Wednesday, July 16, 2008

The Bicyclist 29: DIY



Zack and The Demon SUV play baseball. Steve makes t-shirts to make few bucks and Conrad drinks another beer.

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Sunday, July 06, 2008

Sunday Parkways "Ciclovía" in Portland



iPod/QuickTime Version
PORTLAND, Ore. - It's taken me way too long to post this great video by Clarence Eckerson, Jr. of Streetfilms.org. There so many bikey friends, from Aaron Tarfman and his transportation trike, Linda, Timo, and Coach Dan with the 411, and Jonathan Maus Channeling Gil Peñalosa and so many smiles from young and old.

Portland's first Sunday Parkways was a huge success with tens of thousands of Portlanders converging on the North Portland streets, parks and sidewalks. Don't be surprised if this kind of event, originally started in Bogotá, becomes a mainstay all over the world.

Here is the write up from Streetsblog:
Despite a very dreary and damp first half of the day, Portland's first Ciclovia-style street closure, Sunday Parkways, was a smashing success with countless thousands of city residents participating. It was like a giant community block party with walkers, bikers, joggers, bladers, families, and pets filling the 6 mile course.

There were plenty of fun activities in four northeast parks that were linked by the circuit, which was opened to bikes and pedestrian traffic only from 8 AM to 2 PM. For cities planning their own Ciclovias, here are some things I liked about Portland's event: knowledgeable volunteers, lots of fun chalk messages on the ground, easy to follow directions, lots of music & entertainment, and a huge number of bike stations for bike repair.


If you want more Sunday Parkways be sure to let people know.

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Monday, June 30, 2008

Get Behind the Bike Box



WATCH HIGHER RESOLUTION
MPEG4 Verison

This video is not intended to be viewed by children and the language is foul.

PORTLAND, OR - There have been a lot of bike box videos uploaded to The internets latley. But how are bike boxes being recieved by your average Joes?

Well, I got my hands on some footage a couple jokers shot right down on Hawthorne Blvd. by the liquor store. I think I know who the biker chick is but I won't name names.

Anyway, this once again proves that Portland is much more fun because of bicyclists.

My advice to the bike box curious: get a bike and get busy in the bike box.

 




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Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Sprockettes Dance Party



Watch
iPod/.mp4 Version

PORTLAND, Ore. - The Sprockettes Mini-Bike Dance Team is hosting a "Bicycle Bash" this Saturday and I thought this would be a great opportunity dig through my old tapes and pull out some footage from the Dance Party Ride they hosted last June at Pedalpalooza.

You can see this video and many others on the big screen at the"Bicycle Bash" along with all sorts of other entertainment. Check out the 411 straight from their site:

The Sprockettes Bicycle Bash is just over 2 weeks away.

Save the date: June 28, 2008

Announcing the Sprockettes Invitational Bicycle Bash! Music, DJ Gray, art gallery, silent auction, raffle, and of course….performances by your favorite bicycle dance troupes. Food and drink will be available for sale with “Sprockettes specials”. No outside alcohol please.

Doors open at 8pm. Entertainment starts at 9pm. Party until 2:30am.

Location 606 SE Madison, Portland OR.

Tickets are $5 at the door. Advanced tickets are available online at Brownpapertickets.com and at all of our upcoming shows (see below).

Guaranteed fun with your hometown homegirls!

 




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Thursday, June 19, 2008

Depaving Day at Carfree Conference



iPod/MP4 Version
From Streetfilms.org
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Towards Carfree Cities VIII kicked off Monday in Portland, Oregon with an exciting community event. Hundreds of conference participants helped break and remove asphalt from a 3000 square foot parking lot. Depave.org is the mastermind behind the Fargo Garden Project. They promote the removal of unnecessary concrete and asphalt from urban areas. Depave.org will continue to work with Goldsmith Properties to transform this now asphalt-free site into a community greenspace. Once completed, the site will be used to educate the public about pavement removal and storm water drainage management. Notice an example of Depave's work in this video at founder Arif Khan's house.
Music by Reptet and Dreamtime Stilters.


