Friday, December 30, 2005

Yesterday revisited

I got two emails that I will share with you here, but first I must say I went to the doctor, test results show that my testosterone and cortisal levels are back to healthy. The doctor thinks I had classic overtraining based on the symptoms that I showed, now I am getting VO2 test and a handfull of other tests to see what my body lost in the down time, then a gradual incline in training load to see if I can get back on track. Looks to be next year by the time I will be back up to speed, I am planning on taking it really slow and to not overdue it because I have been told it would be very easy to be right back where I was if I am not careful. So I am now thinking of what race to make my goal for later in the year, with the goal being to finish it and be able to recover in a respectable amount of time. To prove to my body and mind that I have returned from the ashes and risen again. So it looks to be postive, and I am excited about riding again, and not feeling dogged all the time, mainly I am looking forward to feeling energized again. The more I share my story with others the healthier and that I am not alone. I shared my situation with one of the owners at my job and he related a story of his brother in law who had the same thing, no one could diagnose it with him either and he from what steve said struggled because he knew something was wrong with him but every doctor he went to would say he was fine. So thanks for reading it is helping. I hope that makes sense. Now to the two emails I got here is the first one:

People don't do well at thinking ahead, generally, but they tend to respond pretty smartly to environmental stimuli that force changes in behavior. When such a stimulus occurs, then you see a change in behavior. Even the most dismally brutal police states have had trouble forcing people to permanently change their ways. It's been called "spontaneous organization" but you can think about it as a massive response to market forces. When oil gets too expensive, starts cutting into how people enjoy their top priorities, whatever that may be, they'll change. I have little confidence that they'll alter their behavior sooner. More's the pity, because that means the change will likely come in a radical form, and that's a bummer, because life without fast motorcycles and monster trucks just may not be worth living... And yes, I bike commute, I wish more people did, but it's a reaction to a stimulus in *my* life, my pants were screaming at me every time I had to fasten the top button; and now I wish more people commuted on bikes because it's a healthier choice, I find I'm always in a good mood when I ride, and the ride itself is a fun way to steal a couple hours each day to get out on my fixie - and I'm sure many people would find the same sublime pleasure. Al Maviva
I agree, when it hit peoples pocket books they will make changes, my question is have we already done too much damage? and yes a couple hours out on the bike makes it all seem so distant, I love to ride around on my fixie and pedal away all the anger, frustration, it is my meditation. That is why being sick has been so hard, my coping mechanizm was taken away. Racing is the gravy, I couldnt even ride that was the real hard part, and when I did it just made me tired, however lately it has been fun again. I am excited. Here is the next one:

Go for a ride... I agree that people in our culture need to change there priotries...
But ranting and raving doesn't change people....
To steal from a nike ad, Just do it!
Anyhow Gandi said, Be the change you want to see.
My plans for the new year...Keep making whiskey, Keep riding my bicycle, get into the woods more, make more freinds.
Just my .02 from a fixie riding, meat and twinkie eating, go with the flow Coloradoian
Cellarrat

Sure would love to try some of that whiskey. I agree. I rant to rant, hopefully it wakes some people up, no harm no foul. That Gandi quote is my favorite and one that I have been using throughout the year. thanks

so there you have it keep them coming, i am interested in what people are thinking. thanks, keep pedaling

Thursday, December 29, 2005

what are yur plans for the new year....

Is it the same old, or are we all going to work towards a better future, a sustainable future? I have been thinking, analyzing and inspecting my decisions and considering how I can best use my talents to help our society as a whole. To help us get over our additions and insecurtities so that we can truely survive as a soceity. Respectful and aware of our footprint, and our legacy. I dont mean to sound apocolyptic or crazy as I sometimes feel I may come across, I just truely believe through what I have read and the documentaries that I have watched recently that we are running real close to peak oil and that we as a society are waking up to the idea, but we think something else will come along to take the place of oil. That this industrial revolution that took place will continue forever, we will progress forward always consuming, endlessly. Well that is not the case, and things could drastically change, we need to be less dependent on oil, and petroleum products, we must train ourselves to think differently. The fact that this is the case or at least I see it as a real possibility, scares the shit out of me. My fear is what has been motivating me as of late, I would like to land softly or as least not nosedive in to this thing if we are going to crash I would like the landing to be as smooth as possible, and I think that if we all start doing our part now, we can make this landing easier to take and not so catosrophic. Mind you I have to stay vigilant, and it is not easy,there are complete days devoted to arguing back and forth with myself. Is it really worth it? Yes, and maybe NO. If we just crash and burn and the entire planet chokes or burns itself to death, then no, our efforts will have been fruitless, that is the synic the non believer in me. My Darth Vader side. We must not go to the dark side and think that what we do doesnt matter because we are all doomed anyway so fuck it, lets party like no tommarrow, trash the earth and when the end comes celebrate. But I would like to believe that we as humans have control and underneath it all we are lost right now with all the distractions of keeping up with the jones, with all the time it takes to just get around, we are only growing so we should figure out some way to be at peace with it all. Again I believe that we as a society, we as a country, a nation, and as individuals have control over and make decisions to get to where we are, our sucess or failure is up to us at the end of the day. Sure it is easier to blame that big world, or someone else. We as a nation and a people have lost the idea of personal responsiblity, it is always someone elses fault. Is it McDonalds fault we are fat and getting fatter as a nation? Is it Starbucks fault if we burn our lips with hot coffee? Is it the alcohol companies fault that a person is an alcoholic? Is it the bartenders fault that you drank too much and decided to drive? Where does this end? What happened to I decided to drink therefore it is my fault. What happened to taking responsiblity for your actions? I in no way mean to imply that all of us think this way, we as a nation tend to be less and less responsiblity for our actions. There is light, there are people working to get us less dependent on the middle east, they are taking responsiblity for our nation, for us a people, refusing to stand by and let us go down the toilet with out a fight. I know enough is enough and you are watching me struggle with all these issues and I in no way want to be seen as holyier than thou, I will be the first to admit I am just begining my journey towards change, I struggle with all these issues daily, I am looking to spark others in to helping me, joining me. I am looking for inspiration and partners on the journey, to keep me progressing, to ask me questions,to give me inspiration and a friendly nudge. So I again would like to challange us all to try things differenlty for the new year. Let me know what you are thinking. I am compiling my list of resolutions, send me yours and I will post them. thanks. keep those pedals spining.

Saturday, December 24, 2005

the way of the Mountain Turtle

Just in time for the holidays, because one can only spend so much time with family before they need an escape, heres to thinking of warmer days. I cant wait to read this, and look at the pics. Wanted to get this up and out to the world as soon as I saw that it was avalible. Be sure to check it out.
I had the pleasure of meeting Kent earlier this year and am proud to call him my friend. He is an amazing individual, pedaling to his own drum. He is a constant source of inspiration and a great role model. He is a peaceful warrior, modeling behavior for one and all. Gush, Gush. The other day while riding with Kent he told me of his plan to put the story of his Great Divide adventure/vision quest on the web for one and all to read, no book, no price on trees heads, no royalty checks. You get the point. He is a firm believer in what goes around comes around, so you can give what you would like to read his story. I have been waiting to read this since the article in Dirt Rag, so with out further adu here is the link to his journey.

http://www.mile43.com/peterson/Turtle/MountainTurtle.html

Thursday, December 22, 2005

holidays taking over.....

Not really here. I have been working a lot, not at my usual waiting tables, there is that too, but right now I have been working for Danielle's family, they are building a house in Capital Hill here in Seattle and we are helping to do some of the work. Lately it has been a lot of ditch digging, for the water line, some miscommunication on what needs to happen so the ditch had to be dug again. I have been riding over in the rain to do this so you can imagine the mess. Today i was supposed to go and help trail build but I woke up totally exhausted so I went back to bed instead of pushing the limits, I also have to work this evening waiting tables so I didnt want to as I said above push it and be a muddled mess tommarrow. There is a learning curve.

In other news I have been reading the book "Divorce Your Car" i urge each and every one of you to read it. It is too full of information for me to try to get it all right here, but the single most destructive act we as humans do is to drive. It and all that is associated with it, just think of all the infastructure around thats soul purpose is to serve the car, gas stations, roads, asphalt, tire stores, oil change places, parking lots etc. Please read this book, I have been on a road towards less car dependence and this surely is helping me to have real solid reasons, as if I didnt already. Tires alone are so toxic, and when they accidentaly set fire they burn forever, they dont biodigrade. We wash our hands of them once we are done and think it is now someone elses problem, well they do take up space maybe not ours but somewhere they are taking up space. Well that is enough, in the new year make a pledge to do things differently, that is if you care and I think we all care we just dont take the time to think out side the box, well lets do a little thinking and a little action in the new year, make 2006 about making a personal change in the way you approach things, take more time and try to do it differently. I am not saying go on a crusade, unless that is what you wish to do, but make small personal changes can if we all do them make big environmental differences.

In other news, thanks to the Senate for not drilling in Alaskan wilderness, even though it was tacked on to a bill to send aid to the troops and huricane victims, that was a slimy move by the senator from Alaska. They are working on passing those aid bills without the drilling bill though. Finally we stand up. Patriot Act expires, let it. Does more damage than good. unless spy, spy,spy is ok with you.

