Ship of fools.

Painting by Thomas Buehler.


Happy day after April Fool’s Day.

Does it generally annoy you as badly as it does me?

Besides, having crafted this masterpiece back in 2011 I really have nowhere to go but down.

So perfect was that piece, as recently as even yesterday I got a few messages and texts asking me if I was actually going to work for The Gap.

Unless they offer to match the dizzying annual income I make here on the All Hail The Black Market web project- (about $49.95, give or take a couple of dollars), I won’t be going anywhere. Having said that, it won’t stop me from re-posting the above link again in a year’s time.

While we’re on the topic of making a living, over the course of the last couple of weeks, in various corners of the internet, I’ve seen spits and spurts of renewed interest in a fanzine I made two years ago. It was a story about a typewriter I traveled to procure, and why it, as well as the original owner were both very important to me;

Photo by Embry Rucker.

Though I think I may have had the story published at one point within the pages of Dirtrag Magazine, it occurred to me last week that besides being an important story to me, it’s among the things I’m proudest of making.

So with nothing to do on Saturday morning, I stuffed the master into my sketchbook and went out in search for a Kinkos that could offer me some assistance.

After a bit of hunting, and a few hours spent folding and stapling, I once again have a second edition of numbered copies available in the store;

This’ll probably be the last time I make these, so if you blew it the first time, you’re welcome, or whatever.

And speaking of zines- I’m currently plowing through the seventh issue of the All Hail The Black Market zine (or the second, depending on your perspective);

Because I started with number zero, and went to issue one, and by the time number two came around, forgot I started at zero and jumped straight to three, I now have to appease my OCD and at least include number two as an option in the series.

Anyway, I have a new deck on the horizon which will be done by artist to the stars, Matt Loomis.

He is absolutely the best person I can think of to put my concept to paper, and I can’t wait to see what he comes up with.

Having said that, the aforementioned zine will be initially just be available with the deck, so if you want one, you know what to do.

I’ll post updates here as I get them.

Right quick, I would like to address another topic that is near and dear to my heart, being that of the Wednesday Night Rides in Santa Cruz. This was a tradition I started (I believe) on June 6th, 2006, and I’m beyond proud to see that the dirts down there at the bike factory have kept the train on the tracks.

For any and all who have an interest, Peter offers the details like so;

Hey Stevil,

Wednesday night races are here again! Feats of strength, team challenges, racing, BB guns, wrist rockets, and beers are a couple of things to expect;




Announcement of events will happen the Monday before. There’s no email, just a poorly organized Instagram or a cardboard sign at the Santa Cruz Bicycles time clock;

Otherwise Wednesday at the gates is good enough. See you jerks there.

-Peter

That makes my heart real proud, and perhaps one day I’ll make my triumphant return.

As the curtain falls on today’s post, (as well as to transition from West Coast W.N.R. to the place that taught me the art of them), we’ll get into news regarding the only constant being change, and discuss Minneapolis’ very own One On One Studio finally shutting the doors on their downtown location.

Having been a mainstay for artists, musicians, film makers, and other various ne’er-do-wells, 117 N Washington has existed as a destination, and a safe house for decades. Alas, Gene and Jennifer have finally decided to let it go, and move the entire circus to 4461 Minnehaha Ave S. Being the pied piper of derelicts, I have no doubt that Gene’s legions will follow their empire into a bright and boozy future.

In the here and now, I can’t help but shed a tear for what was, the passing of which being brilliantly captured this past weekend by Bobby Brown;

Having been unable to attend any form of closing party, I can’t help but feel as though I missed the funeral for a dear friend.

I look forward to my eventual arrival at One On One Bicycle Studio V.2, and creating a whole host of new memories, (however foggy they may be). Whether you’ve visited or not, it’s a vitally important component of the bicycle world at large, and by the very definition, proudly remains its own ship of fools.

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5 Responses to “Ship of fools.”

  1. Devin Curran April 2, 2019 at 5:36 am #

    Come on out and we’ll party on Rollerboards…

  2. Jamie April 2, 2019 at 5:39 am #

    Will you be using a shape similar to the Mr. Rogers deck? I rode that thing to death, it was perfect.

    • Stevil April 2, 2019 at 6:13 am #

      It will be. It’s the only shape I can ride.

  3. AJ April 2, 2019 at 11:58 am #

    A post on a Monday was the giveaway, you are too good at your schedule.

  4. Snakebite April 5, 2019 at 6:56 am #

    I wonder who the poor SOB was who emptied the basement at 117 N Washington.