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Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Live Webcast at the Carfree Conference Public Day


We'll be live all day today 9-5pm at the Carfree conference http://carfreeportland.org. It's public day so come on down and check it out. You can also watch it here live (see below and be sure your browers is opened fully. If you have any trouble visit http://stickam.com/carfree. You can also get the schedule for the rest of the week there.




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Monday, June 16, 2008

Carfree Conference Starts With Pavement Wrecking



Please be patient while this loads. Also open browser large enough to view video conference. If you have any trouble try CarfeePortland.orgPORTLAND, Ore. - The Carfree Conference Starts today and we're going to start by tearing up some asphalt and turning into a greenspace. Watch it here live at around 10AM.


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Thursday, June 12, 2008

Do What I Like at the Carfree Conference



iPod/mpeg4 Version

PORTLAND, Ore. - The International Carfree Conference is coming to to town so I wrote a song called "Do What I Like".

Plus CrankMyChain! is going to be live webcasting from the conference so check the live feed here or at carfreeportland.org.

Check out the schedule and the feed at stickam.com/carfree.

The Towards Carfree Cities conference series brings together people from around the world who work to promote practical alternatives to car dependence. The conference attracts professionals, advocates, and community leaders who focus on the creation of sustainable transportation systems and on the transformation of cities, towns, and villages into human-scaled environments rich in public space and community life. The fundamental role of the conference is to share knowledge and assist the practical work of conference participants, whether it be organizing community events, promoting urban cycling, or building the carfree cities of the future.To learn more, contact the conference team at http://www.carfreeportland.org




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Tuesday, June 10, 2008

The Bicyclist 28: American Pastoral



The Bicyclist crew hits the road, hits the bottle and takes a hit or two.

The Bicyclist is Produced by Craftmaster Independent.


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Friday, June 06, 2008

Bike Porn 2 and Naked Bike Ride are coming Friday the 13th


PORTLAND, Ore. - Reverend Phil's Film Fest, Bike Porn 2- "BikeXploitation" is showing next Friday at the Clinton Street Theater. See the trailer at Bikesmut.com.

RevPhil
(Photo by J. Maus - BikePortland.org)


CrankMyChain! might even have something in the line-up, but either way I'm sure the festival of bicycle pornography will blow your mind and perhaps other things.

What is Bike Porn? It's not just bikes on bikes. I'll say that. Are you offended by graphic sexual images and suggestion? Don't go. It's all very sex positive (at least it was last year) but some flicks even challenged my sensibilities. I occasionally like to have my sensibilities challenged.

If you go, be sure to CrankMyChain!

And then hold onto your shorts or, better yet, take them off - because at 11:59PM Saturday the 14th, Portland goes on the World Naked Bike Ride.
It all starts the the Pedalpalooza Kick Off Dance Party (Track 7, NW 30th Ave and Industrial St) - Watch out for train tracks they love to throw cyclists.


Click here to hear my song
Going on a Naked Bike Ride.


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Monday, June 02, 2008

Bike2Oz - The Home Stretch - Ep. 12 & 13



Click to play Episode 12

iPod Version
After a week on a cargo ship, the epic bicycle journey from England nears and end. Australia looms and with it Lowannas family. Only 2 weeks to cycle down from Brisbane to the finale in Sydney.


Click to play Episdoe 13

iPod Version
The cyclists on the final leg of the epic adventure. Heading down South along the coast of Australia. Past kangaroos to finish at the Heart of Sydney.

Bike2Oz was produced by Undercurrents find out more about Bike2Oz here.

I hope you enjoyed this video series as much as I did. This is exactly the type of independent cycling related movie I was hoping to find when I started CrankMyChain.TV almost two years ago. Do you have an adventure in mind? What's stopping you?


