Walk+Bike Day Eugene

Walk+Bike day at ATA/Family School was a big success yesterday. We had the 4J Superintendent, George Russell, and Mayor Kitty Piercy join the walk from Albertson's over the 18th St. bridge and south through the Westmoreland Park. The bike racks were overloaded, with bikes locked to every post and anchor around. We even brought in two extra bike racks for the expected boost in need. On a regular day we are busting at the seams of the current bike rack capacity. We had hot cocoa, incentive prizes - shoe laces, stickers, ribbons, and the pear slices were a delight. We got good media coverage and I think we may see more coverage in tomorrow's RG. An excellent time was had by all.

New Bike Rack Installed

Just this last week - as part of Bike Commute Challenge - we installed a new bike rack in the front yard of Organic Haus. We are also beginning to set up a rain water catchment system with four 55 gallon barrels. And we are beginning planning to convert more of our front yard into more of a berry patch or herb garden or both. We may even plan a stone patio as a place to sit our and enjoy the gardens. The bike rack is set-up just in time for the Car Free party coming up on September 19th. We hope to see you here for that.

2nd Annual Car Free Party - Your Invited

We are hosting our second annual CAR FREE Party on September 19th at 6pm and you are invited. We encourage you to come by bike, foot, skateboard or bus, but do not arrive by car. Bring a friend too, or even a few. We will be showing a great series of video's about going car-free, with drinks and light fare.

More details are forthcoming. Please put it on your calendar.

It will be fun for families with kids and adults alike, and will not require any preparation on your part. Just come and have a grand time. Make the journey here part of the fun.

180 N Polk Street
Eugene, OR 97402
541.255.2478
paul@organichaus.com

TransAmerica Bike Route Crossroads

We are erecting a sign post with lots of destinations&emdash;all reachable by bike. From Florence, OR to New York, NY and from Hope, AK to Missoula, MT. As cross-country bike riders, Monica and I are stoked about being able to establish such a monument to bike travel and human power!

And with the ambitious vision of Adventure Cycling and their partnership with AASHTO (the US BIKE ROUTE SYSTEM) we may soon be posting a few more of these sign posts as many more places become connected across America for bike riders. What a great thing!

Summit Jumping

Summit Jumping
Originally uploaded by Organic Haus

On Father's Day 2009 we rode out of the house around 10am. We rode on two bikes - the Bike Friday Triple with Burley Picalo attached to the back and the Seven Xtracycle with Burley D'Lite attached for kid back-up options. We ended up taking the trailer/stroller all the way to the top of Spencer Butte. We had a TV crew stop us on the climb and interview us about what we were doing for DAD. They got some good video of us climbing up the mountain. http://www.kval.com/news/local/48734472.html

We had a great ride and the whole day was perfect. I couldn't have hoped for anything better that this!

International Press - Gaining Momentum

Here is a fun 1 pager in the new issue of Momentum magazine. It is about our family and it even has a half page picture of us - one that was taken the morning we had 3 young touring bikers (warmshowers) stay at our place - just after waffles - the kids are still in their pajamas. Take a look at Momentum Magazine. I think this is the best magazine going right now for Bike Culture.

http://issuu.com/momentumplanet/docs/issue-39/27

The Important Things

We are slow to write, but things are going well for us. We have been very busy with things like the Chicken Pox, BMX racing, potty training, birthday dinner, Valentines festivities, the Eugene Bike Summit, lots of freelance work, pizza dinners with company, painting inside, fence rework, tree trimming, work and school. Paul has been doing a lot of GEARs volunteer work and Monica has had a few school policy meetings a couple of focus groups relating to children w/ disabilities.

The weather the last two months has really been easy to bike in too. We are already planning our garden for this Spring - we've ordered the seeds from Territorial Seed Co. through Rainy's school fund raiser.

Paul also put up a new website for his sales work at Bike Friday. The address is http://bikefridaypaul.com/blog

Our Chickens are back to laying full time, five eggs a day, and the bees have been flying a couple of the warmer days.

We are looking forward to this summer already. We are closing in on a full year of being car free. Check out some of our recent photos at the Gallery. I think I may be reworking this blog over to WorkPress in the next few months.