I’ll admit I’ve been known to kinda geek out on maps. It started when I was a kid and somehow ended up with a ton of National Geographic maps. National Geographic Magazine used to include full maps in some of their magazine editions (do they still?) and I had a large cardboard box full of them. From topo maps to maps of the moon to a map of concentrations of religions across the world, I was introduced to the idea that maps could convey a lot more information than just place names, roads and boarders. That’s why, despite some of the comments to the post on See Through Maps, I think this is one of the neatest maps of bike routes in San Francisco yet. 

Created by Mat Kladney, the map represents bike routes the way city transit maps show bus and train routes. Routes are color-coded lines, and intersections are represented the way “stations” are on BART diagrams. This map (or chart, or diagram, if you want to get into semantic arguments about what actually constitutes a map) quickly and easily answers a fundamental question that cyclists face in the city: what is the best route to get from this location to that location. In Mat’s own words:

The current San Francisco bicycle map is difficult to approach, especially when answering the simple question, “how to I get from here to there?”  This map has everything you might possibly want in a bicycle map in a hilly city: the grade and name of every San Francisco street, four different types of bike lane, even contour lines for every hill from Twin Peaks to the slight elevation change found in the Mission.  Unfortunately by trying to be everything, it loses much of its usability.  Tracking the best way to get across the city becomes more difficult when confronted with so much data.  This new simplified map helps cyclists to quickly and easily find the shortest route through town.

— http://seethroughmaps.wordpress.com/2013/10/27/map-kladney-mat/

I for one will keep a copy of this on my portable devices for reference when I need to figure out the best way to get from where I am to where I need to go.  Thanks Mat!

In the culmination of a 20+ year project, the new eastern span of the San Francisco Bay Bridge opened up. And included on that new bridge was a separate bike and pedestrian lane. Those familiar with the area will quickly point out that this bridge only gets you half way across the bay, and that there is a second bridge that still lacks bicycle access that prevents a bike ride completely across. So for the short term at least this is a recreation trail only with no commute benefits.Now that it is open it has understandably added fuel to discussions about enabling bikes to make the full crossing.

And it didn’t take long for a cyclist to find his way onto the shoulder of the main traffic lanes away from the bike path. It is unclear if this was somehow a mistake or a deliberate act – perhaps to make a statement. But of course a local publication took the opportunity to somehow spin it as a “look at the stupid cyclist” story. On and they even threw in a “And helmetless to boot” comment. Sigh.

However, SFist did publish this story about an apparent bike thief caught with one of the bikes from the recently launch San Francisco Bike Share program.

I’ve tried out neither the bike share nor the new bike path personally – all of which I hope to remedy in the coming weeks.

Despite my best efforts in the past, looks like I’m back to working in the bay area, while living in Sacramento.  The dynamics this time around are a little different from my previous Palo Alto employment, so I’ll be spending some nights in the bay area and some nights in Sacramento.  So what does that mean for cycling?  Well a couple of things.

For one thing this will put me withing “striking distance” of one of the best fitness studios in the bay – Integrate Performance Fitness – run by the VeloReviews Fitness Editor Al Painter.  It also gives me access to an entirely new set of roads and terrain.  I’m very much looking forward to exploring some new roads.  Any of you bay area folks have any specific recommendations for me?