http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4qgzsaNN7s

I was heartened by the news of the reopened underground concourse connecting the World Financial Center (now being called Brookfield Place) with the WTC PATH station.  But if you're thinking of walking your bike through this marble-paved expanse, an army of private security guards are there to tell you "Fuhgeddaboudit."

Reading the discussions about the GWB got me to thinking:  what would be a reasonable toll for cyclists were there to be a dedicated, continuous, two-way path across?  If it cost $100 million to build and there would be, shall we say, two million rider crossings per year (four times as many as last year, but a third as many as Nellie estimates increasing ridership would level off at in twenty years), at one dollar per crossing it would take fifty years to repay the principal amount.   How much would YOU pay for an easy transit across?  I'd pay as much as $2.  I'd pay as much as $60 for an annual pass.  I'm sure tolls for bicycles are anathema to many, and forget the practicalities and proportionalities for the time

I have had several conversations with the club officer presently responsible for dealing with the Port Authority and in particular its plans for the GW Bridge. The key thing to remember with that particular group, and with most groups that can affect cycling is that we cyclists are not the most important people in the room.

    On the fall foliage ride today at lunch and on the train ride home there was some discussion about the upcoming election.  A few people mentioned that they were concerned that Neile although well intentioned and hard working is not a team player.  I have an experience that goes back about 7 years that would seem to bear that out.  There were about a dozen people on a winter ride from Manhattan to Brooklyn with numerous stops for hot chocolate etc.  There were a few destinations but the cue sheet was not definitive.  The leader was not very familiar with Brooklyn and was comfortable with any navigational assistance offered.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/26/sports/pigeon-racing-doping.html?ref=sports

An NPR article shows that in all but two of the 27 countries in the EU, bikes are outselling cars, sometimes by a vast margin. At the end, also note that while US car levels are coming back up, bike sales are "solid" and younger people aren't maintaining the car frenzy of previous generations.

"I think it is just terrible and disgusting how everyone has treated Lance Armstrong, especially after what he achieved, winning seven Tour de France races while on drugs.  When I was on drugs, I couldn’t even find my bike”. . . .

Sorry Neile and Jerry, this guy is who we really need to lead our club into the future:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZRUsgH2pfQ

(trigger warning: out of shape comedian suggesting drivers should hit cyclists)

via @bikesnobnyc (who else?)

I got a flat on my commute today. No biggie I'm thinking; I've fixed dozens of flats. Checked my gear; no patch kit. Fine, that's why you're supposed to carry a spare tube. Pulled out the pump, not working. Ok, there's a gas station over there. Used their air hose, realized my tube still had a hole from my last flat. Long story short; I ended up taking the A train to 42nd st. and 8th av. I made the free transfer on the M42 bus to 1st av. It was the new hybrid bus that has a low step. As soon as I enter I see something equivalent to a small counter top next to the first seat(opposite the driver). There there were some bags laying there already. There was plenty of room; so I placed my folded Brompton next to the bags.