Bicycle Bash by the Bay Festival Draws All Types of Cyclists in Tampa Bay

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October 20, 4:26 PM

by Alan Snel, Cycling Examiner

 

It's 24 hours after Sunday's Bicycle Bash by the Bay ended and a smile still crosses my face when I think about the diverse lot of bicyclists who descended on Vinoy Park on the St. Petersburg waterfront for BBbtB III. More than 2,500 bicyclists came to the bicycle festival, which is put on by a Tampa Bay retail bicycle store group called SWFBUD (South West Florida Bicycle United Dealers).

One of the seven stores in SWFBUD is Bicycle Outfitters, which was the first shop to show up. And they arrived in style -- and without a motorized vehicle.

Shortly after the sun peaked above the eastern shore of the Bay, a Bicycle Outfitters caravan of more than a dozen bicycling employees hauling two tents, workstands and a bunch of gear came through downtown St. Petersburg via the Pinellas Trail and reached Vinoy Park. Kudos to the Bicycle Outfitters bike shop and owner Adam Beland for arriving at the BBbtB without a motorized vehicle.

It was the start of a marvelous day of bicycle celebration, as 300 bicyclists participated in the Share the Road Ride before the BBbtB and then cyclists of all stripes began descending on the Bicycle Bash by the Bay to meet SWFBUD's seven stores, a  variety of bicycle transportation agencies and groups and a variety of vendors who relished the sunkissed day on St. Petersburg's waterfront.

Emcee John Sinibaldi did a marvelous job keeping the activities moving along, Mayor Rick Baker came to enjoy the festivities and Cannondale gave away two free bicycles to a pair of lucky drawing winners.

It was a terrific day for Tampa Bay's bicycling community to celebrate the growth of the local velo scene and I tip my helmet to everyone who helped and who attended Bicycle Bash by the Bay III.   

Here's some of the crew that biked from the Bicycle Outfitters store in Seminole and carried all its gear, including two tents and workstands, via bicycle ONLY. No cars were involved in the making of this trip to Vinoy Park -- which was 13 miles away.

It's not a Bicycle Bash by the Bay without some unicyclist having a little fun.

Tanya is an artist who came with her boyfriend to enjoy the day of bicycling.

Manny Sierra of Carrollwood Bicycle Emporium was among the many store employees who chatted with the hundreds of BBbtB visitors.

Bicycle Outfitters in Seminole held workshops on fixing bikes.

The great thing about the Bicycle Bash by the Bay is that you have an incredible range of folks from little kids to the oldsters and every kind of bicyclist in between. 

Here's Mile Olsen of God's Pedal Power, which takes in old broken down bicycles and fixes them to give to the poor.

This girl was thrilled after I let her ride a small SWFBUD kids bike with training wheels and after I gave her a kids handlebar bell.

My pal Ellen, a local ringleader in the Police Unity Tour in the Tampa Bay area. The PUT is a big bike tour to raise money for a law enforcement memorial in Washington, DC. 

Here's grandma hanging with her grandson's new bicycle helmet. Nice fashion statement.

For more coverage, check out Ghost Rider Jack Sweeney's coverage -- http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/10/19/bicycle-bash-by-the-bay-2008-a-photographic-tour/

And also Adam Newman's Spoke-N-Word -- http://picasaweb.google.com/spokenwordblog/BicycleBash# and http://blogs.tampabay.com/biking/

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