Pedicabs in the Denver Business Journal

Pedicab business is on an up cycle
Denver Business Journal June 29, 2007

The content of this article has been removed at the request of American City Business Journals, Inc. and bizjournals.com. To read it, you can follow the link above.

Update on Tami Gosnell

I just received this email from Tami Gosnell today and thought I'd go ahead and post it. I'm sure she wouldn't mind.

Hello everyone!

I finally got a chance to sit down and fill you all in on what's been happening! At the beginning of May, I went to Cannon Beach, Oregon to do some songwriting, catch up on some business with my manager, and play a show at the Warren House Pub. I actually got some press out of this impromptu gig.

American Idol Contestant Surprises North Oregon Coast
Gosnell plays Warren House in Cannon Beach

(Cannon Beach) -- The tiny town of Cannon Beach got a bit of a surprise Wednesday with an appearance by a former contestant on Fox's "American Idol" show.

Tami Gosnell played a practically impromptu set at the Warren House Pub that night, to a mellow but somewhat full house, filling the show with powerful acoustic versions of her original material and a rousing, rather intense set of covers from a variety of eras. She also cut loose a bit for BeachConnection.net cameras and added some amusing material near the end of the show.

Gosnell appeared briefly on this last season's "American Idol." Her audition and subsequent quick dismissal from the show made a major impact on the press at the time, garnering much attention by the media as the big pick during the show's preliminary airings of accepted auditions. Gosnell was shown getting praised by even the ill-tempered Simon Cowell, getting the green light to join the top 40 contestants in Hollywood. She was among the first 16 to be nixed from that group, footage which the show also aired. On top of her gutsy audition, it showed her walking out and telling people nearby that she'd made it into the first cut. It later showed her walking out and telling cameras she was cut from the first Hollywood group.

Gosnell is currently under the wing of music industry promoter/producer Scott Stimpson, who lives part time in Cannon Beach. Stimpson is co-owner of two music companies: one which manages up and coming acts like Gosnell; another that has in the past booked major national acts, such as Guns 'N' Roses and Hootie and the Blowfish.

Stimpson brought Gosnell out to the area to perform coffee house-style, just before she had to head back to her hometown of Denver, Colorado.

"She had quite an impact on the audience when her segments first aired," said Stimpson. "She had the most hits of all the female singers at the time. The Associated Press ran a story saying she was basically the most interesting at that point."

That AP story did some siazable things for Gosnell's career, she said. The show itself was major publicity, but the subsequent media buzz was even bigger.

"We're now in touch with a lot of publicists who want to work with her," Stimpson said. "We're heading to Memphis to record some songs soon, and there's a record company in L.A. that's interested in her.

There's a great team that's developing here. She's been talking to the press constantly since the show."

Stimpson said Gosnell's buzz included numerous comparisons to Janis Joplin, including comments she was the closest "American Idol" would ever come to having someone like Joplin on the show.

Gosnell's voice has much of the same bluesy, commanding style that was indicative of Joplin, but her material has a surreal sense about it: almost as if Mazzy Star or Tori Amos had joined forces with the deceased icon. Her songwriting is intelligent, even complex in moments. Her own material far outshines whatever she can possibly do to reiterate the songs of others', no matter how passionate the performance. It's not hard to wonder if she was artistically injuring herself by associating with the "American Idol" franchise, widely regarded among music critics as a problematic, aesthetic cancer in the U.S. music industry.

Gosnell goofed around briefly with various patrons. After an extended break, where the show appeared to have ended, she started in again with some interesting covers from bands like Pink Floyd. Gosnell and the audience got particularly wild near the end of the evening, according to various reports from residents. This included one man taking his shirt off during the show and amusing everyone--- The Beach Connection

On May 13th, I arrived in Nashville for some songwriting sessions with some great writers there, including Amanda Williams (amandawilliamsmusic.net). It was very productive, fun, and inspiring. Then I played some songs at Blue Bar on the 14th and Fuel on the 15th. Then we hopped into a great studio and recorded one of the songs we wrote called 'The One That Got Away'. Thanks to Amanda, I had a blast in Nashville and I will be making regular trips to and from there for more writing, playing, and recording.

The last weekend of May I attended the Durango Songwriters Expo in Santa Barbara, CA. I made so many great contacts, got to hob-nob with some major players in the business including a private sing-along with Tony Scalzo of Fastball. I also got to show some of my talent on stage at the late night open mic, and I must say the response was great. The weekend was so inspiring I wrote some new songs- once again reminding me that my music knows no genre it just simply is!!

June was a month of gathering even more inspiration as I spent almost 2 weeks on the road beginning in Northern California. I played an opener for the Jerry Garcia Band there in Guerneville, had a few days off to look for a place to live. On the 19th, I saw the best show of my life. Roger Waters of Pink Floyd played the Oakland Coliseum. They did the whole Dark Side of the Moon album and also songs from The Wall, Ummagumma, and Animals. Tears streamed down my face as they fused music, politics, pure raw emotion, and multimedia in a way that no one can. Then it was off to Moab, Utah to play a show with my cohorts Baked Iguana at Frankie D's. I had a great time there, the club was great, and Moab is so beautiful, I had to stay an extra day!!

