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I feel pretty in the dark about this, actually. I want to know more. I know Portland people are coming down for this...how come Portland people know all about this, but Midnight Ridazz don't? Fill me in!
Of course nothing of significance is happening on the 10th that I know of that the PDXers could experience that is a Monthly Ridazz Tradition ... NO WAY!
Nothing that would deserve a MENTION on the bikeangeles calendar ...
But then again, there's a whole bunch of riders I no longer see on the 2nd Friday rides anymore. I'm looking at the trannys and the crussties... some of you mothers as well.
Why doesn't anybody scrape the content off this site, dump it into a calendar that allows people to put it all on their phone/office calendar/etc. using .ics or whatever format) and call it a day?
@GodLovesUgly You are so very right. I haven't been on group rides for a while, and my new year's resolution (um, that's a cheeseball burning man reference) is to get my ass back to 2nd Fridays and Ride With No Names. Speaking of...
I think it's part of the reason the young kids have been running amok. There's not enough of those old school rider's presence and their wisdom. I was just bustin your guys balls.
I think ZooBomBers and PDX folks will enjoy this Friday's ride. That is, if they are ever able to know about it. Are The Sprockettes coming to visit too?
GOSH LA IS SO LUCKY TO HAVE THIS! ARE YOU ALL READY FOR THIS? IF YOU CAN MAKE IT THROUGH THE WEEK AND THROUGH CRANK MAS THEN LOS ANGELOPES HAVE A VERY DARK SURPRISE IN STORE FOR YOU...
1) There will be interesting people.
2) It will visit interesting places.
3) Interesting things will happen.
4) It may surprise you.
5) You may surprise yourself.
6) ...
I mean, I think the decision not to post rides here is kind of weird and petty and probably a symptom of some widening cultural divide, but why perpetuate that weird, petty cultural divide by pouting and saying "fine, I didn't want to go on your stupid ride anyway?"
Why assume that it's a question of leaving MR out? It might just be a question of priorities = people may have higher priorities than posting it here = posting it on Bike Angeles, Facebook, and going to Burning Man. I know the people organizing this wanted this collection of rides to stand out as a set of rides that people from other locales could just plug-in to their schedule on an extended trip here. I think they viewed it kind of like a Bike Summer type thing and this is the suggested ride playlist. It may be that these folks will post the rides on MR as time allows - it's not easy to post on MR and some people may feel that they get greater return by posting on BikeAngeles.com and Facebook than by posting to MR. There are drawbacks to posting a ride here, like the massive negativity that comes with every forum post = who wants that associated to their ride. Even when Bike Angeles does it posted here it is received with hateful pouting that it wasn't posted here first. That's why I don't post my rides here - who needs the abuse from Abuser1, and his descendants?
Borfo and Roadblock were included on the massive email chain that got Bike Angeles running, so it's kind of hilarious that they're upset about it now. Fact is that RB was asked if he would put a Bike Angeles banner up on MR.com and he said "No" - so much for inclusiveness and working together.
Being CC:'d on an email is only slightly better than getting your only notice on Twitter - it's impersonal and lazy.
There is nothing wrong with having the website, or even a list of "official" events for this "Bikeangeles" thing. I know _I_ don't have a problem with that. But presenting it in a calendar format implies that the only thing going on in our bike community is what is on that calendar - which is bullshit.
So, what is this bikeangeles thing again? It didn't make sense to me when I got the email months ago, and it makes even LESS sense to me now.
I'm not that "cool" which is probably my problem but I've got to agree with Rev. Dak. But aside from that, if not MidnightRidazz then where? I gave up on bikeboom a long time ago.
Is there somewhere else thats not inclusive where the riff raff can go for a bike ride, or at least find out about rides? Must be that I don't hang out with the right peeps, actually I don't hang out with anyone but I like a good group ride occasionally...
dave responding to a comment by Alex Thompson
09.8.10 - 9:54 pm
It's an easy position for you to defend when you're "in". But when you feel like an outsider in certain circles and you see things that you consider divisive and disrespectful, people are going to call out the bullshit. And in my case it's the calendar format the site chooses to use, instead of a list or schedule.
The same shit happened years before some of you learned what a "fixie" was between bikeboom.com and midnightridazz.com.
I know I don't give a fuck about bikeangeles, the series of events. But I am bothered by bikeangeles as a new calendar of events.
