What was Monday’s post became Wednesday’s post on Tuesday.

The first order of business is that about 75 pounds of AHTBM socks have arrived. If you want some, and I suggest that you should, all you have to do is go here.
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Not that I recommend it, but this is what the socks might look like on your kitchen counter;
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Now it should be noted that these have been produced in Sock Guy’s rarely featured ‘heart attack serious racer’ cut, so if you plan on wearing them in any other application than kicking ass and taking names, then you can just forget about placing an order. Nobody is going to be ruining any races on my watch.
Also, I should mentioned that like Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney, these come as a set of ebony and ivory. If you want to segregate your socks, buy two pairs.
Follow that by looking in a mirror and calling yourself a sock racist.
In honor of Saturday’s ‘One for the weekend’ I have another clip for your edification featuring my would-be ex-wife number 367;

So many women, so little me.
My dad used to tell me about living in New York in the early ’60s and going to see Ms. Simone play in various little off-the-beaten-path jazz clubs around the city.
Judging by this fact as well as that he eventually married my mom, I’d say the apple didn’t fall far from the tree in terms of taste in quality women.
The above clip is interesting though, because what little I know of the woman, her mid-song monologue, the following wink to the audience (as well as a rather lack lust luster rendition of the song’s original version) seems to me like a overt display of contempt for the crowd, which her subsequent move to Paris came to symbolize.
Though this is one of many stories I’ve heard or read about her, one thing is for sure… She was and always will be a beautiful mystery.
Of course I’ve made many mentions that in the early 90s one of my favorite bands knocked out a fantastic cover of the Nina Simone song ‘To Love Somebody’.
Two great tastes that go great together.
For no reason at all, it is at this point that I feel the need to direct you to an article from Vice Magazine called “Baked As Toast: An Interview With The Most Stoned People In The World.”
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I can’t find an online edition, but I’m sure you can.
Now why would I direct you to this?
Because not only every time I read it, but every time I think about it, I begin to laugh.
I truly do have the exact same sense of humor I’ve had since I was 13.
Kind of in regards to this, Jim sent me an email containing a critical analysis of my current state of clear-headedness;
“Stevil,
We’ve all had too much to drink a time or 2000. Just because you’re getting old and can’t handle a hangover doesn’t mean you have to completely abstain. Grow a sack and learn how to stop at 10. If not I fear you may turn into this guy, and by that guy I mean whitey in the back.
And I’ll order kit when it’s available, Men small bib & jersey (euro/race cut)
Lil’ Jimmy Tiny Hands”

I tried my best to ‘stomp Satan lower’, but I think I felt as impassioned about it as the previously mentioned whitey.
This guy though? I don’t hold a candle to him;
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Now then, maybe you’re asking for what reason Monday’s post didn’t happen. I doubt it, but on that chance I suppose I owe an explanation. The truth of the matter is that I currently am finding my life in a bit of a transition, and have been splitting time between two locales. There have been meetings, and credit reports, and all kinds of other bullshit that only grown ups are supposed to deal with, and fitting in time to scrawl a post has been difficult. Suffice it to say, I plan on landing with both feet more or less beneath me, but until that time, my regular posting schedule might periodically get shaken up a bit.
And I promise it’s got nothing to do with my sobriety, or eventual lack there of.
One thing I did find time for was a long overdue slow roll with Demonika to points South;
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We both felt sleepy at the end of the day.. Really not alot better in the world sometimes.
Up next from Amigo #4.. Or is that Amigo #1-3?
Either way, From Sean Hurl I got this;
“Re: A Path Of Awesomeness.
I hope you are well. I’m super stoked for the kits. Maybe you should take pre orders to lift some of the financial burden off your back. I know Swobo is doing it but when things get rolling you should do some flasks.
I was going through some boxes and came across these pics. Pretty funny how time flys.
“Ever since you began riding single speeds your life has been on a path of self destruction”
1995 three years before the quote;
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1996 The Amigos Single Speed team was borne (sic);
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14 years later the brotherhood that is the Amigos lives on and every time a person’s path of seriousness crosses our path of self destruction you can bet the race will be ruined for everyone.”

