We’re meeting up at Greenberry’s at 8 tonight to go on a night ride. I don’t know where we are going, so don’t ask and bring your ideas.
Also there is a mountain bike race at Lewis Morris Park on Sunday; I’m working registration, so bring me some coffee if you show up.
Have a great weekend! Post about your rides!
Earlier this week, the New York Times ran a spokes column why there are so many more men than women that ride bikes; streetsblog had reactions to that post here: Mind the Gender Gap. Anyhow, I have some ideas about why that is, but in the meantime, here’s a documentary about female bike messengers in the city, Even the Girls.
This easy on, easy off pannier is super cheap and works fairly well. I’ve been stuffing my man purse & grocery shopping stuff into it for a long while now and its holding up really well for the price. Folds in and out of the way easily with velcro, even comes with a rain cover that actually works. Reflective strips all around. I hate to sound like a pimp but its on sale now for 9.99! I think today only at Nashbarf.
Good for holding camping stuff too:
Here it is on a rainy ride.
sussex tpk, longest hill in morris county according to NJbikemap.com
Relax your upper body, neck, shoulders, jaw, everything, its a waste of energy to be tense. Slide up on your seat a half inch or so, the hill is pushing you towards the rear of the bike, sliding up will recenter you over the pedals. If you can, slide your hands to the very most outsides of the handlebars, sometimes I grab onto the ends, this kind of opens up your chest and makes breathing a bit easier.
If the hill is very long, and your having a tough time break the climb up in your mind into manageble chunks, like, ok I’m gonna pedal to the telephone pole, then pick the next target…maybe just the next telephone pole or that mailbox.
Relax, its just riding a bike. Look around enjoy. Start slow, especially if it your first time on the hill, it can be hard to know how to manage your energy, if you have energy left near the top use it if you wanna look awesome cresting the hill strong. Sort of like unrolling a carpet… it starts slow but really gets moving at the end. Dont use all your energy to just crest the hill…remember you still have to get back up to cruising speed when things flatten out which will take some energy.
The art show on Friday was really really really great; I think most agreed it was better than last year’s show, and that is saying a lot! Check out the Morristown Green article here. I’ll try to add some links to the people who showed their work at the show, but for now check out the site from the couple who made the bike powered waterfall and also will build you a custom frame from their place in Newark: folkengineered.com
It started pouring about 30 minutes before the ride on Friday, which prolly put a damper on the turnout, but there were still about 50 people who showed up. Vince and his brother brought their mom to the ride, and also brought a new bike they were up all night finishing that was a tandem taxi bike that had a stereo on the bike. Awesome.
Also was nice to see the Hackettstown Kids return this summer and they sang a few songs from the back of their pick-up, including one that mentioned Caroline and her blinding headlight. My few pics from the ride and show are here, but I know there are better ones out there, so if you have them post them?
The yard sale ride on Sunday was super fun, and resulted in getting spending $3 to get a camera bag, a scarf, a pair of gloves, and 3 records. Next Sunday, I’m helping out at the Lewis Morris Challenge Mountain Bike Race, so no yard sale ride. I feel a little bit queasy just thinking about getting up and out by 7 am, but I think I’ll be ok. Instead of the yard sale ride, we are going to do a Friday Night bike ride, so if you have somewhere you have always wanted to ride at night, let us know, because we haven’t really thought about where to go.
Tonight, as I have mentioned about 3 million times, is the ‘art of the bicycle’ show at Marty’s, after the Morristown bike ride.
Also Dean’s band Eye Swan is playing at Bar 46, outside of Hackettstown. That starts at 9, so you could probably make it to everything if you hurry.
Yard Sale ride meets up on Sunday at Greenberry’s at 10:30 ish. Browsers welcome.
Coming up on July 5, is the Lewis Morris Challenge Mountain Bike Race. Register online here, or talk to Geoff at Marty’s if you want to volunteer to help out.
This Friday is the Morristown Critical Mass Bike Ride, followed by the Art of the Bicycle Show at Marty’s Reliable Cycle. I stopped by there this weekend and saw some of the artwork, and this show is going to be really awesome. The ride starts at 6:30 and meets up behind Town Hall, 200 South Street. The art of the bicycle show starts at 7:00, and Marty’s is located at 173 Speedwell.
After the July ride, we are going to have a bike in movie at the Early Street Community garden, which is something I have been babbling on about doing for I think 2 years now. So exciting! I think we have most of the equipment; 2 generators, a projector, and I’m just going to get a tarp for the screen, but we could use some sound help. I think. If anyone wants to help (say DEAN), let me know! No pressure tho, I swear.
This is a pretty busy month, but we are going to have one get together to test out the equipment; I’ll update this when I figure out when that is.
Also had a nice yard sale ride; 2 yard sales and saw some bikes for sale but were a bit steep in price, so skipped on them. Meet up at Greenberry’s next Sunday at 10-ish for the next one.
I think the schools might get out this week, so this might be the first real weekend of the summer.
The Morristown Madams Roller Derby team is having a kickball fundraiser for a a new dog park and also collecting supplies for St. Huberts on Saturday, so if you want to get your team together, it’s $150 for a team of 15, or $20/person if you don’t have a team. I was on a team, but I think we broke up and now I’m working that day. I think there is going to be beer from some local brewpub, so that’s a bonus.
On Sunday, we are going on the first of the yard sale rides; meet up at Greenberry’s on the green at about 10. Not just for the ladies, as we are going to be stopping by this yard sale: The TRUE MAN’S YARD SALE. Well, it looks like that one was last weekend! I’m sure we’ll find some even better ones this weekend. Bring a basket!
Next Friday is the last Friday of the month, and the regular Morristown Bike Ride night. The ride starts at 6:30 at Morristown Town Hall, 200 South Street.
After the bike ride, there is the 2nd Annual Art of the Bicycle Show at Marty’s Reliable Cycle, 173 Speedwell. Last year’s was a huge success and a total blast, and I think this year’s sounds even better. Some new artists will be showing their work, as well as some favorites from last year, and I hear there are going to be a lot of interesting antique or unusual bikes on display too. If you can’t make it to the bike, def come to the art show anyhow! More info here.
