Week 6

November 14 - 18
Week 6 went by without a hitch.  Commuting was a mixed bag this week, as the weather changed daily (even hourly), as it tends to do through the Texas Fall.  The only bit of excitement (nausea?) came on Thursday when my route took me right by a roadkill deer.  Growing up in Texas, I've seen plenty of these on the road, but somehow biking over the blood stained sidewalk was a bit much for me at 6:00 am.  Luckily, someone cleaned up the mess quickly, before the thing started to decay.

We joined Thursday Night Social Ride again this week, for the first time in about a month.  The cooler weather made for a smaller ride, which I prefer to the masses that gather in the summer months.  We tried out our new Bose portable speaker.  It's only a little louder than the Altec Lansing I've had for the past 4 years or so, but the sound is so much better.  It was a nice little treat for our ride.  Of course, when dude on 10ft tall bike with 12" sub rolled anywhere within a block of us, we couldn't hear a thing, but it was all good.  The amusement of riding alongside a guy perched atop a bike so tall you need a ladder (but don't actually use one) to mount, sporting a sweet ass 'stash and red cape is worth the sacrifice of missing a song or two from my play list along the way.  It's actually one of the reasons why I stay out too late on Thursday, and pay for it all day Friday.  

By the time Friday morning rolled around, I was super exhausted.  It's tough getting up early and biking up the hill to work the morning after TNSR.  Too little sleep + tired legs = challenging morning commute.  Hopefully, I'll have enough energy to roll downtown later for the Ghostland Observatory show at ACL Moody Theater.  The hubby bought tickets to the show for our 1 year anniversary, and I want to have plenty of energy to dance my ass off for a few hours. 

Still loving life on 2 wheels.

Week 5

November 7 - 11
I guess I've become a real bike commuter now.  It's been 5 weeks, and I'm still at it.  I've had a couple of close calls with rain, but haven't had to ride through any storms yet.  I've got my route perfected, and my daily work preparation packing is down to a science.  The weeks are really flying by, and before you know it 2012 will be here, and with it comes the option of a car for me.  My husband will get a work truck in January, so I'll be able to use our xB whenever I want.  Will I want to?  January and February can be pretty cold here in Austin (at least it feels that way to this South Texas girl).  I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Anyway...we made it over to Mohawk this week to see Phantogram.  I love how they have an abundance of bike parking out front.  I wish more places downtown were like this:

After a few drinks, I said hello to my old friend Bear.

Phantogram put on a great show, as always.  And, I left the show with serious hair envy (again).



What Would They Think?

Sure, everyone thinks it's cool that I ride my bike to work every day. I'm exercising, saving gas money, etc. But...how would they feel if they knew that I didn't have a car? Specifically, how would this fact be viewed by upper management? For some reason, I think it would be viewed as a limitation. I guess that's the reason that I'm going on my 6th week commuting to work, but haven't told my boss or really anyone here that I don't actually have a car.

It's not about the money. Sure, I got rid of $11k worth of debt when we sold the Volkswagen, but the decision wasn't made solely for financial reasons. My husband and I are in the best financial shape we've ever been in, and could have kept the car. (It would have taken us longer to become debt free, but we could have done it).

The main reason I'm doing this is...I just wanted to see if I could live without a car, even if it's only for a few months. In fact, living a car-free life is one of the items on my "life list." You know, the list of things you want to do before you die? There are 29 items on my list, and when we sold our car a few weeks ago, I was able to put a big check mark beside the words "live without a car for a period of time - just to see if I can do it." 

The decision has made me so happy.  I find true happiness in riding my bike each and every day.  Yet, there's still this underlying feeling that people would think less of me here in the corporate world if they knew the whole story.  I don't know why.

Week 4 - Frogger, Plus: A New Direction

October 31st - November 4th

Monday - Day off. No riding or Car 2 Going for me today.

Tuesday - Routine. Had a great run in the morning with Pacer, then hopped on the bike to get to work.

