Bike and Bomb me Baby!

bikesandbombs dot com is exploding shrapnel in your general direction.

don't worry, its mostly just a bicyclist movement exploding around SLC.

ubomb, i bomb, we all bomb.
of all the events on that site, this one is definitely the one to keep your eyes on.
according to Mister K it is sort of like Zoobomb - (and this is where he goes into a free style rap dr. seuss style:)
"We will be taking TRAX instead of MAX, and we'll be starting near the U instead of a zoo."
....he continues, "Ride little kids bikes down a big hill, ride the light rail back to the top, rinse and repeat. Come help us fix up bikes, or just come for the bomb. You can bring your own kiddie bike, borrow one of ours or just roll on your regular whip. Skateboarders and longboarders are definitely welcome!"

The schedule for this event?

10-30-07, 6pm: Kid Bike Fix up. Meet at the bicycle collective.


11-07-07, 6pm: uBomb! meet at the main library, corner of 400 S and 200 E

don't know if we are gonna start a pile like at portland's zoobomb, but in time all things will work out.

also on bike & bomb - links to the before mentioned, Midnight Mass, the secret freedom rides, Critical Mass & Other SLC Rides.

its good to see that we are starting this bicycle movement all over the web. winter be damned - we will make it - harder, better, stronger faster. Daft punk will be proud.

graphic credit: bikesandbombs.com.

Critical Mass will have to wait till next month for me..

However,

If no one else has any plans, then by all means show up - in costume even. It looks to be an excellent mass, full of costumes, smiles and most importantly: bicycle riding!

5:30 PM

Gallivan Center
239 S. Main St (North side of Gallivan Plaza)
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111

Perhaps you can dress up as a giant Critical Mass Fist?

graphic credit: saltcycle.com.

Ogden mayor tackles alleged bike burglar

Ogden Mayor Matthew Godfrey tackled a man to the ground after he caught the burglar stealing a bicycle from his home early Wednesday. Godfrey and his family awoke to shaking at their door about 3 a.m., police said. His wife spotted the burglar leaving their driveway with a bicycle from the shed at their home, near 2500 Tyler Ave. Godfrey went outside and told the man to stop, but the man started to ride away on the bicycle. Godfrey chased him on foot and jumped on him, knocking him off the bike and pinning him to the ground until police arrived.

-http://www.sltrib.com/ci_7275079?source=rss

With all the bicycle theft going on its great to see a utah local individual with status take on the bicycle thieves, if not at their own home.



more here: http://www.geocities.com/verdrahciretop/invisibike.html

ZooBomb becomes UBomb in SLC

Over @ the SLCCriticalMass forums talk has begun on turning out a UBomb for the SLC Bicycling Masses.

What's a ZooBomb? Click to Zoobomb.

...So a Ubomb will be riding down the steep UofU hills (hopefully as a weekly event) on a range of odd bicycles including the ever popular children's bicycle (mini-bike).

I did a logo for the event:




They are scheduled to post a website on this event, and when they do, I will be sure to inform you Salters what this is all about.

Midnight Ride Sidewalk Stop.

Photograph by Zed 2007. (edu)

Lots of crazy drivers and people playing really bad rap.

Ride safe my friends.

photo credit: saltcycle.com.

the Passion of the Midnight Ride.

Photograph by Zed 2006. (edu)

I feel alive, energized today as though an awesome amazing bicycle ride must go forward tonight. During the spring time and summer I would ride bike at midnight, one, two into the black quiet night as I had no work on the morrow during those nights.

Weather be fragged, I am riding tonight. I love the passion of the ride, the sweat dripping, the closeness to the environment rolling by.. The quiet of the city, and yet it seems so loud with energy.

Excuse me for a moment while I explode into a million pieces.

Ride on!

photo credit: saltcycle.com.

University of Utah Bicycle Collective

The bicycle collective concept has gone to college. Having established an amazing Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective, the idea has spread upward to the UofU, where the University of Utah Bicycle Collective has started several projects to promote and encourage bicycle advocacy.

But what does the UofU Bicycle Collective exactly do? According to their website, www.ubike.org, "The Collective seeks to support campus cyclists that are already riding and to encourage others... Secure bicycle storage, Access to maintenance tools and equipment Training on riding and maintenance skills and Campus bicycle advocacy... supports special events on campus by offering free bicycle valet parking."

Want to see the UofU Bicycle Collective at work?

