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Kryxtanicole
03.24.11
What’s your name (optional) and/or your Midnight Ridazz log-in name?
My name is Krista Nicole and my MR login is Kryxtanicole.
How did you first hear about Midnight Ridazz and what was your first group bike ride?
I first heard about Midnight Ridazz through Alex aka Joker/tallcans4tallbikes. We went to college together and stayed friends afterward. I invited him to my birthday party, and he said he would totally come but he was leading a ride that night. He led the ride by my party so I could see what it was all about, but I missed his call when they were rolling by! So he hosted another ride a couple weeks later called the No Ride. That was my first ride. I met a bunch of people on that ride that became good friends, like Fuzzbeast, Juno, and Gabby (Puglife), who's been a teammate of mine at 4 polo tournaments.
Currently what rides do you attend regularly and what ride(s) would you like to see make a comeback?
Currently I come out to the monthly Midnight Ridazz second Friday ride, Ride With No Name, occasionally FMLY. Monday Night Rehab, Taco Tuesdays and Barchopz have always been fun, too, but I haven't been out to them recently.
Where you will most likely find me is anywhere there's a few mallets and a ball and enough room to play a game of bike polo. Sundays at the rink in North Hollywood is church - can't be missed!
I'm not hoping for any comebacks because the nature of this community is evolution and it's the new ideas and experiments that keep everything fun and exciting and worthwhile. My hope is simply for people to keep developing and trying out new concepts and having fun while doing it.
What advice would you pass on to new ridazz?
1. Be good to the community and the community will be good to you. Like the golden rule, but even more important (think double golden) because this community is a goldmine of creative energy and love.
2. Take care of your bike and be prepared. Make sure it's in good riding order and not going to fall apart and leave you stranded. Bring a tube, a pump, a set of levers and a wrench - these are the bare minimum to handle a flat tire.
3. Contribute. Everyone has something to offer that can benefit the group. Share your ideas, your creativity and your skills.
If you were leading a group ride, what would you do differently?
It's hard to say that anything should be done differently since there are many ride leaders and many different manners of leading. I've led a few rides and it's a position that can present some challenges, so the best thing to do is relax and communicate. One of the things that bugs me is when people call out turns at the last minute. Just call them out ahead of time. And also, don't try to herd cats. You can't control every person. Just set the expectation for others to follow you and ride on!
Do you prefer small rides (30 people or less) or larger rides and why?
Larger rides contain immense amounts of concentrated energy, and it's extremely exhilarating to be a part of a living, breathing mass on wheels, but overall I prefer smaller rides because you can stick together easier, they are usually more relaxed (not to be confused with slow), and you have a more intimate experience with the people that are there.
Tell us about the best and worst experience you’ve encountered on a group ride.
The best experience was 328 when cyclists all over the city coordinated and met up throughout the day and rode with different groups and traversed the city and when the Mosey and Mom rides at 328 insisted on combining by way of roaring chants of "Momsey!"
The worst is when people steal and create a bad impression of the ridazz at places we patronize, because we are actually good for communities and local businesses, but some people's actions obscure that and actually make us look bad instead. Also, people stealing from other ridazz is very disappointing to me.
What did you do for fun before you started “riding”?
Mostly bars and videogames. Hiking and running too.
What’s the best and worst thing group bike rides have done for cycling as a whole in Los Angeles?
The best thing is that the rides have given people a fun activity that fosters independence, self-suffiency, community, and creativity in people and gets more people on bikes. Especially the part about getting people on bikes.
The worst would be the association that many people make between the negative actions of individuals on rides with every cyclist they see on the street.
If you can name 1 person who embodies the spirit of “Midnight Ridazz”, Who would it be and Why?
Midnight Ridazz is a dynamic entity, which makes this a tough question! Off the top of my head, I will give some names, but I feel like this is something that is expressed in many people. So who then? Roadblock, Nikki, Hanako, Barleye. and and and .... you know how it is!
What do you think the public’s perception is of group bike rides?
I think it's a pie chart that shows around 50% disdain, 40% support, and 10% who are just taken aback by the group rides.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
818 Dominate!
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