Do I even need to say anything about this? The BICAS Art Auction is my No. 1 Favorite event of the year, and pieces like the one above by Troy Neiman are a big part of the reason. Yes that is a 100 lb chicken made almost entirely out of front derailleurs. And yes there will be more like it.

Anyway there is a preview show on Saturday night and the auction is Sunday from Nine PM to midnight. six to nine PM. It’s at the Old Market Inn at 403 N. 6th (pretty close to 6th Street and 6th Ave). This event, if you’ve never been, packs a real punch. There’s food, there’s music, there’s bikes, there’s puppet shows, and there’s lots and lots of people. And gobs of great holiday gift shopping opportunities too — everything from jewelry to photos, prints, sculpture, toys, and ingenious objects of indeterminate status. The show won’t disappoint. And of course, all proceeds go to BICAS.

I’ll see you there!

–Erik Ryberg

I raced to Fourth Avenue and discovered the Bike Swap, thank god, was not on November 6 this year. It’s next week! Don’t forget! Don’t be late! This is one of those things that makes Tucson a great place to live (and bike — but that’s redundant).

–Erik Ryberg

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Bicycle Ride

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

7:30pm – 10:30pm

BICAS, 44 W. 6th St.

Fairies, nypmhs, lovers, dreamers, artists, music-makers, merry women, men, and children… Celebrate midsummer with a fanciful costumed bicycle ride then cool off with a chilled fruit buffet and a showing of the bicycle adaptation of the film ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Kevin Kline.

Tentative schedule of events…

7:00 p.m. Arrive early to BICAS for free face painting.

7:30 p.m. Community bike ride through historic Tucson with stops at local gardens and enormous trees!

9:00 p.m. Chilled fruit refreshment table and showing of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.

Don’t forget your safe night bicycle lights and helmet (a MUST if you are under 18).

Join us at BICAS this Friday, June 18th, for a pre-ride costume making session from 4-7 p.m. You can use our sewing machines, bike parts, and other scraps for your costume but come prepared and BYOMaterials.

This event is free, but donations for BICAS are always accepted.

love, peace, bicycle grease~ BICAS!

–EBR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 6/2/2010

SUMMARY
Groundbreaking Bicycle Company with roots in Tucson swings through town on a
Western States Tour. Founder and Tucson-native Ross Evans to speak about “living
your dream, and making a holishift TM.” Xtracycle will host a free Yoga Class at Yoga
Oasis Downtown and a free Holishift event at the home of nationally renowned bicycle
non-profit, Tucson’s very own BICAS.

Xtracycle Events Scheduled for Tucson
Tuesday June 8th, 4:00pm at Yoga Oasis Downtown
Join Ross Evans for a Yoga Hour class taught by legendary yogi and Xtracycle
rider, Darren Rhodes. First forty bike riders will get in for free – space is
limited. Evans will lead a mellow afternoon bicycle ride afterward.

Saturday June 12th, 5:00pm at BICAS.
Check out Xtracycle’s mobile Airstream showroom, ride an Xtracycle, test out
new products, walk away with a deal, carry a friend on the back of a bike,
and find out more about one Tucson-native who’s living his dream building a
business and a movement. Please come prepared to share food, stories, and
embark on a bike ride around Tucson with other like-minded holishifters.
In 2001-2002, early prototypes of Xtracycle were fabricated at Bicas, as well
as several early production models.

Contact Information for Xtracycle’s, Holishift Tour:
Ross Evans,
President – Xtracycle Inc.
Founder and Chairman of the Board, Worldbike.org
888-537-1401 (toll free)
415-244-5215 (c)
ross@xtracycle.com

Shannon Whitnack
Prominent Holishifter
shannon@xtracycle.com

If you ask nicely you can actually see the early Xtracycle prototype at BICAS. It weighs a ton and is made out of bent steel tubing, but is undeniably an Xtracycle. I am sure it will be on display Saturday.

–Erik Ryberg

Tucson
Contact: Jean Gorman <--Send email
Distance: 9 miles
Notes: 2010 Ride of Silence Route for Tucson Central Location: (3 other rides exist)
The Tucson ride starts at Reid Park at west side Ramada #22, located at the Park’s northernmost parking lot on Country Club Road. Meet at 5:45 pm for light refreshments and send-off. The ride will commence at 6:00 pm, and the distance is nine miles.
From the parking area, head south on Country Club Rd., west on 22nd Street, north on Tucson Boulevard, east on E. Elm St. which becomes Pima St., south on Columbus Blvd., west on 22nd Street, north on Country Club Rd., and turn into parking lot.
Contact: Jean Gorman Karen Berchtold
prairiejean@aol.com keberchtold@yahoo.co
520 885 5299 520 207 5864

I can’t make it, but would like to. Hopefully the wide circulation of information about this ride makes my late notice of it irrelevant.

