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Detroit River Octopus

So I work at the Welcome Center Monday from 11am-6pm. It’s great, don’t get me wrong. I love meeting new people, telling them about great things to do in the city. But most of the time when I leave work, I’m fairly drained. I just want to go home and relax, the same with most people, I’m sure. But today was different. I went home and made myself go back out. I rode my bike down to the RiverWalk and met up with a friend. We talked about getting ice cream, but in the end decided not to, it’s just not the healthiest snack, and while I’m not really all about eating healthy, I did want to make my bike ride count.

So we continued down the river walk, to where the sculpture of the metal man is. I love that part of the RiverWalk, where the Dequindre Cut meets the river, where new meets old, where wetlands meet the city. It’s a beautiful mixture of past meets present meets our unlimited potential.

So, even under threat of rain, we parked our bikes and pulled out a box of chalk.

Just 4 sticks of yellow chalk and unlimited potential. So what did we do? We drew the Detroit River Octopus. 8 tentacles coming out of the water, crawling up on the land and bringing with it treasures from the deep. This octopus brought with it a sign that said “Detroit or Bust”.

He brought with him his teddy bear, no one should leave home without it.

He brought his fixed gear bike, a beautiful 1988 Cinelli Supercorsa Pista.

He brought a flower in case he found any really pretty Detroit gals.

He brought a can of PBR, so let’s face it, he belongs here.

And he brought with him something that no one should leave behind when coming to Detroit – he brought a little love. The love he plans to leave behind when he leaves this place, he’ll probably leave tonight since he’s not a big fan of the rain (I know, how weird that an octopus wouldn’t like the rain, but hey, he doesn’t. It’s his story, I’m just telling it).

If you happen to be on the RiverWalk in the next week or two and find some wild flowers, a teddy bear, or some love I hope you remember the time when you saw the Detroit River Octopus. If you find a bike or a PBR, make sure it doesn’t already have an owner. If it does, share with them the story of the Detroit River Octopus.

The Octopus who came from far away waters, because he heard stories of how amazing Detroit is. The Octopus who wanted to see what few have seen and tell others about it. He came to meet the people in Detroit who are making things happen, and did he meet some!

Vanessa and I told him about life and love in Detroit.  Why we came here, why we stayed.  We told him about friends and boyfriends found while riding bikes or while drinking some of Detroit’s freshest micro brew.  Mentors and leaders found next door.  I told him about living in Woodbridge and in Hubbard Farms.  Vanessa told him about living in Lafayette Park vs. living in the suburbs. We told him about all the amazing people who saw voids in this city and instead of just talking filled them.  The void of a Welcome Center in a city that desperately needed to welcome people. The void of a national cycling race – filled. The void of art spaces, local businesses, the empty corners that are now filled with gardens.  The city that was in need of a little love and the people who stepped up and loved it first.  The store owners who never left and thrive today.  The new businesses that see the unlimited potential and are moving down here to get prime space.  The restaurants built out of a passion and a dream.  The small brands that become national.

“What do you see yourself doing here in Detroit?” we asked.

He sat there and thought and thought and thought…

And then he said, “Do I have to give you an answer?”

“No, I guess not,” I replied, a little confused as to why he wouldn’t.

After a lot of awkward staring he finally answered with, “Well, you just said that Detroit is a place with endless possibilities, and if I give you an answer, I might get stuck with it.”

Heads tilt and eyes squint.

“I want to do everything and anything, I want to create, foster and realize whatever dreams I come up with. I want to wake up, remember the wildest parts of it, and make it in real life. I want to start a business, run a restaurant, build a house, clean a park and walk my dog, I mean I have 8 arms, I can do a lot of things at once. I want to wave at my neighbors, start a food truck, open a florist, help with a community garden, take a tour, ride in Critical Mass, see an idea pop up during a conference and see a press release about it being national news a few months later. I want to start a business with funding from a large company that only wants me to succeed, I want to be interviewed on the radio for doing something I believe in, I want to do it all!

You said there was no limit to what I can do here, so I don’t want to answer you with just one answer, I want to experience it all.”

Listening to his answer it felt to me like I was watching one of those Visit California ads, ski, hike, bike, swim, see movie stars. But it was all about Detroit. It was all about the things I’ve seen, done and also things I’ve dreamed. Somehow hearing it come from the Detroit River Octopus made me happy, made me wonder why I struggle to leave the house after a seven hour day. I live in an amazing city, full of potential, possibilities are endless, and the friends are plentiful.

