like this are great places for donating old bikes and parts that are still useable. We plan to pedal to the Fort Collins Bicycle Co-Op this weekend and see what they've got going.

Happy Friday,

LK

Ginger Ninjas and The Pleasant Revolution

As your resident earth loving, bicycle riding, thirty-something, I decided it would be appropriate to find something blog worthy for today (Earth Day). I pulled up my favorite search engine, Blackle, and typed in the words "reduce carbon footprint bicycles". About a quarter of the way down I noticed a link that caught my eye:

"Green Ninjas took their rock tour around Mexico by bicycle, greatly reducing the carbon footprint normally associated with rock concerts."

Obviously, I had to check the link out. I discovered that the Green Ninjas are actually the Ginger Ninjas and they toured from Northern California to Southern Mexico on bicycles. They even powered all of their equipment with our favorite human powered machine. Their tour is called The Pleasant Revolution.

You gotta check out the video above!

Here's to a low carbon footprint,

LK

Black Canyon Trail

03/10/09
26.4 miles
4:30 minutes

We arrived in AZ yesterday under cloudy skies, and winds trying to blow us off the road. The tent site we scored at the KOA in Rock Springs was out of the wind and close to the bathrooms. SCORE! Our camping location was perfect since it is located only 5 minutes from the trailhead for the Black Canyon Trail. The trail is relatively new and currently has only 20 miles of the projected 60 miles built. I think that they could stop at 20, give themselves a pat on the back and enjoy the fruits of their labor. The trail is a tight, twisty singletrack that only interrupts itself for the occasional crossing of the Agua Fria River. The river wasn’t too cold, but it did provide us with some wrinkled feet once our shoes finally came off. We rode a southern section of the trail as an out and back. And enjoyed every minute of it. We managed to burn through a gallon of water each with each of us taking our last sips as we arrived back at home base. I even had a rear flat that was a slow enough leaker I was able to make it back to the KOA and change it in the shade. The only mishap we had today was our lack of sunscreen and the resulting farmer burns on our arms. Tomorrow we go and ride a ten mile section of the northern route and will probably reach the end of the road for current trail construction. They tacked on a 1000 feet last Saturday, so we may have first tread on the new part. Doubtful, but we shall see.
Evidently there is a Café in town here famous for its pies. I will do my duty and give a full report on those at a later date.
CK

Landscapes.Culture.Travel.Bicycles

Happy Monday.

The Wide Eyed World Photo Galleries have been updated. Take a look when you get a chance.

http://www.lesliekehmeier.com/ - click the Portfolio link to access the galleries.

Enjoy!

LK

The Power of Bicycles

Day 417
Setubal

The main event of the day was finding the train station and working out the logistics of getting to Lisbon. After our hard fought battle to get to Seville we are reverting back to our habit of thorough transportation planning. After talking to the guy at the ticket window we are ready for another adventure in a big city. Hopefully we’ll have nothing interesting to report.
Our visit to the train station sparked a spirited conversation as we walked to our next stop. We discussed the combination of bicycles, public transportation, and our experiences throughout the trip. We’ve been able to travel with our bicycles on trains and ferries relatively easily (except for Spain). We also chatted about the utility of the two-wheeled machine and the possibilities it has beyond a recreational capacity. We’ve seen plenty of practical use here in Europe but not enough in the US.
Consider the following (fine graphics are available on the World Bicycle Relief Webpage):

Time
During a commuting day of 10 miles traveled, a bicycle saves 3 hours.
Walking – 2.5 miles per hour
Bicycling – 10 miles per hour
Capacity
Riding a bicycle increases one's capacity by 5 times.
Effort
As time increases, effort to travel increases. Riding a bicycle requires less effort, allowing one to travel farther in less time.
Distance
Over equal units of time, one can ride a bicycle 4 times the distance as one walking.

After waving our righteous fingers, we came to a conclusion. As fuel prices remain high and people are looking for ways to save money, the bicycle is a very viable means of transport. To that end, it is very important that public transportation compliments the choice of traveling by bicycle.
All of that came from finding out that our bikes travel for free on the train tomorrow.

So, where did we go after the train station? We visited the Igreja de Jesus, a late Gothic church built with the Manueline architectural style. The church was in a very natural state – not pristine, but not in shambles. The pillars of the church were very unique compared to anything I’ve seen in all of Europe. The design is very ornate while the stone is very rustic. Each column twists from floor to ceiling and provides an interesting contrast to the tile mosaics that line the church walls. The structure is apparently the first to use this particular style and we’ll be looking for more buildings in Lisbon for comparison.

Have a good weekend,
LK

A Bike Ride

Day 278
Cedaredge
Time: 10 minutes
Distance: 5 laps
Avg Speed: Kid speed


There are many ways to go on a bike ride. It can be with skinny tires on the blacktop or knobby tires on the dirt. It can vary in length. Some go quickly after work while others set off for hours. A ride can be solitary or a group affair. It can be a chance to escape or a time to catch up.
My life has been full of bike rides. My first adventures were done by linking driveways in the cul-de-sac where my house sat. My sister and I would ride for hours back and forth, and somehow, we never got bored. As the years have passed my legs have gotten longer, but my love for bicycles has always remained.
Tonight I went for a bike ride with my niece. We decided on five laps in a counter-clockwise direction around the block. We cruised for about ten minutes and enjoyed the quietness of the evening; me in my red shoes and she with her purple tassels. As we parked the bikes and headed inside, I smiled as I remembered those days when I was young. One thing hasn’t changed – it always feels good to go for a bike ride.
LK

Press Release: Bicycle Geography Continues...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Leslie Kehmeier
Bicycle Geography
10773 W Marlowe Pl
Littleton, CO 80127
bicyclegeography@yahoo.com
http://www.bicyclegeography.org

Chris and Leslie Kehmeier Continue to Ride Bicycles around the World to Promote Geographic Knowledge

Chris and Leslie Kehmeier of Colorado are realizing a lifelong dream of seeing the world by bicycle. In the summer of 2007 they sold their house, quit their jobs and started traveling the globe on two wheels. They call their project Bicycle Geography.

