cx philly

                                            I like the font, and the hash grid and the cap on crooked

       almost gone, the old passage for water, where the trail use to be

                                                      nature boy, it's a sweet place

                                                     real sweet

                                   I want to nap here

                                                       a place to drink booze I guess

      the lonely big tree on belmont,  I reached up and tapped the low branch going by

                                        funny to look at, all the apt. homes, and the empty trails
I got 7 days of riding in a row in. Much of the same places I always ride.
Just doing what I love.


cheers,
dl.

Cheers 2014!

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - "Breathless"

I've read books on mythology, WWI, the spirit of Art,  more Rockwell Kent,  the brain

some history, music, poems of Bukowski

                                                myles patrick

                          junk yard cx

                              SScx misty rain ride by the wiss.

I took lots of photos, and have had plenty of dreams,
lots of days of work, good days a many
seen old time latern slides at the Wagner,  some art openings,  a couple dozen bike races,
pleasant nights falling asleep next to my wife
and today just out on a solo road ride.

and I was thinking, loads of time to think on a long slow ride.
I was thinking about, how all this stuff pulls together,
good beer/wine, food, cooking, learning,
the amazing feeling of being lifted by fine music.

I miss racing cx,  riding today I wanted to race.
but really I knew,  it wasn't the racing I missed,
it was the joy of the effort,  and giving a good effort,
I'm always missing the moment of waiting in the grid, to start the race,
the change
in me, when the light turns green.


to 2015
Cheers, dlowe

office partys

today
blinkey this year sorta comes as an office party
not too many locals,  a bunch did,  signed up to race, and a lot of riders from outside the local.
it will be nice to watch the out-town yahoo's go at it,
it'll entertain.
its been pretty grand the last couple of years
I race it some years,
some years I go for a mountain bike ride and miss it

Yesterday.
xmas cx & mtb follies has rolled on a long number of nontraditional years
its the best
a good race,  really good one to do
I picked #3 and pinned it to my plain black wind jacket
put the SSCX bike up against a tree
Mountain bikes, titanium, beaters, cx, gears, utility ones
we lemans started
I never get the hole shot
I race in spurts to make sure I go hot, rile past some one some time during the race
make a bit of a risky move,  hit something fast, get a bit of air,  hope I don't crash

its good
the company store is laid out
beers, funny named liquors, food,
Prizes great prizes that are given for whatever reasons,  how you finished, best crash, dealers choices.

off season, is off to the best start

Cheers!

dlowe.

God's Pocket

home,
It's taken me a bit of time to figure it out,
Home is nothing more than a place that you want to call your own,
and protect,
Its yours,
you ever go into a locals only bar,
like you need a beer, drinks, booze as much as everyone else there
and you get head turns and eye balls and you might get now cause its too late
do something or not you'r going to get punched in the face

all the kids were getting out of school, taking their time to cross Chelten ave.  Germantown.
none of 'em had any or much german in them
I waited wanting to turn right, and turned, drove past the gallery, it really looked dark
no lights on,
but I still parked in the funky lot
and went to the door to see what was up
wed. 1-6
it should be open,
I turned the knob and it opened
it was open,  and the kind gallery lady said the electric was out

and I bought the nice little one in the corner

"Strummer"  is now mine.

we bought our first house in roxborough back in 1990,  and we got some stink eye from some of the young locals on our street.  

I like the two step down, Alex pizza.   I got two.   and a bit of stink eyed from the dude killing time.
the local.

my dream of a portrait spot has not lapsed,
seems going back to roxborough might hold some promise,
I saw a space but I don't know, "is it worth it?"
I have no idea, and its a lot of $$$,  jeeze.
if the apartments can cover the mortgage, it'd work.
the 1st floor space is perfect and derelict.
It'd make a good spot for a record player, fridge of beer, and some bad ass portrait works.

the one on the left.


I'll try.  I'll look into it.   There is a bar on the corner right across the street,  might as well and go in and see my luck.



the art, Cal Schenkel @ the IMPeRFCT Gallery.
http://www.ralf.com/galerie/

1. Cal Schenkel (born January 27, 1947) is an artist specializing in album cover design. He was the main visual collaborator for Frank Zappa and was responsible for the ...