So, I hope that you saw the Detroit River Octopus, but if you didn’t I hope you can still feel his love, see his flowers and find teddy bear shapes in the clouds… The feelings that he felt are real, they are all around you if you are in Detroit. They abound in this city, more than any city I’ve ever been in. The PBR’s are always cold and people are always riding their bikes. I hope that you’ve found part of the Detroit River Octopus, and if not, don’t stop looking. He’s around… And he’s worth finding.

See you soon Detroit River Octopus,

Erika Fulk
Inside Detroit Social Media / Marketing Coordinator

Detroit’s amazing puppet history

Ok, so you read a lot about me in this blog.  One thing that I have yet to mention is my love for Russian culture.  Why would I mention that, you’d ask. And the answer is, I never thought I would have to.  It’s a weird piece of fact about me that most people don’t know.  But I studied Russian in college, and for years read only Russian history books for fun.  I know, I’m a nerd. But I’m cool with that.  A lot of the things that makes me love Russian history, the drama, intrigue, random weird facts, the soap opera like romances, are probably the same reasons why I love Detroit.  We have a strange relationship with prohibition and Canada, The Purple Gang, The Scott Fountain, the fires, Woodward Ave., all of these things give Detroit a history just as exciting as that of Russia.

Why do I write about it today though?  Well, I just attended a show at the PuppetART Theatre in downtown Detroit.  The story was “Kolobok”  the Russian version of the Gingerbread man.  It was amazing!  One the fact that I love Russian history was super cool.  And two because I learned so much about the Detroit / Puppet history!

Did you know that in 1929 a puppeteer by the name of Paul McPharlin created the Marionette Fellowship located near the corner of Woodward and Hancock!   In 1936 the Fellowship held the first National Puppetry Conference Festival in Detroit! The conference events were held at the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Hotel Webster Hall and the Artisian Guild. The Festival brought together prominent Puppeteers from all over the United States and Canada to celebrate puppets and share new works.  This event conference led to the formation of the Puppeteers of America the following year.

My love of Russia and my love of Detroit come together in the most unusual way today when I met Luda Mikheyenko, Irina Baranovskaya and Igor Gozman.  These 3 Russians met in 1990.  They have all been classically trained in Russia and are Master Puppeteers.  Igor, with his not so thick Russian accent, was a delight as he walked Martin and I around the Puppet Museum.  He told us about the great history of Detroit and Puppets, showed us some of the famous puppets in his collection.  Told us stories about how he used to take the puppets to schools around MI, and at one point a family came into the PuppetART Theatre and 3 generations had seen the same puppet and all remembered it!  How amazing is that! I don’t think I have stories like that… but I’m going to start!

We also met Irina, she makes all the puppets and sets by hand.  What an amazing woman!  The detail and perfection that goes into all of the puppets and set’s is really quite breathtaking! Kolobok is one of the few puppet shows that uses “floor puppets”.  But wow were those puppets ever amazing!  Above is photograph from the show, and while the photo portray’s the scene well, it doesn’t do justice to the detail and care put into each puppet!  The Fox in that photo has the most beautiful green emerald eyes! I could see them all the way in the back of the 70 person theatre.  Really beautiful!  But the marionettes that are hanging around the PuppetART Theatre are really a testament to the work and craftsmanship that Irina puts into these puppets.  I can not wait to see the performance next month, as they change the shows up each month.

And then Luda, she is the Business Director and Manager of Kolobok, she was manning the lights for the show, and the expressions on the kids faces when the lights went down  - priceless!  When the music changes and the actors rush off stage, the deep breathes and excited laughter fills the space – WOW!  All in Detroit!

I am so thrilled that I was able to see the show and hear a little of the Russian that I faintly remember learning from college.  It was a magical experience for me, and I’m almost 30.  I suggest that you take your kids, parents, cousins, friends, and strangers to the PuppetART Theatre.  The show was amazing, the history is as rare and unique, it’s Detroit but also bigger than Detroit.  It’s a place that I can’t express any better in words… But it is a must see.  We will have more pictures up soon, but please go and see it.  It’s amazing!

And Inside Detroit has partnered with PuppetART Theatre to provide one hour Urban Safari Walking Tours for kids and adults after the Thursday morning performances!  Also, Hard Rock Cafe has thrown in a 20% off coupon with your ticket into the show, and the Detroit Children’s Museum has offered  free admission until Sept 3rd to any PuppetART Theatre Thursday ticket holder!  And people say there is nothing to do in Detroit with your kids! Ha!!!

PuppetART was formed by a trio of Russian puppeteers, all theater professionals in 1995. They began as a touring company and performed throughout Michigan, and in other parts of the US. In 1998, the troupe established its own theater in downtown Detroit.

PuppetART is the only professional resident puppet theater in Southeast Michigan offering year round weekly performances in conjunction with hands-on puppet making workshops and museum tours. For more information or to book your group, please call our office at (313) 961-7777.  Find us on the web at www.puppetart.org.  PuppetART is located at 25 E. Grand River in Detroit.

