I admit it. I have a easy time making goals, and a hard time keeping them. Some say I’m over-committed, others say I’m wishy-washy. Over ambitious. Unrealistic. Even simply a jerk for making promises that I can’t possibly keep.
In a last-minute lenten experiment in February I swore off the vending machine for 60 days, and hopefully for good. While it might seem trivial, this was no small feat for me. Perhaps more so because of my reputation for making and breaking goals, as time wore on my chemical dependence on sugar and chemical additives faded and my resolve grew stronger.
And I did it.
It’s in those dark moments of your life that you go toward the toxic things that give you shallow comfort. It could be drugs or alcohol; cigarettes or food. For me, the vending machine was that thing. So I find it particularly awesome that during a particularly chaotic time for me I haven’t strayed off the path. Even after Easter came and went.
How did you do it, Lauren!?!
Simple: granola.
I can’t completely deny my personality – I’m a person that requires a pacifier from time to time. I replaced M & M’s with granola and yogurt, nature, and namaste. Not only did this satisfy my need for a crutch, it gave me energy and health and fortitude. And now, not a day goes by that I don’t get a little granola in my life.
At 9pm, halfway into a last-minute drive to New Glarus, WI for a beer pilgrimage, I had a mighty hankerin’ for a one-pump peppermint iced coffee. Throw in a sandwich, a clean place to pee, and friendly baristas, and I’d call the Beloit Starbucks stop a total success.
It’s time again for another bike commuter…. today features the lovely Francesca Bourgault, the cheeriest lighting designer I ever did meet:
Francesca Bourgaultis a lighting designer, technical director, dance teacher and crafter that bops around town constantly. The only regular parts of her schedule are the 4 tot dance classes I teach each week at Chase Park for Design Dance. In the evenings she design for enough dance companies that she’s always somewhere different and always trying to remember how to get there. When gear needs to be shuttled or the commute is too far, she drives, but only then does she leave her funked up bike locked at home.
Where do you live? The southeast corner of Ravenswood [a North-side Chicago neighborhood]
How long is your commute? Depending on the gig, it can be anywhere from a mile to 8 each way. If I get called to Oak Park, however, I typically choose to drive since it’s super far and usually a late night rehearsal or tech crew call.
from Red Dress Run on the 4th of July 2009. Francesca uses her bike for exercise and dressing up in addition to commuting.
What kind of bike do you ride? Ha! My poor bike was probably stolen before it got to me. On Craig’s List it was labeled Arctic in color, purple and white. It’s had a lot of adjustments including a trade from Ram’s horn to straight handlebars and from green brake and gear lines to silver. I think it can be considered a hybrid but who knows anymore.
Do you wear work clothes on your bike, or wear bike clothes and change at work? Almost always I will bike in work clothes. The only exception is if I want to wear cute shoes for a show; then it’s all about the sneakers or boots for the commute.
How do you carry your stuff? Paniers? Messenger bag? Milk Crate? My partner donated a sweet, white basket to my cause that goes on my handlebars. I also have a rack on the back with bungee netting that holds the leftovers. Sometimes I even add my backpack but mostly I find a way to leave something at home if it seems like that may be necessary.
Fair-weather rider? The only things I won’t ride through are the slushy stuff on the side of the road and ice. I hate ice and have fallen on it too many times. My tires are not good for that sort of thing and I don’t trust my unbalanced bike.
Scariest moment on the bike: I don’t usually run into any funny business but recently, in Wrigleyville, of course, I got slowly cut off by a cab. Slowly meaning that he almost wasn’t past me when he started veering into the bike lane then off the road. He got a swift smack to the window for that one. No turn signal or anything. Sheesh! I must say that I’m pretty lucky for not having been doored ever or gotten thrown off by any humungous pot holes.
Tips for new riders: Make yourself do it. It’s easy to get into the habit of taking the bus/train or driving “because it’s easier” but in the end, it’s really not. It takes so much less time both in transit and pre/post ride due to parking plus the boost from cardio is a benefit we all can use.
Why you ride: I hate driving and parking and definitely hate missing the bus. My bike is so convenient and reminds me to move when I would otherwise be sedentary most of the day.
If you are a bike commuter and would like to be featured in this series, please send an email to lauren@artintercepts.org for consideration. Thanks!
