sfwiggle.com

SF t-shirt

Dustin — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:53:24 +0000

Contact morninghasbrokn if you want this fine image on a tshirt

Dia De Los Muertos and Bike

Dustin — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:01:07 +0000

I always see lots of bike at the Day of the Dead. I love it.

Check out my personal blog for more Dia De Los Meurtos pics

Riding Pretty

Dustin — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 03:10:57 +0000

Riding pretty is a great local blog dedicated to bikes and fashion. Check it out and leave lots of comments.

Photo by Shelly

Puppy Love in China Town

bikeculturetheory — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 07:50:19 +0000

In San Francisco we’re lucky to have diverse neighborhoods that delight the senses with the sights and sounds of distant countries all just a bike ride away from home. China Town has always been my favorite and I never fail to find something new whenever I go.

Halloween Critical Mass

Dustin — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:25:03 +0000

Halloween Critical Mass is known as being the largest and most thrilling ride of the year. Even though rain in the morning threatened to ruin the ride, there was an amazing turnout. When I arrived, the seething mass had a festive atmosphere and had already filled up Justin Herman Plaza and was spilling onto market street. Music was coming from several sources and the majority of the crowd had costumes on. Critical Mass started rolling West on Market Street like a massive snake uncoiling after a nap. Excited to join the ride, I ran to unlock my bike only to discover I lost my keys. After the 15 to 20 minutes it took everyone to clear the plaza I was lucky enough to find my keys, but unfortunately I didn’t get ride with the Critical Mass. Next year I’ll remember not to loose my keys.

San Francisco Bike Ballet

Dustin — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:21:22 +0000

The Bike Ballet was a blast. Here some pictures for anyone who missed it.

more after the jump

Bikes and Farmer’s Markets - Living the Good Life

NathanSF — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:41:28 +0000

San Franciscans are blessed with a beautiful city to bike in and an abundance of Farmers’ Markets, so what better way to enjoy picking up your fresh, sustainable food than on your trusty two wheels.

Critical Mass Turns Sweet Sixteen!

Dustin — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:44:51 +0000

Gathering in San Francisco’s Justin Herman Plaza on the last Friday in September, Critical Mass celebrated its sixteenth anniversary where it all began in 1992. The monthly “We Are Traffic” ride that is organized by no one individual or group quickly spread to cities around the world. San Francisco’s monthly ride draws between a few hundred to over a thousand participants, with the anniversary rides and Halloween costume night drawing the biggest crowds.

In the spirit of the ride, there is no central website, but a multitude of sites worldwide with their own unique perspective on the event. Critical-mass.info states that “Critical Mass is a monthly bicycle ride to celebrate cycling and to assert cyclists’ right to the road. Critical Mass has a different flavor from city to city — there’s a big variety in size, respect of traffic laws (or lack thereof), interaction with motorists, and intervention by police. … CM is intended to be a celebration, not an opportunity to cause trouble. Those who want to try to tie up traffic as much as possible and be confrontational with motorists are missing the point. We can assert our right to the road without being rude about it.”
Political statement or just plain fun, the ride has many fans. Elaborately decorated bikes and costumes abound, and two-wheelers with sound systems in tow help create a festive atmosphere. One can sense the community spirit at the event, as familiar faces and newcomers alike share ideas and enjoy the bicycle commaderie. Tourists and other curious onlookers stop to watch the unexpected parade and cheer the riders as the fun rolls by.

The ride is not without controversy, and conflicts do erupt from the pent up frustrations on both sides. Some cyclists see the event as an opportunity to lash out at motorists, but this is fortunately a small percentage. The stopping of pedestrians and public transport is also a concern, as the ride brings vehicular movement to a halt as it snakes around the city in its spur-of-the-moment route. In SF, the police have taken an “if you can’t beat them, join them” attitude, and they ride behind the mass on motorcycles to maintain some order and diffuse confrontations if they encounter them.

No individual or group officially organizes the ride, which does create some confusion. The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition reports that many people assume the advocacy group organizes the ride, and they contact the SFBC expressing concern about the event. The SFBC politely informs them that they don’t endorse the ride one way or the other, but simply list it in their monthly calendar as a bike-themed event.

Love it or not, the monthly celebration continues in urban centers all over the planet, and as concerns about fossil fuel powered engines grow with scarce resources and rising temperatures, don’t expect it to slow down anytime soon.

San Francisco Bicycle Ballet

Dustin — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:04:11 +0000

I recently went and checked out the San Francisco Bike Ballet as they were getting ready for their upcoming performance. Don’t miss the show this Friday. It’ll be a great time.

Pictures after the break.

Macaframa San Francisco Premier

bikeculturetheory — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 17:13:47 +0000

Local film makers Colin Arlen and Colby Elrick’s Macaframa San Francisco premier screening this Wednesday October 8.