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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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

Vulture Socks.....

Help support the small frame builder. thanks to all who have ordered. These babies rock. All cyclists love socks, add these to your collection. questions comments to npellman@hotmail.com thanks again. Today it is beautiful here in Seattle. Sloane and I are going to go rage on some of the trails up near Stevens Pass. More when I return, now I must prepare for my ass to be handed to me, over and over again. Water, and more coffee are in order until he gets here. More later. no time now. Remember support the little guy, in this world of corperations it is really a nice feeling to know and ride with the man building your bikes. Makes it more human, more connected. With Wade you are definatley more than just a customer. the man is passionate and meticulous. Plus if you order a bike, you always have a place to stay in bend and a group of really cool people to hang out with. Thats it for now, coffee, water good.

Garage sale thoughts and.....

I had to sit outside in my drive way today and play nice and attempt to sell all those things that we accumulate that end up just taking up space, trinkets, odds and ends, gifts new and old. I was struck by the fact that most people that come to these events are looking to spend no money and get a great deal, hummm you might say, but they will bicker over a dollar, they will try to talk you down from 15 dollars for a printer to 2 dollars. Some people seem to be casing you for other things, asking questions about my bikes and all the other boxes yet to be gone through. So here I am with 4 hrs of thoughts from watching random people stop by, some to chat others just seem to be passing the time, whatever the reason we ended up giving away more than we sold, but as far as I am concerned I didnt need it anyway and if someone else can use it, at least it is getting used and most of all I no longer have to house it. We are trying to simplfy a bit, I still have trouble getting rid of any cycling stuff, and am a pack rat at heart so every thing seems to have some sentimental value, but slowly but surely I will release my grip on the material and hang on to what really matters. Danielle just chimed in the biggest sale of the day was a old clock that we got at Cost Plus for 10 dollars, and two camp mattresses that we sold for 5 bucks each, well at least we organized the garage, my work area/hang out bike area is shaping up to be a really great place to hang out. We also paid for lunch with all of our sales. yeah for us.
So
s
So in amungst recycling our old in to anothers new I thought about some products that I really like. Below is a picture of the new wallet i bought, in some ways oh so eigthys, can you say velcro wallet, in other ways very modern,it is made out of scrap cordora left over from making messenger bags at ReLoad Bags here in Seattle. Apparently one of the semstress got the idea because she was sick of seeing the scraps go to waste. Now that is thinking. As you can see the one I picked out was camo, i just love all things camo, sticking to my Vermont roots one might be tempted to say, with the of so not Vermont pink bike. This one ran me about 24 bucks not cheap but they are supposed to be indestructable. They are still getting there website going so the best way to pick one up or just to see others is to google randL, or to check here, www.chikabird.com Another company that I really like is Hypnotic Designs www.hypnoticdesigns.com I have been using there knickers for quite some time and really like them, they are cut to just the perfect length, they are a small company out of northern california.
One product that I am dying to try is the xtracycle, www.xtracycle.com out of california as well and turn my bike in to an SUB (sport utility bike)
As always, Steve Fassbinder makes some great rain gear and is an amazing cyclist, his email is sfassbinder@hotmail.com he is fresh off a third place finish at the Global Championships in Denver, congrats to steve. I will try to get some pictures of his wares up on the web soon. Think street wear with bike functionality, and as always a little camo to boot, gotta stick with my roots ehhh!!!!
Support our commuity where you can, we cyclists need to support each other when ever and wherever possible. and now.........

watch out what happens when you play with glass, nine stiches, lots of blood, and how do you hold a handle bar with this. I rode trails two days later with a splint on. yikes. The upside was on my last night at work I got to hold my finger like this to whoever asked about it. Good times.

challenges

I rode around the last couple days on the Steamroller, Ihave her setup with a 49x18 for the road, I have taken some small juants off road, but the rolling terrain here in Seattle it is quite a challange. That is challange #1
Challange #2 is more traffic more obstacles, more stop and go equals more focus.
Challange #3 moved here to Seattle thinking that I had a job lined up thus making, cash flow not an issue, well to say the least they seem to be flaking in a major way, apparently a hand shake to some people is not a commitment or they can easily change their mind with no looking back. Well I hate to say it for them but I plan on getting an answer, and not just walking away by being ignored. Sometime I just need an answer, and think that people need to be more consious of the way they treat others. nuff said.
Challenge #4 Money. need I say more.
Challange #5 too much good beer, again need I say more. There are two things I really love in addition to cycling, coffee and beer. One might say I have found my nirvana? Is that the right use of the word.
Challenge #6 Trail access without driving my car. Might have to get over this one. I can ride to some trails, but the commute to them is quite lenghty. Seattle locals can you help. These are a list of a few of the major challanges that have been brought on by the move.

