Sunday, June 29, 2008

Sunday Vintage & Cruiser Ride

Meet at Huntsville Middle school to LEAVE at 1:30

Since the new DOG PARK is having their party/ fundraiser 2-5, we will swing by there for a stop, instead of our usual ending for ice cream/malts or coffees. Dog Park is on Cleveland. I believe they will have hotdogs & cokes etc for a donation... Ck their website for more info.

Huntsville Middle School is on Adams Street. Nearest cross streets are Lowe (N) or the fork at California St (S) just after the Women's Hospital.

Speed: Conversationally slow. Some bikes are heavy oldies without gears.
Distance: Not too far. Newbie & kid friendly (but they need to be able to ride on the streets safely)
Hills: Ok, usually one, wouldn't even be noticeable on a road bike but we do make it up
Money: Sure bring some for snacks or to donate to the Dog Park

Dogs: We are going to the dog park. If your dog can ride with us, safely, I'm ok with that. but safely!

Bike Polo 5PM Today

Bike Polo: (loose HSV rules)
Sunday 5 pm
Optimist Park) on Oakwood, at intersection NE with Andrew Jackson where highway starts)

Monday, June 23, 2008

Critical Mass this friday!!!!



Thursday is Art drop off @ Lowe Mill
Friday is Food drop off Plus CM, DJ, Potluck, Fun
Saturday is Artists Market and Bike Fixin @ Lowe Mill


The Critical Mass will end @ Lowe Mill. We will have a group leaving to go back to the city where you started. So you won't have to ride back alone.

Few more things if you have real plates or silverware please bring by. We are trying to not use a bunch of crappy plastic and paper plates. Who wants to eat good food off of this stuff.

Fewer Traffic Signs, Better Safety?

From Rita thanks


When social interactions are more powerful than rules.
Imagine what would happen if you took down road signs and traffic signals. More accidents would surely result, or at least significant confusion and slower traffic. Or would it? The surprising thing is that a number of cities around the world have actually done this, and experienced dramatic declines in traffic accidents.

The idea is based on an urban design philosophy known as “shared space.” When drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists are forced to develop their own natural ways of interacting with each other, goes the thinking, they work out better social behaviors than the rule-driven behaviors dictated by professional traffic engineers. This does not mean an abandonment of design considerations, but rather a commitment to the larger public space designs instead of overly prescriptive traffic control devices such as traffic lights, signs and road markings. read more here

Big Oil and the war in Iraq

Please try and justify this. Basically if you have oil and we want it, then we will kill you, your family and take what ever we want all in the name of Freedom.


IT TOOK five years, the deaths of 4,100 US soldiers, and the wounding of 30,000 more to make Iraq safe for Exxon. It is the inescapable open question since the reasons given by President Bush for the invasion and occupation did not exist, neither the weapons of mass destruction nor Saddam Hussein's ties to Al Qaeda and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. read more here

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Bike Fixin @ Manna House Tonight

Please come out & help fix bikes-- - at Lifecycles (a hands-up charity) tonight / Sat. at 6:15ish+ for a couple of hours.

It's behind Manna house or the Animal Emergency Clinic (behind form Service Merch & research genetics building)

just off the S/w corner of Governors & the Parkway sort of behind El Palacio

Enter on "creek" side-- look for sign-- some might call it the concrete ditch but actually it is a creek.

HONK.
as no cars does not equal no people, many ride their bikes there.

feel free to brings goodies, colas, coffee, chips, etc to share, it is greatly appreciated!

no skills need. learn on the job. great practice. co-ed..

fun & sociable, make new friends. bike talk.

You can make the world a better place by volunteering.

Q & A with Celeste Koon: Cycling and the cinema

Cyclists can get a pretty tough ride in Toronto, but Celeste Koon won’t be hanging up her helmet anytime soon. The film student and avid cyclist spent the last months of 2007 making Pedal Power: Critical Mass Toronto, a short documentary on the city’s once-monthly, two-wheeled takeover of major routes in the downtown area, which will play tonight as part of Toronto’s Bicycle Film Festival. She spoke with Rebecca Tucker about door prizes, sustainable transportation and what it takes to film a fleet of bicycles. read more here

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Obama pledge support for cycling

CHICAGO, IL (BRAIN)?Barack Obama, in a private 20-minute meeting with members of the Bikes Belong board of directors, told them if he were elected president he would increase funding for cycling and pedestrian projects. And
the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee also said he would support Safe Routes to Schools programs.

