TEETH

yes yes ya'll

2009-02-04T19:54:00.001-08:00

i know, i know

2008-09-16T21:40:00.000-07:00

Whats the purpose of having a blog if you seldom update it? I guess to periodically hit you with random shit, and an update on yours truly.

I finally stopped working at the motorcycle shop after I got a job at montano velo! I never thought I would work in another bicycle shop after having served three of the best years of my life at cambridge bicycle.
Before moving to the bay area, I was already hearing tales of Montano's greatness, so I'm honored to joined their ranks. Needless to say, with a 9 month time out from the bicycle scene, I've had tons to catch up on. 26" fronts abound.

Next week is interbike and we will be chauffeuring a 12 passenger van full of shit bags including scally jessie raphael. I can't wait to catch up with the boston kids and see the new embrocation mag that is hot off the press. Last interbike was incredible and I'm saddened that the kipper won't be attending. This year will include much repping of the broakland frames, and the macaframa premier sponsored by house of commons. (Wednesday) If you haven't seen this clip of James rocking Travis's recent creation, please peek:

I'm finally getting a custom bike made by my friend igleheart. It's been a long time coming and I'm excited to finally call one of his creations my own. Keep that PMA pal!

Jason Mayhem has a live mix up! Downloadz

I still haven't updated my flickr with central america pics, but here is taylor to tide you over:

barb wired

2008-08-11T20:52:00.000-07:00

I'm finally home after an incredible 10 days spent in Belize and Guatemala. I have about 300 pics to sort through, so give me a day or two for a proper update.

Along the way I made a British friend who introduced me to cockney rhyming slang. Did you know this existed?
Now i'm off to watch "lock, stock and two smoking barrels" a few times through.

somebody in kansas city loves me

2008-07-31T20:08:00.000-07:00

It dawned on me the other day that I've let a couple milestones slip by without fan fare.
Its been a little over a year since I started this blog in all its glory.
I have been living in SF for almost 8 months although it feels half as long.
The best...I bought my first Ducati in June. This has been a dream of mine for about a decade. I even have a little model of a Monster m900 sitting in a box at my moms. I picked up a '00 m900sie that got traded in to my shop. Purchased for a song, I threw some money at a loud exhaust, chopped the tail, and a few other odds and ends. Definitely the best sounding, and most versatile, bike I've owned. Perfect for a faster paced commute through the city.

My brother flew out here and drove the bmw r80 back home to SLC. It was getting dusty while in my possession and is now his first bike! Here is a pic of him in front of two desmosedici's that munroe motors is stupid enough to leave on the sidewalk unattended. Would you be stoked to drop 73k on a bike they left out in the mission? We got lunch, came back and they were still there. I felt like keying one to teach em a lesson.

Have I already told you how great this blog valerie is? The pictures alone are worth the click.

Off their blog you'll find this mix from futurecop.

I'm taking off to Belize for a little escape from the grind. Hopefully I will come back with a tan and some pictures of ruins.

Here is an addition to your life that you can thank me later for:

orange honduhs

2008-07-27T21:04:00.000-07:00

Found this baby riding around after breakfast the other day. No gauges. I was on my bicycle and got stopped and ticketed by a motorcycle cop. He said I had run multiple red lights. I asked if he was kidding. At least it happened in front of the place I was about to eat breakfast and my rad server, being a fellow cyclist, treated me to coffee and pancakes.

I got to take this little street legal dirt bike for a spin around the block. It belongs to one of our customers who obsessively details bikes. So clean it looks like it could be sold as new.

If you have time to kill, browse through the '08 IDEA award winners, while listening to some hall and oates

The bicycle film fest was happening this past weekend here in SF. Check it out if your city is on the list. They added many more dates this year compared to years past which is chill. I caught the last screening of the urban bike shorts and well worth the 10 bucks I didn't spend. (thanks for the hook!) Track bikes is bmx bikes, son.

One person I was happy to meet last year is Robin Chase. She started both zipcar and goloco, and she was kind enough to sponsor our 'cross team. She keeps a blog filled with her valuable musings, and this al gore speech was found linked off of it:

"There is now a 75 percent chance that within five years the entire ice cap will completely disappear during the summer months."

Also check out the time article on why gas going up in price has many side benefits. (again, courtesy of Robin.)

mee haugh

2008-07-14T14:22:00.000-07:00

Sorry i haven't communicated with you internet. Here's a couple pictures i found or had sent to me.
This picture of Paul Smart is in the bathroom at work:

From the 4q blog.

g spot

2008-06-17T22:34:00.000-07:00

Friday I went to see the venerable alan braxe who was playing 5 cities in north america with co-headliner lifelike. When I discovered this show was coming through town, I started counting down the days. And with so much anticipation, sadly, it was a let down... The turnout was weak and the sound was less than great, but it was worth it to see at least 9 mustaches that matched like they planned it.

Lately, one of my favorite blogs to frequent has been valerie. I just listened to this mix from anoraak and think you should too! Starts and ends with BOC for crying out loud.

Today I received an email from Mark loaded with music to check out. Mark is an outstanding person. He books all of the good things that happen at enormous room, so if you are in Cambridge, check it. And speaking of which: mayhem and ghostdad playing tonight!
He also creates sick artwork like this back protector for Dainese.
Anyhow, his email included the latest Sebastien Tellier album. Tellier got Guy-Manuel de Homem-christo (half of Daft Punk) to produce this gem. Listen to it a few times through and enjoy the moaning.

I stumbled upon this image and instantly it brought back memories of not only Tom Ford era gucci, but also my first year living in Boston. Constant windiness, start, the green line, nat shermans, fakeredhead, copley, meatland, walking, humidity, cobblestones, dunkin donuts everywhere... Five years later and I'm six months into creating a new set of memories. Hopefully they will include immaculate pubic hair.

Yesterday I found this article featuring Roland Sands on hell for leather. He sounds like kindof a tool, but he's definitely spearheading something big. Dirt bikes is the new road race bikes, son.

midnight visitor

2008-05-28T23:16:00.000-07:00

There is a cat who lives in our warehouse named Persephone. I ignore her most of the time; she is as filthy as a rat and almost as annoying. Since day one, I have been bombarded by her constant meowing for food. I was instructed to feed her if she whines, and feed her I did. About a month after I moved in, I was pulled aside by the "house daddy" of our space and told I wasn't allowed to feed her anymore. Music to my ears right!? According to him, I was contributing to her "unhealthy weight gain" so the responsibility was lifted, ever so kindly, from my shoulders. Well, fast forward a couple months, to a few nights back, and you have me chilling out in my room. I hear a scratching on my door followed by Persephone's persistent meowing. The little bitch won't quit until I open up and she struts right in. After she explores a little bit, she cozies up in the middle of my bed. She sleeps all night and I actually hear her snoring and making little noises like she's dreaming! Do cats do that? Cute I'll admit, but now I'm sharing my bed with a grubby cat that I don't want to have cuddle time with. She pulled the same shtick the following night, and like a sucker, I let her right in.
So, what I have right now is her clawing at my door... Am I getting played or what?
I probably have picked up fleas or some dust disease.

I'm listening to the new dead meadow album right now and look forward to a couple more listens through.

After work a bunch of us took demo bikes and did a run of some of the local twisties in Lucas valley. I jumped at the opportunity to ride the Triumph Tiger, since I haven't yet worked it harder than a trip around the block. It had the comfort of a couch and could get up to speed and back down relatively quickly. It changed direction with ease, and sounded great. The front end likes to come up when you're really getting on it.
Earlier in the day I took the new Ducati Monster 696 out for a short loop and walked away very impressed. The riding experience was incredible with the carbon termignoni exhaust sounding mean and throaty. This bike is so easy and fun to ride it made me want one immediately. The icing on the cake was the digital dash with 80's knightrider style tachometer. It glows red!

Don't ask me what led me to the following article, but wtf. "we value people with money" Don't feel compelled to read it entirely? I understand, but at least check the last paragraph. I'll shut up now.

you gonna eat

2008-05-17T19:25:00.000-07:00

moss brown

2008-05-12T14:19:00.000-07:00

I was just riding along and then.. bam! this piece was waiting around the corner. The detail in this wheatpastey stencil ma-bobber was truly impressive. Hats off to the person who committed hours of their life to beautifying their neighborhood. (24th & bryant?)

