Upon opening the mail box at work on Friday, I was met with a postcard from some readers in Texas illustrating not only their their unfaltering love for one another but their appreciation for me and in turn my appreciation for snail mail as well. Of course like with just about everything I come across in the day to day, this sent my mind in a spiral though all sorts of pop culture nonsense that then devolved into fond memories of television's 'Welcome Back Kotter' and how this young couple was reminiscent of Mr. Kotter, and Bailey from 'WKRP in Cincinnati'. Then I thought, 'wait a minute.. Didn't the actress who played Bailey, also play Mrs. Kotter?' Of course upon my arrival home and a quick web search I was proven completely incorrect, which just goes to show that while I most certainly know my blonds (scroll around a bit. The reference is in there somewhere) I most certainly do not know my brunets;

Together we have learned something here today.

Reeling from my freshly obtained knowledge I then opened my personal mail box and discovered that I had received the new issue of COG Magazine;

Lucky number six comes chock full of the usual good stuff, and concludes with an article on the San Diego fixie scene, but I was disheartened to discover that there doesn't seem to be a single mention of the fiery fixture himself (no pun intended), Richie Ditta.
What gives COG? (Or more appropriately, author and photographer Matt Lingo.)That's like doing a piece on the North Pole and not including any information about Santa Clause.

Or if you will, a piece on Imelda Marcos without the mention of shoes.

Anyhoo, I'm the one that proves that you truly can't make all of the people happy all of the time, but regardless of that fact, as always the new issue is spanky, the photographs are all world class, and if you haven't picked up a subscription for yourself, there is no time like the present.

As long as we are on the slippery slope that is all things fixed, I suppose we might as well throw this new trailer up from the residents of Fixed City;

fixed city | Trailer [subtitled] from fixed city on Vimeo.

Watching paint dry, or the new Star Wars? You decide.

From my perspective it makes several good points, and is visually very appealing, so I'm gonna go somewhere in between and say it's like watching prismatic paint dry and listening to NPR after your co-worker blew pot smoke in your face.

Not that I would know what that specific set of activities is like.

A group of bike ner-do-wells met up at my home on Saturday for an informal running of a sunny day version of the Joe Parkin ride, for which we were all a little bit late, but after changing clothes, changing pedals, changing minds and changing political affiliations, we finally adjourned to the woods, and some mind clearing circle-pedaling.

After some relaxing and libations at the vista, I over heard The Scout Master say "uh oh", as a couple of people were leaning in over his bike. "A flat tire?" I thought, until I kneeled down as well to behold a sight that made my stomach sink a bit;

GUERCIOTTI DOOOWWWNNNNN!

With El Pirate Grande's expertise in metallurgy, we surmised that The Scout Master would at least be able to safely ride the screaming fast road descent back into civilization, which we did and as we were eating some sandwiches and Ostrich sausages, we noted that the crack had crept another eighth of an inch around each side of the down tube.
So at this point, we are two for two in bicycle carnage for this ride, as I cracked a chain stay in two places on my bike back in February. I can only hope that our efforts are making the ghosts of the Flemish countryside proud.

Just then Mr. Gill rounded the corner with his fancy Coors Classic duds on, and we departed to go pick up a vehicle to return and extract The Scout Master and his disabled steed.

With the exception of The Scout Master's ride (which goes to prove, never buy a bike from Loudass) I think it's safe to say that once again, the bummer life ain't got nothin' on us.

Though the same can't be said for El Pirate Grande's pants;

In closing I would like to say

1) thanks to Steve Dennis for this week's header art,

2) that despite his swearing to the contrary, inside sources are continually lead to understand that Geno is expanding his business empire from the Midwest to the Front Range;

All of that incoming capital, and he still owes me money...

and

3) It's with great excitement that I finally announce that the long suffering, and current editor of Mountain Bike Magazine, Jasen Thorpe has finally given in and decided that single speed mountain bikes are cool. After all of his vapid claptrap, apparently all it took for him to realize this was to stop making assumptions and actually ride one.

We can now breath a collective sigh of relief.

If such a thing exists, have a happy Monday.