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Call for Volunteers! Call for Bikes! 2nd Annual Try-A-Bike Jamboree!!!

Flock of Cycles NEEDS YOUR HELP facilitating bikeloads of fun for the 2nd Annual Try-A-Bike Jamboree.


What we need help with:


Volunteers

-set up, cleanup & greeters

-waiver collection, helmet & 18+ check

-very basic safety checks and help raising/lowering seats

-PAT bike rack demos

-Hauling bikes to & from the event

-Taking photos that you don't mind sharing

& a few other things

A 2-hour shift would be greatly appreciated and will allow you ample time to try out some bikes yourself!


Bike Loans!

This is an all-volunteer event made possible by people letting other people try out bikes from their personal collection. Each bike owner has sole discretion to let others try their bikes under direct supervision of the bike owner. The bikes stay in the area of the Cycling Oval and the paved area in the middle of the track.


Shade Tents and First Aid Kits and a few more Pylons!


Please sign up here if you can lend us a hand or a bike!


Photos and a description of last year's Jamboree are here.


Questions? tryabike at flockofcycles dot org


The Event is next Sunday August 12, 2012 at the Bud Harris Cycling Oval on Washington Boulevard. 10am-5pm


Your hosts

Reddan

NickD

Pseudacris


pseudacris
2012-08-06 20:37:54

Maybe I'll ride my mountain bike with the giant box panniers and head out grocery shopping on the way there if I go. It's fun to get that bike on and off bus bike racks.


rubberfactory
2012-08-07 00:36:11

I'd totally be down to go & assist, unfortunately i had to take last sunday off for the pedal pgh ride.


2012-08-07 01:25:11

Guys I'm heading to the beach for a couple days (I think the same thing happened last year) but if we come back late Sat I might still be able to come out Sun and help out, bring some stuff. But I won't know till last minute, depends on the family.

This looked very cool last year. I'd like to try a recumbent. It's possible I can go without shaving from now until Sunday, would that help? I do have an eyeglass mirror.


edmonds59
2012-08-07 13:06:40

@edmonds: If you can scrounge some SPD sandals, we can temporarily waive the requirement for lush facial hair.


reddan
2012-08-07 13:17:48

Got 'em.


edmonds59
2012-08-07 13:30:15

@edmonds, you should come & bring your son even if you can't volunteer. we all want to witness your conversion!


pseudacris
2012-08-07 15:12:36

Who would have suspected I was so far along the path already?


edmonds59
2012-08-07 15:22:46

I am bummed about missing PedalPgh and really bummed about missing the Bikefest party but probably bummed about missing this most of all. I had a blast last year and rode several variants of bents - plus this year I could have loaned my Nuvinci bike out for the cause. Have fun!


salty
2012-08-07 22:02:52

@salty: you will be missed


THANKS to everyone who has been able to volunteer bike loans and other assistance so far.


We could really use some extra help in the later part of the afternoon til the event end. It is easy and fun: mostly we need help greeting people who show up for the event, showing them where to sign waivers, where the bathrooms are, chatting about your awesome bicycling habits, explaining how the event works, and encouraging them to try different bikes. We want bike owner/lenders to maintain control over and be comfortable lending their stuff, so some extra hands on deck just greeting and organizing people will be great. We are going to try to do a whiteboard waiting list for over popular rides this year (ahem, cat trike), which would be a great volunteer task. Please follow the link above if you can help. You will have time to try many bikes yourself.


pseudacris
2012-08-08 20:13:54

What's the best way to get to the oval by bike? Is there a way to cut down from Lake Dr.? Maybe from the tennis courts or Carnegie Lake area?


rzod
2012-08-09 20:43:31

I prefer E.Liberty Blvd, Negley Run Blvd, Washington Blvd. But making left turn is pain in the butt (it looks like traffic light sensor does not sense bicycles). So sometimes I make a right on Leech Farm Rd, U-Turn and go straight with cars. Or go One Wild Place down to Buttler, right on Washington Blvd and rigth to the Oval.


2012-08-09 21:34:56

Be very careful on Wash Blvd, traffic moves fast and lots of lane changing.


marko82
2012-08-10 00:58:32

@rzod


Close to the Highland Park Pool, across the street, by a pavilion is a trail/switchback thing you can use to get down to the track


sgtjonson
2012-08-10 03:11:14

I am planning on doing the hilly ride at 7:30am, which would probably put me down at the oval after switching my bikes out sometime close to 11am. I am free and can probably hang out and help with whatever needs to be done.


stefb
2012-08-10 11:34:50

Sorry we'll miss this (my Ute and I) this year. This event started an obsession with folding bikes for my youngest son -- he now owns 2 courtesy of Craigslist.


epkiley
2012-08-10 12:29:12

^ @epkiley we'll miss you guys (and the killer fruit salad).

