The Soupie Files

Kick Off Cross

2010-10-03T09:51:00.002-04:00

Vanity Post:

So i got 13th, and I am pleased with my result. For some reason i thought i was in the bottom five and was pretty upset. In hindsight, that doesn't make any sense, seeing as i was in the Tim Bauer, Darin Shriver, Single Speed d00d, and Keith Hower group, and all of those guys were super strong this year. For some reason i thought i was fading and losing and that this was the end. I would put all of my eggs into the ratface basket and play drums in a sub to medium par punk band until i was too old, then glue my face to the bar at the moose in the south side and sell my bicycles to fund my growing coke habit. I had it all planned out! I was so bummed, that i forgot that every time i rode the ride up after the prologue left turn of doom, there was a corral of 15 people cheering for me. I woke up at an odd hour this morning. 8:40 am. 7am i could have gone to Grove city today, 9:30 is when i usually wake up. So I woke up at 8:40 and realized that a gigantic group of friends and teammates were cheering for me.

Whenever I go out to MABRA or MAC races hearing Fat Marc and Diane, Jim V, Elin or Jen Riskus or anyone cheering for me or any of the pittsburgh racers that travel down, i get really excited. It is really cool to have that amplified at a local race, and i guess i have a hard time seeing it. John Rowley's Wife Marsha (Masha? i don't know i met her in real life not on paper) thought it was funny and cool how many people were cheering for me at grove city. It is really hard for me to focus on that. Maybe i feel like there is too much pressure at a local race to really think about it.

I sorta freak out about cyclocross. I wait all year for this. I have been stretching tires since June. I've been stretching my IT bands since February for this. Fuck, I wanted to join a team to hopefully try and race more so that i would be more fit for this. I actively raced the oval as part of a training plan to be better at this. It is hard to justify this to myself sometimes let alone countless friends and cycling acquaintances, and i feel kinda bad about it when i am a typical back of the pack B racer, which is essentially where i started when Turner Johnson, Mayhew, and Steevo made me race the B race so we could leave Pittsburgh later. That was 4 years ago?! It's hard to talk up something to so many people, and not equate my result to how much I like the sport i guess? or something.

I appreciate the cheering and hope that i can dole out as much cheering and even more heckling than recieved. So if i missed your race, and didn't cheer for you, i was probably doing some douchey bike racer thing: like warming up, or talking about my engine, or frantically trying to wash embrocation off of my nether regions.

The course yesterday was like a Crit course or a roadie course. Very corner to corner. For some reason i thought it was going to be super super technical, very wrong. Some of the zig zag turns were pretty fun, but it was just full throttle the whole time. there were two sweeping downhill sections and 2 punchy up hill sections, giving a whole 30 seconds of recovery per lap. That's hard!

I have to say that i didn't much care for the course, just in personal preference, but it was well laid out and rode super fast. There was a food vendor, plenty of water, announcer with music. "I turned into a martian" came on and I attacked, as soon as it was over, they reeled me back in to our group.

I wish i woke up earlier and felt less shitty and had less of a Headache. I really want to be racing grove city right now. I'm glad i had the opportunity to flush out some thoughts, seeing as after a double weekend it is hard to think.

Cyclocross Brakes: Canti's still King

2010-09-25T23:02:00.002-04:00

This has been the wildcard of cyclocross seasons. The schedule started earlier, fields have been filling up faster than ever, and the UCI has greatly changed the ruling on cyclocross races. The man made barrier size and frequency has been changed, there has been a cap placed on tire size, and finally the allowance of disc brakes.

As seen on various social networking sites and overheard in many beer fueled conversations, I have not much cared for this decision. It has sounded something like "*explative* Disc brakes? what the *explative*, the god *explative explatives* are *explativing* the sport up". With the rebirth of the blog, I am prepared to release a statement from the Soupie network. Sorry dorks, but canti's are still king.

Between the trade show and viewing 2 UCI cyclocross races canti's are still the brake of choice. Both nittany cross and cross vegas (perhaps the deepest field in american cycling due to EURO content) had only one rider with disc brakes in each field, and it was the same guy.

It is important to look at these things as the complete picture, so I will refute where necessary.

"BUT SOUPIE!!!!!! it is still dry out, there is no reason to run discs now". Fair, but you are telling me that in addition to running different frames for the wetter part of the season, a UCI racer is going to either spend extra coin to run new wheels? new wheels that are tubular? build wheels that are disc complatible and tubular?!

Not likely, tubulars which increase traction and overall cornering and performance, would not likely be sacrificed to increase braking power.

I would also like to hypothesize that with 32c tires, braking power loses importance. Currently the Soupie laboratory, the soupatory, is under construction and i have no real way of quantifying this with numbers (let alone an acurate way). So let us philosophize. Disc brakes work well with mountain tires due to contact patch, volume of tire, tread, etc. At what point when actuating a brake with a 32c tire do you lock the wheel up and lose traction. TRACTION is also KING. Too many kings, i do say, too many kings. Until Lenard Zinn puts inconclusive, pro consumer, pro consuming, hard to understand and skewed numbers to this, we are just going to have to think reeeeeel hard about it.

"but soupie, companies havn't had time to develop prototypes for the show yet"

FAIR! this is totally fair, however the disk brake option is firmly the BB7 road from avid, not the greatest brake ever created but one of the better mechanical disc brakes. In many STI setups, these brakes still leave alot to be desired. How are they going to retro fit hydraulics? There has been rumor of a cable to reservoir hydraulic in the works. Lets take one sentence to troubleshoot your braking problem. Is it the cable tension or the bleed or your pads being contaminated or pads being worn out to create a mushy lever feel? It is a good thing we have a whole 7 minute lap to figure this out.

In addition, these companies have had time to develop multiple diferent belt drive cross bike with disc brake setups. A great new trend in cycling, but not race material. Sure, great brands like phil wood, sycip, et al have found ways to design a frame around accepting a belt drive for a 135 spaced rear hub for discs. What about the bigger hurdles. 130 spaced disc hub? frame clearance for the disc? what about q factor? sure mountain bikes have 135 spacing but each year between special prototype pedals, bb90, bb 96, bb30, and doubles, q factor has been a hot button issue. q factor has been less of an issue with cross bikes and road bikes and now we are just going to toss that to the wind?! Not on my watch!

I won't even go in to the 8% of effenciency lost on those belt drive bikes due to the internally geared hub. My Power is up by like 8% from last year.

"Soupie, what about brake shudder?"

The one thing i have always asked is to not get me started on brake shudder. It is always the same thing, "my cantis make noise" "my cantis won't stop" "my cantis make noise and won't stop" "my cantis shudder". First of all, examine the beast. JBV Cycling coach Chris Mayhew was running Dia Comp cantis older than I am on his cross rig. Limited pad adjustment, limited spring adjustment, only stradle and hanger adjustments. He acquired them off of Gunnar Shogren because the brakes weren't old enough for Gunnar. A nice trip to Google Images brought to you by Robbie Sedgewick will show that the over all design between Tektro, TRP, Dia Comp, Kore, FSA, Spooky, Paul, and Avid Shorty Ultimates are all pretty much the same. Short lever arms by the post, wide straddle set up. Some are forged, some are sandwhich constructed, cnc machined, and carbon fiber. Give or take a barrel adjuster, 2.5mm straddle set screws, spring adjustments. Some have opted for a lower hanger to reduce brake shudder and this seems to be working much better. I am waiting for a side by side test though, a few people have set up there bikes with this and i wonder how much tuning they adjusted from previous years shuddering. New pads or pad angle? I am still going with the steerer tube hanger and after 2 rides on my new pads the shudder disappated. With disc brakes i worry about fork whip. How beefy will the forks need to get to handle it, disc brakes inherently make noise at somepoint and usually that is a $40 fix with new pads. How true will your rotors stay when you are stuffing 8 wheelsets in the back of a station wagon?

In reality, how many spots did you lose in a race to brake shudder or brake noise? Where there races where you brake performance could have changed your outcome? More brake at Granogue would have been good, but what about more tire or less rain? Hundreds of finishers running the same brakes. Certainly more derailleur based DNF's than brake related DNF's

The root of my true feelings is that cantilevers are a true part of cyclocross. They don't stop all that well. Many will argue that cantilevers do work, and I myself can ride observed trials on my cross bike (poorly). When it is slimey out, they don't work, and if they did, your tires wouldnt work. It is very much part of the sport to be schlogging it through boggy sections and trying not to die on downhill and off camber sections. Maybe my fear was that it would change cyclocross, but the more i examine it the less i worry. The UCI emblem is of a racer carrying a bike, not descending with convidence.

Nittany Cross: Mid Atlantic dustbowl

2010-09-12T16:33:00.002-04:00

How can such a bad race be the perfect cross race? How could it happen? How could so many people get chewed up and spit out, yet ultimately be hungry for more pain, suffering, devestation.

The Cast:
Rachel Weaver : Sultry Road Racer getting Dirty
Eric Lundgren: A man's man. A Sufferer, A striver
Carolyne Whelan: The Woman in the White Dress
XStephoX: The Pro
Brett Rothemyer:Focused, like Cochise from The Warriors or Bert from Sesame Street
Soupie: Western Pennsylvania's Third favorite underdog, Born to Lose, and anti-hero

If I had more talent (not the ability to write it all but to captivate whilst doing so) this would read less like bullet points and more like Pulp Fiction (the gourmet shit)

Rachel's Race:

A hard fought battle, a changed prologue and start, women getting crashed out in the first turn, women washing out, women of discerning age and testosterone levels yelling at one another. Rachel's top 15 placing was at a cost! A wreck has left Rachel battered and bruised, yet hungry for more. Hungry for cross racing, hungry for dust and dirt and mud. Hungry for Cali burrito Taco's, chocolate milkshakes, and Ice cream cones. Rachel smells a long season ahead, Rachel smells Gasoline.

Eric's Race:

The glory of a call up, not only are you fast enough to get points, you actually like this shit enough to show up next year. Eric's moment of confidence was waning as the killer b's buzzed and scrummed behind him. A descent start through the dust clouds put Eric up the road, but the race got physical as machine clashed with machine. Eric finished the race with a rubbing brake. No need to pit, as a snapped steere left his other bike at home.

Carolyne's Experience:
Sign say's long hair freaky people, need not apply, so carolyne tucked her hair under hat and went to ask them why. The one day liscense price for Nittany cross was $50. GODDAMN THATS ALOTTA MONEY!

Brett's Race:
This is Brett's big season, after upgrading to a Cyclocross cat 2, that long tall cool glass of water has alot to prove...A LOT. It hasn't been easy, being struck with illness, and buried beneath hybrids, Brett has reached up with both hands and declared CYCLOCROSS,cyclocross. B race? Be aggressive. While fighting for the good line into the mulch pile, Brett got airborne. After a lap of shoulder pain, bleeding, and grimacing, Brett threw in the towel.

Steevo's Race:

After touring beautiful god's country, and breathing the crisp air, Steevo was fed nothing but dust. Battling and taking pulls with Young Joe DomBROsky, the Haymarket squad grouped together as the final selection was made and split back apart. In the first UCI Race, there were no UCI points to bring back to Pittsburgh.

Soupie's ride:
I got a bad start and mechanicalled.

what? So I did, it's true I swear!

After waiting in the scrum pen, we did not prepare for an actual scrum, rather than lining up by number. Scrumming is a true black art. Wheel building, a series of tensions and numbers, fork rebuilding? a person with a mechanical engineering degree is usually fairly unartistic but dexterous and great at this. Scrumming is social, political, tactiful, it is moving and stepping on toes with much grace.

After call-ups, I waited to start 89th, cautiously off my bike in case of an actual scrum, but not mentally prepared. A good race starts with a great start, and a great start begins with a good call up, for the rest of us, it just seems to be clawing over top of each other without pissing anyone off too much. Without the killer instinct to scrum, my sprint through traffic was not as fearless as necessary. This dust penetrated my nostrils, my eyelids, my gums. At one point i got edged out of the broken course tape and have to re-enter back underneath of it. Fighting into the rooted section, my chainring comes loose; rubbing the frame, rubbing the chain watcher, rubbing. I nurse it to the pit yelling "MULTI TOOL, MULTI TOOL". A B women's racer in the pit had one ready for me and I scrambled and sweated all over myself. Carolyne conveyed soothing and calm words, none of which i remember as i scrambled. The only words i remember were the neutral support helpers (more like NOT SO HELPERRRSSSS!!!!!!!) asking if i needed anything, 4 chainring bolts into my 5 bolt repair.

I don't know if 90 inch pounds are enough torque, i don't know if shimano brand chainring bolts cost that much for a reason, i don't know if locktite would have saved my day after 2 cross practices, 5 warmup laps and one race with tight chainrings, but it is a sad sad day when i bike mechanic's bike doesnt work. That's all i really want to say about that.

I rode through about 5 guys after the fix. All of them flailing around. It was almost embarrassing to think that this is where i finished last year, and still again this year. Each person did something awkward on the bike when i passed them. One took the bad line in the roots, one completely "yard saled". I just buried my head in my own shame and kept my heart rate in the red. It was possibly the best $100 workout i have ever had, but probably chalks up to one of the worst races.

So in the end I stretched and got a beer at the beer tent. I watched my favorite crosser lose the sprint. I took a shower after the elite race and heard guys Jagging on Jake Keough for sitting in the whole race as he put on his new white skinsuit on for his podium shot. I ate a gigantic burrito and passed out in the car on the way home.

This is my favorite thing. This is why I still work in a bike shop, this is why i even go to the oval, this is why i drive 10 hours to race for less than 1. This is cyclocross. The season has officially begun.

Headaches

2010-09-08T00:30:00.002-04:00

Too many headaches, figuratively and literally. If I could get rid of the real ones, maybe i could think about the rescheduling the others.

wednesday: Sell wheels, go to work early, leave work late, train, make dinner, start packing for weekend.

Thursday:Go to work early and build carolyne's bike, leave work late, drop dog off at mom's house, pack for weekend, mechanically examine both bikes.

Friday: Openers, work, lehigh Valley directly after work, possibly leaving from work.

Saturday: NITTANY CROSS!!!!!!!!1111!!!$(%(*!!~!~!!!! Go Home

Sunday: Rebuild life, 2 hour ride? Cleveland race?

Monday: Normal workday! Hooowa

Tuesday-Thursday: Find time to work train, take care of the dog and pack for super traveling.

Friday: Leave for boston Katie and Gerry's wedding.
Wedding stuff wedding stuff wedding stuff

Monday: Fly into pittsburgh, depart for vegas

Tuesday: Begin Diet of PROBARS and Coffee. Ride Various bikes in the desert

Wednesday: Try to get excited about bicycles for once

Thursday: Try to continue to be excited about bicycles in a professional way

Friday: Be in an airport all fucking day

Saturday:Am i working? I don't know

Sunday: Lilypons? I hope so.

Hectic shit.

Louis C.K. season finale was on tonight. Divorce is so depressing, it is a great show but seeing my parents divorce, my dad divorce a second time, and its affects on our family and our lives is hard. Though, both parents seem to have leveled out into a positive place, it is such an emotionally troubled road. I really enjoy this show for its situational crudeness, and with that it is paired with this midlife depression that seemed to fill my high school years. It is depressing, but i am very drawn to it.

Welcome Back! (Cyclocross Pre-Season)

2010-09-04T21:08:00.003-04:00

Between House purchasing, spinning wrenches, and a variety of band performances, i have finally returned to the blog!!!!!!! It has been a year, but i promise more Cyclocross, Profanity, and Punk and Classic rock References.

CYCLOCROSS PRE-SEASON!

So Cyclocross is back... early....no not like last year.....earlier..... I know what yinz guys are saying though. "Back in my day, Granogue was the opener and there was 12 inches of mud and we had to run the barriers both ways and they were made out of drift wood rather than treated lumber". I could not comprehend waiting deep into october to get to crossing.

I had a mild freak out last week amongst the throws of building tubulars, gluing tubulars (it was like a fucking craft fair), recabling the bike, training, and then realizing i hadn't jumped onto a bike in 10 months. YIKES. In addition, the "first race" was a week away. Gosh Golly Darn, and in Ohio as well. This being my 4th?(4th....fuck....) season of cyclocross racing, I havn't ventured into Northeast Ohio racing ever before. Last year I missed the race before the Nittany Cross opener and years prior i have simply focused on MAC and MABRA. So now that both MAC and Lake Effect have moved back a week simultaneously, I would simply adorn this as Cyclocross Preseason: Warming Up.

I have heard many negatives thrown around about Ohio. "This Guy's a Jerk", "That Guy reverse scrums" "anything goes in ohio" "sounds like jungle cross" " pittsburgh is really good at Ohio Cyclocross" . All negatives (and ALL OF IT WAS TRUE!)

Manatoc park was hosting a mountain bike race weekend festival with Demo trucks, kids races, open riding the trails and course and the mountain bike race novelty of of all mountain bike race novelties a Cyclocross race, sorry trials riders. When we hit the parking lot, there was a fair amount of visable grass and race tape, a good sign. After registering and pre-riding all of it became true. Three turns into the race course, we entered the first of 5 sections of rooty singletrack. Narrow, not MTB technical, but certainly CX technical, singletrack with gigantic root cluster consuming the center of the trail, highlighted (literally) by little roots on the sides of the singletrack. In all seriousness the roots that were highlighted by orange mark-it were of little to no worry, while the clusters tested the strength of your rims, the integrity of a glue job, and the pressure choice in your clinchers, hell the pressure choice in your tubulars. The only dismount was at the end of the course, S- turn beach volleyball courts followed immediatly by a 180 to double barriers.

Carolyne raced the C race, placing 17th on her single speed cross bike. As I and the other pittsburgh guys complained about the root riddled ride (great alliteration) Carolyne thought it was the most fun part of the course. It seems though that the Mountain Bike classification, road classification, cyclocross classification is a tangled web that we weave....I feel that in events like this (MTB festival cross, or MTB series cross) is on a different level. The Beginner race is most certainly a BEGINNER's race. The B race, which is usually a rough and tumble 2/3/4 race, is very much a sport race, thus making the A race a PRO, SEMI PRO, EXPERT 1/2/3 race. Very disjointed, it always seems to come up pittsburgh even though it is clear that the ABC system of Mabra and MAC and even OVCX are not for Lake Effecting.

In my race, i got seventh. I am pleased with my result. Up the road 3+ minutes ahead were my Pittsburgh Cross Practice alums, and i rode in no mans land for the majority of the race. It was relatively uneventful for the most part, you know, preseason. I practiced cornering, spinning different gears, different lines through the roots: really testing the capabilities of the third and fourth string cyclocross moves. At one point, i almost collided with some speedgoat dude that was preriding the sandpit, which i must say was pretty beat seeing as i was actively racing in the race in 7th place with 2 laps to go. Either way, didn't crash, didnt roll a tubie, pleased with my results, ready for more

A Race seemed pretty rough, two mountainbike dudes were off the front, killing it in the single track, bunny hopping barriers and taking Gu handups...well only the one guy was, the second guy cracked super hard, zombie arms, pablo picasso guernica kinda shit. Brody, Eric, and kevin wahila were all looking pretty good. Montana Miller looked Great, as he was bringing some of that Fabio shit.

Overall, it wasn't a great race, but a good preseason warmup. Getting loose, dialing it in, soul carving.

Playlist:
Zounds-discography
Ramones-Ramones
NOFX- Punk in Drublic
Operation Ivy
The Blood

Eric Day's Sacred 8speed Scroll

2009-07-28T09:32:00.001-04:00

"For me its always that day when everyone has been so busy that you somehow run out of 5m ferrules and everyone gets really quiet until someone poses the question, "so we aren't a bike shop anymore?" This is when you should panic, but you dont. You realize youve been panicking ever since that day two weeks ago when the star racer your shop ... Read Moresponsors decided to install his new pedals one hour before the big crit without the mechanical insight of the Wright Bros. Somehow you managed to install a new crankset in time for him to make the start. Youre pretty sure that you didnt forget anything and dont want to double check the torque specs because youre not-so-confident that you know them by heart. In hindsight, maybe you shouldn't have pushed yourself so hard for stupid rich people that break their bikes when they really should know better. Maybe you should get some kind of prize for working so hard at a seasonal job. Decent lights, ventilation, a window? Healthcare?"

making the leap

2009-07-19T22:44:00.002-04:00

i think i am going to make the leap

i am feeling the most pressure right now

no, i am not referring to moving to sram because contador pwned the field today

i think i might get on facebook because mayhew invited me and myspace is shitting the bed

What else could i do to better stalk Adam Myerson. What else could i do to see my peers power number and how many rice cakes they ate for lunch. All i know is, that i have messages on myspace (that probably arent that important) and i can't read them. I havnt had a valid friend request in a long time. Even though escorts are human beings, i will not be friends with them on the internet!