He also told them he seldom makes promises on what he would do if elected president, but that this was a promise he would keep. Tim Blumenthal, executive director of Bikes Belong, laid out the industry¹s position on boosting funding for cycling-related projects and for Safe Routes to Schools at the meeting.

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) called the opportunity for industry leaders?both suppliers and retailers?to meet privately with a presidential candidate so early in a campaign for the White House was historic. ³It¹s important for this industry to understand that it is a force,² said Blumenauer, shortly after Obama left the event.

Stan Day, SRAM¹s president, said that Obama ³gets it.² He pointed out that Obama understands that bicycles can be part of a solution to issues as diverse as health care, obesity, energy and environmental policy. ³He does his homework and he can connect the dots,² he said.

Of the estimated 160 guests who turned out for the event, Day estimated close to 60 represented the bicycle industry ranging from suppliers, retailers and advocates. Among the guests were Greg LeMond and his wife, Kathryn. Obama, in his remarks to the guests, thanked the LeMonds for attending.

Chris Kegel, owner of Wheel & Sprocket, a six-store chain of stores in the greater Milwaukee area, drove to Chicago early Thursday evening to attend the fundraiser at the home of F.K. Day and his wife, Leah. Day is vice-president of SRAM.

³I think it¹s very important that we (the bicycle industry) were involved with this type of event,² Kegel said. Kegel added that he personally supports Obama and believes that Obama can help end the partisanship that divides the country.

Chicago retailer, JoAnne McSweeny, owner of Trek Bicycles on Michigan Avenue, said she has followed Obama¹s career for years and supports Obama¹s run for president. She, like many others, said Obama¹s support for cycling is important for the nation¹s future.

During a conversational 15-minute speech, Obama poked fun at himself telling the crowd that when he was photographed last weekend riding a bike with his children, he looked like Urkel. For those unfamiliar with Steve Urkel, he was the nerdy, bespectacled semi-hero on the long running sitcom ³Family Matters.² The show was centered on an African-American middle class family living in Chicago.

Obama said he had no idea at the time he was riding with his children that he would soon meet with so many members from the industry. However, he pointed out, he knew photographers would be snapping photos of him on his bike, and that he wore his helmet to set an example for the kids.

Tom Petrie, president of Velimpex, who flew to Chicago Thursday afternoon, said he didn¹t expect to hear Obama lay out a specific agenda for the bicycle industry. ³However, it was refreshing to see somebody trying to unite the country instead of trying to divide it with wedge issues. I find it refreshing and, frankly, necessary,² Petrie said

Monday, June 16, 2008

Trading his SUV for a bicycle in Cullman Al.

From The Cullman Times

With gas prices soaring, Buchanan Jackson has decided to trade in his Ford Explorer for a bicycle.

But, there’s just one problem: He has nowhere to park his bike.

“I’ve noticed that Cullman isn’t really bike friendly,” said Jackson, project coordinator at the Cullman County Economic Development Office.

Jackson said after riding his bike around town he’s noticed first-hand Cullman’s lack of bicycle parking options.

“We really do need some bike racks,” he said.

Cullman City Planner Jim Fisher said there are preliminary plans underway to make Cullman more “bicycle and pedestrian friendly.”

“We’re hoping to cure that (the lack of bicycle racks) once the streetscaping is finished,” Fisher said. “We’re shooting for within the next year or so to try and get started.”

Fisher said the street department would likely handle the efforts and that he would also like to see local businesses get involved. read more here

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Dixie Derby Girls vs. Demolition City Roller Derby June 22

Just To Be Fair and Unbalanced

http://www.imvotingrepublican.com/

Rules are for Fools???

Cyclists get new right to turn ‘wrong’ in one-way street

A traffic-dodging dash the wrong way up a one-way street may be the tempting risk for many a frustrated cyclist. But it will no longer be against the law under an experiment designed to encourage more people to switch from four wheels to two.

