New York Bicycle Film Festival

I recently had the opportunity to head to New York to check out and hand out at the Bicycle Film Festival ‘world headquarters’. Friends from BFF HQ some of the other visiting cities bombed around between bars, parties, and art shows in mild summer weather — without doubt, the most fun I’ve ever had on a bicycle.

Locals sharing live music and art on the street in Brooklyn made the streets feel friendly and inviting. And the wide (but hectic), flat avenues in Manhattan spurred an irresistable urge to go fast — not a great idea with a $5000 camera strapped to your bike frame though. I had minor altercation with a NY cab, so decided not to persist filming after the test run.

Benny Zenga (a film maker from Toronto) was one new friend I met while helping out at HQ. His film ‘Where Are You Go’ — documenting his expedition through Cairo, Egypt and Cape Town and South Africa on his head-turning ‘Tall Horse’ bicycle — was a highlight of the festival program. Of course, I jumped at the chance to take it for a spin before he boxed it up to return home.

You can read a short article I wrote about our adventure at FHM and Qantas Travel Insider or browse through the full gallery of photos.

We’re really looking forward to the Sydney Bicycle Film Festival this year (11-14 November 2009). Come and say hello.

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Seven things you didn’t know about me.

To show my appreciation at Julian Cole‘s efforts to jump-start my blog, here are a few things you may not have known about me.

1. I have always wanted to be a doctor.
Ever since I was knee-high to a grasshopper I have wanted to be a Doctor — a Pediatrician to be exact. At the age of 8 my cousin Karl and I planned opening a surgery together. My sister Shelley asked if she could join in. We told her she could be the receptionist. Two years my junior, she is now a Lawyer with a dual degree. What a chauvinist I was in my pre-teen ignorance.

New York State Map

2. I bicycled from NYC to Montreal.
With everything we needed strapped to our bikes, walkie talkies and a couple of maps, my girlfriend and I set off to peddle from New York to Montreal. We cycled through upstate New York, Albany, through the Adirondack Mountains, Utica, Syracuse, Woodstock, Rochester, Buffalo, Niagara, Toronto and Montreal.  (about 100km/day and roughly 1400kms in total).

3. I witnessed the twin towers fall.
For an hour or so that morning in 2001, it seemed like the residents of New York City weren’t sure what had actually happened. It wasn’t until the second plane hit and reports of others hijacked flights across the country that the hysteria really set in. Trying to make it back to an apartment in Astoria (Queens) with my girlfriend, swirls of smoke rose up the towers: in fact the first tower had just sunk into the ground. In what felt like a scene our of Independence Day (film) cars on the express way began smoking to a holt and banking-up in front of us. To avoid being gridlocked we reversed up an on-ramp — in hindsight dangerous manouvre — and muddled our way home through backstreets. We sat on the couch, scared numb, watching updates on the television until the second tower fell and all but a few of the television networks blacked-out. Thoughts running through my head at the time: Is this WW3? Should we get in the car and drive up-state?

Two items were sold out across the country for the month following — gas masks and American flags. It says quite clearly what people’s priorities were at that time, doesn’t it.

Andy Miller as Pyjama Boy

4. Winning a radio competition kick-started my career in music.
Talking to Jay and the Doctor on triple j’s Breakfast program about my adventure around the world in pyjamas, I was fortunate enough to win a return trip for two people to see the Foo Fighters play in Cardiff (with support from The Subways, Razorlight and Oasis). I didn’t wear my pyjamas for the whole time. But I thought it appropriate to fulfill my on-air promise at the gig.

5. I recently started playing the piano again.
I started playing the piano when I was 6 years old and reached Grade 7 practical piano. Since moving out of home a few years ago, I haven’t had a piano to practice. Recently Sean Rubenstein-Dunlop (a friend of mine and reporter for the ABC — recently featured on the PM program presenting a story on a new social network for sick kids) moved in and brought with him a lovely electric piano. I loosened up my fingers by learning Yann Tiersen’s “Comptine D’un Autre Ete: L’apres Midi” (Theme from Amelie) and plan to learn a couple of more of my favourites including Chopin’s Nocturne in E Flat Major and Fantasie Impromtu.

Custom built vintage track bike

6. Fixed gear bikes.
I love nothing more than riding my bike through the city, out to the beach or even just 100 metres from home to buy an icecream. I think I would be completely happy if all I had was my bike, white sand on a beach and a handful of friends to share it with.

7. I recently learned that you can fracture a doodle.
Read all about it. And watch the Grey’s Anatomy ‘for TV version’ here.

I’ve tagged the following people:

Nick Crocker
Scott Drummond
Ravi Vasavan
Dave Ruby Howe
Stefanie Smith
Mariam Arcilla
Megan Cullen

Here are the rules…
Share seven facts about yourself in the post.
Link to your original tagger and list these rules in your post.
Tag seven people at the end of your post by leaving their names and the links to their blogs.
Let them know they’ve been tagged.

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