Friday, December 9, 2011

TACOCAT Alley Cat Race & Benefit Tonite!




TacoCat Alley Cat Race Tonite! This is a benefit for Bikes Del Pueblo. Come support this great collective who for years have given up their Saturdays to repair peoples' bikes in City Heights for free.

Plus prizes donated by Mission Hills and Thomas Bike Shop.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Direct Action

Black Friday style:



Anonymous source.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Monday, October 17, 2011

RIP Eric LaRose, Electric Warriors


One of SD's key bike boosters and one of my friends, Eric LaRose, tragically passed away last month after having a seizure. Eric started a bike crew called Electric Warriors in late 2006 which, with the help of the Cretins, Kutters, and kids from the early years of Critical Mass, put on some of the most killer rides in SD.

I remember the first time I ever heard of the Electric Warriors was from reading about their first planned ride which was advertised via a poster at Kung Food (also RIP'd). The name and logo was a reference to the great T.Rex album.


But what I dug the most was someone taking the initiative to start something new in SD involving mobilizing people for fun on bikes.

The mission statement for EW was perfect:

The Electric Warriors is a night to escape the confines of cars, it is a night to behold our city, to savor the air in our face, to feel the ground beneath our wheels, to know that there is something more to San Diego than tourist attractions and over priced condos. The Electric Warriors is a group for friends, to make friends, to be with friends. The Electric Warriors is for everyone who knows San Diego is much more beautiful on a bike, it is for everyone who wants to unite and spend one night laughing, being boisterous and jovial, connecting, and most importantly feeling something other than the daily dredge of life. The Electric Warriors is a movement to take back the streets, if not just for one night, at least forever in our memories.

The Electric warriors is a group designed to bring together all of San Diego bike people under the common goal of fun. Many of you have ridden with other groups, many of you have not. This group is for the sole purpose of friendship, to motivate others to bike more often, and of course to have fun. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend the monthly bike rides.

EW's broad appeal, combined with underground appeal of Cretins and Kutters, made the collabo rides super fun and increasingly popular.

In January of '07, the Cops & Robbers ride was the first known "unpermitted" ride in the mid city area to break over 200 people. Back then that was huge.

Eric was always down to get into some fun adventures and was a great person to have as a friend and as a community member. He will be missed.

(Eric (far right) with Ken and Jodi, circa 2006. Damn, that was a whole other era).


(Hung on Eric's bike at his tribute memorial).

RIP buddy.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Rollin Deep: Kendrick Lamar



Damn, this track is fire. Roll deep. Quit fuckin around.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Cretins' LORD OF THE FLIES Ride, Sunday, Sept. 4!

The Cretins' LORD OF THE FLIES Ride is back!

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Friday, August 26, 2011

Street Justice & Grrrl Power: Sisters Take Down Hit-And-Run-Driver

If you've ever been the victim of a hit-and-run, then I'm sure you'll agree that we need more badass, altruistic people like this in society. Damn, wish I could have been there to witness this!:

Wrestling Sisters Take Down Hit-And-Run Suspect In Oklahoma

An alleged hit-and-run driver proved to be no match for a pair of wrestling sisters who used their grappling skills to score a roadside takedown.

Brittany and Brienna Delgado, members of the Oklahoma City University wrestling team, then held the suspect with wrestling techniques until police arrived.

"My sister and I are very proficient wrestlers and also played football in high school, so we know about tackling," Brittany Delgado (right) told The Oklahoman.

The sisters were driving with their grandmother Saturday night when there was a collision with another car. The other driver got out of his car and started running away. Both Delgados pursued him with Brienna in the lead.

"When I was chasing him I was still yelling, 'You need to come back,'" Brienna told The Oklahoman. “I wasn't wearing the proper footwear. I got a little road rash when I tackled him."

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Brienna said the man had his hands beneath him when she tackled him. Then, in case he had a weapon, she concentrated on securing his hands and brought them behind his back with a wrestling move (hammerlock or chicken wing, depending on your terminology or interpretation).

"If Brienna wouldn't have tackled him, I'm pretty sure he would have gotten away," Brittany told The Oklahoman.

The sisters are originally from South Carolina. Brittany, a senior, began wrestling when she was 3 and is a two-time national champion in the Women's College Wrestling Association. Brienna will be a freshman this year.

"They're typical young women wrestlers," Oklahoma City coach Archie Randall told The Oklahoman.

"They're very aggressive and determined with what they're going to do."

He also said the Delgados are shooting for the Olympics, which introduced women's wrestling as an official sport in 2004.



http://www.thepostgame.com/features/201108/wrestling-sisters-take-down-hit-and-run-suspect

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Comic Con Hangover Mountain Bike Ride



If you wake up from your Comic Con hangover in time, join us tomorrow on the Punk Rock MTB Ride field trip to Sweetwater Reservoir!