Is it even a calendar of events, or just a lazy way of presenting the "official" scheduled events for BikeAngeles? That's what I'm wondering.
exclusive, inclusive, there's obviously some amount of tension going on but where else is a good site to look for upcoming rides besides midnight ridazz? cicles nice, ridearc was nice, spokenart is nice, atomic cycles, is that it?
My understanding is that it's a series of rides, somewhat Westside focused (although the organizer I believe wanted it to be more all city but life intervened), that leads up to CRANKMASS 3 and Los Angelopes.
"But presenting it in a calendar format implies that the only thing going on in our bike community is what is on that calendar - which is bullshit." - Dak
That's a stretch. Mental yoga fo 'sho.
"Being CC:'d on an email is only slightly better than getting your only notice on Twitter - it's impersonal and lazy." - Dak
I'm not in charge. How that imperfect communication translates to divisive, worthless, evil, etc I don't understand.
A calendar strikes me as a logical way of displaying an event listing. It does not include every Ridazz style ride, it does not include every bike ride, it doesn't even include every party or every event or even every single thing happening in the United States in that 10 day period . . . nor does it claim to.
I don't want to argue these stupid things line by line, point by point, because it always gets dumb. But I will point out my only question, WHAT IS BIKE ANGELES? If it's not supposed to be a new calendar of BIKE EVENTS IN LOS ANGELES, which I can fairly assume since there isn't a mission statement anywhere, what is it? No one has yet explained. My complaints are completely VALID based on my assumptions, and my assumptions are based on the name:
BIKE ANGELES, which I assume means BIKE-ing in los ANGELES.
Well first, just asking a question does not entitle you to an answer.
Bike Angeles is a cool name that me and some other people thought up for the burgeoning bike district in Mar Vista & Del Rey. We put it out there for a while but then no one had the inspiration or time to take the concept to the next level.
Comes along Sara Bond and she wants to do a series of rides and bring PDX and some other peeps. Great concept, wants a brand. Someone owns the domain, so we repurpose the name and brand.
Surprisingly, someone decides to use a calendar format, cause it's all like the way people schedule things and it turns out the calendar format is not trademarked by Wolfpack Hustle.
It's not nefarious, it's not a conspiracy, it's more and less than you think.
After taking a closer look at the events on the bikeangeles calendar, I think I have a little bit better understanding of whats going on here. Excuse me, I think I'll bow out of this exchange. The rides look interesting.
The only time one should feel excluded and an outsider is when all "the insiders" surround you with menacing looks on their faces and you've depleted all munitions for your Para-Ordnance.
well never mind then, it was only a couple simple questions and I was just hoping I would get the courtesy. But I see that my participation isn't cared for - not a problem, seriously.
there goes Alex Thompson fibbing again and twisting shit up again. Actually what transpired was Sara Bond Texted me asking that the banner to say " bikeangeles" and I told her:
"I wouldn't really want to change up that banner to promote rides that aren't in the calendar... Maybe you could post the rides in the calendar on MR under the title bikeangeles?"
and the response I got was "That makes sense. I totally understand. Since im not there its hard to see what is accomplished and what isnt. Let me see what i can do... I will be in touch thank you!!!"
I was going to host a race for bikeangeles I thought it was a great concept. But all it seems to come to was posting the same ride that appear on MR and then people were not posting the rides as a bikeangeles on mr at all. So I got disinterested in the project but I still was down to support or at least not pull an "Alex Thompson" and heckle it. I just didn't say much till I read Ubrayj suggesting to scrape this site to add content.... It kind of irked me I'll have to admit. A lot of people have spent a lot of time and creativity building this bike culture in LA and it gets archived on here... It's like turning your back on something that the community built. Yeah I know the calendar on this site isn't the greatest. But it's NOT hard to post on here. It's pretty simple and it works. I'd love to upgrade but it's going
to take a Lot of work. The one thing I can say, is that Ive hosted community sites forever and the shit is not going anywhere, I will always find a way to keep it alive. Sites have come and gone and mr.com is still here archiving the bike scene. Thanks to all of you even you AT.
Roadblock responding to a comment by Alex Thompson
09.9.10 - 1:35 am
AT is just a dick. Now that we all know that... let's move on from it. And MR will live on forever... because of the humble beginnings it stems from and the altruistic, but sometimes naive, intentions it subscribes to.
