Monday, June 30, 2008

another party bike entry - stop me if you think you've heard this one before

Captain Blake at the helm, he was simply not willing to cross the 40th St. bridge over 35W - yes, we would have fit, trust me, I'm an engineer dammit.
11 friends on a bike

The party bike is great for conversation.
Hold on and pedal

How can you not smile when riding the party bike?
smiles all around

I realized the next day that there were several hundred people at the Rose's, but I don't remember seeing more than say 10 of them. I do remember trying to tell everyone the party was over and it was time to go home, though, and that was fairly early in the night.

Oh, and an article written on the Frame X Frame day in the Utne Reader.

B-Rose's Party and Bears on Singletrack

What happened on Saturday night? Something about an art opening downtown, me derbying a friend into a puddle in the alley (sorry about that, but good thing you had a change of clothing on you), group riding to the Rose's in S. Mpls, an 11-person party bike (I mostly rode as the 12th rider), fireworks, the police, waking up at noon on Sunday - haven't done that in a while. More here.

On another note, you thought your ride home was bad - read this.
ANCHORAGE — A 14-year-old girl riding in an all-night bicycle race suffered severe injuries early Sunday when a bear attacked her on a trail, authorities said.

Police with shotguns escorted medics into the woods to retrieve the girl, who was in critical condition Sunday.
...
Another bicyclist who found her sitting on the ground about 1:30 a.m. said she could utter only one word: "Bear."
Get better little girl.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Monday is the new Friday, then I mention the French

Monday is indeed the new Friday; this holds true whether I'm in Minneapolis or abroad, in this particular Monday, Leuven, where I'm now recognized at two bars. One of these bars is at the hotel, where Bram believes I am Moby, and this time lent me his CD - I've never heard of the guy, but I ensured him I was absolutely the gentleman in question. Bram directed me to another locale where they boast of having 65 different whiskies available. My liver was unable to completely verify this claim, but I ensure you I did get a good start. While visiting this whiskey bar, I read a quote from Henry Youngman:

When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading.

Then I look at my watch, it's 3am as I stroll by "The Fonz". He's always looking good, even with the ocular cavities the way they are - empty, which I believe was stylish at the time.
Fons Sapientiae

So the next day I find myself in Lyon, giving a presentation in a hot and stuffy conference room - the outside temperature being 32C. About 90-minutes into me talking, it occured to me what was out of place in this room, other than it being stiffling hot - could they have offered me a glass of water - Evian, Perrier? I certainly think so. Rude bastards.

That's all I got.

Monday, June 23, 2008

cargo bikes in Amsterdam

Stopped by a bike shop slash rental place and they had this one sitting outside. I saw another one just like it with a Gazelle label on it and a few more in action on the streets.
rental cargo bike

Had to get a shot of this guy.
Charlie Chaplin

Quite a popular choice over here. Many of these are equipped with benches in the box for kids and dogs to sit.
babboe.nl

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Teenwolf rides a bike, aloha shirts, Hennepin Ave mayhem, and a Dee Snyder mention

I steered Marlin as he surfed on the deck of his 20" Big Dummy Friday evening. It was the first day of summer and a Friday, so it was Aloha shirt day for me - two guys ready for a night on the town!



What else? Riding home southbound downtown on Hennepin - haven't had so many close calls in such a short time period in a while. A woman runs through traffic and directly in front of us in the middle of the block to catch a just-stopped cab - we shout out and nearly collide with her - the cabbie yells "don't run over my customer," before she yells "I'm a pedestrian and have the right of way." A La Mexicana Express minivan, number 086, phone 612-788-1226 veers directly into my path on the bike lane to overtake another vehicle, the driver of this cab throws a bottle of water at another car who honked at him as I chase this guy down, taking photos and telling him that I know where he lives. And what's up with all the cop vehicles stopped (parked) on the downtown bike lanes? It's more than one can shake a stick at - I'm just saying, cause I think it's a good idea they're doing it.

And check out the Dee Snyder Big Dummy build - turn it up, way up, and proudly show your horns:

Friday, June 20, 2008

Bike jackery, heathenry, and skewer jackery

So The Heathen had his bicycle stolen a week or so back - I like to think he gave it away, but let's not get into that so late in the game. I'd post a photo of his old bike, but I never got one. You've surely seen it, a black cross-check, blue Fizzik handlebar tape, single-speed, all the usual shit.