DISCOUNT PARTNERSHIPS

Detroit Children’s Museum:

Show your PuppetART Voucher any time between now and September 3. To receive one free child’s admission with each paid adult. www.detroitsciencecenter.org/DCM (313) 873-8100

Hard Rock Café:

Located within walking distance, Hard Rock Café will offer PuppetART ticket holders 20% off your entire food bill when you dine in on the day of the performance. If you decide to lunch at Hard Rock, park in the adjacent structure for free parking validation in the restaurant. www.hardrock.com(313) 964-7625

Inside Detroit Tours:

This well-known Tour Company located just steps from PuppetART is offering deep discounts on a special family-friendly tour. On this one hour tour of Detroit, parents and kids alike will discover some of Downtown Detroit’s urban wildlife!  Detroit’s unique architecture is full of exotic animals. This urban safari engages tour goers by having them find lions, tigers, bears and more as we explore Downtown Detroit. The tour will leave from PuppetART after your puppet making workshop. Tickets are $3 for children and $7 for adults. www.insidedetroit.org (313) 962-4590

To book the Urban Safari Tour click here! – http://urbansafari.eventbrite.com

I hope to see you on a tour soon!

Enjoy Detroit,

Erika

Inside Detroit on the Craig Fahle Show

“Inside Detroit” Aims to Change Attitudes of Locals, Visitors

To listen to the audio – http://wdet.org/news/story/InsideDetroitFeature/

An effort to change perceptions about Detroit – one bus tour at a time – continues to develop in the old Woolworth Building on Woodward Avenue. WDET’s Rob St. Mary goes “Inside Detroit”.

(click the audio link above to hear the feature)

On a Saturday morning, a bus full of about 20 people mostly from the suburbs and some former Metro Detroiters are being shown some of Detroit’s more noteworthy places. The tour guide is Jeanette Pierce – co-founder of “Inside Detroit”.

“We’re going to see the bad stuff… we’re going to talk about how we got to where we are but more importantly what people are doing to solve some of these problems and where we’re going in the future.”

Over the past five years, “Inside Detroit” has worked to give out-of-towners as well as Metro Detroiters a new understanding and appreciation for the Motor City. Pierce says when she started “Inside Detroit” the city tour business was dead. Aside from some maps at places like Cobo Hall – there wasn’t a place where groups could go to learn about Detroit from an insider.

“We wanted to tell the story of what it’s like to live here. To live in the city, to be a part of it and give people that insider’s perspective of things and there really wasn’t anybody doing that.”

Pierce says while she seeks to give out-of-towners an understanding of Detroit she says her real goal is to get the locals to confront the perceptions they have about the city.

“I do feel that I have to work harder with people that are in the region because of that assumption that they know… that they know things… and because of watching the local news and reading the local newspaper… and yeah, I guess if that’s all you saw of Detroit was the crime and the violence and the government mishaps and stuff… it would seem pretty depressing… but that’s not the story of Detroit that we know… that I know as someone living here. So, but yeah, the short answer is yes, there is a worse perception from people in the suburbs that out of the city or out of the state. Also, people from other places out of the state, know cities. So, if they are traveling to Detroit chances are they have traveled to a lot of other places or they are from another other city and I think that the more people know cities and have been to multiple cities and they see similarities in cities across the world, then they understand Detroit a little bit better. Where in the Metro Detroit area Detroit is the city that we know.”

Hitting key places like Eastern Market, the Heidelberg Project and a few community farms as well as the boutiques in Midtown many on the tour say they were experiencing these Detroit landmarks for the first time or through new eyes.

One of the people on the tour was former Metro Detroiter, now, Bostonian, Hope Koski.

“I lived and grew up in the suburbs of Detroit and I had a lot of preconceived notions… and I haven’t lived in Michigan in 8 or 9 years… but it was a really refreshing sort of picture of Detroit and I liked how she was really positive about a lot of the things that are up and coming… a lot of people who are making things happen… a lot of the grassroots stuff that’s coming out of the city. It really gives me a really nice view of what’s going on here and I want to learn more… I want to search more on the Internet tonight about Detroit… I want to spend more time here. So, I feel it really drew me into the city.”

Koski says negative feelings about Detroit were always around here where she grew up.

“You know, I grew up in a white suburb. So, there was a lot of racism… a lot of fear was the main thing… like fear of the city, fear of being in an area where black people are. There was like this big thing among my friends like when you cross over into Detroit you lock your car doors and you don’t really relax until you get to your destination. You know we would come to clubs down here… but there was a lot of fear associated with this city… and poverty. But it was mostly fear… fear of black people.”

