Critical Mass July 2008 and afterparty

I think there were somewhere around 35 people with a good mix of new faces and regulars as well as everyone in between. Two tandems! One bride with veil. And no flats this time! I really like riding in the parks, though the streets have been fine lately; very few cars beeping horns, no death threats etc. We have been much better about corking intersections by talking to the drivers while blocking side traffic. A smile and explanation works wonders and 99.99% of cars are mad cool with the bicycles riding by in our mass. Critical Mass isn’t a protest…it’s a celebration!

Please y’all, please stay stopped at red lights when we arrive as a group and have to stop! It’s a great chance to regroup the ride and keep the mass together for safety and traffic. Let everyone catch up and redensify the group; no stragglers trying to pass cars to get back to everyone. We all seem to understand keeping the group together when the light turns in the middle, but don’t take off on a red! We have to be responsible for each other and look out for each other as a group. Taking off from a red light during a slow section of traffic will only split the group when the traffic picks up in a few seconds. Please think about this and remember, just because a few take off, you can make a better decision and stay!

Check karma’s post from a few days ago for the play by play. I’m just soapboxing this one and posting lots of eye candy.

By the way, why is it that teenagers in the South End seem to yell much more foul shit at us than any other neighborhood? Why? What is the appropriate response to a porch of kids yelling, “White Power!!!” That happens like every single ride down that way.

Well, here's a few photos to get started. I think I tend to take photos of people I know cuz I am horrible with names and spelling; so gimme a hollerrrr if i butchered yer name or got it wrong or something like that.

There's a crapload more if ya click on READ MORE!


Carole, AmyZ and Lindsey chillin' in the park before the ride.


Franklin Avenue.


I love this photo! ChillWill (me!), my 40 and the always fashionable Mary Lynn! So classy.


Krash felt comfortable leaving his Bianci unlocked in the friendly crowd of bikers. Sucka! About 40 minutes later he had to turn his back and go inside to pee and we quickly moved into action and relocated his bike someplace much safer. It took him a bit to find it, even though it was the shortest tree on the block!


I wish we did this twice a month. Mid-month ice cream ride anyone? yeah baby!

click below for many more photos:





More Franklin Avenue


Ben, brakeless and ahead of the pack in Cedar Hill Cemetary


Critical Wedding!


Find the beer!


Bianca is very safe. She drinks with a helmet. After what happened to Krash's Bianci, i don't blame Bianca for playing it safe!


Cheers mates!


Robin and Steve discussing his warm 40!?!?


Rich is like, "No Fair! i don't smoke!"


We know how to dress in The Beat.








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"Heeeeey…..White People?!??" Critical Mass June 2008

The sweet, light rain really cooled things off a bit before blue skies began appearing along with the sun. Mother Nature appears to be down with the ride, good lookin’ out! The beat crew met up after work by the river to trade flyers, brews and bullshit a bit. We arrived at the Carousel to 20 people milling about; chillin’, meetin’, greetin’, hydratin’ and wrenchin’.


There was a floor pump courtesy of Dave and a few bikes were getting tubes swapped out and hubs debated. Rick! Another flat dude!?!?!? Super cool to see everyone helping each other out and sharing beta. Caresse's hands are blurry fast when she's working on a bike! Dang! Breck seems to be trying to pump with Jedi mind tricks whilst Dave handles the valves! Also super cool to see a banana seat! I really should have taken more photos, but this ride was just too much fun.

A few more riders arrived. Brendan returned from the portapotty. And then my dream came true… Critical Mass left for Keney Park! Woo-haa! There are a lot of lights between Bushnell Park and getting’ onto Main Street and we worked out the kinks of dealing with traffic lights. We quickly forked left on to Albany Avenue.


Yep, we took The Avenue!



Most everyone cheered and yelled as much as we cheered and yelled. One 'round the way dude looked up in honest bewilderment and a smile, “heeeeyyy…White People?!??!” We took a right onto Woodland and left on Greenfield. I corked the Woodland/Greenfield intersection and had a great conversation with a family in a mini-van, waiting at the green light for the bicycles to pass through safely as a group. I thanked them for waiting and keeping people safe and talked about the ride. I invited them to come next month and they seemed interested in coming! Right on! I saw them two more times with the pops giving us the thumbs up out the window. They were following us! I had a great time talking to drivers all along the ride and most were receptive, patient and super nice. The drivers of the North End were much friendlier than the drivers we encountered on last month's ride into West Hartford!


