The awesome, bike-loving owner of Yeast Nashville put together a bike brunch last month, with the help of the awesome Amanda H. A group of nearly 20 cyclists loaded up on delicious kolaches and cinnamon rolls at Yeast, and then set off on a 7-mile ride organized by Amanda.
Me in Shelby Park
The next Bike Brunch from Yeast Nashville is on May 18—find more details here.
You guys, it is spring in Nashville–finally. I’ve been going on rides and walks and making spring-y cupcakes.
And sunday, April 13, we’re having a bike brunch! Meet at Yeast Nashville at 11:15 for food–then at around noon, we’ll head out for a ride through Shelby Bottoms. More details here.
Hope to see you there!
It’s been way too long since our last Nashville Tweed Ride. Time for a rematch! Will I wear the exact same outfit as I did three years ago? Will we have equally unseasonable warm weather? Will the 15 people who RSVP’d “yes” on the Nashville Slow Ride page actually show up? I can hardly wait to find out.
Please join us! Route details can be found on the meetup page above or on the Facebook event page.
On August 11, we had something of a last-minute bicycle picnic brunch in Centennial Park. It was hot and HUMID…really gross and humid. And it got even wetter before the day was over. But a good time was still had by all. I think!
Our delicious spread included iced coffee, champagne, watermelon, yummy breads and boiled eggs. Oh, and kolaches from Yeast Nashville!
New friends Anna and Dan arrived on their sweet vintage Gitane tandem.
We ate and chatted amid tourists renting B-cycles and locals doing what looked like Tae Bo (she politely asked if we minded her occasional cursing. We pointed out that we were drinking alcohol in a park during prime church hours…so, not really.).
Sadly, we missed Andy and Amanda, who had ridden all the way from East Nashville (with more kolaches!) but had gotten there early and missed where we were set up in the park. At least they had extra pastries to console them. Next time I plan to choose a geographical feature in the park to mark our spot!
Toward the end of the brunch, we started feeling raindrops. We huddled under a tree for a while, thinking it would pass. It…didn’t. Once we were completely soaked, we decided it was time to take refuge under the Parthenon. Anna and Dan kindly donated their blanket to keep my new Brooks dry.
Rainy group photo, with Le Peug standing in for me.
Our next brunch will be on September 29, at the Stone Fox. Fingers crossed we won’t get rained on. Email me for more details if you’re interested in joining!
Just a quick post to let you know about a couple of of rides taking place in Nashville this weekend.
Earlier this week, Dottie mentioned all the awesome events going on in Chicago for National Bike Month. We’ve got lots going on here in Nashville, too! Last Sunday, I led a Bike Brunch + MetroCenter Ride, which miraculously was rain-free. Also a miracle: That another cyclist came by, the first we’d seen all day, just in time to take this photo.
MetroCenter Ride crew
Next week is the biggest week yet: Wednesday is the Ride of Silence, Friday is Bike to Work Day, and Saturday is the Tour de Nash! We just found out that Mike Wolfe from “American Pickers” will be leading the Family Ride. I’m hoping he’ll be on some sort of awesome vintage machine…
Check out the calendar for more details on those and other events.
What’s happening in your city for bike month?
Oh my gosh. What happened to April? I can’t really blame my vacation, since I was behind on my blogging before I even left: I didn’t post these pictures from our last Nashville group ride, which took place on St. Patrick’s Day. It was dreary and overcast (story of the last three months, it feels like) but we didn’t get *too* rained on. Even though it’s late, I have to share them in honor of the awesome friends who came out (and wore green!).
For those in Nashville, our next ride will be May 5. Find out more here!
Kermit Allegra was decked out for the holiday.
So was Jessica’s Linus, although I did a horrible job of taking a photo of it.
We started at Taproom, where I had a corned beef sandwich and a black and tan.
Then we set off for downtown and our final destination of Fleet Street Pub (there being no satisfactory Irish pubs in downtown, alas).
Everyone was wearing green.