Lastly this guy has taken some amazing pictures of mass consumption. He is a local Seattle artist, i have not met him, but I admire his work.

Friday, December 16, 2005

hammer or model approach

The other day I had the pleasure of seeing my friend Kent, we met at his new job. He is now working for both the Bike Allience and Sammamish bikes, but come January he will be full time at the Bike Allience. I am very happy for him. This post has a lot to do with our conversation on our ride from Downtown Seattle towards his home in Issaquah, hope I spelled that right. While at the bike station I picked up a book, Divorce your Car, in fact I was there in part to supply him with my copy of Let my people go Surfing. I digress. Kent and his wife have been carfree, and when I say that I mean no car, not a car they dont use, I mean no car, nada zip. He rides, or they take the bus. NO car. The man has a lot of commitment. We talked about the benefits, I have been sans car, I am waiting for the title right now so that i can sell it. We have decided that we dont need two cars and will slim down to just a car for the time being. I would love to go car free, but as with everything it is a process, sometimes it is good to go cold turkey others takes time to brake habits of over 30 years. My girlfriend think of it as a nice idea right now, she is not willing to commit cold turkey. Can you blame her?
Getting to the point, I have as of late been raging, with my two fingers in the air, ranting raving about our society and the need for us to change our habits, about consumerism, about anything and everything that I want to express my opinion about. It is my point of view that the vast majority of people need to be woken up. I have not always been known for taking the easy road, I at times need to be hit over the head with the perverbial sledgehammer, I have never and will never claim to be with out my flaws. The flaws are what make me me, or at least that is what I telling myself. Thinking this about others helps me, it makes them easier to take, it helps me see their point of view. As of late my approach could be seen as the hammer as of late, I am pounding you readers and the world out there over the head, hoping that a crack my open and then something may sneek in to the consiousness.
Kent approach could be seen as a model approach, quietly doing his thing, providing a model for those that care to take note. Not yelling, not even making a verbal wave, just patiently modeling for all of us. Not much seems to bother Kent, he just moves through the world, thinking good things about most of our society, because lets face it most of us are good natured we just get crazy behind the wheel, lose focus for a second, daydream, we are not inherntly evil or out to cause harm and unrest. Chaos is part of our world, but most of us want peace and justice and to live out or lives in the good company of those around us. He thinks good things and gives people the benefit of making mistakes. Basically in my view he sees us all here just trying to get through the day, and in generally good.
I think that both approaches work, and I agree with him, and I think that he agrees with me, I think of it as a two pronged approach, those of us raging provide the cracks in the wall he provides the insiration and model. In this way we are two warriors out for the common good and the same goal. Ride on, pedal on and work for the same goal. thanks.

here is something funny..

that is if you arent a George Bush supporter, and even if you are if you can laugh at yourself this may work. Check out this then search out the jibjab link, third from bottom left if all stays the same, then go to jibjab.com to see the full lenght feature. It appears they are working on their server. I am in the middle of dealing with the banks and the mortages companies over some gross miscommunications. They are trying to drain a man. oh well, part of the game I guess.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

notes on trying to live and examined life

I just got done with Let my People go Surfing, from patagonias founder, he talks a lot about living and examined life, and I have been for quite some time now been trying, weather or not I knew it to live and examined life. I wasnt intent to just get by, to just go through the motions, but the more I look in to all aspects of my existence the more I come to terms with the fact that it is a process and not an easy one, because some times the answers that you get are not the ones you want to hear. As you start to look in to each purchase or each use of the car or each flight home to see family, you must weigh the pros and cons and it becomes glaringly obvious that at times the only answer is to do the one with the least impact, that leaves the smallest footprint. I currently live in Seattle, but a lot of the organic produce that the stores have comes from California, or Mexico, so while the produce is organic there was still a pollution and damage caused by getting it here, in the form of fuel consumption. So you look at getting things closer to home, but there are no farms in the city limits, maybe a Pea patch or two, but no real means of sustaining us all, that and the climate itself is not condusive to it. So what does one do? Organic Cotton still has an impact on the environment, but incrementally it is on the right path towards the way we should be thinking and what procducts, if we must consume products, we should be consuming. The other day I talked about packaging and such, how can we as consumers demand or push for less packaging, because lets face it part of the price is inclusive of packageing, so in a way we could all be saving if things were packaged differently. Glass reusable containers are always better than single serving use items. For the new year I am going to try to shrink the size of my footprint by and this is a crude list and subject to change depending on how things go. I plan to have this list finalized by New years, I hope.
1. carry a coffe cup, mug for beverages, or consume out of reusable, washable drinking vessels. I hope to get a metal mug,one with the least amount of PVC contained within it. we all know the dangers of PVC, think cancer. think bad for you. I do remember a time when if you brought your own mug the coffee was much cheaper, well these times need to return. Lets face it the way to motivate people to do things is to make it finacially viable, then later on they realize how they are actually doing something that has an environmentll impact. Why is it that we as human beings love the outdoors but we rarely motivate ourselves solely on the fact that a act will be good for the environment? just a thouhgt.
2. Going along with number 1 carry silverware incase I encouter a plastic only food decision.
3. Buy local whenever I can. I plan to get growlers of beer from the locally brewerys as opposed to from the store. The farmers market is a great idea, for a meal once a week.
4. Think before I buy. Buy organic clothing, but only when I need. Really limit purchases to needing an item, not just wanting it. Think about where it comes from. Buy recycled products or products made from recycled material.
5. Volunteer on trail building initiatives at least once a month.
6. Ride my bike for as many and to as many functions/activities as my body allows me to.
7. Get healthy. one way or anther, get back to normal, I am not a fan of the word normal because what is normal really, we are all fighting our own battles, but a normal level of life, where I once was.
8. Recover, finacially, mentally and physically.
9. Keep better records, be more organized. Limit clutter. This is going to be hard for me, I have stacks and plies of things all around my computer, with notes scibbled in corners of ripped papers all over the place. I need to get organized, it is however the motivation to do so, the initial clean that is daunting, then the daily mantience,once used to is easier.
10. To cook a new recipe and to have a day/night where I cook for a number of days. A new recipe a week.
11. Learn more about proper nutrition. Eat a raw foods meal once a week.
12. tying in with number 6. Sell my car. Sell my girlfriends car and by a desiel car/truck and convert it so it runs on vegatable oil, part of the time. Use biodesiel when not using vegatable oil.
13. Focus on the positive. In myself, others and the world.
14. Be less judgemental. I have been a crappy fucker as of late. Real fun to be around you can imagine.
15. Believe in myself again. This has been a long year, one where I lost the faith in myself, my self worth and happiness has been tied to exersise and a passion in one way or another since I found skateboarding as a 12 year old. It has always been my outlet, my coping mechnism, with that gone as of late my self worth has suffered. This is no good. No matter what we are all doing our best.
16. To do my best at what I choose to do. Doesnt mean I will be the best but with each experience to stive for a personal best. I call this my commitment to learning. To be in the moment.

This is what I have been coming up with and this is the first time that I have commited these to paper, so to speak so I will be revamping and revisiting them and getting them more polished. MY new montra has been: I will rise again. tattoo to follow. be strong, and keep pedaling.

Sunday, December 11, 2005

citizen=consumer

Tis the season to buy,buy,buy. We all know nothing says I love you more than a gift. The holidays are supposed to be a time of good cheer, to celebrate life and family, to bring people together, it seems more and more it is a time that we feel the pressure to spend money to show how much we care for someone else. I had the pleasure of joining in the spending spree the other day. My girlfriend and I were on the way to do some work at her parents house, but we had to stop and get some sweet nothings for members of her family as the christmas package was going out the next day. So at 10:30 on a Saturday not less in mid December we headed to downtown Seattle to look around. Having had very little sleep I was in a subdued mood to begin with, but all the sitting in traffic, looping of the parking lots, raised my blood pressure in a hurry. All those people with their shopping bags in one hand and their 4 dollar grande mocha from Starbucks in the holiday cup no less, running frantically from store to store to soak up the sales. There we were staring at items that were made in god knows what kind of conditions, in a far away land, in I am sure an environmentally damaging way, and I had to fight the impulse to buy things, for no other reason than they were in front of me and as a human being I have been conditioned from day one to consume. Nothing says I love you like consumption of goods. Nothing makes you feel better about yourself than purchasing something new, for a minuete. I read a frigtening statisitic the other day, and I will share it with you, ready...Ninety percent of the goods that we purchase end up in the landfill within 60 to 90 days. Think about it. I'll write it again so that you dont have to reread it..... Ninety percent of the goods that we purchase end up in the landfill within 60 to 90 days. WTF. That will certainly make me think twice about my next purchase, or for that matter what I send to someone. My family has always filled out christmas and birthday lists and sounded off about what we want, we only did this to ensure that we got the gift that we wanted, but it looks to me that our selfishness if you choose to call it that, had an added benefit, we actually used what it is we were given. I can tell you this...what I buy doesnt end up in the landfill, want to know why, I really have a hard time throwing things out, my girlfriend will without my knowledge throw things away, or give them away. On the flip side think of all the packaging of goods that gets thrown out, the bags, the coffee cups we get with the lids, the reciepts, the list goes on and on. Think of all that gets thrown out in everyday life just due to the way things are packaged. When I stepped back and really look at all the thing that there is no other way to do it I am amazed, even places like Whole Foods and Wild Oats, and organic food comes in plastic wrap and packaging that not all of it can be recycled or reused. Things will not change until we as consumers and citizens demand that they change or work for them to change.

