Courtest of Fossil Fool at Rock The Bike:
From The Guardian:
Police attempts to outlaw the monthly Critical Mass cycle ride through the streets of London unless its route was notified in advance were blocked by the law lords today.
The House of Lords allowed a challenge by cyclist Des Kay to a court of appeal ruling that the Metropolitan police had the right to demand prior notice of the ride’s date, time and route and the names and addresses of the organisers.
Cyclists who gather on the South Bank and ride through the city to celebrate safe cycling have in the past been handed written notices by the police stating that the event was unlawful because no advance notice was given.
But the law lords held that the event, which had no organisers or set route and proceeded on a “follow my leader” basis, was not governed by section 11 of the Public Order Act 1986.
And here’s the Web site of Critical Mass London.
A few of a us guys who met on the ride in August wanted to get together and cruise again while the weather was still nice.
We got together for an impromptu ride on a Saturday night a few weeks ago. Here are some pics, as always more and full size versions on my flickr page.
There was a street festival going on with a terrible cover band playing… we didn’t stick around here long.
Riding to Dinner
After dinner at Black Eyed Sally’s
Posing on the bridge
Inside the Federal Cafe
Outside the Federal Cafe
And check out Ian’s Epic Skid at the end of the night:
points for distance
Good times, good riding, good night.
Wow, I just realized I had forgotten to post this. Sorry RocBike readers, I’ve been holding out on you!
This happened in the end of August, to commemorate the annual Bike Swap Meet, held at the New England Muscle Bike Museum (I was unable to attend so I don’t have pics of that).
Here are some pics from the ride, as usual more pics and full size versions on my flickr page.
Meeting at Bushnell Park
Riding through the arch
Making dinner reservations at Black Eyed Sally’s
Having a couple pints outside Vaughan’s
Hard to tell from this photo, but the Butterfly Girl was up on stilts.
Hanging out down on the Connecticut River
Tri-unicycle? This guy was great.
Hartford Sunset
All the bikes posed at the fountain
It was a good time, I met some new friends and had a lot of fun.
I shot video too which I will eventually cut and post.
More pics from the next ride soon!
A follow-up to this: “Half of my birthday bike ride”
I ended up in Rochester for my birthday last Thursday, and met up with some of the old cruisin posse and a couple of other good friends for a birthday cruise to dinner at John’s Tex Mex, my favorite place for vegetarian tacos.
Karl snapped this at our favorite ped bridge to ride over. He’s got more pics on his flickr
Thanks Roc-City for making my birthday a blast! Cheers!
Buncha fun rides this Saturday, September 27th.
On Saturday, September 27 at 9:30 AM, Save the Pine Bush is sponsoring a bicycle ride from the Civil War Monument in Washington Park to the Pine Bush Discovery Center on Route 155, north of Washington Avenue Extension. Once at the Discovery Center, we be given a short tour.
When riding, we will follow all traffic laws, and stay together as a group. I have a route picked out (but, I always welcome suggestions!).
I would really like to have one or two more ride leaders to come with me. Would anyone be interested?
And, if you don’t want to be a ride leader, please, be a ride participant! Its a lot of fun to ride to our beautiful Pine Bush!
I expect we will return to Albany sometime in the afternoon, around 3:00 PM, depending on how fast we go, how long we stay at the Discovery Center, and whether we stop for food.
For more information:
http://www.savethepinebush.org/Current/Ski.html
And then there’s this one, which I’m psyched about.
After two years of recovery from a hit-and-run accident, cyclist Pearson Constantino and his brother Pete are riding across America to make our roads safer and inspire more bicycling. A documentary film, THE LONG BIKE BACK, is being made about Pearson’s inspirational comeback and the brothers’ epic ride.
Pearson was one of 44,000 cyclists to be injured by a motor vehicle in the United States in 2006; an additional 68,000 pedestrians were injured in traffic crashes.
On August 12th, brothers Pearson and Pete set out from Newport, Oregon, and will continue their cross-continental journey all the way to Cape Cod, Massachusetts along US Route 20, Main Street America.
Support NYBC’s Share the Road Campaign and join “The Long Bike Back” as they ride through NYS’s Capital.
Saturday, September 27th:
4:00pm: Pearson & Pete have invited cyclists, advocates and friends to accompany them the last 15 miles on their route to Washington Park, downtown Albany. Meet at the corner of Dunnesville Rd. & Route 20 (Western Ave), Dunnesville, NY, ready to ride (Please note: all riders must wear helmets–a rider will not be allowed on a ride if he/she does not have a helmet. Riders are expected and required to follow all traffic rules and regulations.)5:00PM: arrival in Washington Park, downtown Albany.
