The bike issue hits the streets this afternoon, packed with bike secrets from around the city (including Reverend Phil's tips on how to get arrested and Patrick Alan Coleman's revelation of his trademarked "Peloton Pincer").

That can only mean one thing: the nation's largest free bike festival is upon us! PedalPalooza is here, with 199 bike rides over the next two weeks! For the next 14 days you can expect a whole lot of this:

The theme of this year's bike issue is Cycle Secrets. These are not dirty secrets. These are fun secrets. Why? Because so much of the conversation we have is about bikes is about bike advocacy, bike politics, bikes as somewhat self-righteous symbols of how society should be. But PedalPalooza is two weeks to take a break from that. Sure, whatever, Jeff Mapes, bikes are inherently political. But they're also inherently FUN. And sometimes that gets overlooked in the didactic mishmash of transit-carbon-cars. That ridiculous white-socked guy in the above photo? He knows what's up.

So check out the copy of the calendar in the paper for some advice on how to have a genuine good time during the next two crazy weeks (bring a cup, share the road, don't become a "butt-grabbing cyclist" sought by Salem police). And definitely make a permanent-ink calendar note of the sure-to-be awesome rides led by Merc staff. First up is Art Director Justin "Scrappers" Morrison's ride this Saturday:

Grass Hut Discovery Ride!
Join Grass Hut art collective as they take you on a wonder-filled discovery joy ride to the Bins, to feed nutria, to Elk Rock Island, to swim in the Willamette River (upstream from the poop), and to make art out of driftwood. Saturday June 13, 12:30 - 4:30, meet at Grass Hut - 811 E Burnside