go out, go out, where ever you are. Get out on your bike. Bike month is over but the vibe can still be felt all over Edmonton. A fellow in the movie “The Return of the Scorcher”, a free movie at Metro Cinema, said that the world would be a better place if people rode their bikes. Every week I pass at least one cyclist beaming – smile stretched uncontrollably from ear to ear. Often, especially in a rain when fewer are on the road, cyclists greet each other. I love to look out over the river valley while crossing bridges, to breath in the smell of wet soil when cycling on trails, to pass and feel engaged with people walking in neighbourhoods, to take my appropriate place in traffic. I love trip planning, going slower when I need to show up not sweaty, taking the long way when I’m in the company of less-experienced riders, or to really kick-it when I have to get there. I love to park my bike, my quiet quiet bike. Rolling into my garage, careful to not scratch the well rested car with my utility trailer, I love the peace and quiet of arriving at home full of the rush of a beautiful ride.
I invite you to contact the folks who have links on this site. If you need help to use you bicycle more, there’s a whole bunch of us who would love to share the velo-love. See you on the road or trail and definitely see you next June for bike month
Bicyclegal42
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This fri – June 29 – is the last bike month event. Come to Ezio Farone Park on the North West side of the High Level Bridge for Mocktails. 4-6 – music, pedal powered smoothies, cool bikes, happy cyclists, lounging and frollicing. Feel free to wear gaudy clip-on earings, flashy, fancy, or flakey dress….or sweaty t-shirts, doesn’t matter.
After the Mocktails there will be a memorial ride with Critical Mass across the High Level Bridge. Please read below an invitation from Daryl and Charlotte, parents of Owen who passed away after a brave fight against leukemea
200 June 28, 2007 at 01:40 PM MDT
Greetings,
COME TO THE OWEN RICHEL MEMORIAL CRITICAL MASS BIKE RIDE
A critical mass is a monthly gathering of cyclists who ride together on the streets to demonstrate that bikes are a great way to get around. It’s sort of a political parade of bikes. Last year Owen rode his bike across the High Level Bridge during the June critical mass. This year the critical mass is dedicated to Owen. Here are the details:
WHERE: Meet in front of City Hall by the fountain
WHEN: The ride starts at 5:30 pm tomorrow Friday, June 29th
ROUTE: The ride usually goes down Jasper Avenue, over the High Level Bridge and then east along Whyte Avenue finishing at Gazebo Park. It’s a slow easy ride that ends around 6:30 or 7 pm. The ride is a lot of fun. You can ride all of the route or just part of it.
Owen loved riding his bike so hope to see you tomorrow on your
two-wheeled friend as we ride in Owen’s memory.
Love,
Daryl and Charlotte
Tonight’s the last night to enjoy free bycycle films. Metro cinema – 7 pm. Be there! Velo love forever!
Well we’re back from Bikeology which from all appearances was the biggest one ever. Molly’s off at the the volunteer dinner while I hauled the kids home, fed them and put them to bed.
I have around 300 pictures for the day but I doubt I’ll try to upload them until Monday when I get to work. My DSL connection keeps dropping regularly for 10 to 30 seconds and I’m afraid the upload will get mangled.
A lot of the pictures burst mode shots of the guys stunting off ramps, rocks, benches and any other raised surface they could find. Camilla apparently thought this was very cool as she drew it extensively when she got home:
We’d like to thank all those who’ve donated give-aways through the month of June and for Bikeology.
- Hardcore Mountain Bikes: 1 free tune-up ($60 value) and sticker
- United Cycle: 10 water bottles, as well as use of the fabulous tent that we all camped out under at the ride-in movie (thanks, Daisy!!)
- Revolution Cycle: 3 helmets, several pairs of cycle gloves and socks, U-lock
- Pehalhead Road Works: 2 roadie caps, 1 toque, 1 T-shirt
- 3 Bananas: 8 half-pounds of coffee and a T-shirt, as well as use of their space for the bike salons
- Edmonton International Hostel: Travel Shop coupons and 3 free-night coupons for Hostelling International Hostels
- Pedalhead Bicycle Works: 2 pairs of socks, 1 free tune-up ($55 value), 1 pair men’s racing shorts
CTAPP: 3 Calgary To Austin Peloton Project cowboy hats - MEC: countless bells, bottles, patches, snacks and many other things that Karina will let us know later so we can say thanks!
We’ll have prizes for Bikeology tomorrow, the movies on Monday, and will give away the racing shorts at the racing salon on Tuesday.
Thanks very much everyone!
The nostalgia of a drive in movie experience was recreated and improved for the second annual Ride In Movie. Projecting against one of the white backboards at Victoria Cricket Pitch, the features were Barb’s Bike Shorts and the cheesy 1983 Australian flick, BMX Bandits. The latter film follows a teenage Nicole Kidman and her BMX riding mates as they stumble upon then thwart the plans of the sketchy bank robbers. Plenty of surprisingly good bike-cam cinematography plus the excuse for flour bombs and foam bubbles fights. Some of the dialogue and comedy were also better than expected, though there was plenty of groan-inducing moments that allowed full audience participation. It is grand to sit outdoors with a bunch of bikers yelling and laughing along with the film!
Prior to the movies, CJ organised two bands to perform (Aurora and the 7-minute band), which passed the time before Edmonton’s late sunset (circa ~10:30 pm). The bands had quite the hipster following, some of whom rode down on bikes, but few stayed for the ride in movie. Counted about 100 during the bands and picnic, and about 60 for the movie. Picnic fare, as always, was good. Farmers’ Market treats were shared, along with bug repellent and mozzie coils. A cosy evening was enjoyed by all and despite the looming rain clouds, no more rain until we arrived home at 2:30 a.m.
