WOOHOO! Check out the Motor City Bike & Brew Tours in Detroit!
Stay tuned... we might have a "2 women. 4 wheels. 2 beers." post soon! :)
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
It's summer and you know what that means? A little bus romance...
This is a VERY delayed blog post which I usually try to avoid, but as y'all know - life just sometimes happens.
So transport back in time a few days - just this past Wednesday. I end up commuting via bike/bus as some friends and I are meeting up in Ferndale (hence the amazing bike rack picture below) after work. Melissa and I are planning on bussing together but due to mis-communication and mass bus-confusion, we don't end up on the same bus. I am a HOT mess when I get on the bus - I don't pay my fare for about 3 stops because I'm on the phone realizing that Melissa and I missed each other (and of course the bus driver says nothing and kindly drives on as I fumble in my bag for my bus pass for what feels like 25 minutes). My bike helmet is still on at this point, and when I look at my bike on the rack? Yup - my front headlight is still flashing and probably annoying the bejesus out of the driver. It's always when you're a total hot mess when a potential suitor comes into the mix (or does this just happen to me?). This man gets on the bus and says 'oh, those are the prettiest blue eyes that I've ever seen under a bike helmet.' What? I just have too much going on to handle this - so he gets a wan smile and I move to the back of the bus where I try to pretend the flashing disco-quality-headlight bike doesn't belong to me (oh, that's not my bike - but I ALWAYS just carry around a bike helmet because you never know!).
There's this older lady in front of me and we randomly get into a conversation about texting and cell phone plans. This part of the story isn't that awesome, but she's key later.
My bus suitor clearly hasn't expressed himself enough so he comes and sits behind me. I will try to summarize because this conversation literally happened from Midtown all the way past 6 Mile. And my responses weren't really that important to the overall amazingness of these interaction (I will interject some thoughts/comments in parentheses though):
"So, you ride that bike a lot? It looks like you do. You look like you're in shape. Do you ride the bus a lot? What do you do for a living? Oh, FINANCE! I own my own finance company...we help...ummmm...people do their finances (read: payday lender)! Yeah. I live in Highland Park - have you ever been there? OH! You got a speeding ticket in Highland Park?? Oh my...I'm marching right down to City Hall and letting them know that beautiful women should be able to do whatever they want in the HP. How old are you? I'm 26. Wow, you don't look a day over 25. So have you found Jesus yet (my response = 'Oh, I didn't know I was supposed to be looking for him'?)? You know what I liked about you? You marched right back here and sat in the back of the bus with all the black people. Did you notice you were the only white person back here (for the record - nope)? You know - I think we are making a lot of people around here uncomfortable - a white lady and a black man hooking up (ummmm a bit presumptuous, yeah?). SEE! See that lady over there? She just turned away (when she was obviously just looking how the window, seriously, probably thankful that this guy wasn't talking to her). We have to talk quieter. Shhhhh. So how tall are you? How much do you weigh (I'm about to teach him a little something about talking to a lady)?? I weigh 180 - do you weigh more or less? LESS? Oh no. I like my ladies to weigh more than me. Oh well, can I call you? Oh you have a boyfriend (white lie alert)...well my question still stands. Can I call you? No? Hmmm. Ok, well I believe in fate, and I think fate will bring us together on this bus again.'
I'm not sure I need to write much more than what the cell-phone-plan lady turned around and said after this individual left the bus.
"Look, I don't know you. But I certainly think you need someone more mature than that. I was listening to that whole thing and you handled yourself so well and like a lady. That's impressive. I was also listening because I was afraid he was about to get disrespectful, and the minute he did? I was about to turn around and say - you leave her alone. No one deserves to be disrespected when they're just trying to live their lives, get home from work. I had your back, honey.'
So just plain crazy and then crazy nice - but this was a different type of Detroit kindness. The fellow female bus rider solidarity kind! #lovedetroit
So transport back in time a few days - just this past Wednesday. I end up commuting via bike/bus as some friends and I are meeting up in Ferndale (hence the amazing bike rack picture below) after work. Melissa and I are planning on bussing together but due to mis-communication and mass bus-confusion, we don't end up on the same bus. I am a HOT mess when I get on the bus - I don't pay my fare for about 3 stops because I'm on the phone realizing that Melissa and I missed each other (and of course the bus driver says nothing and kindly drives on as I fumble in my bag for my bus pass for what feels like 25 minutes). My bike helmet is still on at this point, and when I look at my bike on the rack? Yup - my front headlight is still flashing and probably annoying the bejesus out of the driver. It's always when you're a total hot mess when a potential suitor comes into the mix (or does this just happen to me?). This man gets on the bus and says 'oh, those are the prettiest blue eyes that I've ever seen under a bike helmet.' What? I just have too much going on to handle this - so he gets a wan smile and I move to the back of the bus where I try to pretend the flashing disco-quality-headlight bike doesn't belong to me (oh, that's not my bike - but I ALWAYS just carry around a bike helmet because you never know!).
