at least she is having fun in the sun.....

So Jill left for Cali on tuesday night.... after a half an hour delay in Minneapolis she made to LA and to a personal Driver with her name on a sign and everything.
she went to visit her friend Heidi (frankie rayder) and her fiance Flea.

yeah she is hobnobbing it with the stars in Malibu... maybe Jamie Kennedy will be around with his gangsta swagger..... not..

I have been occupying my time with a pencil and a blank sheet of paper. trying to come up with different ideas to transfer over to paint. I am going to be contributing in anyway that I can to my friends webzine. www.nearnorthzine.com it's a mix of BMX, Photography, and art.. cut and paste that... the link stuff doesn't work

I will put up sketches when I get the time as well. I might even write a tory or two about something or another.

but for now I miss the hell out of Jill. I can't wait til tuesday when I get to see her lovely smile again.

meanwhile I will be art-ing it up......

Intersting and scary at the same time.

I was on defgrip this morning and I came across this website they were featuring. chris jordan Once I got to looking at the pictures and actually comprehending the amount of waste the we create, I was taken back a bit. just think if we didn't re-use any thing? I couldn't imagine the world with a cell phone coated ground or a plastic bottle mountain... or a lake of valve caps. It really brings our consumption into perspective when you look at these photos and look at the stats that correspond with each photo.
check out the site. I think you too will be changed, even if it's just a little bit.

approaching 100 viewers...

I am getting closer to the ranks of professional bloggers Shelly and I am sure everyone else but me. 100 readers, wow I am so happy I could give a speach. I will save you the agony.


Saturday May 12th I go in for my tattoo. (again) looks like my quarter sleeve will come closer to being completed. Finally!. I know for a fact I won't stop there though. Once I win the Lottery, or once those checks start piling up in the mail slot I will continue to get more work done.

I have been toying around with the idea of getting some portraits done of my kids. I don't want them all serious like I was thinking more of a candid shot where they are acting like dorks or something to that effect.
nothing too large, but big enought to get proper detail in there.

now to find a portrait tattoo-ist...
if you know of one or perhaps you loyal reader might be one yourself? shoot me an email

idigbmx@gmail.com


for now I will even out my evilness with a little angelic art for my body....

I need to get balanced. too much evil not enough good. that'll change though.

I need a vacation!!!

let' blow this popstand.



I like looking at my flickr account about once every 2 or 3 months. I always find something that I either thought I lost or I may have just forgotten about.
the above was from on of Jill and I earlier dates. We closed down the steak and ale, and proceeded to hit up a sports bar. (not our scene) needless to say we both haven't been back to that sports bars since then.



I was bored I had bought a new camera and bought some new shoes... what's a guy to do? take a picture of the shoes of course.

.
the photo didn't make it into the magazine. so I will show it here.
I don't have a front brake so I wedge my wheel in there to keep me from rolling, then I hop back in.
it's an awesome photo. I have the high resolution version as well.
the magazine is out in the UK but not here yet...

a part of me died....

so I went out street riding last night, like I do every wednesday evening. this time we actually made it into downtown Minneapolis. As we rode a round we go to the spot that you see above. Loring Greenway. I got a bit choked up when I looked over the fence to see this.. a little part of me died, that's how I felt. this spot has been a part of the minneapolis scene for ages.. I can remember skateboarding there when I was in the 7th grade. I am 32 years old now. I skated this spot daily in the summers and we hardly ever got kicked out of this spot. it was a a sure thing up until the day they put hte fence up around it. There have been so many things that I seen done on these banks. We would dig out the top for over ice picks, jump the hips I once saw a skateboarder gap from left to right over the smaller planter about 15 years ago. I have seen numerous tailwhips, barspins, tree rides you name it it's been done here, it was a meeting place for riders and skater alike. everyone knew where this palce was, not anymore. ...... I am glad I got to ride this spot one last time this spring. I myself will surely miss this place. I am confident that others in our scene whether they skate, blade, or BMX will miss this spot as well.