The ride through Keney Park was a mix of roads and car-free greenway. We saw the skyline of Hartford overlooking lush grass meadows, passed through dense forest and pedaled alongside a golf course. This is a great park. I always love spending time here on a road bike or exploring trails on mountain bikes. We didn't pass the pond and fountain though...this time.

We exited onto Rt. 159 and pedaled south on North Main, Windsor Street, left over the railroad tracks and crossed Weston Street; entering into the mess of traffic due to Pearl Jam and some jack-ass drivers. We got onto the riverfront via Riverside Park and continued south along the river to the Colt Building and Colt Park. Ahhh...riding along the river is always a good idea!


We passed the remains of the Virgin Mary Shrine and returned to Bushnell Park on Wethersfield Avenue.

more funny photos after the jump from the afterparty that happened afterwards, Read More!



After regrouping at the park the group split a few ways. We had already lost a few people needin’ to get to the concert and a few chilled in the park for a bit. A group stayed in the park and went to the Bushnell Park Café and another to Kenney’s (Red Rock Tavern) a few minutes away on Cap Ave. There’s some serious mileage of iron patio fence there, perfect for bike locks. The always-friendly Donnie keeps the show runnin’ smoothly and really makes sure everyone’s always got a smile on their face.


Check the reflection of the view of the skyline from our patio seats!


Check it. The rule of three people in a photo = weird shit continues!


I have absolutely no idea what the hell I am doing. Hi Joey Barber! I owe you a bell!


Brendan is a triceritops! And i just realized i never spelllchecked this before posting.

We really stepped things up on this ride as far as corking and Joel enjoyed sweeping and ensuring no one was left behind. Many others stepped up too! Thanks to everyone for making it such a great ride.


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One week late! Last Thursday's beat bicycle doings.

The Farmers’ Market at Billings Forge on Broad Street netted me some tasty cheese and hummus. Here’s Jennifer Cassidy, assistant to Councilperson Boucher, stopping by on her bicycle, chatting with a friend and listening to some live jazz. Yes! Live jazz at an urban farmers’ market with people walking and biking in to shop for cheese, meats, eggs, crafts, milk, ice cream, pies, veggies and hot lunches ready to eat on one of the picnic tables. Mondays and Thursdays, 11am to 2pm!


This shopper was leaving soon after I arrived and I couldn't remember his name even though i asked him twice. my bad! But...Jake, as he commented below, is a BBB reader and now we know who he is! ha! actually now the whole internet knows; so if you see him pedaling by, please yell, "hey jake from the farmers market!" yep, that's what we're doing turning our city into a community!

The Hartford Advocate’s Bluesfest was Thursday night and I had to work a gate ID’ing people for wristbands and had a fun time. It was great to hear some blues ouside inthe Bushnell Park and see so many people on bicycles. Rich H and his eyeglass case, Bianca, TJ, Joel, Hanna, Maureen, that dude with the pedi-cab and dozens more as well.

This dude apologized for his plastic bag wallet when taking out his driver’s license. I laughed and pulled out my wallet, a snack sized zip-lock. It was a Kodak moment. And yes, a freakin’ snack sized zip-lock. Its waterproof, lightweight and you can buy like 50 for $1.69! Don’t get caught in the rain or over the side of your kayak without one!


Maureen sassin’ it up post Bluesfest post Mad Dawgs. You go with yer bad self!


Wanna hear about friday? Salmond Rushdie, free wine, hippie music, dancing with bike bells, strip clubs and lots of beer all in one hectic, organic, crazy night?

Click READ MORE!




Friday's happy hour was awesome. I had a pair of tix to see Salmon Rushdie speak at the Wallace Stevens Theater at The Hartford. Krash and I rode over and were super stoked to arrive and find out our tickets also included a copy of his new book and a signing. And noshes and wine and wine too afterwards. We had a great time mingling and conversating.