Today I finally got a library card. It featured the art of a preschooler which couldn't have been more adorable. I also purchased consistent internet access via a 3g card for my laptop, so watch out for more posts about bikes, other peoples cute pets, and arbitrary blah blah.
Lately I have been riding the bmw to work and it's great to have it running and somewhat healthy. It looks like a rusted out piece of shit (which it is) but every time I lay my eyes on it, I remember why I haven't sold it yet. The intangibles right?

metal stonerz

Check these cool motorcycle relateds...
deus ex machina outta australia
hell bent for leather

Since I started at Hattar, we have had this custom thruxton and everyone who laid eyes upon it would drool and fiend. Finally one guy manned up and purchased it. The orange and grey paint is impressive and the exhaust system, developed for the thruxton cup by d&d, is most definitely not fucking around. Here is a new setup that looks killer, hopefully it sounds as dope as their 2 into 1 system.

my front lawn

2008-05-09T17:52:00.000-07:00

A few nights back I went to yum yum house with Nicole for a late, greasy dinner. It was within an hour of closing time so there weren't many people in the joint, with us being the last party seated. We soon find out that their lease is up and that we are the last people to eat there, ever. No more business. As we were chewing and swallowing, behind was the entire staff of the restaurant opening envelopes full of money. Eventually we got filled up and they brought on the fortune cookies. I opened mine to find a double fortune! ...as follows: "The joyfulness of a man prolongeth his days." and "Your home is a pleasant place from which you draw happiness." awwwww Then Nicole opened hers to find not one, but three! So either we were set up, or all of the MSG gods aligned the cosmos for one evening of cheap chinese food before yum yum expired.

Yesterday I passed a guy on a bicycle that I recognize from the neighborhood. This guy is bald, ripped, and always walking around hurried and shirtless with a mission. Imagine bruce willis if he lived on the streets and scavenged scrap metal. Anyhow, I pass him going about 25-30 and of course start trainspotting his bike. At first his front wheel looks pretty out of true, then as I move past I notice it is missing the tire and tube! Bruce is just hammering down the road with the sketchiest front end I have ever seen, like its his every day bike.
We all need to stop being pussies and realize that tires just get in the way of a real road ride!

drinkzz

2008-05-02T11:59:00.000-07:00

The other night I met an old friend for beers at Pops, then met a new friend for what turned out to be champagne and amazing Filipino cuisine at Palencia. The owner came stumbling in with a milk crate full of champagne bottles and pretty soon everyone was intoxicated. I want to eat here every day. One of the chef's was kind enough to compliment me in the way that only gay men know how: "It's too bad you aren't gay..." If I ever give up on the women folk, its good to know there are some warm arms a'waitin'.

I sold a Triumph Sprint ST to a rad guy with sleeves and a goatee (the california badass' dresscode I'm convinced) and it turns out he paints the golden gate bridge 40 hours a week. Pretty chill right? Good benefits too.

ti ii i iimme, is on my siide, yes it is

2008-04-28T11:33:00.000-07:00

I was able to take a 916 for sleepover like I did the 1098 a few weeks back. (seen in front of my place, and half naked, missing the side panels.) Although it is now 13 years old, I was excited to see how the platform that won four world superbike championships behaved. I should also mention that this iconic, Tamburini designed bike has been lusted after by yours truly for about a decade.
I had more fun on this than the 1098 and I suspect the less powerful engine and brakes are the culprits. The riding experience is incredible, mostly since the sound of this bike with the full termignoni exhaust is so loud and awesome. It straight up roars when you have the throttle wide open. Down shifting while lane-splitting is a treat..everyone sitting mindlessly in their cars sees that you are coming. This bike also had a ventilated clutch cover which even further amplifies the rapping mechanical sound of the dry clutch. I want one.

I scored this jersey at my neighborhood Goodwill store. Too big for me, but if you like it, and fit a size med/large let me know.

I had a customer this week who takes the cake for button down psycho of the year. In conversation, he asked what I ride and after I told him, and without saying a word, he picked up his phone and dialed. I hear him asking someone what kind of bike is in the shed and whether or not anyone has come up to the property. I also hear him say "If anyone trespasses, take the riding lawn mower and blockade the bridge. Even if the cops are there, don't let anyone pass." He then hangs up and asks me if I would be interested in buying an old kawasaki he has in his shed from a former tenant who got messed up with drugs and shipped off to prison. He also asks if I heard the last part of his conversation to which I reply, "no." He then proceeds to relate to me the time last year when he found three kids doing donuts in a truck in his field. He was in his car at the time and full on rammed them! Voila! Three counts of attempted vehicular manslaughter. (his words) He also mentioned that about a month later he found a bomb consisting of c-4 in his field and that next week is the date of his arraignment.

I sold a Triumph Scrambler to a nice guy named Ed. He wanted to paint it black and so we happily arranged it. Now it just needs the single seat with the built in chrome rack. Sharp as a tack.

I got a haircut recently and the experience was on par with highway robbery. Not quite rape, but I certainly felt the need to shower afterwards. 60 bucks and no offer of a drink, and not even a head massage! To add to the experience, some dunce microwaved cauliflower and made the whole joint smell like farts. The conversation was stale, the haircut was decent, and suspiciously took no time at all.

Still no consistent internet, so here's one for the road.
the worst/best upskirt:

unless I'm gettin flexi with da tech

2008-04-18T14:58:00.000-07:00

About a week ago, I was getting ready to head home from work when Todd, the head mechanic and co-owner of my shop, asked if I would be able to put some miles on a customer's 1098. It just had new pistons installed and he wanted to be sure that I would accelerate and decelerate very aggressively to set the new rings. Needless to say, I was happy to oblige. After a trip up mt. tam with nothing but tight curves and no real space to open it up, I was stoked to get out on the freeway where I found just how stable a ducati feels when you are leaned over in a turn at 110. I have never ridden a bike where the action of turning the throttle equates, so fluidly, to pouring on the scenery. I spent my breakfast with this bike directly in my field of vision.
For the real geeks, check this youtube out.

As for the motorcycle I actually own, I recently installed a new skid plate and master cylinder guard. The guard only came in silver and after about 20 coats of matte black rustoleum, complemented the bike perfectly.
I found this pair of gloves when one of my house mates Jef was moving his studio down to hunters point. If only they weren't two sizes too big! Holler at me if you have big hands...$1 dollar for the early 90's throw backs. It's not every day where you are given the option to purchase riding apparel with purple and magenta accents

I have been listening to this panda bear album a lot lately.

Marci had people over a week or so back, and there were about 10 people in attendance with a near equal number of bottles of wine. A little later on in the evening, out of the corner of my eye I noticed cop lights flashing and promptly we emptied onto the street to see what was up. We emerge from the lodge to find the remnants of a highspeed chase which included a shitty integra getting stripped apart and about 11 cop cars blocking in our dead end street. (too bad the driver didn't know they were heading into the bay after that last right turn) I look to the left after walking out, and see this super pig rick who I tried to sell a motorcycle to the week prior. His email address is (not kidding) underarrest@something.com. A little friendlier than usual I yelled "heyyooo rick!" but he didn't hear. When they started backing out of there, one of the female pigs yelled out "CHP, what, what!" Well at least they have a sense of humour...
Do you think there are enough street lamps?

I was heading over to Greg's house to swap some music when I found I couldn't enter his street because of some automobile carnage. Right after I walked past the scene, a kid on a skate board came screaming down the hill and tried to scrub off some speed by power sliding. He hit a rock or something and ate shit in front of the 5 or so cops who were hanging out. One of them piped up "that's why you should slow down!" to which the kid replied, "maybe you should fix that!"

Greg shipped out to work on an organic farm for the next year. He described a near perfect living situation: down a small path through a grove of trees, he will be occupying a trailer that stands alone in a meadow with a brook near enough to be lulled asleep by. He had a one week trial run where he learned that they start each day tracking down the cow that wanders one of the orchards. you coax it over and milk it. I wonder what a total break from all of my superficial priorities would mean?

I met the fabled tamale lady at zeitgeist a few nights back when I met up with Kendall and her roommate for pitchers. It was in the 70's that evening and everyone was out in less clothes than usual.

I finally filed taxes and can't wait to have the scrilla. I placed a new motorcycle on the horizon and all cash is flowing in that direction. While waiting for my appointment, I found this bayview diamond in the rough. That is an arm sling

My phone is doing that thing where it doesn't give me texts or voicemails for a few days in a row then all of the sudden it's blowing up all at once...Can't anything just work? fewer iphones and more ifarms?

oh goodness

2008-03-28T14:39:00.000-07:00

Here is a little eye candy for anyone who appreciates hand built Italian motorcycles. This week in the shop three NCR bikes arrived for us to show off in anticipation of the first we will have available for sale sometime this summer. This redux of the ducati sport 1000s retails at about 100 g's. I test rode a hypermotard for the first time, and it really is just a big toy. The dash and flashing shift light when you hit the rev-limiter, are super akira style. I wish I had 12,000 to blow.