RIP Loring Greenway. you have provided me with at least 15 years of fun times and tons of memories...
Todd J.

oh yeah....

So my beard got a bit shaggy last week so as I was trimming the facial hair I decided to give myself a moustache..... mmmmm so not sexy...
enjoy to all that see this. comment let me know what you think...
I might rock one again. maybe for an event or two...
creep.

photobucket.....

I was running through my Photobucket account and I found some photos I forgot about or never posted anywhere.
take a look-see

it's out in the UK

....but a month before we see it here in the US.
steve Crandall of www.FBMBMX.com and myself both co-wrote and article for the QBPBMX road trip that we all went on this past january. this is what the cover looks like. if you see it, buy it....

I don't see it but the internet is always truthful

http://www.myheritage.com

really?

http://www.myheritage.com

looks like they think Jill is asian

a riding photo...

I got to ride this weekend.. it feels good to be outside. not a ton has been going on lately just a lot of working and kid stuff. Jill is awesome as usual. My trip to North Carolina is shaping up. it looks like it will take place in may. the 16th through the 20th. NYC was canceled. I am bummed about that. instead I am flying into Portland Oregon to spend a few days there visiting shops and riding some concrete.... end of June.

but for now... I will be enjoying riding my bike and cruising my motorcycle.

ooooh I almost forgot. Jill's cabin... I know she doens't own it personally but that is all I know it as. Jill's cabin, the time is nearing that we will be able to spend a bit of time up there on the weekends. I am looking forward to that, however not as much as my kids are. Mya loves to swim, Nathan wants to see the stars through his telescope. me too. I love summer and I hate winter.

but I love all of you. my readers all 42 of you.

art...

I like it when you can draw on the tables at resturants.............

grrrr.

golf carts are pussy's...


Golf season is going to start soon. I might play this year I might not. The reason I started to play golf is because of that mistake I dated last summer wanted me to try it out. well I got pretty good at it considering I never swung a golf club in my life. I plan on riding a ton more this summer and traveling as well. maybe the golf will have to be put on the back burner for now.

bitch...

so long.....

YO!


since my last post I figured I would write in something.
I have been enjoying the weather. I rode my motorcycle all weekend since it was fairly nice. upper 40's all the way up to the 70's.

It was fun. BMX also got ridden all weekend, so I am a little sore today. no worries. no plans, just going to chill.

I love Jill.
I want to ask her to get a place together or maybe since the kids are out of the house all summer it would be cool to give up my apartment stay at hers for the summer, we both could save money and get a big cool place....

I don't think she's cool with that just yet. to tell you the truth I am not sure I am just either. we don't fight or argue or anything but there are somethings that we need to work on before that ever happens.

I am down to give it a shot though.

My dad... had my neice (Notice he didn't call) call me because he wanted to see me and the kids. Nathan and Mya were at Tara's so I just went. it was weird. I haven't talked to or seen him since last summer. I never know what to say to him. he wasn't really there at all when I needed him most. I feel as though he is reaching out because he thinks that he's dying. who knows though. I don't hear from him ever. I found out he was sick and in the hopital from my neice. I didn't know. He's fine now, from what I can tell. I don't know how to process this recent outreach for forgiveness. if it is even that. I am not sure. I guess we'll see where it goes...


a little back ground info.....

my parents divorced when I was in 5th grade. I was attending boarding school in Whapeton North Dakota. He found someone else and left my mom. Their marriage wasn't the greatest I can remember yelling at my Dad to stop hitting my mom, to stop yelling at each other. He was a jerk to her. I hated that. still do. well fast forward two years. in that time my mom and I moved to Texas and lived with her sister in Austin. we lived there for about a year then moved back to minnesota.... north Minneapolis to be exact. and from that point it started going down hill as far as my dad contacting me or even paying his child support. well after so many times and so many years of vieing for his attention I gave up since it wasn't in him to be a father to me. once and a while he would come around and buy something for me to try and win my trust back. I used him for that in 7th grade. new bike, new skateboard, new clothes.... what ever I wanted. since then I haven't heard much from him. contact dwindled. affection left. now when ever I see him (which is about twice a year) I don't get anything out of him. having a conversation with him is like pulling teeth. I gave up.

