Bicycles and Creativity

One of the first things I did after I got to Oakland was bicycle over to the Pedalfest with my friend Jim. (That’s Jim trying out the double-decker bicycle, which was difficult to get on, but easy to ride, according to him.)

Pedalfest is a yearly event put on by the East Bay Bicycle Coalition, an organization devoted to making — and keeping — Oakland and the rest of the East Bay bike-able.

In many ways, it was your typical urban festival — two music stages, food stands, various vendors hawking...