Wednesday - Super close to smashing a frog on the way in. Got to work, hit the gym, then realized I didn't bring dress shoes with me. Opted for my worn out red Tom's over black flip flops (shower shoes) to wear with my tailored dress and blazer. Looking good!

Thursday - Cold front blowing in throughout the early morning.  Super cold and windy, but I had just the right amount of layers on. As I was riding in, I noticed another commuter taking a different route through the park. I'm going to try it out tomorrow and see where it leads.

Friday - New route through the park is SO MUCH BETTER! I'm going to take this route from now on.  Less sidewalk, less proximity to motor vehicles. 

I've been at this for several weeks now, and it's starting to become second nature.  I keep asking myself why I didn't do this sooner.

A Long, Healthy Life

I read an article about a study on the impact of taking your bike instead of driving for 1/2 of the errands you run that are close by. The results were pretty amazing. Billions of dollars could be saved in health care costs, and about 1,100 deaths avoided each year...and that's just from taking your bike on half of your long errands (2.5 miles each way...which is about how far I commute to work each day). It made me realize that there are so many benefits to riding my bike to work every day. I'm saving money, getting more exercise, reducing pollution, and spending more time outdoors (which is undoubtedly good for the mental health for someone who spends about 9 hours a day stuck in an office in front of a computer). Not to mention the social aspects of biking. Over the past few years, I've had so many wonderful biking experiences with friends. It's allowed me to see my world from a different point of view...to really take notice of my surroundings. All this while improving my health and the health of others. :)

Week 3 - Ups and Downs

October 24 - 28, 2011

Monday and Tuesday I was on a work trip to El Paso, so I didn't use my bike at all. The challenge for these two days was figuring out the best way to get to and from the airport without a car. By planning ahead, I was able to do so without spending any extra money. Jason dropped me at the airport on his way to work Monday morning. I was there about an hour earlier than I needed to be, but used the time to catch up on some reading. On Tuesday, I carpooled back to the office with my boss...it worked out perfectly! I used the excuse that my car was in the shop because I didn't want to bring to light the fact that I don't have a car...not just yet, anyway. I don't want it to be viewed as a limitation by people in the corporate world that don't understand. But, more on that later.

Wednesday was tough. I guess I didn't learn my lesson last week, because...I had to ride to work with the worst hangover imaginable. Tuesday night was spent at Stubb's for the Snoop Dogg concert, which was completely awesome. I guess I had a little too much fun because Wednesday morning I felt horrible. There was no getting out of it, though...it was a busy week at work, so I had to suck it up! I rode into work slowly, and cursed myself all the way up the hills. It was a rough day.

Thursday was pretty uneventful. I was feeling so much better than the day before, that I was super happy all day, despite it being a pretty stressful work day. It's so much better riding into work when you've had the proper amount of sleep the night before (and you've laid off the booze for a night).

The Friday morning ride was pretty cold and windy after a front blew in overnight. I had to break out my gloves for the first time. At some point, I'll need to invest in some better winter riding clothes. But, for now I think what I've got will work.

Saturday morning Jason and I were supposed to kick off our anniversary weekend by riding in the Pedal for Puppies urban ride, which raised money for Austin Pets Alive. We were way too tired from a surprise super hero costume party the night before, so we opted to sleep in. We headed out around mid morning for a downtown bike adventure instead. We spent some time at the Farmer's Market, then did a little shopping at Mellow Johnny's and Urban Outfitters.

All in all, it was a good week in riding. Sure, I had my ups and downs, but I'm still in love and committed to my life on 2 wheels.

Week 2 - This Is How We Do It

It's week 2 of bike adventures, and I'm really starting to love it!  I don't miss the car at all, and I've enjoyed the extra bit of exercise I get each day.  Here's a quick recap of the week:

Monday was a lazy day.  I took the car to work since Jason had his work truck for the day. It worked out okay, though, because it allowed me to bring packing boxes home from work, and take more lunches to store in the break room fridge.

