Kink BMX!

well....
Blogger doesn't want to upload sequence.
So this is all you get:

How high is your hop?

Kink started their East Coast Tour today.
Today was a good day.

Battenkill back ON!

Images from last year.
This year will be in the usual unplanned style.
Meaning there is no plan.
Cameras in bag.
Run around the course for eight hours.
See what I end up with.

Like taking a last minute flight to Vegas.
With $100 in your pocket.
And no place to stay.

Tour of the Battenkill, last year.

Last years photos,
sadly I won't make this year,
with even more people to cheer on.
So, rehashing....
Better planning already in the works for next year!

Kink BMX

Maybe you never rode a 20",
if so, I'm sorry.

That feeling of being a little kid launching off of
sketchy homemade jumps,
THAT'S the feeling alot of us are still chasing.

So I get to help set up when the Kink team
hits the local shop in a couple of weeks.
What's cool about it?
It's been a couple years since I've built ramps,
and just as long since I've ridden a 20".
But there's the access I hope to get the following day,
with camera in hand.
And the satisfaction,
IF they like what we can come up with in a day.

I can still recall vividly,
the first bmx/freestyle demo I went to....
actually still have a couple pics scanned from it.

Chasing Legends!

This is a MUST for this years Bike Month!
Question is,
can I get it into a theatre?

Murder of Couriers

Trailer for another: out of Vancouver

Courier Breed

Starting the,
well it's not a task,
but something I do for Bike Month.
This year I need THREE movies to show.
Or, a bunch of shorts.
I figure I may as well post them here.
Comment or suggest away!

Courier Breed - A Documentary on Boston's Bike Messengers from Brendan Coughlin on Vimeo.

Fall in love again...

"hey, we do a late night group ride. wanna come?"

"uhhh, sure!"

STOP.
Right there, I need to learn to ask more questions.
Those questions that you ask yourself a half hour before
you head out the door.
There are no expectations. Which is good.
But there is no info. either!
And that is my fault.

I don't want to sound like some dork.
Too many questions might get an UN-invite!

So I split my gear into:
light & quick bare essentials.
and
messenger bag (everything including the camera).

I had no idea.
The worst case on one end:
off season roadies, out for a late night hammer sesh.
Which means I'll get dropped in a couple of miles,
and solo my way home.

or the other worst scenario:
the super casual urban ride. Which means you won't even
warm up (an issue when it's freezing out).



Sometimes I just luck out!



There was casual.
There were beer breaks.
A quick pace.
Lots of characters.
Familiar faces.
And mud.


Equate it to:
a Cat. 4 late night cyclocross race
through unknown trails
without enough lights.

Simply awesome.!

That's what riding is about, FUN!
No one gets dropped.
If someone flats, then it's time to break out the beers,
and share some stories.



I need to loosen up sometimes.
And as they say
just "enjoy the ride".

Let's have a new series!

A $5,000 open sprint.
Pretty simple.
Note the bunny hop over the BMW @ 1:41!
The local elite 'cross series has a $750 payout,
for the season.

Battenkill pro/am three

Battenkill pro/am two

Round one of Battenkill pro/am

If you didn't visit the Times Union site,
then here's the same pictures.

Maybe on Thursday I can get the rest up on flickr,
for the next couple of days it'll be cold leftovers here.

Battenkill round 1

Ohhhhhh.... My head is swimming right now.
I really can not manage my time,
or I just have too much to do.

Battenkill Pro/Am is this weekend.
This weekend is defined as, off today, work tomorrow,
then get up at the ass crack of dawn and drive.

So I'll count that as 'in one day'.

I took a drive up the other evening for the race support meeting,
way out in the country it is.

I got my schedule, Juniors, late morning.
Which means I should be pulling in before the Cat 1/Pro field is off.
Which also means extra photo opps, before the UCI event next weekend.
Basically I can screw up a bunch of AM photos,
and hopefully get next weeks perfect.

Still need to charge batteries,
clean lenses,
repack the camera bag,
and clean out the messy family truckster (all day project).
Off to clean!

Young Man's Game (with an old man)

WOW!
I really suck with this blog.
Looks like I've let it go,
just like I've let myself go.

This last 'week' has really been two weeks stretched out.
And it just doesn't stop.
I think of posts as I ride, but when I get home, I just crash.
Just the weather warming up seems to have dumped more 'projects',
things from every direction. I can't even imagine how May will play out.

