Chinese Dragon Tattos

The History of The Dragons and why Dragon Tattoos Are So Popular
By Becky McClure

According to the Webster-Merriam Dictionary, the word dragon is Middle English, from Anglo-French dragun, from Latin dracon.



The definition of dragon is:

• A mythical animal usually represented as a monstrous winged and scaly serpent with a crested head and enormous claws.

• Or someone who is formidable

The many depictions of dragons are incredibly diverse and complex. No other creature in mythology has appeared in so many cultures from such remote parts of the world!

Many of us think of dragons as a terrifying beast. However, the Eastern dragons are portrayed as good, kind, ancient and intelligent. The Asian Dragons have the most recorded history in the world, especially in China going back thousands of years.



The Difference between the Eastern Dragons:

Chinese dragons have all five toes. The Chinese believe that all dragons began from China. They believed that as the dragons flew south, they began to lose their toes. The farther the dragons flew, the more toes they lost. So, Korean dragons have four toes, and Japanese dragons have three.

Korean dragons have four toes. The Koreans believe that when the dragons leave Korea and go north to China, they begin to gain toes. When the dragons leave Korea and go north to Japan, they begin to lose toes.



Japanese dragons have three toes. The Japanese though all dragons originated from Japan. They also believed that when the dragons leave Japan and head north, they gain toes. The farther the dragons went, the more toes they gained. This is why the other dragons have more toes. The Japanese believed the breath of dragons could turn into clouds, which could produce rain.

But here's the kicker, unlike most types of dragon, most of the Eastern Dragons have no wings!

The Western Dragon

The Western dragons or medieval dragons have a more ferocious and primitive appearance. They often look like giant lizards with long tails and a pair of wings. While the dragons are thought of as calculating and thoughtful monsters, they have also been viewed as mindless beasts. We think of dragons as having talons, fangs, breathing fire, scaly skins, and red eyes in our drawings and paintings. The Western Dragons were also known to have huge hoards of gold and jewels hidden in their lairs.

Early Christianity condemned the ancient, benevolent and malevolent serpent deities. As a matter of fact, in Christian art, the dragon is a symbol of the pagan religion and was often drawn as overpowered by the spirit of the holy figures of Christianity.

The Vikings had figures of dragons on the prow of their boats. The dragons on the ships were believed to bestow sharp eyesight and craftiness to the Viking warriors. The Welsh flag has a red dragon on it and the dragon is their national symbol.

Why are Dragon Tattoos so popular today?

Dragons are a classic choice for a tattoo design and they are one of the more popular mythological creatures picked for inking.



Dragons are depicted as powerful, wise and free. Their legend is always cloaked in magic and mythical realm. They come from the tops of sacred Japanese mountains and the bottom of the deepest seas around Greece.

Dragons have been drawn in a wide variety of forms because of their popular appeal. Today's tattoo designers have taken the art of the dragon to amazing new levels. Whether you want a traditional dragon tattoo or one with a cutting-edge, modern look you will find an incredible gallery of amazing images to choose from.



Tattoo artists have paid extra attention to creating images of dragons because they look great on the skin. They can be in color, or black & white. Dragon tattoos can wrap around the body and flatter the contours of the body. Dragon tattoos can be designed as tribal, Celtic or jade designs. The dragon tattoo may appear with wings or fire breathing or not.

Ancient Dragon lore and illustrations have inspired many of us to select a dragon tattoo because that design represents how we feel about ourselves -- powerful, ferocious, and free...

Chinese Dragon Tattoos

Chinese and Japanese Tribal Dragon Tattoos
By Bernice Eker

Dragon tattoos are one of the most popular designs all over the world. It can go in any category, whether abstraction, naturalistic, dedication, stylized or combination tattoos.



Throughout history, dragon tattoos have never been out of fashion and had been used as a symbol in some parts of the world. It can be drawn as menacing or regal depending on your choice of design.

Dragon tattoos come in two popular forms: the Chinese or Japanese dragon of the east with its long, snake-like body and the European dragon of the west with its powerful wings and long neck. The European dragon usually symbolizes power and fear, a depiction of evil where as the Chinese dragon usually symbolizes unity and conformity, a depiction of good.



You can find many different designs of dragon tattoos in different forms and colors. Some of these dragon designs have additional background scenery where they are depicted flying in the clouds, swimming in the ocean, crawling on top of mountains or ravaging small villages. But the most common depiction of a dragon is being done as tribal dragon tattoos due to both its simplicity (the majority color being in either black or gray with the additional color to highlight the dragon) and its complexity.



Most often, the eastern dragons are the ones being used as a basis for the designs for the tribal dragon tattoos. Chinese and Japanese designs are the ones most common to be created into tattoos. Both have similar features: long, snake-like body, wingless and have horns. The only difference between these two dragons is their claws. Japanese dragons have only three claws where as the Chinese dragons have five. Their long, wingless bodies are less complicated to draw and since tribal tattoos are mostly being done in one color (two at the most), the outcome of these dragon are more elegant looking and sophisticated.



