brick city bike collective

1st Annual Biketoberfest Bike Pub Crawl – Sat. Oct. 16!

October 12, 2010 – 10:48 pm

Colorado seems to have invented the bike pub crawl, Fort Collins has one every Sunday, Colorado Springs does it on Thursdays and Denver does it every Wednesday, with upwards of 3,000 people…and a theme! Of course Austin, Portland and San Francisco have also gotten in on the action. A group called, Eat, Drink, and Ride Bikes Chicago, even came up with 7 steps to organizing a bike pub crawl.

So why do it? As the Chicago group sums it up, “Bicycle pub crawls are like a house party you don’t have to clean up after, with moving scenery and random, fun people.”

So lets join the fun spreading across the nation and get together this coming Saturday the 16th at 5pm at 27 Mix, 27 Halsey Street, Newark, which has offered our group weekday happy hour rates! Maps will be distributed for those inclined to drink a little longer and possibly get left behind. A drink “scavenger hunt” will also be available for those that like to drink with a goal in mind. The winner takes all….the glory!

After 27Mix we make 2 more stops in Newark, head into Belleville, cross the bridge into North Arlington for a few stiff ones, then drink our way south through Kearny pub row (Kearny Ave.) ending up at The Green Room in Harrison…or beyond! Maybe 8-10 thirst-quenching stops in all! Plus, we have a few surprise stops for you that we know you’ll enjoy, including Pizzaland.

The the rest of the ride is downhill on wide, well-lit roads. We will finish up right by the Harrison PATH station if you don’t feel like crossing one of the bridges back into Newark on bike. Don’t forget your helmet or bike lights. And, as always, you ride at your own risk

And don’t worry, we aren’t doing 21 Bike Pub Crawl Stops like these Aussie guys did! See you Saturday!

START:
5pm (new start time)
27 Mix Bar & Restaurant
27 Halsey Street
Newark, NJ

Any questions: Yarrow at yarrowworld@gmail.com
RSVP on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=161119413913938

By TIm | Posted in About BCBC, events, rides | Comments (0)

First Friday Ride to Belleville

October 3, 2010 – 11:35 pm

Oct. 1, 2010

The surprisingly weak turnout for the first Friday ride this month was sad enough to not want to do the ride. A group ride is more than two bicyclists, I think. However so, Tim and I didn’t let that get us down and we still rode. This month it was to Belleville for what turned out to be a small bar crawl, a somewhat dry run for a ride planned on Oct. 16 called the Biketoberfest Bar Crawl. We took off from Beaver Street to Jackson Street which would bring us up Frank E. Rodgers Boulevard. The Newark to Harrison to Kearny to Belleville ride was smooth, minus Tim almost getting doored. We stopped by the park right in Kearny and then continued up Kearny Ave to get to Belleville. We made a left turn on a street I don’t recall now, but that’s not important. What is important is that we easily beat a bus downhill on the street. We were cruising and it was probably my favorite part of the ride. Arms in the air, shouting “woo,” with a smile enjoying the ride, I couldn’t help but think that so many people were missing out. I couldn’t help but think how much I love riding. Soon after we finished this fun part of the ride, we went over to La Sicilia, 155 Washington Ave, for pizza on Tim’s recommendation. I, of course, got a pizza Margarita slice. It was amazing. Three nicely thin tomato slices with the perfect amount of mozzeralla and basil. It tasted healthy and filling. After we met up with another rider, Alan, and headed to two bars for some drinks.

Speeding by cars and buses, getting excersise at the same time (without much effort or realization), the thrill of bike riding only gets better each time I ride. I’m learning about routes and some history of certain locations and new places to eat. For once I’m beginning to enjoy parts of New Jersey and that, to me, is a big step for someone who thinks that everything good is in New York City. I’ve been mistaken on that thought.

