The Firestorm in my Inbox

When I locked up this morning around a tree in front of the Bean Street Cafe, as I got my morning coffee, I realized, that I don't think there is a single bike rack in the entire downtown of San Mateo. Not even in front of the bike shop toy store. You can rent a storage locker at the train station -- I think. One of my favorite characters from San Mateo history was Jud Green, who has always owned a clothing store downtown. He would frequently complain about the city eliminating good parking spots downtown to plant trees (San Mateo Times, some time in the early eighties). Did it ever occur to the city that it might be nice to have a bike rack somewhere downtown. I patronize downtown about three times a day on my bike, and never have seen a bike rack.

Yesterday's post started a firestorm in my mail box, and seriously alienated at least one of my former readers. More than one person has an opinion on the topic. Apparently the Peninsula Bicycle and Pedestrian Coalition doesn't support the city plan for Bay Meadows phase two. I really think there was a woman telling me about it in the Bean Street Cafe last week. It doesn't surprise me that they don't support it, since it seems misguided, at least at the first glance ... be sure to bring your reading glasses -- because there's a lot of pages.


The Commuter hanging down at the San Mateo Station.

One of the Tunnels

"The next San Carlos B/PAC will be meeting is Nov 7, at 7 pm, upstairs in room 207 of the San Carlos City Hall. Members of the public are encouraged to attend. " So there's the next chance to do something. I don't know what a B/PAC is but I do know this. People who like to use acronyms must have a disease that prohibits them from describing what they mean when the rules of usage are so simple: The first time an acronym is used in any document it is defined. I.e. Blue pigs and cats (B/PAC) will be meeting ... B/PAC prefer bacon as a food source ... until they realize what it is. Would it really be something like Bike Political Action Commitee (B/PAC)?

One rant about bike policy and suddenly I am thrust into politics ... maybe we need to organize a critical mass ride in San Mateo. We could clog up traffic downtown for a while and then ride right down El Camino to City Hall. Maybe we can start at the Whole Foods (WF) and take over Hillsdale Boulevard, where it's really freakin' scary (RFS). Yeta, yeta, yeta ... It really seems that San Mateo City policy isn't very bike positive. They are treating us like they treat day laborers, get 'em off the real roads and the world will be better. That's RFS.

Today's ride was good, albeit wet. The power went out several times today due to the rain, and well finally there was no further speculation about whether or not the network power was going to come back. The earlier than normal train dropped me at Millbrae, which meant a longer ride home.

How far exactly, we don't know. Because the Cat-Eye mount for the computer is a piece of crap and broke for the third time. I forgot to throw the computer into my pocket this morning. We do know from past trips that round trip via the train trips SM-SF SF-Millbrae is about 8 miles.

Daniele created this masterpiece mocha at Bean Street in San Mateo.

Although the leaf covered route was rain covered also -- The new fenders were smashing -- I didn't have a single leaf stuck to the back of my head. And I was generally dry, except for two drenchings due to rainfall. One of my acquaintances called the spattering from the lack of fenders a "Freshman Stripe," a term he picked up in Davis.