Get your own subculture, this one's mine.

So I heard the Mercury alleycat was fun. Sharky and Damien got first and second, which is great as they're both actual messengers and super nice guys. At this point I would go back to ignoring the Mercury and their alleycats except someone linked to me from a comments page. Reading through the comments reminded me of why I try not to read comment pages. Except of course the comments on this web site, where I treasure each as if it were a precious newborn.

Artifacts from Rickreall

Part of Dabby's birdwatching list.

Speed Scrabble, the official word game of Team WRECK.

The official snack of Team WRECK.

Jaden goes for the sleeper hold.

Keenan retaliates with an arm bar.


This bullfrog moved into my pond.

We never did find that other green bocce ball.

some leftover pictures

The last remaining Moxy Love Crux sticker.



Spence at the helm of "Coconuts".

Sunset on the Columbia.

What will happen if somebody pours something banned into my salad?

Velonews quotes Andreas Kloden on a possible conspiracy...

Even more ominously, he raised the possibility of riders' careers being sacrificed in the current dispute between Tour organizers ASO and the UCI.

"I know it sounds fanciful," he said. "In cycling the UCI and ASO are fighting for the Tour. People are plotting things; everyone is wishing the worst for everyone else. A lot of money is at stake. What if some people are manipulating things, ruining things, in order to take control of what's left?"

Lunchtime Dos and Don'ts

In the spirit of Vice Magazine's Dos and Don'ts I offer my own less funny critique of the fashion and lack thereof found on la playa on a Tuesday from 11:30 to 12:15.

Don't. I admire the dedication but that is just too much hair.



Do. I like the rattlesnake t-shirt, and just like the rattler's tail this whole ensemble screams "don't mess with me".


Do. Several of my lunch companions classed her as a Don't, and I agree the shoes are terrible...maybe it was the windblown look that got me.


Do. This old guy has been shambling around downtown as long as I have. Always with an unlit cigar and sometimes with an eyepatch, two excellent accessories.



DO. I like spunky old ladies that wear purple and have matching hats. They reminded me of that old lady gang from the Monty Python skit.



Do. I keep expecting Ayla to burst into song.


Don't. Love the Chanel glasses but the weiner dog and self induced wedgie have to go.


Do. Timmy's wardrobe is highly functional, saying , in effect, "I have nothing left to prove".


Do. With a smile like that Tom can wear whatever he wants.




Do. I took this pic of Timmy's Banh Mi by accident . He let me have a bite, it was excellent and only $3.00.


Don't. Rent-a-cops on Segways. Your tax dollars at work.



Don't. Sorry Lance, I like your pony hat but braids in the beard are a big time don't.



Don't. She thinks she looks terrific, and that's all that really matters, right?

Don't. Get a haircut, hippie.


Do. Much better.

Vino tests positive, Astana quits Tour

Shocking news from France

David Millar was the first rider to react to the news: "Jesus Christ - there you go, that's my quote," he blurted out. "What timing, huh? This is just fucking great."

The rehabilitated rider, who served a two-year ban for admitting to use the banned blood booster EPO, quickly composed himself and addressed the assembled scribes.

"It makes me very sad because Vino is one of my favorite riders. He's one of the most elegant riders in the peloton," he said. "If a guy of his stature and class is doing that in what's cycling living right now, we can just all pack our bags and go home."

I wonder where I could get some of this fresh blood, I've been feeling a little logy lately.

Monday morning leftovers

What a great stage of the Tour de France yesterday. Plateau de Beille is always a dramatic finish.



Nice tan line, Mangie.




Baby Beefa and Monty

Sheed was right

NBA/mafia scandal!
Great, now my two favorite sports are ruined. Cycling to doping, basketball to dirty, mafia connected refs. I saw this guy worked seven Trailblazers games last year. I would not be at all surprised to find out he had worked game 7 of the Western conference finals in 2000 when the the Trailblazers lost to the Lakers after several phantom fouls on Sabonis. I also wouldn't be surprised if a few other refs were guilty of the same thing.

Donaghy was part of a crew working the Heat-Knicks game in New York in February when the Knicks shot 39 free throws to the Heat's eight, technical fouls were called on Heat coach Pat Riley and assistant Ron Rothstein, and the Knicks won by six. New York was favored by 4½.

Donaghy had a run-in with then-Trail Blazer Rasheed Wallace at the Rose Garden four years ago. Wallace was suspended seven games for threatening Donaghy on the loading dock outside the arena in January 2003. Wallace was apparently upset that Donaghy had called a technical foul on him during a game against Memphis that night. It was the longest NBA suspension ever levied for something that didn't involve drugs or physical contact. Wallace forfeited an estimated $1.6 million in salary.

RO4 pt.4

So I got the OK from Tommy and here it is, the picture of the weekend :

See you all next year. Why don't we set a date right now to avoid the scheduling conflicts we had this year. Let's say a few weeks earlier so the cherries are still ripe...how about June 27-29, 2008. Mark your calendars.

RO4 pt.3

Here are the last of the good photos, except the one of Tommy's naked jump. You can't really see anything but I should probably get his permission before posting it, so you'll have to wait for that one.


Snuggle Pony was in fine form.



If the Rootbeer Schnapps are out it must be midnight in Rickreall, and almost time for Ditch Style.



What do you think this is, the Country Fair?



Mace, king of the firejump.



The Kid rocks it in flip flops.



I didn't time this one right but Mace said he liked it as it illustrated how far he had to jump.



He was in the wrong gear and barely made this one.

media blitz

I guess this means alleycats have officially jumped the shark.

Also, Dabby called to let me know he was quoted in the Oregonian. He is described as "trying to restore calm" which doesn't seem like the Dabby I know.

RO4 pt. 2

Here are some more images from the open. Maybe I'll add witty captions later. I might even work on some "results". The scorecard was lost Saturday night so they might be a little vague. I do know that Dabby won Bocce Ball, Tiah won Speed Scrabble and they tied at Wine Tasting. Mace won Fire Jumping by clearing Gideon but The Kid got bonus points for jumping in filp flops. Ditch Style was more of an exhibition this year but I recall that Mace got big air, Dabby got a little air, I got microscopic air and crashed a lot and Jaden dropped in again and again with varying results. Kelly and The Ringer tied in Wiffle Ball Home Run Derby. There were a lot of events we didn't get around to. Almost everyone rode down so they came in late and left early and didn't bring polo bikes or mallets. Jaden and Dabby both turned in good birdwatching results. Beefa did a little birdwatching as well and also scored well in the Beer Bungie.
I'll upload more photos tomorrow, including the fire jump, naked and otherwise.



















Sharky works on the tattoo gun.




Every one of these rules was violated at some point during the weekend.

Images from the Rickreall Open IV

Here are a few photos from this year's Rickreall Open, I'll put more up tomorrow.

This one's out of sequence but I had to lead with it. Drew is the man. I didn't think he'd actually do it...he almost had me talked into getting one but luckily the gun stopped working.

Mace and El Torque cleaned out the Chevron.




Maybe I shouldn't have put that flyer up in West Salem.

Rev. Phil gets the hose.


El Torque in the beer bungie event. He did well but Sharky won because the tubes snapped at the tree and whacked him right in the Pryzbillas. 20 bonus points.

Jaden lighting the barbeque.


Jaden and Velo were relentless with the sqirt guns and water balloons.

Cowboy tolerated the squirting for quite a while then snapped and threw Velo in the pool.




The Kid rigged a rope to the top of the big oak tree in the orchard.