So that being said, I appreciate the patience of folks continuing to tune in here day after day and your unconditional encouragement, dispite the fact that theres only 24 hours in a day, and it certainly seems as though I wring the last bit of life out of each and every one of them.

Speaking to my mom the other day she asked where I find the time to work 50 plus hours a week, make art, ride bikes, keep my relationship out of the toilet, and maintain this here weblog, to which I responded "youd be surprised how much more you can accomplish in your life once youve cut out eating and sleeping."

Anyhow, lets get to it, shall we?

Recently Cary sent on a link for the only union I want to be a part of.

A bunch of years ago somebody came up with the bright idea of having a clown party at a dirt bag tiki bar in the avenues of San Francisco. JMac even went so far as to get shirts made for the occasion that said something like 'Local Clowns Union 666' on the back, which reminds me.. I havent seen that one in a while.
Looks like I gotta dig through my hundreds of t-shirts and get that one back into rotation.

El Gato writes;

"Stevil....

Last week you had a post mentioning the high correlation between 5 Knuckle Shuffling and Kitten Mortality. So, if as the BBC sez, a sexually confused seal tries to close the deal with a Penguin, is there exisistential payback....or just a really pissed off penguin?

Read the sordid tale here.

No bikes, but if anybody good turn this into a HTATBL story, it would be you.

Oh, and from here on out NEVER turn your back on a seal!

El Gato"

The only way I can spin this in anyway is to say something like that I can only hope the seal procures a windowless van to round out his whole trip.

Poor little penguin..

Heres one.

Within seconds I got this story sent to me by both big Steve P and DPow!, and within 20 hours of them, twice more.

Obviously great minds think alike.
And it should go without saying that Bill Bramantis mind might be as great as all of ours put together.

And then I get this from John;

"I've heard things. Scary things. A PBR and bacon festival with the crowning event of- you guessed it, a bacon eating contest. Um, meet me in Des Moines next time they have it.

The site,

and the video;

Now understand, I hardly ever begin a sentence with 'dude'.. But DUDE! I can think of alot of ways to get on a fast track to using that coffin, but a bacon eating contest sponsored by Pabst might very well be the most poetic.

Anyway, no sooner do we begin talking about great minds as we get an email from Frank;

"Stevil,
perhaps you are in the market to foster a stray?

So we have an real life frat kid who works at our shop. He provides hours of distraction regalling us with his stories of ill-conceived drinking exploits, the meat sweats and Sorastitute sticky fumblings. Recently though, he clued us into what Swobo's true competition is, or should I say, this company is your doppelganger in the pastel shirt crowd. Tell Tim he has a thing or two to learn from Shep and Ian. Vineyard Vines(dot)com.
Check out the pants collection. "

You know, the most frustrating part about that email is that we spend a huge amount of time and energy putting together new lines from season to season and just when we think weve come up with a well rounded and even more kick ass of a line as the previous year, we find out that somebody has come along and bit our best idea..

And the sandals,.. oh the sandals.

You know how we have items in our catalog all named after specific individuals? Well The Skipper has come up with his own namesake which is the sandal with socks sewn right in. Theyre going to be huge.
Not nearly as huge as the 'Stevil' which is going to be a pair of boxer shorts with the right leg completely vaporized .
And rest assured, well be making them for the ladies as well.

Its ideas like these my friends, that keep us comfortably atop the cutting edge year after year.

CFO and Bryan both simultaneously sent the following clip in;

"Stevil-

Excellent video of another Steven (Steven Cozza) explaining why he rocks the moustace for Slipstream-Chipolte.

Kinda makes me wish my mustache was growing faster.

Peace,
Bryan G"

Bryan, its with every fiber of my being that I tell you never to wish your moustache grew faster. Think of it as a delicate flower blossoming. Each stage as poetic and beautiful as the last until finally you wake up one day and have what is the equivalent of a breath taking orchid on your face.

Like this that Joe sent in;

"this outfit probably said DFL on the back somewhere."

I can just about promise that it does Joe. I can just about promise that it does.

Or this from Tom;

"thought you might appreciate this. on a recent trip tp costa rica i spent 3 days getting my ass kicked by 'moustache man'.

the big guy was fierce and could climb like pantani! must be the stache!"

My god Tinker hasnt aged very well, has he?

And to continue on, Justin wrote in;

"I don't know, but when I headed to the wedding of some real nice friends on the waterfront last Saturday, I thought I might just have the best mustache at the party. When I saw these guys though, I immediately realized that I was racing for third.

So when I read you contemplating the end of your caterpillar earlier this week, I thought I should remind you of the great ones who have come before us. Keep the faith."

I have to say that my momentary lapse of strength last week regarding the removal of my moustache was just that. Ive regained my composure and I genuinely appreciate the support that Ive been shown.
However yesterday I received an email that shook me to my core. It would seem as though the location for this years moustache party is in jeopardy, which means the months of training, not to mention the hundreds of dollars Ive spent on a suitable ensemble might all be for not.

If youre reading this, live in the Bay Area and have a back yard in which youd like to provide for this years bash, get ahold of me and lets see if we cant work out the details.
I can almost guarantee that your house wont get burned down, which might be the reasoning behind the sudden cold feet of our original host.

(*update* The cancelation was just pulled upon my promise to;
1. Not throw knives in the house.
2. Not shoot a BB gun in the house.
3. Not set anything on fire.
And
4. Not fill the hosts water bottles with canned cat food.
For you see, Ive done all of these things there before, and my concern doesnt lie with the host so much, but rather his lovely and overwhelmingly tolerant wife. Every promise I make, I make for her.)

At any rate, it looks like I did it again. A whole post on a bicycle related website with almost nary a mention of bicycles.
Lets see if I cant pull something out of somewhere...

Oooooh! I got something.. Hot City Destroyers are having a bicycle related event right here;

Thats an alley cat race for those of you who are not in the know. You know.. One that you race bicycles at.
It also happens to be taking place in Phoenix. There are lots of bicycles there.

Bicycle, bicycle, bicycle.

Its Wednesday.
Go ride some bacon..