Anna Gerrodette
Fast Track Velodrome

Fast Track Cycling's Anna Gerrodette answers a lot of questions from Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready: What is a Velodrome? How big is it? Is she really building one in Cleveland? What is the Civic Innovation Lab have to do with the Fast Track Velodrome and Cool Cleveland? Why an exhibition called, Bike Imitates Art? And how will that help raise money and awareness for a bike rack project that commissions artists to build bike racks that corporate sponsors support? And what the heck is the Northcoast Flatlands Battle on 5/24 in Cleveland, and can anyone participate? Of course, the answer to that last one is, "Yes!" For the answers to the rest, click on the video.

http://www.FastTrackCycling.org http://www.ClevelandBicycleWeek.org

Terry Schwartz
Pop-Up City Leap Night

Terry Schwartz is leading an urban revolution. Rather than bemoan our post-industrial landscape, she is taking a cue from Europeans and creating Pop-Up City to enliven unused and overlooked urban sites for one-day events. They did a Pop-Up retail shop called Bazaar Bizarre on E. 4th last December; now they're throwing down in the East Bank of the Flats on land that the Wolstein Group is preparing for their massive mixed-use project, and this Fri 2/29 they are presenting Leap Night, featuring snow and ice installation, sk8ing rinks, a snowboard ramp & rail jam competition (get your release forms online here), plus a snowsuit fashion show, food & drink vendors, and an outdoor Rock Band video competition. Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready, who met Terry through the Civic Innovation Lab, which funded her project, caught up with her and her crew at the site with dozens of recycled X-mas trees, and they discussed the aesthetics of re-visioning our post-industrial landscape, their workshop on the temporary use phenomenon in Europe, and how to draw attention (and fun) to transitional sites in our region, even if just for 24 hours. BTW, all visitors receive a pair of glow-in-the-dark gloves. http://www.PopUpCleveland.com

Ray Petro
Ray's Mountain Bike Park

Ray Petro has built something that you really have to see to believe. Even this video by Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready can't portray the vastness of the 97,000 square feet of bike ramps, jumps and indoor trails at Ray's Mountain Bike Park. On a day when the park was filled with some of the top pro riders celebrating the opening weekend of Ray's fourth season, the cars in his parking lot sported license plates from seven states. Riders from all over the world find his park on the Internet, and last year over 500 visitors took advantage of a weekend deal he has with the local Holiday Inn. That's serious economic development. In all, over 5000 riders last year rolled their bikes up the ramp and into Ray's MTB for hours of clean indoor fun when the weather outside was less than welcoming. Mountain bikers come for the elevated XC loop affording the long runs and fast speeds they can maintain indoors to get their regular endorphin fix. BMXers come for the banked ramps, the foam pit for practicing back flips, and the expert course with a wicked teeter-totter, bike elevator and jumps to satisfy any extreme sport enthusiast. But the real improvements this year came with the addition of a new beginner area with easy tracks for kids, learners and weekend warriors. Ray talks with Mulready about his success with corporate sponsorship from some of the biggest names in the business (Moen mongoose, Fisher, Subaru...), how he built his entire bike park with his bare hands (and a lot of help), and the benefits he's gained from his affiliation with the Civic Innovation Lab. http://www.RaysMTB.com

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