If you are in trouble, and your bicycle is broken...

If you want to be your own bicycle repairman then you should come to the Bicycle Bee. Here is the full list of events, times and contacts from the organizer, ifny:

So every morning I ride out from Maple Ridge to Vancouver (family lives out in the big bad M.R.) I am always amazed by the number of cars I pass. Its crazy. Here is a route (the Lougheed Highway) that a car should absolutely be killing me, as the speed limit the whole way is around 80 km/hr. Yet because of the traffic, here I am on bicyle holding my own, passing numerous cars depending on the section of road. Often I keep track of unique cars and at times I do not getting passed until I reach Burnaby, some 30 km away.

Anyway, I have always wanted to make a video of one of my commutes. Well, I finally got around to it a couple weeks ago and here is some footage. Compare the difference in flows of movement. Which do you think is more relaxing?

Just before the CARcass dropped [Album]

Well as part of Bike Love Weekend, last weekend, I went out to the two wheel madness that is Bicycle CARcass.

There were a diversity of events including bicycle derbies, blindfold slow race, the down to the ginch race, the strap on race, bicycle chariots (move over Russell Crowe) and the Main Event... Bicycle CARcass.

Two parts rugby, one part wrestling and all bicycle this one of the typical examples of the crazy Vancouver bike culture. Reason again, while Vancouver could be considered on of the premier North American Bike Meccas. Damn, I love it here.

Midnight Mass is taking the tunnel [album]

I went to my first Midnight Mass as part of Bike Love Weekend . And I must say it was pretty cool. About 40 or so riders showed up to pound the streets of Vancouver once the rest of the sensible folks were fast asleep. Right after the clock struck twelve a mass of riders crashed the streets to reclaim the night.

This was probably a good time to pop that cherry as we were lucky enough to get an extra Midnight Mass due to Bike Love Weekend. As a result there were a lot of out of towners in attendence. This was especially true for minibike contingent, as there was a HUGE representation from Portland minibike crew, who have just come up for some Canadian loving this weekend.

Samui Air Zound Cycling Horn

After well over a decade of riding almost everyday for leisure, racing and commuting I have finally broken down and bought my very first commuter geek item: A compressed air horn. And me say just say that I am digging it.

I was inspired after my recent trip to Central America. There everyone use their horns all the time, everywhere they can. At first this would lead to a may-lay of horns, but to my surprise the opposite was quite true. It turns out, as opposed to North America, most people actually use horns to communicate useful information rather than use it as a way to say "fuck you".

So I am back from Guatemala and kickin' it. Overall I had a total blast despite a couple interesting incidents (I finished my trip volenteering at a turtle reserve). Anyway I am trying to get caught up on the low down that is happening in Vancouver.

For all you bike culture freaks there are some big things comming down the pipeline for the end of september:

Bike love weekend + Velomutations

Well I now have been in Guatemala for a week and quite the week its been. So far I have climbed and overnighted on a Volcan Actatenango (3976 m or 13,041 ft), been on numerous tours in various city thanks to some contacts. Hiked around the lake district (Lago de Atitlán). Traveled on numerous chicken buses with another Canadian couple (one who is currently living here). But today takes the cake. Today, I had to fight off a swarm pick pockets in the Xela market.

If you are in the Minneapolis Minnesota area this Sept 5th, well then you should check out the Alley cat food drive

 

Well as I type this I am sitting in a cafe in Antigua Guatemala. 

I kinda ended up going on a whim and a tight buget and no knowledge of spanish.  In fact all the spanish I know I taught myself on the plane on the way out.

Now I have never personally met the infamous Big Johnny behind www.drunkcyclist.com/, but I have talked to him over email. I would share those conversations but I would have to put one of those "19 and over" signs on the site. Love him, hate him, whatever, he is one of the original bike bloggers, and he just had a run in that will all fear. Last week he was hit from behind by a sedan travelling something like 55 mph while he was riding in the bike lane in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Good news is Big Johnny is recovering, has recently been discharged and has apparently become the new bicycle spokesperson for bicycle safety with his multiple interviews on local television. Here is hoping you can get back on the bike soon!

druckcyclist.com