I generally try to keep a pretty light hand on the tiller of this crazy cruise, and I'm genuinely conflicted as to how to handle this thread.
On one hand, I'd like to lock it and delete the gruffer posts, While on the other hand, folks stood up for themselves in an appropriate and (so far) respectful manner. It seems like some points have been excessively reinforced and need no further embellishment (the first way out of a hole is to stop digging).. And some folks found terminology to be triggering, so I want to respect that also. One tenet I've mentioned probably too infrequently here is the idea that we are all going to express ourselves poorly from time to time, and if we can give one another the space to do that, it's for the benefit of all. If this thread devolves into personal invective, it'll get sliced up and locked. But if we can take a deep breath and step back, I'd rather get back to appreciating the _spirit_ of the original post. We'll see how that goes, yeah? - Jim / list admin On Thursday, August 8, 2024 at 6:40:07 PM UTC-7 Brian Campbell wrote: > Agree with George. > > While there is no ill-will intended, as victim of wilding incident a few > decades ago, you are sending a message that you might not want to! > > My wife's broken nose can attest to that! > > > > On Thursday, August 8, 2024 at 12:15:18 PM UTC-4 George Schick wrote: > >> Umm...I don't think I'd refer to it as a "wilding" if I were you. Here is >> the standard definition for that term: >> >> https://www.google.com/search?q=wilding&oq=wilding&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i512j46i10i131i433i512j0i10i131i433i512j46i10i512j0i512l2j46i512l2j0i512.3080j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 >> The Urban Dictionary is even more explicit. >> >> >> On Thursday, August 8, 2024 at 10:10:59 AM UTC-5 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! >> wrote: >> >>> I did it again. I went to that crazy Wed night Grand Rapids ride. From >>> now on I’m calling it “wilding.” As in, “I am going wilding! See you way >>> past bedtime!” I think that’s a real term, I might be misappropriating it, >>> but it sounds fantastic and suits my purposes. >>> >>> I arrive at the city park a little early and watch the crowd roll up. >>> The wheelie crowd is right on time, careening around on rear wheels and >>> making everyone nervous. A wide variety of bikes are in attendance. We have >>> a massive turnout, 121 riders, just awesome to behold. J is leading, and he >>> brings this: >>> >>> [image: image0.jpeg][image: image1.jpeg] >>> You can see here that cleanliness is very important to him, and that he >>> does mostly tame rides and so we would have nothing to fear since he >>> planned tonight’s route. >>> >>> Here is my bike, demure and innocent, having its first adventures >>> amongst all these GR rabble rousers. >>> [image: image2.jpeg] >>> >>> It is 8:30pm. We set off and a new group makes its appearance. I call >>> them The Jumpers. They have full suspension bikes with names like Salsa on >>> them and when we go up a ramp, they ride up the stairs. They fly off ledges >>> and drop back into the group and scare this nurse half to death. They >>> launch their bikes and sashay through the air and hope everyone is >>> watching. The Jumpers are wilding the hardest. >>> >>> I quickly realize that the middle-back is the place to be. Away from The >>> Kids and The Jumpers. I want to ride by J, but I also want to go home by >>> private vehicle, not ambulance. >>> >>> We block intersections and ride through red lights; drivers submit to >>> all of this. No honking or threatening behavior. Just tolerance for 121 >>> bikes and riders wending through their streets. We ride through >>> neighborhoods (only one crash!), and then along the aptly-named Grand >>> River. Everyone stares at us, a massive clot of bikes, moving along the >>> path. We get to a pavilion where everyone chats in a haze of pot smoke and >>> beer drinking. I drink my usual electrolyte water; I need my wits about me. >>> Three men come to ogle my Platypus. They are into all the custom colored >>> bits. One of them is Velocity USA’s anodizer; here is the man who anodized >>> my rims! >>> [image: image3.jpeg] >>> It turns out, he is my bike twin. I am jealous of the blue metal flake >>> in his purple paint job. I didn’t think someone could out-sparkle me, but >>> he’s done it. >>> >>> [image: image4.jpeg] >>> >>> Isn’t it scary how much we have in common? >>> [image: image5.jpeg] >>> >>> At 10pm, good and dark out, we set off. Here was the description of the >>> ride: “…We‘ll head back to the Monarch via a less level and less paved >>> route, so if you’re heading back with us, bring some tires!” >>> >>> WHAT COULD GO WRONG. >>> >>> It is the black of night. We are in the middle of nowhere. There are >>> animals in the woods. We are behind a factory of some kind. The parking lot >>> is dirt and full of pot holes. Now there is no road, no buildings. We are >>> in the woods, riding over tall grass. We can see a few feet in front of us, >>> we cannot see the ground through the grass. I am praying not to land in a >>> hole. Now we are in sandy soil, with deep ruts in it. I am thanking my >>> lucky stars that