legs, bike racks, ubombs and buying bikes.

i am the sort of person who when they work out, don't really work out specifically to build muscles or gain something besides the experience in bicycling.. but i did!

last night i looked down at my legs and saw these large bumps on my thigh, got a bit worried and notice the bump was on the other thigh. gee, that is muscle, not some strange disease. it was really odd experience.

so now i am going to chart my experience, my muscles, beginning today. i created a chart, of where my leg muscle is today, and where it will be in the future. observe:



on another bike related note, grabbed a picture of bikes on the 'bike' rack at library square, where we meet weekly for the ubomb:




the bike in front is my bike. it is the new 2008 Caution Model. its not fixed or spayed or anything, but it gets me to where i am going, and is great for riding uphills when the cables haven't stretched out to oblivion having, me pull them to change gears akin to stopping a trolley. next to it is mister K's bike. he has this great bike where you pedal slightly backwards to change between two gears, and pedal hard backwards to brake it. i am not technical on bike matters, i just ride, i mean i just discovered my legs today in this alien form, so you can figure out all the terms.

the ubomb pile extends far in the the reaches of the subterrain. an underground lair of sorts:



mister K himself and his shiny new Schwinn:



rumours are that he keeps a graveyard of bicycles back at his place, resurrecting them from the dead as he can see fit. i don't have room for a bike graveyard, but if any of you are sharing bicycles, i am up for a trial run.

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350 CO2 Cyclists Event Revisted

350 CO2 Cyclists.
I believe this event has great potential. I ask an additional request besides riding your bicycle to this event to help it be even better:

Wear an air pollution mask.

How much greater a message would be delivered if even 35 cyclists came with air pollution masks?

Here is a unofficial design I made to distro to the bicycle community. Please distro it freely:
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b360/thezoed/350cyclists.jpg

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Critical Mass March 2008

photo by Esther.
(more over here.)

*edit*
more photos:

http://planetquirky.com/photos/album/critical-mass-march-2008/

(keep sending links to your photo galleries of March Critical Mass 2008)

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Day 107 of the no car- 03/12/2008 current mileage: 245( ????)

The reason I have no idea of my mileage is that my odometer got taken off a while back and I

1. forgot to put it back on and I think it's been like 2 months. haha
and

2. built up a new fix gear bicycle and have no odometer on it (working on that)

Yes I know the pedals are all wrong but come on they are way funny. I'll be getting gold cages soon!

The last time I looked at it there were 146 miles on it. I did some calculating today and educated guessing and I think I've put another hundred miles or so on it since I took it off so lets put it at 245 just to be even. I'm going to pay closer attention as of today.

All of this mileage talk brought me to a pretty gnarly realization: I haven't put many miles on my bike considering I haven't had a car since late November and it's now March. That's just under 4 months and only 245 miles? I'd suspect at LEAST 100 miles a month- at LEAST. In my own defense, though, it HAS been a snowy and chilly winter only starting to warm up these past two weeks or so. lol it's 50 degrees right now and I'm sitting inside at home typing an update because I have to be here waiting for some guy to come and fix our washing machine. ugh.

So, I'm not going to lie, I've been having some no-car difficulties!
This past February and up to yesterday, I have had a considerable problem with not having a car. The thing is, I needed a new job and the job that most caught my heart was located an HOUR AWAY! Note: This type of thing is something I USUALLY try to avoid. Normally, I search places of employment online before I even reply to a "help wanted" ad or whatever and make sure that they are within reasonable riding distance. My last job was near 2700 South and 3rd West so, although it was a few miles away, it was easily accessible by trax and bicycle. This is just the lifestyle I choose to live, right?