I promise I will get to the title, it just may take me a while. Here I go. I am again on my soapbox, I find myself more and more enraged with the way our society is headed right now, with all the injustices. It seems to me that we have become conplacent, we have lost our will to fight as a whole. We want everything at a low price, who cares about quality anymore, or the impact, the true impact of production, delivery and disposal. I just had the pleasure of watching Wal Mart the hight cost of low price. Blown away. It truely is scary, and I can tell you this I wont shop there ever agian. I now know too much to shop there with a clear consious. Everyone should see this movie. Lots of useful information is contained within it. We just care about the price point. Then we, as a society wonder why, things break. If we took in to consideration the true impact of what we produced and consumed things would be more expensive we think, what if it was just done that way, i.e. organic foods, organic cotton, sustainable paper, sustainable clothing, better public transportation, light rail, solar panels, obviosly I am getting a little abstact here, and I may be preaching to the choir of readers of this site, but we can all do something in a more sustainable way. Shit even the most sustainable stuff right now needs to be done with less impact, there just arent some process that have been figured out yet. We as a society are no longer seen as citizens we are seen as consumers because that is what we do. We have been so prosperous in the last 20 years that we think it will just keep going like it is, infinatly. Well that is just not the case and we are at a critical space in our development as a society, we comfort ourselves by saying that we will be able to sustain our continued growth, so why bother, well we are at a very critical time and I predict that life as we know it will drastically change to the negative if we keep consuming at the rate we do. We need to change from a cradle to grave society to a cradle to cradle society, a society that plans for reuse, not just recycling or worse sending it to the landfill. Patagonia is a company that is stiving to do this and Youn Chouinard's book Let my People go Surfing, is a great read and inspirational to boot. I suggest you read it. While you are at the book store might I suggest you pick up a copy of Gary Ericksons book, Raising the Bar.

So with the new year around the corner I challange each and every one of you to analyze how you life your life and do one thing regularly that you dont do now in the new year that is more sustainable than the way you do it now. Compost, recycle rainwater, flush the toilet less, ride your bike to work more, walk to places that you can, eat organic, volunteer to save the enviroment, buy clothing that is made in a sustainable manner, dont buy things you dont need. Change the view of us being consumers instead of citizens, buy locally, buy fresh, think about your habits, and make a small change, if we all start to do this slowly but surely the process and the movement will pick up pace and before we al know it we will be a society that only has sustainable products. Imagine that. One small step at a time. Personal responsibility, take it on. So sound off now or in the new year with what it is you plan to do differently. Peace, may the force be with you.

Friday, December 02, 2005

The Big Fix...

For those of you out there that dont know about this charity ride yet, called the Big Fix, it is a one of a kind event with saving lives in mind. MoJo as he is known to his friends has a daughter Dakota who was diagnosed with a rare illness, there is more information on the link above, and it makes more sense to me that rather than paraphrase it you should get all the info right from the horses mouth. I will be a big supporter of this event, and if I can get my health, physically as well as mentally in order I may just join them for a bit. I dont think that anything of this nature, riding fixed and singlespeed bikes across the country has ever been done, what an amazing ride it will be, bonding to the core, I would think. Then again all of the fixed/singlespeed riders I have met along the way, especially the fixed gear riders, there is an immediate bond with very little conversation needed, although of course that comes easy as well. Mr. MoJo and I dont know each other, we have never met and only emailed each other a few times, but I feel a connection. Is it the fixed gear underground? Not to sound sentimental and all but we are a small grop of indviduals attempting to show that it can be done differently, brakes? maybe? maybe not? road or off road? Mojo is not the only person that I see this happening with there is Kent Peterson, the Gonterian, the Vulture. Wade where are you? There are suprises coming your way. I am sure there are others, so sorry if you were not named. The biking world is small the fixed gear world is intimate, bonded, afraid to coast. haha. So lets all get behind this support it and see that it raises money to save lives and promote research. No matter what getting across the country on a fixies is an accomplishment, but the riders will have a higher purpose to motivate them through all the lows, as the highs are easy to get through. best wishes

In other news I helped with trail building in a first of it kind the local mountain bike advocacy group the bbtc is in charge of the design and building process. An in city mountain bike park being built on DOT land under the freeway here in Seattle, called the . Ground was broke a month ago, and it is scheduled to be done in a little over a year. There are two trail building sessions a week. So I brought my camera and of course it died before I could take pictures and the weather was horrid so I didnt bother to go get batteries or I would have pictures, next week I will get pictures. Back to the project. It is two acres that is going to be packed with twisty single track, a area for huckers to huck , maybe some dirt jumps, and novice areas as well . Attmpting to make it user friendly and an in city spot that can fulfill a lot of peoples needs. I think that it is going to be quite spectacular. Yesterday we were moving heavy rocks to build retaining walls for the some of the switchbacks. The plans are up on the bbtc's website so play around and check it out. The weather yesterday made for mud, mud and more mud, lots of slipin and slidin, and did I say it snowed, again I would have pictures but I need batteries. am I lazy? So I plan to work every thursday that I can and possibly other days when my schedule allows. as always keep the rubberside down.

Monday, November 28, 2005

durability?

here is few grainy pictures of my old eggbeaters. can your pedals do this. made for an interesting ride home the other night. had to keep my legs in the right plane or the pedal did its seperating act. i seem to destroy only the right side pedals on all pedals that I ride. any ideas. i thought that maybe it is the side I lay it down on more often. because I am riding fixed do I put more power in to that for stoppin purposes? interesting thoughts. I really like the eggbeaters the only durability issue I have encountered until this incident was the fact that the cleats wear rather quickly. other than that I have loved these pedals since the begining.
one pedal two parts. double the fun or double the pleasure, or is it just double danger. I have decided that I have to go to the doctor again. I have to get some concrete answers, lucky for me just down the street is seattle performance medicine specializing in treating athletes. need I say more. this is the kind of place i should have been going to all along. regular doctors just dont have the same wealth of knowledge, should I say intimate knowledge. now I am speaking from what they advertise as can not get in until december 13th. I am trying not to go crazy in dealing with my current situation. I am trying to ride the emotional roller coaster that has been my life for the last 7 months. I have just not gotten back to normal. I mean to where i dont get tired for days if I over extert myself. trying to lay low, it is just hard because mentally I want to go out and do things but then i just get soooooo tired afterwards. sleep doesnt help either. I have a baseline of fatigue right now. again searching for all the answers. maybe the real answer is just to not think about the answers. as always keep the rubberside down.

Friday, November 25, 2005

Buy nothing day

To all you consumers out there today is buy nothing day. check it out. So dont be buyin nothin today. also this may make ya laugh. just a reminder to yall. peaceful revolution. think peacful revolution. I am sounding a bit like a hippy lately. thanks to mom and dads upbringin in NOrthern VErmont on our own little slice of 30 acre heaven. Power to the peaceful. be alive. what else can I throw at ya. later

Rain is back

So I hope thanksgiving was not too overwhelming, and filling. think food coma. here is a list of the Top 10 things that sound dirty at thanksgiving but aren't:>
10. "Reach in and grab the giblets."
>>9. "Whew...that's one terrific spread!"
8. "I am in the mood for a little dark meat!"
7. "Tying the legs together will keep the inside moist."
6. "Talk about a HUGE breast!"
5. "And he forces his way into the end zone!"
4. "She's 5000 pounds fully inflated and it takes 15 men to hold her down."
3. "It's cool whip time!"
2. "If I don't unbutton my pants, I am going to burst!
and the number one thing....
1. "It must be broken 'cause when I push on the tip, nothing squirts out."
Got it in an email and just had to share.

Today I woke up feeling less than good. It seems I just can not get out from under this fatigue. it is a constant ebb and flow, good days followed by bad days for not apparent reason. Today the rain has returned with a vengence so I have been reading and playing on the net. Drinking tea, and coffee and dreaming of sun. It not really as bad as it is made out to be. So here is something I stumbled across, biomimicry, in short learning how nature does things and mimicing it. Taking the emphasis away from oil and gas and our relience on them. The book I am reading right now is here. it talks about sustainable building practices and the such, but it can be realted to all aspects of out lives. For me this illness has been a curse and a blessing. a curse in the sense it has taken me away from my passion racing and competing and finding my mental and physical limits. Blessing in the sense that it has forced me to search out other things to occupy my time and has pushed my mental limits more than any 24 hr race or endurance race ever has. Now this is not a pleasureable experience in the moment which I am currently in, but I feel looking back I will be able to see it as a great experience. that said I am hating it right now, i am so frustrated and feel so fucking weak and lost. It has been redefining, I am fighting it a bit and at times have the urge to just cave and walk away. But then again that is not who I am so I will continue to ask questions of myself and continue to define happiness, what it is and how to get it. I will continue to learn from this struggle as that is the time we learn the most, even though I dont always like it, or want to tackle all that it presents me with. It is quite a scary lonely place to be sometimes, as I appear at times to be complete and healthy it is underneath that I know I am not 100% that the true struggle is. Enough about that for now. Yin yang, another one of those fucking learning experiences. at times I feel I could have done with out this one. as always keep the rubber side down.