I went with 48mm Gravel Kings. The group is beginning to >>> split as different people set different paces for this terrain. Now we are >>> in rocky dirt with tall grass and brush growing up through it. We are >>> forced to dismount at times, squeeze through narrow spaces. We must lift >>> our bikes up and over obstacles, hoping not to get hit from behind by other >>> riders in the dark. I wonder how many ticks we have, and if I will get my >>> first taste of poison ivy. But, I can’t worry about that now because I have >>> to make it out of here alive first. >>> >>> I end up at the front of my section. The riders directly behind me have >>> no lights. We are counting on me, and my headlight is pointed too far down >>> and I can’t lift it because it’s screwed tight. So we don’t have a lot of >>> forward visibility. I see something in the dark. The ground starts to drop. >>> “STOP STOP STOP! GET OFF YOUR BIKES!” I yell. Everyone behind me echoes >>> this and I turn on my iPhone flashlight for better viewing. There is a pit >>> just ahead, and an inches-wide beam we are going to have to traverse to get >>> across. I can’t believe it. >>> >>> To my left is one 6-8inch wide beam that stretches across a yawning pit. >>> There is another to my right. We are high up enough that there are tree >>> branches reaching across the way. We will use both beams to move everyone >>> across. I have to lift my bike up onto the beam, step up and begin to inch >>> across. The woman behind me lets forth a stream of cuss words. I can hear >>> another woman who is protesting. We don’t have any choice but to traverse >>> that wood. I resign myself to it, and I lift my Platypus and balance it on >>> the beam. Like Simone Biles! Ok, fine, not Simone Biles. Looking for >>> security, I grab for the branches as I wheel my bike by. If my bike goes >>> over the edge, I’ll never get it out, I think. If I go over the edge, I’m >>> also never getting out. A man is waiting on the far side. “You can do it! >>> You’ve got the Platypus!” he calls. And I do it. Some men coax the riders >>> behind me over the beam and we are on our way again. >>> >>> The rest of the ride was tame in comparison. It ended at their watering >>> hole and I pealed off for the park, where my truck was. I was nervous >>> riding alone at 11 pm in downtown but after what I’d just survived, it >>> didn’t seem so scary. I rode those 2 miles, wrestled the bike into the back >>> of the Telluride, and made it home at midnight. >>> >>> I don’t know why I do these rides - I’m terrified most of the time. But >>> I will probably go back next week. It’s a good story, if nothing else. 🙃 >>> >>> Leah >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> On Aug 3, 2024, at 12:30 PM, Jay <jason....@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>> Love that your teenagers waited up for you, and that you would ground >>> them. Sounds like a fun ride! >>> >>> >>> >>> On Friday, August 2, 2024 at 1:58:44 PM UTC-4 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! >>> wrote: >>> >>>> >>>> Bill, you get me. Come to the east Michigan ride and we’ll both be >>>> tipsy on life in The Shire! >>>> >>>> On Aug 2, 2024, at 12:49 PM, Bill Lindsay <tape...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> "I was stone-cold sober" >>>> >>>> I believe that she means that she didn't partake in any of the >>>> party-lubricants. Still, Leah's brand of joie de vivre will never qualify >>>> in my book as stone-cold sober. Tipsy on life is closer. >>>> >>>> BL in EC >>>> P.S. APPROVE >>>> On Thursday, August 1, 2024 at 3:41:10 PM UTC-7 Bicycle Belle Ding >>>> Ding! wrote: >>>> >>>>> I have long wished to do the Grand Rapids Wednesday Evening Ride. My >>>>> Riv buddy, J, co-leads it, and the routes are ever-changing and FUN. >>>>> Maybe >>>>> you storm the castle. Maybe you end up in a river. Wind up in a kickball >>>>> tournament. It isn’t convenient - it’s an hour’s drive, and starts after >>>>> 8pm. A ride that starts after 8!!! On a Wednesday! But those GR folks >>>>> know how to do it. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Last night, I made it. Beginning in the heart of GR, we would ride a >>>>> 16 mi route in urban and rural landscapes. A variety of bikes were >>>>> represented; cobbled-together builds, vintage bikes, bikepacking and >>>>> touring bikes, fixies, hybrids, whatever those bikes are that you ride on >>>>> the rear wheel, and one Platypus. Not represented: high-tech carbon >>>>> fiber/time trial bikes with roadies astride them. The reason would soon >>>>> become apparent. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> We set off. Bikes were all over the road. “The kids”, a group of teens >>>>> who ride their rear wheels set themselves up as “blockers” so we could >>>>> move >>>>> through intersections. The drivers seemed unbothered. J said, “Leah, I >>>>> forgot to tell you we are going to blow red lights. The police prefer we >>>>> do >>>>> so we stay in one group.” The ride has been going for 20 years, so I >>>>> guess >>>>> the drivers expect this. I did as I was told, casting nervous glances >>>>> over >>>>> my shoulder at J. