You may recall yesterday that I said that I was going to do a ride out in the Northwest Corner. Well, I'm not. I'm going up to Vermont again. So, even though no one indicated that they wanted to come ride with me, even if someone did, they can't. Also, even though it's a few days late, it's too bad about Fat Cyclist's wife, Susan. Obviously, a big important blog like that doesn't know who we are, but I feel compelled to say anything anyway.
Also, Joel and I (and then Ken) went to the Wadsworth's Blog This!. I have always liked the Wadsworth. I've had several friends who've worked there and two friends who painted the Sol Lewitt "Whirls and Twirls" (I can't find an image of Wad's, only the one at MassMOCA) in the stairwell. The event was cool in that the museum reached out to us, but I'm prejudiced because I already liked the museum. At the same time, I'm trying to think up a good way to incorporate the Wadsworth into a blog about riding a bike. Is there a way to do that? Who knows? On a happy note, they've hired a new contemporary art curator and the Matrix will be back in January or February. I also learned that the previous contemporary art curator (or was is director), Joanna Marsh, who was really good, was hired away by the present Wadsworth director, Susan Talbot, when Susan was working down at the Smithsonian. So, it was her fault that there was no contemporary art person at the Wadsworth when she arrived.
Friday, August 7, 2009
I'm a liar
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Beat bike blog considered legitimate blog!
There are a number of blogs in Hartford and most write about news and politics. I consider news and politics to be work, so I have no desire to write about those things unless I'm getting paid. To that end, I write about bikes with my fellow beat bike bloggers. Accordingly, we usually aren't regarded as a very important blog, evidenced by not making on to the lame Laurel Club's blogroll (although we are on the Courant's City Line).
Thus, you can imagine my surprise when the Wadsworth invited us to this:
Don't Forget, Blog This!
We heard our 4:30 start time was tough for many of you-if you can't make it then, join us when you can, we'd still love to hear from you and admission is still free to Phoenix Art After Hours!
Check out the recent coverage of Blog This! from Fox News. We hope to see you this Thursday at 4:30!
For those that missed it, the complete invite is below.
The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art invites you to join us at our inaugural Blog This! event, on August 6, from 4:30 – 6:30 pm.
Blog This! will provide a forum for social media writers from throughout the state to connect with each other, while connecting with great art! We also hope to gain insights into how we can better work together to position both Hartford, and Connecticut, as a premier cultural destination (and not just someplace between New York and Boston!)
The agenda includes an update from the Director, Susan Talbott, an overview of The Amistad Center for Art & Culture by Director, Olivia White and a Docent led highlights tour of the museum’s permanent collection.
Come for the formal part – but stay for the fun part - join us from 6:30 – 8 pm for our First Thursday festivities which will include temporary tattoos, the opening of Skin!, an exhibition of photographs created by teens in The Amistad Center for Art & Culture’s Neighborhood Studio summer youth program, and original hip-hop beats performed by Connectbeats. Food and cocktails will also be available.
• Date: August 6, 2009
• Time: 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm
• Location: Wadsworth Atheneum of Art
600 Main St., Hartford, CT
PS. I ate at Hiep Phat Vietnamese Fast Food again yesterday. It's still awesome! Read more!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Stuff afoot
Because sometimes we have to reflect on the sad things, tonight is the Ride of Silence. We're meeting at the Elizabeth Park Pond House and setting off at 7.
Also, Real Art Ways is unveiling a bunch of public art on Saturday. My friends Joel, not the beat bike blogging one, and Dave put up a lot of the art. This blog got a press release from Abby at RAW because they're doing a bike tour.
Some details:
Hi there,
Wanted to let you know that we are offering free guided bike tours of our public art exhibitions in Hartford’s Parkville and Frog Hollow neighborhoods on Saturday, May 30, at 3 and 4 PM. They leave from Real Art Ways 56 arbor street, Hartford.
There’s also a free reception for the projects from 2 – 5 PM at Real Art Ways.
I’ve attached press release, but here’s a quick run-down of what the projects will be.
