Pedaling Your Way To Your New Home

I Drove a Car this weekend.

The Grass Van

For the past several years my next door neighbor has participated in the annual Minneapolis Art Car Parade sponsored by Intermedia Arts.

The Grass Van has taken on several different themes. Once a ten foot pagoda was mounted on top, another year a hula hut with a half dozen hula-ing children made it’s way down the street. Every year a number of neighborhood children get to be in this unique event atop a vehicle that most people remember fondly, including my own kids.

This year I got to get into the act.

I sat behind the wheel of the Grass Van, sweating myself silly as the windows were covered, doing slow S-turns down 28th St. while my neighbor operated a giant wolf puppet from a trailer towed behind, doing battle with a gun-toting Dick Cheney.

That’s our illustrious Mayor, R.T. Rybak, posing with Dick, who he mercilessly taunted as we made our way to Lyndale Ave.

Art is Politics.

Last week was just about perfect.

“Guy’s Night” Ride

Check out Paul on the white 1×1 frame with the Large Marge rims and the giant tires (Bontrager?). I didn’t have the pleasure of riding it myself, but Diggy said it was like riding on marshmallows.

In a good way.

Aquatennial Milk Carton Boat Race

I’ve been aware of this unique Minneapolis event since childhood, but have never been until this year when my daughter got drawn into the project with some friends from school.

That’s her and a classmate heading up the Loch-Tose Monster.

She explained the whole concept to me. On one side of the creatures are scientists, on the other, photographers. Meanwhile, she and her friend are paddling for their lives, desperate to not be caught by the monster that lurks the depths of Lake Calhoun.

As you’ll see things don’t work out according to plan

I was shocked to learn that all the losers, and eventually the winners of this event all take a short walk up the beach to be unceremoniously crushed by a waiting garbage truck.

There sure were some big boats out there.

Even helping my friend move was fun.

Here’s the recipe for the perfect moving experience.

First, purge yourself of half you belongings. Face it, you don’t need that much stuff. Craig’s List is your best friend to this end. People will come and pick up anything you’re willing to give away.

Next,be highly organized.

Have nearly a dozen friends converge to assist you.

Feed them well.

And you’re done (the desk was bequeathed to a helper and dropped off while returning the truck).

I showed up an hour late and nearly missed the whole thing.

I ended the week with a visit to the Bastille Day Celebration at Cafe’ Barbette. The Alt BMX team had the big ramps out getting rad, and The Northstar Roller Girls were having a mini-battle in the lot.

Dinner at Tin Fish.

And a ride around the Lake before heading home.

Like I said. Perfect.

Next week, Musicapolis