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The University of Alabama Police Department had an auction today. Ryan, representing BikeLab, made sure to be there. Much to Ryan's glee, he arrived to a scene of hundreds of bikes. While there were only several road bikes, he was sure he could walk away with at least one steal.

By the end of the day all of the bikes had been sold; not a single one of them to BikeLab. It was great to see so many people interested in purchasing bikes, however BikeLab's budget just couldn't compete.

"Youth Can Build"

YouthBuild staff/great-architects/great-contractors, Chris and Turnley, took a look at the state of BikeLab... and then decided that, structurally speaking, there was much to be left desired. "The roof might collapse on someone." Was the common sentiment.

No problem!

Students led by Turnley came by later in the day, built temporary support structures, and got to work. By the end of the day, the ceiling was 5 feet taller and BikeLab was looking amazing.

We all knew the time would come, but only three short months remain until the Meg/Ryan are to be replaced by another VISTA team.

Interested in trying to fill our shoes? Then fill out our VADGA!

Megan and Ryan are OOTO...

...To say 'our values' suggests that values are something that we have, either things we carry around, or defining attributes like a person's height or weight. Instead of something we have, it is more considerate to think of values as guiding word tools that are part of the language of our time and place and are available for all to use. Care should be taken to avoid a possessive attitude that makes a claim that we own values."

The Gulf Coast Community Design Center on values.

Or in other words...put away your thesaurus, stop trying to define yourself into oblivion, and just keep moving forward. Let the uncertain realm of experience, rather then the ideal realm of analytics define values for you. "Let values shape practice and practice shape values." Or, let PieLab exist in the community and let the community exist in PieLab.Noted.

Despite the colossal rain storm that plagued the area on Thursday, PieLab's first big Tuscaloosa event was a great success. Guests, adorned in their finest attire, filled (or sorta-filled) the Bama Theatre to enjoy a variety of performances by some great local talent, as well as Nashville's own Amy Stroup. Special thanks to the University of Alabama's Creative Campus and all of the volunteers for their generous support and assistance. Oh and much gratitude to Mr. Mooty for operating the soundzzz and to Bo for the Coco Porter.

Perhaps this is what it's really about.

BikeLab is a small group of dedicated volunteers working in Greensboro Alabama to provide refurbished bicycles to Hale County residents who lack transportation. Our goal is to recycle as much as possible, waste as little as possible, and reach as many people in need as possible. BikeLab typifies how education, community building, environmental consciousness, and physical well-being can all come together through a single means, bikes.

Today I met Jerry. Jerry lives fifteen miles outside of town. He ventures into Greensboro to do business and visit his cousins. This was Jerry's fifth visit to PieLab. He drinks his first cup of coffee with cream, and his second cup black.

Last night I met David. David teaches English at Greensboro East. He plays the guitar and lives in Newbern.

Yesterday I met Judith. Judith is left-handed. She enjoyed the spinach, walnut quiche. Judith would like to volunteer somewhere in town.

On Tuesday I met Meador. Meador owns a farm on Hwy 80. His business card is quite nice. I think that might be thermography...?

Last week I remembered that all of this isn't about us or for us. It's about every single person who walks in our door. I'll remind myself daily.

This week, we've been scrambling to refine our application for a Design Ignites Change Implementation Award, to help launch the Youthbuild Pecan Butter Initiative (better name still to be determined). The designers at PieLab have partnered with Youthbuild, (a local youth and community development program for high school dropouts), to help the students establish a small business, utilizing one of Alabama's most plentiful natural resources. Pecans! With access to PieLab's certified kitchen, the students will pick, crack and chop their way into a pecan frenzy, developing their very own brand of pecan butter and other related pecan products. With guidance from the PieLab designers, the students will learn how to brand and market their product, while discovering the value of design as it relates to business. We hope to use the Implementation Award to help jumpstart the project.

Visit the Design Ignites Change website to find out how you can ignite change in your own community.

As it turns out, PieLab's neighbor across the street (Faught's) was actually a bike shop about a decade ago. Robert Broach took Dan and Ryan over to visit Mr. Faught and inquire about his old stock of bike parts.

It was Christmas come early! Mr. Faught appreciated BikeLab's mission so much that he donated a plethora of new bike parts... Under one condition. That we repair his old Columbia Cruiser. We easily agreed.

Just afterward, Robert took us to his own store and gave us even more parts including a pair of incredible Mondrian inspired bicycle gloves.

*Pictured is Dan holding Faught's frame while gorgeously modeling the Mondrians.

One out of four adults in the United States struggle with low literacy skills. 30,000 adults in Tuscaloosa County are functionally illiterate with skills at or below a 4th grade reading level.

Elder and Sister Bass are working with Plus Tuscaloosa to help recruit volunteers for their tutoring program. We helped make a few flyers to engage residents of Hale Co., who may want to teach an adult how to read or who know someone who needs reading help.

I wonder who we're effecting, if we're building 'the right' relationships, if our actions are advantageous, if we're exploring enough ideas, etc. I don't particularly enjoy blogging, and therefore I don't necessarily find it lucrative to discuss too much of this rumination in such a forum. Yet, I feel it important to share with others who may read this weblog some noteworthy items I've come across while reading through some old sketchbooks that I find to be quite relevant (and timely) in their relation to PieLab and forthcoming initiatives here in Hale Co. Bear in mind the following notes/ideas are collaborative and were conceived many months ago, prior to the influx of several young individuals to Alabama, at a time long before the idea of owning a pie shop on Greensboro's Main Street was even conceived.

