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Friday, 24 August 2012

Pedalfest 2012

This last weekend was a busy one for us here in Berkeley. On Saturday we attended the annual bike festival Pedalfest at Jack London Square in Oakland and on Sunday we went to our first family baseball game, also in Oakland. It was an Oakland weekend all round!

More about the baseball later, let's have a look at Pedalfest...

I bike Oakland




Pedalfest is relatively new to the annual Summer festival schedule being only in its second year. This bike centric festival is full of all sorts of two-wheeled (and three-wheeled) fun.

The highlights for us were watching the crazy riders in the Whiskeydrome, creating Spin Art artworks, viewing and riding the many up-cycled bicycle contraptions, and helping to power the pedal powered stage.

As usual, I went a *little* snap happy and ended up with a tonne of photos. So many crazy bikes to see and my little posers needed a photo on each and every one of them! Here are some of my favourite shots of the up-cycled bikes. Most of these we just sat on but a few were available for kids to ride.

The girls and I try out the "Sociable", a three seater tricycle

Ava tries out the "Sociable" on her own

Two hands, two handle bars!

Another bike for the family?

Can't quite reach those pedals!

Pedals for the feet AND the hands

Big wheeler

An idea for our dining chairs?

Hand pedal power. Lola couldn't quite work this one out but Ava had loads of fun.

Ava pedalling

Trampoline bike


The riders in the Whiskeydrome were pretty impressive and looked like they were having a great time. We whiled away quite a bit of time watching them ride around and around in circles, somehow avoiding collisions.   

The Whiskeydrome

The Whiskeydrome

The Whiskeydrome - Look, no hands!


Part of the fun at Pedalfest is just seeing some of the interesting bikes (and their equally interesting owners) that ride around the Bay Area. Here are a few of my favourites.

Pimp my ride!

Stereo trike 

That's a big speaker on the back

More decorated bikes following the musical trikes

This one's just like our bike but with an extra seat and windshield on the front. 

Hmm...

What's cooking?


There was plenty of delicious food and drink on hand including bicycle churned ice-cream from Rock the Bike, yummy handmade pretzels from Sonoma Valley bakery The Bejkr, coffee from Bicycle Coffee Co and beer from New Belgium Brewery. Plus whatever was cooking in that picture above!


Bicycle Coffee Co

The girls try out the bike churned ice-cream

Ava has a go at churning the ice-cream - pity she can't reach the pedals


After we filled our bellies with pretzels, ice-cream, coffee, beer and hot dogs (not necessarily all together) it was time for a little entertainment. As well as the bike churned ice-cream, local company Rock the Bike provided fun for the kids with Spin Art. You can read more about Spin Art in this earlier blog post from the Color Run.

Ava's Spin Art in action

Lola's Spin Art in action

Spin Art creations drying


Rock the Bike also provided entertainment in the form of a pedal powered stage. All the power needed for the bands playing on the stage was provided by festival goers pedalling as they listened to the music. A great way for the audience to be part of the show - and to get a little exercise at the same time!

Pedal powered stage

All that pedalling powers this little box which powers the stage

Lola watches the band

Lola says "Pedal harder people"

Kim and Lola watching the band

Kim helps power the stage on this crazy bike

Kim powering the stage


It was a long day for us all and it got the better of Lola on the 10km bike ride home. She napped most of the way home, waking only briefly when we stopped to snap a photo of this stop sign below.

Stop! Hammer time!

Sleepy Lola

Kim and the girls on our Yuba Mundo


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