MC3 love bombs the ZooBomb
Published Wednesday, February 22, 2006 by chris_planb.
Mini Bike Winter 2006
Thirteen bikers in a three car convoy take I5 to Portland. After picking up our tourers in Seattle we arrive at the lovely Ayleens house and depart enmasse for the best house party ever and the start of an epic weekend of Bike love inthe heart of Bikeloveland.
What follows are some of the best moments as told by some of the MC3
JT
So many memories, is there a favorite? The mall-run (with a wrecked rear wheel) was pretty spectacular. Turns out that empty parking esplanades are superb for bike tag, also a suitable location for Guinness floats. Free Geek throws a mean dance party, and Brazilian girls are even more beautiful when they fire-dance. I’m thankful that I didn’t shrivel up so much on the naked bike ride that the sock fell off – damn that was cold! I’m pretty pleased with my showing in the mini-bike jousting event, and learned that a big nose is an excellent last-resort means of unseating your opponent. The zoo-bomb itself was an amazing blend of intense concentration and sheer joy, and it’s quite possible that I reached my land-speed record on the Hell-way run.
Stiff competition between all these episodes, but I have to say that none of them really stands out as THE best moment. What does stand out though is the incredibly warm welcome we were given by everyone we came in to contact with down there. At every turn there was someone who was genuinely stoked that we’d come down, really a humbling sensation when such amazing people are so happy that we came to join them in a celebration. Here’s what it boils down to – if the MC3 has become my immediate family, then the ZooBombers and Sprockettes and Dead Babies and Buzzards have become my extended family.
Best.
Community.
Ever.
Donald
So we arrived the evening of Portland's coldest Feb 24 ever. The next day
wasn't much warmer, which might explain why the mallbomb was so much fun and
relatively hassle free.
The parties and zoo-bombs were great fun! Ayleen and FreeGeek (and others I'm
sure) were awesome to us!
It was a good thing the steeple-chase was canceled, because it was so cold.
Thankfully it had warmed up somewhat for the cup-cake challenge. Which was
to ride down a steep ramp (low water in winter) to a floating dock and off
the end. (extra points for recovering the bike yourself) That was my
favorite part of the weekend.
I also like how we looked out for each other and no one got left behind.
Saturday night we even got home like we were being led by a local, good
communication, or so it seemed from the rear.
But the moment the summed it all up for me, happened today. The first time I
was on a 'normal' bike. I'm coming up on a red light at king ed and main,
and I backpedal my freewheel bike to try to slow, oops, that didn't work,
good thing my handbrakes work good! I'd only been riding the coaster-brake
bike for three days.
Chris B
chris has a brief "conversation" with a middle aged woman in the mall
that we rode through:
her: "is this critical mass?"
me: "no, but i'm sure some of the people here go in critical mass"
she walks away for a minute. then a minute later i start to leave and
she comes back over and stands right in front of where i'm walking to
take some pics and blocks me from moving. i stand for a minute
thinking she'll move. nothin.
me: "excuse me please"
her: "oh, am i in your way?"
me: "ya, why would you just come up and stand in front of me like that?"
her: "now you know how it feels like during critical mass"
me: "ya, but at least i asked and didn't just get mad at you and try
to knock you down"
her: "uh..."
me: "now i understand your motivations... have you ever asked anyone
at critical mass about their motivations?"
her: "uh..."
then i left.
chris has another conversation with an older woman (originally from
new york) in front of the sushi restaurant as we pulled up after the
daytime zoobomb:
"hey, is this those zoobombers?"
"ya"
"you guys are great! we see them ride past our house and we think
it's really great."
good to see some people appreciate other people having fun.
C.A.R.A
Portland Yeah!
So MC3 is blogging about our trip to Portland for Mini Bike Winter 2006!!! Where the hell to begin....
I guess the highlight for me was the Saturday afternoon impromtu 'zoobomb'. The afternoon started with the 'mall bomb' which others already talked about. But the 'afternoon bomb' was the bomb. We had heard all about zoo-bombing and this was it... virgins no longer. We cruised up some hill on the MAX and it was so beautiful and sunny. Our fearless hosts gave us the 411 on safety and where to turn and not turn and BOOM we were off. We bombed through a great park and caught some views of Mt. Hood between the trees. It was so nice to be in a park after all our urban touring around. I was riding a mini chopper (not mini bike) and it proved to be a rad ride for bombing. Yeaaahhhhaaw. We made it down into the City with only one spill (b-Rad took out pol.B ) and headed for dollar sushi and burritos .
The next hightlight was seeing some clown with fireworks shooting out of his head at the Free Geek party. Cool. Fun dancing and lounging and OH YEAH. No wait second highlight is not the clown but having a little cuddle huddle with mr.grove and one rev.phil. HAH I got to have a threeway with the two cutest fellas ever. Needless to say we all came a way with some smooches.