That’s some good stuff right there.. I can say without pause that had it not been for folks like these gentlemen, (I use that very term loosely), Furryknuckle, Mr. Blacksocks, Skinny Matt, EZ, Big Steve P, and the like, the overdrawn and expansive world we know as singlespeed mountain biking would be a mere shadow of what it is today.
I don’t know whether to offer them thanks or a series of haymakers.
While we’re on the topic of ruining races, Colin reached out from paradise to let us know that he’s been busy with his own particular brand of it;
“Stevil,
It’s been a crazy few days in here in Hawaii. A bit of Planes, Trains and Automobiles… CX race on Sunday, fly to Kauai after work Monday, Spend all day on a million dollar sailboat being followed by whales off Napali coast, then drinking rum and eating all the ahi poke you can eat (one of the fish we pulled in that day…) as the sun went down on the harbor.
As for the race, it was a somewhat small turnout, as to be expected in Hawaii and on Valentine’s Day, but everyone brought friends and beer, so a good time was had by all.
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We had a few technical problems, like a lack of water or ice (which we later found had been taken to get the keg chilled… duh!). So, to no surprise, the beer started flowing before the race. I came in 8th (I’m kinda sure…) out of maybe 30, which would be the absolute, upper echelon of mediocrity. Post race, everyone milked the available Kualoa Ranch time (Race venue, good trail riding too, but you can only get in there a few times a year) by drinking beer, eating and hitting the trails…
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Needless to say, after the last 72 hours, I needed to catch up on some sleep, sober up and start sendin’ out some photos. I posted what I have on my Flickr page. There weren’t enough people for two races, so I just have stuff of before/after… There are lots of pics of the race on the interweb though..
Aloha,
Colin”

Cross in Hawaii seems like a bit of a contradiction to me as the last thing that enters my mind when I ponder the activity is palm trees and an ocean breeze, but I suppose suffering is more or less the same regardless of where it happens.
Finally, in news of fancy pants speed cycling, this is a clip that was sent to me from Bob Croslin that I in turn watched at least a dozen times and then sent out to everyone else like a recycled Christmas card;

The clip was ultimately used to contest Joel Chavez’s disqualification after cutting the course to avoid a rider crashing in front of him. Since seeing this video I have repeatedly heard Joel’s words in my head when turning my pedals in the standard square.
The video begins a little slowly, but I guarantee that this sound track will work it’s way into your psyche.
“Oh my good.. Tha’ was a’ scary.. Wha’ happen?… Wha’ happen’ Tony Combs? I tink dat guy took us out of dayy course. We got lucky dat we deedn’t crash. But wherare… We should go now. I think we should to wheere we were before.. Where we were before. I don’t know.. Let’s see where we were before…”
This Joel Chavez shouldn’t be mistaken for the other Joel Chavez, brother of Dave Chavez, former guitarist for Bay Area punk rock legends Sick Pleasure and Verbal Abuse. This Joel Chavez is the one who is my pick for all race commentating, forever.
No offense Dave Towle;
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In parting, from this point in the week we can see the glumness that was Monday morning and the majesty that will be Friday.
And always remember, real men use fists to hold their guns;
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19 Responses to “What was Monday’s post became Wednesday’s post on Tuesday.”

  1. YATE February 23, 2010 at 7:48 am #

    I appreciate that your socks are helping to spread racial harmony. All Hail the (Colour Blind) Market.

  2. The Training Table February 23, 2010 at 8:14 am #

    Kualoa Ranch … been way too long … When I left Oahu, they were just starting to open up some of the interior trails for downhilling, but it was all pay-to-play. Cheers!

  3. The Training Table February 23, 2010 at 8:20 am #

    How’d you get a picture of Towle where he wasn’t eating?!