EBR

It could be yours if you hurry and buy your ticket to the BICAS/Ballet Tucson Urban Lunch Box Picnic and fundraiser, to be held this Friday.

Or, perhaps your tastes run to the more rugged, bikey look, in which case you will want this gorgeous piece by long-time BICAS employee, volunteer, and supporter Kenneth Armstrong:

Then there is beautiful piece by Raices Gallery and BICAS superstar John Salgado (who serves as BICAS’s Administrative Coordinator) for those looking for something more colorful and exotic:

Or maybe you’ll want this piece by BICAS’s master blacksmith, tall-bike builder, and local artist Zach Lihatsh If you do, be warned: you will be bidding against me, and I’m bringing my wallet. (I already have one of his pieces and I’m aiming to corner the market early, while I can still afford his work).

Each of these will be auctioned off this Friday at the annual Urban Picnic lunch and fundraiser, with proceeds benefiting BICAS and Ballet Tucson. A 45$ ticket buys you an auction paddle and a lunch, and if you act now you even get to sit at a table full of gregarious criminal defense and civil plaintiff’s lawyers, where legal advice of unknown merit or value will be dispensed at no cost.

Oh and and there’s more where those came from! There is also a silent auction packed with other art, from small, modest pieces to heavy-hitters including a Rufino Tamayo. (Yes you read that right.)

The fundraiser is from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at La Encantada Mall. The live auction commences at noon for those who have only their lunch hour to purchase a Rufino Tamayo or Troy Neiman.

There are still seats available at my table. Please email me at ryberg@seanet.com if you would like to join me. I’ll be there at noon, cheering on all the pieces and showing how proud I am of BICAS.

–Erik Ryberg

From Agent K. Walzak, of BICAS:

Subject: BICAS NEEDS YOUR BODY!
Come show your support by showing up at BICAS this Sunday, April 18th at 5:45pm SHARP, SHARP, SHARP!!!

We will be taking a HUGE group photo with everyone who is a friend of BICAS and we want you, your friends, family and even your dog to be in it.

We are taking this photo to use for future publications and show all the awesome community support that BICAS has!

THE PHOTO WILL ONLY TAKE ABOUT 15 MIN. but you can stay longer if you like for the Tucson Bike Beautiful Event. Live music, art, games and more will ensue into the night.

Come for the photo stay for the fun.

Hope to see you at BICAS….. 44 West 6th St……. 520-628-7950….. http://www.facebook.com/l/e7f97;www.bicas.org

Love, Peace and Bicycle Grease!

Sincerely,

Your Friends at BICAS!

See you there!

–EBR

Is there anyone out there who does not yet know about the Bike Swap, Cyclovia, and the Tucson Bike Beautiful Pageant and after-party at BICAS?

I’ll be at all three . . . somehow.

Also, Tucson artist Janet Miller will be providing materials for those wanting to decorate their bikes with fur and flowers. Here is what she wrote on Facebook:

We know it’s your secret wish to decorate your bike with fake fur and flowers! Join us the day of Ciclovia at Catalina Park (North Fourth Ave between University and Speedway) and transform your bike into a furry critter or a flower garden on wheels.
Cyclovia: http://www.cycloviatucson.org/

The sponsor paid for lots of fabulous materials (fur, flowers, tulle and some insane ball fringe that looks like marshmallows), but to make it happen we need your help (it will be fun, promise) :

We need volunteers to staff the table the day of Ciclovia. Just a one hour shift, with one or two other people. Contact me if you want to help out. And even if you don’t feel like helping, DO come decorate your bike!

There is no excuse to miss any of this — what’s not to like about shopping for bike bargains in the morning, riding around on car-free streets with a stop to decorate your bike, riding in a parade with hundreds of your wackiest friends, and then celebrating with a dance-party at BICAS?

See you there!

-Erik Ryberg

In case anyone doesn’t know this yet, next week is Bike 2 Work Week in Tucson. What this boils down to, at a minimum, is free breakfast all week for most of my readership. Plus a whole lot of other stuff if you care to check it out!

This used to be the one week in the year when Lauren would commute to my office by bike. She only did it so she could get her free breakfast at the public library.

The rest of the year she walked to work, as she only lived around the corner.

–Erik Ryberg

My readers know how excited I am that Tucson is having its first-ever Cyclovia. We are looking for volunteers for the event to help with the road-closures and other things. Please sign up for a slot to help out if you can! You can sign up for as little as one hour.

You can do so here.

Learn more about Tucson’s Cyclovia at www.cycloviatucson.org.

-Erik Ryberg