Isn't this just like Biketown Beta? That somehow was organized on MR but not this douchy exclusive westside bullshit. Oh well one of the only good rides left, the RWNN is now bowed down to the elitism of the westdouche and now forever be a meh ride.
not to really add fuel to the fire, but so be it, Im gonna say some stuff.
Regarding the I dont post on MR
I think it's bs that people would refrain from posting on MR under the pseudo reason that they don't want anything "negative" said about their ride.
For one, why should we be so narrow-minded to believe that only threads with dumb comments about a ride hold so much weight, yet threads with really smart people bickering and calling each other out are somehow, oh so positive? Since I see no reason to believe anyone her is the authority on what is and is not "negativity", then I'm going to broaden the scope of negativity.
I think most are more receptive than that, and understand that MR has the name and weight, and at the end of the day is mutha-f-ing O.G. Everyone else is trying, but owes much to MR. So why try to distance yourself from MR even if negative comments exist? Am I missing something, or are we a bunch of emotional brats that cannot filter through this public forum?
even more important, is that the Ride Calendar on MR doesn't have a comment section, so you really need to be a forum poster or reader to even get the joking, negativity and whining.
I think most people see all this for what it is: a way to distance "their" rides from the so and so attendees that they hope don't fuck up their good time.
Thankfully MR has never resorted to this mentality and instead treated ALL of Los Angeles with the same openness, and continues to push through the flames, instead of running away.
md2 responding to a comment by Alex Thompson
09.9.10 - 11:57 am
"A lot of people have spent a lot of time and creativity building this bike culture in LA and it gets archived on here... It's like turning your back on something that the community built."
I completely agree with Roadblock here. I'm not trying to butt heads, but I feel like there is and has been an intentionally-created schism, and that really bums me out. There seems to be a need on the part of a good number of people to intentionally define themselves as other and impliedly better than MR, and that's kinda childish and silly. (Is it a kind of a child / parent dynamic....the kid is growing up and trying to define itself?)
MR started the community, the MR community changed the face of LA, and the lives of a lot of people. I think that we all, including BikeAngeles, should acknowledge that community connection.
Thanks Foldie...now you put me on the defensive....
My 2 cents is this: RWNN has done 22 rides. 19 from 3rd and Traction, and 2 from Olympic and Rimpau. There's no bowing down to anyone or any group. About 2 years ago Stevo organized an impromptu Westside ride and took us through this amazing area in Brentwood/Northern Santa Monica.
I have wanted to do a Westside RWNN for a few years but never found a month to plug it into. I was informed about the planning of Bike Angeles about a month or two ago and thought that would be a good time to do it. My route includes this portion mentioned above.
I live on the Westside but do RWNN on the Eastside for the most part....I grew up with my dad taking me on road trips around DTLA. He managed the United Building at 7th and Broadway for over 20 years and worked as an exec. for Metropolitan Theatres (the Broadway Theatres) for a bit longer. That's my reasoning for doing RWNN in DTLA. I now take HIM on road trips showing HIM stuff in DTLA that he never knew existed thanks to rides such as Ride Arc.
To say that there's any elitism or Westside favortism is total bullshit and Foldie, you know me better than that. (disclaimer: Foldie is still awesome).
Personally I thought BikeAngels should have been posted and promoted here on M.R. weeks ago. Here's what I wrote to the organizers on Aug. 26th:
"When is this gonna start being promoted on midnight ridazz? It's less than 3 weeks away and hardly anything is mentioned on m.r.
Maybe a flyer, the calendar of the rides that week?"
I received no response.....The RWNN bows down to nobody.. 9/17/10 at the Santa Monica Airport. It's gonna be a great ride.
Hope to see you guys there.
barleye responding to a comment by Foldie
09.9.10 - 1:15 pm
I really don't care about all this petty bickering or where rides get posted, just so long as wherever they get posted is made known to the public if the public is invited. Rides were happening before MidnightRidazz came along and they'll continue as long as someone wants to ride their bike around. "bicycling community"? meh.
Can't we all get along and ride "LOS ANGELES" a whole city? The rides I love the best are the rides which explore strange new worlds... seek out new life; new civilisations... and boldly go where no ride has gone before!
X-Large responding to a comment by dave
09.9.10 - 1:30 pm
people are entitled to make their own calendars their own websites.... in fact there should be more more more! the issue for me is that certain people are so eager to diss MR and MR.com in their effort to separate themselves from it.... but then they want to use it to promote their surveys discuss issues and so forth... so... either love it or leave it yo! and let the rides flow flow flow. post them here and post them there. post them everywhere. just kill all that hayten!
