Getting Miles Getting Money

  Having a couple of days of delivery under my belt I can make a bit of an assessment for anyone interested in doing this kind of work, especially for UberEats. When running around you notice how agile a bicycle can be compared to a car. Traffic is far more terrifying, you even start internally running a cost benefit analysis of whether or not you should make that turn or wait at the light, whether you should filter, or play it safe losing time. Time is your enemy, and the layout of the city usually doesn't help, especially the older parts of the city.

Also, fuck wind.

What is the plan here?

  Now I know what your gonna say, "Carlos, just hop into your car and get around faster!" Now I'm gonna tell you, "You don't know shit about parking and one way streets." I noticed that the better markets (where a lot of people use the app) are in the saturated parts of the city, that means sub-burbs are deserts, and your sooooo thirsty.

so.... hot...

I honestly cannot see myself doing this kind of delivery in a car, maybe a scooter, but a car? Hell no. In downtown there is so little parking that anyone pulling off to the side (even to drop off a passenger) gets the ire of all around them. 

so, salty

I did notice that many restaurants make accommodations for delivery cars, but the pick up and drop off part of this work is so much faster with a U-lock and pole. Even so I have seen pairs of people working the delivery circuit, dropping off the bag person while the driver circles around, it is a solution, but now you have to divide the spoils of the delivery.

ALL MINE!

In heavy traffic there is no beating a bicycle, and when you are hard pressed to pull off a deadline, the agility and size of a bike makes traffic a laughable obstacle. 

Enjoy your cages cattle

I noticed some clients whom the order is in a business, order  a bit earlier than the time their lunch is scheduled. More often than not I surprise them, once I even arrived earlier to a location than the customer to their own job. The way traffic is here in Miami, delivery in the city with a car seems like a arduous and painful experience, the road rage alone wouldn't be worth it, at least to me (and if you have seen my videos I have plenty of rage already).

I'm not a complete asshole though....

We all working ourselves into a coma...

More videos are coming down the pipe, make sure to shoot me a like on these videos and I will post some more delivery videos soon, till then!

I Am a Courier Now

  It has been a long time since I have posted here, well now I'm back. Being an art teacher, artist, and self styled master pencil sharpener have taken a bit of time for me to get used to. Now that things seem to run themselves now, I am able to devote some more time back to this blog, super cool. But I must still paint, that I must do.

All day, erray day

Finally I am finding a bit of time on the side to try something that has been on my mind since I started cycling, becoming a courier. 

pretty much

While there is not much, if any demand, for postal rush or same day messaging, there is a lot of lazy rich people that want food, and do not want to mix with the rabble on the streets. Uber has allowed me to service these people, and service them I shall. 

So I signed up to be a Delivery boy for UberEats, and I was one of the few cyclist that picked up the bag. Now I am not saying there aren't any food cyclist out there, I see them all the time in places like Wynwood, Brikell and Downtown Miami, but the surprise I got when I walked into the Doral Uber Headquarters (two guys at a table in a sprint store) was a bit telling. 

My first couple of deliveries where pretty easy, made a bit of money to pay off the deposit for this giant box they want me to strap to my back, and even got a tip (didn't think that was an uncommon practice, rich people don't tip apparently). The interesting part of being a cyclist with a deadline is you push, you push hard, and running around with a place to be and a task at hand is a good motivator for a destination cyclist like myself. Also it is as if I am exercising, and Uber is paying me to do it. 

My Body is Ready

Doral is notorious for having horrid traffic, and surprisingly no cyclist capitalizing on this to make swift filtering to delivery heaven! I'll be posting some of my delivery expereinces and videos when I gather some more highlights, for now, here is a happy/sad thing that happened on a commute the other day.

