Blue Eyed Foster

A week ago we got the call to help with a 2 month old female Husky Foster that had been turned in by someone who "Just could not handle this puppy". Well, I do say sir or maam that your brains may just be filled with some sort of poop or other brown mushy material for I have been blown away by this little dog's innate behaviour instincts which have been easy, eye opening and fun to nurture. I know it has only been a week but I feel like this special puppy is going to be an extraordinary K-9 companion to whomever perhaps even myself accepts as a permanent part of the family. This Husky is close to the wild with a clean, smart, alert, strong, furry and quick witted temperament that has her always receiving info through her eyes, ears and nose. I have one more week or perhaps the rest of her life to go and will update soon. Please if you can help and are a responsible adult go be a foster home for loving pets through the Charlotte Humane Society, they do not need much but they do need you. Ask for Linda, tell her Billy sent you and you will receive head of the line privileges to get in there and help.......

Political Refuse to the Landfill in Mass QTY

So yesterday the mail man delivered to not only just me but perhaps the entire Mecklenburg and State of North Carolina for the love of God this fine piece of Republican Elizabeth Dole's plan to do her part in ruining the earth. Did over a million of these go out state wide? Yea, Yea I know Liz your plea is ignorance which there is plenty of in your party, woot-woot party but let's face it, even though I never really liked what you represent in the political arena faith based misconceptions you have now officially pissed me off with your clown like painted face and larger than mine head. Please Stop sending non recyclable trash promoting the gains of the wealthiest 2 percent of the state of which you are proud to represent via the United States Postal Service. Once it arrives at some one's house they pick it up, look at the disbelief in their own contorted face in the faux mirror made of whatever Dow Chemical is smeared on the surface then they throw the political flyer into their garbage can. In this day of linear thought in a closed environment like the globe it then winds up with the rest of them you have spent money on in the humongous landfill down by Ballentoon. Do you really think that the energy crisis in this country is on the way to being solved by adding to the waste? Of course you do not, you are only thinking about yourself while you sit there in your McMansion sporting your own pastel earth tone colored life is good T-Shirt with a cartoon Bubble of mountain sized pile of these stupid plastic leaflets rotting in the sun emitting noxious gas near where all those poor people live. Thanks so much Liz.

Stop Clowning Around-go Ride!

Check out this balding scary artistic impression of a modern\antiquated clown that I ran into on CommonWealth Ave the day before yesterday. If you look closely you can find it in the conglomeration O'Fjear on the lovely home I have posted as the present(stay tuned could change any minute) header image. Pretty Scary eh? More to follow later in the week.

Hey Thad, Squiring as recently promoted Lt. for Team Dicky last night at Sherman Almost ripped my legs off, especially on the first half. Okay, maybe we were not going that fast but as a matter of fact maybe we were. The ride's Patron made it clear, that the intent of tonight's training ride would be fast, that's it just fast. So I followed and made sure that I got into his tiny little slip stream that felt like it was protecting only my left calf from the wind giving me that slight advantage that I needed. The back co-pilot seat of this little trail train through the single track was an extraordinary perspective. My gums were bleeding, my teeth ached(not so much from the effort but from the late afternoon Dentist Appointment I had with fellow Cyclist Doc Johnson) but at least I had no cavities and was given a good report on the condition of my teeth. Following Rich through the woods is like attending a national spelling be, you just know that the little person in front of you could humiliate you at any second but he is holding off in an effort not to embarrass you. Boy, that was a stupid analogy but maybe you get my point unless of course you are a really good speller. Anyways, we ripped through and over the course in fine fashion and I was happy that he sat up a bit on the back half of the ride after the new stunt. There was not even time to take a picture although I tried, I blew the shot of Rich riding over the stunt and because of the pace had to put my camera back up and get back on the train right away. Sorry, no images other than the above clown. We got out of there before dark and I headed home to tend to the mules and start a fire. LIG

Boo-did I scare you?

The other day on my way into the Jar I passed the Thirsty Beaver(former header image as well as 5 star establishment on Central near the train tracks) and noticed that they had staged out back this big wood cut out picture prop just like you would have seen at a turn of the century carnival. I rolled around through the gravel parking lot by the Kudzu to see what type of front this picture board had, goody it's a boobie booth! That's right, next I found a garbage can to turn over and set my camera on. After dropping the messenger bag and sort of semi disrobing with a homeless dude on the sidewalk staring at me with his bags of stuff at his feet I hit the shutter timer and ran around for the shot. Thanks to that effort all y'all now have this image to look at today and the rest of your life in your mind's eye! Congrats.

