AI6YR BenAchievement unlocked. Went to the farmer's market on a combo of bus and bike. Learned many lessons... #BikeTooter
First lesson: the farmer's market here has no bicycle racks, and the folks in charge have ZERO idea what to do with them, despite the "NO BIKES" sign. They clarified and said bikes are fine, as long as you walk them. "NO ONE HAS ASKED US THAT BEFORE" is what they told me. They ended up letting me stash my bike next to their info booth while I walked around. #BikeTooter #Transportation
Second #BikeTooter badge checked off, also took a bicycle on a city bus. The bus driver was less than amused at my attempts to cram two folded and worn dollar bills into the fare collector and said "gimme those, I'll do it!" LOL He also seemed to be trying to whip around corners and hit pot holes, LOL (the bike did not go anywhere it shouldn't have, the racks work). #bus #transportation
Bonus another car in our demonstration bicycle lane. A car had eirher nudged a post out of place, or a driver moved one, or something here... #BikeTooter #ThousandOaks
Other lessons: I combined bus + bike to get there, and because it would be another 30 min for the return bus, decided to cycle back.
1. Don't cycle back LOL.
2. Google says it's 15 min of cycling, it was, in fact, 45 min.
3. One of the sections of bicycle lane (did not stop to take a picture, as I was hoping not to get squished like a bug) had been taken over by semis parked overlapping the bicycle lane on the right, and on the left there was fast traffic. I aborted that route and cut into a neighborhood. Not a good route at ALL.
3. 7-8 miles with hills and vegetables plus a backpack with fruit in it... was pushing it. Next time (if I do this again) it will be bus->bike only. #BikeTooter
James Wells@ai6yr
Congrats none the less. That is an accomplishment.
Congrats none the less. That is an accomplishment.
nick@ai6yr yeah google maps cycling directions / estimates are arse. There's several alternatives, (around here at least) ridewithgps works well even on the free level. If you want to shop, get some panniers too, panniers rock, sooo much more pleasant that trying to ride with a backpack.
Jack@ai6yr I feel your pain and have a pretty good idea of what section of bikelane was taken over by parked semis... lol
I wish TOT had better frequency and service, good on you for taking it! For me with my mega ebike, its either walk + bus, or bike only. Sucks that to get to my nearest stop I have to walk on Lynn over the 101 to get to the mall, not an easy trek. I do want to try taking my bike up to Moorpark train station via VCTC busses sometime.
@technotion hourly is definitely a schedule killer (thus my attempt to bike all the way home). Doable if I make it bike, bus, market AND lunch, then bus, bike.
Ralph (AF4EZ)@ai6yr Like putting a baseball cap on backwards, putting go fast stripes on a car removes points from the user's IQ
EllenInEdmonton 
@ai6yr
The US really needs loonies and toonies for transit and vending machines. Those grubby paper dollar bills are pretty gross if you ask me!
The US really needs loonies and toonies for transit and vending machines. Those grubby paper dollar bills are pretty gross if you ask me!
Thadd Selden@ai6yr This is why I love that there's a bike valet at the Sacramento midtown farmer's market. A dedicated booth where you just drop your bike off and they watch it for you while you shop.
@thadd Oooh, nice!
Anne Ominous@ai6yr @thadd there's one at Logan Square in Chicago too!
& i don't trust it lmao (i'm 100% sure it's fine, i just like being totally in charge of my bike, w its giant kryptonite lock)
..& omfg. i read your follow up toots.
be safe out there!
last time i was at a group ride i was remarking to ppl how crazy one often feels when arriving someplace after a bike ride. like, tryin to calm down after a massive adrenaline shot. my bud was like "yeah - after you just got done fighting for your life?"
@rustoleumlove @thadd I prefer to avoid the adrenaline rush, LOL. I figured the first time through an area on bicycle I'd discover some issues I had not considered before. At the moment, it looks like it's worth it to bridge the non-bike connected part of town via a very short bus ride, just to avoid the traffic risks.
@ai6yr @thadd i like to avoid it too. but the 1st few times goin somewhere on a bike, it's usually a lot.
i get it. i ride outta my way, sometimes a half mile +, for calmer routes. but sometimes there arent any. or, you get a nasty surprise on a route that SHOULD be totally chill - a frequent issue in Chicago -- w ppl blocking bike lanes entirely, sometimes for long stretches, creating literally deadly scenarios
i can take the challenge. barely.. i can only imagine how newb cyclists feel
@rustoleumlove @thadd LOL that would be me (the newb).
Rik @ bikescape.org
Stuart Longland (VK4MSL)@ai6yr I guess they think the bike just disappears into thin air when you enter, and magically re-appears for you to get home when you leave.
@stuartl 🤷 I mean, it's in the middle of acres and acres and acres of car parking, too.
Dan Veditz
Darwin Woodka@ai6yr geez, we have dogs at our farmer's market all the time, they're great
@darwinwoodka I think that's a local health department regulation.
Moz@ai6yr my profile pic gives an idea of why I would struggle with a no bikes sign if they didn't have shopping carts available. Albeit I don't usually take the trailer and chicken laying box with me.
Luckily the market I go to is happy for me to wheel the bike through and fill it up :)
Joseph Lamoree@ai6yr This is very consistent with my experience. Planners are motorists and cannot fathom of accommodating non-motorists.
Kevin Karhan 
@jlamoree @ai6yr most farmer markets I've seen are overpriced #NIMBY & #EcoHipster gatherings cathering to people who can afford to Uber everywhere and use HelloFresh for all their meals...
So that's expected...
@kkarhan @jlamoree Farmer's Markets are certainly aimed at middle and upper class markets. Fryuit here (which comes locally or not far away) is generally $3.00 a pound or more.. this week around $3.75 a pound, which is significantly above grocery store prices. You can, however (if you know the right folks/ask) get damaged or slightly blemished fruit for a hefty discount, and the quality and freshness is much, much, much better than any market. I understand your feeling on this, though. It's particularly bad when you are in hipster markets (ie Santa Monica, here)--less so elsewhere.
JF 
@ai6yr You are way too kind. When I see prejudice written is such big letters like that, I usually take my money elsewhere