On Tuesday, I got to try out my new bike panniers! I was a little nervous about using them the first time because it was really windy as a cold front blew in.  I was worried that the bags would provide too much wind resistance.  They were awesome, though!  It was so great to ride in without a heavy bag over my shoulder.  Even though I was probably carrying more weight overall, the ride to work felt lighter.  There were a couple times on the ride home when I felt like I might blow over because of the wind, but I just tried to be extra careful. Here's a pic of my bike all loaded up with the panniers I bought from Performance Bikes:

Wednesday I survived my first bike commuting with hangover adventure. I had spent Tuesday night at a new book club, and had a little too much to drink. It was pretty tough to get on my bike Wednesday morning, but I had no choice. Wednesday night was girls' night at Paggi House (for a little hair of the dog).  Ginny and I had a nice ride from work, just down the street to 1/2 price apps and wine. Wednesday was also "talk to Lindsey about bike commuting day" at work (or so it seemed).  At least 4 people came into my office to ask about my route, how far I go, why is there a green wheel on the front of my bike, etc.  I guess now that I've been doing this for a week, people are starting to notice.  As Ginny likes to put it, "we're heroes, Lindsey; bike commuting heroes."  I don't know about all that, but...

The Thursday morning commute was pretty uneventful, although the weather was in the 50s, and I should have opted for a wind breaker instead of my hoodie.  It took a few hours at work to finally get the chill out of my system.  I did a little planning for next week to figure out how I'm going to get to and from the airport for my work trip to El Paso.  Not having a car requires me to plan ahead a little more, but hasn't posed any major problems yet.  It's actually exciting to have to think about transportation in a different way!

The Friday morning ride was pretty routine, but Ginny had a small crash on the way home (we rode to my condo to carpool up to a company bowling event). Her wheel got caught in a crevice in the sidewalk, which caused her to tip over.  Luckily, we weren't going too fast and she only got a little bit of road rash on her shoulder.  Of course this had to happen close to a stoplight where there were several cars waiting for the light to change.  Oops!

Saturday was super fun!  It was my 3rd Tour de Fat to attend in Austin. This event is put on by New Belgium brewing, and it's basically a bike carnival.  Live music, good beer, interesting bikes, and a few sideshows make for an interesting day at the park. In the past, I volunteered to pour beer at the beer tent, so this was my first time to attend without volunteering. We got there late but still had enough time to enjoy the last hour of the event. 

So far, it's been really great not having a car.  I feel better when I get to work each day...I really love being out on my bike!

Bike Commuting - Week 1 Adjustment

So, it's only my 2nd day without a car, but so far things are going really well.  I think I'm really going to like the new lifestyle, even if it's only through the end of the year.  Here's a quick snapshot of the week:

Tuesday we dropped off the VW at Car Max, and left $11k of debt there with it.  I have to admit I was pretty nervous when we left the dealership.  I was having some doubts...why hadn't I tried commuting for a week or so before just jumping right in?  I guess that's just how I roll.

Wednesday was my first day to commute to work.  That's not exactly true, I guess.  In the 3.5 years that I've lived a short 2 miles from the office, I've probably ridden here about 6 times.  So, I knew which route to take and how long it would take to get there...or so I thought.  I started off on my normal route that would take me on a trail under Barton Springs road, then through Zilker.  Under the bridge I ran into my first road block.  There was a huge tree branch that had fallen into the sidewalk, and because there were railings in this particular area, I couldn't go around...so I had to backtrack up a hill and reroute myself in the dark.  From there, it was smooth sailing, and my first day as a bike commuter was a success!  My bike rested happily in my office until it was time to pedal home.

