Link

The world’s a changin’ to Green, more and more everyday!

Go Green Austin

Now that I’m neck-deep in taking notice of what’s what in the Green world, and eco-friendly behaviors, I’m seeing a fast increase in overall sustainable living efforts.  Not only from individuals as more people decide to skip traffic & parking and enjoy some fresh air by riding their bikes, but also from the government and businesses.

Watch For Bike Lanes!

Watch For Bike Lanes!

The city is responding to the demand of increasing population (relative to traffic-congestion, relative to more people choosing bikes) by adding more bike-lanes around Austin, among other efforts.

Regulations are being in put in place for commercial and residential (multi-unit/multi-family) complexes to mandate recycling, and furthermore, single-stream recycling has arrived as a solution.  Now people can dump all their recycling into one container, without separating it.  This will increase the amount of people who recycle, because it’s now just as easy to throw away all your trash while having minimal efforts in the process of recycling.

Single Stream Recycling Dumpster In fact, I thought it was quite interesting to see (photo) that this recycling dumpster is over-flowing while the regular dumpster was barely half full.

THAT’S A HUGE DEAL!  I can remember when people didn’t quite understand ”recycling”, and now it has become the norm in taking out trash.

The world’s a changin’ to Green, and the Austin Greengo is looking for other ways.

Construction is a major player in sustainable living.  Residential and Commercial buildings are now regulated to have energy-efficient features and materials built-in to help regulate energy consumption/waste.

This includes everything from air-conditioning units, windows, and weather-stripping to insulation, lighting,  and water-saving features like low-flow toilets and land-covering restrictions (impervious-coverage).

What most of us don’t quite see coming yet is severe-water restrictions.  Drought is a major issue, and increasing, not only locally but nationally and globally.  Let’s talk about Texas though, since we’s here’n all…

Texas is poised for major growth during the next decade because we have soooooo much darn land to develop and our economic model is so attractive that it’s bringing big businesses to the state.  See… it makes such great business/financial sense to set up headquarters in Texas, many are capitalizing on it right now.  PLUS, we’re so close to the beautiful beaches of Galveston Island….
ok, I’m kidding, Galveston beaches are NOT a driving factor for moving to Texas, even though I’m still a big fan of Galveston!  Hey, it’s all we had to run to for a weekend in Houston growing up.

And, even though it gets hot as “H. E. (Double-Hockey-Sticks)” in the summer time here in Texas, there’s plenty of places to cool off long enough for nightfall to set in. :-)

ANYWAY…. back to the point; water consumption is going to be a huge concern, and I expect to see some serious regulations coming in the next 5 years.

I even think that tracts of land developed for housing will be planned for smaller yards/land-plots and include larger drainage systems to capture and direct rain run-off more efficiently.  So, if you thought you were close to your neighbor now, wait til you see the future of housing-developments (in the eyes of the Austin Greengo anyway)!

Oh well, we’ll just have to wait and see all the different ways the world’s a changin to Green, and I’ll start capturing more photos with the changes I see.

 

Link

One great thing I love about living in Austin is the never-ending supply of inspiration you can find here.

As the “small business capital of the world” and a thriving startup community combined with aspiring artists of all sorts on every block of the walk, Austin Texas brews motivation every day!  You can always find an event or class for entrepreneurs where a credible business owner is sharing his/her successes & failures, and providing more than life-education for anybody that cares to progress… in life.

Photo picture of Tim League Founder of Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas Austin Tx at People Fund speaker series

great story by Tim, Founder of Alamo Drafthouse

Today I was fortunate enough to see Tim League, Founder of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas speak and I must say, his story is one of the greatest entrepreneur stories I’ve ever heard.  You don’t have to be an entrepreneur to get inspired by Tim’s Alamo Drafthouse story because anyone can relate to this guy.  He’s a genuine guy, just doing what he loves, and learning how to do it better as each day comes.

See… Tim’s a big fat failure just like the rest of us, and knowing-this is just one more way to find inspiration in Austin…

because he is also a great success, thanks to his big fat failures!  And yes, I said “like the rest of us” because I know you’ve either failed at something that you’ve tried, or you’ve straight-up failed to try, which is a recurring failure in itself, so… welcome to the party!

Failure was the first thing he talked about, and, it was the last thing he talked about – both times in a “necessity” and “wouldn’t be here without it” kind of way.

“Failing and falling flat on your face is the coolest thing because you get to learn so much!”

Tejon Theatre at Northwest corner of Baker & Monterey Streets circa about 2007

photo from cinematreasures.org

He opens with that line as he tells the audience how at age 24 he leased an old unimproved, under-performed (single-screen) movie theater in Bakersfield California because it became available, and “wow!, I didn’t know one could lease a movie theater just like that.”   This would soon drag him and his (now) wife Karrie through a myriad of painful realizations about business, only to end-up shutting down after a car leaving his theater was gunned down and wrecked back-into his theater!

“Whoever said that Any Publicity Is Good Publicity, never experienced BAD publicity!”

The shooting and death of that driver at his theater was the exact bad publicity that Tim says caused them to shut their doors and move on.   So, with 200 seats, a projector and screen, and a broken improved dream, he and his gal hit the road heading to Austin Tx where they’d try it all again under a bunch of promises to repay friends, family, banks, and credit card companies, the $250,000 they scraped together to open at 4th & Colorado in Downtown Austin, circa 1997, near age 27.

While that sounds like a lot of money, it barely allowed them to secure an abandon warehouse space above a parking garage, outfit it with all sorts of errors and construction mishaps, and then open doors with only enough leftover money to last about 45 days.  This was hellacious scary for Tim and Karrie because 45 days of anything like what happened in Bakersfield would mean closing doors.   But their revamped dream, post-failure, was a hit and the customers just kept on coming, enough to keep the doors open well beyond 45 days.

See… the greatest part of Tim’s Alamo Drafthouse story is the adventure of it all.
Where he lacked in business knowledge, he made up for in trial and error;  where he lacked in professional resources, he made up for it by doing it himself without regard to perfection; where he lacked in funds, he made up for in his own hours of sweat equity around the clock to get it done; and where he lacked in success, he made up for in determination to continue until it would be reached.  At least to put enough money in his pocket to enjoy his dream job.

