Bless-ed!

Been a little bit since I wrote here, not a great deal has gone down, but things are good. I am excited about a few upcoming things, the rest of the summer, visits from friends and the Smithster hitting NYC - it ain't even ready! I'll try and plan out an unforgettable visit for you.

I'm getting better at riding the fixie, off the brake, getting my skids down but trying to control it better so i don't kill my tyres, I managed 25 miles yesterday in the sun, cold chilling, mad spinning and big grinning! Uphill or downhill, its all breezy!

The ladies love the fixster tip - be-lee that!

I just need a bandana and then I might as well just carry a velvet rope with me so whereever I stop for ice coffee an orderly queue can form for the meet and greet.

If you ain't on a fixed wheel here, you ain't shit.

The trails are running big, BFF Rob Campbell is brutal with a shovel, committed, and a savage trail builder. The line is coming on hot. Looking forward to a big session at the trails next weekend for sure! I might even bus over one night this week and session the spot until the light coming through the trees fails me.

Plastician, as anticipated was insanity. The bass in that place was tight. I could feel every cavity in my body vibrate, some mad VIP remixes, some absolute dubplate smashers! It was big, I went with J-Rod but he gave in to the party early doors, missing the main event. I skanked until early, it was the business!

Not a lot else to report, racing the weekend in New Paltz with The Connect. Psyched to throw some elbows and smash down the gate.

The worlds in Adelaide finished yesterday UK got some good results, a few W1 plates, big up yourselves! The track looked real nice, and there was some crazy racing. Sam Willoughby is a machine. I want his babies.

RB.com, inbetween hob-nobbing with Metalheadz big Dog - Goldie, took a sick shot of Tuffy at Bolehills. Legitimate! Both Photobox user and push rod rider!



I miss the vibe.

I laughed out loud.. A lot.

At this.

This City was Built On...

Rock and Roll?

Nah.

Massive bangers thats what! Absolute smashers! Roadblock dubplates! Marcus Intalex absolutely smashed down the place, the set was big, it was involved. I chatted to many people and made some connections, I sipped some red stripe, and one foot skanked to some deep dark D&B, The vibe was nice. I got a little merry, and had a blast.

I got the 1 train back home, and in what felt like a blink, was actually me falling asleep for almost an hour and waking up in The Bronx. No J-Lo on the block either, just a man who had cut the ends off his shoes so they'd fit him.

I was bummed, so i had to go all the way back downtown stood up, for fear of falling asleep again and waking up at South ferry, that'll teach me.

No it won't.

The weekend was a mix of partying it up, American Apparel, dance offs, sending it at the trails, time on the fixie in the park soaking up the rays and feeling fine. I had a blast. We were going to beach it up Friday night, but it rained, so we went to the Lower East Side and held it down. I rode trails all day Saturday and Sunday, sending it high and loving the feeling the transfer line is coming on too, when i get a camera sorted i'll get some snaps.

I'm going Leica baby. I can't wait.

Waterpolo was a disaster, we played this other team that were just ridiculous, kinda took the fun out of it for me, so i got all UFC and heel kicked someone in the face and forearmed slammed some dude in the neck. I was by far the least popular person in the pool. But still, they looked like they had hedge funds and haircuts straight outta 1996. In the locker room afterward an awkward silence fell over the place, and I thought for a moment we'd break out into some West Side Story-esque dance off fight scene. But sadly, (I think due to lack of chainlink fences) this never happened.

I'm going to Yoga tonight - Ha ha. I think it's going to nail me. I'm going into it with an air of caution, and not being cocky as I have respect for those bendy freaks.

Gym is back on track, bikes are my friends, and Plastician will be smashing the block apart on Wednesday - Going to be REE-DICK-YOU-LESS!

WTF is a hedge fund anyway?

Believe to Achieve!

The Thoughts of a Fashionista..

