It's a Roadblock Bruv!!

Been listening to a LOT of drum and bass recently and I cannot get enough! I'm loving it, Drum and Bass Arena podcasts, Rinse FM podcasts, Drum and Bass awards mix CDs, there's like 10 hours of stuff on there with the heaviest drops and MCing, its livid!

Anyway, go check them out if you got a thing for a little bass in the face!

Life is good here, work has been mad busy but I found out today I have been paying social security and medicare, which, as I'm still a tax legible UK resident i'm exempt from, so i'm due back about $1000 which will be an incredible help! I've already spent it on a new bed and a sofa though for my new place! Hell yeah I got a place! A nice little shoe box on 92nd West and Broadway. So it's the Upper West Side, which means I can officially throw gang signs in public and not get merked/slewed/opened up. NYC West Side is the only time it's okay to say you're from the West. West Coast Hip Hop?! Pffft. West London - Pfffft! Caifornia?! Pfffffffftt! Or the Mid-West - YIKES!

It's a safe neighbourhood lots of familys, right on the 1 train into downtown, about a 4 mile ride to work either through Central Park or the West side park, close to good markets, my gym, and a bunch of other stuff which will be handy.

Its very small though, but i'll get used to it. I'm thinking of doing what RB.com has done in his London pad, raise the bed from the ground and use the underneath to put my bikes and bits, that'll save a ton of space. I'll just have to try not have energetic falling dreams and toss myself over the edge.. Warren, we're not taking a helicopter over any Canyons.. Ok?!

My friend V visited this past weekend so i was a tourist, it was okay, it was lovely to see her and hang out, but the tourist bits are boring. And the boat to Liberty island was full of Germans and fat Americans from the mid-west, eating nachos. It killed me.




Yet to find any good places to dance, they love house here, and I can't stand that shit. Here's a true life example, if you're a DJ from say, Berlin or something, you are all set in NYC, people will pay $30 to come see you, if you advertise your vibe as something completely vague like translucent, atmospheric, eclectic dinner plate house. It means nothing, but the NYers will be all over it like hair on soap in their chinos and $10 bottles of heinekien. Its not even 4% you mugs!

As you can see i'm fully integrated.

Spring is on the way, beautiful morning and lush evenings already, i cannot wait for summer here. It will be very different. I'm going to miss riding up to Bolehills and having a few hours after a day at work, but i'll be back, and she'll still be there, gnarlier than ever and waiting patiently for me. I have to learn to be patient for her too. Pass on my love..

UK national scene is kicking off shortly too, not actally that bummed on missing it, the last few years have been a bit shit, hopefully by the time I get back there will be more variation of tracks used, a banging sound system and some bad ass external sponsorship deal is picked up. That way guys like Dialled Bikes Mike can make a few more quid themselves rather than supporting a scene that is generally quite thankless. Any-who...

Don't be a stranger.

Big LOL's!

Things that make me laugh...

The Blogess

LOLCATS

K.I.G

AT's pimp chair



Stories of Dads doing the Waynes World Scccchhhhwinng! incorrectly and at inappropriate times.. Genius!

LOL!!111!111

I'm Nuts4Nuts!

I have to get back on top of this thing, I had great things in mnd for my blog whilst i'm here but it has been very few and far between on the update front, even though lots has gone down. I promise to be more regular from now on.

The apartment hunt is going okay, i mean, i look at craigslist once a day and see if there is anything that sounds good and up my street, but i don't take it any further then that. I create a list of potentials and then I kind of think that's enough work for one day. I suppose i consider that apartment hunting and i'm waiting it all to just come to me. Ha! I'll be lucky.

I did find a good one the other day though, which sounds very good, the guy that owns it sounds nice enough and it does sound like a good deal, its on the upper west side, its furnished, within budget, has internet/cable etc and looks very nice in the pictures. Perhaps it's too good to be true, eh?! He'll be some axe wielding maniac, with a fetish for young englishmen, he'll lure me in with his cheap rents and luxurious amenities and that'll be that, i'll be his love slave until he grows tired of me and fancies someone a little more European.. That's the way it always goes!

RB.com and Fera sent me Yorkshire tea, marmite and dairy milk, i have enjoyed some of all of that today and it's wonderful - thank you so much! A little taste of home, is a wonderful treat.

I'm all about the nuts4nuts right now, and every conotation attached to them. I see them and I smile. Every time.



I have had a very good week and weekend, things have been super fun, work has been productive and i'm enjoying the challenges and the position. After work ha been reasonably eventful, riding, running, being a socialite (ha!) hitting PB's like it ain't no big ting, i can't complain.

2 funny ichat/skypes with my Brothers from other Mothers Warren and AT too - Missing you guys, thanks for the laughs!

I had 2 very strong rides this weekend too, to Nyack in New Jersey yesterday which was just shy of 70 in total, with good smooth roads and some good climbs and descents, and 4 laps of central park today in good time, dropping the hammer and smokin' fools on unbelievably expensive carbon bad ass bikes. The ribble is a treat!

Hit the party scene in Brooklym on Friday night for Thai food, then a rave, then a party with friends from work on Saturday, i had a lot of fun, and enjoyed every moment. Hopefully they'll be incriminating pictures soon..

I'm loving it here, listening to Burial now, sippin' my tea, and feeling fine.

Happy Mothers Day too, Mum! Gutted the stuff i sent didn't arrive, keep 'em peeled..

