I broke myself again.

I'll never learn. I went out early on Thursday with Zac and Smokey to get some laps in at a local paved pump track. Smokey was on his dirt jumper, and Zac and I were on skateboards. It had been five years since I'd skated on a paved pumptrack so it took me a couple of tries to find my rhythm. We were all having a high time until about 30 minutes in when I got a little too close to the edge, and was pitched backwards over a roller, back-first into the opposing jump. No impact dissipation at all. Just dense meat sack to incline and a dead stop.

If you were to ask me today what ails me, I'd say a minimum of four broken ribs and a concussion, but alas, according to the ER doctor I only have one broken rib and a concussion. 

It's certainly the worst I've ever gotten hurt either on a bike or a board before (torn ACLs not withstanding), and again I'm thankful that at least I was doing something fun.

And while it's on my mind, just after nearly pissing in my bed for the third time because I'm almost entirely incapable of getting out of it on my own, I was finally able to watch James Sweigert's N-Men documentary that came out two years ago;

James had reached out and invited me to a couple of his California premiers, but I was out of the state by that point, so had to decline, but it finally made it's way to the cheap seats on YouTube where the rest of us schlubs can watch it from the comfort of our own dirty bathrobes;

It was incredibly well done so if it is a topic of interest, I encourage you to track it down as well. 

Like any point of perspective, there are many varying ones. I hollered at Sam Cunningham to follow up on a couple of the characters in the film, and he said he's boycotting it due to reasons, and Keith Meek had a couple of thoughts as well. They are the two people I know from that early 70s era. I'm sure there are a million different sides to every story. The only truth I know is my own, but even of that I'm not always so sure. 

Another thing Ive done a lot of for the last few days is watch crafting and restoration videos, music documentaries, and my newest favorite, the absolute mania of this guy;

I've seen a few channels that depict people tricking out Matchbox cars with a new paint job and the odd customization, but this? This is an entirely other level. I rarely apply the term 'art' to things, but from my perspective, these are, and in spades.

Disagree if you will, but even this Chevy Gasser's suspension is proof that I'm correct.

Gadzüks.

Moving on from that, and dipping in to the mailbag annex- Brian got a hold of my via the IGs (hardly anyone sends emails any longer), and offered some info I diligently screenshotted, and copy and pasted to further amplify his message here;

"Stevil-

We've got a super fun ride, has nothing to do with polo. Rock the old school single shred;

Trying to get Corndog on also. If nothing else something to talk about in the podcast.

Brian"

I probably won't remember to discuss it on the podcast unless I actually remember to get my shit together to go, which at this stage in my cognitive overwhelm likely won't happen, but sometimes miracles can. I hear it's a real war zone down there. Maybe it's just too scary there.

It looks like a real blast and I appreciate Brian reaching out with the goods. 

In other news, I concur with the sledgehammer subtlety of the following message;

Exercise your privilege of choice to support independently owned and operated everything, or sooner than later we'll no longer have any.

Sidestepping from that topic to Dallas Green, here you go;

It fits in my earholes real well.

I'd had this clip scheduled to be an eventual 'One For The Weekend', but reckoned I'd fire it in here instead.

Now, before I go I will once again kindly ask anyone who might have a question for use to answer in the 200th episode of Revolting top please fire it off to robot@cyclingindependent.com. So far we've got a smattering and considering the fact that it generally takes us 40 minutes to broach any given topic anyway, even twenty questions might take us five full episodes. 

Anyway, please, thank you and having said that, may I present you with episode 198:

It came to my attention that last week's episode while numbered 197, was actually 196, and vice versa. If that doesn't make any sense, don't worry. I'm still not sure I understand what happened.

But sometimes them's the brakes when thems is broken.