Start with the 2 Mile Challenge, this Friday, October 19th at the Northwest Stadium Parking Lot from 9am to 4pm. This is an amazing experience to take out your friends that are unsure of the commitment of riding a bicycle, or to reinforce your own commitment. (Insert shameless plug:)

"THE CLIF BAR NATURAL ENERGY TOUR is about inspiring and empowering people to think about how they use their energy in an effort to address global warming. 40 percent of urban travel is 2 miles or less – and nearly all of that travel is by car; simply by biking those under-2-mile trips instead of driving, individuals can change the future and help to protect the places where we like to play. We call it the 2 Mile Challenge."

So how do they do this? By running a biodiesel bus across the nation and educating the masses on how people can start riding their bicycles and start parking their automobiles.

Still not convinced? Free food. (Cliff Bar samples)

If informationals aren't your event, then you could always ride the ghettoDROME, a short race around a velodrome. Velodromes, according to master wiki, "is a sporting arena purpose-built for track cycling." This velodrome event will be a series of short races in the 3rd level of the LDS Institute Parking Garage (1780 E South Campus Drive // University South Campus Trax station) October 25 @ 5:00 pm. Fixie, no fixie, mountain, no mountain, come one come all no matter the bike type, it can be raced in this event. No bike? No problem. Come and watch an entirely different race that you would rarely see, if at all.

There is also the option to visit the UofU Bicycle Collective over at the Union Patio, or on their website.

University of Utah Bicycle Collective
www.ubike.org

Shop Hours - Fall 2007
Monday - Thursday, September 3 - October 31
11:30 am - 2:00 pm
Location- Union Patio

Shop Winter Hours
Thursday, November 1 - When it gets warm again
Same Time
Same Place

Next Planning Meeting
Thursday October 18
8:30pm
Union Room 311



photo credit: google clip art, UofU.

Blog Action Day Today!

http://www.blogactionday.com/

Theme: the Environment

My workplace has become more 'green' and as a consequence, i am starting to realize in the little bits and pieces of life, i can be a bit more green living in the Salt City.



3 causes i have found to be enlightening in the environmental cause:


1. Get a blue recycle bin.

* Wheel your recycling container out on the same days as your garbage collection before 7 a.m.

* Place your recycling container at least three feet from your garbage container and other obstructions. Avoid placing the recycle bin in the bicycle lane. (Same goes for the garbage bin.)

* No bin? No problem.

.....Visit: http://www.slcgov.com/publicservices/Streets/recycleinfo.htm

.....Call: 535-6999 and request a blue recycle bin.

It was extremely enlightening when I learned how easy it was to get a recycling container from the city. They delivered it and it was done.




2. Vote for Ralph Becker in November.


an excellent candidate not only for the well being of the environment, but for bicycles in general. if November is too far away, or you won't be available, you can vote early.



3. Actively engage in the Bicycle Culture.

Some help out at the SLC Bicycle Collective Monday nights. Others gather bicyclists for rides. Some simply commute to work every day, weather be damned. Whatever your reason, or flavor, encourage bicycling throughout Salt Lake City and get active in some way in your community.



That is the list.


May the air your breathe be clean and the roads your travel not polluted.


photo credit: slcgov.com, ralphbecker.com, google images.

Midnight Mass One More Time For October

Since the first Midnight Mass got canceled, and we all love those late night excursions in the black of the night, Midnight Mass is going to happen for this month, tomorrow - Friday, October 12th.

Bring your costumes, make this a lively one.

I am bringing some music - misfits, horrorpops, deadlines the assorted. Taking request for halloween music. Drop a line if you have some favorites.

What's He Building in There?

graphic credit: saltcycle.com.

Added Direct Links To Critical Mass & Midnight Mass Forums

Get the latest information from Critical Mass & Midnight Mass with direct links to the slccriticalmass.org forums located on the right hand side under ride local first:

..and if you haven't yet, be sure to press the button 'subscribe! slccriticalmass' and subscribe to the new SLC Critical Mass mailing list, located at the top of this page. It will take you to the slccriticalmass.org page, where you can subscribe on the left hand side. Basically, most rides, adventures and bicycle insanity is going to go through slccriticalmass.org these days, so be sure to keep an eye on it.

The bicycle revolution in Salt Lake City seems to be heating up...
...hopefully, it will generate enough heat to survive winter.

SLC Critical Mass Website Up & Running Again!

http://www.slccriticalmass.org/ is up and running again with an excellent short on a bad utah law policy which allows individuals to steal all, including bicycles, and legally be able to resell all after 10 days.

Be sure to give it a visit and show some support for SLC Critical Mass.

graphic credit: risingtide.org.uk.