Teeter In Dooleyville

Here is a little video that I rode, shot and edited myself yesterday afternoon which shows how bored I actually was. To make the little film I had to run at the see saw 9 times and then find some cool clown music to lay over the clips put together. Music credit is to Aswad and their creation Soca Rumba, I hope you like.

Namaste-Good Spirit~

This Sunday is the 2 year anniversary of the Death of my friend The Good Spirit, David Ray Chisholm. I realize that anniversary dates are sometimes over emphasised to the point of the understanding and true meaning being lost however in this case I can never unlearn the impact this man had on my life. All that took place by knowing Ray and being part of his untimely death has influenced my understanding of not only true justice but of our place in society and I cannot look away from the obvious. The Good Spirit gave me an education that could not be paid for and his life legacy has been part of my inspiration to make photographs, write and share with those who take a peek into the blogosphere. I ask that you take a minute and read my very first post in memory of David Ray Chisholm better known as The Good Spirit......

So it has been 4 months from the end of my last blog http://team283.blog.com/ where Beccina and I documented our once in a lifetime opportunity riding bikes across Germany and now I'm back. During the past two months more than 2 people who were not related to me in any way have asked me to continue writing. At first the idea seemed silly to me but then on further reflection I decided to come up with a plan. Germany and the dream team of 283 is in the past so now I present to you the ramblings of a mad man in the new. I realized that this project will continue as long as I feel it is good for me and stimulating my urge to create. There is what seems to be this voice in my head that sometimes whispers, "Create", sometimes it says it with a scream or a shout.

Many people who have lived in Charlotte for more than let's say a year or two may not recognize the name but prolly recognize the human form of David Ray Chisholm. He was the local Charlotte artist who had lived on the streets pulling his red cart loaded with original works of art since roughly 1973, after an explosion at his job took his left arm. Ray was working for his dad operating a welding torch when it accidentally ignited the liquid gas inside what was thought to be an inert tank. The fire ball and metal shrapnel sent him into a coma from which the doctors did not think he would come out of. On the morning of the 19th day he did wake with a new understanding of his place in the world, his truth. Shortly after recovering Ray took to the streets to spread the word of his life truth using his art work as a medium to express not only verbally but wholly what he believes.

Almost thirty years later in the summer of 1998 is when I met him working on a painting in the main avenue of uptown Charlotte. The oil on canvas was fading shades of blue to black upwards from a glowing blue earth at the base. From the center rose a yellow white spirit, a type of positive presence rising into the universe. I asked him about what I was looking at and he said that he was inspired by the spirit of man and all that is good. I wanted this piece of art and asked him if he would sell it but he declined, saying that one day he would leave a piece of art for me. My friend Elin smiled and said that Ray was The Good Spirit, which is what I have known him as since that day. Over the next 8 years I became friends with the Good Spirit and chatted with him frequently about life, art and the positive influence of belief and the power of doing what is right. One day in the rain on the way home I found a glass vase left under the Independence overpass, it was accented with gold and burgundy paint custom by the Good Spirit. I put it in my messenger bag trying not to smear the paint and brought it home and placed it on my fireplace mantle where it sits today. Late last August after returning from a trip to Scandahoovia I stopped to talk with Ray at the corner of Albermarle and E. Harris early in the morning. I told him what I saw above the arctic circle and he shared with me a clock that he was working on. He told me that this clock was keeping time with eyes open. I looked at the piece for a few minutes realizing that the clock did take on a human like face, adorned with jewels and color. Before we parted I asked him if I could take his portrait with my new digital camera, he smiled and quietly said, "Sure". I said goodbye and Namaste to him and as I rode away I told him that one day soon I would make a big print of one of the images for him.

I never got the chance for a few short weeks later, on October 26, 2006 he was hit and killed by a car on South Blvd while crossing with his art wagon. The driver of the car that killed him was legally intoxicated with a .18%BAC, according to the blood work done at the hospital. The Good Spirit's funeral was fittingly enough on Halloween at an established Presbyterian Church off of Providence Rd. My 7 year old daughter and I attended the service in which there was an open casket that caused me to stop in my tracks at the end of the aisle. Ms. Arcen grabbed my hand and said,"It's okay daddy, you have to do this or you will be sorry." So there was Ray, laying silent with paint brushes in his pocket, through the tears I managed to say, "Namaste Good Spirit, so long."

