Birthday Stove

So I had some of the greastest friends ever teach me how to make an alcohol beer can stove back in Montpelier (thanks T and Sarah- good times and good food).

We have a friend here in Mammoth who is a beer can stove expert! Greg! So Greg offered as a parting treat to Allison and maybe a birthday treat to me to do a clinic for all us seasonals in Mammoth. And it was fun. Surprise cake and all. I couldn't blow out the third candle though.

But most of our stoves turned out well.

Thanks all!

oh and I forgot to say

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! Last week.
Hopefully this photo works! Our Mammoth Halloween Pub Crawl!

Bicycle Commuter Act

I should be memorizing AT and Tele gear for my new job...
But I've been thinking a lot about the Bicycle Commuter Act, and how the League of American Cyclists doesn't promote it enough (my opinion) or have a handout for employees to give employers about it. I think ALL bike shops and local/government organizations should do this. Why don't they? Because its hard to understand and there's no Toolkit to understand it.

I had asked about getting it going more in Montpelier, but it just seems like the organizations in Montpelier had a lot more they needed to focus on, but imagine if all bicycle commuters in that very freethinking state capitol of mine, we applauded nationwide for being the first capitol to reward its bicycle commuters town-wide. I think it's something Montpelier can do. I have a few ideas whirling on how I can help with that... when I move back that is... (I have no set date yet, but fear not).

The benefits of this Act (which is a Law and has been for a few years) are that bicycle commuters get money toward their expenses. There is one organization that helps companies enact this, or smaller businesses have to read up on Fringe Benefits on the IRS page, which is kind of a pain in the ass, and I can see why more small businsses haven't taken advantage of this act to up moral, or show they value their employees ethics and choices. In bigger cities there are fees cyclists have and this helps cover part of that. Everywhere cyclists have wear and tear expenses. It's not fair to just reward commuters of mass transit or carpooling. So this is bringing the fairness there, but why don't any people know about this? GOSH!

Maybe they do in Oregon, since they had a big play in this Act becoming law. Wouldn't it be fun (Montpelier people...) to have a town-wide Commuter Bike Challenge? Or even State-Wide competition? I know there is the Bike to Work week and things like that, but honestly, who really fully does that? In Mammoth this summer there was a Commuter Bike Challenge. You would get a little business card and go to the 5 or 6 participating businesses and get a stamp. At the last business you went to you'd get a prize, and entered into a contest to win a Trek Glob, I mean Globe. Nice motivation and fun? And gets people exploring town. You had to be on a biek to do it. I know I need some nice, friendly competition to motivate. So lets do this people! The coupons for discounts on lights, etc are great incentives too, but we need more.

I just REALLY think this Bicycle Commuter Act is not getting the attention it deserves.

And oh my God, how fun with this type of Be Seen, Be Safe event be?

And check out Kidical Mass!
Maybe I should move to Oregon... and I'll someday be this mom.
This dude is serious. He wants your employer to sign up for the Bicycle Commuter Act benefits!

Bikes on the Mind

Daydreams of bikes:
Signal Cycles
Pedal Pushers
Bike Hugger

In the meantime... I should do a nightride, then buy some SKIS !!!

Bike Touring Travelers

This couple from Germany came in to the ranger station and were doing a bike tour. They started in Alaska and are ending in LA. Their Blog. You can translate it from German by copying and pasting the link into various tools online.

Someday I want to do a big bike tour. I have no interest in biking across America, even if it is for charity. Ever since I worked at Rose Bicycle in Maine, and thanks to Jim, I've wanted to do Cape Bretton or the main part of Nova Scotia, or Prince Edward Island. The Beal Family and I did a quick car tour of Nova Scotia. I'd rather tour the Western side I think, then tie in a canoe trip somehow in their Kemjimkujik Seaside Adjunct National Park. Or another canoe trip in Algonquin Provincial Park deeper into the park would be amazing... or the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (right Jen?).



Last summer at Onion River Sports we had Furtemba Sherpa, stop in our shop before we closed for a quick repair. I think Dean-o was there too to help. Furtemba speaks little English, from my encounter, but he is a man from Nepal who has been sponsored by his country since 2003 to cycle to every country promoting world peace and environmental protection. Mayor Blumberg even wrote him a letter. whoa.

Time Lapse Yosemite

So it's pretty boring sometimes at work, and after I finish entering visitor statistics (I think today we had 109- counting me playing with the counter).

I found this time lapse of Yosemite. Watch for the people climbing.

People in Yosemite: A TimeLapse Study from Steven M. Bumgardner on Vimeo.

Skis are Beautiful

Design Inspiration – Brianna’s Skis

There's a lot of handmade ski companies like the more low-key 333 Skis out of wherever they disperse camp or Herwiggy out of Carson City... to some bigger ones like Moment or Folsom out of Reno.

But I think these skis on the Poppy Gall (founder of Isis for Women- yeah VT) are pretty sweet. I love the graphics.