Thank you all for reading my update, and thanks for spreading the word about me. I am recieving over 1,000 hits a day now and have a map showing where visitors come from on the home page. We're wordwide baby!!

Peace out!
Tami Gosnell

Mermaids in Pedicab

This photo comes from the Mermaid Parade in NYC, courtesy of LarimdaME on flickr.

Karma Rides...

OK, everyone is familiar with the concept of a karma ride. It is usually a short ride that takes place at least once in a shift. Then there are free rides that turn into a trip for a tip. I have spent afternoons offering rides "on the house" that are just as profitable as nights when I tell customers that I work for tips. (And I know that there are others who could say the same.)

Well last Saturday night I met an elderly lady who missed her bus and was stuck downtown. (She was frail, and walked with what I would describe as a slow and wobbly step. She reminded me of Miss Havisham from Charles Dickens' Great Expectations.) It was 8 pm and the buses stopped running at 7 pm. I asked the woman if she could call someone to pick her up. She said that she had just moved and had no phone and no one to call to pick her up. I asked her how far away she lived and she said that it was not that far and gave me the name of one major street by her home.

I seriously considered taking her to a taxi and having the taxi driver take her home at my expense. I quickly discarded this notion as I replayed her climbing into my cab with my assistance. Could I trust a taxicab driver with my passenger? I decided that I could not. Now that I was committed to taking the old woman home I started asking her what landmarks she could remember were near her new home. She narrowed down my options by informing me that she lived near a corner liquor store located next to a small restaurant.

Taking what I know of the area where she lives I started riding for the street she could remember the name of. I figured that if I started riding that she would eventually see the liquor store and/or the restaurant and we'd find her home in no time. I figured that she lived in one of two places and started riding hoping that I was correct. As we entered the first intersection I thought might be the correct one I asked her if she saw anything that looked familiar. She responded that she did not. I told her not to worry because it was just a matter of time before we arrived at her home.

Well, about a 1/2 mile later we approached the second intersection that fit her criteria. I again asked her if anything looked familiar. She paused, squinted and then recognized the two corner businesses. I asked her which way did I needed to drive and she told me to turn left, which I did as soon as the light turned green.

After a left turn and then another right turn we approached her home. I pulled up along side the curb next to her residence and dismounted from my pedicab. As I reached out to help my passenger off the pedicab she started crying. Through her tears she thanked me and apologized for having no money to give me. I explained that I didn't want her money and that I was just glad that she was home now. After helping her down off my cab she continued to cry as she gave me the tightest hug she could offer.

I am by no means the nicest man in the world, but for a moment last Saturday night, I was the nicest man in the world for an elderly woman who I have never met. And that is the best tip of all.

Talk about your daily grind . . .

Hey all you pedicab drivers out there. . . When you think you've got it rough, remember that it could always be worse. You could be on a wooden bike in Rwanda. Try taking one of these to your next bike race.

Imagine what it takes to push a 50 pound wooden bike with a load of 300 pounds of coffee cherries 5 to 10 kilometers to the washing station? It takes a determination born out of suffering.

Now I don't mean to get preachy, but damn! Imagine the effort, even with the new Coffee Bike, to get this product to market. Everyday, we go to the grocery store where we find a dazzling selection to choose from. We walk out with our purchases in a nice little "paper or plastic?" bag, never really considering the work that went into getting it to our table.

So here's your chance to show a little gratitude and solidarity while supporting a worthwhile bike-related endeavor. Buy some coffee, sponsor the team, or order a cool t-shirt.

Wooden Bike Coffee from Project Rwanda.

Q: Whatever gets you through the (summer) night

Summer is officially here, and we just made it through a HOT first weekend of summer here in Denver. There was a lot going on downtown -- A LOT -- which meant there were a bunch of drivers braving the heat. Yeah . . . but it's a dry heat.

I asked this one before in the frigid temps of winter. Now I'm asking again in the sweltering heat of the summer.

What are the items you couldn't do without when you ride in the summer heat?

Is it a particular hat (I hope you're wearing a hat during the day)? Maybe a certain brand of energy drink or sunscreen? Do you have a favorite brand of energy bar that holds up in the heat? What would you recommend to other drivers?

Please add your comments and tell us about your "must haves" that get you through a tough summer shift.

Green transit in Durham, NC

Pedicabs seek market niche
Is Durham ready for a 'green' taxi service that runs on leg power? Greenway Transit hopes so

The evening was to be a launch, of sorts. The Durham Bulls were opening an eight-game home stand June 14. What better way to promote the wind-in-your-face fun of a pedicab ride than offering free pregame rides from the parking lot to the ballpark?

"A limited audience, I guess, " Dana Di Maio said as he sat on his dark blue pedicab after the game started. "I took three rides total ... no, four."

