Old Soul Co. | 8legs2wheels

Sacramento Kidical Mass Annual Food & Clothing Drive Recap

Our November Food & Clothing Donation Drive & Ride was a success, even with Mother Nature throwing some inclement weather our way.

We had about 20 riders and delivered 420lbs of food and warm clothing to Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (some of which was donated during the month at the three Sacramento Old Soul Co. coffee cafes, some of which was brought the day of the ride by our intrepid cyclists). We gathered at Grant Park in upper Midtown, meandered down the (mostly) quiet streets to pick up donation barrels at the Old Soul locations, then cruised over to Oak Park for the final pick-up and drop off.

I’m guessing there were more than a few passersby and motorists who didn’t quite know what to make of us. I’ll say it again: when we parade down the road, we just may be the world’s least intimidating biker gang.

I’m proud of everyone who participated, and we’re looking forward to doing it again next year!

We had 6 large blue donation barrels hoisted upon and delivered via cargo bikes. Who says you need a truck or SUV to haul a big load?

Our multi-generational crew in front of the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, after unloading the goods

The little ones especially enjoyed getting to go inside the warehouse (and, yes, they all showed restraint–as did their parents–in refraining from climbing up on the forklift and attempting to take it for a spin).

Pretty cute, huh? She, of course, wanted to travel this way for the rest of the ride. Mom said no.

Elle’s sweet Bullitt, gettin’ the job done.

My Yuba Mundo: like if Evel Knievel’s Rocket Bike was painted by a Smurf.

Russ’s nice Orange Mundo and my Blue Mundo make quite a pair…albeit one that would take up a whole municipal bike rack.

Ellle making the Haul-A-Day adjustable cargo bike even MORE adaptable

Our Sacramento Kidical Mass ride this last Saturday was quite an enjoyable success. About 70 folks, representing all age groups and almost every kind of pedaled conveyance, converged outside of Practical Cycle in Old Sac with donations for Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services in tow.

It’s a good thing that Old Sacramento doesn’t begin to fill up with revelers and tourists until around lunchtime, because we turned most of J St. into two- (and three-) wheeled parking lot!

After a nice time of kibitzing, perusing, and trying out each other’s bikes, our motley crew got into formation and slowly trickled out of Old Sac to make our way through Downtown to our final destination in Midtown.

Old Sacramento’s Wild West-themed buildings and characters (heavy on old-timey gunslingers and “ladies of the evening”) were an odd backdrop for our pedal-powered wagon train. We passed a group of Harley riders on our way toward Midtown and–while they may be far more intimidating–we had them beat in the numbers department.

Past the beautiful Sacramento River, over the freeway and into Downtown we cruised, thankful that the week’s intense winds had taken a siesta. (Earlier in the week, it was quite possible that gale-force winds, as well as rain, would be our cycling companions). Not only was the weather not to be contended with, but traffic was non-existent, too, which is always nice.

Longtail bikes, bucket bikes, and road bikes, OH MY!

Either the denizens of Midtown were all asleep, or our dinging bells, penchant for fluorescent orange, and intimidating average speed of 9 MPH sent them scurrying indoors.

Me and my best gal, with donation bags in tow and an industrial carafe of coffee sitting in Little Brother’s seat.

We arrived–safe and sound with our peloton intact–at Edible Pedal in Midtown. We transferred our clothing and food donations from the bikes to the big blue barrels from SFBFS, then enjoyed some more time to swap stories, ideas and advice (I picked up a few helpful tips for winter riding and more than a few ideas for future customizing projects).

Thankfully, Edible Pedal is located in an alley with a bare minimum of car traffic, as we claimed almost every square foot of asphalt for bike parking.