BikeBikeHosting2015
Introduction/Definition/etc
Messy response to a ThinkTank BikeCollectives message about expenses involved in attending Bike!Bike! annual conference, last one early October in Guadalahara https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guadalajara , Mexico...
_Insert Miracle here_ /PhysicsJoke
really, a lot of work, for others
Host it locally so that attending isn't so cost prohibitive...
Outline some idears for how that might and might not work...
Body
Current Draft
Creating a better version on top of the original, available further below...
Based on an idea / request for comments (RFC) sent out about community funding attendance for those who cannot...
Partner Coops
Partner coops seems interesting, twice the beaurcracy, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bureaucracy half the fun? /Smile
Trends
So I'm guessing people go to Bike!Bike! to learn from other places and people, and from what I hear, to party. Maybe even to get away for a while, like a vacay. Others spend their vacay money to do something they really enjoy and/or believe in...
The further you go, the more you might learn, but the environmental and other costs go up, maybe exponentially.
I've Not Gone
Personally, I've not gotten to a Bike!Bike!, mostly because of cost, plus other reasons in this page, and the rest of the NoVAPeers site...
DC Area InfraStructures
We have in the DC regional area (DMV = District, Maryland, Virginia), the League of American Bicyclists' Bike Summit, http://bikeleague.org/content/summit-2015 for legislation in the US of A***** /ProfanityAtTimesGivenGubermentEtc...
I've mentioned to one coop the possibility of hosting a Bike!Bike! in the DC area, maybe surrounding the Bike Summit, for those who prefer to get a little greasy, instead of policy wonks only...
The Summit ( http://bikeleague.org/summit ) is expensive too, but has many more commercial interests, afaict, building infrastructure (construction, i.e. union jobs ), manufacturers (bike and other stuff), lobbyists (gov funding), professionals (paid to be there, work, $Work, Money$, etc), politicians, strange bedfellows, etc...
Combinatorics
Combining events and some people who would go to the Summit and other related bikey events, maybe synergistically maybe interesting to consider, like doing errands, combining activities in a trip, saves in the long run, less back and forth, but personal energy management, conflicting interests (including money, attention, mission, co-opting, etc) might surface, perhaps badly.
People who work and have to take time off to do an event, might need to limit total away time, but likely have more money for travel, so anti-combining i.e. constraints exist too...
Fiscal Agent?
Also, in the DC area there is a regional organization WABA (Washington Area Bicyclists Association) and the 5 or so coop like places:
- TheBikeHouse.org,
- PhoenixBikes.com community bike shop/mostly youth program,
- MountRainierBikeCoop (not sure exact web link, it changed, but easily search/Google able http://mrbikecoop.blogspot.com/ ),
- GearinUp (spelling http://gearinupbicycles.org/ ) newish DC youth program, and
- VeloCityCoop.org http://velocitycoop.org/ , and
- maybe some startups, school/college clubs, etc... No velodrome, yet! (hoping frame building, Atomic Zombie like hacking bikes develops... even for track bikes instead of just fixies, tall bikes, etc /LeanOnTelephonePoleToStayUpRight)
- Rockville MD has a startup, find the link in the ThinkTank emailed message... The Rockvile Bike Hub...
And go visit Rockville Bike Hub sometime, as well as GearInUp...
Check local coops status, as been awhile since visiting some...
Write up State of the Onion, as some say, but don't piss off too much /EthicsAlert...
Bike Pride Parade aka CritMass
CritMass ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_Mass_%28cycling%29 ) has low attendance for a city/ metropolis of DC's size, considered special, successful and large when about 100 people per month, say with summer and/or holidays, last I knew, basically when it was first Friday, not much after switching to Last Friday, or 4th Friday, I forget, and keep forgetting...)
Kidical Mass
At least two Politically Correct (P.C.) versions of CritMass for kids and families, DC and Arlington, VA, at least one of which I'm not fond of some leadership, others might develop, like in Falls Church, VA and Fairfax County, VA in general, helping with Safe Routes to Schools (founder/advocate died following gov funding problems?) and parent support of biking for kids (Fairfax doesn't think their roads are safe enough, and one rebel club exists, plus upgrading systemic risk management to "if parents allow it" or similar...)