I’m a cat person. I grew up with dogs, but I’m definitely a cat person. Fortunate for me, Alvi is a cat that I can take to the park. We’ve been in love with Chihuahuas (the dogs, and the cheese) since meeting our friend Sandy’s dog Jonah several years ago. Reputted for their yips and yappinesss and general annoying qualities, Alvi is perfect. He yaps only when he should (like when a big dog gets nasty with him), loves to cuddle, and does a fantastic impression of a wolf howling at the moon.
I’m in love.
Part of the reason we wanted a dog was to get out more in our neighborhood and have an excuse to visit the park and go for walks. The funny thing is, when you have a dog people in your neighborhood actually stop to talk to you. I’m not sure if it’s like a dog bonding thing, or a great conversation starter, or something else entirely, but I’m thinking we might actually get to know some of our neighbors by having a dog. I’ll be sure to keep you updated on that part of the journey… in the mean time, photos:
Tim recently hopped on the bike commuting bandwagon as a cathartic way to rebuild strength after a prolonged illness, save money, and to stick it to the government.
Where do you live? I live in Eugene, OR
How long is your commute? My normal commute is only about 20 minutes each way to my part time job (playing poker) which means I work at night and commute home in the dark.
What kind of bike do you ride? Raleigh “hybrid”, kinda mountain bike, kinda road bike… the tires are too wide but it gives me a workout…
Do you wear work clothes on your bike, or wear bike clothes and change at work? Helmet (highly reflective), bike gloves and regular “work clothes” depending on what kinda work I did that day… generally work boots and construction-type clothes…. I then “change” into an appropriate poker hat (covers my eyes and most of my face… and I’m ready for “work”
How do you carry your stuff? Paniers? Messenger bag? Milk Crate? I carry my stuff in a highly reflective back pack with a blinking red light on the back…
Fair-weather rider? I would still call myself a fair weather rider… I’ll be glad to ride in light rain and cold, as long as there’s no ice… I did get caught in one hail storm that I didn’t like at all.. The weather in Eugene doesn’t get too bad so I can see myself riding 90% of the time as I get stronger…
Scariest moment on the bike: I haven’t ridden long enough to have any scary moments… I’ve only been riding for about a month.. the big scare is finding my way around the bike trails and finding the the least populated streets that constitute the most direct route…
Tips for new riders: Although I’ve ridden for years, my bike commuting experience would put me in the “new” category… my advise for new riders is to get as much reflective clothing as possible and just get on the bike and ride… it’ll addict you as you do it more and more…
Why you ride: I ride because I want to gain some strength and fitness and screw the companies that sell gasoline and the government entities that tax gasoline… don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate businesses that sell gas, I’m a card carrying Libertarian and unabashed capitalist…. but there are alternatives to everything and riding a bike allows me to beat them out of a few dollars a week of my “hard earned” dollars… By the way, I feel the same way about providers of “public transportation”….
If you are a bike commuter and would like to be featured in this series, please send an email to lauren@artintercepts.org for consideration. Thanks!
If I were stranded on a deserted island, and I could bring two things, one of them would be my recipe for Trail Mix Scones. Now, I realize that there is not an overabundance of brown sugar and pumpkin seeds on deserted islands… I am simply trying to exemplify the importance of this scone in my life.
In fact, baking scones is one of the things I do best, and this quality makes it into every biography I write.
So, it is with great joy that I present to you my cherished recipe for Trail Mix Scones (although, it does make me a little nervous, since I often bring these to impress people at parties). I originally came across the recipe in the Tribune several years ago when they did a special publication of favorite reader dishes from restaurants around Chicago. The “Take a Hike Scone” is a schmorgeshborg of ingredients thrown together by the owner of the Bleeding Heart Bakery. The result: magic. I loved it instantly because it’s a vegan baking recipe that actually works and even tastes good (I was vegan at the time, and baking is perhaps the biggest challenge as a vegan chef) .
Since that time I’ve modified the recipe to my own liking, with one of the biggest differences being that I make it as a drop scone. I mean, sure, you could be all fancy, roll out the dough, and cut it in triangles before baking, but honestly, skipping that step doesn’t affect the taste or texture one bit. Needless to say, these beauties are a staple in our household, and dried cranberries are ALWAYS on the shopping list.
