GravesLog

"We know the damn silly thing we just did. We know all the damn silly things we've done for a thousand years and as long as we know that and always have it around where we can see it, someday we'll stop making the goddamn funeral pyres and jumping in the middle of them." - Ray Bradbury, Farenheit 451

no rest for the weary, as we get older do we see more clearly? earlier this summer, at one of a few races i've traveled to this year an older friend of mine referred to the hobby/pursuit/bike/race as an escape from obligations of everyday life. i cringed at this a bit, because my goal for years has been to maintain the bike as my sole daily obligation. my church, my confressional, my probation officer, my bike.

now today i sit on the outside of an insane 30 day period which has rather turned me upside down and shifted all of my focus away from the bike. sacrifices and work are being put forth to have it there later, but for now the thought of riding seems lke a welcome escape from the demands that have layed hands on my time. in a way this frustrates, but in another i will be looking at riding and training a little differently then i have been. hopefully attacking corners with more awareness, alertness, and authority.

new digs, new town, and a lot of garbage left behind. made trip to airport at 5am this morn, now headed to shop, then a weekend of supporting cycling here between te 12 hour xc in arcata and the BMX redline cup in eureka. no chance to crash, or rest, or unpack. not to mention several crucial parties going down this weekend. on and not to mention all the drinking this last week waiting, oh and the knuckles, have to explain the knuckles. life hurts but it makes a good story.

Stuff Stuff doin stuff. Signs abound and I follow. Still schemin and dreamin as another Pirate winter approaches. Just a pic of me and the other local color on my birthday, hunter orange. aka the saw wielding BIG C

still in tranny mode, take it as you will... daily thinking of some free local racing though. definitely going to be two eco friendyly pirate push races before winter right here on the coast. here are two spy photos from nic Loomis' secret trail, the Illoaminator. The full face pick is his partner in creative crim, Brian Hapgood. The trail is steep, loose, tecnical, and off camber. Big bike would be the clear fast choice. Bout a minute 04 would be a record. Say private test track...

days gone by and I am submersed navigating the sea of rental opportunity. options and obstacles abound, but in this we must persist. for, after all, is housing not a right? or at least a natural desire and persuasion? and so on i seek my circumstance to meet. in the meantime entertain and maintain. got a lil sick for a lil bit, now i'm back on it, a blessed brief 48 hours. always riding, but riding little. life distracts from focused training but we will renew, enjoy each avenue, each drop of dew, for these are things designed for you.

distractions, life once again takes an unexpected turn, gonna be moving again. eveicted on a roommates behalf. so if anybody knows a place let me know. in the mean time will distract myself with "stuff" and the stab i am not gonna ride for a few rounds cause this broke bird has to build a new nest. but otherwise life is good, the man grows more evil by the day but we persist.

now 8" up front with the same bar height as I had with 7" on the faith... and new RockShox vivid coil in rear with 350 lb spring

adjustable bottom bracket from under 13.5" to under 13.9", don't know how I lived with out such adjustment

hand built wheels with Sun equalizer rims, double butted DT spokes, and WTB Super Duty hubs

FSA gravity lite bar cut to 780mm (800mm stock), don't know how i raced on 685 for so long...

Post party world and all is well. had a few randoms and some ex cons roll through my pad last nigh, but all in all not a bad group. Couch ride was rippin though littered with issues. I tacoed rear wheel in the first five minutes doing a lill whippy off a bump. then nursed it to the bottom with spoke flopping. Alex Cairns was along and charging with enough stoke for us all and my bud Tim was on his first DH ride ever so that was epic. My focus is lapsing here... after ride partied down all night with a private set from P DUB. sick. my fingers are heavy

some incongruous things i've learned in 25 years, at least those that are popping up this morning...

+there's life after 25 (and so one might infer the same may follow 30-40-50 etc...)

there's a group ride today down he couch, know you all know it but that is the point, that way we can all rally like the lokes we are. gonna be hangin round revo from about 9 am on call me or stop by and we'll figure it out, might ride to ease the gas pedals... hope some can

Thought you might like a lil hip check special. Blew threw my tights but not my pants, blunt trauma indeed.

So things are pulling together. New stopwatch today promises very solid times... Two kegs on reserve. Jamaica Red and Double IPA... A loaner faith nearly complete and ready for action... The time off allocated, and have even disguised this weekend in a shroud of legitimacy that has succeeded in getting Revo to close their doors on Sunday. Now the only question is the air quality... I am driving out Thursday night, planning to spend Sunday prepping courses so check with Revolution @ 707-822-2562 for verification on friday as to wether the weather is fair enough to race. If not, then we'll nmake do with time trials and drinking games on the coast. It's a quarter century party, it ain't going away...

Happy independence... another year and can't let the Pirate Go, cause it's about independence. Independent events, and independence from the fossil fueled trips abroad. not to say we won't ever travel again, but we gotta race more than we travel... Whistler plans are floating for this month, circumstances made a serious attempt to change our plans... Bro Evan Hobart just seperated his shoulder at north star's live wire trail on Friday. Same night I nearly cancelled myself at the BMX track. Was a lil prideful, figured I had the races won... Finally replaced an ancient drive train on the STP, was so stretched and worn and tired... But it worked. So my new Jerry Rigged drive (10 speed rear cog, siglespeed chain, and salvaged skip toothed chain ring) held just enough to be not enough. Tried to make it perfect, ditched idler and rain straight tight chain. But was too high a gear, and bad components. Had one warning crash in practice, chain popped pedaling out of first corner, I collapsed into bike and tumbled hard. Limped away though. Then adjusted chainline and went back out a lil pissed and seeking retribution... Was fine for awhile, started picking up speed, then next thing I knew I was trippin through lala land, Clarence by my side showing me through the Wonderful Life. Was like an hour for me, 30 seconds their time. Eventually came out of the fog and was told my chain had thrown sprinting into rythm section. Badness. Face survived but I'm the worse for wear. Banged hip, torn palm, charlied leg, bruised elbow and ankle but still lucky... Should have paid more, was wearing just a skid lid, no gloves, and the thinnest slacks imaginable... bad example, but a good message. Don't do like graves. But I'll be back, be back in full face and be back on Cruiser with real single speed drive. Till then I am going to take the hint and slow down a lil bit. Had been going top speed into that nights track session, Couch run that morning with Winston and Pete Geren. Was filling every spare moment. So now going to breath and prep for the tangle. Bring your beach cruisers and scooters please for the Modified DH...

It's a business world. Don't worry about the politicians, worry about the business folk, they hold the power and manipulate our desires. Of course any promoter wants to do so, myself included. Dream of nothing more than getting back in the Pirate MarketingGroove and taking over the world. But to get there need some thing called capital? Where does it come from? I am good at many things but business is not one. My bottom line is giving things away. Just ordered a replacement round of Pirate Jerseys for the boys. First order dissappeared... Grasping for graciousness, we must be worn thin to see through the veil. Give it all up to get it all.

p.s. just posted some event times for the tish tang, thought that might help. and would appreciate any volunteers that weekend to help with timing, shuttling, etc. Be sure I will be runninf everywhere so it will go off regardless..