I finally passed the M1 test for my california license motorcycle endorsement, leaving behind the stink of the dmv for at least a few more years. (the mass dmv was kind enough to not transfer my out of state endorsement a while back...guhh) So now all is legal and well in the world of motorcycle riding. I installed a couple new goodies for the klr this week and gave 'er fresh oil. The wider foot pegs were a cinch, the handguards took some gentle persuasion. Now I can rest easy knowing my brake and clutch lever will be a-ok when I drop it, or happen to take off a car's mirror. After I get engine and tank guards in a week or so, I'm gonna start off road adventuring, so look out for more iphone pics and ride reports.

I've reversed my opinion of my daily commute. At first I was pissed since I have to ride through downtown to catch the 101 north to get to work. Now the city is the best leg of it. The klr's 21" front wheel is perfect for rolling over shit (even with the crappy brakes) and the wide upright bars make throwing the bike around easy. Splitting lanes, thundering up hills, passing through blocks of traffic, makes it fun as shit on a dual sport! The traffic lights make next to no sense, so climbing to the front of the pack of waiting cars is a huge advantage. Not as quick as a track bike through crowded streets, but about as fun.

As for proclivities, not much has changed lately... work out every other day, ride or run sometimes, studying up on the product I'm trying to sell pretty much every free moment. No internet still which sucks. Tax refunds will produce cash flow for more riding gear or maybe a canon g9? Maybe even a haircut?
There was some grilling going on at the lodge on easter and I got to meet some more of the butchertown residents. Best grilled portobello's I've tasted yet. Jamima baked a cake with edible flowers on top which was straight martha stewart and yummy. I met another neighbor yesterday while he was adjusting his scavenged brooks saddle. He definitely referenced Sheldon Brown.

marching right along

2008-03-16T18:47:00.001-07:00

So my internet leeching isn't working out so well right now. I guess its a good thing since the pile of shit I put off daily is finally getting whittled down. Being able to go to a cafe and take care of two addictions in one fail swoop is convenient. But people on laptops in public blow, so it's kinda self damning.

Last weekend there was clearly a party happening down in the corner space of our warehouse. I poked my head out to see, and in the process I met a girl headed in that direction. We went in and listened to some kinda thrashy band for a couple, then went back outside to chitchat and refuel. In doing so, I met some kid who had good glasses, and is a disgruntled employee of the apple store. He peeped the cracks on my iphone and said he would happily fix the problem!

Working at hattar is still taking a lot of effort. Lots of details to learn about the bikes and trying to talk motorcycles to strangers all day is pretty draining. I guess its a welcome change after months of doing jack shit, but I do enjoy having nothing to do but figure out what to do. I have been test riding bikes every chance I can and that list now includes: ducati multistrada 1100s, 1098, triumph tiger, scrambler, and 675. I was blown away by the 1098. The monoblock brembo's stop better than anything and the front wheel comes up without any effort. I really like the characteristics of the triple engines on the triumphs. If I had to get a race bike, the 675 would be it in a heartbeat. The stock underseat exhaust sounds sooo nasty, and it is so light and flickable.

Ya'll seen red dawn? If not, don't put if off for another second. It took me 'til the tender age of 28 to see this baby. I can only imagine how rich my life would have been with this film being a part of it early on. shit is swayyyzzee

Earlier this week I took in slim cessna's auto club. They had great stage presence which Brad labeled "homo-social" (is that real?) and homeboy has a gold tooth.

its sad, the neglect

2008-03-05T23:12:00.000-08:00

I went to dalva to check out an opening for my pseudo housemate aaron de la and before I can even step in the door who do I bump into? Fucking Andrew Snow from Boston, by way of SF, kentucky...I don't know where else. (I guess he is in town getting tattooed, and tattooing in turn.) When I bump into him, he's outside of delirium trying to bum tubes off bike kids! So we get him a tube from Aaron's boy, and after its changed, it ends up blowing out the tire. Great. So I go home and fetch a tire and tube, head back and save the day. Lucky motherfucker. He bought me a beer that tasted like a loaf of german bread, and we caught up while watching the midget cowboy flick that was being projected. I also got a call from Rob Bottomly who is taking a little vacation here for the next week. Cambridge shop kid, sick bmx'er, good musical taste, all around nice guy. I'm glad to have excuses to go get drinks on school nights.

Still speaking of Boston kids, Greg Disterhoft is living here now. I had the privilege of going on my first long road ride with him the other day where I found myself staving off the urge to puke towards the last few hundred feet of climbing up mt. tam. (43 miles, over 2,500 feet) Being the gentleman that he is, he waited at the top where we took in some incredible views of the pacific coast and the city. The great thing about cycling (and I don't want to let the cat out of the bag here) is how even when you feel like death, you feel great! Even better when its in the 70's and blue bird. The descent was incredible with switchbacks the whole way down to sea level.

Brad came by yesterday and gave me some hand-me-down levi's and showed off his new bmw rallye 2 pro jacket. I've wanted one pretty bad, but it creates a slight imbalance when you have the rat bike of dual sports, and the bmw (for lack of a better example) of riding apparel. Plus we'd match...

the other side of the rainbow

2008-02-26T20:55:00.000-08:00

So I started my job at the motorcycle shop today, and holy shit, wow. After sitting in an office for a couple hours getting briefed on what happens at the shop, the head mechanic comes in and informs us that a ducati desmosedici rr (D16RR) has just been delivered. This motorcycle is about as race replica as it gets, sharing most of its design and components with the motogp bike that was raced last year. It only costs a cool $72,500. (to emphasize, that is seventy two thousand, five hundred dollars!) Limited production, all are sold. With 1500 produced, $108,750,000 in retardedly expensive and impractical motorcycles were sold with no stress.
Meanwhile, guess what pulls up in the parking lot? Another D16RR! Only this one is red w/o the white side panels. Some old ass guy just brought it 'round to show it off... he was there for 3 hours. I've never heard/seen anything like it. All of the fairings are carbon fiber. Red paint on the outside, beautiful carbon weave on the inside. Craziness. So what could top the desmosedici double whammy? Having the head mechanic discover that both of the wheels on the crated bike were damaged. (and yes, that is a metal crate it shipped in) So this is where it gets real.....that wheel set costs $22,000!! WHAT THE FUCK! The last wheel set I witnessed that was damaged in transit (at the good 'ol cambridge bicycle shop) was probably 200 bucks.
I'm still having trouble digesting this.

match your socks to your slacks kids

2008-02-25T13:59:00.000-08:00

Why didn't this one get reissued like the others?

2008-02-23T16:11:00.000-08:00

the picture of this kid (panda bear, of animal collective), made me miss this kid (Jonathan, of all world fame and misfortune.) hope all's well homie.

out of left field

2008-02-23T13:02:00.000-08:00

I happened upon a picture of courtney love looking less like herself and more like charlize theron. So this spawned about a half hours worth of googling trying to figure out what happened...

Lots of plastic, and a macrobiotic chef.
It is kinda fucked up/cute that courtney and karl's movitation for losing weight was so they could fit into the high fashion that they wanted to wear. (I wonder who spent more on obtaining the less droopy face.) Could MD sized looney toon character t's be used to give the rest of the world the same superficial motivation? The answer to the american obesity epidemic? Moreover, the common folk aspire to have a drooping face! "In the year 2000, the total annual cost of obesity in the United States was $117 billion." -surg gen.

A purdy little slideshow feature on more money than omgzz from the boston globe. Lets stop fighting over oil so we can wrap up the big dig!

work more to play more?

2008-02-18T20:53:00.000-08:00

So today, I find myself gainfully employed and must say goodbye to the past two and a half months of not working. Neil feels my pain.

Earlier this week I started working with Travis of freight baggage. I'm sure you have witnessed the amount of nut swinging that has gone on, and needless to say, I'm stoked to be keeping this kind of company. Learning to sew is awesome! I have spent a lot of time trying not to put industrial needles through my fingers, while constructing pieces for hip packs. If you haven't experienced a sewing machine, its kind of like a video game where you shoot guns and have to reload. (no messenger bag pun intended)

Next week I start selling motorcycles at the number one ducati dealer in the nation. (hattarmotorsports) Should be an interesting change of scenery, and a definite challenge. Working at cambridge for the past few years has kept it real. Selling stuff to people who usually needed it for daily transportation. Now I find myself selling toys to people with enough money to piss it away. "sir, why would you ever consider the S model, when the new R model is right around the corner? tee hee, tee hee." We'll see how it goes. The new commute will consist of riding across the golden gate bridge. I miss when my commute included the mass ave. bridge. (ahh the terrordrome days, sniff sniff) So it looks like I'm headed for some type of employment triumvirate of good luck. Having worked for the best bike shop, currently working for the best bag company, and now the best ducati dealer (pres of ducati NA gets his bikes built and tuned at hattar) means I need to keep blowing on eyelashes.

