Ira's shop opening the other night was a pretty raucous event. His workshop, which is located below a bike shop in the prestigious area of Portland known as St. Johns, was the perfect place for such a gathering. People milled about seemingly comfortable in an environment filled with machines large and small. Into this quaint shop were jammed a veritable who's who of Portland, Oregon...such as:
18- Chris King Employees (seriously these people are everywhere). One of these informed me that she doesn't like going to the movies. A generalization I know, but I don't ask for these confessions, they just happen. I informed her that Conan the Barbarian is playing at the $3 Larelherst Cinema. That should change her mind.
1- 8 year old guy that not only informed me his pant pockets had been filled with 5lbs of sand earlier in the day, but also that if he starred in "Drunk Wars" which is the Drunk version of Star Wars, he would play Obi-Drunk Kenobi. Where did he come up with that? He must have some sort of twisted parent or something? (Notice I said Parent.)
12 - Bottle Caps that allow you to play Rock Paper Scissors, or "Roshambo" if you're into the whole brevity thing. Isn't Portland wacky?
1 - Henry James Jig.
0 - These guys were there too, and it was a straight up Midwestern love fest since they're originally from the Wisco as well.
23 - Amazing Cycling posters.
Tscmil, DeVlaeminck, Chippo, Merckx to name a few.
2- A Magazine Publisher.
46 - people wearing Free PVB t-shirts. I could only snap one though, the devilish D. Roth. Someone asked Dave what this "PVB" stood for and he rattled off a description of mythic proportions...I believe the phrases "at every race on the east coast," and "everyone know's The Pvb" were used. Epic.*
*Its at these moments, as a friend, that you get to kind of step back and smile. And no, I didn't tell anyone about the "crashing" incident.
1 - Of my favorite photographers. Dan Sharp Was spotted chatting with my new favorite businessman, the owner of Ampersand Vintage and the root of the ephemera craze. At least in my mind anyway.
The piles of bikes outside the shop warmed my heart as it sounds like the weather in good ol Boston hasn't made for the best cycling these days...that is unless you've got a Pink-Panda Equipped, Studded-Tire Snow Eating Fixed Gear Bicycle. Watch out for that shit will roll straight up and over you. Guaranteed.
Stay gold Boston. I still think of you often.