By Margarita M. | Posted in events, report back | Comments (1)

Impromptu Bike Ride to Clifton

October 3, 2010 – 10:49 pm

One of the things I love about life is spontaniety. Last Thursday (September 30) after a rather boring and unmotivated day I found myself on Facebook reading that fellow BCBC’er Tim had the day off and wanted to know if anyone was up for an afternoon ride. This was just the motivation I needed to get out of my house and on two wheels. We met met up on Park Avenue and rode on a bike trail that connects all the long linear parks between Branchbrook Park and Hoffman LaRoche on Rte. 3 in Clifton. We took off throughout the park, passing a golf course, and some great scenery. We ended up at the Clifton Commons. I recongzied the area, so we decided to explore it a little. We could see the Barnes & Noble and Applebees, but we went on the other side and stopped into Chevy’s. Turns out on Thursday they have a $2 beer special and it was happy hour, so we got a Margarita with some tamales, rice and beans. Then we blazed back so we wouldn’t get caught too much in the dark. I took the light rail back to Newark Penn Station and rode home from there and that was the end to a nice night. My single speed still rocks the trails! Sometimes you just have to get out and ride and see where you end up. You might just find an area you love. That’s the beauty of bike riding. You take in the scenery and discover new places. Just check out some of the sweet photos below.

By Margarita M. | Posted in About BCBC, rides | Comments (0)

Recap: Newark Bike Tour 2010

September 23, 2010 – 12:02 am

photos by Margarita Morales

The third annual Bicycle Tour of Newark was held on Saturday, September 18. Over 100 cyclists participated in the city sponsored event organized with the help of Mayor Cory A. Booker, The Newark Municipal Council and The Division of Recreation/Cultural Affairs. BCBC riders included Tim, Gary, Allison, and myself. It was aimed at promoting fitness, alternative transportation, and a fun, non-competitive ride.

The tour consisted of a 5-mile fun ride for families and small children 8 to 14-years old and also a 25-mile tour that went through major landmarks and all 5 wards of the city. The first 150 cyclists to register received a free helmet and also t-shirts, plus 10 brand new “TREK” adult bicycles were raffled off. Team Newark cycling, Newark Now, and the Harbourton Foundation were partners for the event.

For someone who rides pretty casually, a 25-miles bike ride seemed pretty intimidating, especially since I have a single speed. However, so, I participated and reached a new level of bicycling that makes me feel like I can pretty much do any ride. Just don’t ask me to do a century– not yet, at least. The three hour tour started at City Hall and included a regrouping point at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart Cathedral on Clifton Avenue and a rest stop at the Boylan Recreation Center at 916 South Orange Avenue in the west ward, ending back at City Hall.

What was nice about the ride was Newarkers cheering and greeting us as we passed by. There was a warm feeling in the air and the ride went pretty smoothly, albeit several pot holes and two riders falling off their bikes. Along the ride we were able to converse, take in the weather, and see parts of Newark that maybe we hadn’t before. I found out that four students from Seton Hall University were on the ride. Two of them had fixed-gear bikes. One mentioned he was more worried about riding down-hill, then up-hill, because he could go too fast downhill. The ride was mostly flat, but included about three up hill areas and some fun downhill.

Overall, it was a fun ride that wasn’t all too challenging. It tested my endurance and also, increased my confidence, and got me even more excited for biking in Newark.

See below for photos.

By Margarita M. | Posted in About BCBC | Comments (0)

Biergarten Ride was super awesome. End of Story

September 21, 2010 – 12:31 pm

Perfect weather, quiet suburban roads, and a tree-laden beer garden straight out of the fatherland. We all forgot cameras, so you’ll have to take our word for it! Don’t believe me? WalkBikeJersey Blog will back me up on this one.

Oh, and y’all better come out for the repeat next spring/summer.

*Photo taken from the Deutscher Club of Clark website

By Zoe | Posted in rides, win | Comments (1)

Fahrrad fahrt zum Biergarten!

September 2, 2010 – 6:08 pm

An actual bicycle way-finding sign in Bamberg, Germany showing bicyclists the way to the biergarten.

Translation – Bicycle ride to the biergarten!

On 9/17 at 6pm, BCBC will be riding from Newark to the Biergarten at the Deutsche Club of Clark.

