bike ride

I took this video a while back. It’s me riding from my place near Union Square to Rickshaw Bags in Dogpatch. The ride took about 15 min, so I shortened it for your viewing pleasure.

Music by Shout Out Out Out Out.

weekend recap

This weekend was the best weekend. It started with a 55 mile loop in Marin and ended in the Golden Gate polo fields jamming out to Phoenix, Al Green, Nas, Damian Marley and Kings of Leon (with a lot of nonsense in between). Here is some media to prove that I did these things (I apologize in advance for the sideways Nas video).

Cycling in Marin

Getting a temporary tattoo

Making it rain at the Chicago-style hot dog cart

Chilling with Brett & Julianne at Gallery Heist

Looking at my feet…on grass…it’s been a while

Jamming at Outside Lands

You will never take our bike lanes!

This video features two of my favorite things, cycling and street art, and was shot in my old neighborhood. It shows cyclists in Williamsburg replacing the removed bike lane on Bedford Ave. Here is the article (via @ChromeBagsSF).

I know how awful it is biking on Bedford Ave to get to the bridge. There are tons of people and cars, making a safe ride relatively impossible. I always liked to use Berry or Wythe (for safety reasons), but like the video mentions, Bedford is the most convenient straight-shot if you live in Williamsburg or Greenpoint. It’s beyond dumb to remove this lane since it’s the only thing helping to protect cyclists. It also makes getting to the Endless Summer taco truck much easier.

I love you Endless Summer.

ArtCrank Update

Here are a couple of pictures from my recent trip to the ARTCRANK poster party at Chrome. Judging by how crowded it got, I’d have to say it was a successful night. Remember, for every $30 print sold, ARTCRANK and Chrome will donate $4 to Bikes To Rwanda. Great idea and it’s spreading fast.

These were two of my favorite prints. I bought the yellow skeleton wheelie and the purple/pink pedal above.

I also stopped by 111 Minna before heading to the show and was really impressed by their current show “Love It or Leave It.” I was immediately drawn to the work of Marco Zamora. Some of his stuff is below, also very bike-centric:

Bikes as Art

I cannot ride my bike enough in this city. It’s electric. Unlike NYC, where I am almost positive riding will get me killed, San Francisco has been an absolute playground for Blanca (left).

Not only does cycling help keep me fit (kinda) and provide all the adrenaline I need, it has also helped reshape my values. I am much more environmentally and civically conscious. As a proud, card-carrying member of the SF Bicycling Coalition and Spur Urban Center I am eager to volunteer for a few upcoming events to help promote this healthy and creative mode of travel.

One of these kick ass events is coming up this weekend. It’s hosted by ArtCrank and sponsored by Chrome Messenger Bags, a SF cycling staple.

This event, like another I’ll touch on soon, is a great way to embed an urban sport like cycling into street art culture. That’s not to say that there isn’t already a natural connection. Bikes are just extensions of our personal brands. They reflect who we are and what we have to say. They are easily customized and designed to brighten up the city streets and flash some style while weaving in and out of frustrated motorists.

The fixie trend has definitely brought some additional awareness about cycling too (although I’m not too keen on riding something without brakes). Either way, bicycles are evolving as a legitimate creative medium that should be recognized.

Recently, one gallery connected the dots and dedicated a huge installation to the bicycle. The exhibit, which was titled “Bicycles: people + ideas in motion” was curated by Lorie Mertes, Director at The Galleries at Moore. The final product was an exploration of the art and design of bikes and their impact on urban landscape.

I wish I could’ve seen Ryan Humphrey’s installation (below) in person. Mertes was quoted saying that “Humphrey draws inspiration from Evel Knievel, Eddy Van Halen and Duchamp.” That’s awesome.

Stage 17 & More Wolverine Awesomeness

Another example of how awesome this organization is, check out one of their postcards.

It’s a reenactment of a famous Tour de France picture where several cyclists are shown lighting a cigarette while riding. We’ve come a long way. Oh, wait (Floyd), no we haven’t.

Tour de Fat: Bikes, Beers & BBQ

This weekend I attended Tour de Fat in Golden Gate Park. The festival, that tours 11 cities in the west to spread “the good word about the positive societal offerings of the bicycle,” was filled with bike enthusiasts, drunk hipsters and old dudes in spandex. It was a beautiful day and I couldn’t have been happier (although I did (and still do) regret not pulling my weight and dressing in some random biking gear).

For a detailed description and overall mission of the Fat make sure to check out the ten commandments. My favorite is #6. Although New Belgium sponsored the event, they did not profit. Pretty classy move. I don’t love Fat Tire, but I made sure to drink a ton and support the cause.

There were several interesting events/spaces throughout the day and I tried to capture a bunch with my phone. These are the best of the worst:

On stage are Mike the Handsome and Dashing Dave, two members of the vaudevillian melodrama titled “The Handsome Little Devils present Squirm Burpee.” Its hard to see what’s going on in this picture, but they’re juggling a chainsaw, a bowling ball and an egg. Nothing special.

This chick was one of a handful of people who sat with typewriters and created poems for a couple of bucks. I didn’t get one. I spent my money on beer. But cool idea.

You might notice that this guy is missing a front tire. Well, he was just one of many drunkards trying their best to handle custom rides in the bike circle of death. Not really, but this area was sectioned off like a destruction derby and people were ushered in every couple minutes and allowed to take any set of wheels for a test drive. To be completely honest, I would’ve paid more just to watch this one event.

I was so glad I stopped by the Wolverine Farm Publishing stand. It caught my eye at first because they had some really unique custom journals and the guy volunteering had on a killer bow-tie. The product has a bit of a McSweeny’s vibe to it, and the work, focused on literature and art, is thoroughly engaging and creative. The non-profit publishing organization is based out of Fort Collins, Colorado. Every year they release a few titles, cumulating with their semi-annual journal, Matter. I was particularly moved by last year’s Matter 11, titled “The Woods,” which is bound brilliantly in a screen-printed cardboard box. I promised the guy that I would buy a copy online and that is exactly what I intend to do after publishing this post. I would highly recommend supporting their work. It’s the only way for small organizations like theirs to survive and stay great.

I took these two pictures on my way home. I wish I had my camera for the last one here. The lighting is really remarkable. So was my first Tour de Fat.