A few weeks later armed with a copy of the driver's ticket I went to watch the accused's administrative court proceeding. Outside court room 2205 of the Mecklenburg County Courthouse I approached a sheriffs deputy to find out the status of the case. Just as I was done talking to the deputy a woman grabbed my hand firmly, smiled and said, "I'm Ray's sister Deborah, what did you learn about the case?" Enter Deb, the Good Spirits sister. We quickly became friends and for the next 11 months were obsessed with the truth on the criminal case against the accused.

That day is when I first felt like there was a chance that this driver was going to slip through the cracks of the system and get off with only a DUI charge and punishment because the only charge present was DUI. In other words for whatever reason the DA's office never recognized that anyone had been killed that night therefor all the system knew was DUI. I was in disbelief at what I was seeing so I sought the pro bono council of a dear friend off of the record the very next day. I sat with Angel of Munich for an hour or so and told her everything I knew about the case so far and she reinforced my initial fears that this one may slip through the cracks. She also said something that would repeat over in my head for the next 11 months, "Stay on the DA with this one or they will let her off." The part that was missing in this case from the start was paper attached to the original summons that would identify the aggravated circumstance of the DUI, in this case the death of David Ray Chisholm. The law states that if you are arrested for DUI it is a misdemeanor, if you are arrested for DUI involving an accident that results in the death of a human it is automatically a felony DUI/death by vehicle.

The day of Aren Mccoy's trial in December came quickly. Deb and I sat together in disbelief that the prosecutor had just called her name and announced the charge of misdemeanor DUI on the morning docket. When the PA, Ms. Copeland finished the docket call she asked all states witnesses to queue up in the back and she would speak to us individually. In my bag was a 10 x 15 black and white portrait of the Good Spirit that I had taken back in August, dry mounted to a white matte with three inches of border. I took the print out and told Deb, "This is my chance." When the Prosecutor stood in front of me I was holding Ray's portrait against my chest facing her, she said, "How may I help you?" My response was rehearsed but trembling, "My name is Bill Fehr, you and the judge are about to prosecute Ms. Aren McCoy for DUI having no knowledge that anyone was killed that night." She looked down, saw Ray then instantly made eye contact with me again and asked, "How did he die?" I did my best to repeat the words of the summarized police report which describes the driver hitting Ray on or near the tracks of South Blvd and taking him off the road on the hood of her car, coming to a stop on the first light rail stanchion before Clanton Rd.. Ms. Copeland scrolled through the docket until she came to the case line, where she made some notations in the margin. Then she told me that she would file an extension immediately until the DA explained to her why this case was brought before the court without all of the information needed to make a fair prosecution.

As the months passed the DA's office started to talk with the Good Spirit's family and things were moving slowly but in the right direction. I even was able to get the Mayor involved after talking with him for 4 minutes about the case in February. Mayor Pat understood exactly what was going on and contacted the DA's office on the behalf of the Chisholm family. That was great news and in April the DA announced that the correct charge of felony DUI/death by vehicle was now brought against the accused. A plea conference was set in August which was the day I chatted with Aren Mccoy as she was leaving the Courthouse. I was amazed at her genuine sorrow, she was entirely remorseful and quietly trembling recounting the outcome of the event that had happened 10months prior. I looked her in the eyes and told her that no matter what happened in the court that she was going to be okay. She then apologized for my loss which I had trouble accepting not the apology but the fact she was apologizing to me. I explained to her that even though I felt the loss of Ray's human artistic form, I also had this strange feeling of gain and learning from his death and all that he had taught me.

On October 11th I sat with Deb, Brenda and her daughter in Courtroom 5310 as we watched Ms. Mccoy plead guilty to her felony charge. With that plea the DA agreed to the following punishment, 46 months drivers license revocation, 16 months in the state penitentiary-suspended after 36months supervised probation, 45 days in the County lock up to be served on the weekends consecutively, starting Oct 19th, 50 hours community service, Alcohol assessment program, submission of DNA sample and restitution to Deb of 5,000$ to pay the costs of burying Ray. After her punishment was listed but before it was final the judge asked her if she had anything to say. Leaning forward into the courtroom microphone Ms. Mccoy paused, then said to Ray's friends and family, "My god, I am so sorry." I know she is and I am sorry that she is in the place that she is. I hugged Deb, she whispered in my ear, "thank you", 4 times then I got out of there as fast as possible. It was finally over and I could release from my connection to being obsessed with justice based on equality.

