Sunday, June 13, 2010

S'N'S Teammates training like pros



Last week, Screens 'N' Spokes teammates Ian Harris and Barney Leonard rode one circuit (approx 15 miles) of the Philadelphia International Bike Race. The pros do this 10 times at much higher speeds!

"We set off at 7.15 am and had the opportunity to feel like a pro racer. There were barriers protecting all the intersections and some early spectators were ringing cow bells particularly at Manyunk Wall. The air was cool as we set out in the morning for what was going to be a steamy 90+ degree day.


The shotgun went off and all the amateur riders spurted forward. It was an easy flat ride along Kelly Drive and Schuylkill River into Manayunk. Then came the big challenge – the famous wall! We cycled with utmost focus for about 10 mins up the wall and into the narrowing ‘tower’, standing up and feeling our thighs burn to make it all the way up without stopping. Key was to avoid falling riders. Relieved at the top we then had a glorious ride on Ridge Ave downhill to the Schuylkill River. However, some more hills snuck up on us. Finally we reached the finish in a total time of 45 mins.


After resting up a little we made our way to the start of the pro race at 9 am. Seeing these cyclists is truly amazing - their lithe bodies all in unison and a huge peloton that whizzes by in a flash. They started with 2 mini circuits to Logan Circle and then headed out to Manayunk. They rode for the next 6 hours.


All in all a great morning!"


With less than 4 months remaining until the 2010 City to Shore Ride, Ian, Barney and the rest of our squad will be shifting into high gear on training and fundraising.



Thursday, June 3, 2010

A weekend filled with Flatstock in NYC



I'm back in NYC for the summer, and I'm thrilled about it because of weekends like the one starting tomorrow. If you are a fan of art, crafts, paper, screen printing, cool people, film or any combination thereof, this is a fantastic weekend for you. Take a look below for some awesome upcoming events.

Friday, June 4 | 7:00-8:00 pm | The Strand - 828 Broadway, NYC

First up is a party for the newly released Rock Paper Show, a compilation of posters created for Flatstock, the American Poster Institute's ongoing rock-poster exhibition. The book was curated by Geoff Peveto, President of the API and partner in The Decoder Ring Design Concern (Screens 'N' Spokes 2009). Geoff will be on hand along with a bevy of other S'N'S favorites including strawberryluna (S'N'S '07-'08, '10), Hero Design (S'N'S '08-'09), Mat Daly (S'N'S '09-'10), Tara McPherson and Michael Michael Motorcycle. They'll be there to sign books and chat about the past and future of gig posters.

June 5-6 | 11am - 7pm | McCarren Park, Brooklyn

You might ask why all these great artists are in town, and the primary reason is the 6th annual Renegade Craft Festival which begins Saturday and runs through Sunday. Over 300 artists from all over the country will be converging on McCarren Park to sell there goods. You'll find printed matter, t-shirts, sculpture, carving, jewelry, knitting, and just about anything else you could think of.

June 5-6 | Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn

Going on simultaneously to Renegade is the Atlantic Avenue Art Walk. Tons of artists will be opening up their studios this weekend. I'm not too familiar with most of the artists, but I highly recommend stopping by Axelle Fine Arts where you can see the work of Master Printer Luther Davis and his crew. I always find it awe-inspiring whenever I get to check it out.

June 5th | 7:30-11:30 pm | UNION DOCS, 322 Union Ave., Brooklyn

Finally, if you have had your fill of gig posters, check out the Brooklyn premiere of Died Young Stayed Pretty at UNION DOCS. The LA Weekly calls it "The Citizen Kane of underground rock poster art documentaries." So what's not to like??

I'll be trying to hit up most, if not all of these events, so say hi!

-Sam

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

The Heart of Etsy


“Life is like riding a bicycle.

To keep your balance you must keep moving.”
~Albert Einstein

Screens 'N' Spokes was featured yesterday on Wildblueberryink, in the weekly column "The Heart of Etsy."

In her post Shirley shares a poignant account of MS, through the eyes of a college freshman.

Give it a quick read. Sometimes we ride together, and other times...we need to ride alone. Either way, we inspire each other by as we gain momentum through uneven terrain.

-Jess