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Pumpapalooza: The NW Pump Track Championships

2010-05-16T14:54:00.000-07:00

I am throwing the NW Pump Track Championships in my backyard on June 12th, 2010.
1417 NW 103rd Circle, The Couv', 98685

Beer from New Belgium, Food and fun, Alleycat races, and neighborhood time trials.
Probable foot down, and possible Bike Polo.

And of course it all ends up with the NW Pump Track Championships......

Party starts at 2PM or when you get there. Track open for practice and fun all day, with the pump racing starting in the
late afternoon.

A group ride to the venue, led by yours truly, will leave Paul Bunyan at N. Denver and N. Interstate, at 1PM.
This meeting point will also have an optional Alleycat Race, which ends at the venue.

Also, some may choose to drive in order to bring a fun bike to ride on the Pump Track.
If you do drive, please park outside of the cul-de-sac, to leave room for random fun.....

In case some of you do not know what a pump track is all about, here is a video of my track being ridden.
The loop was not complete when this video was shot, so it will be a whole other level of fun by the time you get to ride it.
(For some reason the video doesn't look like it is here, but trust me and push the play button. It will work.)

A Complete Pump-able Loop!

2010-04-16T23:26:00.000-07:00

There is a moment of pride when you come to realize the dream.

I stared at and thought about my yard(too much). I looked at the slight elevation gain along one side, and knew keeping momentum was going to be tough. Then a glance down the long fence line opened my mind up a little.

A 11 foot piece of string confirmed my beliefs.

And then I just started digging at the base of the Fir tree.

While still lacking dirt, I worked up enough of a berm to complete the Super Loop, or Mini Loop, of my pump track.

It is only a little more than a third of the length of the track, but very fun to ride as is. At 14 seconds a lap so far, 3 laps is what I can pull off right now. It is not really shaped yet, so those 14 seconds should be narrowed down to 12 eventually.

I laid it out to be pump-able, then dug it out to be a puzzle. This means that it takes some work, which is how it should be.
Some of the bumps have had dirt added to the sides, making a bigger pump possible. I can now gain more speed than I can carry through the berms.

That means that when I make the berms twice as tall as they are now, it is going to be a slingshot. The kind of berms that the bike whizzes through, making that noise that Mark Weir makes when riding berms.
And when it is a slingshot, I can start adding jumps inline. I think I have made the right decision to wait to build it more jumpy when it is fully pump-able.

This week I am bringing in the dirt for the final berm. Ken in Salmon Creek has many piles of dirt and a tractor. Oh, and a dump truck.... this is good times. I will be able to add double the dirt to every berm.

Like a footprint on Tundra....

2010-03-12T10:26:00.001-08:00

And the rain, rain, rain came down, down, down, and Piglet started bailing..

So, just to make this totally clear.

Pump tracks and rain do not go together.

The rain does help in smoothing and hardening out the pump bumps and berms, but when you are still working on shaping it, all work tends to halt.

The huge Douglas fir that is the centerpiece of my pump track does leave quite a large "dry' area (as in drier) to work in, even during a down pour.

But more damage than good will be done when working in conditions as we have today.

So I am going to start on a new blogject (Yes,I just made up that word), "Pump The Planet".

I hope it will turn out to be a broad view of Pump Tracks and Momentum as I see it, and as others see it.

Tomorrow however leaves some promise for bringing in the dirt for the berms.
And the yard seem to be able to recover from the rain fairly quickly so far.

I do however have a back up plan to deal with drainage if and when needed.
Let's just hope I never have to explain it, which will mean I have to implement it...

Pump Track Update: Second week of digging

2010-03-08T11:38:00.000-08:00

I have continued work on my backyard pump track, even through the rain. The work paid off though, as the sun stayed around, and I got to dial in some sections.

For starters I added about 6 more pumps along the fence. This brings the total number of pump bumps along the fence line to 14.

At the end of all these bumps is going to be one big sweeper berm around a Cherry tree.

When done, it will be a twelve bump run to a slingshot berm, with a 16 or 17 pump run back to another big berm. This berm flows around another Cherry tree, and will roll slightly downhill. then back up hill over two pump bumps.

The berms are 22 foot radius, and should be more than hip high when done. I know they are going to be damn fast.

I have started doing runs at speed on the bumps, and have ended up smashing into the fence where the berm will whip you around. This tells me most of the spacing is right, and that I need to build the berm tall to keep the rider inside of it.

Some pump tracks, Ok, I will call it most, have small berms for many reasons.

Lack of dirt is one, but I feel the real culprit is the lack of speed.

If you don't have the proper flow, the berm will not be ridden high anyway.

I was also messing around with my trusty 11 foot length of twine, and found a way to make a mini loop. It seems when the whole track is laid out right, as in measured out, it just fits.

I now have put in a three way interchange, which may be only doable two ways each direction. Also there are a few random spots where you can make a directional change, or switch to another line in the same direction.

I have also been saving a line for when I get the track complete. If the speed works out like I think it will, I will have two different jump lines by the big Fir tree.

Variety is the spice of life, isn't it?

Also the new mini loop. A 5 foot gap between pump bumps fell within the constant radius of the berm near it. I filled this space with a berm section taller than the pump bumps on either side of it. Then I backfilled along the fence to make like a low dirt wall ride/ berm? over a pump bump.

Before I started committing to the berm and fence reality, it didn't seem like it was going to work out. Once I got my head past that, it became a faster, ridable line.

I got it pretty much right the first try. The fact that there are pumps there changes the line a little, as there are two small gaps in the berm where the pump lines run through.

The line is to jump sideways into the berm, then turn it fast and hold it steady. You whip around a bush that brushes your knuckles, then against the fence, then over the pump.

I have made the mini loop happen, though it was wet and not flowy yet.

The following are random pics of the yard. So far I am the only one to ride it.

Sure that won't last long.....

Pump Track Update

2010-03-05T12:37:00.000-08:00

Video #1 of the back yard pump track.

Due to the elevation gain, and the ground not being entirely dry yet, I am riding it in the first video the wrong way. once speed its able to be built up, riding it in the right directional will be a go.

This shows it run the right direction. The big berm that runs into this is not built yet, so I am riding in from the top. The track certainly has some flow to it already, and it is not even really shaped yet.

Pump Track Update...

2010-02-24T10:20:00.001-08:00

I have now successfully marked out the whole yard with dirt for the Pump Track.

While I have actually dug out more than half of the features, I still have 8 pump bumps and 2 full radius berms to build.

I am going to bring in some dirt for the berms I am certain, which is going to slow down the whole shaping process by weeks. Unless I get lucky and find someone to drop off dirt.

I am sitting here listening to "The Good Life".

Well it is Pandora, so I am sometimes listening to the Good Life.

the sun is out on a supposed to be rainy Wed., so I am going back out to the yard to dig.

Hoping to ride it on Saturday, if anyone wants to come out...

Fresh pics after lunch...

This is a 3 way split pump bump. There is an inside line with a little jump right next to the tree that runs out through a berm. A line down the middle which will have a double jump or tabletop, and a line to the right which will be fast and flowy, but rolling out right next to the fence.
The below few show the next section, with another three way possibility. the main line is over the top to the right, which will throw you around a downhill full sweeper berm. there is also a line down the middle that will jump you into a fast and furious short berm, and straight into a little booter right next to the fruit tree. There is also a change over to run the berm backwards here.

This next section is right after the big sweeper berm. this is going to pump you up a little rise and back inot the three way change over.

This looks like it could turn into a fun but dangerous section, as you flow the berm up against the tree, but at the end of it there is a pump that kicks you from one axis to another, then right into a pump bump.

Here the trail flows together with a jump into the next pump from the little downhill.

8 Pump bumps flow along this 125 foot section of fenceline, ending in another full sweeper berm bringing you right back around to the swingset again.

The day after.....

2010-02-23T09:20:00.003-08:00

It is Tuesday morning, and here I sit, not only watching 9 month old Charlie, but a constant drizzle outside as well.

Charlie is fussy, I am fussy, and so it appears is mother earth.

Yesterday I went out and dug a couple of more pump bumps along the fence. There are now a total of 8 bumps installed. if Charlie takes a long nap this afternoon I may be able to put in a few more due to the shade of the big Fir.

Just went outside and checked it out. The Douglas Fir really keeps a huge chunk of the track dry in the lighter rain.
I consider this a good sign for the future of the track. Or at least when it comes to waiting for the track to dry to ride it.

She just fell asleep, so I am going out to dig.

More pics later.

The day after.....

2010-02-23T09:20:00.001-08:00

Pump Track Update: Ground breaking, and first ride...

2010-02-22T10:29:00.000-08:00

So, I wake up Sunday morning feeling rough. The night before I played in a poker tournament for like 5 hours, finishing of course at the final table.

The plan for Sunday was to go Mt Biking at Post Canyon in Hood River. But when I got the call, and was told the car was full and I would be driving myself, I decided to go riding Monday morning instead. I mean, after all it is Sunday, and I am slowly playing Bike Polo again.

With a few hours to spare, I putz around in the garage for a while, finishing the work on the Redline 24" cruiser.

Still bored, so I finish the Schwinn SS 24" cruiser. it really needs a new rear wheel, but as I have the original wheel set, it means I need to rebuild around the hub. So that s gonna be a while. it rolls good, but the hop makes the braking feel funny.

This morning is dragging on too long, I should have slept in.

I recall saying fuck this, grabbing a shovel and a 11 foot length of twine, and heading into the backyard. I looked at the major obstacle in the yard, a huge Douglas Fir tree, and started envisioning berms around it.

Once I got the radius's laid out for a few berms, I realized that my original plan would not work.

I did however see a new line around the tree, and put the first pile on.

A hour later and I had a full berm up against one side of the tree, and a nice little booter on the other side of it.

I moved west from the booter, and built two pumps. This is a slight downhill, and heads towards the fenceline.

I put the dirt for a third westward pump in place, without shaping it. Ok, here we go.

Time for a test ride. Only problem is that I would have to test ride it backwards. A proper pump track is pumpable either direction, but mine will only be pumpable the right direction when it is done, as it goes up and down the slight hill.

There will be a line of 11 pump bumps south along the fence, which will build enough speed to jump right next to the tree and into a berm.

With rain on the way, I am going to spend this afternoon making pump bumps. By this evening I should be able to ride most of the fence line, maybe the tree, and the two berms.

If anyone wants to to dig and ride some, next weekend is going to be pretty nice...

If my first day digging is any measure, the track should be done within the month.

My kingdom for a dump truck....

2010-02-10T11:34:00.000-08:00

So, I have found quite a bit of dirt. it is not too close, but not too far.

I am still holding out for the dirt that can be dumped into a dump truck, then dumped once again in the backyard.

Step 1. Pile dirt.

Step 2.

Step 3. Profit.

As it is simply laid out above in 3 steps, I am virtually fully on top of step 1. While I have no in fact piled any dirt yet, I have located plenty of it.

Let me know if you have a dump truck. I do have the hookup on a dump trailer though..... Might just have to work.

Went to Home depot today for nails. So many different nails. Too many. I went for the shiny yellow labeled ones.

Luckily they were the framing nails, so it was a good choice.

I am building some ladders. First on is so far going to be 38 feet or so. Then probably drop two feet to another ladder.
The house is on a cul-de-sac, so I can set them up in the street or the yard. I am making them in sectional peices that screw together, and easily come apart to store. I don't want to be one of those people with one of those yards..........
So while at home depot I grabbed another 12' 2' x 4',. This matches the one I already have.

When I moved in the landlord was talking about getting rid of this pile of wood. Most of it was useable, and it had this creampuff 12 footer.

Didn't take long to talk him into leaving it.

Pump Post 3: Proper Spacing.

2010-02-09T11:09:00.000-08:00

If there is one thing I have learned about carving pumpable dirt, is that it is a lot like baking, only with shovels.

When baking, exact measurements are what does the trick.
The same is true for making a pump track.

I have spent some hours in Ryan's woods looking at the pumps, then scraping and reshaping the pumps.
Then once again looking at them for a while. Now, maybe a test ride. Oh, go back and move that bump 6 inches forward.
Look at it for a while. Scrape it again.

Now another test ride.
On and on it goes.

You may ask why, if it is like baking, do I have to continually shape and reshape the BOE pump track?

Because we did not start with proper measurements for the get go. The Berms Of Endearment was started as a loop off of another trail, therefore was not laid out as a pump track. We were following a line.

This line turned into a pump track that is really great. Fast, fun, smooth. Berm options, little jumps, 283 feet of fun in 10 seconds.

But the space between two of the berms is a bit long, and it throws the whole flow off. It is about 6 feet too long, which is half the space between pumps.

I have learned that 11 feet is the secret. 22 foot berms, which means a 11 foot constant radius, and pump bumps are 11 feet top to top.

Using this measurement from the get go on the new track will produce a flowy, fast track.
The 11 foot radius berms down on the farm are fast enough to pop you out of them, but this is because we do not have the tops of the berms high enough yet.

I have some helped lined up to move dirt into my yard, so making the berms tall should be no problem.
The real issue down on the farm was moving the dirt. Being older does not speed up the manual labor.

Back to my search for dirt.......

I am thinking a couple signs on telephone poles.
The key is to be responsible and take them down when you are done.
IMO.

Pump Track Post 2: The Master Plan

2010-02-05T09:36:00.000-08:00

So, I have measured the yard, and walked it out.

And this is the master plan.

I actually have more space than needed. That is a good thing as I will be able to adapt as I go.

As you can see the length of the yard is 150 feet, with the width being 85 on one side and 45 on the other.
It will be a long lap. At least twice as long as the "Berms Of Endearment" loop. Which has a lap time of around 10 seconds.

Yesterday I proccured shovels.

Today I search for dirt!!

If anyone out there has a source for good clean dirt let me know...

Soon, it is sunny outside.

My Kingdom for a Pump Track

2010-02-02T00:38:00.000-08:00

The title says it all. There is not much that I want more than to go into my backyard and ride my bike. Get in some training (though I recently wonder for what I might be actually training), get sweaty, and have some fun.