On a postive note I have been loving riding my bike around the city to check out different areas and to get my bearings. I have found that I get a better feel for a place by riding around. Today I am going to said business to get some answers, always one for some kind of closure/answer. And tommarrow I am going to see one of my favorite bands out of NYC. Madball. www.madballnyhc.com Check it out, be warned though. They have been around for quite sometime, even broke up for awhile. The Vulture, www.vulturecycles.com has a new post, the man is hoping to crack the top ten at the local cross race. From the sounds of it things are looking up business wise for him as well, and Rio his son rocks. Socks orders are rolling. remember questions comments to npellman@hotmail.com the new connection is about a week away. Stay tuned as I have some new ideas on the way. Be sure to check out www.bikeblogs.com lots of good links to all things bike realted.

I have some other things to post but this one is getting lengthy as all my posts lately have and I know attention spans are not always lengthy and if only I could write better. more to come thanks, keep pedaling.

what is it about fixed

What is it about fixed gears that is so intriging. Are they the next thing. I see more and more every where I go, chicks on fixed gears, commuters on fixes, what is it. In this world gone mad with technology and the next invention are more people seeing the benefits to living simple and connected. There is something very organic and simple about fixed. They are low maintence, low tech but at the same time require a high degree of skill and attention of the rider. These are not automatic machines, if you get to comfortable you are liable to get in to bad situation.

I have to thank 4 people who have inspired me in the fixed gear transformation. Gonterain, who lives in my home town of Burlington, VT, www.deepseno.blogspot.com be sure to check out his radio show while you are there. He is making a movie about fixed gear riders, be sure to check out the trailer while on the site as well. Matt Chester www.mattchester.com mandatory fixed gear reading. Wade the Vulture, watching him race the local bend cross race on a fixed gear was enough the conversation that night was icing on the cake. www.vulturecycles.com check it out. While hanging out with him he showed me pictures of the ti road fixie he just made, that was out of the world sexy, with an eccentric bb and all, hand polished, wow, was all I could say. When seeking inspiration this man Kent Peterson, is the man, home from the great divide on a single speed, and I would post a link, but they never seem to work, kent can you help me, he has done fixed gear touring etc, the man is a legend to me, or in the process of becoming one. So to all of you thanks you have been much inspiration.

I cant wait to get my new bike from wade, here shortly, and hit the mucky gooy Pac northwest trails in true style. I have taken the Steamroller off road a couple of times but with no front or rear brakes just my legs doing all the work, it is rather freaky, that and the road tires, slicks dont really grab the trails that well. So to say the least I am looking forward to my first true off road fixed gear ride on my new bike. I have been riding on the roads fixed except for a few digretions to gears, for the last year and a half.

In other news. This is day number 6 with out getting in to a car. yeah for me.

Ghandi once said.....

"There is more to life than increasing its speed."

aint that the truth. It rings true to me, I have consiously been ananlyzing my life and how I live it. Which has been a little disturbing but very healthy. Those faithful readers will know that i have had a lot of time on my hands as of late, not racing, not training, just hanging out.

I have always had a nervous energy, a driving force, and it has been a challange to slow down enough to "smell the roses". Being a fast moving hard headed driven man has had its value, but I have settled in to me more. what I am about to say is not some kind of drop out and dont succeed dont fly high, some kind of loser anthem. Life is a true balancing act between blur and lazy,between doing to much or trying to be too much and not being present and doing too little. To get back to the above comment life doesnt need to be a blur, we need to be aware, and present to be truely alive. If more of us were consious we would certainly be living in a different kind of society. I see the value, and benefits of living simple, leaving a smaller footprint, while at the same time doing those things that really make you shine, that make you heart happy. Oh fuck what kind of hippy I must sound like, it is not so much happy, hippy, peace love and the such it is more realistic, more it just makes sense to shop locally, drink locally, support the craftsman not the huge corportations, be aware of what you are buying and how it is produced. The effect it has on the world, on the community.

