Bikes Around Town: Lupita and the Rose Bike

Bikes around town
In another portrait episode spotlighting Tucson riders, we speak with Lupita Chavez about her iconic Rose Bike.

If you’ve attended previous Cyclovia events, the All Souls Procession, Tucson Meet Yourself, or any of our city’s many community events, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve seen or have danced with Lupita and her white, rose-adorned bicycle. Most of the time you can hear the Rose Bike approaching before you see it in a crowd. pat had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Lupita about the origins of her bike as an altar, all things community, and her favorite parts of riding around town.

More from Lupita:

“I missed what I think is one of the most important things I want people to know. I never rode a bike as a child. I was the clumsy kid who fell all the time and nobody wanted to add wheels to the mix. I moved downtown 8 years ago and most of my friends were avid cyclists. I fell in love with my first bike at Bookman’s when I met a friend from the university’s Etymology department there who was bringing me a poster I saw there during a tour. I asked friends about buying their Bookman’s trade dollars so that I could afford the bike. One of my friends sho we affectionately termed “The Instigator” always set up these super fun bike rides like the Grace Jones Memorial ride where we all wore sparkly clothes and rode to the Loft to watch the movie about her right after she died, and the post Election Exorcism Bike Ride (2016 – nuff said). Anyway, she gave me all of her trade certificates because she wanted me to fall in love with bikes, too. I named that bike Phan Harry after my favorite bug from the tour. That friend from the UA was tickled pink with the story and told me her old bike that she had finally replaced after thousands of miles was named Lupita.