Well folks, that dream has arrived. This week I break ground on my own pump track, nestled in good ole Vancouver.

The yard is 150 ft. by 85 ft., by 42 ft. My preliminary walk through, conducted this afternoon, shows room for at least 9 full berms. 3 or 4 of these wood be on the 42 ft section, with a run of 80 to 100ft. of fast pumps towards the other side of the yard, where at least six more berms and many more pumps will whip you around.

The long stretch of berms will be multi directional, allowing for a full circuit of the back yard. I am guessing the pump track will be around 500ft long when done.

The digging?

Well, that starts any day now. Tomorrow I am putting together some agility stunts, long, thin rails couple feet up, teeters, and beggining my search for clean, fill dirt.

Because if there is one thing I have learned, it is that it is easier to dig up than to dig in.

But at least I do know how to earn my turns...

Come on by and dig a few.

Rollin' Retro...

2009-06-14T00:29:00.000-07:00

I traded for this old school 24. It is what they called a Schwinn super stock cruiser, or pro stock cruiser.

I immediately found some chrome GT cruiser bars at city bikes for 5 bucks. They are 30 inches wide!

They are great for cruising around town with the seat post up, but for riding trails it will be another deal. I do have some sweet gold anodized v bars I may set up with levers and grips to swap out. They will match the gold anodized spyder well.

I saw a set of sealed titanium hubs and spokes, 24"wheels, for sale 180 bucks. They are laced to narrower sun rims. I think the hubs are Nukeproofs. Very fast wheels if you ask me. I didn't buy them of course, but I want them.

This bike really rides well. I was riding it at the skate park this evening, nosing it over some hips, and it floated well even.

The wheelset is the original one. It has some cool red line cranks, but they need to be swapped out for some 3 pieces.

Hiatus revisited......

2009-04-09T14:11:00.000-07:00

I tend to, in life, disappear in strange ways, in even stranger descernable cycles, from things.

Hence the blog not having a new post since the snow days before Christmas.

But I have done many fun things, and have many fine pics to share.

My computer is almost ready to let me share them.

I need to get a hard drive, dump everything onto it, and reformat back to the old operating system.

I hope to have that handled soon, as it is heavily affecting photo editing possibilities.

For now, I will be posting some unedited.

I have great shots from the Oregon Bike Polo Championships.

Great Rickreal dirt riding footage.

More partying.

Witty commentary. Rambling memories. And more.

Snowssenger

2008-12-18T17:02:00.001-08:00

Scapoose

2008-12-17T12:36:00.000-08:00

While I agree that wood features should not be built, and no one else's private property should be damage by any on other than the owners, I must add the irony of them being so concerned about land that they are just eventually going to strip of trees and ruin through logging.

Go figure!

2+2=6?

Bike Moguls

2008-11-03T22:46:00.000-08:00

I was chatting with my friend online, and was trying to explain what a pump track is.

Once I had gotten it across, which didn't take very long, I sent her a link to a You Tube video.

She came back and said" Oh, like bike moguls!".

And I could do nothing but agree with her on that note.

So I have regained a slight fascination with the pump track principle. Ryan and I were talking about them some this evening, and I spent some time online watching videos and looking at plans.

Somewhere I have a pic of a pump track that is very huge, like a big horse corral. I think there must have around a hundred berms. I might be exaggerating, but when I find it you will be amazed to.

After working on some jumps and pump sections with Ryan in Rickreall, I will be ready to work on a little one here on the compound if all goes well.

Of course I would still have to talk my brother and sister into it.

I think the safest thing about the pump track on the compound would be that it is really fun, without really having jumps for the kids to get hurt on. And one could be made in an area smaller than 60' by 30'.

The future will tell.

Reminds me of playing pool with my brother in the 'Couv in the early 90's

2008-10-09T15:24:00.001-07:00

I was looking around on the big book, and came across this gem. $729 frame and fork...

Photo jacked, with love, from Bikehugger.com

When your 5 seconds of fame show you puking....

2008-10-08T00:30:00.000-07:00

I came across a video of last year's Rally of the Dead in Durango, Colorado.

I was thoroughly enjoying it, and then....

Part way into it, came a still of me puking.

So, it doesn't show my face, and it doesn't show the puke. But it is obviously my bike, and obviously my back. And obviously me puking. Actually turned out to be a big deal that I was the first one to puke if I remember correctly.

"If Dabby pukes in the woods, and no one is there to see it, does it make him faster?"

More Alpenrose pics

2008-10-07T19:35:00.000-07:00

Once again, some of these are a little blurry due to mositure, or a over used camera.
But blurry or not, they show the determination of those racing.

Slackjaw on the run up

Brian

The great Joel Metz

Timmy! Yeah, ummm, Timmmmy. racing with the A's on a fixed gear. I guess we all make a statement somehow, don't we?

Page. He won his class at the Rickreall Rampage.
I spoke with him and his girl for a while, they are very nice people.

Team Beer.
They gave me a hot dog that snapped like a knockwurst ( I love Gartner's too) and gave me props for my ability to spin like a MoFo.

Big Al's Ball!!!

2008-10-06T14:01:00.000-07:00

Before I post more Cross pics, I must let you know about an important event happening Friday, October 10th at 9:30.

I hear that Al has lost one of his little buddies to cancer recently. In about the same breathe I was told of a benefit for him featuring none other than "Moxy Love Crux", an old Portland messenger band. I recall seeing them play a number of times, one of them opening for Dick Dale. It is said that even Chris McDermott, legendary messenger himself, is flying in to play.

Also the Punk Group, and the Kenny Roger's Experience are playing.

It is Friday, Oct. 10 at 9:30. $13 dollars at the door.

This should prove to be an experience that no one should miss, and due to the fact that no large city can run properly without the hard work of the bike messenger, is your opportunity to give a little back to one of Portland's veteran ex- messengers.

Love them or hate them, we all need messengers.

And love them or hate them, all messengers want to keep their balls. I know I do.

I love Big Al, and I will be there for sure.

Will You?

Alpenrose Cyclo Cross

2008-10-05T23:04:00.000-07:00

I went to the Alpenrose CycloCross race today. I made the mistake of not racing. The weather turned out to be my favorite type to race in. Grey, gross, kinda cold, and dammed rainy. For some reason I excel when others are miserable. This has been proven in races past.

I did manage to snap a bunch of pictures. I have been using the same camera for a solid two years + now. It is a Sony DSCT-9.
Considering where it has been, what I have put it through, and the huge amount of pictures I have taken with it, it deserves a break.

So it appears to be giving itself one, by taking lesser quality shots now. This is not me complaining, as it is a fine piece of electronics, and I would buy another one in a heartbeat. But it is time to move on to a new camera somehow, and a DSLR at that.

If Sony would just send me a nice one, maybe for product review, that would be great......

Here are the pics. I apologize once more for the lower quality of some of them. Not to mention the fact that everything was getting fogged up by the weather.

This first one happens to be my favorite. I have heard a number of times that good ole Joel Metz was coming out of the woodwork and racing cyclocross again, after an 8 year hiatus. If only that bike would get painted and built he says.
Well, here it is......... What a sweet shot!

Drew on the run up.

The run up this year was considerably mellower than when I have raced at Alpenrose. My first time racing there was Single Speed on my polo bike (rear brake only) Of course it didn't hurt that that Polo bike was custom made by 3D in Durango, Co. for a great Mt. Biker. (no, I am not talking about myself, I think his name is Pat Bauer)

I placed like 9th or 10th that year, with Dr. Doom and Molly taking 1st and 2nd.

Dan "Chevil" on the run-up.

"Mustache" Milkshake on the run-up.

Too late to keep uploading, so I am going to download my body into the recliner and cease functioning much. The rest of the pics from Alpenrose, and many more from the Rickreall Rampage, will be up tomorrow.

C'YA!

Rickreall Rampage

2008-10-02T14:38:00.000-07:00

Here are some more pics from the Rickreall Rampage. I ran out of memory after the first few races, so I have no pics of the A's racing though.

I got to Rickreall on Wed. afternoon, and after a safety meeting or two, we got right to work.

We, as in Ryan and I, attacked the long list that Kenji (OBRA exec.) had given us for course improvements.

The Over-Under was in danger of being X'ed from the race entirely, so we boxed in the top a little, in order to make the platform bigger. Quite a bit of time was spent working on it that day, and the mental strain of it all made for more required safety meetings than ever before, and it seemed more beer for that matter.

We also fixed the run around in the woods, since it was decided that if a beginner woman couldn't make it over it, it needed work. This was quickly done with a 2' x 10" board.

The joy of the flat edged shovel was soon discovered, as Kenji had some crazy idea that we were going to flatten out the gopher mounds on both sides of the woods.

We came up with the alternative that involved making one mostly flat, single track line down both sides of the woods. If a person couldn't ride that, or wanted to pass, they had to get out into the shit (gopher fields).

Finally we got around to the ditch. The plan Tad had was to use an earlier line I had dug out. I am all for encouraging progression, and had made a line to air out of the ditch, and possibly bonk a telephone pole on the way by.

While walking down to it, carrying shovels, I turned to Ryan and asked why we were only using one little part of this big beautiful ditch? I think he responded with an "I don't know?"

So, we stopped right there and started digging. What developed were two more very fine spots to ride the ditch.

The winner of a race goes through the ditch. I think this is the "B" race.

In case you don't know, Ditch Style is part of our regular late night fun in Rickreall. The fun aspect of the ditch was discovered one night, under a full moon, when we were looking for the spot where Mace rode straight into it, breaking his collarbone. (One of three broken that weekend I think) Since that night this ditch has been exploited for fun purposes, and has caused many more injuries. It seems riding a ditch at night, without really lights even, is not so safe after all.

The race seemed to go off without a hitch. (Well, there was one big hitch that came up named Timothy Mason, but was dealt with expeditiously by R. Kelley)

I spent most of the time maintaining the Over Under, but it was worth it, especially when during the last couple of laps, Tony Kic bunny hopped the barrier and rode up the hill, barely dabbing at the top. he of course put his foot back in, and rolled down the other side.

It would be great to have another Obra Cross Race next year there, but I suspect we will just throw our own instead.

This will mean more stunts, more obstacles, more trails, more ditch style, more fun, and more beer

Hope to see you there. Photos to follow very soon.

Rickreall Rampage

2008-09-29T10:23:00.000-07:00

2008-09-22T11:04:00.000-07:00

This must be the dumbest bike ever, and someone is trying to sell it on Craigslist for $1100.

West Side '09 first look at the logo.

2008-09-09T10:06:00.000-07:00

Rob just sent me a look at the logo for the West Side Invite '09.

Should be a great time!

Polo Poster

2008-08-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

I found this on Fliker......

And then found pics of the actual Tourney itself.

Memories Found

2008-08-21T19:40:00.000-07:00

I have been going through my hard drives, looking at the masses of pictures I have taken.

This is another attempt at sharing them with you...

Take and eat.

Mace out back at the Ash Street Trailer Park.

Nichole and I at Disco and Matty's house.

Balls eye view of Snowlo, minus the snow, New Years Day.

Snowlo

Tattoo shot I took at polo one day.

Mace jumping the fire at the Rickreall open.

R.I.P. Kurt Vonnugut.

Cowboy is always happiest when he is beating someone with a bat.

Part of my hat collection.

A pic from the "Day of the Dead" MT. bike race in Colorado. We are going again this year, and I can't wait!

Me standing on the boat.

Disco.

Sunset on the Columbia.

Riding to the sailboat. We passed masses of cyclists on the way out. Some people are so slow.

A nice sunset shot of Spence on his boat. Spence, Disco, Mike and I went out on the river last week.

Another one.

Cloud shot in Utah on the way back from Colorado. Either Rev. Phil or I took this shot, can't remember which.

Random Pics

2008-08-20T01:13:00.001-07:00

I take a lot of Pictures. An extraordinary amount of them. Many I never look at, I just save them all. I am going to try to go through them more often, and share them here.

The forbidden MT. Biking Mecca, Camp Bonneville. This is basically right outside my door, 3,500 acres of trails through the woods.

Old cemetery by the Family Compound, and right next to Camp Bonneville.
On the way up to Silver Star MT., the highest point in the Couv.

Gotta love a messenger Duffle. Bailey Works...

Screw the Death Trolley (MAX). I'll ride the Hiawatha Line over the MAX anyday..

Twin Cities looking grand.

Blurry I know, but a shot of the inside of Cars are Coffins.

Tres Chic...

Autumn and I, oh, and beer.

Waiting...

Too many riders?
Stupor Bowl 2008

Le Mans start with 325 bikes..... Can you say chaotic?
My friend crashes on a icy bridge on the way to race in the Stupor Bowl, 2008.

I heard the noise, turned around and shot just in time. Sorry it is blurry.

Autumn on the way to Stupor Bowl.

Waiting for the start, Stupor Bowl.

Sharky, Westside '07
Accidental shot I kinda like...

Dr. Doom and John Bailey.

Peanut Gallery, Westside Invite '07

Footdown, Westside Invite '07, DR. Doom.

Doom again

Me, at Breakfast on the bridge.

Downtown.

The result of following Brady out into the night...

So happy...

This one speaks for itself.

Flowers, flowers, flowers.

Nichole pushed El Chupa Cowboy into the pool...

My favorite swimming hole...... Ask me and I will lead the way there.

Purple flower

Spence and Sandy on Tom, Dick, and Harry Mt.

Rickreal Open, Day 1. Thursday...

2008-07-31T00:02:00.000-07:00

This was not planned as the first day of the Rickreal Open. The main plan was to get over to Disco's house by late afternoon evening, barbecue with the families and relax. The get up around 9a.m. and ride down there.

Instead, I get a call from Disco around 1p.m. He tells me he is in a hotel room in Hermiston, drinking a bottle of wine and watching the Tour. I immediately realize that this changes the whole plan. Spence and Shelly are riding down with us, but are conveniently out of phone reach on the Rogue River. or at least on the way back.

What to do, what to do? I pretty much know instantly what I have to do, and call El Dupe to let him know I am on my way to Rickreal.

&amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/wa/vancouver/924535073"&amp;gt;07/31/2008 Route&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/find-ride/united-states/wa/vancouver"&amp;gt;Find more Bike Rides in Vancouver, Washington&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;

By 3p.m. I am leaving the compound by dirt trail, a nice downhill, then onto the country roads.
I needed to meet Mason downtown around 5, which is quite a ways from where I started. I crossed Vancouver fairly uneventfully, and fast. I was already growing concerned about ending my ride in the dark, but decided to press on regardless.

I got to Downtown Portland by 5:15, met him quickly, and then head off down the road again.
I didn't stop much after downtown.

I had a cup of coffee in Sherwood. I have been carrying around these little foil packs of organic espresso called "Black Gold", and finally decided to try one out. I hobbled into a Starbucks and pilfered (or asked for) some hot water, and made a nice Americano. This combined with a safety meeting made for smooth rolling.

I didn't stop again until I got to Newberg. This was only for cigarettes. The guy working there suggested maybe I get some water or something, but he obviously didn't understand the grasp of the situation at hand.

The sun is going down. I have no time for water, or anything else for that matter. It was Rickreal or Bust.

I drafted a truck all the way through and past Lafayette, as it was a full size but empty flat bed semi tractor trailer rig. He knew I was there, and this was a welcome pull at this stage of the game.

I flew through Mc Minnville, and hit a strong head wind North of Amity. This picture was taken while rolling out just South of Amity.

Sunset Self Portrait

I arrived at the farmer family Farm at around 10 p.m. Thursday night. There was great surprise when I walked into the house, as no one believed I would make it that night. Especially so far out.

The last 2 1/2 miles were the gravel of Farmer Rd. I can tell you this much, gravel, pitch (as in country oh my god it is dark!) dark, and front bags do not mix, and if it weren't for the still German made Continental Grand Prix's I am running, I never would have made it.

I woke up the next morning to find my rear tire flat. It held out that whole time.
I love Continentals!

More on The Rickreal Open to follow.....

Lilly rides her bike for the first time.

2008-07-21T18:14:00.000-07:00

And a mere two hours after removing the training wheels....

You can see by the shakiness of my one handed video shooting that the ground she is riding on is not very smooth at all. And my off kiester breathing technique is quite too apparent.

Random Pictures......Random Captions.

2008-07-14T17:39:00.000-07:00

Damage to R. Kelly, and to his front wheel from a recent midnight "Ditch Style" misson.
I believe it was a combination of two different wrecks

More Water Racing...
4th of July Water race

This is Sydney, my sister's dog. She was found on the streets of Battleground. I heard my sister picked her up, put her in the car. She said she stayed with her all day, and even went to a rehearsal for a play that night. Sydney has been around ever since. You could not ask for a better dog .
Jaxon runs around the bases, even though there is no game going on.
Lilly playing guitar hero.

This little deer was hanging out on the compound.

Beefa, Sophia, Sandy, and part of Spence's head.

Pulling another one out of the cage.

Beefa and "The Littlest Beefa" enjoy some Frisbee golf in Pier Park.

Captain Spence caught "Going Coconuts"

Monday afternoon ride

2008-07-08T13:12:00.000-07:00

07/08/2008 Route
Find more Bike Rides in Vancouver, Washington

Killer Combine in Rickreall. Is it safe even at Mud branch Farm?

2008-07-04T09:16:00.000-07:00

I am planning on riding my bike on down to Rickreall today sometime. I don't know if I will take this routing for sure, but here is the general idea.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/wa/vancouver/709205185"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;07/03/2008 Route to Mudbranch Farm, Rickreal Oregon&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br/&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/find-ride/united-states/wa/vancouver"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Find more Bike Rides in Vancouver, Washington&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;
So after checking out possible routing, I did what any normal person does before doing something and I googled it.

Not such a good idea, for I am now scared to death of going.

It appears a combine with a taste for flesh is running rampant in Rickreall. This machine is blamed for a fatality 5 years ago, and had not been moved since that day.

Until yesterday, when a boy and his father were moving it to be scrapped. It sounds like the boy was riding standing up in the cab, leaning against the windshield, when the window let loose, sending the boy into the churning blades below.

Can you say possessed combine? I knew you could.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2008/07/rickreall_boy_dies_in_farm_acc.html

Control

2008-06-25T01:53:00.000-07:00

I discovered the movie I have been waiting for, and didn't appear to be released on screen in the U.S. is out on DVD.

http://momentum.control.substance001.com/

I listen to Joy Division most every day.

The voice of Ian Curtis gives me goosebumps.

Bike Polo, June 22nd, 2008

2008-06-22T22:39:00.000-07:00

Today was a great day at Bike Polo, in Alberta Park, Portland, Oregon.
Much nicer than this day on the family compound:

The quality of play has somehow reached another level, with most games ending with scores only separated by one point. Even Tad showed up.

The following are the some of today's pictures:

Brian tries to get around Lucky.

Kinda fuzzy, but a low level wheel shot.

One more.

Slackjaw and the Ringer.

Slackjaw with the ball, while Ringer and Lucky wait for him to drop it.

Slackjaw running out of a crash.

Wheelie mark with the ball, while Brian and Ringer start to defend.

A score by Ringer. I remember this was a beautiful shot.

Jerry in the tree outside the Polo Haus. Can you tell he's from Battleground?

This is a very big moth I found hanging out on the compound;

Recent Ride

2008-04-13T22:20:00.000-07:00

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My recent ride through the hills of the 'Couv. Looks like a nice, mellow 31 mile ride, until you figure in the hills. Oh, and then the amazing downhill on Livingstone Mt. Road.

The pointless search for the fork less tarnished

2008-03-06T01:00:00.000-08:00

It came to me that a new fork was really the thing for the Fat Chance. I can't get one right now, but in a few months maybe.

I ended up on the White industries webpage, where I found some sweet carbon 29er' forks. Really nice, but no 1 inch steerer tubes.

I have been thinking of turning the Fat Chance into a 69'er. It really boils down to finding the right fork. I have a Kenesis 700c cyclo cross fork somewhere. I just don't know if it it will be wide enough for the knobby. I have been running a 1.9 in the rear due to the narrow chainstays, and not to mentioned the fact that they are shortened.

I then decided to go back and look for forks from certain bicycles of the same period.
It didn't take long before I was looking at forks from Bridgestone MB1's. There was of course the strange, double crown version. And the other fork used was the Ritchey Super Logic.

So I turn my head to the left, and look at my bike, and what do I see? A Ritchey Super Logic. Isn't that a bitch? I turns out that the fork I bought on a $25 dollar Cannondale mt bike is exactly the fork I should be running on this bike. It actually had weeds growing around the fork when I got it.

Of course I have long understood the quality of this item. I recognized it when I saw the bike in the weeds. And it was strange to have the internet remind me of just that fact.

I of course would love to have a Fat One fork, or a Tange Switchblade. Bontrager also has a decent looking for out there.

As for the 69'er fork? It will come to pass, and this could be the finest hour yet of the Ole Fat Chance. It will pop the geometry up just a bit, and put more momentum up front.

Joy.

Over The Shoulder

2008-03-03T14:20:00.000-08:00

After the frustration of Thursday's ride, I spent a small part of Saturday night working on the Fat Chance. I installed a Selle San Marco Rolls "Due " saddle, and went over the bike. There is virtually no clearance between the rear tire and the chain stay, so if the wheel goes out of true, which it always does, I need to re-true it to get it to clear. This of course would turn out to be the least of my worries as I headed out Sunday afternoon.
Over the Shoulder
Find more Bike Rides in Vancouver, Washington

Ward Rd. is right by my house, and a quick trek along the most dangerous stretch of road in Clark County put me at a right turn onto Davis Rd. I took Davis out to 112th avenue, and turned left for a couple of miles.

There is an old garage at the intersection of 112th avenue and Powell RD. I stopped here to refuel, drink, and sit in the sun before entering the trees just ahead. Powell is a fine ride, but preferably down, as the road from there just climbs and climbs. I stopped by the fire station and took my first pic of the day.

From here Rawson Rd. keeps climbing. Past the gun range, the fence of which is in the next pic.

From here one must continue on up, but will soon come to a rolling section of smooth asphalt. This was laid not too many years ago to replace the old gravel forest rd.

I came to the sign stating I was entering the Gifford Pinchot forest, and decided to make a safety stop. And what do I discover when coming to that stop?

My front brake bolt has rattled out entirely, and the brake is hanging in the wheel.

I ended up disabling the brake, and using one of my pump straps to attach it back onto the post.

This will hold well enough to get home, as long as I don't try to use the front brakes. The idea of this is not fun, as the hills I have chosen to descend are serious business.
The rolling hills along this stretch of Rawson Rd. are relaxing, with some long uphills, and nice downhill cruises.

It seemed like, after the braking incident, I was at the top in no time. I suppose it must have been victorious for everyone there, as there was shooting and hooting and hollerin' going on all around me. (Why do people feel they need to shoot at rocks? Or anything for that matter.)

A on board shot. I had just really hit the snow line here, but was rolling along so well I didn't want to stop.

Ironically, the no shooting sign seen here, right where the people were shooting....
I wanted to linger here longer, as much as I love gunfire. But the sun was going down, and so was I, as this Forest Road loomed before me.
This is Forest Road L1400. It is a combination of fun, hard packed dirt downhills, climbs, and mellow riding across a ridge.

It soon turns into L1000, then begins to drop quickly. My front brake being useless, my speeds were very quick, and my knuckles very white, as I flew past the junction of L1000 and Livingston RD. MY brakes howled as I turn at speed onto 53rd St. This is near the start of Bradford RD., that I had climbed on Thursday, and dropped down like a rock today.

In no time I was somehow on Fourth Plain Blvd, having missed my proper turn. It had taken me 2 1/2 hours to do the traverse, even with my small gear. Fully satisfied, I rode home, sat in a chair, and did not move for two hours or so.

These training rides up the hill are leading to a bigger, better goal. I have my sights set on a three county traverse, from East of Washougal to Moulton Falls, North of Battleground. Therte is still too much snow on the mt. to scout the trail routes yet, so I use Google Earth till the spring thaw.

Temptation explained, frustration refrained, success gained.

2008-03-02T18:42:00.001-08:00

I don't know how many of you know what this is we are looking at here. It is the greatest temptation in these parts, full of great fishing, hiking, mt. biking, and lots of wildlife.

This is a picture of the promised land, with an open gate. Camp Bonneville. Located kiddie corner to the family compound, it has always called to me. While I cannot comfirm nor deny the existence of sweet trails, hillclimbs, fire roads and stocked trout ponds, I can confirm that you should in no way enter Camp Bonneville.

Hence my issue when standing in front of a legitimately open gate. A fire road turns right a mere ten feet inside the gate, and I know it winds around the SE side of the camp, but sadly brings you back around to the center of camp, where the trouble lies.

I had ridden my Fat Chance single speed Mt. Bike out there, with the intention of turning back around and riding home. But just seeing that taunting open gate put a fire under my burner the likes of which I had not felt in a while. I turned south, with intent, for if I wasn't going to be allowed to ride through the camp, I would just damn well ride around it.
" This is Livingston cemetery just east of the main gate to Bonneville."

After relaxing at the cemetery for a few minutes, I headed around the south side of the camp, somewhat remembering the layout of the roads. I was planning to go up the side of Livingston Mt., but ended up taking an earlier turn, in my quest to hit the dirt roads as soon as possibly.

Bradford Rd., on the way out, has nice, steep climbs, which really tested my gear ratio, choice being one of course. The turn I took uphill contained even steeper climbs, as turned to gravel sooner than expected. I was on Haddock road, just below where it runs into Livingston, and had reached my turn around time. I had to be in town to meet my parents, as I was dogsitting for them this weekend. I could see the houses on top of Livingston Mt., which meant that the fire road across to Larch Mt. was just beyond today's reach.

I adjusted my brakes, and turned down hill, for a great, fast downhill experience. The ride back down Livingston and Bradford was exhilarating, and I was back in Hockinson in what seemed to be no time at all.

I went home and vowed to return in mere days, and conquering the shoulder of Larch and Silver Star Mts, circumnavigating the promised land of Camp Bonneville.

I

Temptation, then frustration.

2008-02-28T11:34:00.000-08:00

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Helmet law in Vancouver

2008-01-29T15:03:00.000-08:00

Here in Vancouver they are working on making the helmet law for bicycle mandatory for all ages.

On that note I present someone else's hard work.

Wooden BIke

2008-01-25T13:14:00.000-08:00

This came across the wire today. Check it out. Click on the title above to go to the link.

I shall note that he wisely decided at one point to steer away from a Direct Drive system (fixed), and constructed a ratchet for the rear wheel.

I doubt the wood chain would hold up to the forces of stopping the direct drive. He states it was so he wouldn't have to pedal down hills.....So funny, why would you want to coast down a hill when you can go faster still?

Tougher in Alaska

2008-01-22T16:34:00.000-08:00

It came across the messenger wire today that Kirk, a bike messenger from Alaska, is going to be on a TV show called "Tougher in Alaska". I have seen the ads for it, looks good.

Here is the nice, self humbling note from him about it:

Along with getting married I spent a good chunk of
last month dealing with an outfit called "Moore
Huntley Productions" they do stuff for the History
Channel. I'm not sure if I'll be on the show it's self
or just a web feature. The show is called "Tougher in
Alaska" here's the description I got from the producer
I dealt with.
"Everything is tougher in Alaska.  From the way people
earn a living, to how they bury their dead, making a
go in the far north requires the ability to adapt to
extreme conditions.  The series focuses on the way in
which life in Alaska is harder than anywhere else and
explores what it takes to survive there.  In a land
where severe weather, vast distances and rugged
terrain shape everything about life, man has a long
history of trying to overcome adversity, conquer the
land, and adapt to or simply survive the extreme
environment."
It should air sometime in March. Just for the record I
can think of a bunch of places where being a bike
messenger is tougher then Anchorage.
                       Kirk in AK.

