In an age of lifted pickup trucks, Hummer H2s and global warming, there is at least one group of people in Tempe promoting lower fuel emissions.
A common way to get around while being helpful to the environment is the bicycle. Whether it is a sweet three-pound aluminum road bike or a bulky 30-pound mountain bike, the Car Resistance Action Party, or CRAP, welcomes all who wish to ride.
What started as just a few friends going on a bike ride to celebrate co-founder Patrick Leahy's birthday, has blossomed into a weekly event that draws about 25 people riding in unison. The trek starts at Tempe Town Lake, goes through Scottsdale, then stops at the Orange Table restaurant for food and drinks. The ride finishes back at the lake for what ends up being roughly a 20-mile trip.
CRAP is made up of bicycle enthusiasts who ride together every Tuesday night. Along with Leahy, 26, other co-founders include Ryan Guzy, 26, his wife Jennifer Guzy, 25, and Wilson Lee, 22. They rarely, if ever, miss a ride. "We've been doing this for over a year, and we've only missed one ride, and that was for Christmas," Jennifer Guzy says.
Some riders are very serious about the sport. Lee, along with co-founding CRAP, is the current president of the ASU Cycling and Triathlon Club. He also works in the ASU Bike Co-Op on campus, located on the south side of the SRC.
Not every member of CRAP is so serious, though. Some just enjoy a nice bike ride through Scottsdale on a Tuesday night. Others enjoy the camaraderie of the group and the festivities that take place during the dinner break. "This is a great way to meet people, and make some new friends," Leahy says.
Around the globe, similar rides occur under the name of Critical Mass. The only similarities between the two, however, are the bikes. A Critical Mass is a very large group of people, all on bikes, riding through large cities in an effort to illustrate the lack of respect that vehicles have for cyclists. "The name was created as sort of rip on Critical Mass," Leahy says. "We are similar, but we're more about having fun."
Leahy would much prefer to have the club be about unity, friendship and promoting safe riding habits. "We are a group of people who happen to enjoy cycling," he says. "We don't want to exclude anyone. We don't have a purpose other than riding."
Reach the reporter at: mel.flores@asu.edu.