The Four Projects:
- Margarida Correia’s photographs of Hartford youth embracing their Portuguese heritage will be on billboards in Parkville. Street lamps on Park Street will display album covers of famous Fado singers, with an accompanying audio component.
- Satch Hoyt is building a labyrinth in Frog Hollow’s Pope Park, out of clotheslines. The labyrinth addresses the migratory voyages of the residents who reside in the neighborhood.
- Sofia Maldonado is creating a mural on the Pelican Tattoo building in Frog Hollow. She’ll also be organizing collaborations with youth in the neighborhoods.
- Matthew Rodriguez will install 70 characters on trees in Pope Park, and one on the side of La Estrella bakery in Parkville.
I just called the number and it doesn't seem to have any tour guiding powers yet, hopefully it'll work by Saturday.
Read more!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
suenalo!
Life is wonderful! I’m poor as hell, but so is most everyone else here right now. After pedicab shifts several of us walk across the street to the Green Parrot for free popcorn. Hungry, dirty, smelly, bicycle scavengers! Then its off to Cowboy Bill's happy hour for $1 yuenglings and PBR's.
Last Thursday I had a rare day off and went kayaking with the boys from Ohio. We basically just floated around the Gulf of Mexico between Key West and Stock Island, paddled to Cow Key Marina for a sixer and then floated to the Atlantic. A completely lazy afternoon under blue skies. I actually fell asleep in my ‘yak due to the sun and two beers. First time that ever happened. I liked it!
Riding around, both on the cab and my fixie, I see some strange, funny, beautiful, weird things. I most always take the full length of Duval Street on my ride home from the waiting gig. This is the main drag with about a million bars and another million tourist t-shirt shops. Its super fresh to see who’s pedaling and out and about and see how everyone's day went. Truly a wonderful, small town in many ways.![]()
This guy rode up next to me near the end of my shift in front of The Bull. Moped? Check. Spear gun? Check. Time to get some dinner!![]()
Mad props to this dude! I can’t wait to find out the whole story. This bike is flash! Wow. Airplanes can see this set-up! There’s fake fish in those tanks! And also some great beats you can’t hear in the photo!![]()
Close up of the fish; and of course, blurry and out of focus as promised.
My new camera has died. But, as Coreylynn told me, the universe will give you what you need. So my old, dying camera that finally bit the dust when dropped into the water of a drainage tunnel under Oakland, is now working again. Yes, there’s a rubber band holding the battery door closed, but blurry photos are on and poppin’ again! Woo-haa! The Beat Bike Blog cannot be stopped!![]()
Dozens of Civil War reenactment soilders paraded by Perfect Pedicab and the Parrot Saturday afternoon at the end of the dayshift. Amelia, I wish you were here this week. Civil War stuff, the Parrot and yep, it really does happen, Jimmy Buffet did a a very intimate, unannounced show at Margaritaville. Duval street was a mess!![]()
Suenalo at the Parrot. Dang these guys are good. Wow! We caught their Saturday night set and both “soundcheck” sets on Sunday. Both night sets were packed with people dancing to the Latin grooves. The friday set prolly was too! Please, please, please check this 11 piece band out, Hotness! Soooo soooo much fun!![]()
Here’s some randomn shit you see on a pedicab. Surfboard, paddle and snorkeling gear!
much more craziness after the jump...read more!
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Here’s the Parrot and an idea of the bicycle situation here in Key West. All them bikes on the right are locked up to simple upside down “U” racks. These racks are everywhere on the island. Don’t worry, that motorcycle is only parking, no Harley Gangs terrorizing pedestrians!![]()
Fellow pedicabbers; Roscoe of Serbia and Roy, a visiting pedicabber from Lauderdale/NYC, in deep conversation on Duval enroute to Cowboy Bill’s.![]()
Between Suenalo sets on Saturday night we headed over to Cowboy Bill’s to see some peoples and check out the mechanical bull. There was some super thick fog smothering the city. This fog has been showing up the last few days and even the Conchs are having a hard time remembering the last time there was thick fog here. Freaky! ![]()
Suenalo, second set! What a freakin’ great time dancing and vibing to such amazing music and a great crowd. I can't say enough how much fun they were! ![]()
Monster and Roy and a lot of facial hair...I really don’t know what else to say!![]()
Emily busting a few last moves before riding back to Mary Beth’s house. Everyone rides bicycles all the time here. Its beautiful! That building in the background is Perfect Pedicab! I can smell the popcorn at the Parrot when dropping off my trike at the end of a shift…Lucky!
