On Saturday, Austin on Two Wheels presented the Taste of Downtown Tour, the first in a three part social ride series called Discovering the City on Two Wheels. The weather was gorgeous, and we had over 50 riders show up with folks in their 20s to someone in his 80s. Russ and Laura from the Path Less Pedaled also joined us to enjoy some Austin hospitality and took some great pictures of the ride. What a great crowd!

Image from Taste of Downtown Tour by Russ Roca. Click image to see Russ' Flickr galley from the day.

The ride began at our downtown host, BoConcept, and after some meandering made it to Chupacabra for Tex-Mex and margarita samplers. We tried to keep the ride flowing and safe with bike valet at each stop. After an ride along Lady Bird Lake, we had a short delay as I changed a flat. I tried to be prepared for anything and surprised the rider of a Dahon folding bike with having tubes for 20″ tires.

Finally, we made it over to Frank for some varieties of sausages and one of the crowd favs, chocolate covered bacon. Yep, you read that right. I’d didn’t really eat since I was working as the mechanic for the ride, but I couldn’t not try this combo. It may not sound good, but it was great. We were running a little late for our last stop, Haclyon Coffee Shop, and a few of riders had to leave. This was unfortunate, as Halcyon pulled out all the stops for us with chocolate martinis and make your own s’mores. Yum! As we finished up at BoConcept, our ride host offered beer and snacks, and we drew for gift certificates from Bicycle Sport Shop and BoConcept and gave out discounts for our stop sponsors.

Based on our feedback forms, it sounds like people had a good time, and Keith Byrd and I are excited to bring you more events like this one starting with the Pampered Pedal this Saturday and Boggy Creek Farm Picnic next Saturday.

The Pampered Pedal Tour

*** Rescheduled to May 1***

Our second tour will be a fun afternoon of shopping with friends ending with a light yoga class and mini-spa treatment. We’ll start at our ride host BoConcept at 430 W 2nd St in the 2nd Street District and ride to three downtown retail shops locally owned by women. Stops will include Hem Jeans, Estilo, Plain Ivey Jane, and Beyond Tradition. All our tour hosts will be providing nice discounts to tour participants. Plus, shop all you want and let our ride guides carry your purchases for you in our cargo bikes.

After we finish shopping, we’ll stop at at Halcyon Coffee House for coffee and a snack before heading to Black Swan Yoga for some light yoga and mini-spa treatment with massage by Seize the Day: Energizing Chair Massage, foot bath, and cosmetic gift bag. We’ll finish up our spa time with champagne and dessert complements of Plain Ivey Jane. The ride will end up back at Plain Ivey Jane and BoConcept. Total ride distance approximately 5 miles round trip. Food and drink, yoga, and mini-spa are included in the ride as well as coupons for future visits to our ride hosts. We’ll also be drawing for some great gift certificates at the end of the ride and you’ll be entered into a drawing for an Electra Amsterdam Royal bike at the end of our ride series.

Pampered Pedal

DATE: Saturday, April 17, 2010 May 1, 2010

TIME: Meet up at 11:30 AM, Leave at Noon (please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to departure for check-in). Ride will end at BoConcept and Plain Ivey Jane between 5-5:30 PM.

LOCATION: BoConcept, 430 W 2nd St (map)

COST: $30/person, Ride day cash registration $35. Bring a friend and save $5! 2 persons registration: $55, Ride day cash registration $65. (Ride is limit to 50 riders.) Bringing 5 or more riders? We’re offering a group rate of $20/rider for groups of 5 or more. Register here.