The group at Fleet Street.
Ticker tape bills!
Afterwards, Whitney and I went to our last Italian lesson and then took the bus home just for kicks.
How was your St. Patrick’s Day? Your Easter? (How could I have missed two holidays?!?)
Our next outing will be on May 5, and is a Farmer’s Market Brunch + MetroCenter ride. Details here—come and join us!
Howdy! I recently got an iPhone and I’m intrigued by all the blogging/twitter/picture possibilities. Therefore, those of you who follow us on Twitter may have seen that Trisha and I were hanging together in Nashville this weekend. Working on some fun blog-related stuff. :-)
On Saturday, we biked to the park and picnicked for a few hours with a bottle of wine and some good cheese. I rode the Flik folding bike and Trisha rode her beloved Kate Spade Abici.
Other than blog work and bicycling, we’ve basically been eating our way through Nashville, with stops at Barista Parlor, Rolf and Daughters, Hattie B’s Chicken (for a Nashville bike brunch and meet-up with my friend Erin and her baby Finn), and The Pharmacy. Love Southern Food!
We also absorbed some culture at the Frist Art Museum.
Finally, a bit of shopping, including some long-desired, ultra-local Imogen + Willie jeans for Trisha and Wolford tights for me (I’ll review them here, as I’m hopeful they are the perfect winter tights).
Re-discovering Nashville with every visit (after living here six years ago) is always a treat. The city is on a huge upswing, including improving public transportation and bicycling facilities. Every time I visit, there is more to see and do!
Well, Nashville’s bike share finally launched on Thursday. I didn’t make it to the launch (whose idea is it to have these things in the middle of the day downtown??) but I feel like being the very first person to sign up for a year’s membership gives me some street cred anyway.
Signing up for B-Cycle at the 12South Winter Warmer
On Sunday, we had a bike lunch at the very bike-friendly Kay Bob’s Grill and Ale near Vanderbilt (they volunteered to host AND they have a brand new bike rack!). Jonathan and Stephanie get points for biking all the way from East Nashville…our next brunch has got to be a little further their way. As we ate, we noted a couple of B-Cycle riders cruising down 21st—an encouraging sign for the program. Of course, the mild weather didn’t hurt: It was easily 60 degrees.
Lauren and me
Whitney, Stephanie & Jonathan
$2 beers and delicious flatbreads were had. Then we strolled down to the closest kiosk to check this whole bike-share thing out.
Nashville or Paris?
The kiosks were the simplest ones I’ve used yet. Plus, if you’re a member, you can bypass them completely and just hold your pass up to the release point and checking the bike out that way.
And unlike in London, I didn’t snag my tights/bruise myself trying to wrestle the damn bike out of the…holster, for lack of a better word.
As I said before, these are fairly heavy, sturdy, 3-speed bikes. But the seats were easy to adjust and the same bike fit all of us with ease.
They sent me a little text once I had successfully returned the bike, and I also got an email receipt detailing my activity—a nice touch.
While we were at the kiosk, a handful of people stopped to check out the bikes and ask questions about how they worked—proof that a bike share has the power to make people think about cycling as transportation. Though I wouldn’t say that 21st Ave. is my favorite street to bike on (nor is Wedgewood, for that matter, though once it turns into Blakemore it’s OK), this station is one that will really up the program’s visibility. I can see myself using it on days I don’t bike to work if I have to run a lunch errand.
If you’re in Nashville, have you used the bike share? You can join here or find more details here.
This time of year, lots of people spend their weekends hiking or taking drives to look at autumn colors. Which is all well and good, but you don’t have to leave the city to spend an active day out of doors.
On Sunday, we had a bicycle brunch at West End Café. It was a beautiful day with temperatures in the high 50s.
Lauren, Stephanie, Jonathan, Whitney, Sten & Jessica
Newlyweds! Jess & Sten got married on November 3.
Lauren knitted her sweater.
I pulled the Bat out for the day.