Thursday brought about another interesting morning.  About 5 minutes into my morning ride, I rode through a huge swarm of gnats and got more than an eyeful, which led to a few seconds of blindness.  I think some clear riding glasses may be in order!  Shortly after, I came head on with a lady who was walking multiple dogs.  I ride on a sidewalk through the park for some of my route, and this lady was definitely irritated that she had to take 2 seconds to step her dogs off the sidewalk so I could pass.  I received an irritated eye-roll as I went by.  Oh well!  When I arrived to work, I realized that I forgot to pack my purse, so I didn't have the access key to get into the gym to shower and dress for work.  I stood in the hallway for about 10 minutes, waiting for a coworker to arrive so someone could let me in.  Then, the smell of bacon reminded me that there were a few employees who came in early to cook for our United Way benefit, so I was able to secure a badge from one of them!  Luckily, I have several lunches saved in the work fridge, so the fact that I don't have my wallet wasn't a big deal.  Thursday night we hit up TNSR for some social cycling.  We had a blast riding through the hills until a girl crashed her bike while going downhill over a speed bump.  We found out later that she suffered a broken jaw, concussion, cracked ribs, and major road rash.  Medics said that she would have probably died if it weren't for her helmet.  Luckily, she's on her way to recovery.  This gave everyone quite a scare...we'll be riding with helmets from now on.

Friday, I didn't have to go into work, so I skipped the morning commute.  I did have a 10:00 hair appointment about 5.5 miles away from home.  I debated riding my bike or taking a Car2Go, but in the end opted for the Car2Go adventure. My legs needed a break from the hilly ride the night before, and I was still a bit hung over from too many vodka and vitamin waters.  The Car2Go experience was super fun!  I had downloaded this new app that shows where the closest available car is located. I just clicked a couple buttons, and used the directions on my phone to walk a few short blocks to the closest car.  So easy! Plus, the car is just so cute:

Week 1 living the bike commuter lifestyle = success!

Car-Free

Well, I'm officially car-free!  We sold the VW to Carmax yesterday.  I'm a little excited and a little scared.  More to come soon...

Goodbye, old ride.

Half Full

I'm just going to come right out and say it...I FAILED the challenge.  Well, sort of.  I guess it depends on how you view success.  Did I make it the full 365 days without buying something new?  No. An unequivocal, resounding fucking NOOOOOOO!  Actually, a big fat failure of a NO.  But, I did make it 6 months.  Six months and 3 days to be exact.  I'm not sure what it was...I was on vacation spending time with my family for the 4th of July weekend.  And I just decided to buy something...a commemorative t-shirt and a pair of cheap flip-flops.  It wasn't really even anything super exciting or fantastic.  I didn't even go out with a bang.

A few days later, and here I am...free of the challenge, I guess, because I already failed.  And yet...I did learn something.  I learned quite a few things about myself and about the motivating factors in my life.  I went shopping today.  I set off on my lunch break, the same as I had so many times before with money to burn.  I told myself it didn't matter...that this was my reward for making it through 6 months of deprivation.  (For a shopaholic like myself, yes, this has felt like deprivation at times.)  When I got there, though, my outlook had changed.  I found myself really analyzing each piece of clothing, trying to determine if it was really worth the money.  I told myself...if I don't absolutely LOVE this, I'm not getting it.  This mindset really worked, too.  I walked out of the store with 2 items, spending less than my budget and leaving several things behind that I would have liked to own. 

So now the question becomes, where do I go from here?  I'm not 100% sure, but I do know this...when I look back at the first 1/2 of this year, I'm going to view it as a success.  Sure, I didn't make it the whole way, but it wasn't for naught.  I learned so much...about self control...about intensity and focus...about loving what you have and more and more about myself each day.  To me, the glass is 1/2 full.

Obsession

I'm completely OBSESSED with the fishtail hem.  Seriously, if I'm not sporting one of these dresses during ACL festival this year, I will die.  Like, Rachel Zoe "die."  I feel like this is the hot new way to wear all those old 90s grunge dresses we had...just alter the hem, and, boom, they're sexy again.  I've been stalking Ebay to find one of these for a couple months now.  Hopefully, the trend will catch on, and I'll actually be able to afford one of these bad ass dresses (supply and demand baby).  Some of my favorite postings at the moment:

Check out Bustown Modern or Tin Roof Vintage or Vantage Point Vintage to bid.  But, if you outbid me, I'll beat you.  For real.  xoxo