  4. Stevil February 23, 2010 at 8:33 am #

    T3, Classic.. It’s always either a mic in his mouth, or a sandwich.

  5. Jim February 23, 2010 at 8:36 am #

    When you put socks on the counter it ruins it for everybody.

  6. Luceronator February 23, 2010 at 8:42 am #

    That’s crazy timing. Just yesterday the ‘lil wife and and I were watching You Tube vids of Nina Simone. She’s reading the autobiography, and wanted to check out some music.
    Funny.
    Oh, and nice socks.

  7. reverend dick February 23, 2010 at 9:25 am #

    I have loved to listen to the Nina Simone. But that just pissed me off. Corpses, huh? Ever been hit in the head by a corpse thrown tomato?
    Bees and honey, Nina Sour Grapes.

  8. brado1 February 23, 2010 at 11:46 am #

    man, throwing the race card… can’t wait to see what’s next. gimme a shout if i can help. glad they turned out well! need XL’s btw. you got my addy

  9. FunkyLaneO February 23, 2010 at 11:48 am #

    Dave Towle spelled “Profhessional” wrong on his website.
    What kind of Profhessional Announcer is he?

  10. Morgan February 23, 2010 at 1:18 pm #

    Big fan of Nina Simone. Had to go find a review of that show to see she said “corpses”. I thought she said “porpoises”. Yeah and unicorns. Still a big fan of her, haughtiness and all.
    The audio of the Mule video goes well with the video (sound off) of the Gospel Dance Aerobics clip. And while I’m on the subject, Joel Chavez’ commentary totally goes with any decent porn threesome clip. I mean, someone needs to edit that shit together. “I’m almost there I’m almost there!”
    Lastly, I am reading you in google reader. Which is awesome. I can read your whole post in google reader, which is awesome, but it means I never see your ads. I also read Mike Ferrentino’s SC blog, (Love Mike’s writing too.) and his posts only show the ‘teaser text’ in google reader, I’ve got to click through to the actual site so that I can read the whole thing. You shold make your site do that. ‘Cause I want to see Curtis’ ad, again and again.
    Patti Smith too.

  11. Mike February 23, 2010 at 3:45 pm #

    The Vice bit is in Google Books, minus some copyrighted stuff.

  12. lj February 23, 2010 at 3:46 pm #

    hmmm….if I only kick ass but don’t take names can I still buy some socks?

  13. Duncan February 23, 2010 at 5:58 pm #

    “Oh my gaad. Wha’appen? They took me out of the course.” Really? One fuckin’ guy crashes twenty feet in front of you, and you can’t brake and go around? Fuckin’ roadies, man–all conditioning, no bike handling skills.

  14. jmik February 23, 2010 at 8:43 pm #

    i wear black socks and dont own a pair of white socks at all. does that make me a sock racist?
    http://bomb-hills-speed-kills.blogspot.com/2010/02/ahtbm-socks-socks-socks-s-s-socks.html

  15. Tee February 24, 2010 at 1:10 pm #

    Duncan, that’s right man! I guess I should have read that the AHTBM socks come in mixed races before I ordered two of each. Doh! Stevil, send XL’s please.

  16. lucky larue February 25, 2010 at 7:55 pm #

    Not to nit pick but wasn’t “To Love Somebody” originally done by some punk band called The Bee Gees. Reminds me of the Joe Strummer documentary.

  17. Stevil February 25, 2010 at 8:02 pm #

    Holy crap, Lucky. I wasn’t expecting to learn something today. I totally thought it most assuredly was the other way around.

  18. Nick February 26, 2010 at 5:41 am #

    Now that’s smart packaging. Almost gauranteed everyone will buy two pairs. Nice!

  19. ken e. February 26, 2010 at 9:24 pm #

    a speechless moment for that crunching metal noise that is criterium racing. ducking disclaimers, saving sock cents!