Keep calm and ride on.

I will be taking a few of days off the interwebz – see you all soon ♥xo.meli –

Saturday sun.

Los events: for the much awaited weekend.

I could camp in front of the TV watching some March Madness, but I will eventually make it out plenty. Here is some cool stuff this weekend:

♥ Saturday:
Earth hour. Everywhere. Sweet. 60 Earth Hour [English] »

Image from Dutch Earth Hour website »

Here in San Francisco, last year the bike-powered event that was plenty fun, and this year it is happening again. Rock the Bike's Earth Community Celebration. More info here »

Here in San Francisco, we're celebrating by having a community celebration at Market Bar (1 Ferry Building # 36), 6-11pm. This will be a great night with lots of awesome people and a fun party vibe.

♥ Sunday:

NOPA VELO Spring Climb.
Meets at 9:30 at Apollo cafe. Via iBikeNopa blog - More info»

Weekend assistant.

My fabulous representative Velcro, the blogging expert - hard at work.

I IS IN YER INTERWEBZ LURKING YER POSTS

Get your fix.

Some hands I simply love for the magic touch they provide with wonderful caffeine forms in the moments right before the early mornings make any sense at all. Maybe I will begin to photograph my favorite baristas around the city if I, happen to have half my brain before coffee.

I know, I don't stop by enough this spot below, these are John's hands – on Linden. Super.
Captured by Jay -thanks for sharing.

Pier home.

Fresh paint

Last Sunday, I attended a gathering for local women outside the bicycle community with common work/art interests. At the end of it, a few items including some sweet pieces of art were raffled and I, was the lucky winner of a beautiful framed photograph by Julie Michelle, also part of the awesome San Francisco collective: CaliberSF. She was the organizer of such inspirational meeting of minds.
The frame was safely transported via the Frenchie. I wrapped my coat around it and threw it in my basket, carried around a few districts, got taken out for Piccino pizza in the dogpatch (yes!!) and finally made to my casagrosa (casa+meligrosa). Super cool.
I honestly felt quite confident that I would be able to carry a glass-like object in my basket and not brake it. I'm terrible with things like that, but I'm also very cautious when I really don't feel like messing up, which I was capable of doing -especially- on a Sunday afternoon.
Have you ever been nervous of carrying any specific load in your basket or bags, backpacks for carrying specific items? I don't think I would carry anylarger piece of glass with me around, but this size was manageable and didn't give me a problem carrying it via my beloved bicycle's basket.

Carrying the framed photograph I won in the basket. Secured with bungee cord. Headed home–

Pier home.

Framed photograph from Julie Michelle. Awesome!! - ♥thanks
See her original photograph here: link

Good morning, pac heights.

I have never ridden up on Fillmore street. Don't think I'll ever will, it is super steep. There have been crazy ice ramps showcases a few years ago [link], there have also been crazy skinny lycra scuba steves that somehow fly uphill [see fillmore st. photo link]. But often, I really enjoy going up those baby steps they got as sidewalks and encountering quiet, simple moments like these. Good morning to you all.

Mixtes are the new fixies.

And they come sans the attitude, deep V-necks and skinny jeans. They come in skirts, with baskets and bells, and they are my girls. (here is calitexican's). Tattoos are optional. Welcome to Spring 2010.
They can still be good friends though. An Italian Cinelli and my very sassy Frenchie, with a caffeinated common interest. Bike parking at Blue Bottle coffee on Linden. A happy place.

Fix me a mixte.

Welcome to skirtland.

Spring is officially here. Not that we have any sort of serious winters around here, but is nice to say we have now changed seasons, which means you will see lots of skirts around town - on or off bikes. Nice!

When I got this skirt last year, I thought it might not work with the pedaling. That is always taken in consideration when/if I get any clothing, it has become some kind of second nature. Whoever invented stretchy corduroy. Kudos.

On Sutter st. near Divis - heading to Japantown. Windy sunset.

Do you also mimic your bike position when trying out clothes or getting dressed? It is the invisible-bike dance. Come on, you do it like there is no one watching, right ;-)

Two women that love to ride bikes.

I ride a bicycle. She rides a motorcycle. We are both quite passionate about it.

Fixie butt.

I got contacted by local magazine 7x7 San Francisco a few weeks ago, asking for permission to print one of my photos. Nice! I immediately texted Omar (to get a "model's" permission, according to me) and said:

"Ur butt, in print Y/N cool?!"
"oh 4sure- which pic?..."

