Re: Happy Winter Solstice!

[http://dummy.us.eu.org/robert (Robert)]

 > From: Mike McQueen <http://www.gte.net/~mike.mcqueen>
 > Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 21:00:57 -0800
 >
 > Hey Robert.
 > 
 > Good to hear from you.  Where in SJ is Sony?

River Oaks Pkwy & Zanker Rd.

 > I've lived in SJ, and
 > where-I-live, and I know how much that 880 run through the Milpitas area
 > sucks.  The public transportation options for getting between
 > Fremont/SJ suck too, mostly because BART stops there.

Yep.

 > Can you still take bikes on BART?

Yep, that's what I do.

 > I used to bike to BART in where-I-live,
 > then ride in to SF to work, a few years ago.  It was about an hour
 > door to door, but it was a good mile ride every day which was a nice
 > small exercise routine.  That could at least get you to Fremont
 > BART/Bus terminal for work, but Bike/BART was a good combo for getting
 > around the East Bay in general (or even to SF).

Yes, definitely.  And you can take your bike on bart between Fremont and
Richmond any time of day.

 > I think a good bike is a great investment in the Bay Area.  There are
 > a lot of opportunities to use them for commuting, but you can also get
 > racks/bags and do shopping, errands on them.

Yes, I'm considering it.  I'm considering a folding bike since sometimes
the bike racks on the buses get full and it's highly inconvenient.

 > If you're riding a lot, tire pressue makes a big difference, so
 > frequent flats (or slow pressure loss) really sucks.  You'll feel more
 > pain in your butt initiailly from hard tires but it really makes it
 > noticeably easier to get around, less energy required, easier to take
 > small hills, better acceleration going downhill, betting coasting,
 > etc.

Well, the solid polymer tubes I have really suck since the tire slips
around on the tube and makes riding somewhat unstable.  But (needless
to say) I haven't had any flats :-).

 > I use these things, I think they are kevlar strips, which line the
 > inside of my tires, followed by a normal tube.

Yes, I tried that too -- slime tire and also Mr. Tuffy.  Did no good.  I
think it was the spokes poking through the liner (which I replaced with
these solid tubes), but I don't care now since I have solid tubes.

 > My flat rate has been
 > very low with them, and I've been using the same pair of them for 5-6
 > years now probably.  I forget what they're called, but I'll find out
 > if you're interested.

I have used them for years.  This was the only bike I have ever had
problems with.  I have never had to change the tires on my mountain bike.

 > I'm even sensitive to the difference between what I can pump to with
 > the hand pump I carry, and a floor pump.  I check my tires frequently
 > before I go out and maybe every couple weeks have to top them off with
 > a floor pump, depending on how much I'm riding.  Hand pump for me is
 > mostly for emergencies.

Me, too.

 > I must confess, I bought a car last November.  I had a job up in
 > Bothell, and I saw the upcoming commute by bike/bus (405 express,
 > about a 4 mile ride away to bus stop though) over the winter as
 > something I wasn't sure I'd be able to handle.  Turns out I quit in
 > January anyway so, oh well.  Now I have a car and I drive it more than
 > I should (tho, not everyday).

Yes.  Public transit in the U.S. sucks, huh?

 > I start a new job (contract at MS, in the Xbox2 group) the 27th or
 > 28th.  I haven't been working since January.  I read 15 books by about
 > August, when I slowed down a bit.  Bought a 30GB MP3 player around
 > then (for birthday, maybe, I think), and have been downloading a lot
 > of audio lectures to listen to, and I've been doing that instead of
 > reading mostly. 

Yes.  So has everybody else.

 > I'll reply to some other things later.

Yes, OK.

 > Take care, say hi to Noelle.
 >
 > Mike