@misskaz - right on. looks like you guys have a lot of fun. and in my neighborhood too haha i opened your link and the very first picture is taken in front of The Bike Lane. I live literally right there just one block down Francis. And then the Boiler Room pics... been there a bit lately too. They sell this slice/pizza called "The Purist" and it's super delicious. I've lived on the same block since 2001. Cool area, but used to be much rougher. Glad it's gotten more fun and enjoyable around there. if you see a very tall skinny guy on a big brown singlespeed with red taped bullhorn bars... wave! =^)
I guess cycling as a group or a team is fun, but a lot of times it's kind of a personal thing for me. Biking in the city is not for joyriding or sightseeing IMHO. I'm on constant alert, looking ahead for doors, peds, jacka$$es, potholes, timing the next light, etc. In the burbs or the country you can leisurely wheel around without much care, but especially since I don't wear a helmet, I don't screw around at all while biking in the city. I guess the most fun I've had biking with others is when I bike with my buddy ken. He rides as fast as I do and we can just tear a$$ around and get where we're going and have fun along the way. A big slow bike parade could be fun too I guess but I feel like people wanna chat. And I don't have much to say.
I have a nice little hammock rig (ENO Singlenest) that packs down to the size of a softball, and it's super adjustable and quick and easy to put up. So a lot of times I bike around with that and after a good long ride or whatever, I find a park with trees and lock the bike up and setup the hammock and just chill for a bit. Maybe some snacks or some sweet sweet ganja. Stuff like that.
Anyone interested in that hammock rig...
http://www.amazon.com/Eagles-Nest-Ou...lenest+hammock
And then the straps...
You need one set of these
http://shop.whoopieslings.com/Whoopie-Slings-AWS.htm
And one set of these
http://shop.whoopieslings.com/Tree-Huggers-TH.htm
Doesn't damage trees and takes literally less than 5 minutes to setup. Hammock packs into itself about the size of a big softball, weighs very little and can go in your sling/pack no problem.