Green Bikes hosts bike jousting

Story and photos by Jonathan Wasilewski

Oscar Smedley and Nook joust April 17 for SpringFest next to the Wood Center.

Outside Arctic Java April 17, one could hear loud shouts of praise or annoyance, and jaunty, medieval music surrounding the vicinity. Upon closer inspection, there were smiling faces around tables with  plastic swords ready to be picked up by adventurous jousters.

“I’d highly suggest this to anybody who isn’t worried about getting roughed up,” UAF Sustainability Coordinator Christi Kemper said.

However, stallions and mares were nowhere to be found: participants instead struck each other from bicycles owned by Green Bikes. After participating, student Jenna Mills said the event felt epic.

Atley Carter, who works at  the Green Bikes program, said Green Bikes’ mission is to make biking more accessible. The program was started in 2010 by students and consisted of just one employee and five bikes, and it has grown exponentially since then.

“We usually hover around 110 to 130 [bikes],” said Kemper.

Bike Jousting is just one event that is put on by Green Bikes.

“They [the students] show up, sign a waiver, and then they joust,” Kemper said.

Che Adams stands next to the bikes being sold at Green Bikes’ garage sale in the Wood Center April 10.

As for the other events Green Bike puts on, Kemper explained that one was the group fat bike rides they did this semester. Fat bikes are bicycles that have larger tires than normal bikes and can more easily be ridden on challenging terrain, such as snow covered trails.

“This summer, we’ll probably have regular bike rides. Sometimes we’ll do bike craft nights,” she said. Kemper explained that bike craft nights consist of creating art out of unusable bike parts.

In addition to the jousting, Green Bikes held a garage sale. Students could purchase whole bikes and bike parts; the money earned was put back into the Office of Sustainability and Green Bikes itself.

After participating in bike jousting, student Oscar Smedley said he was thankful the university puts on events like it.

“It’s fun, it’s outside, it’s interesting, and it’s new,” he said. “I have a few friends that work there [at Green Bikes], and they do an exceptional job.”

Bikes are able to be rented from Green Bikes by the public or students by a form on their website. Rates for renting bikes or purchasing some accessories can also be seen online.