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

swobo is back

"ever since you started riding that singlespeed
your life has been on a path of self destruction" is what this shirt reads. I like it. however ever since I started riding a single speed my life has more been on a path of light. that is of course until the mono put me in the pain prison. now I have been on a different path, that of recovery and trying to find my place in this crazy world, doing something that makes a difference I hope. there is probably a "its in the journey, not the end result" quote but I think you get it. Speaking of direction, I once had my rays done, you have 12 etc, by my partners fathers wife, and it was noted that in one of the rays that denotes direction and life focus I am not very, get it. I float, i see too many options and dont know which one to take, they all seem good and bad. ying and yang. I will be more specific later. haha. get it. anyway. I have ideas it is just putting them in to plans and marching forward.
thats right, their back and open for business. I have a bunch of the old ones, can't wait to get my hands on some of the new ones. the t shirts are great too. check around the site, they got the right idea. organic cotten, merino wool, they are out to make a difference in the way they do business. think about it. what you buy or dont buy, makes a difference. support those that matter, those out for the world, the environment and ultimately we humans. as I have been saying for a while now we are on a slippery slope and we need to take notice. they think the same way. whats not to like. this blue looks sweet.
so today I start my new job. finally. the sun is shining so I am going to go ride around for a bit, sun in November in Seattle. I need to take advantage. even though I am feeling slugish and tired, rain will soon be here so I must take advantage, that and it gives me time to think. me time. we all need a little me time. as always keep the rubber side down.

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

two entries one day

well here I sit. having not had a tv in a long while, over two years, well I owned a tv only using it to view movies and the such, I have been sucked in to the void. Comcast provides my internet service and for two dollars, who is going to turn that down, more they include basic cable. this is truly the work of the establishment. tv = brainwash, sedative, mind numbing activity to pass the time which takes your mind off all those things you should be working to change. what can I say I was sucked in to the void, for a bit. only a couple emotional porn shows. ie those heart warming stories that bring us to tears about people overcoming odds to help animals, kids and those less fortunate. ok you're right I did watch a few shows that just satisfy a less human need. well lets just put that all behind us. tv is for the birds.
so my inner debate as of late has been about motivation. what motivates us as humans to do wht it is we do. this is of course a very general question. but what motivates people to rant and rave about gas prices but drive a hummer? what motivates people to drink to forget? to get closer? to relax? what happened to our society? what motivates us to consume? to rebel against consumption? to not recycle? to not reuse? why are we such a throw away society. when did we decide as a nation not to care? when did we decide that we were to small to make a difference? now I know that i am speaking in broad terms and there are a lot of people doing great things, but the consensus as a whole as of late has been one lacking compasion for our earth. it does matter. simplicity, consiousness and attention are the keys to the future. knowing this then why is it so hard for me to stay true to all of them 100%. do I lack fortitude? am I weak? organic is it really that hard to eat all organic? try it, see what you run in to. for one it certainly is, out of pocket more expensive. cant always find what you want. eat local. not as easy as it seems. or am i just thinking it should be more simple. I want to simplify, but then I want. I just want. things. things that may make a difference, but in the end they are just more things. hemp clothes, local clothes, bike parts, food, local food, well I am babbleing and running on at the mouth. it sure has been awhile since I have done that. sustainabilty has been a big thought in my mind lately, google it and see how much info you are inindated with. bio degradable bags, cradle to cradle instead of cradle to grave, which currently exists. how do we make it happen. peak oil is the peak now or way off in the future. watch end of suburbia to find out what some experts think. bio diversity is the answer to me. we all dont need to use the same fuel source, its to draining. forward thinking politicians. is the answer. maybe bush has been a blessing finally people have turned, maybe the door is opening for a new future. I am searching for answers in the crazy world that we live in. cars r coffins, untill you want to go sking or need to go somewhere 150 mile away and only have limited time. I guess it could be said that you dont need to go. we have been conditioned differently. I like to ski. is light or train the way to the hill in the future. or is there a future. what does it all hold for us? well being the consumer that i am there are two shirts that I want here and here. if you are still reading thanks. i promise there will be more, later.

so it been awhile....

yes it has, i have been busy, relatives in town and the such, no time now have to go plane some boards for my girlfriends stepfathers new house. Still, not working the new job starts soon, like tommarrow. usual construction delays, looks like seattle will have a great advocate, Kent has a new job and a new blog. awsome. I really need to catch up with him. see if there is anything I can do to help or even get involved. Kent lets try to hook up real soon. I am in need of some inspiration and your insightful advice on a few things. health is ok, still tired a lot, and only motivated to ride around town, not long distances. looking to start doing pilates again, and as usual the 200 crunchs and 120 pushups at least 5 days a week. Turkey day is just ahead. oh boy. well I have work to do. oh and I plan to work on a friends bike. yeah I'm not the most skilled but I can change tires and tubes and the more basic stuff. Congrats to kent. sounds like a great job. again as always keep the rubber side down.

Saturday, November 12, 2005

thinking of next year

I am in the process of thinkin of next year in terms of racing but also in terms of life and my commitment to living it. Thinks on the agendy for next year....
1. organic food, and learning to cook, right now I hate to eat at home, I suck in other words
2. pilates...I need to be more flexible, the core is ok, but the flexibility is a huge issue
3. even less driving...sell cars, get biodesiel for now
4. learn to sew... someone needs to make quality clothing with style and function other than Mr Fassbinder
5. commiment to reading and learning new ideas. we as humans must learn more each day so that we can make positive changes
6. Less alcohol...I have been enjoying lots lately.
7. do races that dont cost much and are more like rides. Maybe only one where I go in circles for hours. Not that I dont love 24 hr races but I like to ride as well.
8. Fixed off road a bit, at least seeing what it is all about.

For now that is the basic list, it will change, parts may be deleted, or added. think about it. We must be the change we want to see in the world, one of my favorite ghandi quotes. Breakfast calls. more later

Thursday, November 10, 2005

this will be quick...

yes that is what I tell all the ladies. and to boot it wont hurt I can assure you. Hope that got your attention. Well I have been in contact with the carfree city people and plan on volunteering my time with them doing as much research as I possible can. So I am in the process of changing jobs again. man can the service industry be transient. this is the first time in so many years that I have been in such and upheavel. well moving states will do that. so my girlfriend and I are going to start a green blog in the near future so that I can save the non bike realted/interconnected stuff for that blog and get back to the cycling side of things on this site. well the clouds have opened here and it looks to be a wet night ahead. i was planning on riding to near by woodenville and the Redhook brewery where a group meets to night ride, but then remembered that the point 83 guys have a ride tonight, and then remembered that I wanted to go see the premier of this. Wonder if mr Ross himself will be there. I sure would enjoy talking with him. So back to the car selling which has been taking more time than I would like it to, insert lost title here. I am certainly not the cleanest person so it took a long time to clean her up so she looks real purty. wink wink. well selling that will free up some cash and make this transition time easier. So I guess it wasnt as quick as I thought, is that a bad thing? so I am off to play in the rain and see a movie, wish me luck.

Friday, November 04, 2005

so much has been going on....

So since moving to Seattle I have been in constant motion trying to settle in to my new life, and still keep track of it all and write it down for all to view. Well as of late I have fallen a little short, and I am sad to say I have been super tired and fear that I am still confronting what ever this beast I have been dealing with still. I think I am on the mend and feel great, only to wake up the next day in a bad mood or worse to not want to get out of bed, so I go to the movie rental spot rent some movies and return to home and proceed to sit in bed eat and watch movies. Only leaving the house to go to and from work, by bike I am happy to say. I have been riding some but then the cumulative miles add up and my legs, body and soul lag a bit. So I fear this mono or overtraining or chronic fatigue is still attacking me, man I wish it would just end and I could go on feeling alive and enthusiastic about racing and life. I am excited by changes in my existence. I dont have to drive at all really. I can walk or ride to every where, and distant places with others not in a riding mood can be reached by bus, so it could be worse. The people here are friendly and it always seems easy to converse and find similarities to others in this environment. This I am also thankful for. So back to what has been up, I am again changing jobs I was so happy to be back at the Brewery, then it quickly fell apart the General Manager liked what I was doing, but then his opinion of me changed like the wind and he, being the side chooser that he was sided with the night manager and I had to leave, on my own accord I was the one that forced the situation, and I didnt get fired, but it sure is interesting the choices that were made there. The night manager, who I can not stand, he is a horrid bartender, insert doesnt talk to the customers, spends more time with his back to the crowd than anything, won and I lost so to speak. Well it is a blessing in disguise, so off I go to a new job. Two jobs in two months, i have never been so unstable in my adult life. Well if anything it is certainly a learning experience. So enough about my crazy life, or maybe it is just me who thinks it is crazy.
check out this chick. www.cityhippie.blogspot.com
or this Frybrid
or even this, for all you suv drivers who just must drive suv's now you can cancel out what your car does to the environment.
Now I must warn you I am one of those who have come to think that the biggest thing that all of us can do is to make it our own missions to be responsible for what it is we do and how it is we choose to live. I know it could be said that this is not the american way, and it is certainly not the easiest way to live, but the more people that are responsible with all their choices the more it will become the prevasive way of thinking and in short the minority with be the majority and all will be better. The environment is the biggest thing that we can work on saving right now, and in doing so the world becomes a better, happier more equetious place for one and all. We are at a crucial point in the balance of the world, and sure there are those of you who think that what one person does, doesnt really matter, and to a certain extent one person in a vacuum doesnt really do much, but the more people that make it their mission, the more the dream becomes a reality. I am a big proponent of personal responsiblity, and each day that I learn more, I become more frietened for our generations and the generations to come. What legacy do you want to leave? I want to leave one of hope, and prosperity, not destruciton, and death. So stand up and live the way you want the world to live, because not changing and beign complacent is making a statement as much as changing is. Not voting is voting. Not being an element of change is beign an element of destruction. maybe that is drastic, maybe not. Well I am off to change the world.
Oh yeah almost forgot. this is an organization that all of us should support, and promote. Think clean living in a most dynamic enviroment. Think progressive. I am going to keep plugging these guys and am planing on volunteering my time with them. We need to collect as much information as possible, so that funding can be procurded and the Car free city can become a reality. Please if you have heard nothing take the time to fill out the 5 minuete quesitonaire. I thank you in advance. Well now I am off to see Citizen Cope at the Tractor here in Seattle.

