| 2008: CAR FREE WEEK CHALLENGE--Cinco de Mayo - SPECIAL UPDATE |
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Thanks to MimiTabby who just got her first car free week of the year on 5/5/08, our challenge table resides here:
TABLE OF CAR FREE WEEK FREE-KS , complete with goals and progress to date. If anybody's achievements to date are missing, or if you have just found us and want to join the party, please let us know and we'll get it added in.
We have the commuter, elevation and various century challenges. We ride our bikes for fun, for health and some even professionally. But in these changing times, can we stay out of our cars? Here's a new challenge for 2008. GET OUT OF THE CAR FOR A WHOLE WEEK. And this isn't about just not driving. It is about staying out of the car. Rules are pretty simple.
1) Ride your bike instead of driving
2) Ride your bike instead of riding with somebody else.
3) Ride your bike instead of catching a cab.
4) Ride your bike instead of flying the private plane.
5) Walking is okay, running is okay
6) No hitch-hiking.
7) Motorcycles are like cars.
8) Motorized scooters are like cars.
9) Snow mobiles are like cars.
10) If it works like a car, it IS a car.
11) Kayak yes. Sailboat ok. Motorized watercraft NOT ok.
12) Ambulances don't disqualify you. Police cars do (if handcuffed).
The only acceptable motor transport allowed is bus, light rail, ferry or other mass transit system that holds more than a dozen passengers.
You are encouraged to join the CAR FREE-KS club and post your miles to that club for the year.
Challenge yourself to one week a month if you can, more if possible, and 52 if you really believe you can go an entire year without setting foot in an automobile. I am challenging myself to 12 weeks.
LET'S ROLL!
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thread edited on 5/5/2008 at 8:17:20 PM
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I almost met this challenge last week! I made it through the weekdays anyway. On 12/8 I drove my wife out to Ohio to visit with her brother and sister who each had new babies. On 12/9 I flew back and bused as close as I could to home then taxied the balance. All weekdays were by bike then on 12/15 I caught a ride back to the airport. 12/16 was supposed to be the return day but the near blizzard squashed that.
Anyway, five out of seven sans motor vehicle and the other two I was a passenger. Now if I can just get my wife to stay in Ohio a little longer I could do this (I only drive for her).
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| | FloridaBiker   |
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| Lifetime: 39,161 mi
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| Member No. 20276 |
| Member since: Mar 2007 |
| Home: Jacksonville, FL  |
| Surly Long Haul Trucker
Touring Road bike |
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| RUSA - Randonneurs USA  |
| posted
12/18/2007
at 9:49:37 AM |
| post #2 viewed 710 times |
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I'm not sure how many weeks I can put into this one but it looks like a good one to try. I know there was a couple of weeks this year that I never touched the car.
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I'm right there with you, hannibal. I get so close some weeks, only to have something on the weekend that blows it for me. I know the only way to do it is to set my mind into the framework of a challenge. It becomes so much more easy to manage when I actually can plan my activities around my conscious decisions.
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| | SteveWilson  |
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| Lifetime: 112,864 mi
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| Member No. 11249 |
| Member since: Jan 2006 |
| Home: Tucson, AZ |
| Cannondale R600
Road bike |
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| GABA Tucson |
| posted
12/18/2007
at 9:57:02 AM |
| post #4 viewed 714 times |
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raleighdon - PatriSMinovia and I do this most weeks. We're down to 1 car between the 2 of us. We both ride exclusively to work. Basically we drive every 7-10 days to get a load of groceries or when something is just too big, heavy, or bulky to put on the bike or in the trailer.
There is definitely a break point in the curve somewhere between being 90% car free and 100%. Time is important to us too since we both still work full time, so sometimes with shopping we'd rather just make one big trip and get it over with rather than making multiple trips with smaller loads on the bike.
We'll have to figure out how to get together when the crew comes down for El Tour next year.
Steve
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Steve: Mimi and I will be spending the bulk of our time in Tucson next year when we come down, and look forward to getting together with you.
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| | mimitabby |
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| Lifetime: 9,861 mi
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| Member No. 9319 |
| Member since: Aug 2005 |
| Home: Seattle, WA |
| Davidson Custom
Road bike |
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| Team Estrogen |
| posted
12/18/2007
at 10:16:17 AM |
| post #6 viewed 709 times |
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okay, I'm in. But don't expect to see much "progress" out of me before March.
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| | BadgerLand |
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| Lifetime: 34,867 mi
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| Member No. 784 |
| Member since: Aug 2003 |
| Home: Shawnee, KS |
| Rivendell Atlantis
Touring Road bike |
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| posted
12/18/2007
at 10:25:31 AM |
| post #7 viewed 706 times |
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I would love to participate but since I "drive" for a living...how would that work?  I have commuted for the past 3 years now but everyday AT work, I jump in my truck to get to the job site.
Badger
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| | SteveWilson |
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| Lifetime: 112,864 mi
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| Member No. 11249 |
| Member since: Jan 2006 |
| Home: Tucson, AZ |
| Cannondale R600
Road bike |
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| GABA Tucson |
| posted
12/18/2007
at 10:25:38 AM |
| post #8 viewed 713 times |
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raleighdon - Sounds good!
Steve
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| | roborider  |
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| Lifetime: 160,976 mi
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| Member No. 4562 |
| Member since: Jan 2005 |
| Home: Napa, CA |
| Specialized S-Works Tarmac
Road bike |
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| Cyclonauts |
| posted
12/18/2007
at 10:39:53 AM |
| post #9 viewed 714 times |
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Great idea! My company will pay me 10 bucks a day not to drive!
robo
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| | siouxgeonz |
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| Lifetime: 67,053 mi
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| Member No. 14110 |
| Member since: Apr 2006 |
| Home: Urbana, IL |
| Giant Nutra
700c Hybrid bike |
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| Commuter Cycling Century |
| posted
12/18/2007
at 10:51:47 AM |
| post #10 viewed 705 times |
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... and I'm thinking "car-free clumps" of two or more days can be tallied, too. A week can be a *big* leap. Like that silly addiction to cycling, most of us were eased into it  DOn't tell 'em they'll be going weeks without a car... don't tell 'em they'll be going months... start with that one trip.
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