Afterwards, we headed downtown to Sally’s for one beer; which became three beers and hangin’ outside with the band Shakedown between sets. Thanks again for the hospitality y'all! I danced around with my bicycle bell dingin’ to the beats. Its amazing how you can feel as though you cannot drink anymore since your tummy feels upset; but then a switch from beer to Guiness and its all good!


The bar at Sally's towards the end of the night!

and was the night over? hells no. but it gets foggy! We left for a night ride along the riverfront inwhich Krash convinced me to ride our bicycles to the Gold Club. Locking up our bikes infront of a titty club was almost as rediculious as hearing Krash argue with the doorman to let us in free since we rode there! ahhh, 2:30am antics to tell my grandchildren about someday.


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"Hey hippie! Get me some drugs!" ....... Critical Mass May 2008

The best quote from the entire ride was yelled at us from the sidewalk on Park Street just after crossing New Park Avenue.

I am pretty dang sure i can't sum things up better than Karma, but i have something he doesn't have....photos from the ride! ha! i will add photos and a few words to his thousands of words...

We unfortunately lost a few riders enroute, but happily actually picked a few along the way and they rode for the rest of the ride. Kick ass! Next month will be even bigger and better!

Some new people had the same reaction I did my first time, concerning when the ride starts. i was kinda annoyed to arrive at 5:30 and not leave for 45 minutes. Well, we meet at 5:30, but never leave before 6pm, which is a good thing, because then we can all pass out the new flyers we made, talk about where to take the ride and, of course, socialize a bit. Its all good! We're in a beautiful park! Enjoy it!

here's my soapbox 2cents and then i'll shut up about such things. Its everyone's ride, which i love and respect, and there aren't really any rules, which is awesome, but we all should take ownership and try to make the ride the way we envision it. so i will!

my critical thoughts about the mass:

We shouldn't take up two lanes, or ride against opposing traffic when we don't need to, but that said, we do need to take a full lane at all times. ALWAYS! Take the lane! Its ours! We should stop at red lights, but if the light turns red as the group is passing through, we should cork the street and keep the group together (google critical mass and corking for a primer.) Stopping at red lights allows helps the mass to regroup. same with speed. we have to keep a pace that keeps us as a group. Together we conquer and we are safer. Divided we are not so safe and not so much of a mass. I am all for drinking beer, mmm...beer, but not littering. Please don't throw your shit in the street y'all, not a good look.

ok, agree with me, hate me, its all good. That's what the comments are for! ride your own ride. ride daily, celebrate monthly. off the soapbox and on with the ride!



Riding down Farmington Avenue in West Hartford.


The begining of the Park Street adventure which was also my favorite part of the ride. Unlike much of West Hartford, where lots of drivers were in a rush and speeding around us, here most of the drivers waited on the side streets or drove slowly behind us; beeping, yelling, smiling and waving. People were ALIVE and full of life.


I'm not really sure how Jimmy managed to make himself in focus, but as long as he continues to use his special powers for good...its all good. but he's tarnishing my blurry photo rep.


Want to see more photos and read about how Poser Dave's bike got stolen on Park Street while he was peeing in the bushes?

Want to see the strangest butt photo ever taken at Mad Dawgs?!?


click READ MORE below!





While poser was doing something in the bushes involving whipping it out, he just left his freakin' bike on the grass near the sidewalk. Krash promptly cut infront of me announcing he was stealing the bike. I wasn't really sure if he was going to A) trade bikes B) hide it somewhere or C) i have no idea what C was!

so Krash just grabbed it and rode off with the two; holding his new bike with one hand and steering his own bike with the other. Eventually Poser finished and started running after his bike. and running. and running. Several of us almost crashed laughing at the shananigans. I am super glad someone decided to detour us through Pope Park. Great idea!


Ahhh, back onto Park Street, which, except for the pendejo who tossed the plastic bottle out an apartment window and hit Corey, was mad fun; full of people, life and energy. The Puerto Rican Day Parade is on Sunday and vendors were selling Boriqua merch everywhere and a few riders bought flags and joined in the celebration. Most everyone on the sidewalks and in cars cheered us on as we cheered them on. Life was GREAT!