Today, Koski says she’s considering moving back from Boston to live in the City of Detroit. She says she wants to be a part of the exciting changes taking place.

A few weeks later, another Saturday, another tour for “Inside Detroit” is taking place. This time a group of about 20 ladies from Scotland is being shuttled around the city. They were in town as part of a national curling tour.

Carolyn Clark is from Helensburgh in western Scotland. She says this isn’t her visit to Detroit. Clark says she came years ago with a Scottish field hockey team and was struck then by the factories. But she says this time she was looking forward to seeing how Detroit had changed. Clark says she came away very impressed with the city’s downtown.

“I think there is evidence of your industrial past, still… but you’re doing everything in this city that I think is being done worldwide. You know projects that you’re doing here are projects that we’re doing at home. So, I think we’re all in the right lines.”

Jeanette Piece says whether tour members are from western Scotland or the western sububs… her goal at “Inside Detroit” is the same.

“If we can get them to the point that they don’t hate Detroit… then, that’s a step. If they go back and go “guess what I learned today?”… and it starts dominoing… that we are in all this together. And I mean, every study shows, you can’t have a hollowed out core and then develop… there’s no such thing as economic development as a donut… which is Sandy Baruah’s from the Chamber’s spiel.”

And in the end, Pierce says she often leaves those who take an “Inside Detroit” tour with a few questions to consider – like yes, it might be a blighted house, a vacant lot or an empty field… but what is your vision? What do you see? And… why don’t you come be a part of what Detroit can be in the future?

I’m Rob St. Mary – WDET News.

For more information: http://www.insidedetroit.org/

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Fireworks

So last night was the 53rd Annual Target Fireworks.  I had the pleasure of riding my bike down to the Fireworks and experiencing something I had never seen before, and that is why Detroit is great!

I’ve been going to the fireworks for the past 4 or 5 years, and I always meet up with a bunch of friends and have a blast! But this year, I took a detour from the normal friend route and took a different route with a few different friends.  I went on the Slow Roll to Slow Jams Ride with the Bikes and Murder guys.  If you haven’t read my other posts about them, here is the scoop, it was started by a few friends who decided that all they wanted to do in life was ride bikes and play Call of Duty and kill zombies.  And then, like most things in life, a new group was born.  Every Monday night they meet at the Woodbridge Pub and go on bike cruise and check out the city, then return to the Pub for “Slow Jams” (a variety of really great, not so slow, jams).  Because of the fireworks last night, they rode down to the river to watch them and then headed back to the Pub for Slow Jams.

So the ride left the Woodbridge Pub at 9:30, there were a bunch of people, we rode up Trumbull to Grand River, where the ride split, half of the people went left on Grand River and the other half of us went left on Selden.  Here is a map of the route http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=4610030

So, why am I writing about this…  Well, I wanted to tell you about the amazing things that I saw.  Going through Eastern Market was amazing, there were people everywhere, little girls twirling sparklers, a man selling cotton candy, music, dancing, amazing smells of ribs coming from Bert’s. It was sooo cool! Then the Dequindre Cut was filled with people sitting, talking, walking, dancing.  It was so worth the split from the main group of cyclists! I have never been in those area’s during the fireworks, it was amazing, the people! The smells of people BBQing made me jealous! We sat in a parking lot and watched the fireworks, a view completely uninterrupted by people. The crowds were huge, but the parking lot was empty, we had it all to ourselves, just hanging out and watching the show.

After the fireworks we rode home, up different streets that I knew wouldn’t be filled with cars, flat wide open streets that are perfect for a night time cruise on your bike.

I thought I’d have more to say about my night last night, but really all I wanted to say was I read a lot of negative things about the fireworks last night.  There was a shooting.  It’s unfortunate that such a great event gets overshadowed by a 15 year old and a gun.  But I have been down there for 5 years, I have never felt scared.  This is a big city as much as people want to say it’s not.  You have to be careful and smart, but that’s because it’s a city.

In short, I really had a great time last night, I saw more community and unity in a short bike ride than I have living in most cities.  I spent the entire bike ride thrilled by what I was seeing.  I am the Detroiter who see’s what’s going on and loves it.  I am not from outside making judgement calls without seeing what’s going on.  If you want to come to the fireworks but don’t want to be in the middle of it, then go to the outskirts.  Did you know the Freep said there were a million people in attendance for the fireworks?!  A million people, 2 ‘accidents’, and the other 999,997 people having a great time!  I loved what I saw, I love that I’m constantly amazed by the people in this city. I love that bikes bring people closer together.  And I also love fireworks.

MUST READ – DETROIT PARKING!

