Monday, May 4, 2009

(We Won't Have A Mayor Yet) Pedal Breakfast

Happy May everyone. May is officially bike to work month. Activate Omaha is kicking of their Commute to Work Challenge on May 11th with the Mayor's ride.


Well, me being a thinking feller, I got an idea. I live pretty close to the starting point of the ride. Its near Bancroft farmers market on 10th and Bancroft.

What's better than biking around the city?

Doing so with a full stomach... Ah yes...Food Comatose!

That's right get your breakfast on at my house before the ride

Here's the scoop
  • Coffee and Pancakes are on me (if you want you buy me an adult beverage sometime)
  • If you want to bring some other food (feel free to do so)
  • Please be there around 7:00 am ( not earlier I will be sleeping/getting ready you will be sitting on my steps)
  • Where do you live? (email me for directions/ phone number info below)
  • Do you have to go to the mayor ride (you do whatever you like after breakfast)
  • Do you have to have a bike? ( yes... there might be a scooter exception rule :D)
  • Can I park my car if I'm doing ride and then driving somewhere afterwords ( yes park off street I'm not responsible for your car though)
  • Do I have know secret handshake ( eheheh what?????)
  • We will be rolling out around 7:50-8:00 to the start point)

Still undecided on Suttle/Daub?
Get to Researching!
This position is important, Make sure and VOTE!


If you are interested in joining us on May 11th please feel free to email me rafald1 at yahoo dot com or call me or comment. Everyone is welcome let just hope I have enough coffee cups...
Toodles
RD

23 comments:

EB said...

Rafal and Pedalers of Omaha:

I'm In.

Don't forget proper "business attire", this is ride to work week after all.

I'll bring some coffee,& baked goods.

Trans Iowa photos and text soon...

ms.elle said...

what a fab idea!

Steve said...

I'm in, and I can bring coffee since I've got easy access to it at the shop.

Politicians on bikes - interesting.

RD said...

steve,
Are you planning on heading over with mr. brunt?
If not shoot me an email and I will send you my address

Scott Redd said...

I'll be there with some canned biscuits and vegan sausage.

EB: Are you talking about a shirt and tie, or maybe a suit?

EB said...

Anyone wanting to roll out to Rafal's from Midtown meet @ the House on Paper St. 6:46 a.m.

Mr. Redd: It will be a custom tailored three piece suit.

Single_Speeder said...

Remember guys, this is an event to get people riding bikes to work. Not to show how everyone how hardcore and/or quirky we are.

Single_Speeder said...

We all know that we're crazy. Crazy scares most people.

EB said...

Mr. Speeder: I don't believe ms.elle appreciates being called a guy & stop pulling out the jump to conclusions mat.

If anything we need people to be individuals, even if that is perceived as crazy or different.

Omaha needs these so-called "Crazies", we need culture, & most importantly you can't change who your are.

(All said with Love)

bryan said...

I think what Mr. Singlespeeder was getting at is making sure to properly toe the line between "dedicated rider out to support a very important cause" and "lunatic."

Too much crazy, while endearing to many, is intimidating to others -- especially those new to cycling and/or bike commuting. If the cause is to be furthered, it must be seens as a completely normal thing -- which it is.

Being a whack job is normal to us, but not to those most needed to make bike commuting a viable part of the city's transportation plan.

Single_Speeder said...

I fully agree that we need culture and I'm 100% for promoting it. We just need to remember who the main participants at this event will likely be. Middle-aged business types who are possibly out of shape and probably unsure of the whole commute by bike thing. They don't need to have us bringing in a wild and crazy party atmosphere. They won't take us seriously and it will dis-credit our cause.

Have fun, but remember that what is fun to one person is not always fun to another.

RD said...

I'm not promoting what are have to wear or not to wear... the most important thing is to show up and ride. We do not have critical mass rides in Omaha, this is the closest we can get to it..
Showing up it the most important thing ... see you all there

Steve said...

I'll be there dressed as myself. A suit will probably be involved. Bicycling is fun.

RD, I'll most likely be riding with Eric.

Steve said...

Also, no reason to assume potential commuters are squares.

Scott Redd said...

Maybe a nice compromise is to wear home-made knickers made from dress pants.

So, I wonder if this year's event will feature three "mayors?" The sitting mayor, plus the other two who want to be mayor.

Single_Speeder said...

I'm not assuming that at all. I'm just speaking from the experience that I've built up over my time as a bike shop employee, at a shop that sees a fair amount of new/potential commuters.

Per Bryan "Too much crazy, while endearing to many, is intimidating to others -- especially those new to cycling and/or bike commuting. If the cause is to be furthered, it must be seen as a completely normal thing -- which it is."

Again, I'm not trying to take the fun out of anything, have a blast and have some laughs.

I just want us to all remember that we are adults now, and we're fighting a very vicious enemy. That enemy is laziness. It doesn't take much for someone who may be struggling to even drag there asses outside in the morning, to say "you know what, I'm going to drive today". Let's not give them any excuses. What's better? To see a bunch of us out there using proper cycling etiquette and making friends, while teaching people what we've learned over our collective commuting careers? Or should we go out there and act silly and turn a bunch of people off?

Wear your suits, absolutely. A lot of people wear ties to work(I used to, it was lame), and we need to show them that it's possible. Just remember that sometimes the individual needs to take a backseat to the cause.


(Also said with love)

ms.elle said...

Tweed knickers, suits, ties...DRESSES, whatev...as long as you're ridin' "almost somewhere" (as the Byrne Man would say, see link below)

Is this a boy's club, or what? Anything for the ladiez?

Good one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brCk1-AVvRk

Steve said...

Unfortunately, we are mainly a bunch of squabbling males. Help us make it different ms.elle.

Scott Redd said...

I check up on the Bike Skirt blog (from my native hometown Birmingham) from time to time. You'll find some cool bike culture goings on for the ladies (and gentlemen, too) there.

I agree with Steve: get your lady friends out on the streets and help us shake things up a bit.

For what it's worth, my awesome wife rode her bike to work this morning, in the rain and thunder, no less. We got to ride together for some nice quality time before I turned off to catch a bus.

ms.elle said...

Steve,
I'll do what I can.

Scott,
You and your wife are rad. Thanks for the info.

Mark Savery said...

RD, we do have a critical mass in Omaha, it's just not very publicized. They rolled by the shop the other Friday. Only about 12 peeps but they were taking up all 3 lanes on 72nd. It was pretty sweet.

Leave the craziness to a crazy ride. Nothing says public funding for bicycles like eccentric antics. Be yourself, don't go out the way to make a mockering of a legimate event.

I'll be riding in the same clothes I always commute in, although I guess I'll wear a helmet this time.

RD said...

mod,
i was going to make one out of pancakes and bacon for you :D
it doesn't matter what you wear mr. redd will outGQ you anyways :)

Scott Redd said...

Tweed. That would be fun. Check out these folks, gentlemen and ladies, are doing tweed in San Francisco.