This Saturday, we mark a momentous occasion in Tour de Fat history. For the first time ever, we get to host our little soiree in a city park! Not just any park either, we are talking about one of the coolest spots in the town, GasWorks. This Ex-power plant/refinery will now be home to our festival supporting the power of pedal. Talk about sweet justice. It’s slow, but it is awesome. more to come on that.

We are looking to have a great parade…longer than usual, but great if you got the legs. We’ll be leaving Gasworks @ 10am out to Golden Gardens and back. We don’t have Police support to escort us, so we’ll have to ride safe, and keep it clean so they’ll let us do it again.

Ride West via Burke-Gilman to NW 45 Ave.
Take Ballard Ave NW to NW Market St.
NW Market to Seattle Ave. NW.

Recollect Riders at Golden gardens, then turn around and return to Gas Works Park.Families or Riders who need to cut route short will have the ability at the western end of Burke Gilman Trail.

Once you are back, we’ll have a great show. Come in costume, and be prepared to worship solar rays, and human ways…to get around and get down.

I can’t forget mention the raddest downhill race on the earth is the night before, so we got that going for us.

So join us or go watch the Blue Angels roast through tax dollars and jet fuel, before the really fast boats do the same…at Sea Fair!

The time is now for you to make a choice…we wont have deep fried twinkies, but beer is almost as good.

Posted: July 30th, 2008 under Seattle.
Comments: none

A story from the road by Crafty

As I leave my home in Fort Collins reality sets in; I won’t see my dog, my old lady, my bed, my own toilet seat for quite some time. But as miles turn into hours, the anticipation focuses me into a philanthropic bicycle prophet, or better yet, a carnie whose main function is the Logistician for the Tour de Fat. A carnie on a mission, to spread the good word about man’s greatest invention and a brewery that I have called home for over 6 years.

Sweet Pete is my rigging’ partner for this leg of the trip; a 3-day adventure out to San Francisco. Thanks to the National Geographic State Park Guide, we found a great park called Antelope State Park on the Utah’s Great Salt Lake. Pete and I explored the park which we found to be very bike friendly and watched an amazing sunset. The Great Salt Lake is a pretty strange place, the water is incredibly still and full of wildlife. But salty, really salty.

When I suggested camping in the park, Pete informed me that he didn’t bring his camping gear. Although I may have overlooked mentioning how many opportunities we would have to camp along the way; am I the only one that doesn’t go on any trip without a sleeping bag? Is it possible that this rookie carnie wasn’t as road ready as we had thought? Crap, I thought, I certainly don’t want Pete sleeping in my tent. Not that I’m against sharing, but Pete is a little freaky. For the last two tours, I have shaved down to a mustache. But Pete has rocked this Rolly Fingers mustache that put’s anyone else’s stash to shame.

Now I’m not saying I’m scared of sharing a tent with Pete, I just couldn’t stop thinking that I would wake up in the middle of the night with Pete about to stab me his pointy mustache (he uses a lot of mustache wax) so he could steal my sleeping bag.

Luckily, Pete found one of the other carnies’ sleeping bag in the trailer and was happy to sleep on top of the campsite’s picnic table. The second day we landed in Lake Tahoe. Wow, this place surely does not suck. The other carnies went on a fantastic mountain bike adventure while I opted to kayak on the lake. Sometimes on the road, I need a little “me time,” my “moment of Zen” as it were. Behind the Best Western is a little place called Kayak Tahoe where a fantastically friendly fellow named Steve hooked up a lake-worthy vessel for my adventure. I felt like Viking (not because I was drinking Mead, but because I was wearing underwear and was sporting a Viking helmet) as I paddled my way around part of bluest lake I have ever seen. Sure, I’ve seen the bumper sticker that says, “Keep Tahoe Blue,” but I always thought that was pretty much like stating the obvious. I don’t want to see a pink lake, unless it was a pink lake filled with strawberry yoo-hoo; that would be alright by me. But man, I ventured off about 300 yards from the shore and could still see the bottom of the lake. Anyway, San Francisco here we come…

Posted: July 30th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

Good people of Truckee, you should be proud of yourselves, that was a real good time. So good in fact, I wrote a haiku about the experience (and I don’t just write haikus for anything, it has to be real special):
Truckee has good times
We all laughed and shared some smiles
You folks sure do shred

