Bike Stuff

Miniature schnauzers Beatrix, front, owned by Sierra Marsh, and Fritiz, owned by Amy Trowbridge, wait for their owners at the Bike to Work and School Day station in downtown Bellingham, Friday morning, May 15, 2009. The two "office buddies" were on their way to work at the Mount Baker Ski
Area office in Bellingham.–PHILIP A. DWYER|THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

Today was the third year the I worked the Bike to Work and School Day at the Sunnyland Elementary School. There are these stations located all over Bellingham where volunteers hand out food and drinks and prizes and pretty much encourage people to bike to school (and work). The turnout is always remarkable, and each year it has been great weather. And it's neat to recognize some of the same faces year after year. Some years I've been told the weather was quite crappy. We were lucky. Again.

Then a meeting in Everett where I probably should have been paying attention more than I was, but was instead daydreaming from the fifth-floor corner window office watching a bald eagle soar over city with the majestic Glacier Peak in the background.

And to end the day's excitement, I scored many empty bike boxes from the local bike shop a few blocks from my street. Lots of them. This week I am going to have some friends come over to help lay out three layers of cardboard on a portion of the font yard, and cover it with wood chips. There are many ways to build topsoil, and this is quick and easy. Everything gradually breaks down and you continue to enrich the soil year after year. The part I covered last year is now growing blueberries and raspberries. Who knows what will be planted in this section instead of grass?

And more is sure too follow on my views of how silly and destructive maintaining a lawn is.