Midnight Mass Postponed

"Hey everyone. I've talked to a bunch of people and we all think that
it would be better to reschedule our Midnight Mass to be next friday
the 12th due to rain and nastyness. This way our costume won't get
junky and wrecked before halloween. I know that nobody really has the
jurisdiction to cancel a Midnight Mass ride but I just wanted to let
ya'll know that we will be getting together to ride next Friday
instead if you would like to join us. We might be there tonight just
telling ppl about the rescheduling. Don't get me wrong- if you want to
ride anyway please do:)


CALL WHOEVER YOU KNOW who was coming tonight to let them know please!!!"
-Chelsea


I don't want my bike stereo to get fried either, so I will be a no show. To the faithful bicyclist who have Portland Rain in their blood, enjoy the evening, but the mass will be few, if not non-existent.

Massed Critical Mass.

Someone at Critical Mass told my wife that Critical Mass was their 'Mass', their religion. So I did this piece before I lost the idea. Interpret it as you might,which I imagine can be taken a hundred different bad ways and ten good ways, but let the piece speak for itself. ( I was planning on giving it more direction after finishing it, but leaving it to interpretation is more interesting. )

graphic credit: saltcycle.com.

Midnight Mass Tonight!

Halloween Midnight Mass. Come dressed up and listen to some Misfits, Horrorcore.. and of course enjoy an awesome ride. Bring front and back lights as usual.
If you don't want to dress up, thats cool too. Come and enjoy others company and an amazing ride.
This ride is a bit more wild, free spirited and faster than Critical Mass since its late and the sun doesn't beat down on our backs, but don't worry, we don't intend on leaving anyone behind.

linkage for info:

Flyer to share, spread, and distro!

http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/263499/





photo credit: saltcycle.com.

I have a confession to make to the Church of the Big Ring....

I don't like jock roadies. I can't claim this for all roadies, as I have friends who are roadies, great people, but will say I have a disliking heading towards hate for the jock roadie. Jock roadie? It's easy to imagine. Take all the competitiveness, asshole can-do attitude associated with a jock and put them on a bicycle.
Carrying their bicycles on the latest SUV model, they are in it for the ride and the ride alone. They don't just wear spandex. They have to wear everything, regulation form fitting and nice and neat. They aren't a bicyclist anymore, they are a flag, a beacon to all aspiring to be as great as them. You don't know if you should salute or wave as they pass you by. I wouldn't do either, they often find you beneath them to respond. They are in the mode. You will find them riding Big Cottonwood Canyon, you will find them riding Millcreek Canyon and you will find them riding Emigration Canyon. About the only place they have made a rare occurrence at is the actual Salt Lake City. Which is a shame, because we need as many bicyclist who are enthusiastic about bicycling to have a presence in this city.

Now, I remind you not all who ride road bicyclist and choose to adorn spandex, jerseys and the likelihood are like this, so I give you the greeting test.

1. If you, the bicyclist are going down the street and are within sight of a roadie give the head up nod of acknowledgment. This is a common greeting among the bicyclists who wish to remain in control of their bike vehicles.

2. If no reply, proceed with caution. Do not be offended if you get snubbed. They will often see you as competition, and therefore look to destroy you and that cheap ass bike that you ride.

3. Give 'em a ringing of your bike bell. This will throw them off entirely. Then tell them "Happy Birthday". Hey, your not going to make a friend, but at least you can have your own fun and create stories that they can share with their friends.



What do I like? I like bicycling to where I am going. I like feeling the wind in my hair, but not worrying about when I get there. I like exploring the back streets of Salt Lake City. I like riding my bicycle in the early hours of the morning, when streets are quiet and the bicycling is alive. I like gatherings of bicyclist that make it easy to feel accepted, whoever you are. I like not only riding in Emigration Canyon and City Creek Canyon, but riding to them as that is half the challenge. I like diversity in bicyclists, but have a hard time finding room for the above mentioned model bicyclist. Because to me bicycling has been and will always be about community. After a discussion with some folks, I will be at the next Josie Johnson ride next year, I went for the two years straight prior, so I suppose I was taking a breather. Hopefully I won't have to tell anyone Happy Birthday. :)

I am looking to get involved in other ways too, we will see how that rides out.

Until then, Bike Kill.



movie credit: youtube.com
photo credit: saltcycle.com.

From The Guy That Brought You The Large Critical Mass Ride Listing (critical-mass.info)....

a

site

of

various rants

(bicycles included.)

Michael Bluejay


featuring these bicycle sites...
http://bicyclesafe.com/

http://bicycleuniverse.info/


have a favorite bicycle site to add? drop a line.

graphic credit: michaelbluejay.com.