Mind you, I have many Omar-photos of his little rear end because I'm always behind him. He is an awesome friend of mine, and we used to ride a lot more last year. You know, girls and work. and stuff.
OK, back to the picture. It is from Sunday Streets last year. The magazine 7x7 is currently out and about the city, the photo is printed in the index page(s) and somewhere in the main body. I haven't yet bought it, will do soon this week...
I got a kick that the sub-header of the article is "Three recommendations if a fixie isn't the ride for you." I feel like we've had this conversation before. Isn't the fixie very 2000-late? ja jaaa...
This photo was taken on Valencia street and 23rd, June 7th 2009.

In the mean time, here is the web article, enjoy! :

Two Wheel Town: Best Bikes for Cruising In (And Out Of) The City by Jess Hemerly

Photo del día: Friends are better than carpools.

2 friends, 6 wheels.
Divisadero at Eddy.

Riding always pays off.

The other morning I had a little incentive along the way. Lucky me.

oh hai there

Machiatto.

I invested part of my freshly found 5 dollars into this bike fuel. The rest went to buy the newspaper and coins that will get lost in my bag for a few weeks.

Women and the city.

Over the last few years the number of women that I have seen on the bike lane, met, and befriended continues to increase. Earlier this week, I took along with a few of my friends, a survey by The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (www.apbp.org).
Find it here»

One of my favorite questions, there were several answers, was:

Why do you use a bicycle?
☐It's the best part of my day

Back in Spring 2009, I submitted a short questionnaire that eventually got printed in the Summer 09 issue of Momentum, I think I forgot to post it here, but you can find it below, in which I thought about their last question and said:
[From: Real Life on a Bike -Meli ]
Anything else you’d like to add?
My bike is my shrink, best friend,
conversation starter, mood enhancer, and gym.
All in one, every day.

Which I think, links directly to many of the questions in the survey. I really get in a foul mood if I don't ride my bicycle for over a day. And I'm serious. Sure there are obstacles and excuses if you must. Hills and traffic are a sometimes a bitch to get over somedays, but well. You just get over them.

Here in San Francisco we got tremendous hills, and tremendous bike theft. Those two alone hold back many of my girlfriends (non-bikers) from biking and using their bikes for commuting.
Also, they are lazy. It is true. And fact is, takes quite the energy to put up with the rhythm this fine city has to offer. I have done the route that takes one of them to get to work. She says it takes 55 minutes, because, you know, the bus might running late. DONE-Lady, I have done that route from your house to your work, at my slow speed. You WILL be there in 25 minutes. But I suppose she likes being inside the bus for 2 hours twice a day. Oh well.

My thoughts about women and cycling, here in San Francisco have always been optimistic. When I really wanted to meet a ton of people on bikes when i was in school, I met some women, but mostly guys. The fixie craze was going strong and it was just too much for me to handle. I always thought the bicycle community was quite intimidating and it wasn't until I finished school that I really had the time to mingle and roam around even further. Riding to work everyday, volunteering often with the SFBC, joining rides Etc. became the real exposure to the bicycle community, and along were women. Then came the blogesphere, and I met even more. *Ade recently wrote a post along with a charming photo, meet some of us here»

So my women, get more of your girlfriends to ride. I have even given a free bicycle to one of them, and don't think she has used it yet. The intent is there. Yet I meet more and more everyday from the bikelane that find the will, the curiosity and the inspiration they need from all over the place. It is really great.

With that, I link this article one of my fave women on wheels in Seattle, RJ, let me know about:

Women find liberation on two wheels by Laura McCamy

And also, two shots of parents that are doing their part to build a bright future, with their daughters on bicycles. I am lucky to know them because they inspire me, and it really is a happy feeling when you encounter them around in San Francisco:

Ade and Úna | Like mom, like daughter.

Adam and his daughters | Bike lane futurama.

Happy Friday, my pretties.

Two gorgeous ladies and their awesome bikes & we ride bikes for hours. Day in, day out. ohellsyea. woot -
With this I wish you a fabulous Friday ••• TGIF ♥meligrosa

Lisa Marie, cute as always. Citrus miss sunshine

Hi Kelley. Meet her new cinelli. super.

Photo de dia: les dames Motobecane

Motobecane cousins

That is KT's mixte in the front sporting new handlebars (woohoo!!) & the frenchie in the background.

5 years ago I didn't know and didn't really see anyone around on a mixte, on a daily basis. I was often told it was 'so cool' all my gears worked, um yea it is not a fixie...
I hardly knew what a mixte was, certainly knew I owned one and loved it.

Fast forward to today. Very cool that I have found many new women friends on bikes. awesome company with their cool rides, and they all keep on getting more mixtes. yay!
Les Motobecanes are still the very best though, and their line Astra the bestestest---- ahemmm... ;-)
♥ride on!!

Sunday street sightings.

