Thing 1 an d Thing 3 at Cyclovia 2023 Tucson

Cyclovia: cosplaying fun and healthy cycling

The Rincon Heights hub for Cyclovia was super-busy with cyclists and their families hurrying through…or taking a break at one of the food trucks. The last Cyclovia I went to had fewer people, but I didn’t go to a main hub back then. This time there were, of course, the cosplaying bikers, like the two at the top of this page, in Halloween costumes. They identified themselves as Thing 1 and Thing 3 from “Cat in the Hat”. What happened to Thing 2, fellas?

Costumes for silly fun but not speedy travel

And there were others in costume, like this couple and their children. He wore an iridescent wig; hers was in shocking blue. Then came the bicylist in pink accompanied by Mr. Red and Black with horns. All with big smiles. I wonder how the anti-Drag Queen crowd would look at these people in costumes. I saw lots of healthy fun and silliness.

Cycling Teams were scarce

Bicycling Teams seemed in short supply, but they don’t usually participate in events surrounded by everyday (slow) cyclists. However, I came across these: two men wearing what looked like cycling uniforms from Aggrezz sports nutrition and–SUPRISE!! – a couple from Beyond Bread. I asked if Beyond Bread had a cycling team and the man answered that the two of them were it, as he rushed away. Sorry, but this photo, on the right, only shows the woman, not both of them.

And children — of course there were hundreds — maybe thousands. Here are two cycling, including a boy on a very nifty trike, and a girl on stilts.

And some other random images from the Rincon Heights hub. The women were eating Irene’s ice cream, which I later tried. It’s very creamy and rich! I’d definitely recommend it. The little riding scooter thing (maybe a lawnmower?) was funny and the man seemed to be having a good time.

And for people, especially children, who were becoming tired in the heat at noon, there was a canopied cool-off area. Plus an unlimited supply of free water from Tucson Water’s truck.

If you would like to see how Los Angeles handles their closed street cycling event, called CicLAvia, go here and here. There, it seems to be an art festival as well as a celebration of bicycling on car-free streets.


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