This town really does give two shits about bicyclists. I had a bus actually wait for me to overtake it before hooking a right turn. As opposed to the friendly mta drivers of greater boston who would leap at the opportunity to run you into a curb. (yeah, usually I would be on the left of it, but it was a test... and yes, I test employees of the city I live in.) The other day, I had a cop waive me through an intersection with a smile and a nod. They actually care! I turned down my NWA and returned the nod.

Today I bought about 10 magazines, had a veggie tamale for lunch, and visited painted bird. This is the best vintage/second hand shop I've discovered so far in SF. Everything is in great condition and there really isn't much of the crap you have to wade through like most places. Size smalls abound which always seems to be an issue (for the little ones) living in a city.

Now quick, go watch the eclipse! nasa info

I want this

2008-02-16T22:02:00.001-08:00

and this at the same time!
Make sure to click the picture so you can see the fucking wizardly dual purpose headlight guard and front rack. I don't know what just yet, but I'd find something to have strapped there all day long.

Today I learned how to adjust my valves on the klr, and with the skills of Joe, had the doohicky replaced (yeah its the doohicky) which is one of the things that commonly fails on these bikes. Half of the problem is the spring that is attached which loses tension. My bike with barely 700 miles on it already had shitty spring tension. Thanks man for having the part, and especially for the install! This is 'er all opened up:

Earlier this evening I was stopped at a light and watched 3 crackheads stumble down the street. One of them was this latina who was straight out of the walking dead, in a wheel chair with a single leg. She was just smilin' and kicking herself along while her homeboys were focused on staying upright. It forced the reminding thought: happiness really is a state of mind.

Sarah posted this incredible video of Alcore covering phil collins' "in the air tonight." Alex, of bloodhorse and a million other bands fame, is super chill and this video is nothing less. It sucks not being able to see them play all the time.

2008-02-14T21:16:00.000-08:00

(jacked from max schaaf's 4q blog)

each day is a gift

2008-02-14T18:50:00.000-08:00

i don't know why

2008-02-14T18:08:00.000-08:00

seriously? its a 245 dollar childs novelty! what kind of spoiled little shits got these for christmas?

"Like Hannah, there's more to this TV's good looks than meets the eye."
yuck

mont clair is rich

2008-02-11T22:47:00.000-08:00

I spent three days helping Brad install some stainless gutters on a building owned by Karl Kardel, the company he works with. By coincidence, about four years ago I found a framed card at a thrift store featuring their distinct bee company logo which was commissioned by David Lance Goines in the 70's. I have been in love with this image for years now, so I found it extraordinary to be earning day labor wages paid by the same man who had paid for such a great logo. Good taste? (Kardel is also a Dane.) It was nice to spend a few days soaking up the sun, debating what we're doing with our lives, and getting a taste of the trades.

Yesterday I rode out to Hayward where I picked up a third (black and sans holes) pelican case from a lady named Linda via craigslist. This will serve as my top case, in place of the JC whitney special that I have been rocking around town. There are bay area dual-sporters heading to Death Valley this weekend for a rally... maybe I can hang? I would have to do my first tune up which involves a valve adjustment, get a rollchart holder, and get my long overdue plates. I could use a better set of boots.

Jax had a surprise birthday party thrown for her at Dolores park on Saturday, and the weather couldn't have been better. There were turntables set up on one end of the park, a laptop and PA setup at the other, with tons of burningman types dancing. The grass slopes were packed with people on blankets enjoying the sunshine. So good to see!

These days I'm spending at least an hour minimum at advrider.com just reading. Is that insane? Or do you spend hours each day doing the same type of thing? Sometimes I find shit like these two:

(look how insanely large the tank is on the red bmw)

baby faced and pelican cased

2008-02-05T16:30:00.000-08:00

(new project: fix holes, paint, mount on bike)

I shaved my face for the first time in a couple years this past week to better present myself for a job interview. Now it acts as a reminder as to why I don't shave. Not only did I cut the shit out of myself (holler at my scabbed adams apple) but it caused my face to break out and now I have three new "blemishes" to call my own. Not that it matters since tomorrow I will be shovelling shit around. Brad was kind enough to hire me in place of one of the mexicans that wait on the street corners trying to get work for the day.

Speaking of baby faces, I talked to Craig for a hot second today and its good to hear that his super stressful move out of the space he's been living for the past million years is behind. He's going to be up in Portland for the north american handmade bicycle show with Jeremy and Igleheart, Jeremy launching his new embrocation magazine, and Igleheart selling hot bike frames. I talked to Travis of freight baggage and it looks like he'll also be up there showing off some custom panniers and supporting friends. Have fun gents, I wish I could go!

Otherwise I'm still getting my new place situated, now that AC moved the rest of his stuff out (except for the weight bench which I get to borrow til he gets a new spot!) Here is what my klr is looking like with its new racks and the decals removed:

RIP Sheldon

2008-02-05T14:52:00.000-08:00

I know that some of you may least expect a tribute to the late Sheldon Brown to come from this guy. Sure I have talked some shit, but most of it was in the name of fun. This man has enriched the lives of many, and for that reason alone I have great respect.
The writings that Sheldon has created for the cycling community's benefit, are yet to be matched. I have referenced his site many times in a pinch, and for introducing anyone to the varied aspects of the bike game, there exists nothing as comprehensive. (or as outdated in appearance; postmortem hate'n) Although I never got to witness him cry when someone resized the chain on his recumbent, or be accused of spilling his toothpicks, or watch him fondle his belly button while gazing out into space, (thank you Jeremy for the insider's perspective) Real recognize real bike geek. Thank you Sheldon.
I dedicate this one to you.

super cute puppy bowl sunday

2008-02-04T00:05:00.000-08:00

Omar is the pomeranian who belongs to Andy and sometimes hangs out with us during the day time. Cuterzzzzz! This is him blending in with my bed.
this is the real

The new racks I ordered for my KLR just got delivered! You know I'll be showing it off when they're fitted.

There is a week ahead of sunshine on the forecast...

2008-01-31T21:40:00.000-08:00

slowing down

2008-01-30T22:37:00.000-08:00

I got back from the snow to find rain. So I spent some money on accessories for the new steed and have kept depressing music on rotation. Ignore the negative, focus on the positive right?

(the mens room at sf intl looks straight out of a space odyssey)

2008-01-29T23:03:00.000-08:00

Richard introduced me to the feelies.

fudge mom

2008-01-27T14:55:00.000-08:00

One big plus of visiting slc is my wonderful mother and the fudge she makes. It doesn't stop there however. I have been eating bowls of danish ris alamand and trays of cookies (also with almonds.) Today, we tore into a marzipan cake in celebration of my brother's return. Fatty pants over here should have brought his running shoes. No, fuck that its cold as shit out and I'd rather curl up in front of the fireplace that starts by pushing a button. I did buy a running hat for 10 bucks though...it'll get used later.

The halls of the salt palace convention center were alive with the sound of technical garments swishing as people brushed shoulders and meandered booth to booth. My mission at outdoor retailer was to score a mont bell down jacket. As luck would have it on the last day, they decided to sell off their displays, all of which were my size. Super limited US distribution means that I have never been able to get what I wanted anytime I've looked, and they weren't in Massachusetts. (their shit is cut for the Japanese and fits my skinny ass perfectly; pretend you care.) If you need anything dope and light for adventuring or just looking like a Japanese street kid, check em out. And if you are in slc and need anything outdoors-y go to IME which is the most legit shop in town. They have a used gear consignment room which is worth the trip alone and the staff knows everything.

One of my friends from the BR days is living large in DC and has a rad blog worth adding to your list. Marissa is hot and smart so if you live in DC hook it up! the anti dc

Mr. Greg Beson got some press with some of the Winter Camp shows he has been throwing and I have been missing. Caught one living room show over the summer and wish I was around to witness them all. Keep it up kiddies!

lastly:

texas tea

2008-01-25T00:36:00.000-08:00

I suggest seeing zeitgeist if you haven't already. I'm not endorsing it, but feel it provides food for thought which should never be in short supply. You can watch it here pretty easily.

On a lighter note, I scored 5 shirts, a sweater, and a leather jacket for just 33 dollars while thrifting today. Also, had the best cappuccino ever in a paper cup.

My brother gets home from a two year bid tomorrow. Can't wait to see him.

busy sunday

2008-01-21T16:53:00.000-08:00

I moved into my new place which is a huge relief. It sucks not having your own space and having to impose on others. Now I have a drafty warehouse and a cluttered room. I head to slc for a week where I get to see my brother for the first time in two years. I also get to catch the sundance festival, outdoor retailer, and the friends and family I don't see enough.