Interesting precious cargo type bikes, and other trail a bike and enthusiastic energetic future bikers. In order for the world to get better, after us dinos cease to pedal, others need to take over the mess we created/ left behind... (tm) Phraseology has varied...
Bike Rodeo, by WABA and/or others, a reasonable way to make it possible for others to start out, even if their parents didn't bike... Kind of like swimming, for those that haven't... And conditioned not to...
Bike Share
Bike Share exists, but mostly for tourists... https://www.capitalbikeshare.com/ Heavy expensive bikes and lobbying to keep it that way, imnsho. It gets people biking, usually without helmets, ouch, and I used the predecessor bike share, while in town for StreetSense Will Write for Food Writer's Group, before they upgraded to the current one. The new system has bike lights, dynohub, and stations in DC, expanded with recontracting to Arlington VA then Alexandria VA, and likely concurrent with VA: Maryland (? never actually seen them?, but don't see why they wouldn't/ haven't yet), Other side of the world, beltway and commuting wise...
Probably safer than locking your nice bike in DC metro area... (bring it inside, if they don't let you, don't patronize them... i.e. Vote with Dollars...) Welcome to DC, has at least two meanings...
BFF and Time Overruns
Bike Film Festival Has Been in DC, but stopped after 3+ years, much to my shagrin chagrin... Restarting BFF, and combining that with Bike!Bike! might make a nice party environment. Also, a night time drinking alternative...
Don't remember the schedule, that was all day, some, repeating, not done, played once over several days, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, so if B!B! is Five (5) Days then add a long weekend, collapse into a movie theatre seat, hopefully clean, if biking there, or bring a beach towel (better yet take over The Mall!), Gala Theatre was second host theatre, but filled up, iirc, Navy Memorial Theatre to start out, in the Winter Time though, having storms, a DC tradition, ...
EFF & GreenFestivals
Environmental Film Festival and some other events (GreenFestival?), (coining Million Biker Ride?) might be good to partner with. If Bike!Bike! is only 5 days, or a long weekend, adding the rest to make it a full week, might help. Bike Summit and Caucus is probably a week, optional training and legislative prep before. Locals mostly only have a free ride to do photo ops with Congress, afaict, but not done that... Cost prohibitive, and my tolerance of B.S., an essential ingredient of politics, is probably rather low, but whatever (almost, IANAL (I Am Not A Lawyer, just detail oriented at times...) and don't play one online, etc..)...
All this leads up to a money issue. Would the infrastructure exist to host a Bike!Bike! around here?
Hierarchy?
WABA might be central, but likely has it's hands full anyway. As a fiscal agent, might hold funds and do disbursements, etc... As a mediator amongst the mostly competing coops and bike orgs, might help, but it is not without it's own biases. A membership org, some costs and volunteers can volunteer a certain number of hours for membership. Stuffing envelopes parties existed, iirc, and other events, mostly EtOH (ethyl alcohol https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol ) involved are central, afaict..
Seniority/Time Line
MtRainierBikeCoop and Phoenix are probably the oldest of the coop/community bike shops, and phoenix is named after rebirth of a former community bike shop. TBH and VeloCity probably about the same age. GearNUp and someone emailed they've started one this season in Rockville, MD, called Rockville Bike Hub...
I've wandered between most of them, trying them for what they are good at, and leaving some that I can't get along with, personalities, and/or otherwise. They have their place, I hope to some day have one of my own...
Capacity
TBH is mainly a weekend 12noon-3 pm clinic at Annie's Ace Hardware store parking lot norht of Petworth just off Georgia Ave, on Saturdays. Sunday: Bloomingdale Farmers' Market Clinic 11a-1p in FM season and mobile clinics at special events, some summers in Wards 7 and 8, Anacostia Library, and formerly rec centers.. So, limited physical capacity there, but did house parties to fund itself, among other things like special events, other markets including Petworth, Brookland and Mt. Pleasant, might be personnel and involved in finding central locations for DMV...
Phoenix has a small shop in a county park land. Looking to upgrade building, perhaps doing other stuff to benefit their building fund... Did century ride with kids, and kids ran the shop for a day a final(s). Paid staff, large marketing campaigns, entrenched in the communities, etc...
