Category Archive

alternative transportation

The Gateboarder: The luggage you can ride

I know we already talked about luggage recently, but bear with me right now, because this is what happened this weekend… I’m scrolling through my Facebook feed, when I see this photo of my friend Adama, who explained, “I’ve mostly caved to being an adult, I pay my taxes and I don’t miss flights, but at least my luggage can low-key be a scooter.”

Our Trans-Siberian trip: Traveling from Beijing to Paris, by train

I have wanted to do the Trans-Siberian trip for ten years, so it was well and truly time! We started in Beijing, China and did the Trans-Siberian Railway. So we travelled by train through Mongolia and Russia, then went to Finland, Denmark, Germany, and France, flying back to Australia from Paris.

Safely taking the bus at night

The days are finally getting longer here in the Northern Hemisphere, but you might still find yourself commuting in the dark for a few weeks yet. Or maybe you’re a public transit regular who uses the bus to get home after a night out. Let’s talk about safety when you take the bus after dark…

Biking to work: How to avoid being stinky when you don’t have a shower

I live about six miles from work and I really really want to bike. I mean, it wouldn’t take much longer to bike than it would to drive that distance. The trouble is that there is no shower at my office — so I would have to work stinky all day… and that’s not really going to fly. Does anybody have no-shower solutions, post-biking to work?

Moving meditation: Why walking commutes are awesome

I grew up in the Midwest, and my family was typical: we drove everywhere. I accepted that as just the way things were until I went to college. I walked a lot as an undergraduate student, and felt the lifestyle change deeply. When I moved to upstate New York for a new job a year ago, my apartment search revolved around finding a place that would let me walk to work. And honestly, my morning and evening commute has become one of the best parts of my day.

Winter cycling gear 2: Keep pedaling through the winter with these items

Last week we talked about what to put on your body when you ride during the winter months. Now let’s talk about what to put on your ride! A great way to get recommendations on gear is to talk to the folks at your Local Bike Shop (LBS), ask whether they have experience commuting through the winter, and if so, what sorts of things they like. Here are the pieces of gear my husband and I use to do our winter riding…

Winter cycling gear part 1: Weather too nasty to bike? NO SUCH THING. Wear this.

While any sane human being might reasonably give up bicycling as the temperature dips below freezing and the snow flies, some of us live by the motto, “there is no weather too nasty for cycling; there is only insufficient clothing.” While you can certainly get away with short trips by bicycle in almost any warm clothing, there are some things that I find particularly helpful…

Commuting by bike: Urban utopia not required

I’m here to give you some good news: you — yes, you — can reduce your carbon footprint, improve your physical and mental health, save money, and have loads of fun by commuting by bike. If you don’t live in an awesome, urban wonderland where biking is the norm, I’m right there with you. But it’s still possible, here’s how…