I’ve heard said that there’s a poem about postal workers that lauds their tenacity to their mission. "Neither wind nor rain nor sleet nor snow… "

Last night some fifty, hearty members of Active Trans proved their tenacity to our mission despite the elements.  On bike, on foot, with transit, and (sparingly?) in cars, members converged at Weegee’s Lounge, a member-owned Logan Square watering hole, to meet each other.  Another member hooked us up with a great band.  Thank you Alex  for hosting and Cobalt and the Hired Guns for playing.

Since I spend a lot of my time encouraging people to pay their dues, I found last night’s celebration a refreshing change.  Making new friends and hearing others’ stories impressed on me that paying dues is a reflection of an individual’s commitment to shared values and her choice to act on them.  Last member mixer was a celebration of that choice.  It rocked.

Great news - HB 156, the School Safety Bill passed the House yesterday with only one no vote.  Now that things are rolling, be sure to check our legislative page for updates.

HB156 and SB 75 would give school districts more flexibility in their use of money that comes from speeding violations in school zones. Specifically, it would allow them use the funds for Sate Routes to School and School Safety Block Grant activities. 

Our next issue of ModeShift, hitting mailboxes in early March, will give you details on these bills and tips on how to be an advocate in your community every day.

I rode to downtown on the Trail at about 6:30 p.m. with heavy wet snow falling. The Trail was in good condition and the Oak Street Bend had some ice but there was pretty good path through that area.

On the way home at about 10:00 p.m. I didn't even try to take the trail as the streets had a coating of ice over them anyplace where cars had not been regularly driving. I'm certain that the Trail was covered with a coating of ice as well. The Park District should be out to salt early in the morning (usually around 6-6:30 a.m.) so that should help a lot. Please be careful, however, as the Trail may still be very slippery as well as side streets.

I've been thinking about food a lot lately.  People who know me know that I love to cook, love to watch cooking shows, love to go out to eat, and love to talk about it all.  I've been listening to foodie podcasts lately and a couple of podcasts have connected my love of food with my work -- transportation.  The first was a podcast from Good Food, a KCRW podcast that discussed the idea floating around to have the Obamas plant a "Victory Garden" at the White House.  They have more than 17 acres on the lawn that could easily be used to plant fruits and vegetables.  Imagine the presidential chefs going out to their garden to pick fresh vegetables and fruits for the latest banquet.  What a great message that would send.  Not to mention the reduction in carbon from reduced transportation.

The second podcast was from my favorite show, The Splendid Table.  The weekly show had been following people over the past year who were practicing a localvore diet.  They were required to get at least 80 percent of their diet from food grown and produced within 100 miles of their homes. 

Connecting the local food movement with transportation natural.  A board member of Active Trans recently hosted a cocktail party at his house to link the two and share his two favorite passions:  biking and eating local vegan fare. 

I've been a member of a Consumer Support Agriculture Farm (or CSA) for years. It is called Angelic Organics and my house is the drop-off site in Logan Square.  The farm is out near Rockford, less than 100 miles away.  My kids get to go out to farm every year and see where their food grows, meet the farmers, the fields, and learn about farming.  The food gets trucked to my neighborhood and neighbors come to my house to pick up a 3/4 bushel of fresh produce each week for 20 weeks during the summer and early fall.  Now if I can only get them all to bike with a bicycle trailer or walk to my house instead of driving, it would be something...

Are you interested in hosting your own Foodie/Transportation party at your house or apartment?  We'll work with you design it and come out to talk about our work.  If you are interested, contact Arline Welty here.

Dang, now I'm hungry.