I saw The Good Spirit two days before he was killed in the parking lot of the old Pepsi plant on South Blvd, pulling his cart. I did not stop as I headed out for an afternoon breakaway but I yelled, "Namaste, Good Spirit!", from the cockpit of my fixy. I glanced to him and he raised his hand slowly in his signature wave. His art cart was right there and on top of it was a wood/tile mosaic of a fish or what appeared to be a fish. It was resplendent in the afternoon light, little bits of colorful shiny matter forming the contours of this creature from the sea. This piece was his interpretation of the fish that swallowed Jonah from the biblical book of Jonah. I read the book 2 months after he was killed. To me the story is amazing considering that his requiem piece is tied in to faith, equality and justice.

Namaste Good Spirit!

Wednesday Sherman Branch-New Stuff

New Bridge A closer look

Near the start of the new exit single track section

Okay, this is taken facing the wrong direction on the new but for a reason.

You can see the Porta Jon in the left hand side of the frame, vibrant green and from this distance already smells as if something is happening at Sherman.

I am dizzy.

Wednesday after an economic crawl at work and the return stay alive I loaded up the Montero for the 6'sh mile drive out to Sherman and was in the trail by 1630hrs. Nothing much eventful about the ride, parking lot nearly empty this time, no throngs of thrill seekers rolling in packs and bright colors with squish and gears. On the first section off the double track left in the single track I did see some new trail infrastructure, in this case a perfectly planted bridge over a rough spot. Woot-Woot, new bridge, so exciting I stopped and made a photo to be able to share today. Through the course, no music just the sound of leaves in the wind and squirrels, tons of them wrestling around in the underbrush and fallen tree limbs. At the end something new on the left was a short new single track exit right after the left turn/right turn arrows. A few meters from the parking lot I smelled the Porta Jon which is right where the new pops you out. I went back in and made some more spinning pictures to share. The woods were still there and then I went home.

Pisgah Tuesday

Early yesterday Ms Arcen, Danger and I headed out with bikes loaded for the Trace Ridge Parking Lot. We were welcomed by Harvey the huge Copper dog and his handler Denise who was getting ready to head out on a short loop with Harvey then a big loop solo after Harvey was back in the car. I put the fishing poles, some artificial bait including the spinner I found on the shore of the Yuba river on my recent west coast run, a snack of grapes and spare clothes into my trusty messenger bag then we rolled out. It is not very far from the parking lot to the reservoir but the kid found it quite something from the control of her Swamp Bike's cockpit. She appeared small against the forested mountain back drop. A little bumpy was her comment and there were a few hairy minutes slamming into rock burbles on the Down Hill trying to keep her coaster brake in check. The first rise she pushed for a bit then got back on and made the little climb. More Down the mountain to the flat and traverse to the base of Big Creek Trail where we dropped the bikes and went for a swim. The sun was warm, the fish were not biting but exploration took over and photo document was under way. More Swim. Still no fish. Grapes and granola consumed washed down with the water we brought from the Jar. Hours did pass then we loaded back up and headed out. The rollers out were easy for her but she struggled after the day of being out in it at the base of the final climb up to the parking lot. I had a brain storm and interlocked 2 tubes together then placed one of the loops around my seat post and the other around her handle bar. We worked together and I pulled her out while she pedaled with my aide. First stop out of N Mills was at the red roof barn for 3 heirloom tomatoes and a hot chocolate up the road in the same travel cup that had warm tea in it earlier in the day.

Saturday Transfer in The Jar

Early Saturday morning the kid on the back of Brandi, a little trot and barrel navigation. Led into the depths by the one who can see for herself with her earth colored eyes.

Early this morning we found ourselves at Frank Hodge's farm, a place we have been spending time at for a few months now. There was plenty of color, life and sky out there to take in.

