The Soilder Ride

Posted on February 1, 2010 | Leave a comment

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A large group of cyclists from the Soldier Ride passed through Key West a few weeks ago. Max and I put a note on the door, locked up the shop and walked down the block to Eaton Street to greet and cheer everyone arriving on quite an array of two and three wheeled cycles. The Soldier Ride is a rehabilitative cycling event organized with the Wounded Warrior Project, who are working to ensure quality healthcare is accessible throughout the transition from active duty service member to veteran status and continues for the duration of the warrior’s life.

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This particular trip, January 13th to 17th, began in Miami and traveled through the scenic keys. There are rides all over the United States with 9 multi-day trips planned for next year. These are the only photos I took as I was working and couldn’t make it to the closing ceremony at the USS Mohawk, but the Soldier Ride Blog has much more information and better photos!

Great ride y’all, good on ya!

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Posted in advocacy, bicycles, cheap date, crazy looking bicycles, fundraiser, rides, winter riding

taking conch cruiser to a new level of rust

Posted on January 25, 2010 | 4 Comments

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Tomas dropped by the other day with a major chain problem and a bleeding thumb that prolly needed minor surgery. We treated the chain and released the bicycle healthy and ready to cruise; but not before I shot this photo of Tomas, his bicycle and his rusty key. Yep. I have seen it all. Rusted headsets, rusty handlebars, completely rusted fenders, rusted out frames, chains and locks….and now…a rusty key. The climate here is brutal on bicycles.

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Posted in conch cruisers, rust

Snowballs in Key West

Posted on January 22, 2010 | Leave a comment

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I took this a few weeks ago while waiting for lunch at Sandy’s on White street.  There were a few posts I wanted to keep at the top so I never put this one up. I thought an elf with snowballs in Key West was pretty damn funny; which is a great segue to complain about the cold on Monday night. WTF!?! I had to pedal home to grab a long sleeve shirt, vest and hat and was still chilly. Shorts prolly didn’t help matters. The low might have been 61, though that seems acceptably cold. However, last night the cold was not acceptable. I like cooler weather for riding and not being a sweaty mess, but last night’s libations commute felt like a fatal Artic trek. Ok, maybe not fatal, but we’re certainly losing a few digits to frostbite…

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Posted in a sweaty mess, art, Uncategorized, winter riding

sunday night pier tour

Posted on January 19, 2010 | Leave a comment

Four fixies decided to go for a nice Sunday night ride. Actually, there were to be six of us, but the Patricks were a no show. boooooo! They did join us afterward for beer and noshes at the midnight happy hour at Finnegan’s Wake. mmmm….wings with wasabi dipping sauce! The night began at Fixed Gears where we tightened chains, lubed links and topped off tires. Amy suggested a pier tour so we headed to Simonton Beach. It seemed like three of us were out to pop a tire that night with flagrantly flashy skidding. There’s a wonderful slickness to many streets when its wet here, making for some fun slalom skidding around obstacles and around corners.

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John decided trackstanding on the narrow Simonton Beach Pier wasn’t enough of a challenge, so here’s a pic of him doing it one handed. wooo-haaa! I opted for a backwards circle at the Duval/South Beach Pier.  Actually, the full, real name is Emma Carrero Cates Pier. She was a Key West City Commissioner for 18 years, helped preserve many beaches in Monroe County as well as being a large part of the creation of South Beach. Thanks Emma!

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Beware of Jumping Sharks!

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Never a dull moment in Key West, even if this pic looks totally casual; nothing exciting, just another day in the Conch Republic. Damn i love living here! Although, not a pier, we stopped at that little park thingee near Casa Marina, rode by lots of fishermen at the White Street Pier and ended the tour with a nice rest at the sanctuary pier. Well, i guess its a boardwalk through a tiny remaining wetland area, and it ends on a tiny beach; but we like to think of it as a pier; it is Key Wierd!

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Posted in beer, cheap date, Finnegan's Wake, fixie, happy hour, rides, winter riding

Fundraiser for Moe Kempa, over $3,000 raised!