I didn't have him all my important "growing" years. I don't need him now. I wasted a lot of energy on that man.

biker, smoker, lover.

My friend Tristan took a couple of Photos while we were out riding the other week.



the day after....wait come to think of it three days after this photo was taken I could barely move my arms. the first street session of the year always yeilds soreness the next (few) day.

...and yet she still smiles...

My friend Brian Rose once told me. ... "you're dating up boy." He then sputtered. " Don't worry, So am I''.

This photo reminded me of that conversation..

digi cam woes....

Jill. what can I say? she has her own digital camera and takes some pretty cool photos already..
Speaking of Digital cameras.... Mine broke last week. I cracked the display and now I can't see what I am photographing. oh well. I am going to send it in to get fixed. that means that I will be out of a digi cam for quite sometime. I can still get my photos I take with my 35mm film camera on disk though. I can also upload photos from my phone. I am actually surprized at the quality of my cell phone photos.

check out what I have been checking out.

www.woostercollective.com

this is a site that showcases different street art from around the world. I have been checking this site out for a couple of weeks now. I have found a ton of other sites through this one that sparked my interests as well.

like this one.

www.little-people.blogspot.com

this site is cool. someone in london hand paints these little guys and gals and places them randomly throughout the city. they are photographed then left to fend for themselves. I am thinking of buying a couple of prints for my apartment. some of them are really interesting.

things are getting back to normal around here. my next stop.... North Carolina..... then NYC...

but first, I am going to pick up my motorcycle this weekend. you know the one I told yous about a few posts earlier.

done for now...

I went back in to the tattoo shop on saturday to get the skulls done and we ended up with one more. I want to put more black and grey coming out of the flames like these guys are doing.
9 hours total in the chair in 2 days. it's healing up nice.

Now it's time to start on the other side of my arm. the angel needs some company on that side....

hey it was a good deal...

went and got my tattoo started I have to go back today to get it finished.

above his right ear and below the left ear will be black and grey skulls poking out from behind the flames... my are is sore today, I spent 4 hours in the chair. we were gonna do it in one sitting but it got pretty late.

Clayton at Steel quill tattoo in orlando did the work. My buddy Kyle P. From UGP clothing hooked me up fat with this dude. Thanks Kyle.. and thank you Clayton.

fuck you winter....

That's what I have to say about that...fuck off winter.
your boy is chillin (not literally) in Florida right now. I actually broke a sweat walking to the car.

Emily and I are here for work but we made time after work to take a trip to the beach check the photos....


here is a washed up jellyfish. I have never seen one of these in person. it was quite a site...
I can't seem to get away from drifts, back home it's snow drifts and here it's sand drifts. That's Emily freaking out on how damn warm it is......

I am going to ride my bike now.... more later....

I am about sick of this winter crap.

I woke up this morning and looked outside to see my car plowed in.
after smoking a few spliffs ( not back to back) I decided to venture out to see how bad it was.
this is what I found.



shit.

so I grabbed the shovel and began digging. it's not some light and fluffy snow either.
shit's heavy.
I got a path to the car dug and quit. I am going to just plow right through it when we get in gear to leave.

So Today I bought a motor cycle from my friend Dustin. it's awesome, a 1981 Yamaha 650.... runs well drives good. looks cool. well it will look cool once I am on it.
this is it in it's current state. that's the actual bike. that is dustin driving.


I plan on removing some pieces and changing some stuff to make it a cafe racer
it will look similar to this one. the one below is a 1972 I won't have all that chrome on mine though. who know's maybe I will.