Mount Rainier Bike Coop has a city owned building shared with a tool library sharing system downstairs, near the grain or similar tower behind a church off the main drag Rhode Island Avenue, just outside / West of the District, in an incorporated city part of Prince Georges County, MD... Last I knew limited hours, like all All Volunteer Organizations (AVO), had a Saturday farmer's market clinic for a while at the local town market, but limited volunteers to keep it going, like most volunteer orgs... Not sure capacity, allow people to tent camp? Tour through? Generally, kewl area going mural artsy, but urban... GLUT is nearby, as well as other crunchy granola friendly orgs, like restaurants and coffee shops, dance, holiday pie sales, etc...
VeloCityCoop has a Brick and Mortar building in Del Ray area of North Alexandria, and has run Farmer's Market Clinics in 4 Mile Run, in the past. Other events, and a solid base, with master mechanic and youth program, last I knew, now years previous... They used to be in Old Town Alexandria, by the waterfront, until that warehouse gentrified, so those that had been, go further north, into arsty former train tracks, but not rails/trails connecting tissue area, up North West from the more northern metro than King St (landmark: small Washington like monument)... Across from yet another 7-11...
Ideal/ Fantasy Coop
Sober, clean (drugs at least) and disability + poverty friendly, etc... Kids capable but not overrun with them, like a youth program, that adults have to change their behavior too much... Smurf rule (no swearing, as opposed to swearing like old Navy sailors. on leave) is difficult to adhere to after smashing ones' fingers/knuckles with a tool, finding yet another flat, your volunteer relief not show up, etc... Social and stimulus levels (autism like) managed friendly like, but not too hierarchical and authoritarian...
Natural light instead of fluorescent, quiet air conditioning, out of too much sun, not too crowded, noisy, etc... Learning as much, if not more than yelling, telling & selling, commerce and money based exploitation...
Anyways, I can't officially throw Washington DC, USA area into the hopper, I don't speak for such organizations (the good ones require consensus, imnsho), just been loitering so long...
But I can nudge people and orgs that way... /WinkWink /NudgeNudge /HumorWorks /Giggles
Though JerrySpaceIdea hasn't grown legs in many years...
Documenting stuff might provide some benefit, even if just for myself, CRS...
Followup, if it ever happens, get to B!B! and/or create a Space...
Write drivel and see what happens... /Wheeze /Cough /PreExpire
Students: College, Grad, High School, and Before, almost to Pre-K
As far as myself going to a Bike!Bike! or a regional one, the once every 3-5 years is interesting, but think of college students, who graduate before that period comes up. Volunteer say 4 years and not get to a big national/international event, just Regionals... (competitive sports teams analogy)...
Others might get to go as a graduation present, kind of like Europe for others (never been, might combine with an autism conference Autscape)... And/or getting a job that enables making money to do hobby level stuff off the clock, or socially minded businesses that support a percentage of their time to volunteer...
High schoolers might be good to consider, travel as a young person, and some precocious and talented, might be possible... What changes to make that happen?
Younger than High School, when kids are indeed impressionable, and before Video Game Paralysis sets in, might be good to instill sane biking values...
I've thought of calling one of mine a BikeHospital. As in the machine is sick/ broken, needs cast, mending, teddy bears, "I'm a Real Biker Now!" bandaides, etc... An analogy that helps sometimes, but anthropomorphizing, and cutesy, though med training good for patching up injured bikers, boo boos, and sadly M&M sometimes...
Parents
Assumed to be single bikers, but many are attached/ connected even with bike part rings, Tandem S&S couplers (who gets what half in a divorce), over time of the bike coop movement, some might age into having kids of their own, it's been happening... Population growth and all, drunk at a party, /#WhatEver!...
Entertainment/ babysitting, time share, kid care, time bank, etc... Local video game stores, need to know, etc...
Spousal and/or combo trips to Smithsonian Air and Space, all sorts of regular touristy stuff to do, even SpyMuseum, 9:30 Club, but sadly no Di$neyLand, until/ when National Harbour officially turns Di$ney: NeverExi$ted./TNG...
Even the slight possibility of up and coming, want to go talk to my Legi$laves, about what DumbA$$e$ they have been, and/or White/BlackHouse visits, for PrezKids, etc...
OverSeas/Languages
As someone may have mentioned, VISA / Passport costs (plus processing time, for us procrastinators), international travel costs and barriers, etc... Language barriers, while BikeCollectives.org is international, most of it is English, Guadalajara, Mexico and others likely were elsewhere, and the trend would be making it international, some organizations have national, international, and regional organizations, especially as the expand, and grow, over time...