We received this press release yesterday, and I don’t know how else to get it to everyone…  But read this and pass it on.

What it means is this – they will begin ticketing on Saturdays and also between Tuesday – Saturday 6pm-10pm. Also people need to go into the department to get the 50% off not just pay online.

Please read the full description below, thanks,

Municipal Parking- All or Nothing Amnesty–PR-11-074

Detroit – pros and cons

I spent the weekend up north this weekend, no cell phone, no internet, just really good friends having a great time. On the drive back to Detroit I opened up my phone best friend Facebook to see what had been going on in the city. And I came upon two articles that I was happy and sad to see. Two articles that brought out the fight in me.

One article, posted by Becks Davis, on Detroit Moxie, about the Schwankovsky Temple of Music building which is just 2 blocks away from Inside Detroit.  The article by Becks is great, I know Mike and I assume the space looks great, I can’t believe I haven’t been down there yet, but I’ll make it.  The reason this article makes me sad is the backlash from people about how it’s potentially ruining an old building.  I understand where you are coming from, but I can not say that I agree.  The Schwankovsky Temple of Music is a beautiful old building that has been sitting on the corner of Woodward and Clifford for some time now, I sometimes notice it, and think, “wow, that would make an amazing apartment complex.”  But that’s if I notice it.  You know what, in the past month, as Vitaminwater has been working on the space, I’ve noticed it every day.  I’ve noticed the life that the building is living again.

In my opinion there are two views on the building (most buildings actually), the first is the “it’s a historic building and someone should renovate it”. The second is “a building should be used”.  The way I see the  Schwankovsky Temple of Music is that it now has a new life. There is something happening on the inside, people are going in the building, people are seeing how great it is.  This will either breed one of two things, 1- people will hate it and buy it to change it back.  2- people will love the new space buy it and keep it up.  Either way, there is something happening.  You can love or hate what’s happening in the space, but you shouldn’t be upset that this beautiful building has a new life.  It’s not getting torn down like the Lafayette Building or Tigers Stadium.  It’s not standing vacant and falling apart like the Wulitzer. It has a new life.  It has a life where people are getting to see it.  They are seeing it in a new light, and that’s not a bad thing.

I thought that the people in Detroit wanted change, we want better things, but we have to be willing to be open to new ideas.  That’s how this city will come back to life.  That’s how we grow.  Take an old space and make it new.  Don’t sit on an old space and then be mad when it falls apart so bad that the city wants to tear it down.  Be the change you wish to see, right?  Well I want Detroit to be a place where people grow, fight for change, make new things, reuse what they can, and make this city livable.  This is my city, I want to go into the Schwankovsky Temple of Music, and if an art, music, fashion, sports and street culture, sponsored by a beverage company is the way to do it, I’m all in.

The second article that I read was this article in GQ – Destroying Detroit (in Order to Save It).  This article, well written, tells some amazing and powerful stories, is just the type of thing I like to read. It really does paint a picture of the demolition crews and how they do their jobs.  What I didn’t like about this article is that the writer spends so much time talking about how the crews will demolish, why they are demolishing but he never really talks about why the city should be saved. These men are  taking the city apart, over 70,000 abandoned homes, they have been doing it for years, and they keep on doing it.  But the writer never talks about the neighborhoods, like mine, where no houses were on the list of 10,000 to demo first.  He doesn’t talk about Southwest Detroit and how alive and thriving the community is.  Or any of the other amazing neighborhoods around, which in my opinion are the reasons why Detroit should come back.  He says we can’t be a city of MFA art projects and urban farms, but if that’s how the city brings in more people, then do it.  Let’s be the first city to be self sufficient on locally grown food.  Let’s urban farm the shit out of this city.  If spaces like the Vitaminwater space gets people to use buildings, then let’s do it.  I don’t want to see that building be torn down anytime soon, I want to see it used.

It’s my opinion that Howie Kahn is an amazing writer, he told a beautifully sad tale about the demolition men that are working to make the city better. What I think he failed to ask, or at least to write is the reasons why those men want to see the city come back.  He wrote that they want to see it come back, but he didn’t tell us how or why.  After 40 or 60 years of doing demo work, you can see a future for this city, but what is it?  If you care about Detroit and take the time to demo houses that are unsafe and need to come down, you must have some insight into what you want to see the city become.  Kahn is so good at painting a picture, I wish he would have spent the time on an extra page to say why Detroit shouldn’t just be hit by an A bomb… He paints a picture of all the abandoned homes, but never once talks about the neighborhoods in between that make the city thrive.  If I didn’t live in the city, if I knew nothing about Detroit, this article would make me sad, then would make me say, ‘You know, he’s right, this city should just disappear, there is no life, there are only abandoned homes, and the few construction crews that care.