Though, some in today's society, eastern dragons that are being created into tribal dragon tattoos is being depicted as a symbol of fear and power; a contrast to the real symbolism of the eastern dragons.

Some people today would ask for a tribal dragon tattoo when they want to look tough or powerful. They would look for the best dragon design and ask to have it done. But there are still those who see the eastern dragon as a symbol of wisdom and would ask for a dragon as a sign of respect. And still, others would just like a tribal dragon tattoo because the artistry is very well made and it looks good in the body.



The most common place to find a tribal dragon would be on the whole arm length or at the back.

There are still some parts of the world where dragon tattoos are still used as a symbol in society. Whether they are being used as a status symbol in an organization or a clan, they are a mark of respect and power to the people who still value them.

Chinese Dragon Tattoo Pictures

Tree Tattoo Pictures
By R. Dercks

Tree tattoo pictures are not very common. Are they? Not many people will be having tree tattoos. Have you wondered why it is so? That is because trees have a great significance in many Asian and African cultures. It also has links with Celtic history. The meaning of tree tattoo pictures is linked with all these cultures and the impact and significance is so strong that many people prefer not to get it.



Now if you are thinking that you see so many girls with different flower tattoos like roses, daisy, lily, sunflower and leaves like shamrock and others. Are they not tree tattoo pictures? NO! They are not. They are flower tattoos. I am talking about a tree as in whole.



So here are some popular tree tattoo pictures for you!



The most popular one is the cherry tree tattoo pictures. This female-only tattoo is a symbol of sexuality and beauty but not in literal terms. This tattoo gets its meaning from the Japanese cherry blossom which is a symbol of life which is short and beautiful and Chinese cherry blossom which means power. Both these are close to beauty of a woman which is her power and is also short lived. However there is this not so popular tattoo of cherry tree with falling cherry. It means that a girl has lost her innocence and Beauty just as a cherry fallen from a tree loses its beauty and juice. So many girls avoid it fearing it might convey wrong message.



Then there is the Bodhi tree; A tree under which Buddha sat for years and meditated. He finally got his enlightenment under this tree. People who firmly believe in the teachings of Buddha have Bodhi tree tattoo pictures. Very few in today's world who firmly believes and follows his teachings may get one!!



Then there is the acorn which grows to mighty oak tree. Acorn has so many different meanings in different cultures. It varies from strength to fertility. Even in tattoo pictures it differs in the way it's drawn. Then there are other trees as well.

Chinese Dragon Tattoo Pics

Chinese Tattoos Symbols, Designs, Ideas And Themes
By Chris Ryerson
Recently there's been a huge rise in the field of tattooing. With popular TV shows like Miami Heat in LA Inc. being broadcast on national TV more and more people are getting tattoos. Of particular fascination to many are Chinese tattoo symbols and designs. The art of tattooing in China actually dates back much farther then its western counterpart. In the West until he didn't come into fashion until very late in the 20th century and mainly in the early 21st century. However, the art of tattooing has a long history in many Asian cultures including China, Japan, and even Thailand just to name a few. What is ironic about this is typically tattoos are used in many of the Asian cultures to mark criminals and other social deviants.



Regardless of the past Chinese tattoo symbols have been widely adopted into the western tattoo lexicon. The mystique and foreignness of an Asian tattoo and the beauty of Chinese and Japanese writing have really sparked a lot of interest among western tattoo enthusiasts. There are many beautiful Chinese designs of themselves well to the art of tattooing. However in much of Asia since tattooing was done in criminals and social deviants many of the designs are very large and often full body pieces especially in Japan.



These often are very expensive designs and take many hours in a tattoo shop this is led many western tattoo enthusiasts to opt for Chinese symbols. The beautiful script used in China lends itself well to creating a mysterious and ancient looking tattoo that is not easily discernible by the average Westerner.



The most common Chinese tattoo symbols that are sought after are often representative of important values. For example a simple word that represents themes like love, strength, or power. Another common theme among western tattoo enthusiasts is to seek a translation of something important in the Chinese. For example it's very common for men and women alike to get the names of their children translated into Chinese and the tech to them on their shoulders arms or back.



For those wishing to embellish their tattoo their many smaller themes designs they can easily accompany Chinese Japanese writing a script. For example, men will getting Tiger, lion, or dragon to accompany their design. Women tend to opt for a more delicate designs such as the cherry blossom, yin yang symbol, or a koi fish design.



There are a wide variety of very beautiful tattoo designs throughout Asian cultures. Anyone considering getting a Chinese or Japanese tattoo would be well advised to check their overall design especially the writing with a native speaker of the language. Their many incidents where a person is purchased a flash tattoo at a local tattoo shop thinking that it meant one thing later find out that that's a totally different.

