NO10

New North of Ten edit.

NORTH OF TEN - May 2010 from North of Ten on Vimeo.

Plus this is just an insane combo of street/flatland.

Tim Knoll digicam edit from tim knoll on Vimeo.

Taken from North of Ten

Bonus post: Animals!

Soak it up.

summer

Since last week things have been a bit of a blur. Which is a good thing. I still havent been on my bike as much as I wish I could be because my arm is still being stupid, but that hasn't stopped nights from going until 5am, pizza farming, camp fires, art shows, thrift sale-ing and afternoon drinking.

I don't really have much to say other than I am so freaking happy that summer is here and it is fucking beautiful. If there is something that can be said for Wisconsin weather is that it keeps you in check. There is so little time to bitch about it in the summer because you know how short it is and how little time there is to waste whining. Which doesn't stop me from bitching about the humidity, but it helps at least.

So short and to the point it's beautiful out, go ride a bike and enjoy the weather.

Pizza farm!

Bike Ride?

LA Beach!

Art show!

Camp fire!

streeeeet

A while ago I was approached about helping Volume One work on a big piece on developing our streets to be more pedestrian/bicycle friendly. I cordially accepted and the article is out now. I think the whole thing is really good and really impressive and am happy I could help. Well all of it except one thing...

"Local businesses have the ability to appease a whole bunch of irritated bicyclists, increase their traffic, and even save trees with one simple act: adding a bike rack. Over the past few years, trees in downtown Eau Claire have started blooming bikes as well as leaves. This is a protest/demonstration from the cycling community about the lack of parking. Bikers hoist their bikes into trees to prove their point."

It's funny to me that something that started out as a total joke has become a "protest/demonstration." I'm not about to totally discredit the article, because hey if it advances the cause then good for us. But I can't help but shake my head at how this stuff gets politicized sometimes. I could rant about the politicization of cycling culture and environmentalism for a long time, but I will spare you and instead post this picture of mine and Cayla Flecks bikes making a cameo.

Anyway, it's an interesting read and a lot of work went into this issue, so pick it up or chek it out online here. We are the people this affects most of all when it boils down to it.

My summer officially kicks off on Saturday, can't fucking wait!

college

This kid built a velodrome in his college library for his senior project. Jealous.

BUT! He wasn't at the valleycat like all these lucky people.

valleycat

Yes.

Despite having a stupid cold and wierd stomach bug that sent me to the bathroom no less than twelve times Saturday morning I made it to the valleycat for chekpoint/beer drinking duty.

It was a fucking awesome time, 70 racers, 534 beers, 18 pizzas later, no reported injuries, and tons of dancing. It was awesome to see so many friendly faces and so many faces I didn't recognize. This is really the kind of event that brings a community together and I am proud to say I had part of it no matter what that part may be.

I was in a bit of an exausted haze the whole day due to a lack of sleep and being sick but I managed to run around and take some pictures of the day.

ps I am done drinking for infinity after Saturday.

or at least until Thursday night...

bam

I am pretty much done with stuff for the week and I am totally jazzed as a result. And on top of it all Andy and i went to the Chancellors Roundtable discussion today to discuss the future of cycling on the UWEC campus.

it was a little bit depressing that people had a hard time getting beyond very little issues (bike parking, riding on sidewalks) and wouldn't look at the bigger picture, but it actually felt pretty productive.

Anyone who has ever ridden on the footbridge to the UWEC lower campus knows what a clusterfuck that intersection with Garfield Ave. is. Unfortunately many of the people in charge have never ridden their bike that way apparently. So Andy and I had to give them what for and fill them in.

I know meetings can always get boring and seem stupid and bureaucratic, but if it weren't for Andy seeing this and bringing it up their would have probably not been anyone there to represent a cyclist point of view. it would have just been another check mark on a agenda somewhere. Plus it feels good to fill people in on stuff they have no idea about. I like to think that UWEC and the City are not anti-bicycle, they are just totally clueless, that's why it is important to clue them in. And get them really upset, because it's funny. Well that's all about that. Props to Andy for finding out about that thing and giving them hell. And props to anyone who sits through long winded meetings in an effort to make cycling better for all of us.

3 more days to valleycat mayhem.

Tonight:

Fucking Thursday night Ride

Tomorrow

Nates dungeon show with Arms Aloft and ZCFOS

Free cabin show with Haley Bonar

Saturday:
If you don't know, get out.

I was going to post a bunch more photos of old stuff, but blogger and I are fighting again. So for now here's an old photo of me passed out on the kitchen floor and music you should be listening to right now.

Weakerthans
The Falcon
Buddy Holly
Dr. Dog
The Promise Ring
Lightning Bolt

hu

random pictures from a saturday.

shitty grumpy week.

6 days till valleycat.