Coolest. Bike racks. Ever.

I realized I left something out of my post on the Gering Arts Festival, but that’s OK. This portion of the festival deserves a post of its own.

The event kicked off with the unveiling of some new bike racks for the Gering Public Library.

The addition of some new bike racks to the area makes me happy. We need more official bike parking around here.

But these bike racks are no ordinary parking structure.

They are the coolest bike racks in the universe.

For one, they were made with recycled material. Not just any material. Old bicycle frames! Keep Scottsbluff-Gering Beautiful provided the frames from their Recycle your Cycles event.

Two, they were fancifully metalworked and painted by members of the North Platte Valley Artist Guild.

Doug Hoevet worked the metal, and then other Guild members went to town.

Here are their creations. It’s really tough for me to pick a favorite.

There's Traci Wilkes' frou-frou seahorse.

And Mason Burbach's minimalist and manly shark. (I wonder if the boys fight over locking up at this one.)

Sandy Strey's rainbow trout (Ha!)

I just adore Michele Denton's lobster. So much detail!

Mary Hunt's fish

I think if I were forced to choose a favorite, it would be Mary Hunt’s fish. It reminds me of the bright tingatinga paintings I brought home from Tanzania, which are painted with bicycle paint.

I just hope the clearcoat the sculptures got will allow them to stand up to daily wear and tear.

I hear tell that the Scottbluff library will get some sculptures next year. Yes!!!

Copyright 2010 by Katie Bradshaw