Stuck On Earth

I feel stuck on earth too. Common feeling we must all share. However if you donate to this project you could feel a little less lonely in the meantime. We have 10 days to raise 8,000 dollars to finish the final production of the documentary film "Stuck on Earth".




The film is about the Ginger Ninjas and Cellojoe riding their bicycles unsupported by vehicles on a 7 month long bicycle Odyssey through Mexico.  Performing along the way with their pedal powered amps and good intentions they met a filmmaker named Sergio Morkin.
Please visit the the Kickstarter page Kickstarter Stuck on Earth
to donate and find out more about the project. There are a lot of cool prizes for your contributions!

My goal is to have $6,000 donated to the project from Elko county so we can have a bicycle music festival next June. It wouldn't take much from everyone just a little bit. We could probably even raise more than that and just make up the difference that there still is. HEY and if we are stuck on earth here, why don't we make it better for ourselves and have a bicycle music festival in our town?

San Francisco Bicycle Music Festival

The night before the event I was a little at a loss with the scope explosion of preparing all the smoothie ingredients and ice cream base by myself. Luckily I was able to enlist my Uncle Jeff and my house mate Jeff.  They volunteered their Friday night to help me cook and prep.

Thanks to Organic Valley we had coupons to get all the heavy cream, milk and half and half we needed!

Coffee? check, helmet? check.

 Gabe Dominguez rolled by my house at 8 am to help me transport all of the smoothie and ice cream ingredients. We assembled at Paul (aka Fossil Fool)'s  house which was a rush with the loading of gear on bikes. I knew as I was strapping stuff to bikes and tucking the nectarines in the rickshaw that this would be one of the best rides. I believe this birdie was also excited. On the way to Golden Gate park we picked up a whole bunch of burritos at Pancho Villas strapped those to our bikes. The burritos turned out to be very helpful keeping everyone happily fueled.









This is El Arbol, the funky quadricycle

And below, a big circle dance with the caller hollering.

We arrived at the fiddlers green and quickly set up. As soon as I had my smoothie station up people started lining up to get them. I was so busy making smoothies I wasn't able to figure out why I couldn't get any ice for the ice cream bike. The ice did arrive at 3 pm and we were able to work on the long awaited and exciting ice cream. We had no problem getting volunteers to ride the newest pedal powered invention and it worked splendidly. If you need an ice cream bike or a fender blender Rock the Bike can help you out.

promise I was having a good time, lots of customers like to participate by pedaling their own smoothies.

Kipchoge and the Ginger Ninjas played on the mobile stage for the first half of the ride over to Showplace Triangle. The SF Conservatory Opera was probably the most unusual sight to see and hear rolling with 300 bikers through the streets. It was amazing and though there were some confused drivers the ride went swimmingly.

Tara Quinn's aerial hoop contortion performance was very beautiful. You can see her swinging from El Arbol.

El Arbol also provided the light show.

Claire as a golden goose! the geese collect tips for the bands.

The music was awesome! If you missed the SF BMF this year put it on your calender next year. The only way to experience the magical bike powered festival is to show up on your bike!

Daily Kos, another blog post about the festival, very well written. 

Thanks to Spencer who rode the bike kitchen rickshaw and carried a bunch of the gear needed for the smoothies. Shout out to Jeffery Blumenthal, Gabe Dominguez, Paul Freedman and all the roadies and volunteers who helped plan and execute such a cool event.

Big huge THANKS to the Trader Joe's on masonic for their generous contribution to our Smoothie and ice cream making. Also thanks to rainbow for their patience with me and my coupons.

ALLIDA

Chico Bicycle Music Festival 2011

I showed up late Friday night to a very quiet Grub farm hunkered down for a night of dreams about the upcoming bicycle music festival. So quietly I parked my bike under the protection of a tree and made a lean to with a tarp and my xtracycle, curled up in my bivy to get some rest for the upcoming day. I had planned to meet some friends but all communication was star crossed for some reason. So fresh from San Francisco, I thought this farm has to be the best place to guerrilla camp.

In the morning after the rooster hesitantly crowed I packed my bike like I just rode in, and went to look for the Grub coffee crowd. At first they were a little surprised to see me and a bit bewildered as to why I would show up five hours early. Got some coffee and met Sammy who was a rush at rain revisions to the plan. I told her to take heart and that the rain that had started falling at dawn wouldn't dampen nor stop our parade.

A bike parade started forming, with the most striking rigs being the huge carts that were being towed. One was originally how Grub delivered their organic produce locally. The guy who was going to ride the smoothie bike didn't show up. Luckily I had all the gear we needed and realized this must be the reason I had to be here early. An xtracycle radish, a fender blender by rock the bike and accouterments. Grub Chico had all the fruit cut and frozen ready to go. The smoothie bike was mobilized and ready to ride.

The video shows us riding to the first venue.

We set up downtown Chico right across the street from the farmer's market. Shelter from the rain popped up and everything was set up in a flash and the music began. I had two wonderful volunteers helping run the smoothie stand, so well in fact I was able to wander and take pictures.

Smoothie shop is also audience participatory.

It was decided due to inclement weather to head straight back to Grub farm to hunker down underneath the Walnut tree. The videos following are of the ride back. I filmed while riding so its shaky, see if you can spot yourself or your friends though! You all are troopers for coming out in the rain, glad you weren't scared!

group riding to Grub

Sammey on the mic

 Thanks to New Belgium for sending their beer faeries!

The Fat Tire raffle bike parked in front of the Chico Bike Music fest merch table

Pedaling to power the Ginger Ninjas, the green light indicates how much power is being generated.

To see all the pictures I took of the event in better quality visit my Chico BMF photo album




 Thanks to the Grub farm and collective for hosting this event and me for the weekend. I thought the whole festival went very well. It was the best Bicycle Music Fest I have been to so far! The music was awesome and had everyone dancing. I couldn't tell you about all the cool people and their cool bikes and the good vibes in the scene. Here on this blog pictures and videos aren't really diddly in exchange for actually having gone and particiapted in a bicycle music festival. Luckily for you there is one coming your way. Keep your eyes peeled!  for the Bicycle Music Festival

ALLIDA

Location:Chico CA