PS it was nice to see Johnnyboy and Frozenfingersss posting again if only briefly, it's been a while.
It's mostly my fault. I started the Haytin. I apologize.
Yes, I was aware of Bikeangeles plans because I was CC'd.
I just wanted to express how I feel that theres a disconnect from Midnight Ridazz from those who are moved onto Facebook and secret sites that ditch MR and stuff. That's cool. Do what you want. It just kind of sucks to me. Maybe I'm too attached.
I don't think Midnight Ridazz is such a negative medium like people always make it out to be. You make it what you want it to be. That's the potential it has to me.
I hope bikeangeles works out great. Seriously.
Sorry I pooped on your party. I was just sayin. geesh.
Bike Angeles is basically a week of westside rides starting tomorrow. (Basically in the spirit of Pedalpalooza.) Why it's not posted on midnightridazz I do not know and why it's not called Bike Westside instead of Bike Angeles I do not know.
it's not your fault at all. you have done nothing wrong.
if bikeangeles was meant to be an all out biking even in los angeles then midnight ridazz, lafixed, and anyone else would have at least been informed so they could plan and add rides to the calendar on bikeangeles.com. look at the pedalpalooza calendar and see how many events happen in one day. i'm pretty sure ride leaders, or the public for that matter were not left in the dark.
coldcut responding to a comment by Joe Borfo
09.9.10 - 4:48 pm
also, i have nothing against exclusive rides. some of the best rides i have ever been on have been exclusive. but to have an event called "bike angeles" where many of the rides on the calendar are not inclusive to the biking communities in los angeles... well, that's just fucked up.
I'm just trying to create the atmosphere that puts AT and other organizers off of the defensive so that they can possibly take this little tangent of the "bike community" into more consideration for future plans.
@Borfo, Fair enough. But I do feel like that's what it comes down to - the LA bike community, and people's definition of what it is and who belongs in it.
i dont get it. what makes any of this exclusive? do i have to buy tv ad space next time i want to host a ride? no one said you cant come to any of the rides. there is no one stopping you from signing up to bikeangeles.com and posting your ride just like there is no one stopping you from posting a ride here. i dont give a fuck about this sites ride calender or bikeangeles.com. im sure it could of been cool if sara bond the one who had the idea for bikeangele didnt move back to NY. the shit that is written in this thread is fucking ridiculous.
midnightridazz.com is not the big brother of the los angeles bike scene
@larsenf That's fine, but I didn't know anything about this at all until Kelly Peach in Portland told me about it. I suppose someone could tell me that it's my fault for not having facebook (would I know about this if I had facebook?), but....honestly, how the hell am I supposed to know about this if it's not on MR? That's what makes it feel like it's for certain people, but not for others. Whatevs. I'm just being butt hurt.
its not on facebook, i didnt find out about it until sara bond told me when i ran into her on a ride. at that point it had already been circulating in email for awhile and even then i didnt get any emails until recently. no one is organizing it and if it were to be good they should of been more active and open about organizing it. as far as i see its just another week but crankmas happens to be at the end of it. regular TT westside RWNN a special edition westside mosey. i dont know what makes it bikeangeles but you guys take it way too seriously.
larsenf responding to a comment by Ms. Stephanie
09.9.10 - 10:47 pm
^^^look, midnightridazz and facebook are in cahoots, i feel excluded.
i dont see anything about bikeangeles on facebook. its just another 2nd friday ride posting trying to get the word out to as many people as possible...
larsenf responding to a comment by Joe Borfo
09.9.10 - 10:54 pm
A bunch of you came back from pedalpalooza and after bonding with the PDX folks you wanted to create a LA version of it.
You never had any intention of avoiding Midnight Ridazz Website except there's cops on this site, Burningman got you all busy, Sara Bond went to NY, and Alex Doesn't love MR no mo' - So that's why its so mysterious and vague. I GET IT. It's ALL GOOD.
(It's not like I get out of the house more than once a month anyways. I feel a strong kinship to bentsrider... )
@tinycities I love you for inviting me to movie night. One night was my mom's birthday, the other night was three days before I left for the dust rave in the desert.
And this Monday I'm out of town again...
...but I'll come just as soon as I can. I SWEARSES!