Went out and waved to the Bike Party. They were cool. Tonight's theme was moonlight madness, bring your light bling. And they did. I think I saw my former neighbors. And got to explain it all to some residents of the senior apartments who came out to see WTH was going on. They thought it was a brilliant idea. "I wonder if they'd let me join in my chair?" from a partially paralyzed guy in a fully mechanized chair.
Honestly, one of the coolest parts was how many city kids joined up. True, the majority and founding demographic is middle-class white urbanites, you know, hipster, crusty liberals do gooders and college students with their spendy name bikes and accessories and helmets and the night's theme bling (I fall in one of those intersection on a venn diagram, for sure.) I heard 3 different languages tonight. But there were kids from the hoods on their beat-up bikes, no helmets, sweaty and screaming BIKE PARTAAAAY, no bling, racing out at the front. Kids from my hood that I often roll my eyes at when they decide to ride down the middle of 36th dodging traffic who joined the parade at the Y. Other riders told them to chill, then would outtrick them when there was a safe space. And they'd listen!
Kids riding hellbent with the cops blocking intersections for them to pass safely. Awesome.
bike party sounds like fun
Bike party kind of gets on my nerves with the "we are too cool for helmets" thing. I think I should have gotten involved right when they started it.
I like that the city kids are into it, though. Actually, my friend and I were riding around the reservoir near sarameg's yesterday evening and we had to cut our ride short due to too many small kids learning to ride/acting as obstacles. THEY were all wearing helmets, though. And were super cute if super dangerous. It was really pretty great seeing all the folks out being fit!
I've heard it is, though if you don't like crowds, nsm. Last one was 1700 people. No idea on this one, but it had been locally covered in media since, so possibly larger. I don't know if this was the first time the PD has accompanied them, but it sounds like maybe? There were negotiations with the PD and City at the last minute on the route. At one point, it was coming within 25 yd of me. And the website has alluded to growing pains due to size.
There's such a huge disconnect between cops and black kids here (hello, the stop snitching campaign came out of here) that it's nice to see stuff that lets them be KIDS and protected by cops.
I'm pretty sure they had a police escort last month because the mayor rode with them, btw.
Bike party kind of gets on my nerves with the "we are too cool for helmets" thing.
I'm just an observer, I have no idea about the politics of helmet within the leadership (FTR, I'm extremely WEAR A FUCKING HELMET. It saved my dad's life at least thrice. I would have lost him for sure at 15 were it not for one.)
Oh, thank goodness! The baking soda/vinegar didn't seem to work, so I tried the other internet suggestion of boiling water, and that seems to have done it! (Which actually makes a lot of sense, since it was only raw veg in there and cooked veg is softer, right?)
