BIKE RIDE Berkeley Critical Mass + East Bay Bike Party
Port of Oakland
6pm. Started off at the Berkeley Bart. Few cyclists, maybe 20, showed up. We left for a loop through South Side, taking up traffic lanes and sparking tension on the streets. I didn't really like that part [the tension-sparking]. Drivers honked out of love, some out of hate, real hate. What I did like was the ability to let loose on the road as a cyclist, riding with blasting music off an excellent playlist prepared by a guy named Josiah, who towed some really massive speakers. Rode through to Downtown Oakland, rode around Lake Merritt all lit up, and ended up at the 19th Street Bart.
8pm. The end of the Critical Mass ride marked the beginning of the East Bay Bike Party, also the 2nd Friday of every month. This month's theme: zombies. There were at least 300 riders and 30 sound systems on this ride, with bike mob gangs of all genres. Rode through Downtown, Jack London Square, out to the Port of Oakland, and back Downtown.
COMPETITION Slow Bike Races
The rules: the first one to fall off, get out of bounds, or reach the end of the stretch, loses. The goal: bike slower than your competitor. The races were held on Saturday at a friend's place in Oakland. Free beer, forty spirited competitors, and one winner (not me).
STOLEN My Dear Bicycle
The end of the weekend became the end of me and my bicycle. Stolen off the Bart station rack in Downtown Berkeley, a beautiful Fuji Palisade hybrid bike. Lesson learned - don't trust :(
In the two weeks since, however, I've gotten myself a replacement - a used Bianchi road bike! :)
Looking forward to another weekend of bike-related activities, perhaps one that doesn't involve theft or loss. Future rides:
