Calling all STOMPAS!

BiciPolo 1 on 1

SnappDRaggonWhatev.
Yeah, Diesel 'n I got the skills going last night. Well, almost. Dan, Can you snap it in the tire?
Glad to report a gentlemanly game, well almost. Dan, could you get your bike unhooked from mine?
Shouldbe a Tournament at Rally of the Dead, so come out and sharpen those skillz.

Lots of discussion on sound bike designs. Some blueboard, a surfboard, and I'me fine...thanks to El Jeff, Ya, RoGer, & Katfish.

SkulBunneez from the Deep

MC:
"Sure stopped me in my trax, this particular smear did. As the resemblance, in perspective, to a stompa skull seemed a bit strange. And while the love safety emblem has always been understood the skull is perhas a missive on what the flip side may hold. For whatever got smeared probably would have prefered a little more lovin' safety."

Scooba:
"The road is speaking to us, saying, "Don't Fuck with ME."
Severiously, though, the message is fairly clear.... the flip side is always right in front of us, and we rarely consider how quickly we could be commun icating via a roadkill grafikz. (To the stompamasses: Let me know immediately if stuff you draw ends up on the highway with heart-shaped teeth...)"

Sarah Palin is terrible just ask Matt Damon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anxkrm9uEJk

Shakendown SLowBoken

Soo, hordes of pictures have been uploaded and they're allll for U! Among other things the Missoula Section of SlowBoken has and continues to be sweeeet. A friend of a friend, Jordan, was kind enough to put me up, and we've hit it off famously. Thus far I've spent some QT at a sweet bike shop, The Bike Doctor, and they were kind enough to accept my new front rack shipment, and allow me to install it. Generally I am confident in any shop with paintings, and this one had two big ones and they were excellent. SO much so that I continued my wrenching program, which I've been slowly taking care of, and installed a new chain, cassette, derailuer pulleys, and will hopefully make it across without having to do so again. EC and Marlayna(?) the beau proprietors were also unloading kegs of fine local brew and having a B-day party which I was only too happy to attend. The back of the shop has a sweet yard and they had dug up an old barrel in which a fire roared, and I managed to get sufficently drunk-ed. ENough so that I was in top form at about 1 when a law enforcement officer of the highest order pulled me over. It was true that I was without lights, but he was unaware of this stomparillaz excellent drunk biking skillz and I carried on without any trouble after a round of friendly banter; He said he was a county cop and the coroner and didn't want to have to deal with my corpse. Yes sir sirsir..

Amidst the partyin' crew were a couple of goofalopes on extended tour from Vermont of all places, drivin' their truck around the west shreddin singletrack on their single speedz, so we talked the talk and they were directed to Durango for the Rally of the Dead , and the renowned Stompa timing continued to prove itself with a chance run in with another touring crew, who just happened to be those same Pisgah bums we kicked it with at Freds well in the Nevada Desert and at sswc in napa. SOo we all managed to just about get hit by cars saturday morining during missoula homecoming madness spotting each other in the streets.

It was also swell to excercise my 'Mericaness and do some shopping for rocks and other important things I would like to carry. Nothing like a bike tour to make shopping a challenge, as if it wasn't enough. Annywho, as per SlowBoken protocol, I planned on leaving on Saturday, but managed to lay about long enough that Sunday it shall be. For thousands of words check pix. .peas

Ceci n'est pas un Jerszee

SSonly a proof of a jersey yet to come...
Nearfinalfinal?

Frontal






Derriere

shakedown sT

'Don't tell me this town don't got no heart,,, you just gotta poke around!'

Yup Slappy from Slowboken here just signin' in from MIssoula minutes after the day of my birth, (which i was just told makes me 27 not 28, so that's funny, I am waaay ahead of schedule) While I supposedly completed the Shakedown St. portion of SLowBoken a lil while back, this is the first computadora access I've had in a while, (not to mention shower, shave, car ride, potluck, midnight, etc.) ANd it's only been 11 days! Or somethin' wheeew

So just do me a favor alright, given any opportunity to tour anything, anywhere, for any period of time, by bike, fucking do it. Ok? Ok.

The Photoz will follow, IB takin' tomorrow off expressly for bacon and bloggn', but howz about a little run down, hmmm?

Contrary to mud shark mythology, I do require sleep and post SSWC, post burnin'Man, post SeattleStompn' (not to mention post C'dale exodus) I did need some sleep and subsequently turned off ze phone, escorted Anna & Justin(bunnyHawk) out of their humble abode, and went to sleep in seattle, thus my departure was SunDay Sept 7th. On the first day, after painlessly finding my way out of Seattle and into the wee burg of Preston, Wa the Shakedown began.

PBR, or Preston Bike Repair happened to be located a matter of feet past the location of my first flat, and Bolton Peck the proprietor, former Dead tour-er and ostensibly stay at home dad, happened to not only have the 170 mm Campy triple cranks that I needed in the back shed which was his sweet shop, but was also willing to trade for the 175's racing triples my short little legs didn't intend on spinning across 'merica. SO the Shakedown began at the heart of the drivetrain and included a new BB, which was also a J&B bargain Campy wannabe that already creaks like a mother.. Aaanyway, on day 1 I was able to put to use some of my hard earned skills and help shut down a bike shop drinking beer, with the aformentioned parts bolted onto my whip..

A couple miles down the road after Pbr was the begining of the rail-trail that I would ride for much of Washington. A singletrack switchbacked up to where the old bridge used to be and I was almost fatally crushed under the Xtra at the crux of the biscuit.. Atop the climb, the rail trail was paved with mowed shoulders and dreamy moist pacific forest. More or less at the very begining of said trail the Shakedown tour de Slowboken continued with my choosing to camp immediatley next to a spring on a lovely bit of lawn. In the morning I managed to watch the Xtra tip over directly onto my new helmet and put a full on spider crack in it that robbed any integrity, as my Pops' says, "good thing yer heads not a vital organ."

From there I was more or less alone on the former Chicago St Louis Railway line for a hundred plus miles, no cars, virtually no other people, and regular refueling opportunities; divine to say the least. As I got farther from the ocean and the moisture dissipated and the density of the trail decreased. The final 20 miles to the columbia river at Vantage where through a sandy desolate section of army traing grounds and it was there that my whip aquired its new name; The John Wayne Pain Train. (JWPT) Oh yeah at some point the trail is called the John Wayne Pioneer trail and railroad grade can be pretty rugged when your skinny lil tires are doing nothing but causing trouble in soft sand and the couple hundred pounds of Xtra cycle baggage react disrespectfully to just about everything. SHakedown St. So anyway the Cascades were gorgeous, not least of all because there were no cars to distract me, and the JWPT got nicer.

I slept under a bridge, off down a little rabbit trail, next to a sign in the desert, in a fallow field, and behind a delapitated barn. The Shakedown was succesful in figuring out the packing scheme for the XTra, (where it can be ridden with no hands) and in rattling loose any shit I didn't need, which I don't know about. Actually I turned around for a while to get one of the Specialguyz gloves of Hollenbacks and for my towel on two seperate occasions. Worth it.

Even until I was at the locked gate it seemed that the John Wayne Pioneer Trail had outdone itself, ( it is a State Park after all (the Iron Horse Park - rail corridor))) BUt when I reached the old railbridge that went across the Columbia River it was a no go, and it was there that the
SHakedown St. reached it's supposed conclusion. A hundred someodd miles (not that I'M counting) of sweetness, not least of which being the Snowqualmie tunnel, (A 2 mile tunnel under Snowqualmie pass accessible only to those non mechanized users on the trail) BUt I had to cross the Columbia on I-90. And so powering up ze phonepodderthing and eating a burger to fortify in Vantage I cowboyed up and dropped the hammer for the mile long bridge of 2x2 traffic with a NO shoulder. And the twoside by side tractor trailers whosomehow gave me the inches I needed will forever be my pals. And then off into the Washington Farm Country, traversing through lovely, albeit economically depressed, farm country down to Clarkson and Lewiston where I crossed into Idaho.

SNorky had told me that the first part of the Slowboken tour would hurt, then it would get better and eventually it would feel like I'd never done anything else, (not there yet) But he also said he might ride with me through Idaho. Well it's too bad he didn't because Rt 12, although a logging truck corridor, is also a wild and scenic river corridor for 70 miles, and the truckers must be used to bikers because I was given plenty of berth throughout. It was in the Wilderness and the Nez Perce reservation, after the first week, that the initial pain cave dwelling began. Culminating I suppose, on my birthday with 30 mi of headwind into Missoula.

