New Bike Polo Chapter in SD County---Chula Vista

When I showed up to SD Bike Polo last Wednesday I was stoked to see that there was a whole new crew of poloists present. When I learned that they were all from Chula Vista--my hometown!--I was ecstatic.

For those unfamiliar w/ Chula, the city is technically it's own independent municipality that's located in south San Diego County, several miles from the most crossed international border in the world. The best thing about C.V. is the underground punk rock scene (i.e. The Zeros in the late '70s and an internationally respected hardcore punk scene that blew up in the '90s). The shittiest thing about C.V. is the terribly unfriendly bicycling environment. The city is an uninspiring, sprawled, post-WWII, suburban, auto-centric, tract home design. The side-view mirrors of "fuck-you-all" SUVs often fly by w/in a foot of your head all while the motorist--more than likely not a cyclist--yaps on the phone.

Somehow, somewhere (near a roller hockey rink in east Chula, to be exact) a bike polo community has risen up.

(CVBP visits SDBP).

CVBP plays on at-least a weekly basis at a hockey rink in the Eastlake neighborhood of east Chula Vista. If you live in South Bay hit 'em up on their Facebook page to find out when they're gonna play next. Great crew of kids w/ a unique playing style! And make sure to get their killer logo tattooed on your brain!:



Done and done.

RIP ATIP

Tonite marks two years since our fallen friend Atip collided w/ a motorist at the deadly Park Blvd. & University Ave. intersection. At that same intersection friends will gather tonite at 7pm in remembrance of his life, taken far too early.

(Atip Ouypron will never be forgotten).

Tonite: Velo Cult Two Year Anniversary Party w/ Scott McDougal

Velo Cult and friends are celebrating the two-year birthday of the South Park bike shop. Scott McDougal, acoustic traveler/"ramblin' man"-esque folk rock artist will be performing in the shop, which respected farm-to-table restaurant owner Jay Porter once described as a communal space.

In addition to selling world-class vintage steel bikes, Velo Cult has kindly opened their doors on numerous occasions to host important events such as open Q&As w/ local politicians, film screenings, and bike advocacy discussions in their South Park shop for the past two years.

It's hard to believe that Velo Cult has been in South Park for two years now. Sometimes it still feels like they just moved in. But then again, upon reflection--if I may be a contrarian here--Velo Cult owner Sky Boyer has been involved in the city-area bike scene for quite awhile.

I first met Sky on a Critical Mass ride in the spring of '06, back when there were only about 50 people on the monthly ride. Today, there are over 1,200 who attend on a monthly basis. While 4 1/2 years ago may not seem like 'quite awhile' to some, in San Diego bike scene terms, it is. That's because SD, as I claim, is the fastest growing and most progressive bike scene in the country. It's changed a lot--and for the better--during the last 5 years.

Sky Boyer, who travels to bike swaps across the West Coast in order to bring more steel bikes to SD, has undoubtedly played a significant role in that development.

Congrats to Sky and his employees, Alex, Anthony, and Tom.

Celebrate w/ them and friends tonite at Velo Cult.

This Saturday: Manivela Delivery One Year Anniversary Alleycat & Party

Show some love for Manivela, your favorite carbon off-setting, human/bike-powered food delivery service this Saturday nite at the One Year Anniversary Celebration Alleycat Race and Afterparty:


This is what Manivela is about:


Big ups to Matthew, founder of Manivela, and all the riders and customers for keeping this business going and growing.

This Monday, July 5!: Defiance, Ohio + Bike Workshop @ Che Cafe!

This is it! This coming Monday July 5 is gonna be out of control! It's easily one of my most anticipated days of the year. Here's why:


Yeah boiii!!! The day is gonna be packed to the brim. Defiance, Ohio, Jehovas Fitness, Koalacaust, Animal Spirits (whose booking the show), The Bike Kitchen (doing the Maintenance 101), Cairie Riney (doing the Light 101), The Che Cafe, SD County Bicycle Coalition, and Bic Control are coming together to bring you a slammin' and empowering day!

In case you're overwhelmed by the awesomeness crammed onto the flier, here's what's goin' down in chronological order:

-4:30pm: Bike ride to The Che meets at the Big Fountain at Balboa Park.

