Monday, July 4, 2022
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Meet & Greet your Bike Community
Find us biking laps around the circle and or chatting in the middle
Matthew
Mon, Jul 4, 2022, 4:00 PM
We'll leave Ladd's and head towards Colonel Summers at 6:00PM
Ride is a loop
End location: Fancy Mondays Picnic at Colonel Summers Park
Special Day-of "Ride" Update: I haven't heard from an grill bikers, so as of ~1:30PM, I am not planning to provide grillables, but we will have some light picnic fair for the Fancy picnic at Colonel Summers Hi. My name is Matthew. I moved to Portland in 2012 and went to my first Pedalpalooza ride (WNBR) in 2014. I hosted my first ride (The Robin Williams Memorial Costume Ride) in 2015. I consider Pedalpalooza and the Portland Bike Community to be one of the absolute finest things I've found in this world. And yet, I have this problem with it: we're just not always all that friendly or actively inviting. Fair is fair: myself included There can be all kinds of reasons why we are the way we are: some of us have anxiety/depression that prevents us from being outgoing, some people just don't like small talk, some people feel socially inept, some people have a rich internal life that keeps them satisfied enough, some people are really high, some people are straight up anti-social, some people feel they have enough friends, some people have been traumatized and aren't eager to invite strangers into their lives, some people seem to have face blindness and don't remember that they've met you before (sometimes several times before). Personally, I'm really bad at remembering names, but I have a better than average memory for people and can usually tell you exactly where we've met before and what we've talked about. I find it fairly easy to make new friends/acquaintances and I would like to connect more directly with more of you. I'm also not on facebook/instagram/other social media, so like, if we don't meet in the meat space, we don't meet anywhere. The idea here is really simple: anybody who wants to overcome the various social barriers and simply connect with others in your community, come to Ladd's Circle Monday afternoon. You can ride laps, you can chill in the middle, and you can say "hi" to whoever's there. I tried to schedule this between other rides, so that maybe people can come by after N/NE Alleyways, or head out early for some casual conversation and convivial chit chat before the Fancy Mondays Picnic. Or you can come just for this. That's fine too :) Dress however you want, bring whatever you want, ride whatever you want, stay as long as you want. It's all good. [ please note: our end spot - The Fancy Mondays Picnic - does have a dress code, though I have confirmed with the ride leader that it is very low key. Clip-on Bow Tie + tshirt = fancy enough :) ] My dog will be there and would love to see your dog! I don't have a grill bike, but would absolutely welcome one to this ride and would happily provide grillables. The only real "rule," I think there should be is this: make eye contact with at least one new person, say hi to them, ask them their name and tell them your name, and challenge ourselves to continue the conversation from there. Also, while I have the space and your attention, I feel REALLY conflicted about 4th of July this year. I know a lot of us on this side of the culture feel conflicted or outright disdain for the 4th every year, but I generally think of it as my favorite holiday for a few reasons: 1.) It's in summer, so you can usually be outside for it. 2.) It's a day off work for most of us (not for all of us, sadly). 3.) Grilling 4.) Whatever I might think of "America," I think it's the day when we celebrate ourselves and everyone around us and on a basic level I think you should love yourself and your friends and family and neighbors and there's not really, in my mind, another day on the calendar "officially" set aside for that. However, the current state of American politics and society is so, so shitty and the outlook for the future is dismal and I just can't imagine that partying will help, so....I don't know how to deal with it rn. I *think* this could be a way to do a small, positive thing with this conflict I feel. Hope to see you there!
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