Cute Ducks here

Kiss My Ass Miami

  Funny thing about Miami, we have some of the highest rates of car collisions in the nation. It seems that when we aren't too busy running down pedestrians or hood surfing cyclist, we love kissing each other's ass. And boy, do we enjoy a long drawn out fender bender, I like to call it the Caramel nose nudge. Or the tropical coconut; whatever tickles your fancy, We are so good at having accidents that we have some of the highest insurance rates in the country, as well. Why bring this up? Every time I place my bike on the rack to transport it, I always feel as if I have a huge target on my back.  Every time I think this, my worst fears are usually realized.

nooooooooooo

  I had "Phil Jamis" hanging on the bike rack off the trunk. He was minding his own business while I was engaging in some errands with the Abuela. I barely even lurched out of my neighborhood and some idiot overdosing on meds decides to get behind the wheel and give Phil an rough hug against our cars.

#GETFUCKED

  When all is said and done, I have had too many bad experiences with dealing with  insurance claims where my bicycle is involved. We'll see how this plays out but, in the meanwhile, here is some damage porn for you fiends. 

  I am not saying that there aren't times when cyclist is involved and the car is on the receiving end, but what I am saying is that a cyclist always loses, weather he is on the receiving end or giving, it's just physics at that point.

Momentum x Fuckery = Sadness

  Even so, aside the dangers and the ridicule that is a constant bombardment on my commutes. I do my best to let the slights slide by the wayside, but some of my more popular videos are of me losing my cool, which is regrettable. In the moment I have the intent of scorning them with some hope of educating them about the laws that govern cycling and cars. But I know all I end up doing is seem like some angry prick of a cyclist than some educator. Many of these drivers genuinely believe they have done nothing wrong in most cases, and might brush me off as having road rage. 

#feels

  I compiled a video showing an average commute in the mean streets of Miami. My commute crosses 3 cities, starting in South Miami, bridging through Sweetwater ( which I loath) and ending in traffic laden, bumper burdened Doral. Different sections of 107th ave have their own unique perils and challenges.

All day erey day

  Until next time, makes sure to shoot my videos a couple likes and give the channel some subscription loving!

The Slowest Rebound

It has been a long while since I have done a video and I am still in the importing and rendering process of my current ride. It has been a hefty, muddy trek to get back into the saddle while maintaining a good work ethic; gotta make sure I can afford life's important expenses.

We all know Chipotle, we all know

Recently, I had my bike tuned up, finally utilizing  a swaggy new set of wheels I purchased as a gift to myself. The first ride, after the tune up, was a bit of a torrent of  happiness. The ride was too good to be true and karma wanted to make sure I paid what I owed. It was useful to find out the hard way that my wheel-set is bombproof.

This is a bit harsh karma...

When I was shifting into a higher gear, my rear derailleur caught a spoke and proceeded to promptly stop my bike in the middle of the street-in traffic- fundamentally destroying itself and the brand new chain I just got in the tune up.

Snapped clean off

Rectifying my rectum that is, as the tune up, after everything was said and done, ended costing me over $200. Granted, this is the second time around Thomas and Calvin accommodated me and even waved a bunch of charges since the bike just came clean from the tune up. We all agreed this should not have happened. 

Thanks Calvin and Thomas of Cycleworld Miami for rectifying the situation!

On that note, here is one of many videos down the pipeline. With working at a small business and all the things that come with it, many of the posts will be far more spread out. Please know I am doing my best to crank them out!

A ride with Cycleworld Miami

If you're a commuter like me and want a pair of pants that are fit for cycling, comfortable and stylish for business, check out Rozik outfitters! Good stuff! 

Quick and slick!

New Year's Push

I have some content and announcements in this post! First off,  I would like to thank everyone who has viewed, commented, and shared my blog and videos. This really means a lot to me; especially after one of my videos crested 1000 views! This is fantastic, and of course, leave it to fate to  make my least worked on video, my most popular. So goes the whims of my audience, and so must go my media. This video is the precursor to the "Almost Hit" series way back when I felt the need to document the horrible passing and negligent drivers while I cycled; I strapped an old Canon Powershot onto my head and let it record. Without further adieu, my first 1000-view video!

Really guys, really?