Getting Your Money's Worth

I came across this article on The Simple Dollar today, and I really connected with it.  The idea is this: each time you spend money, you are allocating some of your hard earned money (and sacrificed time) to purchase that item.  Is it really worth your dollar?  If you make $20/hour, is the $80 dress really worth 1/2 a day of working?  Does it mean that much to you?  Did you receive fulfillment in proportion to the amount of life energy spent?  I found it fascinating to think about...how over time if you work for 40 years, that's approximately 100,000 working hours.  How much of your time could you get back if you cut out a few frivolous things here and there?  How much earlier could you retire?  These ideas really helped put some things in perspective for me...and helped fuel my motivation to keep up the challenge this year. 

I really enjoyed the article, and I'm currently on the waiting list at the library to read the book on which the review was written. 

4 Months

So, I've been working my way through the secondhand challenge, one day at a time, for approximately 129 days now (but who's counting).  To be honest, I don't really even think about the challenge every day.  Sure, there are times when I'm staring in my closet, trying to figure out what to wear (feeling like there's nothing that will do), when I have a strong urge to say f@#* the challenge and rush out to one of my favorite shops for a little retail therapy. 

Most of the time, though, it doesn't cross my mind.  Like yesterday, for example, when I was out on town lake, spending an hour kayaking with Marlen, my neighbor.  We spent an hour paddling across the water, enjoying the sun, good conversation, and exercise for a mere $12 each.  I had an "I love Austin" moment as we paddled back to the rental place, when we turned a corner and heard a beautiful melody played on one of the city's outdoor pianos that is set up on the trail overlooking the water, as part of the Play Me I'm Yours project.  It's times like those that I could care less about stuff.  I realize that none of it could bring me as much happiness as enjoying my time here.

(Photo via We Heart It website).

3 Months

It's taken me awhile to start this post...because, there hasn't been much to blog about.  I've stuck to the goal and haven't broken any of the rules for the secondhand challenge.  Time has gone by rather quickly....I've saved hundreds of dollars, simply because the impulse purchases I used to succumb to are off limits now.  In the meantime, the hubby and I have paid off several thousand dollars worth of debt...and we are in total gazelle mode.  Speaking of the hubby...he's getting a promotion soon that could lead to an increase in income that would put him above his masters-degree-holding wifey.  At this rate, we'll be paying off the mortgage before our future kids start grade school.  Cha-ching!

Any who...the second hand challenge continues to be a great test in patience and frugality...thrown in with a little adventure.  I'm over 25% of the way to reaching my year-long goal, and I've enjoyed every day of it!  It's taught me that it really doesn't cost much to lead a fulfilling life.  (The best things in life are free.)

xoxo

The Falls (at McKinney State Park)

I was so hung over the day I visited McKinney Falls for the first time...but I just had to get out in the open.  I had spent 3 days consumed with music and enveloped in crowds of strangers...I really needed a break.  So, I packed a book, my camera, some snacks and water, and headed down the road...a short 10 minute drive from mi casa, to the park.  I walked around for awhile...observed some families and mountain bikers on their Sunday afternoon outings...then I found the right spot and passed out in the grass.  (Not on grass, unfortunately).  There were ants on parade:

And, I found "the falls"...

Then, I found the best spot to lounge under the trees for a nap. 

The whole experience made me long for the days when I was in grad school...and Stef and I would take popcorn and other treats to the park to lay out.  I would study while we talked and got some sun.  It was the best!  I'll definitely spend more time here soon.

GO

It was the closest I've been to the stage before.  Alison and I were literally grabbing the railing in the front row of the Ghostland Observatory concert at the new ACL Live theatre in downtown Austin last month...and it was so fucking awesome!  I guess this was my third Ghostland show...and it didn't fail to impress.  Laser lights beamed over our head as the music was felt.  It was an amazing experience.  We were this close:

(A photo from my weak ass camera)

(No zoom necessary!!!!!!!!!!!)

