Feeling A Little Loopy

Almost hard to believe it's finally here.  After scorching temps and flames set fire to San Diego's first attempt at Bike-to- Work Day, nothing can stop us now.  We will take to the streets, demand free t-shirts and eat our body weight in complimentary Cliff Bars as it is our God- given right to do!

Even better, as reported on KPBS, http://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/may/27/san-diego-bike-loop-guide-bicyclists-safer-streets/, we can enjoy the day by utilizing Downtown San Diego's new. "Bike Loop."

The streets marked green on the map above are deemed (by somebody) to have less and slower moving traffic (guess there was no way to exclude Broadway, then), making them more suitable for bikes.  Some of the streets have bike lanes, but most just have "sharrows."

More interesting (and innovative), though, is that San Diego actually went and did something progressive with the streets marked blue (Fourth and Fifth Avenues where they parallel Balboa Park).   Those stretches of asphalt have been placed on a "diet."  Where there were previously three lanes, there are now two for cars and an entire lane dedicated to bikes on both stretches.  Sweet!  While it would be nice to see dedicated lanes throughout the route and city, this is, at least, a start. Crash diets never work anyway.  Better to change habits incrementally if you want long-term benefits.  Classy move, San Diego -- keep it that way . . .

I don't think I'll have time to do the whole 7 mile route before work tomorrow (with so many pit-stops to hit), but I should see a good chunk of it as I try to hit all these downtown pit-stops:

I'll start, of course, with the pit-stop right on board the ferry at 5:40 am, and will then take a counter-clockwise tour from stop to stop around downtown (roughly following the new "loop") sampling whatever they have to offer while talking bikes with the volunteers and other riders.  Can't wait!  May be hard for me to get to sleep tonight!