D E S I G N /// ck

I got to see some old friends from architecture school yesterday. They all came up to Knoxville for the Vol game last night and did the whole tailgating shindig all afternoon. I hadn't seen Courtney or Adam since graduation. It's funny- we're all gearing up to take our ARE (Architect Registration Exam) and comparing notes, just like we did in school. It felt good to know I'm not the only one sweating it out and wondering how I'll do.



Last night my family threw a birthday party for my brother Cameron back in Clarksburg. I really wish I could have been there. I got to talk with him on the phone a little last night and heard that he got a new bike to get around Morgantown. Bike communting rocks! It really does make sense for most of the little trips people make, usually in cars. So kudos to him for making the step. (Cameron, your present from us is on it's way! We hope you like it!)

I've been trying to bike commute more days of the week than I use the car. It takes a little more planning, but I really like it. Riding through morning traffic gets my adrenaline running and I don't need as much coffee when I get to the office. You just feel better from a little 15 minute workout at the start of the day. If more people rode their bikes to get around, more businesses would start locating in town instead of at strip malls, traffic would be reduced, there'd be less pollution, and there'd be less overweight people. I don't think our culture of "one car for every person over 16" will be sustainable with the growing global competition. People will always need cars for many things, but I think it will be more like our grandparents' generation- one car per household. Meanwhile the rest of us still need to get to work and run errands- so go get a bike.