Di Maio is the part-time pedicab coordinator for Greenway Transit, part of a Durham nonprofit pushing a variety of "green" initiatives ranging from its fleet of biodiesel buses and vans to biofuels to Third World fair trade.

Right now Di Maio is also the only driver for the two pedicabs that over time he hopes will become part of the streetscape linking the American Tobacco Historic District, downtown Durham, Brightleaf Square and Ninth Street. He's looking for drivers and exposure, some of which the pedicabs will get Saturday in the parade that accompanies Durham Rising.

Di Maio's first riders of the evening last week couldn't pass up the free novelty, which came with their confession: "I'm lazy," said both Curtis Walker, 18, and Michael Leathers, 19, before jumping into the pedicab for a brisk three-minute ride from the East Pettigrew Street parking deck around the corner to the ballpark's front entrance on Blackwell Street. Among the other riders were a middle-aged couple and two younger women.

"The people seemed to like it," Di Maio said. "One person said it was like New York."

But the 30 minutes of pregame pedaling had the 23-year-old Guilford College graduate scratching his head about how to position a business that has little precedent in Durham (though a bit more in Raleigh and Chapel Hill).

He needs at least four drivers to commit to pedaling four weeks or more. One compensation model would have the driver rent the pedicab for $30 for a four-hour evening and pocket fees and tips.

The fee scale has the first 10 minutes costing $5 for one rider, $7 for two and $11 for three. Everything over 10 minutes is $1 per minute. An hour costs $55. Shirts, caps and brochures pushing the pedicabs have yet to surface.

Di Maio is contemplating flat fees for university functions and conferences. He says conferences focusing on environmental issues might be fertile ground. Likewise "green" weddings and history tours.

The focus of Di Maio's strategizing is two $4,500 tricycles with padded benches (two- and three-seaters) over the two rear wheels and an awning (no fringe). From his perch in front, the driver grinds through 21 gears and flicks lighted turn signals. The body is fiberglass. The frame is aluminum. The whole ensemble is 80 pounds on balloon tires and is so tight and light it almost hums along the street.

The two pedicabs and insurance were purchased through a $13,000 grant this spring from John Sall, co-founder of SAS Institute.

From Greenway Transit's base at 1404 Angier Ave., Di Maio's boss, Marc Dreyfors, 45, sees pedicabs as not only an ecologically sensible and responsible transportation alternative in congested cities, but just plain fun.

"When you go through East Durham neighborhoods [on a pedicab], it's like being a rock star," he said. "People yell from their porches. It's heartfelt. It doesn't make money, but it's really cool."

Now Greenway Transit is searching for a business model to turn its fledgling "green" pedicab efforts into something that generates the folding green of dollars.

"It's a Catch-22," Di Maio said about building a customer base. "You have to be popular to be popular."

Getting started with a new, unfamiliar business is tough. It's important to be seen with people in your cab -- even if those people are your kids or your neighbors. People like to do what they see other people doing.

Team Pedicab, Round 3!

Good day pedicabbers.

Well, it was an interesting race, I must say. Team Pedicab had one finisher out of two. It was a grinding course, but fast and furious.

Brook finished 2nd in the Beginner Women's race. I do not know what her time was, but suffice to say she finished and finished strongly. From what I understand, she was leapfrogging the entire way and happened on the backside of the last hop. She is still a strong rider, and motivated to continue the strong performances.

http://www.mavsports.com/

Yours truly, crashed. Hard. I was 3rd in the pack from the start and got ahead of that guy I have been chasing so much. I felt like I could continue the pace, and let a couple of fast rabbits go out in front. You will see me below going head to head with my archnemesis, Henry, the bloke to the left. I am directly behind bike #141. See the sweet orange bike and the red jersey?

However, this is when it gets nasty. Still see the red jersey?

Zipping through the single track and trying to make up time, I hopped a rock. Next thing I know, I am on the ground and seeing little bluebirds and stars. I had a couple of expert women come in behind me, along with a sport man. All were either nurses or chiropractors. I didn't feel too terrible, given my adrenaline induced state, but word has it that I was unconscious and unresponsive. I dug my head into the ground a-la-faceplant, then my mouth began to pick up where my helmet left off. I wasn't face down, I was face up, which means I flipped. I always am flipping over...I got off the trail so other racers could race. I guess the course was closed because of me. I wouldn't have wanted it that way, but I vividly remember my archnemesis stopping to see if I was okay. Maybe he isn't such an enemy. An ATV arrived to extract me. I made it to my house where I had a neighbor waiting with a car. I was a bloody mess, and it actually looked like I got in a fight with 13 Marines. I had a funny mix of blood and dirt taste in my tomato loving mouth.

