What happened to going to Hellyer?

No car or ride :(

hellokittyfrog:

http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpo...59/ktdoll3.jpg

That sounds really good. Unfortunately, I'm stuck at moscone tomorrow.

What's insane is how much kitty frog:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y26...frogEatCat.jpg

Looks like my cat, Elliot:
http://halifax.optimuscrime.com/imag...teninavest.jpg

m.

you all are gonna term it some sort of idol worship or some other lame bs, i'm sure. There's a lot of posing going on about messenger v. posenger, hipster v. true fixie aficionado, blah blah blah... but today, i got to experience on of the singular satisfactions of my current job, probably my favorite thing about it -- working on a messengers bike. often moderately abused, well worn, and a little beat up, these are more than just rides, they're someone's livelihood. It's just a pleasure to be able to help someone in that way, to get their bike back into shape, wipe off some of the road grime, and shoot the proverbial **** with them while you're doing it.

today was a headset replacement. tow of our regulars brought in their bikes, one with a chainring so worn down it looked like it was made of sharks teeth -- all jagged points intead of the rounded ones you're used to seeing. The other's headset was shot. I pulled it apart (it was a 2004 pista, for those of you keeping score) and everything inside the stem, steerer, and headset is coated in rust and/or salt -- the results of evaporated sweat, literally, the sweat of this man's brow, every drop another run in a humid ohio summer. But i get to make it work again, clean out the salt, brush off the rust, and press a new set with fresh bearing s in, my hands making his life easier. My work making his day a little smoother, his next run a little easier.

Sure, i'm probably making too much of it. But it gave me a sense of satisfaction to help someone out like that. I'm done at the bike shops in a month and a half, gonna find myself on the wrong side of a desk for the rest of my life. and i'm going to miss it like none other. But for today, all is well.

oh my god! is that cute little kitten being eaten by that plush-looking, hinge-jawed frog!?

what's wrong with you people!?

I had a great day though.

went for a long ride on friday....funny thing happened on the way out...i broke my front brake and had to take it off, or go home and repair it.... since we'd just picked up lunch...i decided to continue riding....glad i did....

lake chabot was beautiful today....

Nice. Lake Chabot's always been good to me.

Someone brought in two strawberry pies for the night staff the day before yesterday. It was tasty, and they also brought in 2 pints of "real" whipped cream.

That all sounds great to me. Not that a mssngr is more deserving of respect or "better" some how than a commuter or a flower watching sunday rider with a paperboy bike. But sure, there's something special about a bike being used as a livelihood. I would liken it to pedicab drivers, paperboys, and all these third world countries where the bike IS the main personal transportation. All those gr8 images of people pedaling five times their body weight in mattresses and jugs of grains on 75 year old black three speeds with rod brakes. Talk about 'work'!!!:eek:

But why a desk job forever? No way to keep your hand in the bike mechanic or bicycle world? I am tied to a desk and it is murder on your body (not to mention soul, mind) ... just graduated from school, so maybe that can change soon. One must be creative and lucky of course, but perhaps you can work a way to keep in touch with something that you obviously really really love? I hope so!
:)

maybe i'm just not seeing things right but are those riser bars? i've never seen that before..it's kinda cool looking. how do they feel?

To further the awesomeness of this story: the stems arrived yesterday and I emailed Ferdinando about getting the money to him. He replied that in lieu of me paying him back I should make a donation to the FGG on behalf of his crew.

m.

Nice!

what route is best to get to lake chabot?

my warm fuzzy contribution...i wrote the feller who sold me my fixie to ask about some parts on it. he wrote back quick, gave me surprisingly good news in answer to my questions, and also said nice things about my pic on the FGE and my li'l farm blog. it was the feel-good hit of the season.

and i love riding my fixie.

and Saturday night while out riding around I learned how to skid w/o meaning to. wow! it was weird! Then I went and practiced it in a deserted parking lot for a couple of hours and felt like a little kid. it was a blast.

AND I noticed that i enjoy riding my other bike more now that I ride fixed...i have more power, better spinning control, and more...grrr...powerpuff fierceness! zoom!

So it's better to be all nice and deluded? Is that the purpose of this thread?

You need a hug, pal?

What a negative nellie.

So, like, he didn't actually send me those stems?

Wha? Hootie?

m.

I found a Columbus TSX Guerciotti in a dumpster last Saturday!
It will be my next conversion project. pics

I just bought a Chrome messenger bag, and it's at least 10 billion times better than my Timbuk2 bag. And it was on sale.

Sweet.

i met my bike riding neighbors today, it was great.
GREAT

Dang! My garbage is jealous of YOUR garbage!