{"id":6577,"date":"2009-09-28T04:10:00","date_gmt":"2009-09-28T04:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ynottony.com\/ynot\/tour-de-fat-san-francisco\/"},"modified":"2015-03-21T03:32:40","modified_gmt":"2015-03-21T03:32:40","slug":"tour-de-fat-san-francisco","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ynottony.com\/ynot\/tour-de-fat-san-francisco\/","title":{"rendered":"Tour De Fat – San Francisco"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over the past weeks, I have repeatedly expressed to my friends how they must take Sunday, 28 September off from work. … . . And with one particular friend, if he called in sick for work, I offered to pay 1\/2 off his daily wage. Well, he didn’t go for it …… . . . . .And boy did he miss out!<\/p>\n

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This year, New Belgium Beer took it up about six notches. Meandering and pandering through 11 western cities spreading the good word about the positive societal offerings of the bicycle, today, Tour De Fat arrived in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. And yes, It was “off the hook.”<\/p>\n

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1. Trade my car for a bike?<\/span><\/p>\n

New Belgium Brewing tries to minimize the environmental impact of their events at every turn. Their philanthropic bike festival, Tour de Fat, celebrates bicycling as a viable form of alternative transport. A solar-powered stage provides sound for the day, beer is served in compostable cups and their overall waste stream diversion rate is better than 85%. And to top it off, during Tour De Fat – if you trade in your car – New Belgium Brewing will give you a brand new bike.<\/p>\n

“Yes, I will get up, yes it will snow, yes my stuff is heavy, yes I will be a little rumpled, and yes, I definitely might get hit. But I’ll be on my bike anyway. And I’ll be setting an example for what can be done if you put your mind to it. No more single occupant car, now I would be a rider joining with others pledging to make a choice to stop. Stop draining our natural resources and polluting our air. Stop making excuses and stop taking the easy way out and start making a healthy choice for everyone. – <\/span>Lisa<\/a><\/p>\n

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2. MarchFourth Marching Band?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Originally from Portland Oregon, the MarchFourth Marching Band<\/a> rocked it out at this year’s Tour De Fat. A mobile big band spectacular, consisting of a brassy pack of saxophones, trombones, and trumpets, a raucous drum\/percussion corps, anchored by a mobile and wireless electric bass. The sound is huge, melodic, and dynamic, taking audiences on a musical journey around the globe.<\/p>\n

Stilt-walkers, unicycles, fire eaters, puppets, flag twirlers, burlesque dancers, clown antics, and acrobatics are just some of the things you\u2019ll see accompanying this eclectic big band. The musical quality, the energy of the band, and the spectacle of the dancers all combined to create an original performance that appealed to everyone at the Tour De Fat.<\/p>\n

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3. San Francisco Bicycle Coalition & Bay Area Ridge Trail?<\/span><\/p>\n

Besides the sounds of “MarchingFourth,” Tour De Fat San Francisco is a benefit for the Bay Areal Ridge Trail<\/a> & the<\/span> San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.<\/span>

<\/span>T<\/span>he Bay Area Ridge Trail ultimately will be a 550+ mile trail encircling the San Francisco Bay along the ridge tops, open to hikers, equestrians, mountain bicyclists, and outdoor enthusiasts of all types. So far, we have dedicated over 310 miles of trail for use by Bay Area residents, now and forever.<\/p>\n

The Bay Area Ridge Trail Council is the nonprofit organization that plans, acquires, builds, maintains, and promotes the Ridge Trail.
Join the Council and help finish the Ridge Trail!<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

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Through day-to-day advocacy, education, and working partnerships with government and community agencies, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition<\/a> is dedicated to creating safer streets and more livable communities for all San Franciscans. <\/p>\n

Their active 10,000 members<\/a> represent San Franciscans of all ages, from all neighborhoods, who are working towards more safe, efficient, and green ways to move around our city. <\/p>\n

Because of their efforts, the number of residents biking for transportation has doubled in the past 10 years. Today, over 30,000 San Franciscans use bicycles as their primary mode of transportation. (Source: 2006 David Binder Poll)<\/p>\n

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AIDSLifeCycle Sponsor?<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the past 5 years, New Belgium Brewing Company<\/a> (via New Belgium Brewing Rep. Ed Dopman) has graciously supported my endeavors by donating kegs of Fat Tire & Skinny Dip Beers & Cycling Gear to my Annual AIDSLifeCycle<\/a> Fund-raising Parties.<\/p>\n

“AIDSLifecycle<\/a> (a 575 mile bike ride) is co-produced by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation<\/a> and the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center<\/a> and is designed to advance their shared interests to end the pandemic and human suffering caused by AIDS.”<\/p>\n

So if you’ve attended last year’s Fat Tire Beer Charity Fundraising Beer Bust <\/a>, or plan to attend this year’s party. Please send a thanks out to Brew Meister Jamie Mastin, Ed Dopman, & the Fat Tire Beer Team for their continued support towards charity bike rides, and charity benefits, and for their product sponsorships by clicking on their logo (below).<\/p>\n

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Costumes & Alter Egos?<\/span><\/p>\n

Tour De Fat is a costumed celebration of human-powered transportation. Muscles not motors, coasters, v-brakes and rotors. People arrived in various freaky costumes & alter egos.<\/p>\n

Question: Why?
Answer: Because when everybody’s weird, no one is.<\/p>\n

“Tony’s Choice – Best of Show” (below).<\/p>\n

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\"Iyengar<\/a><\/p>\n

Tour De Fat Links:<\/span><\/h2>\n


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