eight-six is a really good messenger. he may not be all there but the man is good. he's hard to deal with at times but overall...if you can put up with his silliness then the work will get done. how? i have no idea but i know that it does.
he recently made the jump to full-time. not a big deal...as my boss put it, "as long as they give me 40 hours im ok with that". see...at our company messengers are employees not independent contractors. he works with the other bike dispatcher until about two or so and then he calls me to finish off the day. as some of you know im the late dispatcher...sort of. anyway, back to the beauty that is 6686...
6686...yo, eight-six.
j.dot...what up? what up?
6686...alright man. im standing by 1 south wacker and im not leaving till i get twenty.
j.dot...umm, ok? umm...stand-by for a second while i figure out where to send you.
6686...im serious dude. i ain't leaving till i got 20. im going to try and get 40 by tomorrow.
...the whole time i was thinking he wasn't leaving till he got twenty runs. we've been slow but i didn't think we were that slow. i was wrong.
j.dot...yo, i got a twenty north wacker headed north.
6686...alright but im not delivering it till you give me more work to go with it.
j.dot...umm, well, it's all yours. if something pops up i'll send it your way but that package is due by xxxx and it's on you if you want to hold that package ransom.
...he delivered the package by the time it was due but he was not happy. i don't blame him but if i don't have work then there isn't much i can do. at least i got him another one? either way...six o'clock hits and i call him to say goodnight but, guess what? he doesn't leave. not much i can do about that either. i have to leave...he calls the dispatcher taking over...
6686...what up? im standing by.
night dispatcher...what?! go home. we don't have bike service after six. i don't need you out there.
...some time goes by and guess what? around eight he calls that he's standing by...holy sh*t!! all the night time dispatcher could do was laugh and tell our boss what was happening. see...while i thought he wanted 20 runs he actually wanted to knock out 20 HOURS!! when our boss told him that as long as he gives 40 hours a week he thought to himself...i could do that in two days. poor kid...i say kid but he's a grown man who has just lost a few nuts and bolts. the next day we had a huge laugh about it. i sat down to dispatch and when he called me around three it was business as usual...
j.dot...eight-six, eight-six.
6686...yeah, whats up?
j.dot...i got a 330 wabash headed to 19 lasalle.
6686...alright man. i'll do that one but, just so you know, im not headed back north. thats all im going to say about that.
j.dot...umm, ok. thats all im going to say about that.
...like i said, the man is good at what he does...you just have to be willing to put up with a few, how do you say, intricacies...peace.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
e-mail/contact...
im not renewing my old e-mail so i got a g-mail account...just giving the heads up...
saravia.julio@gmail.com
...peace.
saravia.julio@gmail.com
...peace.
the obama pledge...
i received an e-mail from my sister the other day...
Okay...we claim to be Obama supporters...what will we do to volunteer and give back?
I have taken two students to mentor. But I was thinking of volunteering somewhere else...What are you people going to do?
i thought i voted for him so that i wouldn't have to work and still get paid...ha! i couldn't stop thinking about it. i started to wonder...who can i help? what can i do? i own a pitbull(chela)...maybe volunteer at a pit rescue? i enjoy cycling...maybe help with the track-cats? then it hit me...i write about chicago bicycle messengers and how hard they have it...why not try and help and make things better? why not try to make things better in the industry i work?
interviewing ben just re-confirmed that it is the right thing to do. not sure what i can contribute but i know that simply attending is a step in the right direction. not sure what to expect...i had attended these meetings just before it was known as the chicago courier union when i was a messenger. i have attended maybe once in the past 3 or so years. i have no right to complain so much if i do not try to make things better. my entire career as a dispatcher i have only looked out for those whom have walked through the company doors i've worked at. maybe i can look out for more cats? who knows? like i said...Lord only knows what exactly i can do or say to help the situation out in chicago but i feel like this is a step in the right direction.
the ccu meets on the first and third wednesday every month at 7:00 at the U.E. Hall, 37 S. Ashland. man.o.man.this is gonna cut into my LOST time but...well, see you cats there...peace.
Okay...we claim to be Obama supporters...what will we do to volunteer and give back?
I have taken two students to mentor. But I was thinking of volunteering somewhere else...What are you people going to do?
i thought i voted for him so that i wouldn't have to work and still get paid...ha! i couldn't stop thinking about it. i started to wonder...who can i help? what can i do? i own a pitbull(chela)...maybe volunteer at a pit rescue? i enjoy cycling...maybe help with the track-cats? then it hit me...i write about chicago bicycle messengers and how hard they have it...why not try and help and make things better? why not try to make things better in the industry i work?
interviewing ben just re-confirmed that it is the right thing to do. not sure what i can contribute but i know that simply attending is a step in the right direction. not sure what to expect...i had attended these meetings just before it was known as the chicago courier union when i was a messenger. i have attended maybe once in the past 3 or so years. i have no right to complain so much if i do not try to make things better. my entire career as a dispatcher i have only looked out for those whom have walked through the company doors i've worked at. maybe i can look out for more cats? who knows? like i said...Lord only knows what exactly i can do or say to help the situation out in chicago but i feel like this is a step in the right direction.
the ccu meets on the first and third wednesday every month at 7:00 at the U.E. Hall, 37 S. Ashland. man.o.man.this is gonna cut into my LOST time but...well, see you cats there...peace.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
velocity...
it's bigger than ever and there was no way the event could stay away from chicago...
for more info head over to cyclehawk...hey, is there a separate category for dispatchers? some of us aren't as fast as we used to be and it would be nice to win a hat or something...ha! can't wait...peace.
Messengers and City Bikers from across North America will
compete on teams and individually.
Each event features general instruction and pace lines.
Competitions include Matched Sprints, Miss and Out
and others TBD.
Top Male and Female messengers from each city will
travel to NYC to compete in the Final.
Top male and female from the NYC event will receive
R/T airfare to Tokyo Japan for the 17th Annual
compete on teams and individually.
Each event features general instruction and pace lines.
Competitions include Matched Sprints, Miss and Out
and others TBD.
Top Male and Female messengers from each city will
travel to NYC to compete in the Final.
Top male and female from the NYC event will receive
R/T airfare to Tokyo Japan for the 17th Annual
for more info head over to cyclehawk...hey, is there a separate category for dispatchers? some of us aren't as fast as we used to be and it would be nice to win a hat or something...ha! can't wait...peace.
Friday, January 23, 2009
interview...
i should have interviewed this man long ago...especially after reading his answers. the man's got years of experience and much knowledge of the industry. say ben...did i take you to your first alley-cat? i thought that was me? shouldn't i be one of the cats you remember from the industry? that hurt...that hurt big time. enough about me...i present the prom king ben fietz...
1.why did you decide to messenger?
I guess I decided to messenger for the same reason as most. I was living in New Orleans at the time, and was about to lose my job. One day I was hanging out downtown trying to figure out what to do with myself. A bike messenger cut through an intersection, and I thought to myself “that looks like a pretty cool job.” I went down to the only company that was hiring, and started working the next day.
2.when did you start? has the time been on/off or straight?
I started messengering in New Orleans in the spring of 2003. The only time that I have ever taken off was the whole month of September in 2005, when Hurricane Katrina hit and the city flooded. I moved up to Chicago because the house I lived in had been destroyed, and it looked like I would be out of a job for a while. I started working in Chicago in October of 2005. So I guess that’s going on six years, and at last count I have worked for nine different messenger companies.
3.what bike did you start on? what do you ride today?
I started on an old Schwinn LeTour road bike. I have a couple of bikes that I use for work now. Most of the time I ride a Capricorn track bike. I had the frame custom made in Wisconsin by Brad Wilson, and then I built the wheels and put it all together myself. It’s filthy, but it is a really sweet bike.
4.you've seen many come and go...any stick out in your mind?
I really miss my old crew. Anzie, Elijah, Dewey, and Mike McGarry. That was the heyday of Chicago messengering for me, when we were all out there together. Nick Pieper showed me how to be a good messenger when I worked with him in New Orleans. Simon Q, because I have worked with that guy in two different cities now. Of course the one messenger who isn’t out there anymore that I think of the most is Ryan Boudreau. He is still missed by everyone who knew him.
5.if you weren't messengering what would you be doing?
Hopefully fixing something outside. Maybe hanging off of a telephone pole, or digging a ditch, or building a house, I don’t really know.
6.since you've started...what changes have you noticed for the industry?
