Cycling Sacramento

What makes Sacramento Press Great, An open letter to the editors and contributers

2009-01-03T20:07:17Z

Since the beginning I have been in a guarded state of well being since the creation of this format. An information via that brings usable and more important constructive data to me for my daily life. No school shooters mug plastered all over the front page raising my concerns that copy cat horrors might emulate from the daily fishwrap. Very little politico dogma and best of all hope for the future. For me this works and I am slowly getting addicted to what is happening here. Guarded as it is as I know todays reality and journalistic code is you must somehow shock your reader to attention. The gossip,scandal, blood and guts are designed to hypnotize its readers this bike advocate thinks.

Thus we have very few solutions to mans problems rising to the top.

So my open letter to the Sacramento Press is simply keep doing what your doing and try and refrain from the daily horrors of life on our mudball.

We need all the optimism we can get so leave the muckracking to that other media.

Yours truly,

John Boyer

"Devils night" in the fab thirties and forties

2009-11-01T09:29:23Z

They came in packed SUVs to fill the streets of East sacramento. Several hundreds of them for the effect of a totally calm,safe environment and to give their kids a night of pure bliss and the motherload of all sugar highs. Perhaps also to get scared and pass on this American pleasure moment to their progeny and to show them the higher levels of living and community.

There was no controversy here . People of all subcultures of the human race coming together and sharing whats good about america. Lots of first rate Holloween effects here as many of thr houses looked like Hollywood sets for a certian film genre and the jack-a-lanterns were almost all cut to perfection. My gut feeling is it will hardly see a word in print do to the very fact that this was a glaring example of how we can really get along. No story there the running dog press will tell you!

Being my first Im not sure the history of this but this community never to my knowledge prevented this sort of onslaught but seems to have embraced it and never looked back. I couldnt help but think that my least favorite holiday was so alive and well in East Sacramento and that i couldnt help but revisit how wonderful it used to be as a child.

My astonishment of this civil and obedient mass of scary people is do in part of what I do. You see Im entrusted in delivering wonderful pizza, pasta and salad creations for Onespeed, a restaurant on 48th and Folsom, by bicycle. As I split the massive crowds that were in search of the ulimate scare and the highest of sugar highs, I was fully amazed how cordial and caring everyone was in my path. How could the favorite holiday of Detroit be such a joy for all concerned here? Inquiring minds want to know.

All I do know is that I bow to the wonderful people of East Sacramento for opening their doors to all walks of life despite all reasons they shouldnt.

John Boyer

Ediblepedal.com

Whole lot of love

2009-09-28T22:02:32Z

The fifth annual Mustard Seed Spin was held yesterday on the American River Trail with guest speaker Mayor Kevin Johnson showing his support for the need to take care of our children and keep what safety nets we do have in place from disappearing.

The fundraiser benefited Mustard Seed School for homeless children of all ages. The ride featured area kids riding for their less fortunate counter parts and showing grit riding in temperatures well into the nineties.

The goodwill and the social responsibility on display was breathtaking not to mention the smiles on the young riders determined faces.

Mayor Johnson reminded us we all needed to step up and pitch in the best we can during the hard economic times ahead.The Sacramento Bike Hikers a local recreational cycling club was well represented with heavy support on all ends.

Velo Cab a pedal powered cab company owned by Marc Christianson was giving free rides while Cycling for Hope repaired bikes nonstop.

All in all an awsome display of caring for ones fellow man on display. No controversy just a whole lot of love. This fact makes me shudder to think why there were no other media outlets covering such good news.

John Boyer

Spike in Bike Theft in Sacramento

2009-10-25T19:52:59Z

I am still reeling from a theft of 2 bikes stolen at Onespeed last night. My heart is in my throat as I write this account of horrible loss. Some will say its just a few bikes but in my sphere of influence it brings great sorrow.

2 well loved commuter bikes were stolen last night by 2 lost caucasian teenage boys wearing black T shirts and short haircuts. They were short and thick around the ankles with heavy and slow shifty eyes which earmarked them as up to no good.

One said they were waiting for a ride and the other noted he had 4 bikes in the shop, one a Torker another a Cannondale when they commented on my delivery bike outside of Onespeed Pizza. They waited what seemed a half hour when they decides to make their move. After I went inside I went to the back of the restaurant where I witnessed these 2 riding the bikes through the back alley to make their getaway. A car chase came up empty as they must have used the light rail to lose me.

im writing this unfortunate experience as a call out in getting these bikes back and as a wake up call to all cyclists. We must all double lock our bikes with both cables and bar lock. Most bike theives cary one tool.

Prevention is our best weapon on this heart breaking problem.

One bike is a newly painted Italvega size 51cm with bullhorn bars and a leopard bianchi seat and a fixed gear.

The other a SWOBO commuter single speed all black.

Thanks for your time reading this unfortunate news

First Sacramento tweed ride a grand success!

2009-11-09T17:43:27Z

At 9:00 am, nearly a hundred cyclists showed up for Sacramentos first Tweed Ride sunday for the all day neighborhood bike ride. Amazing as the idea gave birth just a little over a month beforehand. Thanks to powerful internet networking the idea traveled fast and soon the restaurants that accepted to participate got what they reserved, a lot of love from the enthusiasts dressed in fine vintage tweed.

The scramble to amass the finer vintage look was on and the final result a best dressed contest showed us the need for such an event. The enthusiasm was contagious as was the creative impulse for both vintage bike and dress alike.

Many cities have such a ride already in place. New York, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Chicago to name a few.

Erin and Rick Houston organized the ride with great care and the stops were spaced out perfectly so we all could admire such a great turnout. The ride started at the Sacramento Bike Kitchen with Old Soul Coffee to give us the kick we needed.

First stop the Capital for a group photo. More than 80 perhaps close to 100 cyclist on the steps of the dome of all things poitico. Then a nice slow paced ride to Onespeed Pizza for some breakfast where we peacefully took over the fine eating establishment. The restaurant was literally encased with over eighty+ fine bicycles. Riding a Yellow Schwinn tandem for three, One speed creator Rick Maham was also on hand to see first hand the ever increasing bike culture paying tribute to Ricks own love for fine food, bikes and good companionship. If you havent you simply must check out this place and if you can, ride there on your bike.

Our next destination was the famed Bon Lair pub on 37th and J st. It was the perfect place to have a pint and feel a bit Scottish. Again the bikes and great beer gave the feel of a wonderful Dutch or Danish neighborhood.

Next stop was a wine tasting at Revolution Winery Sacramento's one and only urban winery. Great people with a passion for wines and it showed. It was here where we had our best dressed contest and handed out prizes, As Rick Houston said so elequently "after all we are all winners".

Feeling the need for more Carbs our next Stop was Hot Italian where we gorged on wonderful pizza and drank Racer 5 from exotic hand blown pitchers. Hot Italian is yet another great eating establishment that embraces the bicycle as a viable mode for a day on the town.

Finally last call at the Rub. Thats Rubicon for those that frequent the grand daddy of riding destinations.

ALL in all it was simply marvelous to see so much enjoyment on the greatest machine ever created by man.