Out with the old, in with the new, they say:
Gazelle single speed

Check out that custom headbadge - it's aluminum for added lightness and corrosion resistance:
Heathenry

So don't go and steal that bike, kind readers.

OK, so I'm off at the Mill City Museum last night for a bit of live music action. My partner in beer bolting (and later margarita mouthing) and I come out of said museum, unlock our rides, and low and behold one of our wheels falls to the ground - somebody f-ing jacked a front skewer! So it's a walk to the dock at 1/1 for a skewer replacement in exchange for a beer drop and friendly conversation. We made the best of the worst and it all turned out quite right.

Here Megan and Karna relax after a resupply of cold beverage. Thanks to you both for sticking around after hours.
on the dock

So get out there and enjoy the day, it's summer!

another f-ing stolen f-ing bike

IpoststolenbikesinMPLS.com

I don't know this guy, but he's a friend of a friend. Get on it people.
------------

My son made the nearly fatal mistake of not listening to Mom when she told him to bring his bike in the other night...he didn’t...the bike is gone...and Mom almost killed him the next morning...

I’d like to get this bike back as it was the first bike I gave my lady, and it wasn’t really his to ‘give away’.

Surly 1 x 1, white color, rigid with original white fork. 14” frame size.
Singlespeed: bolt-on rear wheel, QR front wheel. I believe the front hub is silver Shimano Deore. Wide Kenda city tires. Black Avid V-brakes. Black Avid brake levers. Black crank arms. Flat Winwood type pedals. Black Kalloy seatpost with some heavy scratches near the frame. WTB women’s saddle. Salsa Moto Ace stem. Salsa Moto Ace riser bar.

Find the bike for me and I’ll give you a financial reward. Forward this to your shop friends please.

Bike was stolen Thursday night in Robbinsdale. I will be visiting a nearby pawn shop tomorrow and talking to the local rowdy youth tonight.

Thanks for your assistance.
Miker

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Frame X Frame - A Bike Photo Exhibition

Opening night is Saturday, June 28th at One on One Bike Studio from 7-10pm. Join the group bike ride at 2pm that day starting at the Nomad World Pub - the ride will end at the photo show.


This is the opening party for the Minneapolis chapter of the Bicycle Film Festival (Mpls film schedule here.)

Food from Common Roots? Come on, you have to go.

////// For immediate release //////


FRAME x FRAME
A Bike Photo Exhibition
June 28th--July 13th, 2008

To kick-off this year's Minneapolis Bicycle Film Festival One on One Bike Studio and the BFF team-up to present FRAME x FRAME – an exhibition of bike photographs by local photographers. Featuring photos by

Mark Butcher
Marco Esteban
Jason Lemkuil
Kelly MacWilliams
Heidi Prenevost
Kelly Riordan

Opening Reception at One on One Bike Studio
June 28th, 2008. 7:00--10:00pm
Appetizers from Common Roots Cafe
Beer from Pabst Blue Ribbon

GROUP RIDE / BBQ on SATURDAY JUNE 28TH
Begins at Nomad World Pub, 2pm. Ends at One on One.

Bicycle Film Festival Minneapolis
July 9th-12th 2008

Stolen Bike - RECOVERED

[edit - Stolen Bike Recovered Intact! B.Z. to Brapper Dan for hunting down Girl Carl's bike in NE Mpls. - check the One on One blog tomorrow for a full report on its finding.]

Brown Surly Steamroller loaded with a Chris King headset, white WTB saddle, upright Nitto Dove bars, 54cm frame, MKS grip king pedals, ... as shown here:


now with a front brake and lever and different grips and stem, as shown blurrily below:

approaching the bridge

Last seen within 5-7pm tonight in NE Mpls within a block of the Red Stag.

Friday, June 13, 2008

Minneapolis Downtown Classic

Tonight - join the anarchy that is sure to be delivered upon Minneapolis by the Rock Racing squad.

Get your game faces on and ride to the downtown - it's gonna be the rad.
Rock Racing!
thanks to Kris König for taking the photo.