-5:30pm: Vegan dinner cooked by the amazing and talented Che chefs and you if you'd like to volunteer!

-6:00pm: Screening of UCSD Alumni Kareem Shehab's Death Pedal 2 during dinner.

-6:30pm: Bike Workshop organized by Bic Control: Bicyclists on the Mic!

Workshop section 1: Maintenance 101 by The Bike Kitchen aka Bikes Del Pueblo.

Workshop section 2: Know Your Rights 101. Ever wonder exactly what it is you're entitled to on the road? The socio-cultural behavior of many motorists pressures cyclists into the gutters. But what does the law say? Knowing your rights can help you ride w/ greater confidence.

Workshop section 3: Make Your Own LED Bike Light 101. This section will be lead by Cairie Riney, UCSD Alumni and one of the founders of UCSD's Interdisciplinary Computing and Arts Cult (ICAC). Cairie has designed her own prototype light and on Monday you can learn how to make one, too.

The San Diego County Bicycle Coalition has very generously provided funding for light materials! The funding will allow us to buy materials for 30 lights. To get a light you must RSVP at BicControl[at]gmail[com]. Hurry up because there are only several lights left for RSVP!


After all that, it's time to dance w/ Koalacaust, Jehovas Fitness, and finally, Defiance, Ohio.

Defiance, Ohio is one of the best live bands in the history of punk rock. There could be no better venue for this show than The Che Cafe.


(Defiance, Ohio in Brooklyn. Photo by Konstantin Sergeyev).

Monday, July 5 is not to miss. One disclaimer, though: Be respectful of other people or don't come at all. Racist, sexist, or homophobic behavior will not be tolerated. It's a serious policy but a quite simple and reasonable premise.

As if you needed further encouragement to come out, SD City Beat's 'If I Were U' picked this show as Plan A for Monday, July 5.

After the bands, we'll ride back down to North Park area in solidarity, illuminating the roadway w/ our new hand-made DIY LED bike lights.

Tonite! The Cretins' Michael Jackson Zombie Ride aka Return of Phace!

After Critical Mass tonite mobilize at The Fountain at 9:30pm for a Michael Jackson Zombie Ride by The Cretins! Tonite's ride is also meant to celebrate the temporary return of Ronnie Phace:


(Ronnie at The Cretins' Lord of The Flies ride in 2007; pretty much the most fun ride that ever went down in S.D.)


(M.J. wishes he was at the Lord of The Flies ride, too).




Rip it!

This Wednesday: Become a Bike Coalition Board of Director

Now's your chance to become a decision-maker at the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition, the non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to improving bicycling in San Diego. There are a number of (non-paid, volunteer) Board of Directors seats available.

According to a respected and senior Board of Director member, SDCBC would benefit by having more 'environmentally motivated regular bike commuting' and 'younger' people on the Board.

I agree.

If this sounds like you and if you support California in adopting the Idaho Rolling Stop, if you support the prosecution of motorists who use violence on cyclists, and if you support Livable Streets then I strongly encourage you to pursue a Board of Director seat at the Bike Coalition.

Contact Bike Coalition Executive Director Kathy Keehan to get more info on what to do next. Once you do that, show up to the Board of Directors meeting this Wednesday, June 23 from 7-8:30pm at the Bike Coalition's downtown office, 740 13th Street, Suite 502. Email execdir[at]sdcbc[dot]org or call (eight five eight) four eight seven - six zero six three.

Brasssiiilll!!!

Death Pedal 2, directed by San Diego alumni Kareem Shehab, is premiering in South America for the first time tomorrow nite! More specifically, the premiere will be going down at my friend Pablo Gallardo's new fixed gear shop--Tag And Juice--in Sao Paulo, Brazil! I believe that Tag And Juice is South America's FIRST bike shop specializing in fixed gears.

Wish I could be there for this:


Hope the shop is goin' well, mang! Keep pushin' it!

Anticipation Grows As SD's First Naked Bike Ride Approaches

San Diego's first-ever Naked Bike Ride is taking place this Saturday and it seems that everyone from the federal court to City of San Diego bureaucrats have heard about it. According to the flier, the ride explicitly protests against oil dependency, promotes a car-free lifestyle, and encourages people to love their bodies.

Sounds good to me.