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Friday, May 30, 2008

Brooklyn to Manhattan Commuter Race





iPod/Quicktime Version

From StreetFilms.org
NEW YORK, NY - Transportation Alternatives held its 7th annual Commuter Challenge pitting cyclist, driver, and bus/subway rider in the ultimate showdown of which mode of travel can be quickest (and cheapest!)

In the end, the bike proved swiftest over the 4.5 mile course which began in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene and ended in Manhattan’s Union Square. Jamie Favaro rolled up in just over 16 minutes and took home the gold and a bouquet of flowers for her efforts. Driver, Emmanuel Fuentebella (22 minutes) parked his car and sprinted to a surprise second place finish. Shortly after, disappointed MTA rider April Greene came in last at 29 minutes. But, as Wiley Norvell noted at the finish line, Transportation Alternatives also measured the carbon footprint of all the the riders and Greene came in a close second behind the cyclist.




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Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Derailed - A Short Movie




Derailed from Chris Cosler on Vimeo.

iPhone Version


This is my favorite selection from this years Filmed by Bike festival. The message delivered in this short darma by Oliver Ogden, Jared Staber, Chris Cosler is poignant and well delivered, which is something much more difficult to do than the other types of movies shown at Filmed by Bike (mine included).

Watch the movie and then let's discuss the plot and theme. For me it hits close to home to a decision I made in 2003 that helped put my life on track.

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Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Obama in Portland: Invest in Bicycle Infrastructure




Watch Higer Res mp4 video here on your PC, Mac, or iPod
PORTLAND, OR - To a crowd of 75,000 at Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland Oregon, Presidential hopeful Barack Obama called for the nation to get serious about it's energy issues and model Portland's investment in Bicycles and Alternate means of transportation.

Of course this seems an obvious solution to cycling advocates but with all the talk from the candidates there has been little mention of bicycles and specifically investment in bicycle infrastructure.

Here is the full quote:

"If we are going to solve our energy problems we have to think long term. It's time to be serious about investing in alternative energy. It's time to be serious about raising fuel efficiency standards in our cars. It's time for our entire country to learn from what's happening right here in Portland with mass transit and bicycle lanes and funding alternative means of transportation. That's the kind of solution we need for America..." this was greeted by some of the loudest applause of his speech.

-----

CrankMyChain! Cycle TV endorses Barack Obama for President, Sam Adams for Mayor of Portland and Chris Smith for Commissioner.

Today is the last day for Oregonians to drop off their ballots for the Primary election.


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Sunday, May 18, 2008

National Bike To Work Day



iPod/QuickTime Version

USA - So I got called from the StreetFilms folks to help with Friday's National Bike to Work Day video. They wanted video from cities all over the country. Only problem was, Portland was not celebrating National Bike to Work day. Don't know why.

But hey, every day is bike to work day in Portland. So I thought I'd strap and electronic gong to the back of the Disco Trike and ride in to see if I could find any bike commuters who liked to bang gongs and eat donuts.

My contribution to the video above is at the end after SF, Austin, and NYC represent. I feel I did my part in keeping Portland weird. Also, here is the 10-minute rough-cut version from my Friday morning adventure.

More info from StreetFilms
The League of American Bicyclists started Bike-to-Work Day in 1956 as a part of National Bike-to-Work Week, which in some cities has turned into Bike Month.

Bike-to-Work Day is an annual event that promotes and celebrates the bicycle as a viable mode of transportation. On Bike-to-Work Day, national, regional, and local bicycle advocacy groups often organize bicycle-related events.

Today’s Streetfilm features Bike-to-Work Day in Austin, San Francisco, New York City and Portland, Oregon.

If you haven’t already, check out the streetsblog open thread from Friday. And, contact us if you would like to participate in next year’s NBTWD film!


This video was produced by Elizabeth Press for StreetFilms
with help from
John Hamilton -SF
Dan Kaufman (me) - PDX
Brent Perdue - Austin
Carly Clark
Ali Qadeer
Elleinad

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