Tastyland

2009-07-06T00:39:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, we rode to tastyland in greensburg for ice cream. I ate a blueberry cheesecake soft serve cone.

I have ridden 190miles this week. I rode poorly at the ACA picnic, but i feel like my legs are coming back. Cross season might be more than me just getting drunk at every race. At this rate tho, i will have a lower tolerance for alcohol, and a higher chance of throwing up.

Great news for everyone except for the Mayhew clan and the Mayhew Volvo

Attn: ED KRALL

2009-06-26T22:12:00.001-04:00

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/horner-reveals-logic-behind-astana-tour-selection

If EKR hits USGP, i know a mechanic that has experience pitting for cyclocross.....

When it almost seemed like it wouldnt happen

2009-06-26T21:34:00.003-04:00

I shit solid today. It took a fucking week! So lets recap
Friday night loose bowels, threw up all fucking night. On the hour, set you watch to it. Blech

Saturday- No poo, no vomit. I drink gatorade, water, and eat some corn chips. Horrendous abdominal pain, and general body discomfort. Stay home from work

Sunday- Go to work, still no poo no vom. I eat a little bit of pizza crust and munch on corn chips. Go out to Red Robin with my dad for fathers day. Eat half of a whiskey river burger and a handful of fries. Stomach pains increase. No vom. 915 the poo hits. On the hour all goddamn night. A lot of bathroom time compared to the past 24 hours.

Monday poo fountain continues until i take 2 immodium. At this time I recouped and stayed home from work AGAIN. I eat the brat diet and try to drink fluids. I am losing it at this point. I have tried to catch up on news, bike news, movies, et al. I need to get out of the house.

Tuesday, i go back to work. No poo. Very little appetite, i eat a samosa and 1.5 cuts of pizza. drink some soda, drink some gatorade, drink some ginger ale.

Wednesday Feeling weak but on the mend sorta. I play a show with da band and feel great for the first 3 songs. I slowly degrade through the last 6. Feel whiped out afterwards.

Thursday- poo fountain returns. Missy Wright, sufferer of stomach flu this year, tells me to stop eating until the poo stops, then hit brat diet. I started feeling like i was going to pass out. I was weak, my head was caving in. I needed caffiene, food, probably ice cream. I nibbled on some pizza but kept it cool. I was breaking the rules.

Friday poo stopped around noontime thursday, today i felt A.O.K. and took a solid shit for the first time in one week at 4.35 PM.

I should start labeling blogs (sick) because not only have i noticed my self being really really sick this year, but it is a time that i blog alot.

Hmmm

I would like to thank my lovey Carolyne for taking care of me. I would like to thank Missy for the leadout even though i ate a doughnut last night, and all of the Pro Bikes customers who listened to me audibly fart and curse or waited for the end of poo fountain.

Whoops!

2009-06-22T15:43:00.003-04:00

Aaron Shelmire let me know that both races i was talking a out were this weekend at the same time

Without a time rift or space continuum i would have missed one rather than pooping my brains out and missing both!

Bananas, Rice, applesauce, toast

goal blogging

2009-06-22T10:23:00.002-04:00

i blog alot of goals on here, that way when i go back in time to see how funny i am, i see that i had set goals for myself that i didnt come close to reaching. This year i dont believe that i layed it out there as much in hopes to save my self future anguish. For example, one goal i had for myself was to go back to races that i did poorly at and do better, AKA finish. Appalachian classic and Ft. Cherry Road Race.

Ft cherry was this weekend. I was, and still am sick with a stomach flu. Friday night i couldnt stop throwing up, saturday i was in bed all day. Sunday i worked and went out for fathers day, and sunday night and today i payed for that decision by not being able to get off the toilet.

the classic, the race where i dropped out to spend some quality time in a west virginia bathroom with a skinsuit around my ankles, is coming up and i don't think i'll have the gusto to get down there or the fitness cause i havnt really been riding as much as i would like. Bummer Summer.

I can always project and try and get to the NJ state fair cyclocross at the end of July, that whole thing was a hoot two years ago.

my most recent goal has been to do all of the ride out of Oscar Swans "Bike rides out of pittsburgh" book. It is going to take me forever, but it has been really fun so far.

I only road ride when it rains...

2009-05-16T21:17:00.002-04:00

this is starting to become a theme, because if it is nice out, why the fuck should i not go mountain biking?

Tonight after work i rode my 25 mile dorseyville saxonburg loop, nothing epic, but right by JD's pub the rain hit and it was accompanied by hail. At first i thought it was related to descending at 40 mph, but as i let up at the bottom i could hear the ice flecks crackling on my helmet. Each fleck that hit my lips, split the already chapped and dry surface and i could taste the blood and rain water in my mouth. Saxonburg Blvd spun by and the rain just fell harder. The rain washed the gutters full of grime, as i coasted through another failed baptism of etna. Storm drain and warehouse downspots cascaded gallons of water through the air to beat the sidewalks. All of the potholes in sharpsburg were full of water and this made them undetectable. This is where i began to consider peeing my Chamois. Up the zoohill i though about peeing off the side of the bike but after swerving and almost getting run off the road, i decided to stop at Tazzo d' ro ro to drain it. Larimer and Homewood just seemed to have "glazed over" feeling to them. At times when i was alone i sang smiths songs to myself aloud.

the perks of being a bike mechanic

2009-05-14T08:29:00.002-04:00

Sure, i have the dream job and there are many known perks: i work 45-60 hours a week in the summer but barely enough to survive in the winter, i get to work weekends, i get to work with carcinogens that will give me cancer, I get to work on huffy's that won't work, i get to work on Ti singlespeeds that won't work, i get to put Ti springs on downhill bikes, i eat a nutritious lunch made for me specially by Little Debbie, I get to eat said lunches standing up, in addition to mechanics all of us work construction on the shop as well as sometimes do electrical work (some do graphic design work), i have 4 totally pimp bikes that are in a constant state of disrepair, college graduate vocabulary is reduced to using the words dick shit and fuck, and after its all over I go out and drink. Sounds like the good life huh?

Yesterday, i found one of the hidden dangers of working at a bike shop. Sometimes a tire won't seat for good reason and forcing it only gets you so far.

So I had a stan'sed upped tire blow up in my face. I heard/felt it go POW and then immediately all i heard was ringing. I paced back and forth a little bit till my hearing returned and went upstairs to whipe the goo off of my face and get laughed at. Shit fucking hurt. It really hurt my fingertips, they all sorta feel bruised. Everything i have eaten since the incident has had that rubber taste as well.

So it may seem like all fun and games, fixing carbon fiber road bikes with hammers and threatening to "stab someone in the eye with a sautering iron", but you have to watch out, it may just blow up in your face.

Last week A Race

2009-05-13T09:31:00.002-04:00

This week C race.

I got fifth, came in right behind Shelmire. Three guys in grey black jerseys (pro graphics?) blew up on the sprint and i was able to get around them rather than get boxed in! I am very pleased with my result.

It seems at work, i've gotten to play god more. Usually, this is called making horseshit ride, but recently it has worked really well. Hopefully todays continuation of yesterdays project works out. I have been using a variety of bicycle specific tools. Such as a hacksaw, bench grinder, wire wheel, "big" screwdriver, dremel, safety glasses!!!!!, and a 3 mm allen wrench. Should be a "hoot".

Playlist:
Jan and Dean's Greatest hits
Ramones - end of the century
Murder City Devils -empty bottles broken hearts

Getting Fucking dropped

2009-05-11T23:46:00.002-04:00

I have put off this post for a couple of days because it has been busy! So i'll make it short and to the point. A reference point for the future.

On wednesday, i fought to get my act together to get to the b crit. Keeping my sights on Nick Rossi after missing the C crit on tuesday for the last Caustic Christ show, i figured i'd roll down. And by roll down i mean dodge customers, drive home change clothes, drop the car back off fill up my bottles ride the center line and run red lights all the way to the BLVD. When i got there, the pouring down rain had cut through my rain jacket and cut the total field down to 15 d00ds. 4 being B racers and the rest being A racers.
They combined fields, not only was I rushing to be early, but rushing to warm up in the rain for an hour. BOOO
So i got dropped. Plain and simple, 8 laps in I fell off the back. I caught back on and made it to "20 to go". I fought to stay on and just bonked. That ended it. DNF.

Though nick got lapped twice, im pretty sure he finished. (i dunno, i went home) Steve K and Jmills (the boss) looked real good.

In addition, the Cannondale rep is always pushing me to wear and try Cdale stuff. I have checked out these L.E. Carbon knickers (real posh) and i have hated them. THey make this weird wetsuit noise and feel like a wetsuit. Its kinda uncomfortable. As all 8 inches of rain fell on the A race, i realized how awesome these things are. Shit kept my worthless Cat 4 ass warm as i soft pedalled all the way home.

In closing, i would like to remind my readers that i got fucking dropped at the combined field race, which is the A race, I would like to remind myself that Nick rossi did better than me by finishing and i must come at him swinging this week, and that wetsuits feel bad in the dry, thats why they are called wetsuits.

The blogosphere has been freaking out about Boonen doing coke. Dude is a classics man, he parties like a rockstar, too bad he got busted.

Pleased with my result

2009-04-29T08:55:00.002-04:00

"you working a saturday?" Mayhew asked me at the Line. Because we all know working a saturday in the bike shop is like getting kicked in the balls. " POW"

As questioned in an earlier post, i went to the C race. I rode my bike there and I rode my bike home. I had an alright race, in my eyes, too! I went after 4 good primes (lost each one), i was where i wanted to be when i wanted to be there and consistently lost each one, i just need more juice. I lead out Dustin on two of the Primes and he won one. I finished 12th overall, beating Nick Rossi. For those paying attention, Nick Rossi no longer "rides a masi" as we all have been informed. I also TKO'd Bromax, strictly because he didnt show up. He was also on my hitlist. The whole competitive mentality, that "i want to be the best" thing, i don't have that. I really just want to be faster than my acquaintances and friends.

So in conclusion, i didnt get kicked in the balls, my knee didnt blow up, i didnt fall of the back, i didnt wreck, and i finished.

game on

i eat peanut butter sandwiches and i don't care

2009-04-28T00:03:00.002-04:00

Jim Rouleur posted the David Allen Coe song.....

You can't forget this either...

and for good measure

Its hard being a spazz

2009-04-26T10:04:00.002-04:00

It's true baby! I don't really like freaking out about things all the time. I don't like snapping at coworkers when they don't know what to say to customers, I don't like driving around like a maniac to get somewhere on time regardless of how habitually late I am and how little 2 minutes is.

Two days ago I spazzed hard, yesterday was the relief. For every spazz reaction there is an equal and opposite spazz reaction (dingle check my work). To compensate for a day of BULLSHIT two days ago, yesterday i rode my mountain bike (yay). I fucking rode myself into the ground! My knee hasn't blown up yet, but it's giving me the poo eye. The "i know you stretched your shit out yesterday after the ride and iced it and showered and foam rolled it, but your not getting off that easy" poo eye. I also am either getting sick from lack of sleep, hanging out with 4 different people with head/chest colds, or i have perhaps the wussiest strain of the dreaded kilo cough. I rode up Iron Gate yesterday and was sucking so much wind that maybe i inhaled a nest of bees, causing my throat and chest discomfort, maybe it was asbestos in the air from the Irish Center.

In other news, people have started camping frick park. They're hiding spot was not that good. I am torn because i want to go camp out on the slags and have a fire one night, but its kinda weird and off putting that Dudebrah was camping out in his "nestled cove" next to the family and the field trip of kids in the 9 mile run sewage run off creek looking for any type of life form that may live in water. Don't get me wrong, i have spent the better part of my youth riding my bike to places that had aquatic life in runoff (or as we found out, didn't have aquatic life). Maybe it just comes from knowing the park well, that there are places that are great to hide out at (countless acreage of tree cover) and there are very visible areas to many of the parks patrons but more importantly park maintanence.

In other news, I am in this dilema about the c crit on tuesday. I usually poo poo at the thought of driving to the crit. The race is close, warming up is good, yadda yadda. In addition to worrying about my knee in racing, I'm worried about riding there , getting all banged up, and nursing that shit up the hill back home! I sorta don't feel ready for the crit, but they just get faster and faster all summer, so if i can get out there and hold on now, perhaps i could get away with racing regularly? Its a thought.

Mud Stud

2009-04-24T01:06:00.004-04:00

So recently it all sorta hit me. I had a clue, or a hint, but the punk rock roots of mountain biking have kept coming up. Sure i have been working on all kinds of crazy bikes, that the thought of punks actually affording this shit is bonkers. I have friends that make and survive well on less than 10k a year let alone buy singlespeeds that cost that much... So it is hard to see the connection, Especially with all these weird fixie bike gangs that are punk related, or have punks in them, but don't really seem that punk (all of this is convoluted and i have long lost what punk actually is, but i digress).Its cheap and you get drunk, sounds punk, right?

It first started clicking when i worked at TRM. Rick, though an old weirdo (it is true) is sorta punk, lifestyle wise and that he saw the Ramones, Black Flag, and Janes addiction?...! His domestic partner had a bunch of suicidal tendency and patty smith records in which she gave to ross mantle (still have not forgiven any parties for not hooking a brother up). She had a blonde streak in her hair and would ride her bike every-fucking-where through finnleyville back in the day. Sounds pretty heavy for finnleyville. I would hear stories of 24 hour racing at Canaan and rick getting his face torn off on a rock and how everyone in his crew wouldn't let him finish the race.

The first time i went on tour with F.L.A.K., obviously my managers Rick and Chris Gayhem were peeved at me for leaving in May, but also wanted to know where i was staying. "Clearly hotels are going to be fucking expensive". I replied thats i'd stay at peoples houses and with whoever would put us up. The comforted response was "oh, like bike racing". Sure, i just always thought it was a punk rock thing at my ripe age of 21!

Fast forward a bit more, and you see the current, off kilter but significantly less punk, less dirty, less vegan, less enthused, lesson learned Soupie. Sure, we listen to crass at work, and when things are going downhill, My War, but somethings seem to burn out. I'm still stoked that i can talk to my boss about who's got the 10 1/2, but other than my posse of bike racing friends that do broga and sit at the wall Most of the people i come into contact with in the sport of cycling are weirdos, geniuses, or norms, or a combination of everything.

Recently Dirt Rag XX anniversary issue came out and they showed the Whatzupwitdat column by Gunnar Shogren. There he is, in his van with an alternative tentacles t-shirt on with his pants down. Weird. At work, talking with Maestro Mike, he informs us he saw the Ramones. Sure, so did the drummer in my first bands older sister, but mike saw them at the angora in cleveland....in 1978.

Fuck!

So after all of this weird history sort of stirring around in my brain, i look at bicycle retailer....and at the back in the little O'grady comic is the mud stud. T shirt, clearly labeled "mud stud", anarchy tattoo, ear piercings, and a green mohawk.

Mud stud

Anyone Check Sea Otter Results?

2009-04-20T09:39:00.001-04:00

Apparently the Bissel Train runs 30 dudes deep.

FO shizzle! they had 10 of the 30 dudes in the crit.

Funny Things

2009-04-19T23:33:00.004-04:00

Things have been funny lately.....

I have been listening to The Dictators, Toy Dolls, and GBH lately, thus i have been turning into the bicycle mechanic version of Olga, Handsome Dick Manitoba, and Collin collectively. Carolyne has left the country for two weeks, so its party time for me and the dog! In three short days, the party has ended and we both already miss her.

In addition to the music i have been listening to, i also think it is funny that people read my blog! Many may hide behind the screen, but not Steve Bedillion! Steve you have been outed. LET THE WORLD KNOW, STEVE BEDILLION READS MY BLOG.

In my 5 hours in the woods since Carolyne left, i went on the category 2 mountain bike ride where i went into lobster mode for a short hour an a half. Steve's mountain prowess left me in the dust with an owwie pictured here. While the rest of the crew marveled and my body tangling around my bicycle like english ivy, Steve decided to clear the section and prepare his camera to watch the others fall.

The Jeremiah story was told, thats always funny!

I also built a funny bike, it was an S-works stumpjumper with a Rohloff 14 hub. I built it on my day off, wild.

Puppy has been at the shop about 14 hours this week and has been well behaved, thats funny to me!

I drank a beer in downtown Bethel Park and talked about how it is a train wreck you just can't stop staring at as you anticipate collision.

There is something about night riding in south park, where everything feels so much more flowing and you see bumps and roots you have known for so long and the sections that are new just fit right in. i have ridden frick probably more than Souf park, but South park still feels like my home trail system.

Soupie Rides AGAIN!

2009-03-12T17:11:00.002-04:00

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2629421

4 whats (no spelling error). I put out four whats today. Visited my grandmother, met carolyne at work and then we drove to get coffee.

What a great day off!

IM BACK ON THE FUCKING BIKE!

2009-03-05T22:22:00.003-05:00

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2608675

I put out 2 watts and weigh a Gayjillion pounds. Do the math.

Soft-peddlin bebbe!

January 8th (little behind) Review: Big Business

2009-01-24T12:05:00.004-05:00

Released in 2007 on HydraHead Records

Features Coady Willis of Murder City Devils, who also is currently one of two drummers for The Melvins.

Favorite Tracks: Start your digging(great start to the b side), Ill give you something to cry about, Just as the day was dawning.

Review for the 8th: Absolutely Crushing, the album rings through with despair.

January 7th Review: Kisses and Hugs 12"

2009-01-21T16:53:00.002-05:00

Recorded in 1994

Features Chris Strunk on drums ( Crucial Unit, Refusenics, Conversions, Strunk Sparrer). Refers to this music as being "fresh" when created in 1994 but being labled as stale and as "screamo" in 2002.

Favorite Tracks: Civ Lied, Genital Ben, Old hag, Upper Half Skin Pride.

Review: Hardcore tracks blaze by, the screamo lingers.

January 6th (keep it rollin) Review: Criminal Damage LP

2009-01-21T16:33:00.003-05:00

Released in 2007 on Feral Ward

Favorite Tracks: The power of fools, tomorrow, anesthesia

At Bill and Rachels wedding celebration (Pist Reunion), Criminal Damage played Anestehesia. I could have sworn that it was a cover of the Business song "blind justice"

Review: Hipster Oi! Good but not authentic

January 5th (wow!) review: Scream This Side Up

2009-01-21T16:26:00.002-05:00

Released 1985 on Dischord Records

Favorite Tracks: Bet you never thought, This Side up, Gluesniff.

Dave Grohl played drums on the third scream album, this however, is the second.

Review: Catchy, but ruined with Reggae.

January 4the Review: Uniform Choice Screaming for Change

2009-01-03T22:56:00.006-05:00

Released in 1986 on Wishingwell Records

Favorite Tracks: Scream to Say, Straight and Alert, Use your head, and Screaming for Change.

The Minor Threat sound appears even more plaigerized with the UC track "Big man, Small mind" rather than "Small Man, Big mouth".

January 4th review: "Take the poem Seriously?"

January 3rd Review: We're The Meatmen and You Suck!

2009-01-03T22:56:00.002-05:00

Released in 1983 on Touch and Go records

Contains tracks from previously released "The Blood Sausage E.P." and "Crippled Children E.P."

Favorite Tracks: Tooling for Anus, One down Three to go (referring to John lennons death), Dumping Ground, Mr. Tapeworm, Orgy of One.

