Fender Bender at the US Social Forum!

Next month, thousands of people from all over the world will descend on Detroit for the US Social Forum which is a giant conference, er, convergence (?) for the purpose of massive global change. From the USSF website…

The US Social Forum (USSF) is a movement building process. It is not a
 conference but it is a space to come up with the peoples’ solutions to the 
economic and ecological crisis. The USSF is the next most important step in our
 struggle to build a powerful multi-racial, multi-sectoral, inter-generational,
 diverse, inclusive, internationalist movement that transforms this country and
 changes history.

We must declare what we want our world to look like and we 
must start planning the path to get there. The USSF provides spaces to learn 
from each other’s experiences and struggles, share our analysis of the problems 
our communities face, build relationships, and align with our international 
brothers and sisters to strategize how to reclaim our world.

Fucking sweet, right? Well prepare to get stoked because Fender Bender is going to be hosting two workshops during the forum as well as hosting other non-forum exclusive activities during the week! Yeah!!!!

Here’s the brief summary of us on their website. Our workshop dates and times are as follows:

Tuesday, June 22nd 10am-12pm @ Cobo Hall

Saturday, June 26th 10am-12pm @ Cobo Hall

As I mentioned, we will most likely be hosting some other community-based events during the evenings which may include group bike rides, a skill share workshop, and possibly some discussion groups about gender politics and a forum for shared experiences.

The USSF workshops are open to people of all gender presentations and identities, and some of our extracurricular programming will likely be inclusive as well, but we will keep you informed as to which events we may be hosting that will require us to enforce our view of safe space for women, transgendered and genderqueer individuals.

We hope you’ll join us for some of these activities if not all of them. Also, keep an eye out here for other scheduling updates throughout the month of June.

See you on the streets!!
xoxo
Liz

Gears Skill Share Workshop

Fix ‘em & shift ‘em!

Come on out to the next Fender Bender Skill Share Workshop. It’s this Tuesday, May 25th, 7-9pm. Our usual meeting place: Back Alley Bikes (entrance is in the alley behind The Hub 3611 Cass Ave., Detroit).

This month’s topic is all about Gears- a hands on learning event. We’ll go over how your shifters and derailleurs function, the difference between high and low gears and of course: Troubleshooting and adjusting all that is involved with your gears.

We’ll also be providing a helpful handout for you to take home- a summary of understanding and troubleshooting gear issues.

See you Tuesday!

Ride safe,
Vanessa

p.s. As a reminder, Fender Bender is committed to providing a safe space for womyn, trans and the genderqueer community. For more information about us please read our About page or send us a message. Thanks for your support!

International Ride of Silence

Tomorrow, May 19, is the International Ride of Silence day. At 7pm people will be riding their bikes in silence and in honor of those who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roads. The ride also aims to raise awareness that cyclists have the right to ride on roads.

The rides are at a slower pace and it is asked that those participating remain silent. It’s a free event, and registration is not necessary. To find out if there is a ride taking place near you, please view the Ride of Silence locations site. If you are in Detroit, they will be meeting at Scott Fountain in Belle Isle.

I plan to ride here in Maryville, TN. Let’s all ride in solidarity for those we have lost and for those who have felt the blow of unaware and reckless motorists.

Click the image for more details.

Ride safe,
Vanessa

Bake Sale and Tool Drive Today!

Just a quick reminder that today is our special Mother’s Day Bake Sale and Tool Drive Fundraiser out at Belle Isle!
We’ll be on the west end of the island (look for signs!) from 1-5 today selling delicious hand made treats in exchange for American dollars, or for any bikes, tools, parts, etc that you might have around the house.

We’d love to see you there!
xoxo

Dodging butterflies

For the next 6 months, I’ve traded dodging shards of glass in the streets to dodging butterflies fluttering about. Instead of riding by homes, businesses, abandoned lots, liquor stores and churches, I have a river on one side of me, often a steep drop off to that river, and trees upon trees jutting out of mountain rocks all the way up to ridge tops. A vehicle may pass by me, usually a motorcycle. I get nervous going down hill around sharp corners, but then I think about busy intersections and buses.

My first full day living in the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee, I wake up, stretch with some yoga, eat a bowl of granola and spend way too long trying to figure out how to attach new bike accessories to an old rusty 70s Ross road bike. I realize I’m spending too much time trying to attach a water cage to my bike which was somehow made to not carry one (I made it work this morning though). I give up for the time being, I just want to ride. I leave the house that I’ll soon be sharing with anywhere up to 7 other researchers. For now I can leave bike tools and parts scattered about on the kitchen table.

I pull out of the Tellico Ranger Station area and head up 210, the river road. It’s pretty narrow, but paved. A truck passes by, up ahead I see a bike coasting down hill. I see lots of pink and black, the cyclist and I look up and give each other a quick nod. I wonder if she, too, is as excited as I am to see another female cyclist. Or maybe she was thinking about my lack of spandex. Here I am some dirty punk kid, wearing cut-off jean shorts (a cyclist’s nightmare) trudging up the road on a heavy (but sturdy) road bike, and there she was in full cycling gear and a fancy bike. She probably was also biking many more miles than I, this was just my test ride. I was too anxious to get out and ride rather than think about what I needed for a longer trip. I wore my jersey, mainly for it’s handy back pockets- a place for my water bottle and another pocket for the epi pen incase hornets hate bike riders.

This afternoon a guy that works out in the forest as well came by to introduce himself, he knows my boss, and she told him I’m really into riding bikes. He asked if that was the only bike I brought, and I laughed proclaiming that yes, unfortunately I haven’t been able to purchase my dream bike just yet. But he was helpful and told me of a nearby bike shop to check out. I should mention that nearby around these parts usually means within an hour. I told him to give me a little while so I can get used to these mountains and then I’ll ride with him. Honestly, I’m a bit too embarrassed because my muscles are a little confused by going uphill, but they actually did better than I thought. He told me to practice on the forest roads and soon I’d find myself going up the Cherohala Skyway. That’s the plan man! For now, it’s just me and my bike, Bob, enjoying the smells and the sounds of nature.

Ride safe out there,
Vanessa

p.s. I’ll also be blogging at BikesnBats if you are curious to hear more. Internet access is rare, but I’ll update when I can. Although I’m far away, I’ll still be helping out with Fender Bender and look forward to seeing everyone when I come back in June for the USSF.