From the MassBike website, this looks like a good time.

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Beer, Free Snacks, Roller Sprints Racing, Good Times!

This year’s Annual Meeting, a fun, open-to-the-public event, will be held at Coogan’s Pub in Boston.

Come out and join us Wednesday, December 9th at 6:00-9:00pm. The annual meeting will start at 6pm, with a quick review of our 2009 successes with Executive Director David Watson, followed by Q&A. Learn what MassBike has been up to and hear about our future plans.

Then the real fun starts! You can get a drink from the bar and enjoy some free snacks donated by Coogan’s. We will be watching a great short movie “The Impossible Journey” by John Bonner. After you have a drink (or two) and are limbered up, we are going to have Roller Sprints provided by Open Bicycle!

If you have never experienced the fun and excitement of indoor roller racing, now is your chance! Picture two bicycles side by side on rollers (don’t worry, they use a fork stand, you don’t need to balance), the crowd counts down 3,2,1 and they are off! The first person to pedal 300 meters wins! High drama, loads of fun, and thrilling to watch! Come out, challenge your friends, challenge yourself, or maybe just watch other people go for the win! Bicycles provided so you don’t even need to have your bike to race! This is a great time, and something you don’t want to miss.

The Details:
What: MassBike Annual Meeting
When: Wednesday December 9th 6pm to 9pm
Where: Coogan’s Pub, 171 Milk Street, Boston
Why: Beer, free snacks, good people, Roller Sprints!
Cost: Free (suggested donation to support MassBike $5)

Meridith emailed me looking for people who wanted to help her bike move. Seems like a great way to have fun (I know I had fun with the last bike move I did) and FREE PIZZA AND BEER!!!

See below for details.

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Bike Move, Saturday, June 20th, 3pm, Jamaica Plain: I’m intrigued and inspired to attempt a bicycle move from my current place to the one I’m moving to 1/2 mile away in JP. I’m looking for a group of motivated bicyclists to help make this move happen. I’m also looking for the equipment necessary to pull it off, i.e. bike trailers and straps. I’ll hire movers to do the lifting up and down the stairs, and will provide pizza and beer on the other end! If you are interested in helping with this, or have equipment we could use, or suggestions for how to pull it off, please contact me: mlevy7@hotmail.com. It would also be great to find someone to film this if we are able to pull it off!!

Come meet Marty from Geekhouse, drink some beers, eat some food, do some BoldSprints (maybe), see some pretty bikes, and meet some awesome bike people. Got the following from Marty.

(and yes this picture is related…that’s a Geekhouse she is on)

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Guys,
I’m having my annual Open House/BBQ on Sat May 16th from 4pm until later. We’re going to have a bunch of free beer, and also veggie burgers, and pizza from Upper Crust. All are welcome! Also, I’m going to try to get Bold Sprints going on in the evening if Brandon C is nice enough to let us use them. Hope to see you all there! Thanks!

-Marty

Just a warning: this blog will becoming increasingly…boring…for the next few weeks. At least in the cycling department [which is the whole point of this blog, right?], due to finals.

However, it might be mildly entertaining in that can’t-not-look-at-that-train-wreck kind of way. In moments of clarity and sanity, even I’m amazed at what finals can do to me. I woke up this morning to some pretty disgusting carnage.

My knuckles are still sore from typing nonstop for the past two weeks. And there’s the final sprint to the finish which consists of a 3 hour exam where no one can manage to type fast enough to get every single issue out on paper. But that kind of fun starts in a few days. Until [and through] then, I’m apparently surviving off [bad] coffee and beer.

I got soundly hammered after drinking less than a third of that beer last night. I drunkenly stared at my notes, feeling guilty enough to try to study but knowing deep down that I was just staring at words that made no sense [although it's debatable if they make sense when I'm sober]. I looked at my rollers, decided that maybe I should wait until the Asian glow subsided to try riding my bike on them, and ended up passing out after just barely managing to brush my teeth.

Never much of an endurance athlete, I’m clearly losing the marathon that is law school [drinking this time last year would have been unthinkable...clearly my priorities have changed]. But the race is already on and I’m almost, almost two-thirds done.

And while what doesn’t kill me might make me stronger, my apartment and bike are clearly showing signs of wear and tear [the resulting decrease in value, which, by the way, is not deductible from your income tax return]. I’ve been reduced to begging the Bianchi to last through the next three weeks [please, please pleeaaase don't break/fall apart]. The dust bunnies in my apartment get no comment.

Except, maybe, that it’ll be May [12th] soon enough.

Got a reminder for this awesome party:

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When: Apr 20th, 8:30pm onwards
Where: Washington Sq Tavern (714 Washington St, Brookline)

Come help celebrate the release of the Beer.Cupcake.Mustache. book.
In my whirlpool of projects I have absolutely forgotten about the Marathon, so the Tavern may have a few people chilling after that race.

The bottom line – if want your free beer (did I really say Chimay? Damn… No, it’s true.), you would probably want to get there sooner rather than later.

Another highlight of the event – cupcakes! Mo (Maureen Bruno-Roy) is making a small batch of 48 delicious chocolate vegan cupcakes. Only 48, and they won’t last long, I’ ve seen that happening before, like at MMRacing launch party. Here they are, you’re looking at them, then you turn away, turn around, they’re gone. It almost looks like an illusionist trick.

Now that I have mentioned free beer and free cupcakes….somebody’s got to bring some free (as in “establishing their freedom”) mustache.

If you want to own the book for $5 less than it will be after the party, then bring $25 to the party. The books will be there. You will be there. Perfect time and place (as well as price).

