Hey everyone!
I am a social/volunteer coordinator for the San Diego Mountain Biking Association. Part of my responsibilities lie in working to make things fun while participants do something worthwhile for the community. My role is to create, enhance and preserve trail experiences (for all trail users) through fun advocacy and events and promote biking in general. One of the biggest events we do to promote this is the Tour De Fat with New Belgium Brewing (10/2/10). I'll give you a little bit of back story then provide details on what we need:

The Tour De Fat is a bicycle fest that travels around the country to promote cycling of all forms, encourage sustainable lifestyles (meaning, low impact on the environment but long lasting even after heavy use. SDMBA tries to implement this in trail building, for example, using rocks and natural land features on the trail so that tire/foot/hoof treads don't erode the trail and make it wider), and, wherever possible, utilizing biking or alternative transportation than cars from errands to commutes to fitness.

Each year, New Belgium Brewing company goes to the host cities and chooses 2 main non-profit organizations to basically run the event. Each non profit works particular aspects of the event with the proceeds benefitting their respective programs while New Belgium takes care of logistics, permits, all the overhead. SDMBA and the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition have been chosen again! Our Inaugural year last year was one of the largest grossing 1st-ever events they've put on to-date and had been applauded by the City as being so well orchestrated and an overall positive experience that the Tour HAD to come back!

Part of what they do is give away a custom bike to someone who pledges donating their car for a bike. They pledge to ride as much as possible for a year, and I know if you look at this link under the "trade your car for a bike", you can get more details, as well as see the list of cities in the tour, etc. http://www.newbelgium.com/tour-de-fat

This was such a fun event! If you were there, I know you'll be back. For those of you who missed it, it's one not to be missed again! Carnival atmosphere, costumes, bikes, beer garden for 21+, bike evangelists spreading the pedal love, music, you can't go wrong!

The ride is free/donation and registration is required. You can do so at the event prior to the bike parade, a flat fun, family-friendly ride through Balboa Park, Banker's Hill, Hillcrest (Route to be finalized soon). Your donations help organizations such as San Diego Mountain Biking Association and San Diego County Bike Coalition, do what they do best to preserve and enhance where we ride.

9:00 a.m. - Bike Parade Registration
10:00 a.m. - Bike Parade
11:00 a.m. Performances Begin
1:30 p.m. - Funeral procession for the car belonging to the Car-for-Bike Trade volunteer
3:30 p.m. - Car-for-Bike Trade Celebration
4:00 p.m. - Curtain Closes

Feel free to ping me with any questions or visit www.newbelgiumbrewing.com/tour-de-fat!

Happy trails,
Alison Whitney

I don't recall the bus last year, but I did have a great time drinking good beer early in the day and socializing with other cyclists. I rode home afterwards with a nice buzz. Poor injured Jolie was unable to attend last year, but she did ask me why I had this big sh** eating grin on my face when I got home. We're going this year for sure!

Please do volunteer - we're expecting twice the number of people as last year, and we'll need a ton of volunteers to help out! Watch this space for more info as we get closer...

Perhaps a grass skirt, coconut bra and lei for you this year?

t.e.d:Damn... That's what I was going to go with.

I'm sure it would look better on you than on me, t.e.d! No one wants to see my midsection.
I do like the grass skirt idea, though...
Other ideas?

Hey, so since there is already a Tour de Fat thread, for those who are going... where will you be and at what time?
I decided to go and am dragging my roommate with me, although we don't have costumes.

Did you all want to meet somewhere so we can ride together or is everyone doing their own thing?

D'oh! Guess Mark had already posted something:

markphilips:TOUR DE FAT info

How about meeting at The bronze statue of Kate Sessions located on the SW corner of El Prado and Balboa?

For those who cannot make it to the bike parade. You can always come afterwards for the stage carnival acts and performances.

Sorry... I guess I couldn't keep up with the local event thread... info on this event kinda got lost. Soooo..... bronze statue of Kate Sessions located on SW corner of El Prado and Balboa... gosh... not to add to the confusion but I wonder if I will be able to find it... wouldn't it be better to meet at the fountain where the Fish Taco rides start? And at what time anyways???

There are statues on either side of prado/laurel on the Hillcrest side of the bridge. The ones on the north side are Marston and some other dudes. On the south side, stands Miss Sessions, can't miss her.

Hey guys, i'll be working at the SDMBA booth on Saturday.
Stop by and say hello - I'm the ugly one.

Nigel & I are going to try and ride to Balboa Park from Lemon Grove, so I don't think we'll make it in time for the parade (seeing as I don't get out of bed till 9am). Wish me luck!

I consulted with my local commuter-cycling expert (Beany), we'll head down University to 47th, then head north to Orange, then north on Marborough to Adams, west to Park and head on down to Balboa. I'm weenying out and taking the trolley back home from downtown as I don't want to climb College or Massachusettes to get home.

What a fun and fantastic event! I got to see all my favorite bikey people (well, missed Bev and the Limey - hope the ride wasn't too bad) today and others I hadn't seen in a while. Also got to drink and eat well and have a really great time.

A fantastic show as expected. Those of you who didn't show missed an amazing event. AMAZING!