And don’t forget about his wife Karrie.  While she wasn’t there to speak, she’s owns the story (blood, sweat, and tears) just the same.

The Alamo Drafthouse story to me is all about a dream and a determination that would turn into a “take it as it comes” business venture, bootstrapped and fed fuel until a real business plan would practically create itself.

What I mean is;  It wasn’t until a second location actually called Tim and asked for him to open another Alamo Drafthouse - that Tim would start hiring management and realizing the bigger picture of what his Alamo Drafthouse dream could really be.

After further expansion in Austin, the Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas was acquired with the goal to Franchise the business, and today Tim owns a few locations and (as CEO) franchises others all over the nation to a small amount of select partners who can continue his (continuing) dream, and now business-model.

Selling the Alamo Drafthouse brand in 2004 surely puts some well-deserved change in his pocket to further his own dream chasing as a movie fanatic, including founding Fantastic Fest, now the largest genre-film fest in the U.S.

At the end of the presentation, during open Q&A time, I think I may have uncovered what happened back there in Bakersfield when I asked Tim, “Did you have food & beverage at your Bakersfield cinema, or when did you incorporate that into the business model?”

He went on to answer the question with a story about how he applied for a liquor license and was discriminated against because he was just a kid in scrubs looking to put another liquor permit in an area that didn’t need another one.  The Alc/Bev Commission turned him down without consideration of his vision.   Tim shared another valuable lesson in this Q&A story when he told us that discrimination is alive and well, and if you want to get what you want, you’re better off to play your cards towards that problem.

When he got to Austin, he played his cards right and he hired a middle-aged man to go apply for his liquor license (probably an attorney).  He got the license.  BUT THIS ANSWER HE GAVE ME REALLY CAUGHT MY ATTENTION!

To me, this is a big ah-ha! moment in his story because I could instantly see that Alamo Drafthouse would have been born in Bakersfield had he not be turned down.  “Booze and Food during a movie” is what was so different about the Alamo here in Austin, and I believe the people here “just kept coming and coming” because of that unique positioning. I know I did!  I’ve been going to the Alamo since their first location on 4th and Colorado for this exact reason!

This unique feature would have been exactly what that Bakersfield location needed in order to thrive.   I think it would have changed everything!  And then, I would have been without the Alamo.  Wheew!   Who’da known discrimination in Bakersfield California in 1994 was going to soon bless Austin Texas with the Alamo Drafthouse.  ha!

Well, It’s a great story that I look forward to following and especially seeing if the Alamo ever sells-out to running advertisements prior to the movie starting - a huge revenue model that would produce a lot more income up front, but as Tim believes, would take away from his vision of a better experience for the customer.

And if the Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas story isn’t inspiring to you, maybe you’re easier than me and you can find inspiration in Austin by driving down W. Mary street in 78704 where you’ll see a rotating message on a tree for your inspiration.  Current sign reads “Rampage of Appreciation.”

Photo picture of motivational sign on West Mary St Austin Tx 78704

Rampage of Appreciation

Photo of a sign that says Love Is The Answer

 

Links in this post:
  1. Fantastic Fest
  2.  Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas
Link

Electric Bikes Are For Cheaters?

I just recently discovered a website called CycleLogically, where bike enthusiasts can leave tips and stories.

photo of older couple on electric bikes at rocket electrics of austin

photo from Rocket Electrics of Austin

I saw several posts about electric bikes, from all different ages, which I came across an article by one gal who wrote about how other cyclists are “hating” on electric bikes (e-bikes), as if riding an e-bike is “cheating”.

My response to that is; “they just haven’t ridden an e-bike yet or, whomever they follow in life just hasn’t gotten his/her own e-bike yet.”

The reason I say this is because every experienced cycler knows when to use their e-bike.  And, if you don’t know when to use your e-bike, it’s because you haven’t “experienced” one yet., or the person you follow in life hasn’t experienced one yet, because THAT person (a Leader) would be all-over getting an e-bike!

Lemme break this down a lil bit further for you…

Those that knock, or, in today’s terms “hate” on new/amazing/innovative/unique ideas or products, are always, AND I MEAN 100% OF THE TIME, just followers in life.  They’re the type that just started road biking when they became a Lance Armstrong groupie.  Or, they’re the type that changed their personality and image the day they got a fixie.  Meaning that, biking is a trend for them; an image they liked one day and decided they wanted-in.

Leaders are trend-setters, see, and they make wise decisions while also incorporating the right attitude behind those decisions, which is typically a positive & confident attitude.  This is why I say to the haters “the person you follow just hasn’t tried an e-bike yet, or you’d be all over trying to figure out how to get one after him/her”, because haters are simply followers, through and through.

There’s no way around that equation, and there is no other equation for hating on something so wonderful!

See here, listen up… if I gave those folks the ability to teleport – that’s right, jump from one place in time to the next - they could be across the city in an instant.  And, since there’s no “image” behind that, it’s strictly the ability to beat time, they’d be all about it, because no one would ever see them teleport.

Let’s take this “image” and “follower” thing a step further, because I know there’s some haters out there that have made it this far in my post and are still coming up with more reasons why electric bikes are for cheaters…

Are they cheating Time, or are they cheating Workload?
Well, if you (as a cyclist) are looking for exercise, then yes, it is absolutely cheating you out of workload/exercise when you use the electric function.  You can however, NOT use the electric function if you’re looking to get exercise.

And hey Competitive Road Bikers, if you’re training for something, don’t you want to put some extra weight and work into your training?  Or do you want to cheat yourself out of a WIN by not training harder than what your race bike will give you?

Either way a road biker looks at it, electric bikes aren’t for training or racing, even though they can certainly add more difficulty to your training, which is probably good for you.  Heck, I never understood why road bikers are always training in their full race-gear anyway.  I mean, do you really want to cut through the wind as easy as possible while you’re training?  Don’t you want to add some resistance to your ride, so when race day comes and you put on your full race gear, you end up going faster than you did during training??

picture of resistnace training clothing

this is what I call “resistance training”

It’s kind of like baseball players you see adding weight to their bats to warm up.  Whatevs… you tell me, road bikers.

photo of resistance training on a bike

here’s some more resistance training

Let’s talk about “Image” though, because I don’t think road bikers are really acting as if electric bikes are “cheating”.  I think it’s more of an image thing, and some fixie-lovers with the one-pant-leg rolled up are probably the ones giving (this gal I read about) all the hater heat (and hey, nothing wrong with loving a fixie - i love fixies too, but I’m a bike lover, not a trend follower).