Chinese Dragon Tattoo Meaning

Koi Fish Tattoos - Meanings
By Chris P Marks

The image of the koi fish is often used in tattoo designs not just because of its obvious elegance and vibrant colors, but more because of the symbolism surrounding it.



"Koi" is simply "carp" in Japanese, but the expensive fish that we are all familiar with are carp that have been especially bred since ancient times in China. This special breeding has produced the multi-colored varieties of koi fish that people now collect.

Koi are vigorous fish that can swim upstream. An old Chinese legend tells of koi brave enough to swim up the waterfalls of the Yellow River, and that any fish that could reach the point in the river called "Dragon Gate" would turn into a dragon.



While the fish originated from China, it is the Japanese who have made it a household name. The koi is a celebrated symbol in Japan-mostly associated with exceptional courage. It is said that this fish, if caught and placed on a cutting board, can lie still and wait for the knife to drop-without a quiver. That it can remain stoic in the face of imminent death is a quality likened to the samurai warrior's unflinching courage to face the sword.



Generally, koi fish tattoos' meanings include strength of character and the temerity to face adversity and seemingly impossible odds. With regard to the Chinese "Dragon Gate" legend, koi fish are also seen as symbols of high aspiration and accomplishment. Koi are also referred to as "living jewels," and so are likewise associated with luck and good fortune. The image of five golden koi are said to mean "eternal wealth" and well being.

Still another interpretation of the koi's ability to swim upstream is "non-conformity." It is an advisable tattoo motif for people who put great importance to being an independent thinker.



Koi fish tattoos' meanings can vary for different people. Others also believe that the meaning of the koi tattoo design differ depending on the placement, colors and position of the fish, as well as other aspects of the design. Of course, the ultimate meaning of any tattoo would always be unique and personal for the person who has it.



Because koi are beautifully patched fish, it is best to have a koi tattoo design that has any of its natural combinations of the colors gold, white, yellow, red, and black.

Pat's Bicycle Life

I love this image that my friend Jonas put this image together for me (thanks, Jonas!). Now that I've got a bike stand (borrowed from my friend, Mike), I feel more fully engaged in the bicycle life than ever.

Reframing our personal map

Without a car, we've started to realize that our personal landscape has shifted in scale and scope. For obvious reasons, we no longer go to grocery stores 7 miles away (yes, I do miss weekly visits to Russo's). It makes a lot more sense to hit the local Trader Joe's and Stop & Shop with the bike and trailer.

I've also noticed that having a car allowed us to be complacent about the professional services we receive. When we first moved to Boston in 2000, it took a while to find a pediatric dentist. My son has some special needs that made finding the right dentist pretty important. Even though we lived in Roxbury, we ended up going to a dentist in Cambridge. Even after we moved to Brookline, we kept going to Cambridge. But we had a car, so it could work. Even though we could have looked for someone closer, we never took the trouble. It's a hassle to change your dentist, doctor, vet, hairdresser. It's much easier to stay in the same routine. But going to professionals outside your neighborhood comes at a cost--there is an environmental impact of the travel, it eats up extra time from your life, and your money supports an office and workers in a town that's not your own.

A couple weeks ago, I had to take the kids to the dentist for checkups. But the appointment was too close to the end of school to effectively get there by bus, so I ended up renting a zipcar. With traffic, it took us almost an hour to get there (it's about 4 miles from home). Going to the dentist ended up consuming three hours and cost $30 in car rental fees. When I had our own car, I wouldn't have noticed the cost (though it was still costing me), and I would have ignored the time spent.

I've since found a new dentist for the kids, one that we can walk or bike to. And all it took was a couple e-mails to other parents at my son's school, and a phone call to the dental offices. I should have made the change years ago, but the convenience of the car allowed the situation to continue (even though it actually was less convenient).

(It turns out that our old dentist is retiring anyway, so we wouldn't have gotten to see him much anymore anyway.)

More and more, we're rethinking how we're accessing life around us and bringing it back closer to home.

Chinese Dragon Tattoo Gallery

About Chinese Dragon Tattoo - What Most People Don't Know But Should
By Fanyun Ding

Chinese dragon is a mythical divine beast originated from ancient Chinese folklores. It is now commonly depicted as a huge, serpentine, and scaled creature. Unlike "western dragon" that has been described as evil, Chinese dragon has long been symbolized as the power of auspice both in folklore and art. Created on the land of an agriculture-oriented country, Chinese dragon is believed to bring rain and water, which well explains the position it takes in Chinese culture.

For centuries, Chinese people proudly refer to themselves as "Long De Chuan Ren", or "Descendants of the Dragon". This ethnic identity is believed to originate from Huang Di, a benevolent, legendary emperor who was said to have been immortalized into a dragon. Since Huang Di is considered to be the ancestor of Chinese, hence the saying "Descendants of the Dragon".