Ms Arcen spotted this guy or more likely gal while we were riding our bicycles this afternoon at McAlpine Creek Greenway . He flew across the path 10 meters in front of us at about slightly higher than head height and then perched up for me to take her portrait. Owls as well as all birds of prey amaze me for they must kill to survive, their intelligence, stealthy flying skills and innate survival instincts are very impressive to see in an Urban environment like The Jar.

His markings are so bad ass they appear to be moving, all part of his apparent camouflage.

One Day Closer to Defectin' that's right Defectin'

I stumbled across this visual representation of a song that I have posted before.

I thought you may enjoy, hope you do.

Americans are Angry

As well Mr. McCain they should be. For the love of everything that says truth would you look at all these stupid Helium filled plastic bags of joy floating around Charlotte's main Ave Yesterday during the 3 hour lunch window. My editor just informed me that these balloons and their handlers were out past the lunch window all the way until the end of the day. During the lunch time window is when I made the images. Nothing better demonstrates the stealth of the corporate plan of aggression by sneaking past Wackenhut Security into the elevators and buildings disguised with the smiles and colors that such fun bags provide. The message is in but really do people appear angry or simply just not thinking about it.

These 2 ladies are definitely not very angry but the guy walking towards them in the Nathan Vest is for he is about to eat the meat of a thousands cows in one meal.

Germany Circ. 1935

"Get your free balloons here, all colors each imprinted with the logo representing a board of directors that wants to take your money in exchange for providing you with absolutely nothing, get your balloons here!" maybe they are not free.

That's right kids, take these home and beg your parents to take you to the medieval land of plaster blown on to the wire cage mesh that is in the shape of a castle. They will spend tons of money they don't have, heck bring them home a new VISA and the experience will just cause more anger.

Dude, for real. I started to but I cannot, either way this fellow is not angry at all.

But this statue is for he was alive then and is presently staring at the now. As a matter of fact after all these folk left the square this statue dropped his mining pan and slapped his forehead confiding in me how angry he is that this is what America has come to in the last 150 years.

No lady I do not want a balloon, you've asked me 6 times now and all I really want to do is take pictures. Mr. McCain she does not seem angry at all but if she asks me one more time I just may be.

Hey you guys let's bring these up to the office that way we can perpetuate the good vibe that they bring and then more will want to come down and get more because more is what it really is all about.

Symbolic, National Pride of the best country in the world.

The Ghost of Sherman Havin' a Blast

ghostly images of me on stunt provided by Mike Domras using my camera, Sony DSC-H7
click for bigger like super size

that's right bastard, Sherman on a Tuesday afternoon and what syncro indeed. The parking lot was packed before 5p, I mean packed, almost scary packed like there was a pay for event going down or something but perhaps Wachovia at 87 cent like 50 without all the thug or drugs in the club gave the chance for some souls to finally be free early and stop wasting their time chasing the dream. Hell, there is nothing happening in those big buildings like what's going on in the woods anyways. Before taking off and in, I Saw purplish big wheels in the corner, had a chat about images of racing with a baby in belly and then saw none other than Miguel Domras of Half Assed Racing getting ready for a training ride with his inferior 26" wheeled, geared, tubed, cage pedal'd, skinny tire'd, v-brake'd slow heavy race bike. Miguel and I have known each other since way back in the day when we went on my inaugural trip to North America's 3rd tallest mountain which happens to be a volcano with dreams of a glacier covered experience on the summit for at least like 20 minutes of an 8 day trip. He and I also went for a very successful February climb of Mt. Washington NH the February before last. It was not so much high that was a worry as was the cold and wind. A very beautiful landscape with whiteness abound for sure.

I took off before he and Ron and came around to the silos after 1 Roller Coaster to get on Domras' inferior small wheel back in to the RC. Woots, laughs, over V braking and then I went by for a chance at the front. Next thing I knew I was back around to the Silos again with them not in sight or hearing distance so I went back into the RC yet again to find them on the little last hill before the last decent into the final drawn out climb out. We chatted for a minute and then Domras and I took off and out of the RC again and onto the main. So many people, traffic on the trail traveling sometimes in 4 or 3's. The stunt is where we found full face(sorry man, the pic of you that Domras took never came out....he took it long before you even hit a board) milling about wondering when they put it in. Anyways we all rode it multiple times, took some pics and cheered on the continuous traffic of riders rolling up and being forced to go over so that tifosi would not boo.

By then it was later than it should have been but then again everything is speeding up towards the end of the Mayan calendar so I headed out with full face and went home.

