It has now been a few days since we have returned to reality... and although it's true that we have started to sleep more and wear clean clothes, the VELO:CITY tour remains with us.
Yesterday, the mini bike army organized a welcome back ride for the clettes. Merci lovelies! It was a ride like many that we have experienced in the past, but seen with new eyes. It was amazing to see our friends and ride on home turf, but strange as well, because here, we are known primarily as individuals, not as a group. On tour, we were a collective, a posse, one entity. For two weeks, we laughed, danced, ate, slept and rode together. We shared a collective experience.
The VELO:CITY tour was an experience of inspiration and challenge. It was to viscerally experience a community, specifically the biking community. It was about sharing our energy and connecting ideas and people through out the coast.
Thanks to all the beautiful people that we met along the way because now we are even more energized and inspired to dance, to ride and to make dreams come true. Thanks to all our friends a family who supported us and sent us on our way. Thanks to the bike community for being an oasis of creativity and love in this beautiful world.
Somebody told me that we would touch alot of hearts along the way. I hope this is true, because our collective heart is swollen and beating feverishly from all the kindness and love we have received on the VELO:CITY tour.
thanks and love to all,
Melissa
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Sunday, September 2, 2007
the home stretch ... Portland & Seattle...
well avid blog readers, most of us are now home....
yes the Tour was AMAZING! too many words needed to describe the fun we've had.
thought you might want to hear how the last few days of the trip went...
SAN FRAN to PDX
So the Clettes mobile pulled it's longest day on the road. We left San Fran around 6am Wednesday morning and arrived in Portland that night at 11pm. Yes a friggin long haul. We were going to stop and have one last camping night, but multiple messages from our friends in Portland demanding we arrive ASAP convinced us that we had to push on.
We spent a few hours in Shasta Park swimming and hanging out, but the whole day was spent driving. The top temperatures we recorded were in Northern California and Southern Oregon -- 104F!
Arrived in PDX (Portland) late to a house full of our dearest friends, Sprockettes & Zoobombers. The Sprockettes had also been on tour this summer so we had lots of stories to share.
THURSDAY in PDX - Show at the Alberta St. Fair
We performed Thursday night at the monthly Alberta St. Fair. The Clown House let us do out thang in there yard and we had a crowd of 100+. Felt so good to bust some moves after a day on our butts in the van.
Went out and saw some amazing bands Thursday night - DoomHawk, Ken Keasy, and ofcourse our favs Here Comes a Big Black Cloud.
FRIDAY - Onward to SEATTLE
Another early morning on the road... We had to be in Seattle by midday to return the van and trailer. Our last show of the tour was in Seattle and the Clettes were feeling knackered and ready to give it our all for one last show. We performed the the beginning of Critical Mass to a tonne of people. It was so great to ride in a CM in another city as many of us have never done that. The ride made its way to Seattle Center, down by the space needle. Cyclecide (www.cyclecide.com) San Fran's Heavy Pedal Bike Rodeo was set up for Bumbershoot and they opened up the gates for us. Cyclecide is AMAZING! They build pedal powered carnival/amusement rides and were in town to do there thang for the Bumbershoot Festival. So Critical Massers enjoyed some carnie rides and then the B:C:Clettes did a 2nd show. A smaller audience but great non the less. Thanks Cyclecide!!
A late night social at the Church of Bicycle Jesus capped off our wild VELO:CITY Tour 2007.
The Tour has been so amazing. We got to meet so many new bikers and see so many rad towns and communities. We already have so many amazing friends (Portland and Seattle) and I feel so lucky and blessed to be part of such a great community.
STAY TUNED FOR ALL THE PHOTOS AND VIDEOS. We will have them up on our website when we catch up on sleep...
- Cara/ Fish
yes the Tour was AMAZING! too many words needed to describe the fun we've had.
thought you might want to hear how the last few days of the trip went...
SAN FRAN to PDX
So the Clettes mobile pulled it's longest day on the road. We left San Fran around 6am Wednesday morning and arrived in Portland that night at 11pm. Yes a friggin long haul. We were going to stop and have one last camping night, but multiple messages from our friends in Portland demanding we arrive ASAP convinced us that we had to push on.
We spent a few hours in Shasta Park swimming and hanging out, but the whole day was spent driving. The top temperatures we recorded were in Northern California and Southern Oregon -- 104F!
Arrived in PDX (Portland) late to a house full of our dearest friends, Sprockettes & Zoobombers. The Sprockettes had also been on tour this summer so we had lots of stories to share.
THURSDAY in PDX - Show at the Alberta St. Fair
We performed Thursday night at the monthly Alberta St. Fair. The Clown House let us do out thang in there yard and we had a crowd of 100+. Felt so good to bust some moves after a day on our butts in the van.
Went out and saw some amazing bands Thursday night - DoomHawk, Ken Keasy, and ofcourse our favs Here Comes a Big Black Cloud.
FRIDAY - Onward to SEATTLE
Another early morning on the road... We had to be in Seattle by midday to return the van and trailer. Our last show of the tour was in Seattle and the Clettes were feeling knackered and ready to give it our all for one last show. We performed the the beginning of Critical Mass to a tonne of people. It was so great to ride in a CM in another city as many of us have never done that. The ride made its way to Seattle Center, down by the space needle. Cyclecide (www.cyclecide.com) San Fran's Heavy Pedal Bike Rodeo was set up for Bumbershoot and they opened up the gates for us. Cyclecide is AMAZING! They build pedal powered carnival/amusement rides and were in town to do there thang for the Bumbershoot Festival. So Critical Massers enjoyed some carnie rides and then the B:C:Clettes did a 2nd show. A smaller audience but great non the less. Thanks Cyclecide!!
A late night social at the Church of Bicycle Jesus capped off our wild VELO:CITY Tour 2007.
The Tour has been so amazing. We got to meet so many new bikers and see so many rad towns and communities. We already have so many amazing friends (Portland and Seattle) and I feel so lucky and blessed to be part of such a great community.
STAY TUNED FOR ALL THE PHOTOS AND VIDEOS. We will have them up on our website when we catch up on sleep...
- Cara/ Fish
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