Boise Bicycle Project

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Bike-a-bout Boise, Canals, and a reason to ride.

Last Wednesday, for the first time in BBP’s history, we hosted a digital bike ride. What does that mean? It means that people took their bikes for quick ride during their lunch break, found a soft and social-distanced section of ground to sit upon, and called in for a Zoom discussion about BBP, bikes, and Boise.

I choose a section of railway next to the Train Depot where I could look our over the City and the storm rolling in. It was a bit chilly, the wind was blowing so I don’t know how the audio turned out, and it ended just seconds before a denim soaking rain storm that I wasn’t prepared for (hence the soaked denim). All in all, it wasn’t perfect, but it was great to see some familiar faces. And, it was the best lunch break I’ve had in 4 weeks.

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New Home Work: Bike-a-Bout Boise

Wednesday April 22nd at Noon

This week we’re going dive into Canals (not literally).

This week’s homework assignment is all the upcoming Bike-a-bout Boise zoom ride on Wednesday 4/22. Our goal is to have 20 wonderful BBP friends hop in on the call. We’ll play some fun games at the beginning, give you some BBP updates, and do some Q&A about canal pathways. These rides are as much for us as they are for you. We miss your faces. We miss the energy you bring to BBP. Simply put, we miss you. So here are your instructions….

Before the ride:

  1. Choose what bike you’re going to ride, because I will ask you about it! Be prepared to tell us your #1 favorite part of your bike (your pedals, saddle, bell, rear rack, the pinch bolt for your seatpost…) Example my favorite part of my bike (seem above) are the orange Race Face cranks. I dreamed of these cranks as a teenager, but could never afford them. Then one day, 20 years later, they came into BBP.

  2. Choose your destination. My recommendation is somewhere within 15 minutes of your house or office. Bonus points if you’re close to a canal access road. If you can’t make the ride and have to zoom in from home that’s ok too. If you’re going remote, it may help to download the zoom app for your phone.

  3. Pack a lunch, maybe a blanket, some extra layers, something warm to drink... Look at the weather and dress accordingly.

During the ride

  • 12:00pm: Start riding, you can leave earlier depending on destination goal.

  • 12:10pm: Find nice piece of ground to relax on

  • 12:15pm: Zoom into https://zoom.us/j/163239922 Meeting ID: 163 239 922. It may be best to download the zoom app if you’ll be riding around like me

  • 12:15pm: Intro and Bike Show and Tell

  • 12:25pm: BBP Update

  • 12:30pm: 20 Questions about bikes and canals with Jimmy, Nina, and friends

  • 12:45pm: Zoom out, ride home


That’s all the homework for this week. We really want to focus on building something fun and consistent for these Wednesday lunch rides as we explore the virtual world, and the opportunities within, a little bit more.

If that just isn’t enough and you’re looking for more homework, listen to this wonderful bicycle love story from Radio Lab.

Be safe, ride on!

-Jimmy