This is an arena I know all too well.  I grew up on bikes with a diverse interest in extreme sports, and I’ve seen the trends.  From bikers to skaters, surfers to wakeboarders, and snowboarders to rock climbers; there’s an image in all of it.  And, it’s all to common for ”just anybody” to enter those arenas because it’s easy to duplicate the look and the lingo (aka – the image).

The talent certainly doesn’t come with the clothing or the lingo, so trust me, I’ve seen a slew of posers come and go out of all those arenas, and it’s always the posers that are doing all the hating.  The “talent” are the trend setters, and they’re always looking for better ways to maximize their talent, despite what current trend it bucks, because they set it in the first place.

Here’s an example:  I remember when Skaters started using (beach) cruisers to carry their skateboards from point A to B, instead of skating there like they use to do.   And, a recent trend with bmx bikers is to own a moped/scooter and lay their bike across the seat, sit on it, and drive it to the park/track.   Both of those trends looked totally ridic, but efficiency was at hand for their performance, not their Image.

So what’s left?  Time?  If electric bikes are cheating Time… well, all I can say to that is, HELL YES!  I love getting places quicker.  So really, what’s your reason for pedaling and hating on the awesomeness of the electric bike?

It’s one thing if you cannot afford one yet, but don’t dis the bliss!  You’ll figure out how to get one when ya can.  Meanwhile, go test-ride one at Rocket Electrics in Austin, or any other Pedego dealership in the U.S.  If it doesn’t change your life or change your commute game, you can always walk off just as happy with your current one.

Wanna play “beat the Leader” – go do something smart, first.
Wanna play “follow the Leader” – just wait.

Either way, I don’t think electric bikes are for cheaters, I just think haters are gonna hate because they’re too lonely to love!  Whatchya think’a bout all that?

Photo of a sign that says Love Is The Answer

Links in this post:
  2. CycleLogically
  3. Pedego dealership in the U.S
  4. posers
  5. Rocket Electrics in Austin
Link

Summer is here and Bikes are in, no doubt…

Family Biking Photo From Everstockphoto

The annual down pour after a couple long months of oak wilt pollen here in Austin is how I judge when Summer has arrived!  Sure I know, it’s only April 4th and technically not Summer yet, but knowing (Austin) Texas weather, the heat starts soon, and for now its our perfect summer weather for the next 30 days…

 

pic by oakwilt-help.com

See, every year my allergies go absolutely nuts! in Feb/March due to the Oak pollen (lots of Oak Trees in Austin).  I know what you’re thinking:  “not the greatest asset for a guy outside on a bike all the time”.  Yes I agree, so it’s just a challenge I’ll have to deal with though, right?  I’m sure there’s worse things in life, somewhere?, even though my allergies are sometimes severe enough to want to just hibernate for a month!

In fact, people who know me well also know that every year I talk about how I’m going to “move to San Diego!”.  This cry for San Diego comes annually because my allergies dangle me over death-by-pollen, and I absolutely love San Diego!  I just discovered the other day that San Diego is still on the list of the top 100 cities for bad allergies though, when a friend sent a link to Allergy Capitals.

Where numero uno is the worst, and number 100 is the more tolerable allergy city, Austin Texas came in #64 and San Diego came in number 97.  So, is this good or bad?   Well, its definitely better than Austin, but San Diego still makes the list, so who knows, maybe I’m unknowingly dreaming a false sense of a perfect world?

Oh well, I’ve been dropping that lil tune for about a decade now, so they also know that I’m a big fan of Austin too and something seems to weigh-out every time to keep me in the ATX.
Must be the Alamo Drafthouse where I can watch a movie AND eat dinner/drinks at the same time without a little rug-rat kicking my chair, and without an elbow popping my head from somebody trying to get in or out of the typical 8 inch isles!

photo picture of Alamo Drafthouse sign Austin TxThat’s right, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is a dream (BY) movie-lover-adults, (FOR) movie-lover-adults.  See… they figured out that you actually love movies more when you can actually enjoy them.  And, what better way to enjoy a movie than without being body-rocked unexpectedly from behind!  Second, what better way to enjoy a movie than to enjoy with other things people most enjoy… Craft Beer, Booze, and Food!

It’s genius, and funny I should bring it up when mentioning Summer is here and bikes are in because…

photo picture of the Founder of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Ausitn Tx

pic of Alamo Drafthouse Found, by peopletalk2013.eventbrite.com

I’m attending a lunch at the Alamo in a couple weeks with the Founder of the Alamo Drafthouse for an entrepreneur’s networking and educational.  Should be quite good, and I’ll definitely enjoy the weather and arrive on my electric bike since it’s in north central Austin.

What I love the most about the (Alamo Drafthouse) story is the success of it.  I mean, what if I told you today that “I have an idea to reduce the number of seats in a movie theater to half capacity, and then offer food and drinks to the movie-goers IN THE DARK with a bunch of wait staff walking in front of people to take their orders DURING THE MOVIE!”

Most people would react with something like;
“That would never work Austin-Greengo! You Crazy!  Nobody wants to be disrupted while watching a movie!  People want to actually WATCH the movie, not fiddle with dinner and drinks, and nobody wants to listen to a bunch of hooligans around them chomping on chips n queso while slurping down a soda pop!  And, you’re filling less seats with half the capacity?  What a bad revenue model, it’ll never work Austin Greengo! nah nah na-nahhh nah!”

photo picture of the Alamo Drafthouse Austin Tx, serving up guests in the dark

pic by partyends.com

Yeah yeah yeah, I get it nay-sayers… nothing will ever work, unless it has already worked!  Thanks for the pennies; now back to your desk, you need to file something, or facebook someone by now anyway, right? :-)

Anyhow Austin, our perfect Summer is here for the next 30 days and bikes are in, so get our and enjoy it…

So yes, I got my down pour rain on Tuesday, and even though it brought a slight damper in my pamper that night in attendance of an Autism Speaks event with Big Sky Pediatric Clinic downtown at 219West… I still don’t regret praying (in begging format) for the down pour so it can do what it do, and wash away my sins, I mean the oak pollen (sorry, I mixing up prayers).  :-)

And hey, If you’re a runner, Autism Speaks has a race coming up, and as soon as I get the magic link, I’ll update it here.