We went to mezzanine last night and watched some comedy. Tim and Eric, Michael Showalter, and Bob Odenkirk were the headliners. Sucks you had to stand, and redstripes were 6 bucks, but well worth it to see these guys perform.

I guess this is what I've been missing in Boston, as seen from Scott's porch.

sting op

2008-01-18T12:45:00.000-08:00

I was woken by the sound of motorcycles circling the block. It went on for a while, so I decided to investigate. What I discovered was a undercover cop making passes on the cross walk in front of Bella's house. There were seriously five motorcycle cops and one cruiser on hand, busting people left and right. (if you squint, you can see three of 'em across the way, waiting to pounce) Sometimes they would get three cars in one pass. Annoying to wake up to, but segues into good entertainment when enjoying your morning coffee.

I checked out godspeed in Oakland which impressed the hell out of me. Its like your one stop shopping joint for rat bike owning motorcyclists. You can get a drink, a tattoo, parts, apparel (if you like black), and knifes and mace all under one roof. They nailed what they have going on. Good service to boot.

The cool kids show was real good. It was their first time headlining a show ever, so they were pumped, they got the crowd pumped, it was solid. More hip hop like this please!

new motorcycle!

2008-01-16T10:12:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I got fucking ridiculous and bought an '07 klr 650! So now that I have bought my mad max mobile, (flat black krylon paint job first on my list) I'm going to go ride the shit out of it, and you can enjoy some you tube videos.
This will be me without a doubt, having never owned a bike that is offroadable:

join me out at the white trash playground...

sunday ride up the coast

2008-01-15T14:54:00.000-08:00

Bella was kind enough to lend me her Ducati for the day, so Brad and I took off for a few hours and road up the 1. Such an amazing stretch of pavement with plenty of twisties to keep your attention. When we exited the trees before hitting the coast, there was a wall of fog that completely obscured our view of the ocean that was just off the cliff to the left. After a few turns up the road, you look back and see this massive wall of fog, and to the right of it, the expanse of the ocean dissolving into the horizon. I wish I had a picture to convey what words cannot adequately describe. I enjoyed being on a sportbike again, and for the last half of the ride, got to ride Brad's new Dakar which was as comfortable as a couch. There were a million people out on bikes (motorized and non) and unlike the east, everyone waves when you ride by! Imagine!

the usual spread of crappy iphone pics....

Saw "there will be blood" and "hearts of darkness" over the past couple days. Both films I liked. Had the best meal so far in SF at little nepal. I had never eaten Nepalese and was excited to try it. Since it combines a little of Indian and Tibetan, it ended up being delicious. Good service, good atmosphere, not expensive, check it out when you can.

garbage bikes

2008-01-11T12:40:00.000-08:00

Bikes are always that much sweeter when you find them abandoned and give them a little love. Or mags even!
I just got this pic from Jason of a mongoose that was less than sorted. Originally I scored this frame from Justyna's basement on the hill when she was moving out, and never got to building 'er before I upped roots. Jason inherited it and of course it got the love it deserved. No one could have better done this baby justice, and I'm stoked it's on the road. (how fun was bending that mangled drop out back into shape?) yo I know there is a baby blue saddle that could find a new home...

go to our shop's myspace and watch the cool kids video while you're bored.
Catch them on the 17th at the independent.

thank you stumble boredom

2008-01-09T21:39:00.000-08:00

want to go?

2008-01-07T22:53:00.000-08:00

tickets and info

2008-01-07T20:34:00.000-08:00

Today I went on a road ride with Lisa who is my temporary downstairs neighbor and is super chill. She showed me a loop through the Oakland hills and it was beautiful. You get to ride through redwoods and the roads were covered with eucalyptus bark. Eucalyptus isn't native and is considered the most invasive species in california, btw. I also scored a silver id bracelet at community thrift for 50% off, which they do the first monday of every month. I've been searching for one for a while, so I feel like I was being rewarded for my hard work.

Yesterday we went to check out the Alameda swap meet which is supposed to be super large. We got lost and distracted on the navel base and stopped at a storage unit dead stock sale instead. I walked away with two trunks, a silver bread box, and a skinny embroidered tie with matching kerchief. The real treasure was in one of the trunks which was full of a deceased man's random possessions. His name was Bishop Giles and in his trunk I found two Reggie Jackson for president buttons, a bullet, a handbook for those suffering from exposure to agent orange, his army discharge papers, and about 50 photographs which were taken in the early 70's. Among these are two naked full-figured women (pics soon to come), and many shots of the kitchens and food spreads that he had cooked up in his years of service.
For some reason all of us passed on the fantasy metal clock which had dragons and warriors and shit painted on lacquered wood, like the ones you see at the fair. There were a couple beautiful mt.bike relics from the early 90's. One was something titanium with white industries hubs, cook bros cranks w/ti rings, rock shox fork w/carbon stanchions, ringle skewers, and xt. It came with a nuke proof wheelset as well. This also got passed on.

We ate at lois the pie queen which was tasty and had amazing service. One of the dudes working there named Chris wanted the entire room to sing him happy birthday and everyone obliged. Definitely worth checking out if you are in the mood for a breakfast with good biscuits. Later on I continued organizing my mp3s for another few hours and watched "for your consideration." Which I liked least of the Christopher Guest films I have seen. How exciting!

lets make an ode to the woods

2008-01-05T20:39:00.000-08:00

(thanks Matthew)

penthouse

2008-01-03T00:51:00.000-08:00

The only fatalities of the evening were a few pieces of clothing. I picked up a cigarette burn on my cardigan somewhere along the way; a jacket was lost, and the shoes below got right ruined. I had bought a new shirt and pair of shoes last week in anticipation of a good new years, and happily it delivered. We jumped between parties, met a bunch of kids, danced for a second, watched shit burn, and people fight. We ended up at the house of one of Faith's former roommates who's boyfriend plays in saviours who had played with earth and neurosis that same night. Tough decision to make, miss this show with the possibility of everything else not matching its excellence? Also weighing in was Diplo and fluokiddies. Ended up with an awesome crew of kids, watched super young black sabbath videos, and another example of how small the world can be.

Earlier in the week, I met this kid Josh when Rich and I were waiting for a realtor to show up at a space. He said that I needed to go to philz coffee (which was right in the neighborhood) and look for a man in a fedora. Tell him that Josh said to ask for the best cup of coffee I will ever have. We stumbled into philz around 11am january 1st and I introduced myself to the man in the fedora who was indeed phil. It could have been the circumstances adding to my enthusiasm, but I assure you friends: the coffee was great! A few steps later our party was reduced by one, and we decided to nap in the park. The sun was scorching and although it was slightly cold, we got in a blink or two. Next was waiting for brunch where our party increased by two, we pounded water, amazing bloody mary's, and many crepes.

The rest of my day was spent intermittently sleeping and watching some of these japanese jems. I recommend that you all check out Criminal Woman: Killing Melody. I am just scratching the surface, and my mind was blown! There was a scene where two inmates fought each other with broken shards of glass, a rope clenched in their mouths connecting them, the whole while trying not to drop the rope.

My eastcoast brothers and sisters let me know that I missed all the glory of the last ever new years party at 327 summer st. Many good times were had at these lofts, and my heart goes out to Croth, Hans, and the rest who are getting kicked out. A man like Craig requires a pretty intense staging area to ensure such endeavors as the R1 race can be pulled off with success. The amount of out of towners who have crashed there for a race, or the many who have collaborated on projects that have impacted larger circles than their immediate, is a testament of how important a smart place to call your home can be.

Lately I feel like I'm stuck in a loop of self imposed distraction. Time to get back to improvement, and stop with the laziness! I don't have any new years resolutions per se, but in the spirit of whatever, '08 coming, keeping up with all you jones', I don't know... here are a few of my ongoing goals: be less selfish, get fit, eliminate dead weight and negativity, keep in touch with friends and family, buy an enduro and ride it everywhere.
It's raining outside so I'm going to continue finding distraction in the internet.

