Photo by: Steven Perry

• AC Transit- Saturday schedule
• BART- Trains running until 3 a.m. with special service. Click here for details
• CalTrain- Saturday schedule with extra southbound trains after midnight (free rides after 11pm). Click here for details
• Capitol Corridor-Weekend schedule
• County Connection-Weekend schedule
• Vallejo Transit- Weekday schedule
• WestCAT-Normal schedule
• Wheels-Saturday schedule

• AC Transit- Sunday schedule
• BART- Sunday schedule
• CalTrain- Sunday schedule
• Capitol Corridor-Weekend schedule
• Golden Gate Transit (Bus)- Holiday schedule
• Wheels-Sunday schedule

• AC Transit- Sunday schedule
• BART- Normal schedule
• CalTrain- Saturday schedule
• Capitol Corridor-Weekend schedule
• Golden Gate Transit (Bus)- Holiday schedule
• WestCAT-Saturday schedule
• Wheels-Enhanced saturday schedule

Coated Canvas Backpack

• $129.95
• Heavy-duty cotton canvas with a water resistant coating.
• Fits up to a 17″ laptop
• Faux-fur lined notebook compartment
• Padded back panels
• Modern, minimalist design

(Photo Credit: incase)

Linus Roadster Classic

• $409
• Beautiful, sleek and simple.

(Photo Credit: Linus Bikes)

Marshall Major Headphones

• $99
• For the stylish commuter who wants to look good while rockin’ out to The Black Keys on the bus to work.
• The headband is made out of the same vinyl used in Marshall amplifiers.

(Photo Credit: Marshall Major Headphones)

Amazon Kindle

• $189 (3G + wireless) or $139 (wireless)
• Because sometimes you just don’t want to haul giant heavy Russian novels around on the bus.
• 7.5″ x 4.8″ x 0.335″
• Battery Life: 1 month

(Photo Credit: Amazon.com)

Dell Inspiraron Duo

• $550
• The iPad is great, but nothing beats an actual keyboard for the commuter who wants to get real work done while sitting on the bus or the train.
• Switch from touch to type with just a flip.
• View horizontally or vertically.

(Photo Credit: Dell)

Ari Marcopoulos Camera Bag

• $199.95
• 18.9″ x 11″ x 6.7″
• Compatibiliy: iPad, SLR, DSLR
• Heavy-duty canvas with water-repellent coating
• Interior pockets for documents and other bits and pieces

(Photo Credit: incase)

DODOcase iPad and Kindle Cases

• $60
• Handmade in San Francisco
• Looks like a Moleskin notepad, but for your iPad!
• It’s pretty.

(Photo Credit: DODOcase)

Happy Shopping!

1. Thermos Nissan Tea Tumbler with Infuser

• $19.99
• 12 ounces
• Keeps coffee and tea hot for hours. Mug comes with a removable mesh tea leaf infuser so you can steep your tea while you’re out and about.
• The only drawback is that the cap is screw-on so you need both hands in order to drink from it.

(photo credit: Philip Friedman)

2. Bodum Travel Press with or Without Rubber Grip

• $12.95
• 16 ounces
• It’s a French press! It’s a travel mug! It’s a French press travel mug! This awesome mug… I mean French press, let’s you brew coffee while you’re on the go. No more waiting for the coffee to be ‘ready’ before you can rush out the door, now you can just dump the grounds in, pour the water, and BAM! get into the car. Also very handy for brewing fresh coffee at work or anywhere there’s hot water.
• A plastic flap on the lid pops open, allowing for easy, one-handed sipping.

(photo credit: Philip Friedman)

3. Oxo Good Grips LiquiSeal Travel Mug

• $19.99
• 14 ounces
• Good standard coffee mug for the morning commute. Three silicone seals insure no spills and vacuum insulation guarantees to keep temperature up to seven hours.
• One-handed activation also good for drivers.