January 3rd Review: "Persistently Crude; Punk!"

January 2nd Review: Hawkwind Space Ritual

2009-01-03T22:33:00.002-05:00

Hawkwind: Space Ritual Live in Liverpool and London

Released in 1973 on United Artist

Featuring Lemmy Kilmiester. Bands Genre: Space Rock

Favorite Tracks: Master of the Universe, EarthCalling, The Awakening (and other spoken word tracks!), Brainstorm

January 2nd Review: "Surprisingly Dancy"

January 1st Review Black Flag Slip It In

2009-01-03T22:21:00.002-05:00

In the bottom left corner it says "Nobody knows more than I that the less girls know the better they are likely to be."

Released in 1984 on SST

Favorite Tracks: Slip it In, Black Coffee, and The Bars

January 1st Review: "uncomfortable"

Fun A Day 2009: a (hopefully) prolific blog month

2009-01-03T22:18:00.003-05:00

Im participating in the fun a day project!!!!

Starting January 1st pick a project and do it every day for the month. It doesn't have to be hard, but it should be something to motivate you to stay creative, social, and stoked during the cold turn of the new year.

Ideas can range from something such as writing a poem every day, solving a riddle daily, taking an epic hike/bikeride, photographing a different stranger, drinking a different beer/soda a day.

Then, sometime in late February/early March there will be an art show to celebrate everyone's work. Location TBA, pending on how many people participate. More people, bigger space!

Get creative! There are no bad ideas!

e-mail funadaypgh@gmail.com with your project ideas and consult http://funadaypgh.blogspot.com for info/inspiration. thankyou and i hope lots of people participate this year!

also.. http://www.artclash.com is the website for philadelphia's fun a day project, where we got the idea from. they've been doing it for a few years now and it keeps getting bigger and bigger!

Im going to do record reviews...with a pattern. Its going to suck for you the viewer but for me the poster ill get to listen to a bunch of records!!!!

Hitting the Lowest Point

2008-11-16T20:42:00.002-05:00

I am sick today. I dont know what's wrong. I don't think Im hungover still, i don't think that was bad enough to be food poisoning, it was a super aggro flu if thats the case, or maybe my toothache has abcsessed and is making me sick. Whatever the cause, I am knocked down. I have been in bed all day, i have kept down only water and gatorade. The last time i was this sick wasnt that long ago, either.

In mexico city, i was staying in a squat for a week after a punk show i saw there, eagerly awaiting the arival of my lady love, Carolyne. The day before she lands I get some type of bug. It felt almost physically as bad, but mentally alot worse. I was dillusional with fever, i was trying to sleep on the dusty floor of the evicted apartment building. The bigger trucks and objects in traffic and wind would cause the building to make sort of a flexing. This multiplied the nasuea i was already enjoying. I would try and empty myself in the bathroom whenever i got up to use it, and would vomit into the wastebasket at the same time. The day persisted on, i took antibiotics and immodium and they definitly made it worse before better. I lay in my sleeping bag while hippies and artisanos smoked weed and talked about making bracelets. I rolled over multiple times in the night to feel nasueated and realize that it wasnt time to go yet. At six in the morning i decided to make my brake. I was actually feeling a tad bit better. I packed my belongings and went to the bathroom before i left and the sickness wallopped me again. I needed to be in Alcapulco with a hotel and at the airport by 10pm. I said sleepy goodbyes to everyone i stayed with at Chanti and mustered whatever i could to leave.
I caught the pink line a chapultec, walking past countless food stands that i had eaten at in the days prior. I transfered onto the blue line and questioned if was really going to make it. The whole car looked at me. They knew i was crushed , a Back Packing american or european not dealing with it. I walked off the train towards the bus station pausing every 20 feet to dry heave over the balcony. After 10 minutes of being at the station a boarded my bus to acapulco. Oddly enough, the bus was a turning point in my sickness.

I am glad to be in my bed today. I am glad that Carolyne bought me gatorade and layed in bed with me while i had the chills. I didnt have her to hold me while my teeth chattered in D.F. Im glad Seth took care of me and i truly owe him one still, but a world of difference.

After 12 hours of being in and out of conscious today, i finally dont feel like complete and utter shit. I feel bad but on the mend.

dccx

2008-11-02T14:25:00.002-05:00

Vanity of vanities

the times they are a changin

2008-10-28T09:58:00.003-04:00

It is such a weird pivotal point in the year, right now. Carolyne's car needs significant repair again and we might cowboy up and go *thunder crash* car shopping. Both of us hate cars and hate shopping and hate salesguys. Best idea ever. Gayhem talked about this "edmunds" website which has knocked a few vehicles out of contention. Terrifying shit, especially because this is going to be a newer car rather than a car from oh....lets say....the year 1993.

It is also cold and my knees are starting to hurt. I have no idea why now after just half a season of cross, with my fitness getting better each race. Instead of training during the week, im drinking beer and taking ibuprofen. At the cross race this weekend, i tried some tiger balm on the knee. It seemed to help a little and smelled reeeeeeeeeel strong. This inducing atleast one sex panther joke from everyone and about 12 jokes from me.

The race, DCCX, had bits of real panther in it, and thats how we knew it was good. I was a disaster the whole trip. I didnt pack anything, pit wheels, helmet, energy goop. I had things to sleep on the ground a bike, some kit, and shoes. I realized that i didnt bring a helmet while relieving my self in breezewood. Our Posse of Gayhem, Patty Vanderbuerkle, and I stayed with Ken and Jean of the coppi tribe. I felt really out of my element for a bit. Because gayhem and Patty probably did openers, and Gayhem probably didnt sleep the night before, each were quite prepared for the 9:40 bed time. I forced myself into sleep around 11 but roused right out of it at about 4:30. My mind was all over the place about work, the car issue and growing house purchasing issue. They werent keeping me up parsay, but were avenues to occupy the hours of 430 to 600. Around 6 i zoned out again only to be brought back to reality by the sound of the espresso machine. Our hospitable hosts had a pretty boss coffee maker, and i drank a bunch of it. We arrived at the race and started gearing up. I had not preregistered due to the bum knee and there were only 26 spots left in the b race, without kitting up, i hit registration. The tent was a wreck to say the least. They were handling the pre-reg of the 100 man c race, and the 85 man old person b race. After some difficulty and then the exchange of money on federal grounds it was pre ride time. I specifically put my number in my pants pocket to not loose it. I write that because after stopping for my morning ritual, I noticed that my number had been lost. This of course added to the continual headache that was registration, and i would like to thank everyone at the tent who didnt murder me.

Another interesting twist on the race was the costume theme. I did not know of this theme, so Soupie aims for the bottom of the barrel, BOXER SHORTS. Jim v had makeup and fake blood, so i would wear my hair sweater and right desire acrossed my chest in blood, or the number of the beast or something. The uscf had to hold me back and put me down. Much like the sodomy laws, making homosexual acts illegal, thus making being a homosexual "illegal", Cyclocross requires you wear sleaves making Tri tanks illegal aka making Triathelete participating in Cyclocross illegal. Whats this means is the people racing actually use their deep dish wheels more than once a year and Soupie cant race without a shirt on.

In shame, i kit up and head to the line. Jim V propositions me with costuming again! "you are from zombie capital of the world, ACT LIKE IT!" I didnt zombie up, but with a few spurts of fake blood and some well drawn lines, it looked like I took a header.

I got 26th out of 77 and boy howdy im pretty stoked about that. My knee started hurting on the final lap so i just sorta charged it home to the finish. I drank as much water and ate as much free food as i could get my hands on so that i could start drinking! 2 beers really put me into the loud and annoying zone, which is only good for the womens elite race, who received much yelling. Patty Vanderbuerkle put 30 seconds!!! on the field for the win. Gayhem was about to sack up and race the A race after his solid 4th place B race finish, but missed his start......So we left and I sobered on the way home. We listened to 6 hours of johnny cash.

Things i would do often if i didnt have a girlfriend or Puppy

2008-10-18T22:22:00.002-04:00

The final item on this list actually occured and while it was occuring allowed me to concieve the rest of the list. Don't be fooled, i only consider the last one to have actually occured.

1. Be a scumbag
2. Be a beardo biking weirdo (to the x treme!)
3. Drink Heavily
4. Ride the red belt at night

HOLY CRAP! So far the scariest thing I have done in months, top three of the year easily. Holy fucking shit it was crazy. It was beautiful yet terrifying at all times. The stars and moon (and niterider evolution smart) lit my way as monster trucks with 8 headlights passed me every 10 minutes. Alone. Darkness. Night mountainbiking is weird because of all the eyes you see looking back. At 9:30 on the red belt, you just hear stuff. There are plenty of dead racoons on the road to let you know that the best time to get hit by a monster truck is at night (unless everything hit in the day gets thrown in the back of the truck and taken home).

If i had stones, i would do stuff like this more often. I don't know if it was worth the impending death, but 30 miles of a50 miler at night and to see the sky and the countryside lit by the orange moon....wow.

Thirsty and Miserable

2008-10-16T10:16:00.002-04:00

Always wanting more. This weekend is the big weekend on my sorry excuse for a racing schedule. (which is actually just a google calender at work not dealing with training) and i am a wicked hot mess trying to find a way out to the races. Da 'nogue and Wiss were the last cross races I did in 2007 and i was blown away at how cool of an event each were. Between the courses and watching the UCI Pro races itself was mind blowing. I also did well at Wissahickon last year and want to see where i could place in the B race this year. However, i have been running around asking and calling every Joe Bike Racer (Joe Cat 4, Joe Cat 3, Joe Expert) and nothing is really sticking.

The season so far has been a blast, and every race i go to, my head explodes during the A race as i yell. I wouldnt really call it cheering, mostly yelling. At granogue perhaps i will develop a case of Turret Tourettes and douse the pro field with a stream of profanity and vulgarity on top of the hill. If warm, maybe put a lawn chair out and some zinc oxide on my schnoz in the sand pit at wiss. I feel like at races i am always toting this line of being a big weirdo, but i distinctly remember Space Ghost (coast to coast) cheering at Java Johnny's. The single speedo class is still a west coast thing, so i will just focus on being crass. Besides East coast is the new west coast and don't you forget it.

Playlist:
This is Boston not LA
Dead Boys - Young Loud and Snotty
The Pist - Ideas are bulletproof

For Fatmarc AKA I Faticus

2008-10-13T08:41:00.002-04:00

Not only did Vettori say he was "shattered" yesterday. He also looked it. Behold.

Its never just black or white, i know the reasons

2008-10-12T22:20:00.002-04:00

A thousand more miles on the car this weekend, the indifference-mistake clan went to western Ohio for bike racing and camping. It was nice to be on the road with carolyne and it felt like a road trip. I didn't have the negative body image of traveling with the 115lb xStephox, So i drank sprite and ate fried macaroni and cheese from Arby's.

We arrived at the first campsite around 11 and creeped around. A park ranger came to check on us, which assuredly meant we would sleep in a walmart parking lot. However! the ranger said the camp was booked but since the boathouse was closed, we could stay at one of the overbooking campsites tonight and pay in the morning. The bonus was that the boathouse opened at 10 and we needed to be on the road at 8:30. This was all made verbal, the ranger showed us a site, and we pitched the tent.

Next morning, finding the venue was interesting... as i forgot to gmap the address, i only searched the town it was in... I called Gayhem and Co Pilot Mike Jernigan gave us the 2 missing pieces from our puzzle. The java johnny race had a great course, alot of off cambers and alot going on for the amount of space it took up in the park. I really liked the rooty section in the trees behind the pool. At the gun, i felt like I got a better than usual start for my self; the sprint felt ok, the barriers and road section felt good, and i was sitting (if i had to guess, call me on it if im wrong) about 18-22. If i get picked off by the usual 6 people and catch the usual 3, this would have been a great race for me. HOWEVER, dude bro 1.5 spots infront of me clipped the tree in the rooty section and stacked it. I careen into him and somehow the impact speed of the crash welded our bikes together. I fought to free my bike and put the chain back on as the field passed me. I sneered and went to catch as many people as I could. About half a lap in i noticed my cockpit was twisted, Ala Hincapie in the 2006 Paris Roubaix. Pissed off and making faces at anyone who cheered for me, i caught about 6 people. 39th. The mens race was AWESOME! And not awesome like Jeremiah Bishop bunny hopped the barriers Ala Barry Bonds and Mark Mcguire hit dingers ala i only watch Nascar for the crashes. There was a significant amount of battling the whole race. The top 10 just duked it out. J pow, Bishop Wicks Baker over the barriers, while Jpow and Bishop gapped wicks and baker by hopping and riding the hill. Joachim Parbo fell off the lead group and got eaten by the next group. Exciting! It was exciting to see Johnson and powers go off the front last year at Da Nogue and Wiss, but this was really intense.

After the race Carolyne, Major Tom, and I packed our hot, tired, dehydrated bodies into the car to seek further camping. We first stopped at winton woods, closest to all the races but rather popular destination. The woman working there was a Capitalist Unadulterated Not-nice Tart. She quickly let us know the site was full and gave us the bare minimum to get us the hell out of there to another destination. Heuston Woods outside of oxford. This site was thirty minutes away from the race, as was winton woods. Do the math and it was an hour and a half of driving to get to our final spot. Twilight camping, you only get to see the place in the morning when you pack up. We made food as my dehydration headache stood on. The trees held a weird fog, and the humidity sunk into everything we posessed. It felt like I was sweating and freezing at the same time all night. I woke up to the dog freaking out, a weird arguement at 2 am that the whole campground could hear, the cold at 5 am and the alarm at 8. Not the worst for a camping trip.

In the morning, my stomach didnt feel too hot and my head was kinda frazzled as I spilled the coffee twice. I cleaned the site up more as my sweet sweet nectar dripped to the dirt from the table. Carolyne drove to the next race, and I tried to situate my self.

I did not feel good for the Harbin Park race. The course was hilly, not overly technical and long. I only felt strong on three sections, the barriers, the uphill road, and the hairpin hill climb. I Felt like crap everywhere else. I got a mediocre start and just started going backwards. Everytime i felt like i hit a spot where i could just maintain my pace in the blown apart field another guy would come up behind me. With 1.5 to go (half way through 2 to go) on the dirt downhill i caught a Bee to the eye, which immediately stung me. I pulled off to the tape and yelled and cursed. This section was fast and the last thing i wanted was to get plowed into and get a shifter into my other eye. The pain just seared through. Im not alergic and there was (still is) minimal swelling, but the mother fucker still fucking hurts and it fucking hurt alot at the fucking time. So I pulled out and DNFed. Some guy on the side of the course lent me some water to flush my eye and i went to a waterfountain. Total bummer . I pouted and watched the elite masters race and drank a coke. After the long weekend, we packed up and headed home early.

Shout outs!
Jeff Banson and J Pow threepeated. I hate the word threepeat, I hope those fuckers do too! Good job

Georgia Gould is so far the nicest womens Elite racer i have met. Sorry to everyone else, you just have to step it up. "Gigi" cheered me on (by no acquiantance) at Java Johnny's and talked about her sorta disappointing race afterwards, and asked how my race was today and about my eye. Super friendly!

DCCoD Tom gets a shout out for being ever so friendly by offering first aid supplies and eyeglass tips even after I defiled his Vehicular with my bicycle.

Playlist:
Nitzinger
Flower Traveling Band
Ramones End of the Century
Criminal damage

Kidding? I must be, the Bahamas are Islands

2008-10-06T09:50:00.002-04:00

My socially inept rampage through cyclocross continued this weekend. Last week, I forwarded message along to Jeremiah Bishop from TJ Platt (directly after Jeremiah lost the race) about an embarrassing situation dealing with genitals. Apparently, as I have been informed from multiple sources, this is a bad idea.... Bummer.

So this week, Jeremiah shows up, i keep my mouth shut. Though it continues.

Hagerstown! Breast Cancer Awareness Race. I love boobs, and I love cross! Game on!

The B field had all the familiar faces. Jeff B, the 15 year old kid with the cool hair, womped on us again. Mayhew got third, showing the internet whose boss, Wahila got 12, and I pulled together a 20 spot! HELL YEAH! Steve Riskus, The Bomber, was out and about and helped me get psyched. I didnt have any song stuck in my head, and just wasnt pumped right. The Bomber was discussing the virtues of listening Kill em All on cassette in a $350 car, and immediately Motorbreath infused itself into my brain. It didn't end at the finish line. I have had motorbreath for the rest of saturday and sunday.

I mingled a bit in the parking lot and hung with DCCCoD Tom Mcdaniel. He hooked me up with a coke, and conversed about His VW Dodge Sprinter Conversion thang. During this I made the Faux Pas of leaning my bike on his van. A total Fox Pass. I changed the radio station while in the passenger seat, i took the spatula from the cook at the grill. Tom informed me and resisted snapping me in half at the waist. A thousand apologies Tom!

Though i put my foot in my mouth pack at the parking lot, motor breath continued, and I dropped the F bomb about a million times in the pit during the elite race. I yelled until i was hoarse.

Race # 2 was grove city. It was a very very very tech cross race, Jungle cross was fitting. I got 31 overall in the Expert, SS, Vet expert group. It was difficult, both the technical aspect, and someone from dirty harry's always trying to shoulder me into the trees.... Apparently in being a loudmouth with huge sideburns everyone knew my name and decided to cheer for me! Super cool, flattering, weird.

The Sport, beginner race went off and i had nothing to do but cheer. No pitting, just yelling my head off. The only sort of run section on the course was after the first barriers (each of which were 30 inches high) . I took this time to run next to people and yell at them. When sister christian came through and I yelled "MOTORING" , Jake from the shop felt it was about time to real me in.

The Ohio Weekend is coming up, hopefully i don't do anything embarrassing infront of jonathan page.

Playlist:
Motorhead- Bomber
Dead Milkmen - Big Lizard in my Back Yard
Metallica - Kill em All
Ramones - End of the Century

Death Therapy

2008-10-03T09:54:00.003-04:00

This weekend has another 2 sessions of death therapy, saturday in which i forgot to preregister on time.....starting in the back. Cross practice this week was pretty stacked even with the cooler temps. Brahs from Slippery Rock came down to practice and ride a bit. I wish i could have been more hospitable, however Jake left his jacket and his keys at practice, and justin and stick rode away before zack and alex? came back.

In other news, though i am currently on political hiatus, i watched the Vice presidential debate last night. What a load of shit that was. Flubs, blunders, circle talking. Palin looked as if she vomited in her own mouth a little before each question. I feel her greatest flub was the argument against Social health care, it being "do you really want the government to take care of health care"....

Not really giving us alot of confidence. Since the government financially subsidizes agriculture, housing, and food, to attempt to control the power of the dollar (poorly), and essentially touches us in our everyday lives, saying the slow almost reverse spinning wheels of bureaucratic madness is not appropriate for helping us exist in health poorly reflects on absolutely everything a government can do for its people. We may send children to controll/kill/die/extinguish/deliver democracy, but stitches and amoxacillin are out of the question, we arent really good at it....

Joe Biden, looks, sounds, smiles like a politician. He debated well, because he is a politician. He said many strong words like FACT and FUNDAMENTAL. He got personal with his home boys, specifically Dick Luger, the republican senator from Indiana. He gave shout outs to General Mcclellan, and by flashin' signs and wearin' the colors represent the Democratic party and Barack Hussein bin Laden Kissenger (god thats alot of middle names) Obama. However, I was not impressed, nor was I enthused. I can't trust a man that wears a Suit

getting fired up

2008-09-27T10:37:00.002-04:00

In 9th grade I had a Gym teacher named Coach Metheny. His main goal was to get us pumped, or fit, or whatever. His motivation was funneled through us getting "fired up", or "crankin it up" or the like. He was the quintessential gym teacher/football coach, where football coaching never really ended. We would walk color vests and soccer balls down to the lower field for class through the morning dew. One of us was always bound to fall when the hill went off camber. "call the trainer!" He would yell. The class was divided into sections and I felt like I really didnt have a section. There were the football players that got special treatment, there were the guys that respected him, the guys that hated him, nearly all of the girls in the class hated it, and I sorta didnt like him but was trying my damndest not to be a fat ass for the rest of my life...

either way, on to less depressing pastures,

Cross season is here and everyday I'm trying to get fired up. On weekends, I'm crankin it up. I have gigantic sideburns, an 18.5 lb cross bike with pit wheels, now if I only had the fitness and could jump back on my bike....