I went to the hospital where I had to spit out the pine needles and grit I ate in going down. It was quite painful. The Oral-maxilo-facial surgeon sewed up my detached lower lip and various tears. All said and done, there were about 75+ stiches in my face (inside my mouth and outside), and a helluva headache. I opted to stay away from the Vicodin and Percocet, requesting anything else but. They just gave me antibiotics and some nice minty mouthwash. Tylenol was the prescribed pain med. Now, I have some scars for antecdotal evidence. I get to eat my food through a straw, mostly, and make valiant attempts at not spilling. Applesauce, soft pasta, soup. But I am craving a beer and a huge pizza. Beer is on hold until I finish my antibiotics. But could go for a cold one right about now. Apparently, my tolerance for pain is legendary. Docs said they saw a trooper.

I can open my mouth and the swelling has gone down significantly. I get my stiches out Wednesday. My nights of pedicabbing are about to pick up, because I have to pay off the med bills. Folks, this is what happens when you love bikes so much- you don't quit, even though it may seem ludicrous to keep going, I love bikes, and for Pete's sake, I love pedicabs.

The Valkyries of Team Pedicab shall ride again. The 4th of July Firecracker race will be on the 4th of July, and my intent is to place highly. I believe Brook is also planning on this race. This is a 50 miler. I won't crash. I promise. The Copper Mountain Melee is set for July 11, and I know I can do that one. Mr. Henry, you will eat my dust. So, this time around is a DNF for me. Chalk it up for experience, which is never a loss.

The Homegrown is fine, but I have plans for a physical for it.

So it goes. Thanks for your support pedicab-ites.

Still yours and still a bit swollen and in pain,

beefsteak

Pedicabs put a face on furniture

Allsteel Cycles Around NeoCon Attendees

The environmentally-friendly vehicles shuttled attendees to and from the fair and around downtown Chicago.

Is it a bird, a plane? No it’s, a pedicab, scooting around the idea of energy efficiency at contract furnishings showcase NeoCon’s World Trade Fair in Chicago. The dozen brightly-colored, human-powered vehicles are a repeat performance from furniture manufacturer Allsteel, which first presented the concept last year.

Attendees to the fair flagged down the open-air pedicabs to earn a free ride in and around the Merchandise Mart, to and from the fair from the downtown area. In addition to providing environmentally-friendly transportation, the vehicles reiterated Allsteel’s 2007 NeoCon theme: “Inspiration requires a breath of fresh air.”

“Once again, we tried to see to it that NeoCon attendees had the opportunity to arrive or depart this year’s trade fair in style,” says Brandon Sieben, Allsteel vice president, marketing.

"In addition, we hope that Allsteel’s pedicab ambassadors all helped put a human face and emotion with our brand—one that relayed our progressive, yet innovative, culture.”

“In Allsteel has showrooms in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, New York, San Francisco, Santa Monica, and Washington, DC.

Boston throwing out party bikes

The seven-person bicycles poking through city streets since last summer may soon be banned from Boston.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino, concerned about the effect of so-called party bikes on traffic and public safety, submitted a proposed ordinance this week that would prohibit the circle-shaped bikes.

"I don't want to wait until someone gets hurt," Menino said. " They're dangerous."

The mayor also proposed regulating pedicabs, three-wheel bicycles used to transport people. Pedicab companies would have to secure a license from the Boston Police Department's Hackney Division.

"Regulating the pedicab industry and prohibiting the use of party bikes is critical to protecting not only the customers that use these services, but also to protect pedestrians and vehicular traffic," Menino wrote to the City Council.

Rick O'Connell -- owner of Boston Pedal Party, which operates the German-made Conference Bicycles around Fenway Park and Faneuil Hall -- said he plans to seek a compromise. "I see this as a positive addition to the city," O'Connell said. Neither O'Connell nor city officials said they were aware of any injuries or accidents involving the Conference Bicycles, which travel at a top speed of 15 miles per hour and operate on the weekends from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. The bikes are distributed by Woburn's ScooterBug Inc. ***********************************************************
If you're questioning the safety of these vehicles, check out this video. I can see their value as a team-building exercise in a controlled environment. However, if they're operating in traffic, which it appears they are doing from the photos on the web site and the video, I would be concerned about safety.

Pedicabs expanding in Louisiana

Pedicabs make shopping a breeze

Wish you had someone to give you a bike ride when your tired feet ache from a day of Boardwalk shopping? Now you can have that and more with the addition of Louisiana Pedicabs at Louisiana Boardwalk. The bicycle taxi service opened today. There is no cost for the rides except for tips.

“It’s a tips-only-pay-as-you-please model,” said owner Ben Morris. If there is one kink in the plan right now, it’s workers. “We need more drivers,” Morris said. Pedicab drivers must be 18 years old and have a valid U.S. driver’s license with no felony convictions. Morris said he also owns pedicab services in Boston and Rhode Island. For more information call, (318) 470-7717.

New Mode Of Transportation Coming To Louisiana Boardwalk

A new, and free, bicycle taxi service starts Friday at the Louisiana Boardwalk. The pedicab driver will take you around from shop to shop on the three wheel bicycle for a mere tip. Right now there is only one pedicab but they are in the process of getting more.

