WAR XIII - The Great White North

The WAR Ride makes it's 13th appearance this week in the great white north.

Put on your tooks,  grab your mounties and head up north of town this week!  It is time to visit our cousins to the north, eh?  This week we will officially surrender to the cold by honoring 'America's Attic' with a Northen Austin tour.

Oh...Canada.  You have the biggest case of penis envy ever.  You are just so cute travelling abroad with your maple flag backpacks and your Palin-inspired drawl.  Oh...Canada...you've given us the good (Neil Young, Cowboy Junkies) the bad (Bryan Adams, Celine Dion) and the ugly (Cory Hart and Cory Haim - both Corys? really Canada??)  But, Canada, you have really enjoyed the past eight years, haven't you?  Looking down your nose when we made international fools of ourselves...loving it when us USAmericans claimed to be from Toronto when travelling abroad.  But, Canada...oh, Canada...your Prime Minister just dismantled Parliament when impeachment was threatened.  Oh Canada...it's aboot time you feel our pain.  We salute you, eh?

From an actual web-site debunking 'Top 10 Myths about (aboot) Canada':

#1 (Yes...NUMBER ONE)  -  Myth: We live in igloos. Reality: We live in houses, and they are very well built houses.

Oh Canada....that is awesome!

We will hit a few of Austin's finer Roadhouse establishments, including Lala's (where it's always Christmas), the Poodle Dog (where it's always toothless), Ginny's and Billy's.  Hell, just call it the Canadian Roadhouse Tour (no Swayze isn't Candadian, but Cory Hart was in Roadhouse 2).

Meet: Billy's   2105 Hancock Dr  (Burnet and Hancock)

Time: Meet for dinner at 6pm, ride starts at 7pm

Bring: Lights, locks, warmth, and a friend

THE MAP

Jingle Bell Ride

Pull up your stockings and grab your Ho's, because we are joining this year's annual Jingle Bell ride.

For one night, the Trail of Tears...errr...Lights is open to cyclists.  So, skip the parking hassle and crowds this year and join us.

The ride starts at 6pm at the baseball fields at Zilker (back entrance to Bartron Springs).  Meet up early at Uncle Billy's BBQ on Barton Springs road for Happy Hour - 5pm.  The Jingle Bell Ride has a long and short version.  The official WAR ride will be, of course, doing the long ride (about 8 miles).  This is a great ride to bring the family and kids on as well.  There should be several hundred riders - lots of little ones.

The ride hits the Trail of Lights, followed by a Hot Chocolate and Cookie stop at the Mopac Bridge.  Santa's little elves will ride back via the hike and bike, while the Reindeer will take a tour of Austin Neighborhoods that have been lit up like a Damn Christmas Tree.

Sadly, whoever planned the route forgot to include beer stops.   So, this ride is B.Y.O.H.C (Bring Your Own Holiday Cheer).  Nog it up, dude!  I'll be towing the tunes box with my collection of obnoxious christmas songs (who wants a Hippopotamus for Xmas?).

Ride details: http://bicyclesportshop.com/page.cfm?pageId=1331

The Map:  http://www.thebikechick.com/BSS/Jingle_Bell_Ride_08.pdf

WAR XII - Ice House

WAR XII - This week the WAR Ride will officially welcome in the fall chill by honoring the blue collar bar - the ice house.  (Get it?  Fall chill...ice house?  I'm a f'ing genius)

The Ice House is typically a low-key, largely outdoor bar frequented by guys with names on their shirts.  Horseshoes might be thrown, ice cold beer will certainly be consumed, and the 'pub grub' ususally ranges from hot dogs to...well, hot dogs.  Sounds like a nice place for a bike ride.  

We will meet for an optional dinner at Wahoo's (6th and Rio Grande) at 6:30.  The ride will officially depart at 7:15.  We will visit The Scoot Inn, The Jackalope and Dirty Bill's.  I know, technically these aren't all true Ice Houses, but until Kasey gets off his ass and builds me one, it is the best I can do.  There is also a short film festival playing at nearby Republic Square, we might ride by and check out a movie or two.  http://www.austinfilm.org/film/afs_movies_in_the_park_austin_shorts

The Details:

Wed 11/19

Optional dinner: Wahoo's, 6:30p

Wheels Down: 7:15p

Return: 10p

Make sure to bring bike lights.  Wear a shirt with your name on it.  Bring a light jacket.

