‘Not a Scientist’ explores many ways politicians evade science, climate change

NotAScientist

Over the turbulent past couple of years, many Americans have become more politically aware. No matter which party you back, the challenges to balance of power in the United State of America has been complicated by a lack of facts.

Science has essentially been neglected or even tossed aside by the Trump administration. The book Not a Scientist: How Politicians Mistake, Misrepresent and Utterly Mangle Science, author Dave Levitan attempts to identify the many ways in which politicians have abused or ignored science. The book was  quite humorous and a quick read.  Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under My life

Reached my bike commuting goals for 2017…now what?

bikeshareThe biking in 2017 was good. I met my commuting goals, made time for some fun rides and some good mountain biking too.

My resolution for 2018 will be to spend a little more time riding socially with others. I want to make time for my wife and children, my friends, my fellow trail building volunteers.  I’m coming for you in 2018, thanks for waiting while I wrote my hiking book and outdoors guide (side gig). Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under My life

Virginia Capital Trail gets another new attraction at Four Mile Creek

VCT_FourMileCreek

On October 25, a new bike sculpture was unveiled at Henrico County’s Four Mile Creek Park trailhead for the Virginia Capital Trail. It was donated by HHHunt and Daniel T. Schmitt, the company’s president and chief operating officer.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported on the back story for how the metal bike sculpture became available.  Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under My life

2017 Bicycle Friendly State ranking: Virginia rides into Top 10

BicycleFriendlyState_Header-VA

The League of American Bicyclists released its 2017 Bicycle Friendly State ranking last week; their 9th Bicycle Friendly State ranking and first since 2015. There was plenty of good news for Virginia. Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Urban Planning

Greenways essential to creating safe & successful bike/ped network

IMG_20171001_132439100During my three-day visit to Durham, N.C., for the East Coast Greenway’s Southeast Greenways and Trails Summit, I learned plenty of new and inspiring information about bicycle and pedestrian trails and how to make safer and more successful spaces for people to travel without a motorized vehicle.

With all due respect to Durham, this is a no bull kind of story. Here are some thoughts and observations from the summit. Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Urban Planning

Parking requirements encourage driving, lead to unnecessary pavement

Credit: The EconomistEnvision Richmond’s Fan District, Monument Avenue, Church Hill, Jackson Ward, etc., without cars parked everywhere. What if instead of vehicle storage, we redesign those spaces to better serve humans and nature?

Imagine how much more attractive our best Richmond neighborhoods could look without cars lining the streets, blocking the tree-ling streetscapes and beautiful homes?

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Urban Planning

No more roads. It is hard enough to maintain what we’ve got

Credit: Jupiter Images via SlateAmerica does not need more roads. We have enough pavement in the United States to at least cover the entire state of Georgia (61,000 square miles, and that is an old study). Enough is enough.

According to a recent article published by Slate, “the last thing America needs from [President] Trump’s infrastructure plan is more more roads.”

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Urban Planning