"We think it brings a whole new almost new character and a great service for families and elderly people to get around the board walk, and we think it's a great customer service feature for patrons visiting," said Louisiana Pedicabs owner Ben Morris.

And if you are interested in a summer job, Louisiana Pedicabs is looking for a few drivers. For more information you can contact the Boardwalk Information Office.

The future of transportation

The future of transportation is here! This innovative street/air design is available now. If you can't get around traffic, simply go over it. We know you'll want to add several of these to your fleet, so put your orders in right away. The production cycle is a bit long to allow plenty of time for custom artwork, so don't wait. Comes in multiple colors.

Minnie Moose Pedicab

Here she is! Lyn Gilbert-Gard, aka Minnie Moose, on her brand-spanking-new Main Street pedicab.

Thanks for the photo, Lyn! You look great!

More on the Tennessee turf war

Pedicabs Nipping At Heels Of City Horse Carriages

City horse carriage operators said they are having problems with a new competitor - the pedicab.

Mark Neal said drivers of the rickshaw-like, three-wheeled vehicles come up suddenly on their horses and startle them. Another carriage operator said he had to ask one of the pedicab drivers twice not to spook his horse. He said the driver came up again and told him, "We're going to run you out and own this town."

Johnny Brown, operator of the new pedicab firm, told the City Council he is playing by the rules and has $500,000 in insurance with Lloyds of London. He said he has six units and there currently are five drivers.

Mr. Brown said the rides are free, but the drivers hope for tips.

He said, "We connect various parts of town." For example, he said he gave a pedicab ride to a couple who had walked across the Walnut Street Bridge and were too tired to walk back.

He said his drivers can shuttle visitors from one venue to another downtown.

City Councilman Jack Benson noted that the vehicles use the sidewalks, not the streets. He said he was almost run over by one recently while he was walking downtown. "They are somewhat dangerous," he said.

One horse carriage operator said he saw a pedicab driver try to take a couple up steep Second Street, but he couldn't make it.

"That was me," said Mr. Brown with a smile.

Another silly turf war

Posted in The Chattanooga Pulse
June 13, 2007

It isn’t every day that you watch a battle between horse-drawn carriage operators and pedicabs at a City Council meeting, but once such ruckus went down last Tuesday.The carriage operators are concerned about climbing insurance rates should pedicab folks have to file claims on accidents. But the pedicab guys say the carriage operators are worried the man-drawn, trike-like modes of transportation are horning in on their business.

Pedicab trips are free with the exception of driver tips.

There are apparently no ordinances governing pedicab use in the city, other than bike ordinances, so City Councilman Jack Benson said he wants to see what the council can do to make the pedicabs as safe as possible for drivers, pedestrians and others in town. He told people at the Legal and Legislative Committee meeting that a pedicab almost hit him while he was strolling on a downtown sidewalk.

Pedicab representatives said their transportation service tries to offer rides to people in areas that aren’t being served by CARTA’s electric shuttle buses.

In addition to those problems, carriage operators also say the pedicabs scare the horses.

Someone from Denver (or from other cities that have both pedicabs and carriages) please comment on this, particularly the last sentence.

Pedicab Police Pursuit

Pedal power helps police

PEDAL power came to the rescue of police officers in pursuit of a man in Hereford.

Two rickshaw-style pedicabs helped two officers needing to urgently assist colleagues on the city's Castle Green.

A police pursuit unfolded when PC Ann-Marie Rosier and PC Sue Beament received an emergency distress call from officers trying to arrest a man.
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Knowing it would take too long on foot and unable to get there by patrol car, the officers were faced with a dilemma - until Hereford's two pedicabs pedalled into view.

The pedicabs had just dropped off a fare and were immediately pressed into police action and their riders - Ben Matthews and Will Vaughan - pedalled furiously to the other side of the Green with the officers on board.

"Our colleagues were some distance away and in need of urgent assistance but we couldn't get there by car," said PC Rosier. "We knew that if we ran the distance it may take too long and when we arrived we probably would not have been in the best condition to help out our colleagues - so when the pedicabs turned up we used out initiative and hopped on board."

PC Beament added that Will and Ben did a fantastic job in getting them there so quickly.

"They really got into the spirit of it and were ringing their bells to warn people we were coming," she said. "I even tried making a siren noise myself - but the bells were far more effective!"

At the scene the officers were quickly able to assist with the arrest and the man was taken to Hereford Police Station. He was later remanded into custody for his breach of bail and the assault of a police officer.

Both officers have thanked Will and Ben for their public-spirited efforts in the June chase and a generous tip will be handed over for the impromptu ride.