But the City of San Diego disagrees. As reported in a recent Voice of San Diego.org article,

'The city isn't cooperating, and appears ready to crack down on any bicyclists who ride naked (or, in the case of women, topless) on the World Naked Bike Ride's 10-mile route through Hillcrest and downtown.'

Sarah Bush, the 20-year-old organizer of the event, decided to fight back and take her case to the federal court. Sarah Bush and attorney Mitch Wallis claim that the city's ordinance violates the First Amendment.

Unfortunately, as described in an extremely vague and brief update on the Nake Bike Ride's Facebook event page, 'the law suit to allow nudity in the WNBR has lost.'

Despite the apparent loss in federal court, organizer/mobilizer Sarah Bush has used the ride as a platform to raise awareness about oil dependency, automobile dependency, freedom of speech, and the human body. Well done, Sarah.

An Apocalyptic Hub

The Park & University intersection, an urban hub in SD, is so deadly and poorly maintained that it looks like it's experienced an apocalypse of it's own.

Recently, Matt Lingo shot this apocalyptic photo of said intersection:



I thought it was appropriate and interesting that the only caption Matt decided to include was a short story about how a motorist near this intersection cut him off and almost struck him. Apparently, the motorist offered no apology and just sat there staring at him at he was shaking and yelling at her window.

Silly, Matt! Motorists don't have to communicate w/ you! They're in their own separate world and most certainly don't have to respond to human beings they almost kill. After all, your rights on the road are determined by how heavy your vehicle is and how much hegemonic power you have in ending someone's life! So, make way and forfeit your position on the road, you traffic "blocking" cyclist. Cyclists cause congestion, not motorists. Submit!

Michael Chacon Handles SD

Michael Chacon is blowin' up fast. I didn't know about Chacon and his super fresh lines until I saw him trick at the Cult Classic 2 earlier this year. He recently returned to SD to shoot w/ Matt Lingo. Proof:

Bam! This is definitely one of the most explosive bike-related photos of the year.


Some of Chacon's lines have been documented in an edit that Alex Merritt (from Velo Cult) put together. Note the barspin off the 7 stair.

Mike Chacon in San Diego from Alex Merritt on Vimeo.

Friday @ 5pm: Bogus/Aloha Alleycat Race

Bogus Alleycats is collaborating w/ Kenton Hoppas, owner of SD-based Aloha Bicycle Couriers, to put together an alleycat race goin' down tomorrow (Friday) at 5pm. The race is meant to promote Hoppas' upcoming film, Career Courier.

Kareem Shehab Never Stops: New Web Edit

My good friend Kareem continues to impress me. Despite working full-time on a Masters in mechanical engineering, filming/editing/promoting his recent film Death Pedal 2, and opening a new bike shop--Loose Nuts Cycles--in Atlanta, Georgia, Kareem never seems stressed. Now that I think about it, even when we were both undergrads at University of Cali, San Diego, Kareem was never once visibly stressed. Dude's on top of it like that. He even finds time to shred like this:

WRAHW Welcomes Kareem Shehab from WRAHW on Vimeo.

Everyone Is Trying To Kill You

...somedays it feels like that. If you agree, you might enjoy this:

If anyone knows the name of the artist, please let me know. Thanks to my friend Alex for sharing.

This blog needs a ride...

in this:

Straight to the mthrfckn graveyard.

...Just kidding. For further discussion on this matter, please read my previous entry Discussion Or Action. In summary, I'm keepin' it busy behind the scenes and working on the July 5th event at the Che Cafe which will be on-hit. In the meantime, I'm about to drop like 5 entries in the next hour; so, hang on.

Cretins & Kutters Ride Tonite!

The first official Cretins & Kutters ride of the year is goin' down tonite!

If you read this, you are welcome to come.

The ride is for fun but also to celebrate the birthday of one of my favorite people in the world; my good friend Eddie Kon.

Eddie Kon is the most OG person in the SD center-city bike community, hands down. Dude has organized so many sick events in this community, it's unfathomable. Eddie Kon has mic control. Straight up. In fact, he was/is one of the single most inspiring sources for the creation of this blog.

Tonite's ride is an ode to Eddie.

Meet at Gala Foods parking lot at 8pm.

Embrace your summer!