A few final things before I go.

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With my bags now sufficantly packed for Las Vegas;
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I’ve got one foot out the door, but before I take my leave, I find it to be of fair importance to post up this clip of the new World Champion Fabrice Mels’s recent clench-worthy run in Hafjell, Norway;

After watching this, I’ve input data detailing my own skill set, V02 output, and general level of fitness though a detailed set of computations, and concluded with a 98.5% degree of certainty that I would have blown up inside of the first turn.

As much as I typically rely on slow and steady to win the race, it nearly always never works out in my favor.

Now, because I am partial for such things, we’ll get into a bit of Don Kenn’s (or John Kenn’s, depending on where you look) Post-It drawings;
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first love
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They are like a perfect continuation of Edward Gorey, and for that I thank Don.

…Or John…

Broaching the realm of badness for a second, comes the news from Pedal Consumption that Sharky’s machine was recently nicked;
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Portland- Keep your eyes peeled.

This is akin to stealing Superman’s cape, or the Lone Ranger’s mask. It cannot happen, and must be made right.

And in no way, shape or form do I envy the offender should they be caught.

Moving on from stolen bikes, to stolen hearts, the other day, Jefe from Swobo sent me the following image of one of their newest completed projects, The Scofflaw;
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The exchange went like this-

Jefe- “I’m done with shiny city bikes. I can’t wait for you to see this one.

Me- “I wanna ghost ride it.

And that’s pretty much where our conversation on the matter ended.

Anyway- I saw this frame back when I was in Colorado this summer, but until now, it’s been a closely guarded secret. I like the angles, and the color, and the fork, and the material from which it’s made, but most especially, I like that a belt drive is nowhere to be seen, because as Captain Sportif from Soulcraft Bicycles says, “belts are for pants“.

Whether or not I’m allowed to actually engage in said ghost riding remains to be seen, but either way, I look forward to seeing it in three dimensions at some point this week.

And not that I haven’t mentioned it previously (to death) but this week is the North American Interbike Bicycle and Bicycle Parts Exposition Thing in Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s a place where manufactuers of nearly all walks display their wares for dealers and media alike. Despite the fact that I am neither a dealer, or media, I will be there just the same, taking photos of stuff, and people, and jotting down important memos in a little book that was made for just such a thing;
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As a matter of fact, I hadn’t even cracked this open since last year, and I was pleased to find that I had written down some very important things;
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I expect my observations this year to be equally earth shaking.

But clearly, my (increasingly) primary reason for attending Interbike every year is to co-host my own bash, The Underbike Industry Mixer®;
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While this is open to almost any and all of the North American Interbike Bicycle and Bicycle Parts Exposition Thing attendees, I also welcome whoever else would like to come, because while bikes are important to us, (like those of us writing/reading this post), I also understand that they might not be so very important to a good number of other human beings. I like the idea of organizing an event that both bike people and non bike people alike can enjoy in unity. Perhaps there will be one or two individuals in attendance at the party who know nothing of bicycles aside from Lance Armstrong, and their occasional annoyance when sharing the road with people who ride them.

I would hope that if one of those people made it to this party and afterwords said to themselves, “huh… Maybe I was wrong about cyclists after all? They like loud music, and shotgunning beers, and dancing the slam just like I do.” If that were to occur, then we’ve perhaps inducted just one more into our ranks.

The long and the short of it is, the bike industry is astoundingly good at marketing to itself. The Underbike Industry Mixer® is simply my attempt at extending the bicycle world’s reach in a slightly different, and potentially new direction.

Or it will be an astounding failure in that regard, and just the same old group of us will wake up the next day with headaches.

Either way, one or the other, or neither will happen.

On that note, I will probably be returning to your loving embrace on Monday the 15th with some info regarding any of it, and most definitely on Wednesday the 17th.

Unless I wind up on the edge of a building with a pigeon, briefcase, and my businessman shoes, in which case we’ll always have today.
newlittleskull

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8 Responses to “A few final things before I go.”

  1. Knuckler September 10, 2014 at 4:46 am #

    I’m not positive I correctly read your chicken scratch, but could you elaborate on “Pink wine and morphine?”

  2. Crank September 10, 2014 at 5:16 am #

    If you jump, please post your feelings on the way down. I’m curious as to how SRAM felt about xc disc hydro.

  3. Largo September 10, 2014 at 5:31 am #

    Short track? We don’t need no stinking short track!

  4. fupadupa September 10, 2014 at 8:56 am #

    i made a dress out of fruit roll-ups. can’t wait.

  5. Double D All-Time September 10, 2014 at 9:00 am #

    Those drawerings are tight!

  6. GFisher September 10, 2014 at 9:18 am #

    “Oh look daddy. That little girl is enjoying a delicious crab dessert.”
    –Pearl, age 4

    We read your blog together at breakfast most mornings.

  7. bruce12 September 10, 2014 at 12:04 pm #

    “I like that a belt drive is nowhere to be seen, because as Captain Sportif from Soulcraft Bicycles says, “belts are for pants“.”

    Sweeet jeebus, that there could be the first honest, sensible thing ever written about belt drives on the innerweb. A new dawn…

  8. Largo September 12, 2014 at 5:40 am #

    Since there’s no post today, more on our beloved chatka!
    They even have a website frchrissakes.
    Since 1937, Chatka® has been the mark of King Crab in all its nobility! Our products and our Kamtchatka King Crab fished in the Bering Sea have taken this commanding position thanks to their flavour and excellence. Chatka® is the absolute benchmark for gourmets and seafood lovers, thanks in particular to its sweet taste, very similar to that of lobster.

    But Chatka® means far more than the legendary King Crab. Fresh or frozen products, flavours of the sea and the earth, natural or processed, surprising terrines and fashionable verrines… We guarantee to delight your taste buds!

    Chatka® products are designed and marketed by Food Partners in Heppignies, in rigorous compliance with strict quality criteria.