a little Key Wierdness to warm your day

Handcuffs for bike locks are as common as rusty fenders here in Key West; but this awesomely strange combination of handlebar and bar ends is certainly not. I wondered who the rider was as I passed this bicycle going into the Bottle Cap Lounge as well as when I left. Perhaps the owner was sitting next to me? Perhaps they are seven or eight feet tall? Or enjoy riding standing up with good posture? I dunno, but bless them for making me smile!


Many people here simply do not have cars and use bicycles for everything; commuting to work, grocery shopping and towing their jet-skis! This dude prolly ain't getting into the large chainring anytime soon.


A fixie with a basket isn't too weird, but jumping sharks!?!? Really!?! Luckily we didn't have to dodge any this night during our pier tour. I bet a bite from one would mos def leave a bruise.


But...if a jumping shark had attacked us, I would have whipped out my sword and used my pirate skills to battle to the death! I have also found it to be very effective when drunk tourists stumble into the street in front of me while riding. A loudly yelled "ARRRRRRR" and a sword over my head usually sends them running back to a sidewalk of laughing bystanders. (yeah, go ahead and call me trash for not yet taking down my Christmas lights!)



We've all seen the Hartford messengers stacking their fixies on parking meters and poles in front of Mad Dawgs, Vegas and other spots. Well, down here in Key Weird, we hang our cruisers in trees when going out for swanky dinners. There's actually a second cruiser in the back of the tree and both are locked up in the branches.

a few more after the jump...




This installation, part of Sculpture Key West can be found at Fort Zack until April. Have a seat here in the shade if the sun and beach gets too hot for you.



Considering I took this during the Holiday Lights Bicycle Tour, it isn't really weird. There were also a few other bicycles with dogs, actually a lot, but only one trike with a dog and so many lights. Well done!


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BBB Pub Crawl II: Repeal Day

Friday, December 5th marked the 75th anniversary of the ratification of the glorious 21st amendment to the US Constitution, and an end to 24 years of prohibition! And we celebrated! Many weeks ago our loyal reader(s) read Rich's original call to action! Well, we acted, and drank that action well!


I rode up to the rear of the spigot and found a dozen bikes locked and chained in all sorts of various configurations. Some looked familiar and i looked forward to seeing friends as well as finding out who the new bicycles belonged to. It was super wonderful to see a bunch of friends after being away for almost two months.


Rich gave a passionate sermon extolling the wonderful virtues of the 21st amendment. His hand gesturing was so full of energy his right arm is captured only as a blur, speedy beyond the realm of digital photography. We reveled, we gave thanks, we stayed late past the schedule and enjoyed the breaking of such earthly rules.


Mere glass cannot stop the energy flow of BBB dap, especially if involving Rich and a liter of beer and el Presidente de China. I believe I once got a text from Lucas proclaiming vegas as "the place where wasted happens!" Yep, pretty much. Two Fridays ago i stayed for two rounds of the special, a liter of any draft and any shot for $10. Dang. But as usual, a good time was had. More amazing photos after the jump including Joel working the stripper pole at Mad Dawg's!




Is Rick doing an anti-flat ritual of some kind as Rich double fists multiple liters of beer and Julia laughs nervously and protects her pizza.


el Prez pimpin' on my old Mercier. Well done!


As promised, Joel working it for Kristen and looking quite sexy!


A few went to Sully's, the most at the Spigot, half made it to Mad Dawgs and a few to the Red Rock. A great night and a hell of a way to return to Hartford! Read more!

BBB Bike Pub Crawl II: Repeal Day (+ Chill Will is back!)

Section 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.

Friday, December 5th marks the 75th anniversary of the ratification of the glorious 21st amendment to the US Constitution, which gave us back the hooch. Did our country, the home of the free and all that, really outlaw alcohol from 1919 to 1933?? That's a serious WTF.

Some trivia: The 21st is the only amendment ratified by state conventions rather than the state legislatures. It was rejected by South Carolina, and eight other states to this day have not ratified it. Michigan was the first to ratify on April 10th, 1933. But can you guess which 3 states clinched the passage on Dec. 5th, 1933? Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Utah. Yes, that's right...UTAH put us over the top. Oh, what a night that must have been. I'm thinking similar to the famous VJ Day photo but much more embarrassing and grope-tacular.

So get gussied up in your best rum-running 1930s attire. This calls for the 2nd Bike Pub Crawl. This Friday night Dec. 5th, in and around Hartford.

There is even more reason for celebration, as beatbikeblog denizen Sir Chilliam William is back in town and will be attending! He has repealed his stay in California! So this is the perfect opportunity to come ride and hang with Chill Will!!!

I'm going to sketch out a suggested route here, but I'll take suggestions in the comments and update this post as needed.

• 8 pm - 8:50 pm: Sully's Pub*, 2071 Park St., Hartford, CT
  
• 9:00 - 10:00: The Spigot, 468 Prospect Ave., Hartford, CT
  
• 10:10 - 10:45: Vegas Boulevard, 233 Sisson Ave., Hartford, CT
  
• 11:00 - 11:45: Federal Cafe & Mad Dawgs, Union Place, Hartford, CT
  
• midnight - close: Kenny's (Red Rock Tavern), 369 Capitol Ave., Hartford, CT

* Sully's has a band that starts at 10:00. If they're charging a cover at 8 pm, we'll call an audible and start at West Wings (which is around the corner on Prospect next to Wendy's) instead.


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Hartford Hardcore reppin' in Rhode Island

Wow. Blue Shutters Beach is a long ride from Hartford! But a super short ride from Burlingame Campground...which makes me happy! really happy!

Anyways, I was camped out down there a few weekends ago and noticed the sticker and snapped a shot. I met a bunch of those guys one night whilst leaving Mad Dawgs post crit-mass feeling quite influenced. Hope to see y'all around and about again. Read more!

"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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