Oh the blissful madness. I love the smell of grease and good times. I was at the EBC Bikeworks shop for 6 hours today. I personally don’t help out much mechanically. I can show someone how to change a flat/fix a flat, and to clean their drive train. I did a bit of that. For most of the day, however, I was busy making sure people know that it’s a community shop where they’re welcome to use the tools and introducing them to mechanics who taught them what to do with their bikes.
That shop was full full full for most of the time I was there. Press came too. Nice guys to talk to.
Other than the fabulousness of having a 24 hour Repair-a-Thon, 2 great things happened. The mayor of Edmonton, Stephen Mandel, came by to check out the shop. No really, it wasn’t a big photo op. He wanted to find out about EBC and wanted to learn a bit about mechanics. He rides his bike to work sometimes and wants to be prepared. I’m thrilled to have a mayor that is interested in a shop full of volunteer mechanics helping people learn. This is a great city and it can only get better with a mayor who is supportive of community building initiatives. Ride on Mr Mandel!
The other completly fabulous thing that happened is Rich Aucoin came by the shop to hang out. He’s someone to watch. At 23 he has a solid fan base for his music. He’s a really collected kind of guy that has vision and drive. I love his music. He plays several instruments and through the magic of modern technology, record and mixes them to create a wall of sound. He’s also pulling 60+ pounds of instruments and gear on a cross-country tour of Canada. Previously a commuter, he’s taking on a huge first touring ride. He’s cycling to promote his new album and to raise money for The Childhood Cancer Foundation. This is all good, yes?
Other fabulous things at a glance: 3 delightful and courteous visitors from the Czech Republic came to buy a commuter bike for their buddy; a woman came in to start salvaging parts from donated bikes so she can build her own bike; the tofu ginger garlic and soy sauce sandwiches; Michael organizing and making the shop real pretty; Timothy playing loud punk rock before we opened the shop to the public; the wave of volunteer mechanics who stepped up; the grey haired gentleman who bought used parts to rebuild his visiting grandson’s bike.
Repair-a-thon continues until noon tomorrow. Exhausted now. Must fall down and rest for anther day
Hey folks, we nabbed a famous singer on a cycle mission through town.
Read on, ride on, come on out to meet him!
Bike Salon- Saturday, June 9, 2pm to 4pm
Subject: Rich Aucoin/The Grinch Who Cycled Across Canada (www.myspace.com/richaucoin): Cycling With Purpose.
Where: BikeWorks 10047 80 Ave, (Entrance in Back Alley Only)
Cost: FREE! Though donations to Rich Aucoin’s mission to raise money for cancer research greatly appreciated!!!!!
Rich is a commuter cyclist who is doing his first touring ride across Canada to, simultaneously, raise money for cancer research (for The Childhood Cancer Foundation) and promote his new album, Personal Publication EP (Available on iTunes or CD).
Come to this bike salon and chat with Rich Aucoin and other cyclists who have used the bicycle as a tool to make the world a better place.
For more details on the fundraiser and tour, check out:
www.myspace.com/richaucoin
Coming up tomorrow:
The EBC crew are on a mission! 24 hours of straight bicycle repairs. Stop by, hang out, bring your bike down, get dirty, have fun.
12 PM Saturday to 12 PM Sunday.
Edmonton Bicycle Commuters Bike Works
10047 80th Avenue, rear alley entrance.
I’m figuring out all the things I can do by bike or bus this week so as to max out my Commuter Challenge total. Is that cheating? I’ll go the extra mile to rack up kilometers. I’d like to see Edmonton’s total km be similar to cities of comprible size. I think it’s a great way to encourage people to try on evironmentally friendly commuting. Especially in a northern town, where not everyone is excited to cycle in the winter. You can record anything but single-occupancy vehicle travel at the Commuter Challenge website, www.commuterchallenge.ca, for the days of June 3 to June 8.
Show your stuff!
Fortunately there are people out there who take better pictures than I. Chris Chan has put up a great set from the first Bike Breakfast. Doesn’t he make my girls look good.
And John hard at work fixing bikes up:
We’re spoofing up the look of the site. Some of the graphics and things may be in flux for a day or so. Thanks for your patience.
Coming up today for Bike Month is a rescreening of Portland’s Filmed By Bike, 7 pm at the Ortona Armoury Arts Building (9722 102 St).
Are you biking there?
I’m glad I pulled the kids to the first breakfast. They made themselves useful by handing out Bike Month handlebar fliers. Ah! another generation of positive propaganda pushers!
My favourite part of the kick-off to Bike Month breakfast – other than the fair trade, organic coffee, funky tunes and being by so many bikes – was meeting some astonished out-of-towners. I think they might have been from Holland. They had arrived three days ago and were on borrowed bikes. The bikes were a bit weary so they were thrilled that the mechanics fixed them up – for free! They’ll be here another 3 months so I equiped them with the Edmonton Bike Map, and information about how to use the racks on buses to get clear across the city. If you’re checking this blog – I hope to see you at more cycling events!
Hi everybody and welcome to Bike Month in Edmonton! Stay tuned for pictures and posts about upcoming events and events that have just happened.
If you’ve attended a Bike Month event and have a Flickr account, tag the pictures bikeology to add them the photostream on our sidebar.
We’re off to the first Bike to Work Breakfast at the Bicycle Bottleneck (South end of High Level Bridge; NW corner of 88 Ave and 109 St), pictures to come.
Paul Turnbull