We finally got the car's recalled parts replaced at Paddock on Friday. I went with (e:paul) to pick it up in their asphalt ocean in Kenmore.

When we went told them we were there to pick up the keys for our car. The desk clerk told us it was going to be $70 - wait what? It's a recall. When we called her out on it, she said "Oh, it must be our new computer system. Let me go check on this". What a scam.

We ended up paying $50 for a second key. Turns out we could have gotten one online for less than $10, and gotten it programmed and cut for another $10.

Another reason not to trust anyone involved with cars.

The city's comprehensive's bike plan meeting was last week. I was suprised, but glad with the turn out - it was a full house at the DIG space in the innovation center.

At first, the consultant outlined their methodology for coming up with the inital outline for Buffalo's bike future from the first meeting. They said they kept in their design in line with the best practice of bike infrastructure within 0.5miles of every Buffalonian. From there, they divided up bike infrastructure to classes on different locations, from serious riders on Delaware, to riders who only would ride on separated paths with no car traffic.

After this, the 100 or so people broke out into groups of 10 to come up with 3 priorities and critiques of the consultants plan. One thing a lot of people noticed is a focus on high traffic roads, especially in North Buffalo, when there are huge lane and a half lanes like Starin that could support protected bike lanes.

We also noticed the consultants neglected the east side - Bailey and many far east N-S routes were almost completely ignored, while the near and far west side were soaked in proposed bike routes. East-west routes were also named as a high priority - I can't think of a single good bike route that crossed Main right now. I will say, of the participants there, most were from the west side below Hertel.

The entirety of the plan is available at buffalobikeplan.org. There will be more plans in the spring - but in the mean time they are still welcoming feedback. Give it.

Bike highways are probably the only types of highways I can get behind. I was reading about a 100 km bike highway in Germany that's going to be built. The path is going to have priority at every crossing it meets, or a separated right of way if it's possible. It sounds amazing, I want to ride on it.

It also made me think of the Erie Canal trail that I've never taken before, from Buffalo to Glen Falls. (e:yesthatcasey), when are we going to ride this?


Also there is a city bike planning meeting down at GoBike's offices in the innovation center today at 6pm! So ride your ass down and get involved.

Are the streets are paved with chicken wings. Gross.

Last week I started my new full time job on the clinical IT team at Roswell - sad to not be working with Paul anymore, but it's freaking awesome that I am working at Roswell full time.

There's already so many interesting projects lined up. It sounds like even the projects are going to have more programming that I initially thought. I even am getting a Mac computer to work on - that's a first. And I get to keep the longer 4 days, half day Friday schedule.

Looks like the civil engineering books did come in handy

Fancy Cisco IP phone also - no second monitor yet though

Someone even left an early Valentine at my desk