Washington Ave N Gets More Pedestrian-Friendly

Post and photo by the Hawthorne Hawkman.

Over a year ago, I posted about problems with sidewalks along Washington Avenue.  The walkways aren't wide enough, they aren't consistent enough to easily guide people to the Mississippi River, and they're far from wheelchair-friendly.  If you drive, bike, or walk along Washington between 26th and 22nd, you'll see that at least some of these issues are being addressed.  It's little signs like this that show progress in our community, and even something as mundane as sidewalk construction deserves to be documented.

Republican Sign Spammers or Fringe Candidates Who Really Like Irony?

The corner of 31st Ave N and 4th St N.

The 3100 block of Emerson Ave N.

The corner of 22nd and Emerson.

The corner of 24th and Emerson.

Post and photos by the Hawthorne Hawkman.

There are probably many more pieces of sign spam like this.  But on my normal bike routes alone, I have seen Republican candidates Jim Lilly and Chris Fields have signs on at least four vacant lots.  This wouldn't usually be a problem except that in all four cases photographed above, the lots belong to either the City of Minneapolis or Hennepin County.  I find it rather ironic that the party that claims to promote self-reliance and eschews government dependence has two of its candidates using government land to promote themselves.

I can't tell if they're clueless  or if this is somehow an abstract, meta-political statement that's just going over my head.  Normally, I remove signs like this myself.  In this case however, I decided to make four separate 311 reports.  I'd like to think that these guys think the Democrats would want it this way.

Lilly, by the way, has a sparse 1-page campaign website where he asks, "What is the solution to today's problems?" and then responds to himself with "The only good social relationship for society involves a life-long commitment between a man and woman."  Over fifteen years ago, he sued the City of Minneapolis and won, thus preventing any municipality in Minnesota from offering domestic partner benefits.  As far as I can tell, this law has yet to be overturned.  So yeah, don't vote for this guy.

On Fields' campaign website, he talks about his humble beginnings, growing up knowing "'the stinging shame' of using well-meaning but poorly designed government programs like food stamps and welfare."  Apparently his campaign feels no such shame in using the government to promote his run against Keith Ellison.

Biking Instead of Driving - What I Wish I Knew About the Transition

Post and photo (NOT of my stolen bike) by the Hawthorne Hawkman.

Six months ago, I took a challenge.  I participated in Thirty Days of Biking, in which people commit to getting on a bike at least once every day in the month of April.  I decided to take that a little further, and tried bicycling everywhere for that month.  I even cycled out to Roseville a few times to sign mortgage documents.  In the midst of closing on my house, my car needed repairs.  I elected to put those off as long as possible, and wound up using two wheels as my primary mode of transportation over the summer.

I used a smartphone app to track every single biking activity I did during this stretch, which also doubled as a self-diagnosis for obsessive-compulsive disorder.  Over the course of six and a half months, I did more than seven hundred three bicycle trips.  My median trip length was just 1.27 miles, proving that a car is largely unnecessary for me.  I cycled almost 1,500 miles since April.  My app also tracked elevation, and told me I ascended over 59,600 feet.  That's the height of Mount Everest, K2, and Minnesota's high point, Eagle Mountain, combined.

That transition isn't as daunting as one might think (I did save roughly $350 in fuel costs), but there are some things I wish someone would have told me about first.  For instance...

Hennepin County District 2 Candidate Forum at the Capri

Post and videos by the Hawthorne Hawkman.

Last Thursday marked the first candidate forum between the winners of the primary election for Hennepin County District Two, Blong Yang and Linda Higgins.  Anyone driving past my home can see my support of Yang proudly displayed, and I will be writing more about that soon.  Now that my support has been disclosed, I will present the footage I shot with no further commentary.

More video footage after the jump...

A Crane at 11:00 PM, Second-Story Work Appears Illegal on Multiple Levels

Post and photos by the Hawthorne Hawkman.

