Numbers

Pretty proud of my lady today. We went on one of our morning rides and she killed a stinker that's been toying with both of us for a bit. A 3/4 mile 6.3% 286 ft elevation gain stinker. On her brakeless Dropout with a 46x17. Cause we came out here with our Milwaukee ratios, you know. Then down the other side. I got a soft spot for tuff chicks. 'Specially this one.

Favorite Things: Surly Tall Thick Wool Socks

I've got to give my homies at Surly a high five for this shit. This shit's been keeping my toes and lower legs warm all winter.



They are the maximum thickness of sock that will fit in my Sidis so I be wearing them like mad.


Tall, thick, and seem like they'll last for years. You should get some.

Records

On Sunday I took a day off from riding and went to Treehouse and Cheapo. These are the scores.


Savoy Brown "A Step Further," Kris Kristofferson "Border Lord," Tony Joe White "Black and White," Nashville Pussy "High as Hell."




awesome homemade video to accompany, made from various Kristofferson movie clips



I was super pumped to get this copy of High as Hell for $7.

Check out the ridiculousness


I love this record in the same fashion that I love Van Halen 1, I'd say it's a guilty pleasure, but I don't much feel guilty.




At Treehouse I picked up Deadmoon "Defiance."

Deadmoon is one of those bands that you find out about and you get bummed because you could have been listening to them for years already.



so good.

Still The Best Bike Check

Eric Puckett: bike check 2009 from AJ Austin on Vimeo.

Crucial Jams

Here at BIKE JERKS we appreciate gems. Multi purpose gems. For rides, ladies, haircuts... our unique edge is that we don't give no fuck. But we know a good riff and how to use it. Lay back in the cut.

I Told You Not to Do the Sparkles

This is seriously the best thing on the internet. Wisconsin is so spectacular.




inspiring stuff

(sorry to follow up the previous post with something so lighthearted, but the world does need to laugh)

Greenway Mugging

Saw this on Bike Love today and figured it made sense to put it in front of as many eyes as possible.

Please watch out, be careful, take care, and look out for each other.


bloody girl by ebbmart


At ~8:30 pm a guy on a bike waved me down, to warn me of some suspicious guys he felt were trying to jump him. He asked "should I call the cops?" To which I replied "HELL YES!" and pulled out my Kryptonite for the remaining block I was to be on the Greenway.

As I was preparing to turn off into the park after the Freewheel (between 10-11th), I saw what looked like a bike on its side (blinkies askew) and some shadowy figures moving clumsily, manuvering what looked like a bag or back pack. I realised I had music playing and lifted my earflap to the sound of a female voice screaming.

Krypto out, I rushed the group, yelling in my deepest, loudest voice to "GET THE FUCK OFF HER, LEAVE HER ALONE!! THE COPS HAVE ALREADY BEEN CALLED!!". As I raced toward them, lock swinging above my head, the two attackers ran up the convienienty placed stairs to 12th Ave; leaving a bloodied, sobbing and very shaken girl.

After making sure she was not too badly ingured - her eyes tracked well, she was able to answer questions (what do you want, I'm not an EMT), covering her exposed hands and head; and sitting her down on my bag - I called 911 and did all that fun stuff.

Big TOTH to this girl - when asked by myself and the police if the thieves got anything, she blithly nodded no, and then described all the things I would freak out if I lost (keys, phone and wallet) having been in her backpack, that they took. She also *smiled* just a bit when I asked if I could take a picture. What a badass.



Huge WOTK(ryptonite) to the scumbag POS assholes that did this to her.

Please be VERY CAREFUL on the Greenway at night or early morning, people. One of the guys was wearing a t-shirt, which, to me, means they live in the immediate area. I didnt see their features well enought to make any descriptive statement about them, as I was focused on the girl, but it would seem they wear dark clothing and work in pairs, or more. If you see suspicious activity, DO NOT hesitate to stop and/or avoid that section of trail, and call 911 to report it. He should absolutely not feel guilty, but if the guy that warned me had called it in, it is possible that this girl would not have been accosted, or at very least, the aggressors might have even been cought on the bridge (wishful thinking)

Related - I woke up this morning from a restless sleep, and a dream where I U-locked one of the muggers to a fence by his neck... I think I still had some adrenaline pumping through me.

Wolf Drawn: Gap to Laceration

Photos from my Iphone

for the first time since I got it this fall, I dumped the photos from my phone.

here are some highlights.












"vinyal to get Toto and Badfinger!"

found at Cheapo Records this past Sunday

Stupor Bowl 15

It's back. The second oldest continually running messenger race in the world (next to Halloween in NYC), and one of the biggest anywhere with 400 people or so registering each year.

This year's Stupor will be taking place February 4th.



If you're not from here, you better make plans now, because this is not to be missed. If you're from here, I'll see you there.

Effin' A to the J

Any body knows Tina and I treat A.J. like our boy. We want the best for him and are proud of all his accomplishments. Such a nice young man.

Texas Jibs from AJ Austin on Vimeo.

Get out here and visit Dude!

All-City Vertical Dropouts

I'm biased of course, but shit these are hot.

via

Saturday

In an effort to try to love the fat bike I took my Pugsley down to the River Bottoms on Saturday for what turned out to be a long four and a half hour ride.




First order of business was to check out this abandoned road that I'd scouted earlier on my cross bike.


That dead ended and left me searching for a way to cross to the other side of a stream. Luckily a way was found.


I then rode the low road to the trails to 35W. The trail was good and it was fun, but the whole time I kept wishing that I was on my mountain bike so I could pump and catch air off the rad sand dune pump track sections.

Cool Story Bro

On the way back from record shopping I was riding down Blaisdell and had just passed through an intersection with traffic lights, when a cop car pulled alongside me and flashed the lights. I pulled to a stop and they immediately blasted a flashlight to my eyes, "Do you know that riding without a headlight is illegal?"

At this point I didn't know what I was being pulled over for, truth be told while I knew that there were no cars coming in any direction, I have absolutely no idea what color the light was when I went through.

I replied to the query with a shrug of the shoulders, then looked down and realized that I had an unlit Knog on my bars. I turned it on and said sorry. They then asked if I had a state idea and I went for my wallet.

While they ran my info one of the officers told me that I didn't have brakes on my bike and asked if I rode downtown, to which I replied sometimes. I don't live or work downtown, but sometimes I ride there. "Cops downtown will give you a ticket for that."

They then handed me back my id after checking for warrants. I wanted to ask why they pulled me over, but any run in with a cop where I don't receive a ticket is rare, so I didn't want to blow it.