MaryLynn rockin' the aforementioned Puerto Rican flag on Main Street on her sweeeet cruiser. Niiiiiice! She even managed to buy a hotdog a little later and ride and eat at the same time. Skills!


Pratt Street was owned!


bicyles! bicycles! bicycles! bicycles! bicycles! bicycles!
The post ride party was at Mad Dawgs which was great for many reasons.
Lots of Misfits got play on the juke.
Free happy hour 6 foot grinder.
$2 Miller High Lifes and $5 40's.
mmmm...beer.


Alcohol is a hell of a drug!

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this week in the beat. may 20-23

grease your chains y’all cuz its gonna be a wet week and there’s much going on in the city.

Progressive Happy hour at Kenny’s (red rock) 9:30 pm til close usually! Corner of capitol and Lawrence street. Look for the outdoor patio with lots of bicycles locked up to it! There’s more iron fence to lock a bicycle to than you can shake a stick at! Or a lock! Or just come inside and shake it! There’s Karoake! Join a bunch of progressive thinking, veggie growing, meat eating (well, some of us!), bicycling, political debating, beer drinking, curly fry eating boys and girls! The nickel and dimers that make it happen! The true best and brightest of Hartford!

The Ride of Silence will begin at Elizabeth Park at 7pm on Wednesday, May 21st. The Hartford ride will be about 12 miles and is expected to take just over an hour. This is one of 277 rides being done on the same day in 17 countries around the world. It is a memorial ride to remember and honor fellow bicyclists who have been killed or injured on public roads. Please check the Ride of Silence website for more information. The ride will be led by Dave Rinquest of the CCBA.

Thursday, May 22, the Farmers’ Market at Billings Forge opens with many vendors, live music, picnic tables and a grand ‘ol time from 11am to 2pm. Its fresh! The market is located in the Firebox parking lot on Broad street only a few buildings south of Capitol Ave. (Shell station) You can pay with EBT/Foodstamps, credit card, debit card and they even take US cash! Bring your own reusable bag and buy fruits, vegetables, honey, locally roasted coffee, salsa, local beef, fresh ice cream, arts and crafts, falafel and empanadas ready to eat! Dang I’m getting hungry. Mad props to the Market Master Hanna Grant!

The market will be open Mondays and Thursdays though the month of October, 11am to 2pm. Its Fresh!


Friday House Happy Hour @ the Tiki Bar @ sully’s! yeah baby! get down with dj mike Johnson keepin’ the house beats bouncin’ outside and dj darkman inside with old school hiphop and r&b early and the band sirsy later on. $5 donation requested.
Free pizza, drink specials, chair massages and the usual chill vibe. lots of fence to lock to, but harass chris and rob to make it easier for bicycles to lock to it!! Also check the new waterfall, its super mad ridiculously chill there now.


it says READ MORE!

but there ain't no more to read suckas!


HEY! i said there wasn't no mo to read fool!

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Bike Everywhere! (to Happy Hour)

CCBA Bike Everywhere Bike to Happy Hour. friday, may 16th


I’m going to cut to the chase here, and give props ASAP to the core group that laughed at the rain and rode their bikes to the Bike Everywhere Happy Hour at the Corner Pug today. Big ups to Steve Tudisco, Ben Bare, ChillWillme!), Rich H, Matt Spader, Kevin Sullivan and Robyn Baena. Good on y’all mates! Well done! ‘nuff respect.

All in all, we were 11 strong, with most people biking or walking, and only three or four drivers. Long commutes (from Enfield etc) and massive bicycle tire and clothing issues resulting in wide spread wetness and bandaged fingers all get free passes...this time! Its great to see people putting the B of the CCBA to good use! Woo-haa!

So what happened? Well, what happens at CCBA happy hours stay at CCBA happy hours. I can say many wings and nachos were consumed and washed down by rounds of pints of frothy, beautiful beer. mmmm…beeeer! Flyers were passed out, stories shared, plots schemed and other things occurred as well. The club even bought the first few rounds of brew and noshes. Good lookin’ out CCBA!