A history of the B!B! locations might give a prediction of when in the States, and when elsewhere...
Plus, known issues with holding events like these...
Basically, research it, instead of Wing It...
Accommodations: Reasonable and Otherwise
My sleep is such that many couch surfing/ warm showers arrangements would not work, hosting, or visiting/ as a guest... Getting away from people, distractions and odd noises keeping me up, in unfamiliar areas would be an issue... Hotel expenses prohibitive, and that is one of the advantages of hosting, stay at home, but the extra work involved may be exorbinant (for some reason not in PBWorks dictionary, never been to Federal DC budgets, much less national debts?). Events aren't the greatest for me to try to organize, because I might/ usually melt down, with social stress, avoidant, etc... Paid work as a disabled person, isn't possible. So, your average ED position, Is Not Happening. Requires major life change just to try to spend too much time on other peoples' issues, imo.
Next Steps
So what might work?
Savings, somehow. Volunteer work / sweat equity, for say a year and get a free trip to an annual regional.
But screwed as that might be considered a benefit, and working, but DisAbled... Catch-22 financial restrictions, exist for some, similar to IRS business expense rules, but worse, Capitalism: generally rewarded, Other Stuff/Chillin: Not...
Fuel/ Food Options
Local foods, grocery, GLUT like Food Coop http://www.glutfood.org/ , perhaps. Other DMV areas have them, Bethesda & Cabin John, MD, Arlington, VA ? , Takoma Park, MD IIRC. Crunchy Granola Unite!
Gleaning and other Bike To A Farm and get what can reasonably be saved, instead of wasted, (+ Freegan?) also adds a trip to the country, and/or urban farms, learning about the fuel like options locally, plus might be crash sites, in exchange for day/night labor.... Oranges are nice, apples get tiring, imo, Maple Syrup great, but requires Mountains and/or cold, Seafood fun, salmon great, lobster, if I'm not allergic, all these food things are local to some places, not others, and transporting food around the world to keep citrus/green stuffs flowing year round is difficult, environmentally unfriendly, etc, but eating meat, going vegan (can't, but interesting concept), all contribute to the costs involved in living, travelling and events...
Eating out foods, different than grocery and donated food pantry options at home area...
Utility Bikes Fleet
Also, utility bikes, like on a touring list (see XtraCycle with Yuba video), carrying a surf board, tools, moving sofas/ futons, camping gear, tables, fliers, chairs, shop stools, signage, etc somewhat logistically difficult. Would be kewl to say done entirely by pedal power... Hilly mountainous areas (Rockies/Colorado, Appalachia, etc) might limit some getting around, for old guys/gals such as myself, not to mention some wheelchair bound disabled. (hey, they got wheels too, just not all inline)... But FlatLands boring... Oxygen levels in high elevations, high desert plains, say Arizona, might effect some breathing, moisture content, rainy Seattle, or too sunny/ warm/ rock lobster sun exposure also interesting, one trip I could not adjust well to too much good weather, in Cali... I needed my down / bad weather to be mood congruent... /smirk
Add allergies, sensitivities add up over time, some get away, then develop them later...
Back to Topic?
So other groups have to fund poorer ones, should language (don't should on yourself, much less others) and some other issues with the redistribution of wealth, and lack thereof... Cycle of poverty is difficult, breaking out of it, disabled are basically vow of poverty, like religious orders, but commanded, instead of volunteered...
Moto to Regionals?
Motorcycle to a bicycle event, might be an option, getting a trailer/sidecar and bike rack in addition to combine and ride locally. Safe storage/ parking, and anti non meat motor sentiment would be a likely issue, mostly with twenty somethings and below, older might understand what it is like to be huffing and puffing too much, feeling like it might kill one to do what used to be relatively easy. (even a century), which reminds me...
Bike Riding Clubs
Bike clubs, riding groups:
might be good partners and sponsors...
Insert Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), MOI, and other forma/informal agreements with local clubs, when possible...
Interface with For Profits, but not get Coopted...
Commercial bike shops:
- BikeSpace v. CityBikes,
- Spokes,
- BikeLane,
- Bikes@Vienna, and
- other for profit enterprises
- (EnvironCab,
- etc)
benefit in having tourism, afaict,
I can, theoretically, see some merchants going ca'ching, but then hearing not rich money based organizations and basically, go away, never mind.
