Bike-blended smoothies a fundraising success at 2/15 SF Peace March

XAccess volunteer Nate Byerley and acting director Paul Freedman (pedaling) blend up smoothies for peace marchers at the Feb. 15th Peace March in SF. The 'Soul Blender' was created by Byerley at the FabLab, a workshop on site at XAccess' Berkeley headquarters, the BCAT.

Representatives of the Xtracycle Access Foundation successfully executed a novel fundraising concept today, making bike-blended smoothies for the Peace marchers at SF's Civic Center. Volunteer Nate Byerley and Acting Director Paul Freedman amazed throngs of drop-jawed onlookers with Byerley's pedal-powered 'Soul Blender', a home-tinkered prototype of what is certain to be the next health and fitness craze in America. Their $5 smoothies were an easy sell, as were oranges and bananas for a dollar apiece. Several folks paid $20 for a smoothie and told them to "keep the change."

XAccess grossed about $380 and netted $345 on the outing. Donations from Berkeley Bowl and generous farmers at SF's farmer's market also helped make it a profitable day. Estimates put the number of lip-lickingly satisfied customers at 100-150.

Dozens of people engaged the two representatives in longer conversations about technology or funding, during which the pair illustrated the organization's history and technologies with their new aluminum bound photo books. (Stay tuned for how to get your own photobook!)

Getting to and from the event was also a fun challenge for the pair. Using Paul's Bernal Heights apartment as a home base, they loaded up the Chinese/South African Extrabike with 140 pounds of citrus and soy milk, and then strapped on a third bicycle to be used for the blending, and loaded an Xtracycle with 50 pounds of food, and 60 pounds of thumping Soul Cycle audio equipment, used to entertain the marchers with Anti-War music, such as Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On", James Brown's "Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothing", and Stevie Wonder's "Love's in Need of Love Today."

Plans are in the works for future Soul Blender outings, in which Byerley, Freedman, and other volunteers continuing to get the word out about this promising appropriate technology firm.

A stilt-walking protester stops by for an orange at the tail end of the rally. 200000 protesters flooded SF's civic center, and many of these passed by our stand.

The Chinese/South African Xtrabike pictured here was used to carry 200 pounds of produce and supplies to the rally.