Collaborative Bike Ride 2009

Ok, so I've floated this idea to a few friends, and it seems like the time is right.

I've posted a couple ride videos here now (exhibit A, B or C), but I'm challenging people to do something similar. Whether it be a handlebar-mounted rig like I'm using, the camera dangling around your neck, or somebody else taping you, I'd love to use it in a collaborative bike-ride mashup.

It doesn't even have to be a bike. Just something human powered (tricycle, big-wheel, running, whatever)

So here's the challenge: Get me some footage by Labor Day (september 7, 2009), let me know what name to credit you under, and we'll have a ride for the summer (geographically and temporally somewhat distant)

Thanks.

Send submissions to ride2009@transiit.org (or links to clips from this summer on vimeo, blip.tv, youtube, etc.)

UPDATE:
There is also now a Facebook Group for this.

And if you're on Twitter, it'd be nice if you'd post this link with the hashtag #collabbike

Ride 6

Think I might need one more ziptie for the camera mount. One joint is still a little loose.

But, 11 mile ride this morning down by the beach. A little hard to get motivated to do it, but took a little under an hour.

A little weird getting up at 9am on a Saturday...to exercise, no less. The times are a-changin'

More Twitter Fun

The Return to Cycling, Week 1

So like I said, I bought a new bicycle last thursday, and I figure to help keep myself accountable, I've been keeping track of how much I'm riding it. When I get back, I sketch out the route on Google maps for the distances, so they may be a little approximate.

Friday 6/19: -
Saturday 6/20: 3 miles
Sunday 6/21: 8 miles
Monday 6/22: -
Tuesday 6/23: 3.5 miles
Wednesday 6/24: 5.8 miles
Thursday 6/25: 11 miles

Week 1 Total: 31.3 miles

Considering that I'd only ridden a bike a couple times in the last 15 years, I think this is a pretty darn good start for my first week in. I'm proud of it, anyway.

I was planning an 11 mile ride down by the beach on Saturday. Wasn't sure if I could do it, now I'm feeling a little better about it. Will bring camera.

-transiit

Hey

So I've got this empty picture frame that I'd like to do something with.

Send me a picture (or a link) and I'll put my favorite 5 in it. I can only print black&white right now, so keep that in mind.

For your consideration.

Warning, commercial pitch.

This is to make a friend jealous.

Not only do I get to bike year round, they're almost friendly to cyclists around here.

Source: stockteam.com

Ride 3

Shorter ride today, but I think I got the DIY camera mount thing under control now.

Paypal

As if it wasn't clear enough that Paypal is not a bank, they made sure to send me some crap about how I should be spending more money.

Remember. Paypal is not a bank. I don't care if they want to issue credit or debit cards.

Ride

Ok, so the camera mount I rigged up needs some serious re-engineering. There's a couple joints that become pretty fluid as soon as the vibration of being on the road is applied. I think a few small zip-ties and some electrical tape would fix that right up.



This is sort of a testament to how bad of shape I'm in. 3.5 miles and I was wiped.

By the time I got home it took about 10 minutes to start breathing normally. Was shaking from the exertion. Geez.

Anyhow, I may take a day or two off. Maybe a few lighter rides during the week after work. We'll see.

some days I just can't make sense of twitter...

Do the elipses match up?

placeholder

I know I posted this in a different form once before.

But, you know, words.



Life moves on, and so shall I.

I can't see that there's anything left to wait for.

But hey, think I'm wrong? This is sort of a time-sensitive question: "What is there left to wait for?"

And now for more words from our sponsors...

"A banker is a fellow who lends you his umbrella when the sun is shining and wants it back the minute it begins to rain." -- Mark Twain

bike photo rig

So I procured a new cheap digital camera today, a cheap knock-off "Gorilla Pod" style tripod, and a simple zip-tie later, now have a photo rig for my bicycle.

Will try a video test tomorrow.

A thought: Labels.

I remembered the other day something that came up at work a few years ago. Innocent conversation, really, but hey, clearly I'm still thinking about it.

One of my cow-orkers, noticing that I have a predisposition to wearing dark clothing remarked "Hey, are you a goth?"

Now, this is sort of a loaded question for me, as I recall some idealized version of the "goth" crowd of the 80s, and then the hot-topic-dwelling-marilyn-manson-idiot version of the 90s (my formative high school years), and the somewhat analogue that I hear about these days (though they seem to be on the wane) that is the "emo" school of thought. Same dreck.

My answer back then was "No, goths pine for some past that has been lost or forgotten and become depressed. I'm pissed off that the future isn't here yet."

It is left as an exercise for the reader to consider what thoughts were going through my head when I was exposed to a Renaissance Faire a few months back. (At least it was my second year so I didn't have all the bullshit tittering over "Oh, you're a faire virgin!" this time, but all the same, the gears were turning.)

I guess what it is for me is a realization about how I view life. I'm a technology enthusiast. I tend to dress like the dystopian future is just around the corner.

And upon further retrospect, I just don't give a shit about steampunk or the victorian era or some bygone past which should be attempted to be recreated. There's not enough room for creation, the new, the innovative, the expanding on things that have come before.

It's 2009. Give me my goddamn flying car already.

Quote of the Day

"This is not butt-wiping fun time."

It was time

New bicycle day doesn't come very often.

I'm looking forward to going out riding this weekend.

striking

ok, ok

one last.


And now I'll take a break for a while...

I'll return with the flurry of words and whatnot.

I know, I know.

I've been posting a lot of video clips again (some repeats, even) The words are building up, I've just been a little messed up lately. Hold tight, the tidal wave is approaching.

Happy

The Only Living Boy in New Cross

Oh bother, embedding denied.

Carter USM - The Only Living Boy in New Cross

Our Art Art Hour

HardTimes :: Art Hour from ze frank on Vimeo.

And now for some words from our sponsors...

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed
by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you
did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the
safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover." --Mark Twain

Hurt

I know I've posted this before, but I've had it running through my head all day. (No, it was this tune, not the NIN original version)



Seems to have a different meaning to me these days.

Do not want.

A testament to my dislike for both american cars and the average sales guy:

Thank you, Everything is Terrible!