According to Gizmodo,  “The momentum behind the anti-SOPA movement has been slow to build, but we’re finally at a saturation point. Wikipedia, BoingBoing, WordPress, TwitPic: they’ll all be dark on January 18th. An anti-SOPA rally has been planned for tomorrow afternoon in New York. The list of companies supporting SOPA is long but shrinking, thanks in no small part to the emails and phone calls they’ve received in the last few months.”

So what is SOPA? or PIPA? At first, it sounds like a good idea–it is supposed to protect content providers. But Gizmodo argues that “SOPA is an anti-piracy bill working its way through Congress that would grant content creators extraordinary power over the internet which would go almost comedically unchecked to the point of potentially creating an “Internet Blacklist” while exacting a huge cost from nearly every site you use daily and potentially disappearing your entire digital life while still managing to be both unnecessary and ineffective but stands a shockingly good chance of passing unless we do something about it.”

So call. Or email. If you’re a subscriber, go see the site for yourself–there’s plenty posted today about ways you can show your protest. Then boycott the internet yourself.

After I post this and publicize this,  I am planning on joining in as well and staying off the internet today. This site will be “dark” from 8am-8pm and post a flag and info about the issue until January 24, 2012.

Tonight, ride for your lives!—the zombie apocalypse is upon us! Attention all you Dead, Living and Un-Dead Bicyclists, join the mob of zombies down at the Wheelhouse TONIGHT Thursday at 7:30pm.

We will swarm State Street feasting on human flesh as we make our way down to the pier. Bike sumo will be a gory battle of thrill and terror…Refreshments of human blood and brains will be served after the ride at ‘The Roadhouse’  202 State St.

Also meeting tonight, Thurs Jan 5, the  Ventura HUB – Tool-share and Bike Education Collective Planning and Potluck 6:30pm-8:30pm, 345 W. Center St., Ventura CA

Have you signed the petition for more funds for safe streets for bikes? Please send it to bicycle groups that you know. We only need 4801 more signatures! Also, thank you for the generous donations. Please feel free to contribute if you haven’t yet.

Come join the fun in Ventura! Friday, January 6 is the COLORS First Friday ArtRide! The San Buenaventura ArtRiders Bicycle & Social Club invites you to meet up at the promenade Artist Union Gallery at 5:30pm; depart at 6:15! Brighten up Ventura with your colorful self led by Bratt and Jewel!

Check out this bicycle repurposed for a bathroom by artist Benjamin Bullins– his site is here. Not sure what the material is for the countertop, but concrete would be cool, too. You could add a pannier for more storage!

Speaking of ArtRides, some say they will be doing First Friday in Ventura January 6; we’re planning on heading up to Santa Barbara January 5 for Bike Moves–the theme is “Night of the Riding Dead.”

Because of the cold weather and possibility of rain this afternoon, we are cancelling the potluck following the ArtRide. Instead, we’ll stay downtown.

Here’s the plan:

1:30 DRINK & BE MERRY
Meet at the Jolly Oyster: BYOB bubbles, you can buy oysters etc

2pm RIDE & BE MERRY!
Ride along the beach and the river trail to Main, possibly stopping by the Pier to play on the swings etc. or Aloha for a drink or AUG for art. Hook up with the Rockin Riders on the bike path

2-3:30 or so
RIDE, DRINK & BE MERRY!
Ride up and down Main, stopping at the CA & Santa Clara mini-park for holiday foolishness, play in Plaza Park (how many Santas fit on the head of a canon?) and then Palermo’s for hot coffee & cocoa. Santas in suits who bring their own cups can get drip coffee for $1!!

Ride to Art City & up Ventura Avenue

4:30p
EAT DRINK & BE MERRY!
Ride back to downtown for beers at Anacapa or Winchesters or Bernadettes–whoever will give Santa a break & has room for us to gather & lock our bikes.

445p SUN SET
LIGHT YOUR BIKE–
it’s dark by 530pm!!