I have competed in 2 races and had a blast at each, but it is going to be a season of being pack fill. I need to get cranked. Each race I have been whistling or singing or playing drums on my handlebars to Motorhead- Ironfist.

I feel mildly consumed. I could tell you that Tim Johnson outsprinted Trebon last weekend, but i have no idea what was debated last night. Abortion? The Economy? The troops? Boooooooring.

I pack my jerseys, drink goop, etc. and hum the Highwayman. Obviously the Highwaymen would probably have mixed opinions about a bunch of skinny dorks in lycra prancing around in the mud to the theme of their self titled ballad...well maybe everyone except Kristopherson....

Get Fired Up, Lilypons this weekend. Last year (according to crossresults.com) I got 34th.
First blog post in a while. If you can get up, Stay up.

Playlist:
The Who - A quick one
The highwaymen
Motorhead-Iron Fist
Sloppy Seconds-Destroyed

fixed gearing

2008-06-26T11:15:00.002-04:00

Twice on this trip, my lady love and I rode our bikes from Hingham (high *not drugs*) to boston on our fixed gears. Between the ride, eating veggie dogs and burritos and seeing friends, it is roughly 40 miles round trip. Sadly, at my ripe old age of 23...., 40 miles of fixedgearing makes my joints hurt. BOOO! New wangland has been a trip... we have tested the boundaries of the dogs abilities, and we have all failed. SO the duck pond happened as mentioned earlier, but the dog has seen the water a couple more times. We went to the Stoneham quarry with Doug and Matty Buttcakes, and major tom hated swimming and ran away. Puppy went to the beach with us, and was barking at the water freaking out. In addition to running away off the leash, he tries to escape from Buddy and Carol's house. Katie, Carolyne's sister, accidentally let the dog out (also at the duck incident) and he hauled ass towards the cat. Clumps of hair and some blood later the puppy was back in our custody.

In short, the puppy hates discipline, water, cats, the ocean (water) , ducks, squirrels, field mice, sea gulls, and camping. He however is great at cuddling, sitting for treats, long walks in the cemetary and watching law and order.

So instead of putting the dog in the dog carrier and riding him past the beach, Carolyne and I blow out our knees riding to boston from the burbs, eat burritos that burn both in and out, eat veggie dogs at spikes, and ice cream at tuscaninis.

New WANGLAND

2008-06-19T20:10:00.002-04:00

Mexico went off without a hitch...well somethings cost a bit more money than they needed too, but overall this big dangerous trip i was taking turned out well and i didnt get hurt. But of course there are the problems i have in normal life that would never happen on an adventure like this.

Upon my return my Van got JACKED! Stolen from Carolyne's garage.....everycar that i have ever owned has been stolen..... (how else can i summarize the past month is 10 sentences). I dont have a job still....im still useless.....and help my dad for money and work at West liberty schwinn a day or two a week....

I have been racing bicycles! I have done 4 races!!!! (4 exclamation points!)

Race 1

C race tried to catch the break. The CMU kid with 150mm wheels and I went to chase him and I fell off the back of the pack. I didnt try the field sprint because i was lapped, 14th place. discuraged.

B race! First B race, I didnt fall off the back, i took a couple pulls at the front and drafted Skurbs wheel. The field sprint exploded away from me and i proudly crossed the line at 18th.

Wvmba Calhoun County- Me and rob were late, which resulted in mayhew being late, which resulted at finding the venue late, which resulted in 40 minutes to register and warm up and get dressed, make my bike work blah blah blah which means not enough time to pooo. But soupie, when did you poo? After my first lap....twice....

C Race again. Soupie felt good, reeeeel good. I beat Eric Tetris in the Point primes (ACA POINTS) and got 8th overall. EXCITEMENT!

Wow soupie, that sounded pretty pisspoor there for a while, how long will the streak last?

Carolyne and I make our grandiose return to Newwangland this week. The curse of Indifference and Mistake rake me and my beloved over the coals of our continual travel. First, we forget a dickload of things. Fathers/mothers day gifts, swimtrunks, dog toys, dog lead spike, all left at home. It rained....because it always does. Bummer soupie, sack up. NO! WAIT, it gets better.

On route 80, at 65 miles an hour, i hit a dead dear...i mean deer. I hit a dead deer. The tractor trailer in front of me cut into the left lane hard locking up the lane tight and there in front of us was the carcass of a dear. It felt like the entire car jumped, it scared the hell out of the dog... and us. The radiator support was bent back and there was blood all over the car, every exposed bolt had hair on it. It broke the flex pipe and seperated it from the muffler. Great, 6 more hours to go. To top THAT off the radiator leaked all the coolant out 3 hours in. We refill the overflow and radiator with 50/50 and crush the rest of the drive.

Damaged car : $1250

What else ... what else... Buddy and Carol have been wonderful ( sucking up) but the dog is a handful and of course ran off...Right into the pond after the baby ducks. He was out of view and not responding, just splashing. Then the splashing stopped. I walked the perimeter of the pond and we all called his name. Jerry joked about me going in, and i believe Buddy was getting wading boots so i started walking in. Jerry brought out my hippy sandals and i waded in knee deep stagnant water covered in duck weed and picked up the dog and carried him back through the swaplike brush and tangled wood.

The adventure continues, and hopefully it will continue into a blog post that is well put together and edited.

The final countdown

2008-03-13T17:15:00.002-04:00

Its stuck in all y'alls heads now isn't it! DOot DOot Do Doooooo.
Mexico is so close i can taste it in the knock off queso my grandmother gave me. I have really started freaking out about the basic to bring on the trip. Maybe this will be just like touring bikes, and the best thing you can pack your panniers with is money, i hope not. i'd rather just bring shit i already own.

I have been getting the last bits of my insurance in town. I went to a new dentist to get some work done, and he knocked out the work pretty fast. He hit a stumbling block with how close together my teeth are. He simply asked for " a wedge". It felt like he stuck a 2x4 in my gums. I didn't know he asked for "le wedge" . It "le hurt", pretty "le bad".

danzig vidz on youtube

2008-03-04T19:08:00.000-05:00

yes! yes! YES!

Mexico gets official and Judah

2008-02-23T14:21:00.002-05:00

Its official. Mexico is go.
My passport has arrived, and my plane tickets have been purchased. Now it is just making every penny squeak for a month and brushing up on my spanish. HABLA? HABLA!

I am very very excited about this. This has been the beginning of a good weekend after a bad friday. So without further ado, lets address my friday.

Thursday ends with finding out the my car has been recovered. Yes, the buick has been found. I find out that the car is infact totaled. Thus, i need to get it towed and scrapped. There is a scrap yard under the 62nd St. bridge aka the RJ Flemming bridge (sp?). So i'll get up early and take care of it.
I get up to walk the dog on Friday morning addressing the wintery mix falling from the sky. As i was thinking of walking dogs with friends in the neighborhood i notice that the lights in my van are on. Strange. I walk over to the van, across the street from Carolyne's house, and the hatch lights are on. Very strange, i hadn't used the hatch in a day or so. I open the hatch and my van is all effed up. Later Stereo, Later Dome light. I will admit, that I leave all the doors in the van open most of the time. So that if someone jacks my shit they don't break the glass, even though the Buick was stolen via broken window with said doors open.... I am mildly bummed about the stereo, but not a big deal. I am extremely fucking pissed about my fucking dome light and the broken console. Great, I have fucking loose cables dangling in the back of my van, How fucking sweet is that. Fucking turn the fucking dimmer switch down you dumb ass! use the fucking map lights! What's that? You couldn't see with the lights out and and bashed your knuckles off of the sharp plastic on the console? Fucking great, just fucking great. Now there's fucking crack head blood all through my car. Fucking asshole. Jesus Christ! So now I'm out a dome light, a stereo, and i have to clean up blood off of my seats, my dashboard, my steering wheel, my rubber maid bin, and my jug of coolant. Fucking bastard.

Alright! Start out on the good foot. So I call the pound and talk to a couple of great answering machines letting me know that the pound charges you exponentially per day. With the sky snowing, turning to rain, and then freezing on the ground, a tow truck was going to take a long fucking time. Plus I was informed by the great answering machines that i need to prove the car is mine. So, I call off work, lets face it I'm not going to get their by 12, or 1 for that matter. I call the police to file a report for my "break in" or "bleed in", and we head to the burbs for the Buick's Title.

On the title trip, i get a call from Ross Manteal. Price of oil just went up, and airfare to Mexico spiked $300. So in addition to my cars being fucked up, my trip out of Pittsburgh just got thrown into jeopardy. ARRRRRRRRRRRGH

My mom has an amazingly helpful yet problematic habit of holding onto every important piece of paper ever. I crawl through all kinds of files to find the title. I saw both my brother and I's birth certificates, my father birth certificate and copy of my grandmothers. No title. In the end i found copies but no originals. A new original would take 7 to 10 days, aka $400 at the pound. Throughout this I am calling my mom trying to find the originals, so she calls the pound. Somehow using her Motherly dialing wand or secret code number, she talks to a human being. Her call harvests probably day saving info. I have no idea how she got this info, but I am thankful. If I sign the car over to the city, my fees are waved, and i can get any of my stuff out of the car if there is any left.

Me and Carolyne arrive at the Tow pound, and what poor poor shape the Buick is in. I did grab some choice vittles left over but it is definitely totaled. The windshield was broken out to take my registration and emissions, the rear windshield was gone, the rear passenger door (yeah, the open one) window was smashed and the brick was still in the car. The column was pulled apart and the back seat was removed (on the police message, thrown over the hill) . I didn't hold much hope for the creedence. All of my cassettes were gone. I fill out the form and the Buick was sent to its final resting plate. The hair pick, the shoe horn, and the Gettysburg landmark plate stayed with the vessel.

Car stuff got rapped up around 4 o clock and carolyne started taking care of school stuff. We went to a reading and got home to catch the end of T2, judgement day and the beginning of Planet of the Apes!

It was at that point that i realized that Charlton Heston is my guy. Everyone has a tough guy movie guy type guy. Buddy Whelan ( i did not know until last night) is a HUGE Clint Eastwood fan. My grandfather loved Charles Bronson. Some love the Duke. I like Chuck Heston. But Soupie, Chuck heston is a gun toting Nut! Yes, yes he is. Atleast he is not a nazi!

useless post.

2008-02-21T14:55:00.002-05:00

The song says it some times. it really does. The metallica version came on the radio this morning and it has been in my head, regardless of what i have listened too.

Playlist:

Rites of Spring-Hidden Wheel
Weezer - Pinkerton
Dinosaur Jr. -You're living all over me

I would Like to remind Mike H

2008-02-07T18:03:00.000-05:00

That I still have admin power to his blog and have been playing nice. Talkin' Crap will be annoyingly tolerated, though.

Anywho, I think it is an interesting predicament. I read a blog post by the infamous Belgian knee warmers that makes the whole buy-out thing kinda scary for IBD's in general. And who knows where Performance will drop a store next. Rumor mills have talked about Performance coming to Pittsburgh. Giving those guys another edge over Local Bike shops is bad BAD BAD BAD.

"Congratulations to Pegasus Partners. Pegasus has just sold Cannondale to Pacific Cycle for $190-200 million (the final price will depend on this year’s EBITDA). Following the purchase of Cannondale out of bankruptcy for roughly $58 million in 2003, Pegasus rebuilt Cannondale from its ashes into a $200 million/annual company.

While it should be noted that prior to the Cannondale bankruptcy Pegasus was C’dale’s largest secured creditor, making its complete investment greater than the $58 million purchase price, it nearly tripled its investment in four years. Take that Wall Street!

Even so, it should be noted that today’s economic climate did not permit Pegasus to realize a multiplier on its annual revenue numbers. Not too long ago bike companies were going for three to five times earnings.

The press release announcing the sale named Dorel as the purchaser, as do all the stories in the media, but Dorel is Pacific Cycle’s parent company. Plainly put, Pacific bought Cannondale. Saying Dorel bought Cannondale is like saying the American people (rather than Ford) bought Volvo. Ford is a publicly owned company and its directors authorized the purchase of Volvo. Ford is the corporation we identify as the owner of Volvo.

So what’s the big deal, you ask? Pacific Cycle is a colossus of a bike company. Their lines include Schwinn, GT, Mongoose, Pacific, InSTEP, Roadmaster, Flexible Flyer, Powerlite, Murray and Dyno. It’s largest accounts aren’t respected IBDs but big-box chains: Wal-Mart, Target, Toys “R” Us, Sports Authority and Dick’s. Now ask yourself this question: When was the last time you walked into a bike shop you respected and saw one of those brands? Chances are, it was prior to 2001 when Pacific acquired Schwinn and GT. Pacific’s largest IBD account is Performance.

Performance has stores in most of the major cycling markets around the country. With more than 80 stores in 15 states, they are a larger retail operation than all of Trek’s and Specialized’s concept stores put together. What’s more is that Performance has plans to operate 150 locations by winter 2010, fueling the growth through acquisition of existing stores and opening new locations. Performance’s consolidation of its product lines is such that only one of its lines—Iron Horse—isn’t either owned by Pacific or Performance. The tally: Schwinn, GT and Mongoose are Pacific, while Scattante and Tirreno are Performance house brands. Now, multiply that by 80 locations … and growing.

Jeff Frehner, the president of Pacific Cycle is leaving his current role to head up the newly formed Cannondale Sports Group, which includes Cannondale and Sugoi as well as the brands Pacific will use to focus on the IBD channel: Schwinn, GT and probably Mongoose.

How significant is Frehner’s move? Frehner joined Pacific Cycle in ’07 to replace the retiring founder and CEO Chris Hornung. Hornung founded Pacific in ’77. It was under Hornung’s leadership that Pacific purchased Mongoose and Roadmaster and later Schwinn/GT and transitioned the brands into price points appropriate to big-box retailers.

Pacific’s management style is nothing if not clear. Each brand it has purchased has been removed from high-end IBDs and transitioned to focus on the price-point or entry-level segment consisting of sub-$2000 bikes.

Dorel’s Martin Schwartz had this to say: “Dorel recognizes the importance and potential of the Independent Bicycle Dealer channel and is purchasing Cannondale as the first step to become the world's number one IBD player. Cannondale will be the crown jewel of this new Dorel division, which will seek additional such growth opportunities.”

Given that supply-side integration is the big catch phrase these days, Schwartz’s words take on a rather ominous tone. First, just how does Pacific define IBD? Their definition would seem to include Performance, which defies any association with the traditional neighborhood bike shop, which is how many of us would define Independent Bicycle Dealer. Second, you can’t hope to compete as “the world’s number one IBD player” unless you consider Cannondale part of Pacific. Third, “seeking additional growth opportunities” means selling more bikes, and the easiest way to do that is to open up Cannondale to Pacific’s largest account. After all, private equity firms don’t engage in business models that depend on independently owned, single-location boutiques.

Performance has long lamented its unhip status to cycling insiders. It is no secret that Performance has long been considered to PRO what Kryptonite is to Superman. They’ve always lacked a premium brand that would in effect make their stores a destination. Landing Cannondale would be tantamount to being handed Excalibur by the lady of the lake.

Creating a concept store program based on a Cannondale/Schwinn/GT etc. formula may seem like a no-brainer, but there seems to be some hostility on the part of devout bikies for the folks who dumbed down Schwinn and GT. One could be forgiven for thinking that Cannondale will be dumbed down in a similar, if lesser, way.

So who are the winners in this? Well, Pegasus and … we’ll see. It could be Specialized and Trek and maybe some of the other brands with a complete product line that could replace Cannondale in IBDs, such as Felt.

It’s premature and unfair to sound the alarms regarding Cannondale’s future. It’s place in the pantheon of great brands is assured. No other brand has done more to advance the use of aluminum in bicycles than Cannondale; were it not for Cannondale, Gary Klein’s bikes would have seemed freakish, not the next wave, and who knows how much longer it would have taken for such a great idea—using thin-walled, large diameter tubing to gain stiffness and reduce weight—to gain traction.

That said, given Pacific’s history, vis-à-vis its management of acquired brands, things are likely to change for Joe Montgomery’s brainchild. It is fair to surmise many current Cannondale dealers will cease to carry the brand and we will soon see Cannondales available mail order through Performance’s web site. Or maybe not. But anyone who isn’t suspicious of how this will affect Cannondale hasn’t read Machiavelli."

- www.belgiumkneewarmers.com

Have you heard about the Cannondale NEXT?

2008-02-05T17:17:00.000-05:00

It's made of lightweight aluminum and features SHIMANO components!

What a fucking day here at the bike shop. A Roller coaster, if you will, of bizarre events.

First and formost: Sheldon Brown Died!
To quote BIKE SNOB NYC "There's little danger that cyclists will forget Sheldon Brown. I doubt that there's any cyclist who hasn't consulted his site, or who doesn't still. And as the architect of the cycling canon he's done more for cycling than any pro cyclist, or critical mass, or white bike, or orange bike ever has." The news came at the weirdest time. Adam and I were getting into a heated debate over politics and religion in america. The usual debate tactics were used, and it was pretty funny to argue with people who you are trying to sell advertising to, but I just hate it, HATE IT, when people use the illegal immagration route to sell up america. 'Cause that's all you are doing. Selling it up. Sure people do anything possible to get into the united states for Rights, protection provide from the government and protection from your government, blah blah blah. History is ugly from all sides. And selling up shows ignorance to that. I have had a good friend or two successfully sell up the US knowing full well the history and layout of events, and they were a lot sharper then the argument being laid out. Our Saris rep came in during this convo being the barer of more bad news.

Levi dropped another bomb. We found out that Cannondale was bought out by Dorel LTD. AKA Pacific AKA HUFFY! Holy Crap. What a fucking blow that is to the bicycle world. HUFFY is up on our grill selling IBD bikes. FUCK!

NEXT, i mean Next our patagonia rep comes in. I of course hook her up...but i am not sure if I am going to get rehooked up with a gift for Carolyne....but then the infamous willie thomas came in, and told us he is not drinking for lent. (Knowing Willie, this is pretty on par for the unbelievable things occuring)

The final crux of the day was a gentleman who pulled up about an hour ago . I will post a conversation with mayhew on gmail about the events of his visit. I will post details as they need to be noted.

me: oh yeah
4:45 PM Get this
4:46 PM this weirdo just walked in.
4:47 PM He got out of a white scion, and looked like fucking colonel Sanders
He gets inside, and he is whereing a khaki jacket with a fucking 7 inch crucifix neclace (The Jacket and cross combo looked like a southern bow tie, he has white hair and goatee to match)
4:48 PM Chris: Nice! Wonder if he parties with that huge black dude that had the silver grenade necklace. (This gnarlie looking dood came into TRM once to buy a serfas comfort seat for a little motor bike, the guy had a grill and a gigantic silver grenade neclace. He wore a mesh shirt with black cargo pants and combat boots)
me: and has been babbling about his knee surgery and recumbent bikes on the price is right for the last ten minutes
I am going to say, both personalities , would not
both the colonel and religious zealot (Lets face it, Southern Gents can be racist and so can old religious weirdos)
4:49 PM he had both of his knees rebuilt, one he didn't rehab properly (who tells people this)
4:51 PM he just asked us if there was any other way to drink water than a camelbak
recumbents make everything suck (they are fun and kitschy but impractical, like belt drives)
4:53 PM Chris: Open your mouth and suck on the spray from the front wheel that's directly in front of you. (This is a reason that people put fenders on recumbents, sometimes these fenders are carbon fiber)
4:55 PM me: this guys cross on his neck is like 1.5" thick
man (Seriously Huge cross, adam complains that i have too many keys on my key chain and that it is bad for the ignition in my car. This shit was damaging his neck and wrecking his posture. He had one of equal size on his rear view mirror in his Scion. I wonder if it was a 2 for 1. I wonder which purpose he bought the first one for)

if i was to die for the sins of the world on a cross, i totally would not want to be toted around for the rest of eternity on this weirdos neck under his double chin beard (Lets face it. we all have a cross to bare *yuk yuk* but i couldn't even look this dood in the face without snickering. I held back...alot. Thank Jeebus the Jewish guy helped him)

There you have it.
Armageddon, or whatever.