See you there.  Bring a friend.

THE MAP

WAR - XI - Politics

It is time to meet up for W.A.R. XI - The Political Ride.

Can we drink beer and ride bikes, yes we can!

Meet up this week to discuss politics, the presidency and the general state of the union.  Regardless of your political leanings, everyone can agree that beer tastes good.  So, in the spirit of democracy, this weeks ride visits some of Austin's finer 'political bars'.  

The ride starts 11/5,  7pm at Scholtz's Beer Garden and finishes by the Capitol at the Cloak Room.

See you there!

Thanks to Juanpablo and Teresa for leading this ride.

Update: A new discovery was made on the ride, check it out:http://www.austinsambaschool.org/

WAR X - Biketoberfest

Damn.  Them are some big beers.

It's that time of year, kids.  Lace up your liderhosen, hide your Schnitzel and come out for a bike ride.  

This week we will celebrate the great German tradition of drinking copious amounts of beer.   Why?  Because beer is good, dammit.  

Last year's Oktoberfest in the motherland saw 14,793,000 pints consumed.  Some might say that is alot of beer.  I might say we have beat those dirty Germans once, and by god let's do it again.

The ride - Wednesday - 10/22

Meet: Flying Saucer - 815 W 47th St  (The Triangle)

Time:  Depart 7:30 (feed yourself or eat with the family at the Flying Saucer before the ride)  Be preped to pedal at 7:30 SHARP!

Return: Same spot, 10pm

Bring: Bike lights, friends

Attire: German casual.  Liderhosen if you got 'em.  Women are encouraged to look like the above picture.

In the words of Gretl von Trap: 'the sun has gone to bed and so must I....goodnight...goodnight....goodnight!'

THE MAP

Weekend Warriors

The long wait is over, and this weekend New Belgium's 'Tour de Fat' is scheduled to return to our fair city.  This event celebrates two of the greatest things in the world - beer and bikes.  Our plan is to meet down at Festival Gardens at 9am.  No fair driving your car.  I'm sure we will schedule a breakfast beforehand, so check back or give me a call.

This is a family friendly event as well.  The bike parade departs at 10am, but you need to get there early to register.  

Ride returns to Festival Gardens at 11am, where the kegs are tapped, and there are multiple live shows - music, juggling, puppet and otherwise.  If you believe in the over-used phrase 'Keep Austin Weird' - this is the event.

Costumes are HIGHLY ENCOURAGED.  I'm thinking we go with 'Cowboys and Indians'.

The Number One Texas Longhorns have graciously schedule their home game around this event - they play at 7pm.  So, no excuses.  Also, if you have extra tickets - I'm your buddy, right?

Here is the full lineup - http://www.tour-de-fat.com/city/austin

WAR IX - Nine Times....

Nine times?? 

Nine times......

Nine times......the WAR continues.

I have an unfortunate business obligation and sadly won't be able to make this ride, so I'm passing over the reigns to Eric "Dr. Feelgood" Crowder.  If you need medicial attention, or someone to buy a beer for, he's your man.

The ride this week will start and end at Little Woodrow's on 6th Street.  The weather is perfect for bike riding and outdoor beer drinking, so I guess this location is actually more than perfect.

If you have been absent from one or more rides (if your name ain't Mat or Charlie - I'm talking to you), you have missed some good times.  We've seen Bruce Robison perfom, called 911, had the Capitol Police aid in bicycle repair, seen Vince Young, hauled a dog, introduced tunes, and had a goodly number of beers along the way.  So if you have not been in a while, or not at all get off your ass and join us.  In the immortal words of Ferris Buller, "Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

WAR IX

Start/End - Little Woodrows - 6th St.

7pm start

Be there - bring a friend.

THE MAP