Loads of bike rack in Charlotte

And I do mean, LOADS. North Carolina, you are so lucky.

My dear and lovely R. Fitzgerald spotted this gem for me at the post-Democratic National Convention this past month. So. Much. Bike rack! I feel like this is probably the party game most applicable to me. (Instead of jelly beans in a jar, "Guess how many pieces of bike rack are on this flatbed; the closest guess is the winner!")

To be fair, J. Dach (who has to be in the top 5 contributors to this site by far) knew that miles of bike rack were needed to pull off a successful event. In fact, he even sent me an article about how much bike rack was necessary. Whoa.

And, while this bike rack also belongs in my previous article about super-tall bike rack, this iteration was also spotted in Charlotte flanked by D. Gifford, who just barely stands taller than the gray steel.

For a towering load of bike rack that literally stands taller than the rest (other than the Giff) - THREE bicycles out of four.

Baller bike rack in Oakland

Of course the shiniest, most pimped out bike rack would come not only from Oakland, California (I would do a North Bay hand-pump represent-thing here if I weren't, you know, SOCAL 4 LYFE) but also from R. Montoya, who is kind of a big deal as well.

I've never even seen gold bike rack before. Either this was a subtle shout-out to the Olympics this year and America dominating the medal count (USA USA USA etc) (I think) or someone got upset with C3PO and recycled him into something more useful.

And, in a stellar example of using bike rack to really, really block off a crowd, the Giff sent in another Oakland pic. Pretty awesome. I don't really envy the person who has to dismantle all of that (there has to be at least a few hundred zip-ties holding this puppy together) but I admire their handiwork. Hats off to you, bike rack constructor, you.

For crazy bike rack configurations and allowing me to finally, FINALLY insert a Star Wars reference in this blog, FOUR bicycles out of four. "Hella" nice work, NorCal dudes.

Bike rack splendor in Brasilia

Waving flag of Brazil...puffy white clouds drifting by in a stunning blue sky...and custom-made Brazilian barricade in the foreground.

Can't get better than that! Spotted by The Giff on a recent jaunt through South America, this bike rack specimen shows off a version not seen before - bike rack icons!

I'm not really sure whether or not the icon is a specific graphic for Brasilia (capital of Brazil, for all of you who didn't play Where in the World is Carmen San Diego for hours at a time when some other stupid kid was bogarting the Oregon Trail disk); but it is a play on the circle-in-diamond motif on the national flag. Well, uh, played. (I can do better than that. Come back later.)

For hidden messages in steel barricade...(maybe I'm reading too much into it) - FOUR bicycles out of four. 

Holiday bike rack in San Francisco

You may remember San Francisco's previous stab at demonstrating how bike rack was deployed. Shameful, but they are redeeming themselves with a little holiday display, seen here by the "Giff," that not only includes an identifying sign, but also a ginormous tree in the background.

I have a feeling this is for the ice-skating rink that they put up in Union Square around this time of year. So cute, but I'm always confused when I see them in places like Los Angeles or you know, Dubai. The bastards freezing in places like Minnesota have got to be laughing it up at us.

OK, San Francisco. I forgive you for the past lapse in judgment. I mean, you know, it's the holidays and all, right? Right.

For the bonus traffic cone in the foreground, and dazzling array of twinkly lights: TWO bicycles out of four.