It seems like the industry is really on the decline right now. It’s getting hard to make a living out there. Between not making any money, the way most of the messenger companies exploit their workers, and the way we get treated by the building managers in Chicago, it gets really depressing sometimes. I guess NICA really got started in the industry about the same time that I became a messenger, and that has really contributed to the downfall. For those who don’t know about NICA, it is a nationwide pay-to-work scam that a couple of the biggest companies in Chicago use to save on payroll expenses and the expenses associated with having employees. A lot of the other companies do things like charge bikers for radios, bags, and uniforms. It seems like the messenger companies always have their hands in our pockets, and there isn’t much left for the bikers in the end.
When I worked in New Orleans, there weren’t any buildings that you had to leave your bag on the floor or take freight elevators in. I remember when I first started working in Chicago and I had a bunch of packages in my bag, including a bank deposit for several hundred thousand dollars, and some confidential papers from a law office, and I had to leave them in my bag on the floor of a loading dock for 20 minutes while I waited for a freight elevator to take me up and down. I couldn’t believe this was how things were done. I had always felt responsible for the security of the stuff that I pick up and carry around with me, and have never completely lost a package in my time as a messenger. In general the building policies have gotten even worse since I moved here. In general the messenger companies don’t care how the buildings treat us, and it’s up to the messengers to fight it out with the building managers and security. In a couple of cases we have been able to get them to overturn crazy security procedures, most notably at 303 E. Wacker.
There is an effort to unionize messengers across the country right now, and I do a lot of work with the Chicago Couriers Union. We have been able to make some things better over the past few years, but we need more people to get involved in order to really make a difference.
7.greatest day messengering? worst?
I don’t really have on day that sticks out as the “greatest”. Every day of messengering when you are in the zone is the greatest. When you are flowing through traffic perfectly, and the building guards are being cool to you, and the receptionists are smiling at you (especially the pretty ones), and the sun is out, that is what keeps you coming back.
The worst day was in New Orleans. I got my front wheel stuck in a grate on Canal Street while I was in the big-ring going full speed. This was before I wore a helmet for work. I hit my head really hard and cut it, got really deep road rash over a lot of my body (which I still have scars from), and tore something inside one of my knees. I had to ride a small mountain bike for work for over a month because I couldn’t lift my leg over a road bike. It took a couple of moths before I healed up enough to ride hard again.
8.what changes would you like to see for the industry?
$5.00 minimum commission for a tag. The companies can play whatever games they want with the rates after they pay us a decent commission. Even though most messengers hate taxi drivers, we should look at how they stand up for themselves. If it were left up to the customers and competition between taxi companies, they would probably only make 25 cents per mile. But they stand up and demand higher rates, and get them. We need to start doing the same thing. Rates have been going down recently because of heavy competition. It has gotten to the point where some companies are offering 3-hour service on a big envelope for less than it would cost to mail it through the post office. This is ridiculous. The service we provide is worth way more than that, and we should be paid accordingly.
9.how much longer do you see yourself doing this kind of work?
Maybe a couple more years. I would like to get out while I am still close to the top of my game.
10.advice for rookies?
I don’t really know, man. Right now probably isn’t the right time to come into this industry and try to make a living. Aside from that, I would say just slow down a bit, and try not to be a dick out there. It makes us all look bad. Don’t buzz pedestrians when you are blasting through a red light. The idea that you need to always be going balls-out to make money is a myth. Efficiency is the key. You look at the guys who have been out there forever, like ‘Drey, Kyle, Kirby, Mad Max, and Bluntman. You never see them going super fast, having close-calls, or making bad decisions. But by the end of the day, they have done a good amount of runs and made their money.
five dollars minimum would be a sight to see. thanks for the interview ben...it is much appreciated...peace.
1.why did you decide to messenger?
I guess I decided to messenger for the same reason as most. I was living in New Orleans at the time, and was about to lose my job. One day I was hanging out downtown trying to figure out what to do with myself. A bike messenger cut through an intersection, and I thought to myself “that looks like a pretty cool job.” I went down to the only company that was hiring, and started working the next day.
2.when did you start? has the time been on/off or straight?
I started messengering in New Orleans in the spring of 2003. The only time that I have ever taken off was the whole month of September in 2005, when Hurricane Katrina hit and the city flooded. I moved up to Chicago because the house I lived in had been destroyed, and it looked like I would be out of a job for a while. I started working in Chicago in October of 2005. So I guess that’s going on six years, and at last count I have worked for nine different messenger companies.