5:30pm-6:30pm: “The Long Bike Back” Reception/Preview Screening at the Upstate Artists Guild Gallery, 247 Lark Street Albany NY 12210, co-sponsored by NYBC and the Upstate Artists Guild. Join us for a warm welcoming reception and early preview screening of a segment of “The Long Bike Back,” after which our featured guests will speak briefly about their journey, including Pearson’s recovery, and the need for motorists to be aware of vulnerable road-users. $10 donation ($5 student/low-income); proceeds for the event would benefit NYBC’s Share the Road campaign to increase bicycle safety awareness. For more information, please contact NYBC at nybc@nybc.net or (518) 436-0889. We hope you can join us for this event!
I have no idea where Dunnesville even is. As usual, anybody in the Helderberg neighborhood who wants to ride together, let me know.
So last night I biked out to the Sanctuary For Independent Media to hear Chris Carlsson’s talk. I met up with Lorenz at the boat launch. We split at 6:10, and made it there at 6:51. Important things to remember for the future. The valet bike parking was awesome.
Scott Kellogg’s brief talk was interesting, if a little too dogmatic. Carlsson’s talk was very thought-provoking. It’s good to hear someone else say what you’ve been thinking for months.
But, honestly, the best part was the ride home. A half dozen of us, lit up to varying degrees, cycling through mostly empty streets. Really a lot of fun. I met many people, and hopefully I’ll see them again.
From Bob at Liberty On Bikes!:
ok, looks like we’ll be leaving the downtube @ madison around 6 then the next meet up will be 6-615 at the boat launch then we’ll be taking the trail over to troy. if we don’t meet up before, there will be a large group going back to albany – see everyone there or along the way!
And this, of course, refers to tonight’s talk by Chris Carlsson in troy.
Bob from Liberty On Bikes! is organizing a ride to go see Critical Mass founder Chris Carlsson in Troy. Here are the details:
There’s several people wanting to ride over to troy for the chris carlson event. Anyone interested in meeting at the downtube between 6-615 to ride over? There will be myself and a friend in town from asheville, thanks! -bob
unless it takes longer to get there, then maybe meet 545, leave @ 6?
You can contact Bob via e-mail if you want to meet.
Here’s the info about the event:
World-Renowned Bicycle Revolutionary to Visit Troy 9/15
On September 15, Chris Carlsson – San Francisco-based author, urbanist, and instigator – will be presenting his latest work, Nowtopia, at The Sanctuary for Independent Media. The event is co-sponsored by the New York Bicycling Coalition and Troy Bike Rescue. Event begins at 7 P.M. at The Sanctuary for Independent Media, 3361 6th Avenue, Troy, NY. Admission by donation ($10 suggested, $5 low income). Directions and more information at www.MediaSanctuary.org or by calling 518-272-2390. Valet bike parking will be available.
Carlsson will be discussing his new book, Nowtopia, while sharing the spotlight with local bike enthusiasts, Troy Bike Rescue, and members of Rhizome Collective, of Austin, TX. As the number of cyclists continues to visibly grow, some might hope that this prophet from the bike-city of San Francisco will be bringing the good word of separated bike lanes and proper bike parking to the auto-dominated streets of the Empire State. However, Carlsson’s latest writing carry a much broader message – it’s an analysis of “work” and a vision of radical new economics that he contends is already taking shape.
Carlsson is perhaps best known in the bicycle community as one of the first motivators of the monthly Critical Mass bike rides that began in the early 90s in San Francisco, and have spread to 5 continents and over 300 cities around the world.
Local organizer and founder of Troy Bike Rescue, Andrew Lynn, remarks: “Making true social change and moving society towards sustainable future is not just about ‘going green’; it’s about building sustainable social and technical infrastructure. This will require new levels of cooperation and innovation.”
NOTE: Per Andrew Lynn: “we are looking for a few people who might want to help specifically with Valet Bike Parking. we have advertised that this service will be available. its pretty simple – taking peoples bikes a they arrive and taking them to the little alcove between the sanctuary and the adjacent building. then, someone will need to hang out by the door and be the security. ideally this would be a rotating role. please let me know if you can help with this at anyone@breathingplanet.net.”