I saw your Tikit but couldn't find you inside the beer garden. Oh well, maybe next time.

It was great seeing some folks from this board at TDF today. Here's a few of my pics of the festivities:







More here.

I loved it. The parade was fun. If only CM could stick together like that.

Thanks for the photo proof, Mark, that we were actually there :o) We were really getting the hang of that thing. That was good fun!!

gavilan:Hey, so since there is already a Tour de Fat thread, for those who are going... where will you be and at what time?
I decided to go and am dragging my roommate with me, although we don't have costumes.

Did you all want to meet somewhere so we can ride together or is everyone doing their own thing?

Would've enjoyed sharing a pint with you gavilan - sorry to have missed you!
By the time I arrived it was after 11am, post-ride and mid-festivities, when I ran into 7 or 8 others from the boards - hope you did too.
- Lara Croft, Tomb Raider

Here are Velo Cult's photos of the Tour De Fat.

Boy, did I get it wrong this year! Somehow I remember last year's event as a Sunday. This time I double booked. I had already committed to captaining our MTB tandem out to Rose Canyon for the Air Show on Saturday. We were just leaving when Alfred Wilson showed up and said he had just come from the TdF. At least I got more exercise and drank less beer than I would have. Hopefully the two events won't coincide next year.

I had such a good time at this festival I'm really glad I made it out. I convinced my roommate and another buddy of mine to join me and we all had a blast.
My roommate and I ran into Mike along the way and we ended up sitting at the fountain waiting for our other buddy, and it turned out to be the meetup site so we got to see a couple of the meetup peeps (thoroughly confused about why no one else of the meetup group was there).

My roommate got a couple (yes, two!) flats on the way to Balboa Park, so he had to fix them and we missed the beginning of the parade. After we went to drop off our signed waiver and get our beer bracelets, while no one else was around (smart) we saw Hans and Jeremy's group racing to catch up with the parade so we followed them for a bit but then alley cat Hans disappeared and I only saw him again until after the first shows when my buddies and I went to try the weird bikes. What fun!
Along the way I saw Lee and Jan and a couple other people that I know from work.

All in all, an awesome way to spend a Saturday. Wish I had seen more of you around but maybe next time.

wpstoll:Boy, did I get it wrong this year! Somehow I remember last year's event as a Sunday. This time I double booked. I had already committed to captaining our MTB tandem out to Rose Canyon for the Air Show on Saturday. We were just leaving when Alfred Wilson showed up and said he had just come from the TdF. At least I got more exercise and drank less beer than I would have. Hopefully the two events won't coincide next year.

Busy weekend indeed! My roommate and I went to the Air Show on Sunday but just after spending the morning at Point Loma (Liberty Station) on a British Car Show.
Whew.
I need some days to recoup from the weekend! :-D

zonal: Would've enjoyed sharing a pint with you gavilan - sorry to have missed you!

Me too! Next time. :)

Beany, bummer I didn't see you. I didn't see Fred either, although I only went for 'a couple' of beers. ;)

The Event is growing and volunteers are needed. We hope you can take time out of your day to help out for a few hours.

Volunteers are needed for the following shifts on Saturday, October 1st:
Volunteers needed to Check IDs & Wristband: 10 per shift = 20 total
Shift A: 10:00am - 1:30pm
Shift B: 1:30pm - 5:00pm

Volunteers needed to Sell Beer Tokens: 10 per shift = 20 total
Shift A: 10:00am - 1:30pm
Shift B: 1:30pm - 5:00pm

Volunteers needed as H20 Technicians: 3 per shift = 6 total
Shift A: 10:30am - 2:00pm
Shift B: 2:00pm - 5:30pm

Volunteers needed to Pour & Serve Beer: 10 per shift = 20 total
Shift A: 11:30am - 2:30pm
Shift B: 2:30pm - 5:00pm

Volunteers needed for Tear-Down: 20
Shift Time: 5pm - 7pm

Volunteers are needed for Put-Up
Friday September 30

As you can see, we’ve got to pull together a bunch of volunteers to make this a success. So tell your friends! Please let me know if you can volunteer and what shift and job you would like and I’ll put you on our list. Please indicate your preferred shift and t-shirt size when replying and if you have been previously TIPS trained (for beer serving). Also, if you know of any shops, businesses, or groups that would like to put together volunteer teams to volunteer for a shift, PLEASE let me know. A follow up confirmation will be sent once you have let me know.

Phone #
Email Address
Shift
Shirt Size
Mens or Womens
TDF Experience

Thanks in advance for your support. We’re looking forward to seeing you at the 2011 San Diego Tour de Fat.

Cheers!
Andy Hanshaw
Executive Director
execdir@sdcbc.org
San Diego County Bicycle Coalition
740 13th St. Suite 504
San Diego, CA 92101
858-487-6063

lunteers are still needed for Tour de Fat. We have plenty of spots open

I'll be there with a bunch-o-MTB buddies! :face-devil-grin:

I'll be on a big red recumbent wearing a court-jester's hat.

I'm going to do this from Velocult, as I have to be somewhere in the afternoon which nixes the train.

I likely wont make the 9am meet @ VC but will see everyone at the park!