June 4, 20131 Comment on Bike fun in Mountain View, California
April 16, 20133 Comments on Today’s collection of creeps and weirdos on the bus
I volunteered this morning for a field trip at my daughter’s school so I took a much later bus than usual, where I met a whole new crew of creeps and weirdos for the trip to my office.
February 28, 201311 Comments on Cyclist harassment: Less common than we think?
February 21, 20134 Comments on Is this a legal crosswalk?
I think we can file this under “How many angels can dance on the head of a pin.”
Is this a legal crosswalk in California?
January 1, 20133 Comments on A New Year with bicycles
Yesterday, I briefly mentioned the Japanese practice of “firsts” for the New Year – hatsumode is viewing the first sunrise of the year, while hatsuhinode is the first visit to the shrine.
Many Japanese will write haiku (the 5-7-5 poetry that often evokes nature and related themes) of other firsts such as the first laugh and even the first shopping trip of the year.
So how about 初自転車, or the first bike ride of the year? What is your inaugural bike ride for 2013?
This is a pre-scheduled post, but hopefully I’m a little ways up the coast on California Highway 1. It should be a beautiful if chilly day.
Image from the US Library of Congress via Carlton Reid, who can tell you a little more about it.
December 31, 20122 Comments on Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu
“Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu.” That’s the New Year Greeting in Japan, where it’s already tomorrow relative to California.
Until about 140 years ago, Japan observed the New Year based on the Chinese lunar calendar. During the Meiji Restoration in 1873, Japan converted to the Gregorian calender in order to align itself with Western practices.
They switched the time of year for ringing in the New Year, but they still observe the traditional Japanese customs of bell ringing at Buddhist temples, eating mochi, distributing cash money gifts to children, and rising early for hatsuhinode — viewing the first sunrise of the year, typically from a mountaintop or from a bluff on the Pacific coast of Japan. Shinto shrines are also packed on New Year’s Even for hatsumode – the first shrine visit of the year.
Happy New Year and my wishes for a wonderful 2013 for all of you. Be sure to watch for the China Airlines float during the Rose Bowl Parade, which will feature cyclists riding around the float courtesy of Giant Bikes.
In the meantime, here’s a cute cartoon I filched from Treadly and Me’s Tumblr.