Here’s a wild photo of the flash flood outside my door.  Could be a fire hazard, maybe more?  Bzzzzt!

Photo Picture of an A/C unit cables under water

Links in this post:
  1. 219West
  2. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
  3. Allergy Capitals.
  4. Autism Speaks
  5. Big Sky Pediatric Clinic
Link
Photo of Austin Cap Metro Rail Downtown Austin

Cap MetroRail Downtown Austin

Most of you know from reading my blogs, I’m an advocate and huge fan of riding the CapMetro Rail, however a recent experience has me worried that I completely underestimated the CapMetro system.

One thing is true in business; your employees are a reflection of your company vision and your company’s ability to carry out that vision.

It’s all too often I see small businesses not carrying out a company policy or vision that was originally written in the business plan as their Strategic Positioning plan.

For Example, and I don’t want ANYBODY to experience this:  Town North Nissan located on HWY 183 near Burnet Rd. – I bought a pre-owned vehicle from them a few years ago, and then I returned to them when it was time to sell it.

The manager absolutely ridiculed me when I mentioned the source I was using to get an idea of market value on my vehicle.  They were offering me an extremely low market trade-in value, and I was simply showing them where I got my trade-in-value estimation.

Photo of Town North Nissan Austin Tx

Instead of telling me what source they use to consider trade-in/sell values and getting to the point, they spent 30 minutes jerking me around until I said “Well, I think I should at least TRY to sell this vehicle myself in order to get more value from it first.”  At that point, the manager says, “Yeah, well, next time you try to figure out values of your vehicle, use (online source B) because we don’t use (online source A) as our value estimator here at Town North Nissan.”

WOW!  He just allowed me to waste 30 minutes of discussion and fiddling with my ipad about values of my vehicle when all he had to do was get to the source of what they use for values so I could better understand their offer??  What a jerk, Town North Nissan!

Notice I referred to him as Town North Nissan instead of his name because not only did he never even mentioned his name, but he resembles Town North Nissan Austin.
He just walked up and sat in the salesman’s seat and started insulting my idea of estimated value, instead of introducing himself as a key leader at Town North Nissan and educating me on policy and procedures for valuations, which is what I was there for.

Photo of Town North Nissan Austin TxWorse yet, I was so self-humiliated and frustrated when I left there, I put in an email to the General Manager of Town North Nissan, John Garay, and told him about my experience, which is when I finally found the source of this problem treatment (the General Manager).  John asked me “what I wanted him to do.”  I couldn’t believe it!  Now he wants me to do his job too?

I gave him a solution for resolve in the matter, and then he ridiculed me for it.  I told him I never wanted to speak to anyone at Town North Nissan again, and guess what he did… He calls me on my cell phone and leaves a voice mail like a good ol’ boy trying to settle up a score.  And then, he throws me on his email campaigns, breaking anti-spam laws!   I couldn’t believe it.

Photo picture of Walmart NissanWhat I can believe however, is why people would buy a car from Wal-Mart Nissan versus Town North Nissan.  Because customer service is company policy at Wal-Mart, and the management at Wal-Mart carry out that mission every day, every transaction.  You might not like dealing with their employees, but you can rest assured that management will handle your issues, and not by asking YOU how.  They don’t need to ask you how, because they have company “POLICY” in place for that.

I see this type of behavior in business nearly everyday.  Even a real estate agent at ReMax just acted out of company policy, and out of her code of ethics by allowing her seller to not disclose a previous water damage issue.  I asked some questions about it, and the agent decided to ignore me.   Because of this, and my further investigation, which the agent should have already done, my Buyer client will not be considering purchasing that Austin ReMax listing, which is bad for the seller client, who has no idea this agent is acting like this.  It’s unlawful actually, the way this ReMax Austin agent is acting.

RE/MAX of TexasReMax Austin should ensure their agents are up to date with laws and code of ethics, if not company policy alone.  It’s truly frustrating for my Home Buyers when this happens, and more so, it’s an extreme disservice to her seller client because this agent has now put her client at risk of being sued later for violating the laws of disclosure, not to mention she has put herself and ReMax at risk since they are considered the knowledgeable professionals here, now acting negligent in the transaction.

Back to underestimating CapMetro though…

I had a horrible experience with the driver of the CapMetro Rail, an issue I would have never in a million years thought could happen.  I mean, how difficult is it to be a decent person to train passengers?

I ride my bike into Downtown to catch the rail up to the Domain area.  I have a pre-paid CapMetro card and I’m trying to use it to purchase a Rail ticket, however its my first time to use it, so I’m having troubles.  There’s something I don’t know here, so I go take my bike to the train to secure it on board while I find the driver and ask if my ticket is good or if there is some way to get this done.

Photo Picture of CapMetro Rail Austin Tx

Well, as I approach the door the driver steps in front of me and says “Are you wanting to ride this train?”  I said “yes, do you…”
and he immediately cuts me off with a tone of accusation “Do you have a ticket??”

I tell him that I have a CapMetro prepaid card and I’m having trouble getting it to work, and, as his attitude gets increasingly demeaning, he says “Hey man, I don’t know nothin about that; do I look like I know how that ticket machine works?  I’m just CapMetro Rail” as he points to his shirt logo.

At this point, with his tone of voice and his treating me like a peasant, I’m wondering if he is just some hooligan with a CapMetro shirt trying to be funny since he said he was in fact CAPMETRO and here I am with a CapMetro pass trying to get on the CapMetro Rail.

Instead, he continues on about how he doesn’t know anything other than that I need to get a ticket in order to board this train, and he tells me I cannot secure my bike on the train until I get a ticket.

