-A huge Thanks goes out to every one who braved the bad weather forecasts.
-A large thanks to Bicycle Works for the help and passing the torch.
-Big Shark for providing pre-ride mechanical check-ups.
-Trailnet for SAG and loaning us the portable bike racks.
-Thanks to Thurman’s Grill for hosting our pre-party and raising $200 for BicycleWorks.
-The Atomic Cowboy for hosting the event and printing the posters.

And a special thanks to the ever growing group of volunteers who helped us pull off another great Cranksgiving.

Did someone say photos? Check out Will Cycle for Charity and BicycleWorks flickr sites

-Chris

-Everyone meets at a set location (this year it’s The Atomic Cowboy)

-Participants are given a shopping list of possible items to buy (These are normally canned or dry goods)

-Maps of the route are handed out and participants start the ride. The route is marked.

-Each of the stops on the route is a Grocery store. Participants are asked to pick up a dollar or two worth of items per stop as they see fit. Normally riders average a total of 10 to 20 dollars over the course of the ride.

-Riders finish the route and end up back at the Cowboy where the canned and dry goods are collected and we all have dinner and drinks together! A good time is had by all.

Our friends at The Atomic Cowboy have really gone all out for us. Bicycle parking after the event will be in the courtyard on racks provided by Trailnet, so no worries about having to find a place outside to lock up. They have also paid for all of the beautiful posters and fliers that you will start seeing around town after this weekend.

Also, our other friends at Big Shark have agreed help this year by donating money to help us with the event. They will also be providing quick mechanical support at the event. We’re not asking them to completely rebuild your bike for you, but if you show up and your bike needs a bit of adjusting, Big Shark has you covered.

The ride this year will be free. We’ll have a limited number of spoke cards and Cranksgiving t-shirts for sale at the event.

Keep your eye on our website and  the STL BicycleWorks website. We’ll be posting more information about the event as we get closer.

Ride safe and see you at the event!

-Chris

So Taste of Saint Louis is coming up in October. For anyone who is unfamiliar with the event, Taste of STL is:

a celebration of the best food, art music and culture our great city has to offer. There is something for everyone at the Taste… just ask the 300,000 patrons who attended last year’s event!

-Taste of Saint Louis website

Basically, a lot of the local restaurants have tents out downtown. You can walk around, try different foods, listen to music, etc etc. Its a pretty fun time.

What does this have to do with Will Cycle? Well, nothing but our friends over at the Saint Louis Regional Bicycle Federation (BikeFed) will be offering valet bicycle parking at the event. This means you and your friends, family, enemies, whoever can ride your bikes down to the event and park it with the BikeFed for FREE and then go out to enjoy the event. BikeFed’s parking is being sponsored by Great Rivers Greenway and Hautly Cheese so when you drop your bike off remember to say Hautly and smile and then, um, be nice to rivers.

Also, if you’re interested in helping out, BikeFed is looking for volunteers to assist with the valet parking. I’ve worked with these guys and gals before and its always been a fun time. If you’re interested, visit their sign up page.

See you at the event!

-Chris

I hope everyone who participated had fun. From what I heard by walking through and talking to people it sounded like everyone did.

Here’s the list we used for this hunt:

==

• Red Flower (Get creative)
• Logo of a St. Louis Professional Sports Team (Limit one for each team)
• A university or college sign (Limit for each university, limit 5pts)
• Team member in a feather boa
• Team member rubbing the belly of a Billiken
• Logo of a St. Louis Coffeehouse, on a cup
• Red Shoes
• A very colorful Lion
• Arch
• Placebo by Paine (metal tree)
• Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts
• Will Cycle for Charity’s favorite Bar or Restaurant
• Soulard Farmers Market
• Ted Drew’s
• Any group playing basketball
• United States President statue
• St. Francis of Assisi Statue
• William Shakespeare Statue
• John Paul II Statue
• Team member pumping a strangers gas
• Spelling out TRAILNET with the first letter of street signs (1 pt per letter)
• Undressed Mannequin
• A Map with a Star indicating “You are Here”
• A Ms. Pac-Man Machine
• Ruthie’s Grill Sign
• Will Cycle for Charity’s favorite non for profit Bike Shop
• Kerth Waterfall with World Fair Pavilion in the background
• Scott Joplin House (picture of address)
• A parent with four or more children (kids must be included)
• Big White Glove, Four Big Wheels by Jim Dine (Pinnocchio)
• Twain by Serra
• Flanagan statue Thinker on a Rock or Nijinski Hare (malnourished Bunny)
• The Captain’s Return by Weber
• Out of town license plate
• Doctor in scrubs or white coat
• Picture of the Pedestrian walkway over 40
• Mantis is Soulard
• Group enjoying a BBQ
• Trailnet office
• People paddling a boat
• Cobblestone street
• Hot Air Balloon
• Team members in a color maze
• A person changing a flat
• A windmill
• A Team members bike by a spaceship (Get Creative)
• A group of drunk Cardinals Fans (must include drinks in picture)
• A team member talking to a Cubs Fan
• A rainbow
• The River Front Trail Sign
• Team member’s bike on the steps of the old court house downtown
• The Compton Water tower
• A close up of a duck
• Something Majestic (Get Creative)
• Team member Hugging Patrick or Eric from WCC
• A VERY Awesome High-Five
• A Belgium Clydesdale
• A Sign for a local micro brewery