3.what bike did you start on? what do you ride today?
I started on an old Schwinn LeTour road bike. I have a couple of bikes that I use for work now. Most of the time I ride a Capricorn track bike. I had the frame custom made in Wisconsin by Brad Wilson, and then I built the wheels and put it all together myself. It’s filthy, but it is a really sweet bike.
4.you've seen many come and go...any stick out in your mind?
I really miss my old crew. Anzie, Elijah, Dewey, and Mike McGarry. That was the heyday of Chicago messengering for me, when we were all out there together. Nick Pieper showed me how to be a good messenger when I worked with him in New Orleans. Simon Q, because I have worked with that guy in two different cities now. Of course the one messenger who isn’t out there anymore that I think of the most is Ryan Boudreau. He is still missed by everyone who knew him.
5.if you weren't messengering what would you be doing?
Hopefully fixing something outside. Maybe hanging off of a telephone pole, or digging a ditch, or building a house, I don’t really know.
6.since you've started...what changes have you noticed for the industry?
It seems like the industry is really on the decline right now. It’s getting hard to make a living out there. Between not making any money, the way most of the messenger companies exploit their workers, and the way we get treated by the building managers in Chicago, it gets really depressing sometimes. I guess NICA really got started in the industry about the same time that I became a messenger, and that has really contributed to the downfall. For those who don’t know about NICA, it is a nationwide pay-to-work scam that a couple of the biggest companies in Chicago use to save on payroll expenses and the expenses associated with having employees. A lot of the other companies do things like charge bikers for radios, bags, and uniforms. It seems like the messenger companies always have their hands in our pockets, and there isn’t much left for the bikers in the end.
When I worked in New Orleans, there weren’t any buildings that you had to leave your bag on the floor or take freight elevators in. I remember when I first started working in Chicago and I had a bunch of packages in my bag, including a bank deposit for several hundred thousand dollars, and some confidential papers from a law office, and I had to leave them in my bag on the floor of a loading dock for 20 minutes while I waited for a freight elevator to take me up and down. I couldn’t believe this was how things were done. I had always felt responsible for the security of the stuff that I pick up and carry around with me, and have never completely lost a package in my time as a messenger. In general the building policies have gotten even worse since I moved here. In general the messenger companies don’t care how the buildings treat us, and it’s up to the messengers to fight it out with the building managers and security. In a couple of cases we have been able to get them to overturn crazy security procedures, most notably at 303 E. Wacker.
There is an effort to unionize messengers across the country right now, and I do a lot of work with the Chicago Couriers Union. We have been able to make some things better over the past few years, but we need more people to get involved in order to really make a difference.
7.greatest day messengering? worst?
I don’t really have on day that sticks out as the “greatest”. Every day of messengering when you are in the zone is the greatest. When you are flowing through traffic perfectly, and the building guards are being cool to you, and the receptionists are smiling at you (especially the pretty ones), and the sun is out, that is what keeps you coming back.
The worst day was in New Orleans. I got my front wheel stuck in a grate on Canal Street while I was in the big-ring going full speed. This was before I wore a helmet for work. I hit my head really hard and cut it, got really deep road rash over a lot of my body (which I still have scars from), and tore something inside one of my knees. I had to ride a small mountain bike for work for over a month because I couldn’t lift my leg over a road bike. It took a couple of moths before I healed up enough to ride hard again.
8.what changes would you like to see for the industry?
$5.00 minimum commission for a tag. The companies can play whatever games they want with the rates after they pay us a decent commission. Even though most messengers hate taxi drivers, we should look at how they stand up for themselves. If it were left up to the customers and competition between taxi companies, they would probably only make 25 cents per mile. But they stand up and demand higher rates, and get them. We need to start doing the same thing. Rates have been going down recently because of heavy competition. It has gotten to the point where some companies are offering 3-hour service on a big envelope for less than it would cost to mail it through the post office. This is ridiculous. The service we provide is worth way more than that, and we should be paid accordingly.
9.how much longer do you see yourself doing this kind of work?
Maybe a couple more years. I would like to get out while I am still close to the top of my game.
10.advice for rookies?
