Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Anton on September 4, 2008 at 7:08am

25, artist from Texas. I have an AA and a BFA, work as a freelance photo assistant, play[ed] trashy garage rock, ride a beater ff single speed/fixie conversion. It's not all that hip and neither am I. I like to build from used parts. I founded a 501c3 non-profit community shop and public bike project back home with some friends. I view the bicycle as an alternative to the debilitating ecological, financial, social and spiritual effects of automotive dependency. Working on bikes and riding bikes was always just something that my friends and I did together. Just looking to get to know some friendly and funny people who like to ride, or ones that don't. Does that help?


h3 said:

The Chicago bike scene has become fairly age-segregated-- probably need to know more about you to suggest the right avenue. Hard to tell much from your pic.

vxla said:

Ammo said:

I'm usually involved in the industrial scene so my hangouts tend to be a bit dark and vampirish. (Neo).

Damn, I haven't been to Neo in many, many years... has it changed much?

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Permalink Reply by Ammo on September 4, 2008 at 7:18am

yes that works. Try Critical Mass.

Anton said:

25, artist from Texas. I have an AA and a BFA, work as a freelance photo assistant, play[ed] trashy garage rock, ride a beater ff single speed/fixie conversion. It's not all that hip and neither am I. I like to build from used parts. I founded a 501c3 non-profit community shop and public bike project back home with some friends. I view the bicycle as an alternative to the debilitating ecological, financial, social and spiritual effects of automotive dependency. Working on bikes and riding bikes was always just something that my friends and I did together. Just looking to get to know some friendly and funny people who like to ride, or ones that don't. Does that help?


h3 said:

The Chicago bike scene has become fairly age-segregated-- probably need to know more about you to suggest the right avenue. Hard to tell much from your pic.

vxla said:

Ammo said:

I'm usually involved in the industrial scene so my hangouts tend to be a bit dark and vampirish. (Neo).

Damn, I haven't been to Neo in many, many years... has it changed much?

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Permalink Reply by faceofjess on September 4, 2008 at 2:27pm

the rainbo room's couch is pretty famous..with it's own myspace page and all.

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Permalink Reply by Anton on September 5, 2008 at 2:49am

Howard,

Yeah, I'd dig getting involved with breakthegridlock and the bike trailer thing sounds fun! There's a sustainability collective in Austin called Rhyzome that has workshops and they teach a design for a weld-free trailer from old bike frames, using a vice grip and sledgehammer. I always liked how they used back derailers for frame mounts. Hit me up 903.445.4689. I'm volunteering at the BLT ride this sunday, if your planning on riding that. I'll be at Morgan and Payne near Hyde Park.

-Mike

h3 said:

Uh, yeah... come hang out with me and we'll fix this car-sick city but good.
Normally I'd say you shouldn't miss Critical Mass Happy Hour but it has become an irregular occurrence this year, unfortunately. There's a crowd that meets at someone's abode for PanaKes every Sunday AM and then goes to Garfield Park to play Bike Polo afterwards that's 20-something.
You should get yourself on the bikewinter.org listserv and come out for bikewinter events, great way to stay socially active through the winter months.

As to places you can go any time, I'm a little out of the loop there; there's a big Messenger night at the Handlebar with a PBR special if you're into awful beer (is that Monday maybe?), and these days every stinkin' bar and café in Wicker Park/Bucktown is crawling with adorable little fixie kids.

And then you could get to know people by getting involved with Working Bikes, although you're kind of an Alpha and should be starting new efforts rather than wasting your potential working as an elf in an already established organization.

So, a few requests for you:

1) check out http://www.breakthegridlock.org and let me know if you'd like to be involved somehow-- it ain't much but it's Chicago's only anti-carorganization, and it's poised for growth;
2) check out http://www.bikecargo.com and let me know if you have any interest in setting up a cooperative in Chicago to build these trailers-- I'm looking to get something going. I think it's shameful that you can't buy a Chicago-made bike trailer.
Howard

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Permalink Reply by Ammo on September 5, 2008 at 9:40am

I'd like to get involved with breakthegridlock if I can. How can I help?

h3 said:

Cool! Wil give you a call.
We put the street markings down at Payne and Morgan Tues night-- I was pretty proud of our elaborate work. We actually stayed around and protected the markings while they dried.
Lots of fast cars there, not sure why the city tolerates highway driving in the middle of a park.
I think it would be good if you positioned yourself a bit after the first set of street markings-- I'd be interested to see if the riders can interpret them before being called out to. Also might be good to warn the 15 mile (continue on Payne) folks of extremely rough pavement right after the split.
Thank you for volunteering! I think it's been hard to find folks willing to help further south.

Anton said:

Howard,

Yeah, I'd dig getting involved with breakthegridlock and the bike trailer thing sounds fun! There's a sustainability collective in Austin called Rhyzome that has workshops and they teach a design for a weld-free trailer from old bike frames, using a vice grip and sledgehammer. I always liked how they used back derailers for frame mounts. Hit me up 903.445.4689. I'm volunteering at the BLT ride this sunday, if your planning on riding that. I'll be at Morgan and Payne near Hyde Park.

-Mike

h3 said:

Uh, yeah... come hang out with me and we'll fix this car-sick city but good.
Normally I'd say you shouldn't miss Critical Mass Happy Hour but it has become an irregular occurrence this year, unfortunately. There's a crowd that meets at someone's abode for PanaKes every Sunday AM and then goes to Garfield Park to play Bike Polo afterwards that's 20-something.
You should get yourself on the bikewinter.org listserv and come out for bikewinter events, great way to stay socially active through the winter months.

As to places you can go any time, I'm a little out of the loop there; there's a big Messenger night at the Handlebar with a PBR special if you're into awful beer (is that Monday maybe?), and these days every stinkin' bar and café in Wicker Park/Bucktown is crawling with adorable little fixie kids.

And then you could get to know people by getting involved with Working Bikes, although you're kind of an Alpha and should be starting new efforts rather than wasting your potential working as an elf in an already established organization.

So, a few requests for you:

1) check out http://www.breakthegridlock.org and let me know if you'd like to be involved somehow-- it ain't much but it's Chicago's only anti-carorganization, and it's poised for growth;
2) check out http://www.bikecargo.com and let me know if you have any interest in setting up a cooperative in Chicago to build these trailers-- I'm looking to get something going. I think it's shameful that you can't buy a Chicago-made bike trailer.
Howard

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Anton on September 9, 2008 at 2:48am

It wasn't bad. No injuries, luckily. I was at the split between the 15 and 35 courses, so there was a lot of directing. Were you there? I heard someone talking about Howard but I wasn't sure if it was you.

h3 said:

Hey Mike/Anton,
How was the BLT? Did you stop anyone from pedaling off in the wrong direction?
Provide CPR? Set broken limbs with your bare hands?

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