Friday, March 29, 2013

friday fun times: tandem photo shoot results

finally got word, randomly, that the cycle sf fotos are finally up! woot. look at KT! so awesome!

be sure to visit the cycle sf page for more info. and costume contests!



weather doesn't look that great for training this weekend. i'm doing the cinderella classic in a couple of weeks. eeek. i think it should be ok though.

in other news, this has, singlehandedly, been the busiest and most rollercoaster-y week of my life. today is a big day. wish me luck!

Friday, March 22, 2013

friday fun times: planning bike rides

really. after work, this bike advocacy thing takes up most of my time. whether it's here, or being involved neck deep in planning mass bike rides, or valet parking your bike so you can have a good time at an event, i can't help it. i love it.

part of why i do is to meet all different sorts of people who are all into the bike, the rides, the community, or just the solo road thing. but we all share at least one thing in common: the bike. oh, and probably not getting hit while riding one. as long as the last clause is always a danger, those of us who ride will always have a strong bond.

so the latest bike ride planning meeting i went to was amazing. the cusp of something phenominal: clitoral mass in oakland. sounds like the ride is national, and in no small part the idea is owed to those fierce latinas down south, las ovarian psychos.

the real beauty is we're planning this ride BY and FOR a non-male audience, as the name of the ride suggests. females, gender nonconforming, and trans folks all welcome. we have social media savvy, bike ride planning experience, website artists, and more importantly, the desire to put all this fierceness out in the world.

so two of my fellow bike party planners and i have to thank bart for their awesome "trial" where this week, all week, they have been allowing bikes on at all times. phew.

Bikes on Bart trial. Bikes can go on BART anytime this week.

we introduced ourselves and sat back and then we all helped planned. a lot. then we took this picture.

foto credit to kanchan over on fb.

so what's next? ...just wait and see. ride coming up soon! save the date for MAY 25 for oakland's version of clitoral mass.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

bike snob video: we made the final cut!

if you look closely you'll recognize some familiar faces in the video. heh.

as you'll recall a few weeks ago, KT and i had galavanted all over SF doing various cycle-related things while the weather was like a nice spring day back in what is technically called winter.

here is the result of one of our fridays about town.



can you see us? if you squint hard enough, i think you'll see a familiar face, or a pattern of clothes or something.

WE MADE IT!

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

one bike with a broken bottom bracket

well. the day has finally come to upgrade joanie's bottom bracket. she's a late 60s era raleigh, and this will not be an easy feat. but it must be done.

Joanie resting #mixte #gwsf

this will mean since i got the bike, i've updated or upgraded the following:
• added upright handlebars
• replaced wheels from steel to aluminium
• replaced seat
• added fenders, basket, lights
• replaced pedals
• changed rear cassette

Eddy & mixte

all in the life's work of owning the best city bike for oneself i suppose. i have slowly made her very customizable for me, and i wouldn't have it any other way.

joanie has these pesky old school cottered cranks. ever since i got her i've been dreading the day i need to make an upgrade. well, here it is. must face the music head on. i'm ready for the challenge...it just means a new PROJECT! :)

it was sort of scary to ride down division street feeling like i was pushing pedals into a bottom bracket made of mud. luckily enough for me, i was close enough to work, so i got off and walked the rest of the way. i was able to drop off my bike at a bike shop nearby, so i can decide how best to get her home.

in the meantime it seems like i'll be getting more use out of the she-devil. hope she's ready! heh. of course she is. i just don't like locking her up anywhere in the city, so that fact makes her a less desirable all-around city bike. but at least this way i can take the butterlap route home.

Front wheel says: signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours.

anyone have any cottered crank replacement ideas, or done the upgrade themselves?

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Monday, March 4, 2013

this is not just a bike ride...

"this is not just a bike ride, this is how we change our community" indeed. even though riding bikes through latino and black communitys is "something we don't do."

looks like that's no longer true. thankfully. eastside riders bike club and los ryderz sound like they are doing great work!

View more videos at: http://nbclosangeles.com.

UPDATE: sorry mobile viewers, it seems that this isn't available for viewing on mobile.

these groups ride together to pass out organic groceries in south la and telling residents where they can find local community gardens for more fresh food. sounds like this started in watts 5 years ago, where they also advocated for safe bike lanes.

as one of the organizers says, "think about where your food comes from. it's an opportunity to vote every time you put something in your mouth." WORD!

bike and food soldiers riding their way through south LA to fight obesity. i love this! keep it up!

h/t to the mamatexican.

happy monday everyone!

late post from ciclavia 
october 2012




 high five!


Friday, March 1, 2013

7 angels on a bicycle

last night i went to the east bay, a rare event indeed. why did i do this? to see a woman i've grown up with perform. her name is carrie rodriguez and she is on tour promoting her new album. when we were growing up, she was studying classical violin, and now she plays the fiddle. heh. she's now grown up from that 6 year old girl i first met all those years ago into a talented, and lovely, female americana artist.

she was born into an artistic texas family. her dad is songwriter david rodriguez and her mother is fine artist katy nail. fun chisme fact: mama texican ran into katy nail the other day, and then two weeks later the daughters were reunited.

so i'm glad to see carrie is carrying on her family tradition. and to see she's also representing austin well. we're all so proud to be from austin! it's ingrained in our veins.

anyway, she wrote a song for a friend that she knew since she was 2 years old who lost his life too soon while commuting to work in manhattan. she says she plays the song every day to her dear friend. her friend had bike toured from seattle to austin, backpacked in patagonia, chile, and succumbed to a commute in manhattan at the age of 25.



what a nice way to be remembered and to heal.

i've included a video of lyle lovett covering one of her dad's tunes, just for fun.



have a great weekend everyone, and hug your fellow bicyclist. one day we will not be killed going to work.