Good Folk

 

I had a bit of fun the other night, shooting wheels with JK, for the Revolution WheelWorks website.  I've know Jk for a while, I think I've got one of the first set of wheels, unlabeled, that I've been racing cross on.  My first set of tubular rims.   so I'm sorta biased, but being me, I have a hard time using anything that I'd feel would slow me down on the bike.   I like the wheels a lot.  I've ridden them at battenkill, Granogue.  The carbon clinchers, my favorites.   It took me awhile to get use to the braking sound, but all else, super good.   I train on 'em, crits on 'em.   Just ride 'em to their death, I'll do.  I hope to get my second set this spring, just for racing.   Revolution Wheelworks.

the Studio was George's living room, drinking beers, listening to music, cats sleeping on wheel bags, a good way to spend a night.  Trying to fill in all these quiet days, the ones from x-mas eve to after new years day with productivity.

 

 

 

the other day, its was cold and clear, with snow moving in.  I hit up the centennial lakes to do some hot laps, 45mins. of as much as I could drive myself to replicate racing, workout. 

 



I pre-rode my lap, making some adjustments to the course, and on my way down the walk, a mini-van hops off the road and creeps down, looking for a place to pull off, to fuck or get high.

"Yo Fuck!,  you have to fuck here"  I yell at 'em.  they look at me, with zombie stares and park just to the right.  OK, go with it, so each lap the vans there, whatever.     Deal with it, go hard, 4 to go, push on.
the snow comes down, the van leaves, I finish up.   What a beautiful place.   I stand over the bike, steamy fog rising off of me.  Taking a few photos with the phone.  

If you'r on the cusp about going to Louisville, go, I love that town.  and I really can't wait to line up, on the old golf course links, and go at it with the other, Over 50 yr. old men, racing cross bikes.  and I really look forward to the weekend of watching Championship racing.  Right there, against the tape, yelling, drinking, watching the best.  My folk. 

other wise, next up, a week easy, some Crazy Train,   yo, a 100 or so phila cx peeps pedaling about abandoned urban places.  Beers.  and a cool Patch.  nice thinking Lone Wolf Cycling.  

 

Philly cross its got soul, heart, its thumping away, strong.   I hope to sprint up to the front of the ride and look back, look back at 150+, riding, January, cold. not racing.  A good training day, for me, for my soul.   Good Folk!

a grand new year to you all!

dlowe.

   

In Tune-upped

Every once in a while I hit publish, sit for a bit, and change my mind. and I revert to Save. I'm glad that in its clunky way, the blog, that it gets posted, but then hangs empty,  I'm glad that I can edit this thing.    maybe come back and figure out what I was trying to say and say it better, or just leave it, in the edit mode, not every to be posted.

the other night I went out to see The Babies.   that's it.  a real good show.


The Babies - Moonlight Mile

... at the Kungfu Neckte, a small place, in an urban bar, once a neighborhood hold out, now its life, is the re-energized beer/music thing.  Great small place, good sound, a stage that's 10" off the floor, and much like cross, you can step up close, as you dare and take it in.   The last night of their current touring.  They played with a sleepwalking joy, of knowing that soon they'd feel the strange peace of sleeping in a bed, or on a couch, some place that'll they'd considered home.  They played relaxed, full.

There is this guy, I've seen at shows, he's at a few of the small shows I've seen over the last couple of years. 

I like seeing him at shows, his style.     No drinking, led light, reading his book.




I'm working on refining my photo work.   Its nice to go back through stuff, and see how crappy it can be,  how at one time I thought "not bad".   



Cheers, dlowe.
  

check 'em out here:  http://dlowe.dphoto.com/#

 

 

 

Wankers

well I've pre reg'd for the last race of my season  1/31/13.   Thursday night in Louisville.  7pm.
Singles Speed Cyclocross.  I don't have a proper SS bike, and I don't wanna do it on a gear'd locked out bike.   and my cross bikes, I love ya, but I'm done with ya.     Hate to say it,  but your going up on ebay/C-list,  after Worlds.   
It might be this clunker upgraded w/things from the shed bike.

but it might not, maybe a new bike.   I do like my Raleigh SS mtbike, maybe it needs a friend to hang out with in the shed,  uuuh, a Raleigh sscx would be nice.  maybe.

 

I look forward to thee SSWCCX13  visit to Philadelphia.  No better place for it to be.   I expect 100's of racers, nights of parties, Sun Ra might return from Saturn.    I plan to be the King of the Clunkers SS. 
I want the winners, I want them to be flown to England.  somehow in my mind, the UK, and eel pies and all.  doc martins, Snatch.... , that where else could the SSWCCX go?  but from Philly to merry England.  and the next race host flies the tattooed winners over to give 'em some Respect.
I'd make a special winston Churchill Raleigh SS model.   the cigar smoking drunk, he'd be the head badge,  he'd of liked phila.
I'd want Obree, and Wiggins, the Oasis Gallagher bros. going at it.   Coldplay, yep.    a Ska night at the 100 club.  Johnny Rotten, Donovan,  the Queen Elton John.    