Pictures

2008-01-19T16:50:00.000-08:00

The picture quality isn't so good on these first couple of shots, but the content is priceless.

I was preparing to leave the house to ride on Thursday around noon, and part way through dressing the snow started. By the time I was ready to go it was really coming down, and I had to add layers.

I headed out down the country road, big white flakes falling in front of me, "Mates of State" playing on my IPOD. There is not much I like more than riding through the country in the snow, no matter how cold it is.

After a few short miles, the snow tapered off, leaving me rolling through the crisp air.

As I passed along NE 99th St., I looked for a familiar site. There is a great blue heron that for years has appeared to live in one big field, so I tend to look for him.

Instead of just seeing the heron, I saw the scene below. I willl relay the content as the pic quality is bad (sorry)

The one pic shows a Snowy Egret (which I have never seen in that field before) with a coyote hunting about 20 feet away. To boot, my old friend the Heron was about 50 yards away, watching with interest it seemed.

This next one is of my niece Lilly Grace, and my nephew Jaxon at Christmas.

These were taken on a hike in Vancouver on the Tarbell Trail. This section is the logged out piece that is actually the finest riding on the whole trail. Due to the logging, it is not so accessible. And due to ignorance, people were riding their four wheeler's on the closed trail, ruining it for years to come. I did have the opportunity that day to run into the four wheelers and give them a piece of my mind though.

The 37 Minutes of Moab

2007-10-23T15:27:00.000-07:00

Bruce from Tuscon in Durango, at the top of the Hogsback downhill.
(Photo by The Republic of Doom!)

The lack of wireless in Colorado has not surprised me anymore than the quality of riding. It has left the outside world without a hint of what we have been up to, while the latter has left my lungs empty of air, with a huge grin on my face.

Our first riding destination on this trip of death was Moab, Utah, home of the famous Slickrock. (pics to come, my camera died, so no pics from me. I have gathered some togteher others took and will post them soon.)

We arrived in the evening, and dined at a place that sounded great, Eddie Mc Stiff's. Sounded exactly like Team Wreck material.

What a disappointment though. The service was lousy, the lettuce was watery, the beer 3.2, and the wireless was slow as crap.

After surviving the lows of dinner, we found a great campsite on the Colorado river. Rapids filled my ears as I drifted off to sleep. I think they must have popped early in the night, for I woke up hearing a large animal crossing the river right there.

I had not seen the river yet, and I was confused as to why a bear would be crossing it so late in season. I imagine hibernation would be right around now.

The reality of the situation was a little different. I realized my ears had popped, and was simply properly hearing the water flow. Safer, but I wanted to see wildlife too.

The morning brought great weather, fabulous views, and an opportunity to check out a local bike shop. The bike Ryan had brought for the Rev. turned out to have entirely broken front brakes, as in the press fit coming apart. Phil has never ridden off road before, and he needed the brakes. My alternative plan was to remove mine for his use, which would later turn out to be lucky not to happen, as the terrain I will be describing in future posts is outrageous.

We walked right into a shop called Slickrock cycles, in a town where the last thing I imagine would happen, happened.

A man asked if he could help me, and I held up the brake, and said I needed a vice. He actually pointed back to the shop, and walked away, pleasantly. I could have not been more impressed (up to this point in the trip) with the help, and the vice mashed the brake together nicely, forcing me to do the same to the now weaker other arm.

Coffee and pastries procured, we drove out to the famous Slickrock trail. Our schedule was tight, and we established a turn around time. The trail was smooth, fast, and fun, and Phil was really impressing me on his first Mt. bike ride ever.

We rode a total of 37 minutes that morning, an epic period of time. Back to the car, onto the road, and off to Durango, Colorado. The "Tour De Mort" stage of the "Ride of the Dead", was going off at 6 sharp, and it was going to take everything we had to make it on time.

Bikes, Bungees and Beer, Oh My!

2007-09-04T22:26:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning, I felt pretty bad. The combination of Stoli rocks and Mirror Pond is hard on my melon, and mornings are the worst. I drank a big cup of coffee, and watched some skateboarding on dvd.

I wanted to race at the velodrome, and in order to do this I was going to need to work the crap out of my system. The route I chose to the track took me through the NW hills and onto Skyline. Another cup of coffee at Sylvan, (cooled by ice cubes double tiny latte) so I could slam it, and it was down the big hill and over to Alpenrose.

I had brought my shoes, my pedals, and clothes to ride on the track, and felt real good when I got there. But, I was late, and they were already a few races in.
This gave me a perfect chance to just hang out and relax.....

The racing was great, with Zac and Sharky taking first and second in the main.

We started migrating to the park near the velodrome for an after party, at about 2 in the afternoon. About six of us played some impromptu Frisbee golf , then I got into a heated game of Frisbee 500 with Kelsey, Mess Man, and Luciano. There was mid air checking, and face masking. Me need beer.

Well, that put me in the great opportunity to try out the Beer Bungee. This one was well managed by Joel Metz, and lasted longer than most do. I took one run at it, and ended up sprawled out, with my fingers and toes ( I was barefoot) dug in. This left me crawling towards the beer.
A quick note here. It is very important, when doing this "Extreme Beer Reaching", is:

In no manner do you want to fail in getting the beer.

This drove to towards it, and as before, I took a minute, thought about it, then moved in.

That last reach for the beer, and it was mine. Joy.

I have quite a few pics of this I will be downloading soon, but for now watch these. It is video but from my point and shoot, so you know, not the finest.
Dr. Doom can show you how to manage the beer bungee here.
The best part is right at the end.

And another:

Leland on the way in.

I got a whole series of pictures of Casey taunting Velo. I hope I don't have to use them to protect myself in the future.

This

The before and after effect of these next two doesn't show the lunge, but the result of it.

This was taken at the Thunderdome under the Burnside bridge. I really like this shot.

West Side Invite 2007!

2007-09-04T13:50:00.001-07:00

Here I sit, Tuesday afternoon. It has been a while since I remember being so completely tired, aching, hurt, and heavily bruised, at the same time.

The 2007 WestSide Invite was a smashing success. We all met up on Thursday at Damien and Gary's pre-party, also known as the barbecue they have every other week. This was a good time. I had picked up some Mediterranean Lamb sausages for C. Murder (Big Chief Can Whoop Ass) and I. The Bear cooked a big slab of fish, which was enjoyed by all..

What it is with these slanty yards and parks in Portland? I spent the weekend on a slight angle, putting too much weight either on my ass, which has no padding, or into my toes, which due to poor circulation made my feet fall asleep.

I should have just carried around a lawn chair the whole time.

Friday night we went to the Ash Street for registration and drinking. The stoop was full of familiar faces, from as far as London, and as close as mere blocks away. Registration was on the back "patio", which is where I got these nice shots of Sharky and C. Murder.

I just got my camera back from Sony, and it is supposed to be fixed. They said I smashed the lens assembly, but also pointed out that it is very difficult to do this on my camera, as it is internal.
The pictures aren't coming out great right now, and I apologize for that. I took at least 250 during the last two polo games on Ryan's camera, some of which can be seen on The Team Wreck Blog.

The Friday Night Alleycat went off, thrown by "Alleycat Inc.". It had the potential to be a good race, and we had a Le Man's start from the stoop, to the parking lot across the street. It pretty much went bad from there.....

Off to the pump house by PSU, where the trick is to go to the bottom of the stairs where the clue is, then leave by the top of the stairs and down the hill. So, of course I did the exact opposite, with Lucky and someone else behind me. They must not have known the way if they followed me. Then it was over to Couch Park in the NW, for another quick stop, before flying across the Broadway bridge. The next stop was on Swan Island, and when I got across the bridge I could see the big pack. They had gone way past the turn and up the hill a ways, by the time I turned down interstate the right way. This was not the first time I had seen them, so I now knew I was in front of them by a bit, with two other riders visible in front of me. This turned out to be Dr. Doom and R. Kelly.
It was here my race went bad, within a shout of the finish. The Swan Island stop was silly, wonky, and not at the spot indicated really. We spent a lot of time there, as did most everyone.

It was then to the bluffs. I decided to go straight up the path I had come down during the Logan's Run race. This is steep, steep like pulling yourself up with trees barely. Then there are the sticker bushes. Bobbie folllowed me through, even after I had warned him it would suck. he is a trooper, and beat me to the top.
Leaving the bluffs, and to the going street bridge for the sign, which turned out to be a "Bike Trash" sticker, was gone. This was a bonus that could have helped me out, and I was bummed. I think someone pulled it down during the race, but who knows.

Over to Dee's house to have the manifest signed, and off to the Florida Room. It was during this stretch that I could see quite a ways ahead of me, and realized I could get DFL if I just slowed down, which is exactly what I did. Ryan even called mne to actually see if I was ok as I had not shown at the bar yet.

Into the bar, get a drink before going to turn in my manifest, and all appears well on the last place front when, out of nowhere, or twenty minutes later, the real DFL comes into the patio.
My glory is doused .........

R. Kelly of TEAM W.R.E.C.K. won, and of course there were prizes

There was fun, there was booze, there were tots. More tots than you can shake a stick at. I had mine with cheese melted on them, but sadly, the critical error of under cooking a order of tot's ordered crispy will never be good, no matter how much cheesy goodness is on top. This is by the way only the first time I have not enjoyed my tots there. Since they get so busy, I find this to be a positive way to look at it.

Hat's off to the Florida Room!!!

The Strip Club classic went off at ten, and the first stop was the Dancing Bear. Not a very exciting place at all, though I must admit that some of the talent there was very interesting, to say the least. After an hour at "The Bear", we rolled off to NW and "The Magic Garden", with a fun stop in Overlook Park added in.

The Garden was fun, and my old best friend Mike from Astoria met us there too. We were loaded, and tired, and decided as a group to roll by the stoop (of course), and the on to the playground known as "Union Jacks". This is where a total of about 50 of us drank and cavorted until closing.

Jesus De' Beefa

Tall Joe
Dr. Doom and product

Alor with the ball for a Seattle team.
Strolling in the park

Matt Case

Three from Seattle go at it

More of the same...

Instead of circling when you dab.....

Jason, Peter and MessMan

Jason ditches the bike quickly

The cage.

Mustache Ride Plus!

2007-08-28T20:31:00.000-07:00

Another fine week has passed, and here I sit, watching a movie about someone I was kinda fascinated with growing up, Howard Hughes, the D.B. Cooper of Hollywood.

Wed night polo was fabulous. I have this new stick, which Casey has dubbed "Wonder Boy".
It is made of Filbert wood that grows wild on Ryan's farm in Rickreall. The mallet head is some soft oak I think, and has worn in nicely.

It has developed this crazy bend to it, which makes it better to play with strangely. The Ringer bent it back, and basically said, "Try to play with that!"

I am the only one who really still uses the wood, and I don't have any plans to switch to the pipe.
I plan to spend some time soon searching through the woods for another piece. El Dupe has given me more already, as I break a lot of mallets.

Thursday I hung out at the Polo Haus, and helped work on the yard in preparation for the Saturday Fiasco. I instigated a project for The Ringer and I, and we were off.
Brian had found some bus seats somewhere. They were in great shape, so we proceeded to put legs on a set if them. What fun! Especially when the project gets completed all the way. (Check the front porch sound system. Could sound great but......)

Friday night I stayed home and watched some movies, in preparation for the long Saturday, and the Mustache Ride.

About ten, Beefa called me to go Frisbee golfing with he, Spence, and "The littlest Beefa". Oh and Sandy the dog.
This was something I could not pass up, and rolled out on my bike to meet them.
We, or I, drove us out to Pier Park, where we played 18 holes, with Eric and I tying it up, and Beefa being one stroke back.

I rolled home, and showered and shave before the afternoons festivities.

We met at Col. Summers Park at 4:00, where a rousing game of Bean Bag toss commenced.

I got a point, but to no avail, as Disco got no less than four points for the big win. Much drinking commenced, and eventually we headed off. But not far, 'cause right up Yamhill is Sunnyside School, where the four square commenced.

I don't think they realized what they had done, for we were within smelling distance of the lair of the El Chupa Cowboy. This dreaded creature, upon investigation was strangely downtown getting fitted for a suit. I wish I had been there for that.

Instead I was there to KICK ASS at Four Square.... The final game came down to Pen, Disco, R. Kelly, and I.

We played to like 11 points, and Ryan won. This was followed by him leaving for sandwiches, and yes, hold onto your hats folks, more beer.

We left rather quickly from the school, and rolled over to Laurelhirst Park for a good old fashioned, extreme three legged race.

Disco was my partner, and we royally sucked. I got some video of this event, but it sucks too.

It was about this time that I heard a woman to my right utter the words "We have three kegs of beer, and you guys should help us drink it" .

I told Ryan, who didn't believe me at all. Then it was backed up, and the game was on.
We hung out much longer than the predicted 20 minutes, and were never asked to leave.
This could be looked upon as a red letter event on that note.

Eventually even their beer was gone, and we rolled off. The free beer part of the mustache ride had canceled out everything but the U-lock horseshoes, and I forget who won that, but I do know once again Disco was a contender for the title.

It was off to the Polo Haus, where another keg of beer, and a small pool of wrestling jello waited. Some turntables were hooked up to my spare speakers, and off it went.

Maggie and Brian were the first contenders, jumping right in. They got gross , and rubbed up against virtually everyone when the dancing started.

I have a couple of great shots of Lucky and Will wrestling early also.

Much dancing, and a little yelling as Lucky threw his girlfriend Jennifer in, and she did not like it at all. And I really don't blame her a bit, as you will realize here that I got nowhere near the jello myself. Tom, having a moment...

I did have the great luck to be sitting next to Beefa when Will called him "Queen La Beefa".

Steve looked at me, and said we should kick his ass. and, having my wits about me , realized that I had a golden opportunity on my hands and yelled " Take it to the Jello!!!"

He stood up and started removing clothing, and then Will attacked him.
It was a surprising move, given what a hassle it is to wrestle Beefa at all, let alone antagonize him. It took a few minutes of rolling around, with Will kinda having the upper hand. But then, the mighty Beefa broke from his grasp, and got the upper hand. He wrapped his arms under Will's armpits, locked his fingers around his neck, and pushed him face first into the jello.