     2.  God' Pocket a novel by Pete Dexter   

"GOD'S POCKET" is adapted from the book of the same name by former Daily News columnist Pete Dexter, and arrives 30 years after events that inspired the story.
Which involved Dexter getting beaten half to death by a group of folks who didn't care

http://articles.philly.com/2014-05-16/news/49900826_1_pete-dexter-john-slattery-caleb-landry-jones
 

roxoborough's not too rough now,  its soft,  never really as bad as some of the worst spots, and,... as the crazies have died or gotten to fat to care,  no one cares who calls it home.

cheers, dl

buzzed killed

I went to sleep with a lot of energy.
much like going to bed before the first cross race.
and as I drove
up the turnpike
I turned more dower
and by the end of racing
I was sulking
It was a good race,  a tough course, and all went well
we had a good field of riders
the largest lot
of the day
I had good beer, a dark and hardy stout to share
while we chatted after the race
I missed the ones who did not make it
I'll miss this season
It was full
of a
bunch of wonderful
race days.


I cleaned up
unpacked, and stored away
put the pedals from the "a" bike back on the mountain bike
and went for a ride on it today

I'd like to think this season of racing made me a bit better of a person,  that,  it'll make me grow
a bit stronger,

onward with a smile and snort, a hoof to the dirt, digging in, with heart
and I wish a bit more brains
I look forward,  to next year, now.

Thanks friends for being such strong and formidable foes!
to Cyclocross!

cheers, dlowe

Capital Classic

David Dusing Singers - Soundtrack Dead Man Walking - "Sacred Love"

 it was a good weekend,  it took a bit for it to settle in, finally this morning my energy was low, my legs heavy,  my thoughts dull,  my spirit a bit low.

race morning, the full moon setting view from our hotel, and off to the races


I went down to Reston to race the Capital Classic,   I love this race, traveling and staying in the same great hotel, always with good friends, that I ride and race with.  This year it was Kelly Cline and I that made the trip.

the days leading up to the race were filled with rain,  it was clear on race day,  but muddy, and cold.
I've worked hard to be a better racer,  to enjoy the craft,  and now,  I love the mud, the cold.

Reston is a start where the hole shot does not matter all that much,  a smart rider can move to the front, and a good mudder has more opportunities to make it to the lead.

Kelly took the 1st over the barriers prime,  but had to later withdraw from the race with mechanical/equipment problems.

           photo: William Douglas Graham

I think Kelly is off the front of this chasing group,  that's me mid-pack,  me, biding my time, settling in to a good mud race.  I was happy to pick off two foes coming up to the line,  to niche 8th.

One race left, Limestone,  I'm not tired or dreading it,  I'm not looking forward to an off season, or not.   Riding just takes on another form,  the cold early dark,  getting my SSmtbike built up.
Spiking the water bottle so it does not freeze,  long rides, cold toes, trainer time,  and dreams of racing.


Cheers!
dlowe

Two to Go!

as much as I think,  I tell what I think, very little.
I keep my thoughts to myself, and that, for 99% of the time, is the right thing to do.
but maybe not today,

I love the seedy parts of Philadelphia, they are not hard to find.


  The Kinks - "alt version- Lola"

I was feeling good this chilly day,  wearing my warm kit, and pedaling about, with just a few drops of rain, and nowhere to be, nothing I had to do.

I always like to hit up Belmont on the way,  but I have to say....  that it don't work,  outlining the trails with sticks, logs and branches,  its like riding in a coloring book,  and its anti-negative-disruptive to the flow,-not cool.      Just let the small trails be,  they have never been too wide, nope, they sorta dis-appear, with overgrowth.  I'm not sure where and why this OCD prevails, but I avoid riding Belmont cause of all the twigs, and such, placed along the edge of the single track. 

Reston is this weekend, and I wish all the other old men I love racing against were going to be there. I am still a bit just a wee bit off, but this race should put me back on,  and I plan to give Limestone 100%.   I don't want to end the season with not kicking as much ass as I can,  no matter how little ass that I kick really is. 

I found out Mr. Fatmarc's ex-hot girlfriend's name,   its Lola,  ain't that strange, I wondered whats going on.