Expect another CCBA Happy Hour next month and we shall welcome the weather no matter what mother nature feels like sharing with us! Rain, sleet, snow, heat, river mud or locusts, we shall ride on. Hopefully in June we will be sitting outside in the late evening sun; plotting a late night ride through Bushnell Park, snaking through downtown and down the stairs and along the riverfront and across the river. Bridges! Hells yeah! Y’alls know what I’m talking about.

Always bring your lights and spares/tools etc cuz ya never know what might happen.

Also this summer: Bike to Jazz in the Park. Live jazz in Bushnell Park Monday Evenings. Picnic blanket republics form and establish pot-luck trade routes of noshes and wine under summer night skies. Enjoy the city, the music, the people, the entire vibe of the park. This annual series is always an evening my city shines and I am super happy to live and work here.

more photos after the jump:
(hey! that means click READ MORE!)




Rich (seen in the backgroung looking quite amused) has the most amazing eyeglass case. take a good look at him. if you ever see him out at a party, perhaps enjoying happy hour or about to sit down and enjoy the theater … make a point of saying hey, hello, hi, how ya doing and ask to see his eyeglass case. Its brilliant!



Ha! Double B leaving “coincidently” right after the CCBA tab runs out. hmm….






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bike week in da beat

bike week in da beat. its on and poppin’. been mad busy. no time for sleep.

check the bike everywhere BIKE TO HAPPY HOUR event today, Friday, at the corner pug in west Hartford. 5:30 til yer done.


last night was creative cocktail hour at real art ways and, as usual, the bike rack was full…and then some. hopefully will will put in more bicycle parking. ha! i said will twice. there was lots more art this month than the last few CCH's and I was super happy about that. I like the party aspect, no doubt, but i really do enjoy getting there before it gets crowded and spending time time checking out the art. I really liked a few of the pieces. the hanging plexiglass installation was fun to wonder through and I did like the wall of old photos. it was like a peak into someone’s life, their past, and I thought of my own old family photos. the headphone/video/interview pieces weren’t making it happen for me. perhaps on a non-party night and some time to willingly invest, I might like it.

great food too from barca on park street. Jamie gave me a card good for a glass of wine. and then more good food. mmm…..food.

more photos way below after the jump.


this morning was Bike to Work at the old state house sponsored by the CCBA and several state departments. juice and bagels and some crazy bikes too! check ben bare’s ride. two crates! dang that’s sweet. i don’t find the front basket overkill either and I heard some talk about a trailer being attached. I think its just missing a cupholder.



el presidente de china and his folding bike were in the house. check the shifter. WTF? the man is a crazed, unelected, out of control madman with a finger on the button and a beer in his other hand. this is the bike that rides dikes, rides stairs and rode to the dirty water.


Wednesday night about a dozen CCBA members and a few new heads met up at Lena’s for the bike everywhere! bike to dinner dinner. ha! I said dinner twice. we sat outside in the back patio near the new waterfall and enjoyed $2 drafts from the tiki bar. The CCBA kicked in for the pizza and I believe somewhere out there exists a photo of everyone. if a second photo of me flashing ever surfaces, please understand, its just a photoshop job, trust me. it’s a fake I tell you!

want more? click on the read more button for the rest of the story:






i don't remember how we got those to stick to people. thanks for the exposure tj.



the george keller hood was well rep'd. hollerrrrrrr.



there was a really good reason for taking this photo...i think...but i don't remember.



sweet boots! i really wish i got more of the boots in the photo! what was i thinking? what are they thinking?



and what are they thinking? every time i take a photo of three people it comes out strange. i initially just thought it was the staten island ferry, but perhaps its far more wide spread.



i have no idea why we are smiling. we were hungry and walked across the street from the spigot to get wings from wings, but it was closed. but we were there. and happy. but hungry. but happy. the post CCH party at the spigot was in celebration of the birthdays of maura and johnny. happy birthday again y'all!


i think this photo speaks for itself. but i have no idea what its saying.












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