Having been fully declared the winner, he finally let go. To my great dismay, a few minutes later I watched them hose each other off in the yard, a image that was simply added to the many other horrible things I saw that day.

Kennichi

Soon after that I headed home, for we were meeting at ten in themorning to go MT. Biking in Scappoose, Oregon. This is private land I think one of the PUMP guys owns, and we like to ride there.

Ryan, Mary Lou, and I were "Rolling Retro" I on my Fat Chance, and he on his Independent Fabrications, and Mary Lou on Lucky's Klein.
Slackjaw was on a newer K2 bike. I thought they made skis and snowboards......

It was a great and tiring day, doing little but very fast loops through the woods.
Mary Lou and I were really charging some sections. He is a great rider, and together, just like when skateboarding, we pushed each other to go faster and faster, dropping Slackjaw and the old guy a lot of the time. But at least Ryan had a excuse, as he had the dog with him.

When the dog got tired, we used this as a good point to drive back into town, and luckily just in time to shower before running off to bike polo.

Having come from mt. biking on the very same bike I play polo on, my game could not have been better. And "Wonder Boy treated me right, guiding me and my Team mates to a couple of scrimmage wins, prepping for the big polo tourney this weekend.

After polo we went back to the house, and I spent some time whipping up some spag sauce, using tomatoes from the garden. I even impressed myself, my own worst critic, with the sauce that night.

I spent some time tonight working on my bikes for the big "West Side Invite" this weekend.

Though I am sure I will have a lot of fun, and maybe even do well in some races, I am really looking forward to the polo tourney. I believe it is my time to shine.

See you there, in the park!

Missed Connections

2007-08-21T17:25:00.000-07:00

I saw this Missed Connections posting on Craigslist today.

Being a hopeless romantic myself, I thought it was sweeter than my own Cherry Cobbler (which was pretty damn sweet)

biking on monroe - w4m

mystery boy, you ride past my house on monroe all the time. i usually see you as im sitting on the porch, enjoying summer's glow. everytime you pass by, you have the loveliest and uttermost casual demeanor about you. today you smiled at me and my heart beat like a loud drum.

Polo, oh what a cruel mistress!

2007-08-07T11:45:00.000-07:00

A picture like this, while blurry, says so much. I like the clashing of the mallets, while protecting the ball. The speed involved is evident in the blur, as well as the level of commitment, as shown through the angles.

A lot of my thoughts are consumed with bike polo. Well, that and skateboarding. You would think I concentrate on mt biking, flying through the trees.
But no, it is really polo and skating. That is what I think about when I go to bed at night. They are both highly addictive, adrenaline charged, bad for my body things to do. The horrific bruises are just now disappearing from the last time I went skateboarding, and a polo wreck just a week and a half ago left me flying over the handlebars, skidding across the tennis court on my chin.

I need a hypnotist, to get the thoughts of these destructive things out of my mind.
For now, some pics from Sunday polo.

Lucky picking it up.

Lucky again.

Ringer bringing it around.

Dave shoots. This shot definitely went in.

Passing.

Clusterfuck, with a wreck in the middle.

Ringer about to take on Sharky.

Eric sending it home.

Chakra rocking the skirt at polo.
More Polo.

What don't I do?

2007-07-28T22:47:00.000-07:00

If only he could! A guest post by Jaden and Keenan.

A simple briefing of things dabby can't do.

#1 make sense of anything
#2 fart correctly
#3 decide whether he likes the predator movie or not
#4 jump a truck
#5 drive
#6 win speed scrabble
#7 screw a lid on lemonade
#8 take a reasonable amount of ice cream
#9 answer simple questions
#10 keep track of personal items.

Dear Dabby,

2007-07-26T16:47:00.000-07:00

These are some questions asked of me, and the answer's I have for them.

They are from the PUMA site, but El Dupe liked them and said I should post them here also.

Do YOU have a question for Dear Dabby? Email him @ johnnyrocket29@yahoo.com

Dear Dabby,
I hear the Mercury is putting on an "alleycat". What's
your opinion on this?

Eagerly awaiting your reply,

A. Pretendager

A. Pretendager,

In reality, this situation is worse than it even
seems. Fat Tire, the brewer, who is better at jumping
on bandwagon's than brewing beer, is throwing a number
of these across the country, Portland's being one.

There are some things that should be left alone. For
very good reason.
When corporations, and local rags (not even good
ones at that) start putting their noses deep into the
stink, and arrange event's that are so far out of
their element as to be effectively foreign to them, it
is the local cycling population that pays.

We are dealing with a cyclist/police problem
right now here in our fine city. With a huge increase
in ridership, the profiling of our small band of
messengers by the Portland Police is a constant. Yes,
in our town, messengers are carrying the brunt of the
ignorance of the 'Fixster"

We have a messenger here who has received at least 13
ticket's this spring and summer, from the same two

officers.

These range from legitimate stop sign violations, to
unconstitutional interpretation of loosely worded
braking ordinances.
Racing an alleycat in this town has become a sketchy
enough proposition, where one stop sign on your fixed
gear can cost upwards of 500 dollars in fines, or
in Portland speak about two week's work.

Now I have been approached by many sources, asked to
write articles about alleycats, schedules and info
on future races, etc.
And, besides my crazy ramblings on my stupid blog
, I have refused
every single offer. Yes, even the one's that have
offered to pay.

To see a local rag, that has already done irreparable
damage to the glowing reputations of Axles of Evil
bike polo, and the messenger's that our city relies on
daily, throwing a alleycat sickens me thoroughly.
It will do nothing more than to draw negative
attention to the one little slice of underground pie
that we still have.

And, don't get me wrong, hundreds will show up.
There will be a police presence. I do not even think
that the Mercury knows a "city wide race" is
considered illegal street racing, no different than
racing two rice burner's up Burnside. I do know they
can't get a city wide race permit, and they have
advertised it as a "City Wide Race", terminology that
will get you fined.

I can only hope that this is the beginning of a big
bite on the ass of civilian alleycats. If we are
lucky, this wound will get infected and cause long
term pain, possibly followed by a shot in the cheek
with a long, thick needle.

On a final note, when these "big wigs" {I have met
some of the Mercury staff, and they are not small
framed} jump onto the bandwagon, the supports will
surely break, depositing them firmly on the ground,
and back at square one, where they belong.

Bringing it 'round the Turkey and into your living
room,
Dabby

Dear Dabby,
Imagine an alleycat where it's Kevin Bacon from
Quicksilver vs. Kevin Costner from American Flyers vs.
Dave from Breaking Away. Who would win and why?

Regards,

Velocinophile

Dear Velocinophile,

Now this is a question that should have been posed
many moons ago.

In formulating the answer, I believe that we need to
cover a few key points about each of these men.

First Kevin Bacon. Hmmmm Bacon. Let me start by
saying I love bacon. I hope that my love for the
crispy meat does not heavily influence my answer.
While he appeared to have some sort of street smarts
in the movie, the reality is this:

He really did not even come close to beating L.
Fishburne in the epic "battle royale" between good and
evil. Yes, I know that Lawrence was killed by the drug
dealer in the middle of the race. But before that he
totally had Bacon beat.

Costner.... God damned Costner. If we review even
just a couple of his highlighted roles we can plainly
see is is no winner, and no thinker.
He had an aneurism during "American Flyer's". They
never even showed him finishing a race. He didn't even
really play much in "Bull Durham", and what does a
catcher really do anyway. And well, in the "Postman"
he was basically just a con man, preying on the
willing hearts of other's. On a final note, I have
friends who played the Russian's in "Flyer's", and
gained a little insight into the man through them.

This brings me to Dave. The original "Cutter". In
this film we can plainly see the length's he went to,
just to make a difference for himself. Everything
about this young lad screamed winner. As much as he
whined and suffered throughout this long film,
including drafting a truck magically in his small,
front chainring, he never gave in. Dreams of winning,
dreams of college, and, shared with me, dreams of
Italy, and racing with the legends there.

There is absolutely no question as to who would win.
As much as we love to hate them, and hate to love
them, the difficulty of living life as a "Cutter" will
pull Dave through to the end of the alleycat, possibly
even finishing right behind your's truly,

Dabby McCrashalot

24 hours, not 24 hour's and 12 minutes.....

2007-07-20T15:26:00.000-07:00

So much going on here it is hard to write about it all, but I will try.

First off, the return of Dear Dabby. My buddies last year started an advice column, and told me I was answering questions that people sent in. I just kinda answer in a rambling , stream of conciousness sort of way, and do no editing. I leave that up to them. Let me know what you think, or better yet, send me a question. http://portlandmessenger.org/main.php?e=DearDabby&t=questions

Rickreall. Oh, the green, or brown, fields of Rickreall. the grass was cut, the orchards were free of nuts, but the house was full of them, as the 2007 Rickreall open went off without a hitch. Which is good, because we didn't have a trailer anyway.

Many groups rode down. Dee and Claire were there on thursday night, on the way to Yachat's to hang with Ann's parents.
I rode down with Mange and Beefa, at least to Newberg, were we had a little break down.
No, not mechanical, mental, as I guess mange's pace was too slow for Beefa, and he took it out on me. there was also some control issues, as Steve wanted us to blindly follow him across Oregon. When I confronted him about our route, he flipped out, and refused to tell me, leading me to believe he had no idea where he was going. And this turned out to be entirely true, as after he left us in Newberg, he became very lost.

Mange and I had a nice ride though, took the hilly way, through the gravel. We bitched and moaned, and arrived, after only one flat tire, an hour after Beefa.

People started rolling in from the countryside, and the revelry began. Friday night is generally a nicer, mellower evening, and this was the case again.
Ryan has a much more detailed account on his blog if your are interested.

I survived the 24 hour alleycat, with Gary as my partner, fairly intact. We were legitimately beaten by Hazel and Grizzlie Mike, who were illegitimately beaten by Drew and Lucky. They were 12 minutes late for the 24hour cutoff, and were disqualified. It was also well known that they had a team of people doing things for them, as well as research. I know I spent at least two hours, if not more, researching and answering questions for myself, taking away from precious riding time. I slept one mere hour by the way.

Not only is this a huge violation of the race rules, but also a violation of trust between racer's. A 2 man team is just that, 2 men. I recall a moment, a week later, sitting at the Alberta Street pub, when Drew stupidly announced that "this is Kate, and without her, we never would have won the 24 hour race!"

Strangely, I don't recall ever seeing her there........ Go figure!

They ended up getting the $666 dollars, but Karma will get them in the end. We can only hope.

What did I get for my efforts? A lackluster Pabst , which cost the loser's, I mean winner's, less than a dollar.

For now, I leave you with a few of the required pics from the 24 hours......

Time keeps on slippin' slippin'...into the future?

2007-07-02T12:35:00.000-07:00

As I sit here at Stumptown, thinking back on the whirlwind of events leading up to this relaxing monday, Tim Mason's corrupting voice is in my left ear, and Tear's for Fear's is in my right.

The hustle and bustle of Stumptown appears to have dropped to about half since the big price hike. For a people watcher such as me, this is like having the sit and lie ordinance enforced right in front of the box I own seasons ticket to.

This aside, I have been involved in alot of things recently, many of which it takes a while to write up.

Look for my run down of the 24 hour Alleycat Damien threw. It will be long I warn you, as the race itself was.

I have done a couple of other races, some Mt. Biking trips, much polo.

This just in.
A person behind me says he writes for Willamette Week, and is pressing flesh with Tim Mason. of course Mason is sucking it up, while I interjected this.

" Please make sure that when referring to a track or fixed gear bike, you never use the term "No Brakes".

I pointed out the this is just a lie, and the term no brakes has done more bad then good, by far...

Here are some random photo's, I may add captions.

But I may not.

More Pics

2007-06-12T11:02:00.000-07:00

Due to recent trauma in my personal life, my posts have been slipping.

Soon I will be back on track with more race stats, pics and recounts of parties and alleycats, mt. Biking, etc.
I have been doing a lot, just not writing about it yet...

But soon, I will be back...... For now, some recent pics

.....

2007-06-07T17:54:00.000-07:00

Data from the north.

2007-05-31T19:08:00.000-07:00

I pulled this off the 10-9 day website, to share with you here.

Some data those crazy canucks gathered. Appears they don't have much to do.

It also says this is based on 20,000 miles, which in my rough estimating, could be two to two and a half years of working.

NYC Messenger Video

2007-05-30T21:40:00.000-07:00

I just watched this, and thought it had some interesting aspects. I recommend you watch it too.

It brings to light how little information is actually collected on messengers (bike), and brings into question (once again, but better this time) whether or not the internet has actually affected messenger populations.

Look at these .........

2007-05-30T10:12:00.002-07:00

2007-05-25T11:25:00.000-07:00

I have been very , very busy here in town, and not updating my posts.

This having been said, and obvious, we can move on.

The word is that Brady was sighted in Northern California, outside of Eureka. Not by anyone we know, but by random people in towns. I heard Fox was there, and was told that Brady had already ridden through.

So, instead of being lost in some manner like was thought, he has been ahead of the PDX to SF NACCC Ride Out 2007.
This is one of the scenario's I had thought of, in regards to what had happened to Brady. They say one the first night, he rolled 20 miles farther than everyone else, and camped alone. Then was never caught up to again.

We had a great weekend on the Mt. Friday night in Hood River at Mace's house, then the ride out to Lolo Pass, on the west side.

Once again, I was driving the sag wagon, not being allowed to ride much yet. I had great timing, coming up on them at the steepest part of the climb, again with cold beers. we hung out for a few minutes, the decided to meet at the top of Lolo Pass, which is actually on the shoulder of Cathedral Ridge.

This would have been a very nice area to relax for a while, before the ten mile downhill to Welche's and Mace's cabin, our final destination.

I drove on ahead, and there was a sign that said "Road Closed". So, of course I drove up the road, to see what was going on.