Dear Sheldon Brown,

2008-02-05T14:51:00.000-05:00

Thank you, Thank you for helping both ruin and better my life all at the same time. When all of the Really Really COOL kids were talking about gear inches and q factor, I looked to you. To let me know that it really doesn't mean dick? Sorta, this stuff seemed to matter so so much to you, but in a trite sorta way. The eagle, the panache. Gears and gadgets were obsessions and horrible horrible jokes at the same time. Just like everything i get obsessived with, your website recieved many hits from me, you responded to my emails about Fixed gear cogs, and right when i was starting to geek out hard, I dismissed you. Maybe I just started working at my first shop, and i had to listen to other old people that I admire. Maybe it was the Surly karate Monkey with Disc brakes, V brakes, and an internally geared hub with 2 sets of handlebars. There was a time I had to hang up my Nirvana CDs, My Misfits Cds, My Bmx Bike, My skateboard, My Guitar for Drums, but they allllll come back. What a resource you created! What an amazing resource, full of truths, and subtle subtle bicycle jokes. It was like watching waynes world after growing up. "She's a babe, tentpole". I didn't catch that the first time! did you? Probably. You taught me how to build my first wheel. You allowed me to look at track hubs i lusted at before everyone and their grandmother had a Euroasia catalog. I am shocked when i talk to cyclists who havn't been to your site. You are probably the reason that I work in a shop still, the reason i have a library of bikes, one of the reasons a probably survived the bike craze and didn't sell my shit off to buy records, cars, coke, drugs, instruments, the reason i have a healthy habit instead of a destructive one. So, for thus improving my life as an impressionable college freshmen and yet sentencing me to eternal damnation in bicycle shops. Thank You.

Love,
Soupie

PMA

2008-02-02T14:09:00.000-05:00

Today at the bike shop, we have been busy up until an hour ago. At that point it totally died. It is so dead right now. Fire a cannon through the shop dead (thanks mike and tom). It has been an interesting and invigorating time as of late. The van is just about ready to go, I havn't done much riding but alot of body work, yuk yuk, and chilling with the dog. Carolyne is out of town this weekend, as she returns to New York City for a writers conference. This has lead to my inevitable escape from the house.

Last night i went to a party, and sure enough the only 3 people there that i know real well was Leanne and Randy. In bro-ing (brah ing, Bro-win) down with leanne and randy P. nickerson, we as a collective unit have found it hard to maintain our PMA. Us three would have been , at one point or another, described as very Posi people: We all had a very positive mental attitude. Granted we all have our issues which we are each trying to work through, but it would be way more fun to just ignore them with positive mental attitude.

Thus, I must explore the possibilities of a Positive Mental Attitude Night on a regular basis. STAY TOTALLY FUCKING INTUNE FOR DETAILS!!!!

Maybe it will be like a club and anytime someone is going to pose out, we will simply respond "PMA DOOD". Who knows....

I don't if it has been helping or hindering me, But i have listened to so much fucking 90s alterna grunge my hair has greased over. Mudhoney Dino Jr. Hole Lemonheads Nirvana Melvins. It has been wicked crucial.

I have also been in the works of planning a month long trip to Mexico coming up. I have no idea on the details, they are developing....But if any of my 6 readers have any ideas, don't be scared to front!

AIGHT?!

GO, VANGOGH

2008-01-29T16:04:00.000-05:00

The van is almost ready. It gets closer everyday.

THE STATS!

1992 Plymouth Voyager 6cyl
156k
So far.

New Brake pads, Brake Lines, Brake Drums, Brake Rotors, New Transmission relay, New Windsheild wiper harness,

With Price of Van, title, labor and parts so far : $710

I think another $150 and it will be there.

It passed emissions today, and with a little luck and body work it will pass inspection by the end of the week

break it down now

2008-01-16T10:46:00.000-05:00

I think my drive has pooped out. I had a lovely trip to boston this weekend and went to
a show and a wedding, but all said and done i felt like i was hit by a truck. Other than a
little sleep lost (which never killed anybody) everything went well. Sure, Carol got gored
by the dog collar, sure major tom got gored by the cat, and sure I ate nothing but dunkin
doughnuts thus negating my entire new year; but the trip went well. Carol and Buddy seemed
pretty stoked I came up, they liked their presents, Carolyne (my sweet babooo) was glad I came
and accompanied her. For some reason, the past weekend allowed me to officially lose my mind.
No, I didn't lose my mind because i didn't sleep, No, I didn't lose my mind because I had to
dance for 2 songs with Carol, and I'm pretty sure that it was not an alcoholic depression from
all the booze i didn't drink at the wedding.

Something hasn't been sitting right with me as of late, and maybe boston really illuminated that.
Going to boston makes me feel unsure in myself. Because the whole town knows carolyne and I know
five to eight people, and the five to eight people i know have no more than 5 sentences to talk to
me about and Carolyne has her whole life to catch up the whole city with. Not a huge deal in the
scheme of things. I've gone to shows in other city where the only 4 people i know i don't want to
speak a word to (obvious reference). It just left a lot of time for self reflection, I reflected on
the life that carolyne used to lead, then the life that i used to lead.

There was a line in the movie (a movie that i have viewed) American Beauty, where the kevin spacy
is talking about a highschool or college job, where he worked all summer for a stereo, and the bag
kid next door says, "wow that really sucks" and Spacy replied something to the effect, " no it was
great, i partied and got laid all the time". In no way would i describe my adult life as getting laid
all the time, or even part of the time, but i definitly partied. I had great time, i played punk music
listened to punk music, drank gallons apon gallons of pabst, threw pabst cans at cars, threw up in
plastic bottles, hurled said plastic bottles into the street, played punk shows in the tri county/state
area and went on a two week tour. I worked full time, and went to school, and played in a band. Now i just
work full time and feel miserable about everything and I don't know why. I don't listen to punk music that
much anymore, i listen to hippy music and mod music. I only go to shows my band plays and i don't see bands
that often that i think are "great", sometimes not even "good".

I saw 3 bands in boston i thought were atleast good if not great. I talked to my mom about how i was feeling depressed
and she said she could hear it in my voice. I talked about boston and pittsburgh and half of the boston punk scene would
be avoided in pittsburgh. Ostracized. I have felt, for a long time that i need to leave pittsburgh because it is killing me,
this is more evidence for the case. I went to a show last night ( that my band played!) and felt really good for 2 hours. When i got home
I realized my problems still existed, but they are my problems. Carolyne is damn near perfect and my problems are in my head
It is my head that i need to do battle with. I begun the battle with my body, with alcohol, and with excercise, the head is
alot more complicated of a beast. I worked all day monday, on my day off, because i had nothing to do. I could have caught
up on sleep, i could have gone for a nice long slow bike ride, I could have visted friends at work. I got lunch with the boys,
but other than that, I did laundry and washed dishes, and took care of drum stuff. I was mentally driven to do all this crap.
I didn't have to, Carolyne didn't order me in any way to clean her clothes or her kitchen. I just had to. I couldn't enjoy
the day. Her house really beats the fuck out of me too. Completely in my head. I have stayed at Ovens manor once in the past
2 weeks. Whose fault? Mine. Carolynes house isn't comfortable for me because it is not my house and i am weird about buying
food and storing here. Whose fault? Mine. I mentioned to her roomate Joe that I was weirded out about buying food for the
house and he said "Just buy some food, man". My go get em attitude has gone away.

I am trying to start this new band and I am continually thwarted by my car, a practice space, time, equipment. Im using all
my energy to kling on. Not to "not give up" because i have layed down and died on all kinds of stuff already, I am klinging
to "not losing all hope". I still have hope in love, I still have hope in friends and family, I think i have just lost hope
in myself. Self confidence is currently at an all time low...

So boston put in the motion to me losing my mind, and today "wednesday" i am trying to recover. I glad we went to boston I am
not saying things were bad for me there. Carol, Buddy, Katie, Jerry, Joey B, DUB, etc. on and on and on were great to me and
made the trip. Maybe it is the lack of fruit pies in my diet, but i just feel crapped out. Carolyne (my sweet baboooo) lives
atleast 10 hours from her loved ones (friends, family), no bullshit. I live 40 minutes from all of my friends or loved ones
(except you GW) and Dug lives 7 hours away, He comes to pittsburgh every 4 months. Maybe i just gotta leave pittsburgh and learn
how to lose and how to want it.

playlist:

Big brother and the Holding Company - Cheap Thrills
Kinks - Compleat Collection (Complete is spelled wrong on the record)
The Bananas - Forbidden Fruit

Decisions Decisions

2008-01-03T14:25:00.000-05:00

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1525610

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1525609

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1525608

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1525532

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1525507

I wonder if there is a way that I can set up a poll so my readers can decide.

Hangin out in 100b

2008-01-02T23:19:00.001-05:00

Watchin GET SMART on TV. Thinking about you and me.

I rode the 15 miles from work, coincidentally it was 15 degrees. Carolyne was making dinner when i got home and I walked the dog. This is going to be a hard stint. The commute took me an hour and some change. Total BS

I love her and I Love the dog. This is going to be rough on both me and the dog. Carolyne claims we can handle it. She is a fucking trooper. One of the infinite reasons that I love her.

One Less Car

2008-01-01T21:00:00.000-05:00

The Ironic Post.

Look at me Look at me I am gonna ride 50 miles tomorow. Nope! My fucking car got stolen. Last day of the year and my car gets jacked. It just basically ruined my day so i ate a burrito and took a nap.

So 2008 is supposed to be about being faster and stronger and healthier and if there is time a better lover, but what do i go and do. New years eve, i got fucking plowed, fucking wrecked. I drank my fucking face right the fuck off. I got tanked and pogo'd.

Did I ride 50 miles today? Nope. I pickled my body. I have been sleeping the hangover away in carolyne's bed. SO lets do a 2007 recap to not make me feel like a total wasteoid

2007
January - quit binge drinking (hahahhaah)
February- Road my bike a bunch. Hung out with Leanne and Missy a ton
March - Raced the mingo race and got 15th. I started hanging out with the Lovely Carolyne Mistake and doing stupid boy stuff to try and get her to like me.
April - hung out with her alot!
May Graduated College
June - Cory Lev/Kraken Weddings
July - End of Budokahn, Beginning of Ovens Manor
August- Saturday Night Fever Cross Race, the puppy talks begin
September- Carolyne Starts School and New Job, I pretend that I race bicycles. I won A Prime at the Oval and 5th at Mammoth Month of Mud, I raced and got 15th at charm city.
October A bunch of last place finishes in B races. I got a PUPPY! Me and Carolyne adopted a Boston Terrier Named MAJOR TOM! I had a fun camping trip with my Posse or family or whatever you want to call me carolyne and the dog. I got 5th in the C race at Wissahickon! The Flak record was supposed to come out....

November Flak record does come out and I go on a 2 week west coast tour, I quit my job and got a job it Pitt Pro, I had one of the best birthdays and Thanksgivings i have ever had.

December- Adjusting to leaving town for 2 weeks and everything being different.

Damn, what a year indeed.

hunky dory

2007-12-30T14:51:00.000-05:00

SO I have been whining about this rut i have been in and it feels that sometimes i just can't shake it, I can't do everything I want to do all the time and i guess it is time that i just sack up and deal with it. I can't walk the dog, ride my bike, and get to the punk show on time. I can't ride my bike to work and make it home in a timely fashion, i can't play a show and expect to be good after not practicing for 3 weeks. I feel like i have been down on myself and have whined and complained and whined again, and everyone has just sorta reminded me of the cyclical nature of it all.

So to end this year on a good note (it has been a pretty good and eventful year afterall)tomorrow i am gonna go ride a fiddy miler. http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1518445

Its gonna be a slow and fun one.

Afterwards i might get plowed, or go to a big house party, maybe i will ride for another fifty, maybe i will drink some duraclense and prepare to poop to my good health.

interesting moments this week

2007-12-16T20:53:00.000-05:00

first and formost. King ted turned 27. Happy birthday king ted. I rode to gooski's and had a good fucking time after carolyne did a marvelous job at her reading. Having someone read love poems about you infront of a room of people will totally make you blush even if you are at the back of the room. None of them were sexy poems, and that can be taken in two way. Bad, Soupie is a charmer but really can' t hold up his end of the bargain, or Good, some of the sexy poems were graphic and lacked substance, others were about "horseback riding". Whatever the fuck that is about... fucking a horse? did the horse cum yet?
I never got a chance to buy ted a beer because everytime i turned around he had a fresh one that some one bought him in his hand. So i just kept pumpin change into the Jukebox . Gooski's Jukebox owns.

I have started a new "hobby".....crosstraining, I have begun my cross training for the 2008 Cycling season. I started "rock climbing" at the climbing wall. It is FUCKING HARD! My boobs hurt, constantly. My hands feel like they are on fire. If it doesn't help my bike handling skills in the woods, i don't know what, other than riding, would. My shoulders feel really good, and alot of muscles in my back or "core" are getting some use.

and most recently, I went to a crazy swank party. Craig, partial owner of the new bike shop, threw a huge effing party last night. His house was 21,000 sq feet. It 1000 amps of electrical service, there were 7 waterfountains throughout the explored portion of the house. It had like 8 geothermic furnaces with 32 wells around the property. And something was up with that driveway, super long and never had snow laying on it. Carolyne was my date, and Mike Ovens came as my spritual advisor. Carolyne enjoyed her evening by mixing fancy sodas with fancy wines, and ovens enjoyed his evening by eating a pound of capicola and 32 shrimp. I enjoyed the evening by talking to chuck from the monroeville store and accidently breaking shit. An Example, me and ovens were watching the band smoking section and noticed a large woman sitting on a lounge-ish chair. She looked like she was riding a bull and was promptly owned by the chair. After a few minutes of seeing the bass player working it in the band, Ovens said, "alright, lets sit in these chairs". I figured, Craig is a pretty posh guy, these must be some sort of ergonomic swiveling chairs. Ovens sat down on his, and there was no movement. I sat down on my chair and was promptly owned, some would say pwned. At a punk party I would just roll off of my back, with beer in hand and just keep partying or "raging" (that is an industry term). Craig's house was not conducive to raging. I had some one give me a hand off of the ground, because i was wearing slacks for christs sake, and try and re assemble the chair, so some other poor fuck could wreck the place. NO DICE. So I went and saw craig. Craig was like, "Heeeey, Soupie, you made it man". I promtly replied, craig this is sweet, but i totally fucked up your chair. Fucker broke dood." Craig Calmly replied, " Aw Fuck it man, they're fucking new I'll just send them back". We chatted about how sweet the party was and how i wanted to tell him that I fucked up his chair in front of a room of his friends. Crisis averted.

Later at the party there was a stockpile of cold soda's outside. I took Ovens' and Carolyne orders and went out to grab some drinks. Turn one of the gajillion door knobs to the outside and it pulls right out of the door, no bullshit. I died. I am taking after my mother apparently, who breaks everything. I thought about the mountains and her breaking the porch swing, the microwave plate, the weed wacker and on and on and on. So I reconvene with my partner and spiritual advisor and tell them what happened and that I am terrified. For a moment, Ovens was about to sack up and go get it. He was scared also, he made it to this shindig on a whim. We made a joint effort and the Coca Cola classic was refreshing. We peaced around 11 and got to home to the Puppy dog.

The puppy dog is starting to come around. Carolyne and her roommates a searching for someone to fill a room in the house and one of the potential new "roomies" has two cats. Major Tom was not stoked, who would have guessed. The girl with the cats was pretty coool and I fully understood why this feline meet and greet needed to occur, even though it is quite obvious that the genera stigma or cliche` or whatever is that cats and dogs do not get along. They are enemies, why not introduce cats and mice , or snakes and mice or etc. I also was reminded on the phone while typing this that everyone exclaimed, "wow, i didnt expect that to happen". SOOOOO maybe through everything a I just said right into the garbage. I figured both would give a rounded view of the event. The dog flipped one of the cat carriers and screeched like a pterodactyl.

The dog is either asleep or going 100 mph....

I am a fucking wuss.

2007-12-03T15:31:00.001-05:00

Here I am curled up inside, on my day off, while the snow falls.

I have cleaned Ms. Mistakes bedroom and kitchen and I am nuzzled up on the couch with two dogs. I should be ridingin. I should have rode. I should be outside.

Yesterday I missed the Punk Bike Enduro. I posed out. Not punk, Not tough, not cool. I did alot of "helpful" things, and got me and Carolyne Situated for the week as far as food goes, but It makes me feel old and lame. I though I was just coming around too.

On my twenty third birthday, A PILE of me and my friends went out and mountain biked in the woods at night, running over anything in our way. It was an amazing time, minds were blown. Rick was on point and a fleet of Phallus jokes rolled into harbor. I took the posse riding behind me over the fallen pavilion on the golf course side. South park gets shit, alot, but if it is too easy than just ride faster. There is cool shit to ride, you just have to know what's up.

I felt tough for a second, i felt warm (not cold) and I felt fast.
Now I feel cold, and lazy. I am having a hard time believing that I was much warmer 30 pounds ago but as I sit here in a heated house, bundled up, next to two dogs, it may be true that I am a cold wuss.

In un-wuss related news, the new job has been very pleasant, some what usual and overall enjoyable. Selling Lefty forks, not as bad as expected, selling giant bicycles pretty spot on as expected and selling Seven should be a treat if anyone ever wanted one. I look forward to 08 being at a new shop.

In other bicycle year recap, cyclocross is over and I have to wait another 9 months to race cross again. BUMMER. There is always MTB and Road racing. January starts the training for the mingo races. Hopefully I won't be a wuss and ride.....

Major Tom is finally starting to ....well...not mellow...but.....get better? he is getting better. He can be a little bit of a handful all the time. But now it is only most of the time. At Missy's House last night, he had a phantom poop fart, and we spent 15 minutes looking for the poop! Little Bastard indeed!

Playlist

Hickey .... Husker Du .... Neil Young

the end of an era

2007-11-24T17:03:00.000-05:00

So, I came back from tour and quit my job.

after like, 3 1/2 years, i have finally tried to move my life....sideways? I side stepped. I just sidestepped. I have been pretty frustrated with working and I finally sacked up and quit. The choice was hard but I feel I need to do more stuff like this. Like sacking up? Yes, but moreso, trying to be comfortable while being transient. Trying to be comfortable in any situation and knowing my capabilities. I have been intimidated by alot of things, many times in my life. I think quitting my job was inevitable, weither it was the opportunities I should have quit, or my departure from Pittsburgh. If I can do it, and sustain myself (even save money!) then why not. Why not try something new. It always feels like the same old thing. I am caught in doing the same old things.

The problem is that I fucking love doing the same old things, though. I love my little shop. I have talked shit on it, but is my shop. I was almost a figurehead at TRM, I'm no Rick, but the people that know me say Hi on the trails/roads/bars/etc. I just need to focus on the facts of life, of my life, and get the ball rolling

1st. Fix my teeth, they are all fucked up.

2nd. Ride my bike for enjoyment, ride my bike as a tool, and ride my bike fast

3rd. Racing is sweet, and Cyclocross is truly incredible . Something so much fun should not be neglected.

4th. Playing in bands is a great fun. Keep it that way. Start new bands, write new music.

5th Leave pittsburgh, its a great big world out there. Shit or get off the pot.

Changing Jobs helps me with a good chunk of these. Positive or negative...

