Berkeley based Clif Bar recently unveiled their new mobile tour bus–a retrofitted, biodieseled, bike hauling interactive exhibit–dedicated to inspiring folks to take the 2 mile challenge. The 2 Mile Challenge urges visitors to commit to bikeride rather than cardrive whenever possible, and within your 2 mile radius.

Apparently, about 40% of auto trips happen within 2 miles of one’s home–trips to the grocery store, to the launderette, to a restaurant or to the gym–and 90% of those are traditionally driven (here in the U.S.). What better way to make a dent in carbon emissions, get exercise, spend time outside, meet others? Than to ride your bike? And what better bike to ride to the grocery store than your Xtracycle? Obviously, we’re preaching to the choir here.

Take the 2 mile challenge yourself online at: http://www.2milechallenge.com
This site includes a sweet Google maps program that identifies your 2-mile radius and helps you pick what kind of things you want to find there (your friend’s house, restaurants, car dealerships [gotta sell it somewhere!]).

I’m trying to decide how to spin this, because it was partly one of those inspiring loads that makes me feel “hell yeah, that’s why I ride an Xtracycle” and partly I just felt stupid.

The plastic company I use for the polycarbonate in the Down Low Glow had my home address on their file for my shipping address. So there I was with eight feet of polycarbonate tubing, well more like 160 feet, actually, that I had to get to the Rock the Bike workshop across the Bay in Berkeley. A few months ago I would have borrowed my girlfriend’s car. But, umm, I can’t do that anymore. And I need to work with that tubing tomorrow. Hence the Xtracycle.

At first I felt pretty badass. I stuck my messenger bag in the front of the freeloader to separate the box from my pedal stroke, since I didn’t have a longloader handy. I loaded the tubing quick enough. I felt good enough about the whole affair to stop and snap a picture.

Then I realized the tire was flat. And it was getting towards 4:30PM. Which means I wouldn’t be able to get on BART if I patched the thing. So I threw on a wheel from another bike, which worked well enough.

BART was tricky. I used the escalators and rolled into the last car. People weren’t stressed about the wierd bike, but I could tell they were having to think a little harder to get to their seats. At the West Oakland platform I decided to get off. There was no down escalator, so I slid the bike down the stairs, Travois style, on the tubing.

The worst part of the whole thing was that it has happened before! It’s just that before, I had that car as a backup, so I didn’t even take the time to call my salesman at the Plastic Company and get it sorted out. That’s car culture for you!