A large landslide was blocking it, something the Audi would not be crossing today. After taking a few pics, I drove back down the hill to show them what was ahead. It would be possible for them to carry their bikes over it and continue on, but I was going to have to find another way.

I went down the hill aways to road 1810, and turned to cross the river. Up and over the hill I would go to the other side of Lolo Pass. it is after all a German car basically designed to go right where I was, so why not?

Right near the top of the fireroad, there was another landslide. Though much smaller, it would take a lifted truck to make it, so I turned around again.

Down to the main road, which was nothing more than barely one lane. I drove lower, and up the next road, #16.
All the way across a lower shoulder of Mt. Hood, and over to cross the Hood River at Parkdale. I actually had to drive under a couple of trees, one of which was barely high enough, as I could have grabbed it through the sunroof.

It was a long little road, and took me directly to the footings of the bridge. I say the footings, because it was all that was left of the bridge. having been foiled for the third time, i was not giving up, and turned right down a firelane that ran along the river. the gate was open at my end, but after 20 minutes, I came across a locked one, right before another bridge across the river.

Even though I had a better map, I just contined using this lackluster one they gave me at a gas station. I turned right off the river road, and into the hills, using the reference of the hill I had already crossed to the left, i wound my way across on a selection of dirt roads. After about an hour used up to cross back over to the original one lane Lolo Pass road, I hit the pedal to the metal as it may be, and found the Hood River Highway.

I got back to the cabin a full two hours after they did on their bike ride.

Oh Where Oh Where Has Our Brady Gone...

2007-05-18T16:11:00.000-07:00

So, it has been 5 days since the NACCC crew rolled out of Rickreall... and no one has heard from Brady...

Not his family... Not any of us here..... Not anyone on the road he was supposed to be riding with.......

So, the big question is "Where is Brady?"

I am quite certain he is rolling along, on the way to San Francisco somewhere.....

I have decided to display some of my favorite Brady pics, to refresh your memory of what he loooks like...

Sharky leaves tommorrow on his track bike... Some sort of rescue reconnasince misson, or not.........

Fixed Geared, Grass Flat Track Series Week 2 is in the bag...

2007-05-18T00:10:00.000-07:00

Wed night we met up at 7 PM at Amnesia on N. Mississippi, for Chevil's Grass Flat Track Racing. We had some beer's there, and waited to group and move out to tonight's secret location, the school just on the other side of the Going gorge.

This turns out to be right next to the first place I was shot at.... Didn't used to be a neighborhood you just hung out in...

We set up some sticks with cups on them, (as it turns out, the flat track series is already devolving more than it is evolving,)
And Dan did some yelling... he had goood reaspn to yell, 'cause we had racing to do.

I think Slackjaw was jealous that Dan got to yell so much, cause he started yelling some on his own......

The racing was great fun. We ran the same miss and outs, and figure eights, closing it up tighter to get more interaction in the criss cross.

We also ran a relay of sorts, and a race that was explained while I was peeing, so I have no idea what that was about....

John, who rides for Tonic, and some of Chevil's other buddies came out, with the rest of the usual suspects.

We had a Dure Ace track wheel break a spoke on the line, and the wheel was just all over the place bent.... Chevil rode over the top of a crashed rider in front of him. I could see him pull forward trying to push it over, but he got hooked on the handlebars.....

Todd rode his beautiful Vanilla track bike, and crashed it a number of times, once sideways into another bike...

Slackjaw did a header at the start of a race, going straight over the handlebars like a sack of flour....

Check the PUMA website, portlandmessenger.org for the meeting place of the next racing night in this exciting series....

Fixed Flat Track Series Tonight!

2007-05-16T11:41:00.001-07:00

Tonight is the night.
Stop 2 of Chevil's Fixed Gear, Grass Flat Track Series...

If two weeks ago was any sort of indication, tonight should prove to be fun, fast, and furious. Tight turns on tiny tires, Fixed Gear Mt. Bikes, crashes, and victories.

Leave your brakes at home, or disable 'em when you show up at Amnesia, on N. Mississippi, at 7PM.......

Let's get this going on......

I had some complaints about my lack of pics from Rickreall.

If only Tiah would return my camera......

Rickreal Closed.... A special report from behind the lines...

2007-05-15T18:21:00.000-07:00

Having been pre-wounded, I was the one and only candidate for driving the sag wagon on the way to Ryan's farm, the site of the 2007 Rickreall Closed...

I belive after the Coast ride incident of '04, and proven once again at another favored party, it appears the start of a lot of trouble comes in cars....

Slimming things down to those who ride there seems to be the perfect solution to this problem....

We met up at the Mill Street House at the stroke of ten......

Now to some, this means 12:30, as Lucky Pierre and Jen didn't even make it for the start of the ride out. Fox pulled up right before the leman's start was nixxed. So it would be a average ride out after all.

The dog and I went home to relax. I watched some european cycling, Tour de Italia. Did some laundry, fixed some stuff around the house.

I guess Ryan had said something about calling me when he had a corn dog, in Newberg.

I didn't recall this information, but randomly called him at one point in the early afternoon. He said I had to hold on, cause he was ordering a ............ corn dog.

Now, My timing had started out jut right, and was on the road to perfection with this happening.
What were the chances that I would call him right at the moment he was ordering a corn dog.

So, I took a shower, lollygagged a while, and drove the Audi down I-5, towards Gervais, where I would meet the at the Wheatland Ferry.

I pulled in, called them, to fid they were only 2 miles down the road. Personal Record. My timing was on the money, and the beers, Henry's, were ice cold in the trunk...

I was quite jealous not to have been able to ride down with them, but I will have many chances to ride around this summer.

We had to hang out for quite a while, waiting for everyone to group up. Lucky and Jen never made it to the Ferry while we were there.

Mason wanted to do backwards circles on the moving fairy deck, but the ever vigilant ferry workers shut him down.

I rolled on out, and took the fun route, Orchard Height's road, to the farm. It is a driver's road, and the Audi still seems to be running pretty strong. Up and over the hills west of Salem, and to the farm, where I started a fire, found some Ritz crackers to snack on... and waited...

I cracked a beer from the trunk.... And waited some more.

Fire is going great. Where is evrybody? Beer's gone. So I crack another one. tastes good and even colder than before.

I stake out a chair by the trunk, in the front yard, waiting, reading "Into the Wild". While looking into it, I realized there was only one beer left, and a store run would need to be made.

This meant the first one to Rickreal was the only one to get a cold beer.

And strangely, that person was Brett.

I half expected it to be R. Kelly, but, no dice.....

Brett enjoyed the frosty beverage, it was only mere moments from being on the bike to it being in his hand.........

People started rolling in, and the evelry continued. Fox drove for food, as I was tuckered out, and trying to help Brady build his bike, moments before riding to San Francisco........

Much food eating and beer drinking occured, and the whiskey of course came out. I know I was up until around 3 AM, and didn't really sleep until it was light out.....

Quite a few people stumbling around in the morning. I got sick near the orchard, then started making corned beef hash for breakfast. it was my first time making it from scratch, I think I did a good job.

The long haulers got ready to leave for the NACCC's in San Fran. We said our good byes, and abot half the Portlander's going home also got on their bikes. Chakra had a rental car, and showed up right before we left, to carry some gear.

I was glad to be home, but didn't get to nap due to mother's day proceeding's.... it was very fun though, and I slept very well later...

Fox Thursday,

2007-05-11T10:30:00.000-07:00

Thursday evening, in May. Let's just go ahead and say the 10th.

My foot is up on a pillow, it is sunny outside, and I am bored.....Horribly.

I have a corkboard here by my computer. Flyer's, spoke cards, old events, new events......sticker's, you know, I keep everything......

In the middle of this chaos, about a foot to the right of my head, was a flyer for the "Fox Thursday" race, a self proclaimed test of brawn, brains, and mad skillz........Starting at 6:30.

It is 5:35, so I wrap up my foot and head out the door. It is downhill pretty much from my house to Backspace, where the race is starting, so I ride my oldest road bike.

I had spent the afternoon cleaning the drivetrain. It was ridden mainly uncleaned, for the last 10 years or more (not by me).... A little scrubbing and it ran like new, so I was buzzing along with my foot in the boot (stupid air cast thing...).

Down Vancouver Avenue into town. Over to Backspace, where groups of youngsters sat around, a couple I knew. People quickly started coming out of the woodwork, and Fox showed up, and registered the 20 racers.

Permission slips were verified, and a note from your mom truned out to be good enough for entry, "cause after a hectic explanation of rules, and how to dcifer Fox's crazy manifest system, they were off.

It was Jerry's birthday, so he got a flat before he even got out of the parking lot. Chaz took out another wheel a block down the street with his pedal. This left 18 racers, and us at Backspace waiting.

I heard a sticker was hidden under the Hawthorne bridge, where a two bike , head on colission between two pretendenger's was witnessed.

After there and two more stops, they came back to Backspace to play a video game for three minutes. Then off to Front Avenue under the broadway bridge, where I heard they were going to be doing some stairclimbing.

Someone, Chaz, put duct tape over one of the clues, resulting in a volley of phone calls to Fox, and Chaz possibly hiding inan alley in SE....

There was a stop at Col. Summer's park, where a mirriad of events went on... There was play the random guy at basketball, either one on one or a game of PIG.
I heard you had to track stand in front of this cute girl reading a book and hit on her at the same time (this stop was organized by two ladies by the way), and I heard the girl got up and left...kinda sad...

There was frisbee, and something involving inflatable whales, which I would really rather not hear about.

Gideon was ousted from his stop by the cops for drinking beer, so he left a note and went to the end of the race, which was Fox's house.

I rolled over to the end, since it was mere blocks from my house, and waited.

And waited. Then waited some more.

Before the first person showed up......... It was Anne, but she hadn't done enough of the bonuses to take out Gary and his friend, who worked together to take frst and second place. i got her name wrong but close last night, and I will get it wrong again, so I am not going to try. it starts with an A though....

We had made it a rule that if you didn't put your name on your manifest, I got their points.....And Gary did not put his name on his manifest.........

I gave him a hard time about it for a while, but, after all he did win it, so I reversed it, and he picked a Bike Coozy hand knitted by Maggie.

I know that Chaz, and Nerf did well too, probably third and fourth. Everyone got a prize, and I even got a tshirt.

There were belts made from tires, I think Adam from Transerv made them.. Dvd's, socks, (Sox on Fox) And a hip bag made by Lucky......

I was out too late, smelled like smoke, and took a long shower when I got home..........

Tommorrow it is off to Rickreal for the NACCC Ride Out.... I can't ride, so I am the only one driving down... Should be fun, and make for some interesting pics....

Polo Pics, plus some from the Mange Madness Race

2007-05-09T09:58:00.012-07:00

A well framed shot of Sharky picking a prize at the Mange Madness benefit Alleycat........

Sharky once again....

I made some nosie at Dee when I saw this guy with a sign coming down the sidewalk outside the Yamhill...... In classic form, Dee turned, and gave me that million dolllar look.....

This is Iced Tiah, yo.....

Fox picking his prize at The Mange Madness. We all wish Mange well.......

Happy Fox......

A polo pic that shows a little speed........

My Swollen Foot...

C Murder in his self proclaimed Sunday sweatshirt........Who wouldn't take a picture of Casey in a Spuds mackenzie t-shirt, that, by the way, is a little small for such a growing boy.....

Brian Kicking ass.....

.

Flat Track Start...

Portland's Flat Track Fixed Gear Series

2007-05-03T10:15:00.000-07:00

Wed. evening, a group of us braved the threat of extreme weather ( we had everything from marble sized hail, to rain, lightning and thunder, to very nice sunshine) to meet at the Fresh Pot on N. Mississippi for Chevil's "Flat Track Fixed Gear Series".

Since the weather was bad, about 13 or 14 people showed up for this the first of many weeks to come. We rode together (I, with my crutches in tow) to Overlook Park, where we set up some cones and beer cans in a relatively straightforward oval.

Fixed gear bikes were the only bikes allowed, and a redundant brake was outlawed. if you had one on your bike you had to render it useless,as in dismantle the 'mother.

Four at a time the first races went off. Three laps around, with one winner each heat. The races started off fast and smooth, as three laps at full speed was not too much to handle.

The grass was wet and slick as shit, but the speeds gradually increased as people got used to it.

The second set of heats were run in a figure 8 format, and at 5 laps each. This was a little more taxing on the racers, and we began to see a little distance between many of them.

After a couple sets of these, we broke for refreshments, and to celebrate the birthday of El Dupe (R. Kelly).

It was then on to another format, called the "Miss and Out". This involves the last person in each lap being pulled from contention, which boils it down to two in the long run.

These were done everyone at once, which made for 12 to 13 laps a race, and were first run in the standard oval, then run again in the figure 8.

So much fun was had, that a few more impromptu races were thrown right before dark.

The next in the series is Wed. may 16Th, 7:00pm at Amnesia on N. Mississippi.
We will be group riding to another secret location, so show up on time, or get the number of someone that will show up on time, so you can find us........

We also talked about throwing a couple during Sunday Polo in Alberta Park.

Check the portland messenger website in the near future for changes and or updates......

Some more bad decisions....

2007-04-26T10:54:00.000-07:00

I am sitting at my house, on a semi-comfortable chair, with my leg wrapped up and on the coffee table.

Good thing this is a small house, 'cause I can't move very far..

Of course this means I have not been getting out, and have no new fun to write about.

I have decided to turn to the vault, for a story full of many bad decisions.
It took place in around 1993, or sometime back then.

My roommate John Sibela and I decided to go camping in the gorge. I had done this 1 day, 14 mile hike up Eagle Creek once. It was a long and not very fun journey. I was also carrying a 3 pound bag of granola. That night we camped at Wahtum Lake, 13 plus miles out Eagle Creek Trail.

I had no tent, and slept next to the fire. It dumped down rain that night, and most of the tents had actual puddles in them. We were camped in the basin that held the lake, and all that water came down the hill.

The sleeping bag I was in had high qualities about it, and kept me dry. I had slung my jean jacket over my backpack, and it soaked up all the water and kept my stuff dry. Through a night of torrential rain unscathed...