Due to that Huang Di myth, Chinese dragon is also symbolized as an imperial power. For dynasties, emperors were referred to as "Long Zi" or "offspring of the dragon", who wore imperial robes with dragons drawn on and claimed to have a dragon birthmark as a divine authorization by heaven.

Chinese dragon is also among the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, a special Chinese way of designating years. To be more specific, year 2000,1988,1976,1964,1952 or any year with a 12-year gap between would be year of the dragon. In order to be "like a dragon", there are more babies born in the years of dragon than in any other animal years of the Chinese Zodiac.

Given all the foresaid reasons, it is not hard to understand why Chinese dragon is so popular among tattoo lovers. In fact, if you happen to be born in those dragon years, it's much recommended that you get a dragon tattoo because you are born blessed to be connected with Chinese dragon.

Basically, Chinese dragon is being tattooed in two forms: picture and character. Some prefer to have their whole back area tattooed with a vivid picture of dragon, while others may be satisfied with the Chinese character of "dragon" tattooed within a one-inch square of area. For dragon picture tattoos, a careful selection of the picture as well as the tattoo artist would be enough to ensure a quality dragon tattoo. For dragon character tattoos, however, it takes efforts to find a great tattoo idea, since you have to take many factors into consideration, including the literal meaning, the "actual" meaning, and the "cultural meaning" of the word that you select. Well, that's just the tricky thing of Chinese.

Fortunately, there are many Chinese phrases that associate with the idea of Chinese dragon. Followings are three dragon-related Chinese idioms for your reference.

Shen Long Ma Zhuang/ Long Shen Ma Zhuang

strong and energetic with an impressive bearing.

Both Shen Long Ma Zhuang and Long Shen Ma Zhuang are legitimate as an idiom, as in many cases Chinese characters can be reversed in words yet remain a similar meaning, just like this one.

Literally speaking, Shen means "magical, with divine power", Long means "dragon", Ma means "horse" and Zhuang means "strong". In Chinese culture, horse is considered intelligent, powerful and friendly to human, which therefore is used together with dragon in this idiom to describe the state of being strong and energetic.

By the way, Shen would be quite a nice character to ink alone, which could also mean "Almighty".

Ru Long Si Hu: valiant and energetic

Both Ru and Si means "like" in Chinese, so this idiom literally means "like a dragon like a tiger". Traditionally, Hu(tiger) and Long(dragon) are used together in phrases, idioms, and sayings to display a status of being strong, in power, and dominant. Needless to say, this idiom would be definitely fit for males since it's full of strength and masculinity.

What's worth noting, however, is that Long usually appears before Hu in expression, and it would seem weird when reversed. That being said, it would be a great idea to add Hu to your tattoo if your former choice was to ink Long alone, yet the right way to do this would be to ink "Long Hu", not "Hu Long".

Huo Long Xian Jian: strong and vigorous

Literally speaking, Huo means "alive", Long means "dragon", Xian means "fresh", and Jian means "healthy". When combined together, they form a unique Chinese idiom, one with a new and congruent meaning. Great literal meaning, great actual meaning, and great cultural meaning, this one is definitely fit for tattooing.

These dragon-related Chinese idioms are the literary and cultural embodiment of dragon and they truly live up to the standards of a unique and smart Chinese tattoo. It will be so amazing if you find one that best fits your personality. A Chinese tattoo dragon can be much more than an ink, but a special identity that helps you stand out of the crowd.

Chinese Dragon Tattoo Flash

Chinese Tattoos - Meaning of Chinese Dragon Tattoos
By Declan O Reilly

Chinese Tattoos have always been hugely popular. At one stage they were the realm of criminals and the mafia. Now it seems even Hollywood celebrities sedm to have caught on to the mystery and allure of the Far East. While it is undeniable that classic Chinese tattoos have an attraction which can easily be appreciated regardless of whether one can understand the often subtle meanings or not.



Aesthetics should be the primary consideration when getting tattooed, and Chinese characters are very well suited to this purpose. While tattoos have always been conversation pieces, Chinese tattoos add another element, since the typical viewer will probably ask you the meaning, which allows the wearer to not only translate the characters, but to explain the story behind the decision to make such a lasting statement.

Meaning is an important question however and for this reason can make Chinese tattoos date very quickly. Often it is not quite what the wearer was told by the tattooist at the tattoo shop or the meaning can become irrelevant after a few years.



Hopefully the person being tattooed has done his or her research and consulted with a native Chinese speaker about the meaning before being inked. Some non Chinese speakers have unwittingly tattooed their bodies with Chinese symbols which when translated become meaningless.

The most common Chinese tattoos are ones that are supposed to represent ideas and qualities like love or strength. Keep in mind that the concepts are aimed at English speakers, and on that level "peace, love and happiness" are easily understandable.



But before you run off to the studio to get one done you should do your research. Selecting a Chinese tattoos deserves careful study and attention. It should have less to do with style and more to do with your character, work, and values. It's permanent, so it's a pretty important decision in your life. In the end, it is important to choose something of lasting appeal not something faddish.