Yeah hightlight.....mmmmm....
Okay one more highlight......AYLEEN!!!!!!!!!!! The best host ever. She let us call her pad home base for the whole weekend, putting up 9 stinky Canadians AND she made us a yummy breakfast on Saturday our first morning in PDX>>> Ayleen Rules!!!!
see you all in March right??
xxx Fish
Ian
++++++
While visiting Portland, we stayed with a supportive, tolerant
community of people willing to help and trust each other. In addition
to a place to sleep, our hosts fed us, helped us find our way, looked
out for us and above all, made us feel like family.
During that weekend, Vancouverites and Portlanders made their own
fun. They never once had to buy it.
++++++
David
my favorite moment that occurred on the first annual mini bike winter
Mc3 ambassadorial trip to portland in oregon in the united states of
america was when i got to eat and drink heineken vanilla ice cream
floats under freeways and this crazy guy said that it would actually
make me feel warmer in the cold oregon winter air and it actually did.
and then we rode bikes and stuff and that was cool as well also. .::DG::.
Jim
My best moments were the Bombs
First we got treated to a mall bomb then even better, a special canadian cherry bomb the OG the original bomb. We were led by Handsome Dave, to the Max then up the elevator and finally down through the park. It was mostly without mishap cept for a good spill by tall Pol. It was cool to be a part of this getting the lowdown and history from all the ZooBomb riding with us.
Sunday nite after the MBW it was time for the real deal. After hanging out in the park on top of the hill, it was time for the New Bomb. Holy crap was it fun. Maitland our warrior of the weekend was called to the front lines and we were off. I had been waiting two years for this. Our last visit to Portland for the Chunkathalon was to include the ZooBomb but had been thwarted by medical support. The wait made it all the more awesome. Down thru the dark cutting corners tight, hugging close to the handle bars, ass clamped to my ductaped on seat and cranking on my big chainring cuz I needed more speed.
Then down to the Max, standing waiting at the top of a four block drop counting down the traffic light in the middle and then the Hellway. Sixty or seventy bikes taking the Freeway in a pack. Holy shizzle I don't know how fast we were going except that the cars seemed to be passing us really slow until we exited through the tunnel. Then the architecture and the lights whipping past at a sickening speed.
Aaagh so close to deth so alive
Can't wait to go back
an
Photo Links
Chris B
Donald
ZooBombs Tiago
Ions excellent photo page
Thirteen bikers in a three car convoy take I5 to Portland. After picking up our tourers in Seattle we arrive at the lovely Ayleens house and depart enmasse for the best house party ever and the start of an epic weekend of Bike love inthe heart of Bikeloveland.
What follows are some of the best moments as told by some of the MC3
JT
So many memories, is there a favorite? The mall-run (with a wrecked rear wheel) was pretty spectacular. Turns out that empty parking esplanades are superb for bike tag, also a suitable location for Guinness floats. Free Geek throws a mean dance party, and Brazilian girls are even more beautiful when they fire-dance. I’m thankful that I didn’t shrivel up so much on the naked bike ride that the sock fell off – damn that was cold! I’m pretty pleased with my showing in the mini-bike jousting event, and learned that a big nose is an excellent last-resort means of unseating your opponent. The zoo-bomb itself was an amazing blend of intense concentration and sheer joy, and it’s quite possible that I reached my land-speed record on the Hell-way run.
Stiff competition between all these episodes, but I have to say that none of them really stands out as THE best moment. What does stand out though is the incredibly warm welcome we were given by everyone we came in to contact with down there. At every turn there was someone who was genuinely stoked that we’d come down, really a humbling sensation when such amazing people are so happy that we came to join them in a celebration. Here’s what it boils down to – if the MC3 has become my immediate family, then the ZooBombers and Sprockettes and Dead Babies and Buzzards have become my extended family.
Best.
Community.
Ever.
Donald
So we arrived the evening of Portland's coldest Feb 24 ever. The next day
wasn't much warmer, which might explain why the mallbomb was so much fun and
relatively hassle free.
The parties and zoo-bombs were great fun! Ayleen and FreeGeek (and others I'm
sure) were awesome to us!
It was a good thing the steeple-chase was canceled, because it was so cold.
Thankfully it had warmed up somewhat for the cup-cake challenge. Which was
to ride down a steep ramp (low water in winter) to a floating dock and off
the end. (extra points for recovering the bike yourself) That was my
favorite part of the weekend.
I also like how we looked out for each other and no one got left behind.
Saturday night we even got home like we were being led by a local, good
communication, or so it seemed from the rear.
But the moment the summed it all up for me, happened today. The first time I
was on a 'normal' bike. I'm coming up on a red light at king ed and main,
and I backpedal my freewheel bike to try to slow, oops, that didn't work,
good thing my handbrakes work good! I'd only been riding the coaster-brake
bike for three days.