I don’t really know, man. Right now probably isn’t the right time to come into this industry and try to make a living. Aside from that, I would say just slow down a bit, and try not to be a dick out there. It makes us all look bad. Don’t buzz pedestrians when you are blasting through a red light. The idea that you need to always be going balls-out to make money is a myth. Efficiency is the key. You look at the guys who have been out there forever, like ‘Drey, Kyle, Kirby, Mad Max, and Bluntman. You never see them going super fast, having close-calls, or making bad decisions. But by the end of the day, they have done a good amount of runs and made their money.
ben rep'n the cuttin'crew...
five dollars minimum would be a sight to see. thanks for the interview ben...it is much appreciated...peace.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
the time has come...
we will return to your regular reading but for now...
one of the most important days in the history of the world is going down today...president elect Barrack Obama gets sworn into office. see jess...if the president can smoke then maybe i can? thank you andrew for finding such great pics.
as a side note, by far my favorite drawing so far...
check out patrick moberg and if you're interested in a print go here...peace.
one of the most important days in the history of the world is going down today...president elect Barrack Obama gets sworn into office. see jess...if the president can smoke then maybe i can? thank you andrew for finding such great pics.
as a side note, by far my favorite drawing so far...
check out patrick moberg and if you're interested in a print go here...peace.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
it's cold out...
chicago...
atlanta...
denver...
minneapolis...
philadelphia...
portland...
boston...
san francisco...
well, it's colder in some areas...stay warm out there...peace.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
advice.v4...
sometimes cats forget that in the end...dispatchers are also messengers. we're delivering a message from the screen to the biker. sounds simple enough but can be a bit much at times...
6665...six-five.
j.dot...what up? you clean?
6665...yeah im clean. man! you guys have to start warning us when the package is huge box. that thing didn't fit in my bag!!
...well, where does one begin with this scenario? first off, customers lie. we all know it but we blame each other for the silliness. how was i supposed to know the package was a box? the order has a pick up and drop off address...it also tells me the number of pieces and weight...i also can tell what kind of order it is, meaning, half hour, one hour, and so on. if the order says 1 pc. at 1 lb. what would you think? envelope, right? for all you rookies, and sometimes vets, if it is a f*cking box and it was supposed to be an envelope let your dispatcher know before you deliver it. most of the time we are able to change the rate to a car run and if you still want to take it then it can be profitable. if you don't...it's no big deal, you will still get paid and we'll send a car. simple...right?! i should count how many times this doesn't happen in a day. instead messengers make the deliveries but by then it's to late to argue that the rate should be more money.
patience is something not many have in this line of work. i am also guilty of getting impatient from time to time. you can't help it...it's a fast paced environment and you have to deal with a handful of situations/problems at once. not good...
1141...forty-one.
j.dot...what up? you headed to the daily.
1141...umm, not yet. im over at 440 south lasalle and there's no one at the messenger center. do me a favor and see if you can get me permission to leave the package inside the center. it'll be safe and im sure someone will be back in five or ten minutes.
...first off, there isn't a company in the city that would ok leaving a package at a messenger center. sure we call people to see if it's ok to leave the package inside the actual drop off company but never a messenger center. there is no guarantee that package will ever make it to it's final destination. the messenger knows for a fact that someone will be back in five. granted...sometimes messenger centers take longer than they should but then you get into wait time. if my bikers wait for too long they get compensated. it isn't a great deal of loot but it's something for their time that could be spent making other deliveries. im not saying we can get away with charging wait because of a messenger center but more often than not i can get away with it. the thing about this is that the messenger doesn't see it this way...instead he just wants to get out of there. for what? we're slow right now! no need to hurry and racking up wait time is beneficial. i tell the messenger 10-4 but never make the call...d*ck move, right? nope...i knew for a fact we wouldn't get permission, i would charge wait time if needed, but, all that aside, i knew the messenger center would show up before i even would have gotten a hold of someone...
1141...forty one.
j.dot...yeah?
1141...kill the call. got someone.
j.dot...10-4.