Oh my days! I have fallen in love with pushbikes again.. The Bianchi is a treat I tell you! I took the train to the back and beyond of Long Island, where men sit on single carriageway train stations and drink beer from plastic bottles, and other men sell bikes to out-of-towners in laybys.. It was shady, but i didn't care, the bike looked the tits! I got on it and took her for a spin around a car park that resembled an apocalyptic scene from some 1970 action thriller, broken glass, burnt out cars, loose gravel, and a dead racoon.

I couldn't make it up.

It was my maiden voyage on my new dream bike, in what was quite possibly the most hazardous place to ride my first ever fixed gear, but i survived, and i bought it. I brought it back on the train and then rode it up 5th Avenue to central Park in the cool night air, the silence of the bike rolling across the tarmac, the fireflys lighting my way as i nailed it past the Museum of Natural History, a few revellers out for a late night stroll with their loved ones, the night was perfect, the sound of the Commix banging in my ear, the legs going as fast as they'd carry me, i fell in love right there.

I know its very chic and fashionable to have a fixed gear, especially here in NYC, but as long as i leave the OURY grips off it, the deep V sections rims on the shelves at the expensive bicycle boudouirs and the Assos cycling cap at home, i'll not look too much like a bandwagon jumping fashionista. Hopefully anyway.

The weekend was savage, it consisted of heavy metal kareoke with friends and a live band, amazing, a theme park, great weather, hot European girls for company, big scary rollercoasters, a nice lay in, burial and Four Tet and steaming hot coffee, an entire day at the trails with my BFF Rob, we were sending it all over the shop, and we started a new transfer line, so getting back to digging that line next weekend its gonna be amazing. The Hispanic connection came through and later gave me a lift back to Manhattan in their pimped out truck, its madness, they are insane. The system was pumping, Giorgio is all up in my face like CLIFF! And the trance (along with totally inappropriate language) rings through the system, we are on Central Park West, there are children, but the language barrier allows them to remain oblivious, while I look embarressed, afterwards i laughed though, but my goodness, it was loud, and evryone looked at us, like, please.

You know how they roll!

We're racing at Trumbull National on the weekend of the 25-26th of July which i am psyched about, gonna hold down the NBL like it ain't no thing!

I played Waterpolo on Sunday ngith too, which was a treat, got to meet some new people and had a lot of fun even though we got totally slaughtered, the team we played took it very seriously, where as I, well you know. Didn't. I can't take things like that seriosuly. The more competitive the opposition become, the funnier I find it. We are playing for 7 more weeks, some of them i'll have to miss for racing or whatever, but i'm sure they'll do better without me, as I scored an own goal. Nice one.

this week it's all about the climbing, riding the fixie, training, and then Marcus Intalex on Thursday night for the drum and bass mash up - So psyched on that!

Love to the hood.

All bets are off!

I must be mental.. This will take the number of bikes in my tiny-ass apartment up to 4 - Shizers!

What a beauty though, my first ever fixed gear whip, i'll be picking her up on Monday.

I reckon i'll be lucky to see the year out.

RB.com - straight up and down.

Always such a treat.

I fell in love with yesterdays 365 update. 08/07/2009.

You will too.

AT & DC All City Baby!

You know how we do - All city!

I had the pleasure of having Warren visit me and literally a couple days after he left AT was all up in NYC's grill with a massive bag, the biggest smile, and an incredibe onward journey just ahead of him. AT left me today to embark on what would be to most people, an impossible excursion, he is sailing from the Port of Portsmouth Maine USA to the Port of Falmouth in the UK.. A month at sea on a 37' boat, with one other guy.. Crazy stuff, and I as well as everyone else will be thinking of them at sea and wishes them the safest of voyages and to return in one piece.

You had fucking better.

It was a pleasure having AT here and it just so happened it was July the 4th, a date Americans get excited about and let off loads of fireworks, to me, it was a day off work, and more time getting loose with my boy.



On friday we had a chilled day and got our climb on in the park, the weather was a treat, so we spent about 4 hours getting into Rat Rock and mingling with the locals, I managed to find out about a new indoor centre opening in Brooklyn which sounds amazing, i'll definitely be getting involved with that. Friday night we headed out and had a few G&Ts in the company of New Jersets finest, Justin forgot his ID so had to go home, leaving me and Alec to throw shapes at bewildered New Jerseyians.. We held it down and the Long island ice tea mashed us up. Proper.

