update #2

Sunday, August 19th: Ashland. Wow. How is it possible that one small community can give us SO MUCH LOVE?! We rolled in and met up with our exuberant host Tobin and his friends. What followed was the absolute embodiment of bike love: a community bike ride featuring the B:C:Clettes in full colours, kids, fixie riders, cruiser bikes and stuffed monkeys in baskets; a performance in Ashland’s downtown public plaza dedicated to my Master’s Thesis project (bike culture’s impact on the public realm); a visit to the community bike co-op and garden; and then a giant feast back at Tobin’s with all our new friends. Ashland stole our hearts—the community here, the city with its bike lanes and 25 mph speed limit, and the royal treatment we received. The boys eagerly gave us our presents (yes presents) supplemented by donations from local shops: Organic dark chocolate, almond butter, tahini, homebrew herbal beer, artichokes, homemade pesto, tomatoes, avocadoes, corn, bread, plums, vegan pastries, cheese, sundried tomatoes, bicicletta red wine, coconut vegan ice cream, zines, a new tire for Melissa’s bike, and the most fantastic impromptu puppet show we’ve ever witnessed. Many of these wonderful gifts came from our friend’s gardens, kitchens and best of all the local dumpsters. The puppet show featured plastic babies, robots, compost, a bear, and a bicycle that made unicorn sounds. Puppeteer Jacob made us laugh so hard we had tears in our eyes. We exchanged a short guerilla performance of Streetfighter and Thriller in their front yard in exchange for his show. I get the feeling that each time we leave a town, we will have to say goodbye to new and dear friends, kindred spirits, linking bike communities from Vancouver to Bellingham, Euguene, Ashland and beyond. It’s hard to keep moving when each place we stop at feels like home; I’ve wished that we could freeze time and spend some more time in these communities. But we keep rolling, and I have no doubt that the love we’ve given and received so far will keep flowing as we continue with our tour.

Now we are off to Northern California, the Red Wood Forest, and the Lost Coast, for some beach and camping. More to come from the rocking Tour later in the week.

Keltie & Cara