Fourth Of July Open Thread

Its that time once again, America proudly proclaims “YOU AIN’T GETTING THIS SHIT BACK ENGLAND!!!” with much fanfare and exploding of things (that’s how we keep those limey bastards from getting up the courage to try and retake the colonies).

How will you celebrate the fourth? Cycling picnic, cycling BBQ, cycling fireworks, cycling, riding a bicycle, having fun with bicycles, bicycle related flag displays, overhauling the bottom bracket in your bicycle…for America, or just plane bike riding?

Leave your cycling (or non-cycling, but really if you don’t cycle on the fourth the British have already won) related plans for the three day America (fuck yea!) themed weekend in the comments.

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Feats Of Daring Do, The Fourth Of July

Holy crap…I just got home. I don’t think I have every been so glad I am a good urban rider than I was tonight. Literally these are the obstacles I overcame to get home tonight.

A sea of broken beer bottles in the road.
People shooting fireworks AT ME.
A never ending parade of drivers doing everything they want and nothing they should.
The parade of humanity spilling forth drunkenly into the streets with nary a care in the world.
The closing of multiple bridges (and the using of them anyway).
Drunk drivers/pedestrians/bicyclists.
People out on bikes with no lights and no helmets.
People driving cars with no lights on.
One guy tried to grab me and give me a hug.
The heat.
And a million more things that flew by too quickly to register.

It was pretty awesome. I mean that in like the “part the red seas” kind of awesome, not the like “bro awesome!” kind of awesome. I know this city can be rough but I never have seen it like this. I was out riding when the Red Sox won the world series and it wasn’t like this. That was more of a string of rolling high fives, this…this was like war.

I can’t fathom why everyone DROVE A CAR to see the fireworks. It’s hard enough getting around this town normally, throw in explosives and cars full of sleepy children ready to get home, and its impossible.

I can honestly say the several miles I traveled down the heart of the city tonight were some of the craziest I have every had the pleasure of pedaling. It was a wild time, and I had a blast.

Do you have any bike and fourth related feats of daring do?

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DCR Closes Longfellow Sidewalk For The Fourth

The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Friday closed the sidewalk on the west side of the Longfellow Bridge until further notice, after an inspection late Thursday night discovered a support beam in need of immediate repair. Pedestrians will be detoured to the opposite sidewalk, which remains open.

The inspection was conducted by DCR engineers after a consultant’s report determined that load distributions on the sidewalks should continue to be evaluated. The DCR inspection revealed that the upstream sidewalk (the side carrying Cambridge-to-Boston vehicular traffic) needed to be closed to all pedestrians due to serious deterioration of a steel support structure under the sidewalk.

“Nothing is more important to this agency than public safety,” said DCR Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr. “We have been conducting inspections and repairs on the Longfellow bridge nearly every day since last August, and the minute we see a problem, we take the action necessary to protect the public.’’

On April 30, the engineering firm of Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) began conducting load testing on the Longfellow Bridge sidewalks. The portions of the bridge tested, which did not include the segment where the deteriorated support beam was discovered last night, showed they were capable of supporting normal loads. But in a report DCR received this week, SGH suggested large crowds should not be allowed to gather on the sidewalks without further load testing. Specifically, SGH recommended that the sidewalks be closed for the Fourth of July celebration.

“Based on the SGH recommendation and today’s decision on the sidewalk, DCR will close the entire Longfellow Bridge to spectators on July 4,” Sullivan said. “We recognize this is an enormously popular local, and even national, event, but our top priority is ensuring public safety.”

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