There was some dude walking ahead of us in the subway he wore a massive pink polo, collar popped (of course) White shorts, white socks up to his knees and brown shoes.. I was like. "AT, WTF is that dude wearing" he had an entouage of pretty buff chicks and some other wrong looking characters, he turned and asked, quite rudely if It were him i were referring to, i replied "nah Bruv, i was talking about me mate" there was no one around for miles, but he seemed satisfied. I thought i might get a shin covered chino to the face as i exited the subway, but alas, they had dispersed into the night as if the fine cottons of their polo shirts had simply been whisked away in the breeze.



On Saturday we went to the beach with Ali, Pete and Kevin. It was a treat, we had time in the sea, time on the sand topping up the tan, i made a sand kayak, we had beers from a sock (it's illegal to consume alcohol anywhere in the open here) and just had a nice time, it was so awesome and a perfect way to spend the day.

At night we went to Studio B in Brooklyn to see DJ Hype drop bombs, they had an awesome rooftop bar, we chilled up there and we awaited DJ Hype.. His set was delayed and I was getting more and more tired along with AT, we were both pretty drained, Ali and Pete threw in the towel before Hype, i didn't blame them. There was some big international names on the bill, it was pretty sweet. There were B-boys, ravers, glow stick massive - it was an absolutely eclectic mix!

But Hype was worth the wait, the system blew up, it was so loud! Hype dropped many a banger he opened with this tune, Original sin - Overfiend which I went absolutely mental too - such a dutty riddim! It got like 4 rewinds, the place went off! The whole set was a little jump up, some Brookes Brothers and other less hectic drops, but it was mainly just big dutty ones! I was 'avin' it! It was so hot in there though.

He also dropped this as yet unreleased dubplate, which is just ridiculous.

AT and i left as Hype was closing out, we were beat! We missioned back to NYC on the L and then got some much need rest!

On Sunday we went back to Brooklyn to meet Alecs cousin and his family, they were absolutely wonderful people and we had such a great day in the park, sipping iced coffee, talking, playing volleyball with these dudes that were WAYYYY too serious and beating them. Alecs cousins young son is 10, he is tiny, he joined us for one game and went to serve, AT said he could come closer, and the old dudes were like NO, NO, NOOOO! You must serve behind the line! Mentalist. It was proper funny though as he aced the serve - take that suckas!

We then went out to dinner which was delicous and then ice cream, there was a sign that said we welcome little people, i thought, how sweet, and then as i rounded the corner noticed it was a midget convention - i literally guffawed! It was crazy, and we couldn;t get ice creams as there were so many little people queueing.. Drat.

We hit top of the rock Monday evening for aweosme views over New York then a dark and stormy cocktail in the outdoor bar downstairs, we then had the best Chinese ever back at my old mates place in Chelsea - Always a treat, nothing but love for that joint.



We headed to the Gunks to get our climb on on the Tuesday, but the odds were against us, crazy, crazy weather, a car with a mashed gearbox, big ass spiders, millipedes, traffic jams and 180 mile allowances that we smashed! But we found some good stuff in the overhangs and roofed sections, and it was absolutely beautiful up there. I'll definitely be going back, next time with the sunshine, a crash pad and perhaps a guide book.. It was just cool to be there having an adventure in a beautiful part of NY state.

Someone told me a lifetime of problems await you along the 2 mile rock face, and hundreds of boulder problems too.. Now I have been there, i'd say that sounds about right - Gargantuan.



I think AT had a blast in NYC, i certainly enjoyed having him here, can't wait to get home and get back into the old way of life.. I am getting back on track here and feeling better everyday, but I miss my friends so much, it'll be so awesome to get them all back in one spot and have a good old shindig!

I have also lost my camera - gutted - AT was rolling old school with wind on disposables - mint. Can't wait to see how they came out.. So not many pictures from his visit as yet.

FAHHGEDDABOUTIT!!