The change – which will simply legitimise what many cyclists, including David Cameron, the Conservative Party leader, do already – will be welcomed by thousands of law-abiding riders who have to take long diversions around one-way systems. read more here

Ford F150

Feeling Safe Now?

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Take the Quiz


More Info @ moveon.org

BIKEJACKER

Thanks Mack

Chavez mocks critics with 'atomic bicycle'


From Houston Chronicle

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is mocking critics who question his close relationship with Iran by showing off what he calls an "atomic bicycle."

The bicycles are produced in Venezuela under a joint venture with an Iranian company.

Chavez rode one of the bikes during his Sunday TV program and joked about what he called the bicycle's "radioactivity" and offered one to U.S. President George W. Bush.

U.S. officials say Chavez is a destabilizing influence in Latin America and also express concern that Iran's nuclear research program could be aimed at weapons production.

Chavez says there is no cause for concern and says the new bicycle factory will eventually be able to manufacture 100,000 bikes a year.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Obama Loves Riding in the City


From Urban Velo

According to a post on www.nicomachus.net, presidential hopeful Barack Obama took a break from the campaign trail to ride bicycles with his family and neighbors. The Illinois senator rode from his home in Chicago to the shores of Lake Michigan, but sadly their ride was cut short by foul weather.

And in related news, SRAM’s F.K. Day is hosting an Obama fundraiser at his Chicago home. An anticipated 100 bicycle industry magnates will pay $2,300 to attend the function. Although the upcoming election will focus on political issues such as foreign policy and the economy, Day is quoted as saying, “It’s really an opportunity to talk about bikes with Barack.”

Monday, June 9, 2008

Protests, Nudity and Food Shortages

As we play polo and complain about the heat lets take a moment.


Madrid, Spain (AHN) -- Hundreds of bike riders shed their clothing and rode through the capital of Spain Saturday protesting the overuse of automobiles, and celebrating the simplicity of bicycles and the human body.

According to the World Naked Bike Ride Website, the annual ride is held in cities all over the world "to celebrate cycling and the human body. The ride demonstrates the vulnerability of cyclists on the road and is a protest against oil dependency."

The event is meant to be a peaceful and humorous. It has a "bare as you dare" policy, meaning it's okay to wear some clothing. Promoters urge riders to wear as little possible and still be comfortable.

The event started in 2004 and encourages people in cities everywhere to organize groups to ride in protests.


Protests in India

The Bharatiya Janata Party took out a bicycle rally in Bihar on Sunday in protest of the hike in petrol and diesel prices.

The protesters, shouting slogans against the Congress led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, took out the procession in different parts of Patna.

According to the protesters the ruling Congress led UPA government has failed to contain price rise.

"The government has failed to control the prices. The economic set up is not what it should have been. The economy is reeling under inflation and with this fuel price hike the situation will further worsen. And it's obvious that the prices of Gold, Silver, petrol and other goods will also increase. The economic management of the government is not in places," said C. P. Thakur, Member of Rajya Sabha.

Meanwhile the women wing of BJP also staged a protest march in Patna and expressed their anguish by piling empty cooking gas and shouting anti government slogans. read more here


Forget oil, the new global crisis is food

MO strategist Donald Coxe warns credit crunch and soaring oil prices will pale in comparison to looming catastrophe A new crisis is emerging, a global food catastrophe that will reach further and be more crippling than anything the world has ever seen. The credit crunch and the reverberations of soaring oil prices around the world will pale in comparison to what is about to transpire, Donald Coxe, global portfolio strategist at BMO Financial Group said at the Empire Club's 14th annual investment outlook in Toronto on Thursday.

"It's not a matter of if, but when," he warned investors. "It's going to hit this year hard." more here

Bloom : peddling green


From Design 21 Competition

The Bloom device is meant to be a subversive and inspirational tool for our concrete jungles. Similar to the tuft of a dandelion as the wind carries the seedling, we propose a way of dispersing seedlings with bubbles and bicycling. Seeds are co-mingled with a bubble mixture and upon pedaling to your destination , you release the floating seeds which land in cracks and crevices throughout the city streets. Over time, the seeds grow into flowers and plants to create a green "fringe" to our sidewalks and streets. more here

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Critical Mass Video

Part 1 unedited

Bike Polo Sunday @ 5pm

Bike Polo @ Optimist Park, 5pm Sunday
Skip church, leave your families and come out to play polo. Nolen will buy your kids corn syrup laden drink and full drum sets.

