Yellow Bike News for March 2012
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Mar 16, 2012, 2:02:59 PM3/16/12
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March 2012 Yellow Bike Newsletter
The last couple months have been especially productive at the Yellow Bike Project. Not only have plenty of cyclists been swinging by to fix up their own rides, but dozens upon dozens of volunteers have lent hands every week in 2012. The fruits of that love-labor are ripening in March. On Thursday, March 8, we liberated a truck full of old-school, free-to-ride Yellow Bikes at the University of Texas Facilities Complex as part of their Sustainability Fair, and we’ve been spotting them in neighborhoods around Manor Road since. (With an Austin bike share program in the works, this may very well be one of your last chances to spot these rare golden beasts in the wild, so keep your eyes peeled, and don’t hesitate to take one for a spin.) Meanwhile, we’ve been fixing up a sizable fleet of loaner bikes to transport the talented musicians of the HONK!TX festival along the streets they’ll be performing on - more on that below. All in all, over fifty bikes have been transformed from rust collectors to road-ready free wheels benefiting the community, and it’s thanks to your volunteer efforts!
As the Yellow Bike itself drifts further and further into the footnotes of what we concentrate on at the shop, lots of folks wonder just what it is we’re up to. Perhaps you wrenched at an old YBP location but haven’t had a chance to catch up with us at our wonderful Webberville Road home. Maybe you’ve got friends and family who are perplexed about the reason for your greasy fingernails and new found appreciation for ball bearings. On Monday, March 19, we’ll be taking to the airwaves to spread the word about all of our awesome goings-on. Tune into KOOP 91.7 FM at 2pm, when YBP will be the featured guest on Reflections of Community Outreach.
In other exciting media news, we were overjoyed to see YBP featured in a thought-provoking, inspiring documentary. Dudey Free Zone is a short film examining the importance of female, queer, and transgender bike spaces such as Lady Bike. Featuring awesome interviews from some of our own coordinators and shop users alongside voices from Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Philadelphia, Dudey Free Zone delves into the complexity of struggling against hetero-male dominance of the mechanical world, as well as the empowering potential of pedals and wrenches. Click here to watch.
EVENTS
HONK!TX - Now that you’ve wrenched your hearts out to give some marching musicians the means to get around town, it’s their turn to do their best for you. The second annual HONK!TX Festival of Community Street Bands takes place Friday, March 23 through Sunday, March 25. Featuring marching bands from across the country, HONK!TX is unlike any other Austin music festival. Taking place in public spaces, completely free to the public, and totally enjoyable for the young, old, and in-between, it’s a celebration not just of the songs being played, but of the community that comes out to listen. Expect modern twists on marching band tradition, New Orleans-fried second line, shuffles, samba, and sights as memorable as the sounds. Click here for the full schedule. If you’d like to volunteer, sign up here to help out with anything from staffing events to housing bands to providing even more transportation.
City Candidates Forum on Bicycling - City elections are coming up once again in May, and with the mayor’s office and three council seats up for grabs, Austinites should be paying close attention. The city has been making a great deal of progress in terms of cycling infrastructure and encouraging ridership, due largely to our engaged, intelligent, and committed community of bicyclists. On Monday, March 26, 6-9pm, YBP will join the League of Bicycling Voters, Austin Cycling Association, and UT’s Orange Bike Project in sponsoring this year’s City Candidates Forum on Cycling. Taking place on the UT campus (exact location to be announced), this is your chance to ask questions and find out where both incumbents and challengers stand on human-powered transportation.
Armadillo Hill Country Classic - Speaking of the Austin Cycling Association, another great ride for a great cause is coming up soon. The Armadillo Hill Country Classic takes place for the 19th time on Saturday, May 12. Offering seven courses ranging from 14 to 105 miles across some of the most scenic terrain in Texas, the AHCC is also the ACA’s biggest annual fundraiser. If you’re a Central Texas cyclist, that means a lot - for more than 24 years, ACA has been fighting to make our rides better. Through activities as diverse as licensed cycling instruction, group ride organization, and helmet and light giveaways, ACA works hard to get people on bikes, which makes for a great reason to get on yours in May.
COMMUNITY/ADVOCACY
San Francisco Yellow Bike Project - Former YBP coordinator Nathan Woody stopped by our last Collective Meeting with some great news - we’ve got a sister shop on the way! San Francisco Yellow Bike Project is still in its early organizational stages, but we’re always excited to hear about another community bike shop popping up, and it’s even more exciting knowing that we’ve provided some of the inspiration and experience to get this one rolling. If you happen to be another Austin ex-pat in the Bay Area and missing fixing’s got you homesick, check ‘em out!
Cooperative Oral History Project - The United Nations has declared 2012 the “International Year of Cooperatives.” Co-ops and collectives play a big role in our local community, from housing, credit unions, and grocery stores to breweries, bakeries, bike shops and beyond. UT grad student Anne Gessler is working on a Cooperative Oral History Project, compiling audio interviews with members of the movement in Austin, New Orleans, and Detroit. Check out the website for musings from a few of your favorite YBP collectivists, and contact Anne at ages...@utexas.edu if you’ve got a cooperative story to tell.