I happened to be out on an evening stroll tonight, when I heard what sounded like a car engine starting and stopping repeatedly.  That's to be expected on a busy corridor like Penn.  But as I crossed 27th, I snapped the photos above.  These are from 2701 Oliver Avenue North, a property owned by Brandon C Fischer and Kevin Owen.  Sadly, this is not the first time I have blogged about this heap that appears to be held together by chicken wire and code violations.

This was, however, the first time I have seen and heard a crane and other power equipment running this late in the evening.  Odd work like this should always prompt a 311 report, but tonight it rose to the level of 911 because...

My Bike Was Stolen

Post and bottom photos by the Hawthorne Hawkman, top photo from an online auction that has already closed.

Man, I really liked that bike.  It was a red Ryder specialized twenty-four speed Hardrock model mountain bike with a compass in the stock and this thing which tells time.  Sorry, I got it jumbled up with Ralphie's description of the BB gun in "A Christmas Story."  Again.  That's how much I liked this bike, which is a red Hardrock Specialized 24-speed mountain bike.  I was an irresponsible bicycle owner and didn't take my own photograph or record the serial number.  So if anyone does find it, we're on the honor system for getting it back to me.

A few weeks ago, my bicycle of several years died on me.  I didn't get a full tune-up for far too long, and I'm sure that didn't help--yet another way you all can learn from my bad example.  Repairing that ride would have cost significantly more than what a used Hardrock was selling for, so I opted for the newer bike.

And what a difference that made!  I routinely clocked in a mile at about five or five and a half minutes on the old cycle, and shaved nearly a minute off that time with the new one.  I could make it up Farview hill without so much as breaking a sweat, and that was before the weather started to play a factor.  I planned on doing my first 50-mile bike ride with this one, knowing it was light enough for me to zip along and accomplish that goal.

Man, I really liked that bike.  I have only ever been truly passionate about three modes of transportation in my entire life.  In reverse chronological order, they are:  the Hardrock Specialized 24-speed bicycle, a 1990 Saab 900 S car, and a pogo bal.  I'm a child of the eighties, and I embrace that.

Last week at the Hennepin County Commissioner candidate forum at the Capri, I locked my bike up on the side of the building.  When I left, the bike was gone.  One of the attendees found a lock that was cut, and the thieves left behind the blue bike pictured above - a Pacific Regency, which doesn't sound nearly as cool as "Hardrock."  The bike that was left behind is way too small for me, its brakes only work in the Flintstones manner of stopping a moving vehicle, and shifting gears makes a sound like Optimus Prime with a sinus infection.  So I made it home on that, but that's about it.  If anyone's missing, or even wants, this particular bike, let me know.

By the way, I had a Kryptonite lock but it was a cord/chain style lock.  I thought that the Kryptonite brand was good enough to hold up to standard-issue bolt cutters.  Not the chain locks, apparently.  The folks at Behind Bars, who sold me the best bike a man could want, informed me that even those locks could be broken with bolt cutters in as little as 30 seconds.  Apparently the photo below is the kind of lock that actually prevents theft.  Oh sure, this lock can be broken too, but just like winning an argument on North Talk, it takes a whole lot of effort and in the meantime there are sparks flying everywhere.

What I'm left with now is a Huffy from Wal-Mart that was sitting unused in my parents' garage.  A Huffy!  It will get me around for the next few weeks until the weather is too cold for even me to ride.

Man, I really liked that bike. 

Why is This Property Being Demolished?

Post and photos by the Hawthorne Hawkman.

No, honestly.  I really want to know.  The mere prospect of demolition here is entirely baffling to me.  The property in question, 2306 Penn Avenue North, is one of the nicest houses on the block.  In fact, after its pending demolition, there will be only one other house on that side of the street.  And it's not like that one is so grand.

If I had to pick which house to tear down, I'd move this family into the other house and get rid of this one.

Curtains covered the windows at 2306, so I couldn't see inside to know if there are any historical features left in the interior.  Based on the exterior, I'd guess there are.  For instance...