We'll be visiting one of the oldest train bridges in the region and will be joined by a special guest who is bike touring across the world.

See you tomorrow at Rebecca's (30th & Juniper) at 1pm for the carpool there.

In the meantime, I'm about to head to San Diego Comic Con which is going down this weekend. See you all at the Storm Trooper dance party tonite.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

RIP ATIP: Three Year Anniversary of Our Friend's Death


It's been three years since our friend Atip Ouypron was struck and killed by a motorist in the middle of the deadly University Avenue and Park Blvd intersection between the Hillcrest and North Park neighborhood. We still miss you. RIP.



More info for those who weren't fortunate enough to know Atip.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Matt Spencer, Congo, Matt Lingo Get Down at Home Ave

I was thinking the same thing as Prolly--It's been awhile since I've seen work by SD's Matt Lingo. He most certainly hasn't stopped. Quite the opposite. He's one of the busiest dudes I know. But when I run into him around town he's always in the same good mood, regardless. Him , Congo, and Matt Spencer got busy at one of SD's sickest underworld spots--Home Ave:


The hill is alive. Spencer in control.


Just picked up that same Kenda tire for my mtb whip.


New Leaders are lookin' fresh.


Stay punk.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Wolfpack Hustle to Race a Jet from Burbank to Long Beach

This is amazing. Big ups to Wolfpack. Great idea. P.S. Every day in Southern California is Carmageddon...:

Carmageddon: Bicyclists challenge JetBlue to crosstown race [Updated]

Jetblue
Can bicyclists beat JetBlue from Burbank to Long Beach on "Carmageddon" weekend?

A couple of bloggers have laid down that challenge to a bicycle group after learning JetBlue was offering $4 one-way plane tickets Saturday for the crosstown trip.

The cycle group known as Wolfpack Hustle will do the honors for the wheels against a JetBlue passenger plane. The cyclists are slated to take off at 10:50 a.m. Saturday from a home in Burbank.

Bicycle blogger Joe Anthony will take the 12:20 p.m. JetBlue flight from Burbank to Long Beach. The flight is scheduled to arrive in Long Beach at 1:05 pm.

Anthony is expected to make the finish line about 15 to 20 minutes later at the Long Beach Aquarium.

[Updated at 11 a.m.: “You have to remember, the passenger has to come from his house to the airport and then get from the plane to the Long Beach Aquarium," said a rider known as Roadblock from the Wolfpack Hustle. “Right now on Twitter, people think we can win. We beat a car down there a couple of weeks ago. That was from Silver Lake to Long Beach.”]

What began as a bunch of jokes on Twitter about bikers being able to beat JetBlue between bloggers Tom Vanderbilt @tomvanderbilt and Gary Kavanagh @GaryRidesBikes has evolved into a real-world race.

Roadblock says five riders will take up the Bike vs. Flight challenge.

Organizers say all participants must obey traffic laws, including the person driving Anthony to the airport.

The start of the race is timed so Anthony can arrive at the airport about one hour before takeoff.

That may be just enough time to give Wolfpack Hustle a sporting chance.

RELATED:

Full Carmageddon coverage

LAPD says no to parties, bike rides on 405

Carmageddon: Taiwanese animators poke fun at L.A.

-- Richard Winton

LA Times, July 15: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/07/carmageddon-bicyclists-challenge-jetblue-to-crosstown-race.html#more

Friday, July 15, 2011

Tonite! Three Awesome Full Moon Rides

So amped on tonite! Back-to-back-to-back rides starting with...


A little crew will be heading out earlier from the Sheldon Brown BBQ to catch the Punk Rock Mountain Bike Ride meeting at 7:30pm. The PRMTB ride tonite will be a going away ride for Mike Valenzuela whose heading on a bike tour this Monday:


Come say peace out to our boi!

Then we'll all be converging at 10pm for the Awarewolfs ride:


It's a super nice day out in SD, and it's gonna be an even better nite! Can't wait!

Monday, July 11, 2011

Punk Rock Mountain Bike Ride Photo Story Time

Storytime:

The Punk Rock MTB Rides have still been ruling my life.

So stoked on my mountain bike right now. Just got back from an urban MTB sesh around my neighborhood while listening to Nick Cave. Got all hyped after reading Wrahw following yesterday's killer trip in-through-and-out Chula Vista's hidden trail system that is literally w/in the gaps of its neighborhood.

Here's a mini collection of the last 6 rides:

Field trip to Esco on June 5 (this ride was originally supposed to be on May 29 but we pushed it back one week for super fun Cretins BBQ/Dodgeball Tourney/Ride the week prior):







All the signs of a perfect host. Thanks, Brian, for showing us around Esco.


