Bat Family Cruisin' is a whimsical bat and bike sculpture peremanently installed on Alameda Boulevard, Albuquerque, NM. This is a bat family riding a tandem bike with a 3rd wheel behind. Daddy bat in front, wings spread, momma bat holding a parasol, and baby bat would be hanging upside down from the handle bars of the 3rd wheel, while he clutched his teddy bear! Bats are prevalent throughout the Southwest, and serve a very useful function of consuming insects, and pollinating flowers. They are fascinating creatures to watch, usually only seen between dusk and dawn as they are nocturnal. My sculpture would bring some whimsy to their presence in Bernalillo County, and try to use humor to acclimate people to them, as there is much unfounded negative feeling and even fear about bats’ presence.

The sculpture is approximately 15 feet in height with an 11 foot pedestrian clearance. It is mounted on a metal pipe with a diameter of 6", set into a cuff and base provided by Bernalillo County. It would have a structural lifetime of much more than 25 years and, since it is completely fabricated of steel, it is be able to withstand the harsh conditions of the high altitude ultraviolet rays of the sun and high winds. It is oxidized to a very attractive dark reddish brown. The sculpture requires no ongoing maintenance.

The sculpture itself is about 11 feet long and 5.5’ high, with a wing span of approximately 11’. The sculpture is comprised of 10 welded components. The entire sculpture is fabricated of mild carbon steel including ¼ “ plate for the wheels, spokes and internal attachment supports, steel pipe of varying dimensions for the bike, large agricultural chain, and steel rod, sheet and perforated metal for the bats’ bodies and moth body.