Back to the trip with John...

We drove out to Wathum Lake, and set up camp. It is a great, kinda cold because it is in a deep cut between the hills. The water is very cold all the time. And very very blue.

After setting up camp. we went on a hike. We carried nothing, (I mean no water, no food, nothing) wearing shorts and t shirts.

We hiked up the hill to Chinindere Mt. This is a spot where the Native American's would gather, and hold some sort of rituals. They also built up little shelters in the shale, piling them up over the years. I have seen this also over in the mts. above the 'Couv.

I recall that we had no time frame in mind for our hike, and really no destination, except to get back to the camp at some point. We continued on down the trail to the Benson plateau. This is at 4,000 feet as it turns out.

This is a look at the Benson Plateau, above the Bridge of the God's.

It was here that we smelled smoke, and wandered over the top of the ridge to find a recently burned area, and a sign saying "Eagle-Benson Trail closed".

We hadn't even known there was a there. It was not marked, and after reading about it even more today, it is steep, dangerous, and hard to follow.

We decided to take it, which changed everything. Fisrt off, there were actually spots where little flames would sprout up, and we would of course stomp them out. But to be in the area of a forest fire, so soon after that it is still burning in areas, was very amazing.

Also, the fact that it had been burned made the already hard to follow trail impossible. I led us down the ridge of what is rated the second or third most difficult hike in the gorge, with no trail in front of us. Some spots were very exposed.This is an image from this trail, I found it on the web.

I can't recall how long it took us to get down the ridge, but between stomping out flames, and backtracking around things that would kill us, it took quite a while. it was getting later in the day, and hard to see.

We found the actual trail down near the bottom, and it dropped us out Eagle creek trail, right below Tunnel Falls.A look up at Tunnel Falls, with the trail seen above also.

Safely down at Eagle Creek trail, in a place I had been before. we relaxed for a while. It was definitely getting dark, and fast. A quick calculation told me that we had about 8 miles to go to the campsite. The first mile or two would be along Eagle creek, and the trail cut high above the it, into the rocks. This is not the place in the dark, and is exactly where I stood.

The road, and light, was 5 or 6 miles in the opposite direction. I made the decision to go for the campsite. I must say here that this is not what you are supposed to do.
when you are out in the pitch dark, in the woods, you must head for civilization.

Back to the story. We headed up the trail, through Tunnel Falls, hugging the side of the rock wall as the darkness fell around us. Above Tunnel falls is Twister falls, where the trail goes even higher up the wall, and the exposure was not good. I guess in reality we couldn't see how bad the drop was..

From this point we started moving more up hill, basically in pitch dark. John was behind me pretty much the whole way, and was not having a good time with it.

We actually passed campsites where people were hanging out. Though we could have stopped there, I pressed on into the night.

I hadn't realized he had his cell phone, until we started rising higher, and he got a signal, and decided he was calling for help. I took the cell phone away from him, stopped, and started explaining it to him...

If we called for help, they would either....

Send someone from the gorge, which would be 7 or 8 miles below us. This would involve hiking to us for many hours, possibly four hours, as we sat cold on the trail, waiting for them.

Or they would:

Drive out to Wathum Lake, park, and come down the trail to us, like 6 miles... This would involve us waiting for 2 hours or more.

Either way, we would still be walking out of here eventually. I could see the wheels turning in John Sibela's mind, as he was understanding the consequences of our actions.

I rallied for going on up the trail, back to our campsite. I told him I knew that there was one spot where we could take a wrong turn, to the east. I didn't know where it was, but I knew as long as we did not take it, we would make it back to the lake, and our cold beer and dinner.

I also discovered that the combined light of the cell phone and the pager was just enough to make it safely through the water crossings. it was not the water itself that was a problem, but finding the trail on th other side of it.

I had to constantly push the buttons on the two devices, so they would light up. The trail turned away from the creek, and off into the darker, deeper upper woods. Through a lot of this, John was holding onto the back of my shirt, as I moved on forward. He was really freaked out, and kept wanting to call for help.

We would hear noises in the woods that sounded like people, or campsites, or who knows what. Of course, no one was around us by this time.

I cannot even begin to relate to you what you learn about yourself on a trip like this. I think the one thing that really helped me out, was that John was so freaked out. I had no time to get too worried about what was going on.

The shadows, at night, in the woods, are overbearing. It really helped to just look up, and try to identify the cut of the trees, where the trail was pushed through.

Though not always prominent, a glimpse of this let me know I was still on the right track.

We spent hours on that trail in the dark, I think as many as 6 hours from Tunnel Falls to Wahtum Lake.

When we finally arrived at camp, we were exhausted, mentally drained, and very happy. We cracked some beers, made some huge sandwiches, and went to bed.

Sometimes when I think back on some of the things that have happened to me, I am amazed I have made it this far really. Some of the things that have gone on are just amazing.

Just amazing..

Pics

2007-04-24T09:43:00.000-07:00

I like this chicken pic, taken at Duck Pond Winery, on the ride down to Rickreall for my 40th birthday.

This is Disco, a couple of wineries later... but on the same ride.

Jaiden on the farm, same party... He had to help Disco put up his tent.

Eric Spence, veteran, King of Leisure.......... I recall a Saturday with Spence and Shelly, that started out with Frisbee golf in St. John's.
We played two or maybe even three games, with Sandy the dog......Then moved onto darts at The Lucky Lab up there in the village. I think I had started to get a hang of the Frisbee golf, and was doing very well, winning a couple of the games we played.
Dart's, which isn't something I do much, was about the same way. I just pushed on through.

Which is exactly what was needed as we moved to "The Ship" to play pool. Pool is my game really. I should play pool all the time, and develop into playing for a living.
I was taught well by my dad. Eric also has a great pool game, so it was pretty tough.

I think next we moved onto bowling somewhere. Putting a wicked spin on the ball, and watching it head for the gutter before cutting back across to the middle is a great thing.

I don't bowl much, but once again, I have a knack for some things.... and bowling is another of them...And also once again, Eric is very good at bowling.

A full day of leisure.
I am surprised we didn't end up in the kayaks on the river.

Something is not right here....

Ted and Drew, nifty fixie handlebar ride polo.

Now, in Canada, they bow to the Queen and the Ringer....

On the street outside the Mill House one day, must have been at Booze and Fooze...

Run Runner Run!!! Logan's Run Alleycat '07

2007-04-15T10:57:00.000-07:00

(The title link goes to a routing map of the race.....)

Upon arriving at the B Side tavern, 6th and East Burnside, one thing immediately caught my eye...

Piles and piles of bikes. A good start to a great day, in my opinion.
Upon entering the bar, I saw Messengers. I saw Shifters. I saw Fakinger's.
I saw Seattlites.

Dammit, I even saw Canuck's!!!!

Pretty much at the crack of 2:10, Kennechi (Drunky McDrunkerton) announced that registration was starting.... We all paid out money ($2/messenger $5/whatever else you may be), and got the first assignment...

There was an hour period of pleasure, the first stop being backspace at 511 NW Couch. I cruised solo across the Burnside bridge, relaxing some, but also trying to keep myself warmed up for what I assumed was going to be a big, hard run.....later...
I had two of my finger's taped together. They were broken during polo a couple of Sunday's ago, then I popped a ligament in one of the same finger's on this last Sunday..... Not good at all! I was a little worried about simply holding on to the handlebars.

There sat Magnum, out of the "life clocks" (ring pops) we needed to pick up, but with the second stop slip, sending us to SW 4TH and SW Morrison.

Mary Lou and I played some pinball, then tagged along with a group of out of towner's towards the next stop.

Sensei the Loon was standing outside, trying to throw people off in his usual lunatic style, while the Grasshopper was already inside the mall.
"Team Tandemonium came in 5th place..."

The clue told us to count the windows in the sky bridge, then go into the food court to receive a "Holo Memory" (Polaroid photo). Hazel was there, and took what for the norm was a horrible pic of me, with my eyes closed......(I am not even close to photogenic)

I received the next clue, which was to go back across to the east side to Union Jacks, 938 E. Burnside. Inside sat Michelle, and a scantily clad, hard working friend, with the next clue, which was basically to go down the street to the B Side again, for Carousel at 3:30.

I took this photo of Michelle inside Union jacks, which is breaking the strip club rules to the ump th degree, then headed to Carousel.

We sat for a few minutes at the B Side, received our bracelets and a explanation of what to do next.

You could either wait for renewal (sit at the B Side and drink), or become a runner...

If you chose to run, there were 4 Sandmen, and 1 Sandwoman out on the streets, waiting to grab your bracelet and end your life (race). Having seen the movie many times, I knew how this was going to work, and it clued me in to one more reality.

I was the most heavily targeted runner. I had suspected this was going to be the case, as I was not picked to be a Sandman in the last couple of weeks. I certainly was the biggest threat, or , most probable to win, besides the factors of the random "unknown rookie", there fore I became the person to get.

The running began, and what appeared to be everybody raced away from the bar, toward the first stop, Chunk Station Zebra in SE. On the way across SE, I was attacked head on by all 5 Sandmen. My first jaunt with them reminded me how much work I had cutout, in order to mke it to "Sanctuary".

Matty came at me head on....I had to heavily swerve to avoid her..

Tad came at me.. Once again, head on.......

Danger came at me from the side, almost being successful.

Mason came at me, but, well, he is pretty old and slow, so not much of a threat to me...

All this happened between Se Powell and Se Bush on SE 21st.. I had already realized that the were not going to attack us on the north side of Powell, so I had smooth sailing across the top of Ladd's.

Here we were required to ride through their parking lot lake, where the next clue was hanging in the middle. I have been through this water before.. it is disgusting, dirty as hell, and filled with random pieces of whatever.

As I saw in a video this morning, I rolled through fine, missed the clue, and had to turn around to get it. This is where I hit something under the depth's, and planted both feet in the mire.....

I splashed out, and slow rolled away from the stop. This gave me the opportunity to pick up a group, which I led down SE 20TH avenue. We became 6 or 7 strong, a group composed of Canadian's, Seattlites, and Portland Fixter's. The next stop was up at 33rd and NE Grant Pl. I had already formulated a plan, in regards to evading Sandmen....and having a group around me as a buffer was the main key.

It is here I must add that total immersion of a old pair of Sidi Dominator's leads to one thing.
Velcro does not like to get very wet, and still hold well. The whole rest of my ride I was reaching down and reattaching the velcro. I was on my true track bike, so stopping was very paramount to the velcro holding. I must admit it had me a little stressed out.

I led them across the top of Ladd's, just out of the range of the Sandmen, who would surely be looking for us on the main route. Across SE, up Lincoln hill, we made it succesfully to the Laurelhurst neighborhood before I saw any other bikes.
We were on 31st ave, and I saw Tad, one of the Sandmen, riding fast and parallel to us on NE 33rd, following another large group.

I slowed my group down, to get Tad ahead of us, and by the time we got to Ne Broadway near the park, he had taken out Nerf, and moved on down the road. "Nerf"

We skirted around the back side of the school, and got the nutrition from the Sea we needed so much (Salt water and Goldfish crackers). I could still see Tad hanging on a corner, so we skirted him again, heading for the Princess Palace on Ne Mallory.

We bombed down NE Knott, cutting over to NE Fremont on my normal choice of cross roads, NE 24th ave. All the way down Ne Fremont to MLK, where we headed north, figuring the Sandmen would not try to catch us on the main busy road... I was right on that note, we never saw them..

The clues said to go through the alley, which is where the sandmen were waiting for us, so we went through the front yard, around to the backyard, to the most annoying (purposefully) stop on the race.

I had to juggle three pins like 5 times 'cause they were not watching. I then had to ride a exercise bike that wouldn't go over 20 mph. Supposedly you were supposed to get it going 30 mph.....

At least ten minutes later, we were finally off to another stop, the Skidmore Bluff. The entrance to the bluff is a bottleneck, and I tried to push some of my group to go in front of me, as I knew the Sandmen were there, hiding.

Sadly, it is not easy to find the bluff, and I had to lead it out, which once again lead to a confrontation with the Sandwoman, Queen Matty. We evaded her, once again head on, and rolled down the street to the bluff.

Here we were required to climb the tree, and get a zip tie. One of the rookies gave me a leg up, and I found a zip tie, then jumped out of the tree. I skirted around the trail to a side street, then slowed to let the group pass me, as I had already seen the yellow of Matty's bike behind a car, hiding.

This part gets a little fuzzy, but the story, as told by Mason who was hiding in the bushes, is that I sent one of the Fixter's out ahead, to see who was around the corner.

I then immediately turned around, leaving the sacrificial lamb behind, and headed back to the bluff.

I knew there was a way down the hill to Greeley Ave., but had never taken it. So, I just went straight down the mud through the woods, with a whole group in tow, all the while calling me crazy.

Just after that, I remember Ian stating that if he ever made it to 30, he was definitely following me. (30 being the age you are up for death in Logan's Run)

Down on Greeley, and far away from all the Sandmen, we stretched out and bombed for the next clue. the statue of the evil old lady on the esplanade. I took them straight down MLK, knowing once again that the main routes were a mistake.

Hot For teacher was waiting at the Old Woman's statue (Vera Katz), where she took pics of us.

It was then off to deep SE, Sellwood actually, to SE Linn avenue, and the house of the Old man, Mike Louis. Being the oldest and longest running messenger in town (he is actually grandfather claused into the building lease where he works, there by secured a job for the life of the company), we were required to take him a 40 of Pabst Blue Ribbon, and secure the last clue, a phrase to be stated when you made it back sanctuary, now being the B Side tavern.....

Peaches assured me I was in 2nd place at that point, and al I had to do was catch Chaz on the way back to the bar....( Chaz ended up taking out his own bracelet in a questionable attempt at evasion....)

This is where I made my first mistake of the day..... between the 7-11 where I bought the beer, and Mike's house, I decided to ditch my group, and strike out on my own.

Rolling north across Se 17th, I came across Tad chasing someone else the other direction, and Matty hiding behind a building, all in the same block.