Ryan was jammin' down the first trail and nailed this gap w/o any prior inspection. I was right behind him to witness. On our way back the starting point he inspected it and was shocked he cleared this thing right off the bat. He started getting second thoughts about doing it again. But he ended up doing it after watching Jack and Andy (probably the two most advanced regulars on the ride) clear it, so I was able to score this blurry photo of it.


Monster mash.


Jack gettin' droppy.

After the Esco ride we decided to change the scheduling of the ride so that we do two field trips to every local ride.


To maintain our original commitment of "Every other Sunday since Jan. 9th" we picked right back up on June 12. The mission was a field trip to Rancho Penasquitos. My favorite style of trail--Fast and cavernous:

Jason picked up this sick steel Bontrager w/ early 2000s XTR, etc. Beautiful whip. He got it to partake in these rides. And what could be a better introduction than his home town canyon?


All about trails w/ rivers runnin' through. Rivers w/ dogs runnin' through is extra credit.



Andy is probably the gnarliest regular. He was a part of the old school Virginia-based MTB crew "Team Hugh Jass" who I used to read about in mags in high school. Good dude who knows tons of great spots in SD and keeps the rides posi-core and funny.




Disseminatin' propaganda on the regs.


Full Moon Ride to The Sewers on June 15: This ride was exactly what the PRMTBRides are supposed to be about. Got so underground, we got physically lost. I love that feeling. It's so rare.

Local Ride, July 3: No Photos. Heard the crew started out w/ some local trails then felt like riding Mission Trails, so they just did both. Hah.

Chula, July 10:

This was the first time we've gone back to the same destination on a field trip. Shows you how many places to ride in SD there are. There are actually tons more that we haven't hit up. We were just in the mood for some South Bay singletrack. We did the same loop but added Four Palms (a trail I had the honor of helping to build w/ the Hoser crew in 2000-ish) and Pablo's Chute (below), which is a super fast tunnel drop that's a bit more gnarly than the pic represents:

'Zoni in the zone.

Finally, this what happens when you try to bail off a four foot high teeter totter half way through:


The end.

Next ride is the Full Moon Ride this Friday, July 15. Meets at 7:30pm at Rebecca's. We are converging w/ two other rides at some point that nite. Look out for the next blog post w/ details. Gonna be a good nite.

Monday, July 4, 2011

Paper Rad Collective in town this Wednesday

My buddies Extreme Animals from the Paper Rad Collective are in town playing The Che Wednesday nite! Nothing will be in control!

Their new video is getting me amped:


Flier:


Rage:


Extra credit to those OG SD heads who remember this Extreme Animals-affiliated rager from '0-fucking-6:

America Day

Happy America Day.

Super nice weather in SD today. Lots of bikes out. Even more U.S. flags. Wished half of the time weren't on Old Navy t-shirts.

America Day is a good time to think about the country and its history. I've been nerding out on the history of U.S. Presidents lately, irrespective of America Day today, and I recently came up on this brutal 1834 cartoon of Kentucky Senator Henry Clay sewing President Andrew Jackson's mouth:



Jackson was censured by the U.S. Senate for abuse of presidential power. He made certain enemies in his fight against the Bank Of The U.S., as depicted here:



As someone whose had a strong interest in Freedom of Speech and the limits thereof in this country and beyond, what I do know is this:

There are generally two ways for someone to get censored and censured like this: Ironically, either their mic control is really whack or their mic control is on-hit... To determine that depends entirely on who you ask...

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Major Taylor Book Discussion at Malcolm X Library Tomorrow


A new book on 1899 world champion track racer Major Taylor will be discussed by it's author tomorrow (6/22) evening at the fabulous Malcolm X Library in South East San Diego.

The new book by Jim Fitzpatrick is titled "Major Taylor in Australia" which is where the Major relocated his career to, due to the intense bigotry and threats he faced by white racists in America.



This event is sponsored by the Major Taylor Cycling Club of San Diego and the Malcolm X Library (5148 Market St., San Diego). Be sure not to miss this. And as one of my favorite bumper stickers ever says, "Read A Fucking Book."...So why not this one? Support a library while you're at it.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

National Dump The Pump Day Tomorrow



The 6th Annual National Dump The Pump Day is tomorrow, June 16. Do your part and snub the elites who want to maintain our oil and automobile dependency by riding your bike to work instead. Support yourself and/or your local bike shop (or bike kitchen) instead.

Dump The Pump Day was started by the American Public Transportation Association. More info here.

I realize that this Dump The Pump logo is from 2009, but I like the subtitle message of the 2009 version more than the 2011 version.

A-Wolfs Mission Bay Full Moon Ride Tonite