Road Trip

2007-10-22T16:03:00.000-04:00

This weekend was the Granogue (Da'nogue) Wissahickon double race weekend. They are the big races that i wanted to go to and probably the last 2 cross races i will do this season (i fucking hope not). I really wanted Carolyne to come with as support for my habits and since we got the puppy dog we packed the Buick Century full of as much bullshit as we could and headed east. We left at 2 pm to hopefully set up camp in daylight. We arrived at the French creek state park, at 6:30 in the dark. We went to a local store and bought birch beer and Sasparilla (!!!!!!!!), we then returned to french creek and set up our spot. After walking the dog, we went to set up the fire. This was a cue for it to start pouring rain. We ate cold beans out of the can and went to sleep. 2 hours later, we moved our tent out of the lake we were sleeping up to higher ground. The morning was a wet scramble of packing and driving to the race at Granogue (Da' Nogue, queen of da' MAC). I arrived at 8:23, which left me little to no time to register pre ride the course, set up, warm up, and get a good start. The Course was brilliant, I was way into the course and really wish i could have given it my all. I was finally warm by my 3rd lap, and finished the race in 29th place. I pitted for Myerson in the Elite d00dz race. Tim Johnson, J Pow and the Cyclocross world crew brought it to the next level. It was pretty bizarre. Johnson put a HUGE gap on the field. It was interesting to see all the pros just hangin out, I got to talk to J Pow about his coach (who I have interviewed), I saw barry wick's junk in the parking lot as I was picking up Myerspace's wheels for the pit.

Saturday night we were rejected from french creek state park and stayed at Sun Valley. It was crazy and awesome. They were having haunted hay rides through the camping Rv Park. Every Five mintutes we heard an air horn go off and a bunch of kids scream. We cooked hobo chili over an open fire and roasted veggie dogs. The next morning i got up and had a fucking great race.

We Got up, packed the car, left the camp. We hit sheetz (crucial), got to the race an hour before. Registered, Dressed, 1.5 cold laps, 1 hot lap. At the start i lined up in the third row. I was sitting about 15th at the first turn. The first dismount took me to about 9th place. Riding the sandpit took me to 4 th place. I trade places with the eventual 3 place guy. He totally read my hand when i threw the block at him. I put some distance on him in the sand but once he was out of the sand he was gone. I got 5th place. I am so fucking amped about it. I feel like some of the drills practice has paid off. I sent the report off to the coach on the ride home. Myerspace got 9th and his teammate chris jones got 3rd! The 1337 d00dz race was super fast and the pit was right by the uphill barriers and the off camber section. Really impressive to watch.

I enjoyed the drive home with Carolyne and the Puppy dog. After a nice refreshing shower and an invasive Deer/dog/wood Tick check, we all made it to bed.

Playlist:
Danzig II Lucifuge
Dead Moon - Mix tape!
Judas Priest - Rocka Rolla

Bullet point Update (How Cheap)

2007-10-22T15:23:00.000-04:00

To Update the blog I have cheapened out written bullet points. This allows me to do this at work quickly and effectively, cover lots of time in a little space, and hides the fact that i cannot write anything entertaining or grammatically correct.

* The Flak record is coming out this saturday, AKA we will have a party and probably no records. Flak Tour is Nov 5 and I will be gone for 2 weeks.

* I raced at Hagerstown 2 weeks ago, crashed, grabbed rob thomas's ass, pitted for steevo and chillaxed.

* I have continued having cross practice with the CCCP and that has been my only training (par say).

* Me and Carolyne took the great leap forward and acquired a dog. His name is Major Tom AKA Tom G Warrior. I have wanted a dog my entire life, and I am so fucking incredibly amped about having one. He is a handful, He is cute, he is cuddly, He doesnt like other dogs (BUMMER!), he likes nirvana incesticide, and can only do one trick (sit).

* Hours have scaled back and i have been a stay at home dad for a bit. My only training has been with the dog and not with the bike. He has the ugliest (CUTEST!!!) smile.

The meaning of Cyclocross

2007-10-01T08:59:00.000-04:00

This sunday, at buckeystown, MD i learned the meaning of cross. I fully understand both the painful lows and joyful highs.
Let us start with the low end.

I woke up to meet gayhem, steevo, and turner at the gayhem residence at 5:30. No bones about it 5:30 is fucking early. After being fed an espresso shot and a putting ridiculous pack job on the race taxi, we hit the rode and made it to the venue an hour before the C race. My immediate thoughts were "FUCK I COULD HAVE DONE THE C RACE!". I was expecting a "Sack up" or "Hawden the Fack Up", but all i got was a "then go re-register dood". I knew that if i reregistered that would mean absolutely no preriding the course, and i would still be doing the dreaded B race. I saw Jim and Josh and Kevin dillard hittin barriers in the C race and pinned my number. Between the masters b race and the C race, me and coach gayhem rode the course. He was giving me all the pointers he could give and even showed me a line to follow through a turn in which i promptly washed out behind him. What a pisser! I sit up and brush the gravel out of my arm and leg. I rub my hip and hop back on. Gayhem then told me a i need to open it up in the gravel sections and at that point i was shelled. I spent the masters B race watching fatmarc and Darren ride and whining about my current state of affairs. I decided that i would wash my relatively bloody knee and arm out after my race. I was not stoked. Turner asked me if i was pumped, steevo asked me if i was pumped, I was not pumped. At the line for my race, i started drumming on my handlebars. Children of the Grave by Black Sabbath usually puts me in a pretty good spot. I got an O.K. start. I found my pedals and didn't wreck, but i just didn't have the juice in my legs. The next two laps could be summed up by saying i got passed by alot of d00dz and all of my off bike skills and handling went right out the window. Poor form soupie, poor form. By final lap i got my shit together and passed four guys and tried to finish strong. 45 minutes of cross hurts, it just hurts. I had the full on cross gut at the end. The cross gut can be best describe as being unsure if you are going to vomit or shit your pants. I whined and complained a bit and checked my results. I got 34 out of 39 with a pile of DNF's. Sadly i realized that i should probably stick with the B race and work up. Not only because i sorta hung on and didnt get lapped, but i would'nt get a ride with mayhew the next week if i didn't. I whined about it to turner and (I shit you not) jeremiah bishop walked by and said " You gotta race your own dood".

So that is mostly the Painful lows, the great thing about cross however is the comradery. Which i sorta witnessed last week at charm city, but this week put alot into perspective. Watching the A race from the pit is pretty cool, and the atmosphere has been laid back for a bit and serious when it needs to be. Me and Turner had a really good pit exchange with steevo that even the official said was a good pit exchange (it was the only thing positive that d00d said all day). Wes Schemf who is apparently a pretty well known and nice d00d in the mabra series, has brought his skillz to the next level. Last week he battled with Davide Frattini (euro junior giro winner guy) and this week wes and Jeramiah Bishop battled. Each time everyone was cheering for Wes and this week he got first in the A race. I have also found that i have made new friends at races. Tyler from the Juniors Race, Darren from Haymarket is pretty fucking sweet (thanks for the wheel change) and the DccoD crew is awesome as well.

I also "met" diane vettori this sunday. Last week i saw her walking the course and I creepily went "HEY YOUR DIANE, I READ YOUR AND MARCS BLOG I"M SOUPIE!" which she responded "oh, hey" and walked away. Which is fine, when a smelly kid with a weird t shirt creepily talks about the internet it is probably safer to cut and run. This week however, Diane walked over to me in the pit and said what's this in your pocket, and promptly put her hand in my pocket. At this moment it all made sense. Cross racing is about getting scouted by older women; Cougers if you will. After reading Cheryl Gayhem's blog about cougars it all came together. Cheryl is older than Chris and they went to cross races all the time! SO i looked down at Diane through my thick white Designer Knock off cycling glasses and she looked up and went "YOUR NOT MARC! I thought you were Marc 'cause of your sideburns!" I stayed Calm , cool and collected, and replied " I am not Marc, The internet will hear about this"

Though Steevo got 11th I did not get Diane Vettori's number. We packed up and headed home. Pictures will be posted of the Brutal Pack Job. And now I have all the more reason for Carolyne to come to races with me. She can race bikes and tell all the other ladies that I have already been cougared.

I have felt very anxious lately

2007-09-29T17:40:00.001-04:00

kinda jumpy. I dont know why. I don't think it is racing related, which has been the biggest change in my life as of late, i'm not going to school obviously and maybe i'm subconsciously freaking out about that.

i dunno.

All i know is, just when i was starting to put my head back together i found a video of Phillipino Inmates dancing.
It is kinda disturbing. Only because i am afraid of dancing, it is the equivelent to boxing weightlifting or intermurals in prison. But it just blows my fucking mind.

Behold.

No Fucking way!

2007-09-26T19:15:00.001-04:00

Updates.

I GOT FUCKING 16th at the Charm City C race! What the fuck!!! I am pretty amped about this. The coach has prescribed drills tuesday, intensity wednesday, and the fucking B race on sunday. Hot damn.

In charm city we stayed with super amped stoked young punks. It was pretty cool. Missy knew a dood who knew some doods. A very clean punk house, but all the punk houses can't be centro. I would have to say the big difference was soap, but that is just me.

Carolyne started her new job today, so i got to see what it was like to lay in bed for 3 hours and waste the morning away. We went mountainbiking yesterday after a long time and she was stoked! We still do not have dogs.

And finally,

i have lost meaning in writing a blog, maybe it is because things have been rolling smoothly, perhaps most of my rhetorical problems and questions are materialistic and get avoided. I am sorry that this blog has lost its zaneyness. It is probably because work has been busy and i don't have the internet.

Playlist:

Who-Happy Jack
Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow
Deepest Purple - Deep Purple's Greatest Hits

Cyclo Cross Coalition of Pittsburgh

2007-09-20T10:40:00.000-04:00

or the CCCP practiced yesterday.

There is nothing like drills to remind me that not only am i not good at cross, but it is very very hard and the only thing to replicate how hard it actually is, is to race. I felt rough at times during practiced yesterday, but you know what i did? I SLOWED DOWN.

Me and the Coach practiced, starts, double barriers, cornering, and run ups.

Like Alex, i must be forced to watch my shortcomings. BEHOLD!

Clarity

2007-09-15T17:21:00.000-04:00

Things have become more clear as of recently. Sometimes crystal. Communication and action have always been tough to read, but it seems that now things are finally coming through. It has taken a large weight off my shoulders, too. Despite my nuttyness (is that a word? is that like hysteria? do i cure nuttyness by sacking up or having my nuts removed? Hysterectomy? whatever) Carolyne has continued to tell me that I am not batshit crazy and perhaps be the sweetest girl on earth. Maybe she is just batshit crazy too. I looked at her the other day, and both of us just started making fart noises at eachother with our mouths. Sometimes things just fit so perfectly.

Lets Recap.

First and foremost. Tommy said he would come on tour. This is fucking huge. It is official, the real line up of Flak will tour the west coast. 2 weeks, LA to Vancouver. Oh, did I mention that we are going with Annihilation Time? So not only will most of the shows be good shows, but we are not heading into complete unknown Territory alone.

Second, The Eagle has Landed. Finally someone has contacted us about the flak lp. Nothing is happening financially about it outside of Dr. Phozforous, but after a bunch of good shows and some minor buzz a label contacted us and said we sound good. Not only are they not ignoring us, but payed the time and effort to send a line out our way.

Third, Children of the Grave and After Forever. I had a good race at the oval and won 2 Sprints. I felt confident and actually tired when I left, rather than no juice while racing and energy at the end. Tomorrow is a race at Mt. Pleasant, and next week a race in baltimore. I hope my form is at point. Especially after the Mechanical debacle that was escape to joki mountain.

Fourth, Go with your Gut, Stress builds character. It has been offically made clear to me that I have been having arguements in my guts and not trustin myself. It has been made specifically clear that this is perhaps up to date one my largest fuck ups. Regardless of what I have been told, regardless of how crazy i have felt, i did not have the confidence to trust the way i have felt. I think it is moreso this than accepting what I felt. Now I can move forward, after being insulted for the final time.

Worrying is like paying interest on a debt you don't owe.

Why would you fuck with me?!

2007-09-06T12:57:00.000-04:00

Sooo much to say, no time to say it.

Dogs soon, bike races soon, beard soon.

Be on the look out

Attn: Steevo and Carolyne Mistake

2007-09-01T17:00:00.001-04:00

Saturday Night Fever

2007-08-13T18:17:00.000-04:00

My first cross race came, I raced, I am a racer, I raced bikes, i'm a bike racer.....

So 8:00 am Carolyne and I pile into the buick, we pick up Stephen Cumming (Steevo? Steepho?) and point the car towards New Jersey. We were to participate in a bicycle race at the New Jersey state fair, titled "Saturday Night Fever" summer cyclocross. On the drive, we stopped at the original Sheetz in altoona, discussed the economics of a drive thru strip club and if local grown produce was the new vegan. The Directions were slightly off and we arrived at the fair from a weird side road instead of the road with the gigantic sign that said "NEW JERSEY STATE FAIR TURN HERE ----->" There was a "Fundraiser" for a fire department that was the equivalent of getting spanged. After some 75 cent directions we arrived at the public parking entrance where traffic was being directed.

"Excuse me, where do we park for the bike race?"

"Public Parking Pull in"

We parked and walked over to the fair. It was sorta magical, you know, like if I was 15 and 16 I could totally imagine trying to hook up with your best friends sister behind some of the cars in the field where everyone parked. The smiths song Rusholm Ruffians was a very detailed part of my inner monologue. We approach the entrance ticket booths and ask some of the locals about the bike race.

"Hey we're here for the bike race, is their an entrance we should go through or a wristband or something"
"Entrance to the fair is $10 dollars, you can get your wristbands inside"
"And where is the race at in the fair?"
"Down at the end"
"about how far down?"
"Down at the end"

We enter and ask the gentlemen at re-entry for wrist bands.

"Can we have a wrist band?"
"These are only for re-entry"
"We are here for the bike race, we are going to need to step out of the fair to get our gear"

Abrassiveness leads us to the demolition derby pit to meet the promoter, where we were assured that Pre Registered Bike racers were supposed to get into the fair for free and enter through gate 9.

Sweet.

We return to the cash money booth, and the ladies deny us our refund and send us to the administration office. We head to administration and we bureaucratically are sent to visit a Linn Cause or a Lou Casper, i kept getting the names completely ass backwards. We enter another building where no one talks for more than three sentences and there are a bunch of old d00dz holding canvas bags, suspect to be filled with money. None of these bags had dollar signs on them, but we can all assume. With little to no fuss, we are promptly refunded 3 fair tickets. Funny, because steevo didn't preregister and carolyne didn't race. 3 points for the cyclists. We got ready to pre-ride the "hell track" like set up and watch U-19 kids ride zipp 404s through the mud.

While the u-19 kids race I pin my jersey and start to get the jitters. The little bastards look like they are hurting and they have probably been racing their entire lives. Things loosened up a bit when we hit the grid though. Kenmac requested our "Call up info" for the race. I sent him an email with some zaney Dr. Soup $$ facts; "first time cross racer, Long time cross dresser" "First time call up, long time listener", and my favorite "Covered in hair from the quads up". And the d00d said this shit. HELL YEAH!

Race starts and I hit the first burm in 3rd place. I drop a couple spots in the first lap and sit in around 6/7th. On the second lap i hit the run up, or as ken called it "the disco death drop" to follow the "saturday night fever" theme, and drop my chain. As i remount the bicycle it sucks into the frame and crank. I hop off, and tug and flip the bike over. I remove my self from teh course to free the chain. This hurts after a 6 hour drive, it is one thing to drive for 30 minutes of riding, but i drove 6 hours to dnf. I free the chain and steevo tells me to hop back in. I was not aware that i could do this!

I ended up catching 3 guys and not getting lapped! Better than nothing! So I walked away in 11th.
Cyclocross feels like vomit, it just feels like vomit and dry heaving, but i really really want to race again.

To recover from my effort, me and carolyne ate fried pierogies, grilled corn on the cob and funnel cakes.

11 Hours

2007-07-15T11:06:00.000-04:00

So, the girl is gone and I am left to my own devices. I miss her fucking dearly. If it wasn't for the gajillion preplanned events this week, this might have been called "25 hours" or some shit. So let it begin

Saturday Day 1.

Ride bike to work: 1 hour
Work: 8 hours
Ride bike with jeffers 45 miles : 3 hours

I don't really have any good details for this day. Jeff rode strong, they chip sealed saxonburg rd. (bummer), The sports beans logo looks like a cock (ridiculous).

Sunday Day 2:
Wake up to ride with old people. I am excited because Roz is coming. Not only do I love Roz and wish I spent more time with her, but also my legs are sessed. Rick shows up, Hammer time. Rick exclaims " Its gonna take me a while to warm up". With my calculations in place, it would be that amount of time for me to burn out. Before buffalo hill, rick clips his fork on his cross bike going down hard, ending the ride. The ovens mansion (new house that has most likely missed its own blog post due to time past) STILL does not have hot water. So I showered and shaved for the first time in a while at my moms house. After work spent some quality time with the fam for my brothers birthday. Gramma Deeee came and she was on her best behaviour. The birthday went well.
Walked Dogs with Missy....i think? Her neighbors left their dog on their back porch because they were going out of town. The excuse being the "puppy throws up in the car".Missy I assumed threatened to slice them navel to neck. The dog, Sadie, was bright eyed with little obedience, still a very nice dog.

Ride Time: 55 minutes

Monday Day 3
Road to work : 50 minutes

Walked around and didn't really do anything at all for 10 hours. Supposedly I worked, I really don't remember (the last two days have zapped alot of my memory from this week). Long way home 1 hour 15 minutes.
Road to braddock for the Tulsa show. Tulsa was ehhh, and the band from holland sucked! They sounded like Whatever It Takes. Lame.

Tuesday
I don't know.... I worked 12-8, i bought coffee. I probably ate something... There was no bicycle riding.

Wednesday

No bicycle riding, I fixed my Karate monkey and got the bianchi axis rolling (it is going to be a pimp racing season). I did twenty five categories of inventory and was a total bitch to all coworkers. Went to the wall, band practice, and punk rock night and ate spicy food.

Thursday
My first day off in Six days (not a record by any means). I drove obens to work and uncomfortably waited for free food. I met my mom and my brother and we went to moraine state park. I GOT FUCKING LOST IN THE WOODS FOR 2 HOURS and 45 MINUTES!!! I rode the MTB over to the trails from the north shore, a little taxing on a singlespeed mtb. I hit the pipeline and there were a bunch of fun off shoot trails that grew in size. I had the trail map from the park office and these parts really didn't make any sense. The "Pink Blazes" to mark the trail were few and far between. The trails despite my constant panic and attempts at energy conservation were fucking great. Awesome switchbacks, huge boulders, rock gardens, rocks the size of baby heads, rocks the size of babies, big log piles, rocks to log piles, the whole 9. Very technical and when not in the pipeline, trails were very well cleared. I returned to my family at the north shore around three ate a picnic lunch to supplement the three hours of riding with only one package of clif blocks. She brought enough food for a 4 day trip. I immediately passed out in the car on the drive home as mom sang Carol King Tapestry for the nth million time. I proceeded to sleep at my moms house for an additional two hours. I woke up to peirogie and bags of food that i needed to take. I spoke with mike Henninger about my moraine experience and he said that there were "new trails there". Thus i dubb this adventure "Escape to Mo' Raine". I later rode my bike to the lava lounge for Kim Phuc, Caustic Christ, and the Mud City Manglers. I hate the south side, but this wasn't so bad. I made it home before drunk hour too.

Ride time: Moraine 3 hours and 10 minutes total
South Side 35 minutes round trip.

Friday

I woke up and prepared the axis for its maiden voyage. I took it through fricks mellowest single track and up into squirrel hill. I found some single track in schenely park which awkwardly dropped me in Panther hollow. I rode the schenely park creek bed, and stopped at CMU to see the Krakken. My sree's lunch was rained out. There was little kid time at Mailboxes etc. John Doran's son John Henry was there, Ryan Hughes showed up with Deklan (sp?) and Leanne continued to receive crayon drawings on envelopes. I headed to the wine and spirit store to pick up a bottle of bourbon that didn't see much play this weekend. I harassed the employees of trek of east liberty, and continued on my merry way home. After a nap, and equipment loading, i pointed the Buick towards the Mr. Roboto project for the first portion of BILL AND RACHEL's WEDDING FEST.
Traveler kids brought a dog in for the flak set. as much as tommy, paul, nm, and i love dogs, we must remember that dogs cannot handle the frequency of electrified muzak, sadly once again, and cliche and stereotype was met. With Cliches and stereotypes in mind, Leanne formulated the Pist weekend bingo card. The after party was at ward street and there was much mingling to be done. I spent some quality time in the Bip and had the choice of such fine reading materials as the Iliad, Plato's complete works, and High Times Magazine. Made it home by 2.