Friday, October 28, 2005

coker 36 inch wheeled bike

here is a link to the bike I am talking about. thanks to Kent Peterson, wow that man has all the information. Interesting ride to say the least. 28x20 gearing. crusier. Not much else to report. Just commuting by bike and loving it. rained last night and the fenders work like a charm. no grit ass for me.

speaking of Kent, I guess he and some folks rode out on the penninsula this past weekend, in the pouring rain and wind, sounds like fun, ha ha. Rain I better get used to it. again keep the rubber side down. and of course keep pedalin

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

one of the greatest things

This is one of the greatest things I have every seen. I have joked about doing it, but looks like it has been done. If you get it you will laugh. IF not think hanging cock, not choking chicken. enjoy

Here is another thing courtesy of the puma team out of nyc, some interesting fixed gear knowledge.

Gonterian turned me on to these guys in his 3030 show. Link it up from my tuner.

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

not raining

Well it is supposed to rain,or it was forcasted yet it is not happening. Yesterday I rode around the south side of Lake Washington. Not nearly as hilly as the north side of the lake. I rode with my friend Chris from work, he is obsessed with going as fast as possible. He would be even faster if he didnt smoke. What is it with fixed riders and smoking, I see it more than I care to admit. What is the attraction, not about the fitness but the asetetics. Yes I can t spell, never has been one of my strong points. So I put in about 50 miles yesterday, feel alright today, I never prepare right for these rides, I always forget to drink enough water, dont bring something to eat. You would think after all this time I would have it down, well on the mountain bike I always bring more food than necessary, but on the road I seem to forget these details. Details, Details, it is all about the details, they get you through the tough times. So I found some interesting Mountain bike sites, yes this post will be cycling related, directly. I have to get together with these guys, one of them is a singlespeeder who looks like he is in to the same things that I am. If you remember the ride Sloane and I went on in Captial Forest where we were mostly on motorcycle trails, well the above riders obviously know where the goods are, and they like to ride long distances, hunt around they have done some epics. So I emailed Monkey Mike Wellborn, to see when he plans to ride agian. Connections, trying to make as many as I can, that is the goal at least. Seeking out those with the most information and learning what I can. I am trying to figure out next year, what to do, fixed gear road rides/races, mountain rides/races, both, well I will start to figure it out here soon, got to get in to a routine though, I have just been hanging, waiting to get healthy for so long I am confused and not willing to be that way again so I am easing back in to everything. Ramble, babble thanks for listening.

Dejay Birtch took the overall at the Soul Ride. that rocks, power to those on the one gear front.

On the way home last night I came across the coolest bike, it had 36 inch wheels, I wish I had my camera with me so that I could have a picture for yawl to look at. From a distance I thought 29er so I was gonna talk to him no matter what, but then I rolled up on him and was like damn those are crazy, i gonna find out where he got it, he got it from a friend and didnt know where it was from. I gotta know. So I rode it around a bit, it was so cool, gearing, how do you gear for those big hoops. Well hopefully I will have a picture here soon. time to eat and go to work.

Sunday, October 23, 2005

just a quick one

so here I sit all broken hearted tried to shit but only farted. Aint that the truth. Tried to come up with a post but I am just not feeling it. here are a few things I looked at that made me think about the state of the world, and my personal situation. Wish it were more uplifting, but i am just not feeling it.

http://www.peakoil.com/
See the theme. what to do. how to proceed. I guess I just keep walking forward doing the best that I can. If you have the answers please let me know. check out gonterians new downtempo show, it is different than most of his stuff, I am diggin it. Keep up the exploration. Hopefully I have more to say tommarrow. I think I am going to take a ride and see where I end up, still trying to find all the good routes by bike through town. My blood pressure truely goes up just sitting in a car. My aversion to them and the congestion they cause is defining. think about it. Lets work for a car free city now, or at least do our part as cyclist and commute, ride and use the bike as a utility vehicle as much as humanly possible. No excuses, just start doing it.

Friday, October 21, 2005

it might just happen

So I am at home tonight surfing around the net, no tv for me, going over some of the sites I was told about last night, thank god I got a business card that directed me to this site. Aaron is the owner of this shop, I have yet to go to the shop but I think that he needs to be supported. His site has sooo much information one could get dizzy trying to take it all in. Utilitarian comes to mind. So I followed some links and came across this group, promoting a car free city, dense and urban in nature it sounds like. they are doing the legwork to get it to happen, what a dream. How awsome would that be a car free area, an entire city where there are no cars. What would it be like. Just imagine. Blissful. So please check it out. support it. It makes sense. think of all the logistics, I am very excited. Well tommarrow is a long day, work all day, pumpkin beer festival at the Elysian Brewery, then off to see Calexico and Iron and Wine. time to go night night.

last nights ride

Last night I had the pleasure of riding with the .83 crew. It all started at 7 I was told, at the West lake center. that is a loose approximation of when it actually did. After repairs were done, insults thrown, lights and tail lights handed out by Aaron, he was Santa clause yesterday, a messenger bag filled with lights oh boy. So we rolled out and took over the lane, I have never had the pleasure of riding in such a large group of people most on fixies and what can happen when there is a mass such as there was last night. It started with aproximatly 40 riders, amazing simple amazing. So the pace was casual up through Capital Hill and on to the U District to a park where PBRs and other beverages were consumed, jungle gyms were ridden the merry go round was spinning out of control. I was loosely organized chaos. Well then beers in hand, it was off to Lake City where the group thined a bit, hamburgers, fries and shakes were eaten. Skids and backward bike riding took place. Then it was up a brute of a climb. This group was now starting to ride cohesively. at one corner I had the pleasure of witnessing one of the greatest things that I ever have, bikes just taking over the turn lane at a light, a mass of cranks and pedals and helmets a real sea of bike. I was truely awsome. We ripped around over hill and over dale to a dive bar with a great beer list, the Mucky Duck where more beers where consumed and friends where made. I had the pleasure of overhearing this I i wont shorlty forget it. Prepare yourself for this one. " Yeah my wife shaved my neckline." you get the picture think caveman style. I wish i had a picture, I am sure some people are glad that I dont though. So I will be out on anther one of these rides when I have an open spot on my calender. Keep the rubber side down. and most of all keep pedaling.

Thursday, October 20, 2005

Bob Rollllllllll

I was just over surfing around on the excellent bikeblogs website and came across this. Bob Roll on the internet, with his own blog. Man what fun. The South Park stuff is funny. Good times, now I can get bob roll on a ongoing basis. I read his book and have always enjoyed his comentary, so it is great that now he can be access more often.
I know that as of late this blog has been less about cycling and more about the state of the world and I will get more back to the topic but in some ways cycling has opened my mind to other ways of thinking and is really interconnected to what I have been talking about. It is all a part of the journey. enjoy so heres another link to check out. advocacy and information they way the world changes.

tonights ride...