2007-12-29T11:54:00.000-08:00

After three trips and a c-note, I finally got my california plates for the bmw! I don't need to dive into much of a diatribe, since you have all experienced the dmv at some point, but damnation! Those catty bitches make life less than pleasant. Having amazing weather and a legal motorcycle makes my thoughts drift to riding apparel... I love these jackets from belstaff and might have to give myself a late christmas gift. I will without a doubt be acquiring an adventure touring motorcycle at some point this year after having obsessively watched all ten episodes of long way round. I really like the idea of being able to just ride wherever you like, and do it for extended periods of time. Camping, riding bikes, and seeing new sights, are up there on my list. Check this article on Ms. original gangster Elspeth Beard, courtesy of motorcyclist via http://sameerkumar.blogspot.com/

Christmas day we rode bikes across the golden gate bridge and all over. Christmas eve we ate at Ben and Allison's new house, and the spread of vegetarian food seemed limitless. The eggplant parm was the best I've ever tasted.
Last night I saw the Golden Compass instead of Kid Sister....errr They are totally setting up yet another trilogy. I had no clue about the story going into it, but I was definitely entertained. Brutal ice bear battles! The dude from big lebowski who asks for a "sioux city sarsaparilla" is in it. Worth checking out.
The new Chromatics album blows. You can't count on a Kate Bush cover three tracks in to save you.

ifucked

2007-12-28T13:02:00.000-08:00

I tried to update my iphone a couple weeks ago and lost all of my contacts, pics etc. since the last time I synced to my computer....(september!!) All of my spy photos and documented tomfoolery down the drain. The "mac genius" couldn't explain why it happened, but could explain that I would be out of luck recovering anything.
Please learn from my mistakes and either a. avoid buying an overpriced piece of convenience wizardry, or b. sync that shit more frequently. And if you aren't hearing from me, this is probably why.

its time to:

2007-12-24T16:42:00.000-08:00

(jacked from david)

2007-12-15T12:00:00.000-08:00

Rich is moving to SF this monday! I'm hoping this starts a chain reaction of good boston kids migrating. Of my past years spent in boston, Rich is one of the people who has impacted my life most. I still remember the day we went to cambridge bicycle to pick out the pieces for my first fixed gear bike. Danny P found an orange miyata road frame on the side of the road, and this became the platform. The original saavedra cranks had dope black drilled out chainrings and lasted until a halloween race in new york, when the non-drive side arm snapped. I will always look back on the days of the terrordrome crew with fondness.

Went to a modular party on wednesday at 1015 folsom that had a cool ceiling and not much in the way of attendance. Jay made card houses out of stickers and flyers, and the rest of us sat and watched.

Spent thursday biking around with no agenda after eating breakfast at st. francis. Favorite breakfast in the city so far! Met up with Faith then went to a park and chilled out. Finally met Travis from freight baggage, after talking on the phone with the man for over a year. What a solid dude. We started drinking at the hemlock about 5ish, were drunk by 7, and road around while our crew snowballed at another bar, then ended up at some art show. Kids out here are super chill. My friday night was spent at a bmx race track in santa clara, and I had no idea how much fun I was in for. I'm hooked! Having 3 bmx tracks within a hour of the city is something I have never been privy to, and it's a shit ton cheaper than most race entry fees. (2 bucks last night!) If I really needed an excuse to wear a full face helmet, this would be the ticket. I can only imagine how good my handling skills are going to look after a weekly dosage of trying to not fly off my bike into the hard packed dirt. Come out to the white trash playground!

Now I live in San Francisco

2007-12-11T20:39:00.000-08:00

It has been an interesting past two weeks, with my final week in Boston being a mixed bag. I was having moodswings that would rival the menopausal. I didn't realize how hard it was going to be to leave behind the amazing group of people I had come to know and love. After a couple back to back nights of trying to go out with friends and saying goodbyes I realized how lucky I have been, and how "whats behind door number two" is always a risk no matter how good it looks in theory. Now I'm planted in Bella's attic in Oakland until I get a place, and couldn't be more stoked. She definitely laid out the red carpet and a million thanks are due. First and foremost, if you need to do a cross country move, make sure there are good people like Brad on the receiving end. Here's a little recap...

I was officially on the road the afternoon of December 1st. It might have taken yet another day if I didn't have the good friend who took a week out of her life to keep me focused/distracted. Our first stop was rolling in to whoknowswhere upstate new york at "america's best motel" which smelled like shit. Seriously. Had I followed the advice of the bird riding shotgun, the whole thing could have been avoided. I think the bed had some type of mites, cuz it was itching all night, and every time I would wake up, it was to the smell of shit. Lesson learned. Next day, driving through Cleveland proved to be ugly and depressing. In the evening we hit Chicago and stayed at Joanna's. She made pierogi and we all went out and drank many rounds of $1.25 drafts (in frosty mugs) at the 2-way lounge. Next day, lots of driving with nothing interesting and then a motel outside of Omaha which seemed like the ritz carlton when compared to the one two nights prior. Took a small detour to Denver and was met by the welcoming arms of Taylor and Kendyl, who I had missed earlier this summer when we did round one of this drive. They took us out to Watercourse for some vegan country fried steak and potatoes, and showed us the town. Next day, drove straight to Salt Lake and ate at Shanghai Cafe with the Moms and Sister. Hung out with Richard and Morgan for a second and played some atari. It was awesome falling asleep by the fireplace, and waking up to homemade cinnamon rolls! This is why moms will always win in the end. The next day was supposed to be the long haul to SF, but got interrupted by a snow storm near lake Tahoe. Lacking chains for the uhaul, (and not wanting to spend over 100 bucks to get 'em) we turned back to Reno and stayed at the Sands casino. Woke up on my 28th birthday to snowy skies. I got out of the shower to find a mexican man with a rattail delivering a piece of pumpkin pie with a candle in it, and an entire box of coffee just so Justyna could make the room service minimum! What a sweetheart. An accident on I-80 meant we were going nowhere fast. Pulled over before Truckee, and killed some time with a drawn out brunch and some video poker. Luckily things cleared up just in time for our second attempt at the summit, and we made it to SF just after sundown. Tired but excited, we met Jay and Jacqs for tapas at Ramblas, then saw Boombip at the Elbo room. All in all, a good birthday and a welcome end from the uhauling.

A couple consistents within the trip: the uhaul was so loud that conversation suffered both in the cab, and on the phone. The back of the uhaul had the most ill though out mural painted so we were constantly getting brighted by people on the interstate, and we were flagged down twice. (once by a cowboy.) fuck you uhaul. add to this the raping cost of gas (1200 to propel the sacajawea emblazoned piece of shit) I hope to god that the beauty that counts really is on the inside, because gas station attendants across middle america are some fucked up looking individuals.

Spent the first night in SF at Justyna's place, then the next day unloaded all of my shit into a storage unit with Brad's kind help and tolerance. (yes I brought 5 eames chairs, 7 bicycles, and 3 motorcycle helmets with me...) Later that night we ate Ethiopian food, and got a drink at a dive bar where I met "the roadie" Pete who was having his 50th birthday. It was told to me that he was the first roadie for the subhumans, which makes him practically punk rock royalty. After finding out where I had been living, he immediately started up an intoxicated sermon about how boston was actually where the English won over the americans. I was advised to avoid all conversation about soccer. I spent that night on Leah's couch after tea and cookies. The past two days I have sold some clothes at a consignment shop, biked around SF and Oakland a bit, met up with Faith for a couple beers at cassanova, met my downstairs dfl neighbors Dave and Lisa, and have seen more vagrants and junkies than the past 5 years in Boston combined.

There were many people I missed before leaving, and didn't spend nearly enough time with those dearest to me. Please come visit when I find an overpriced place to live. On my list for this week is selling more of my shit off, getting my r80 some california plates, enjoying the warm weather, and trying to find living and working situations. I saw this blind guy doing a rubik's cube and at first found it funny, then sad:

I got to SF finally

2007-12-08T13:30:00.000-08:00

and I will give some details after I have a couch and a free minute. I miss you Boston!

return of bike movie night

2007-11-21T15:36:00.000-08:00

Ride your singlespeed coaster braked bike to the Enormous Room and watch a film with us.

out my windowzz

2007-11-21T15:25:00.000-08:00

One of the bigger things that I am going to miss about New England is the changing leaves. I raced my first 'cross race of the season, this past Saturday at Lowell. My race report is here. It hurt so bad, but when it's over, I forgot how good you feel! Next Saturday is Sterling, most of our team will be repping, so come and witness the pain and suffering.

2007-11-17T17:51:00.000-08:00

coming up quick

2007-11-15T14:33:00.000-08:00

I reserved the uhaul, listed more shit for sale on craigslist, and started thinning my record collection. And haha check what I found in a record sleeve:

To help fund my new adventure, I am having a "sell off my shit" party. So come over Tuesday the 20th (kick off around 8-9?) and buy some shit! Tons of clothes, books, CD's, DVD's, records, some furniture and bike stuff. Mad cheap! Nixie lent me The Tick live action series on DVD so that will be playing in the background. And if you don't want any of the above, donate some cash and you get a peek at my roommate's precious moments collection.
I'll get a 30 rack of the top shelf, and we can chat about how our futures are blindingly bright. I'm sure the void of the internet will miss many, so please spread the word.

