Bike Hugger 

Here’s a great idea – add an option to Google Maps to show bike paths and directions in the same place you’d get driving or public transit directions. It ain’t so yet, but it could be if this petition can catch the attention of Google’s map teams. There are tons of online city bike maps, some already mashed up into Google’s maps like this New York City map. Seeing how nicely it plays puts other city bike maps to shame (Portland, Seattle – warning: Big downloads). Having bike routes available in online mapping apps would be a great step forward for many cities, and a big encouragement for those who might just go by bike with a bit more information.

Sign up for the SXSW Urban Ride on Upcoming. Here’s a PDF version of the flyer, like if you wanted to plaster it all over your garage or maybe make a nice hat.

from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

I’ve read the Aeloian Ride website a few times now, trying to grok it, after getting a tip from Zannestars and think they’re def onto something; especially, if the inflatable suit is combined with Aero corduroys (no, I don’t make this stuff up)!

Inspired by a love for bikes, city cruising, critical mass, costumes, sillyness + things that inflate, i decided to make a free, mass participatory event with a sense of humor. It excites those riding as well as delights those watching, all the while transforming the landscape into a playground of windfilled shapes.

That looks like lots of fun and I pinged them to see if they can make it to SXSW.

The best part of our BBQ @ SXSW is all the schwag and giveaways. We’ve got

• Socks from Sock Guy
• [Skins gradient compression performance equipment] (http://www.skins.net/us/en/default.aspx)
• Ibex Outdoor Clothing
• REI Gear and Goods
• Reynolds Carbon Bars
• Crumpler bags

The P. I. proclaims the immanent demise of bike messengers in today’s issue. It’s true I’m sure that the number of messengers are down, but I doubt Messengers are the urban buffalo of the late part of the first decade of this millennium. The reports of messenger death are greatly exaggerated from what I can tell – check the following: Transportation Alternatives from 1996 (The industry is too squeezed to pay messengers in NYC); The Economist from a decade later; the Sydney Morning Herald and BCBusiness from just last year. Meanwhile, if you like your media closer to home, check out Pilder’s blog, of one of the messengers in the PI article.