Posted on January 15, 2010 | 1 Comment

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The fundraiser at  Stay Fit Studios was a full house and brought in over $3,000! I stopped by for about an hour to donate some money and jump on a bike for my first spin class. I was a sweaty mess! A projector was set up to show photos of the ride on a screen whilst everyone pedaled…or spun. It was my first time spinning and i have no idea what to call it! There was a great vibe and I was thankful to be able to take part. Best wishes to Moe!

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Another shot of the spinners! I am not sure how everyone could keep the pace the whole time. I took a few breaks, but lots of riders pedaled the entire time as the instructors rotated shifts. Wow. And there aren’t even hills here to enjoy.

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Posted in advocacy, bicycles, fundraiser, Smart Ride, Stay Fit Studios

Smart Ride 6!

Posted on January 13, 2010 | Leave a comment

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229 cyclists left Miami last Friday morning enroute to a wet, cold and blistery Key West to raise money for AIDS related charities in Florida. 100% of all money raised goes to a variety of organizations to help many, many people. 100%! Please check out the Smart Ride website for much more information about the ride. Hundreds more volunteers helped make the ride successful and wonderful. I have heard so many great stories from people involved and was lucky enough to attend the closing ceremonies; that my heart is super warm. Great job everyone! The above photo shows the amount of money raised at the time; it is now thousands more thanks to many donors and volunteers continuing to bring in the money. This post barely scrapes the surface of the 2010 Smart Ride. I cannot do it justice. Patrick closed down Fixed Gears so Max and I could attend the ceramonies. He had also been gone for the last few days as a volunteer mechanic and helped many people with their bicycles along the two day, 165 mile ride. Please also check out the Conch Republic Cyclist who rode the ride and will have a much better post and inside view!

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There was a tent to keep the bicycles out of the nasty weather. The loop around the island was canceled and the closing ceremony at the AIDS Memorial at the White Street Pier was moved to the HOV School auditorium.

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Crici Stroy-Martin, crew manager and ride committee member, addressing the emotional crowd.

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A riderless bike was walked though the crowd as a song was played to pay respect to those who could not ride today. A very emotional moment for many.

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Rosie’s Bar and Grill was presented the Founder’s Award for contintiued service. They have helped with every smartride, helping and feeding many riders and crew. I heard many amazing things about their Friday dinner and Saturday breakfast this year.

Continue reading →

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Posted in advocacy, bicycles, bike racks, Fixed Gears, fundraiser, rain, rides, Smart Ride

FREAKING COLD!!!!!

Posted on January 11, 2010 | Leave a comment

Ok, mother nature, we need to talk. First, it is Monday and quite sunny. Thank you. We all needed some sunshine! But i must digress, or be distressed, or just pissed about the weather yesterday. ARRRGGG!!
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I had to wear arm warmers and a hat inside the shop to keep warm. ARM WARMERS! They helped a lot and i hoped it would help sell some of the varieties we sell at Fixed Gears, but not too many people were out and about. Every time i had to brave the cold i had to add a scarf and jacket. I know what y’all nawtheners must be thinking about my 50 degree tirades, but it really is an issue in Key West. Very few places have heat, including businesses, schools and homes. There are emergency homeless shelters opening up. I have certainly lost my thick blood, but would still enjoy some crazy downhill snow hill biking with my friends back in Hartford, Connecticut. Bless y’all! That looked fun and I am sure I could survive if I wore most of the mountaineering and winter camping gear I have packed away.

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A lot of the bars here are pretty much outdoors and that makes drinking to forget about the cold kinda a lesson in futility. Jonathon was having drinking issues with a full face mask at the Alamo. We are still all getting drunk. And we are still all cold. Yep. Sooooo….  I’m not really sure where else to go with all that….

The BeatBikeBlog has some tips for winter riding that might help us here on the island, or at least make for some funny reading.

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Toubab Krewe did an amazing job keeping everyone at the Parrot warm the last few nights with beats and music that caused widespread dancing and dancing and happiness. West African music and southern rock!? I am not sure how to describe it except… GREAT! I missed seeing this band last year and I am super grateful I got to see them finally for a few sets. Many blessings on your tour and please return soon…especially if its cold!

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Posted in beer, Fixed Gears, the parrot, winter riding