Ride Time 1 hour and 15 minutes of dicking around

Saturday
Woke up after six hours of beauty rest to ride into work with jeffers. Our staff slowly dropped off, Butters at 3 and Sam at 4:30. At six it hit me. As i counted the registers and changed my clothes i started singing "Great american sportsman" and "Black and Blue". My and Jeffers traveled our normal route and hung a right on to east carson st. following into homestead and across the rankin bridge to braddock. I caught the second to last Warzone Womyn Set and said Hi to the insane amount of friends that came out to the fest. I being a moron, did not bring cash or food to braddock. There is no money, and no places to buy food after 8 in braddock. My dinner consisted of an Ice cream novelty from an Ice cream truck (thanks shakes) and a half eaten bag of frito's from the garbage. High on crime played after i returned and it was FUCKING RIDICULOUS. Really overpowering and brutal. I saw more old friends in the bar, i was propositioned, i drank a 7 up (thanks Chris Fricker) and went upstairs to watch Criminal Damage. I am upset that I have never heard this band. Oi throwback shit. There last song was literally a business song. I was singing the business song along with it until the bridge, which thus differentiated the song from a cover to an original. Annihilation time ripped, the waste was eh as usual. And then the pist played. Corey jumped off of Bill's amp. Mayhem ensued. The d00ds from Chicago/Milwaukee were the only ones who stayed with us. Everyone went to the O and like a bunch of amateurs everyone ordered too much food. We returned to the Obens mansion at 3:00 and everyone left at 7:30. I woke up around 9:30 for no good reason at all and came to work to write this blog post.

Ride Time 1 hour and 55 minutes.

Sideburns for satan

2007-06-24T15:21:00.000-04:00

After 22 years of abuse...

2007-06-22T19:40:00.000-04:00

My big toe nail has finally left. After being split open at the age of four, run into countless objects, ingrown, broken in half, infected, and now run into a log, my right foot is now without a big toe nail.

There is a big pissed off bloody hole on my big toe.

I will be the first to say that it fucking hurts too.

For the next week i will begin and end my day with the same gauze, the same neosporen, the same peroxide, and the same curse words.

I was hammring along at a pretty good clip, too.

I am in the process of moving into a big ol' house, that is haunted and 5 blocks from frick. I will not be tearing it for a while.

Booooo hiss

The Honeymoon

2007-06-14T19:02:00.000-04:00

So, as most have heard, I was hitched by a crazy ass man on the wall in oakland. It was some weird voodoo/jewish hybrid wedding where we eached recieved badminton rackets and instead of us drinking wine and saying Mozoltov, Professor crazy drank Carolyne's Malt Liquor and told us "having a baby is fugged up!". It was a beautiful ceremony.

This sunday began the honeymoon, a short and sweet trip with a long long drive. I can't say that a 11 hour drive with a traffic jam is ever great, but Carolyne and I told stories and sang green day songs and drank energy drinks and ate dried cereal from the picnic basket. The end of the drive congratulated us on our achievement by taking us the shores of Nantasket in the south shore for an orange and overcast sunrise. After working, a long drive, and a sunset, it was time for bed.

We stayed in Hingham with her folks, Buddy and Carol. They were very hospitable and neither of them threatened to kick my ass: i think i was only called a putz as a joke!. While Ms. Mistake did parent stuff I sought out Adam Myerspace Myerson in Dorchester. I went on part of a recovery ride with him and his team mate. They talked shit on Team Mechanics, I spoke about the only pro i know.....Perhaps next time I will open up the big can of worms: Morrisey.

I waited in Dotty for Carol to drop Carolyne off and sat and read "on the road". This book seems to just live in my car for good travel mojo, and this was the first time in a month that i cracked the damn thing. It gave me time to digest some Dunkin Doughnuts!

Carolyne met up with me and we drove through boston munching on cereal. We saw the bike shop she worked in, and met up with some of her friends from Highschool. There was Kris, Joe and i have totally spaced on the other guy's name...bummer. So we sat at this vegetarian friendly place that reminded me of mad mex without mexican specific cuisine or half price. In addition to this, it seemed like cool people hung out there for a reason other than price. I got into this dick measuring contest with a messenger named Zac while Carolyne caught up with her friends. It was pretty cool. Kris was suuuuuper skeptical and sarcastic about everything, it was pretty damn funny. Joe was a bro, and any bizarre off the wall question i had, he seemed to respond quickly to with wit. We went and grabbed ice cream, and Kris hooked me up, pretty boss. I met Kris's cat with bonus thumbs and Carolyne's good friend Theresa. The cat hated having its paws touched, and Theresa hated on dumpster diving and dreadlock rat tails.

As we left the burough of Allston, I was pretty worked. Hangin out with Pros and bike messengers will lead to a LOT of dick measuring. Carolyne, who was under the weather, with an eye practically swollen shut wanted to carry on into the night. So we went to her favorite spot in Boston. After finding the newly moved hole in the fence we were dangling our legs off of a railroad bridge pilon admiring the reflection of the ancient city on its own piece of ocean run inland.

She wrote me a poem which talked about how I cannot have the mountains she has seen, and she cannot have my two weeks in a van with my bros last summer but how we can share moments. Carolyne and I have gone Mountain biking in south park, a place where at one point in time i knew every bump, ridge, and root. I was now on this rail bridge late at night where she at one point knew every crack, pebble, and spot of rail grease. I looked at the sky alot. Regardless wherever we go together, there will be always the same sky encasing us above.

After another night on the pullout sofa, Tuesday was punx day. I met Rob Noise from the conversions, drank iced coffe and ate veggie dogs, and talked about Myke who used to play guitar for Thin the heard (Bastard moved to portland, WTF). Baby safe haven was the house that followed up the Cuntree club and was pretty similar, not as big, but certainly a punk house with the punk house posters we all know and love so much. I met Elie, which i looked forward to. I have heard alot of stories and meeting someone puts alot in perspective. We went back to Elie's to help clean for the potluck he was having. It was cleaned the way a punk house should be cleaned: with a shovel.

Carolyne's Grandmother was in a 5 minute driving distance from Elies, this translated to a 20 minute walk...if we knew where we were going. It was pleasant meeting Carolynes Grandmother and her friend Dot. Very grandmotherly. It was a rousing evening of watching the TV on silent with the subtitles on . Much shit was talked on Dr. Phil and the people that go on his program. Dot's grandaughter seemed as if she needed an escape from the house and offered us a ride back to the Potluck at Elie's. After being lost and walking again, we arrived to see the punx.

A round of "hurt ball" was going on in the kitchen amidst a haze of firework smoke. Everyone took turns kicking a four square ball as heard as one could braking anything that got in it's way. More Fireworks were lit inside, and the smoke alarm made its way inside the microwave. Furniture was moshed, and the broken glass and cans that where shoveled earlier returned to the floor.

The next morning we hit the road at seven and battled police, new englanders, and torrential downpours.

WTF SOUPIE

2007-06-06T16:07:00.000-04:00

So...I guess I sorta gave up on road racing already. I really want to race cyclocross, I really want to do a 24hour race, but I have not even considered doing a road race in a long time. I am pretty sure that everyone is riding really fast now too, bummer.

So what the fuck have you been doing soupie?

Going to Weddings,Getting ready to move into a new house, MOUNTAIN BIKING!!!, and laundry i guess.

Me and ol' HugWife have been spending some quality time at South Park riding single track and holding hands, I have been trying to ride to work, but I am not going to do intervals before a ten hour day. Occasionally i race the daylight to the south side. Booo Hiss.

How can I make this post more fragmented, I know a picture from Corey's wedding.

This was a blast, me and Dub had a goddamn adventure, I got to see d00dz from state college, and we got to see our Boy Cor-Hey Hey tie the knot. I think if i could use two words to describe the weekend, they would be "misinformation" and "Alcohol".

I feel like I am trying to start a new phase to my life, but for some reason i cannot just make the leap and move forward. I feel stuck in the same patterns, haunted by the same ghosts, and just when i feel I am about to break free I am stuck.

TRM cycles is now my job, my one and only job. It still feels the same though, i still feel the way i felt when doing school and the shop, i don't feel like i have grown into it, i just keep putzing forward. After taking a big stab at racing this year, it is early june, i am still a Cat 5 and though i have big hopes for cyclocross i wonder if I will make it. It bums me out. The Coach says "just ride your bike, d00d" "ride as much as you can", and that is what i do.

Everything is kinda falling apart. Bikes, Car, Lights, House. It is going to take a big push to put them all back together.

It will take a bigger push, however, to write a coherent and up to date blogpost.

Sorry about the lack of response,

2007-06-01T15:08:00.000-04:00

ENJOY FOR NOW!

A HA!!

2007-05-11T17:37:00.000-04:00

I have been finally introduced to a hobby that i think i can really get into. It is possibly the greatest idea ever. Agressive road biking. Not cyclocross, agressive road biking. Think Paris-Roubaix without the prestige, think cyclocross riding but more technical. Agressive road riding.

Something more dangerous and more expensive than mountain biking. Excellent.

To agressive road ride, simply ride your carbon fiber roadbike on single track with 23c tires. Some MTB riders use 2.3 inch tires, the agressive road biker will use 2.3 cm tires. For once, metric can be tougher. When initiating log piles remember, you are running a 52t chainring. Hard core shit yo.

dirty hands, clean hands

2007-05-05T19:46:00.000-04:00

So, school is over. I have completed college. I am sorta proud, i guess i should be. It has been an accomplished week. I got married, sent in my first job resume, wrenched on bikes, and felt the first sting of a true summer bicycle shop fuck up. Oh bicycle shop fuck ups, how many i have had, how many more there are to come. Since Adam is out racing in Pisgah this weekend, I had Henninger and Dingle cover my shifts which left some interesting opportunities in what I really want to do with my time and what i really really detest doing: ultimately making myself happy versus making my family happy.

Wow, a transcendental norm of parental acceptance. Next I am going to write about love lost, love found, peer pressure and football....

Friday began with waking up early for a mountain bike ride. Holy fuck do i love me some mountain biking; i love it more than grammar. Not only was this a mountain bike ride of necessity for myself, but this was also Carolyne's first mountain bike ride: A honeymoon of sorts. South park was in rare form: Dry. We found a couple of mudpuddles but still very dry. It was heaven, a heavenly journey from chris mayhews race taxi to the end of lobstacles. I was covered in dirt, sourounded by blooming wildflowers, trees with fresh buds, and sharing it with a good friend and then with secularly wedded oakland 40oz wife. Carolyne and I held our grimy hands together and watched the stream drain through the small valley.

We had to leave our slice of paradise behind as the days schedule moved forward. We stopped at my mother's to try on this suit that she had bought me. If you guys are in the market for a suit, i highly suggest going to burlinton coat factory at village square. Go talk to Michael. He is a very professional tailor, and EXTREMELY THOROUGH. His extreme thoroughness resulted in a well fitting suit; he was very professional. As i tucked my shirt in, i quickly left the world i just existed in a half an hour ago. I buttoned the top button on my shirt and fastened the tie. These delicate garments, which fit so well, made me want to die inside with each step. The cuffs fastened around my wrists like shackles. ugh.

With the opportunity, we fled back to the city. In route, a visit was paid to ye olde bike shoppe. I wouldn't say I was as nervous as introducing Carolyne to my family, but there was something there i cannot put my finger on. If my family didn't like her, the could go fuck themselves. Simply put, no questions asked, Mr. Raindrops has done the deed and if necessary a council of bums could be summoned for our annalment, I am about to graduate college and enter the real world and be my own person regardless if i am doing laundrey and typing this at my moms house. My co-workers and peers are much harsher critics. Rick, for example, will play this game of twenty questions where he will just keep bugging you until he gets under your skin. He can make children weep instantly. Michael "if i wanted any lip from you i'd unzipp my pants" Henninger can also talk a mean game. Both were receptive and kind regardless of my inadequacies in warrantying forks or keeping Pearl Izumi winter inventory up to date.

Time pushed us back to the city for the graduation ceremony. I scrambled to re-suit up. In my cap and gown I sat with my peers, and not just classmates, my actual college peers. The former director of the CIA talked to us about how his duquesne university education allowed him to protect our freedom and kill innocent peoples at the same time, it was certainly a great speech...
I stared at my hands for a lot of it. Now clean, with the suit cuffs, and my Duquesne class ring. I hate this. I fucking hate this. So I completed college, sweet. Graduation is a ceremony for the parents, and they deserve it. They have supported my ass for this long and I am grateful, but there is more to it than just that. That substance is what makes me truly uncomfortable in my skin. I know my mom bought me a suit as a last ditch effort to prepare me for the job market i am going to try and avoid at all costs. It's like packing an extra flashlight for your cub scouts first camp out. She has sent me to college, bought me a suit, and now i am ready to grow up. I just feel fucking trapped. I have wanted to "Grow up" for the longest fucking time, and in reality the definition of growing up has continually changed. I wanted to grow up in highschool because i hated being told what to do. I hated going to college because I was told to go. I hated participating in college things because it wasn't growing up, it was like preschool arts and crafts for the sexually active and alcohol abusing blowhards. I worked all through college, so i could pretend to do cool shit, all i did in the end was work to escape shit.

So now i am here. I have tasted dirt and barbeque seitan sandwiches, I have shaken the hand of many, and had the crooked finger of a bum with no teeth touch my hand. I have looked at my close peers and realized that i could be at lawschool in three months if i wanted, i could have graduated Cum Laude if i wanted. Is it sad that i didn't have the motivation? or sad that these are things that i truly do not want. I have told a many people to "have a good life" and there is a good chance that i will never see them again. In the end i know that i have meant it. I hope they are fucking happy, i want to be happy. It is four years later, and i still have this list of things to do and accomplish, i just wonder if i am still trying to check off my list or if i am concentrating on a different one.

Maybe i am just being wishy washy.

CYCLIST ATTACKED!!

2007-05-01T16:07:00.000-04:00

I heard last night about this. I am pretty upset, and kinda scared, I and many of my other friends use the same route. Natty Mike just caught it on the wrong night.

"For those that havent already heard it through the grapevine, and those who only got partial stories, I was attacked Sunday night on my way home after an excellent wall session of o fries and dude talk.

I was riding my bike up ellsworth when a car full of white dudes shouted something to the effect of "get off the road faggot!". Whatever, happens all the time. They stopped at the light on the corner of ellsworth and aiken. As I passed them, the passenger attempted to spit on me and I instinctively reacted by spitting back and turned left up aiken. The car chased me for up aiken around baum and center until they cornered me in the parking garage next to whole foods where two of the four dudes preceded to break my nose and give me a fractured sinus cavity, all the while telling me to "get a real job" and "go listen to disrupt" and calling me a "crusty faggot". After the first beating, one of the dudes attempted to come at me with brass knuckles, but luckily a security guard getting off his shift walked out and scared them all off.

The car was a red sedan, possibly a honda, lisence plate GPL 1385 (Im not sure about the 1385 but definite about the GPL). The two dudes I saw up close were: Driver: approx. 6 ft tall, short blonde hair, very aryan features and wearing an American Nightmare t-shirt. Passenger: Slighltly shorter, wiry, wearing a XXL hoodie, black flat brim hat and some kind of horizontally stripped black and white t shirt. He had dark brown/black hair and a short scraggly beard.

I filed a police report and went to the ER. Luckily, Im pretty sure I got a lisence plate, and, if not, Ive been led to believe there were security cameras in the garage. Please remeber this board is a public forum and those who care should excercise restraint in whatever they say about this subject.

Whats the worst part about all this you ask? I dont even like Disrupt."

partying on a friday night

2007-04-28T15:53:00.000-04:00

Soupie and Carolyne misstake route

Sacking down...

2007-04-19T00:02:00.000-04:00

seems alot like backing down. But dealing more with testicles.

So i didn't race. I went to carolyne's reading. It was good. Carolynes piece is on her blog (escapism). There was a piece about anteaters, and about turkey hunting. Josh (turkey hunting) wrote about the term his father taught him called "Stepping on your own dick". I feel that in making the sacking up post about racing, i stepped on my own dick. So, i have missed 3 races (mingo 2 electric bugaloo, aliquippa crit part deux, and the oval c race season opener). Though i have been too sick/consumed with bike shope work for 2 of the races, i wouldn't have been able to get to the reading and have raced.

Coach Gayhem and Sack Marshall Cummings, my bad. Atleast I got some basemiles in on a romantic bike ride through highland park along the rivers and up through oakland?

Sacked.

Sacking Up

2007-04-17T12:29:00.000-04:00

I have decided to sack up. I will race at the oval tonight, and then race my crashed broken body to . I have only ridden 7 miles in the past week and a half. My nose is still running but my cough is just about gone. Sinus infection? Allergies? I'm not sure. So...Fuck it...

I want the piss weather to end just like everyone. I was leaping through myspace messages to find Steevo's number to find out what time the race ends and i found the message/bulletin from that first bike ride i went on with carolyne. It seems that the weather we are experiencing now, was the same weather than brought excitement in february.

Just a thought i guess. It has been a while since we have ridden bicycles together. School is almost over, and hopefully the trails will dry out.

One Flat is a tragedy, A million flats is a statistic.

2007-04-03T12:24:00.000-04:00

So I will admit that I was pretty stoked as well as jittery about my first race. I knew it was going to rain. James and I joked about how we had been riding rain snow sleet bullshit all winter, we laughed at the rain. The rain poured and the Buick fogged as we prepared. Carolyne Mistake was holding down the team car as we rolled away to the start. Team Marti Sunglasses assembled. So under the dense large lens, i took the opportunity to size up the competition. I was pretty sure at that point I was fucked. Mayhew recapped eloquently, "I forgot how fucking bling bike racing was". Sure, I too was on a plastic bike with half man half horse components, but these assholes actually looked fit, and prepared to race.

The race starts, and i just feel the water rolling down my face, it is coming off of the road, my tires, the competitions tires, from the sky, from the left, from the right. It was just down right wet. With two laps in, i started to notice the flats. People standing on the side of the road, walking their bike, just like the decaying bodies of rural roads in Nicaragua and El Salvador. Around lap 3, i looked back and saw the field; it was decimated and we were a much smaller group than before. I found out later that even the strong Jimmy hessler flatted in the first lap. In the false flat before the steep pitches, i caught up to King Ted. I felt pretty strong, as i was actually communicating with him rather than grunting or coughing. The second steep rise came and over the top of it, it was a d00d in Kraynicks kit, me and ted. So we broke. It was pretty weak, the field swallowed us on a downhill. Regardless, we broke, we put on the heat and made them chase half way through the race. I tucked behind ted as we half assedly strained. The flats kept appearing, as riders raised their hands and moved to the side. I saw someones chamois butter foaming off of the butt much like the blood on the coat tails of the Russian prisoners with dysentery in All quiet on the western front. I was feeling it. I almost dropped off the back at one point. After I caught up, i drained my Gatorade. My comrade Ted asked if I had any GO-Juice Left, i offered him my last swill and we lowered our heads. The Rattle of Shifters and Derailleurs peppered the flat before the uphill. Ted asked how his tire looked. I responded, "seems like...its..got air" and then similar to a scene in Platoon ted exclaimed "I'M FLAT. FUCK!!" and slowly dropped off to the side. That is just about the rest of what I remember. It kinda blurred out. I remember thinking about making a Roz type claim in an almost Lucille ball voice. "STOP BEING A BUNCH OF PUSSIES AND GET OUT OF THE FUCKING SADDLE". I don't know if I could have choked that out. In retrospect that would have been a poor decision as my legs melted in the sprint.

