First Fridays ArtRide: it’s a PAJAMA PARTY!

According to VCCOOL:  Thirty eight percent (38%) of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in California are associated with transportation,  so any reasonable plan to address human induced GHGs must look at the way we design our cities and transport ourselves within our community. Bicycles can be part of the solution to our transportation woes. Plus they’re fun!

To encourage more bike riding,
from the folks who brought Ventucky SANTACON 2008, it’s…

FIRST FRIDAYS ARTRIDE! aka FFArtRide!

Light up your bikes and the night with a new monthly ride the First Friday of each month to coincide with the monthly First Fridays Artwalk! This month, dress as flamboyantly as you dream–lingerie anyone?–for a preValentine’s Ride and PAJAMA PARTY Friday February 6!!

5:15 Park and meet at the City of Ventura San Jon Road Maintenance Yard

5:30 Park and meet at the Artists Union Gallery, 33 S. California St

5:45 Ride off into the sunset en mass along the promenade, up the river trail and onto Main St to enjoy the open Art Galleries and spaces in downtown Ventura and the Westside

7:15 End of ride congregating at a location TBA.

Free–but bring money for food and libations. Donations accepted to the VCCOOL Bike Pod. The purpose of the Bike Pod is to create a bike culture in our community. Read here about LA’s thriving Bike Culture, pictured.

A draft of the goals of the VCCOOL Bike Pod are posted below. For up to the minute FIRST FRIDAY ARTRIDE details, check back here! Don’t miss another word– SUBSCRIBE by clicking on the button in the upper right! Go here for pictures of the last ride–Santacon 2008!

So what’s VCCOOL’s BIKE POD about?

The VCCOOL Bike POD seeks to create a bike culture in Ventura. Goals are to:
1. Encourage and increase bike riding; decrease auto dependency.
2. Lessen our overall impact on the environment.
3. Create safe, direct intra-city bike routes East/West and North/South
4. Increase bike safety.
5. Involve underserved communities.
6. Improve relationships between drivers and bikers through education.
7. Integrate bicycles with public transportation efforts.
8. Provide convenient bicycle facilities that support bike culture.
9. Find funding sources to implement our goals.
10.  Advocate the enforcement and development of bike regulations.
11. Make Ventura attractive & competitive as a bicycle-friendly place to live.
12. Increase the social fabric of our communities.

The POD is open to all. We will be accepting of all suggestions and ideas from the whole global community. Goals listed above can be modified or added to. Possible Limitations? We won’t be able to bike to Hawaii. Not any time soon! But we do have future rides on the way:

March 6: Electric Light Parade
Like at Disneyland… and at Burning Man! Join us for a LED and/or EL wire workshop at the ARTBARN before– details under construction! See the photo by Brad Templeton for examples of some VERY elaborate EL wire costumes!

April 3: Bunny Hop ride– Get your bunny ears on! These kids are ready to roll!

May 1: Prom Ride
There’s talk of starting at the  Govt Center on Victoria, then riding up Victoria to Telegraph, Buena High, Foothill High,  Ventura College, down Telegraph to the Mall and St Bonaventure, then downtown the length of Main Street and Ventura High–in our most wonderful PROM ATTIRE to be followed by our own PROM PARTY and FUNdraiser! Anybody want to help contact the schools and get the students to join the ride?

June 5: Summer Solstice Santacon

July 3: Independence from Fossil Fuels ride

And for sooner bike riding fun and activism, go hear Brock Tully at the ARTBARN tomorrow, Thursday, and head over to Ventura College for the transportation forum–info at the bottom of the previous post below or here!