Team TDF had a wonderful time in your fair city as well. There were good times had at the Tourist Club (KARAOKE. YOU GOT THAT RIGHT.), quiet and thoughtful times at the Truckee Book and Bean (as well as delicious coffee). Pete even found a few nice friends to taking him bouldering (and that is always a treat for him because he loves climbing on stuff..and a treat for me because his moustache makes me nervous).
Then there was the Tour De Fat (and we all know about the fun that happened there). I spent most of my day in the bike pit watching the smiles, and I was truly impressed with shear amount of unicycle talent in your town. It’s as if you have to learn to ride the single wheeled party machine in order to live in Truckee (is that true? I’m not sure if it is, but man, it sure does seem like it). And the show went off, the party vibe was pleasant, the sound was good, the beer was cold, and sun was out (but not in the searing way that makes it real hot and sweaty). I’m pretty sure I had the best time I have ever had in my whole life, seriously.

I also had the great pleasure of visiting the neighboring village of Downieville (it was in this location that I seriously shredded my mountain bike, and boy-howdy was that a great time (to bad Bogan couldn’t be there, because that guy also likes to shred)). The carnies rode the storied Downieville Downhill, amongst our group there were 0 flat tires, 1 bent derailleur, 4 minor crashes, 1 fairly serious crash, some real fast riding, some air, and 6 pictures to document the event. Pete had a few of the minor crashes and Oscar (the Gashole) had the other small crashes as well as taking home the prize for the big crash (he fell down one of the ledges on the 1st divide trail, i think he might still be bleeding), and I had my best day on the bike in some time. I was back to feeling confidant and strong (not to mention handsome and charismatic). It was ripping, very ripping.

Anywho, Truckee I love you, and I will see you again.

-the juice-box

Posted: July 29th, 2008 under Truckee.
Comments: none

Be sure to Read The Book of Ballyhoo, Chapter 2 for all the spiritual details.

Posted: July 25th, 2008 under San Francisco.
Comments: none

Chapter 2, Book of Ballyhoo for year of our bike 2008:

1: Stop number two landed us in one of the hot spots of the bicycle movement, San Francisco. And when we say hot, I don’t mean the weather. The infamous Mark Twain quote about the coldest summer rang true last weekend…and coming from a warm and extravagantly sunny Colorado…man, it felt cold. Was it just bad luck? Perhaps an ominous sign? Is it possible that the autodustial complex has taken control of the weather?

2: Our goal is to celebrate a wonderful invention, and in doing so rally the support of new riders, and renew the spirit of those long in the skip tooth…San Francisco is arguably one of the best towns to get around by bike due to its tight geography, easy access to the BART, and loads of bikeways…they could always use more of course! But not all is well in SF…the city is stymied by a pending EPA review to prove whether or not bike lanes cause more pollution (WTF) and trail advocacy get tougher all the time as the concrete jungle growsthe. The world has gone mad my friends, and the only saving grace we have to offer is the clear head space you find in the saddle and perhaps an adult electrolyte beverage to stave off the catabolic effects of your efforts.

3: On this 19th day of the 7th month, human power again triumphed over horse power. Even in the face of adverse weather, we had a solid congregation of riders and fans find us in the heart of Golden Gate Park’s old forest and revel in the sweet sound of bike bells and rubber on the road. 300 rode into a gale force wind fresh off the Pacific Ocean, and returned thirsty, and proud. almost 4000 people total joined in the revival of all things pedal-powered.

4: Over the course of 5 hours, we rode, we rejoiced, we imbibed, and we grew stronger. For all those rolling forth upon pedaled wings revivalated, and those new to the bike were indoctrinated…and you know it was good.

5: Here’s what the show’s collective basket looks like:

• We raised $18,145 in cash money for the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council. Ride on!
• We saved ourselves from dumpnation by diverting 92% of our trash from hell-fill with the help of Clean Cites Coalition… so many people, so little trash. Ride on!
• We also committed as a city to reduce our car miles for bike miles by joining Team Wonderbike and pledging to ride 175,896 miles instead of driving over the next year! thats a whole lotta pounds of CO2 not going in the air.
• We got another car-free convert, Stephen Naylor who donated his 1986 Volvo for a new Black Sheep commuter bike. Ride On!
• Hopefully we foster a stronger community for cyclists by nurturing those in the fold and those who will choose to join us.