This is a picture of our dog Tanners project destruction of stuffed animal, thrown up stuffing. I had the pleasure of waking up to it. Thought I would share, cause I am just in the sharing mood. enjoy.
Well I have heard that a bunch of fixed riders get together for a ride every thursday night ride around the city at a moderate speed and do some drinking along the way. Sounds like a good time or a recipe for disaster. Well I finally have a thursday night off so here I go. Story to follow tommarrow. That is if I am conherent enough to post. I do have to work early 10 am so I will be smart. No need to worry mom. Ha ha. She is my number 1 fan. I think. ha ha. Much laughing here today.
In other news Saturday Elysian Brewery is having a pumpkin beer festival, a must in my mind. they are actually filling a pumpkin with beer and serving cask beer out of it. In my mind a must try if not just for the experience alone. I am not a huge flavored beer person, read I like IPA's, Stouts and the such, but how often would one get the chance to try all kind of different pumpkin ales in one place. Some examples being a Pumpkin Stout, a Pumkin lager, and on and on and on. Elysian themselves brewed 6 different beers for the occasion. Rumor has it the idea was hatched after a few beers one night, among brewers that could mean anything. So after that I am heading to see Calexico. Heard about these from my friend mark and think they are great. Oh yeah all day on Saturday I have to work at the Big Time during a local football game, gag. But the money should be good. The weather is supposed to hold out so I am planing on going riding in the mountains on Sunday. I am going to see if I can talk Sloane in to it.
I have been comuting still, we are readying one of the cars to sell, since we really only need one. I have been lengthening my rides to and from work to increase my endurance slowly, exploring the city and all it has to offer. I have a theory that Seattle isnt really a city, in the true sense of city, and it has been confirmed by most of the people that I talk to here. So I am looking forward to my ride this evening, with like minded individuals

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

moab

Just got a call from my friend Shawn, and he informed me that he pitted for our good buddy Mark McDaniels at Granny Gears Moab race. Man I wish I could have been there to partake in the desert delinquencey and debotchery. Looks like Sloane had some morning issues, no post on his blog and no word from the man as of yet. McDaniels did it for the experience he is not concerned with the bottom line of speed, just out for a good ride and a good time. His anecdote was: A beer in each hand
smile in between
feral men living a dream
That pretty much explains my man Mark. Heres to you mark, insert PBR's being hoisted high in the air.

So I am feeling better, riding more slowly, but not really forcing the issue right now as it is October after all and I dont need to be flying right now. I have some rides planned to see old friends and and maybe some new as well. I have met another member of the Randoneers Club, Eric, which Kent belongs to as well, who come in to have a beer with me every so often. He lives out on the islands, I hope we get ot ride together some time. Man was that ever a horrible crafted sentence, oh well.

I am thinking, dreaming of riding my bike for long, long distances, I have yet to really understand why, other than it gives me, me time and I can so why not. Plus it gives me lots of stories to tell, if anybody really cares to listen.

So I am a complete dumbass, forgot both my Fathers and my stepmothers birthdays, they are in October, on the 5th and the 12th, but I always think they are in August and it seems like this time of year there is always so much going on in my life that interupts my rythum and I lose track of the days and then one day I wake up and realize I have forgotten these really special people and I have to apologize and then feel like a dumbass, I guess better late than never, but how horrible of me, I even had presents ready for them. Next year I am going to get it. I am going to put up a big sign so that I wont forget. I love you both. thanks for everything.

Time to get taken for my daily walk, the dogs are getting restless.

Monday, October 17, 2005

Gonterians radio tuner

Gonterians radio tuner has been added to the site. I am stoked about this, now his shows can be accessed right from this site. Check it out in the side bar. all kind of great music to listen to. Rock out to Fix Radio. those of you unfimilar with him should turn on the music loud and read over his site, lots of good things. Gonterian you rock. thanks for the walk through, made it simple and easy, now if only I knew how to write my own code. later enjoy

blogger spam

I cant believe it there is really blogger spam out there. I have been getting wierd responses about being able to advertise from my blog. that is not what I want to do I want this to be my brain fart of sorts where I can put it down and get it out. I didnt realize it but I may have to put some blogger spam blockers in place.

The Corporation is a must see. If this movie doesnt wake you up and scare you I dont know what really will. To think what could be own as a commodity in the future and what already is owned, soon nothing will be safe. Corperations are treated as individual people, WTF with no one really being accountable for what the corperation does, or doesnt do. Corporations are, for profit and the bottom line. Nothing else matters. Earth, people, nothing but the almighty dollar. I was only able to soak up half the movie last night, i started to get enraged. I really wonder what the future will be like. will we make it or have we already made too many deals with the devil, so to speak, and now there really is not turning back. Will it be Road Warrior style? will it be fuedilistic, will we all just be owned by a corporation. Is money our god? Is that what matters. Again, the more I pay attention, the more I become aware the more I am enraged and scared at the same time. So many people just dont do what it takes, so many towns, cities just dont put a value on what mattters. I think technology is good in some ways but in other ways it creates larger issues and a real big side effect of that is laziness and the fact that we americans want it fast and now, impulse buys, and to think big business is using psycologists to make it even harder to say no. It takes so much disipline and at the same time so much flexibility to combat all the media messages. No tv is a great start, that really helped me change my view. ha not pun intended. back to technology, computers and email and cell phones serve for the most part good, and I like. But they also create another frontier and another plane for good and evil. They connect us and divide us at the same time. I think inventions should be evaluated on how well they connect people, and provide community. The internet definately connects people through email, while at the same time it allows people to dump on others with no real interation or need to respond. Wow how I got to this I am unsure.
Sorry for all you readers who just wanted bike realted stuff, I got sick and it made me have to think outside the cycling box, and this is what I have been thinking about. We drive hours in our cars poluting the world and call ourselves outdoor enthusiaists? Have you thought about that? Some of us even drive big SUV gas guzzlers, bitching about gas prices and how we deserve this and that, because we are Americans and it is our right. since when. I have to admit I drive to ride epic trails, but that is the only time, and I am in the process of looking for a desiel rig so that we can sell our cars and ride in style on veggie oil. We are thinking about all our steps, remodeling where item originate. At times it is soooo overwhelming and there are just so many things to be invloved with. what about people who eat organic and this and that, but drive suvs and dont think to walk or ride a bike, or carpool. it is a fine line. agian the bottom line for a lot of people seems to me the all mighty dollar. So I ramble on, I am not perfect I am not pure, I make mistakes I dont always do the right thing, I have been guilty of it all and I still do things that arent sustainable, i still consume, I am human after all, I am not some kind of god up here speaking from my high hill.
Gonterians tuner should be up on my blog soon, he rocks. I am listening to the 3030 show right now, man I would love to have a copy of this one, the luck winner must be happy.
So how I got to this all from blogger spam was uncertain, if you made it this far thanks, tell me what you think. Could you ride to the trailhead more often? Everyday make a small commitment to helping our planet be a sustainable better place that will last. one thing will make a difference, get people talking about it.
I am planing on takeing a sewing class, and a film class, I would love to make a single speed film kind of like this. I just got my free copy of Messenger and it rocks. Cant wait to see Off Road to Athens again, this time at home. Speaking of flicks I wonder how Fixed Impressions is coming along, cant wait to see it in full. I would love to get back to vt and do some riding with the Gonterian, listen to him spin and do some editing. Maybe next year. time to get ready to work. Still working on the t shrits they will be revealed soon. again Keep the rubber side down.

Sunday, October 16, 2005

diy fenders

Here is Kent puttiing the finishing touches on the fenders. It was great to hang out with the man himself. Kent is one hell of an interesting man. Inspiring. Using what it around to get the job done. Kent starting the project below. We knocked the fenders out, the brake took a little bit more time, but thanks so much kent, I am safer because of you.
Notice the wool. swobo to be exact, when will they return. soon i hope. And yes I know these pictures are in reverse order.
Well kent really made them, but other than a pair of Vulture socks they cost me nothing. Thanks kent. they rock. my behind has never been drier in wetter weather. So here are some pictures. other than that I am wondering what happen to Sloane at Moab. Cant wait to hang out when he gets back. Back to the fenders. they rock. Around Seattle people that know Kent, recognize these fenders, and there is an immediate connection. I like that. thanks again kent. People love them. I wish I had more detailed instrucitons but you can get on kents web page and he has a how to. All it takes is a colorplast sign. kent has tons of parts laying around so we put a front brake on my bike. I am no longer brakeless in Seattle. The rain and the hills won out, it just makes more sense to me. A bit safer. I really dont have a death wish no matter how often it may seem like that. thanks again kent the fenders are priceless.

riding in the rain

so now that I have some diy fenders it is not so bad. that and the fassbinder raingear and I am raging along for hours of fun. just have to find a shoe cover that works. pictures will be here soon. ideas many ideas. I am planning on taking a sewing class here soon so that I can begin to make my own clothing for both on and off the bike. I would really like to make clothing that can do both, and is still stylish and comfortable, that is a ways off though at first I would just like to learn how to sew.
Jason Walker was here we had fun, hope he is enjoying his weekend off.

casual observation, when one works in the service industry where your nights at work are very much like nights out, when you have a night off, you dont really feel like going out. jsut an observation.

Sunday will be spent reading. maybe a small ride, but that is doughtful. Probably tommarrow. keep the rubber side down.

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

thought on the state of the world

Well as I sit here I fear that we may have done it as a society, we may have really gone to far, with peak oil and our relience on it. What is wrong with us. At what point did we get so off track from what really matters, each other, people is what really matters. It seems to me that we feel more disconnected each day, we drift in and out of each others lives not really caring, not even taking the time to say hello. After all there are just so many people it would take too much energy and time to actually stay in touch. Think satire for the last comment. Is it that we feel so small and our individual efforts dont really matter so why bother? Remember the bumper sticker, "Never forget what a small group of concerned citizens can accomplish" or something along those lines. It may start small, but there are like minded people out there, and with the internet, one of the good inventions that has come from technology, we as a community can be more global and make things happen at an alarming rate. There are so many people out there taking a stand and making a statement doing so. To these people I say thank you for the inspiration. So back to the state of the world, check out this site lots of goodies to look over and what a great title, Oil is for sissies. Read it and think. He has a link to these guys, but they are really putting their words to actions, and the music is inspiring, although not on my typical playlist, I am starting to enjoy bands that have something real to say. They are also the producers of the Xtra cycle, which I would love to get.But truely look at the weather lately bigger storms more varitations in temperatures, more severity. There are earthquakes and floods, New Orleans and TExas, New Hampshire is underwater, 20 inches of snow in the mountains around Denver. WTF Our actions will not go unnoticed by mother nature. We all need to think about our choices, all of our choices have and effect, not thinking is in itself making a choice. For inaction there is action. yin yang all of that. So I challange all of us to make concious choices and think what the implication of each choice is. With increases in oil heating prices increases, food prices increase it is all connected. Most of you reading this site probably understand this, but a lot of people just dont get it. Choices matter, you may not seem a direct link immeditaly but down the road when enough people are on board you will see that it all mattered, and that you did have an effect on the global scheme of things.

