Starting again from the bottom.

oops

After celebrating this site’s sixth year of life (or ‘sickith‘ if you like the word play), I’ve tumbled from my king’s post atop the hill and now begins the process of clawing my way back up the ascent to the seventh.

As I mentioned on the Twitters sometime Monday morning, I would like to offer my very most sincere thanks to the readership, the esteemed members of the Maximo Supremo, and even to those who’ve offered opposition to this project over the years.

Your support, (or in some cases lack there of), has kept the fire in my belly burning, and if I could look you in the eye and offer an extended hand in gratitude to each and every one of you, I would do so with quickness.

I remember speaking with my dad on the telephone during July of 2009 and outlining my plan. He said he’d never heard me sound so secure or focused about anything in his life, which either means that I knew exactly what I was doing, or had finally honed my ability to lie in the face of the one person to whom I never could.

I suppose that now is as good as any time in which to humbly roll this video that Swobo debuted about a year ago that sort of details the AHTBM web project’s directive;

So at the risk of sounding overly self congratulatory, All Hail The Black Market is dead. Long live All Hail The Black Market.

Now, as we get into today’s meat, I would like to note that I engaged in some discourse with a reader and commenter on Monday’s post named Davey who took slight exception with my perspective regarding the proposed opening of trails in the East Bay watershed land.

To clarify, I said that in the 119,000 acres of East Bay Regional park, there are over a thousand miles of accessible trails. In fact, there are 1,250 miles of trails and fire roads within the parks district. Of those, I am unsure of how many are open to cyclists. Obviously not all of them, because we’re still fighting of access to bits and pieces of singletrack within the district. The statement I made was based on commentary from one of the speakers at the meeting, yet still I don’t have an exact number of how much of that 1,250 miles is legal. I apologize for the vagueness, but I still stand by my position that fighting for legal singletrack in the regional parks is perhaps a more worthy battle, and one we’ve been invested in longer than for trails within the watershed.

It’s a multi-tiered conversation, which can in no way be buttoned up in a neat little package. Davey and I shared multiple messages with one another on the topic, him expressing his perspective and me, mine. As a cyclist, I would love unrestricted access for bikes everywhere, but as a realist, I know that’s probably not going to happen, and in some cases, is probably for the best. In this case, time will tell, and if restrictions are lifted, and everyone gets along perfectly and there is no discernible environmental impact/conflict with other trail users, I will be the first to admit I was wrong, followed by publicly and quite happily eating a full course meal of my own words.

In news of plugs being pulled, it’s come to attention that Denver’s own Salvagetti is closing their doors;
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I don’t have the scoop as to why this occurred, and maybe that’s a secret which will remain locked away in the heads of the Salvagettians alone.

I first stumbled into this shop shortly after they opened eleven years ago, and were just a tiny little one room operation, jam packed with an array of goods covering every inch of open space. What was especially intriguing to me at the time was a brown and blue Pentabike patch sitting in their showcase (an image of which has proven to be elusive);
pentabike evan
I chatted with the fellow behind the counter about it and if I remember correctly, he said his brother had made them.

With that single move, Salvagetti had proven themselves to be true to Denver, as well the the city’s underground bicycle history. I wish those involved with the shop, and the culture they helped create the best, and I hope for all involved that with the shop’s (literal) doors closing, many more (proverbial) doors will open.

In news of rock and/or roll, the band known as Who Rides The Tiger (you know- those guys who I released the record for) just played their first show in some time down there in Riverside this past weekend, and by all accounts it was a blistering good time;
WRTTbyOrlandoWelch
Photo courtesy of Orlando Welch.

What with this record just being released, it sounds like the boys are rallying to play a number more shows along the west coast. Will they make it into Oregon and Washington? Time and respective work schedules will tell, but fingers are crossed that we can get Tiger’s big rock and roll sounds stuffed into more people’s ears than any reasonable doctor would recommend.

Certainly I’ll do everything I can, and will keep the folks who come here for the thrice a week nonsense abreast of any and all developments.

In news of a more one speed cross sort, Parker got in touch with all things related to this year’s SSCXWC;

Hey Stevil.

In anticipation of this year’s Single Speed CX World Championships, we are launching a brand new website and opening registration for the event scheduled for November 21/ 22nd 2015. Reg & the new site goes live yesterday.

Hosted in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, this will be the first time SSCXWC has left the continental US, and we are stoked to make this a truly international event;
SSCXWCheader
The SSCXWC 2015 committee is hoping that you could re-post our press release (Or some variation of it!) and help spread the word about the upcoming race.

Attached is a graphic with some quick copy announcing the opening of registration for the event, as well as direction to our website. In addition, a black-metal header image is attached, which you are welcome to use for promo, or in any blog posts.

Lastly, I’d like to extend an official invitation to the race. If you are able to come out to the event, we would be stoked to have you! There will be beer. And metal. And beer. Sounds kinda like an AHTBM weekend…

Thanks!

Parker Bloom

I haven’t been to one of these since whatever was the last one hosted in Portland, which was a gas. I might even be on a bike by then, but based on current issues with my patella tendon, I wouldn’t bet on it. That said, I doubt there will be any shortage of other like minded derelicts present, so let your fingers do the walking and get to doing what you do.

If there was ever an event tailor made for my beloved Blue Collar soul crusher, I’d say this one would be it;
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BC2
Finally in closing, and in news of other lovely bikecycles, yesterday I got cracking on educating myself in the ways of eBay. I’ve bought all kinds of garbage on the site myself, but never have engaged in the process of selling anything. Well, apparently because I’m the only person the person who owns it knows who uses a computer with any regularity, I’ve been asked to sell an item that a lot of folks somewhere might be lusting after;
juliana
Might you like it? Might someone you know like it? Might someone who knows someone you know like it? Spread that word and throw a bit of cheddar in the seller’s pocket.

It’s well out of my price range and a bit too small for my body anyway.

It’s with that, that I return to my ascent back up the pile that is the forthcoming year.

Gravity be damned.
newlittleskull

Spread this like it's sick

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5 Responses to “Starting again from the bottom.”

  1. John Goggin August 26, 2015 at 6:29 am #

    Hey Stevil:

    I’ll vouch for Davey. He’s incredibly thorough when it comes to details, and his passion for cycling and access for bikes to trails, is as high as it gets. I’d recommend calling him to talk if you haven’t already. You’ll immediately get his exuberance for cycling and his dedication to improve access to trails for bikes. If you send me an Email I’ll send you his phone number.

    Congrats on your sixth. Keep on riding, writing, and drawing! See you at Interbike. – J

  2. Jason August 26, 2015 at 6:36 am #

    Great video. I always love seeing the creative side of folks, (as well as hearing about the motivations for their creativity) especially among those in the cycling community; whether it’s through music, writing, photography, drawing or painting. Keep up the great work, look forward to much more of AHTBM.

  3. Largo August 26, 2015 at 6:40 am #

    Victoria BC, the city that dares you to be nicer than it is.

  4. B-Rant August 26, 2015 at 7:59 am #

    Who Rides the Tiger slayed it!!! Can’t wait until next time!

  5. zeke August 29, 2015 at 11:06 am #

    No Rock Shock post on the Blue Collar? That is a surprise considering your collection.