Ear to the ground

“House for sale. Lakefront property. Don’t wait on this one.”

-Sign posted in front of an East Animas Road home and near the Animas River floodplain

The two-wheeled takeover

Bicycles are again planning a friendly takeover of Durango’s Main Avenue this Friday. Critical Mass, a bicycle-based movement that mixes celebration and advocacy, is making its second tour through Durango. This Friday’s ride should get an extra boost from Ska and Steamworks’ long-standing “Unofficial Bike Parade.”

Simply put, Critical Mass rides are bicyclists forming a group and doing easy rides on city streets. The rides began in San Francisco in 1992 and currently take place on the last Friday of each month all over the world. At the root of the movement is a love for all forms of bicycling.

Critical Mass meets at 5:30 p.m. at the junction of Main Avenue and 5th Street. Meanwhile, “The Unofficial Bike Parade” will have been picking up steam for well over an hour. Now in its 10th year, the parade celebrates the release of Face Plant Ale, an Extra Special Bitter collaboratively brewed by Ska and Steamworks.

In past years, the parade has included ample Face Plant, a specially designed bike with a keg and high-pressured beer hose and as many as 70 riders. The parade gets under way around 4:30 p.m. at Ska Brewing in Bodo, will make its way to Wagon Wheel Liquor to pick up any stragglers and then join with Critical Mass in the vicinity of 11th Street and Main Avenue.

As one of the unnamed organizers of one of the two events said, “We’re just hoping that everybody’s got the sense and the magnets to somehow meet up around 11th and Main.”

Danielson Day

Once you’ve recovered from the Unofficial Bike Parade/Critical Mass combo, stroll on down to Mountain Bike Specialists on Sat., May 28, and shake the hand of local cycling phenom Tom Danielson.

Danielson is back in Durango nursing an injury sustained during the Giro d’Italia, and MBS is throwing a party in celebration of his recent victory at the Tour of Georgia. The event is free and open to the public and begins at 4 p.m. and will continue until 6 p.m. on Iron Horse Saturday.

Danielson will be signing autographs and answering questions. For the first time in Durango, Discovery Team jerseys, t-shirts, cycling caps and baseball caps will be available. Additionally, the Discovery Team Giro helmet will be premiered, and Live Strong bracelets will be available.