Chinese Dragons

For centuries, the Chinese dragon has been a symbol of power and mystery. Depicted hn countless legends, both Eastern and Western, the dragon has provoked man to fear and worship it. In medieval Europe, it was a bloodthirsty, fire-breathing figure. Its malevolence and ferociousness struck terror in all. However, in Asia, it is the contrary. The mighty dragon is a mythical beast long celebrated for its benevolence, intelligence and good will. The Chinese dragon has been a common symbol of identity for Far Eastern cultures.



In fact, Chinese people all over the world are affectionately known as “lung de chuan ren”, or the "descendants of the dragon”. There are several distinct species of Chinese dragons. The Horned Dragon is considered to be the mightiest. The Celestial Dragon supports the heavens and protects the Gods. The Earth Dragon rules all of the earth. The Spiritual Dragon controls the wind and rain. The Treasure Dragon is the keeper of precious metals and gems. The Winged Dragon is the only dragon with wings. The Coiling Dragon dwells in the ocean. The Yellow Dragon is a hornless dragon known for its scholarly knowledge.

Chinese Dragon Tattoo Designs

Chinese Dragon Tattoo Designs and Meanings
By Graeme Wheeler

It is believed that the mythical creature developed its appearance from the totem poles of many different tribes in China. As the tribes merged, the different attributes of the dragon's appearance took shape. The Chinese dragon is believed to have evolved over time to incorporate the features of 9 animals to become the mythical creature it is today. These features include the:



• Horns of a deer

• Head of a camel

• Eyes of a demon

• Neck of a snake

• Stomach of a clam

• Scales of a carp fish

• Claws of an eagle

• Soles of a tiger

• Ears of a cow



Combine these features together and you have the Chinese Dragon, a very popular tattoo design over the ages and evermore so now.

It is common for many oriental pictures of the Chinese dragon to show a pearl or thunder-ball under its chin - representing good luck and wisdom. Some pictures also show Chinese dragons with bat wings, although dragons are able to fly without wings.



Chinese Dragon Tattoo Meanings

The Chinese dragon tattoo is centuries old which adds to its appeal and mystic. It is a symbol of mystery and power, wisdom and good will. These dragons are considered good luck and are linked heavily with the number nine, as there are nine sections to the dragon. Qualities include loyalty courage and strength.

The Chinese Dragon is a divine mythical creature that warded off bad spirits. They have a strong link with authority in China. The Chinese proclaim themselves "Long De Chuan Ren" or descendents of the dragon because when the first Emperor Huang Di died, (considered by the Chinese as their ancestor) legend has it that he turned into a dragon and rose to heaven. This lead to the Chinese dragon becoming a symbol of imperial authority and power. The five toed Chinese dragon was reserved for the emperor alone. Peasants wearing such a symbol would be put to death.



These creatures have 117 scales, 81 of these scales are yang (positive) and 36 are yin (negative), so the dragon is yang creature.

The legend states that dragons originated in China and spread throughout the region, getting as far as Japan. The Chinese dragons have five toes, the Korean dragons have four toes and as you get further away, such as Japan, the dragons have three toes. It was not possible for dragons to go any further than Japan and lose any more toes.

Chinese dragons are believed to have a controlling force over water, such as seas, rivers waterfalls and the like. Water spouts are associated with dragons rising. When droughts or floods occur, it was common for sacrifices to be offered to the dragons to appease them. Legend has it that dragons have the ability to burst clouds and bring down the rain. If they are angry, they can cause floods.

The beauty of the design, combined with the stunning red, black and green colors make the Chinese Dragon tattoo design very popular.



Did you know that one out of every five people regret their tattoo design, according to a recent Harris Poll. If you are thinking of getting a tattoo, don't make these common mistakes - with this free tattoo guide and a review of the top online tattoo galleries.

Patience with cats and rain

Patience is the name of the bike trailer that we're using, and she continues to be remarkably useful and sturdy.

On Friday, I had to take our cat, Tycho, to the vets for tests and shots. Turns out the cat carrier fits perfectly into the trailer. I was worried that the ride would be too bumpy, so I lined the bottom with plenty of towels. But with the pneumatic tires, it's really not that bad. I also worried whether the cat would freak out at being in the trailer. Whenever we go for a ride in the car, he yowls and meows and lets me know that riding in a car is a weird, unpleasant experience.

Oddly, he didn't seem to mind riding in the trailer at all. He made one small meow at me, and that was about it. My theory for this is that riding in a car is an intensely strange experience for a cat--the air is still, so it seems like we must be inside a house, but yet there's a sensation of movement. In the trailer, it was clear that we were outside. He could feel the air moving, and he could see me right in front of him. He could hear the sounds of the world. He didn't seem to mind it at all. (And, for the record, it's a pretty short ride.)