So here is what I have found by slowing down and being in the moment more, life actually picks up speed, ironic to say I know. In doing so at the same time it feels slower. ahhh. Is any of this making sense to anyone but me? ahhhhhhhhhh I spend more time thinking about what it all means, it has helped me define, to priortitize. Since I arrived in Seattle I have not driven or ridden in a car. oh how great it feels to not have to get in a car almost every day to go to and from work. Jumping subjects.... GAS is cheaper up here and along the way to here than Reno and california, WTF how can it very so much. I left REno and it was 3.15 I have not seen it above 2.89 here in Seattle. ironic. I talked with my mother and it was 3.30 in vermont. huh?

Ride on, ramble on, blog on.

there in....

There from Sock Guy, we went with 5 inch cuff wool socks and the old skool logo. We have s/m which will fit up to about a mens size 9 and l/xl for all you big feeted people out there. As you can see they look pretty sharp. They will run you 10 bucks a pair, plus shipping and handling. I will try to get a pay pal thing going, and a link from the Vulture cycles site, to streamline the process. For now just email me at npellman@hotmail.com and we will go through my paypal account for the time being until Wade and I get every thing under control.
Relaxing Vulture Style, you cant see the PBR but its there have no fear. Let me know what you all think. again the email is npellman@hotmail.com Since I just moved and am feeling better and better more blogging should happen. For the time being I am sharing a computer so it may take awhile for me to get back to you all. Have no fear the socks are here and ready for mass consumption. Look for them in a hood near you soon, Hopefully I will be at Interbike helping to spread the word. Rage on, pedal and just dont stop.

updates and random info

Well here I sit in the lovely city of Seattle, looking out my 3rd story window at a grey day, guess I should get ready for more. ha ha. I am excited about the change about doing new and different things and riding new and different trails. I have friends in the area, such as Sloane Anderson, I also have friends of friends that I will shortly be contacting to get shown around, and to get in to the local bike culture. Re Load www.reloadbags.com bags is here, sewing and creating great products, very artsy of all shapes and sizes. I have been enjoying time away from structure and using it to sample the local beer, of which I will never get around to drinking all of. I have a certain place in my heart for IPA's and tend to stay with what I know. The Maritime Brewery is just around the corner, those of you who know the Jolly Roger ale, that is them. Was that even a sentence? Whatever. I never said I was the most articulate. Is that not what this is all about, this meaning the blog, to blowout the random snot that accumulates in the head if we don't clear it. My blog may just become like a snot rocket of the mind, blown out sometimes landing on your shoulder some times by the wayside, take it or leave it that is what it is. getting back to what is going on. I have been feeling better, I acutally rode 60 miles yesterday on the fixed gear. Went out the REDmond to see my good friend Kent, he has gained the weight he lost and is looking as fresh as ever. I am thinking of joining him while he explores a route for the 400 miles of dirt traveling north to south along the cascades, he has used a computer program called Trips and trails I believe that has kind of maped out the route, but much exploration is needed to make sure that it really is doable. Back to the ride, felt pretty good, although today I am definatly feeling yesterdays effort, a litttle more coffee and rest was in order this morning.
The trip up here was a fun one, spent some time in Bend with Wade, who is a dedicated fixed rider at the moment, when I arrived he was racing the local cross race on his fixie and doing quite well. Later on he said he wanted to have a fixed gear bike club and call it "SHOOTING BLANKS BIKE CLUB". get it ha ha. look for it in the future. We ate pizza with his father, grandfather and girlfriend Jessica, and then continued the evening at the DEchutes Brewery, ending my night drinking the nectar of the gods that is called Black Butte Porter, on the cask. Good times. The next day we ate breakfast talked a little more and then I hit the road for SEattle. So you are all probably bored to death right now so I wont ramble on any more right now. Email shoud be sent to npellman@hotmail.com for the time being as the old address is gone and the new one not yet connected.
Although I must chime in one more time about the worlds which seem to be a bit of a joke, no tinker, not chambers, no kerkove,we know what happen there,what happened. Could it be that people really see it for what it is, a marketing ploy. Congrats to all the participated, Dejay was getting after it, and it sounds like it was quite a miserable time. Maybe all this sickness was a blessing in disquise, the weather at a lot of races has been less than stellar.
I must give a shout out to Rich Dillen for being the first single speeder to complete the trans Rockies, and he did it rigid, I wish i could have been there. and congrats to all at the sswc sounds like it was an amazing time, wish I could have been there as well. I still have a long life to live, and being sick has sucked beyond but in the same breath has been a blessing and a learning experience, life has a way of being cruel and kind at the same time. Pedal on my friend, pedal on.

