http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress Encouragement, Education & Advocacy for Bicycling in the Real World Thu, 24 May 2012 19:12:54 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Encouragement, Education & Advocacy for Bicycling in the Real World Commute Orlando no Encouragement, Education & Advocacy for Bicycling in the Real World http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/wp-content/plugins/powerpress/rss_default.jpg http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/category/profile/ http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/11/05/commuter-company-profile-glatting-jackson-and-geoff-allen/ http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/11/05/commuter-company-profile-glatting-jackson-and-geoff-allen/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:06:25 +0000 andrewp http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=5458 (Geoff Allen on vacation in Paris, France) When I first started commuting into work, one of the first cyclists I met on my ride in was Geoff Allen.  I had only been commuting for a week or so, and Geoff was a source of inspiration and encouragement in my early days.  Geoff had been commuting into work for some time (and of course riding a bike for quite a bit longer) and was a great source of information.  Over time, I found out more about Geoff personally and the firm he works for, Glatting, Jackson.  I asked Geoff if I could “interview” him about his riding and the firm he works for, Glatting Jackson. He graciously agreed. Tell me your personal story about cycling — how did you get started, how did you progress, where are you now. I started about 12 years ago, when the doc told me “quit smoking and start exercising or you will be dead by 50″.  I used to run but my feet and knees are shot, so I bought a starter bike, a Nishiki Hybrid and started riding on weekends, on the W&OD trail in Leesburg Va.   A year later I bought a K2 [...]]]> http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/11/05/commuter-company-profile-glatting-jackson-and-geoff-allen/feed/ 13 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/09/17/jesse-the-human-engine/ http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/09/17/jesse-the-human-engine/#comments Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:55:58 +0000 Keri http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=4818 Jesse and Angie Ross and their two daughters are a one-car family. In January, they traded their SUV for an SUB. The family rides bikes to the store, church and for family fun. Jesse’s vehicle is a Madsen Bucket bike. I asked him how he chose the Madsen. “We were looking at the Xtracycle and the Yuba Mundo when we came across it on Google.” The price was good and the bucket holds a lot of stuff, plus has seats and seat belts for kids. He’s done some work on it and plans to do more mechanical tweaking, but he really likes it. He uses it to bring their two daughters home from daycare/preschool every day, and to haul mind-boggling loads from Costco and Home Depot. Robert Seidler and I had the pleasure of joining Jesse for his commute home on Monday. We met him at Colonial High School, where he teaches. Getting to Colonial High was a challenge. It’s a poster child for the metro area’s lack of connectivity—isolated from anything resembling a useful grid in the southeastern corner of Colonial Dr. (SR50) and Semoran Blvd. (SR436). The kind of teacher you never forget Mr. Ross is teaching more [...]]]> http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/09/17/jesse-the-human-engine/feed/ 30 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2008/06/29/winery-employees-pedal-at-work/ http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2008/06/29/winery-employees-pedal-at-work/#comments Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:50:21 +0000 Keri http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2008/06/29/winery-employees-pedal-at-work/ Yes, on a tour of a winery, I took pictures of bicycles. The Woodbridge Winery property in Lodi, CA covers a square mile… too far for walking, but silly short to drive a car. So Woodbridge has a rack of bicycles for employees to use for getting around the property. Woodbridge was our second rest stop on day 2 of Sierra to the Sea. Our tour of this huge wine-production facility was very interesting, but the best part was time in the cold wine cellar before heading back out into the triple-digit heat.]]> http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2008/06/29/winery-employees-pedal-at-work/feed/ 0 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2008/06/12/bike-commuters-fantasy/ http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2008/06/12/bike-commuters-fantasy/#comments Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:55:06 +0000 Keri http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2008/06/12/bike-commuters-fantasy/ Most of us would be thrilled to have a shower at the office. Imagine having a locker room, secure bike parking, free emergency taxi service, bus passes. That would be great! How ’bout a free bike (with fenders, lights, rack & helmet thrown in), and free classes on bike handling and roadside maintenance. Need a car at work? Well, there are Zip Cars available too. But it’s not a fantasy. That’s the program at Seattle Children’s Hospital. They’re hoping to encourage 10% of their employees to commute to work by bike. There are plenty of other commuting options, too. Commute Program Transit, ferry, Sounder train and vanpool subsidy Carpool, bicycle and walking commute bonuses Reserved priority HOV parking Discounted carpool and vanpool parking Internal ridematch service Covered bicycle parking Showers and lockers Bike repair station Telework and compressed workweeks Onsite Flexcar The hospital’s commuting program is used by 62% of its employees (only 38% drive to work alone). When you factor in the cost of a parking space, all these alternative transportation subsidies should actually save the hospital money. Bike commuter Gretchen Anderson, says: “Basically, Children’s buys back a parking space from us for using alternate commute modes.” Listen to [...]]]> http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2008/06/12/bike-commuters-fantasy/feed/ 0 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2008/05/18/commuter-company-profile-laservue/ http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2008/05/18/commuter-company-profile-laservue/#comments Mon, 19 May 2008 03:39:44 +0000 Keri http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2008/05/18/commuter-company-profile-laservue/ The LaserVue team on Bike2Work Day: Dr. Magruder, Dr. Harris, Cassie Abear, Tamara Driesse & Bailey Magruder The enthusiasm of a bike commuter is infectious! When long-time bike commuter Brock Magruder, Jr. built his new surgery center, he made sure to provide a shower and secure bike parking. Now two more of his staff have become regular riders, and several doctors and nurses at Orlando Aesthetic Center (downstairs) are riding to work as well. On Bike2Work Day, Dr. Harris joined Dr. Magruder on his tandem, and four other members of the team rode their bikes to work. They proudly shared their stats: Cassie Miles = 13 Calories burned = 500 Estimated gas savings = $3.25 Tamara Miles = 10.6 Calories burned = 400 Estimated gas savings = $3.00 “it only takes 15 minutes longer on a bike!” Bailey Miles = 10 Calories = 442 Estimated gas savings = $4.00 Bill Miles = 19 Calories burned = 700 (at least) Estimated gas savings = $4.00 I met Dr. Magruder several years ago when I decided to be free of the glasses I’d worn since 4th grade (I should have done that sooner!). At that time, the LaserVue center was near ORMC. [...]]]> http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2008/05/18/commuter-company-profile-laservue/feed/ 0