027: Chop Chop, Open Shop

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.

004: Belgie, Day One

Question: Why don't the Pro's step through when they dismount?
Answer: "Uh..because they're fast." -The MC. (Molly Cameron)

I'm going to start referring to Molly as The MC for a couple of reasons. One, because it kind of makes me think of The JC, as in Jesu Christo, which she kind of is, but in a more Tart-ish way. And Two, because somehow I have a feeling that Molly is going to be the mc of the week here in Westerlo, Belgium. Already she's been my personal tour-guide pointing out all the little special points along the way...

So, this is the first day in Belgium. I have to say, I'm in. Way in.
There was a World Cup poster on the way in to Westerlo. It blew my mind, partly because Boonen is on it. Then, we walked in to our host house and promptly watched the Diegem race, live on TV. The presentation was better than any pro football game I've ever seen in the states. Best part was, during the hour long race there was only one commercial break, and while they took the break they still kept the race showing in the corner of the screen while the commercials played out.

Then we promptly headed to The Big Mmm for some burgers, which Rigo straightaway covered with any sort of sauce you could imagine. I asked for extra mayonaise. He gave me a shot of Gin. One could not make this stuff up. We then returned to the house to find Peter re-wrapping his bars (white) on his brothers X-Knight (which was, incidentally Erwin Vervecken's WC bike.)

Now we're back to watching taped cyclocross races.

Tomorrow we're heading to the Middelkerke to watch Molly race.

This is going to be a good trip.

Also check out Steven Hunter's sweet pic of Boom on Race.cx he's staying here as well (not Boom, Hunter), so hopefully we'll have the race covered. Video. Photo. And Awesomeness to say the least.