that is Coleman... one of the New Belgium carnies
Coleman is tuning up the belt
getting the bells ringing
carnies are known to be tinkerers
the belt could use a tinkerer's touch
this year I was invited by New Belgium to design\build the Slow Ride belt for the Tour de Fat in Washington DC
I accepted the invitation with glee
as I fancy myself to be moderately craft but lack the deadlines to cause me to be productive
well... here was an excuse
after an email exchange a package arrived on my from doorstep from Fort Collins Colorado
Colemen had sent me the weight belt that would work as the template for the prize fighteresque Slow Ride belt
in Coleman's email were some attached images
some of my immediate ideas were obvious and already used
and I thought I could go one better
so I gave it some thought
when the belt arrived I started to toss pieces of the puzzle into the box
I collected as much New Belgium swag as I could
a number of ideas were in the forefront
the one idea that I had stuck in my head was to have brake levers on handlebars where the levers would activate the ringing of two New Belgium bells
then there was the idea of creating the DC Flag with some small metal New Belgium flat tire kit containers and then two New Belgium velcro leg bands that each read Ride More Drive Less
displayed such that they would work as a the Stars and Bars of the DC Flag
displayed such that they would work as a the Stars and Bars of the DC Flag
those pieces of the DC flag attacked with long screws drilled through the belt and attached with a number nuts... so the pieces are not flush with the belt
but raised.... I am not sure why
I guess just because
I tried to collect some stickers\buttons whatever from the advocacy groups that were involved in volunteering and running various aspects of the event
I tried to collect some stickers\buttons whatever from the advocacy groups that were involved in volunteering and running various aspects of the event
two WABA stickers where the grips would be
one of the WABA stickers reading "I ride a bike because I am Awesome"
a nifty pin from Phoenix Bikes
an Avery printer label from FABB
a MORE logo sticker and then the word MORE from a MORE logo sticker on the cowbell
why...
a nifty pin from Phoenix Bikes
an Avery printer label from FABB
a MORE logo sticker and then the word MORE from a MORE logo sticker on the cowbell
why...
MORE COWBELL!
it was all coming together pretty nicely
I had a New Belgium neoprene coozie that I was going to attach like a holster but decided to use Scrabble letters to spell SLOW RIDE WASHINGTON DC on one side
while the advocacy group stickers took up the other side
oh yes... and there was a New Belgium bottle opener on one of those retractable key chain\work id thing-a-ma-bob
with the exterior adorned by a New Belgium reflector
with the exterior adorned by a New Belgium reflector
I think it turned out pretty cool
so... anyone have a photo of the person being awarded the Slow Ride belt in Washington DC at the 2014 Tour de Fat?