I must chime in

I must chime in on the whole 24 hr worlds/jeff kerkove being banned etc. I had already decided after last years Worlds not to return for the following reasons:
1. the high entry fee
2. the hidden costs, for the gondola, for parking, for the awards ceremony, let me say that again Staurt charged for the awards ceremony. WTF
3. the lack of prizing, I got a participants medal and camel pack for second place in the SS category, again WTF
4. the timing, lack of overall results
5.Stuart and his lack of integrity, the man chose that forum to bash another company, I ask is this in the spirit of Mountain Biking?
6. Its lack of media coverage, in past years there was much more coverage. a sign of the times I think, that he had pissed so many people off that they were unwilling to give him support.
I am sure i forgot others but my point was I was not willing to part with my hard earned cash to support this guy. I think that all should read the post on MTBR's site and make there own opinion from the looks of it though most have and are. http://forums.mtbr.com/showthreadphp?t=121068 I predict the demise of the 24 HOA soon, and I would be willing to say the sport will be better because of it.
If you read the thread you will most certainly see what it is I saw that Jeff really said nothing mean or even in my opinion bad he just asked some questions and made some points, I believe that he could have said much more hurtful things had he wanted to, but he is a man of character and even after being banned did not attack 24 HOA at all, he took the high road, one that I fear stuart doesnt even know exists, he is such a snake and a money hungry dirt bag.

I wanted to wear a shirt that had a dollar sign over the word athletes with a big question mark after it and wear it to the awards last year at the worlds , anyone interested, if so let me know and I will get some printed up. Add to that last year half of the mens podium didnt show at the awards, mainly Tinker and Nat Ross, that to me speaks volumes, that and the fact that Nat is helping to put on the Kona Series, means he is not happy with the current situation.

So to Jeff I say thank you for having your integrity to all other racers I say read and make your decision, let your money do the talking, let promoters know that you support them by going to their races. I say it is about time that we rose up and let it be known how we feel. I admit he marketed the Worlds and it work we believed and showed up to race, however that is what it was a marketing tool for him to make money and then by making you qualify he doubled his money, remember it is really only a world class race if we the racers show up and make it that. So stand up and be heard I say, with the amount of other high quality promoters and races out there why give your money to this man?
take the bull by the horns and stand up for what you believe I say.

what you are about to see

I had two days off and I thought what better way to spend them than by seeing my long time friend Brady. A little history, brady and I were each others first real drinking partners in high school, we reminsed that it is amazing that we didnt get in more trouble, doing those things that teenagers are prone to do. Lots of hormones and no way to cope, mix in pent up agression and that is what we were. So we both survived and have moved slowly in to adulthood, but then again that is another story. He has settled on being a tattoo artist and in the last 4 years he has improved rapidly and is starting to make a name for himself. He currently lives in San Deigo and works at Funhouse Tatttoo. Check out Brady's site at www.inkademic.com
Back to the couple of days off, so I went down to get inked and see an old friend who I hadnt seen in quite some time. I brought a friend from work because he is also in to tattoos and was looking for a reason to get a new one. So we headed down on thursday and hooked up with Brady and company for some Italian food and good company. I will keep it short so as not to bore you. What you see below is work that brady put on my skin, a skull with mandatory flames and a crankarm sticking out of the top, from the angle in the picture it is hard to see the crankarm but it is there. On the pain scale this was not the worst I have endured that title goes to the sacred heart in the center of my chest, but close to the nipple on this one and around the neck it felt oh so great. I just love the way it feels today a couple of days later all scabed up and tight as hell. I am so stoked with this piece and with the quality of artwork that brady is put out and he is only getting better. I am so happy for him. Enjoy, what you see took in the 4 hr range and was almost constant, the man does not mess around. I imagine in the futrue I will be getting some more ink from brady.