==

Here are a couple of our favorite pictures from the event. All of the pictures can be found on Will Cycle for Charity’s Flickr page. If you don’t see your pictures on the flickr page it means I didn’t get them on to my computer. If you want us to post your pictures from the event on our flickr, shoot me an email.

Thanks again for coming out. See you at the next event!

-Chris

This was the winner of best picture for the hunt. High five-ing a oversized statue always earns you big points with the Will Cycle team.

No one was actually hurt in this picture, the motorist decided to spare our hunter.

I love this picture by the way. This is an awesome way of getting both teammates in a feather boa.

This picture was second place for best picture. It’s hard to tell what’s going on, but this team found two guys practicing wheelies on their motorcycles. They asked the pair to do an awesome high five so one guy did a wheelie and high fived (sp?) the other guy. Freaking awesome.

Freaking awesome picture. Go Cards, and apparently go inebriation!

John, what are you doing??!

Awesome. Just awesome. Patrick, I hope that Lisa’s foot in your back didn’t make you too dino-sore.

Be at the Atomic Cowboy tomorrow at 5pm ready to ride and take some pictures.

Bring your lights with you because its going to start getting dark sooner.

For more information about the event, click here.

-Chris

http://mobikefed.org/2009/08/new-law-allows-bicyclists-to-proceed.php

It looks like it is now legal for cyclists to go through malfunctioning red lights. According to this article, the definition of malfunctioning that they use means a traffic light that does not detect their presence. As many of you urban commuters know, its sometimes maddening to wait at a light that does not change for you. This law will make it a bit easier to get home at the end of the day.

The article goes out of its way to point out that this law does not mean cyclists can blow red lights completely.

From the article:

Blowing through red lights is still completely illegal!

Contrary what headlines at many news organizations might make you think, this law absolutely does not allow you to just run through a red light without stopping or whenever you like. To proceed through the red light, you must:

1. Stop.

2. Wait an unreasonable amount of time. That would be AT LEAST as long as one normal traffic cycle–until it is clear the signal has failed to detect your presence.

3. Wait until traffic is clear and it is safe to proceed.

4. Then proceed cautiously through the intersection.

Blowing through red lights is still completely illegal!

Contrary what headlines at many news organizations might make you think, this law absolutely does not allow you to just run through a red light without stopping or whenever you like. To proceed through the red light, you must:

1. Stop.

2. Wait an unreasonable amount of time. That would be AT LEAST as long as one normal traffic cycle–until it is clear the signal has failed to detect your presence.

3. Wait until traffic is clear and it is safe to proceed.

4. Then proceed cautiously through the intersection.

—–

Enjoy the good news while this lasts and ride safe. This may be a win for cyclists, but it doesn’t make the roads any safer.

-Chris

Don’t forget, the next Crank and Click Photo Scavenger Hunt is just around the corner. Clear out your memory card and get ready to ride.

Check here for more information.

If you have any questions, feel free to shoot us an email.

-Chris

Our friends over at Saint Louis Regional Bicycle Federation (BikeFed) are screening the movie VEER tonight at the Tivoli. Will Cycle isn’t involved at all, but we want to let everyone know about the event.

Here’s BikeFed’s post about the event:

The St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation is bringing the movie about Portland’s bike culture to St. Louis! Many thanks to our sponsors, especailly Team Revolution.

Tomorrow evening!  Thursday, September 3rd

The Tivioli Theatre
6350 Delmar Blvd. | University City | 63130

6 p.m. Doors Open | 7 p.m. Showing
$10 per person

We are raffling off a home ice shaver/snow cone maker and other great prizes! Schlafly beer is offering free tastes in the lobby before the show! We’re looking forward to seeing everyone. Proceeds support the advocacy work of the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation.

For more information about the event, head over to bikefed’s website at http://www.stlbikefed.org/

Will Cycle for Charity will have a team riding in the MS150 this year. If you’re going to the ride be sure to keep an eye out for us. Also, if you’d like to donate to our team you can do so on our MS150 page.

Any amount will help the cause.