I understand that articles can only say so much, and that he was telling one story, but maybe write a side note about how it wasn’t all that bad. About how during your stay here you did a, b, and c, and it wasn’t bad, it was actually a good stay.

Ask me later about my thoughts on Bikes and Murder, a new group of people doing amazing things in the city, that are getting the short end of the stick because of their name.  It’s again one of those things like the The Schwankovsky Temple of Music / Vitaminwater space, where they are doing something new and original and instead of people asking about the name they immediately write it off. We are a city that’s growing in more ways than one.  Did you know that the murder rate in Detroit just dropped by a pretty amazing number, but because all over the country murder rates dropped we’re still number one, per capita in the country? Bikes and Murder has nothing to do with actual murder, it is a video game reference that the founders came up with, because all they wanted to do is play Call of Duty the zombie chapters and ride bikes. It wouldn’t be my first choice in naming my brand, but if you would see what they are doing, which in most cases has nothing to do with video games, you would be so impressed.  They want to make Detroit a stronger bike community.  They are coming up with amazing new bike rides for different days of the week.  If you’ve heard me talk about cycling in Detroit you’d know that there are bike rides that happen in large scale, but on the smaller scale there are few, or at least the ones that happen around town I don’t hear about much.  Those guys over at B&M are really pulling out all the stops making Alley Cat races, Slow Rolls to Slow Jams, Bikes and Movie nights, helping out a ton with Criterium Detroit City, and are all and all amazing people.  The point of this rant is to say that yes, you might have a problem with the name, you might have a problem with painting on the walls, but you should not have a problem with people in the city trying to make the city better in their own way with whatever means they have. Detroit is a small place, where everyone hears everything, everyone knows everyone, and we should be trying to all work together to make it a better place.  Use what you’ve got, use who you know and get things done, but make sure to keep an open mind about it. Just because it’s not the way you would have done it, doesn’t mean you should write it off without knowing more about it.  Stop by the vitiaminwater space, check out a Bikes and Murder bike ride, ask the people there about the name/space/background.  Keep an open mind, do what you do, be the Detroit you wish to see.

That’s about all I have to say for now.  Please feel free to read both articles, check out the links and tell me what you think, I want to hear new opinions, voices and see new things.  Show me Detroit as you see it.

Thanks,

Erika Fulk

Social Media & Marketing Coordinator for Inside Detroit.

Cycling in Detroit

Well, I really liked writing about my ride to work last week. So I thought I’d share a little more about biking and me with you. So I’ve lived in Detroit for almost 5 years, and have had the pleasure of being a part of a lot of really amazing projects. I work for Inside Detroit and have been able to do some really great projects that mean a lot for the city, and that make Detroit the place I want to continue living in.

I was apart of Tour-de-Troit this past September. This is a 30 mile bike ride around Detroit that showcases the city in all of it’s glory. Tour-de-Troit started in 2002 with 9 people just wanting to ride around the city.  In 2010 we sold out at 3,000 people.  9 years ago there were 9 people, now there are 3,000…  That’s HUGE!

Cycling in Detroit is a big deal, 3,000 people riding their bikes 30 miles.  How great!  Detroit was built for cars, right?  The first paved road – Woodward.  We were built for cars, and as such we have huge roads that are fairly unused.  People who drive into the city, park in their garages, go to work, and leave.  The roads are bare.  They are perfect for cycling – they are wide, few have pot holes, and they are fairly empty.

Did you know Woody Miller?  Or Colin Hubbell?  Both of these men were great advocates of Detroit and of cycling. The Colin Hubbell Memorial Bike ride happens on June 18th 2011. The Colin Hubbell Memorial Bike Ride is more than just a ride in honor of a great man who did some amazing things, the ride is about supporting and growing businesses and community in the Midtown area.  The money raised for the Colin Hubbell Fund goes back into the community.  That is one of the best things about Detroit, the people who are doing things are doing them to make Detroit a better place.  They give back three fold what they take.  They see the world how they want to see it and start building it right here in Detroit.  It’s a great thing to see, it’s a great thing to be a part of.  It’s all around amazing.

Working on Tour-de-Troit and at Inside Detroit I have seen the good that people can do when they put their minds to it.  So I have taken my love of Detroit and love of cycling and put them together to create a new bike race in the city of Detroit called Criterium Detroit City. This is a style of bike racing that is very popular in the United States, it is a fast paced, short course, where spectators are able to see the action of the race as it unfolds.  These races are all over the state, country and world.  There hasn’t been one in downtown Detroit in over 20 years. There used to be one in Greektown, and now there will be one in Harmonie Park/The Entertainment District.  There are several reasons why I decided to put on this race.