Soon Jill and I will be cruising the lakes this summer having a good time with the wind in our hair sun on our face and a side car for all the kids....

a couple more

so many shoes so little time

Shoes as some of you may know are something that I find really fun. weather it's shopping for them. trying them on. or buying them.....


I just won these lovely green ones on ebay. should be coming soon.
this is an example of a pair of shoes I would get but not wear. simply for the fact that they have graphics on them. I like them but the graphics would be too hard to match an outfit to.

these Bison dunks were the most expensive at the time I was shopping on ebay. $400.00 was the price for these. they are a dead stock and only a few were made in this colorway.
the above ones are just sexy... I loke these a ton. these will go for well over a $ 100.00 shit maybe even $200.00 I am not even going to try. I will check as the auction is ending.......
These however I hope I do win. Look at them.... Tiffany blue with black patten leather. the leather looks to be an alligator pattern. maybe I will win the auction maybe I won't. We'll see.

someday I hope to oppen my own store front that specializes in these rare hard to find Nike's and other vintage and hard to find shoes. dreams dreams dreams *sigh*.

Bought a new camera.

So I got a new Camera on friday. it's got film in it... I was like a reporter all weekend. It's fun taking photos and not looking at the display to see if you are going to keep the shot or not. It is a nice pleasant surprize, kinda like christmans when you get the film back from the developers.
below are a few that I have taken and ran through photoshop. I have a ton more that I will be working on the next few days. Enjoy!

this one I took sitting at the Sunday booth this weekend. There was a girl walking around handing out flowers to people. we stuck some in the seat tube of the frame that was being displayed. I think it turned out pretty well.


Everyone... I would like to introduce you to Brianna. she is in the know and has her mitts in the industry as well. she posts comments on my blog. she rides a mountain bike and when I met her she rode a BMX bike. (stil does but not that often).... I think she is conveying her disgust for me trying to take candid shots of her and Dustin chatting it up...


Pool. Sunday night we ended up at the Triple Rock for Dre days. it was Dr. Dre's Birthday on sunday so they celebrate with 40's of old E and a good mix of Dre.... we didn't make it to the venue because Duane from Hawaii and myself were running shit on the pool table.

Fucking Paris....... not hilton. just some punk from paris. I don't recall her name, I do remember her telling me, in a very hard to understand accent that she has been here for some time now raising her kids. She was loud, in your face, and tough as nails. those tall spikes on her shoulders are drywall anchors. I think that her jacket weighed more than she did.

a few photos....

I recently got photoshop (thank you limewire) and I have been playing with it trying to figure out how to use the damn thing. It's a tough thing to learn for someone that hasn't used it before. Needless to say I didn't get very good at it in the three nights I played with it. I did however figure out how to add borders and turn photos to black and white..... oooh me smart... below are a couple of photos I took with my point and shoot. I turned them B&W and adjusted the contrast and brightness until I thought they looked good.

enjoy
The above picture has to be my favorite photo right now. it was taken on a timer on one of Jill and I first dates. on that night she discovered my dart throwning skills and accepted defeat like a true professional. after we closed down the steak and ale... sounds funny I know. we headed over to this sports bar(it was close) and we sat got some food and a drink or two. We had a ton of fun that night, we always do. So the photo was taken towards the end of the night. just before we got our food. I like this photo because you can see the emotion in Jills face. She is happy and it shows. When she is happy I am happy.

The above photo was taken on another date night... keep in mind our date nights happen to fall on a wednesday night. this was the scene as soon as we walked into the bar. CC Club was the venue for this evening. Again fun time were had and we made it home safely. it's been awhile since we have gone out for a night on the town. I owe her big so it will happen soon. tequila, cheap beer and a priceless lady on my side. what a way to spend the evening.

I love taking photos of Jill when she least expects it. I always get a good reaction out of her witch always leads in to an awesome photo. I think this one she was getting ready to punch me in the gut. I love this lady. there is so much about her that I have yet to discover and at the same time I feel like I have known her my whole life. Jill is all kinds of awesome....