Sponsoring agencies, and faculty required for academic and other hosting options...
_Insert List of Sponsors/Advertisers_. when available...
Disruptive?
Large scale protests, might detract from the tax base in law enforcement and crowd control costs....
I don't know the size of Bike!Bike!, how many usually appear, in the hundreds or thousands? Scale?
Combining with other Summit (2015 ~650), BFF, EFF, GreenFestival, etc, also they have time of year traditions (legislative, Winter, Spring, repectively ), as does Bike!Bike! (early Fall), afaict...
But I digress, hosting seems interesting, wonder if it will happen in DMV/DC/NorthEast in my lifetime... /cough /wheeze /SanfordAndSonLikeDrama /ByeWheezy, /PurpleDino /etc
Scouting Trips
Attending some Bike!Bike! before taking on hosting probably required, as training, planning and other experiences...
Get others experiences, attending, and/or organizing...
Require written reports of others attending, in order to rep a local org...
Create database of those reports...
Float the idear around, see what people think, are they willing to volunteer to make it happen?
Got Money?
Budget Now?
Hosts Presenting
Presenting might be interesting.
Hosts probably have a standard: You Are Here, these are your host organizations and services they typically offer type base package developed. Even to be considered to be a Bike!Bike! host city/ town... The Olympics/Tour de France Have Nothing On Us type marketing / hype scheme...
I, personally, don't want to be recorded, a quirk of mine, considering I need to record to remember stuff. Some sane photo policy on the event. Audio only, text and slides available, transcript provided, here is background to read up before the workshop format, media packet, UnCon, OpenSpace Time, etc...
Academics/ Schools
Schools, off season probably have some infrastructure already in place.
~Nearby College towns:
DownTown DC:
- GWU
- Georgetown,
- GeorgeMason in Arlington and Fairfax (15? miles out) plus
- Gallaudet, and
- UDC plus others,
- Catholic,
- American,universities,
+Baltimore, MD
+Phillidelphia, PA
+Pittsburg, PA
some probably host off season conferences and have lower cost hosting than your average hotel costs.
School year time limits calendar options to off season, consider internationally, southern hemisphere, seasons are reversed...
Youth Hostels/Rails To Trails/Green & Primitive Camping Options/Getting Around While There
Youth Hostels exist for tourists, Appalachian Trail type access for routes, GreenWay and ChinaTown type buses accepts bicycles on bus infrastructure might help too), Public transit options for bike on rail/train/ bus/ etc a necessity. Amtrak does a little, but needs more, IMO. C&O Canal and GAP Rails To Trails for getting to an event, back and commuting, say to free Hiker Biker Campsites for the primitive camping people, and really green folks...
Exploring the local communities and using their structures, noting differences, etc, also interesting, but not to commute too much into a city for a conference, wasting time, and/or pairing up, etc finding host families adds to the experience as local guides/ Au Pair type mentoring... (Question: "I'm in GeorgeTown and there is no Metro, what in the eff do i do now?" Partial answer: "Stop Drinking and Spending and try Circulator" (MetroBus loop)? Then get/walk to GWU Metro, etc)
Alternatives
Bike building conferences would also be interesting.
Draft Summary/Status
So, I guess just thinking out loud. Maybe put on a wiki website for massive editing over time, not really even draft level, typing out loud... DONE
Original Messy Response
Partner coops seems interesting, twice the beaurcracy, half the fun? /smile
So I'm guessing people go to BikeBike to learn from other places and people, and from what I hear, to party. Maybe even to get away for a while, like a vacay.
The further you go, the more you might learn, but the environmental and costs go up, maybe exponentially.
Personally, I've not gotten to a BikeBike, mostly because of cost.
We have in DC area, the Bike Summit, for legislation in the US of A*****...
I've mentioned to one coop the possibility of hosting a BikeBike in the DC area, maybe surrounding the Bike Summit, for those who prefer to get a little greasy, instead of policy wonks only...
The Summit is expensive too, but has many more commercial interests, afaict, building infrastructure, manufacturers, lobbyists, professionals, etc...
Combining some who would go to that, maybe synergistically might be interesting to consider, like doing errands, combining activities in a trip, saves in the long run, less back and forth, but personal energy management, conflicting interests (including money, attention, etc) might surface, perhaps badly.
