Not enough keys

I know I've been lazy as fuck, but deal with it. The other night I went for a nice ride after work instead of going to sleep. Critical mass is friday and Saturday I'm planning on going to Ska Fest to try to make a buck selling my old cds and records. The flyers for ECBFF are done and will be getting out tonight, as well as a website update featuring showtimes and stuff. I'm still desperatly trying to find somewhere to live when my lease runs out in a month. Thus my punishment for signing a lease in May.

Sunday I built two tall bikes for other people and of course when I got to Eau Claire mine broke. So this Saterday I am going to beging building my touring tall bike for my trip in June. Sunday I also went out to breakfast with alot of my familey. It was really strange to see everyone again. I can't help but think how strange it is that I'm related to these people, and I'm the next step in the contiuim of what is my familey. It's really kind of depressing and I can only hope I don't turn out to be the drug addict turned vacuum cleaner salesman who can't shut up about "the end of days". Speaking of familey, my grandma was recently featured in the Leader Telegram talking about my family history.

http://www.leadertelegram.com/story-features.asp?id=BG15EMJIB7T

It's probobly not a good idea for me to say this, but it looks like shit is finally looking up. Yesterday I rode bike all day and it felt really really good. It was cool to see all the people pulling out their bikes and jogging and walking again. I finally met up with Anna and we got some pizza and I rode across the street to Dooleys for a quick beer with Thomas, sam and Ben? before heading home for the night. I was so happy to be able to ride down the streets without a jacket on. It's amazing that we are willing to go through the punishment of winter, but seeing everything in the spring is also a really cool reward.

I know this has been text heavy and doesn't really pretain to bikes, but who cares really? Anyway heres to spring. GO RIDE BIKES!

The bicycle is a wonderful invention

The snow just won't go away. Not much else going on other than working on BFF flyers, and watching stupid vidos on youtube.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=dnfT8_gPSJY&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0K0KgM48tOU
http://www.freshcreation.com/entry/switchbike_i_want_one/

Back

It's really depressing to be in a place where there is no snow, then return to Wisconsin and the day you get back have it snow all night. Enough already I want warmth. Friday afternoon we took off for Chicago, the plan was to leave at 11:30 we eventually ended up heading out at about 12:30 to pick up Thomas. About 10 miles on the road the transmission began to go out in the car we were driving, so we turned around and headed back to Eau Claire trying to figure out where we could get another car.

Eventually we got another car and loaded up again. By 2 we were finally on the road to Chicago. Drive drive drive drive. Get to Chicago, sit in traffic for an hour. Drive drive, finally get to Tylers house. Unload the bikes put them together, and ride down to West Town Bikes to go to the film fest thing that was going on. Finally got the chance to relax and have a few drinks. Talked to people I havn't seen in a couple months, and met some new people. Watched a bit of "Chopper Chicks in Zombietown". By midnight people broke into 3 parties. Some went to go watch "Bike porn" from what I understand was just a movie of people having sex with bikes, some went to a hipster party to crash it, and the rest of us went back to Tylers place to crash. We stayed up long enough to drink a jug of Carlo Rassi then we went to crash on the couch.

The next day was kind of a blur. I vaguley remeber alot of what happend in the afternoon. What I do know is that we woke up at 11 and started drinking. Eventually we all got outside and stood around in the alley for 45 minuites before riding down to the southside for a cook out. It was a really cool ride, except the fact that riding a haggard freak bike across Chicago hurts you in places you didn't know you had. When we got to Rachels for the cook out a few of us headed over to the nearest grocery store to pick up some boca burgers. About half an hour into the cook out the temeperature started to drop, and the wind started to pick up. A pre-cursor to the cold that was to follow. Eventually I went inside and tried to nap on the couch for a while when whiplash began. Whiplash invloves taking a long piece of tied bike tubes, tying it to two people on pixie bikes, and riding at each other as fast as possible trying to pull the other person off of their bike. We got a few runs in before the tube rope broke and we all gave up.

With the whiplash broke the next stop was back north to do some chariot races. When we arived we threw all the bikes in a pile to race around. Before the races there was a slow tall bike race, which I lost after someone toppled over on top of me within 45seconds of the start. Chariot races started and someone ended up breaking their shoulder or something, at least thats what I heard. The cops showed up and decided that they were going to be nice and instead of busting half the people there for having illicit substances they would ride the charriot instead. Sometimes I'm really happy with cops. After chariot races we went somwhere, Im ot sure where or what happened. When we got there a few of us went to the store to warm up and eat some food. Unfortunetly I guess some other not so friendly cops showed up while we were gone and split eveyone up with night sticks pulled and threatened one of the Nashville folk.