The Kehmeier’s self-supported journey started in September 2007 when they flew from their home state of Colorado to New Zealand. After three months touring the North and South Islands they moved on to Australia and then Southeast Asia. Chris and Leslie have recently returned home to prepare for a summer tour of Colorado. In early August, the two-wheeled pair will depart once again for Asia and continue their international travels throughout China, Nepal and Europe.
During the first six months of the journey, Chris and Leslie have expanded their geographic knowledge while experiencing the landscapes and cultures of different countries. They continue to inspire people to ride bicycles, learn about geography and consider sustainable modes of transportation.

Chris and Leslie think bicycles have great practicality and functionality and continue to use them as their main mode of transportation. Bicycles not only allow increased mobility, health and economic benefits, they require only human-power as fuel.

After reading an alarming news article in 2006, The Kehmeiers were inspired to promote geographic awareness as part of their trip. They learned that young adults in the United States are significantly lacking in their geographic knowledge. They hope to bring more awareness to the subject of Geography through photos and journals on their Bicycle Geography website.

[END]

About the Bicycle Geography team:
Leslie Kehmeier was born and raised in Colorado. She can usually be found turning the pedals on her mountain bike, hanging from the side of a mountain or planning a weekend trip to Paris. Leslie is a 1991 graduate of Bear Creek High School in Lakewood, Colorado and 1995 graduate of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs with a degree in Geography.

Chris Kehmeier was born in New Mexico, and raised in Nevada and Colorado. He gets out on his bike, on foot, and on a rope as much as possible. When he is resting his legs he dabbles in the kitchen and plans his tick lists for future bike and climbing trips. Chris is a 1993 graduate of Littleton High School in Littleton, Colorado and a 1998 graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in Horticulture.

For additional information about Bicycle Geography please contact Chris or Leslie Kehmeier bicyclegeography@yahoo.com or visit http://www.bicyclegeography.org

One Less Car - People Who Ride

We recently received an order of t-shirts from some cool, grassroots bike people. We wanted to get a few shirts to give out to family and friends. We also wanted to find a t-shirt company that wasn't just your typical "mass production" outfit. Chris happened to find this great website called One Less Car . Problem solved. One Less Car makes t-shirts and stickers and promotes the use of bicycles as "a truly practical transport option in place of the car". Thanks to Cole for working with us to create some really cool shirts. They will definitely be part of the kit on our trip.

ps - if you're interested in a shirt, drop us a line at bicyclegeography@yahoo.com

-LK

Press Release: The World Tour

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Leslie Kehmeier
Bicycle Geography
PO Box 4433
Eagle, CO 81631
bicyclegeography@yahoo.com
http://www.bicyclegeography.org/

Chris and Leslie Kehmeier Announce Plans to Ride Bicycles around the World to Promote Geographic Knowledge

Chris and Leslie Kehmeier of Gypsum, Colorado will realize a lifelong dream of seeing the world by selling their house, quitting their jobs and traveling the globe by bicycle. They call their project Bicycle Geography.

The Kehmeier’s self-supported journey begins in Oct 2007 from their home state of Colorado. Their timeline is two and a half years and they plan to visit the following areas: New Zealand/Australia, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, China, Mongolia, Russia and Europe.
During the journey Chris and Leslie will promote geographic knowledge, inspire people to ride bicycles, and endorse sustainable modes of transportation.

Chris and Leslie consider bicycles to have great practicality and functionality and have chosen them as their main mode of transportation. Bicycles not only allow increased mobility, health and economic benefits, they require only human-power as fuel.

After reading an alarming news article in 2006, The Kehmeiers were inspired to promote geographic awareness as part of their trip. They learned that young adults in the United States are significantly lacking in their geographic knowledge. They hope to bring more awareness to the subject of Geography through photos and journals on their Bicycle Geography website.

[END]

About the Bicycle Geography team:
Leslie Kehmeier was born and raised in Colorado. She can usually be found turning the pedals on her mountain bike, hanging from the side of a mountain or planning a weekend trip to Paris. Leslie is a 1991 graduate of Bear Creek High School in Lakewood, Colorado and 1995 graduate of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs with a degree in Geography.

Chris Kehmeier was born in New Mexico, and raised in Nevada and Colorado. When he is not working in irrigation design and sales he gets out on his bike, on foot, and on a rope as much as possible. When he is resting his legs he dabbles in the kitchen and plans his tick lists for future bike and climbing trips. Chris is a 1993 graduate of Littleton High School in Littleton, Colorado and a 1998 graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in Horticulture.

For additional information about Bicycle Geography please contact Chris or Leslie Kehmeier bicyclegeography@yahoo.com or visit http://www.bicyclegeography.org/