Swope Park, If it makes you feel good...

Hey Gang,

So i made my way down to the Swope park mtn bike trails tonight.

Music

• The Cars, 'Don't Cha Stop'

It's a lot of fun down there... hard, but fun. Plus it's fun just getting there, from my place you can take the trolly trail, then Gregory blvd, then boom! You're there.

I'd like to say that i went Ric Ocasek all over those trails but the truth is havent been on a proper mtn bike trail in about 3 months so i think i've lost the feel. i better get it back soon because R.I.M. is coming up!

I think i'll head out there tomorrow too since they do 'show and go' races every thursday.

Be there or be square, daddy-o.

Peace

Springfield, MO Bike Racing

Yo,

Music (this one play's well, loud)

• Cut Copy, Where I'm Going.

More later...

I've never seen so many electric jellyfish in all my life!

Hey Gang,

Actually, i've never seen an electric jellyfish, but i saw a bunch of balloon's this past Thursday.

Music

• Guided by Voices 'A Salty Solute'

It was the third Thursday of the month which meant it was casual alley cat time down at Volker Bicycles 2.0. The race was simple... ride to a parking garage in the plaza, find and blow up the balloon's, then ride back with as many balloon's as possible. It was a magical time.

Double Nickel took it home. He's peaking right now.

See you on the next third Thursday,

Ciao

Alley Cat Race tomorrow!!!

Hey Gang,

So tomorrow is thursday and there's an Alley cat race happening. F yeah!

Music

• Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - 'Bright Lit Blue Sky'

So, you want some race details...

Where: Volker Velowerx, 18th and wyandotte, KCMO 64112

When: 6pm, Thursday July, 15

How Much: Free

What you need: You and your bike, maybe some rain gear.

The rest of the juicy details will be divulged during the pre-race meeting. don't worry, it's going to be very casual. No frontal nudity or anything of that nature. Unless of course you're into that, which is cool.

Check out the below photo. You like my spoke card? It remains to be seen whether or not they will go into mass production and be available tomorrow. i may be the only person to ever have one!

See you cat's tomorrow.

Peace

There Will be Schnappes...

Aloha,

We tooled around downtown kc the other night. Drank some canned beer (of the 'yard' variety). Listened to a little honky tonk music (of the good variety). Had a little Austrian schnappes (of the strong variety). Basically we just lived it up all night. Subsequently... the entire next day was basically a lost cause.

Living the dream, folks. One Hamm's at a time.

Music

• Dum Dum Girls, 'Bhang Bhang, i'm a burnout'

Ciao

Deep Thoughts w/ Somethingclassic... the Tour de France

(Note: The following represents a slight departure from a typical somethingclassic post. But don't worry, posts emphasizing style over substance will resume shortly.)

I'm very ambivalent about pro bike racing.

I think they're all doping and that really bum's me out.

Music

• The Velvet Underground, 'Heroin'

I didn't used to be like this. But i'm getting more jaded in my old age, plus i've been following the sport for about 5 years now and it seems that the more you know about it the more obvious it becomes that lots of these people, (i.e. everyone) are using performance enhancing drugs. Add to this the recent Floyd Landis stories (which i believe) and it becomes too obvious... to me at least. i hope I'm wrong, but my brain trumps my heart on this one.

So i'm ambivalent about it.

But i'm still watching the tour. About a week ago i was thinking i didn't care one bit... but once it started i couldn't not watch.

It's exciting.

So some adjustments have been made in my world-view of pro bicycle racing. Now it's more about entertainment then inspiration. i used to get inspired by watching this old vhs tape i have of chris horner almost winning a stage in his first tour. i used to get motivated thinking abut Jens Voigt (i even tore out a magazine page of him and taped it to my wall). i used to get motivated watching Sammy Sanchez bomb down a mountain.

Now instead of being motivated and inspired by these performances, i'm simply entertained.

i've been going thru an emotional evolution on this one and i no longer get upset over what i view as widespread drug-use in pro bike racing. The world is too complicated and intertwined to even know where to direct the anger, unless it's really simple... human nature.

Wouldn't it be cool if the winner of a bike race was the person who trained the most, had the most skill, was smart, and had a little luck too. Then if you witnessed an amazing performance you could sit back and say, 'wow, what a bad ass'. Instead, for me at least, every great performance is laced with a lingering doubt that prevents any kind of emotional connection.

But i don't get angry, and i don't get too excited either. i don't look to professional bike riders for inspiration, and i don't hate them when they test positive.

i turn on the Tour to be entertained, and that's about it.

What do y'all think? Am i the last guy to realize they're all dopers or am i way off base here and actually it's just a case of a few bad apples?

i'd love to hear your thoughts.

Anyway... in other news, tonight i hit the coffee shop and then rode my bike around KC, including a swing by Knuckleheads. And thank god for Quick-trip hot-dogs (mustard only.)

Peace

The weekend... Tour of Lawrence

Hey Everybody,

i was in Lawrence, Kansas this weekend for the Tour Of Lawrence Bicycle race. I raced two days. Saturday was hilly and i sucked big time, Sunday was flat and i felt quite a bit better. Despite that, i think both the courses are really fun and it's just a great event in a great town.

Besides that we did lot's of drinking, checked out some fireworks, and just enjoyed the town of Lawrence in general. i even got in some quality coffee shop time. So necessary.

Music

• Toro Y Moi. 'Sad Sams'

Peace

12 weeks to Sylvester

Hey Gang,

So it's 12 weeks till the first Cyclo-cross race. I'm pumped. I wonder if i can whip myself into shape by then. Maybe i'll walk around with head phones blasting eye of the tiger for the next 12 weeks and by the time i hit the start line for that first race my muscles will be bursting out of my spandex just like Rocky in Rambo II. Or is that Rambo in Rocky II?

"He's not human, he's like a piece or iron."

Music

• The Radio Dept, 'Heaven's on Fire'

Catch ya later