My fave was hanging out with the girls, I mostly sat and chatted this Sunday Streets. Being able to sit around, enjoy the weather, drink lots of coffee and catch up. Super :D
We missed the calitexican, but she was being a rockstar volunteer - yay.

the badass girls 1 by Kristin Tieche
I borrowed the above pic from KT (looking fab on Sunday). From L-R: Lilia, Úna and Ade, moi et KT.

Sunday, i.

Here are some self-shots from Sunday. It was pretty warm and it feels like spring. wooo

Pandita on a hill.

For the last 4 months I have walked North Point street if I came across it. Since I stopped baby-ing my knee more than a few weeks ago, that ended long ago.Hills. Check.
NEXT

Shiny disco limbs

Photo del día: Glide.

Oh hello there
In the middle of a mass of people, she glided away from the crowd into her own adventure. So cool.
Snday Streets, the opening - 2010

Sunshine superman.

I have had Donovan in my head for awhile now. WOuld like to see that movie. Has anyone seen it?
Sunset, sunshine and red limbs. This is what I wore last Sunday, it was nice out and super sunny. ♥Cheers!

sunset wall

red.

& off we go - take it eh-SLOW

Monday blues.

I just wanted to say muchas thanks for reading. is all.
with much love from San Francisco -♥meli

pavement and the rat

Daylight saving bike times

Quite happy about this spring ahead time change.
Many years ago, I did show up to work an hour ahead early. I'm sure one of these years will happen again, with the exception that I haven't worked on a Sunday in ages. I was beyond tired and still in school then. It was only me and this nerd with stinky breath that showed up early so, luckily I had my bike and went for a ride. At the time I had an old 'beast' of a bicycle but still took it everywhere.

omg. the beast.
we had a love/hate relationship

That day I rode to north beach for some coffee since I was so early for work and to cool my jets. In 2004, there were no gourmet trendy coffee spots places near the downtown area. Cafe Trieste in North Beach and Atlas Cafe in the Mission, were my frequent stops in the early weekend mornings. Today I was reminded of this change in 2004 with an early morning, the company and north beach.
&coffee of course. Nice.

mine.

parking.

Photos del dia: Weekend starter.

I already can't wait for the weekend.
Last Friday it got an early start. Well, since wed. really – cheers!

the bobby burns

A negroni and a the bartender. I liked him, he was good.
---
The Alembic on haight.

Not an Italian job.

How did I get to this. not sure.
I have been riding my Italian bicycle for many years and have never felt as comfortable riding it as have in the last few weeks. Maybe it's the company? timing, spring and a combination of taking some time off it and came back to it. Not sure and who cares.
Our crazy steep hills that this city offers any day, are super fun to descend with this blue beauty. It is not a matter of speed or equipment, it is grabbing what you have and enjoying it to the fullest. I love my bikes and I love my city.
Sure I prefer 20gazzilion times to ride the frenchie, but my smurfette road bike sure is tremendous fun. It will soon sport a new freewheel thanks to Eric.
Anyways. thought I'd share some no-hands action after butterlap last week. I'm pretty proud of this shot. Weeeee.

hellzyea

Waiting.

Fell and Masonic.

click on ea. for larger view -

Happy rusty Friday!!

Lady "Ecstasy's" foot and I.

There is a new sculpture on the block. Currently in Hayes Valley, this beautiful piece is called "Ecstasy" «learn more» It is quite a present piece and you can truly get lost looking at it up close or enjoying it from afar. In the artist/foundation web page I found out the reception is the 19th. I might check it out and get some coffee before hand, of course.

lovely rust

Quad and ready.
The staff at the Blue bottle on Linden, my favoritetestststs ♥much love guys!!

With Love from Oakland.

HyeJin and I met in Mexico. We danced, worship the sun on the beach, partied and now we often times meet for coffee and for fun stuff here and there. I am so happy to hear that she has recently started riding her bicycle more, her beloved partner in crime is also into bikes. The black bike belongs to Travis.
I can't wait to ride with you two around the city and/or in Oakland. I love these pictures!
♥Thanks so much for sharing this, my lovely - see ya soon!

Meet HyeJin. Hellooooo GORGEOUS :D

By HyeJin:
"Meet Bubbly, my 1971 Schwinn Varsity Sport bike, the very first 10 speed bike in U.S. I found this orange beauty browsing through Craigslist ads one Saturday morning or I should say she found me! A Schwinn collector was selling most of his bike collection before moving down to AZ and Travis & I drove down to Fremont to check her out. It was love at first sight! She needed TLC: one afternoon of greasing, putting on a new set of tires and a good scrubbing to get the rusts out from her rims, and she was set to shine around town! I am so glad that Bubbly is no longer hiding in someone's garage, not being ridden and left alone because Bubbly is special and we shall experience the world together!"

**All photos belong to HyeJin via Facebook
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✖ Cross posted at Change Your Life. Ride a Bike!