1) Detroit is an amazing place, and while I have been in other cities photographing other bike races, I have had to defend the place I live from people who haven’t stepped foot here.  This is the same story a lot of people can tell, right?  Why did Jeanette start Inside Detroit, because she saw the good in the city and wanted to show it off.   I am starting this race because I see the good in Detroit, I have been a part of 3,000 people riding their bikes here. And as selfish as it sounds, I want to show off my city. The 130+ bars and restaurants, the small shops and busy streets, the huge cycling community, the supportive business community. I don’t like going to other cities in Michigan and defending where I live, if you knew it like I do, you wouldn’t talk down on it.

2) Cycling is great, it’s good for health and wellness, it’s good exercise, it’s good for the environment, it’s just good.  It’s a great way for kids to be active and have fun (we’re having a kids race!).  I’ve seen communities come together for these races, and that’s what I’m going for, a stronger community because of something that I love.

3) I live in Detroit, I’m supposed to do something huge to show the world how awesome we are.  This seems like a pretty great way to show off Detroit, cycling and Downtown.  We have had so much positive response for the race, it’s unbelievable!  So many people on board from the start, I can’t begin to thank everyone, but I hope that when you come downtown on July 9th, you’ll be able to see what you’ve helped create.   This amazing event that aims on bringing together the community, businesses, outsiders, insiders, and everything in between.

4) There will be a Detroit City Futbol League Relay Race, that involves passing off a coney dog instead of a baton.  This is Detroit, we do things different here, we do them bigger, better, faster and louder.  We live by a new set of standards. We are here for the long haul.  We want to show people that this is not a dieing city, this is a city full of rebirth, fun and drive.

5) I want to show off all of Detroit, from Midtown to Grandmont Rosedale, Corktown to the Riverfront, Mexican Town to New Center, Brightmoor to Hamtramck.  So thanks to the generous donation from the Detroit Opera House, we will be filling their on site parking lot with a marketplace full of different businesses from all over, to show you what Detroit has going on.

I hope that you wish to be a part of what Detroit has to offer, if you want more information on anything I’ve said here, post a comment, write me an email, click a link and ask someone a question.  All I want is for people to know and understand where I live.  Don’t make assumptions before you come down, or do, and let’s talk for 15 minutes, let us show you around, let me show you my favorite restaurants where the owners go out and locally buy all the food, let me show you about our past present and future. Detroit is like a fairy tale.  It was beautiful, it was tragic, it decayed, it was brought back to life. The future is unwritten, but if you knew the people that I know, the ones re-writing it, your socks would be knocked off.

Here’s a quick list of people you should know (the sock knocker-off-ers) Detroit Lives, City Bird, Bureau of Urban Living, Street Culture Mash, Detroit Moxie, Come Play Detroit, (I’ve already said the Detroit City Futbol League, but I’ll do it again), Inside Detroit of course,  CAMP Detroit, Green Garage, The Hub, The Wheelhouse. There are a ton of other things, you just have to know where to look, and who to ask…

Have a great weekend, and go ride a bike (as long as the rain stops)!

Speaking of this weekend, if you’re looking to get involved with the cycling scene there is Critical Mass on Friday from 7pm-9pm, Roller Races from 9pm-12am at Detroit Beer Co. Then Saturday there is an Alley Cat Presented by Bikes and Murder, and then a Bike Movie at the Boll Family YMCA.  All of this is free, all of this is fun, all of this is for any cyclist of any skill!

This morning

Ok. So here’s the deal.  I live 1.7 miles from the Welcome Center. It’s a nice enough bike ride, wide open streets, few potholes, good scenery, all and all a nice bike ride.  But today, Friday the 13th, it was PERFECT!

I rode past Old Cass Tech, which makes me a little sad, but it’s amazing what you see in that building, different color doors, walls painted bright red, orange, yellow, blue.  I wonder if anyone ever noticed how cool it was from the inside.  I bet walking into different classrooms no one was ever super impressed by the colors. I know I can’t remember what the colors of my high school walls were. But man does it look good when you can see it all together.

Then I rode to Eve’s Downtown Gourmet. Downtown Detroit’s newest grocery store.  I just wanted a bottle of water and a sprite, but it’s nice to go in, shop around and think about people who have to go into a gas station or a Meijer when all they want is a bottle of water.   I am pretty excited that I can go into my grocer and pick up what I want and be out in 2 minutes.  I never am out in just 2 minutes though.  I have to walk around and see what other things I might need.  Like the gigantic lollipops they had on the counter today.  The man in front of me, let me go ahead of him, he only had 2 bottles of water too, but said he had a question to ask.  His question was “Do you have AA batteries? I’d like a box.”  It was nice that he let me go ahead of him.  Just a friendly guy buying batteries.

