Midnight ridaz, coming to an intersection near you
Thomas Ramirez
Issue date: 5/15/09 Section: Lifestyles
Its Saturday night about 11 o'clock, you're driving near Downtown LA. You're three cars behind a green light but no ones moving, you look ahead and don't see anything.
Then, all of a sudden, three bicyclist ride through the red light while you remain waiting at your green light. They pass by, and you think "Finally". Then you start to hear something growing louder and louder from the left side of the perpendicular street, people are screaming, listening to loud music, cheering and yelling "SHHHHWOOOOPP!" At first you see 10, then 20, 50, 100, 200 people all on bicycles. You ask, "What the heck is this??" the resounding reply is "C.R.A.N.K Mob".
For those of you unaware of what a C.R.A.N.K Mob is, it's quite possibly the most fun you'll have on a bike. Or as a Flickr user, famoussd, said, "C.R.A.N.K. Mob is a monthly bike ride, dance party, masquerade, carnival, sextravaganza."
Once a month, people from all over Los Angeles County and even farther like Riverside all meet at one of two possible spots. Everyone gathers on their bicycles around 10 o' clock and from there the fun starts. One group goes down one route and another a different, but they eventually meet up.
The ride is pretty slow, so people who think they have to be in marathon shape to participate have no need to worry its more like a cruise. Everyone is there for one reason, and simply put it's to have fun.
It doesn't matter if you have a 2,000 dollar road bike that weighs 1 pound and can go 40 mph or you have a beach cruiser that weighs more than you do. People are friendly and always willing to have a good conversation.
There are various predetermined stops to make sure everyone stays together. These stops also serve as "pit stops" to fix your bike if something's wrong or just kick back for a minute. Usually, the 3rd stop is where the two groups meet and the dance party starts.
The poor soul who has been lugging around a massive stereo system on the back of his bike becomes the hero of the night.
Then, all of a sudden, three bicyclist ride through the red light while you remain waiting at your green light. They pass by, and you think "Finally". Then you start to hear something growing louder and louder from the left side of the perpendicular street, people are screaming, listening to loud music, cheering and yelling "SHHHHWOOOOPP!" At first you see 10, then 20, 50, 100, 200 people all on bicycles. You ask, "What the heck is this??" the resounding reply is "C.R.A.N.K Mob".
For those of you unaware of what a C.R.A.N.K Mob is, it's quite possibly the most fun you'll have on a bike. Or as a Flickr user, famoussd, said, "C.R.A.N.K. Mob is a monthly bike ride, dance party, masquerade, carnival, sextravaganza."
Once a month, people from all over Los Angeles County and even farther like Riverside all meet at one of two possible spots. Everyone gathers on their bicycles around 10 o' clock and from there the fun starts. One group goes down one route and another a different, but they eventually meet up.
The ride is pretty slow, so people who think they have to be in marathon shape to participate have no need to worry its more like a cruise. Everyone is there for one reason, and simply put it's to have fun.
It doesn't matter if you have a 2,000 dollar road bike that weighs 1 pound and can go 40 mph or you have a beach cruiser that weighs more than you do. People are friendly and always willing to have a good conversation.
There are various predetermined stops to make sure everyone stays together. These stops also serve as "pit stops" to fix your bike if something's wrong or just kick back for a minute. Usually, the 3rd stop is where the two groups meet and the dance party starts.
The poor soul who has been lugging around a massive stereo system on the back of his bike becomes the hero of the night.
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