Anyway...it was an awesome way to end a month filled with great music!  I would expect nothing less from springtime in Austin.  Let's see what April will bring.



In Dreams

So, I had this crazy vivid dream the other night...about a total snafu of the social network.  In the dream, I was watching random porn on YouTube, and I guess I clicked "like" on one of them...which automatically updated my Facebook and Twitter feeds...where lifelong friends, family, past teachers, and random strangers alike, were able to view my preference in porn.  Obviously, the introvert in me was completely mortified, and  I quickly tried to delete the feed (and restore my "good girl" reputation), but it was too late!  Back in the small town where I'm from, word had spread quickly, that the once "all school favorite" had turned into a sleazy out of control porn addict over night...one who broadcasts her preferences via social networks, no less!

I woke up feeling slightly exposed...and a bit wary of YouTube.  What does it all mean!?!?! 

Change

Things have been set in motion...and I know this will be a year of change.  It always happens in one way or another, but this time I can see it coming.  I'm not sure exactly what will happen, but I'm sure of this...things won't be the same at the end of the year as they were at the beginning (they seldom are).  I guess, in a way I've been coasting along for some time now...and sailing has been smooth.  But, I'm about to rock the boat...and I might just go overboard.

7. year. itch. 

One Wing

We once belonged to a bird

Who cast his shadow on this world
You were a blessing and I was a curse
I did my best not to make things worse, for you
It isn't true; I always knew this would be our fate
This is what happens when we separate
This is what happens to all dead weight, eventually

We may as well be made of stone
We can't be formed

One Wing will never fly
Neither yours nor mine
I fear we can only wave goodbye.


(Photo via We Heart It)

One of Those Nights

I need one of those nights...when stuff just happens.

The Necklace

So, I bought this lovely vintage locket necklace from Room Service about a year ago, and I wear it all the time (and always get lots of compliments when I do).  Today, as I was on the elevator heading out of work, a lady stepped into the elevator and commented, "I have that same necklace!"  At first, I was thinking,"yeah right...this is a vintage 70s Avon locket...and there's no freaking way you have the same one."  Then, she started talking about it being one of her favorite necklaces from when she was in high school.  How, her best friend drew up a caricature of her "boyfriend" that they called "Fred" for her to wear in the locket...and how the drawing is still there to this day...and how she still wears the locket from time to time.  I could see her getting a bit misty-eyed, and knew immediately that it was true.  What a story!  And, how random that this lady that happens to step on the elevator at the same time as me just so happens to have the exact same vintage necklace.  It's so cool!

It made me wonder about all the small coincidences in life.  About all the things that have to line up just perfectly for a moment of serendipity.  I wondered...does she still talk to this friend?  This one that created a boyfriend for her from pen and paper back in high school...to carry by her heart forever.  I know that even though I don't know them, I'll think about them...every time I wear the necklace from now on.

SX Day 3

Day three started early so we could make it to MWTX party early enough to see Deertick take the stage at 1:55.  We arrived on our bikes, and didn't even have to worry about finding a place to lock them up...free bike valet via Mellow Johnny's!  We walked in, and the next surprise...Sailor Jerry was a sponsor, so they were serving up special cocktails.  Cream 'O Sailor was probably my favorite, but I spent the majority of the day sipping on Sailor and root beer.  YUMMY!  Somehow, Jason and I ended up with 11 empty SJ commemorative cups.  What an afternoon! 

Anyway, we got a great spot for Deertick.  They put on an awesome show, as usual...well, they did as soon as the sound guy got things straightened out around song 3. 

Next up was Surfer Blood, but they didn't play for several more hours, which gave us time for more Sailors (of course) and time to grab a bite at the food trailers.  We had fish and chips from Bits and Druthers...super yum!

Surfer Blood went on at 5:45, and by that time we were ready for some music.  They were great! 

(Photo via Microgod's Flickr photo stream).