I am reading a book called The Philosophy of Sustainable Design by Jason F Mclennan, it deals mostly with architecture but the greater message can be applied to the larger society. I read something that struck a nerve and really made me think what the implications of our situation really could be, and that we need to act now if we want to succeed as a society. Which means we must take in to our evaluation the effect we are having on the earth, on the soil, the air quality, recycling, waste treatment etc. I think you get it, everything is tied together and we need to include in our analysis of sucess or failure the natural resources that are being used and abused.
So here is the comment:
Imagine that we introduce a single bacterium (in a test tube) that will proceed to divide every minute. So at the begining, there's one cell, a minuete later ther is two....at 60 minuetes in this example, the test tube is full of bacteria and the food is gone. When was the test tube half full?.....59 minuetes. So at 58 minuetes, it was 25 percent full, at 57 minuetes, 12.5 percent full. At 55 minuetes the test tube was only 3 percent full.

If at 55 minuetes, some bacterial genius spoke up and said, I think we have a population problem, the less astute majority would probably retort, " what are you talking about? Ninety seven percent of the test tube is empty, and we've been around 55 minutes." At 59 minuetes though most bacteria would probably realize they were in trouble. Suppose they threw money at therir sicentists and begged for a solution. And suppose that in less than a minute those bacterial scientists created three test tube full of food! EVEryone would be saved right? Well no, at 60 minuetes, the first test tube would be full, at 61 minuetes the second would be full, at 63 seconds all four would be full."

So we need to act now, it matters. So I challange each and every one of you to make your next choice green. Take the time to consider the impacts of your choices. Thank you.

Sunday, October 09, 2005

check out this bar

Today I was at the Pioneer Organics Food Fair just down the street from my house and ran in to these two guys, and they have one hell of a good product, Paley Bar, and organic energy bar. That doesnt taste like date paste. With the right mixture of ingredients. The guy on the left is Vitaly Paley the creator and the other gentleman is Bob. He does all the packing, shipping, etc. At this point in time they are the only two involved in the whole production and distribution. Currenty the bars are avalible from their website and if you live in the Portland area which is where they are based out of you may have already heard of them. I plan to order a bunch soon. Bob is a cyclist and loves cross racing so we talked bikes among other things. He gave up on the road scene for the mud fests and says he couldnt be more happy. I wore my Car R Coffins sweatshirt, which was a dead giveaway and a good conversation starter. Here are they pioneers in tasty bars and look one of my stickers. Check em out and tell them who sent ya. Tommarrow I ride with kent and most of all I get some serious diy fenders for my steamroller. Over and out.

Friday, October 07, 2005

thoughts on this new life....

Today is one of those days, where I want to get up and be motivated and excited. Instead all I can think about is my new job and how much I just want to be in charge, in control, running the show, not playing second fiddle, not knowing more and being the one teaching the manager how to manage. Last night was slow so I was particularly critical, but the guy just isnt a bartender, he has zero personality, he is not friendly etc, well I digress I wont bore you with the conversation I am having with myself on that front. So I drank a little too much to ease the pain of it all, and am struggling for my motivation, that and I did a 50 mile fixie ride yesterday before work, worked a split shift, you get the point I over did it a bit, but then again moteration never has been my strong point.
So this new life of bike commuting, and being back at my old job, so I am the new old guy, know the regulars, my fitness due to trying to come back is lacking and it is a point of contention for me, like climbing hills knowing that my former self would not be struggling, but that my current self is, whezing and feeling every inch of whatever size hill it may be. I know it is bad to compare, because after all "it is what it is and it isnt what it isnt" so why bother worrying about anything, the plan is set. Wow I really am full of phrases this morning, there is a word for these little phrases but I am unsure what it is, help. So yesterday I did a ride around Lake Washington, chasing the roadies with all their gears and hanging in quiet well I think. I rode with another co worker Chris who is equally fasinated by riding fixed, we ended up getting rained on, not having fenders I truely was soaked. On monday Kent and I will make fenders out of colorplast and I will be prepared. So I commuted to work in Fassbinders gear after returning from my ride, I was overdressed, hit the deck once, nothing bad, and was struck by the fact that Chris rode the whole ride with toe clips and converse all stars, I wonder how his arches felt. That and the fact that he was ripping along and he smokes. I tried to convince him that he would be much better off if he didnt smoke, not only for bike riding but just in general.

So my new life is like a work in progress, I havent settled in enought to get any kind of routine, which I hate, I am a creature of habit, I want some routine, I am stretchin right now, and worried about paying the mortage etc. Wow I am starting to scare myself. So if you are still reading this thanks.

I cant wait for Kents book to come out. Dont forget to pick up a copy of Dirt Rag and read an exerp from it

I should have a link for Gonterian's radio show and he may have a way to download the shows soon. rockin.

Sock orders, please keep them coming. new email is onegearonemind@comcast.net thanks.

I should be making some shirts of my own shortly, if not I may do the cafe press thing.

My legs feel like shit, I have to walk a lot at work, need to use some better shoes or at least get the superfeet back in the shoes.

Danielles sister just gave birth to a baby girl, we were up a bit of the early morning with crazed updates from her mother. It always scares the shit out of me when the phone rings at that time, thank god everything is a ok. they had to race to the hospital, got in a cop car well you get why I didnt sleep so well.

Lastly I hope to get out and do some riding with the .83 clan. Looks like a lot of fun. Fixie rides almost every night. sweet.

Monday, October 03, 2005

connections, thoughts from a new land....

So here I am sitting, talking, emailing and doing all those things that I need to catch up on and wondering about connections and staying in contact with all those people that I have a connection with. Wondering what my old friends and family at the Lone Eagle are doing, yes it was a dysfunctional family, but it was my dysfunctional family. I learned so much from them and they got to watch me grow from a boy in to a man or at least a more mature boy. So Seattle is new and I am forming a new family, as we get older the world seems smaller, we run in to more people that think similarly and they know people that we knew, it just seems like home here in seattle already. I ran in to a guy the other day who prints tee shirts in his garage, asked questions and there you have it we are going to get together to make some shirts and stickers. Check out his art work here. he is not much of a cyclist and more of a skater, snowboarder, well I did both of those for years, he prints a zine etc. Cool guy. Seattle has so much to offer, it has a very small town feel in a big city enviroment, it doesnt really feel like a city. Except it has sooooo much to offer in the way of music, arts, community. Every area has all it needs, i.e. every area is its own self contained community. So far I like it here.

Another topic that has been on my mind as of late is sustainability, it seems to be a catch phrase for all things that emcompass a new way of thinking, about life, about community about the ways we live. About the footprint and the legacy that we as humans leave here on the planet. Recycling is good, but re usealble products are better. Bamboo, hemp and organic products that dont exploit the world. Do we really need all the choices that we have, good in one way bad in another. I hope I am making sense, this is after all a work in progress, this blog, this life. Think about limiting waste, about how much trash we produce and other ways we could handle it. I read an interesting fact the other day, for the first time since the gas crisis of 1973 bike sales outsold new car sales. which rocks, people are starting to see that life can be different. of course I cant find the web site again, but when I do I will site it so yall can see it. Other catch phrases that I have heard are fair trade, which means to me that the laborer and the product are not exploited in other countries, they are paid a fair market value for their goods. along with sustainable is the idea of consumerism or over consuming, do we really need all the shit that we seem to collect, simply put live simple. Easier said than done. but the seed the thought is a good place to start. So there will be more on this as i get more info and such. Think biodiesel, think vegatable oil, we could live differently, cars can run on hemp oil, bamboo, etc. it does exist and things can be different. Clothing, food, everything can be different. Check out this site. Dont think SUV and think SUB.

If you all ever get to Seattle and want to enjoy some great beer check out these places. Big Time Brewery, where I work, Elysian, and Maritime. They all get my seal of approval. Two of the ales at the big time just won awards at the Great American Beer festival. off i go. pedal pedal.

