"I had become more and more enraged and mystified by the idiot decisions made by my countrymen. And then I had come suddenly to pity them, for I understood how innocent and natural it was for them to behave so abominably, and with such abominable results: They were doing their best to live like people invented in story books. This was the reason Americans shot each other so often: It was a convenient literary device for ending short stories and books.
Why were so many Americans treated by their government as though their lives were as disposable as paper facial tissues? Because that was the way authors customarily treated bit-part players in their made-up tales.
And so on.
Once I understood what was making America such a dangerous, unhappy nation of people who had nothing to do with real life, I resolved to shun storytelling. I would write about life. Every person would be exactly as important as any other. All facts would also be given equal weightiness. Nothing would be left out. Let others bring order to chaos. I would bring chaos to order, instead, which I think I have done.
If all writers would do that, then perhaps citizens not in the literary trades will understand that there is no order in the world around us, that we must adapt ourselves to the requirements of chaos instead.
It is hard to adapt to chaos, but it can be done. I am living proof of that: It can be done."
-Kurt Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions, written in 1973
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Friday, March 29, 2013
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Transition TransAM 26" in all its proper glory...
ONE bike??? I have to narrow it down to ONE FRIGGIN BIKE!!! But how? I ride a lot of different stuff, and it's just a must that I have 17 different bikes in my garage/ house to maintain...
Enter the BAMF of one-bike collections for a wannabe freeriding damaged dirt jumper with a multiple concussion downhill career. Blah Blah Blah, 29er this, full squish that, all mountain vs trail vs XC vs dj. Hold my beer and watch THIS!
I was beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed with all the mags and Interwebs telling me I needed a different bike for every single ride. I was bouncing back from some ridiculous injuries that had kept me down for far too long, and I just couldn't wait to put rubber to ground. Problem is, what bike do you get for everything from the pump track you built to gravel roads to the trails you'll sneak out to when you get the chance? What gearing and components? What suspension? And what about the fact that all your money has gone to the insurance company, hospital, anesthesia, etc?
Simple answer: find the most versatile geometry hardtail you can wheelie, and sacrifice the build from the dirt jumper you can't ride worth a crap. You don't look cool in girl jeans, you're almost 200 lbs, and your hair is too short/ receding anyways. Having been a fanboy of Transition since the first trail-or-park pics, you should reach out to them and see about that TransAM. It looks cool and the numbers say it'll feel right. Just so happens the white frame looks GREAT with my red and black build. Gearing you say? Nah, let's singlespeed it for a while.
Since then, I've logged I don't know how many miles on her... and she's lived a very diverse life throughout that time. Road rides, pump track laps, gravel grinders, urban, trail, and even commuter miles have accumulated. And they all lead to one conclusion: I love this bike. She's been geared, singlespeeded, and had every kind of tire you can imagine. She even wore a geeky seatbag and headlight for a while!
Why do I like the Tranny so much?
-Look at her! Ano red, white, black, and good geometry... she looks SOOO good! You know you're gonna have a good ride when you catch yourself smiling before you even take her off the rack. Style, my friend... you gotta look good to feel good.
-Riding is very nice. Such predictable and natural feeling geometry. She's laid back just enough to roll over/ through a lot of stuff that would twist up an XC bike, and she never feels twitchy. You can run the seat high and pedal all day, or drop it low and do all kinds of strange stuff normally reserved for a DJ/ park bike. Add to that option the fact that she'll clear a full on DH tire, and you've got yourself a whole bag of options. And who doesn't like options?
-I like to wheelie. Full on sit back, pedal/ brake white trash wheelies for blocks at a time. So much so that there's significantly more wear on my back tire than front. That said, the TransAM might be the easiest to wheelie bike in EVERY build that I've ever had. I love it. She also jumps well for being a larger frame!
-Efficiency and gram-shaving aren't my thing. I've always used heavier builds, and I've never been in good enough shape for it to matter much. However, I've traveled with this bike and ridden many pedally trails without any fuss. It never feels like a pig, she just does whatever I ask. During her commuter days, a set of hookworms and some higher gearing got me all over town, never hesitating to throw a wheely or bounce up/ off or over anything that needed to be bounced.
I feel especially confident on board the TransAM, and every time I change the tires or drivetrain, it's just like getting a new bike that I can automatically ride with ease. Luckily, my stable is full at the present moment, and I'm very glad of it. However, I look forward to the occasional hardtail trail ride or urban session. If I'm ever forced down to one bike again (God forbid) I know exactly which one will stay off the chopping block! Best all around ride I've ever had, and she looks good too! Now let's go ride!
Enter the BAMF of one-bike collections for a wannabe freeriding damaged dirt jumper with a multiple concussion downhill career. Blah Blah Blah, 29er this, full squish that, all mountain vs trail vs XC vs dj. Hold my beer and watch THIS!
so fresh and clean...