...on another note, sort of, if you're standing by for over 20, 30, 60 minutes do yourself a favor and call your dispatcher. all you need to say is..."checking back". why? cause we're human and we make mistakes. sometimes the computer makes a mistake and hasn't marked you clean. sometimes you clean up with another dispatcher but you never checked in with your main dispatcher. granted...sometimes it's really slow but it never hurts to let your dispatcher know that you're still out there and you want more work. Lord knows i used to get angry at my dispatchers when my number was dropped from the system and i was forgotten about. i slowly learned that i should check in randomly...it doesn't hurt. well, it hurts sometimes when your dispatcher is hung over and doesn't want to talk to anyone but, more often than not, it's a good idea...ha! seriously, rare are the days that some of my crew slip through the cracks but it has happen and i apologize for that but, please, just a quick "checking in" is all that is needed...that goes for everyone who is a working messenger...peace.
6665...six-five.
j.dot...what up? you clean?
6665...yeah im clean. man! you guys have to start warning us when the package is huge box. that thing didn't fit in my bag!!
...well, where does one begin with this scenario? first off, customers lie. we all know it but we blame each other for the silliness. how was i supposed to know the package was a box? the order has a pick up and drop off address...it also tells me the number of pieces and weight...i also can tell what kind of order it is, meaning, half hour, one hour, and so on. if the order says 1 pc. at 1 lb. what would you think? envelope, right? for all you rookies, and sometimes vets, if it is a f*cking box and it was supposed to be an envelope let your dispatcher know before you deliver it. most of the time we are able to change the rate to a car run and if you still want to take it then it can be profitable. if you don't...it's no big deal, you will still get paid and we'll send a car. simple...right?! i should count how many times this doesn't happen in a day. instead messengers make the deliveries but by then it's to late to argue that the rate should be more money.
patience is something not many have in this line of work. i am also guilty of getting impatient from time to time. you can't help it...it's a fast paced environment and you have to deal with a handful of situations/problems at once. not good...
1141...forty-one.
j.dot...what up? you headed to the daily.
1141...umm, not yet. im over at 440 south lasalle and there's no one at the messenger center. do me a favor and see if you can get me permission to leave the package inside the center. it'll be safe and im sure someone will be back in five or ten minutes.
...first off, there isn't a company in the city that would ok leaving a package at a messenger center. sure we call people to see if it's ok to leave the package inside the actual drop off company but never a messenger center. there is no guarantee that package will ever make it to it's final destination. the messenger knows for a fact that someone will be back in five. granted...sometimes messenger centers take longer than they should but then you get into wait time. if my bikers wait for too long they get compensated. it isn't a great deal of loot but it's something for their time that could be spent making other deliveries. im not saying we can get away with charging wait because of a messenger center but more often than not i can get away with it. the thing about this is that the messenger doesn't see it this way...instead he just wants to get out of there. for what? we're slow right now! no need to hurry and racking up wait time is beneficial. i tell the messenger 10-4 but never make the call...d*ck move, right? nope...i knew for a fact we wouldn't get permission, i would charge wait time if needed, but, all that aside, i knew the messenger center would show up before i even would have gotten a hold of someone...
1141...forty one.
j.dot...yeah?
1141...kill the call. got someone.
j.dot...10-4.
...on another note, sort of, if you're standing by for over 20, 30, 60 minutes do yourself a favor and call your dispatcher. all you need to say is..."checking back". why? cause we're human and we make mistakes. sometimes the computer makes a mistake and hasn't marked you clean. sometimes you clean up with another dispatcher but you never checked in with your main dispatcher. granted...sometimes it's really slow but it never hurts to let your dispatcher know that you're still out there and you want more work. Lord knows i used to get angry at my dispatchers when my number was dropped from the system and i was forgotten about. i slowly learned that i should check in randomly...it doesn't hurt. well, it hurts sometimes when your dispatcher is hung over and doesn't want to talk to anyone but, more often than not, it's a good idea...ha! seriously, rare are the days that some of my crew slip through the cracks but it has happen and i apologize for that but, please, just a quick "checking in" is all that is needed...that goes for everyone who is a working messenger...peace.