In God We Trust

Light in Sky

Ms Arcen(soft c)and I shortly after she was Born.



I used to think that it, the it I have referenced in family discussion past would come by an earth bound force created by man and how great we have become in the name of what ever joke this really is that the republican party can put forth as a vice presidential candidate/America, then again it is the republican party-woot-woot, PARTY. You know like high water and lack of it's potable version to hydrate a globe rapidly approaching 7billion on it's way to 18billion 40 years from now but only if you consider the math constant double factor style. Perhaps it would be fire that would bring it, I did meet Ed Viesturs once and he signed my messenger tin with the words, "Drowning in Flames, Burning in Water", I finally got that Ed and thanks for giving me the one signature that night. Maybe it would go down when the market crashes the retirements of this fine nation and all those buckets are finally allowed to stop kidding themselves which will cause the collective shift to step up our conscious level of awareness. When it happens would the Russians be involved with their military and weapons of mass destruction, you know how hungry they can be too, right? Speaking of weapons of mass destruction in defense of a democracy that cannot continue without the great recreation of shopping. How about us, we would be the trigger of the cosmic shift needed to finally bring it on? We have more WMD apparatus' than the rest and our nation has a fraction of the global population. Maybe the cosmic wheel would deliver us the flash of purple light blow coming our way for the actions we have already initiated with such a device killing those hungry in Japan, twice, not that long ago at all. Then the 2.5 million get out of jail free card, chaos style, still hungry and looking for water or plasma TV's, I hear they bring the news home. Just then, that summer the air temp in most of America reaches new highs and with the amount of drill baby, drill baby, Palin you dumb bitch fool-fooling the millions, O3 carbons particulate children can't breathe so the cars can still keep em shopping and working and shopping and working and shopping and working. That's right the glue that has been keeping this shitty sprawly American lazy economy going is falling faster than the bucket can count his losses, maybe there will be no shopping or working. The bright future cometh, a new level of understanding and what really matters.



Education-Info\Transfer



This Week I ran into a familiar face I had not seen in awhile who is conscience of the necessary awareness insight enough to have a functioning intuition. At first the standard chit chat we were both desperately trying to muddle through to get to the core of what is really going on around us. The conversation quickly became deep and real. After I rode away thoughts and then synchronicity of information came to my head through my eyes to see and imagine. Maybe it won't be earth bound at all whence it arrives. Maybe it will be coming as a flash of light from across the cosmos, an asteroid that weighs billions of thousands of tons has been traveling for millions of years from far deep in the galaxy. It will break through over North America or anywhere in the world appearing like dripping liquid light in the day or night sky, it's friction induced brightness over powering the sun and crater riddled moon. Next, in minutes impact with the earth, an explosion fire ball that is measured in Kilotons will obliterate the landscape with an extraordinary burst of light and towering debris will block out the sun for perhaps decades under the right circumstance. Of course, I thought to myself on the traverse of the urban asphalt nation that has become what we are dealing with. It all has always meant nothing from the minute it was created by man who brought all the answers but never gave thought to the consequences of an expanding Cosmos, millions of galaxies in an outward moving universe infinite in all directions.

1998-Halloween

Photo Cred: Elin(Geloof)
Scanned by: Rondal

Photos of the Week

I made these 2 images the day before yesterday while on a late afternoon eastward east side stay alive urban photo mission side track.

A Dollar a Delivery, L I G

I linked over to the NPR story on Bike Messenger'ing in Kabul Afghanistan as reported by Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson after looking at the HB(thanks for sharing). Have a listen by clicking, it is worth it. The 5 minute audio is quite interesting and caused me to form a mental list of the positives and negatives of having the coolest job in the world in Afghanistan, a country location that Time Magazine dubbed "The Right War". Here are a few:


Positives
-1 dollar a job is the bill rate, the courier gets 50 cents or like 40'ish rupees
-no jackass bucket heads running around in Lexus SUV's on their way to the Toon to deal with
-the Panthers never play in Kabul Stadium
-the local coffee house gives hook ups to the messenger brethren(which could be also a negative because the cafe is usually a target for IED's and suicide bombers)
-no Speed Week NASCAR hoopla in Afghanistan, yet anyways
-security is way more relaxed
-there are plenty of dirt roads in the city!
-real mountains are close by
-US Military Troops usually have Marlboro Reds
-as the man said he would rather die than to beg
-late thought-the winters would be real!


