Newsletter - November 2008

Dear supporters of Yellow Bike,

Welcome to the November edition of our newsletter.  As usual, we are happy to bring you updates on current happenings and news of upcoming events.  Read on for the details. 

- The Yellow Bike Project (YBP) 

TOUR DAS HUGEL - This year's Tour Das Hugel, scheduled for November 15 (that's THIS SATURDAY), is almost upon us.  We hope you're ready!  The TDH, now in its fifth year, has a route of 105 miles and takes participants up Austin's most grueling hills, featuring 14,600 ft of climbing. The ride focuses on "fun and the love of bikes, community, and hills," and the organizers are encouraging participants to make donations to Yellow Bike's New Headquarters Fund, in lieu of ride fees and " in the spirit of giving back."  REI has donated some nice raffle prizes for the event, so plan on being there, 7 am, under the MOPAC bridge (Stratford side) on the Hike and Bike Trail, and be sure to see a Yellow Bike volunteer (look for folks in YBP t-shirts) for your raffle ticket.  For more info, go to http://www.tourdashugel.com/Home.html.

YELLOW BIKE AT THE DOWNTOWN FARMER'S MARKET - Exciting news!  We've been having lots of fun at the Downtown Farmer's Market on Saturdays from 9am - 1pm, and are expanding our offerings in this space.  In addition to general information, t-shirts, and access to a full tool kit and repair stands for your basic bike maintenance needs, we'll be offering some instructional demonstrations for folks who want to acquire new skills. 

The first workshop, on November 15th, we will go through the basics of fixing a flat tire, an exercise we all dread, but have to deal with eventually. We will take the mystery and fear out of it and all will leave with tube confidence.  On November 22nd, we will have a workshop on the basics of Brake and Shifter adjustment.  Learn how to use the adjustment screws to make all of those annoying noises go away.  On November 29th will will have a double feature, starting out with a workshop that capitalizes on the abundance of square plastic buckets by making them into sturdy panniers a.k.a. "local produce storage boxes", that attach to your bike rack and are perfect for loading up with market goodies for a pleasant, unencumbered ride home.  Please register for this workshop to ensure that we bring enough materials for your project.  To add to the jubilation of biking home your market buys for the first time we will be bringing out our Tent Revival Bike Choir who will save you from the damnation of the automobile with riotous blessing of voices. 

YBP Farmer's Market Schedule for November:

• Saturday, November 15th, 10 - 11am at the Yellow Bike Tent: Fix your flat in 5 minutes flat
• Saturday, November 22nd, 10 - 11am at the Yellow Bike Tent: Brake and Shifter Adjustment
• Saturday, November 29th:
  • 10 - 11am at the Yellow Bike Tent: Pannier Building Workshop.  Please register for this workshop to ensure that we bring enough materials for your project.  Donations request to support our New Headquarters Fund.  Click on the image to the right to enlarge.
    
  • 11:30 - Noon: YBP Tent Revival Bike Choir.
    

TOUR DE FAT & YBP HALLOWEEN PARTY - Yellow Bike took part in two wildly successful and fun fundraisers last month.  Along with Austin Cycling Association and the Ridge Riders, YBP helped organize volunteers for New Belgium Brewery's Tour de Fat (click here to see a video of the Austin event.)   The Tour De Fat is a traveling, bike-promoting carnival which also raises funds for cycling-related non-profits in the cities it stops through.  New Belgium donated $4750 of the proceeds from the Austin event to YBP. 

Also, on Halloween night, Yellow Bike threw a party of its own downtown, at the Creekside Lounge.  Everyone dressed up, the Statesman's A-list showed up (click here for photos), awesome bands played, and we raised $1514 for our New Headquarters Fund.  Thanks to everyone who helped make these events so successful.  

URBAN FARM BIKE TOUR - Bicycle Sport Shop, in conjunction with Edible Austin magazine is producing an Urban Farm Bicycle Tour on Saturday, December 6th, to kick off Edible Austin Eat Local Week.  All proceeds will go to Urban Roots, a youth development program that uses sustainable agriculture as a means to effect lasting change for youth participants. In addition, the tour will bring awareness to sustainable food practices, the benefits of eating locally produced foods, and alternative transportation.  Prizes, including a cruiser model bicycle outfitted for market shopping, will be drawn from participants' completed route cards.

The Main Event send off is 10 a.m. from the Downtown Market; 9 a.m. from Bicycle Sport Shop South Lamar, and 9:30 a.m. from Sunset Valley Farmer's Market.  If you want more info, or want to register to participate, click here.

TREASURE CITY SHOP NEWS - Again this month, we're hosting four open shops a week at our Treasure City shop.  Stop by to work on your bike, peruse our selection of ready-to-ride bikes or volunteer and gain new skills while rehabbing donated bikes.  We're changing hours slightly as well as overhauling our lighting system as the days get shorter but we'll remain open late Friday nights along with the Thrift Store.  For more info on Treasure City events, see http://www.treasurecitythrift.org/.

OTHER COMMUNITY BIKE SHOPS UPDATE - We're excited to announce an increase in community bike shop activity this month.  The Bikes Across Borders crew at the Rhizome Warehouse has expanded their schedule to two open shops a week (Wednesday, 7-11 pm and Sundays from 5-8pm).   Meanwhile, the repair station behind Bouldin Creek Coffee Shop now has regular hours from 11am to 4 pm on Sundays.

SCHEDULE - Subject to change after the first Tuesday of the month - Check the website before coming by . . .