Like I said I just obtained Photoshop and I will be getting better at it the more I play with it. I am sure there will be more posts containing what I have learned.

Now playing: Bob Marley- one love

whoa it's been like four days.

I know I haven't updated in a few days.... get over it. noone reads this thing anyway.

I got my car back last friday. it's been starting up just fine since then. So I am happy about that. I have a big weekend coming up. It's the only weekend that I am required to work.

My job is having our annual open house called Frostbike. I will be playing host to a number of our vendors and quite a few dealers. It always ends up being a good time. Free food, free drinks, a skate park run saturday night. all in the name of hospitality.

here is a run down of what i can expect.

Thursday night.

usually I have this night open for any dealer that decided to come in the night before. friday we are hosting a bunch of business seminars. I am thinking of attnending some of these for myself. This year how ever I don't have a ton of dealers coming in so I am pretty open to do as much schmoozing as I can....

Friday day/night.

Like I said before we are hosting business seminars all day on friday for our top dealers. I will also be escorting a few vendors around the place getting them all set up for the show on saturday. All day I will be running around making sure our vendors have everything they need. then after work on friday I will be going to the Dealer dinner and after party down town Minneapolis. there we will be enjoying a nice meal and more scmoozing. it's at the old Millwuakee depot. should be fun there are guest speakers and karoke... ok there is no Karoke but it would be awesome if there was.

after dinner we will go over to 1 on 1 studios for the after party. beer flows freely and I think there is some smoking going on too.... not sure.

saturday day/night.

allllll day. saturday we have the tradeshow. our vendors set up little booths and the dealers get a chance to talk face to face with the vendors and vice versa. it's good interaction between manufacturers and retailers.. after the show there is a dinner then after dinner we pack up the cars and vans and trucks for a skatepark run. this year it will be at Show case in Rogers. mn. fucking haul. at least we will have the place to ourselves after 11pm till whenever.


sunday is more of the same except after the show there is a vendor appreciation dinner. usually after that we go out on the town with some of the BMX vendors. get a littl loose and stay out way too late.

oh well I took monday off. to recover from the late night.

all in all should be fun but tiring.







I miss Jill.







I wonder if she even reads this...




don't be afraid to comment on any of the useless posts that spew from my finger tips.



yeah I am talking to you.... all 30 of you that read my blog....



here is a picture so for those of you that only look at my page for the photos will be happy...

See that kid in the back ground checking out my ass? I hate that kid and I always have.

I feel sorry for the woman/man that gets stuck with him he is the most anal by the book, chode on the planet. and the main reaon I don't go to that skatepark anymore.

FUCK CARS....

I spend all week waiting to get my car back. Finally, wednesday evening after work go get her. pay $410.34. BAMN starts right up. ooooohhhh me happy. I got my car back. I drive to Jill's with a grin. grab some stuff out of her garage, go home. I fix up my bike. go to the skatepark, ride, BAMN starts fine.... go to Jill's, chill out with her. wake up the next morning......... WAHH WAAAAAAH the bitch won't start.... fucking car.

So the car fix-it place paid for my second tow. and they still have it, Baffled as to what the problem is. ......... Just like myself, it doesn't like the cold. that's the problem. it's cold it don't start. it's warm she's a beautiful runner, quiet with a nice soft comfortable ride. I feel bad for kicking her yesterday. so now what? I have no clue...

Andy has been stock piling good karma for a day or period of time when he may need it. So he's giving me a ride home and picking up my kids on the way. such a nice guy.

I hate this feeling. I have said it before and I will say it again. this sucks. the feeling of total dependency on others to get me where I need to go, and the inability to go where I need to when I need to.

I feel like I am toatlly messing up Jill's routine and that I am in her way. I just need my car back or a good cheap one that starts for a winter car. So I can park the park ave. or blow it up.