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> [image: image0.jpeg] >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Most of my miles come from club rides. Club rides prize order, >>>>> communication, pace, predictability. This ride was a free-for-all. >>>>> Jubilant >>>>> and raucous. Music blared from speakers strapped to frames. People sipped >>>>> beer. The scent of weed hung in the air. The Kids zipped about on one >>>>> wheel. We had two crashes in the first 20 minutes. I vacillated between >>>>> having fun and feeling terrified. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> One minute we were in the city, the next we were in the woods on a >>>>> paved trail, bodies of water surrounding us. The sounds of the creatures >>>>> in >>>>> the woods were as loud as the music on the bikes. We sailed over bridges, >>>>> veered off onto gravel, our giant band of bikes wending its way along the >>>>> route. It was gorgeous. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> [image: image1.jpeg] >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> We stopped at a giant pavilion, strung with outdoor lights, and >>>>> rabblerousing ensued. People laughed and visited, music played, fireflies >>>>> flickered overhead. At nearly 10 pm, in the pitch black of night, they >>>>> mounted their bikes, got back on the trail and planned to end at a bar. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> [image: image2.jpeg] >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> The woods felt like they were closing in on us. Like that scene in The >>>>> Legend of Sleepy Hollow. It was THRILLING, and I smiled to myself in the >>>>> dark. Suddenly there was yelling at the front and SLOWING….I couldn’t >>>>> make >>>>> out the word at first. SKUNK!!! An actual skunk was running along the >>>>> path. >>>>> We dared not pass him for fear of smelling more like skunk than the weed >>>>> smoke had already done to us. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> I skipped the bar; J rode me to my truck and helped me load my >>>>> Platypus. The Platypus was perfect for this; chunky tires and compact >>>>> size, >>>>> front and rear dyno lights, resplendent in color and quite the >>>>> conversation >>>>> starter. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> [image: image4.jpeg] >>>>> >>>>> I got home at midnight; my teenagers were waiting up for me. If they >>>>> had walked in the door smelling like I did, I’d have grounded them on the >>>>> spot. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> 10/10 would do again. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Note: I was stone-cold sober, putting TWO electrolyte tabs in my water >>>>> was as wild as I got. Lest you think poorly of me. 😊 >>>>> >>>>> On Aug 1, 2024, at 6:18 PM, Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! < >>>>> jonasa...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> People here are always posting about their “ride reports.” Something >>>>> enchanting in some far away place with photos that pose the bike JUST SO… >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> But yesterday I went wilding and I’m going to give you a DIFFERENT >>>>> kind of Ride Report. >>>>> >>>>> In the next post, though, because you know how I do it… >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the >>>>> Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>>>> To unsubscribe from this topic, visit >>>>> https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/cCwFnSHq_zc/unsubscribe >>>>> . >>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to >>>>> rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. >>>>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/dd01d4ec-2303-4e8e-ba92-9218776e5814n%40googlegroups.com >>>>> >>>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/dd01d4ec-2303-4e8e-ba92-9218776e5814n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>>> . >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the >>>> Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>>> To unsubscribe from this topic, visit >>>> https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/cCwFnSHq_zc/unsubscribe >>>> . >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to >>>> rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. >>>> >>>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/e2571fb4-9474-4b09-81a0-e6131acd84cfn%40googlegroups.com >>>> >>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/e2571fb4-9474-4b09-81a0-e6131acd84cfn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>> . >>>> >>>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the >>> Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this topic, visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/cCwFnSHq_zc/unsubscribe >>> . >>> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to >>> rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. >>> >>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/1be2a619-e8a0-4793-ada3-f730fdaa97e5n%40googlegroups.com >>> >>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/1be2a619-e8a0-4793-ada3-f730fdaa97e5n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>> . >>> >>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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