Monday, June 9, 2008

MS-300 recap

Friday - 150 miles (241 km);
It was 0730 before Kevin, Nick, and I started pedaling east from the National Sports Center hot in pursuit of the 8 or so roadies that left just before us. The wind was at our backs as we turned north towards Lake Superior, the dark and stormy skies rolling past us on the east and west. We made a pee stop on the trail not far from Wyoming, but didn't stop again until the half-way point of Hinckley, where we had lunch in Rosie's Cafe. Five minutes after sitting down at Rosie's the rain hit with a vengeance. Well, it's going to be a very wet ride from here out - I looked out the window and saw the roadies fly past, rain jackets on over their team kits. The skies cleared just as I was finishing up my dessert of pecan pie a la mode - luck is with us on this day. Nick's chain broke just after being accosted by two missionaries and then hitting the Munger trail - quick fix with the proper tools and spare link in standby. Spent 30 minutes looping around Moose Lake where the trail suddenly vaporized and signs pointed incorrectly. The rest of the 150-miles to Proctor we kept dry with smooth riding, with the last 8-10 miles mostly uphill, but what the hell, it's going to be a fun descent in the morning. So our average speed over the 150-miles was 20mph (32kph) - that's saddle time, not including lunch - The wind surely helped, but we hauled ass.

Had to hang out an hour outside the Proctor high school while we waited for the buses to arrive - my tent and sleeping bag was on one of them. Got my bag, showered in the high school locker room, set up tent, headed to the bars in Proctor for several pitchers of PBR. Highlight of the night was walking into the Keyboard lounge and seeing the same locals from a year before followed by a haunting karaoke rendition of Tiffany's 'I think we're alone now' by Jess and Annie - nary a dry eye in the house. Rode back to the campground and hit the sack just after midnight.

Saturday - 75 miles (121 km);
Woke at 0530 - took down the tent, went down to drop my bag off and saw a line that stretched around the high school and up the road - oh my god this is not how I wanted to spend my morning. Didn't roll out until 0730 but quickly got up to pace into the wind. Two of our knees were starting to feel yesterday's long push so the 3 of us stopped at the 2nd rest stop for a pain pill - got a lecture from an out-of-shape and overweight first-aid guy telling me I wouldn't need to take a pain pill if I hadn't been out all night drinking - I kept my mouth shut and rode on. Pushed on to the lunch stop where we sat for 30 minutes - rode the rest of the way to Hinckley, arriving about 10 minutes after noon.

In Hinckley I was lucky to quickly find my bag as the trucks hadn't finished unloading, but I set up the tent, and hit the shower truck. Went to the team tent where 4 kegs of beer were waiting - 2 of them Finnigans - thanks to Amy for ordering these. I sat around the entrance to the bike corral, beer and camera in hands, waiting for friends to arrive - saw a few of the Friday morning roadies arrive on their clean bikes - there's a story there but not now. Spent the rest of the afternoon and evening drinking beer, eating a bit of food, chatting and meeting people, and heading to the casino for Ms. Pac-Man action. Kudos to the Mpls-5 who rode up and met our party in Hinckley for the night.

Sunday - 75 miles (121 km);
Got up and hit the road by 0700. The wind was slightly with us this day as we progressed to the lunch stop at the half-way point. Kevin got a nasty flat after running into a long and narrow pot-hole while in a draft line - the 3 of us routinely attracted 12+ behind us as we sped south. His flat was quickly repaired and the hole in his tire was covered with a glue-less patch and a Gu wrapper. Stopped for lunch, ate leftover Subway from the day prior, headed back out and made it to Blaine by about 1115.

Hung out in Blaine and watched the bicycle races at the velodrome for a few hours (photos) - good times are always in store at the velodrome and shame on the rest of you MS riders who didn't stick around for this hot racing action.

Overall not bad for not having boarded a road bike for several years. Next year? I'm signed up but will decide later whether or not to make it year 3. This year I raised more than one-thousand dollars for MS research - thanks a lot to my sponsors!

Peace out.

[edit - here's the bike I rode]
2008 MS-150

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Mark Loesch Memorial Silent Auction

Imaginary Bags closing party at One on One this Saturday - 7pm. The Haves Have It will be playing, who of course kick total ass nine different ways.