Stupor bowl X

STUPOR BOWL X
See I wasn't the only one that decided to brave the cold. I would be willing to bet that there are a few hundred people in that photo. This was the Start of the race. right along the river. you can' t see any faces in this photo because if the person was smart they would have had it covered. Like I said this was the start of the race. My fingers were freezing already and that is not a good sign. well after re-situating my hand warmers to my palms, my fingers warmed up. We did the poker run again this year, five stops five cards... I only have two cards.....




here is the stuff that makes me an official Stupor Bowl contestant.
1- intinerary
2- goggles to keep the eyes from freezing at the same time allowing my glasses to fog up..(should have worn contacts)
3- my number spoke card. #225
4-Beer. that's all the fuel I need.
5- well then again there is a menu on the bar as well. so bar food and beer. all the fuel this machine needed to keep on keeping on.
6- a start of a really great poker hand. (it went down hill after that)
7- see all of them shot glasses in the back ground????? just think about it for a bit...

I swear I saw this thing more than I saw actual faces that day, or skin for that matter. The steam roller really kept the party going at every stop. I saw people hitting that thing that have no business smoking weed. This photo can go two ways.... am I grabbing it to take a monster sized pull or have I had enough and I am giving it to the nearest person so I can preceed to cough up a lung before enjoying that fresh rolled cigarette? Either way the stean roller and I got along just fine that day.
you know I think this was taken at the one bar I don't remember stopping at. I mean I remember stopping there I remember warming up. drinking a beer, and all that stuff I just don't remember what bar it was..... what ever... Nick Sande, Myself and the BEAR. This was my first Stupor bowl with the Bear. I don't know where he went after the Nomad. but it was fun riding it with him... Nick and I rode lastyear together. I like Nick he's a good guy with a level head that knows how to have fun.

The "race" was fun despite the cold weather. it wasn't as bad as I thought it would have been.
but it was cold nonetheless. Untill next year. I bid you farewell ol stupor bowl.....

jill is all kinds of awesome.

Well my car seems to want to stay at the garage. He said "it's nice and warm there and the guys looking under my hood are tickling me and scratching me in places I didn't know I had." looks like another day with out a car and depending on other people to cart my ass around. my kids' asses too.

the weather took a turn for the worst today. in a matter of hours there is enough snow on the ground to cause traffic to sit in one spot and wait for it to stop snowing... C'MON People!, I got to pick up Jill and Zosia, get my kid to school, get my ass to work, and still leave time for Jill to get to class."

frustrating I tell ya.


Jill has been more than supportive through out my crisis.. she has been there to pick me up and drop me off. I feel bad for throwing a monkey wrench into her routine.

I am super appreciative for all that she has done, and for that I am going to do something SPECIAL for her.

We'll see...

I did it...

I wasn't that cold.
I have photos but the cord to take them off my camera is at the lovely Jill's house.
There were quite a few people there.
I think Zito won. I won my race. I was drunk as shit. Now I know why the homeless drink so much. It keeps the cold away. at about 9pm I got back to my house, of course I had been drinking since about 1:30 so I was pretty tired, and dehydrated. but after a good nights sleep I feel fine.
there is a triple rock stupor brunch today(sunday) that I might try and get to. Not to sure though since my car is in the shop and I am at home.
I miss Jill.

I will post up photos (most of them are from in a bar, or someone smoking weed.

oops...

I forgot to explain the stupor bowl
here is the link to the site.
http://www.stuporbowlmpls.com/2007/
it is a messanger race here in minneapolis they have it every year.
it's a fun event and there is always good times to be had....
I have ridden it twice. and this will be my third, and not my last.

I tried to get Jill to do it. She said no. she doesn't have enough insualtion on her body to endure low temps like that.
I don't blame her. shit I am scared.

fucking cold.

I am still thinking I am going to ride stupor bowl this weekend.

they say the high is going to be -1 and the low around -12.
there will be no exposed skin that day, and I might just make it to the first stop and call it quits.... well that depends on the first stop.
I will be enjoying the after party at the foundation night club til 2am. ok maybe not that late but who knows.

there might even be a special appearence by the lovely Jill at the afta pah-tee.

word of the day...

