I Love Riding in the City

NAME: Stevil Kinevil
LOCATION: Drunkingham
OCCUPATION: Retired messenger, wrench, art fag, Swobo buffoon.

Where do you live and what’s it like riding in your city?
Santa Cruz California, formerly of Oakland, formerly before that, Colorado. Where I currently reside has the highest bicycle/automobile accidents per capita in the state. When an individual rides here, you’re enveloped in a cloak of invisibility. Its very warm, and sometimes you find money on the street.

What’s been your favorite city to ride in, and why?
Copenhagen. The people are stunningly nice, and the bicycle culture is unparalleled. Girls on bikes, boys on bikes, old ladies on bikes, topless secretaries in the park, bike lanes, bliss.

Why do you love riding in the city?
The behemoth and completely unnecessary diesel pickups blowing their toxic spew in my face, being the target of empty 40oz. bottles, flat tires, drunk drivers, near misses, seeing every single aspect of my environment with naked eyes and a 360 degree view, showing up to the bank and sweating all over the counter, The Bad Seeds constantly reverberating in my head, being called ‘faggot’ by passing motorists, getting away and around all much faster then those who ‘share’ the streets with me, and simply experiencing that feeling you get when you have dreams of flying. Hell and Heaven all wrapped up in one package.

Check out www.howtoavoidthebummerlife.com

NAME: Rachael Spiewak
LOCATION: Atlanta, GA
OCCUPATION: Executive Drivetrain, Sopo Bicycle Cooperative

Where do you live and what’s it like riding in your city?
I live in Atlanta, and riding in my city is like a good game of frogger. The most obvious routes are the most harrowing, so we’ve created our own bike routes through the neighborhoods, which is nice because you’re guaranteed to pass another friendly cyclist along the way. The summer is too hot, but at least it never gets too cold to ride. There’s usually a swimming pool or a bar at the end of your ride, anyway.  People hear that it’s not safe to bike here, or that Atlanta is a car city.  Forget the haters…we ride hard!

What was your favorite city to ride in, and why?
Aside from Atlanta? Chicago and Pittsburgh are fun.  Sprinting across the flats in Chicago makes us giddy.  Pittsburgh is pretty... the bridges and murals make for good eye candy.

Or just say whatever you want about riding in the city… Poetry anyone?
Come see us in Atlanta. We’re more than an airport and the World of Killer Coke. We’ve got hot dance parties, a great music scene, the best vegetarian soul food, mint juleps, a different kind of South, and a spectacular bike co-op.

Check out www.sopobikes.org