Jan 02 2009
A Fun Day
Today I awakened to snow again! Not a lot of snow, but enough to cover the ground and make riding my bike to Powell’s Books in Portland a pain in the posterior.
Having read about How to Live Well Without Owning a Car, I checked online at Powell’s Books and they had in stock, so I was going to use that as an excuse to travel to downtown. With the slushy snow and ice on the roads I decided to ride to the transit center, take a bus to the MAX train and then ride MAX to downtown. From there I rode my bike the rest of the way to Powell’s stopping for a two slices of Pizza Schmizza pepperoni pizza for lunch.
Of course once I arrived at Powell’s in wasn’t a simple in and out process to get the book. If you have been to Powell’s you would know what I mean because the place is enormous and if you like to read it is hard to get out of there. And let’s not forget they have Powell’s Technical Books around corner for the geek in you. Anyway, I eventually made my purchase and started for home.
I decided not to use MAX or the bus on the way back home, but instead rode the entire way. I rode home by way of Interstate Ave., across the I5 Bridge, into downtown Vancouver, through historic Fort Vancouver, and then up the hill through the Heights to home.
It felt good to get out and ride some miles (28). Combined with going to the bookstore and having pizza for lunch, it made for a fun day.
Looks interesting. Any chance of a review in a few weeks?
I will post my thoughts on the book once I have read a significant portion if not all of the book.
As a librarian, Powell’s is sort of like my Mecca. Needless to say, I have not yet made my pilgrimage (except for the tiny Powell’s in the Portland, OR airport terminal). Fortunately though, Barnes and Noble is only 7 miles down the road. Looks like a good book though, I’ll have to check it out.
Lizzylou: If you make the pilgrimage to Powell’s main store be sure to give yourself enough time to explore the store. It’s a fun place.
I came upon your blog today when surfing, and saw you mentioned this book, Living Well Without A Car. I bought this book over a year ago, and as I read it, I thought, “I think I can be car-free.” I only used my vehicle on the weekends, so it wouldn’t be much different. I ended up donating my car due to a car donation program that the local bike association (Washington Area Bicyclist Association) offered, and in return, I received a FREE LIFETIME membership with Zipcar. I thought it was too good of a deal to pass up!
Here it is over a year later, and I’ve been fine without a car – riding my bike, using the subway, Zipcar, and other modes of transportation, to get around. I’ve saved over $2,000 in my savings account. I think in a lot of metropolitan areas, people can go car-free – and I hope they do. This book is a GREAT book and gives a TON of ideas of how you can be car-free.