Record-Breaking 2007 Tour de Fat

New Belgium Brewery, located in Fort Collins, Colorado, sponsors an annual Tour de Fat bicycle parade in nearly a dozen cities each year, and the largest one of them all is in Fort Collins, of course. The 2007 parade on Saturday, September 22nd drew approximately 4,800 bicyclists, making it the new Largest Bicycle Parade in the World as judged by the Guinness Book of World Records.

And Deadhead, BikePrincess, SuperNana, Popeye, BalticTiger, and Howard were part of the record-breaking fun.

The annual parade starts and stops at New Belgium Brewery's mothership after wending through town at incredible speeds of up to 8 mph for over 8 miles. The organizers are fond of saying, "we don't bend to traffic -- we ARE the traffic!", and it is true. Even the police officers at the intersections insisted we hoot and holler out our presence as cars had to wait for an end to the parade that never came.

What a blast! Most riders wear... um... VERY eccentric clothing. Some even wear very little clothing. The Hypoxians in attendance chose an Hawaiian theme.

So by the inevitable popular demand, here are Howard's photos from Saturday's Tour de Fat:

Who are these people? Why are they wearing Hawaiian outfits? And is that guy wearing... coconuts?!


Popeye, Deadhead, BikePrincess, SuperNana, and BalticTiger getting ready to rock 'n' roll. Looks like someone's displaying a modified Zman thumbs-up!


Deadhead, BikePrincess, Popeye, BalticTiger, SuperNana, and Howard displaying their motivation for the day -- Fat Tire Ale, 1554, Mothership, & Sunshine Wheat.


Howard and BalticTiger pretending to ignore the coconuts ("hey you, eyes up here!")


SuperNana and Popeye doing some pretending of their own (his coconuts look smaller than Howard's, right?)


Deadhead and BikePrincess looking waaay too comfortable in Hawaiian clothing.


Deadhead, BikePrincess, Popeye, SuperNana, BalticTiger, and Howard at the end of long & hard day of beer drinking.

Finally, here's a little video whipped up by Howard featuring the LARGEST BICYCLE PARADE EVER!...