Read more!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
No Parking.... or be careful what you ask for!
I am now living in the Conch Republic, better known as Key West. Yes, technically it is in Florida, but the vibe and architecture is certainly far more Bahamian than American. Moving here after a dozen and a half visits over the last 10 years is a dream come true. The friendly people, the amazing weather, the island's charming general weirdness and the amount of bicycles have drawn me here year after year. So, how's living in a bicycle centric city!?
Lemme tell you, Portland and Berkley ain’t got nuttin’ on the bicycles here. Many people don’t even own a car to get around the four by two mile island. Bicycles, racks, pedi-cabs and trikes are everywhere! Unfortunately, this can actually be a problem when trying to get to work on time. My first waiting job ever is at the Turtle Kraals, right on the water at Key West Bight Marina; and finding bicycle parking at 10AM can be hard!![]()
Here’s the restaurant’s employee only bicycle parking! Almost full! I got a spot this day!![]()
But here’s a shot near the front of the restaurant with no less than seven actual bicycle racks completely full! Overflowing actually!![]()
Even the giant anchor had bikes and trikes chained up to it! Dang! It's not even a bike rack!![]()
This shot is for el presidente de china. Folding bicycles are actually super popular here. And the biggest retailer for such steeds? West Marine, a boating supply store! Why? Many live-aboard sailboats are anchored off shore and the owners will float in on a dingy with their folding bike and then use it to get to work, run errands around town or get to the bar. (or prolly a combo of all three) Now, that's a sweet multimodal commute!
There are many, many sweet rides all over the city and I’ll be posting more pics as soon as I can. There are mostly single speed beach cruisers, but also many mountain bikes with wide slicks. In the mean time, check out Conchscooter's blog, Key West Diary for two recent posts about bicycles: Duval Bikes and More Duval bikes. Great posts!
I met a dude who rides old school fixed gears, I mean OLD school as in pre-1900, but haven’t seen any of his rides yet! I hope to soon. I am told there’s a dude on a blue track bike too, but I haven’t met him or his bike yet. And that’s is for fixies! TJ, come visit and bring the Steamroller!
Its super convenient and really fresh to be in a town where the bicycle is truly the preferred way to scoot around town! Life is good! Ride on!
ps. there ain't no mo' to read!
Read more!
Friday, January 9, 2009
Cool stuff for the weekend
This isn't a bike thing, but not everything has to be a bike thing. Well, I guess this could be a bike thing could be because these Joe and Joel ride their bikes to their studio, anyway...
This is a reminder and invitation to the first monthly (Dodec-Ennial)
CATALOGUE show at:
56 Arbor Street
Hartford, Connecticut 06106
Suite 216 (second floor)
When: Saturday, January 10, 2009 from 6pm-9pm
Jamie Horgan, the until-recently-Hartford-Art-
will be showing a few of his recent and on-going drawings for our January
installment. CATALOGUE will take place each month, showcasing an
individual, a collaboration, an instillation, and/or funny joke, and is
hosted by Joel VanderKamp and Joe Saphire.
The studio is located at the front of the building (Real Art Ways is in
back). If you need directions or have questions, please contact:
Joe: saphire.j@k-o.org 860.216.3826
Joel: joel_vanderkamp@yahoo.com 773.259.2669
Please pass this invitation to those who might be interested and we might
have missed.
Joe Saphire
Joel VanderKamp
Gadabout Sam Mckinniss writes more eloquently about it on his blog.
--
Also, anyone want to go mountain biking with me this weekend?
Read more!

