Yes! Yes! Yes!
This was a great ride on a beautiful night with lots of new people and another foray through our beloved Keney Park. Colleen brought her pops, Valdez brought his daughter, everyone brought a great vibe and we all had a great time. There was also a father and son from South Carolina. or was it North Carolina? Gimme a holla! Minimal car issues and more people stepping up to cork intersections when needed and talk to drivers kept things running super smoothly.
i was running super late in a mad dash to get my old school 3speed on the road for the ride. i met up with the group in East Hartford with only one speed, but one sweet looking bike!!! yeah baby yeah! The 3speed was one of a dozen or so free bicycles i picked up last week. Want one? check this post for what's left.
The ride crossed Founders' Bridge and wound its way to Main Street in East Hartford, where everyone pulled over to wait for Dawn, me, Karma and Brenden. It was fun arriving late having no certain idea what had been decided and where we were going. We headed North into South Windsor and across the bike/ped lane of the Bissell bridge. Rachel flatted out in the boat launch park and Rick and Krash got her fixed up as others rode in circles to escape the bugs. Dang skeeters! Others chatted, new friends were made and there was interesting relay riding with tastey, frothy batons!
Then it was off to Keney Park as the sun set. We passed several parking lots full of life; car stereos bumping music, BBQ's and North End peoples enjoying a great Friday afternoon in the park drinking brews. Everyone was super cool, waving, shouting and we all shared some great energy. Ahhhh. Sometimes things in Hartford just flow wonderfully.
We exited the park in the dark at Tower Avenue and rode straight down Barbour Street to Capen St. and then east to North Main Street. Barbour was a pretty crazy, sketchy, wonderous, great, paradoxial ride to say the least. We passed the scene of a recent shooting, though i don't think many knew it. Most groups of people and all small kids waved and yelled with genuine smiles. A few yells of, "Duuuude and Awesome" in faked "white" accents were kinda funny. The large black dude that came into the street and was pretending to grab cyclists as they rode by while yelling, "gimme that bike!" seemed more of a joke gone too far than any kind of threat, but some people certainly didn't enjoy that. There were certainly a few other negative and ignorant comments here and there, but by and large it was all good. No, F that. By and large it was all great!
We took a lane down Main and returned to the club area where many of us went to Mad Dawgs for pizza, 40's, beer and pole dancing. yep, that's a winning combination right there.
Rich was really making it happen!
Corey showing us how its done safely with a helmet and eye protection!
40's are fun! They really make me a better (pole) dancer!
Afterwards we decided to buy copious amounts of beer, pizza, burgers and have a postride firepit bbq party in my backyard. Wow! What a great way to end the night. By the way, the party planning and flat fixing was great to be a part of. I saw lots of people stepping up, wanting to help and really making it happen, especially at the party. Beer was bought at several locations. Krash and Wizzy brought two pizzas. Boz was persistant as not one, but two grills failed him, and he had to finish cooking in a frying pan in my apartment! Everyone really worked together and looked out for one another. I really like that.
Thank you and big ups to everyone in the ride and along the ride, it was a great time!
many more photos if you click Read More below!
North Main Street.
This was fun to carry in my messenger bag and on my handlebars from the local bodega.
i wish i had a better photo of the bicycle parking in my garage for the party. T'was a beautiful sight to behold!
Rich has mad stupid skills; he can even hoolahoop!
But it was Dawn's and she's a hoolahoop master and had the thing going up, down and all around.
hmmm. looks like lucas is handing me a beer. jeff, stop staring at Dawn's butt! Rich, stop bragging about yer skills!
Dang! Rich! You dance too! I also remember dancing with Bianca, but i also remember spinning myself into a fence as i fell into the flowers.
I have to say, corking this ride was one of the most fun and most scary moments of critical mass thus far. As we blocked the roads, and then rode over to cars I had no idea whether they would be cool or totally pissed off at us. The more I talked to people the more they were totally excited as to the event we were encouraging and totally supportive as to the movement we were leading into the North End. This is a place where few dare to tread and we went without fear, without discrimination, and without prejudice to spread the sentiment of something we feel so strongly about. We pedal what we preach!!
ReplyDeleteI love you guys and love that you will ride anywhere to spread the vibe.
Proof that you can make any lie true on the interwebs. I have negative skillz with the hula hoop. That thing was on the ground a fraction of a second later.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun night! One of the most memorable of a very memorable summer. I even missed a flight because of it, but it was totally worth it. Thanks to everyone who made it great.
I swear, Karma and I are going to find that Package Store on Farmington eventually!