Everyday is a journey.


Via.

Today, I’m going to kick things off with a feel good story.

So, last week Billy reached out to me with a photo of a bike he’d found in the bushes near his house. It had a few AHTBM stickers on it, and said if whoever it belonged to could describe said stickers, it would be waiting for them at the Golden Pliers bike shop. I reposted the story on my IG, and wouldn’t you know it, before too long, the owner and his whip were once again reunited;

Apparently Jonathan’s bike had been swiped from his driveway a year and a half ago, and he’d long presumed it was gone for good. Not only was it not, but it was apparently returned in more or less in the exact condition it was when it originally got liberated.

Just as I mentioned in his comments, I’ve long contended that AHTBM merch is a sort of secret handshake. If you happen across someone wearing some of my socks, or arm warmers or whatever, you might not strike up an immediate friendship, but at least you’ll know you’re on the same page. Unlike say, seeing someone wearing a Kona, or Santa Cruz Bikes shirt for example…. You’d know they were a bike person, but that would be the extent of it. It’s akin to the way one speed mountain bikes, or long before that, skateboards or punk rock shirts were. It symbolizes a basic and pure commonality, and of all of the facts that’s developed around my ‘business model’ over the years, I couldn’t possibly be prouder of that one.

So in short, thank you to everyone who circled their wagons to get Jonathan his bike back, and here’s to more people looking out for each other, than fewer.

Now then, it certainly wasn’t because the world needed another one of my mediocre videos, but yesterday I made one anyway;

Boy, I sure do love skateboarding.

It’s the falling down and struggling to get out of bed the next day that I’m not so fond of.

So as I sit here with sore parts of all description, it occurs to me that I have recently taken a delivery of all manner of AHTBM merch, most, or all of which I’m not sure I’ve said anything about.

Firstly, I got a new run of fresh flat-topped black top caps;

These are laser engraved by Amped Components, and are guaranteed to assist in you finding your soul mate.

Then, I re-upped with a fat stack of brand new WSRW patches;

These are made by my homie Sean from Brewery Outfitters, and he spares no expense. In fact, if you don’t have a needle and thread, you can iron these right on the garment, or whatever in question (though I’d be remiss not to point out that if a person has an iron but not a needle and thread, they are likely in a different tax bracket, and not reading these words right now anyway.)

Moving on- I also have the It’s The Water™©® patches;

These are also made by Brewery Outfitters with the same degree of expertise and love.

And finally, after being out of\both things for some time, I once again have the turntable mats;
AHTBM Turntable mat
-As well as Black Sole socks;

So there you have it. All of the news that’s fit to print in terms of post-holiday stocking stuffers.

In other news over there in Minneapolis, maybe saying no to Hennepen Avenue bike lanes isn’t such good plan after all;

I think that would be a thing that’s considered ironic?

Hey, did you know that Robot and I have a podcast called Revolting?

We do, and the 19th episode is available right now;

In this scenario I’m definitely Jerry I think.

For the sake of full disclosure, I was reeeaaaaslllllyyy tired when we recorded this one, so I was even more off kilter than usual. I apologize in advance, and thank you for your time and consideration on the matter.

In the realm of what folks are doing in the world of exciting high dollar bike industry moving and shaking, please allow me to direct your attention to Portland Design Works, and their brand new reflective cargo nets;

Please note- This is a gif that was designed to inform people about how the reflectivity looks. Don’t bellyache to PDW or me when you get one and it doesn’t blink on and off. If you do, you can rest assured you’ll get a very strongly worded email in response encouraging you to bone up on your reading comprehension.

Lastly, we’ll close out today’s effort with a dip into the mail bag and an email from JS which read like so;

Stevil-

Re: art that I think doesn’t suck.

So this is twice you’ve come to mind in the past week so I guess that means I’m supposed to do something…

Assume you’ve come across this guy, but if not, here he is. Bikes, yeah fine. But mostly cats and his recent IG posts with clowns.

Anyway, this;


Also. Sturgill Simpson’s Sound And Fury;

Not your musical genre at all, but thought you might enjoy the visual storytelling by multiple graphic artists. “Make Art Not Friends” was oddly connected to a skateboard scene. So that too.

Considered a job in Redmond. Had visions of fanboy drinking at your bar. And learning how to ride a bike from you.

Be great. Stay safe.

J

The Sturgil Simpson stuff reminds me a lot of a cross between Æon Flux, and Frank Miller, and Geoff Darrow’s Hard Boiled.

And Andrew Smith? Those are great. He certainly now has a fan in me.

I thank JS for taking the time to reach out and season our brain meat a touch.

And with that, I step off the train, and wish you happy and healthy travels going forward, regardless of how facedown you might currently find yourselves in the earth.

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3 Responses to “Everyday is a journey.”

  1. Dr Sweets March 29, 2022 at 7:55 am #

    No comply onto the curb…nice!

  2. JP March 29, 2022 at 8:54 am #

    I had to dress “professionally” today, so I’m wearing your FU socks just in case.

  3. Jonathan March 31, 2022 at 5:34 pm #

    I am eternally grateful that The AHTBM Handshake ™ works to connect the world of aged punks and miscreants. I rode that bike to my sort of work today and I will never take it for granted again. There are good people in this word, Dorothy, I swear it.