A new generation of carbon-free musicians brings pedal to the people
Pop stars and big cars have long retained a powerful hold on the hearts of impressionable music fans. Each glitzy, each sexy, each high maintenance and each photogenic, they’ve shared the spotlight for decades, on tour and on MTV. But a fresh undercurrent of musical culture is reinventing what’s cool — and taking gasoline out of the equation. Around the country, musicians are embracing pedal-power, biking from show to show, city to city, even nation to nation. The movement arrives as a reaction to the trends of global hip-hop and mass-produced rock, worlds in which stars may preach socio-political and environmental righteousness yet indulge in glamorous, grossly extravagant limo lifestyles.
It’s official. Come one, come all. Salt Lake City’s next alleycat is just a few weeks away. April 26, 2008 at 4:00 PM at the Gallivan Center.
Bring a bag, you’ll need to carry some heavy bits. This’ll be an all legal/Thatcher style alleycat to mark the anniversary of Margaret Thatcher’s usurpation of the Prime Ministership on May 3, 1979 (original date was May 3rd, moved to April 26. I guess we’ll just celebrate early!). This is a checkpoint race. All points have been marked and are being set up now.
Anyone who owns a tall bike will tell you that people from all walks of life are fascinated by them. As it turns out Lance Armstrong himself is no exception. Last weekend members of the SKIDMARXXX bike gang were hanging out at an art show when they ran into Lance Armstrong. When they asked to be photographed with him, he spotted the tall bike and asked to ride it. Word on the street is that after last weekend's events, a certain major bicycle manufacturer will be producing tall bikes by spring. The following photos were taken from a the tall bike owners blog:
In other news, nobody famous wants to ride my tall bike.
Published: November 29, 2007 in the New York Times.
A new biker gang is roaming the streets of Richmond Hill, Queens. This crew of mostly teenagers can be seen riding along 103rd Avenue just west of the Van Wyck Expressway. The bikes roar, but the booming sound has nothing to do with engines — because there are no engines. They are ordinary bicycles, not motorcycles, although these contraptions look and sound more like rolling D.J. booths. They are outfitted with elaborate stereo systems installed by the youths.
I was reading about the LA WolfPack and their night ride, the Hustle, and started thinking (I know, bad idea!). In the grand tradition of promoting cycling in this pretty great state, I say we rip off another good idea...
Below is a proposed route for such a ride. It comes in at 30 miles and contains many local favorite places to ride, pleasant hills to climb followed by bombs, straightaways, etc. Here's a link to an image of the route I made in Google Earth to help with my chaotic description below:
I've placed the start around the 9th and 9th / Liberty Park area (the map starts at the Smith's on 8th and 9th. In the tradition of the Hustle, finding a place that serves coffee and cheap donuts would be cool. Or at least coffee, hot drinks, etc. and then someone can bring cheap donuts. Get fueled up on simple sugars and hot drinks before heading out. The ride starts easy to allow everyone to get their legs warmed up and limber for the climbing and furious bombing to come. First, head to Liberty Park for a lap (perhaps more?). Heads north on 600 East to 300 South and then west to 400 West before going north through the Gateway. Then, it cuts east up North Temple before heading up Memory Grove to Gravity Hill. Then, the bomb down 'B' street before climbing east up 2nd Avenue, weaving through the U campus before joining up on Chipeta Way, Arapeen, and then the long bomb west down Sunnyside Avenue to 1300 East. The ride continues south on 1300 East to 2100 South before heading east to Sugarhouse park for a lap (or more?) before heading north on 1500 East to 1300 South, then east to 2100 East before bombing south past 2100 South to Parley's Canyon Boulevard. Head west to 1700 East, South to East Stratford Avenue, East to Alden Street (just before 1300 East), South to 2700 South, West to 1100 East, South to Elgin Avenue, West to 1000 East, South to jump through a Church parking lot, up Lincoln/Gregson Avenue before rejoining 900 East northbound up to Fairmont Park. The ride then cuts through Fairmont Park up to 1100 East, Simpson Avenue, Highland drive for a short distance to 2100 South. Head west to 900 East again and then North to...