Yesterday, I put Patience to the test in the rain. It was pouring out all day long, and I'd agreed to a handyman job out in Newton, 6.2 miles from our house (each way). I wanted to keep the job, and I thought I'd give the trailer and my rain gear a good workout.

It certainly got it. I loaded the trailer with my toolbox and other tools, probably 20-30 pounds of tools, and hit the streets. Remnants of hurricane Ida cascaded from the clouds. Autumn leaves blocked many of the storm drains along the route, making huge puddles and swiftly flowing streams covering the roads. Luckily, traffic was light. Still, I made sure I had all my lights and flashers going so I could be easily spotted.

I didn't mind riding in the rain. My jacket and rain pants kept me pretty dry, and my baseball cap under my helmet kept most of the rain off my glasses, so I could still see. Pulling the cart through the water and up the hills was a pretty serious workout, but within my abilities (funny how you tend to gloss over the hills when you drive a car, but I can tell you that between Cleveland Circle and Newton Center, Beacon Street goes up and down a big-ass hill).

I got to the job with my feet soaking wet, but otherwise dry underneath my gear. And the trailer kept my tools completely dry. Unfortunately, I got a little lost just as I was approaching my destination. I'd printed out a google map of the area, and it lasted just long enough to get me unlost before the rain dissolved it into a soggy clump. Getting lost in the pouring rain on your bike is not a happy feeling.

The rain came down even harder on the way home, and the front seam of the jacket leaked a bit onto my shirt, but the pants were great. I need to find some better waterproof shoes for riding at some point.

It was a good adventure, though I confess that I was awfully tired and wiped out when I got home and had to take a little nap in the afternoon.

The temperature was in the mid 50s, so the ride was surprisingly fine. I expected to be cold and miserable, but I didn't mind riding in the rain at all. (Tracy might just say that shows that I'm a little nuts.) The trailer handled beautifully in the rain--I'm really getting used to hauling it around. We'll see how it goes in the wintertime when it gets old out.

One more quote from No Impact Man

In No Impact Man, Colin Beavan wrestles with the question of whether individual action has any significance in our current ecological struggles. His answer is both yes and no. He writes:

I'm not sure that reducing individual resource use is the entire way forward. At the root, religious philosophies say to do less harm, yes, but they also say do more good. There is a limit to how much less harm I can do. But my potential for good is unlimited. All of our potentials for good are unlimited.

The question becomes not whether we use resources but what we use them for. Do we use them to improve lives? Or do we waste them? My life itself is a resource. How shall I use it?

I agree with Colin that it will take both individual and collective action to effect that need to occur. Us giving up our car is certainly a tiny drop in the bucket, but it does have an impact, and it also increases the awareness of the people around us (and ourselves), and that can ripple outward in a powerful way.

a few thoughts from No Impact Man

I'm currently reading and very much enjoying Colin Beavan's book, No Impact Man. Tracy and I were fans of his blog, even before the book and the movie came out

In his section on reducing carbon footprint and on stopping using fossil-fuel based transportation, Beavan offers these interesting statistics about cars and America:

• American adults average 72 minutes per day behind the wheel of a car (twice as much as the average American father spends with his kids).
• 17 percent of the average American's income goes toward the costs of owning and running a car.
• Americans spend the equivalent of 105 million weeks of time sitting in traffic jams.
• People who ride bikes or walk to work are 24 percent more likely to be happy with their commute than those who drive cars.

I think we'd qualify for being pretty happy with our commutes right now. And we're on our way to cutting expenses, though we've been doing a bit of investment in our bike infrastructure lately.

It's a very thoughtful book, much more than just an attention-grabbing stunt.

Bike Trailer

At our 200 Foot Garden work day last weekend, I happened to mention to our neighbor, Alexis, that I'd been thinking about getting a trailer to use with our bikes. It would make getting groceries and supplies (including garden supplies) a lot easier. "Oh," she said, "We have one you could use. We haven't had it out for a while."

After a tiny bit more conversation, we worked it out and they dropped it off on our doorstep yesterday, just in time for our weekly grocery run. This particular trailer is from Bike Friday, and is a BicycleR Evolutions "Shopper" Trailer and is basically a large 24 gallon Rubbermaid container bolted to a frame with wheels.

The hitch hooked up to my bike with no problem, and once it was on, it was smooth riding. Supposedly it can hold up to 100 pounds, which would make it very helpful for getting pet and garden supplies. I gave it a ride to Stop & Shop and came home with 68 pounds of groceries (including a 20 lb can of kitty litter). When empty, it drove with no problem whatsoever--I hardly even knew it was behind me. The universal joint on the hitch rotates in all directions, so it doesn't exert any unusual force on the back wheel.