Then I put my drinks in my backpack, unlocked my bike and started the 3 block ride to the Welcome Center.  During those 3 blo0cks, a man yelled “Good morning Lady!” to me.  A group of people that I had passed earlier also said “Hello again!”  The 11am bells were tolling over at St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Church.  The streets were filled with people.  It’s a bit hazy outside, but it makes things look a little dreamlike.  It was an amazing way to come to work.
Of course it is Friday the 13th.  So as I was locking my bike up outside of the Welcome Center, a man across the street yelled to me “Be careful the Leprechauns are out today!”

And now I’m at work.  Answering phone calls about tours, talking more about the redesign of our Welcome Center, getting ready for a warm weekend in Detroit.  I hope to meet you on a tour soon.  I hope to meet you walking down the street.  I hope to meet you when you come into the Welcome Center. (I just like to meet new people)

Have a great weekend Detroit!

Erika

Cinco de Mayo – my favorite!

Today is one of those day’s I spend all winter thinking about.  The sun is shining, my computer says it’s 61 degrees outside, there is not a cloud in the sky, I’m sitting on my back porch basking in the sun, drinking a cold beer, watching the dog play with his toys.  I rode my bike to and from work, I’m wearing a tank-top in the hopes that my farmers tan will go away…  And I can’t help but have this feeling in the pit of my stomach.  Building excitement… Excitement for what’s to come in the future, in the summer, and today…

Today…

4 years ago today I was attending commencement at Wayne State University.  After 4 colleges, 6 years and an art degree – I was getting to walk across a stage in a gown.  Glory! I had all of those thoughts that you’re supposed to have, what do I do now, where am I going, what happens.  But most of those thoughts were stifled, I was going to spend the summer in Europe.  I was putting off growing up for a few more months.  I had a good job at an engineering company that I knew I was coming back too.  I was relatively care free. It was great. I sat through commencement with a few good friends, we laughed and hoped they would say our names right, it was almost like being in middle school.  A weird event to look back on.  I went to lunch after commencement with my family, boyfriend and 2 other close friends, it was perfect. A great way to celebrate getting that little piece of paper.

And then after lunch, life went back to normal.  I graduated on Cinco de Mayo, and if you’re from Detroit, you know what that means…  I changed out of my grown up clothes, put on jeans and rode my bike to Mexican Town.  A party just for my graduation?! Well not really, but man did it seem like it, everyone was there that I knew, old friends, new friends, it was great.  I had a blast, ate more pastries than one woman should, and was pretty proud of myself.  And ended up in bed by 8pm!

Fast forward to today – I got promoted at that engineering company, only to get laid off a month later, I worked for a company helping people file bankruptcy (file that under sad and depressing jobs), I helped design a website that looks nothing the same any more, and I started working part time for a small non profit, who just wanted people to see Detroit as they did – Amazing.  Today I work part time for that same non profit (Inside Detroit, in case you couldn’t tell) and I’m putting on a bike race in Detroit in July.  Wow how things have changed!  I no longer feel like I have to do anything.  Now the things that I have to do are my own.  I want to tell you about how Detroit makes me feel, so I do social media for a company who wants to positively promote Detroit.  I ride bikes and think others should too – I’m putting on a bike race. Detroit = city of opportunity.

But that’s not why I’m writing, I’m writing to tell you about the build up of excitement, the sun shine, the anticipation… So maybe I am writing to tell you about Detroit….  :)

But today = today unlike most other days, today is special, today is Cinco de Mayo.  Mexican Independence.  A day when Southwest Detroit comes to life! There are few events that get me really excited.  Dally in the Alley – yes.  Noel Night – yes.  Opening day – maybe. Critical Mass – most likely. But Cinco de Mayo… the start of summer.  It is exemplified by a day like today – sunny and in the 60′s, it feels like summer, people are out and about, and they have a spring in their step, maybe they don’t know that it’s one of my favorite holiday’s, but they should!  Any holiday that combines taco’s and music – I’m pretty much all for.  Growing up in CA, I can tell you what a good taco is, and the taco’s from a taco truck in Mexican Town – that’s where it’s at!

So today, I’ll leave in a little while, ride my bike to meet up with my friend Vanessa, and we’ll relive our commencement day by going back to Mexican Town, drink margarita’s, dance in the street and remember why, once again, we’re still here. It’s the people, the community, the arts, the culture, the mix, the festivities, and the moments shared over a taco that last for a life time.

Happy Cinco de Mayo, I hope that your day is as good as mine.

Erika Fulk

Marketing Coordinator for Inside Detroit (most importantly – doer of things in the City of Detroit!)

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