strangeness

On today's ride:
-saw 5 hook and ladders, a water truck and a search and rescue vehicle flying up closed climb in griffith park
-saw hipsters having a big wheel race on the same hill
-saw the firemen ask them if it was 'an officially sanctioned event'
*note: given the hipster 80s regression ist movement towards infant comforts can big boy pullup diapers be next on the trend list?
-found 6 dollars in the middle of a street (camo but money on the ground never eludes my eyes)
-5 gazillion people at g park observatory for sunset
-those same 5 gazillion people trying to fucking park austin powers 3-point turn style. What was wrong with the shuttles?
-bagged 3500 feet o climbing
-didn't have any probs with my rig, which was stunning givedn i'd just replaced the cranks, bb, chain, and rear tubeless tire plus trued the rear wheel. She was humming.
-gave thanks again for tubeless and the hutchinson gunk that makes flats not happen. Tubeless is the shit, i'm sold, tough to ride normal wheels coming off of those.

*this message typed by thumb, transmitted by esp

BLOOD IN THE CAGE

Just started reading Blood in the Cage by L. Jon Wertheim yesterday. Having read most of the autbios of MMA champions and several histories of the sport as well as the Sam Sheridan fighting around the world tome that covers much of the same Miletich Fighting Systems ground but from a participatory angle, I'm not finding any new info or insights in Blood in the Cage.

 

I also dispute Wertheim's premise--that MMA is appealing at its core because it's the closest thing to watching two people kill each other and the purest, most reductive yet complex form of sport.

 

I agree that those elements are all part of MMA's appeal, however I think the sport's deeper appeal is the gameness of the fighters and the inspiration the average person derives from identifying with the warriors in the arena.

 

While not everyone's jumping up after watching an underdog arm bar his opponent to run out and conquer the world, the intermingling of chance, cunning, skill, and raw natural ability displayed in the ring remind us all of what we hope we can be at our best.

 

$.02

 

 

Lance Mania

20% of the headlines on the front page of VeloNews are Lance-related right now as he stomps once again at the Sun Tour in Oz where record crowds have turned out to witness the miracle man. It's good to see people stoked on bikes, Tour of Cali should be insane with LA and a post-suspension Basso et al (and there's a lot of et al yo. . .) back.

I'll keep my ra-ra rag in the drawer until we make it through a year of racing and drug tests, but great drama no?

*this message typed by thumb, transmitted by esp

Sunset blvd Sign of the times

AMERICAN KIDS PRACTICE SHOOTING HOOPS AND DREAM ABOUT BECOMING PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES

Meanwhile, in Europe, driveways are put to a different use. Here are three things you've never heard of that have kids across Europe getting wicked.

TEKTONIC


and then when they get good they go pro:


HARD SHUFFLE
Where do you get rave clothes that fit a 3-foot tall kid? And what parent would buy them? And check out that rat tail.



JUMPSTYLE
Live from the Netherlands, Jumpforce:



Start practicing.

Introducing French Pop Crack!




Thumbs up on the bob, too, Yelle singer lady.