Happy holidays!
Santa, Zanta, Mrs Claus and Little Red Claus

Is there a First Friday ArtRide in Ventura tonight?

Here’s my answer:

There is if you show up and ride!

Following the news in October that I was stepping back and letting others come forward to help with the ArtRides, we held a meeting to discuss whether and how the ArtRides would continue.

While the consensus was to hold fewer rides and put more energy into promoting them, a couple riders said they would ride regardless of whether anyone else did or there was any publicity. As far as I know, Daniel and Matt plan to ride.

While we discussed the challenges of having a ride on a workday so soon after people get off of work, as far as I know the start time did not change. However, the truth is, folks show up when they can. Often people meet as early as 5pm to have drinks at Aloha before the ride. Since we meet at the Artists Union, that’s usually a first stop. So we rarely leave the Promenade much before 6:30p. If we hear that a rider is on the way, we try to wait or to communicate where we’re going.

We don’t leave riders behind; please tell lots of people if you leave the ride so we’re not searching for you.

So if you want to ride, meet around 5:30p around the Artists Union Gallery, Aloha, and the Ventura Beach Promenade. The Ride will commence when riders leave sometime after 6pm.

  Don’t be a darktard–take after Rudolf and light your bikes!

There does seem to be more enthusiasm for a Sunday Santacon Dec. 11. Meet 2pm at the Ventura State Beach by the Jolly Oyster. Potluck follows. Here’s a pdf of the flyer: Santacon version 2

There’s also a traditional pub crawl Santacon being organized elsewhere by others for Saturday night December 10.

Thursday, December 1st, Friday December 2, and Sunday December 11, to get your jollies on–while riding your bike!

Remember to light up your bike with Christmas lights as well as legal ones–you don’t want to spend your Christmas money on a ticket for riding without a headlight!

Th. Dec. 1, meet Rudolph and his red nosed riders at the Wheel House at 7:30 to merrily roll along State Street in all your seasonal glee.

Down at the pier, an epic reindeer bike sumo battle will determine who will guide Santa’s sleigh this year. Afterward head to Red’s bar and tapas for a gay ol’ time and a festive assortment of beverages.

Come down to the Wheelhouse early to support the Sustainable Living Bike Tour. Meet the riders and watch a slideshow documenting their epic ride so far from San Francisco.

Then Friday, Dec. 2, San Buenaventura ArtRiders will meet in holiday attire at 530pm for a 6pm ride around town to visit studios and galleries open for First Friday.

Sunday Dec. 11, weather permitting, the San Buenaventura ArtRiders will do a Santacon on bikes.

Happy Holidays! And remember–don’t be a darktard– light your bike!!

5:30pm: Meet and hang out on the Ventura Beach Promenade

6pm: Photos then ride off into the sunset

So find your bones or paint some on and

LIGHT YOUR BIKE!! It’s gonna be dark out there!!

(Seriously, you can get a ticket if you don’t have headlights and tail lights and reflectors on your bike! In Santa Barbara, we have seen several people written up for $150 tickets for not having appropriate lights on their bikes!)

Santa Barbara Bike Moves writes:

“Cyclists of Middle Earth,

On November 3rd of the year two-thousand eleven come gather at the Hobbit Wheelhouse. From there we will embark on an epic journey through Middle Earth down to the Pier of Orodruin where we will battle the Dark Lord Sauron in a game of sumo. Will good triumph over evil?

And for those that want to strut the costume early and enjoy a little time on the water, come out for an awesome joint party with Bike Moves and Paddle Sports Halloween weekend for a noon paddle departing from the harbor to benefit “Save the Mermaids“. “

I wish I could be there!

Others wondered whether the rides should be quarterly. Or daytime.

All agreed that dressing up is an important attraction and will continue to be a part of the ArtRides.

Various people stepped forward to volunteer and I stepped back from my role of doing just about all of it.

So for the time being, the ArtRides will go on! The next ArtRide has a Day of the Dead theme; Zanna made a fun flyer and others are taking on getting the word out. Download it and spread the love!