I was beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed with all the mags and Interwebs telling me I needed a different bike for every single ride. I was bouncing back from some ridiculous injuries that had kept me down for far too long, and I just couldn't wait to put rubber to ground. Problem is, what bike do you get for everything from the pump track you built to gravel roads to the trails you'll sneak out to when you get the chance? What gearing and components? What suspension? And what about the fact that all your money has gone to the insurance company, hospital, anesthesia, etc?
From house to beer in 9 minutes
Simple answer: find the most versatile geometry hardtail you can wheelie, and sacrifice the build from the dirt jumper you can't ride worth a crap. You don't look cool in girl jeans, you're almost 200 lbs, and your hair is too short/ receding anyways. Having been a fanboy of Transition since the first trail-or-park pics, you should reach out to them and see about that TransAM. It looks cool and the numbers say it'll feel right. Just so happens the white frame looks GREAT with my red and black build. Gearing you say? Nah, let's singlespeed it for a while.
Since then, I've logged I don't know how many miles on her... and she's lived a very diverse life throughout that time. Road rides, pump track laps, gravel grinders, urban, trail, and even commuter miles have accumulated. And they all lead to one conclusion: I love this bike. She's been geared, singlespeeded, and had every kind of tire you can imagine. She even wore a geeky seatbag and headlight for a while!
Why do I like the Tranny so much?
-Look at her! Ano red, white, black, and good geometry... she looks SOOO good! You know you're gonna have a good ride when you catch yourself smiling before you even take her off the rack. Style, my friend... you gotta look good to feel good.
-Riding is very nice. Such predictable and natural feeling geometry. She's laid back just enough to roll over/ through a lot of stuff that would twist up an XC bike, and she never feels twitchy. You can run the seat high and pedal all day, or drop it low and do all kinds of strange stuff normally reserved for a DJ/ park bike. Add to that option the fact that she'll clear a full on DH tire, and you've got yourself a whole bag of options. And who doesn't like options?
-I like to wheelie. Full on sit back, pedal/ brake white trash wheelies for blocks at a time. So much so that there's significantly more wear on my back tire than front. That said, the TransAM might be the easiest to wheelie bike in EVERY build that I've ever had. I love it. She also jumps well for being a larger frame!
-Efficiency and gram-shaving aren't my thing. I've always used heavier builds, and I've never been in good enough shape for it to matter much. However, I've traveled with this bike and ridden many pedally trails without any fuss. It never feels like a pig, she just does whatever I ask. During her commuter days, a set of hookworms and some higher gearing got me all over town, never hesitating to throw a wheely or bounce up/ off or over anything that needed to be bounced.
pure white trash.
I feel especially confident on board the TransAM, and every time I change the tires or drivetrain, it's just like getting a new bike that I can automatically ride with ease. Luckily, my stable is full at the present moment, and I'm very glad of it. However, I look forward to the occasional hardtail trail ride or urban session. If I'm ever forced down to one bike again (God forbid) I know exactly which one will stay off the chopping block! Best all around ride I've ever had, and she looks good too! Now let's go ride!
Full commuter garb. Looks nerdy until I get RAD on it!
My buddy liked it so much... he got one too!
Thursday, March 14, 2013
The new Studio!!!
I knew 2013 would be a big year, whether I wanted it to or not! After being sidelined most of 2012 with a few surgeries and recoveries, I felt behind and ready to catch up! As a very goal-oriented person, I decided to re-paint the big picture of my life, and the biggest way I wanted to do so was a new environment for myself and my pack. It was time to set up shop and let some roots grow, right here in North Texas!
I'm not very picky about my living space, but there are some strict requirements when it comes to my work space and the mutts. We are a force to be reckoned with! Worrying about losing my beloved studio and armed with a strange list of desires, I set out to find a home that would suffice in the area that I wanted to be in. Location is key, as one of my big goals is to ride my bicycle so much that the battery on my truck dies. This means I have to be VERY picky in what no one would call a "bicycle-friendly" town. I needed to be close (pedaling distance) to some food, entertainment, and friends. Also, I need some serious space. I grew accustomed to the compound, a 20,000 square foot facility attached to 52 acres of nearly lawless land, very quickly and was not too keen on leaving. With the way I am, the way my wife is, and our ridiculous pack of animals, I didn't have much faith in finding anything that would work.
With my Real Estate Broker license and keys in hand, I set out all over the areas I was interested in to learn some more. What I found has worked so well that I have trouble looking back on anything from the past! Without going into too much detail (I'm still old school about posting too much online), here's the breakdown: Steazy '70's split level with an enclosed garage turned game room, with an additional 2 car garage in a pocket neighborhood that has one of the best parks in town as the backyard. Add a 7' tall fence, some signature styling via my wife and I, and about three months worth of daily Lowe's trips later, she's coming to life! My favorite rooms- the garage and studio (ex-game room) or what I've referred to as my "Dojo" have seen the bulk of my skill-less, profanity intensive craftsmanship as I faced the learning curve of home remodeling. But I've kept pushing, and it looks great! Enough blabbering for now, check out some pics and the time lapse video from taking the studio from mild to wild!
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