Movie Night - Breaking Away

Malco Theaters is once again bringing it to the big screen. This time they have teamed up with the Memphis Hightailers for another bicycle movie screening. What movie, you ask? None other than Breaking Away. Unlike the last event, tickets are only available online through the Memphis Hightailers website so be sure to register as soon as you can. The movie will screen Monday, May 23rd. A perfect comedown after all of the bicycle events from the weekend.

Similar to the last event (where proceeds benefited Livable Memphis) the proceeds from this event will be donated to the National MS Society in the name of Pat Boyd, long-time Peddler employee and friend who recently passed. Pat's sister has Multiple Sclerosis and he was a big supporter of the MS150 ride from Memphis to Tunica.

When you register you can even make an additional donation.

Civic Center Plaza Bicycle Rack

This nine-bike wave rack sits at the northern edge of Civic Center Plaza. If you're not familiar with the name Civic Center Plaza, it's where most of the Shelby County and City of Memphis government offices are located. Still not familiar? It's the place with the fountains that shoot up out of the ground. Yeah, now you got it. Perfect place to lock up, let the kids out of the trailer and let them play around. They go crazy for those fountains. Remember that scene from Billy Madison where the kid sits on the sprinkler? This is like that, but on EPO. I've seen kids do it, too. It probably feels like getting racked. Did you see that? I made a pun.

Anyways, here's how the rack racks up:

Form - Wave
Function - Pass
Environment - By the books, government work, baby. And they probably paid twice the price.
Points of Interest - Memphis City Council

Stolen bike alert

Taken from the UofM library tonight: blue and tan road bike conversion with a campy front wheel and a Michetrack hub laced to a white velocity aerohead. If seen or found please contact me or joel at outdoors.

S. Main / G. E. Patterson Bicycle Rack

So yeah, a pretty generic name for this bicycle rack. There are so many shops right in this area that I didn't want to be unfair to anyone by naming it for another shop. As you can see from the photo the bicycle rack sits right between Delphinium, a long-time South Main resident and Hoot + Louise, a newbie to the area specializing in vintage dresses.

But those shops aren't the big name you think about when people mention this corner. It's not American Apparel, either. The honor goes to Arcade Restaurant, Memphis' oldest cafe. Sure you can get a damn fine breakfast there but what really makes me salivate are their pizzas. Large, loaded, New York-style pies. Don't get me wrong, I'm a regular at Memphis Pizza Cafe. The Arcade pizza is more of a treat because they close early. I think I might have to make a special trip when a beautiful day comes along.

Here's how the rack racks up:

Form - Artistic (Jill Turman)
Function - Pass
Environment - Memphis Rack!
Points of Interest - Arcade Restaurant, Earnestine & Hazel's, South Main Arts District

Huling Station Bicycle Rack

Pop quiz hot shot! Who made this bicycle rack? That's right, Jill Turman. Located right next to the Huling Station Trolley Stop this rack is a wonderful locking point for The National Civil Rights Museum or, uh, Public Storage. Seriously, though, there are several restaurants around here and it has definitely picked up from the 5 years ago that I worked in the area and it's just going to continue to grow.

Here's how the rack racks up:

Form - Artistic
Function - Pass
Environment - It's the "Memphis Rack"
Points of Interest - The National Civil Rights Museum

Memphis In May - Honoring Mud Boots

I've been getting some blog love (blove?) lately. gomemphis has set up the definitive guide to Memphis In May and procured my help in setting up a bike route map. They even link to my bike rack map which is accessible from a smart phone. (You'll need that smart phone to track the storm systems as they approach.) It would be super cool if there were free bike valet at the entrance to Tom Lee Park - yet another nice way to honor the bike-loving country of Belgium.

Speaking of which, here is how I plan to honor Belgium during the month of May:

1. I will only ride my cyclocross bike. Very popular in Belgium, cyclocross is a type of bicycle racing where participants ride in the grass, sand, gravel, mud, water and they even have to jump over barriers. Just like Music Fest! Even if you're just spectating it's necessary to be prepared and nothing says prepared for Music Fest and cyclocross like The Pit Boot from Vanilla Cycles. Available online for $65.


2. I will only drink Belgian beers. Here is a list of approved brews should you decide to honor in the same manner.

SIKE! That's too long of a list. If you want to know you can visit The Flying Saucer's Beer List and see which beers are Belgian.

3. Like most Belgians, I will NOT wear a helmet while riding.

DOUBLE SIKE! Ya'll stay safe out there!

Drag'n Frozen Treats

Last week you may have read on several blogs (like The Memphis Blog, Notes From Memphis, I Love Memphis, Hungry Memphis, Fertile Ground, Paul Ryburn, norococo are just a few) about the Food Truck Fare that took place in Court Square on Tuesday, April 19th. Unfortunately, this was a singularity for downtown Memphis, but with the city's updated ordinance, the likelihood of seeing this again is possible. Perhaps maybe for Bike to Work Day on May 20th, 2011? But enough about trucks. This is a bike blog.

Remember that post a few weeks ago where we talked about bicycle food carts at the end? Well, good news for my readers:

Sam Dunn is the proprietor of Drag'n Frozen Treats, a bicycle-drawn trailer which supplies downtown Memphians with a much needed cold treat. Sam was in the shop the other week with a yellow Cannondale road bike when he told me about his idea. His girlfriend Yvonne welded a trailer for him (Emily gushes aloud) and I was warning him of the difficulties of pulling a fully laden trailer with road bike gear ratio. As you can see from the picture, he has switched to a mountain bike which he finds easier.

I haven't been able to meet with Sam since our initial conversation. Our friend Martie was super awesome to take his picture while she was out today (she's great, really!). Hopefully we'll be seeing Sam and Drag'n Frozen Treats out at the Bike to Work Day Expo and according to his facebook page, he will be attending Bikesploitation (we know he likes Live from Memphis-we don't blame him either!).

Now if we can just get those gyros and hot dogs!

498 S. Main Bicycle Rack

I know this is starting to sound like a Jill Turman blog... get over it. She has quite a few more bicycle racks to be featured on the map so let's get on with it: This rack belongs to no business in particular but serves several. Bluff City Coffee, Midtown Bike, The Folk Alliance, and WEVL. You'll notice that I also captured a Yuba Utility Bicycles van in the background. I'm glad there's another company in the U.S. producing more ways to haul more stuff (you know, for kids!). And the Yuba would lock up nicely to a rack like this!

Here's how it racks up:

Form - Artistic
Function - Pass
Environment - Bloody Ribs!
Points of Interest - Bluff City Coffee, Midtown Bike Co., The Folk Alliance, WEVL

Memphis Bicycle 27271

This little Raleigh Sprite visited the shop the other day. A preliminary search of Memphis Bicycle Registration and Memphis Bicycle Licensing revealed nothing relative. Any information would be appreciated, or show me your Memphis Bicycle License Plate. Email photos to fixmemphis@yahoo.com

Gibson Guitar Bicycle Rack

With 3 potential titles, I decided to go with the building closest. The other candidates are of course FedEx Forum and the Westin Hotel. When those places get bicycle racks in front of their buildings then they'll get named on the map. Until then, BEHOLD: The Gibson Guitar Bicycle Rack. Not shaped like a guitar, instead, another "Memphis Rack" from Jill Turman, which seems slightly more usable.

Here's how it racks up:

Form - Artistic
Function - Pass
Environment - Not really. (Ribs, ya'll!)
Points of Interest - Gibson Guitar Factory, FedEx Forum, Westin Hotel