So I apologize.
You take the time to click over, and get NOTHING.
So I'll take sometime out of this six day work week,
to get caught up on the last two weeks.

After putting together my first interview,
and getting my post for the Times Union ready,
it was the first Alleycat of the year.
It was also a birthday party for a great alleycat mmmm, promoter?
Properly named, Young Man's Game.
Always falls on a large winter storm,
and last year went down to two people,
and near hypothermia.
This holds lots of promise.

And true to prediction, LARGE WINTER STORM!
And this year brought out nine riders!



And no injuries,


During the first manifest, two dropped out.
Four finished, and then waited out the next manifest,
with three continuing.

Two steaming finishers,
and one wet.


Luckily I packed extra socks and plastic bags for the shoes.
Even with the PI Amphibs, my shoes were soaked.
Soaked doesn't even describe wringing out my insoles and socks....
As with each Alleycat, the finish is at the bar.



I pulled up a curb (with a foot and a half of snow)
swapped socks, threw on the ghetto fabulous plastic bags,
and thought happy thoughts of warmth and beer just minutes away.



People making the effort to do things like this
defines the quality of your 'scene'.
Even in the craptastic conditions,
you gotta show your support.
Thanks guys (and gals).

Tour of the Battenkill interview with Dieter Drake

My first "real" interview. An impressive event and a great guy behind it.
Along with this post,
I'll be driving a SAG wagon for the pro/am event.
And set with a press pass, shooting the UCI pro event,
kinda feeling like a little kid going to his first 'real' show,
but moms isn't dropping me off out front.
Read the post HERE.
Link it, forward it, get it out there! Thanks!

DON'T build it and they will come?

Ahhh..
The passion.
Almost fanatical.
It's no wonder why some (most) laugh at the serious cyclist.

Last nights bike coalition meeting.
We quickly worked through the core business,
leaving the Bicycle Master Plan until the end.
At that point I should have just up and left.



Some feel that there should be full bike lanes,
EVERYWHERE.
I used to think that would be nice,
but would never happen in this city.
It's way to much for so few cyclists.
I also agree with the notion that
if you relegate cyclists to lanes:
1. drivers & cyclists will not know how to interact.
2. it will reinforce the idea cyclists DO NOT BELONG on roadways.
address ALL issues with driver education (DMV) and
cyclist education, starting in elementary school (gym teachers),
and reinforce those principles with roadway markings (not signs).
Simple as that, for the most part.



Also throw in some protection for non motorized roadway users.
Stiffer penalties against aggressive drivers, and drivers found
at fault for serious 'accidents', which really are cases of
negligence.

Last nights meeting wrapped up with severe disagreements of:

'we just need more cyclists on the road, then things will change'

well, I went with the other opinion that is:

'right now all the 'serious' cyclists are out there battling
traffic, other people are coming out due to economic or
environmental reasons. But the general public will not ride
on the street because they don't feel safe, or protected.
And they're half right. So you can't 'just get them out there'.

It's education, and reinforcement of rights.
Not lanes all over the place.
Even serious recreational/racers do not commute regularly.
They only feel safe in large group rides.

So it boiled down to somehow people will just
magically show up on their bikes,
and things will start changing.
It was also dicouraging when the Master Plan
was labeled: The 20 Year Plan.
Twenty years, so when are you going to start on this?
What is ACTUALLY going to happen NEXT YEAR?
What's that?
You don't actually know when it's going to be implemented?
GREAT.



With storms rolling in (again).
I packed up and headed out,
at least the local police Pipe & Drum band were out practicing.
So the bagpipes cried as the dark clouds rolled in.
I don't know what was really accomplished.

still we ride....

it's a short watch,
and it's been awhile since I've sat down and watched it,
but Andrew Lynn is a local guy,
and it's a good video.

after I'm done hanging work
for a one night show,
I'll be riding across the river for Critical Mass,
then riding back for the show.
Maybe it's not necessary in some cities,
but it is here...
Tomorrow people....

VEER & Commuter Contest

and Bike Month, and this, and that, and some more...
and I'm exhausted.
And I was soaked last night,
and beat this morning.

So the Commuter Contest?
Last year I was 7th or 8th,
really not sure.
I just know I didn't get beat by
the Smart Car or the guy on the unicycle.

