They are all perfect - playlist for a blossom ride

​​I remember the very first time I came across Velopalooza, I was cycling with my wife one afternoon in East Vancouver. It was late autumn 2015, pleasantly warm, and I was trying to decide which brewery Linzi would enjoy the most. This lifestyle cyclist requires decent bicycle parking that I can see from my table, THEN the beer has to be good, right? There was less choice back then and Linzi has a very specific requirements as she’s not a natural born beer drinker. 

We were stopped at a light. Adanac and Clark I think. My gaze resting in the mid-distance as I pondered our local adult beverage options. As deafening semi-trucks sped by Linzi spotted a very artistic mini-poster taped at a jaunty angle around the light pole. It had a bicycle on it. Naturally we had a closer look. “What’s Velopalooza” we wondered. It also stated ‘Two weeks of bike fun’ with dates in June just past. Shame! We missed it. Two weeks of bike fun sounds perfect. So I took a picture of it to look-up online later when we got home.

Much later, after Christmas later. So much later in fact that even the fridge had stopped smelling of turkey later. I discovered the snapshot of that jaunty poster. Brilliant. I typed in the web address and had a poke around, it looked interesting. Bike Polo, Ice Cream Sunday Rides. Pink Floyd ‘The Wall’ Seawall Ride and lots more. We were hooked. On one page it mentioned they were looking for volunteers to help with next seasons ‘Two Weeks of Bike Fun’ and a meeting was coming up soon, so we went. That was the beginning of three years of good times with a great crowd of people.

And that’s how we get to here and now, this article. One of the events we helped with was The Cherry Blossom Ride for Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival (www.vcbf.ca) in April. Another volunteer, Jenn, worked out a route and the rest of us marshalled it by going out early and marking the route, or guiding pockets of riders within the larger group, or standing at turns pointing, or making sure no one gets left behind. I had a big speaker and microphone so we used that at the start to make the pre-ride announcements and because I was on an ebike I was able to drift amongst the participants sharing my tunes as people bopped along on their saddles in the sun under the pink.

This playlist was for the last ride I helped on in 2019, I lead that one. That Sunday sadly it rained, so we only got about 80 riders, which is still good by any measure. On a sunny day it’s been around 200. As you will see I mainly favour a rain themed playlist, well it IS Vancouver! If its raining it’s appropriate, if it’s sunny its ironic. But as I’ve already mentioned, this particular year it was appropriate!

Let the music begin...
Set Fire to the Rain - Adele
When the blossoms fall through sunlight it kinda looks like this, kinda!
Here Comes the Sun - George Harrison
Such a beautiful uplifting sound and sentiment from arguably the greatest Beatle.
Road Rage - Catatonia
The ironic choice for a pleasure ride!
Paddy McCarthy - The Corrs
In here as a bit of a ‘wild card’, but it’s a great slow ride cheery tune that just seems to work on a group ride.
Sunshine of Your Love - Cream
Just the fact the title has ‘sunshine’ in it gets it in here. Plus it's Eric Clapton and it sounds more amazing loud.
Weather With You - Crowded House
“Everywhere you go, always take the weather with you” if that’s not a cycling certainty I don’t know what is.
One of These Days - Pink Floyd
A fabulous riding instrumental, especially under blossoms riding sloooowwww. The David Gilmore version from Live in Pompeii 2016 is stunning, that whole concert is.
Ordinary World - Duran Duran
Its first line gets it on this list.
Standin' in the Rain - ELO
Big Wheels - ELO
Summer and Lightning - ELO
Mr Blue Sky - ELO
Wonderful wonderful wonderful Jeff Lynne and the Electric Light Orchestra 'Concerto for a Rainy Day', 'nuff said, right?
Stairway to Heaven - Far Corporation
A genius version of a masterpiece that actually benefits from some modern production, best listened to at max. Always goes down well on a group ride.
Silver Rainbow - Genesis
Hey, it all about rain on this playlist. Watch out it doesn’t become an ear worm afterwards.
Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty
Riding the streets in the city, right? Yea, its a thin excuse for it to be on this list, but it’s my list.
November Rain - Guns n Roses
Almost THE default rain themed track.
Fire and Rain - James Taylor
If this absolute classic wasn’t on here, well... shame on me. Good rhythm for a slow ride.
The Sun and The Rain. Madness
A truly gifted band that needs a spot on EVERY playlist. A staple of my Christmas for years as they used to play Brighton every December and we were there screaming ‘we love you Suggs’ with everyone else. Good times.
Crazy Horses - The Osmonds
Just think of a bicycle as a ‘crazy horse’ and it make sense.
Purple Rain - Prince
This one's a no-brainier. Everyone sings along to it, and it’s THE other default rain themed track.
Bicycle Race - Queen
I think its the law to include this track in a cycling playlist, isn’t it?
I Drove All Night - Roy Orbison
Another Ironic choice - did I mention I met Roy and he shook my hand, back when i was a sound engineer - long story!!! Really nice bloke.
Bobcaygeon - Tragically Hip
The atmosphere on this track is incredible riding slow under a canopy of blossoms, sends a shiver of delight up my back every time.
I'm Free - The Who
Well, its how you feel on a Bicycle, right?!! And you can hear Roger Daltrey easily over ANY traffic noise.
​
I have created it all as a playlist for you on Spotify if you want to give it a try.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4QIlH3WNYMjpaqtwTrANWR?si=zrG_BsRvR6eX04NV9y-Pvg&dl_branch=1
This is it in Apple Music.
https://music.apple.com/gb/playlist/blossoms/pl.u-06lAIbpkEx

What do you think, any other rain/sun tunes I can add to this playlist?
Anyone spot my film quote?

Enjoy the ride... Mark Simmons