SHOP NEWS
Volunteer-Only Shops - One Volunteer-Only Shop not enough for ya? Once again we’re doubling down on the altruism, as Tuesday nights join the long-standing Thursday volunteer evening. Whether you're coming in to earn a bike, complete community service hours, or simply learn more about our favorite machines while helping to make some work again, Volunteer-Only Shops are the special spot just for you. For most of the month, we’ll be continuing to fix up loaner bikes for HONK!TX, after which we’ll return to our regularly scheduled restoration programming. Volunteers are always encouraged to attend our Open Shops, as well - there’s never any shortage of work to do around here!
Garden Work Party - If you've been thinking about checking out the gardening scene at YBP and haven't yet, join us Sunday, March 18, 2pm-sunset. This will be one of the most fun gardening days of the year, as we plant spring crops including tomatoes, tomatillos, ground cherries, eggplant, and more. We'll also be sharing in the bounty of past efforts, harvesting tender salad greens, kale, mustard, and spinach.
Easy Ways to Help Improve the Shop - Want to help make YBP the best community bike shop it can be? Take a few minutes at each shop to help us keep it in ship-shape. Wiping down workstands and sweeping floors is quick and easy if everyone pitches in, and makes for a much better place to fix stuff up in. Sorting small parts and components not only makes them easier for everybody to find, but will introduce you to lots of little bits you may have never noticed keeping your ride in one piece. Just think, if everybody leaves the shop better than they find it, we'll always have the best shop we've ever had!
Public Input at Collective Meetings - Collective Meetings are held the first Tuesday of every month at our Webberville headquarters from 7-9pm. Open to the public, they're a great place to learn how YBP and consensus decision making work. To members of the general populous with requests, offers, or comments for the collective, please be aware that the Public Input portion of our meeting is at 8pm. You may stay for as much or as little of the meeting as you like. Our agendas tend to be pretty jam-packed, so please come prepared with a well-defined proposal - public input is limited to five minutes per item.
Shop Schedule – (Updated for March)
YBP's shop schedule is set the first Tuesday of every month at our Collective meeting. Schedule below continues through Monday, April 2.
Austin's Yellow Bike Project | www.austinyellowbike.org
"Be the change you would like to see in the world." - Gandhi
"Keep Cycling: it is Undoubtedly the Best form of Activism there is."
The last couple months have been especially productive at the Yellow Bike Project. Not only have plenty of cyclists been swinging by to fix up their own rides, but dozens upon dozens of volunteers have lent hands every week in 2012. The fruits of that love-labor are ripening in March. On Thursday, March 8, we liberated a truck full of old-school, free-to-ride Yellow Bikes at the University of Texas Facilities Complex as part of their Sustainability Fair, and we’ve been spotting them in neighborhoods around Manor Road since. (With an Austin bike share program in the works, this may very well be one of your last chances to spot these rare golden beasts in the wild, so keep your eyes peeled, and don’t hesitate to take one for a spin.) Meanwhile, we’ve been fixing up a sizable fleet of loaner bikes to transport the talented musicians of the HONK!TX festival along the streets they’ll be performing on - more on that below. All in all, over fifty bikes have been transformed from rust collectors to road-ready free wheels benefiting the community, and it’s thanks to your volunteer efforts!
As the Yellow Bike itself drifts further and further into the footnotes of what we concentrate on at the shop, lots of folks wonder just what it is we’re up to. Perhaps you wrenched at an old YBP location but haven’t had a chance to catch up with us at our wonderful Webberville Road home. Maybe you’ve got friends and family who are perplexed about the reason for your greasy fingernails and new found appreciation for ball bearings. On Monday, March 19, we’ll be taking to the airwaves to spread the word about all of our awesome goings-on. Tune into KOOP 91.7 FM at 2pm, when YBP will be the featured guest on Reflections of Community Outreach.
In other exciting media news, we were overjoyed to see YBP featured in a thought-provoking, inspiring documentary. Dudey Free Zone is a short film examining the importance of female, queer, and transgender bike spaces such as Lady Bike. Featuring awesome interviews from some of our own coordinators and shop users alongside voices from Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Philadelphia, Dudey Free Zone delves into the complexity of struggling against hetero-male dominance of the mechanical world, as well as the empowering potential of pedals and wrenches. Click here to watch.
EVENTS
HONK!TX - Now that you’ve wrenched your hearts out to give some marching musicians the means to get around town, it’s their turn to do their best for you. The second annual HONK!TX Festival of Community Street Bands takes place Friday, March 23 through Sunday, March 25. Featuring marching bands from across the country, HONK!TX is unlike any other Austin music festival. Taking place in public spaces, completely free to the public, and totally enjoyable for the young, old, and in-between, it’s a celebration not just of the songs being played, but of the community that comes out to listen. Expect modern twists on marching band tradition, New Orleans-fried second line, shuffles, samba, and sights as memorable as the sounds. Click here for the full schedule. If you’d like to volunteer, sign up here to help out with anything from staffing events to housing bands to providing even more transportation.