(photo credit: Oxo)

4. Monster iCarPlay Cassette 800 for iPhone and iPod

• $24.95
• Don’t like the songs on the radio? Me neither. Play your own music on your iPhone or iPod through your car stereo cassette player!
• 3-foot cord and spring-loaded cassette head
• Dual Balanced conductors deliver more natural audio

(photo credit: Apple.com)

5. Monster iCable 800 for iPhone and iPod

• $19.95
• iPhone, iPod or other media player gets a direct wired connection to your car’s audio system so your music is free of static and FM interference.
• Great for cars with auxiliary input

(photo credit: Apple.com)

6. AT&T 32520att Black with USB Port Car Charger For iPhone

• $9.99
• Charger & Adapter for iPhone & iPhone 3G/3GS
• Because it sucks to run out of batteries.

(photo credit: AT&T)

7. Garmin GPS

• $114.99
• Map detail, driving directions, photos
• Search addresses, popular destinations

(photo credit: Garmin)

1. SpokeLit:

$7.99

An LED that’s attached between the bicycle spokes and creates cool ‘circles’ of light as the wheel rolls. This bright light also serves to keep the bicyclist safe by making him or her more visible. You can set the SpokeLit to ‘glow’ or ‘flash,’ depending on how much attention you want to bring to yourself (and how starstruck you want your fellow bikers to be). This nifty device comes in red, blue, green, disc-O, amber. Shock and weather resistant.

2. Knog (Frog Single Rear LED):

$6.95

If you don’t want something as flashy at the SpokeLit, get one of these little frog-like LEDs are small bits of color that spice up your ride, clipping on to just about anywhere on you bike. The bright light flashes for up to 160 hours.

3. Tito Ahmels Bicycle Seat Covers:

$10

Because only this way can your bicycle seat turn into a cow head. With horns.
These animal head bicycle seat covers are waterproof, keeping your saddle clean and dry when you park outside. The only concern is that they’re so awesome they might not still be on your saddle when you get back. The seat covers come in bear, cow, dog, fox, and goat designs.

4. Pryme BMX Helmet:

$20

These no-nonsese helmets are usually worn by skateboarders, but who says bicyclists can’t wear them too? They’re very sensible and normal-looking (none of those alien-shaped green squiggly lined bicycle helmets) so just suck it up and wear a helmet, they really don’t look that bad and they keep you safe! That’s lookin’ at you, hipsters.

5. Urban Gaiter (Leg Gaiters):

$20

Similar to the gaiters that hikers or skiers wear, these ‘Urban Gaiters’ from Cyclelogical are designed to keep grease off your cuff and pant leg (no more flipping your cuff up!). This gaiter even has an inner pocket to stash money, cell phones, or keys.

6. Reflective Chopspokes:

$7

These reflectors cover your spokes and give you extra visibility at night.

Check back every day for more great gift ideas!

Photo Credit: SpokeLit, Mike’s Bikes, greenergrassdesign, Amazon, Cyclelogic (in order of appearance)

Have a slick set-up like this guy.

Most people find their morning commute to be tedious and tiring–just another morning stuck in traffic and trying to beat the rush.

But you can make your commute into a daily pump-up for work by just doing one thing: playing some good music.

No more morning talk shows where the radio hosts are more often annoying than funny, and definitely not informative. Instead, make a playlist on your iPod, iPhone, Zune, or other schnazzy gadget (if you’re old-school, burn a CD or record a cassette. Wait, do people still do that? Yes. Me.) of new popular songs or old goodies and sing your way to work.

You can make a new playlist every 2 or 3 weeks, or even just compile a giant list of songs and set it on ‘shuffle’ so that you’re always pleasantly surprised at the excellent song choice. Good job DJ.

I guarantee you’ll arrive with a smile on your face and a bounce in your step.

Here are some of some of the tunes playing on my commute:

1. Jesus, Etc. – Wilco
2. Bleeding Love – Leona Lewis
3. Big Pimpin – Jay-Z
4. Sweet Song – Blur
5. Don’t Turn Away – Peking Laundry
6. Scenic World – Beirut
7. Sunday Morning – k-os
8. Wake Up – Arcade Fire
9. You Make My Dreams – Hall & Oates
10. Sway – Heartless Bastards
11. Skinny Love – Bon Iver
12. 3 Rounds and a Sound – Blind Pilot
13. Stop This Train – John Mayer
14. Family Business – Kanye West
15. Hip-Hop Saved My Life – Lupe Fiasco

Don’t like my selections? That’s cool. What would your top 10 song picks be?