There's this older lady in front of me and we randomly get into a conversation about texting and cell phone plans. This part of the story isn't that awesome, but she's key later.
My bus suitor clearly hasn't expressed himself enough so he comes and sits behind me. I will try to summarize because this conversation literally happened from Midtown all the way past 6 Mile. And my responses weren't really that important to the overall amazingness of these interaction (I will interject some thoughts/comments in parentheses though):
"So, you ride that bike a lot? It looks like you do. You look like you're in shape. Do you ride the bus a lot? What do you do for a living? Oh, FINANCE! I own my own finance company...we help...ummmm...people do their finances (read: payday lender)! Yeah. I live in Highland Park - have you ever been there? OH! You got a speeding ticket in Highland Park?? Oh my...I'm marching right down to City Hall and letting them know that beautiful women should be able to do whatever they want in the HP. How old are you? I'm 26. Wow, you don't look a day over 25. So have you found Jesus yet (my response = 'Oh, I didn't know I was supposed to be looking for him'?)? You know what I liked about you? You marched right back here and sat in the back of the bus with all the black people. Did you notice you were the only white person back here (for the record - nope)? You know - I think we are making a lot of people around here uncomfortable - a white lady and a black man hooking up (ummmm a bit presumptuous, yeah?). SEE! See that lady over there? She just turned away (when she was obviously just looking how the window, seriously, probably thankful that this guy wasn't talking to her). We have to talk quieter. Shhhhh. So how tall are you? How much do you weigh (I'm about to teach him a little something about talking to a lady)?? I weigh 180 - do you weigh more or less? LESS? Oh no. I like my ladies to weigh more than me. Oh well, can I call you? Oh you have a boyfriend (white lie alert)...well my question still stands. Can I call you? No? Hmmm. Ok, well I believe in fate, and I think fate will bring us together on this bus again.'
I'm not sure I need to write much more than what the cell-phone-plan lady turned around and said after this individual left the bus.
"Look, I don't know you. But I certainly think you need someone more mature than that. I was listening to that whole thing and you handled yourself so well and like a lady. That's impressive. I was also listening because I was afraid he was about to get disrespectful, and the minute he did? I was about to turn around and say - you leave her alone. No one deserves to be disrespected when they're just trying to live their lives, get home from work. I had your back, honey.'
So just plain crazy and then crazy nice - but this was a different type of Detroit kindness. The fellow female bus rider solidarity kind! #lovedetroit
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Melissa in Fashionable Ferndale!
Bike racks outside of Rosie O'Grady's! Yay Ferndale!
Sent via DROID on Verizon Wireless
Sent via DROID on Verizon Wireless
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Ozone Action Day = Melissa Biked to Work
Issued by The National Weather Service
Detroit, MI
Wed, Jun 8, 2011, 4:15 AM EDT
... AIR QUALITY ALERT FOR WEDNESDAY JUNE 8TH...
THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT HAS DECLARED TODAY... JUNE 8TH... TO BE AN ACTION DAY FOR ELEVATED LEVELS OF OZONE. POLLUTANTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS RANGE.
THE ACTION DAY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING MICHIGAN COUNTIES...
LENAWEE... LIVINGSTON... MACOMB... MONROE... OAKLAND... ST CLAIR... WASHTENAW... AND WAYNE COUNTIES.
PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES ARE URGED TO AVOID ACTIVITIES WHICH LEAD TO OZONE FORMATION. THESE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE... REFUELING VEHICLES OR TOPPING OFF WHEN REFUELING... USING GASOLINE POWERED LAWN EQUIPMENT... AND USING CHARCOAL LIGHTER FLUID. POSITIVE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE... CAR POOLING... BIKING TO WORK... DELAYING OR COMBINING ERRANDS AND USING WATER BASED PAINTS.
IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT ACTIVE CHILDREN AND ADULTS... AND PERSONS WITH RESPIRATORY DISEASES SUCH AS ASTHMA... LIMIT PROLONGED OUTDOOR EXERTION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION... PLEASE SEE THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT AIR QUALITY INDEX PAGE ON THE INTERNET AT...
Detroit, MI
Wed, Jun 8, 2011, 4:15 AM EDT
... AIR QUALITY ALERT FOR WEDNESDAY JUNE 8TH...
THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT HAS DECLARED TODAY... JUNE 8TH... TO BE AN ACTION DAY FOR ELEVATED LEVELS OF OZONE. POLLUTANTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS RANGE.