His tone at this point is a bit too demeaning for one human to take to another, especially a service driver like this.  He was walking away from the train as I was walking towards the ticket booth again, which is a good 30 feet away from the train and I didn’t want to get left behind, so I ask him “Are you driving this train?” so I could ask him to wait for me if so, and he responds with an extremely sarcastic “Yeah I’m driving this train, NO – I’m just a guy wearing this shirt running around pretending to drive trains….”  and literally he continued on and on as I walked off to get a ticket.

I couldn’t believe what was going on here.  It’s scary to think this man has our lives in his hands now, but I buy a ticket and jump on anyway.  Sure enough, throughout the duration of the train ride, he is excessively honking the train horn, and people on the train are commenting about it.  I THINK THIS DRIVER IS PISSED OFF!

Here’s a funny side note…. When I was about 20 years old living in San Marcos Tx, I got a ticket for excessively honking my horn, so YES, IT IS AGAINST THE LAW!

Seriously though, it’s very unsettling and CapMetro needs to handle this with a seriousness, because if he is in fact a loose canon like he presented to be yesterday, too many lives are at stake.  I know that he should have been relieved from his duty right then when he treated me that way, so I sent CapMetro an email.  Hopefully they will handle it.

Also, I should note, there is now a police officer riding CapMetro Rail, and the officer was present.  If this driver has a bad attitude because passengers are too much to handle (which I have no reason to believe this) then the officer on duty can handle those problem passengers.  No excuses for the way this driver treated me.

The metro rail, and Cap Metro buses, are our public transportation and the public need to view them in a positive light.  This Metro Rail driver just ruined my evening by talking down to me and treating me like an idiot or a peasant of some sort.   Nobody deserves that.

I want to stay an advocate of CapMetro, because I see greatness in this transportation system;  greatness that others need to experience, not like what I went through yesterday.  If that man is treating people like this, new-comers certainly won’t be coming back to use CapMetro.  I know I won’t if it continues.

I’ve got my sweet Pedego electric bike from Rocket Electrics anyway, and I don’t need to underestimate CapMetro any more.

Photo Picture of Rocket Electrics in Austin Tx

Photo Picture of screenshot on my droid cell phone showing weather and commute time. The new Google appIn fact, I proved to myself (that evening) that I don’t need CapMetro to make it in this city when I road it all the way home instead of using the rail.  Guess what, it was faster too!  Here’s my trip from the Domain in North Austin to South Congress in south central Austin.

Truthfully though, I love the CapMetro Rail and Bus system.  I just wish they’d carry out their core mission, that’s all!

Oh, and yes I’m the guy that thanks his bus driver every single time I get off.

Links in this post:
  1. Pedego electric bike from Rocket Electrics
  2. thanks his bus driver
Link

If you didn’t do SXSW 2013 on bikes, you were absolutely more stressed out than you were happy

Photo Picture of a bunch of bikes locked up together in Austin to create their own bike rack. Photo Picture of a bunch of bikes locked up together in Austin to create their own bike rack.It’s as simple as that!  If you drove into Downtown Austin during South By South West this year, you spent at least 1 hour in your car each time you got in it (some people are saying 2 hours), and then  you spent $30 to park.  Anything less, and you’s be the lucky charm for SXSW 2013.

Either way though, you were still stressed out from the traffic, whereas bicycle riders were enjoying the scenery and blazin’ right through it all.  Especially the Austin Greengo on his electric bike!

Celebrities, Geniuses, Prodigy Children, and Slick Ricks all choose to rent an e-bike from Rocket Electrics during sxsw, so I recommend booking in advance.  Or just buy one like I did and change your life forev.

If Rocket Electrics wasn’t your sxsw 2013 “partner in grime” (yes, southby is pretty grimy) then be sure to get a hold of them now and book an electric bike rental for sxsw 2014.  Electric bikes make the entire week of sxsw ten times more enjoyable, and you’ll only believes it when you tries it!

Double Seater Pedego Electric Bike

Pedego Electric Two-Seater from Rocket Electrics

Hey, here’s a promise…  I’m so excited about my electric bike and I truly believe that everyone should own one, so, when I get rich I’m going to buy an electric bike for the first *5 people who leave a comment on today’s blog.  Comments show up in order on my back-end, so I’ll know who’s who in 2002, know what I mean?
*Must be present to win (as-in alive!).  No hand-overs or trade-offs.  No wills or passer-downs.  No cash value exchange.  No promises or contracts.  No way, no how.  The term “rich” is at my leisure, but don’t worry, I’m on it!  You’ll get that e-bike soon enough!

OK, back to SXSW 2013 on bikes…

Wait, speaking of rich and sxsw, in case you don’t know, South By South West is an annual mega event in Austin Texas bringing together Music, Interactive, and Film – all in one crazy city to show off the latest and greatest, best of the best, and infamous glory in trends, successes, mishaps, and mayhem.

I don’t know any other event like it that can amaze you, drain you, boost you, scar you, abuse you, promote you, engage you, condemn you, and thrill you so many times in just two short weeks!  Some people swear by it, some people swear they’re not coming back next year, and some people just swear about it, during it, and after it while they share their stories.

Talk about interactive, the guitarist from the Thermals shreds in the crowd.

photo by chron.com

The good Lord only knows how much 21st century convo took place online in the last two weeks during southby between twitter and facebook alone, much less all the other social networks that rule the airways and block my calls during sxsw.    And once again, I noticed AT&T I-Phone customers getting the crap end of the deal with their flaky service during major events like this.  Good to be a Droid sometimes!

Here’s a crummy video I whhhhipped up from a few shots I took during SXSW.  click the link below

SXSW 2013 Video

And, here are a few highlights about sxsw 2013, and why bikes are recommended

  • 60,000 registrants and who knows how many more thousands of non-registrants.  I spoke to people from all over the world who come for the free stuff, which is what most locals from Austin do.
  • Music Festival – approx 2,000 different acts using 90 different stages over a 6 day focus.
  • Interactive Festival – 20,000 Digital Creatives running loose as a goose.
    Hackers developing new technology and future-million-dollar companies on the spot.
    Billionaire and Mega-Millionaire Panel Speakers from the interweb’s biggest names and underground successes.
  • Film Festival – 9 days of screenings and rubbing elbows with some of the biggest names in film acting/production.
    If you want to go toe-to-toe and press the flesh with the Film industry, in the middle of a bar at any random moment…. SXSW is the place to be!