City Candidates Forum on Bicycling - City elections are coming up once again in May, and with the mayor’s office and three council seats up for grabs, Austinites should be paying close attention. The city has been making a great deal of progress in terms of cycling infrastructure and encouraging ridership, due largely to our engaged, intelligent, and committed community of bicyclists. On Monday, March 26, 6-9pm, YBP will join the League of Bicycling Voters, Austin Cycling Association, and UT’s Orange Bike Project in sponsoring this year’s City Candidates Forum on Cycling. Taking place on the UT campus (exact location to be announced), this is your chance to ask questions and find out where both incumbents and challengers stand on human-powered transportation.
Armadillo Hill Country Classic - Speaking of the Austin Cycling Association, another great ride for a great cause is coming up soon. The Armadillo Hill Country Classic takes place for the 19th time on Saturday, May 12. Offering seven courses ranging from 14 to 105 miles across some of the most scenic terrain in Texas, the AHCC is also the ACA’s biggest annual fundraiser. If you’re a Central Texas cyclist, that means a lot - for more than 24 years, ACA has been fighting to make our rides better. Through activities as diverse as licensed cycling instruction, group ride organization, and helmet and light giveaways, ACA works hard to get people on bikes, which makes for a great reason to get on yours in May.
COMMUNITY/ADVOCACY
San Francisco Yellow Bike Project - Former YBP coordinator Nathan Woody stopped by our last Collective Meeting with some great news - we’ve got a sister shop on the way! San Francisco Yellow Bike Project is still in its early organizational stages, but we’re always excited to hear about another community bike shop popping up, and it’s even more exciting knowing that we’ve provided some of the inspiration and experience to get this one rolling. If you happen to be another Austin ex-pat in the Bay Area and missing fixing’s got you homesick, check ‘em out!
Cooperative Oral History Project - The United Nations has declared 2012 the “International Year of Cooperatives.” Co-ops and collectives play a big role in our local community, from housing, credit unions, and grocery stores to breweries, bakeries, bike shops and beyond. UT grad student Anne Gessler is working on a Cooperative Oral History Project, compiling audio interviews with members of the movement in Austin, New Orleans, and Detroit. Check out the website for musings from a few of your favorite YBP collectivists, and contact Anne at ages...@utexas.edu if you’ve got a cooperative story to tell.
SHOP NEWS
Volunteer-Only Shops - One Volunteer-Only Shop not enough for ya? Once again we’re doubling down on the altruism, as Tuesday nights join the long-standing Thursday volunteer evening. Whether you're coming in to earn a bike, complete community service hours, or simply learn more about our favorite machines while helping to make some work again, Volunteer-Only Shops are the special spot just for you. For most of the month, we’ll be continuing to fix up loaner bikes for HONK!TX, after which we’ll return to our regularly scheduled restoration programming. Volunteers are always encouraged to attend our Open Shops, as well - there’s never any shortage of work to do around here!
Garden Work Party - If you've been thinking about checking out the gardening scene at YBP and haven't yet, join us Sunday, March 18, 2pm-sunset. This will be one of the most fun gardening days of the year, as we plant spring crops including tomatoes, tomatillos, ground cherries, eggplant, and more. We'll also be sharing in the bounty of past efforts, harvesting tender salad greens, kale, mustard, and spinach.
Easy Ways to Help Improve the Shop - Want to help make YBP the best community bike shop it can be? Take a few minutes at each shop to help us keep it in ship-shape. Wiping down workstands and sweeping floors is quick and easy if everyone pitches in, and makes for a much better place to fix stuff up in. Sorting small parts and components not only makes them easier for everybody to find, but will introduce you to lots of little bits you may have never noticed keeping your ride in one piece. Just think, if everybody leaves the shop better than they find it, we'll always have the best shop we've ever had!
Public Input at Collective Meetings - Collective Meetings are held the first Tuesday of every month at our Webberville headquarters from 7-9pm. Open to the public, they're a great place to learn how YBP and consensus decision making work. To members of the general populous with requests, offers, or comments for the collective, please be aware that the Public Input portion of our meeting is at 8pm. You may stay for as much or as little of the meeting as you like. Our agendas tend to be pretty jam-packed, so please come prepared with a well-defined proposal - public input is limited to five minutes per item.
Shop Schedule – (Updated for March)
YBP's shop schedule is set the first Tuesday of every month at our Collective meeting. Schedule below continues through Monday, April 2.
| Yellow Bike Shop | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| Webberville Shop 1216 Webberville Rd. |
9am-12pm *Open Shop 5pm-9pm *Open Shop |
6:30pm-10pm *Volunteer Only Shop |
5pm-9pm *Open Shop |
6pm-10pm *Volunteer Only Shop |
7pm-10pm *Open Shop |
Closed |
3/18 Garden Work Party 2pm-Sunset |
| Yellow Bike Monthly Collective Meeting at the Webberville Shop 1216 Webberville Rd. |
*Collective Meetings 7pm 1st Tuesday |
Austin's Yellow Bike Project | www.austinyellowbike.org
"Be the change you would like to see in the world." - Gandhi
"Keep Cycling: it is Undoubtedly the Best form of Activism there is."
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