Today’s Topic – Bike-A-Palooza The Words

First (1st), a confession. Friday I went to Walm-Art and I bought a Huffy bicycle for fifty ($50) dollars. I needed it. It was the second (2nd) bicycle needed for the bike joust. Anyone need a Huffy BMX bike that’s been tipped over a few times and has a few scuffs on the seat?

Saturday afternoon I made my way to Monk’s House of Ale Repute and helped setup. The kErnEl had most of the stuff already there. We pulled it out and set it up. We made an emergency run to a rental place for a generator.

The kids showed up first along with a few adults. We did a little bike parade / ride through town with escort by the police. About eighty (80) took part (I think).

Once back I set up cones and the first (1st) band started. We raced the kids through the cones giving each a certificate and some boxes of sparklers. Place winners received ribbons.

Shortly thereafter several of the purpose purchased bikes were given to needy kids who could make it to the event. Included were several “Striders.” “Striders” are, essentially, very small bikes with no bottom bracket or pedals of any sort. Other than that, they are a bike – two (2) wheels and all. They are meant for kids to propel themselves with their feet and get the balance thing down before adding the pedaling element to riding.

Once the kid’s stuffs were done we set up for the adult games. We had a Clunker Crit, a wheelie comp, a skid comp (side note, Dirk Thee Bold wore a hole through his tire before the comp started while practicing), a foot down (derby) contest, a bike throw – thanks to Kevin and Ant of Harlan’s Bike and Tour for providing a bike and adding enough concrete to strategic places to get the thing to weigh forty-seven (47) pounds, and we ended with the bike joust.

I’m pretty sure the participants had a good time. The non-participants did enjoy watching a bunch of rollers wreck themselves. Much beer was consumed (aiding in buying more kids bikes). The fine folks from New Belgium brought a limited edition bike to be raffled off. The chick who won it nearly peed her pants by the way she jumped up and down and squealed.

Poor Surf Shop broke three (3) toes in the joust tournament. Other than a few scrapes here and there I don’t recall seeing any actual blood. We did make them wear gear and started them such that speed wasn’t lethal. Good times were had.



Ride On.