last wednesday and thursday we went on two rides/paseos. the “bicitekas” ride(wed.) and the “paseo por todos”(thurs). there is a different ride every night of the week, but because of traffic they start a little bit later than most public rides. DF has a very active bike culture, groups are separated by trade, gender, style, etc… this was a bit confusing to me seeing as how i am used to riding in groups aside from names until i realized these groups operate in the same way that the crews in the US do. so instead of the skid marxxx, or hellkats or mom riders, rat patrol, etc. you have the meditecas, bicitecas, las mujeres etc… there is no “hip” factor involved, these people ride because it is good for health, for anti-pollution policies, for less traffic, for transportation; it is an ideology, and not a fashion. In LA and everywhere else in the states we have lost these ideas, or lets say the popular culture has. getting your brand new fixie out on a weekly ride, or creating a bad name for cyclists by careless riding{present company not excluded} is prevalent amongst us. how come the 3rd largest population in the world can close down half of their city on sundays to allow cyclists of all types free reign on their busiest streets? all this being said, their is still alot to be done. bike lanes are few and far between, and if they do exist they are just as dangerous as car lanes. we are opening the first community cycling house dubbed the “casa bicitecas” in the centro/downtown, i happened to connect w/ them on the interwebs and now reside in the workshop loft as an artist in resident. this opportunity is available to cyclists/artists world wide, later this month we will have another builder from france visit and give a workshop as well. anyway take this as an open invitation, get away from yourselves and do something bigger than your own insignificance. this section titled “paseos” will have images from the rides we go on, and the community we have become a part of. besos, timo