7: Last but not least, a huge high-five to all of the blood, sweat and tears contributed by the volunteers of our partner groups. Many thanks, and to all of you a due share in this shows success.

Keep the Rubber Side Down…
Reverend C Ballyhoo, the Deacon of Freakin’, Oscar the Gashole, our angels and demons, and of course the hardest working man in showbiz, TK.

Posted: July 24th, 2008 under San Francisco.
Comments: 2

WHAT IS THE CAR/BIKE TRADE?
It’s when one fortunate soul hands over their car, title and keys
to the Tour de Fat altar in exchange for a bike. Not just any bike,
a New Belgium, fully-loaded, hand-crafted, Fort Collins-built
commuter bike from Black Sheep Bikes. There’s 11 Tour de Fat stops – surely
one near you – and that’s 11 car/bike trade opportunities.
It’s about weaning yourself off the petroleum teat. It’s about
not paying $4.00+ for a gallon of gas. It’s about rediscovering
the cultural thrill of sustainable transportation.

WHO CAN DO IT?
You! (Maybe). By agreeing to trade your polluting car for a new bike
and committing to sparkle-motion, human-powered transport on stage at
Tour de Fat, you become an inspiration to the congregation and beyond.
Your vehicular cleansing is filmed, as are your car-free trials and
triumphs over the following year, causing thousands to idolize your
efforts and begin commuting by bike (we hope).

HOW DO I ENTER IMMEDIATELY?
Email cwinn@newbelgium.com.
Important!
Please put “I wanna trade my car for a bike in (enter city name here)”
in the subject line. and tell us about why you would so blatantly turn you back on car culture. Tell us about your car…your good times and sad. And tell us about your hopes and fears about trying this.

OR

1. Create a video of two minutes or less with your story, desire to
be car-free and the car you will be trading.
2. Upload it to YouTube.com
3. Email the link to your video to: cwinn@newbelgium.com
Remember to put “I wanna trade my car for a bike in (City Name)” in the
subject line.

WHEN DO I KNOW IF I’M THE CHOSEN ONE?
We will contact one lucky car trader in each city prior to each Tour de Fat show. You must attend the Tour de Fat for which you entered and be on stage in the closing ceremony as we drive your
car away to benefit a nonprofit. And, of course, publicly celebrate your outstanding commitment.

Good luck, Enter early and often!

Posted: July 24th, 2008 under General Propaganda in Disinformation, Uncategorized.
Comments: 1

Hello,

I wish I could say I wanna trade Betty. I mean, who doesn’t love riding around in a 1987 Honda Accord hatchback? She smells awesome, especially in the summer when it’s hot; she burns a quart a week and I have to keep the heat on to prevent the engine from overheating.
She comes with a broken tape deck so we pretty much cruise around to the sounds of the FM. She qualifies for “Whitetrashmobile”
certification at this point. All I need to do is dump her in a trailer park and her life would be complete.

I have respectfully decorated her with bumper stickers and I wash her annually to conserve water. Honest! She’s still in my possession despite her homeless appearance and lack of sex appeal. Other than that, she fuels up for under $50, gets me to where I’m going and keeps me dry. I refuse to upgrade or sell her because she’s probably just going to end up as a decaying metal heap and some point, and I can’t bare to see that happen.

Now, I love the 80’s as much as the next twenty-something, but the time has come for my dear Betty and me to part ways. We had a great run together over the past few years I’ve owned her. She was a gift from someone at my church fellowship and I never got the nerve to sell her. I now use her to tote me and several gardening tools around Seattle while I spruce up yards and gardens, 100% organically. The only pollution my business creates is from my car! Everyone tells me I need a truck, but that’s just more gas, emissions, carbon footprint, money, stress and a venture I don’t wish to follow for the sake of employment.

