One For Ryan And My Old Man

Not sure where these guys were when I was growing up, but without further delay, I present you with Chevette Ice Racing!

Wheel To Wheel excitement!

Man O' The Day

"If you're going to be crazy, you have to get paid for it or else you're going to be locked up."

—Hunter S. Thompson

I read that quote in the Fifth Spot on the Bicycle Retailer and Industry News web site today. He was one of the great ones in my eyes, old Hunter S. (aka Doctor Gonzo, Raul Duke, et al). There was no one like him before he came along, but in is wake were swimming many, like myself, who tried to capture his raw, real, in medias res journalistic style. Don't like him? You are missing out. Read "Hells Angels" and I bet you change your tune.

Love the above pic, it captures so much of his spirit! Right down to the IBM Selectric on the business end of a shotgun...

Chew On This

"Get your 15-year-old 'Full House' ass away from my girlfriend," said Lohan to Ashley Olson...

That is your gossip for the day.

I've Been Saved

Any Questions?

ANT is the shit.

Looks like we're on pace to have another glorious week of weather, which we totally deserve after this winter. Our old friend Tanya is in town for the next couple of days from Seattle. Hopefully, she brought good coffee, but then she always does so we don't need to ask.

There is talk of a Blue Mounds mountain ride this weekend, and I cannot wait...

Loooong Weekend

There is holiday weekends, and then there are weekends like this past one....70-80 miles in the saddle over a couple of rides, cooking out with good friends, perfect weather, NCAA D1 mens lacrosse championships, hours of yard work, bonfires, sleeping in. Sure wanted it to go on forever. Capped off with MOTAB last night. Welcome back to the work week.

House Work

Finally got the living room painted. I know, the word you are looking for is Fresh.

Happy Memorial Day 'Merica!

Is it...

That I drink too much, or that I have too many buddies who carry thier cameras everywhere?
Either way, helmets are a great idea...mountain biking this weekend.

Hey

If this article doesn't make you so angry that you never want to buy a drop of oil again, then you sir/ma'am are dead.

That is all.

Hump Day Ya'll

From a reliable source, above is Cog Magazine issue #3 waiting to ship. You'll be seeing it soon. Judging by issues 1 and 2, it is going to be awesome, I promise.

Get One

Obama Spoke Card

FTTM

Be There.

Sorry

That I missed this. But the household did aquire some new treasures this weekend by skipping Wheels On Willy 2008.
Not much rest this weekend though, coupled with a 40 foot shipping container this morning and a load of 80 pallets. I'm beat and its only 2 pm on Monday. Thank God next Monday is a Holiday!

Monday....

Billy Dee can always smooth out a rough Monday, that much I know.

Testing Continues

We bought a bike for my father in law a few weeks ago, a mint Bridgestone MB-5 I think it was. Anywho, it came with these arcing city bars that I figured he wouldn't like, so I swapped them for some flat bars and threw these in the bar bin. I put them on my commuter last week and I've been trying them out this week. You end up being pretty upright on them, which I'm still unsure about, but I like how they feel in my hands. Great for shorter rides, but the jury is still out on the positioning for longer rides. I've gotten a few 12 mile rides on them this week, and I may need a longer stem still....Bike To Work week fiesta in a few hours, that will be good. Also, folks in town this weekend, and Wheels on Willy Crit on Sunday. It will be a busy next few days...

Klunk To Work Week

New issue now on news stands, contains some of the best writing in an issue I've seen in a while. Also contains a review of the ZR Cycles 650b hardtail. Grab one, son.

Rode the pit bike (aka da' klunker) in today. Really nice morning. Had "Whole Lotta Love" stuck in my head, which made the ride even better. Second sweet ride I've had on that bike in the last week. Earlier this week I rode it up to pick up some chinese take out. Some skate boarders called me "loser". Kid, if this is losin' then I don't want to ever win.

Came To Me

...in a dream I had last night. Every one traded in their H2 for one of these and told the Saudis to go get fucked.

Also, former Bike Mag intern Pat Coran reviews the new film by the Collective, Seasons here.

Candy

Over at CreepyFriendly this morning, Jesse was talking about Gobstoppers. While I concur, I just got done eating a Zagnut, which I procured at the local Ace hardware store this weekend whilst purchasing some mortar. MMMM, damn it was good. Kind of hard to find, that Zagnut, but that makes it worth it. True story, kid I grew up with roomed with a cat named Atomic Zagnut Adams in college. His parents equiped him with a built in nick name, how clever.

industrial waste is the new aesthetic

Gas is $3.80 a gallon in Madison. And this morning, I saw people lined up to buy it.
In other news, a condo made of shipping containers is being proposed in Detroit. If you click to the Free Press story, this little tid bit gets dropped on you:
"They estimate there are 700,000 empty shipping containers piling up near U.S. ports around the country, including at a yard near Fort and I-75 in Detroit. The containers tend to be cheaper to build new than to return to their country of origin, so once delivered here and emptied, they pile up by the thousands."

I'll take two please.

Also, like just about any news story out there, it is fun to read the "insightful" (read H8) on the comments. Everyone thinks they are so fucking smart.

Mondays

Well, another weekend has come and gone. Mine consisted of the usual: drinking Colt 45 under the freeway, riding with Gary Fisher, some masonry work, a nice hot bath, sleeping like the dead, you know the usual.
Today is the first day of bike to work week, and man, if you didn't ride in today in Madison at least, I need to hear your excuse 'cuz it must be a good one. Perfect spring morning!
Saw a bunch of friends on the way in, all in all, very enjoyable!