Second, I want to talk about cycling safely and driving around cyclists. Look, I know when you see a cyclist doing his thing you might think, "Look at that fucker; that smug, fit asshole, flaunting his fitness and gasoline savings in my face. I'll give him a good buzz for being in MY LANE!" You proceed to accelerate to a speed above the posted limit and swerve to a clearance, around a foot, well against the law, but then said cyclist swerves to avoid a pothole, a manhole, or even a possum. Right now you have a cyclist surfing on your hood and it is your fault. Or perhaps you want to park your vehicle in that really wide shoulder with a bike symbol on it so that you can quickly step into the Cafe and grab a colada or cortadito. Guess what? No cyclist will be responsible for their keys jingling out and scratching your car as they try their best to swerve around your swole ego.

Cyclist sometimes have bigger, heavier things that may impact a car negatively.

Here is the truth of it all: when approaching ANY road user from behind, you are occupying THEIR lane; it isn't yours and, if you hit any cyclist, you have a lawsuit on your hands; at best jail-time. At worst? A murder conviction . Furthermore, when you occupy a bike lane, you are impeding traffic and thus making the streets unsafe.

Look at this asshole, following the law!

Luckily for me, I do not have a heart stopper of a video to post; the holidays have been very kind to me. It has been really great weather this winter here in sunny south Florida and, with it, great rides and, for some reason, more patient drivers!

Yay for more pleasant cycling!

I also have some group ride videos down the pipe and a vacation compilation! So stay tuned for all that good content! Let me know what you think, or show me your appreciation by liking my videos and commenting!

Contact Sport

Many have criticized the cycling industry for marketing road cycling as a kind of "extreme sport". I can see many types of Mountain biking easily fitting into this label, even Cyclocross. Shit that is generally a hazard to your well being! Until recently I would have countered the notion of road cycling as an extreme sport, but I now realize, the cycling industry has it all wrong.

So extreme!

  The real extreme part of road cycling is urban cycling, which includes commuting. Aside from the occasional jostle, bumps, and the most unfortunate crashes, road cycling isn't as "extreme" as many X-game sports (and is rightly excluded). I always seem to unconsciously put far more intense music into my "Almost Hit Series"(videos showing my commuting in the streets) than my "Shut Up Legs Series" (videos of my group rides). The tamest urban cycling video I have is "Filters", but to be fair, it is a very sanitized video of my commute, showing the good times.

More like the fun times!

  So why is this? The simple answer is urban cycling produces some hairy situations because of all the variables thrown into the soup that is driving in Miami. Road cycling, in a group though, not so much, it is far more controlled, and there is a certain etiquette to maintain. What this means is, the music I select is more reflective of the video's feel. So sure the videos may be more entertaining, but every bad encounter with a driver may put my life at risk. It is a delicate tightrope I maintain between riding on the dangerous main streets ( which get me from A to B faster) and sticking to the side streets ( usually tacking on 15 to 20 minutes to my commute). I try to make these videos as a kind of awareness, keeping it interesting to viewers, but I fear it comes off as pursuant. We all love some dramatic encounters with others of our species...

Hardly....

As safe as I try to ride, it seems (regardless of my intentions) that bad drivers also seem to be the angriest ones, hell bent on raging if you try to confront them. I am not even sure if this is reaching a wide enough audience, and by the statements of MDPD's Chief, they seem to have more disdain than care for cyclist. I do not expect help and certainly not enforcement from them. 

It's not easy being a cyclist

There is no redemption out on these streets. Even with a camera and reports filed, there's no punishment for these drivers. I can just hope their License plates being broadcast for the world can give me some solace. In order of appearance, FCH-043, BRG-P58, BCT-Y28, ICW-562, and X50-4GG, if you see them, give them the only finger that matters, for me.

Come get some...

Happy Thanksgiving!

 Just wanted to wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving today. I hope everyone will be safe and merry, and will do their best to be courteous to retail workers (best if not even shopping honestly).

Every person that deprives a working class retail worker a holiday, are awful...

On That note I do have a couple of posts on the way, so keep that in mind. With Finals coming up and new semesters on the way, me and the editing team (The Misses) have been very busy trying to square away work and school whilst trying to keep this forum updated and relevant.

So punny!

