Uncle Bill fixed the tractor and we gave it a trial run before Project Underpass kicks off tomorrow. It scraped up the hard dirt a lot faster than I had imagined.
Natty was a big help, as usual.
The Make Out Ladder with new and improved run-around.
How much in additional taxes are you willing to pay now in order to ensure that the Earth would not be 3 degrees warmer 100 years from now (assuming the science is even possible) - $100 or $1,000 or $10,000 or more? Should the government prevent us from selling some of our body parts to allow others to live or have better lives? Are we likely to get better health care in the future with more or less government involvement? Are the advances in information technology, such as the Internet, increasing or reducing the power of governments to monitor and control our lives? Is the current global financial crisis the result of too little or misguided government regulation of the financial industry? Does globalization increase or reduce income inequality? For instance, assume you believe global warming is both real and man-made, but you also understand that expensive actions taken now to deal with a future problem may not be cost-effective. Technologies are improving rapidly so it might be far cheaper to wait until the new technologies become available before taking action. It also might be less expensive to find ways to adapt to climate change (either cooler or warmer) than try to change the climate - people in Minnesota adapt to cooler climates and do not suffer lower incomes than those in warmer Florida.*Dear Conspirasteve,This article started off in a promising way...Then devolved into utter bullshit...*Editor's note : If sea levels rise as projected most people in Florida will be under water which may lead to lower incomes.Anyway, I thought you might mine a few column topics from it....the people are clamoring for more Conspirasteve!
Dear Readers,Some of you have inquired into the inner workings of the Conpirasteve Nation. While broaching a topic of such taboo and tablue is usually down my proverbial "alley", I will have to refuse. I would also like to point out at this time (along with my absolute and resolute opposition to body surfing) that I will not be taking any questions into the workings of the Conpirasteve Nation's inner sanctum of round table discussion sessions @ any time in the near/not too distant future! However! I will give a little insight into the latest Inner Sanctum Discussion Topics. Here on in referred to as ISDT. .ISDT 1: If global warming is indeed man made, and indeed that man is Sean Hannity, what will my future grand children pay me @ this time to off the fucker? Since my grandchildren have yet to be born on any specific date, or for that matter at all, is it cost effective and also what is the cost/benefit ratio if I was to OFF the shit bag, if my future grandchildren have yet to come up with a plan to pay their future grand father within any reasonable time frame? ISDT 2:How will Humanity deal with the humiliating defeat of Hannity at the hands of Hussain Obama? ISDT 3: If, in having dealt with Hitler first (Munich anyone?), who and in what form would the republicans have culled their inspired electioneering playbook? I do not take for granted the intellegence of Dawhite's readership, so I'm sure in the fact that referencing specific dates to the afore mentioned matter is beneath you Dear Readers! I will not discuss further! ISDT 4:Will Sarah Palin deliver us from the pump pain along with Mc-I-was-a-P.O.W-so-dont-ask- ISDT 5:Will Conpirasteve be able to continue with this entry without more beer? Who drank all the beer? Who is going on a beer run? Irascible much? If you prefer! I do! Up next THE ENEMIES LIST!!! Consirasteve
The Miss Roackaway Armada
"Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea" by NYC based artist Swoon is a flotilla of seven intricately hand crafted sea vessels that sailed up the Hudson river from August 15th to September 7th of this year. The ships were a hybrid of boats, furniture, household objects, and other found materials that the artist compiled an then constructed into a floating barge. Check out the link below for more details on this interesting homebrew art piece.
Team Durango brought home the 2009 SSWC by utilizing Chad's skills at bowling and Ms. Pacman.
I've been waiting for this article for a long time.
OK, the big Mackenzie River trip is on for tomorrow. The meeting place has changed to the Mill House, still 9:30am.
It looks like 3 vehicles, 3 dogs, at least 12 bikes and verbal commitments from me, Dabby, Mason, Dylan from Seattle, J-Bone and GF, Mace, Jefe, Peaches, Tiger Tom, Boston, Tiah, Cory the Kid and Tad the Champ. A solid krewe and it should be a lot of fun.
Update! Beefa is now on board so it's an official Deathmarch. That also puts us at (or over) capacity so if your name isn't on the list you better bring your own vehicle.
And please think a happy thought for team mate Drew aka Sweet T. He's flying the Team WRECK colors at NACCC Chicago this weekend.
