Tour De Fat Chicago

The Tour De Fat came to Palmer Square Park, just out side my courtyard, on Saturday the 21st of June. I didn't know much about it except that New Belgium Brewery, makers of Fat Tire, were behind it, it was all about biking and there was a short neighborhood ride. I found out that it was traveling the USA to 11 cities promoting bicycles as a fun, healthy and cheap way to get around and raising money for a local charity. Chicago's organization was West Town Bikes, a community bicycle learning workshop.


Here's a video...

This guy has a puppet show attached to his bike.



Here's the route.

The ride was pleasant, but it did rain for about half of it and there was a 9 year old boy crying and riding for pretty much the whole time. Apparently his dad was staying back at the park while the kid rode. Seriously 30 minutes of crying and riding. We'd say "What's Wrong?" and he'd just keep crying and ride away. Hopefully he learned the lesson that rain won't melt you.

I forgot this dude's name, but he's in the Rat Patrol and at most rides.


They held a funeral procession for car led by Mucca Pazza. There's a child sized Cadillac Escalade being carried in this picture.


This video features the guy who donated his car...

This area was filled with doctored-up bikes.

Hannah took this one. This bike came along on the ride, but someone else rode it. Because of the rain and tire/fenderless setup the rider's back and head were filthy by the end.

All in all, good bike fun and all the usual freaks (and some new ones) came out to enjoy it and drink some beer. It was also really awesome to wake up and walk just across the street to this. One more sign that my neighborhood is getting cooler by the day.