SOOO In deciding to apply for this job I knew what I was getting myself into but I wouldn't have done it if, over the first telephone interview, the guy in charge didn't tell me that it wouldn't be a problem to find a car-pool once I was actually hired. After hearing this I knew it would be possible for me and so I took a shot. The interview process took FOREVER- almost a month and a half. There was a hand full of times where I had to actually go to the school (an hours drive away remember) for parts of the long interview process and so this was my main problem. I knew that, once I got the job, I would be able to carpool with other staff at the school but, as for the time being, I would have to solicit rides from friends or family to take me an HOUR out there and and HOUR back. ugh... and possibly wait for me for HOURS in between. NOT cool.

For the first time, not having a car was starting to look kinda lame. I was constantly worried that I wouldn't be able to find a ride or borrow someone's car in time to make the appointments. I was mostly afraid of looking like I was at a disadvantage because of my decision to live car-less. I don't want people to think that I'm making some sort of HUGE sacrifice or something by not having a car because I"M NOT. I really haven't needed one, even in the winter!

Anywhichway, thanks to a few favors from friends and one particular girl friend of mine who trusts me a ton, I was able to get through the long-distance interview process and... get the job! I'm so excited about working at this school, and, most of the staff lives in Salt Lake City so getting to and from work won't be a problem anymore! It was just that initial trial during the long-drawn out interview process that was difficult.

Still happy to be car-free!
-Chelsea

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Calling all Salt Lake City Cyclists

Subscribe to slcRideCall

Email:

SLC Ride Call is a tool to announce an unofficial same day bicycle ride for Salt Lake City. How it works: You want to ride downtown with someone so you post a message to SLCRideCall stating the time you want to ride and the difficulty. Someone corresponds & you both ride.

The subscribtion box will also be on the right side, if you ever want to subscribe in the future. ---->

To post rides 24+ hours away, please visit:
http://upcoming.yahoo.com/group/3849/

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Ride Call: City Creek Canyon

Since I missed ghettoDROME and still want to ride, I am going to go ride City Creek Canyon. I plan on being at the entrance @ 7:30 pm tonight Thursday the 27th. (the place with all the animal warning posters and drinking fountain.) No need for reservations, come ride if you wish. Good training for the Blackout Hustle. Dress warm, its been cold today.. I will ride as hard as you want to ride. bring lights.

-zed

*ride call is a quickly organized ride for the sake of encouraging people to get out and ride in mini-mass for the sake of bicycle riding.
city creek details: http://www.slcgov.com/Utilities/ud_citycreek_reservations.htm

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350 CO2 Cyclists

"Cyclists in Salt Lake City will lead the pack on April 5th at the downtown march and rally to promote a healthy planet. Riders will take to the streets to call for peace, health care and healthy air. Walkers and cyclists will kick off the event at noon, followed by live music, speakers and slam poets at the SLC Government Center.

We need 350 cyclists dressed for high visibility to bring the message home: 350 parts per million of CO2 is all our atmosphere can sustain. The current CO2 number is 383 ppm. Grab your bike and ten friends and come join Rocky Anderson in the fight for peace, health care and healthy air. The April 5th march and rally start at noon, 451 South State Street. The time to act is now."

-http://agenda08.org

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and finally after many hours.....

((look for fliers at various bicycling events.))

::EDIT::

Printable 8.5x11 .PDF to distro:
http://thezoed.googlepages.com/FINALBIKEPORNTOURFULL.pdf

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The Bike Porn Tour Trailer + extras

(some people were having trouble accessing the trailer so i reuploaded it in a friendly .mov format to another location. now it is as simple as click and watch.. you do have quicktime installed right?)

Its not as bad as you think, but its NSFW.

watch it here.

I also have a close-to-final flier of the events of the Bike Porn Tour here:
http://thezoed.googlepages.com/bikeporntourfinal.pdf

If the BFC decides to add Sunday Sprints, I will rework it, but other than that, this it.

Oh and lets get this out of the way...

disclaimer: The venues Coffee Garden, Jefferson Park, Library Square and
Gallivan Center and the above listed events: Mini Bike Gymkhana,
Midnight Mass, Freakbike Workshop, Tallie Cat, Blackout Hustle and Ubomb
are in no way sponsoring or endorsing the Bike Porn Tour.

