Every Thursday night at about 7:30pm, several hundred of Boulder's oddest turn out for the Cruiser Ride- or, as it's more generally known, Happy Thursday. There's no message and no fixed membership- it's just a vibrant, energetic party on wheels.
This event started several years ago as a few people riding their single-gear bikes around town every week. It has evolved into one of the wildest parts of Boulder's culture. Bikes are rigged with lights, people wear outrageous outfits, and bikes tow battery-powered home stereo systems. Rides take a different route every week: down bike paths, through parking garages, clogging city streets, and stopping periodically at city park picnic structures for dance parties and alcohol. The ride lasts about three hours and ends up downtown, where riders give enthusiastic high-fives to startled tourists on the Pearl Street Mall.
I came along with my fellow NIST student researchers for nine of the weekly rides during my 12-week research program. On my second-to-last week in Boulder, I took my camera along. It's hard to take pictures of moving objects in the dark, but here's what I came up with.
The weekly bike ride begins in Scott Carpenter Park in Boulder.
3 August 2006
Canon Rebel XT
1/30s f/4.0 at 17mm iso100
Matt and Aaron. This week's theme: Rednecks
3 August 2006
Canon Rebel XT
1/20s f/5.0 at 35mm iso100
Over 400 cyclists joined in this week
3 August 2006
Canon Rebel XT
1/13s f/5.6 at 47mm iso100
Aaron and Lauren
3 August 2006
Canon Rebel XT
1/40s f/5.0 at 44mm iso400
Cruiser Bike
3 August 2006
Canon Rebel XT
1/15s f/5.6 at 85mm iso200
Dog in tow
3 August 2006
Canon Rebel XT
1/15s f/5.6 at 85mm iso200
Nothing says "class" like a giant foam hat
3 August 2006
Canon Rebel XT
1/13s f/5.6 at 61mm iso200
Tricycle and fake snaggle teeth
3 August 2006
Canon Rebel XT
1/13s f/5.6 at 70mm iso200
Cool bike, blurry photo
3 August 2006
Canon Rebel XT
3/10s f/5.6 at 85mm iso200
Circling up on the CU campus
3 August 2006
Canon Rebel XT
1/6s f/4.5 at 24mm iso200
Dan is hungry- for Jello
3 August 2006
Canon Rebel XT
1/10s f/5.6 at 64mm iso400
Frisbee on a unicycle
3 August 2006
Canon Rebel XT
1/8s f/5.6 at 85mm iso1600
3 August 2006
Canon Rebel XT
1s f/5.6 at 68mm iso800
Dude on a unicycle with a refreshing beverage
3 August 2006
Canon Rebel XT
1/10s f/5.6 at 85mm iso1600
The trailer packs a huge battery-powered stereo system
3 August 2006
Canon Rebel XT
1/6s f/5.6 at 50mm iso1600
Wheelie
3 August 2006
Canon Rebel XT
1/6s f/5.6 at 50mm iso1600
Keep your feet on the pedals: Pearl Street
3 August 2006
Canon Rebel XT
1/6s f/4.5 at 33mm iso1600
Aaron in a parking garage
3 August 2006
Canon Rebel XT
1/13s f/5.6 at 56mm iso1600
The man; the legend; the camcorder man
3 August 2006
Canon Rebel XT
1/60s f/4.5 at 28mm iso1600
The ride ends at the Republic of Boulder- a popular bar