This year, well, I did wait until three hours before
to switch to slicks, replace two flat tubes,
blow a tube, rip a tube, curse my wheels,
adjust the brakes, bolt on fenders for the rain
that was coming in....
For a few minutes it looked like a small medium pace group,
and then came some LEGS.
And rain,
and headwinds,
and continual red lights.
So,
8th or 9th for this year.
Not raising any bars this year,
just beers.


The movie night.
This last week I feel like I have ignored so many things,
all to promote this event.
But it really puts things in perspective being the 'one'
bringing something together.
All the running around,
making flyers,
finding sponsors,
dealing with emails.
Promotion & more promotion.
Trying to guarantee a crowd.

As I rode around town the night before with a group
for the City Master Bike Plan,
everyone I passed thought it was:
next Thursday?
this Friday?
wasn't it last week?
That's when the panic and doubt sets in.
All the 'could have' and 'should have'.
It's in motion, it just needs to play itself out.

At the end of the Commuter Contest,
all I could think is:
"what if no one shows up?".

This was put aside for a moment,
as I was awarded the Commuter of the Year Award.

"
Congratulations! You are the Capital Region - Albany County - Commuter of the Year 2009!

I was especially impressed that you had decided to sell your car a year ago and become a year-round commuter! Although your nomination did not highlight your many contributions to bicycling in Albany County and the Capital Region - I am aware of all you do! Thank you for your work as an artist , a movie promoter, a community leader and a dedicated cycling commuter!

Today, as you well know is the 6th Annual SIGMA Commuter Contest. This exciting competition pits bicyclists against motorists and transit riders during rush-hour traffic to determine the most efficient means of transportation. For the past 5 years, the bicyclist has been the winner--let's see if we can make it 6 in a row! Start time: 5PM sharp. Location: Starbucks to EMS ( 10 N Pearl St. , Albany to Stuyvesant Plaza , 1475 Western Ave. ).
I will announce the Commuters of the Year at the end of the Commuter Contest."

It's great to be aknowledged,
but there were commuters who helped me commute year round.
They got me there,
or here,
or where ever I may be headed,
I don't know.
I do know, it's actually selfishness,
because i just like riding my bike.
Bunny hopping potholes,
skidding,
what ever,
two wheels are fun!

OK,
on with the movie!
Pouring rain, hot soy chai, and good company.
Then it was off for a wet commute to the theatre.

College finals and graduations,
pouring rain,
thursday night,
all equalled to lower attendance than I planned.

But the theatre owner said it was a great night for them!
We didn't lose any money!
And the crowd for the first showing cheered and clapped,
a great reception to a great movie.
I honestly didn't have a chance to view more than the
first 20 minutes, so I sat in on the first show.
Moved, I had just a belief that Greg put together a
good movie about a great cycling community,
but this IS A MUST SEE.
The support of UrbanVelo.
And all the local shops, bars and food stops were amazing,
along with The Madison Theatre, that allowed cyclists
to take a personal look at a cycling community onthe other
side of the country.
Hopefully people left inspired.
We gathered thirtythree members to lay a foundation
for our cycling scene.
Just one of many steps that need to be taken.
At the end,
YES!
it was worth it.
To see people's reaction,
to what we can achieve.
To see a true movie about cycling,
in a real theatre.
To belong.
Belong to something greater than one's self.


Today is National Bike to Work Day.
Maybe a couple more people will realise they CAN do it.
And they can divorce their car.
ONE MORE BIKE ON THE ROAD.
ONE MORE MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY.

It's time to get ready for work.
Everyday is bike to work day.
And that's a good thing!

My time for My scene...

Well,
it's down to the last five days...

VEER is almost here...

You need to go to UrbanVelo now!

My baby is one week away.........
when I thinkabout how many hours were spent,
to show 98 minutes of bike love to this city.....
Thank you UrbanVelo for the heaviest box of goodness
that the UPS guy has EVER delivered.



will there be fifty people?
or will I sell out both shows?
Will it be worth the effort?
Will people care?

This is what keeps me away from the computer,
except to check emails.
Along with the usual busy at work stuff,
and a backyard that's a disaster,
and every day I'm off work,
it rains.
And little man has his birthday tomorrow,
and there's family flying in today,
actually four hours to finish making this
house look like it's NOT overrun by dogs,
and kids,
and all things dirty!!!