Martha+Tom

Unofficially Bike Week

the Surly Long Haul Trucker wall-mounted in our living roomIn addition to making food so good that people everywhere request that I end our relationship so that he might be available, Tom commutes by bike five days a week to North Minneapolis (~3 miles) rain, shine, or snowstorm. We moved to the city in 2008 and in all that time Tom’s been riding a too-heavy 2005 Raleigh mountain bike everysingleday. Ever since I upgraded my mountain bike (a teal Mongoose Switchback circa 1996) to a Dahon Mariner last July, Tom has been talking about upgrading his own.

Finally (!) Tom bought a new bike this past Saturday after visiting each of the two Hub Bike Coop locations in Minneapolis. With a bit of deliberation between the Surly Cross Check at the LHT, Tom decided on the Surly Long Haul Trucker in Truckaccino (the color of cappuccino–only truck-like). Knowing that a new bike was coming, I’d given Tom a Leonardo Single-Bike Rack & Da Vinci Tire Tray having written about it here. And, since I received a Christmas wish of my own from my father, I was able to install it right away with proper anchors and all. Truckaccino fits in pretty nicely in our living room, I have to say. This weekend we’ll be heading back to the Hub to outfit the new bike with racks worthy of Midtown Farmers Market produce come May.

In other cycling news, Google released Biking Directions for Google Maps today. Biking Directions have been a long time coming–we can’t wait to plan a long ride. Lastly, I couldn’t resist sharing the Minneapolis trio of 2&21‘s lated project posted yesterday under “Forget Lakes. We got bikes”. Full of facts on “what keeps bikers rolling through Minneapolis,” it’s well worth a look.

a close up image of the bike rack

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4 comments on “Unofficially Bike Week”

  1. Uncle Don 10 March, 2010 at 4:45 pm

    Even Presta valves!

  2. Sue 15 March, 2010 at 5:39 pm

    Good stuff, Martha. Thanks for sharing!

  3. Amy 21 March, 2010 at 3:40 pm

    Truckaccino looks right at home. Love the rug.

  4. Martha 24 March, 2010 at 9:41 am

    Thanks, Amy. I love it too! I rearranged the living room a couple of days after taking these pictures, though 🙂