THE ACTION DAY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING MICHIGAN COUNTIES...
LENAWEE... LIVINGSTON... MACOMB... MONROE... OAKLAND... ST CLAIR... WASHTENAW... AND WAYNE COUNTIES.
PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES ARE URGED TO AVOID ACTIVITIES WHICH LEAD TO OZONE FORMATION. THESE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE... REFUELING VEHICLES OR TOPPING OFF WHEN REFUELING... USING GASOLINE POWERED LAWN EQUIPMENT... AND USING CHARCOAL LIGHTER FLUID. POSITIVE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE... CAR POOLING... BIKING TO WORK... DELAYING OR COMBINING ERRANDS AND USING WATER BASED PAINTS.
IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT ACTIVE CHILDREN AND ADULTS... AND PERSONS WITH RESPIRATORY DISEASES SUCH AS ASTHMA... LIMIT PROLONGED OUTDOOR EXERTION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION... PLEASE SEE THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT AIR QUALITY INDEX PAGE ON THE INTERNET AT...
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Care about transit in Detroit? ACT NOW.
If you've been following the Detroit budget talks, you may have heard about the Detroit City Council veto of Mayor Bing's budget. Among the many cuts expected July 1, 2011:
1. Shut-down of Sunday DDOT bus service
2. Cutting $4.4M from the Detroit Transportation Department, shutting down the People Mover
3. These cuts could jeopardize the Federal Matching grants needed for the M-1 Rail System slated to run from downtown to the state fairgrounds at 8 Mile and Woodward.
There is absolutely no arguing that these are tough times. And yeah - I do understand that the People Mover may be the biggest transit joke in the country as it stands. It was built to be the end of a light rail system that moved *people* (hence the super creative name) into the city. If it closes, it's just another huge step back as it relates to transit in Detroit. Which we really cannot afford.
There is STILL room for compromise - so if you care about transit in Detroit - please contact members of City Council to express your serious concern about these cuts!
For more general info/the contact info for City Council:
http://www.detroittransit.org/
For background:
http://www.detnews.com/article/20110606/METRO/106060408/Detroit-City-Council-overrides-Bing-budget-veto
A timely assessment of alternative transit options in Detroit in light of these budget cuts (and ps - soooo sad to have missed this!):
http://www.modeldmedia.com/features/speakerseriesrecap060711.aspx
1. Shut-down of Sunday DDOT bus service
2. Cutting $4.4M from the Detroit Transportation Department, shutting down the People Mover
3. These cuts could jeopardize the Federal Matching grants needed for the M-1 Rail System slated to run from downtown to the state fairgrounds at 8 Mile and Woodward.
There is absolutely no arguing that these are tough times. And yeah - I do understand that the People Mover may be the biggest transit joke in the country as it stands. It was built to be the end of a light rail system that moved *people* (hence the super creative name) into the city. If it closes, it's just another huge step back as it relates to transit in Detroit. Which we really cannot afford.
There is STILL room for compromise - so if you care about transit in Detroit - please contact members of City Council to express your serious concern about these cuts!
For more general info/the contact info for City Council:
http://www.detroittransit.org/
For background:
http://www.detnews.com/article/20110606/METRO/106060408/Detroit-City-Council-overrides-Bing-budget-veto
A timely assessment of alternative transit options in Detroit in light of these budget cuts (and ps - soooo sad to have missed this!):
http://www.modeldmedia.com/features/speakerseriesrecap060711.aspx
Friday, June 3, 2011
Julie enjoying a beer! What?!
Ridin' Solo
So with Melissa moving to the D, my bus/bike commutes have taken a solo turn. It worked out this morning as there was another bus/biker heading downtown on the 8:15am SMART 460. He totally helped me out by putting my bike on the bus-bike-rack for me and as he was doing this, I realized he was a dead ringer for Danny DeVito. I mean, uncanny - I was about ready to seriously start quoting 'Twins'. (ok, ok just for our fans - "money talks and bullshit walks! how can bullshit walk??") After getting on the bus, he promptly sat down, started reading his copy of 'Neo-Bohemia: Art and Commerce in the Postindustrial City' (and yes I totally looked that up on Amazon because I'm that fascinated by people, and yup, a little creepy like that), and furiously taking notes about what he was reading - all while enjoying a few pick-me-up 5-hour energy drinks.
I definitely miss commuting with Melissa, but ridin' solo definitely causes even more 'you-can't-make-it-up-amazing-yet-people-are-so-kind' interactions with other local bus/bike commuters! Stay tuned :)
I definitely miss commuting with Melissa, but ridin' solo definitely causes even more 'you-can't-make-it-up-amazing-yet-people-are-so-kind' interactions with other local bus/bike commuters! Stay tuned :)
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