Tour de Fat

There was a bike rodeo, parade, open riding, music, a pedal powered ferris wheel, and 112 kegs of New Belgium's finest brews. It was the Tour de Fat, an annual beer drinking festival held every year in Flagstaff at the end of summer. And this year was the best yet (my third year attending).

I'd have to say the bike rodeo is the best part, they have about a dozen bikes of various shapes and sizes in a cordoned off area, and after a few beers (or before, if you are so inclined) , you jump on one and pedal around, or at least try to. Among the various contraptions were two bikes about 12 feet tall, where you needed a friend to hold the thing upright while you climb into the drivers seat. Another, much steadier but equally difficult, had tires about 18 inches wide, and another bike was powered but the action of the rider standing and sitting repeatedly. There was a pair of bikes that looked like something out of "Road Warrior" with a dozen wheels each all surrounding the pilot and spinning in unison. And there was a bike where in the front half and back half were joined by a hinge, allowing the front wheel to go one way, the back another, and the driver a third altogether. Much fun was had by all.