Afterwards, most of us went downtown to check out the Mayor’s 5K. Stephanie and Jonathan left before the start, but Whitney had registered and Lauren and I decided to walk along with her.
Walking a 5K in boots while carrying a purse? Why not?
We felt a tad out of place, not being clad in sweats, tennis shoes or t-shirts, but walking such a short distance in city clothes is really no big deal. Besides, who could miss out on the chance to enjoy city streets closed off to car traffic? Not this trio.
After the 5K, we ate some free snacks and checked out the Bcycle terminal…bikes TK next month.
Finally, pricing is revealed!
Then we went to get our bikes for the ride home, stopping to admire the picture they made in front of the red trees and new courthouse shining in the late afternoon light. Who says you can’t enjoy fall color in the city?
Whitney and I took the long way home to check out the new 28th Ave Connector, which has a protected bike lane. I was too busy enjoying the ride/huffing on the uphills to take a picture of my own, not that you get much of a chance for photos on a ride that’s only just over a quarter of a mile, but here’s one from WSMV (click for more details on the connector, if you’re curious).
Image courtesy of WSMV, obviously!
When I got home after my 5-hour outdoor day, I headed directly to the couch. Where I’m fairly certain someone else had been for the entire day.
March has been full of sun and warmth, but also some killer winds and sudden storms. (Lion’s breath?) But we gathered our biggest group yet for a late brunch on March 11 at Margot Café.
We even filled the bike rack! It was a proud moment.
This time around, I got portraits of almost everyone and their bikes. Tell me you’re impressed, Internet. :)
Lauren
Abby
Sarah
Chad
Kim
Whitney
Jessica & Sten
Me
Our April bike brunch will be Sunday, April 1, at 11 am at West End Café. RSVP via email and let me know you’re coming. New faces are always welcome!
I didn’t make it to this Sunday’s bike brunch, but our little tradition carried on just the same, despite the large wet flakes of falling snow (first of the year here in Nashville) with a stalwart six meeting up at Whiskey Kitchen.
Kim gets street cred for biking through our little blizzard on her Raleigh.
Kim, Lauren and Whitney
Abby & Chad
Chad & Sarah
Our next bike brunch will be Sunday, March 11, at Margot Café in East Nashville at 1 p.m. This is a later brunch than usual — hopefully the weather will be warmer in the afternoon! Please RSVP to lgrab [at] letsgorideabike [dot] com so I can make a reservation.
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December’s bike brunch took place at Tavern in midtown on December 11. I was a bit worse for the wear having been to an all-day beer festival the day before, but as always it was a good time.
The best we could do for a bike rack
chris & Kim
Trisha, Lauren and Matt
Kim, Susan and Sarah
If you’d like to join our rides, email me at LGRAB [at] letsgorideabike [dot] com. There will be no brunch in January—because we’ll be having a Rhinestone Cowboy Ride on the afternoon of January 14 instead. Stay tuned for details.
Our last Nashville bike brunch was on November 13. We decided to ride downtown and check out the new Fleet Street Pub. The day was sunny and warm, but the wind gusts (40+ mph!) kept the crowd small.
Kermit Allegra and I met Whitney on Belmont Boulevard. I had a while to wait, so I amused myself by taking a few photos. The wind was so strong I had to hold onto the bike at times to keep it from falling over!
Kermit Allegra coyly shows off her new basket
Still, we made it downtown, as this photo of Whitney can attest.
Whitney on Broadway
Tourists and traffic meant walking the bikes most of the way to Printer’s Alley.
Where we found the Fleet Street Pub . . .
and Lauren! New friend Sarah also joined us.
Conversations on crafting, cycling and thrifting had me so absorbed that I forgot to take a picture of my beer or delicious meal until it looked like this.
If you live in Nashville and would like to join our bike brunches and themed rides, send me an email! December plans are still up in the air, but I’m planning my long-discussed Rhinestone Cowboy Ride for January 14. :)
Let's Go Ride a Bike 