Westside BikeSIDE!

(Sorry for the obligatory bad pun!)

On March 18th the universally loved Marcus McKenzie brought an incredible project idea to the Midnight Ridazz. He, and his partners in SMASH Architecture, had a 40 foot decommissioned city bus that they wanted to customize. They wanted to know if the Midnight Ridazz were interested in using this bus a touring vehicle, and customizing it for that purpose? The answer was a thuderous YAY, and a few whimpering “nays”.

I have good news: they that say “Yay” got together, and they’re making it happen. Specifically, SMASH Architecture is offering free labor and design work to build a custom touring bus for Ridazz road trips. The Yaysayers will take care of administration, planning trips, and raising the funds for materials and operations. This bus will facilitate big road trips of up to 30 riders to places like Portland, San Diego, and Austin, and assure that we absolutely blow locals’ minds on arrival.

In early June a quick fund raiser gathered the funds to finance starting the project. So, Marcus and Dan Burton, also of SMASH, began work on the bus - Bus #219. Last week they invited the project participants to check out #219 (can we call the bus “BICYZ #219“?) to see what they’ve done so far. So, this Sunday I hopped on my Lemond and ground out the 47 mile roundtrip over the hill to a lot near Hansen Lake, where #219 is stored. (My Flickr set of the #219, and Marcus’s Picasa set)

I Saw #219

When I reached the bus I had done 23.5 miles of urban riding, climbing the ridge, braving consistent headwinds and Valley heat. I entered the bus unceremoniously, plopped down, cracked a water bottle, and relaxed in the shade. Jeff Chew offered me a beer, which I turned down, knowing the implications of a beer on a warm return trip.

(everyone enjoying the new floor in the bus)

Once I cooled off I looked around. I was sitting on a plywood floor with Jeff, Marcus, and Dan. Weeks earlier the bus was completely gutted, and there was neither a floor nor a subfloor (the floor your luggage rests on); #219 was just a hulking steel frame. In a few weeks the two architects built a subfloor and a floor on shoe string budget in the Valley heat. That’s not that easy when you’re dealing with a steel frame and you have to use the existing form to fasten your elements to.

Near the rear entrance to the bus they have framed up a narrow bathroom. In a classic gesture, a toilet seat sits atop the box in which the toilet be installed. Dan was exuberant about the bathroom and the awesome inset door they’re building for it.

(The bus before construction starts)

The electrical wiring is completely exposed, and in general, this the condition of the walls and ceiling. The steel frame is exposed everywhere except the floor. While this might make the bus look a little rugged, it’s the ideal place to start when you’re building a custom machine. In talking with Marcus and Dan, you can tell just how serious they are about this project. They’ve thought about customizing each element of the bus, and come up with a coherent plan to integrate them. In that sense the bus is perfect - it’s a largely blank canvas on which SMASH can illustrate their vision.

Why #219 Will Roll

Midnight Ridazz forums are half crocodile pit, half din of insidious creativity. Brilliant ideas roll through there inspiring storms of enthusiastic yaysaying and vitriolic naysaying, only to be buried by a deluge of other threads in a matter of days. Although many great rides are incubated there, the forums still serve as a perfect example of why “great ideas” are worthless unless accompanied by execution. Forum frequenters tend to treat pie in the sky ideas, such as a bike riders touring bus, with an overwhelming dose of skepticism.

But, when Marcus pitched the idea on the forums, I determined I would go to the meeting, even if it meant canceling a flight to the moon. Why? Well, Marcus has an insane number of brilliant ideas, and he executes successfully a shocking number of them. Also, Marcus mentioned the idea to me a few months prior, so I knew he had been planning and thinking about it - always a good sign.

That was enough for me, and apparently many others. The attendees at the first meeting, and the energy they brought, exceeded the first meeting of Bikerowave volunteers. Since Bikerowave was a project of arguably greater scope, this was a good sign. Marcus brought one more ace to the table - SMASH would do the design and construction for free, we simply had to raise the funds and operate the bus.

Marcus catalyzed a big group of serious doers coming together. His partners in SMASH are inspired and diligent. On the Ridazz side, people who consistently pull off good events recognized Marcus’ commitment to a great project and joined up. In particular, Ms. Stephanie stands head and shoulders above the rest in making this project happen so far. With all the good energy, the consistent progress so far, and the backing of SMASH, I’m convinced this project will succeed massively.

Marcus, have a good cross country trip with B RAD as Funderstorm. When you get back I hope we can pick you up in a completed Bus #219 as thanks for all the AWESOME you’ve brought to our lives.

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