Chris B
chris has a brief "conversation" with a middle aged woman in the mall
that we rode through:
her: "is this critical mass?"
me: "no, but i'm sure some of the people here go in critical mass"
she walks away for a minute. then a minute later i start to leave and
she comes back over and stands right in front of where i'm walking to
take some pics and blocks me from moving. i stand for a minute
thinking she'll move. nothin.
me: "excuse me please"
her: "oh, am i in your way?"
me: "ya, why would you just come up and stand in front of me like that?"
her: "now you know how it feels like during critical mass"
me: "ya, but at least i asked and didn't just get mad at you and try
to knock you down"
her: "uh..."
me: "now i understand your motivations... have you ever asked anyone
at critical mass about their motivations?"
her: "uh..."
then i left.
chris has another conversation with an older woman (originally from
new york) in front of the sushi restaurant as we pulled up after the
daytime zoobomb:
"hey, is this those zoobombers?"
"ya"
"you guys are great! we see them ride past our house and we think
it's really great."
good to see some people appreciate other people having fun.
C.A.R.A
Portland Yeah!
So MC3 is blogging about our trip to Portland for Mini Bike Winter 2006!!! Where the hell to begin....
I guess the highlight for me was the Saturday afternoon impromtu 'zoobomb'. The afternoon started with the 'mall bomb' which others already talked about. But the 'afternoon bomb' was the bomb. We had heard all about zoo-bombing and this was it... virgins no longer. We cruised up some hill on the MAX and it was so beautiful and sunny. Our fearless hosts gave us the 411 on safety and where to turn and not turn and BOOM we were off. We bombed through a great park and caught some views of Mt. Hood between the trees. It was so nice to be in a park after all our urban touring around. I was riding a mini chopper (not mini bike) and it proved to be a rad ride for bombing. Yeaaahhhhaaw. We made it down into the City with only one spill (b-Rad took out pol.B ) and headed for dollar sushi and burritos .
The next hightlight was seeing some clown with fireworks shooting out of his head at the Free Geek party. Cool. Fun dancing and lounging and OH YEAH. No wait second highlight is not the clown but having a little cuddle huddle with mr.grove and one rev.phil. HAH I got to have a threeway with the two cutest fellas ever. Needless to say we all came a way with some smooches.
Yeah hightlight.....mmmmm....
Okay one more highlight......AYLEEN!!!!!!!!!!! The best host ever. She let us call her pad home base for the whole weekend, putting up 9 stinky Canadians AND she made us a yummy breakfast on Saturday our first morning in PDX>>> Ayleen Rules!!!!
see you all in March right??
xxx Fish
Ian
++++++
While visiting Portland, we stayed with a supportive, tolerant
community of people willing to help and trust each other. In addition
to a place to sleep, our hosts fed us, helped us find our way, looked
out for us and above all, made us feel like family.
During that weekend, Vancouverites and Portlanders made their own
fun. They never once had to buy it.
++++++
David
my favorite moment that occurred on the first annual mini bike winter
Mc3 ambassadorial trip to portland in oregon in the united states of
america was when i got to eat and drink heineken vanilla ice cream
floats under freeways and this crazy guy said that it would actually
make me feel warmer in the cold oregon winter air and it actually did.
and then we rode bikes and stuff and that was cool as well also. .::DG::.
Jim
My best moments were the Bombs
First we got treated to a mall bomb then even better, a special canadian cherry bomb the OG the original bomb. We were led by Handsome Dave, to the Max then up the elevator and finally down through the park. It was mostly without mishap cept for a good spill by tall Pol. It was cool to be a part of this getting the lowdown and history from all the ZooBomb riding with us.
Sunday nite after the MBW it was time for the real deal. After hanging out in the park on top of the hill, it was time for the New Bomb. Holy crap was it fun. Maitland our warrior of the weekend was called to the front lines and we were off. I had been waiting two years for this. Our last visit to Portland for the Chunkathalon was to include the ZooBomb but had been thwarted by medical support. The wait made it all the more awesome. Down thru the dark cutting corners tight, hugging close to the handle bars, ass clamped to my ductaped on seat and cranking on my big chainring cuz I needed more speed.
Then down to the Max, standing waiting at the top of a four block drop counting down the traffic light in the middle and then the Hellway. Sixty or seventy bikes taking the Freeway in a pack. Holy shizzle I don't know how fast we were going except that the cars seemed to be passing us really slow until we exited through the tunnel. Then the architecture and the lights whipping past at a sickening speed.
Aaagh so close to deth so alive
Can't wait to go back
an
Photo Links
Chris B
Donald
ZooBombs Tiago
Ions excellent photo page