Rev. Phil sends me a lot of stuff that doesn't usually make it on this website. For example, this :
WTF? I don't even like that show.
This link however is brilliant. Best bike polo website ever?
Los Marcos Polos
I see they're sponsored by Team Wreckstuff. Good name but does it include a terribly clever acronym? Probably not.
I just spoke with Tad the Champ and it's almost entirely official that I will be hosting the Veloshop Cyclocross Race on Saturday, September 27. I'm pretty excited. Tad expects 200 to 300 racers which will be fun and crazy, will beat the trail into submission and will generate some cash flow that I will put towards a ticket to CMWC Tokyo for the winner of the next Rickreall Open.
I'll need some help between now and then planning the route, improving trails and cutting a few new ones, building berms and maybe even renting a backhoe to create a few hills and pits. I'll most likely be having work parties September 13-14 and 20-21 so if you enjoy moving dirt or cutting through blackberries with a machete then please attend. If possible bring your own shovel/rake/machete/clippers/chainsaw/ bobcat/ trackhoe/dumptruck.
Also please help me think of a better name than Veloshop Cross Race. My first thought was Rickreall Rampage but that's pretty weak. I'm sure you can do better. Leave your entry in the comments and the best (as judged by an inedpendent panel) gets a free t-shirt when the next batch is printed.
Igor Kenk
As the police gathered the mounds of bikes, they also found cocaine, crack cocaine, about 15 pounds of marijuana and a stolen bronze sculpture of a centaur and a snake in battle.
Another successful Open. Drew won the overall and a $300 travel voucher to represent Team WRECK at the NACCC in Chicago. If I can secure some sponsors I'd like to offer a ticket to CMWC Tokyo as the grand prize next year.
I think this guy said his name was Lance and he was from Keizer.
At the firepit.
Divebomb nursing a shin wound after the time trial.
If only she had utilized Mace's bark armor.
At the start of the road race.
Drew was motivated.
Realizing I'm second. Though I tried to catch back on the downhill I knew it was futile.
Dabby at the turnaround.
I directed Jaden to get some closeups. "Get up in their grill!"
Team WRECK is headed to the Mackenzie River on Labor Day weekend. Meet at the Polo Haus or the Mill House between 9:30 and 10am on Saturday, August 30th. It's about a 3 hour drive so we'll set up camp and do a short ride Saturday and then shuttle to the top and ride the 26.5 mile trail downhill on Sunday. Since it's a 3 day weekend we could stick around until Monday but we'll see how that goes. I've heard that J-Bone (aka Two Sevens) has more time off and will be leading a splinter faction into the desert afterwards, so this could turn into Death Drive 2.
If you want to go RSVP ASAP to me, Mason or J-Bone.
You'll need to bring lots of money for gas and food plus the usual sleeping bag, tent, warm clothes, headlamp etc. etc.
The deck jump
Jaden contemplating a front derrailleur. He stripped down his new road bike and painted it black and red with a gold pin stripe.
Building a polo mallet
Apres ditchstyle. I got a few new scars from this malfunction. I think Dabby has a photo of my bloody knuckles, maybe he'll send it in.
Oh yeah, there it is. I blame the cordial. And the lack of a rimstrip on the recently purchased wheel. And an inflated sense of my skill at ditchstyle. And just being a dumbass, I guess.
*Please note the opinions and theories expressed by ConpiraSteve are not necessarily shared by the author of this blog*
The new Ace and Larry
I'm back! I moved to the country and promptly mowed the internet cable. It took a few months but I now have an impregnable internet connection. Buried at varying depths and sheathed in schedule 40 conduit. Good luck gophers! Drunken lawn mowing? No problem!
I can say it was a good test. I can live without the internets. It was tough though, I was almost completely cut off, except for books, magazines, newspapers, radio, cell phone and satellite TV. Here's a sample of the barbarism : when I was curious about something instead of asking wikipedia I had to walk all the way across the room, find the relevant volume of the physical encyclopedia, pull it down, find the right page, download knowledge, put it back and walk back across the room. Precious seconds lost off a finite lifespan.
But now I've finally woken from this long nightmare and soon will offer you, my loyal readers, updates on the last few months, including photos and full results from the Rickreall Open, reports on our last few MTB rides and a preview of coming attractions. Stay tuned.