On the way home, fully loaded, it still pulled smoothly, though with almost 7o pounds in the trunk (plus 17 lbs for the trailer), I definitely knew it was there. I'm used to riding with a lot of weight in my basket and backpack, but this was a different experience. With the basket and backpack, the weight is a lot more uneven and the balance is thrown off a bit on the bike. With the trailer, the balance stays the same, but I just had to get used to this pull from behind me--uphill was a bit more work, and downhill required a little vigilance to modify the extra momentum. Keeping up a steady pace makes the ride a lot more pleasant, so you just have to shift your gears a lot more actively and consciously.

Overall, pulling the trailer is a little more work for the legs, but clearly much easier on the body overall, and definitely a lot simpler to handle loads with volume, extra weight, or large objects. I couldn't have carried this whole load home with just my side basket and backpack.

One of the coolest parts of this particular trailer is how easily it can be stored. We can just stick it on its end in our bike room, and you hardly know it's there (it's very lightweight), which is a big plus because the small bike room in our condo building sometimes has as many as 11 bikes in it.

It was also just fun to pull the trailer--it make me feel like a serious biker. I'm looking forward to many more trips with it behind me.

Cats Saved from Starvation

Well, no, they weren't really in danger of starving. But our old cat (18 years old) has been on a special prescription diet for years that seems to keep him pretty healthy and we were almost out of food. The problem is that the store where we used to buy cat food is more than 7 miles away, which is a pretty far bike ride to carry a 20 lb bag of (very expensive) cat food. One option was to get a Zipcar, but that just meant that the price would climb even higher. The problem was we couldn't find our original prescription, and the local vet within walking distance required a checkup (minimum $70) before they'd let us buy the food from them.

The good news was that we'd paid a visit to Angell Memorial Animal Hospital with this cat years ago, but we were still in the system, so we could buy the food from them. And they're only about a mile away. It turns out that my bike basket and back rack (with the help of a few bungee cords) are capable of carrying a 20 lb bag of cat food. (Though I very much want a bike trailer. It looks like we might be able to borrow one from a friend)

And guess what, Angell even charged $1 less than our old place--we should have checked and changed a long time ago. But when you have a car, it's easy to just keep old habits in place, because the costs to your wallet and the environment are not so readily apparent. With the car gone, we have to reevaluate all our old pathways and habits.

Realities of car sharing and car rental

(by Tracy)

Not having a car has been going very, very well for us. It seems normal to walk, ride the bikes, or take the T to where we need to go. Every once in a while, about 2 - 3 times/month we've needed a car and we fill that need with either Zipcar or a regular rental.

There are some annoying things about rentals though, that take some getting used to. For Zipcar, the annoying thing is that your rental is limited to 180 miles total for your rental period. If you rent a car for a day, it is really, really easy to go past 180 miles. If you go over you have to pay by the mile - like $.45 per.

For the regular car rental you are subject to the laws of supply and demand. If you want to rent a car on a holiday weekend (say.... Thanksgiving), you are subject to much higher rates. The best rate we could find for the upcoming holiday for a 4-day rental was $343. Normally that would cost us about $160.

Oh well. Now that we know, we can start planning a little better.

Boston Bike Film Fest this weekend

Turns out there's a Boston Bike Film Festival going on this weekend, tonight and tomorrow night at the Brattle Theatre in Harvard Square, from 7-11pm, both nights. I don't think we can go, but it sounds like fun--they're screening lots of short films about cycling and cycling life/culture. If you end up attending, let me know how it turns out.

Boston Halloween Bike Ride

If you're looking to do something fun on Halloween that combines costumes and bikes, check out the Halloween Bike Ride, which meets up at 8pm on October 31st at the Green Street T Station (Orange line) in JP. It's free and should be lots of fun for riders of all ages.

The ride was started in 2000. The slow-paced ride covers about 18 miles as it meanders from the Green Street T Station in Jamaica Plain to Kenmore Square, Coolidge Corner, Harvard Square, Central Square, Inman Square, Copley Plaza, and back to Jamaica Plain. The route changes slightly from year to year, and may change on the night of the ride based on road conditions, and sometimes the whim of the Ride Leader. The ride is friendly, open to all, and a great way to spend Halloween Night!

http://www.halloweenbikeride.net/

Article in NY Times about people making car choices

Our friend Ryan pointed out a great article in the NY Times about people reconsidering owning cars: http://tinyurl.com/ygdbnae

Carbon Footprint of Our Old Car

I've been meaning to figure this out for a while: Just how much CO2 did we add to the atmosphere by driving our old minivan? In the time we owned it, from 2003 to 2009, we drove 76,000 miles. At an average of about 18 mpg, that means we used about 4,220 gallons of gas in the six years we owned our car. (Which is 564 cubic feet, in case you're interested, or a cube of gasoline about 8 feet on a side, or something a little bigger than a minivan, but not much).

On average, a gallon of gas burned in a car generates about 19.56 pounds of CO2. So in our time owning the car, we generated about 82,540 pounds of CO2, or 41 tons, just to get ourselves from place to place (about 7 tons per year). 41 tons! That definitely seems like something worth changing.