--PieLab is a multi-faceted fresh approach focused on building community, and boosting the morale of these communities in a way that is sustaining, self-perpetual and fun. PieLab is not business as usual, but rather a new way of thinking about business as a catalyst for positive social change.

--PieLab is a negative energy inverter fueled by pie.

--Founded on the idea that simple gestures, like giving away free pie, can create joy, PieLab aims to bring communities together and help stimulate local business economies.

--PieLab is delicious, hopeful, contagious, tasty, goopy goodness.

--There is an infinitely renewable source of young adults that want to do good things.

--Thinking Wrong is a creative philosophy to break the standard, calcified connections that currently drive business development and communication.

--PieLab is a design engine that enters a community and works in that community. PieLab is part of community, community is part of PieLab.

--PieLab should sustain itself through the products and services that are incubated and sold in-store and online.

--PieLab should support lasting change and growth in Hale County as a way of building job opportunities and business for local residents.

--Projects should (1) address a pressing social need within the community (2) can be implemented within the community (3) deliver positive results that can be measured.

--At it's core, design is about problem solving. But it's also about problem identifying. Instead of creating a need for things, designers should focus on responding to the things we do need.

Ideas are only ideas until action is taken. Action is being taken. It is essential that we all keep talking, keep questioning, keep ideating and remain self-aware and self-critical as we move ahead with this wonderful, albeit unpredictable, endeavor. Huge steps have been made in the right direction. Let's keep going. xoxo

Breanne, Dan, Ryan, and Willy's house was broken into at some point this afternoon. They had just returned from a long day at work and an evening of grocery shopping for PieLab and the University of Alabama Blitz. Two iPods, one TV, and one laptop are now missing.

*This was the sawhorse used to climb into Dan and Breanne's bedroom window.

William Christenberry lectured at University of Alabama (his alma mater) last night. He spoke about growing up in Tuscaloosa, making trips to Hale County as a child, and documenting the same abandoned structures over time. His photography has definitely been of huge interest and inspiration to my own and it was fantastic to hear him speak in person.

*Photo by William Christenberry

Megan and Amanda got busy priming the facade today. After spilling the primer, Megan continued by spilling the paint thinner. But at least they looked good doing it.

*Photo thanks to Brian W. Jones

This week's edition of the "Greensboro Watchman" featured a small article about the recent Auburn Blitz. Written by Anne Sledge Bailey. Click to read the article.

Construction is winding down and new pie recipes are being dreamed about. Meanwhile, the facade of our storefront remains plain and design-less. Goal this weekend. Make it cooler. Ideas welcome.

1. Pork Rinds and BRed Mad Dog for the birthday boy.
2. Banana cream, peanut-butter, chocolate, and whipped cream pie from Amanda.
3. High-Life and Michelob all around.
4. The most intense/epic several rounds of tourettes, ever.
5. A fun game of Kings.
6. Bed.
7... A tough morning.

The floor sander from 1912 (pictured here) gave Megan and Amanda a real run for their money. It sparked. It growled. It spit in their face. But rest assured, in no time PieLab will have the smoothest floors east of the Mississippi.

Brian W. Jones has an iphone. His iphone allows Brian to rapidly snap pictures at the most paramount of times. Brian W. Jones is from Virginia. The fact that Brian is from Virginia has little to do with this photo and what it depicts. If you'd like to learn more about what you see in this photo please send Brian an email, or post your request on his Facebook wall. Suffice it to say, we are important people who meet over coffee and discuss important things.

Though our young helpers did a great job painting, we spent much of thursday morning re-painting the horseshoe pits into a more cohesive scheme. Once again, Megan's craving for good Detroit food took precedence, so she and a few others headed to Motor City Brewery for lunch, while a dedicated Ryan continued to pick-axe the solid ground in an effort to securely fasten the horseshoe pits and stakes. A bunch of devoted M'ers then hopped in a jeep, drove to Old Tiger Stadium, and filled the back of the SUV with piles of gravel. Shhhh.

The afternoon flew by (as we're told it does in Detroit) and before long, residents were showing up at the Plot ready to throw some ringers! The event was a great success. Local vendors offered fresh fruit, hot dogs, and Faygo pop, (yes pop) a Detroit original. We played horseshoes until dusk, then headed to Northern Lights, another Detroit hotspot, for some great food, drink and conversation. Success for Project M.

*And get a free slice of Pie!

At 1:59 pm. Megan, Ryan, and Betsy pulled in front of Pie Lab in the big, grey, HERO van. Ryan was driving the kidnapping vehicle, Betsy was in the front seat photographing while Megan instructed each of the victims to climb into the van and place the blindfold, found on each seat, around their face. We, the kidnappers then drove our kidnapees to an undisclosed location some 12 miles away, all the while blaring John Cage and filming the whole thing. Upon arriving at said location, the blindfolded were asked to step out of the van, line up against the adjacent fence and remove their vision obstructers. We were at the abandoned school. Then the real fun began. Each Pie Labber rummaged around the school looking for props and locations for their individual portraits. The whole experience was incredible and everyone was a great sport. The portraits turned out great and will make their debut in the coming weeks as part of a campaign to promote Pie Lab.

RIP: The only thing that didn't make it out alive was Betsy's lens cap...buried among the black mold and debris.