Negatives
-1 dollar a job is the bill rate, the courier gets 50 cents or like 40'ish rupees
-An explosion from either the good guys or the bad guys(which I think are the same) could cause unnecessary flat tires or end life without warning
-the potholes from falling ordinance create obstacles that can break bikes in half
-the bike shops don't carry Trek
-it is very hard to come by an Aerospoke wheel
-because of the constant perpetual curfew no post work Alley Cats every really manifest
-you may see any of your co-workers at any second get blown up

Sponsored by Skoal

My boy Rondal sent me this image that someone took of us in the parking lot at Poplar Tent back not quite but almost in the awesome 80's( I think the fall of 93). Come to think of it maybe it was Swanny who took the pic who joined us after we had already gone around once. This was a training ride for the newly formed Team Skoal which never really got off the ground, most of the riders usually puked before they could complete a single lap on any course. As you can see my proud cheek and gum dip apparent that I am not signaling for world peace which will never happen anyways(sorry Bono, believe me I know you are trying), instead I am identifying the 2 times that I hurled projectile vomit while riding around the trail. Smokeless Tobacco on the trail will do that to you and I highly recommend never doing it unless of course you are sponsored by a tobacco company in which case go for it, wear it on your sleeve or full scary tobacco kit as if it were a Hilfiger collared shirt because at least you are getting paid to ride and getting a bunch of free shit which is what life is really all about, just ask any kewl bike messenger and they will tell you.

Weekend Effort\Blog News-Side Bar Expansion

This past Saturday I had the honor of taking pictures during the nuptials of my friends Jen and Chris. It was an easy day of work because of not only their natural beauty but they were also very comfortable in their wedding environment surrounded by their friends and the pastoral setting of a 25 acre wooded peninsula on the lake. I made over 450 digital images, 28-35mm chrome slides and 10-two and a quarter inch chrome positives. Congrats you guys, thanks for allowing me to be part of the first day of the rest of your life together.

Green links You.

My side bar has been expanding, have a peek when you can.

First order of business is Smoot's Blog aka Ilan Paltrow who has been tolerating me rummaging through the bins of death at his bike stores since the day he arrived. I guess he has owned this blog site as long as he has www.singlespeeds.com but most recently he decided to actually update it. Scroll down to InterBike Part 1 and look at the amazing post mortem photo he made of none other than Lance Armstrong himself, classic. Then in today's post you will see the girl named Josie who was in a similar race but wound up not quite so dead looking. Check in on Smoot, his brilliant thoughts, pictures and whatever it is he is up to because what ever that may be it is always fun, witty and may involve physical challenge.

Rachel Van Slyke who dropped by earlier in the summer while headed north on her 4,100 mile music bike tour which ended recently now has a bloggy that you can read here. She is an extraordinary musician as well as an experienced long haul cyclist who can carry a 100lb load. I had the chance to talk to her early last week, she was in up state New York and was feeling like maybe heading south again soon this time to find that place in the country. The only hold up may be what ever comes from to the powerful force that is changing the direction of this fine nation which all of us who are paying attention can feel and hear is coming.

Last but not least, however just born the furthest away on the continent known as Australia is one of Charlotte's most talented film(that's right still shooting in the real then converting to the light blips) photographers, Chris Radok. Radok, backwards for Kodar, something to do with Kodak formulas related to certain film discovery in the 50's. At any rate Radok's work is an extraordinary comprehensive portfolio of the faces of Charlotte and those who have stopped by to have a look see in the Jar. I met Radok years ago when he was assigned to take our pictures because the Loafing was doing a story on how cool we messengers really are but pretend not to be, maybe that is the other way around. Read Sam Boykin's story and see Radok's pics HERE. Radok's professional attention to detail is obvious, to see just have a look inside and get ready to be moved. Great work Chris!

6 Feline Fosters\3 Weeks 3 Days

Priscilla and her 5 kittens that we received for a 3 and a half week foster when they were just 6 days old. This brilliant mom is claw less, completely independent and needs a home very soon for her kids will be adopted out in seconds. If you can help please give the Charlotte Humane Society a call, they do not need much but they do need you..... It is tiring to be that small.

Smokey Foster aka Yoda

Pants Foster

Dottie Foster

Spooky Foster

Mustache Foster