As I rode to work the other day, I had a handful of near-death run-ins with squirrels. The glorified tree rats seem more abundant than usual this year as they scurry about readying for winter. They also seem more ample — big boned? — than usual, like they’ve had more time and favorable ...

I’ve had all manner of weird encounters during my bike commutes. Something about the intersection (see what I did there?) of motorist and cyclist tends to bring out the odd in some folks. From insults and even the occasional compliment to batteries and beverages, I’ve had all sorts of ...

The city’s streets usually provide the most mundane vistas. With limited exception, they stretch horizon to horizon in monotonous monotone, ranging from uninspiring blacktop to insipid gray concrete, with only an occasional pothole or — if the road user is lucky — maybe a fresh bit of ...

Recently, I was sitting with the family at our favorite downtown coffee haunt, and my wife nodded over toward my daughter. “Doesn’t she look cute?” my beaming spouse asked. “She looks so *scene*.” My wife tends to speak in italics when she’s using a term either so hip or ...

A couple of months ago, I was asked a cycling-related question that, to my surprise, left me stumped. I’m all the time fielding questions about which bike to buy or which cold-weather gloves to recommend or whether I prefer wet lube or dry, though I’m certainly no expert. I’ll freely ...

The other day I was riding to work and was surprised to hear, awfully close, the clattering of another bike’s gears. Since I’m remarkably unfast on two wheels, it’s not terribly surprising to have been overtaken by another cyclist. However, the proximity was a bit startling. ...