A yard sale.

Because one person’s trash is another person’s treasure;
Yard_Sale_Northern_CA_2005

Let’s hope today’s collection is more the latter than the former.

Kicking things off right out of the gate, as if we needed proof that Cranpa’s life was better than ours;

Of course he has bouts of adversity as well. Why, it was just last week when he texted me that his day wasn’t ‘totally kick ass‘, but simply ‘pretty awesome‘. Even those who seem blessed have to occasionally deal with a little bit of rain.

Moving on… Embarrassingly I have to admit something. I am guilty as I can possibly be for having an altogether exaggeratedly rosy vision of what it means to be a cyclist in Europe. Even in the motherland of the UK, I envision people politely going about their way, doffing caps to one another, calling each other ‘mum’ and ‘chap’, while a friendly Mary Poppins floats by. I can’t help it. To my ear, an English accent simply makes people sound more civilized.

But then I come across a story like this one, or nearly as infuriating, this one, (*spoiler alert* Aside from burning, burying, beheading, and so on, cyclists are the new ISIS.)

So clearly my perspective is flawed, but it would seem as though at least one group doesn’t have their heads up their asses;

Also, I literally don’t think I’ve ever loved a pedestrian as much as I do right now;
swoon
Anyway, good for London. I hope that it happens with quickness, and that they can go back to all being polite to one another.

My slightly flawed perspective on their country depends on it.

In news not at all relating to recycling infrastructure, or the most beautiful pedestrian in the history of the universe, Jeffery G. Frane from bikecycle manufacturer to the stars, All City made the contact regarding a new accessory they just released;

Stevil,

We’d appreciate your help in spreading the good word.
acbandana
acbandanatwo
mucho thanks,

Jeffrey G. Frane

Not only do the new All City rags absorb sweat, snot, blood, as well as a host of other bodily fluids, but it seems that they are made right here in The United States Of Jesus’ Guns and Truck Nuts, which means the port shutdown won’t effect your ability to get one.

Which reminds me… The aforementioned port shutdown is a ridiculously huge deal, about which I’ve seen nearly not a peep on any news programs, once again inspiring me to declare that mainstream American news programs are utter garbage.

This shutdown effects all of us in approximately a brazillion different ways, but the one way that it effects us right in the here and now I will explain thusly.

One or two of you might recall last October when Swobo and I partnered to release the long anticipated Hobo backpack;
hobofront
Not only might a number of you recall it, but (and excuse my French) a shit ton of you bought them.

Now since I’m just the beauty behind the project, I wasn’t immediately privy to any specifics regarding what was going on aside from the fact that they were supposed to land in November and then due to strike complications got re-routed, and then basically put in jail, amassing fees, and fines and regulation expenses, and so on which was a total bummer.

All I knew for sure was that I didn’t know much, and that periodically when people would email me asking where their bags were I could only say “en route”. While that wasn’t a lie, it was far from specific, but that was all I had.

After much consternation, hand wringing, and conflict negotiation filled telephone calls it seems as though the container was finally released, and the bags will be shipping this week.

Not being the one who is actually printing the labels and filling the boxes, I can only say with certainty that this is what I’ve been told.

One thing I can absolutely say with honesty however is A), how much I appreciate everyone’s patience. Because I’ve been tearing the ass out of a prototype since August, I know they will be worth the wait. And B) I have no idea how this country exists nearly solely on internationally made goods. I’ve just barely dipped my toes in this process and can see that it’s entirely unsustainable.

Every day is a new opportunity to learn however, so I will take these lessons and apply them accordingly.

Finally, it’s been brought to my attention that someone with a slightly similar writing style to my own has been reviewing products on the Specialized Bikes website;
reviewofgarbage
I appreciate this being brought to my attention and that someone thought that it might be me.

I can say with honesty that not only is that not, but secondarily that I didn’t know Specialized had a website.

As we now part ways with the above assortment of items dancing in our heads, we all potentially remain on the fence whether it was trash or treasure.
newlittleskull

Spread this like it's sick

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6 Responses to “A yard sale.”

  1. Crank February 9, 2015 at 5:34 am #

    Fecalized drives the industry with their unsolicited “innovation”.

  2. Jorge February 9, 2015 at 7:38 am #

    Port shutdown? We will be fucked. Nice post, from start to finish.

  3. somedudeinFLA February 9, 2015 at 8:50 am #

    Stevil, i love reading your blog. Its a great source of entertainment, inspiration, and cycling news. But it seems messed up that of all the places i should have heard about this port shutdown, i hear about it HERE first. Wow. Do you think the “real news services” are trying to prevent panic, or are they simply reporting “real news” like for instance, 14 lbs newborns, and Newt Gingrich’s latest vacation?

  4. El Gee February 9, 2015 at 9:35 am #

    Will you be an Eloi or a Morlock?

  5. Captain Badbeard February 9, 2015 at 2:31 pm #

    I was there for The Great Bandit Jersey Wait. 3 months doesn’t sound too bad.
    In other news, the UK is just as you imagine. Honest.

  6. allezaaron February 10, 2015 at 8:46 am #

    The link rabbit hole this post beckoned me into lead me to this pretty hilarious story in the Telegraph. Not to kick a guy while he’s down, but he was kind of asking for it. Seems ripe for the photoshopping!

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/10842025/Amateur-cyclists-celebrations-that-were-his-downfall.html