Groot rides a bike in Laramie, WY

The girls are big Guardians of the Galaxy fans, and especially enjoyed seeing Groot ride a bike in a mural.

We made a quick trip to Laramie, Wyoming over the weekend. I lived there as a kid, and as an undergrad, and during both periods I recall it as being a great place to ride a bike. I'm happy to report that it has only gotten to be more bike friendly over time, with improvements to bike infrastructure and a blossoming bike culture.

For those of you unfamiliar with Laramie, a reasonable facsimile of it as a town may be that of the fictional town of Cicely, Alaska from the 1990s TV show Northern Exposure; a largely sleepy community that is at times quirky, with an occasional edge of sophistication. A recent development has been several public art projects in the downtown area, including some terrific murals and some highly functional and fun, locally produced bike racks that feature native animals and scenes.

An indicator of further change in advancement of bicycle support in the community was in a campaign sign for a local candidate. The sign featured a bike in place of Steamboat the bucking horse from the iconic symbol of Wyoming. For a sitting state representative, in a state where registered automobiles have historically outnumbered people, this is a bold statement.

Ride 'em cowbike! Best of luck to you, Rep. Charles Pelkey.

Thematically appropriate bike racks in this railroad town, and a wall growing food.

The ramp to the bike/ped bridge over the rail yard is a Laramie landmark. 

From the bridge, a wave to the engineer returns a horn blast, as it did when I was a kid.

Galloping antelope rendered in green steel sure beats a standard bike rack.

As does a blue moose.

The Pedal House bike shop has been a fixture in the Laramie bike community for more than a quarter century.

Visit to Albuquerque, Part 2

Three girls in a treehouse.

Following our Paseo del Bosque Trail ride (detailed in Part 1 here), we did a bit more exploration around Albuquerque. It's a pleasant city that somehow feels smaller than its population of a bit more than half a million might suggest. Traditional New Mexican architecture abounds, and really contributes to a well-defined sense of community. The way space is used here, both public and private, differs from that of other areas of the Rocky Mountain West enough so that it feels as though it is another culture. Sure, there are malls and tract houses here and there, but much of Albuquerque has a very distinct flavor that I find very appealing.

My brother constructed this treehouse in a very artisanal manner, typical of many of the projects he's built around his house.

Look Daddy, no hands.

With little precipitation, old Volkswagens seemingly live forever here.

A little early morning hula-hooping in pajamas and cowgirl boots.

She's still got it.

An Alexander Calder-esque mobile of my brother's creation.

Scout claimed this as her cozy spot during our visit. 

Convex mirror fun.

Albuquerque is apparently experimenting with a variety of bike infrastructure implementations. Unsurprisingly, many of the bike projects are infused with art, either in a supportive or integrative capacity. A wide variety of styles and designs of bike racks pepper the landscape, along with more ambitious projects, such as bicycle boulevards and trail systems. I saw a lot of ambient bike use, including families on bikes, commuters, crusty old-timers on weathered cruisers, college kids on fixies, and even a bright red Big Dummy for which I was too slow with my camera. It's a great city for biking, as hills are gentle and key destinations are within easy reach. I wasn't able to sample the bike shops of the area, such as Two Wheel Drive, but I hope to during the next visit.

Lil Sis appreciated this sleek bronze jaguar bench.

Bike racks in front of the Albuquerque Museum.

This area was full of hipster hangouts and people on bikes. 

A Kokopelli-inspired bike rack.

The morning that we left, we accompanied Chris and Hazel on their ride to school. It was a perfectly clear Albuquerque morning, and we even spotted a hot air balloon on the horizon. Riding to school is fun any time, but it's especially enjoyable to see two eager seven year-olds pacing each other, while not forgetting to stop at stop signs. It's hard to believe how quickly they grow into autonomous big kids.

After a seven-hour drive, we were home. It was a bummer to leave a 75 F degree spring day in Albuquerque and arrive to a less-than-welcoming 24 F degrees in Denver. I like snow as much as the next person in Colorado, and I know we need the precipitation, but after three straight weeks of Spring snowstorms and unseasonably cold temperatures, I'm done with it. Here's to the hopeful arrival of actual Spring weather.

The morning after was a chilly ride on frozen disappointment.

Our annual backyard finches have already had their chicks, who are cuddled for warmth on a cold day.

Denver B-cycle opens for 2011

Denver B-cycle number 422 was my ride for my first official trip of the 2011 season.

After a little over three months in hibernation, the revolutionary red bikes of Denver B-cycle were back on the street today. I took several rides taking me from the Convention Center to LoDo, to part of the Highlands, and eventually to near the Auraria campus. I was grateful to have the bikes back in operation, saving me the trouble of having to retrieve one of my bikes and/or walking some sizeable distances.

Number 532 is the highest numbered Denver B-cycle I've ridden to date.

I always notice the numbers of the B-cycle bikes that I ride. I saw some old friends, such as Denver B-cycle numbers 422, 002, and 218, but I also met some new numbers that weren't part of the fleet last year, such as numbers 528, 531 and 532, which happens to be the highest number I've seen so far.

National Velvet seems as reasonable a title as any for this sculpture by John McEnroe near the Highlands Bridge. People probably have various reactions to this unusual artwork, but as for me, I like it. Besides, it's B-cycle red.

The weather was perfect for riding. From what I saw, a lot of people didn't let the opportunity slip by without taking advantage. Even the wildlife in the area seemed to know not to pass up the opportunity to take in the sun.

I spent a few minutes watching this contented little fox stretch and preen in the sun while waiting for a train. Just before the train arrived, the fox ducked into the culvert next to where it had been sitting.

A bit later, the Big Dummy hummed right along on our regular route. When the school bell rang, nobody had to remind the kids to get out and have fun. 

A happy co-pilot is a good co-pilot.

Just a reminder, folks. About this time of year I start to notice an increase in the numbers of creaky or squeaky chains on bikes I meet on streets and trails, so please remember to keep those chains well lubricated. Thus ends my public service announcement.