And that's only looking at CO2, not the other emissions in terms of chemicals and particulates that come from driving cars.

Now that we've gotten rid of our car, let's just say our environmental impact has declined drastically. We still put a little extra CO2 out from our Zipcar jaunts, but otherwise, our transportation methods are doing very little in terms of dumping CO2 into the air (outside of huffing and puffing while pedaling our bikes up hills).

I'm not saying that everyone in the U.S. can suddenly give up their cars. But if more of those who have the ability to make the choice actually do it, there's an impact to be made.

(P.S. In case you're interested, Slate ran an article a while back about how one gallon of gas produces so much CO2.

Trying Not to be a Wimp

I have a new motto for my bike riding: Don't Be a Wimp.

Earlier this week, I needed to buy some parts to repair our kitchen faucet. I walked to all the local places, but none of them carry American Standard repair kits, but all recommended Watertown Supply as the best place for plumbing parts. But google maps said it was 4.4 miles each way, which felt like a long way to go for a couple washers. So I called around and called around, and finally found a place in Allston maybe 2 miles away, that said they carried American Standard parts. I rode there and it turned out that they didn't have the parts I needed, but instead referred me to Watertown Supply.

I was already about halfway there, so I just kept on riding, got a little lost (which adds up the miles), and went to Watertown Supply--which is a totally kick-ass plumbing supply place. But if I hadn't been such a wimp about that 4.4 mile ride, I could have accomplished the same result with less hassle. I learned that 5 miles is very much in my do-able range for an errand (though closer to home is still nice). The entire round trip, including multiple stops, getting lost, stopping at a Danish Pastry shop, was about 90 minutes.

In keeping with the trying to be less wimpy theme, I made a point of biking in the rain today for grocery shopping and riding to the Green Brookline Expo. For groceries, it was chilly and very wet outside. For the Expo, I rode home in the pouring rain mixing with snow. The thing is, I bought rain paints and a breathable rain jacket earlier this year, and guess what--they work great! A baseball cap under my helmet helped keep the rain and snow off my glasses. The main thing I still need is some thin waterproof gloves, to protect against the wind and the wet.

Still, more and more, I keep learning that it's easier to get around by bike than I expect.

Chinese Dragon Tattoo Design

Chinese dragon tattoos and meanings
By Graeme Wheeler

It is believed that a mythical creature developed appearance of the totem poles from many different tribes in China. It also merged the tribes, the different features of the dragon took the emergence of the figure. Chinese dragon is believed to have evolved over time to integrate the features of 9 animals to become a mythical creature it is today. These features include:

• Horns of a deer.

• Chairman of the sentences

Eye • the devil

• neck of a snake

• Stomach of clams

• the balance of fish, sea bream

• from the claws of eagle

• tiger slippers.

Ears • cow

The combination of these features together and you have the Chinese dragon, a very popular tattoo design through the ages until now and forever.

It is common to many Middle Eastern images of the Chinese dragon to show the pearl or thunder the ball under the chin - and represents good luck and wisdom. Some pictures also show the Chinese dragon with wings of bats, although the Dragons are able to fly without wings.

Chinese dragon tattoo meanings

Chinese dragon tattoo dates back to centuries, which adds to its appeal and mystic. It is a symbol of mystery, strength, wisdom and good faith. This is the dragon good luck and significantly associated with a number nine, and there are nine sections of the dragon. The qualities and loyalty to the courage and strength.

Chinese dragon is a mythical creature of God, which is still evil spirits. They have a strong relationship with the authorities in China. And declare itself a Chinese "Long De Chuan Ren" or the descendants of the dragon because when the first Emperor Huang Di died, (which was considered by the Chinese, ancestor), legend has it turned into a dragon and a rose into the sky. This leads to the Chinese dragon to become a symbol of power and imperial power. Five fingers the Chinese dragon was reserved for the emperor alone. That the peasants would wear these symbols to be put to death.

These creatures have 117 tables, 81 of these tables Yang (positive) and 36 of Yin (negative), and the dragon is a creature Yang.

Legend says that the dragon originated in China and spread throughout the region, and get as far as Japan. The Chinese Dragon and five fingers, and Korean dragon has four fingers, and as you get further away, such as Japan, and the dragon and three toes. It was not possible for dragons to go beyond Japan and lose any fingers more than that.

Chinese dragon is believed to have the power to control the water, such as seas, rivers, waterfalls and the like. Water flows associated with the rise of a dragon. When he spoke of droughts or floods, it was common to have the sacrifices made by the dragon to placate them. Legend has it that the dragon has the ability to drag and drop burst of rain. If they are angry, they can cause flooding.

Beauty of design, coupled with a stunning red, black and green colors make the Chinese dragon tattoo design are very popular.

Did you know that one of every five people regret their tattoo design work, according to the latest Harris Poll. If you are considering getting a tattoo, do not make these common mistakes - with this guide for free tattoos and a review of the top tattoo galleries on the Internet.