Photo Credit: webjones

Starting this week, we’ll be featuring a blog post every week about the history of transportation. Why? Because transportation is cool.

Let’s start off with the most basic aspect of modern transportation–the wheel. What is a wheel? According to Dictionary.com, it is: “A circular frame or disk arranged to revolve on an axis, ason or in vehicles or machinery.” According to popular vernacular, aka UrbanDictionary.com, it is: “Trying to, or the act of picking up a girl.”

For the purposes of this blog–transportation–we’ll be sticking with the more technical definition and leave UrbanDictionary for another day.

So the wheel is basically the backbone upon which basically all modern forms of transportation have been built. Bicycles and cars obviously run on wheels, planes need wheels for lift-off and landing, rocket ships need wheels to move to their launching pads. In fact, the heavier the object it seems, the more wheels become necessary to move it.

The earliest dated depiction of a wheeled contraption is from a clay pot found in Poland, dated 3500–3350 BC, after which it spread from Central Europe across Eurasia. Chariots continued the popularization of wheeled vehicles once the spoked wheel was invented, which replaced the simpler wooden wheel and axle. Undoubtedly, the use of wheels in vehicles increased after smooth roads became more prevalent.

The wheel and axle makes work easier by shifting the weight of the object being moved from the wheel to the axle, so that it is balanced and maintained on the axle. The operator therefore endures less stress because the weight is distributed evenly. (If you have a better description or want to explain the physics in more detail, don’t hesitate to comment on this post!)

In the Middle Ages, people apparently had much better imaginations than we do, and the wheel was used as a form of capital punishment. The condemned were tied onto the wheel and beaten with a club or cudgel, the gaps in the wheel were to allow the cudgel to break through. In France, the victims were stretched on a cartwheel and their limbs were broken on an iron bar as the wheel revolved.

Other early uses for wheels include children’s toys, spinning pottery, waterwheels, and agriculture.

The wheel has also come to represent many symbols in different cultures and religions:

• The Gauls, a Celtic tribe in the French-speaking region of Europe, used the symbol (a circle divided into six equal parts) as an attribute of the Taranis, the god of thunder. It was called the sun wheel.
• Tibetans’ world wheel use the symbol of a circle divided into six equal parts with circle in its center with the outer rim divided into 12 parts. The inner circle band is divided into a light and dark halves.
• The wheel of the year, a circle divided into eight equal parts, a Wiccan symbol that supposedly contains the key practices of Wicca: the four directions, the four elements, the cycle of life, and the Wiccan calendar of holy days.
• Alchemists used the six-part circle to stand for malachite, an emerald-green mineral (which contained copper).
• The wheel was used by the medieval goddess Fortuna who spun it at random to change the fate of hapless individuals. Her spinning of the wheel symbolized Fate’s capricious nature.
• Tarot decks contain a wheel of fortune card modeled after the concept of the goddess Fortuna. The card’s interpretations are:

1. Turning point; Opportunities; Possibilities
2. Destiny; Fate; Superior Forces; Movement
3. Development; Activity; Surprises; Expansion
4. Sudden Events; Speed; New Developments; Life Cycles
5. Interpretation; Sudden Change; Discention; Approachability

Photo Credits: Rickydavid

There are endless benefits to commuting on two wheels: exercise, endorphins, energy-efficiency, self-fulfilment, etc. Most people love their morning ride for the fresh air and great views, but sooner or later everyone finds that they have to start riding at night, or worse, through the rain. Scary as it may be, knowledge, equipment, and skill make it a lot easier to be confident.

NIGHT RIDING

Lights: In addition to helping light your way, bike lights are necessary so that other people (namely, car drivers) can see you against the glare of automobile headlights. All state laws mandate a headlight at night, so just get one. (A white headlight identifies the fronts of all vehicles.)

What are my options?

1. Small battery lights: Best for riding under streetlights.

2. Generator systems: Bright enough for lighting dark roads. Good for long-distance touring, but most lights will turn off when you’re not riding which is inconvenient for stop-and-go city commutes. (Some generators have battery backup that keeps them lighted when you stop.)

3. High-powered battery systems: Brightest light but also most expensive and generally heavier than other lights. Good for dark roads or trails.

