Cross Culture: art + bike love

My interest in cyclocross goes back awhile. So much so that for the past eight years Mike (the racer) and I (the dabbler + fan) have been making Autumn pilgrimages to the western side of our state and beyond to watch people ride, suffer and support one another in the incomparable Cross Crusade series. Thus, the news that Bend is hosting 2009 + 2010 Cyclocross Nationals (thanks again Visit Bend et al.) inspired an immediate call-to-action.

This event would have to be accompanied by an all-out community celebration of bike culture. So it was that I contacted Doug LaPlaca who had been contacted by Henry Abel and a co-conspiratorship began. What goes well with Cyclocross? Beer, Coffee, Belgian Waffles, Pommes Frites and Bob's Red Mill Hot Cereal. But beyond the obvious, we believe that the arts also go quite nicely. Henry and the Webcyclery crew expanded their film night vision and began imagining all the possibilities for the December event. Meanwhile I pursued the idea of a community bike art walk that would revel in the goodness and beauty of the bicycle. With the support of Sweet Pea Cole and Lynette Braillard as well as everyone included on the list below, Cross Culture: art + bike love was born.

On Friday, December 11 from 5-9 we are celebrating art + bike love with the participation of local businesses and Oregon artists:
Tracy Smith + Urban Beauty Bar
Lisa Pounders + Cowgirl Cash
Wade Beauchamp, Amy Castano + John Paul Designs
Hunter Dahlberg + Oxygen Tattoo & Art
PDX Cross, Gary Bonacker + tbd loft
Chris & Sweet Pea Cole + Ranch Records
Nikki Hoke + Thump Coffee
Brian Bulemore + Lone Pine
Alan Brandt + Bellatazza
Bridget McGinn, Jim Riswold + Hot Box Betty
Collective exhibit + PoetHouse
Kaycee Anseth-Townsend + Clutch
Byron Roe + Foot Zone
Sara McPherson + Volcano Vineyards
Alex Reisfar + Velvet Bend
Taliah Lempert + WebCyclery

Live music performances are planned at tbd Loft, PoetHouse, myc yoga, Volcano Vineyards and The Wine Shop with additional announcements on the way. Follow crossculture09 on twitter for the latest.

photo by pdxcross at tbd loft on December 11.

Download the 2009 Cyclocross Nationals Event Guide Here

Posted via email from cassondra's posterous

the new song and dance

A group of local cyclists got their Thriller on in Bend, Oregon last Thursday.

Moonwalk Flash Mobs and thriller dances aside, there seems to be a growing interest in getting in touch with our inner Astaire.

With three nights of dance competitions between two networks, television programming provides empirical support for my observation that popular culture has embraced song and dance.

Is this simply fallout from the American Idol phenomenon or is there something more? 2008 film darling Slumdog Millionaire finished with a Bollywood dance routine, Disney's High School Musical franchise has launched Zac Efron's career as tween heartthrob. Glee brings giddy affection for 80's mash-ups with a thirtysomething teacher eager to bust some of his own moves.

Branded Flash Mobs, Improv Everywhere Missions and even Oprah surprises employ song & dance to entertain and provide a shared experience.

What about you, have you noticed an increase in song and dance?

Posted via email from TBD blog