**********************************************************
This story has gotten a lot of press. So much so that they started a blog about it.
Mules for the Masses (Blog)
This is the police! We need your pedicab! (South Africa)
Calling all rickshaws! (UPI)
Rickshaws used by police in chase (BBC)
Police use rickshaws to get to crime scene (London Times)
Pedicab operator helps catch fugitive (CBS)
London Officers Commandeer Pedicab to Nab Fugitive (Law Enforcement News)
**********************************************************
Update Jun 17, 2007
This story has really caught fire! More articles popped up over the weekend:
International Herald Tribune (France)
Forbes.com
L.A. Times
San Diego Union Tribune

Minnie Moose Pedicab in Fairbanks, Alaska

This article is about one of the 2006 graduates of our Pedicab Operators Weekend Intensive. Congrats Lyn and your Minnie Moose Pedicab!

Minnie Moose saves the day!

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Published June 4, 2007

Is Lyn Gilbert-Gard a superhero?

Let's start with the basics: does she have superpowers? Well, maybe
yes, maybe no.

Through her new business Minnie Moose Pedicab, Inc., Gilbert-Gard offers historic tours around downtown Fairbanks on a bright yellow pedicab, and intends to spends the whole summer huffing, puffing and providing "transportainment" to visitors and locals alike.

A pedicab is a bicycle with a carriage in back, the zippy cousin of the rickshaw.

While rickshaws have been a necessity of urban transportation for centuries, they've only been popular in America recently. Gilbert-Gard bought her rig from Main Street Pedicabs, Inc., which boasts yellow pedicabs cycling around downtown streets across the country.

Even though the pedicab has a double chain to increase leverage, and Gilbert-Gard has plenty of "residual muscle" from her days in cycling races and triathlons, she said it's not uncommon for old men on foot to pass her on the Wendell Avenue bridge.

Okay, fine, no superpowers. But does she have a costume?

Not a snazzy one, but to keep comfortable she wears the outfit known to bike enthusiasts the world over: cycling shorts, a mesh shirt and sunglasses.

And while her pedicab is no Batmobile, it is pretty decked out. She has turn signals and a bell for safety, she keeps a digital camera and a portable printer on board to take pictures of riders, and she is working on a miniature broadcasting system so that she can narrate her tours without turning around.

So on the costume, we'll call it a draw.

What about an alter ego? Most definitely.

Gilbert-Gard describes herself as shy and introverted, mild-mannered even, but those who know her work, both her day job as a teacher and her new summer job as a pedicab driver, say she's outgoing and energetic.

"I'm pretty shy and not very outgoing or very assertive. This is training for me to be more assertive … Good life growth things," she said.

Gilbert-Gard came to Alaska from Tucson, Ariz., 25 years ago to take a job as a speech pathologist with the Yukon Koyukuk School District. When she left home, she was an avid cyclist and triathlete and the only thing keeping her from biking the entire way to Alaska was time, she said.

Gilbert-Gard now teaches elementary classes at Chinook Charter School, and was looking for a summer job to make a little money, preferably something outdoors.

She came up with the idea for a pedicab at a Houston Rockets game, where pedicabs and rickshaws delivered people back and forth between the parking lot and the arena. A pedicab operation takes boldness supplied by her alter ego.

Often, people have to be persuaded to hop on board. And the tours require her to not only perform physically, but theatrically as she explains the origins of Growden Park or points out which houses on 4th Avenue were once part of Fairbanks' red-light district.

Gilbert-Gard said those skills don't come to her naturally. She enrolled in theater classes in college, but dropped out because she was "too timid."

"I do like to entertain. With kids it comes really easy … It's just never been really easy with adults," Gilbert-Gard said.

Self-proclaimed as "a neophyte to business," Gilbert-Gard created her business plan with help from the Small Business Development Center and Google, using the search engine to find definitions for business basics like "profit-loss statement" and "cash-flow."

James McDermott, director of the Small Business Development Center, said he didn't see that the shy side of Gilbert-Gard at all when she came looking for help starting a new business. He saw the alter ego.

"She was different in the sense that she was very aggressive," McDermott said. "You know the saying about how you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink? She was drinking as much as she could hold."

McDermott said the tourism market rewards innovation, and he expected her to break even on her investment — which tops $6,000 just for the new rig, not to mention insurance and maintenance — by the end of the summer through hard work.

Gilbert-Gard's longtime friend Cathi Bouton has known about the alter ego for years. The two met 20 years ago working together at Barnette Elementary School, where Bouton interpreted Gilbert-Gard's lesson plans into American Sign Language.

Bouton said Gilbert-Gard's shyness is paired with her energy and innovative spirit. The two frequently attend shows together and dare each other to try out for parts.

"Her alter ego wants to come out and play. She is really committed. She is really dedicated to what she's doing," Bouton said. "That's what makes her a good teacher and that's what makes her a good athlete."

By the way, pedicabbing is a great summer job for teachers. We have a teacher or two in our own crew.

Catching up now

I've been negligent in my duties as lead-blogger. However, I'm happy that my counterparts have picked up and carried on in my absence. Now I've got a lot to get caught up on, so watch for a barrage of posts over the next couple of days.

Go Team Pedicab! Keep those updates coming!

Q: Why did you get into this?