TIP: Carry spare bulbs/batteries for your lights.

Reflectors: Rear reflector and pedal reflectors are especially important for night riding. They signal drivers behind you and work even if your main lights go out.

TIP :  Flash your headlight at drivers to catch their attention and make eye contact. This is important to get the attention of drivers pulling out of a side street.

RIDING THROUGH RAIN

Equipment:

1. Bicyclist’s Rain Cape: Similar to a poncho, but tailored for the bicyclist’s riding position. It has loops at the front to hook over your thumbs or the brake levers. A waist strap holds down the back of the cape. Brightly colored capes make you more visible to drivers. The rain cape is better than regular raincoats or ponchos because they allow ventilation.

2. Fenders: You’ll need a pair to use with your rain cape. They keep dirty water and mud from flying up under the cape.

3. Dry Rim Brakes: Steel rims  are difficult in the rain–stopping distances may be increased by 10 times. Apply the brakes in advance, well before you need to stop.

TIP: Relubricate your bike chain after riding in the rain to help prevent it from rust.

Photo Credits: blhphotography, Wha’ppen, d. FUKA

Sure you’ve got your U-Lock, your Combination Lock, your Unbreakable-Uncuttable-Unstealable-Bike-Chain-Lock… but there’s always the fear that one day you find that your bike is gone (poof!). Or equally as frightening–that you’ll find the sad skeleton of a bike with its wheels stolen, leaving you to haul the poor thing home. What to do?

Awesomely, just use public bicycle services. There are public bicycle lockers (keyed and electronic) and BART bike stations that you can use to make sure your environmentally friendly two-wheeler stays safe. If you want to keep your bicycle close at hand while you’re working, apply for workplace bike lockers (Contra Costa County only).

LOCKERS:

1. Keyed lockers: Single-use and require a rental agreement. Contact (510) 464-7133 for locker availability and download the application/rental agreement.

2. Electronic lockers: Shared use. First-come, first-serve. They provide secure bike parking and increased bicycle storage capacity at BART stations.

(Currently, electronic lockers are available at these BART stations: Ashby, Dublin/Pleasanton, El Cerrito Plaza, Lake Merritt, MacArthur, North Berkeley, Pleasant Hill, Rockridge, San Leandro, and West Oakland.)

But how do I use an electronic locker?

It’s basically on-demand bike parking. Buy a smart card (online or at a vendor), insert card into slot next to locker, follow instructions on screen. Simple! It’s like street parking for cars, but a lot easier. When you come back for your bike, your smart card also opens the door.

How much does it cost?

3-cents an hour (3-cents an hour?!), which is automatically deducted from your smart card after putting time in the meter. Unused time and value are automatically refunded back to the card.

Nice.

(More info on electronic lockers…)

Just another day on the job.

BART BIKE STATIONS:

Valet parking like you’ve never seen it before…

1. Fruitvale BART Station: 3301 E. 12th St, Oakland. This location is the second largest bike station in the nation! There’s a full-service bike repair shop right on hand, and you get free bike storage.

2. Downtown Berkeley BART Station: 2208 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley. Conveniently located next to an ice cream shop.

3. Embarcadero BART Station: 298 Market St, SF. Located on the concourse level of the Embarcadero BART Station in downtown San Francisco directly below Market Street near the Davis Street entrance.

Worksite Lockers (Locker Project)

Request an application to install a locker at your worksite.

Additional Links

Bike Rules

BART Schedules

Bicycle Task Force

Photo Credits: mclcbooks, US National Archives

The Street Smarts “Be Reel!” Video Contest, which takes place each spring and fall, wants middle school students (grades 6-8) in San Ramon Valley to submit 60-second public service announcement videos about traffic safety. Teams, which can include up to four students, will have the opportunity to win prizes, from $25 gift cards to iPod shuffles and nanos, as well as the possibility of having their video viewed at the Danville International Children’s Film Festival. The theme for the 2010-2011 contest is “Walking and Biking to School Together is the Cool Thing To Do.”

For more information about the contest and to enter, visit the Street Smarts website.

Here are a couple of finalist videos from the 2009-2010 contest.

To see the other finalist videos from 2009-2010 click here.