Last night's #CriticalMass in Melbourne was a very fun ride around the CBD. We went along streets I've never been before, and the rain stayed away until we finished the ride at Town Hall. No photos this time as I stayed at the back of the bunch to keep tailgaiters away from other riders.

This goes for Transphobes too.

I haven't been able to post media for a few days, so here's the birthday cake! Choc layers with choc and rainbow (vanilla) buttercream, and a core of rainbow sprinkles that all fell out when we cut into it.

Dropped this off at school today. Amazing what new grips and bell will do for appearance, and I managed to get years of scuffs and scratches off with a citrus cleaner.

Lots of folks captioning aurora photos like "for a few minutes we didn't think about politics" guess I'm built different, every time I'm out trying to see night sky stuff I frequently think about how much light pollution is entirely preventable with just a tiny bit of regulation

Using my unicorn poo recipe again, but this time I'll just cut them up rather than mush and swirl.

This was so delightfully satisfying to open. Just look at it!

My new handlebar grips are in AND my Ikea is out for delivery?! Tell me I'm dreaming!

Fondly remembering when I got to tell a kid his "obstruction" wasn't big enough to block the wireless signal from his controller.

It has a few scratches on the handlebars and the paint is definitely faded where the chain guard mounts used to be, but it's a cute little beaut. I hope it makes someone very happy.

Someone left this perfectly ok 2016 Cannondale Trail 16 on the nature strip up the road. 😯 (Confirmed it's a freebie!) I've cleaned it up, put in a new tube, and now just waiting for new grips from the local bike shop. It should make a nice prize donation for the school end-of-year raffle.

The Amazing World Of Tomorrow

It's going to be big. It's important. Join the ride. If you've never experienced Critical Mass, make this your first.

50 years ago, #Melbourne trains mostly ran every 20 minutes in the evening. Our population has almost doubled since then... but in 2025 they run FEWER evening services, mostly every 30 minutes. Time for State Government to fund #MoreServicesNow

Trying a new face cream today and it's been so long since I've used any that I can feel my skin drinking it. It's like Dry SpongeBob. Tomorrow I'll either wake up covered in angry red blotches, or I'll look slightly less tired. Fingers crossed for the latter.

I wish I got photos of today's attempt at #carryshitolympics because it was pretty great. 3 shopping bags loaded with bare-root native plants, plus a 4th tucked under one arm as I rode my singlespeed beach cruiser. Kudos to neighbours who offer up free, healthy plants instead of binning them!

🎤⬆️ Testing... testing... Nintendo, XBOX, The Sims, Gearbox, Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven, Rainbow 6 Siege X, Bethesda, Red Bull and Crunchyroll are headed to PAX Aus 2025! 🎤⬇️ Mic Drop! After more deets? We got you! Here is the URL we prepared earlier! 👉 aus.paxsite.com/en-us/info/n...

Really, really looking forward to the break from routine next week with PAX quickly approaching.

This reminds me of the time I got my car guy brother in law to put a #BanCars sticker on his bright yellow Toyota Supra.

CRITICAL MASS: ST GEORGES ROAD Meet 5.30pm State Library, naarm Melbourne CBD, Thur 25 Sept 2025 (Grand Final Eve) Ride to St George's Road intersection then post ride drinks and chat with @darebinstreets.bsky.social friends! streetsalivedarebin.org/journal/crit... criticalmass.melbourne

Anybody in Melbourne want a 58cm Trek Domane 5.2? Full Ultegra gruppo, newish Schwalbe tyres (200kms max on easy roads), Knog prototype bell, and an upgraded Bontrager Isocore Pro handlebar. Pictured with my saddle but I'll put a dude saddle back on it. Includes pedals + spare road tyres. $2k.

I think it's time to sell the road bike...

The IKEA delivery driver marked the delivery as "en route," which activates the GPS tracker, before picking up my order. Now I get to see where they drop off other deliveries. What did you order, South Melbourne person? Was it Malm or Poang? Or Gullaberg?

Remembering that time Sparklefists got her hands on a sharpie, so she drew a small face on the lower half of a big balloon and it looked like Charlie Kirk.

Kiddo wants to start dance classes. Parents aren't allowed to watch, but they are welcome to hang out in a waiting room to help with shoes and costume changes. I like this. I really like this. I have dedicated reading time now.

🚴 Critical Mass returns 5.30pm Friday 29 August 2025 ... aligning with Melbourne's *changeable* spring weather, so check BoM radar and then make the call whether you’re riding with us 🎂 Celebrating our 30th birthday in Nov 2025! 💡Meet State Library forecourt, Melbourne CBD. 🌐 criticalmass.melbourne

Sick day = lego day.

Is anyone else here at the #TechDiversity awards in Melbourne tonight?

Going multimodal today, via bike -> train -> bike so I have to dress appropriately. Stop the ban of ebikes on trains or I'll be late to all my meetings. @wtyppod.bsky.social @thewaroncars.bsky.social @ptua.org.au

Didn't even know this was on my bucket list but it's ticked off now: Today I ran toward a burning building.

Meow

Oh no I found my old Fan Fiction Dot Net profile

Not my first time in the 903 bus today, but it is my first 60-stop ride. Thanks to a Sunday timetable, this is the most efficient PT option to meet friends for brunch in Coburg.

Proud mum moment yesterday: "Hey Sparkles, do you want to go to the library today and check out the new video games hub?" "Yeah! Wait, NO! I want to go to the museum." 🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰

“Just pull yourself up by your bootstraps” or something idk

Sparkles decided she's ready to take off the training wheels on her last day of term 2, and then promptly got a bad cold that kept her on the couch all weekend. Really can't wait to get out and see her fly!

I found this reply interesting ("Can those foreign companies open shop in the US?") I don't think Japanese or South Korean menswear can be made in the US. At least, not without losing something. Let's explore why. 🧵

"Suffered a knock" has got to be the most Aussie option on a school incident form. (She's just fine)

New gumboots for winter!

How to avoid the morning traffic through Newport.

Submissions are due by 5pm today. bicyclenetwork.com.au/our-advocacy...

Doing a fridge clean-out at home and there was a whole 1/4 brie and some salami, so I made a fancy work lunch.

Hee hee hee

I can hear this picture.

15+ years old, but still VERY relevent — and if we had acted 15 years ago, the “better world” we’d be creating would be a LOT better & easier to reach. There are real consequences we’re just starting to see to not heeding this cartoon a lot sooner. Even worse if we don’t heed it now. #ClimateCrisis

Another tiny win this morning: a student complimented Sparkles' bicycle on the way in the front gate. The mum asked me "Wait, do you get to leave the bike here??" After some back and forth she asked her kiddo "Do you want to ride your bike to school?" Kid replies "Yeah! [Sparkles] gets to do it!"

"See how he uses a spanner to tighten that nut!" It's all in a day's work for Bicycle Repair Man... a.k.a. today's Bicycle Birthday honoree: actor, comedian, writer, Monty Python member and TV presenter Michael Palin. Happy #BicycleBirthday, Michael! May 5, 1943

The US truly has gone tits-up.

Got to do my favourite kind of bike advocacy this morning: I helped a mum do some basic maintenance on her 2 kids' bikes. She doesn't have the tools or the knowledge. Both her kids were riding on completely flat tyres and crooked seats. 5 minutes and elbow grease had everything straightened out!