A.Word.A.Day--coxcomb

coxcomb (KOKS-kom) noun

A conceited man excessively interested in his appearance and dress.



*editors note: nothing wrong with being a coxcomb. better than a cock sucker..

IT'S A NET NOW....

I got www.Defgrip.net used to be a dot com, to put up some photos that Cal Burgstahler took on our recent trip through texas.

I like Cal he's is a good kid with an amazing eye for photography.
enjoy the photos. and thank you to Harrison Boyce and Nuno O. for allowing me the chance to show the world Cal's Photos.
here is the link

QBPBMXROADTRIP

taxing...

looks like I am scheduled to get my taxes back on friday.
happy times. I want so many things, but need so much more.

1) laptop?

2) Tattoo?

3) an extended weekend somewhere warm?

4) some shoes?

5) pay off some debt?

it's a hard choice between number 2 and number 5.
hell even number one is getting a lot of attention in my fish bowl of a brain.


Jill got a scanner/copier/printer combo. I think I will be hooking that up tonight. I asked her to use it from time to time to scan and upload some artwork that I have done. she ok'd it. so now I can post up art work in the future.

at least my fingers weren't in there.

closed, it took ten years but a door from my past got closed yesterday. It feels good to get that off of my chest.

*edit. I am NOT going to post the conversation. I'm done.





There are only a few things from my past that I never felt like I got to correctly put them to rest. Not saying that I am wishing this never happened, as a matter of fact dispite my beliefs and my conscience, I am glad the event did happen the way it did. This was one of the things I felt needed to be said, That I needed to bring up, and that I needed to voice my side of the story and the feelings it gave me.

Again just remember, Like I said in my closure email. things happen in the past (whether good or bad) so you can smile today.

it's a liberating feeling...... now I can get on with the rest of my life, like I was already doing

two wheeled purple people eater.

Decided to rebuild my wheels and mate up the purple hubs to the purple rims.
I am trying out a new lace pattern. (if you don't ride you might not get what I am saying)
Since it is indoor skatepark season I figured I would see how these lacing patterns will hold up.
they are lighter than conventionaly laced wheels when you take rotating weight into consideration. the spokes are shorter. creating less rotational mass. thus making them lighter on the go.

my front wheel I laced up in a radial pattern with the spoke heads out. Radial lacing is where the spokes go staight out from the hub to the rim. I laced it with the spoke heads out on the hub to avoid breaking spokes on grinds.



My rear wheel is 32 spoke and I laced it in a two cross pattern. when the spoke leaves the hub it crosses two other spokes on it's way to the rim. again usually you would do a three or even a four cross. these spokes are shorter so lees riding weight. I also got a new rear hub. It's the only one in existance in that color. KHE was kind enought to do a one off samle for me in this lovely purple color. I havn't ridden on this wheel set yet so I am not sure of it's strength. I am sure it will be fine though.





here is my complete bike. I like it a lot it feels good when I ride. the geometry is spot on for the type of riding I like to do. long up front to help out with my old man back and short in the rear making it a bit more responsive.



it's an addiction to keep this thing looking good. Because like I said in my revalations post, a good looking dialed bike makes riding that much more rewarding. at least for me anyways.

take care I still have some birthday photos I want to post but I am figuring out how to load this photo shop I stole from the internet.... (not really)

FUUUCCCCKKKKK!

It's not even that cold out... I got up this morning. The kids got up this morning, however my car feels the need to not FUCKING start. That lazy piece of shit is not pulling his own wight in this family so the only thing I can do is kick him off the island.

if and when I get it started I am getting rid of that bitch.


it's a love/hate thing I love it when it's running it's smooth. quiet (now), fast, decent on gas....
right now I am hating it because it's unreliable. my kids need to get to school and it doesn't seem to take that into consideration. So the bitch must go....