 SOME REALLY BIG HIGHLIGHTS?

  • Mega Sponsor, Doritos, releases the new Cool Ranch Dorito Taco.  Average person ate 13 Cool Ranch tacos during southby
  • Iggy Pop, Justine Timberlake, The Roots, and Matthew Mconoughowever you say his name make appearances along with an A-list of a thousand others,
  • Billionaire, spotted.  Millionaire, spotted.  Hooligans, spotted.
Links in this post:
  1. Rocket Electrics
  2. South By South West
  3. SXSW 2013 Video
Link

Biking In The Rain isn’t the worst thing in the world

Photo Picture of a Rain Poncho by TotesFirst of all, we’re in Austin Tx, so the fact that we have rain is a miracle in itself, and as a person who gave up their car for a bike, there’s plenty of viable options to get through a few days of rain.

First, consider all forms of transportation in the event you get hit by a sudden t-storm. Metro Rail, Bus, Car share, Carpool, bike, and any combo there of.  And, get a $5 Rain Tote Poncho thing like I did.  I still haven’t used it because I haven’t had the real need to yet, but that’s because a few sprinkles doesn’t get to me, and I can plan around it, no problemo greengos!

Rain ponchos are very compact and handy for keeping your body and clothes dry when winds pick up during a down pour, and certainly a small pocket-umbrella is nice to have to keep the initial impact off your shoulders.  Ok, so maybe there’s not a “pocket” umbrella yet, but my tiny umbrella fits inside my back back or on my bike pretty easy and conveniently.

Remember the key to all this is simply “having a back up plan” in case it rains.  Don’t get overwhelmed with the deets on how much tiny umbrellas and ponchos suck… I get it.  I’m whichya!  I’d rather fly in a private jet than a crowded island hopper; I’d rather eat caviar than spam;  I’d rather sip dom perry yawn than bud light…. so don’t get me wrong, this isn’t about how wonderful ponchos and down-pours compliment each other.

My Biking In The Rain

Photo picture of a rainy day in Austin

recently occurred while needing to get from South Congress and Oltorf to Burnet Rd and Anderson Lane for a startup-pitch convention.  It’s about a 10 mile commute (one way) depending on the route taken, and up to an hour drive depending on traffic and rain.

The most effective route for me to take is to hop the metro rail in downtown on 4th St in front of the Austin Convention Center.  The metro rail gives me time to get some work done, and I love that about it.   I can even beat a car during this particular commute when traffic is an issue.  I can always beat a car in enjoyment and productivity, because riding a bike and hopping the metro rail are both fun activities and I get some work time in on the rail.

Because it wasn’t raining hard enough to take a car2go, I rode my bike into Downtown, caught the metro rail to north central, biked to the convention, and reversed it all on the way home.   Worse case scenario, I can lock up my bike and choose my transportation on the way home as needed.  But again, the rain was slightly on my side, so everything was fine…

If you’re biking in the rain, just have your options in place and you’ll be fine, migos!

 AND HEY!  If you do get caught up biking in the rain under poor conditions and get all stressed out about it…

I recommend you grab a massage and a margarita to de-stress.  Look in the Austin Chronicle.  You never know whatchya might find in the weird city of Austin.

Photo picture of Massage a Rita by Kimberly in Austin Tx

 

 

Links in this post:
  1. Austin Chronicle
  2. car2go
  3. gave up their car for a bike
Link

Finding Business Partners and Co-founders on my bike in Austin’s Start-up Scene Can Be a Real Adventure…

Photo of Austin Cap Metro Rail Downtown Austin Well, if you ditch your car anyway.  Otherwise, it’s just a typical everyday traffic congestion trying to get anywhere.

Yep, I’m having fun without a car and so far, the Cap Metro Rail still isn’t boring.  It’s like a thrill ride, and it only costs a dollar to ride. You can get unlimited rides for 24 hours for only $5.50, or you can get unlimited rides for a whole month for only about $60.
And, since you’re not using your gym membership anymore, you can swap it out for a whole month of partying on the metro rail!  haha

I like to break out my laptop and knock out a quick 20 minutes of work and make a few calls while I’m riding.  The Cap Metro Rail definitely accommodates you, and your bike.  I think it would be cool to have a business meeting on the metro rail.  Each front table seats four, and you could tour for a full hour, so why not, right?

It’s official.  That’s where I’m having my company meetings when I launch my startup, maybe even some others before then…. YES!
(I’m so easily excited about the smaller things in life)Photo of inside Cap Metro Rail Austin Tx

So, my adventure to find a business partner or co-founder in Austin on my bike continues…

My ride up from the Downtown Austin Convention Center gave me enough time to prepare some questions for the guy I was meeting.  We met on a co-founder website, where you can find plenty of hooligans to collaborate with, (so) I’m learning.

While that may be true, you can also find some quality candidates, and that’s what I’m seeking right now.
Duh, right?

I jumped off the Austin Metro Rail at the Crestview station, and was immediately tempted to stop in at Black Star Co-op – a local Co-op Brewery here in Austin, which I recommend.  They have great food, great beers, and a cool atmosphere.

As a co-op, its ran by member/owners, so they are excited to serve you and treat you as if every dollar and every decision you make goes towards their life.  And to me, that way of thinking breeds awesome environments, awesome products, awesome services, awesome people, and awesome possums.  (sorry, it had to be said)

Picture of Beer from Black Star Coop

Pic from Black Star Co-op Website

So, why did I resist the temptation to stop in at such an awe-ha-ha beer joint?  Well, it was like 2pm, and I was headed to a meeting, sooooooo….
ok, so the 2pm part doesn’t phase me so much BUT the point is, I was on track! (whatevs, I shoulda stopped, I know!  Sorry BSC)

Photo Picture of Cap Metro Rail station Crestview Austin Tx

So, resisting the urge to stop at Black Star Co-op, I blaze through the Crestview Station development, and ride about 15 blocks from there.  And by “blaze” I mean FLY because I’m of course on my sweet Pedego Electric-Bike from Rocket Electrics, another form of transportation that – like the metro rail – is still loads of fun.  They’re adventures, taken everyday.  It has really been fun giving up my car for a bike.