A Man Rides Alone Down The RailRoad Tracks

I took the long way home on the ZR last night. The bike had been out in CA to be photographed for Bike Mag, and they had it for a couple of months. It came back a couple of days ago, I did some work on it at the office, and last night I set out for home on it. It is a 12 mile ride if you stick to the road, and with those huge 2.3 inch 650b wheels, it was fairly slow going. Near the East Towne mall, I turned off Zier Road, and hopped on some two track that leads along a new condo development, and a creek. The two track takes you past a burned out mini van, and up to a rail line that I know runs all the way out to Sun Prairie, about 6 miles away. I stopped to listen to the creek a bit, and decided to just ride the rail all the way back.
I haven’t been able to get out mountain biking yet this spring, so this was a nice chance to shake down the bike a bit, not the most fun I’ve ever had on a bike, but WAY better than riding through the mall…
Found some shot gun shells, 12 gauge shells are just about the right size for some bar plugs…
Cut through the town of Burke, over some swamps, and man those Pacenti Neo Motos handle just about anything you can throw at them, with ease I may add. From the deep powdered sugar sand of the Ore 2 Shore to super loose rocks along the rails, if you can stay light on the bars, and keep the hammer down you can get across anything it seems.
When I did get home, I was starving and wolfed down the left-overs in the fridge, and the second half of the Duvel’s that Dave S. had given me for taking care of his Powertap w/ Zipp. Tastey.
We’re riding over to the East Side Trek Store after work for some snacks and beers, meet Gary Fisher and then over to the East Gate cinemas to watch Klunkerz.

Later

More Cargo

I was talking with a guy a know Russ Roca today about his new Bilenky cargo bike. He has a 400 mile review up on bikecommuters.com. Russ is a professional photographer out in California who conducts all of his business (read photo shoots) by bicycle. He used to roll around on an Xtracycle, but the Bilenky is his new vehicle of choice. He has some interesting things to say.
I think his bike is pretty sweet, but he'll be the first to admit it has limitations, like long loads. Regardless, it is pretty slick.

Cargo Examples

The above are just two elegant examples of cargo bicycle solutions. They both happen to be pretty beautiful brand new creations from Fast Boy Cycles and Ira Ryan, respectively. While both are equally cool in my eyes, my co-worker Dave points out that the vintage box on Ezra's Fast Boy gets more cool points just due to it's history. I agree.
The ZR just arrived via UPS from its too long stay in SoCal. It has a bit less paint on it than I recall, and I'm not super stoked about that, but it is a mountain bike, so fuck it. Hopefully I'll get to ride it again this weekend.

Perforated Into Tiny Fragments

follow you home after every show
perforated into tiny fragments
heavy breathing's your new fan club
a john handcock with the safety off after every show
and how this pedestal fits like a glove
such a pity I built no ladder
for the roots, and above
i'll be hacking off, after every show

(I-N-I-T-I-A-T-I-O-N)
initiation,

There's no restraining order to keep me from you
parting contestants never win

watch you clap your hands by the stage
lend me your ears, just another page
in the book that your friend signed yesterday
when I told you not to bother to holler
the telephone's the one that helped
me wrap - the chord
around - your neck
you know - you're beautiful
when you're dead

initiation,

There's no restraining order to keep me from you
There's no restraing order, keep me from you
Parting contestants never seem to win



Also, This Guy, is the real deal.

evil, truly evil

just got an email that let me know this about my profile page:

On Blogger Since July 2007
Profile Views 666

Different Kind Of Hero

Hollywood seems pretty interested in making live action, feature films based on comic book charaters. My favorite comic growing up was the DC Comic, Vigilante. Vigilante didn't have super powers, and perhaps that is why I found him so compelling; he was realistic. Based on the story of a big city judge who takes the law, very literally, into his own hands after the mob murders his family, the protagonist is a tortured soul.
The series lasted only 50 issues before he puts his pistol to his head and ends his own life. You probably won't see this one on the big screen, but damn, it would be so much better than repackaging Superman or Batman every few years. And honestly, who gives a shit about Ironman?

A Bad Surprise

The clothing company Nau has announced it is closing. It took 19 months...They set out to "show the world that business can be a force for positive social and environmental change."
Their clothes were made of sustainable materials, they had a futuristic feel, and they gave money away for every purchase you made. Their stores were like boutiques, and in this short period of time, they managed to do some good, donating over $200 K through customer-directed giving program, Partners for Change.

Special Delivery

Tigers swept the Yankees at Yankee Stadium for the first time since the 1960's. That is an extra special treat to head into the weekend.
And the new issue of Urban Velo is available, go here to download your own copy.

Thursdays Are Sometimes Magic

When I woke up this morning it was in the 40s. Now it is up around 70 and sunny. Hot damn.
Took the day off today to catch up on some writing and work around the house. The lawn is mowed, the storms have been replaced with screens, and I'm off to pick up some grass seed.
Wed. Nite Ride last night was pretty sweet. It had been a long time, but it was a good crew in honor of Zack and Colin's birthdays. We had some drinks at the Plaza, and headed to our new club haus for some tall boys, tall talk and rail road track balance trials. The ride home was long, slow and quiet.