Right, i'm off to look for a singlespeed, brakeless track bike, with deep section V rims and 7 inch wide handlebars..

Shoe box Sir?! Ooh, Suits you Sir!

The apartment hunt is killing me, the needles are becoming harder to find in the ever increasing in size haystack. It's breaking my balls!

I had decided to try and stay in Manhattan, close to the park if i could, its very nice up there and with the economy its relatively affordable (ha!) never will i complain at £250 a month rent again! I went to see a Studio Apartment tonight up on the west side at 91st and Broadway, a very nice part of town, 2 blocks from the park and a bout a 20 minute ride to work.

The apartment was a bedsit, but with a walk in wardrobe thing and a very small bathroom. A hot plate, a combi oven and the bed all in the same room, about 14x12 feet in total. The price i hear you ask? $1620 per month.

That isn't even a rip off, its considered cheap. I did think i'd be earning more than i am (paying almost 50% deductions on my paycheck to tax, NI, state tax etc..) so if i were to rent that apartment i'd not be left with very much each month..

However, it is furnished so i'd save money there, it is a good location, and it fits in with the date i have to be out of here..

I'll have to do the math and see what's what. I'm going to go home in debt, something i really didn't want to happen.. Gah!

Onwards and Upwards!

Geronimo!!

What Up!

I have been beating myself up about not updating this, it has been a while and quite a lot has gone on. I'm really enjoying being in New York right now, i feel quite ucky that i have been able to make friends through work and cycling quite easily, and everyone has been very welcoming. They've all made it very easy.

Don't get me wrong, i miss home intensely, i miss my friends, and the luxuries (cheap luxuries) i was used to. I'll never take living in Sheffield for granted again!

Been quite busy with riding, the clocks have gone forward already here so i have been able to get a few sneaky aps in the park after work, and although it isn't the peak district, it is quite beautiful in there.

Training is going great, seeing some good gains, and feeling good, i have deadlifted over 160kg now, which feels incredible. I would love to dead 200. Thats my goal by next winter!

The BMX national circuit is coming up quickly in the UK, bummed that i'm not going to be a part of it, Derby has the first rounds and I think it'll be a fantastic race. Mad props to Lauren and the Derby lot for sorting it, gutted that i'm missing it. I'll be checking the vids and hustling the message boards for drama!

I did a skydive a couple of weekends ago, and I still think i'm on a bit of a high, jumping from a plane at 13500 feet is something i can't describe. It was the biggest rush of my life. No wonder people get addicted to it! It was a tandem jump, but you lead the way, you leap from the plane, and it feels like you're entirely alone. It was just before sunset so it was absolutely beautiful, it was so loud, my ears blew up, when the chute went up my balls got trapped in the harness and it killed me, but i've never felt so exhilarated in all my life. Something else. I will solo one day.



My jump partner Alison



Me, getting loaded and feeling a bit nervous! Sheeeeet!

The apartment hunt is ongoing, its so hard though, there are a million and one place listed daily and its like a needle in the haystack trying to find one. But alas, the crusade continues... Sigh..

Taking it Upstate.

Quality weekend in the NYC, much better than the previous where I was sick, then had to work on the Sunday GAH! This time around a couple of beers Friday night with some work dudes. I am slowly starting to make new friends and extend to a circle outside of work. It's definitely important to have people in work you get along with and can spend time with, but I also think you need to detach sometimes, and hang with people that have no affiliation to the life in the office.

It's been a bit odd at work, on Thursday they laid 40 or so people off, completely randomly, and without warning, just given the news, then told to leave within the hour. I couldn't believe it, the UK goes through the consultation period, gives people time to plan for the worse, this way people were just out on their ears, imagine if you'd just bought a new tele or something.

So the mode was pretty awful in the office. I imagine if my project goes belly up they'll just ship me back on the next grain ship..



The weekend has been a treat though on Saturday morning I rode up to the George Washington bridge to meet a guy who contacted me through a forum, he was planning a ride in the New York State Park up in Harriman, about an hour north, i was keen to get out the city so agreed to meet up and split fuel etc. He was a cool guy, although looked like he weighed about 4 stone and was as fit as fidle.. We then met up with 2 guys he knew both Army cadets in full physical shape as there race season begins next week. Carbon zipp wheels, Look carbon framesets, it was at this point I thought, i'm in for hell...






It was awesome though, incredibly tough, but a lot of fun, I saw some amazing sights, some incredible frozen waterfalls, beautiful clear roads, smooth tarmac, views of the city atop Bear Mountain, it was off the chain, 76 miles in total and very few cars to deal with - bliss!



I took a couple of shots but they don't do it justice. Saturday night I headed into Brooklyn for a few drinks with some people from work, i like Brooklyn, it has a cool vibe, everyone is very "hip" and down with it.. Obviously I fit right in! ha!

We headed back to Manhattan and ht the lower east side, we hit a club and threw some shapes on the dance floor.. NYC ain't ready for the UK shapes! There a little stuck in the past though, lots of dudes in ill fitting shorts and chinos, women in "blouses" c'mon, its 2009! I got in at 4am absolutely shattered but psyched on the weekend.

Sunday I was a tourist took some snaps and rested up, It wasn't a very nice day, and Lady Liberty is further away from Manhattan than I remember. So my snaps were junk!





Hit the gym tonight and busted out 330lbs on the deads tonight - stoked with that! Also got a US cell-y +1 646 296 2121