Speaking of adventures in finding partners and co-founders for my Austin startup on my bike…

Photo picture of Genuine Joes Austin Tx

I’m arriving at Genuine Joes Coffee House, which is mar favorite coffee spot in North Central.  I used to live across the street, and it’s right next door to Enchiladas Y Mas, where they have the killer-most delish breakfast tacos and fajitas and ritas and….. well, I’m sure enchiladas too, but i don’t stick my paws in the lada sauce very often, so I wouldn’t know yet.   I just go for the “Y Mas” of it all.

Genuine Joe’s Coffee house is cool and has a true “House” environment to it, because I’m pretty sure it was once an old house and they turned it into commersh.  It’s on Anderson Lane in the “57″ N. Central, so it’s prime for that.

Photo picture of Genuine Joes Austin Tx

Photo picture of Genuine Joes Austin Tx

Try the Rockhouse Cooler!  It’s incredible, and I highly recommend the Vanilla Bean Rockhouse even though the Mocha is only 1% less killer.  Hey, they also do Live music nights, open mic, and such, so go check em out next time you’re in the 5-7.

The guy I met to chat with about partner/co–founder potensh was on time, so we grabbed a seat outside on the front porch and had a good long talk that ended with a hand-shake and separate ways.

Hey, I said this was an adventure to find business partners and co-founders in Austin’s startup scene, not an easy task!   I may not find “Mr./Mrs. Right” as my pardna as quick as I’d like to, but I certainly won’t settle for “Mr./Mrs. Right Now”, know what I mean?

haha, that’s funny.  who’da known that phrase would work so well in business too!

Alright, well my adventure continues to find potential partners and co-founders in Austin’s startup scene… on my bike!

Photo of my Pedego Electric Bike From Rocket Electrics of Austin Tx

catching the metro rail back in to Downtown Austin

Links in this post:
  1. Black Star Co-op
  2. Enchiladas Y Mas,
  3. giving up my car for a bike.
  4. Joes Coffee House
  5. on my bike!
  6. Rocket Electrics
Link

Car vs Bike Issues in Austin and how BikeAustin.org is here to help…

Photo of Bike Rally in Austin Tx at State Capitol for Safer RoadsSTOP BLAMING THE VICTIM!!!

… a guy yells from the crowd at a Bike Rally at the State Capitol in Downtown Austin, as the Chief of Police – Art Acevedo addresses a recent accident involving a cyclist getting hit by a car.

These bike rallies in Austin bring hundreds of people together (cyclists, bike riders, pedestrians, and city officials) in efforts to promote safer roads for bike riders and cyclists among vehicle traffic, which has become America’s primary means of transportation ever since… well, since bikes took second place to engines and gas way back whenever.

Oh, and yes, there’s a difference in “bike riders” and “cyclists”, but that’s a whole other doozy for another dayzy…

So, BikeAustin.org and other organizations, cyclists, or activists may not consider what I’m speaking of as “Car vs Bike Issues”… I’m just coining my thoughts as I feels like it.  On the other hand, who knows, maybe other people calls it like they sees it too – Car vs Bike Issues!

So, I met at Bill Blome from www.BikeAustin.org at Bangers Sausage House and Beer Garden, located at 79 Rainey St. Austin Tx., to share with him a bit more on what I’m doing with my efforts to go carl-ess and car-ownership-less, AND to hear more about what BikeAustin.org is up to (from a val-prop standpoint in the bike community (that means value-proposition, Migos!).

Photo of Bangers bike parking on Rainey St. Austin Tx

Well, let me first say, Bangers on Rainey St in Downtown Austin is a real treat, especially for lunch!  They have a  lunch spesh called “The Executive” which comes with a Big Brat, an awesome Side, and a Texas Craft Beer, for only $8 and some change!

Sure, you might not want to drink a 7%’er for lunch on a work day, but you might want to at least “try” a new craft beer while you’re there, and this lunch spesh is the extreme value that allows you to decide if you want to pass the glass or buzz it up, buttercup!

See now, a king-size-brat like this is $8 by itself, the gourmet sides are $3+, and a craft beer is $5+ by itself.  So go ahead… taste it and waste it, sip and tip, or chug-a-lug slug because the value’s in the puddin’, but lemme just say this; there’s thirsty folk in foreign countries everywhere (let’s stop talkin’ bout Africa being so thirsty) who would love to finish your pint, so I recommend muscling through it!

OK, well, since Bill (who ate lunch with me) will probably read this, I’ll admit that I didn’t muscle through my full beer, but it was a delicatessen, and I’ll justify the remains as ”pouring one out for my homies”.   Apparently my homies deserve only the best… a Texas craft beer!

Photo of the Bar in Bangers on Rainey St. Austin Tx

BikeAustin.org is all over the Car vs Bike Issue…

Bill explained to me what their position is in the Austin (bike) community, and I discovered that they’re aka’d as the “League of Bicycling Voters” providing a unified voice for cyclists to ensure that Austin’s infrastructure, laws, and policies address the concerns and safety of cyclists.

While they play a large role in increasing bike lanes in efforts of a safer bike community, they also get there helping hands on many other aspects of biking including fun, safety, convenience, commute-awareness, and overall bike-community planning for the city of Austin Tejas!

It was a great discussion and I learned quite a bit from Bill about how to get involved, especially for the AustinGreengo here as Austin’s 1st, Zero-Emissions Realtor who is trying to introduce more everyday people to the fun alternative of bike-commute via electric-bikes.  You can join them and/or volunteer in several different ways, and check out their calendar of events.

