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Some Vancruisers Terminology
by
Bryn
—
last modified
May 04, 2011 04:15 PM
I was realizing the other day when trying to tell someone where we were going that we have some language all our own... Here's a few!
- Frogger: Riding out in to traffic without looking, especially dangerous when you have a group behind as people often just follow whoever is in front. Can also be applied to trying to cross a busy street.
- Bike Salmon: People riding the wrong way around the SeaWall, in particular when it is busy out. Usually yelled out at high volume - 'BIKE SALMON!!' when you see someone riding the wrong way towards the group.
- Yard Sale: When someone falls off their bike and the contents of their bag/coat/whatever dump all over the ground. 'Frankie bailed and had a Yard Sale'
- Taking a Nap: Falling off your bike into something soft (like a bush), and then not immediately being able to get up. Usually hilarious.
- Mechanical: Someone's bike is broken and can't be ridden. Yell "MECHANICAL!" to get everyone to hold up.
- J-Skid: Doing a long screeching skid purely for entertainment. Very bad for your bike!
- Siwash: Pullout just past Siwash Rock in Stanley Park. Usually nice and warm after dark as the rocks pull in heat all day.
- Reverse Beaver: Riding to Beaver Lake usually from Siwash or Third Beach. Generally done late at night when the SeaWall is empty as you're riding the wrong way (being a bike salmon). "Yeah so we hung out at the beach till late last night then did a Reverse Beaver!"
- Forward Beaver: Opposite of a Reverse Beaver.
- Up And Over: Riding the path from Beaver Lake over the Pedestrian/Equestrian bridge and then down towards the Tea House. "Yeah, we did a Reverse Beaver then an Up and Over and hit the beach!"
- Logan's Run: Area of the SeaWall just after Lion's Gate Bridge by the small lighthouse. Paved with bricks, narrow and directly below a lot of sea bird nests, this area gets super slippery. A rider went down hard here one night bending his fork over sideways, and shedding some blood.
- Inside Passage: Riding the North side of False Creek. Usually as an alternative to riding via Crab Park / Coal Harbor. "We rode the inside passage back from the park!"
- Crab: The pier at Crab Park, frequent meeting spot.
- Roundabout: Used to be our official Friday meeting spot, still a frequent stopping spot. Between Lost Lagoon and the Rowing Club.
- The Heron: Large Heron sculpture just East of the Granville Bridge, along the North side of False Creek (Inside Passage). Occasional stopping / meeting spot.
- Strathcona Oval: Circular track on the Southeast side of Strathcona Park.
- Fashion District: Railway street between Gore and Princess. Usual route with a group when leaving Crab heading towards Strathcona.
- Boot Hill: Park at the top of the hill just West of Leg-In-Boot Square, South side of False Creek. Occasional stopping spot.
- Rocky Point: Cluster of woods to the West of the Casino right on the waterfront. Occasional stopping spot.
- The Park: Stanley Park. Duh.
- Legoland: Waterfront by the new community center on the South side of False Creek, just past Science World. Large granite blocks there made someone think of Lego.
- VO: "Vintage Original" but can mean "Virtually Original" or a few other things... A bike that appears to be stock with no modifications.
- Rat Rod: Exact opposite of VO, everything is modified, usually not the most "beautiful" bike but designed for function over form. Mismatched parts are common.
- Megaray: Start with a Collegiate or other lightweight, throw on a banana seat, sissy bar and apes, you get a Megaray. Favorite bike of the Beligerantes in Portland.