There was much sogginess and soreness to follow. I gave mayhew a lift home and he fed a Soggy Jimmy, and Damp Carolyne, and a clammy soupie cubanos until our hearts exploded.

The rest of the day was spent staring at the pages of a book and the back of a laptop at the quiet storm. Topping the weekend off with a chill bike ride and taking in the reflection off the Allegheny river with Miss Mistake.

(In no ways at all does this bike race compare to any of the atrocities mentioned. Bloated stomachs, gouged eyes, and mutilated genitals aside, i thought the comparison was rather funny.)

Playlist:
Man Is the Bastard - assorted shit
Minor Threat- Discography
The who - You better You bet

It is a rather beautiful city at night.

2007-03-27T12:56:00.000-04:00

I like being in the city late at night because it is the epitomy of civilization. This living breathing skeleton that between 9-5, has ant like people scurrying down hallways and alleys and streets like blood cells through veins and arteries. When the city shuts down around dark it feels empty. It feels like there should be people all around you but at that very moment you are so very very alone. This is multiplied when you are walking rather than riding a bike. Being on foot makes you take risks. Mike Mccracken will attest that there are most certainly risks when "wheelie-ing the bridge" or "wheelie-ing the mckees- rock garden" or just plain Wheelie-ing, but last nights walk allowed me to explore. I think i know pittsburgh pretty well, but i am always pretty excited to see something different. About an hour or so was spent on the train tracks walking along the river last night. The noise of rats and business machinery tightened already sweaty palms and cast their shadows down the tracks to be walked.

I sit in the computer lab, procrastinating, as it is a gorgeous day outside. A cool breeze hits my shoulders through the open window. The breeze allows me to truly miss the feel of cold air off of the river from 12 hours ago.

Playlist:
Rolling Stones - Beggars Banquet
NOFX - White Trash, Two Heebs, and a Bean
Shitlickers - Cracked Cop Skulls (Sprecta ze Snutskaller)

It was dark as i drove the point home,

2007-03-21T19:03:00.000-04:00

I just might die with a smile on my face after all.

Summer is inching closer and I can feel the weight slowly lifting off of my shoulders. I think for the first time, I am actually bummed that Flak isn't doing a full U.S. tour this summer. I would love to do it. Sure, I would probably kill the whole band, but on paper it seems to have hope. My first road race is a little over a week away. I am not in shape, or anywhere near the shape to do it. This will be the first of many asskickings. I look forward to the asskickings and my own personal mediocrity which i always feel like i wallow in like dirt. Instead of laying in it, this summer, and this fall I will get to eat it, as fresh rubber tears it up off of the asphalt or trail and spits it into my face, eyes and mouth.

It is about time, the weight of books, winter clothes, and oppressive overcast skies are starting to bend my spine, and everytime i straighten out, i feel more and more restricted.

I sit in this bike shop, talking to jerks who are going to decimate me at the oval every tuesday night. Tonight I will go hit things with sticks until my knuckles bleed, and then drink shirley temples because if i drink tomorrow will be an unsuccessful paper day. I feel dehydrated just thinking about beer. Man, I like beer, but i havn't felt like a sun dried tomato or like I have been pickled in a while. Just tired, saggy eye lids, improper nutrition, caffienated tiredness. It has been rather glorious to say the least.

The air hangs heavy like a dulling wine, and the locusts buzz like gas grills.

Playlist:

The Smiths - Singles
Jawbreaker - Unfun
The Adicts - Get Addicted

No longer trapped inside (Weekend Recap)

2007-03-13T13:07:00.000-04:00

So, The cleveland show offered little bleeding from the hand, little drinking for the drummer in the band, and little entertainment in this far away land (rhyming? WTF?). So Missy, Ovens, Tommy, and I drove back to the P-burgh after the show had ended. We discussed how not only did government warning cover descendents and the adolescents, but how both songs used the words gay and homo. After arriving home at 5 am government regulation time, i crashed pretty hard. I really could have used corey lev to drive the last half an hour of the 2 hour and forty minute trip so i could smoke up in the back seat....

So i get the call from the Kraken after 5.5 hours of sleep to find out that he wants to ride bicycles! HELL YEAH! So I break out the Nine Twenty Eight for the first time in a while and we road a 30 mile loop north of the city. It was a rather pleasurable, pleasant time. The last leg of the journey ended with a negley hill climb. What a son of a bitch that thing is. I rode home, about to bonk out after not eating, and i call carolyne to see if she wants to hang out, and we ended up doing schoolwork outside by the river. Other than inevitable napping and sleeping, most of sunday was spent outside. Though it was nipply, it was a beautiful day.

Monday was destined to have that saxonburg loop explored again but work came a knocking. At the very least i got to commute out to work. Under suggestion i tried Glass run road. It was beautiful and swervvy! but had a crushing steeper section at the top, and took me further out of the way. Not the best commute route, but hearing the water running not only made me have to take a leak, but put my head in a better spot while commuting in.

Playlist:
The Who- a quick one
Witches With Dicks - Manual
Dylan - Bringing it all back home
Crimpshrine- Duct tape soup

Phipps Conservatory Bathroom of the Future (this happened today)

2007-03-13T13:06:00.000-04:00

So, I had a pretty rough time this morning. I was out riding, I had to drop a book off at the carnegie and my stomach turned over. Yelp. So i head up the steps briskly towards the doors to read they open in an hour and 15 minutes. So, I throw my book in the drop box and steadily point the bike towards phipps. Mike says he has to work at 8:30 sometimes they must be open. The doors open up and a woman on the other side says, " can i help you, we open at nine". At this point, nature is not calling, it is screaming, so without comprehending that 9 is fifteen minutes away, I blurt as quickly as possible, "CAN I USE YOUR BATHRROOM????!??". With a simple "sure" i rush to bathroom of the future. It even smelled futuristic today because i was the first to wreck it with my ass.

Alright, consider the bathroom wrecked. I go to flush (its automation is being interesting) and it flushes a couple of minutes later. I go to wash my hands, it give me the soap, and decides when i have had enough water. With constant hand waving the sink will not emit any more water. Hrmmm

So I whipe my soapy hands on my pants and get outta there. After 20 minutes of riding in schenely park, it is time to visit bathroom of the future again. It seemed much like before, but perhaps i hurt bathroom of the futures feelings this time. I went to get out of the way, No flushing.... I hit the power up button on top, No flushing....I attempted to "jiggle the handle", still no flushing. So I decided that the toilet was probably going to flush when it felt like it and went to wash my hands. No soap for me, just water. Thanks bathroom of the future.

I don't know why I needed to share this, but I appreciate all of you listening.

A Triple Post Day. The ending.

2007-03-13T13:01:00.000-04:00

To briefly summarize I do not believe that bicycling is inherently dangerous if you ride safely, which I and other avoid doing. Playing video games is much safer than bike riding, but debatable much worse for a person. I remember getting a nintendo when i was a kid, and i remember my first huffy, I remeber my first free agent BMX bike. *shrug* its good to see kids get bikes, have there parents be stoked, have the kids be stoked, and all the while not sucking at the same time. It was one of those times where i feel good about working in the shop. I feel good most of the time, but this time didn't have to do with Rick's Online training course he has been rigorously setting up for me and adam.

Still Trapped inside.

2007-03-09T18:43:00.000-05:00

HOLY CRAP IS IT NICE OUTSIDE. I feel hindered as I ate shit in the backyard this morning on ice. I kinda gouged up my hand. It sorta stopped bleeding though, which is good. It will start bleeding again tomorrow in cleveland. Flak is playing with Local Heroes the INMATES, GOVERNMENT WARNING (RVA) and WASTED TIME (RVA). Other than a pleasant stroll around oakland by bike today, I have been in the shop. Yes, the crazies are still out, one of them came in again today. The normal people are starting to trickle in though. Today we had a very pleasant kids bike sale. GOTTA START EM OFF YOUNG!

I think about the situation between me and my brother. Perhaps he is more like my dad (introvert!) or perhaps he had his own bizarre way of handling the divorce where I had my own. It is just kinda weird that I have spent most of my time trying to pull away from my parents (mostly Mom, Sorry Mom) to ride BMX bikes all summer at the track or in the woods, destroy public property, or try and get wasted at the mall. My brother on the other hand stays at home and reads quietly, plays video games, and doesnt really like to go anywhere except to dance school. This has changed recently with the onset of Highschool and girls, but it remains the same. Perhaps I had a more "active" lifestyle, but the T-man certainly lives a much more predictable/safer existence. Occasionaly, he will "disappear" AKA say he told my mom he was going somewhere and be tracked down within an hour but we all have done this.

I guess what I am getting at, is a possible correlation to not childhood obesity but childhood laziness and "safety". All the fun stuff I remember from my childhood was active, if not completely dangerous.

*This post will possibly be continued, it is 8:10, i just had a customer rush, and now I am missing the government warning show at roboto. This will hopefully get back to getting kids out on bikes. *

Trapped inside.

2007-03-08T19:00:00.000-05:00

I am trapped inside TRM CYCLES. It is just me, 3 leftover slices of Pizza, ZZ TOP and all of the D.J.s at WDVE, and a Pile of Look pedals. I think I am really looking forward to the busy season, because it won't just be me here alone closing. When people leave, everything gets weird. I don't want to ride bikes around the shop, I don't want to look at the internet anymore, I don't want to read the book i have been trying to read for a week and a half. I just want to eat pizza, and bullshit on the NTMTO board (see contact with the outside world). I have my K-monkey hangin out in the back and it would love a new set of cables and housing. Not tonight, my dear chocolate squirrel, I have far too little motivation.

This spring break has seen little "going wild". Since my dance with sleep deprivation monday it has been pretty chill. I tried to tie one on last night to not much avail. Don't get me wrong, I drank plenty of beverages between the Trek of East Liberty Party and Kelly's. Combining that with the D vitamins i recieved from mountain biking with Gayhem, it shoulda been a "club banger". But I don't know, I am tired of being cold and dormant. "BUT SOUPIE, IT IS SUCH A WARM DAY OUTSIDE". Yes Yes it is, but i am trapped inside and 62 degrees is a shitty temperature to exist at for long periods of time.

SInce it is a warm day, all of the crazies showed up.

I hate looking people in the eyes anymore. It bothers me, it makes me feel weak, maybe ashamed. Looking at all those crazy people in the eyes. I am sorry that you are still experiencing numbness after two seat covers. Numbness is pretty rough...
Maybe this continual loss of feeling is what is bearing down on me. I should ride the HiFi around the store, through the Gangler. Maybe I should start building another mountain bike wheel or read Jobst Brandt. Maybe I should wikipedia different cities I would like to move to. Maybe I should youtube motorhead videos. Nope.

I'll probably just count the drawers, refresh the message board, go to robinson and then go to sleep.

I'll probably ride into work tomorrow, hopefully that will jumpstart my shit.

My Body Hates Me

2007-03-06T18:29:00.000-05:00

So, I have been working in the warehouse for two days and my body hates me. G Dub and the crew are perhaps the junk food kings of the world. As much as Dr. Phoz dislikes bike doods, he can bro down over the sheer amount of bullshit each consumes. Holy Shit. It is almost worse than tour. I haven't ridden in a couple of days and due to the witches with dicks show I recieved limited sleep and a very sufficient caffiene buzz.

The Witches with Dicks show was good...kinda awkward but good. During Slices, which sounds kinda like the melvins (i guess) a local woman from the Belvedere bar area came and danced right up around the microphone. She informed both the band and the audience that she was "one bad bitch" and "the badest bitch" and that she was "funky". It was hard to keep a straight face, here rough stretch marked stomach creeped out from her shirt but she was not self conscious whatsoever. I was terrified. I knew that in a matter of minutes, my band would be playing, and i would be fronting my piece....like always. I wasn't sure how that was going to go over. But she left, and my agony was the ever sliding, falling apart drumset. During the witches with dicks set Ed Steck decided to be a dork (go figure), Tim Robes Mccarthy Moshed (who would have thought), and Jeff Gentle egged both on (just as expected). The Bass player of witches with dicks seemed visually "not pleased" about this. The show ended, we loaded out, I slammed an energy drink, pulled myself up by my bootstraps and met d00ds at the O for crucial hang. With 5 hours of sleep ahead of me, I made the tactical move of sleeping with my clothes on with the light on. 8:30 hit, I showered off the stench of defeat and feet, drank half a pot of coffee, and prepared my self for Junk Food Two: Electric Bugaloo.

Playlist:
Danzig I
Samhain Initium
The Who - Who's Next
GNR - Greatest Hits
Crimpshrine - Duct Tape Soup
Descendents- Enjoy

mohawk town

2007-02-27T10:33:00.000-05:00

So, i needed to get ride of my mop of hair, after listening to the kinks so much, and having that hair cut , i was sure that i would wake up and be wearing beatle boots.

NOT COOL.

So what was i to do for a haircut. I was certainly not going to pay someone for a hair cut. I bounced a bunch of stupid ideas off of all of my friends to mixed response. My favorite (not seriously considered) was a fan of hair on top of my head with a chin strap neck beard. It would be the lions mane or the sun or something. I was almost ready to shave it all off.

But what would the vandals do,

Now Mohawk John knew he did wrong
when he went and killed some men
They sent for the marshal to bring him in
they sent for Marshal Skin
He rolled into town,and pulled his cowboy hat downCause everyone knows a skinhead,and skinheads aren't allowed(skinheads aren't allowed)in Mohawk Town

Yes, a skinhead is not allowed in mohawk town.

So what does this say about conformity, or a punk uniform? Probably important things that should be analyzed, but until then I will rest assured that other than my housemates, none of my close friends still listen to the vandals.

To add to the list of things that piss me off...

2007-02-24T13:31:00.000-05:00

Do not fucking hold a lung and a half full of smoke in your chest, and exhale it in my fucking store! I saw you put yer shit out in the parking lot, it was pretty unneccesary to make this place smell like a goddamn ashtray.

Up on my things that I do not like. Buying drum stuff, why did i get the most expensive position in the band? All tommy has to buy is drinks.

A night of interesting events...

2007-02-24T11:54:00.000-05:00

I am playing a show tonight. (not that weird)
The show is in grove city (different)
The show is with 3 bands I have never heard of and 2 that i've seen twice (odd)
The show is in a chinese restaurant (WTF)

SATURDAY FEBUARY 24TH AT SUN GINS
138 SOUTH BROAD STREET
GROVE CITY PA 16127
6 O CLOCK 6 BUCKS

MELTDOWN
OH SHIT THEYRE GOING TO KILL US
FLAK
ARGUS
BLACK CASKET
LEPROSY 76

I am leaving right after we play...because i am a poser.

My hair smells like bar, I don't think I like bars...

mustache time

2007-02-20T19:03:00.000-05:00

One Less Car Continued....(UNCUT!)

2007-02-16T19:11:00.000-05:00

So, I am one less car. Seriously. The buick did not start today. What crap, what utter crap. So, i sacrificed comfort and road my fixed gear to work today.So Soupie, Why didn't you call AAA, why didn't you get a jump, why didnt you put an electric blanket on your engine block? I was short on time, I had to go to class (missing was not an option, thanks landlord) and I do not have an electric blanket and extension cord. After making sure my battery was most certainly dead by trying to start my car 10 times, i scrambled to get my stuff together.

The ride was frigid, breathtakingly beautiful, and very hard at times. Perhaps i should have titled this "Uphill and into the wind" or "Everything is Frozen, and soon I will be". Riding down second avenue along the river was breath taking. I know it is a river, but it had a "troubled sea" color and look to the water. Cruising down 88 was frigid, the more i fought the wind the colder i got. Climbing up becks run road was a total bitch. Everytime I got out of the saddle, my shell turned into a sail and just pushed on me. I just felt myself fighting, every crank revolution i would just blurt out "fuck you" or snarl. When I was out of breath i could just feel myself mouthing it subconsciously. Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you.

That part was probably the worst. Maybe the ride sucked...i mean all of the "this aint so bad" happened in the first 12 minutes of riding.

I guess I could sum up most of the ride in describing a situation (that happened during the ride). On carson street, in the long stretch before the blue belt, a line of traffic had accumulated behind me. Usually people will honk or beep if I am not far enough over for them, but today there was slush everywhere except where i was riding and the cars were driving. Neither of us wanted to sink our wheels into the brown road gravy and a line formed. Then I hear honking in the distance, "what's the hold up". Then there was a critical point where all of the cars started passing me. The last car in the line was a Chevy Cavalier with an old woman with bobby pins and the whole works, behind the wheel. She emmitted this short little angry beep. She was passing me, and had to let me know that she was peturbed. So in a fashion comparable to a "bichon" dog barking at me, the old woman reminded me that I was on a bicycle.That was all that beeb could have done. It wasn't loud enough to scare me, or piss me off. I had to use my own judgement to acknowledge that she was jacked. It just snapped me out of my anarobic daze. *YOU ARE ON YOUR FUCKING BIKE* whatever that means i guess. At the time it was something of relief, in retrospect (and preparing for One Less Car 2: downhill tailwind bugaloo) maybe it was my mind telling me that I am crazy. Great, exactly what I need, another reminder. Regardless of how much I love riding, and how much crazy riding i have been doing lately, this is not a situation I favor.

Playlist:
The Golliwogs - Pre Creedence
Suburban Death Machine - Not here to make friends
Pentagram - Relentless

I think i am still...

2007-02-15T18:01:00.000-05:00

in the process of losing my mind. It seems that there is a continual set of coincidences that are making me over analyze my entire existence and i don't really know how to break out of it. I don't know if it is my almost prohibition from drinking or what. Everything feels like it is bearing down on me. The only time any of it escapes is when i am outside riding. I highlight OUTSIDE. Trainers and rollers do not help. So where have I been the past three days. OUTSIDE. It's kinda fucked up. It is like all the rules of driving don't exist anymore. I just want to ride my bike. Monday, I had a two hour date with my road bike, hills, and my heart rate monitor. It kicked ass. Tuesday, i made cake and had people over. How did I fill my 7 hour void? A venture into anarchical winter wonderland, and i have to be honest, it was fun but kinda (really) sucked. Other than my tour de force across flagstaff hill, i was in constant fear of getting my wheels folded in to taco shells and my brains and guts being the meat. I feel stir crazy, and i am out at school right now, i can't avoid it.

Wednesday brought the same thing. I read the bluest eye by toni morrison (really fucked up), missy came over to eat more cake, and then i hit the road again before band practice. I kinda want to put in two hours tonight but i should: a) write a paper b) maybe socialize on a thursday night c) fucking relax d) Obsessivly compulsivly clean the house.

Something has got to happen, Because I am almost out of records to listen to.

Playlist:
The Who Sell Out
Dance Party with This Bike 10"
Caustic Christ- Government Job
Kylesa Cream Abdul Babar split
david bowie - diamond dogs
Dropdead - virgin mary cover (this fucking record starts at the center and plays outward!!!!!)

One Less Car....

2007-02-10T13:07:00.000-05:00

is a phrase that i really don't use very often because I drive everywhere. BUT NOT TODAY! Jeffers and I bicycle commuted into work! HELL YEAH!
It took me (from bloomfield) roughly 55 mintutes to get into work today, and when comparing that to the half an hour, not that bad, and I got to ride today.

I have to map out where i am going to get my bike time in next week (probably by riding to work) because F.L.A.K. is playing richmond va for Crustin' Justin and Michelle's birthday. I think it is forrest's birthday as well, but as tommy put it, "aw man, fuck forrest, he's the pretty one, no one should care about forrest". It is pretty comical, richmond always feels like a second home. Best Friend Dug lives there and I have a bunch of other friends their too.

I really look forward to it.

I might shave the beard for it though, the infamous "Soupie Underwear 'piss off' pic" is from their birthday last year. It was really funny because no one recognized me with my beardliness. My face is seriously rotting off. It is gross and the itching needs to end. I just think of all the riding I have to do next week and i wonder. That is the only time my bearded face feels good, and compared to the rest of my face, it feels GREAT. You go out side and you get a ice cream headache. That just isn't right.

Playlist:
The Doors- The Doors
Cheap Trick at Budokahn
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Television- Marquee Moon