Double Pennies Bike At Googleplex

Google Street View


Google Street View

In my earlier post I had written about a Strange Vehicle which I had found at Googleplex - the headquarters complex  of Google at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, Santa Clara County, California, USA.

It seems the area has some more strange vehicles. Here is another strange one  which to me looks like evolution of Penny-Farthing of old days. For lack of any info I have called these as  Double Pennies Bike.

Like the earlier vehicle I couldn't find any thing about these also on the Net. May be some reader or some one from Googleplex  can throw more light on it also.

Strange Vehicle At Googleplex

Google Street View

Found this strange looking vehicle in the Googleplex - the headquarters complex of Google at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, Santa Clara County, California, USA.

No idea how it operates? I can see 5 seats but some are facing one way and some are other way. Shadow shows two (or may be three) sets of pedals. Is it purely manually operated or is their some other driving engine built into the bike? It also looks that the conical blue basket contains some bike helmets.

A search on Google yielded no result. May be some reader or some one from  Googleplex can throw more light on it.

Additional info: The area has some more strange vehicles. See my next post.

Edit Note Feb. 21, 2012
Dana Payton an active member of Google Earth Community has informed that it is called Conference Bike. ( conferencebike.com)

Its a seven seater, pedal operated cycle created by Dutch  artist Eric Staller and is used primarily for tourism, with a few used on university/corporate campuses for teambuilding.

Image from Wikimedia Commons is by Eric Staller

Credits: Thank you Dana for the info. I was totally flummoxed by the Street View at Googleplex but now everything is clear.

Automatic Bike Dispensing Machine, The Netherlands

Google Street View

This strange looking opening in a rather drab building is the large slot of automatic bicycle dispensing machine in Arnhem Zuid railway station.

Few such machines have been installed in Holland. Through such machines, customers can automatically retrieve a rented bike or return it after use. More such machines have been planned in the country.

More info and images: Travelogue Of An Armchair Traveller

Strange Red Bridge

Google Street View

Here is an unusual shaped red coloured bridge in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Known as the "Red Bridge" (Dutch: Rode Brug), it is a small narrow draw bridge on the water channel between Anton Geesinkstraat and the Loevenhoutsedijk. The bridge built in 2009 is replacement of an earlier bridge which was also red.

Because of its proximity to the Zandpad - Red Light area in Utrecht, many feel that its red colour is symbolic of the activities in the area. As a matter of fact Zandpad is also commonly referred as the Red Bridge.

More info and images: Travelogue Of An Armchair Traveller

Falkirk Wheel - World's Only Rotating Boat Lift

Larger View

Located near Falkirk, Scotland, this rotating wheel, which is the only one of  its kind, transfers boats to and from the higher elevation (35 metres) Union Canal and the lower level Forth & Clyde Canal. It is a fascinating experience to watch one boat going up while other comes down.

More info and images: Travelogue of An Armchair Traveller.

Oldest Hanging Monorail System

Google Street View

Town of Wuppertal in the Germany was the first town in the World to introduce mono-rail system with carriages hung below the rails. The system introduced in 1900 is still functional.

Location: Near Old Market, Höhne thoroughfare along Friedrich Engels Street, Wuppertal, Germany

More info: Travelogue of An Armchair Traveller