We finished up the day with a couple of beers from Violet Crown Social Club, and some yummy Hawaiian grub from the food trailer in front of the bar.  Mac salad has to be one of the best foods to sober you up a bit.  Well, that or jumping in the swimming pool fully clothed when you get back to your condo.  I wouldn't know from experience...

SXSW: Day 2

Friday was a much more successful music experience than Thursday.  We rode our bikes down again, and found great parking just across the street. 



We arrived at the Filter Party at Cedar Street Courtyard early in the day, to get a good spot for Phantogram.  I was determined not to miss their show, so we arrived a few hours early.  I spotted a girl with a killer haircut watching the earlier bands from the VIP section, and had major hair envy.  Little did I know, she was actually the female vocalists/keyboard player from Phantogram.  I was super jealous!

I was enjoying the show too much to mess with my camera, so the picture above was all I got.  I did find these great shots via Flickr:

(Photo via Home Slice Pizza Flickr photo stream)

(Photo via jeremyjohnpeters Flickr photo stream)

 
The vocals were amazing, and the sound perfect.  It was my favorite show of SXSW 2011.  Surfer Blood was up next, but we decided to wait to see them the following day, so we could make our way to Matt & Kim at the Fader Fort party early enough to get in.

We headed out to the Fader Fort on the East Side, where we waited in a long line for our wristbands, followed by a long line to get in the door...but it was all worth it.  We walked around for the first hour, had some free popcorn, fought our way through a tight crowd for free drinks.  Then, we headed to the stage to see Odd Future perform, and we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into.  The crowd was rowdy, somewhat angry.  There was a guy that wanted to get up to the front and started pushing people out of the way (quite forcefully) to do so.  Another guy decided to crowd surf and fell to the cement right next to us, losing his glasses (and couldn't see!).  Someone from the crowd took the opportunity to pour out a full beer on top of him, while he was still on the ground.  Then, people started throwing full water bottles across the audience, hitting people from behind, while the crowd grew even more restless and loud...chanting "Wolf Gang Wolf Gang Wolf Gang."  One of the musicians was encouraging the rowdiness, and let the crowd know that if he saw any more cameras while they were performing, he would kick them to the ground.  It was quite an experience.  Apparently, P. Diddy was there, but we were so busy keeping a watch out for flying water bottles and watching our backs for drunk guys trying to start fights, that we didn't even notice!  (P. Diddy photo via spratt504 Flickr photostream).

The final act of the night was Matt & Kim, and it was amazing to feel the shift in energy as they took the stage.  Everyone went from angry and amped to happy in about 2 minutes.  Even though the performance was very similar to what we saw during ACL 2010, we couldn't help but enjoy it.  They are just so fun to watch!  You can really tell they love what they do.  Kim is drumming her heart out with the biggest smile on her face, while Matt sings out to the audience with all he has to give.

(Photo via cshimala Flickr photo stream)

They are always full of so much energy and just make you want to get up and dance.  Somehow, Kim managed to do some booty dancing while standing on the crowd:

(Photo via nathan_malone Flickr photo stream)

It was such a fun show!  Afterwards, we grabbed our bikes and headed through the 230,000 people on the streets of Austin to get home.  The night came to a perfect end as we rode our bikes past Auditorium Shores, just as fireworks went off above Lady Bird Lake.  It was such a great day!

SX Moments: Day 1

We started our SXSW adventures on Thursday afternoon by riding our bikes down to Club Deville for an afternoon filled with free music and drinks.

(I didn't have to pay for parking at this meter!) 

I didn't really know anyone from the lineup that day, but we enjoyed the music nonetheless.  A $3 wristband got us as many free Miller High Lifes and Mike's Hard Punch as we could drink, and by the time we rode home, I was feeling quite good.  I think one of the most popular freebies this year was sunglasses...I came home with 3 different pair (and that was because I got tired of taking them).

(Alison and Alex sporting the free shades at Club Deville).

We spent most of the day hanging around in the shade, drinking free booze and talking.  Overall, the music was more of a backdrop than anything on day 1, and that was okay.

Agreed.