Kidical Mass in Chicago

My family and I didn't get to many of this year's Kidical Mass rides this year, but I made a point of taking some pictures on our last visit.

Kidical Mass is a ride for children and their families.  From tiny babes up to 8 year old older siblings they ride, some on i-berts, chariots, back seats, in buckets and even on their own.  The ride sticks mainly to side streets and those with large bike lanes and lasts about 45 minutes or so, ending at a local playground.  Parents act as an escort and politely close junctions to allow the ride through etc, there has not been much impatience from drivers and the parade is often clapped and cheered along it's route.

Here are some pictures of the myriad of ways to introduce children to cycling and a flavour of the festival.

  

Scene in Chicago

More sights from Chicago.
This bike caught my eye due to the decal on the top tube.
Is it named after the Little Indy 500 or was it made and ridden in the Little Indy 500?

The following is a little addition to the previous posting of Molly doing some action painting.  She went back, this time with me and I caught her in action.  To be honest it wasn't leaving much paint behind but she seemed to just love going in circles fast, on two wheels at times.  

Maybe she is honing her velodrome skills?

Note that the bike is a Turin racer.

US Pro Cycling Challenge VIP pictures

As well as having my art selected to be used at the US Pro Cycling Challenge they also sent me 4 VIP passes to final day's finish in Denver.  Rather than spend family money on air fare and hotels I asked an Uncle in law in Denver, who would be out of town, if he knew of someone who could make the most of the day.  Last year one of Uncle Paul's colleagues was hit by a car whilst riding and currently has a leg and ankle made of metal pins, bummer.  Here hat he said about the day and some photos they took:

"The amount of support from the people of Colorado really showed. The crowd was loud and excited every time a rider or a group of riders went by. The tour is on again for next year because Colorado loves cycling. That's why I moved here from Texas ten years ago."  Eric Cato (in the yellow hat)

and his lucky friend....

"...Overall, the experience was phenomenal.  What an amazing crowd.  This was a huge event for Denver and was extremely well attended. The energy and excitement were truly over the top.  It was such a pleasure to have front-row seats to the finish line.  Seeing the riders pass by six different times, as they completed the circuits of Speer Blvd, was exceptional.  Not quite the Champs Elysees but it created a similar feeling. "   Craig Bachmann

World Championship via Tweet

I am not a big fan of Twitter and such.  As you will know if you are one of the disappointed three followers.  But impatience regarding Cav's team for 2012 led me to visit his Twitter account.  Pleasantly surprised by the variety of comments and the ability to visit linked tweeters in this case most of the GB squad.  It was interesting to read their anticipation before the race and then their joy after.  The photos add another behind the scenes layer to what we are presented in the mainstream media.  

Here is the World Championships as Tweeted by some of Team GB:

'Open Streets' on State Street, Chicago

On Saturday the 1st October State Street between Lake and Van Buren will be closed to traffic and open to humans.  There is an element to the promotion for the event that suggests cycling will be one of the activities you can enjoy on the 'open street'.  Looking at the amount of activities planned for the streets I doubt there will be room to move, that especially means you, you head down tri-bar triathletes.  

It's going to be a fun day though, everything from kid's playgrounds, Capoeira lessons, dancing, skateboard park and yoga.  It's the culmination of State Street's 'Go Do Good' yellow billboard charity art installation, which means finally we will be rid of the yellow billboards and signage - yay!   

For once I will welcome back advertising.

Info here:  http://openstreetsonstatestreet.org

Rouleur Derby - Join it it 2012

I know I am meant to be toning down my competitive side but I just finished second in the 2011 season of Rouleur Derby.

Created by Luke Seeman, of Chicago Bike Racing fame and all around great bloke, Rouleur Derby is a fantasy parimutuel betting contest with entrants from across the globe, with no money exchanging any hands, it's all above board and completely made up.  Which of course means some of us get a bit too caught up on who is going to win vs who we want to win etc.  Most of the season I had been in the top ten based on my shameful habits of betting on numerous outcomes in each event, trying to ensure I made some profit as opposed to naming the winner and winning big.  I did feel bad about this.  So realized that when it came to the final event of the season I should go all in.  Tony Martin started me off on the right foot but the women's road race cost me big time, I had plumped for 'The Brits' (thinking Lizzie Armistead), the Swedes (Emma Johannson), Australia (any of them) and my long shots of Belgium and Russia.  So with half of my points gone I went with my heart and put the lot on Cavendish to win the men's.  He did and I end up second place.  Nice.  Not claiming to have any superior talent in  predicting winners in bike racing or anything, I was far too cagey for that.