Car vs Bike Issues will be discussed in more detail with Austin Greengo soon, but for now, I’m glad to have seen how BikeAustin.org is involved in helping issues like that…

Before we left Bangers, I got Bill to try out my Pedego Electric Bike (from Rocket Electrics of Austin) so I could get a cyclist’s feedback on the experience.  My feeling is that “cyclists” (not to be confused with an occasional bike-rider) are a bit reserved to the idea of using electricity to propel themselves forward when they have two perfectly good legs to handle it just fine, so I enjoy getting a cyclist on my electric bike to see their reaction…

Photo of Bill Blome with www.BikeAustin.org trying out the Austin Greengo's Pedego Electric Bike from Rocket Electrics of Austin

He described the benefits best when he said “I was only planning on going to the end of the street and back, but it just kept going so I went a head and circled the block.”  
Translation for car-commuters who are reluctant to try a feasible alternative to the car-commute:  ”Wow, it got me to the end of the street so fast and effortlessly, I just kept going!”

And, Bill’s final words about the electric-bike experience, via email… “It was fun!”, which to me is good to hear a daily cyclist say “fun” because while bike-commuting for daily cyclist is enjoyable as a lifestyle, “fun” just seems a bit more complimentary to the commute.

Links in this post:
  1. Austin’s 1st, Zero-Emissions Realtor
  2. Bangers on Rainey St in Downtown Austin
  3. join
  4. Rocket Electrics
  5. volunteer
  6. www.BikeAustin.org
Link

It was a big plunge to trade my car for a bike and make it all happen, and here are six things I don’t have to worry about anymore since I gave up my vehicle…

#1 Stopping For Gas…

Photo of a Gas station in Austin. I no longer have to worry about stopping for gas.Stopping to pay for gas is now a thing of the past.  At $3.39 per gallon, I don’t mind blazing right past the gas stations.  

And, I think it might be saving me more money than just in gas…

Gas stations are strategically set up to entice you to come inside the store so you’ll hopefully make more purchases.  Like, a $2.99 pocket knife with your birthstone on it, or a $4 mega-flashlight that fits on your key chain and can light up a parking lot at night if you ever needed to…

I get sold on those all the time because, I mean, come on, what a deal!
I just know one day I’ll end-up buried alive inside a wooden casket and need my key chain flashlight so I can see where I’m carving my name using my birthstone-pocket-knife!
(Lord knows Ryan Reynolds could have use them in the movie “Buried”)

#2 How about oil changes?

Photo of Jiffy Lube. No worries about having to get an oil change!

No worries there either!  I mean, how much do you dread getting your oil changed anyway, because every time you have to hear them tell you about all the extra maintenance you should do while you are there….

“Hey, your air filter could use a change-out”, “your coolant is much lower than normal and we only include 7/8 of a quart, so we can top it off and finish the job while we are in there for only $5 more”, “uh-oh, that chip in your glass looks like it will spread soon, we can fix it in ten minutes for ten dollars or you can call your insurance provider and spend the afternoon on the phone with them, they’ll pay for it”, “woopsy-daisy, looks like your coming due for the 39,458 mileage-maintenance period, it’s just a $49 job and it’s recommended by doctors everywhere”, “did you want to use synthetic oil or did you want to go ahead and wisely upgrade to the manufacturers-recommended high-performance, premium-plus, upgrade-or-your-car-will-die level of oil?”

WTFudge!

I don’t miss that at all.  I remember about 7 years ago when Jiffy Lube suddenly went “Salesman” on us.  They clearly rolled out a new plan to increase sales with a new machine that shows customers an array of different mileage-maintenance needs for cars, which we never knew existed until technology-2005!

While it may have been a great revenue jump for them, it certainly doesn’t go unnoticed by their customers, and by “unnoticed” I also mean “uncomfortable”.  In fact, one time I replaced my crazy-dirty air filter that they showed me, and the very next time I came in, they showed me another crazy-dirty air filter, suggesting I get it replaced.  That’s when I knew, sales was now an incentive for these ol’ boys, and I was being taken…

I spoke up about it, they checked their records, and replaced it for free, but not without asking me if I was doing some heavy off-roading to cause such a quickly dirty air filter.  I said, “No, my problem is that I pay you guys to replace it, but I always forget to hold your hand while you do, so I can make sure it gets replaced.”

#3 I won’t be needing car washes anymore either.  

Photo of Genies Car Wash. I don't have to get my car washed ever again, because I ditched it for a bike! What?

Car Washes get expensive when they are a part of your career, or your OCDisorder…

Car washes are also a huge water-consumer, so it also feels a good and Green to know that I don’t use car washes anymore.

Hey, it helps me justify my guilty pleasure of taking a long hot shower!

Everything helps and I’m definitely counting this one as a double-deuce!

And by double-deuce, I mean I’m throwing some Green punches like Swayze in the movie Roadhouse!

Shumon’, get with the Austin Greengo Lingo, already…

#4 Break Jobs aren’t enjoyable either…

Do we really know anything about breaks anyway.  Seems like there’s 100 different ways to spend money on break jobs whether its the pads, the rotors, the discs, the wheels, or one of the many other parts that surface as a “possibility why your breaks are making that noise” and while they test your level of concern to see how much you’ll spend that day.

A $99 break job can quickly turn into a $700 resurface, replace, and realign job.

Oh well, no more worries for me on that!

Photo of Break Shop in Austin. Going Carless means No Worries here too!

 

#5 Car Tires and general repairs…

You wont find me getting car repairs done, because going carless comes with no more worries or expenses of car repair!

Car Tires are always a fun expense to incur every couple years (minus the “fun” part).

Tires, balancing, rotating, and flat fixes are factor into your time/expense ratio conversion for costs of owning a car.

And, rubber is just bad for the environment.  Hey, I’m no Saint, I’m just blogging here!

But I gotta tell ya, while we’re shredding 75 M P H’s down the highway, or hitting curbs Downtown, our rubbery lil tires are parting out all over the roads, which is then washed into our drainage systems and rivers.   My bike tires just do it less…

Well, I definitely don’t have to worry about crashing my car and needing body work or any general repairs.  Take it off my plate all together!  Simple as that.  Sorry Leonard!

#6  No Worries About Getting a Tan…

Ok, so I don’t really “Tan” well anyway, and this one is just for fun, but my point is…

Photo of Darque Tan.

I’m catching some vitamin D and a few extra rays while riding my bike versus sitting in a car.  No need for me to pay for a tanning membership!