Oh and if you want to keep with in the DIY aspect of polo. Here is how to make your own mallets.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tink20seven/sets/72157594573372516/

Some music for you.....

Friday, June 6, 2008

Car culture on the way out

Americans are finally making decisions to get away from cars. Gas use is down for the first time in a while. It's too bad Huntsville transit system isn't very prepared for more riders. Maybe the cost will soon be over $1 with diesel continuing to increase. To their credit, they are planning to replace the 2 backup buses that don't have bike racks on the front, but they haven't yet told me when. I'll try to pass that info along when I know. I used to ride the bus more (even when I had a car), but with those 2 buses possibly being on any route, it's not reliable enough for me.

"This ridership surge points up three things: (1) These millions of new riders can do it. Most of them always could have. They just didn't. (2): We're not at the end of car culture yet . . . that's a few generations off . . . but (3) it's clear, in not-quite-hindsight, that the U.S. car culture does not work."

rest of the story

Safety First ....... Plus Fear Fear Fear

Thursday, June 5, 2008

NUDITY LOOK HERE


From the Guardian

Charities using naked opportunism
The email from the Community Channel could not have been less subtle. They were keen to promote a "hot new programme" about the World Naked Bike Ride UK -"a day on which you can get your kit off to highlight global warming, and not get arrested!" This taboo-testing event comes hot on the heels of model and TV presenter Nell McAndrew's topless run to promote Cancer Research UK, and a sackful of charities and pressure groups offering their hilarious nude calendars. Am I the only one suffering naked compassion fatigue? read more here

Worthy of a Bike Statue

This is just crazy. Won't their country crumble with this kind of socialist behavior? This is shocking and wrong we should invade the dutch and bring them liberty and freedom.
From NY Times

My Dutch co-author and I biked to his office this morning, with very nice new bikes he owns. I remarked on them, and he said his university gives him the right to buy a bike out of pre-tax income every three years.

Every Dutch employer can offer this triennial subsidy of $750. I thought that was quite interesting, and asked why.

The answer is that earlier the government gave employees a subsidy on commuting costs, but only if they lived at least 10 kilometers from work. He says the government realized that this was unfair to short-distance commuters and, worse still, increased incentives to live far from work and to use gasoline that generated air pollution.

The bicycle subsidy is designed to counter those effects; and it is also consistent with the national image as devoted to bike-riding. (The Netherlands is the only place I have seen a public statue/monument consisting of a 10-meter-tall bicycle!)

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Cycling surges in Mass., fueled by high gas prices

Drivers, clear a lane. Bicyclists are taking to the road in record numbers in Massachusetts.

In Cambridge, ridership has soared 70 percent in five years. The MBTA is launching a “Bike Coach” to let riders bring their bicycles to beaches this summer, and across the state, bicycle shops are struggling to keep up with demand for the cheapest form of transport - as fuel prices hover near an unprecedented $4 a gallon.

During a recent bike-to-work week, activists hoped to get Massachusetts riders to pledge 50,000 commuter biking miles. Instead they got 125,000 pledged miles. read more here

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Alabama Primary Election, Tuesday June 3rd

15 to 20% !!! if this is the case and you don't vote then you deserve to have your guns, trucks, and wal marts taken away from you!!!

From Left In Alabama
Turnout is expected to be very low for this election, like 15% to 20%, and when it's that low, elections can turn on a very small number of votes. That's an even bigger incentive to exercise your right to vote! If you know someone who may not be aware of the election, why not give them a gentle reminder, and it's always a nice gesture to offer a ride to the polls to folks who have transportation issues.

Bikes and Seed Bombing

How to make seed bombs


BRIMMING with lime-hued succulents and a lush collection of agaves, one shooting spiky leaves 10 feet into the air, it's a head-turning garden smack in the middle of Long Beach's asphalt jungle. But the gardener who designed it doesn't want you to know his last name, since his handiwork isn't exactly legit. It's on a traffic island he commandeered. read more here

more info on this here too
http://www.guerrillagardening.org/ggwar.html