Sunday, October 02, 2005

Reestablishing my rythum

Well I feel as though in this transtion from one exitence to another is mind bending, and takes up all of my energy and time, and therefore I havent been emailing, blogging, calling, or in other ways communitcating with the outside world. I am trying to find balance and a schedule and things as simple as where the sugar is kept. Moving is one of those experiences that I am not a fan of, dont get me wrong now that I am here I am loving the change, I feel like I have more of a communtiy already. Again I am a creature of habit and repetition which I think most humans are, we are drawn to the familar, the comfortable, to feeling connected and grounded. Not to say that we dont like difference, but like the saying from the old show Cheers, and I am paraphrasing the intro. "you want to go where everybody knows your name." Aint it the truth. So in this move i missed Interbike, I have been trying to ride my mountain bike, but I have to say I havent ridden that much. Today I was supposed to ride with Sloane, sounded epic, but I started a new, old job and was there until 2:30 in the am. With two hours of driving to the trailhead and I wouldnt have gotten any sleep and I have been on a 9 day work stretch so there you have it. I have done so much and not sat down to take it all in. Like I said I am back at a new old job, 7 years ago I lived in Seattle, worked at a great Brewery called the Big Time Brewery, in the U district, well I am back there. Going back to a place where you used to work is truely like riding a bike, it all comes back quickly. I quit the STeakhouse, too much bullshit, and went to work in a much more laidback social environment, I actually enjoy going to work. So the commute is about the same, and I ride it every shift. A bunch of us that work there ride bikes and there is another fixie rider. Good times. I still have to hook up with the larger fixie population up here. There was a race on Vashon Island yesterday with camping and 15 miles of fixie racing, sorry I missed it. I plan to get out there and ride as soon as I can sure down what my schedule is going to be. Like I said in the begining this up heavel of roots is really drain, but exciting, it is very yin yang as I think life is prone to being, beautiful yet ugly, you get the idea.

Check out a exerp of Kents book in the current issue of Dirt RAG, Kent sorry for dropping out of existence here for awhile, I will get it all together and we will go do some riding. Hope Port Townsend is good today.

Check out Gonterians FIX radio, bunch of new shows to listen to. Gonter is there a way to download your shows yet? Sounds like the hike was great. www.deepseno.blogspot.com. Gonter anyway for me to link your shows to my site. Just a thought I had right now. Did you get the socks? What do ya think? Hinesburg should be great. The housing there is crazy, much like other college towns. Hinesburg means more driving, huh?

Boris, I will call you soon my friend. Lets talk next years E100. www.thee100.com

back to the world, I have been lost in a whirlwind, my own hurricane of sorts, pardon the pun, well I will get back to creating and more of a set schedule where things actually get accomplished. Keep pedaling. What is the report from the meeting of the endurance minds at interbike. what is in store for next year? Jeff let me know, that is if you can, or is it a secret?
Thanks for reading my mind dump. More dumps later. I will try to post every or every other day from here on out. Keep pedaling.

Thursday, September 29, 2005

does it get any better?

not to be overly political. ha ha
Official Announcement
The government today announced that it is changing its emblem from an Eagle to a CONDOM because it more accurately reflects the government's political stance. A condom allows for inflation, halts production, destroys the next generation, protects a bunch of pricks, and gives you a sense of security while you're actually being screwed.It just doesn't get more accurate than that!

Sunday, September 25, 2005

social security????????

My friend mark sent this to me. all I have to say is it is worth the quick read. that and it all makes too much sense in an ironic, very satrical way. The old the rich gettin richer and the rest of us pickin up the tab. here it is:
SOCIAL SECURITY:(This is worth reading. It is short and to the point.)Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions during election years.Our Senators and Congresswomen do not pay into Social Security and, of course, they do not collect from it.You see, Social Security benefits were not suitable for persons of their rare elevation in society.They felt they should have a special plan for themselves!

So, many years ago they voted in their own benefit plan. In more recent years, no congressperson has felt the need to change it. After all, it is a great plan.For all practical purposes their plan works like this:When they retire, they continue to draw the same pay until they die.

Except it may increase from time to time for cost of living adjustments..

For example, former Senator Byrd and Congressman White and their wives may expect to draw $7,800,000.00 (that's Seven Million, Eight-Hundred Thousand Dollars), with their wives drawing $275,000.00 during the last years of their lives.This is calculated on an average life span for each of those two Dignitaries. Younger Dignitaries who retire at an early age, will receive much more during the rest of their lives.Their cost for this excellent plan is $0.00. NADA....ZILCH....

This little perk they voted for themselves is free to them.

You and I pick up the tab for this plan. The funds for this fine retirement plan come directly from the General Funds;
"OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK"!>From our own Social Security Plan, which you and I pay (or have paid) into,-every payday until we retire (which amount is matched by our employer)-
we can expect to get an average of $1,000 per month after retirement.Or, in other words, we would have to collect our average of $1,000 monthly benefits for 68 years and one (1) month to equal Senator! Bill Bradley's! benefits!
Social Security could be very good if only one small change were made.That change would be to:

Jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan from under the Senators and Congressmen. Put them into the Social Security plan with the rest of us then sit back..... and watch how fast they would fix it.If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted and maybe good changes will evolve.

Something we should all seriously think about. it just aint right, it just aint right, it just aint right. it just aint right, it just aint right. This crosses political boundaries and should matter to everyone reguardless of who we support the right the left, the good the bad, the rich the poor, all of us who havent been in government, and they should also see the irony in this, of course they want this to stay, just imagine if that money stayed in the system maybe we wouldnt necessarily see Social Securitys demise. that is just obsene in my mind. Keep pedaling as it is the only way to stay sane in this day and age. I think better on the bike, clearer. Time to ride.

Saturday, September 24, 2005

finally back on line

Well I finally have an internet connection directly in to the house, before we were pirating others networks that were unsecured. I know not the best way, but hey you never know what signals are flying around in the air. Well its sure is glad to be back.

I am currently in training at a local steakhouse, interesting feel to it not to sure I will be there for long time, i am printing up my resume and inquiring about other avenues of employment. It just doesnt quite feel right, too uptight, no ability to let loose, I have yet to see how the clientel is, I am talking about a couple of the managers. two faced, stoic, I am sure you get the point, and to think I have only been there 3 days. Put it this way I have to memorize every ingredient in every sauce, and get quized on it, before I can get on the floor. That is just one of the 5 packets of information that I must know in the next week. Well enough about that.

Sloane and I went riding the other day. Fun, steep, rocky, twisty stuff. see some pics and read sloane write up here. http://s90235461.onlinehome.us/sloane/blog.html I will figure out how to send a hyperlink soon. I am still computer ilterate. those who want vulture socks let me know. REno clan, talk to amanda mcdaniels, she has quite a few pairs, looks like I sent her some extra ones. Bendors talk to wade, he has a bunch too. that way you can save on shipping. So that is my life.

One more short story about being creative in carrying items to work. I have to have pressed shirts, so I folded some cardboard in half and carefully folded the shirt in side, slid this in to my bag and off I went. I have to ride slower on the way to work, I arrived a sweaty mess. Not the best way to show up.

Made a connection with another fixer in the area, looks like they have a group ride on thursdays. Out of the westlake center. good times, I will have to hook up with them, more when I do.

Did I tell you they have really good beer up here?

Wish I was gonna be at Interbike, to meet up with all the enduro freaks. Check out www.jeffkerkove.blogspot.com to see the email a bunch of us riders recieved from him. over and out, time to go dirnk some black goodness.

Monday, September 19, 2005

What happens when.....

What happens when you take fat, been drinkin too much, used to the desert and the dessert out for a ride in the Washington Wilderness. Well to make a long story short, a sweaty happy man, who you occasionally have to wait for at the top of a climb. Sloane Anderson hatched this plan to go for a ride that he hadn't done in about for years, and he was pretty sure he remembered how to get there and that it was about 2 plus hours away, just over Stevens Pass. Well hearing this I was in. I learned awhile ago not to ever give a definate return time to my girlfriend so with that Sloane and I were off to explore, and explore we did, more in the car than on the bikes, he remembered the trail without fail. After exploring a few roads, laughing about not riding until late in the evening, and deliverence type hillbillys, we happened upon a forest service road that we started down and he knew it was the one. So a 2 hour drive to the trailhead was now at 3 1/2 but we were hot on the trail. With the day starting out as it had we loaded up with lights, we each had only handle bar lights, me only a Vega commuter light, and as much food as we could. Sloane I will never forget the banana placement, that lead to uncontrolable laughter. Just think totally different career choice full of terrible rythmic music.
So the trails were pretty awsome, we started with a fireroad climb, then a singletrack climb that was loose and steep, well lets just say I was forced to do a little hiking. Then rolling, twisting singletrack, then a long singletrack climb which I thought would be a good idea for me to lead so I push and dug deep, only had to walk one 100 foot section. I was sweating like a stuck pig, but I felt holding my own, especially when the terrian went downhill. The trails get a lot of motorcycle traffic so the berms are well established and totall railable? is that a word. So on like this it went, Sloane had remembered it taking about 2 1/2 to three hours, so we had lights like I said and we needed them, we Jedied? again is that a word? the last couple miles of the trail. I had a blast, we saw some other trails in the area that we would have explored, but we did not give ourselves the time to do so. We plan to go back, now that we know the way, camp overnight and do some real exploring and some longer riding. We ended up riding for just under two hours on the trail, with another 15 minuetes on the road to get back to the car. With all the dust on the trail, it was leg drainer, that and I am out of shape like I said before what happens when you take a guy who has spent more time in bed due to mono/overtraining than anywhere else out in to the wilderness for a ride. He has fun, huffs and puffs and sweats like a pig. Nuff said, sloane lets ride soon, I had a great time. thanks