That was the best two day tear with a riding buddy ever. Bagels, Riding, Music, Hot Pools. To Paraphrase Dr Kinevell; I'd rather spend four hours in the woods with my (Considerably smaller) friend, shooting shit and learning about life than I would getting (not so)rad with a bunch of Jocks (with blue rims). Thanks Matt.
I've decided that with a body type that is better served packing down a scrum rather than blasting up a switchback that I need a change of focus, a new outlet if you will. I've decided to become a luchedore
I must admit I'm a bit nervous,so I'd thought I'd try to live for a day with the mask and cape (Note, I did what I could, do you know how difficult it is to obtain a Lucha Libre full face mask at the Rotorua Markets?)
I guess there are several "First Times" that stand out in a man's life... First Shave, First Kiss, First "Liaison", First time becoming a father etc etc.
I would like to add to that very special precious list "First time your shoe unclipps from your cleat when you are in mid air and travelling rather fast, causing your leg to raise from the bike and take position at a 90 degrees from the bike...like one fat wing"
I'd much rather hug my dad at a wedding than do that..
I was going to write about the great training ride I had yesterday, how I've entered the half century next week not the full and then expouse the virtues of four summertime albums by The Bees, Okkervil River, The Beastie Boys and Zero Zero but I just took the family to eat here and damn it all if I don't need a lie down. food-riffic. Ride more tomorrow. Redux soon.
Something is amiss, someone is telling WHOPPING lies to us about our rented house, I meanSUPER WHOPPERS, almost appearing to be verging on delusional intensity, however it does appear that the house has not been sold. joy.
I'm not going to to the 100km as A) It's such a long way and B) I haven't been riding every day for hours and hours ergo C)it would kill me, or leave me permanently disabled/traumatized. If I was to do this I'd want to do it well, so 2009, here's looking at you kid. I will be doing the 50km though.
Mud Mud Muddy May Suggins Mud. it was muddy on the trails today, had a quick blast before picking up the boy from Kindergarten..I've started riding to work again in the mornings, to get some road miles in before October and the 50km. The plan is to cut back through the forest on the way home and do some time on the fire roads,should be a blast. From the reception I've gotten at work, you'd think that Hannah's Bay was on the moon (And it way well be, If the moon was nine flat and butter smooth km from your place of work.
Matt K is coming to give 'er next weekend. So is Beagle Rob. And Steffan's bought a Heckler. A nice new black one with shiny things on it. Without a trace of irony, that couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.
Speaking of Husky dudes that rule.. Frank Black anyone?
I'm no tickle me emo.. I was talking in the last post about the Personal Restraint Course that I've just completed for Lakes DHB (and taken over the running of). Physical Restraint is a small and awful part of my job, I've not had to "go hands on" in four years now, which is awesome, preferring to use this and this.Thinking aboutthis quite a bit helps as well. Hell, I'm not ashamed to admit that I've done my fair share of this to avoid any rough stuff (well, sort of...I couldn't find a page entitled "Fast Talking"). I admit freely though, the thought of having to do anything like hold someone down again doesn't appeal at all...
In the post before last I realized that I broke the Internet with all the youtubery. sorry to the 2 people that read this for that.. but there you go.
Matt K is having a fine old time riding the Day/Night Thriller this weekend for These Guys the importer of Santa Cruz and Ibis bikes in NZ. Hell, brother man even asked me to join the team for the weekend, since I live an hour away and am A) keen as tits on both SC and IBIS (and Matt K if we're being honest..) and B) hoping to become an Mojo owner real soon I was understandably thrilled to be asked and all... even if (especially if) it was in a reasonably last minute ring-in capacity. J-O-B requirements indicated that I stay in vegas for the weekend though, so I sadly had to pass.
I did get a ride in yesterday afternoon, and grovelled my broken ass around in the mud for a couple hours before turning all fire roadie and legging it back to the car.. Last evening was spent (and I shit you not) sitting under the stars in the redwoods watching a Troupe of Downs syndrome kids preform Maori Legends. It was a truly awesome (in so many ways) experience.
The House we're renting is still on the market you say? Looks like it's just had an offer put in on it? Even if we were told it was going to be taken off? Even if we've all but moved in? Even if I've talked to the landlady several times and it appears that she is lying straight to my face? sure is..Gonna make the next few weeks a bit interesting methinks. Leaving on a juvenile yet satisfying note, I love NWA, and this next here clip seems apt for so many reasons.
Turns out it still takes 6 people considerable time to hold me down...
That was a good (hard) four days, and I still felt as sick and like crying afterwards as the first time I ever did this. Which is good, because It means I am a human being (still)
PRIMAL SCREAM. SWASTIKA EYES Angry Paranoid Scottish ex junkies get rave on it circa 1997. With Mani on Bass. Genius
PAVEMENT. GROUNDED I was lucky enough to see this band at the Powerstation in the late 90's. My favorite song off Wowie Zowie. They played it for the first encore. Like Devendra I was High, Happy and Free.