Also in the DC area is a regional organization WABA (Washington Area Bicyclists Association) and the 5 or so coop like places, TheBikeHouse.org, PhoenixBikes.com community bike shop/mostly youth program, MountRainierBikeCoop (not sure exact web link, it changed, but easiliy search/google able), GearinUp (spelling) newish DC youth program, and VeloCityCoop.org, and maybe some startups, school/college clubs, etc... No velodrome, yet! (hoping frame building, Atomic Zombie like hacking bikes develops... even for track bikes instead of just fixies, tall bikes, etc /LeanOnTelephonePoleToStayUpRight)
CritMass has low attendence for a city, metropolis of this size, about 100 people per month, last I knew, basically when it was first Friday, not much after switching to Last Friday, or 4th Friday, I forget, and keep forgetting...)
Bike Share exists, but mostly for tourists... Heavy expensive bikes and lobbying to keep it that way, imnsho. It gets people biking, and I used the predecessor bike share before they upgraded to the current one. They have bike lights, dynohub, and stations in DC, Arlingtion VA Alexandria VA, and Maryland (? never seen, but don't see why they wouldn't),
Bike Film Festival Has been in DC, but stopped after 3+ years, much to my shagrin... Restarting that, and combining that with BikeBike might make a nice party environment. Environmental Film Festival and some other events, (coining Million Biker Ride?) might be good to partner with. If BikeBike is only 5 days, or a long weekend, adding the rest to make it a full week, might help. Bike Summt and Caucus is probably a week. Locals mostly only have a free ride to do photo ops with congress, afaict, but not done that... Cost prohibitive, and my tolerance of BS, an essential ingredient of politics, is probably rather low, but whatever (almost, IANAL and don't play one online, etc..)...
All this leads up to a money issue. Would the infrastructure exist to host a BikeBike around here?
WABA might be central, but likely has it's hand full anyway. As a fiscal agent, might hold funds and do disbursements, etc... As a mediator amongst the mostly competing coops and bike orgs, might help, but it is not without it's own biases. A membership org, some costs and volunteers can volunteer a certain number of hours for membership. Stuffing envelopes parties exist, iirc, and other events, mostly etoh involved are central, afaict..
MtRainierBikeCoop and Phoenix are probably the oldest of the coop/community bike shops, TBH and Velocity probably about the same age.
I've wandered between most of them, trying them for what they are good at, and leaving some that I can't get along with. They have their place, I hope to some day have one of my own... Sober, clean (drugs at least) and disability + poverty friendly, etc... Kids capabile but not over run with them, that adults have to change their behavior too much... Smurf rule is dififcult to adhere to after smashing ones fingers, knuckles with a tool, etc... Social and stimulus levels (autism like) managed friendly like...
Natural light instead of florescents, air conditioning, out of too much sun, etc... Learning as much, if not more than telling, commerce and money based...
Anyways, I can't throw washington dc area into the hopper, I don't speak for such organizations, just been loitering so long...
As far as myself going to a BikeBike or a regional one, the once every 3-5 years is interesting, but hink of college students, who graduate before that period comes up. Volunteer say 4 years and not get to a big national/international event, just regionals...
My sleep is such that many couch surfing/ warm showers arrangements would not work, hosting, or visiting/ as a guest... Getting away from people, distractions and odd noises keeping me up, in unfamiliar areas would be an issue... Hotel expenses prohibitive, and that is one of the advantages of hosting, stay at home, but the extra work involved may be exhorbanent. Events aren't the greatest for me to try to organize, because I might melt down, with social stress, etc... Paid work as a disabled person, isn't possible. So your average ED position, is not happening. Requires major life change just to try to spend too much time on other people's issues, imo.
So what might work?
Savings, somehow. Volunteer work / sweat equity, for say a year and get a free trip to an annual regional.
Local foods, grocery, GLUT like Food Coop, perhaps.
Gleaning and other bike to a farm and get what can reasonably be saved, instead of wasted, also adds a trip to the country, and/or urban farms, learning about the fuel like options locally. Oranges are nice, apples get tiring, Maple Syrup great, but requires mountains and/or cold, Seafood fun, salmon great, lobster, if I'm not allergic, all these food things are local to some places, not others, and transporting food around the world to keep citrus flowing year round is difficult, environmentally unfriendly, etc, but eating meat, going vegan (can't, but interesting concept), all contribute to the costs involved in living, travelling and events...