F'n A.  Its December 20th.  What do I want?  I want to ride my bike,  to kick some ass Racin.   I want to F' the man.  To raise a bit of hell, to rock.    I want to die before I get old.  I want to live a lot of life before I die.

cheers mates, dlowe.

I am myself

I've figured out that my soul is that of country dog.
A rambler of one.
I've often got more heart than brains.
a few ticks and fleas, maybe worms.
I can bark loud but hardly ever bite, ... well atleast not drawing blood.
I like to sit back in the bed of the truck, the drool, snot jowl spittle, just  roadmapping down wind.
I'll fart under the table, and wage my tail once or twice.
I go deaf when I see a squirrel, and bolt.
I don't show no affects of pain, or sickness.


one of my heroes.   Bill Cunningham.

a bike riding photographer, watch the movie, Bill Cunningham new york.


I don't think I've belonged to something so inclusive, as this years cyclocross season.
how'd that happen.  that people are taken the time to put on events, un-official and regulated.
rides, clinics, ovals, junkyards, parks, Monday night, Wednesdays, traditions...
Water ice, train wrecks?
and all have been invited, "join us".
I don't think I can remember any time in my life when this has happened before.
that people are just doing what they like
and if you do
all the better
and if you don't
it'll just take longer to kill the keg.

I love this band, Y Niwl, the songs, the 'tude, bunch a'thugs from countryside Wales. 
their own words, language.



Philadelphia, the SSCXWFuckingC.
I don't know if I'll get a Single Speed Cyclocross bike built up, I've been thinking about it.
and if I do, its going to be a bits and pieces one.
I wanna race the clunker class, trash picked frame, or a back of the bike store basement orphan, on the last legs and outta-date parts, wheels with hops, and a history in its self, been used, trashed, put back together, and used harder...

I, I think, am a Single Speed Cyclocross Clunker Racer, and as much as the fastest rider wins.
I wanta be on the bike with the most soul.  um... that French saying je no say kwa.

During my hot laps workout up around the Centennial Lakes, I saw the couch with 3 to go.
Off in the woods.  I went hard the last two laps.  I thought about how,why,that the couch was carried there.  Set down with a good view. 










I relieved myself against a tree, put the bike up in its roof tray, headed over to the follies Cx-mtb race, and bit some heels, cheated and howled.

dlowe.


I missed it this year,  I was working for a couple of days on a electical safety PSA

summer school

I don't feel like racing tomorrow,....   I sit in the classroom and look out the window,  people are crackin' beers, long rides,  putting on a little fat on about the waist.
on Summer Vacation.    
I've got a bunch of home work, a book bag full.
I've got two months to go, to L'ville.   I'll work hard, and be smart about it, I hope.   I've never had to be fast in the end of January.  

Today, I've always wanted to do the park house tour.  In phila., at one point in time, this was quite an important city, and the Men w-$$$ built a number of house just outside the city,  spread down the river, up on the bluff. 

I've downloaded christmas music,  I want to celebrate. well that's not so much news, I always want to celebrate, or ponder, ... the thinkin'... and drinkin'

Ljiljana and I don't worry about celebratin, b-days, thanksgiving, x-mas.  We can't plan whats going to be a good day, you know, with work, moods, how much money is in the bank.  So when things fall in place, like today we make the most of it.  Today is a celebrate day. 

OK, so.. despite getting up early to race tomorrow, I do, I feel like its a full moon night ride, special, I want to race, well I've got the gear packed, and nothing to lose, I feel like racing.   I want the hole shot, I want to be the anvil from the sky, crushing my foes.   Hmm, might be a good day, immune to pain day.  Just got get my feet on the floor when the alarm goes off and out the door.  after that, its habit.

cheers, d.

Apple Pie

 

This iron bed, I've slept in it many of nights.  and in a few different houses.  It used to be upstairs in my Great Grand parents house. 

 

 

During the 3 nights I spent in Beaver, the trains rolled along the river.  I woke 3 or 4 times, the low rumble, trembles, a rattle in the room, awakening me.   The kinda thing that will be a good memory.

It was a good weekend, of racing.       Monday we all sat in the living room, with cups of coffee, the house quiet, we talked.  Just whats on our mind talk.  My mom and I and Michael,  my stepfather.

  

 

Sunday morning, my Mom had a bit to do, and with rain forcasted, seemed better to me that I head out to the CX race on my own.

 

For breakfast I had apple pie.

 

 



I did not set an alarm, I woke while it was just before dawn, I laid in the bed, and the sun rose.  The light slid into the room.  

The bicycle has given me patience, perseverance, confidence.  It burns off my abundant over-exhuberent energy.  my goals for the season, of not needing to beat someone, I've learned, learned that my effort, my drive, I own.  I race to win every race.      Saturday, I heard my Mom cheering for me as I rode by, I got passed and could not catch back up, ended up 3rd.  I gave my mom my phone and she took the photo.

I like this time of night, the house is quite, I hear pascal, one of the cats, eating dry food.  I'm going to grab a beer from out off the porch,  its a cold night, so the beers are quite well chilled.   Its dark in the house, and I'll sip, and not really think, just relax.   the christmas garland and holiday strands of lights,  entwined, give a nice glow.    I'm tired from 3 good long days of work. 

dlowe