The game plan:

View Larger Map

Whats up golf bags

2007-11-13T19:51:00.000-08:00

We played boardgames over at Jason and Cassidy's place last night and it was radical. No xboxwiis3, it was straight up cranium! I didn't know it beforehand, but you can get puppet rodeoed. It had been a while since I'd been to JP, and its also been a while since I'd ridden home late in the rain. I have a pair of jeans I bought last fall and haven't washed since. Unfortunately, I was wearing them last night and when they dried out and I saw them this morning, this was what they looked like. It hasn't snowed here yet, so it couldn't have been road salt....its either my own filth, or burning man dust residue. I vote residue. By the way, if you think this is the first photo I've taken of a pair of my jeans, sadly its not. Why do I like to document the different states of my jeans and not my other clothing? It's a sad state I'm in...

Today I bumped into thom.com at staples in harvard sq.! What a solid kid. I really like some of the people I will be leaving behind and I am definitely going to miss many I haven't even thought of yet. Can my new job be working for the company of people I enjoy spending time with?
My friend Scott gave me this before he turned in his lease and I will cherish it forever:

2007-11-13T19:29:00.000-08:00

spy photo

2007-11-10T19:50:00.001-08:00

Last leg

2007-11-07T19:57:00.000-08:00

Good times in San Francisco, the rest of the trip ended up pretty chill. Caught a couple films, walked up steep hills, and had days spent in many parks. I rode my bike around a bit more and thrift shopped all over the place. It was a great way to greet November with most days warm enough to wear only a t-shirt. There are so many coffee shops to try out, and watering holes to patronize. The most excitement was the last night in town, when we got locked out of the car. We started by going back to the cafe we just left and looking all over for the keys. When nothing turned up, we gave up searching and assumed the worst. (it was dark and we couldn't see if they were actually in the ignition) So over the course of the next hour and a half, we tried breaking in by scoring the following: a stick from an alley way, a butter knife from a local cafe, a wire hangar from two mexican dudes working on their car, and a piece of ribbon that came off the bag of carmel popcorn we had just polished off while running around trying to figure out how to open the bitch up. It was a sight to behold with one person wielding the hanger, and the other prying the door slightly ajar while holding an iphone up to light our target, the lock button. After struggling with no success (we got close though, we could push the button down to keep re-locking the doors!) guess who walks by the car? the barista who had served us two hours earlier. And guess what he had found when closing up?! We made it out to Oakland in time for an amazing dinner courtesy of Brad, and hung out with the cutest dog ever. I can't wait to go back and see more of everything. Thanks are due to my private tour guide.

Thanks also go out to everyone who voted us the Weekly dig's best shop in Boston for the third year in a row! New at the shop this next week will be more anodized goodies, new display cases, two gorilla lifts (haha at last!) and some warm winter cycling apparel. Keep your eyes peeled for our boys and girls racing this weekend.

mid trip

2007-11-03T12:11:00.000-07:00

The view of boston in the distance is always pretty.

So far I've been seeing new sights and making new friends. I sure am getting sick of planes. Missed my flight today, guess I have to delay the torture of 6 hours of cramped legs til tuesday. I've had a quesy stomach for the past couple days and it's finally settling down. There are awesome classic bikes everywhere; I want a new motorcycle pretty bad. One of the best things about this town is the abundance of designated motorcycle parking spaces. There is no end to the awesome independent businesses and the breakfast spots alone trump anything I've had in the past few years. (aside from kate's maybe.) The vegan chorizo hash/milkshake combo at St. Francis made me question everything I've come to accept as decent. When you can lounge in a park wearing a tshirt in november, its tough to see a better alternative. Brad tells tales of nighttime road rides with head lamps, hills, and no traffic.

halloween week

2007-10-29T16:42:00.000-07:00

So the other night I checked out dj's Morsy and Dayta of nanachill at the Enormous Room. Mark was on point when he said they are the dj version of goonies. So good! It's been a long time since I've seen an entire party completely devoid of trainwrecks and an idle dance floor. They kept shit moving up until the end which was capped off with some wtf type psychedelic hilarity/creepiness thanks to Larry Carlson. If you haven't seen this guy's work, you have no idea what you're in for. Yeah, I blogged it!

I spent 3 hours installing stainless steel fenders on my raleigh international. It looks like it was born with them:

Today I decided to swing by Shaws for some bread. I haven't shopped there is so long, (with good reason) I forgot how sad the real world can get. In my moment of despairation, I witnessed droves of angry people in sweat pants hustling around with carts full of shitty food. What a bum out. Might as well be a nascar dad convention. Somehow my bitching segways into me showing you this psa:

Well, I'm off to the west coast for the week to visit the person I miss most....lindsey lohan.
siiiikke

Happy Halloween!

midnight crit!

2007-10-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard already, another in the long line of respected (and disrespectful!) midnight crits is going down this evening. 11:30pm at the Independent for registration and a pre-race Harpoon. $5. Brought to you by your friends at Rushin Revolution.

cuterzzzz

2007-10-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

Some things are so good that you emblazen a sweater with 'em and parade around triumphantly, knowing it can never be topped! I wish I could take credit for this find.

sleeping

2007-10-19T08:31:00.000-07:00

Fall is arriving and I've been lazy...so much work going on, and no healthy balance otherwise. The next month of my life is primed to be one of the hardest in recent years. Without a doubt it will be just as rewarding, with many lights at the end of the tunnel to keep me looking forward. Much thanks to everyone who supports my endeavors!
Some happenings of the past couple weeks:

The Cambridge/Igleheart team had a great weekend of racing at Gloucester! Two podium finishes, and many top 10 and 20 placings, with most of the team in attendance. We debuted our new kits and custom Igleheart cross bikes, both which were well received. My ass is still broke, so I worked the pits. Watching some of the elite rider's pit support was almost as impressive as watching the racing. If only all of our "b" bikes could have deep carbon tubulars!
One of our team's sponsors Goloco made a short ad featuring a handful of our team.

The Boston Bike Film Festival is going on this weekend so go watch films about rad biking at a rad venue. Dorothy is a sweetheart for helping orchestrate so many bike culture events, especially when dealing with pain in the ass sponsors such as us.

The first mt. bike I ever owned came into the shop the other day. I received this baby for christmas when I was like 10 years old. Talk about nostalgia! The schwinn woodlands looked just like I remembered it, with the awesome silver cable housing and crappy steel rims. Mine had a color matched water bottle cage as its only upgrade...

I have sold off a ton of bike and audio gear that has been collecting dust. Its nice to have cash in pocket and a little less clutter. If you have money to burn, talk to me. I still have a ton of shit for sale on the cheap.

I got the bmw running again and have been riding it around, albeit still illegal. I think Fall is the best time for motorcycle adventures, even if your bike is rusty and coughs at sub 70 degree temperatures. Red Nate: lets go pile on some miles!

las vegas

2007-10-04T13:37:00.000-07:00

Interbike was fun, everything looked nice. Everyone is making a track bike for the city now. More than a couple bmx companies are offering up track components. We got into the Sinclair Imports party, and boy was that hyped up wayy too much. If dancing around with pro's is what you're after then it delivers, but otherwise, who told the dj to switch cockrock and top 40 jams every 30 seconds? Girls on poles get old quickly, especially when they're like the wives of some reps who want to get gone wild and show off their bra's.

We put up a 100 dollar prime at the crit which got us the announcer saying "hey, I've been in that shop. thats a cool shop!" for all to hear. Best 100 bucks spent on marketing ever! Chilling out at the Fuji VIP tent meant a seriously stoked crowd when Ivan Dominguez won the crit.

Our hotel room had no shortage of flat panel tv's. There was one in each bedroom, one in the living room, and one in each bathroom. The oversized bathtubs with jets were a nice touch. So were the bathrobes and matching slippers. They got Turbo Dunn's approval. Thanks for the free room upgrade to baller status

i'll upload all of the pics soon to our flickr

is this good or bad?

2007-09-22T16:32:00.000-07:00

I fell straight on my ass

2007-09-22T13:56:00.000-07:00

and in a matter of seconds, effected at least the next 1-2 months of my life, which effects the entire 'cross season. After a couple bushmills wheelies sounded good at the time. Now what? I guess I will have more time to reflect on how fucking retarded I am and the internet will have to hear about it.

We're heading out to vegas for interbike this monday. I guess now I won't be riding any fancy bikes, but there will be plenty of other things to drool over. Sram will be giving us a peek at the much anticipated "red" grouppo before the public and Chris King will be showing us something top secret; we'll spill it next week.

If I can, I will be catching whitest boy alive at this:

then a couple days after, seeing daft punk for like 27 bucks! (round two, we'll see how it works out) When Mike saw daft punk, he said it was life changing. Greg flew to france to see whitest boy alive and loved it. So this trip has the potential to try and match the amazing time had just two weeks ago. Can I please make traveling my full time occupation?