Trail Mix Scones
Ingredients:
1 C. (2 sticks) salted butter, softened to room temperature
2-1/2 C. all-purpose, unbleached flour
2/3 C. dark brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
1-1/2 C. old fashioned rolled oats
3/4 C. dried cranberries
1/4 C. raw pumpkin seeds
4 TB whole flaxseeds
1-1/4 C. soymilk, rice milk or organic non-fat milk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375-deg F. Using the dough hook, mix together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, soda, and oats in an electric stand mixer on low-medium speed (*Note: the whole recipe can be mixed by hand, but your wrist will be mighty sore by the end).
Cut the butter into approximately 1-TB chunks and add to mixer while it’s running, until pea-sized chunks are left. Add dried fruit, pumpkin seeds, and flaxseeds to mixture (*Note: I’ve tried tons of variations…. you can add nuts, coconut, sesame seeds, chocolate chips, raisins… the list goes on, but cranberries, pumpkin seeds and flaxseed is by far my favorite combination). Add milk and mix until incorporated (dough will by slightly wet).
Scoop out approximately 1/4-C. of mix onto greased cookie sheets with two spoons. Bake 25-28 minutes and transfer to cooling rack for as long as you can stand it. Makes 12-15 scones, best enjoyed with a glass of milk or a bitter cup of Joe.
Words of Wisdom:
Don’t spend the money on fancy packaging and buy things like Craisins. Visit your local mercado or fruit market and find the bulk section. You can get the extras for this recipe for a third of the price this way.
You can use cooking spray to grease your cookie sheet, or parchment paper, but I’m not too keen on waste and cooking spray doesn’t cut it for baking since I switched over from Pam to a DIY Misto sprayer. Best bet: invest in an expensive tub of non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening. It rocks for greasing baking sheets, and has lasted me a year so far.
I first met Ann when I was living in Ravenswood and we connected over our mutual love for worms. Ann is the Market Manager for the stellar Glenwood Sunday Market, and all-around advocate for all things organic, local, and sustainable. As such, she’s also an avid bike commuter.
There's nothing Ann can't carry on her bike, even canning supplies for her annual tomato processing fest!
Where do you live? Rogers Park (a neighborhood on the North side of Chicago, IL)
How long is your commute? When I began commuting by bike, I was working at a bakery in Lincoln Park, biking 13 miles round-trip daily. My commute now that I work in the 49th Ward Alderman’s office is a wimpy 1 mile round-trip!
What kind of bike do you ride? A powder blue Raleigh hybrid affectionately called Baby Blue, or the Blue Bombshell
Do you wear work clothes on your bike, or wear bike clothes and change at work? When my commute was longer, I’d peel off my sweaty riding clothes and change into something more customer-appropriate after a quick stop in the walk-in freezer to cool down. On the road, the hard core cyclists were always swishing past me in aerodynamic outfits, so I thought that’s what bike commuting should look like. Visiting Amsterdam with it’s incredible bike-centric cultural opened my eyes to a world of commuting sans Spandex. One woman even said that a bike commute is the perfect venue for those gorgeous killer heels, because you don’t have to walk in them! Now I hop on my bike in work clothes and a bandanna to wipe my brow.
How do you carry your stuff? Paniers? Messenger bag? Milk Crate? I installed a rear rack with two collapsible metal baskets. It’s heavy, but I haven’t come across a load I couldn’t carry on my bike. This includes the delivery of two giant canning pots to a friend across the ‘hood, and (gentle) transport of my office compost worms- bin bungeed on the back, hand-carrying the container of worms while biking one handed.
Fair-weather rider? No way! I don’t really have an excuse, now that my commute is so short. I say that I bike in all weather because I’m lazy- it would take way longer to walk than to ride! Plus, now I’ve outfitted myself in a stylin’ Dutch cycling poncho, so I’m ready for anything!
Scariest moment on the bike: Off-leash, bike aggressive dogs. Yikes!
Tips for new riders: Get a bike you love or get a good tune-up of your current bike, find a carrying system that works for you so you’re not limited by what fits in your backpack, and start riding! Don’t give up, it gets easier.
Why you ride: It’s faster than walking, cheaper than CTA, good for me and the planet. And I can rock my Glenwood Sunday Market bumper sticker 🙂
If you are a bike commuter and would like to be featured in this series, please send an email to lauren@artintercepts.org for consideration. Thanks!
Lauren Warnecke 
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