me awaiting the pain, I look out of it but I am really just laughing at what is about to happen, as my friend Geoffrey said, before the crying starts. ha ha 

my new tattoo. 

the only tan lines that I have this summer, obviously you can tell I have not been spending to much time on the bike as if I had I would have a more traditional cyclists tan, very reminisent of the farmers tan. cheers to all whove got the tan I wish I had. 

updates

Well I have started to ride about 4 days a week real easy on the road, and with gears for the moment. yuck, but look at the good side at least I am on my bike. Wow and might i say I am out of shape, fat and slow. Good times, fitness will return eventually, I hope. No plans as of yet to race I am tossing around the idea of racing Moab, but am scared to commit to anything in case my body/mind go to shit again and I am forced to ride the couch some more. That said I would love to race moab on a team, just still weighing the options I would hate to dissapoint myself or the team.
Went to Seattle, saw some good music at a little Irish Pub down the street from the house, had a job interview, got a job. I plan to move in about two weeks. MOre to come later when life slows down a bit and I have time to put it all down on paper. I am packing up the house and all my belongings trying to squeze in the rides, and tie up all the loose ends and say my goodbyes, which I have never been good at so I will probably try to throw a littl shindig at the house and then shove off the next mornign. A big change is coming, especially in the weather, but the good part is I will be able to commute on my bike to work, no driving in nasty traffic for this kid, and there is always so much to do, so many things to see that I am really looking forward to the change. so that is all I have time for right now, as I said before more later. out

Moving...

Well I have not posted in awhile, I have been packing up my house, getting it ready to rent out, and moving my stuff to my house in Seattle. On thursday I am going up there for a couple of days to look in to jobs and the such.
Moving and packing is always so draining and tiring, I have to go through all my stuff, it is amazing to think that just a short 8 years ago, i was able to fit everything I own in to a 4 door Honda Civic, with room to spare. The amount of stuff that we as humans accumulate is just amazing. I gave away bags of old clothing, and other things that I did not even know I still owned. I am some what of a pack rat, so I still just could not part with somethings and items that are just too near and dear to me. So my girlfriend was here and we were a two man woman cleaning crew, she more than I as I still had to go in and make the money in the afternoon at the restaurant. Hence the long lag time in posts as I have been under the gun so to speak, and still needing my rest. I am getting better, but am still a long way from 100% this has been the longest time for me. I think that I over did it really badly, I was trying to race full time work 6 nights a week so that I could race and pay off a large sum of accumulated debt, which I promised myself I would do before I moved. I am a mere 3,000 dollars from the end of a very long dark tunnel of debt. In the last 16 months I have bought a computer, gotten new eyes(lasik), raced, traveled and are you ready for this, paid off 18,000 dollars worth of debt. I will be estatic when I am truly debt free. happy, happy, happy, me.
That said back to the moving and this idea that I have been pursuing, sustainablity, in my practices, it is not the easiest thing to do, fair trade, local, green as in good for the environment, I have been trying to purchase only hand crafted or fair trade crafted clothing, and eat organic and the such. I have been trying to find ways to leave a light foot print, more riding less driving etc. but as you can see it gets overwhelming and takes a lot of energy, but if I want the world to be different I must lead by example, and hope others take note as to what is going down and open up peoples minds to what is possible. If we racers rode our bikes more for utiltarian purposes there would be less cars on the road. think about it. If we support companies that make sense and are world friendly more options will be avalible. ie dont suppport business men that act like Stuart of Adrenalin, support those like the promoters of the 24 hrs of old pueblo. etc. I could go on, and I will in a later post, but right now I must get a quick power nap after Pilates and head on up to work. In Seattle I plan to only ride my bike and am looking in to getting one of these www.xtracycle.com . Cycling has changed my path in life and has shown me what determination and perseverence can bring in to ones life and the doors that it opens. Think positive, and be awake.

what to say....