Also utility bikes, like on a touring list, carrying a surf board, tools, moving sofa's/ futons, camping gear, tables, flyers, chairs, shop stools, signage, etc somewhat logistically difficult. Hilly mountainous areas (colorado, appalachia, etc) might limit some getting around, for old guys/gals such as myself, not to mention some wheelchair bound disabled. (hey, they got wheels too, just not all inline)... Oxygen levels in high elevations, high plains, say arizona, might effect some breathing, moisture content, rainy seattle, or too sunny/ warm/ rock lobster sun exposure also interesting, one trip I could not adjust well to too much good weather, in cali... I needed my down / bad weather to be mood congruent... /smurk
So other groups have to fund poorer ones, should language (don't should on yourself, much less others) and some other issues with the redistribution of wealth, and lack thereof... Cycle of poverty is difficult, breaking out of it, disabled are basically vow of poverty, like religious orders, but commanded, instead of volunteered...
Motorcycle to a bicycle event, might be an option, getting a trailer/sidecar and bike rack in addition to combine and ride locally. Safe storage/ parking, and anti non meat motor sentiment would be a liekly issue, mostly with twenty somethings and below, older might understand what it is like to be huffing and puffing too much, feeling like it might kill one to do what used to be relativily easy. (even a century), which reminds me bike clubs, riding groups, potomac pedlars, ohbike, and others, black women bike, and others, might be good partners and sponsors...
Commercial bike shops and other for profit enterprises benefit in having tourism, afaict, large scale protests, might detract from the tax base in law enforcement and crowd control costs....
But I digress, hosting seems interesting, wonder if it will happen in dc in my lifetime... /cough /wheeze /SanfordAndSonLikeDrama /ByeWheezy, /etc
Ateending some BikeBike before taking on hosting probably required, as training, planning and other experiences...
Presenting might be interesting. Hosts probably have a standard, these are your host organizations and services they typically offer type base package developed. Even to be considered to be a BikeBike host city/ town... Schools, off season probably have some infrastructure allready in place. College towns, UVA Charlottesville, VA, UMD College Park, Georgetown, GeorgeMason, Arlington and Fairfax (15? miles out) plus Gallaudet, and UDC plus others, Catholic, American, universities, some probably host off season conferences and have lower cost hosting than your average hotel costs. Youth Hostels exist for tourists, Appalachian Trail type access for routes, GreenWay and chinatown type accepts bicycles on bus infractstructure might help too), Public transit options for bike on rail/train/ bus/ etc a necessity. Amtrak does a little, but needs more, IMO. C&O Canal and GAP rails to trails for getting to an event, back and commuting, say to free Hiker Biker Campsites for the primative camping people, and really green folks...
Bike building conferences would also be interesting.
So, I guess just thinking out loud. Maybe put on a wiki website for massive editing over time, not really even draft level, typing out loud...
Cleanup Options
Segments, instead of just wandering verbage...
Think before typing? Let it settle for a while, perk, to be more precise...
Conclusion
Summary of experience or similar
Plan years out for what it would take, create a subcommittee/ ad hoc regional committee?
Similar to Burning Man? /Cough
Links
_Insert Link Farm here_
Discussion
A place for feedback on the page presented
What does it take for you to go to your first new Con?
What research is involved?
or Just Do It?
and Stop Whining?
Did you bicycle to it?
Cross Country
Cross Continent?
Cross World?
License
Creative Commons Share and Share Alike, Non Commercial, Non Derivative, for the whole site's contents unless otherwise explicitly stated
Page History
20151015 Jerry
- more cleanup, some commas, CamelCasing, wordSmithing, general readability, press it in light gold and get the crap out of here...
- On to other things, before I get preHallowed stagnant...
20151013 Jerry
- major cleanup, add links, connecting tissue, headings, and basically butcher it, from it's readable kewlish flow...
- Into Something $, argh...
- stop turning hobby into hell...
20151012 Jerry
- Jerry created this page to put up an idear, expressed in one coop email list, to another larger list, and a tool set to clean up my thoughts on the matter of funding self and possibly how others might self and group collectively fund such events...
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