It's a fun little element to the cycling season though and I know Luke would like it to continue growing and does have something in mind for next year that may involve some 'Kickstarter' help.  Please keep it mind for 2012 and put me in my place next year.

Here's Luke's summary of the year:

Paxton Gate - PDX shop of wonders.

Paxton Gate - Treasures and Oddities Inspired by the Garden and Natural Sciences - to give it's full postcard title.

We stumbled upon this curious store whilst wandering a street fair in Portland on Mississippi Ave.  Wow.

What a fascinating place.  I guess from the outside it looks like a gift shop with some taxidermy.

But it's more than that.  It's a bit like entering another world, some kind of naturalist steampunk fantasy down the rabbit hole land of enchantment.  My wife and daughter Molly were absorbed too.

Really head over to their site to learn and see more, here is a teaser:

"Philosophies

We at Paxton Gate are fascinated by the natural world....." - Click here.

Yeah it did raise a few ethical concerns when I walked in, as far as I knew some of this just isn't legal.  Turns out I am incorrect, human bones etc are pretty much illegal, legally hunted or 'dead' animals are fair game, if you pardon the pun.  It also reminded me of a pretty harrowing book I recently read: 'Beatrice and Virgil' by Yann Martel - great read - the final 'section' of the book is genius.

I plan on spending some more 'shopping time' on their site for those bizarre gifts that will make some one's day or make them wonder how the hell they know you!

 

 

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Sketches of the Northwest

Every few months or so I draw something in a sketch book with the intent of drawing something in there everyday.  It never gets very far.  Stuff happens.  But vacations on the other hand, that tends to work out.  

So here are some pages from the trip to the Northwest.

 Hurricane Ridge

 Neah Bay

 Ashland

  Ashland

 Ashland

 Seattle

EMP Seattle

Towards the Ocean: A Film - from Militag

'Paris - Brest' is towards the ocean '- Paris' is back again.

Pete Kelsey of Willesden CC rode PBP this year and filmed it.  It's a pretty neat 15 minutes.

Having read a few negative accounts of the event, due to high numbers of riders and cramped control stations this movie makes it look fairly appealing, well once the field stretches out anyway.  I'd love to know more about Pete's experiences, it sounds like he's done it a few times.  What an undertaking - well done to all who qualify and participate.  1230km in under 90 hours. 

From Road.cc:

Be warned, though, that you might want to join Audax UK at the end. As Pete says when we asked him how he felt, "Relieved and elated in equal measure. Relieved to have got back safely and without too much physical damage, and elated to have ridden well, in a lovely country where cyclists are made to feel special, at least for these few days.

"PBP is a joyous human endeavour, not easy but one which any cyclist who's reasonably fit and with correct motivation can achieve. I hope the film shows this and encourages others to have a go."

There's a whole four years to get ready for the next one.

 Details: www.paris-brest-paris.org

Towards The Ocean - PBP 2011 from Milltag on Vimeo.

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Marathon World Record and GB's first Olympic Athlete for 2012

Cycling often seems to bear the brunt of some strange decisions by sporting bodies such as changes to UCI frame regulations and the changes in the world record rules which mean we now have two Hour Records, the UCI Hour Record and the Best Human Effort (UCI Absolute Record) held by Ondřej Sosenka (49.7km) and Chris Boardman (56.375).  

Well cycling is not the only victim of such changes.  The International Association of Athletics Federations just downgraded the World Record for the Women's Marathon from Paula Radcliffe's 2h15m25s to her earlier 2h17m42s.  Why?  Her faster time was set in a mixed gender race, therefore it will be considered as the 'World's Best' the 'World Record' can now only be set in Women's only races.  The world's Marathon governing bodies do not agree with the IAAF's decision.

In other non-cycling news the GB Olympic team just announced it's first athlete to make the Olympic team for 2012.  Ben Ainslie won a silver in 1996, and golds in 2000, 2004 and 2008.  This year he has earned the opportunity to take the one spot available in the Finn fleet of sailing.  549 spots still available in the team.  Get training.

Sarah's Key - Velodrome d'Hiver.

A few weeks ago I posted about a distressing piece of Velodrome d'Hiver's past and a french movie chronicling the incident.  I also discovered a novel called 'Sarah's Key' by Tatiana De Rosnay which also depicts the 'round up'.  This was recently filmed starring Kristin Scott Thomas. I haven't watched it, since becoming a father I just can't watch anything like this.  Fascinating stuff though. Click through for the trailer....

Scene in the Northwest.