I want to see Featherman, and Hebe, Fatmarc, Fergy, and all my oldmen friends,  I don't want the season to end,  I want to hear the gruffman Lux's opinion,  to race the bikeline fellows.  Wantta beat on Mr. Joe,  Ray, and all the dudes,  come on out and play,  Reston is a great course, its a real cx course,  with rain all day Saturday and into the night.   A chilly temp sunday.  Fucking it's cyclocross,  lets do it. 

"Two to go"

cheers racers,  dlowe. 

Nature Boy

A few years back during a cold winter, a opossum would creep onto the front porch, stumbly drunk as they'd walk.  We'd leave a bit of dry cat food out for him.
On came a good cold snap and that night I saw opossum laying by the food.
I took a towel, and picked up the pretty non-moving body.
Put him in the little access room we had to warm up.
We'd look in, to check up, he seemed happy and alive.
His little toes curled as I rubbed the pink bottoms of his feet.

Nature Boy is not a long segment,  just up from the river, a way to get to the Wissahickon.

                           dusk comes quick


We took the opossum to the wildlife center on the edge of this nice patch of nature.
We found out that the opossum was a girl, we named her Virginia.
opossums don't like the cold.
they like the southern climate.

I'm healed up and got the OK to ride hard.
It's two races left for me now in this racing season.
Wonderful Reston.
and
Limestone.


Nature Boy is one of my favorites segments.

Virginia lived for a about a year longer up at the Schuylkill Wildlife Center,  she liked to be held, always had a full stomach and warm place to sleep.
Cheers, dlowe

The Female Gaze

   I looked for quite a while at the above photograph, by Diane Arbus.   It was in the show I went to see today in a small gallery, empty except for me and the prints, at Haverford College.  I went to see the Dorothea Lange, the famous print,  Florence Thompson, and her two children,  The Migrant Mother.   The antibiotics have started to work on my arm, and the redness is shrinking.  No riding, no riding the long annual Thanksgiving ride this year.  I think I should be out on the bike Friday.  I plan to take the opportunity to make the best of this really grand cyclocross racing year.  To take it right to the end, December 14th Limestone CX.  It is important to me to train hard, or rest right,  to not lose concentration at this ending late stage of the season.  To see it through.    Photos @ Haverford: The Female Gaze.

waving

I go bit by our cat yesterday morning,  He, Pascal was riled up by a cat sitting on the other side of the door, outside looking in.   I tried to shoo Pascal away,  but he spooked and chomped my right fore-arm.

This morning my arm was red, infected.   Of to the ER.  Got some IV antibiotics, a prescription for more, and luckly sent on my way.    
A couple of instructions,  don't do strenuous stuff, and keep your arm elevated above your heart.

Its 70 degrees out today.
I had plan to get a mini end of the season training block of 10 days of nice riding.
get some fitness pep back into the legs for Limestone CX,
and I love Reston, maybe if the weather looks good do Reston too, on 12/7
Its a great course and staying at the sweet suites hotel, with a bike path next to it,  just a few minutes from the course makes it a good race trip.


Yesterday racing went well,  12th, got a good jump and sat 5th wheel for the 1st 1/3 of the lap and dropped back to my battle and I am happy to say I rode hard, smart, hard, as hard and as smart as I could.      

                                            photo: Anthony Hennessy

                                           photo;  Dennis Smith


keeping my chin tucked like a boxer and my fingers away from the brakes


please a bit more CX...
cheers racers, dlowe

longing

today is Ljiljana and my, wedding anniversary
We got married in 1986.
Pretty much we meet in college, and started seeing each other, and have been together since.

I got home late last night,  from seeing a show, the Twilight Sad:

a bleak sadly romantic album,  I love,   The Twilight Sad - "Sometimes I wish I could fall asleep".

Ljiljana was up very early, this morning,
I heard her,  finishing getting ready for work, and I got up to have a cup of coffee,
chat a bit,
Send her off with a kiss, and I'd go back to bed.




I have not been on my cross bike since the last race,
and I might as well stay off till the next, tomorrow.
one ride this week,  today, on the mountain bike.


I don't know why about me, that I yearn for one, to stick with something,


I like the cathedral, and the multi-generations of life that is built into them.
I like riding down the path, that most likely the german mystic monks walked, in Wissahickon.
Cross feels that way to me,
these short efforts, seasons of racing,
I like just being part of something, that last.  I feel that I am part of something that will last.



xxoo.
dlowe

some of my photos of Ljiljana...