campergirl's Blog


DIY Winter Bike Tires--With Zip Ties

Fritz Rice was a victim of one of this winter' snowpocalypses, and being the intrepid biker he is, he wanted to keep riding through the frozen mess. His solution for maintaining traction? A box of zip ties. Ingenious. Via.      
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Bike in a Briefcase

What every eco-conscious Suit will soon be carrying/riding. No room for TPS reports, however. See more here. Via.
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Urban Cycling Etiquette

Etiquette is a forgotten art. At least it seems like it in these days of obsessive cell phone use and road rage. Both of which can kill people. Another place where etiquette seems to be lacking is in the car/bicycle world. Green Upgrader reminds us all--cyclists and non-cyclists alike how to keep the roads safe in terms of two wheel transportation.  First for the motorists:  Slow down and make room for cyclists. If there is a...
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Skateboard Sailing

Around where I live, skateboards aren't as popular as they used to be. I'm guessing they could become beloved once again, with the help of the Sporting Sail. According to Inhabitat, the sale was invented by two brothers from California who, came across a prototype in their grandfather's attic. They in turn added some nylon, velcro and reinforced stitching. Then they patented the idea. Besides skateboarding, the sail can be used for skiing and snowboarding...
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Derringer Cycles

This gorgeous Derringer hybrid bike/cycle was modeled after 1920's racing cycles. It sports Brooks leather saddles and polished copper rivets. When you need extra oomph, You can engage the bike's engine that'll let you cruise up to 30 mph. Its 1.8 gallon tank gets a whopping 300 miles per fill. Each Derringer Cycle is hand-built and clocks in at $3,500, which, I say, is worth every penny.  Read more about Derringers and see more images...
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How to build a fire using stuff found at IKEA.

Artist Helmut Smit decided to adopt the persona of a primitive human in need of making fire as he perused the aisles of IKEA. He found everything he needed, which included rope, a hanger, a wine rack, egg cup, trivet, napkins and 'floral embellishments'. The outcome he calls FLAMMA, meaning 'a basic need'. Fascinating, yes. Educational, absolutely. Cost effective, not so much.  FLAMMA from Helmut on Vimeo. Via.
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Bottle Cap Rear View Cycling Mirror

Bikes and the City spotting a biker with a very interesting rear view mirror. It's made out of a bottle cap. Corona, specifically. Looks easy enough to MacGyver up. Wire, tiny mirror, one bottle cap rescued from the bin...you're good to go. Via.
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The Cleanest and Dirtiest Beaches in the United States

It's lists like this one from Green Daily that make me want to opt for a properly chlorinated swimming pool. On the bright side, two, count 'em TWO, of the cleanest beaches in the U.S. are in my backyard, right here in Minnesota.  First the cleanest:   Lafayette Community Club Beach, Minnesota Franklin Park at 13th Street on Park Point, Minnesota Hampton Beach State Park, New Hampshire Wallis Sands Beach at Wallis Road, New Hampshire Bolsa Chica State Beach, California Huntington...
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Six sites that will help you find a local hike.

Taking a hike doesn't necessarily mean having to take a long drive to get the your place of departure. Daily Green has some excellent ideas for finding a prefect hiking spot closer to home, so you don't blow your gasoline budget. They also share six awesome sites that will help you find trails. Here they are: NatureFind LocalHikes.com Trails.com The Nature Conservancy The Sierra Club Land Trust Alliance This really is just a snapshot of...
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Make a Cycling Cap

  Paul from Dudecraft posted a GREAT video tutorial last week showing us how to sew cycling caps. He used shirts from the thrift store and for the bills--get this--he used yogurt containers. Crazy cool. Here's a link to the vid, which also includes a link to the hat pattern. Photo Credit: Dudecraft
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