Until then,
I remain yours truly,

Natasha
www.pedalpowerphotography.com

I woke up uncharacteristically late this morning, half fully dressed.

I do remember what happened last night, despite the fact that I finished off a whole beer [even chugging the last quarter of it]. But that’s mostly because I haven’t really slept.

But sleep is for the weak when Cambridge Bikes puts on an alleycat and throws an after party at a super secret location, complete with free beers, boldsprints, and great company.

As usual, I didn’t race, but cheering on friends while meeting new ones is always a good time. Add to that getting to see friends that I hadn’t in a while, and I didn’t really need that quickly-turning-warm-because-I’ve-been-nursing-it-for-over-an-hour PBR to get my fun on.

So much fun, in fact, that I chose to shirk my blog duties and didn’t take many pictures. I even stumbled out of the party not even knowing who won my hat. Irresponsible, I know…but hey, Natalya will definitely be posting some amazing photos soon [I even got to take a picture with her super cool camera!]. In all, a successful party/race/start to the weekend.

Now if only this coffee stuff will actually start working and get my brain functioning again…

[Also, some more pictures up on Flickr]

A predicted high of 45F today – yay for warm weather!

Yeah, I never thought I’d think 45F = “warm” but I’m so ready to peel off my Underarmour and fold it away until November. Snow isn’t even pretty anymore, just slightly annoying. The gross brown heaps that it eventually turns into [and then gross brown water that cars like to splatter at me] doesn’t really help make Boston winters any more appealing.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for deferred gratification…just only when it applies to a goal that I can actually see. Desperately hoping for nicer weather that doesn’t involve shards of ice flying in my face, enough layers to make me feel like I’m in a fat suit, and that embarrassing fogging up of my glasses whenever I enter a warmer room…is getting old.

I’m trying to be optimistic though; and even with all the snow yesterday, by early evening it was clear out. The lights strung up on the trees along Comm Ave were cute and pretty enough for even my beer soaked self to appreciate. I didn’t get a picture though [I know, I really should have!], probably because I had no idea what I was doing at that point.

I ended up praying for a red light on my way home, hoping for an excuse to stop. I only hit one, and by the time I stumbled into my apartment, my face looked like a tiki torch.

I think I might have to train a little more for the beers + bikes shenanigans I’m mentally planning for the summer…

That’s the official policy of Aaron’s Bike Repair of Seattle.   Additionally they  regard themselves to be beer snobs, but can you really call yourself a beer snob when you prefer domestic IPAs??? I’ve seen a  lot of interesting things on ABR’s website, but this particular page had eluded me until tonight.   While the late, great, Sheldon Brown lays claim to the best and most informative bike site ever, ABR’s  site and blog is the most comprehensive I’ve seen when it comes to having an insider’s view from a bike shop.   This proprietor’s public call for beer reminds me of another shop I popped into while in Seattle a while back called Wright Brothers, in the Fremont neighborhood.  Its a cozy shop with jazz playing on the sound system, and eventually what caught my eye was a half-empty bottle of red wine on the counter.  Alongside it were mini plastic cups, presumably for customer enjoyment.  Regrettably it was pretty early in the morning when I visited so I did no sampling.  As I wondered through the shop I began noticing empty red bottles littering the shelves, tables,  and all corners of the place.  Well I guess some cities can chillax, while others stick to their puritanical roots.

Another event from MassBike, this also looks like a lot of fun.

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Thirsty Riders Club Meeting: March 25, 2009

Back by popular demand!
Believe it or not, Winter will be retreating Massachusetts for colder climes in less than a month. There’s no better way to put the season to rest than with MassBike’s own Thirsty Riders Club. After a successful first gathering of the Club, we’ll be meeting again to share drinks, laughs, and winter riding stories. End your hibernation and join us at Coogan’s Pub, 171 Milk Street, Boston, on Wednesday, March 25 from 5-8pm.

This Sunday morning, Otherside Cafe is sponsoring a group ride followed by brunch, as a fundraiser for Livable Streets Alliance. The ultimate goal is to raise money for bike lanes on Mass. Ave. There will be plenty of veggie/vegan food. Here are the details:

Riders meet at the cafe at 8:30 AM on Sunday July 13th for a one-hour bike ride through Boston, followed by a group breakfast at the cafe.

The ride is $20 per person and includes breakfast, a free ride t-shirt, and one PBR. The food is vegetarian and vegan friendly, as always! Return riders get $5 off when they wear their ride shirt.

ALL proceeds to benefit Livable Streets and the creation of bike lanes on Mass Ave.

Jeff Rosenblum from Livable Streets Alliance will be on hand some Sundays to update us on recent bike advocacy developments in Boston.

Ride is limited to 25, reserve a spot ahead of time at the cafe.

Sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon and The OTHERSIDE Cafe!

For questions, call us at 617-53-OTHER or email othersidecafe@gmail.com.

Via Boston Fixed…This sounds like a good time.

It leaves from the OSC (other side cafe) at 8:30 AM, please show up at 8AM if you plan to attend. It’s 20 bucks which includes the “ride” led by the Swanster himself. Also an all you can eat buffet (at the OSC), AND FREE PABST BLUE RIBBONS, and not just a couple!!!! Did I mention the T-shirts? The first 25 riders get em’ for free. I have really nothing to do with it other than Swanie’s my boy and I figured I would help him spread the word since his inter-web connection is down, and he’s unaware of the power of “Boston Fixed”. I may or may not be there? Oh yeah the “ride” is a relatively chill no-drop kinda affair. The BEER is COLD and the company excellent. Good way to start the day b4 I crush you all at Boston Bike Polo!