 So two new posts are almost done, and will be released, on the soon side. Look forward to a great post about the trials and tribulations of commuting in Miami, and then another group ride! This last group ride with my friends at CycleWorld Miami, good people. Also another two Blog posts being edited, compiled, and written up as we speak, hooyah! 

So I would like to close with a very happy Thanksgiving to my baby sister out in California, I miss you, and I love you Prissy! Also a very Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends and family that I do not get to see as often as I would like. Of course happy Thanksgiving to all my readers and followers, thanks for all the support!

Anatomy of a Group ride, Part 2

The sequel!

The hardest part about a group ride is the ungodly hour. Let's be honest; waking up at 5 am to be out by 6 am so you can "warm up" (get your ass to the ride without a car) and then start the ride at 6:30 is a bit rough. It is the lord's day and, granted,  this year I have gone on more group rides than paid visit to his house, but still. 

Don't forget your water you used in a still life drawing!

When the ride gets going, you notice that many things in the cycling world are circular, cyclical, and chain-like, dare I say it.  As you are spinning the pedals, turning the wheels, you're following a paceline that cycles through riders. Everyone is taking a turn at the front, but only for a short time until he or she falls back. This creates a slipstream that the other riders draft at a high momentum. Since we can push harder in bursts then cycle back into the shelter of the group, the group (or peleton) travels much faster and can go really far, really hard.

Pace-line, also called a chain gang, get it?!

I was able to get in some good miles with the guys up in Broward. But, this time, I got to take a bit of a gander at the way they roll here in my hometown, Miami. The Broward riders are a bit more constant; the guys up there seem more interested in the miles than staging a mock race. The Cycleworld ride's pace gets pushed hard and there are even brake-aways that form. 

Broward Ride!

After taking a bit of time to tune and tweak my baby Phil Jamis, my bicycle (that video will be posted later), there was another Cycleworld  ride that I just managed today. Also, I am going to be taking a break from the series "Almost Hit." The whole project is very taxing and time consuming. Simply put: way too much material daily to sift through. I might return to it, but unless an accident or something really dramatic happens, I will only be posting the highlights and the worst of the worst.

Miami's turn! And more to come!

On that note, take care out there. If you find yourself driving around the South Miami area, you best look out for cyclists because you can lie and I can lie, but the camera never fibs. Until next time! Like, Subscribe and follow!!!!

See you space cowboy...

The South Beach South Point Park Pier

Not sure about this sign to be frank

  After a late night, (and later morning) I mustered
 "Phil" Jamis Ventura. Recently I had refreshed his bar tape, added a rear wheel (that matches its front), and a Shimano cassette and chain to match. I even threw in a pair of matching bottle cages, that I have been in need this whole awful, sticky, hot summer, and with that another Polar Bottle.

Mmmm, dat fresh cassette doh

On I ventured, unsure, scared, hell, even a little nervous without my GoPro, it's usual gift boost in confidence and sense of protection gone. I utilized my phone camera instead. Snapping and remembering to do my best to keep the thing handy.

or it is just a plastic brick in my hand...

I pushed off, away from the trappings, and safety of my home, and into the wild that is the Miami Beaches. More specifically, South Beach. With no particular plan, I headed into a general direction until I crested the famous Venetian Causeway, and spurned through Washington Ave, until I ended at the southernmost point of Miami Beach.

Muh boi propped up on dat der pier...

swanky view, of a plastic swanky city...

This is frowned upon in Miami Beach

There is a couple of videos and posts to look forward to. The next "Anatomy of a Group Ride", with more illustrations, and another video. Also I just completed my third group ride, this time, with the folks at Cycleworld Miami. So look for that post as well.

coming soon!

Make sure to check back for updates and to take a look at Rozik Apparel should you need a nice shirt or pants to commute in. As an added bonus, you use the promo code DIRTBAG and you get 20% off your entire purchase. Not bad if you ask me, until next time!

Anatomy of a Group Ride

When I ventured forth into my very first group ride, the first thing I learned was: this is fast. Not just "wow we are pushing," more like "holy shit we are hauling ass." And when the hammer dropped, it got hairy. 

too.... close....