None the less, my friend of friend, Jordan, has been uberly accomadating and we were off to a delicious pot luck shortly after touchdown, from which farts continue to emanate.

BUt the SlowBoken is in full effect and the Slideshow will be close to follow. Goodnight and good luck, Slappy from Slowboken

THE FUTURE IN THE DARK'S SO BRIGHT U BTTR WEAR SHADES

CALLING ALL STOMPAZ - $5 TO ANYONE WHO CAN RECALL WHERE THEY MIGHT HAVE SEEN THIS SIGHT BFORE (muy bueno, muchas gracias SS Harding & JeffeLope)......HMMM, mayBe show up to BICI POLO thurs 6PM @ the soccer fields 133 & Weant to see if you can claim the dough, but it'll cost you 11 PBRs, so come bearing (gifts, not teeth)

Did you lose your bike???

A green Bottecchia (tall... big frame) road bike was found in Carbondale at 3rd and Garfield. If you lost your beautiful italian road bike call Heidi @ 379.7546

*Lost a bike? found a bike? Call 945.8500

Whazzat?

A full moon is rising...

ka KAA!?!!!

Do U like bicicletas? Do U like photos with bicis in them? Do U like CO???? Welp there is a pretty schaweeeeet! magazine that is produced and printed right here in our beautiful mile high state. Say what?! That's right, Mountain Flyer Magazine is locally grown and distributed for your reading and viewing pleasures. Now where can i find this mag you ask? At your stompa headquarters THE ONE AND ONLY GEARX <- that's in gwood ya know! The tenth issue of Mountain Flyer Magazine is set to come out just as soon as they cool from the presses.

Rising Son

Drive Your Bike Well

Ok. So you're on the road. Precisely.

Just You and Xtra. And every damn soul you've ever loved.
Like any trip, you may enter the darkness, the lonliness, and there is something to learn there.
But you being you, you'll be more in the joyful bonanza of the moment.
The hills will be tall, but for every up there's a down. Exactly. Sea level to sea level.
I hope that you sing, and that the fucking wind is kind.


I suggest you ride early, then go out to breakfast, where you can ask locals about today's road. Once full, hammer till afternoon. Buy a hoagie roll and fixin's at the grocery store, then feast, in a park, and then yes...Nap. Picnic tables are perfect for this. Just lay right on the wood and sleep. Or on a rock by a river. Then when you wake, you will be fresh and riding away from the setting sun, watching your shadow grow unbelievably large.

Avoid beer and bars, maybe babes (as much or as little as possible) , as they slither your energy. Stop at every farm stand you see. This is optimal fuel, and you can eat four apples or plums in an afternoon, easy. Stretch all the time. People will offer you places to sleep, almost always accept.

Then, when darkness settles in, find your tiny patch of woods; be it near a river, a park, or a cemetery. The latter being the most restful. Lay out your bag, wash if you can, then make a tiny hot fire to heat tea or some soup. Eat some more, and then sleep.

Ride Eat Stomp Sleep Ride Eat Stomp Sleep Ride Eat Dream Stomp Sleep Ride Eat Love Stomp Sleep Ride Eat Stomp Sleep Sing Ride Eat Stomp Sleep Ride Eat Coast Stomp Sleep Ride Eat Stomp Believe Sleep Ride Eat
Stomp...

Thanks for keeping us posted. Clearly.

Slo 冒 ( Böken) = AvVentura

Porfavor this is slappy outta slowboken rockin out here in the land of jah. 20% remain whatevz. 99 cent burger today I walked with one ofvthe hand notated photocopied year book pages from
Yore. The proprietytrss was wearing a Howard dean shirt and asked if mine was Canadian, no mine was British, shesaid they looked alike used to be a territory. It only occurre out here in big tall tree country that the canadian flag is a maple leaf in purple and pink. I guess I shoulda knpwed the aeronbarz had it in for the new lrgr hlmt which was promptly destroyed on mornin2 by said deadliest arroz on planet slowboken peas. Slappy

Tour De Fat???

The stomparillaz sound bike traveled with the gearx crew to fort collins. It was by far the best decision i have made in a while. Random dance parties are SWEET! we would stop in random spots, park the bike and start dancing. When you are jamming killer music load from a bike it is hard for people to not join in. Thanks Scuba Steve for letting the baby travel!