After that was dodge bread. Simply put it's dodge ball, only with dumpstered loaves of bread instead of soft rubber balls. That quickly devolved into people running around throwing bread at anything and everything. Then we went to some school for bumper bikes. Basically spin cycles with car tires around them for running into things. By this time it was getting really cold so a bunch of us huddled up against the school to stay warm. The cops showed up and we had to take off to Logan square for the joust. The joust was really intense and as always I ended up going down on the first round. Some Portland people couldnt help but take their clothes off and do a naked joust. the rest of the night is s blur induced by alcohol and sleep deprivation. There was an after party and craching at Tylers again with the DC kids around 2, that much I know.
The next day we said our goodbyes and headed out around noon. We were tired and didn't feel like driving, so half way home we managed to snag a room at the Kalahari in Wis. Dells for 99$. Went went to the store aquired a 30 pack and some swim wear and hit the waterpark. Drank alot and did alot of water slides. Invited alot of people back to the room to party with us. Around 11 a bunch of high schoolers showed up and it was drama drama untill we finally got rid of them. We ran into some cool people from Delvin and hung out with them most of the night. Got the bikes ourt and rode them a bit. Thomas tried to grab a knife and sliced open his fingers. there was more nudity and security coming to the room telling us to be quiet. I guess after we all crashed Thomas tried to break into the room where they keep their booze and got chased outside by a security gaurd. The next morning the room was a mess with bloody hand towels and beer cans all over the place. I went to the lobby for some coffee. Some lady sat next to me and we started talking. the conversation was pretty incoherant but from what I understood she was a 28 year old stripper with two kids. She invited me to the bar, and then invited me to go snort some valium with her in my room. I declined both times, and she got frustrated, then calmed down again and asked if I could get her into the pool area. The whole time counting crumpled up $20 bills she pulled form her purse. By the time she had them all straightened out she told me she had made $800 the night before. Eventually I left but not before giving her a fake phone number which she demanded I give her. I headed back to the room and we all woke up and had some guiness for breakfast. The rest of the day was sneaking in booze to the pool and swimming untill 3 or 4 then we headed home and here I am now. I have more commentary than this but I've been sitting here to long already, so I'm going to go ride a bike.

blah blah vlah

Jesus Christ, last night I was cleaning my chain and paying little attention to it when all of the sudden I felt my chain pull my finger into my cog. Luckily it only sent a tooth of the cog throgh the middle of my finger nail and not through the whole damn thing. I don't have any band aids so I've been walking around with a bunch of electrical tape and toilet paper strapped to my hand. I don't think there could have been a worse time to be in pain either considering I'm going to Ratricks tomorrow where i will surely be punished. Anyway I am going to some protest thing now.

Look at this.
http://www.dothetest.co.uk/

The future or the end

Still busy. Worked all weekend, this week provides no real relief. Friday afternoon leaving for Chicago for St. Ratricks, which I'm pretty excited about. It should be nice to get away and just ride bikes and meet new people for a couple days untill I'm forced back into reality kicking and screaming. I'm blowing off my bills to pay for gas for the trip down, and money for food/beer while down there.

Derrik sent me a link thats pretty relevant to cyclists rights on the road in Wisconsin.
The Setup: http://velonews.com/article/71866
The arguments: http://velonews.com/article/72849
The second article in particular provides alot of good legal reinforcment for critical mass, and riding in the street in general for incidents when confronted by police.

I also set up a rudimentry page for the Bike Film fest, that should now be the headquarters for all things ECBFF. Flyers should be getting made soon. Spread the word.

http://ecbff.blogspot.com/

Gnarnia

I've been super busy and stuff recently. Movies are starting to arrive in the mail for the BFF. I'm still trying to figure out how to get down to Chicago for Ratricks. I work all weekend and proobly won't be touching a computer for a while. I'll be setting up a web page for the BFF and working on flyers sometime soon hopefully. Another build and planning will be hapening before ratricks, hopefully more productive than the last one. I havnt had much time to ride the Thursday ride, or take any pictures recently. I added Chris' site to the links section, and will link the BFF site once I make it. Any help with flyers is appreciated. Blah blah blah

Heres a promo for the alleycat coming up this May, do it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA3uHtwVSLc&feature=related

Heres a photographer I like alot

http://www.socialdailynews.com/diverse/american-vagabonds.php

http://svr84.ehostpros.com/~plrds84/indexdirty.htm

In the belly of a whale.

I won't lie. I totally forgot about critical mass on Friday untill I talked to Dan, even then I was reluctant to go. I've worked most of the critical mass' the past few months and forgot how much fun it is to ride bikes in a group and talk to people I don't see often enough. I was pretty suprised to see a dozen people riding, which has to be a record turnout for a Feb. ride. Everything went pretty smooth and I got to ride 3 different bikes so it was well worth it. Kristof was there and told me to check out the local BMX videos at http://www.northoften.net/. I can't help but wonder what the hell I'm doing on a bmx bike after watching them. I guess its just further proof that there are dozens of good people riding bikes in this town that deserve props.

I can't help but think that things are going to be exciting this summer. The bike scene feels like it's coalescing so much, and so many different events are being planned. I'm thinking there should be a pot-luck or a bbq some time in the next couple months. I suppose I should focus my attention on other stuff though, like finding somewhere to live in a couple months. Yesterday I dropped around $100 on movies for the Bike Film Fest. The final lineup is as follows. In no particular order yet.

April 12, 9am-9pm. UWEC@Phillips Hall 117, FREE because I love you

MASH-http://mashsf.com/

Joe Kid on a Stingray-http://joekidonastingray.com/

Pedal-http://youtube.com/watch?v=VckgDaKpRK0

Red Light Go-http://redlightgo.ws/

Klunkerz-http://www.klunkerz.com/

Still We Ride-http://www.stillweridethemovie.com/

BIKE-http://www.bike-films.com/home.php

+ I'm taking submissions from any local people who want to submit something probobly 10min. or under is garanteed to be shown.

The times and other stuff is yet to be determined, and shorts will probobly be played between movies, or at least music will be played. Right now I'm storngly encouraging showing up early and hanging out all day and riding bikes all day. We might be able to set up some events, and I'm thinking about having an afterparty at my place. I'm really excited and it sould be a good time, so everyone mark the date on your calenders and show up. I'm probobly going to need at least a couple other people willing to hang around the whole time and work the equipment and help out with shit, so if your intrested contact me.

There will probobly be a bike build day and arts and crafts night coming up. Tentativey next Wed. This is a chance to build a bike if you have ever wanted to build a tall bike or any thing else, and work on colors and other stuff for St. Ratricks day which is coming up fast. It's suppose to be warm the next couple days, go ride your bike.

Two Blood Money references in two days....