Everyone has days or nights that don't go so well. Maybe you're not feeling up to being on your bike -- no stamina, strength, or just plain blah. Maybe everyone you talk to says no, or you're not getting the fares you want. Maybe it's too hot or too cold.

At times like that it can help to remember why you got into pedicabbing in the first place and what your expectations were then.

Did you want to meet new people, get in shape, be outside? Was it the challenge? What was it that got you interested in pedicabs? What made it fun, exciting, interesting? What got you out time after time? I know it wasn't just the money because there are lots of other ways to make money.

Why did you start driving a pedicab?

A Rainy Night in Denver

One evening awhile back, the skies opened up and the rain poured down. But that didn't stop some hardcore MHP drivers.

Damien Rice was at the Paramount Theater, which is a hit-or-miss venue for pedicabs. It's right on the pedestrian mall, and most people plan to walk before and after.

That night the Paramount was a very big hit! People who poured out of the Theater after the concert, expecting to walk to their cars, were surprised to find a deluge from above.

Pedicabs to the rescue!!!

Canopies and rain curtains came in handy. The drivers out that night made a big splash with concert-goers -- and good cash too.

Just remember... bad weather for strolling is great weather for pedicabbing.

Team Pedicab Update, Round 2!

Round 2 results are in!

Team Pedicab braved the beautiful Colorado high country on Sunday and raced with a team roster of 3 strong. With a backdrop of the mountains of the Colorado Rockies and mountains of garbage... We had Ben, our specialist in all things Tomate, Brook, our sous chef, and yours truly, the Lyco-cyclo-pene-ist. So, we had a beautiful Tour de Trash day, and the course was hardpack all the way. I raced on my trusty Tomato bike, Ben on his Ponderosa Hardtail (we need to get you a new frame, btw, 15" isn't enough of a bike) and Brook on her Kona Dawg Deluxe, the only one who took a bite of of the pack.) Whatever all of these labels mean, results came in:

Ben finished 9 of 14. Not bad for a Front Ranger. To think that there were high country people in his class and he still whooped up on them, makes it all worth it. The course was really fast, the BMX turns couldn't grind him down, and the climbs still couldn't best Mr. Martin. A long time supporter of Team Pedicab, he just recently decided to try the hand. Well done, my fine tomato loving friend, and brother. He finished in just under an hour. A 23 minute lap isn't bad. Below you'll find some sweet pics of his race.

Looks like 'he's going the distance!'

Brook was our only podium finisher, and she was whooping and hollering the whole time. She finished a strong 3rd, of a field of about 8. With a beefy downhill bike and a kick-arse downhilling stance to go with it, she may have laid the bike down once. Nothing major, but she got back on it and killed the switchbacks that gave yours truly a slight problem. Great work.

Last and least, I finished a 4th of 11. It was a tough race and the tomato performed as she should have. I still don't have names yet. Nevertheless, the only piece that irked me was that a single speeder finished 2nd in our category. Well, I guess I find that life isn't fair, and if he beat me with 2-3 minutes, I guess he deserved it. This dude (remains nameless) killed it, but the issue was that I let him go- I thought I could sit in and conquer back. Next time, I will not allow him to escape the wrath of the killer tomatoes. MUUUUAHAHHAHAH! We don't have any standings yet regarding points, which is fine. But, Team Pedicab, your Killer Tomatoes, are still a verifiable racing force.

On the training front, Team pedicab has opted to rent a cab for the summer, under the auspices of Mile High Pedicabs. We won't have a problem with those vicious climbs now that we are all trained in the real pedicab spin. We are hoping for some great storage spaces, in trade for some ski-bum's cable bill. I think it might just work.

Pictures of the race are up on this post! Enjoy!

Your favorite tomato-phile,

beefsteak

Heartbreaking fares

Recently our company was contracted by the city to provide pedicabs during the lunch hour (10 am to 2 pm) downtown. Over the past couple of weeks a majority of my passengers have been those that work downtown offset with the occasional jurist escaping for the lunch recess. I love my job! I get to exercise, conduct social experiments and make a little money on the side.

In riding downtown at lunch time I have come to know a new type of pedicab passenger. They are not your average passengers. They don't want to go to lunch. They aren't interested in going shopping. And they aren't in the least bit interested in walking and getting their exercise. So who are these passengers that I speak of? The passengers to whom I refer are the children and their mothers (and fathers) who for whatever reason are only allowed supervised visits with their children.

Last Friday I was stopped by a mother who asked about getting a ride for herself and her two kids. I said sure. Then she paused, turned to the CPS (Child Protective Services) worker to ask permission to ride my pedicab. He consented and then told me that we could only go so far as he had to be able to see us at all times. It was a strange feeling being watched. I could only wonder what the parent must be going through. How awkward a moment is it to spend quality time with your children knowing that there is someone looking over your shoulder the whole time.