Welcomed to the bike friendly Northwest by this bike hook on the rail from Seattle Airport to the city.

Later these are the provisions for bikes on Portland's rail system. Oh and that's a nice Rivendell.


Look out for the tramlines in Portland and don't ride without a front wheel.


Cherries picked from the streets of Portland and baked into pie in Ashland Oregon.

Standing Stone Brewing in Ashland, Oregon was the first business in the city to take the offer to buy it's streetside parking space and turn it into a bike corral. Any employees who commit to make 45 bike commutes a year get a free bike. Oregon State covered a third of the cost of each bike and also of the purchase of parking space. The beer is good too. So are these:


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Performance Tricycle Art - 500th Post

 

No better way to celebrate my 500th post on the blog than with pictures of my daughter Molly creating art.  Here she is at the Chicago Children's Museum about to leave a path of pigment on this giant canvas.

 She needed a bigger brush.

 

Thanks so much to you for reading the blog, the growing number of page visits is the fuel that keeps me looking for things to share.  I hope there is enough fun, enough beauty and well, just enough........

Cheers,  Steve.

Cyclepedia: A Century of Iconic Bicycle Design

There is a short post about the book 'Cyclepedia: A Century of Iconic Bicycle Design' on Core77 this morning.

It's technically the second volume showcasing 100  of Michael Embacher's personal bicycle collection.

Quite a collection too, exotic, rare and exquisite.  Everyone a gem. 

Or as Sir Paul Smith would put it:

I can absolutely identify with the amazing passion and collection of Michael Embacher. WHAT A COLLECTION... ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC! All shapes, sizes and qualities. To be honest it’s just better to look at the book because words cannot describe these terrific cycles
Sir Paul Smith

 

More pictures and info at Core77.

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Scene in Chicago

Unfortunately this Midwest bike was unable to shed it's winter coat and instead sweats it's way through summer.

A 'Garelli'?


'Cannibal'

Sub 5 Century Ride

I didn't think I would be saying this but:  FAIL.

In a good way though.

Sunday started well at 4am as I found the Wales v South Africa World Cup Rugby match streaming online and was able to watch Wales play brilliantly and be on level terms when I switched it off.  South Africa later won by 1 point. 

 

I was surprised to be called up to the front at the race start as I was the 4th place fund raiser.  Congratulations to everyone who helped raise $25k for the Paul Ruby Foundation.

I felt and saw an undercurrent at the event as people were preparing.  Race fever.  There was talk of 'how fast can we go?'. 'Which group will win?'.  Someone asked about this being a TT and the organiser laughed that it wasn't 'really' a race.  It didn't feel right for me, not what I had signed up for.  Still at least I had been put with a group all planning to ride it in 4h50mins mainly consisting of a local Chicago bike team.  

As we rolled off the plan was to do a rotating pace line and keep the speed at 23mph.  It worked well for most of the first 33mile lap, half of which did seem to be into the wind.  We also slowed to regroup after corners and the slight hills etc.  The only thing that seemed particularly hard for me then was the act of concentration required to ride amongst others, but I settled into that and into rolling a gear at a constant pace.  I was finding being in the receding line on the hills a little difficult though.  The first lap time was 1h26 - putting us on target for a 4h20 finish - too quick!

Het Fairwheel Podium

The one shop I did not want to miss whilst out that way was Het Fairwheel Podium in Portland.
I was lucky they were open late one evening and I was able to talk with Emiliano the owner. Here are his words from his site regarding the store/gallery:

All of this culminated in “Het Fairwheel Podium.” The direct English translation from the Dutch is “The Fairwheel Gallery.” I work with frame builders to bring in the highest quality hand built frames; and display componentry that forces everyone to re-think what a bicycle is. We have what I wanted. No longer will these bikes and components live only on blogs and forums. We’ll bring them here to a small space off the river in Northwest Portland where you can come in, drink some coffee, and talk bikes.

– Emiliano Jordan

The store holds First Thursdays when the have an open night featuring new cycling related artwork and photography on their walls as well as the opportunity to admire and discuss these gallery worthy bikes. They were prepping a couple of bikes for local racers who were racing that weekend and Emiliano remembered sleeping above Bicycle Heaven in Chicago when they raced Superweek a few years ago. Hopefully I'll be able to get a few of my prints over to Het Fairwheel sometime soon. Maybe that's where I'll reveal a finished Gilbert?

A 'Keith Anderson' cruiser, maybe just my size or maybe Molly's in a year or so.
Imagine having this as a first bike.

'Ruegamer'

Het Fairwheel Podium website here: http://www.hetfairwheelpodium.com


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