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Volunteers Needed For Bike Porn Tour April 4th - 6th.

The Bicycle Porn Tour is coming to Salt Lake City. This is better than the circus. View the trailer here by clicking the link on the right side of the page titled "PORN TRAILER".. and as you might have guessed, NSFW.
However, most the events we plan on holding during The Bicycle Porn Tour are safe, good clean wholesome bike fun for all. Here is the listing of other events:



mini bike gymkhana - bicyclist compete in a course on mini(childrens) bikes.

midnight mass - critical mass gone midnight and wild.

luncheon/freakbike workshop - food and freaking bikes out chopper, tall, etc. style.

tallie cat - alley cat race on tall/freak bikes.

ubomb - ride trax up to the UofU, bomb down on bikes (minis are popular).




The events we need help with especially are the mini bike gymkhana, tallie cat and probably the freakbike workshop. We might also add other events, but these are the main events.



So far me and Kemmer are in the throws of planning this all out and getting it worked out, but I don't think we can get it all done without help from others.

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Back off the DL (sort of)

So Wednesday I got my "cast" taken off, (since it was just one of those velcro strap deals, it wasn't a big deal) and had my bi-monthly chat session with my surgeon, who told me I had to kind of ease into using it again. Of course I ignored him and started waling around like nothing had happened. I regretted it the next day, but it's getting pretty manageable now. There's not really any pain to speak of, but the range of motion isn't there, plus all of my foot and calf muscles have atrophied to
"6-yr old Harry Potter fan" level.
Want to see the screws?



I thought you might.

So I rode my bike all the way from work to the train stop on Wednesday, which is at least 50 yards, so that was a good start. I'm going to start riding more, but I've just decommissioned my road bike and am using the parts to build up my pretty new Surly Crosscheck frame. I have a lot of long, on and off road rides planned for this summer. Knock on wood.

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Downtown Wind Bicycle Sculpture

@ 340 South 200 East SLC.

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Sharing the SaltCycle.

If anyone is interested in sharing SaltCycle, I have some lamenated spoke cards, and can easily laminate more. Just drop a line and I can bring some extras at the next bike event.

Here is a list of all of the current rides:
http://saltcycle.wetpaint.com/page/Rides

If you know of any other community bicycle rides, feel free to add them.

Also, if you have any events, feel free to add them through yahoo upcoming:
http://upcoming.yahoo.com/group/3849/

More importantly than any of this Internet bit, is to simply get out and ride and support your bicycling community culture. We need to let people know bicycling can be fun, crazy and even practical, and we can achieve this by getting out and bicycling.

Lets make this summer be a bicycle revolution.

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Ridin' Fixy

MC Rush Hour has redone Ridin' Dirty to the tune of Ridin' Fixy. Like the Macarena, you either hate it or love it passionately. Shamefully, I am beginning to love it....



download mp3: http://thezoed.googlepages.com/mcrushhour_ridinfixy.mp3

LYRICS:
hey see my chainring
They hating
Trackstandin':
they know that I be ridin' fixy
Try to catch me ridin' fixy ...

Won't see me coastin'
or brakin'
you trippin' if you think I'll quit ridin' fixy
Try to catch me ridin' fixy ...

Y'all fools gonna make me do it
Trackstand at the light in front of your Buick
Mothafuckas wanna run me off the road
I'll grab my lock, take a swing and make your window explode
You might see me out ridin' with my club
We roll about 20 then we hit the pub
Chillin' out drinkin' beers til we can't see straight
Hit the streets with a lean why you suckas gotta hate
'Cuz you know we crazy like lunatics
We got no brakes but we still do skids
Got them bitches in lycra throwin' fits
Doing tricks in the park like a bunch of kids
Circle backwards: you can't hang with this
No-handed skid, now you gettin' pissed
Gotta fat chrome bag hangin' on my back
with some spare intertubes and a cold six pack
Alleycat race, now I'm ridin' fast
You freewheel hoes gonna finish last
Comin' up on your left, now I'm gonna pass
Won't see me coastin' or draggin' ass
Brooks on my jock be fittin' tight
40 oz in my left, bullhorns in my right
Cuttin' through traffic, got the haters cussin'
Rollin' past the fuckin' po-po like it's nothin'.

