Rolling with the Beer by Bike Brigade

Once a month over the summer, a group of people gather together on bikes and frequent local bars in La Crosse.  The group is different every month because there is no formal invitation, just a Facebook announcement. Over 100 people showed up this month and over half of the group had never been on one of the brigades. The Beer by Bike Brigade facebook page posts their simple mission:

A once-a-month summer barhop for responsible and fun-loving adults. No sign-ups, no dues, no restrictions. Bring your fun attitude & your bike lights :)

I've gone twice this summer and it is a blast.

My husband and I bike around town, sometimes on the trails, often through the Marsh, usually quietly making our way to a destination. We go on urban safari's and try to get around and enjoy the natural wonders of our town.  Biking with the BBBB is a whole different thing.

It is as simple as you want to make it but it is an event. You show up to Riverside Park, get a cheerful speech from Mario, a free beer chip and you're on your way, cruising along the river trail with 40 or 50, up to 100 people. The route was very scenic this month. The wild and woolly Merle Haggard fans dotted the fence, one of them vomiting while still holding a beer can. But mostly it's the river, the bike trail and the brigaders.

You're with old friends, new friends and strangers, and you're in unison, riding around town. The first stop is always Pearl Street Brewery(PSB).  I like that first moment of arriving at PSB and walking into the sudden impact of BBBB. 

It can take awhile to get a beer but I enjoy seeing a bunch of bicyclists just take over a bar.

There's usually ping pong. There's usually Pearl Street Pale Ale.

There's usually a stop along the marsh trail followed by a bunch of bikes streaming down the streets of downtown La Crosse.

There's this sense of shared mission, all pedalling together, a shifting amoeba rolling down the trail.

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving."

--Albert Einstein