Cruiser Report - Houston, the Music Machine has landed!
Words & Photos: Steve Z
On the 37th anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s historic moon landing, riders on the Cruiser Ride celebrated a giant leap forward for cruiserdom. Public Cruiser Machine V2.0 was unveiled at Scott Carpenter Park amidst a veil of CO2, and it was immediately time to blast off into the dance party. Aliens and Astronauts was the official theme and the masses approved with generous helpings of body paint, tin foil, and recycled electronic componentry.
The ride headed out east on the bike paths which was a wise choice for full testing of the music machine’s volume capabilities without disturbing homeowners. The early afternoon rain clouds treated riders to a glorious sunset. We headed north on the paths to the UCAR parking lot where the Music Machine retreated from some light sprinkling rain under a garage structure. This was a great choice for audio acoustics and an industrial platform dancing show by a group of sexy ladies. The photos tell the tale. After a rockin’ dance party the group headed back onto the bike paths behind Rockies Brewery. On through the trailer park near the Sports Garage and along our old starting route west on Spruce and Pine towards downtown, I peeled of for a mid-ride spaceburger at Good Times. I was fully prepared to be the half naked freak with the tin foil space helmet but I was shocked to see two other groups of costumed cruisers had the same idea as I did. I was able to catch the ride pretty quickly as we had another large turnout. I didn’t see Aaron so I don’t know if we had an official count, but I would estimate that the early rain kept the number down the 300s. We did some fairly standard passes of downtown and ended up at the St. Julian cement area that badly needs a name. I would have liked to cruise a little longer and was ready for a new finishing location. Many of the group headed to the Republic afterwards, lured by the offer of some free appetizers.
Well kids, I am going to be off for some summer adventures next week. I’ll be going to NY and Boston and possibly the Outdoor Retailer trade show in SLC. So I’ll be missing the next 2 or 3 rides. I am planning on keeping the Cruiser Reports happening with the help of some others. I will be trying to keep the blogsite going as well but it will probably be updated less frequently. So let me know if you are interested in donating photos or writing a report. Also, if anyone is going to OR and wants to carpool shoot me an email.
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6 Responses to “Cruiser Report - Houston, the Music Machine has landed!”
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Mountain Bike on the Cruiser Ride,
I think the cruiser ride should be people with cruiser bikes. I mean hello, it’s the Cruiser Ride. But I don’t feel anyone should be denied riding on the cruiser ride because of the type of bike they have. However, I keep hearding reports about a group of obnoxious guys on mountain bikes that keep showing up to ride. From what I hear they just don’t get it and they treat the ride like a booze cruise. Last night they showed up and were pretty obnoxious. What do we do about them.
450 (+/- 20 cruisers) was my official count.
The St. Julien cement pad could be called “Cruiser Square”.
in response to above.. there are no ‘rules’ on these rides about having to have a cruiser bike or fitting any preconceived stereotype about what is “cool” or not.. i mean, this is a democratic sort of thing to do.. not everyone can own a mtn bike, a cruiser bike and a road bike like most yuppie Boulderites. (and honestly, some of us actually have other interests and real lives outside of this charade) .. also,. let’s face it, it IS a booze cruise! anyone that is sober on these rides is certainly not in the mainstream, and probably not having as much fun. so live and let live!
I could care less what bike you ride, but this ride is the cruiser ride and part of it is riding cool cruiser bikes, making and wearing cool costumes, and just enjoying a night riding the paths and streets of Boulder. If you ride a mountain bike you can decorate it for cheap (Dolar store people!). You can also wear a funky wig, hat or costume. You don’t need to spend much $$ to do this. Cheap costumes can be had from local thrift stores as well as cheap cruiser bikes. I bet you can find a fixer-upper cruiser for under $50 if you look around. Probably less $$ than your weekend bar tab so don’t say it’s about those with lots of money. That’s a cop out. No problem with coming on the ride to check it out, but if you attend regularly then think about really participating in the event rather than just showing up and imposing your own trip on it. My 2c.
yeah, anyone that comes to these rides on a mountain bike is pretty lame.
Apparently Green Goddes, just doesn’t get it either. This is NOT a booze cruise. Apparently Green Goddess wasn’t around when the cops rode with us either becuase of the alcohol and because of the obnoxious people. It was the type of attitude like yours that brought the Boulder PD on the cruiser ride for almost 2 years. I’m sure you would love to have them give you tickets for not having proper lights, for having a drink, for having a nalgene bottle that had a funny colored liquid in in. Just ask some of the cruisers that have been around what it was like having the police ride with us.