Just like the beginning of the ride, the end is up for grabs. It all depends on when the ride occurs and what everyone is up for afterward. Dinner, drinks, camaraderie, etc. Something to help refuel the mind and soul after all the twists and turns of this ride. As the weather changes and if the ride becomes popular, change things a bit and perhaps extend the distance.
The emphasis on this ride would be speed, safety, and finishing. Not necessarily in that order. As someone once said, I'm not your mommy, so taking responsibility for your actions is a must for this ride. People will be left behind. Some may not finish. But perhaps they will come out more determined to do so the following week? As they say in LA, this is a hustle not a race. Even if it is called something else, I like the concept. This would be an alternative to the usual fun-filled trotting that occurs on most large community rides. A ride to help push new riders to the next level.
For a little background, I first heard of this ride here:
So, any interest? I'll probably just start doing this ride on a regular basis just to have something interesting to do for my regular ride. I have a personal goal for total mileage for the year I'll still be chasing late into December. I'd love to ride with others who wish to push it a little.
I've started a new thread in the 'Other Salt Lake City Events' forum. Come check it out!
Hey y'all. Time to start sticking more stuff on the main page. I think. Could be wrong. Would not be the first time!
Midnight Mass last night was an exercise in cold and mayhem. Zed took some rad pictures, even without the yet to be invented bike tripod. Check out his awesomeness over at SaltCycle.com.
Last month there was a cool Sunday Sprints competition. It was held over near Pioneer Park. You couldn't ask for a nicer afternoon and there were a pile of cyclists. Pictures from the event are posted over at the little known Salt Lake FG Flickr group. If you have a Flickr account, come join and post your fun cycling shots!
There's an article in this month's SLUG (November issue) on Marty Kasteler's recovery. Check it out. If you've ever had the pleasure to meet this guy, you know why he's such an inspiration to our community! Get well SOON Marty, and we'll hope to see you on the UBomb sometime soon!
A cool video of last month's ghettoDROME velodrome style race has been posted over on Singlephile.net. Run over and check out this awesome concept. Remember to go sign the petition for our own Velodrome and say no to pedal strikes!
Alley Cat tonight (Saturday, Nov. 3rd).
Meet at Gallivan Plaza (200 south between Main and State streets) @ 7pm. I'm sure this one will be insanity on wheels.
Last and most AWESOME is the UBomb ride next Wednesday. Meet at the Downtown SLC Library @ 7pm. Bring your kid sisters little bike, skate board, long board, ROLLERSUIT!, or just your boring old ride. Get creative and be ready to have fun. Oh, and don't forget your TRAX fare. We'll be jumping on the train from the library to head up the hill to the U and then 'bombing' back down to the library. Shuffle, repeat.
2008 is going to be an incredible year for cycling. I hope everyone is prepared to give it all they got and are ready for the deluge of events and helping riders new and old get into and keep on riding!
Thanks to Sam's great forum ideas and Jonfen of the SLCBC's great computing skills we finally have an expanded forum! The forum has many new catagories to post on and connect through. If you have any more ideas for good threads that should be catagories in the forum, please message the moderators. Have fun and happy posting!
Ok, maybe they didn't say it exactly like that. But they sure imply it with a law they passed last year. Basically if your bike gets stolen you have 10 days before the pawn shop can legally sell it. If you find it later than 10 days, you no longer can claim your bike.
The Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective will be collecting funds for Marty Kasteler. For those of you that don't know, he is a local cyclist that was intentionally hit by a car. He was severely injured and and rushed to the intensive care unit (ICU) at LDS hospital. Sadly, the driver of the white delivery truck has still not been found.
This is a hard time for Marty and his family, so please consider a donation. All donations are tax deductible.
This only goes to show that if you have enough money, and can pull a "i'd like to thank the academy" when the media is watching -- you can get out of man slaughter. Just ask Elizabeth DeSeelhorst and O.J. Simpson
Murderer: Elizabeth DeSeelhorst, owner of the Solitude Ski Resort.
by Alastair Bland