They both saw me, and Tad dropped who he was chasing, and followed me. I was on my track bike, and he was on full gears and brakes.

I had to head down a hill in the rain that had just started falling, and during my skid, I lost momentum, which allowed him to catch me.

A mere 8 minutes from the end of the race, and what definitely would have been a win, my race was over.
The sandmen had terminated my life clock, but it had taken everything they had to get it done.

I lallygagged back across Se 12th to the bar, and watched the 7 finisher's come in.

I feel great about my race though, as 1st through 4th place were taken by British/Canadian's and Seattlite's who had ridden with me the whole way.

Team Tandemonium took 5th place, and more out of towner's made up the last three spots.

Khadel, 1st place... He got a great Chrome bag, and bought me a tall can of beer for my navigating skills...

DFL was also won by a Canadian, who shared a special prize with me on the sidewalk a little later....

The Sandmen, and women, got about 60% of the race participants, by my wonky math...
Tad got the most runners, with a total of 9. Magnum got one only, but it was Chaz who was in front of me. He had just waited to chase the fastest, which was a good move on his part.

In all, the 43 participants seemed to have a collective great time, Ken threw a great race, and the B Side could not have been more accommodating.

Check the PUMA site ( portlandmessenger.org) for the many future alleycats, including the "420" race, and the "Taxicat" next weekend.......

Cassandra

The Day I Have Dreaded Is Here.....

2007-04-12T14:09:00.000-07:00

“Hello, babies. Welcome to Earth. It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It’s round and wet and crowded. At the outside, babies, you’ve got about a hundred years here. There’s only one rule that I know of, babies — ‘God damn it, you’ve got to be kind.’ ”

This is a quote from the book, God bless You Mr. Rosewater, by the now late, but always great, Kurt Vonnegut.

I discovered today, while looking at R. Kelly's blog, that he is no longer with us...

This is distressing to me for so many reasons, it may be hard even to explain... But I will try.....

I have had many people influence my life...

John Evans was the first bike messenger I ever met.... he helped to effectively ruin me for normal life...

My father, a very smart, and hard working salesman, who struggled with me and my issues the best that he could......

But almost above all, spurred on by a exploration through my mom's library, was Mr. Vonnegut...

My mind was never the same after reading his stories and books.

The crafty way that he wove in and out of his stories like they were one in the same...

The way his love for Indiana shown through everything.

The morality of his fiction also shown through, like a guiding light....

When I moved to Indianapolis for a while, I lived mere blocks from the house he grew up in.

I would ride my bike by slowly, hoping to see him coming for a visit. of course, he never did..... But I waited for the day..

I did see him on the sidewalk outside what used to be the Metro downtown one day.
I knew he was in town for a lecture at PSU.
I chose to say "Hi". He said "Hi".
And I moved on down the sidewalk.......

That is how I work.
Even though I had a thousand questions to ask, and I had his full attention, I knew the right thing to do was just say hello, and move along....

I have often thought that with my crazy mind, and his crazy mind, we may have had a hell of a conversation..........

The real thing I learned from his writings, is contradictory to everything I have been taught.
It is something that I hear about a lot, in comments about my writing.

This is using the word "I". And "You". And "Me". Not even just a little, but a lot.

Not what you are supposed to do.

Kurt put himself deep into his stories. As the ghost of a man who died building a cruise ship.

As a resident of Rosewater, Indiana, in any number of his books..

As the father of the atomic bomb, and creator of "Ice Nine", a crystal of material that has the ability to freeze the world in a half an instant...

He was never afraid to go against conventional thought.

I wonder what he even knew of it, having been a employee at a telephone company a lot of his early life, before turning to writing.....

I think that a huge life lesson could be learned here. A lesson about immersion.

Throw your all into what you do. Put huge pieces of yourself into whatever it is you do....Into everything you do...

The more I read today, peoples thoughts after his death, early reactions to his writing, etc., the more I identify with him...And the sadder his passing makes me feel.

This is a very sad day for free thought in America.....

Broken Finger = Me no type = Pictures

2007-04-10T15:40:00.000-07:00

This pic is of Todd D. Danger at last summer's stick stop event. I think it is a great pic.

This is me during the Chunkathalon, 2006. You can see Zoren right next to me, and Peter is on a tall bike, so his head is right above mine...

Mary Lou Who?

I stopped on the Hawthorne Bridge just long enough to watch this fisherman pull in this salmon, then drop it onto the floor of his boat..It was then I realized I should have been taking pictures all along..... Click on the pic to see the dog staring at this fat fish...

Matt makes a nice catch playing frisbee in the street by the stoop. I heard down the street on the same day, PI guys were playing football, in the tradition of Cascade Blue and the Creeps

A classic scene at the stoop...

Beefa installing a spoke card right before the "Whore Of The Core" race...

Slackjaw...

A pic of the always elusive "Shcnidecker", a messenger staple in this town, and someone I have known for like 20 years...
R.Kelly.com making polo mallets

This is a classic example of a loud, Canadian invasion, in the gray skies above Rickreal.

This is the new "Extreme" feature in Rickreal.... In this pic you can see me gracefully sailing across it.

While in these next few pics, you will see that some are not quite as graceful as others.

Didn't quite get on there straight....

Nice anglular ridng style

Going down...
You can see when the pic is bigger that he clearly had the where-with-all to flip me off on the way down. A level thinker all the way into the dirt.

Everyone teaching Junko how to shoot

My alternative Polo bike...

This is a Guerciotti from the mid 80's, that is a one of a kind in my opinion. The chain stay has had a belt drive attachment (a press fitting that allows the chain stay to come apart, so as to apply a belt). I do not have a belt drive, but I plan to find one someday.

This bike has started folding in on itself, starting with a crack in the lower lug of the head tube, which progressed to a bend in the seat tube.
Then after a little while, I found a dimple in the bottom of the down tube....Game, set, match....Instant Polo Bike!!

Pigeon named Larry on Zac's bars..

This pigeon showed up wounded and on foot outside the Ash Street. I have more pics, including one with a sign right next to him that reads something to the effect of "This is Larry, Don't fuck with him"

On a side note, just after this shot there came a shot of Barney, the Rhinestone CowDan with Larry frightfully wedged between a big bun....

Larry again...

Wheelie Mark Scores!

This is a pretty good pic of Wheelie Mark scoring a goal. If you click on these pics they get really huge, lots of detail...

The polo that has been going on is way beyond expectations.

Great games, fisti-cuffs, more great games, beverages...

This pic of Sash is great, mainly because the mallet is against the ball, controlling it, but the ball and the mallet are both off the ground...
Brian going around the Ringer, or at least around his front tire, check the angle of the blur...

Team Murder and Team Wreck, represent..

"Whore of the Core", or "How to disqualify pretty much everybody"

2007-03-29T10:51:00.000-07:00

Now that my computer is up and "Kind of " running, I plan to get back to recording the antics of messengers and the like here in Portland.....

With that said, I will regale you with a first handed account of the "Whore of the Core" alleycat that went off last night.

Thrown by the infamous Beefa, a friend of mine for over 22 years, this alleycat started and ended at the Ash Street Saloon, at SW 2ND and SW Ash, downtown Portland, Oregon.

About 15 racers waited while Beefa sat at another bar, smoking cigarettes. Eventually he showed up, and announced we were waiting longer for R. Kelly to show up...

This became a tedious and tense situation. Numerous trips to the stoop went down.
A larger number of beers went down, attempts at calming the nerves of tense racers.

We all saw the bike thief, Jerry, leave early, staking himself out somewhere along the route. I decided that he would be easy to push out of my way, so the bike thief was not a factor in my race.

We were sent off with no rules, no explanation, no help. But Beefa did hold us up long enough to smoke another cigarette before saying go.

Seventeen stops lay ahead of me, and I quickly clicked off three of them in the core, then headed northwest for one.

There was a simple (seemingly) question to answer at each stop. I wrote down the answer to the Northwest stop, and then realized I had already made my first mistake.
One block from an earlier stop was a second one, which I had missed entirely.
I routed it into my return to the Ash Street, and moved up the hill into the SW, to 1201 SW 12Th.

There were three stops on the top side of downtown, which I hit quickly and efficiently. It was down the hill to 1000 SW Broadway, where I wrote down the answer to yet another question, and accidentally picked up what would change the entire rest of my race, Chaz.

He had started late, was a little freaked out, and got inside my head. One freaked out question after another as we rolled off a couple of blocks to another stop.

He wouldn't read his manifest. Every question he asked me, my answer was "Read your god damned manifest!".

He was so in my head I missed another stop by a half a block. The "bike thief", Jerry stole his bike. Right after I told him that Jerry was going to steal it.

I bombed off towards the south end of downtown, pulling off two stops before heading far, far south towards SW Bancroft.

Chaz was right on my heels, under the impression (and I may have put this idea in his head) that he was going to coast in with my answers.

My path through the south land involves many controversial moves,not limited to riding the wrong way through many stop signs, and construction zones where tickets cost twice as much.

There was a policewoman parked down there, and a out of control rookie behind me.
My only choice was to start riding like a mad man, and hope he got stopped while I moved on.

We saw Mason riding back from this stop, when we were mere blocks away.

This put me high in the rankings at that moment, being on track right behind Mason and R. Kelly. Except for two factors...

I had Chaz to not kill in traffic as he followed me. When rolling fast by yourself, caution can be thrown to the wind. But when you have a rookie behind you, it puts you in a position of responsibility, which slowed me down entirely.

I also had the stop he caused me to miss, to go back uphill too. I quickly got back to the courthouse stop, then down the hill for two more. During this time frame, I ditched Chaz.

It was a quick jaunt across to the first stop I missed, then hauling ass to the Ash Street to finish.

There was a large crowd on the sidewalk when I pulled up.

It turned out that all but two manifests had wrong answers, and Mason was declared the winner, with R. Kelly coming in second place.

A heated discussion, inspired by El Dupe, followed, as he wanted the $55 dollars himself due to technicalities.

This is an added note:

I wrote above about the heated discussion between Beefa, Mason, and R. Kelly.
This is still going on, having been slightly propegated by certain people, including yours truly........

We will never know what really went on that fateful evening.....

The things we do on the path to glory......
I digress...

I was patiently waiting to make sure that Mason spent a large percentage of his winnings on beer for everyone, as is the unwritten, but declared out loud at the start, rule for alleycats in this town.

The beer flowed, and I drank a couple. Much fun was had, and then a small train of us rolled off the the Polo Haus for more revelry, more beer, and bike polo.

My game was very on, scoring three goals in one game, then four in the next.
I made a sweet behind the back shot, from the opposite goal, that scored the fourth in a epic battle.

What is next on the agenda?

"Too Much Scotty", the Scott alleycat is going off on Saturday afternoon, March 31st.
It starts at 1:00 pm, at 511 NE 29th.....

This will be a moment of shining glory for me, as it will be a difficult, long, struggling race.

People will be dropping like flies, and I will overtake them one by one, securing myself a much needed Reload bag...

Then, with my entry secured into the "Warehouse Scramble" on Sunday, I will carry the strength of my Scotty win right on through to win it too....

Oh the Glory! Bask in my light!!!!!

Another Alleycat, Gone Wrong....

2007-03-07T11:03:00.000-08:00

A lot has gone on since my Mac died..... Too much.
I have it back,as it was in service for a week, and seems to be fading fast.
Probably should get a back up desktop tower or something.
Anybody have a Mac Mini just collecting dust?
(Me and Chaz)

A couple of Thursdays ago, I raced another one Slackjaw's (Drew's) Alleycats. A good group of kids showed up. I doubt there was anyone over 28 that raced. Maybe even younger....Oh, besides me.

It went off from Berbati's, in the standard "Slackjaw" fashion of loud and confusing.
off we went, on what was basically a long loop around town, once again including the routing through my favorite, "The Ho Chi Min Trail".

(Slackjaw)

There were like 13 stops, and two pickups. The stops once again consisted of writing a word off of a sticker, and the pick ups were either some stupid rolled cardboard Slackjaw made, or a can of beer. A nice blowed up version of the manifest will be displayed here, for you all to enjoy.

One of the beautiful parts of this, was Slackjaw's spelling errors. While I fully admit that I am not always the best editor ( I don't even want to edit my stuff, cause i ruin it. Others have offered to edit for e, and I should let them.)

But, Slackjaw's spelling made me feel less like I was racing an alleycat, and more like I was coaching a Special Olympics team.
Not only was the manifest wonky, but the spelling of the clues was more than I could handle, leaving me rolling away from most of them laughing.

Barney ended up finishing first, but didn't put his name on the manifest, and was DQ'ed. I came in second, missing one clue, which Brian drunkenly put on the opposite side of the street from the address.

This left Adam in first place, possibly Chaz in second, Dan in third, and me in fourth.

Tiah was the first and only woman, which is great all in it's own. She is in surgery I think right now for a broken arm she got falling over last night. I will be going to the hospital by the time she is waking up.

The party was at the Mill St. house Annex, up at 7Th. After a steak and a beer, some of us rolled off to Sara's going away party. She was headed off to Japan the next morning, and as she had ridden down to Rickreal for my 40Th birthday, I wanted to make sure I showed up.

And did I ever make a presence. At one point, in one hand, was a cup of warm Sake, and a beer. In the other hand was a glass of wine (Merlot). In between my thighs was a flask of Vodka, and someone, who was very funny, in front of me, was handing me a flask of whiskey.

Needless to say I slept on the couch. it has been quite a while since i have not been able to make it home from a party, so I guess it was due.

I have so much more to get out of my head. If you are even remotely interested in the magical wonders that Portland, Oregon has to offer, you should check back quick.
Like tomorrow.

Tonight is bike polo, and I barely survived Sunday polo. I had my fastest polo wreck yet, my handlebar having clipped one of the poles at what , on the tennis court, would be considered full speed.

Coming up?

Polo pics, waterfall pics, update on Tiah, words of wisdom (or stupidity), dog's and cat's living together, and a little gem of a story from the vault....

Bringing it 'round the turkey, and into your living room,
Dabby McCrashalot