Shadow Footprints

I'd have a good appetite for a free breakfast from Kellogg's.

Link: http://www.redsmoke.co.uk/How_to_give_up_cycling.htm

It may be a sacrifice, but heat generated by vigorous exercise is a contributor to global warming.

Link: http://www.stuff.co.nz/3948015a13.html

This is a good start.

Bike imports pedal past cars

Bicycle imports into New Zealand outstripped car imports last year, Bike Wise Programme said yesterday.

The organisation's director Brent Skinnon said Statistics NZ figures showed that 230,000 cycles were imported in the year ending June 2006, up 40 per cent since 2002.

He added just over 200,000 new and used cars were landed in 2006, down 30,000 on the previous year, according to the Motor Trade Association.

Mr Skinnon added he was delighted by the figures but not surprised.

"Cycling is low cost, helps you keep fit, and is good for the environment. But above all, people really want to do it. Over 750,000 New Zealanders own bikes and cycling has become a way of life."

Cycle Action Auckland chairman Bevan Woodward also welcomed the news.

"New Zealand has allowed itself to become one of the most car dependent nations on earth. We have 3.2 million vehicles for a population of just 4.1 million.

"Traffic causes significant air and water pollution, growing climate change emissions, congestion on our roads and damage to our society."

He added obese children were now driven on journeys which only one generation ago would have been walked or cycled.

"I'm glad of any indications these trends are reversing."

Avanti Cycles NZ sales and marketing manager said the rise in petrol prices over winter was one reason why New Zealanders were turning to pedal power.

I wore my new Road ID today. International shipping was fast. It has my name, blood type, home phone, brothers' phones, and Miss Prim's mobile. All numbers unlikely to change. I chose the red wrist band as the best for me, and a blue shoe ID replacement band for times when I don't want it on my wrist.

After being knocked off my bike a couple of years ago, and breaking my arm rollerblading, I don't assume I'm invulnerable and in time I could benefit from this.

Thanks Miss Prim and A Girl Named Ivan.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKeVsab9rKc&mode=related&search

No, not me. The Outlaw in Lycra on youTube is impressive.

Link: http://jobsadvice.guardian.co.uk/officehours/story/0,,1734504,00.html

One of the guys at work brought in a clipping from the Sunday Star Times. The article was written by Tim Hall of the Guardian.

Whether you cycle, walk or take the bus, varying your journey to work can boost your brainpower

Choosing how you get to work is about picking the lesser of several evils. Drive and face the soul-crushing queues of the M25. Take the train and face an hour up against someone whose body odour puts the "cattle" into "cattle-truck".

Most of us stick with our own brand of commuting hell because the alternatives do not seem much better. Now it seems there's another incentive to dropping old commuting habits and trying something new.

You may not get there any quicker, but recent evidence suggests varying the way you commute could help boost your intelligence by up to 40% in just one week.

I'm glad I choose to bike, especially after yesterday's nightmare journey.

If you already walk or cycle, taking a different route will give your neurons the desired workout. And since you have to get to work anyway, why not do it in a way that will make you that bit cleverer once you get there?

I chose a slightly different route this morning. Instead of bypassing the (small) hill in Kingsland I went that way. Railway tracks, more traffic, a hill, slow traffic. I feel much smarter already.

Link: http://cathyodgers.blogspot.com/2005/06/hubbard-hypocrite.html

I shouldn't be so upset in my previous post. Hubbard the Hypocrite shows his priorities.

The bike I won a few months back was the bike supposedly ridden by him. I haven't previously mentioned how its front brake was adjusted too tight for the wheel to rotate freely. With effort it would rotate, but not the sort of effort you'd want to do 500 metres of cycling on, let alone cycling from home.