The next and last biergarten of the season at the Deutsche Club will be on Friday, September 17th. The plan is to meet in Newark around 6pm and ride the 15 or so miles to the Deutsche Club at a fun and casual, 3-speed friendly pace using mostly quite residential streets (exact details on the meeting location and time will be forthcoming).

There will be live music at the event along with German foods and plenty of bier (note – vegetarians will have some, but limited options). Last call is at 10pm but festivities typically go longer. At the end of the evening people Andy B. will escort people the 3.3 miles to the Rahway Train Station so they can take the train back to Newark. People also have the option of taking the train from Westfield on the Raritan Valley Line which is slightly closer at 2.7 miles. Either way you will be going home at night so a proper assortment of front and rear lights are a must.

Here is a link to the bike route

Don’t miss out on this opportunity for a fun filled ride with New Jersey’s largest and most authentic German Biergarten as your final destination. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to “ajbesold [at] yahoo dot com”

And while bikes and bier are some of the greatest things that make life worth living, it should go without saying, but drunk bicycle riding IS DWI and will not be tolerated on the ride back to the train station.

By Zoe | Posted in About BCBC | Comments (0)

Biking Iron & Ice

June 21, 2010 – 12:41 am

Our 3rd Sunday ride took us on an 11-mile tour through the Ironbound, a close up inspection of the Red Bulls Arena, a long ride through Harrison & Kearny, and a harrowing trek across a decaying, abandoned train bridge 60 feet above the Passaic River that is part of the Iron & Ice trail. Along for the adventure were Sarah, Tim, Ben and his two children. Afterward we stopped in Forest Hill for some blueberry shaved ice. Nice!

: Starting across the bridge from the Kearny side

: Halfway across photo-op

: The Tim-mobile

: Daredevil Sarah

: Heading through underbrush that has overgrown the trail at points

: An abandoned station stop on the Newark side

: Our refreshing reward for a long ride in the sun

By TIm | Posted in About BCBC | Comments (3)

We’re one year old!

June 7, 2010 – 4:19 pm

By TIm | Posted in About BCBC | Comments (0)

Free snacks & drinks for bike commuters!

May 13, 2010 – 12:00 am

National bike to work week is May 17-21. To reward bike commuters for their efforts, BCBC has organized some local retailers who are generous enough to offer you free food for your morning commute. Look for our BCBC tables…

When:
Mon-Fri, May 17-21, 7:30am-9:30am
Where:
Washington Park (south end by Broad St) – Mon, Wed & Fri
Penn Station (by the bike racks outside the main waiting/ticketing hall) – Tue, Thu
Harrison PATH Station – Mon, Fri

Food sponsors:
Brick City Coffee – 11 Layfayette Street near Broad St (attached to the Prudential Center)
Harvest Table fresh food eatery – 127 Halsey Street (near Raymond Blvd.)
Brazil Gourmet fresh juices – sold at fine convenience and grocery stores
Art Kitchen – 61 Halsey St at New Street (inside Newark Art Supply)
Antojos Colombianos Restaurant & Panaderia, 530 Harrison Ave, Harrison

By TIm | Posted in About BCBC | Comments (0)

May’s 1st Friday Ride… ‘Public Art’

May 4, 2010 – 8:48 am

To celebrate bicycles and art, May’s First Friday Ride will make a quick 45 minute sweep of public art downtown and in University Heights, then end at the Art Cycle opening night at Index Art Center on Broad Street. In keeping with the art/cycle theme, this month’s ride is creative…we’ll spend almost as much time on paths and walkways as on roads (wide & seldom used walkways, that is), take in murals, statues, sculptures, fountains and artistic architectural features. We’ll wind our way through maybe 6 parks, 3 universities and a few hidden historic gems… all in about 45 minutes.

The tour starts out in deep city passing two beautiful train terminals along the way, then heads slowly, diagonally, painlessly uphill to Newark’s largest public sculpture on Bergen Street. Then it’s almost a continuous coast downhill from there.

I’d like to start at 7pm if possible, 7:15 at the latest. Let me know if that’s too early for everyone. A larger map for printing is available here: art tour map

Cheers!

By TIm | Posted in rides | Comments (2)