@stefb: thank you! we'd love your presence and help whenever you are able to come down.


pseudacris
2012-08-10 13:44:04

I filled out a volunteer form for Nate and me, but now I can't remember what I said we would do. (read: I am a doofus.)


Can someone PM me with our duties for the day? We're happy to help out.


mmfranzen
2012-08-10 13:49:18

Yep, will do.


pseudacris
2012-08-10 13:50:07

Thanks, Pierce. I thought there must be something like that.


rzod
2012-08-10 14:03:54

@ Pierce & mikhail: thanks for heads up about the trail. How rugged is the surface & slope? I've gotten some inquiries about biking to the event from people with various levels of skills/bikes.


pseudacris
2012-08-10 15:09:28

@Pseudacris I never used it so no comment. :) All thanks go to Pierce. I just tried to follow his directions on the Google Maps.


2012-08-10 15:31:32

So I got back from the beach in plenty of time, should be able to be there tomorrow and help. I just got somewhat adjusted to the heat, what is this weather, gahh!? Tomorrow looks lovely.

Probably won't get there before 10:00, probably right around there. I have a folding shelter thingy I can bring. Also have a big portable audio box with ipod input if you want music, has pretty good sound, if someone has a mic with a 1/4" jack can be used as a PA too. Although it can't compare to the music trailer.

So I just need to decide what bikes to bring.


edmonds59
2012-08-11 15:57:47

Cool! It is fine if you roll in a little late. If you're willing it'd be great to have more folding bikes.


pseudacris
2012-08-11 16:14:08

On it. I think the folding bike I have would be especially suited to helping adult beginners learn to ride, if you are getting any interest along those lines. I have some ideas. If you encounter anyone of that particular need I would be happy to assist those.


edmonds59
2012-08-11 17:35:03

^sent you a pm!


pseudacris
2012-08-11 19:39:05

top


erok
2012-08-12 12:38:44

excited for this. Rolling down after yoga-bike-yoga & lunch Bringing the family.


I think I'll have them go down Negley Run and then is there a sidewalk you can take along WA Blvd. I'm scared for my 13-year-old.


sarah_q
2012-08-12 12:44:34

I'm driving down cause I have a butt load of bikes and I can't ride them all, somebody's going to have to ride some of these.

I might try and spot that train on the way.


edmonds59
2012-08-12 13:24:52

@Pseudacris


Sorry, just saw your question. It's not ridable me thinks (non MTB person) but is fairly easy to walk with one bike. I'd say if you can trip and not break a bone, okay, but if not, maybe look for another route? It's not too trip hazardy, but I could see somebody stumbling inadvertently


sgtjonson
2012-08-12 14:15:15

Wish I could have been there :(


rubberfactory
2012-08-12 19:26:54

@RF a much fun a it is, it would be way more fun if you were here


marvelousm3
2012-08-12 19:55:41

Would've liked to have been there, too. Never left the house.


stuinmccandless
2012-08-12 20:55:15

Stu! RF! Would have been even better if yinzers were there.

Fabulous day. Great job everyone. Thanks for doing it.


edmonds59
2012-08-12 21:02:53

Thanks to the organizers for making this happen. Great fun once again.


Big win of the day: new faces! Some of the people who showed up were not necessarily familiar with BikeFest of Flock of Cycles. Some hadn't ridden bikes in years.


It's always a good day when the bike circle gets a little bigger.


mmfranzen
2012-08-12 21:14:58

i missed it too. i have no excuse. now i am sad.


melange396
2012-08-12 21:23:35

Fun! Thanks everyone!


sarah_q
2012-08-12 22:16:25

Woohoo what a great time! Thanks to Psuda & Reddan for pulling this together, and a big thank you to all who allowed us to try your bikes! It was great meeting our single wheeled friends from the north too - thanks for coming down


marko82
2012-08-12 23:57:01

I had a fantastic time. I enjoyed meeting great people. Best event of Bike Fest PERIOD.


marvelousm3
2012-08-13 00:03:58

Dang, this was fun. I can't wait to see photos. We had a lot of serious help pulling this off -- shoutouts coming after a good night's sleep :-)


No broken arms, lots of smiles. The perfect kind of weather for having a sunburn really sneak up on you!


pseudacris
2012-08-13 01:51:23

^ yep, all good fun. It's great being able to try bikes that I might not ever want to actually buy, but I still want to try!


Thanks to all who coordinated, donated bikes and organized this event.


teamdecafweekend
2012-08-13 02:56:27

photos here!


thanks so much to hyla/nick/dan/etc. for putting this together. it was a ton of fun!


2012-08-13 02:57:18

I would have really loved to try those unicycles. I saw Sarah's pics. A giraffe!


stuinmccandless
2012-08-13 08:53:49

A couple days at the beach, try-a-bike on Sunday, awesomez. Back to reality - blehhhh.


edmonds59
2012-08-13 13:32:27

I have two days off. My boss always takes off te second week of August, which happens to be bike fest week, so I luck out!


stefb
2012-08-13 15:16:58