I wish that I were at the Trans rockies right now, well there is always next year. I have been trying to ride, but whenever I go for a Mountain bike ride I end up maxed out, feeling under powered and then very tired the next day, so I will not ride dirt when I have to go to work. It is too much. I have been planning on moving to the Pacific Northwest soon and I am going up for a job interview next friday, I hope to get the job. It is waiting tables, but living there I will be able to commute to work on bike. I already have the rain gear courteusy of Dr Doom. So I will be a rain riding fool. I am ready for a change, that and living with my girlfriend again, it sure has been a while. So I am on the mend mentally and physically but I am so not willing to push it, I am going to take it slow to see what happens.
Kent Peterson is researching a route that runs north to south in Washington in hopes of racing it Divide style next summer. I cant wait to get the recon reports as to what it will entail. Right now I know that it will be in the four hundred mile range with a bit of climbing he thinks that the winner will do it in about 48 hrs or so. He is doing a four day recon ride exploration in a couple of weeks, when I know more I will pass it along. I am thinking of next season already and hoping that I am ready to attack it, I plan on racing about 4 to 6 or 7 events maybe more maybe less it all depends on where life takes me, and what Seattle entails. Fixed gear fun i am sure. Does anyone know where to get sugino rings smaller than 45 I am looking for a 42, is there such a thing? I dont know but the 49x18 gear I am running right now might hurt a bit if I have to climb a lot, great on the flats, but steep hills and the such I would like a little easier gear.
Vulture socks will be in in a couple of weeks, stay in touch as they will be bad, sockguy is really doing it up. Well that is what I have, I am trying to stay sane while I pack and deal with work, I am holding out well and getting stronger each day.
I emailed Heather Mosley, www.hmosley.blogspot.com she is and endurance nut who had a great season going until the dreaded mysterious mono hit and put her down for the count, she seems to be doing the same thing as I using the time to reevaluate diet and other things, she reminded me how much I hate stuart at the 24 hrs of Adrenalin, no one should do their events they wont refund or even credit her entry fee, plain fuck up. He is a money gready bastard who is only on the look out for himself and not the betterment of the sport, fuck the worlds we should all go global, www.sleeplessinthesaddleusa.com There is too much to say about the way he runs his business and what kind of snake he is. He is ruthless and things that we have to bend to him because he has the worlds, fuck that if enough people dont show it is not what it is advertising it is, so I ask of you dont go next year make plans to support the sport not the slime that he is. Run him in to the ground. Pay for the awards banquet what is that, his prizing just sucks. I could go on Please I beg of you let your sponsors know that you dont want him to succed and that you want to support those who support mountain bike and love the sport, not the money, there are enough events out there that his dont need to be attended. More later I have to walkd the dog and get to bed, I have a busy day ahead and then my girlfriend arrives so I need to take care of business, and be rested and ready to pack and get things squared away so that when the time comes i can move on up.

Restaurant blues

I havent really felt like posting much as of late. I should be resting and getting ready for the Trans Rockies with my friend Rich, awaiting the time of our lives. Instead I am here sleeping lots and dealing with rich or the pysudo rich or just those who are willing to put it all on credit cards at work. I work in Incline Village, NV or should I say income village, and most of the people I encounter on a nightly basis think that they are entitled to treat me like an animal, a slave, that they have one up on me, for that matter on the world. They order martinis with specific instructions as to how long it should be shaken, but not to much. Whatever the hot new gin, vodka what have you and why dont you have it. Then there are those that just dont care or know and they order Beefeater gin, I think there is a joke in there somewhere, rot gut, lighter fluid straight up and not chilled, good for the liver. My favorite, or should I say with a sarcastic laugh, our favorite customers are those from the Middle East, they come in and make there own menu, order platers of red onions, lettuce and tomatos with buckets of balsamic vinegar, olive oil and cheese on the side, don't forget the 10 odd whole lemons that they choke down with this and the large bowl of mushrooms. Then when they get the bill they wonder why it costs 50 dollars for said platter. The best thing I saw the other night was a said man with his buckle undone at the table because he had been stuffing so much food in that he had literally expanded. Thanks for the 10% dick.
When it is not the rich it is the less fortunate, those who have to be money consious and still want a view for them it is soup and salad and not to fast because we are here to celebrate a birthday. or one of my favortie Sunday night where the strange and stranger crawl out of the woodwork and land their spaceships in the parking lot, yes in fact you can valet it sir, i have driven quite a few today. Anyways sundays we should just sell Prime Rib and Chicken two of the less expensive entrees becasue that is what most of them want. "How is the Prime rib? "I oftern get asked to which I respond "it is Prime rib."
"well is it good"
" there are much better opitons, the prime rib is large, how hungry are you?"
I would never order Prime Rib while out at a nice restaurant, why because it is filled with fat and is not a high qualtiy meat. Anyways so there it is my life at work in a nut shell, I havent really even cracked the surface, but that is a mere snapshot of what I deal with. You can take the person out the trailer park, but not the trailer park out the person.