The second thing I learned was: don't be afraid of grabbing the wheel and sitting in close. Real close. So close that you can scarcely believe you should be doing this and everything in your head is screaming for you to just get the hell away. For some reason, you don't and it feels good. "ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT COCAINE OR SOMETHING?"

No, its cycling...

The last thing I learned was: hand signals are the best and easiest means of communication. There are some moments when you can scream simple commands like left, right, or clear. But, with a deafening wind and the rush of drafting another cyclist, sometimes you will not get the message. 

No ears on this guy.

I will be the first to admit, I was as squirrely as it gets on my first group ride. I am thankful for my adopted riding mates from The Pembroke Cycle Ride for their patience. Their route usually starts a bit on the south side for Broward County, but I caught them on their turn around point close to Sawgrass and we went from there. The speed gradually crept up and, when we made the turn onto Florida State Road 84, the hammer dropped. Holding at around 21 mph, we quickly gained pace to 25 mph. This being my first group ride, I was struggling to keep in the draft and to overcome my fear of the rider's wheel ahead of me.

terrifying

Aside from the art, not to many OC images this time. So I'll just leave the video here. Let me know what you guys think, and make sure to subscribe and like! 

Window Service

  The thing about being a cyclist in Miami, is the never ending shitstorm, that is the drivers, in this city. I have even been so cynical, and bitter, that my friends are starting to worry. Well, shit, I guess it is high time I let these driver's know how I feel.  Even ran into a police officer, and well, he was just as ignorant.

My face when the Internal Affairs Department tells me I cannot complain about an officer's conduct, behind an advocacy group... "TravellingDirtbags", I would need to come in to the station myself and present the video... Sounds like a trap...

Well aside from the new video, I have a couple of other edits down the pipe, so stay tuned for that stuff. Also make sure to rate and subscribe to the video or even leave a comment if you liked it or even disliked it.

Not this time asshole...

A pleasurable ride to the beach without my GoPro! Oh the the ridiculousness and the fun! Look how wacky this sign is WOAHH!

Some of the most touristy crap we got here in Miami

This Asshole is in Your Lane

actually it is my lane by law, wank off!

 

After a long hiatus I am back to work, issues with my computer, as well as a stacked, and busy summer, have made for a difficult posting season. This Fall, I hope to change that and get back to regular updates, not to mention some planning of some tours. Also, I am moving to finally make those other posts of the Key West tour, and the Everglades tour, so look forward to that.

 

At the moment I am without my gopro, so no new video updates. I will be doing my best to post more pictures and get a bit more involved with the cycling community at large, getting a bit lonely doing the "Lone Wolf" cyclist stich.

 

I will never be this majestic

  

I have a couple of minor news, some of it is travesty. A bit disheartening when you get rear ended by a hit and run and your bike happens to be hanging off the back. More on that later.

 

Dat ruined front wheel doh...



 

  

 I picked a pretty lovely day to commute to work and after I ended up going to a friends house, who also wasn't home.
I figured while waiting I would explore Calle Ocho and see how close it was to the city and beach.

  If anyone is wondering, it is very close. enjoy the next couple of images of this magical journey.

American Airlines Arena!

The Julia Tuttle Causeway!

I feel so welcomed!

It is really hot!

 

                                                                    Stuck at a bridge with everyone else!

 

Awesome tourists!

a slug sticker!

 

it is so hot!

 

anyways, now it is about to monsoon!

 

If you guys are interested I did make one final video before I disappeared, I actually really like this one. So please let me know what I can do to improve and what are some things I missed, enjoy! So here is another addition to the "Almost Hit" series.

 

There is an interesting piece of road that always seems to slow traffic a considerable amount. I'm sure its just all the tourist heading into the mall.

 

And Florida sleeps soundly

 

Until next time make sure to head over to Rozik Wear and when you type in "dirtbag" into the promo box, you get an additional 20% off your entire order! I am not even sponsored by the company, but the gear is just so good, and made in the states, so check it out!