Chorus

We been critical massin'
Blockin' the street so your car ain't passin'
Now I'm shitfaced off the 2-for-1s
Drinkin' double long islands means double the fun
Now we back on the street and we bringin' the game
Titanium wheels on my steel frame
48 up front, 15 in the back
Gotta tackle this hill
Won't be cuttin' no slack
Now I'm comin' back down,
leg over the bars.
Skiddin' long, one hand flippin' off the cars
Skid patch smokin' like a big ol' blunt
Gotta shift my weight to get more up front
Pop my foot back into the clip
and I gotta put my hand back down on the grip
Nitto bars be shinin' like a gem
Chrome seatpost with matchin' stem
*with no regard for your cars we dodge em like fuck 'em all*
Don't push us too far...
step out your car, and we'll have a brawl
We gotta right to ride
So step aside
Unless you want my SPDs applied
To your doors, your fenders and then your grille
Fuck with my fixy and you'll get killed

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Ubomb Revival A Go.

The last time the Ubomb blasted down the hills of Salt Lake City was some time back in November of last year. Last night, it was revived and the pile was raised once again, to provide all with the opportunity to bomb the minis of old, this time newly tagged so they are official and ready to ride.I bombed the Silver Bomber, a mini with a 12' front tire and a 20' back tire of bombable glory. It went well mostly, except I braked too hard on the coaster brake causing me to makeshift fix it with the help of my comrades in bombery.



Otherwise, it was an awesome amazing ride, though scary, especially when I bombed the 4th south corner and had to yabba dabba doo it at extremely crazy speeds.



medic glory count: the back of my right foot slightly hurts, probably from yabba dabb'n .

bicycle damage count: the coaster brake on the silver bomber needs to be fixed its makeshift held together. the cones on the sb have also came loose.

hope to see others come out next Sunday. we have the bikes now. just bring lights, $1.75 and a helmet. if you want to bomb your regular bike, we are cool with that. only experienced bombers can ride rides like the silver bomber, and/or the completely insane. did i mention ubomb comes with no warranty, guarantee or included insurance policy? nonetheless, eternal youth comes at steep and downward bombing price. it is worth it to feel that rush. lets make this as awesome as Critical Mass.

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uBomb! : Rise From The Spring & Gain Your Eternal Youth on Minis.

Mar 16, 2008
sunday.
7:00 pm.
meet at the "Bike Rack" (the bicycle rack that spells out "Bike Rack") at the City Library (about 210 East 400 South) (just east of the reflecting pool and by night flight comics).
ubomb.

come bomb some kids bicycles down the hill with us. or if you want to long board, skate, or use any other manner of non motorized gravity spiraling insanity contraption, then come!

bring $2 for trax fare. lights & helmet recommended.

this is a bring your own bike. if it isn't a mini (childrens bike), it doesn't matter, bomb what you have got.

invite friends.

yahoo upcoming events information (on left side of this page):

http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/316404/

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Ubomb Locker Fund Raiser.

The Ubomb is trying to come up with funds to purchase a secure locker at the price of $75. As you may or may not know, the old pile was impounded, and we are hoping by purchasing a bicycle locker so that this will be avoided in the future.

Donate how ever much you are able to donate:

..and now back to your regularly scheduled bicycle ride..

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Early 1900s Salt Lake City Critical Mass

More Early Salt Cyclists located here, here and here from the Utah Historical Society.

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haha

I saw this today. Thought it post-worthy.



I invited this kid out to some events and told him about the U-Bomb. If anyone sees him give him high-tens! He says that there are "more where it comes from". Turns out he's built a few. Good man. Kemmer, are you reading this? Do you know this kid? Is he your long-lost brother?
haha
-chelsea

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