The Black Market Classic.

A celebration Of The Mundane®™©

Once again the Sea Otter Classic has come and gone, and with it, my absence for perhaps the third time in nearly 30 years.

If I was there, just as I was the year this photo was taken, I would be in the orange Kona tent (zone) over there to the right heckling the e-bike podium;

(Part one– featuring cool bikes and trucks, part two– featuring free FitBits, and part three– Featuring Missy Giove.)

But I wasn’t, so I didn’t get the chance to slap hands with a bunch of honkys, and get sunburned while simultaneously freezing to death.

A number of people asked if I was going, and it was even inquired if I would be interested in organizing some sort of Underbike style event;

-Which I was most certainly not.

It has in every sense become bicycle Burningman- An event at which attendees get the privilege of buying a ticket for the experience of walking around and looking at shit they can buy.

I’ll restructure that observation- Paying to look at things to pay for.

This is offensive to me for a number of reasons, not the least of which being because I’m cheap. But as I said to those who asked, if I had $1,500 and a week to burn, I reckon I’d go nearly anywhere else than there, and to be perfectly honest, I’ve been dirt bagging it for so many years, the thought of spending one more night on a rollaway bed, the back of a U-Haul, or wherever my broken carcass fell no longer does a thing for me as all.

Ferrentino reached out and said he was there. I told him I expected a full report on my desk by yesterday.

He responded with ‘all you need to know’, and attached the following photo;

That of course is Mr. Blacksocks. Legendary character, industry luminary, postcard writer, speeder of the single variety, and all around amazing human being.

I noticed a few days after getting this text that one of my stickers was actually on the power box behind him, which as it turns out was a complete fluke;

That’s the universe, baby.

In other random news, I guess I’ll mention that while I didn’t make it to Monterey, I have returned to Oakland for the week to babysit my little cat, to see friends, and to dip in to see my old chum Jason Philips to get one of the little blaster pieces I’ve long threatened;

If you know, you know.

In business news, I just got a new batch from the edition of Chris McNally’s and my new book ‘Nowhere Fast‘, and nearly at the same time I got the following video from Jon Woodroof;

I surround myself with people smarter than I am, and I think it’s a pretty good look.

Speaking of which, and in closing, how do we feel about a new episode of Revolting?;

It kinda has to do a little bit to do with this image I’ve been sitting on of ATM Click rider, Donovan Rice;

Anyway, if you feel the same as I do, which is reasonably positive, then I got you right here.

If not, then feel free to take your celebration elsewhere.

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7 Responses to “The Black Market Classic.”

  1. Philicious April 25, 2023 at 7:27 am #

    My one and only interaction with you was at an Interbike demo day. I was riding a bike with a pinion gearbox and you heckled me about riding an ebike. I tried in vain to defend myself and planned to head butt you if I saw you at underbike. Didnt work out that way, probably for the best…

    • Stevil April 25, 2023 at 9:59 am #

      I apologize. My perspective about a lot of things has mellowed considerably in the last decade.

      • Philicious April 25, 2023 at 5:49 pm #

        No need to apologize, I thought it was funny and enjoyed every underbike I attended. By head butt I mean head butt

  2. Jose April 27, 2023 at 8:06 pm #

    Ferrentino MUST have been bullcrapping you about the sticker being there by “accident”. As they say there are no accidents.

    • Stevil April 28, 2023 at 8:33 am #

      It was intentionally put there, apparently just not by either of them.

      • dpow May 18, 2023 at 9:22 am #

        That sticker was placed there at some point previous to the 2022 Sea Otter, as I recall it being there last year as well. My guess is AK…but you didn’t hear that from me.