All proceeds benefit the Mark Loesch memorial fund, so get there and put a few bids down on some sweet looking one of a kind messenger bags - I saw them a few days ago and take it from me, you want one, but do it because you want to put some good money down for Mark.

Bags designed by Adam West, Aleksandra Stancevic, Amy C., Katherine Lamm, Mary Fallon, Nicki McCracken, Sarah Nelson Forss, and Steve Smith.

If you see me, buy me a beer and give me a hug, but I won't be there - I'll be in Hinckley that night for the MS-300 ride.


Wednesday, June 4, 2008

another fugitive bicyclist

Up here in Minnesota, they are closing bridges left and right just in case there's another potential I-35W disaster waiting in the shadows of an underfunded and under-engineered infrastructure. The latest is the Mississippi river crossing down in Winona.
The sudden closing of a vital Mississippi River bridge connecting southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin has many commuters upset this morning, and a bicyclist who crossed that bridge when he came to it is now a fugitive.
...
One bicyclist this morning ignored the closure and scooted into Wisconsin, Brand said, adding, "When he comes back, he'll probably be arrested."
Cyclist guy, find a different route tonight - or better yet, stay in Wisconsin - you can buy beer there on Sunday.

But seriously, let the cyclist cross the damn bridge and let us buy beer on Sunday.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Bicycle Film Festival - 2008

It's officially begun - last week in NYC and soon to MPLS - 'Frame X Frame Art Opening' party at One on One bike studio the evening of June 28th - be there, then we'll ride to B-Rose's.



This event is tons of fun, make sure to attend the social events as well as the movies - I'll be there, so you've got that going for you, which is nice...

Monday, June 2, 2008

Deadly bicycle race in Matamoros

Holy Shit!
***************
more here - in Spanish - warning: some of the photos in the link are a bit gruesome. here is the article translated to English.
***************

photo: El Manana de Matamoros

Brownsville man arrested after allegedly plowing car through racers

A Brownsville man is behind bars in a Mexican jail.

Mexican police say 29-year-old Jesse Campos allegedly drove into a group of people participating in a bicycle race over the weekend.

One person is dead and several are injured in the Sunday morning accident.

Mexican police report that the Brownsville man was driving a 1989 Grand Marquis between Matamoros and Playa Bagdad Sunday morning.

Campos allegedly ran his car into a group of cyclists participating in the third annual Matamoros-Bagdad Cycling Tour.

People from both sides of the border participated in the event.

El Bravo de Matamoros reported that 30-year-old Brownsville cyclist Alejandro Alvarez was killed in the accident.

The Mexican newspaper reported that the following people were taken to the Alfredo Pumarejo General Hospital in Matamoros:

  • Alejandro Salvador Tamez Guerra, 18 years old
  • Juan Machaita, 38 years old
  • Guadalupe Sustaita Martínez, 16 years old

Authorities told Mexican media that Campos admitted to using cocaine prior to the accident.

*********
more on Matamoros

Last Saturday's Wine Ride

About 33 riders made it from Chaska to Jordan and back to tour the Crofut Winery. Thanks to those of you (me) that rode with me from Mpls to Chaska to extend the length of the ride by more than a factor of 2. The ride was full of fun people, rode alongside a sweet Seven Muse titanium touring bike, for some reason got myself a helmet before the ride, got a flat on the way back, enjoyed the beautiful country terrain and weather, had a blast at the post-ride bbq and drink event, derbied for about 3 hours in the shop, sat out the freak storm inside the wine shop, enjoyed time at Alisen and Ben's house, you know - the usual stuff...

Thanks to Dan from Dolce Vita wine shop, Don at Crofut, the crew at Get Your Gear for ride support, and to all you who rode along - along with the good times was me soaring past the $1000 point for MS research.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

blood

Riding home a few nights ago with a friend who crashed coming up the east Bryant Ave ramp from the Greenway. The approach transitions from asphalt to gravel and is uneven and dark. I imagine there are quite a few people who fall at this spot. Anyway, my friend is cut up but will survive with some possible oral surgery to fix a bit of gum damage. Helmet or not, it didn't matter in this case unless it's providing full-face coverage - be careful out there people.

blood flows red on the greenway