Mark O. vs. BPD's finest

2007-09-15T12:16:00.000-07:00

The pigs didn't know the camera was on! (glad you're alright Zach)

Watch out for meat-head peds...

do you remember when dan had a

2007-09-12T20:26:00.000-07:00

rock shox on the track bike he locked up to the garbage that got thrown away?

new shoes

2007-09-08T19:35:00.000-07:00

Picked these babies up on Haight street. Its crazy how much a pair of sambas will go through in a year. I'm back in Cambridge now, and noticing how being gone for two weeks feels like two months. I'm not sure what to do, but the daily grind will undoubtedly start dictating. I have the urge to sell most of the crap I don't need and keep travelling.

The Freewheel bike shop in San Francisco was definitely holding it down. I got the tip off on where to score some newoldstock goodies which you will see coming soon to a bike shop near you. If you are ever near SF, don't miss both their shops.
The Scumbag Cup is going on, we're sponsoring it, there will be dope prizes and cash up for grabs. This is also the last week of the omnium race series at the NEV, so come up and rep.

I added a few more pictures from the last leg of our Journey to the Flickr gallery linked below

2007-09-08T19:25:00.000-07:00

what you see at burning man:

This is wine country bitches!

2007-09-04T10:43:00.000-07:00

Flickr

This past week and a half has been amazing. So far: Two nights in Chicago, breezed through Iowa and Nebraska, Denver for a second, the cliff dwellings in southern Colorado, Lake Powell and Goblin Valley in southern Utah, friends and family in Salt Lake, Black Rock desert for three nights in Nevada, two days of ballin in wine country California.

The rest of the trip will be divided between friends in San Francisco and Los Angeles, with hopefully a velodrome stop somewhere in the mix.

Some highlights: Camping non-stop, warbux moped shop, Northbrook velodrome, getting rained off the beach in Chicago, small town america, spending time with my favorite person, internet at rest stops, saw a UFO, sunburning on a giant rock in Lake Powell, iphone maps getting us everywhere, my moms, so many thrift store finds along the way, witnessing desert fashion and the bazillion soundsystems competing for attention in the desert, cutting holes in tarps, pool and jacuzzi time with views of vineyards.

Not so great: Losing the video of the man blowing the fuck up, having the shitty bike with the rad pink handlebars exchanged for something comparable of quality (without pink bars) against our will, dirt on everything, porta-potties, missing Kenlor by a day, got a ticket, hours of boring scenery in middle america, shitty coffee from gas stations, this trip ending.

Roadtrip so far

2007-08-30T08:59:00.000-07:00

2007-08-18T20:11:00.000-07:00

.......i wish i had seen daft punk in montreal

an exciting two weeks ahead

2007-08-18T17:30:00.001-07:00

If you haven't heard it from me yet, I'm leaving on vacation this Thursday. Over the course of the next two weeks I will have: helped Justyna move to l.a., hit up some velodromes, witnessed burning man, visited friends and family all over the west, camped a ton, seen new sights, developed a crucial tan, and on and on...

Last night was fun with the birthday girl. We ate at mare, dropped by zuzu, went to enormous room, and ended at middlesex. Outside of zuzu's we ran into Justin Craig Roth wearing jeans! I thought he just lived in spandex and cut off camo's!

I still have bug bites all over from what I think is a combination of NH track nights, and watching the meteor shower on the beach in manchester. I just can't leave them alone! Oh, I have the following for sale so pass it around: cross bike (raced one season), cross frameset (raced one season), 20" widescreen lcd monitor (2 yrs old)

because i have been lazy

2007-08-16T22:34:00.000-07:00

thats some shit man.

I posted this

2007-08-09T19:30:00.000-07:00

with my new iphone what?

dead

2007-08-04T16:37:00.000-07:00

long and busy week

2007-07-29T18:39:00.000-07:00

One friend came back in town and I couldn't be happier. Picked up an a.p.c. suit on sale at stel's. Got a new volume bmx bike, and my arms are still aching from riding it barely an hour... Raced the departed alleycat yesterday and got soaked in the two torrential downpours prior. (It was real fun on surface rd. riding through like two feet of water.) Jacob won first place in town and went home with the wheelset Craig built. (dura-ace 7600 track hubs with ambrosio anodized blue rims, polished off with gold nipples!) Craig came in a close second even though he's been sick. Today we said hi to the kids at bike polo, then went to the beach and played with the cutest jack russell terrier ever.

i've been slimming down a bit

2007-07-24T19:18:00.000-07:00

i lost 20 lbs. in anticipation of:

Justice, Teenage Bad Girl, Surkin @ Tracks - Arté

2007-07-21T19:57:00.000-07:00

you will not believe what i found

2007-07-20T18:28:00.000-07:00

college party house!
Does this guy like hot dogs or hamburgers? is this like a supersized version of a buttwiser tshirt?

only a week left

2007-07-19T18:09:00.000-07:00

of having to wait. i have done a terrible job of delaying my gratification over the years, so i guess i can buck up every once and a while.

exciting happenings over the past two days:
we figured out the initial line up of the cambridge track team. the granite state games are rescheduled for next wednesday so now Croth can get back in time to race. Jason had a birthday and we went to heartthrob to celebrate. if you haven't seen the stuff being produced by apenest, you'll be as bummed as i was to have been missing out. good news is that they'll sell you shit.

2007-07-19T18:02:00.000-07:00

just trying to stay positive

2007-07-17T06:24:00.001-07:00

I have some friends in low places. Now, you may be saying "no shit!" But this is a separate from their usual state of gutterdom. I'm talking about events outside of their control interfering with their mental well being. My heart goes out to the people right now who have many things weighing heavily upon them.

2007-07-14T16:14:00.000-07:00

if you dont know

2007-07-13T17:45:00.001-07:00

now you know. the floors of this city are not groomed for little princess feet. if you're gonna shake your shit and do it barefoot, prepare for like ten days worth of scrubbing.
showed up late for the pa again, but dancing afterward was only limited by the number of feet on the floor. thunderdome tonight will no doubt offer more of the same.

friday the 13th

2007-07-13T17:40:00.000-07:00

limooooh

2007-07-12T18:41:00.001-07:00

I had this sent to me by Rob as a suggestion for our new team limo. I can't even fathom how awesome this could be. the interior seats 9, and has a mini fridge, tv, and cd player for the back. Vote yes or no? later tonight at zuzu's will be the a.b. scene playing some dance music. I hope you attend, last time was a blast.

2007-07-10T18:01:00.000-07:00

Today I found a diamond on the street. I also drove up to NH with Jeremy to pick up a repainted De Bernardi track frame from the guy who paints for Ted Wojcik and Igleheart. Thing looks hot! Its like a cross between charcoal and root beer with a metal flake to it. The customer wants to dress it in gold and black, look forward to pics.

new toy at the shop

2007-07-09T22:16:00.000-07:00

Today we purchased a new digital slr! Now we can finally take pictures of the chrome Gan Well Pro that arrived last week. And the pink anodized items we are expecting soon....

2007-07-07T13:24:00.000-07:00

My new lotek t shirt!

petersham

2007-07-07T12:23:00.000-07:00

We checked out kip's home in petersham for the 4th and ended up being in their town's parade. imagine a horse drawn hay wagon filled with kids from the city who haven't showered, not wearing red, white, and blue, being the first thing you see in a good ol' small town parade. we waved a ton and got harassed by this woman:

otherwise we went on an amazing 30 mile ride which had the best sweeping 180 degree turn i have ever ridden on a road bike. it ended with a little rain, and the best spread of food i have witnessed since last year. thanks to everyone who came out.

....

2007-06-30T17:52:00.000-07:00

ab scene

2007-06-30T15:37:00.001-07:00

Saturdays are this good: Had brunch at the new sound bites which was so tasty. Hung out at allens block for a couple hours with the yard sale kids and drank Presidente on the stoop with Justyna. (a large portion of the items up for sale were trash picked the few nights prior. What a good scheme!) I'm finally catching up on laundry that has piled up from a weeks worth of distractions. Out later, but not too late. I want to witness the jam session that will include Greg's new vibrophone. Tomorrow morning we're traveling to fitchburg to watch Jeremy and the velo europa squad run some shit.

2007-06-28T13:06:00.001-07:00

this weekend was incredible. playing records to the atlantic ocean was fucking great. Jim threw down with an incredible set, and I got to watch the sun come up with a new friend. how story book does it get? after staying up all night, we ate massive blueberry pancakes in plymouth (with real blueberry sauce) and slept on the beach for an hour.

soo blurry

2007-06-22T18:31:00.001-07:00

teethblog

2007-06-22T15:17:00.000-07:00

i am sick.