the torture device disgused as a sturdo reformer 

pilates perspective

For those of you who don't know what pilates is. Check here for a full history of it. www.pilates.com/history.html Basically it is active stretching, with resistence with a focus on breathing and core engagement. There are many different avenues, from mat classes to work on what is called a reformer, probably for the exact reason that it is designed to reform your body. I have now taken three private classes, and will soon be taking two to three hour classes a week in an attempt to gain flexibilty, which I think is a limiting factor in my cycling performance. I am also going to get a yoga ball and some thera bands? to do some strecthing here at home while I am in my down condition. I plan to continue these things even when I get healthy and am riding agian, variety is the spice of life, they say.
It is a stretch, pun intended, these are not exersises or movements that I am used to, but with the focus on core and whole body interaction I think that more cyclist should do this. I am so tight in my hip flexors and soaz? that it effects other things, maybe even breathing, and it certainly could add to the tension I feel at 3 am already.
I call the reformer a tourture device because that is exactly what it feels like, tourture. So check it out, not exactly what you thought a endurance freak like myself would be doing, but in a weakened and down condition I need to find a low impact way to stay in shape. If you think you have strong core and are in the shape of your life, this is the next step and may humble you a little, you will be ahead of most americans but those who have been doing this for a while even the 45 to 50 year old ladies will put you to shame. It is good, it keeps it all in perspective. So check it out.

Mono.....

being the person that I am, and wanting a definative answer I went to a different doctor, just to get a second opinion. I really am fascinated by doctors ability to be so sure, they dont always seem like they listen but they always give you a definative answer. I have been ill for quite some time now. Currently I am feeling better than I have. Back to doctors.... so he thought that what I was talking about sounded like mono... well I had the mono spot and that was negative... that can happen, i waited a long time to go to the doc in the first place... so he ran some really specific tests... igb and igg levels... confused the techs at the lab.... yesterday it was confirmed... mono it is. WTF.... I guess it pays to second guess some people.... mono is a virus so there is nothing that can be done... at least I have an answer to why...

Freedom from cars

this is a real quick one. Calling all cyclists to sign this petition to end our dependence on cars. Check it out at www.freedomfromcars.blogspot.com . I think that it orginated in the bike crazy town of Portland, where 5 of our cycling partners have lost there lives this summer already. Read it sign it, pass it on, that is how things work. Thanks. I sit here dreaming about riding and feeling 100% again. Passing on things like this eases the pain.

today is my moms birthday. happy birthday to you. I love you. A couple of months ago my mom called me up to discuss what she wanted for her birthday. She told me she wanted a sculpture or statue to commemorate her birthday. After the call I was filled with the WTF idea and unsure of how I was going to pull this off. After searching the internet and hitting a wall, nothing but very expensive stuff, devine intervention struck, dirt rag in the mail and their article on Skunk and his art over at www.80gritart.com. So emailed him and the rest is as they say, history. Thanks skunk 

So this is what Skunk sent me, as soon as I got this picutre the wheels started to turn. I came up with the idea that is very evident in the next picture. She made it clear that this sculpture need not mention that she is turning 60, well I just saw an oppotnity and took it