Again, I don't know the circumstances that led to this arrangement. There is a plethora of reasons that I won't attempt to explain, rationalize. I could not help feel sorry for the mother and the children. The children were rather subdued despite my efforts to distract them with my skill at weaving between a series of light poles at slow speed. I guess that they too could feel the watchful eye of the CPS worker.

Today I gave yet another ride to a mother who was spending time with her children under the watchful eye of the CPS worker. Today's ride was different as the CPS worker joined the mother and her children for a ride through downtown. Together they enjoyed the ride while the children laughed and had a good time. I imagine that there will be other mothers (fathers) with their children seeking to escape if only for moment.

As a pedicab rider there are those times when my job can be physically demanding. After a long night the parking garage gets harder to climb. But after today I am convinced that the CPS worker has a tougher job than I do.

Team Pedicab, Breckenridge, Colorado

Good Day Rickshaw drivers!

The 2007 Mountain Bike season is upon us. This year, I have opted to continue my own team in the Summit Mountain Challenge Series, possibly the Winter Park Mountain Bike series, and possibly some of the Mountain States Cup Series. Consider this the first chronicle of Team Pedicab's bid for half world domination. The other half will be Big Tree. Conquered by Rickshaws...

I am racing under the Team Pedicab name, sponsored by Mountain Pedicab Company, Breckenridge, Colorado. It seems that this can be coined as the highest operating pedicab company in North America. I would like to think in the world, but I know there are rickshaws in Tibet, which start at 13,000 ft. I am taking on the sport division in the 19-29 category. At the Teva Games this year, there weren't any age categories, so my field was a whopping 63. If anyone has any ideas for a team jersey, it would be greatly appreciated. Riding in polypro or freebie shirts just doesn't look official.

I have just taken on an additional team member, a former pedicab driver in Austin, TX. My roster is now 2. Brook is racing in the beginner women categories, and came in an unofficial 2nd at the Summit Mountain race on May 30. I finished with a 3rd in the race, riding a newly built, orange, 2000 Schwinn Homegrown. I will post a pic when I get one. I do, however, need some feedback on what to call my bike. "The Construction Worker" just conjures up images of the Village People. Ewwww...

Look at results, and you will see yours truly in the top 3. Next race is a week from today, Sunday, and it takes place at the Summit County landfill, aptly named, the Tour de Trash. When you finish, your bike smells like garbage. No kidding.

http://www.mavsports.com

As of late, I have also competed in the Imperial Challenge (Winter Triathlon-type of race in April), and the Mountain Bike race for the Teva Mountain Games. Several weeks ago, I did race in the Minnesota State Championship Mountain Bike series, and finished 11 of 18, and 99 of 161 overall. Not bad for an out of state race...Some of those Norwegian bike heads are true athletes, regardless of the altitude.

http://www.mnscs.com/page/show_article/4819/3138

Today is the last day of the Teva Mountain games, and in competing yesterday, I came in a whopping 40th of 63, finishing the grueling, muddy course in about 1:40. The course was extremely muddy, due to a freakish rainstorm-gully washer right before we started. Everyone lost their numbers. Then it stopped, and then started again. I went over the bars about 3-4 times, and am discovering scratches that didn't exist yesterday. It was a very hard course, very technical, and rough. I even heard some people say they loved it. Sickos.

If there had been a dry day, I would have finished better. I am sure of it. But, I did a few slides for life, and beat the old bike up. It works fine, just a little dinged. In fact, I wasn't sure if I was going to make it out alive. Last year, I competed in the road race- time trial. I came in last. I suppose I didn't know the course this time around, but, I expected more of myself. Doing things differently, I would probably pre-ride the course. Albeit my showing was not great, but upon finishing, I would do it again in a heartbeat. Mud covered, sore, beaten, and tired, I still would do it again. It wasn't going to be a day after, but I will race again...

http://www.tevamountaingames.com

Additionally, I have posted some pictures of a couple of well known athletes, the first being Floyd Landis, the disputed Tour de France Champion, and Glen Plake, the legendary skiing mohawk. Read this article. Floyd is a former mountain biker, and with his new bionic hips, competed in the games for a team in the Ultimate Mountain Challenge race. He rode the mountain bike course and the time-trial hill climb.

http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/6879936?MSNHPHCP&GT1=10136

So, I will also possibly post my sharpshooter pics. My next big race (not including the SMC) will be the Firecracker 50, which I think I will be able to perform fairly well. This is the 50 mile epic on the 4th of July. Starts on Main Street with a Valkyrie like peloton rushing down Breckenridge's very own main street. It is pretty cool. Team Pedicab will be competing in force.

Under the WTF and Squinting category, I also took some nice photos of the Doggie Diving Competition. This has nothing to do with rickshaws. But, it is entertaining nevertheless. Your canine friends were lured up with a neat treat, then tricked into diving into a huge pool- for distance. Some would stop right at the edge and get down the stairs easily, and others would take flying leaps that would make me look weak.

For more pictures, let me know. Have a great week! Keep those pedals turning and those dogs-a-diving!