*yes, this is a complete copy and paste from the gearx blog. i am lazy. thank you.

slappy

Toyboat by Yoko with Antony

wooooonandon

SO the progress is nearly constant for all of those in the know. . and I myself and badly deserving of a nap if i do say so myself. I'll tell you what, this world is in a real big hurry. It's been said recently that the melee is approaching and pretty much everyone is off in their predictions of just when what and how will go down. noduh, predicting the future is a horribly hurrying enterprise, because the more one predicts, the more crucial it seems to be to get to the future and confirm the predictions. This can be a fairly tedious excercise unless you HURRYUP! and get their already; the future that is, sheesh what's the big rush? You only're only gonna do it once, proceed that is. Eventually you'll have all the time you want to speculate over the past.
And anyone in need of straight answers, step right up. It would appear prescient to follow my mothers advice, and the fat sack of maps she bestowed upon me, otherwise known as the transamerica trail, and or the Bruce WIllis memorial xtracycle hiway..
Andssooooo if you look to your right you'll find links and maps of said route. And unfortunatley cruising altitude is hard to predict in the future, but be assured I'll know when i get there, and shortly thereafter, so will you. Or no wait, I'l predict the future peachily and just in the nick of time. ANd of course due notice will be given prior to entry into a certain colyrado and given a certain propensity for future predicting, i see gaggles of xtrastompaz galavanting in the breeze and the treez. WHich of course sounds real nice. . . . peas


want photoz?

SLowBOken Seattle

gRRRRrrrR, preparation and timing certainly do have a way about coming together, or something.. WheW, just in time.. . . thanks to Justin the coffee has just begun to course through my veins and the future again starts to look bright, so bright i gots to wear shades. . SO far the adventurous stompaventure has been decidely fantastical at all points, perhaps a reverse rundown, no? Last night Justin-bunnyhawk-Howell was invited to a Dead Babyz bike ride, which we happily obliged, only to find yet another bike club where preperation and timing are more or less null and void. Which is coool, that's cool. We kicked it around the bars with them and rode their tall bikes and swing bikes, and pretty much raced through the middle of them at a hundred the couple times they rode down the hill. Apparantley Justin takes back any thoughts he may have had about trying to trade in his Stomparillaz AARP membership for a DeadBaby patch to put on his back. . SO for my third-ish and last night in Seattle we pretty much tied one on unknowingly and now i'm ready to start riding bikes i guess, with the most squelchy hangover thus far on the adventursome adventure. thanks for the cofffeee. . . bunnyhawk, did I mention that Justin gots a stompame like it or not? yup he's the BUnny HAWk, amde out of 50% BearMEAT 30% BUnny meat, and 30% HAWk MEat, that's what he says, I can't argue.

Continuing back into the past, a little bit of stompluv was injected, or should i say vaporized into the world the otherish night by the BUNnyHAwk. We enjoyed quite a time at the Burlesque show where my pal JamesRz' lady was a fire breathing star. Shortly thereafter while waiting for some debriefed late night burgers a very rustily chained bicycle rolled up and I offered him some chain lube while the BUnnyHAwk insisted on a mullet paint job on his bike. WHich was nice I guess, although a friendly frosted tipped bystander insited that the Hawkz' painting style was too splotchy and he proceeded to operate the rattle can which was nice




Seattle was also the location in where the Barbalope residez and Bhawk is knee deep in a painting trade; he got the paintings, Barb is getting carpentry action. . So we rolled over to barbz cabin and worked some new walls into being. .well they did while I heckled, and tried to spray paint on the B:HAwkz back..


And Then at about 1 or so in the morning the bike did some spend some time cold kickin' it in the pacific ocean, and then
we went in search of donuts where I was able to dumpster dive for my first significant donut haul to date and pretty much sew up any concerns and cold feet associated with the momentarily impending journey. . . And thanks to one and All in Seattle, what a grand spot to bike a bike a tour from. . .

burnman shots by doom

Hayder

HI Kidz, just cold kickin it up in seattle, slowly thinking about recovering from Burning man, not likely i guess, annyway there's a new blog out there now, what with all this unwinding, and it's all for SingleSpeedWorldzDurango 2009 ok so you should maybe check it out sometime. . xoxoxslappy http://sswd9.blogspot.com/

hiiyo so I gotta bugafy this. iPhone so I can do more than write titles so slappy