FUGAZI, DO YOU LIKE ME? I'm an old romantic, Guy and Ian are (obviously) old romantics..That's why Fugazi and I get on so well...
JEFF TWEEDY. SUNKEN TREASURE I love Wilco, I love a grand statement in a rock song, and I have also had periods in my life when I have felt A) Empty inside and B) thinking I was going mad. This song resonates somewhat..
THE BEASTIE BOYS. SABOTAGE When He's not saving Tibet and slaying Buddhist ladies + being one of the clown jewish prince's of hip hop, Adam Yauch can play bass rather well, and this song is driven by said bass. Video ain't bad either..I saw them on this tour, it was a grand old time
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM. MOVEMENT James Murphy brings it home for the husky brothers in music. James Murphy also thinks that bass is the best instrument and is pleasingly adonoidal when he sings. I'm a sucker for a hand clap pad and bored looking New Yorkers.
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE. LOST ART OF KEEPING A SECRET You can take "Whatever you do, don't tell anyone" so many different ways. Reminds me of hot summer nights, an art school girlfriend and drinking whiskey with James D. And who could forget Matt "If you take the A away from Auckland and replace it with F you get Fuckland" Forte? You gotta no respect!
BLOOD ON THE WALL.MARY SUSAN I'm totally stoked on the 90's, so are they. This is also a relationship that works well.
TV ON THE RADIO. WOLF LIKE ME Okay, I couldn't find New Health Rock on YouTube. African American's invented Rock and Roll. Period.
AUTOLUX. TURNSTILE BLUES. Best recorded drums I've heard in a long while. Gazy vocals and at 54 seconds it sounds like the world's ending.
RADIOHEAD.THERE THERE. Best song for being homesick on tour ever. See above comment re grand statements in rock. Kraut rock? Ya.
DEVENDRA BANHART. SHABOP SHALOM BABY Neither of my parents are Jewish, But they did live in Israel for a while in the 70's. I've convinced myself this is how they met.
THE FLAMING LIPS.DO YOU REALIZE??
Our Wedding song. Really. Pretty much sums things up for me.
Two days ago I embarked upon what I can honestly say was two hours of the most fun I have ever had on a Mountain Bike.. I'm really enjoying it here in Rotorua, The riding is heaps different from that which I am used to, I'm finding that my technical skills in climbing, descending and hitting drops and jumps (of the small to sissy variety)have caught up with my level of fitness (average to pretty okay for a wide boy) and enthusiasm ( Jack Russell Puppy very excited about something exciting). With these three things combined my rides have become easier, faster and much more enjoyable.. I've been getting out about every second day, and have been hitting some decent lengths of rides, however I'm having far too much fun to think about the last enduro at the minute, but that may change..we'll see.
My Most Excellent Man Matt K text me before I went out stating that he felt that Judith by A Perfect Circle was a "Song for the Ages".. and good God Damn I'd be inclined to agree with him.. That song takes me back many years, to living in a flat with other muso types, all of us captivated by the combination of Maynard Kennan's voice and images of the Bass Player wearing them high heels... Oh, Lord.. You can tie your hair back any day, Paz. It was enough to make a twenty five year old mad with desire...
Accordingly and in all it's glory...
Now, a while back I espoused the theory that I had fallen out of love with music, and that The Dirt bombs were one of my "gateway bands" back to being in love with it again.. Hell, I even had my research published in a Prominent Web Based Sciencetelific Journal
I'll tell you though, the first, the FIRST record that I listened to when I started listening to music was SUPERUNKNOWN It was a killer record when I was 17, and lo and behold it's a Killer album 13 years later.. Perfect for some nice trail riding..
This smacks of "all things must come to pass" or some shit, but it's a shame about Chris Cornell ain't it?
GOOD CHRIS CORNELL
and now, sigh... BAD CHRIS CORNELL(and this pains me to post this... but you know, somethings you have to see for yourself..)
ah.. let us not speak ill of the dead, eh?
Being all about interconnectedness and all, thinking about Perfect Circle when I was riding, I began to formulate a long convoluted history linking members of Concord Dawn (both of them actually, thoroughly lovely men) Failure and all that kind of progg-metal-ish stuff. It was going to be awesome. But too long. So here's Autolux
Right... AN OPEN LETTER TO MR MARK WEIR.
Dr Mr Weir.
Please stop being so superhuman, I respect completely your achievements and am constantly amazed at your athleticism and prowess in most forms of the sport I love. You pretty much embody all the qualities that I would aspire to have as a rider, and I'm your fan, But come on? second at SSWC08 on a one speed Nomad?? You are making me look bad (Worse). Also, Please will you build me a pump track?
Regards
M Clements
sigh.
And in finishing... It was our third wedding anniversary on Wednesday. Thank you wife for putting up with all my crazy bullshit and expensive tastes. You totally saved my life and I love you very much.
This is another reason why the wife rulz..look at that cake.. made completely by her fair hand.. for Thom. Who was four today.. It's been a good week. Thommo,you are still the best idea we ever had..