When I am not driving, I am biking, carpooling, walking, or “bhiking” (a combo of bus, bike and feet power). But I’m limited still. I currently have the “Mercedes of bikes”, with huge tires, a thick frame and a plastic kitchen tote on the back. I use this for getting me and my backpack around, and I used to use the tote for doing lunchtime take-out delivery service in Fremont. I track at least 50 miles a week by bike at this point, but I average around 400 a month in my car. My bike is another attempt to “green” up my lifestyle but she’s no good at hauling tools!

Long story short: Feet and current wheels are not cuttin’ the mustard for this gardener, and it’s wearing heavy on the carbon footprint tread. Please please please take my car away and replace it with a bike actually made for transporting goods and a person. I will honor the life of my new trusty bike-friend until I can pedal no more.

AnnaLisa, rider and polluter
Seattle, WA

P.S. This image is from a car accident we were in together March 2007. I thought I was going to have to give her up because of my insurance but I kept her regardless of her lost monetary value. I love Betty and will only give her up to a good home.

Posted: July 23rd, 2008 under Seattle.
Comments: 1

Thanks for the great turn-out, bike-out, get out and get down at Golden Gate! You San Franciscoans are hot - even when the weather is not.

Post your pics and films here! We want to see ‘em all.

Posted: July 20th, 2008 under San Francisco.
Comments: 12

Its not that tough. Really. The thought of living car free for one year can seem daunting I know but hey, its just a car, and its only going to cost you more money to operate that thing…

So, maybe you are the next contestant on the “Bike is Right”…come on down. Tell us about why you are ready to make the swap. Tell us about you car, and include please include a head shot of you and your vehicle, the vin #, mileage, and any other info you think we should know. We also need to know if you’re tall, short, a featherweight or a clydesdale so we can build a bike to suit you should you be the winner. If you like the idea of muscle not motors, this could be your lucky day. We are ready to pick winners, so send us your story!

Don’t be shy. If you don’t apply, you will never be next…

Posted: July 15th, 2008 under General Propaganda in Disinformation.
Comments: 1

Juice-box here. After days and days of trying to access the TDF blog i finally have the chance, so lets try not to blow it.

Myself and the other carnies have been hanging around the Beer Factory for the last week or so doing all the things we had to catch up on, painting new signs, high fiveing everybody, building a few new art bikes and doing math, lots of math. I also got to eat the anniversary lunch (the brewery buys everybody lunch once a month to celebrate said month’s anniversaries and birthdays, it was July and it was awesome, Gyros and stuff, a little baclava (i am pretty sure that is a spelling error, don’t hold it against the old juice-box) and a bunch of other stuff, it was delicious).

I also got to hang out with Bogan. Most of you don’t know who that is, but I’m going to let you in on the secret. Bogan was a carnie with the TDF last year, and from my understanding he was real good at it. He lifted things, didn’t complain, was good with the kiddies, only yelled a couple times, and was a champion of the bike pit. Legend has it that the morning before the Truckee show he lifted a school bus full of bricks because there was a puppy under it, the puppy was just hanging out in the shade of the wheel-well, and was in very little danger, but Bogan thought it was a bad place for the puppy to hang out, so he lifted the school bus full of bricks just to get a better angle for moving the puppy to a safer shady spot. Amazing.

Anywho, Bogan and I did some mountian biking (real fun), we did some hanging out (also real fun), we even ate sandwichs at Captain Ballyhoo’s house in the the company of the Captain and Mrs Ballyhoo (high point of the week, it was late at night and those sandwichs were delicous). He also took a minute to drop some carnie knowledge on me. He said “Juice-box, this job is about bring the fun, and sometimes it aint all glamour and glitz, sometimes you have to git your hands dirty, sometimes you gotta reach down into the mud puddle of life and use your big strong arms to wrench out the fun, use your sock to wipe off the mud, then throw the fun to the people, but don’t throw it to hard, just kind of lob it, that way its easier catch and nobody will jam a finger.”

So now I take Bogan’s advice to the road, I jump into that big truck packed to the hilt with fun and drive towards you. And when I arrive I will carefully unpack the fun, gently lay it on the grass and wait for you to show up, and when you do I will lob the fun to you, and you will catch it, and all of us will have a memorable day filled with bikes and beer and music and other things that are fun, and frankly world, I can’t wait.

-Juice-box

Posted: July 10th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Comments: 1