Monday, January 12, 2009
long overdue thank you...
around mid-november i posted about a messenger involved in a hit-n-run. the man spent a night in the hospital but luckily is fine. soon after posting i was contacted by an ex-messenger...jonathan gray. as a matter of fact, he used to work for the same company i happen to be at now. sure the bike was used but it was in near mint condition. steering, two wheels, chain, and breaks...thats all that was needed. i could not thank him enough for helping out a fellow messenger. when i delivered the bike to phillip he could not stop hugging me...i didn't deserve the thank you...instead, jonathan(or chip as he is most known) is the person responsible for helping someone get back on the road to be able to make money.
i should have taken pics of the bike, phillip, and chip. sorry for not thinking about that. i guess i was more excited to hook up the messenger with the bike. so i've searched the interwebs and know that chip is part of team get-a-grip. anyway, here is the man rep'n on the cover of chicago athlete...
btw...not only is he a good person but he also happens to be a national champion...peace.
i should have taken pics of the bike, phillip, and chip. sorry for not thinking about that. i guess i was more excited to hook up the messenger with the bike. so i've searched the interwebs and know that chip is part of team get-a-grip. anyway, here is the man rep'n on the cover of chicago athlete...
btw...not only is he a good person but he also happens to be a national champion...peace.
weekend...
well, as some of you know, chicago got hit pretty hard with snow on saturday. i woke up kind of late and turned the t.v. on...i believe it was around 11am or so and the weather man stated, "8.5 inches on the ground so far"...wtf?! it didn't stop there...don't know how much ended up falling but it didn't let up all day and night. why am i stating this? cause sunday morning was the start of the tour da chicago...
apparently there was a mini-race within the race?(cargo race)
looks like good times were had...congratulations to coyote for taking the jersey for the first stage. there's still alot of racing left so lets see how long he can hold on to it.
for more pics from the first stage click here and here...peace.
apparently there was a mini-race within the race?(cargo race)
looks like good times were had...congratulations to coyote for taking the jersey for the first stage. there's still alot of racing left so lets see how long he can hold on to it.
pic by defeated amoeba...
for more pics from the first stage click here and here...peace.
Friday, January 9, 2009
are your dates in order?
i've been posting some events coming up...you know, the cmwc'09, tour da chicago, stupor bowl, and so on...what better way to keep track of the messenger events(non-messengers welcomed ofcourse) than a messenger calendar...
andrew nordyke reps chicago for the month of june. head over to dccourier.com/rush for the free download. don't forget to leave them a comment. btw...don't forget...the boston crew should have their site up and running properly soon...can't wait for the naccc'09...peace.
andrew nordyke reps chicago for the month of june. head over to dccourier.com/rush for the free download. don't forget to leave them a comment. btw...don't forget...the boston crew should have their site up and running properly soon...can't wait for the naccc'09...peace.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
go home?
as some of you know i have complained about how difficult it can be to keep guys late. after putting in close to 8 hours of work the last thing you want to do is stay one extra hour with me. especially during the winter time...it's cold and wet out. even if you're part-time it kinda sucks...it gets dark out. you're the only one left. you might not get any work. yup...you heard me. cats that stay that extra hour with me run the possibility of not getting any work but i need to keep some cats just in case we have an evening rush or to help out drivers with picks and drops. parking late in the day is hard to come by in the loop.
my point is that lately im having trouble getting people to go home...wtf?! the exact opposite is happening. we enjoyed about a good two week stretch of steady to busy work but now we are slow again in the month of january. slow equals smaller checks...smaller checks equals no rent, food, or alcohol. the three basic food groups for a messenger. i know, i know...rent isn't food but it's my blog...ha!
j.dot...two-one.
6721...go ahead.
j.dot...yeah kid. want to call it a day? it's kinda dead out.
6721...umm, i...umm...i rather stick it out a bit longer if thats ok.
j.dot...fine by me.
...now i go down the list and just keep asking cats to go home...
j.dot...forty-one.
1141...go ahead.
j.dot...feel like going home?
1141...naw. now that i live closer i think i'll just stick out here with you. got nothing else to do today. i'll be around mich/wack.
...what can i say, go home already!! can't do that. if cats want to stick it out with me then thats fine. i just feel bad keeping these cats late with me in the winter...especially when there is no work. before i tried to keep three guys with me. now i have about six to seven cats sticking it out with me. the good news is i don't have to beg them to stick around with me and i'll try to make it up to them later. now they just won't leave. i really hope work pics up soon...im sure it will. till then...peace.
my point is that lately im having trouble getting people to go home...wtf?! the exact opposite is happening. we enjoyed about a good two week stretch of steady to busy work but now we are slow again in the month of january. slow equals smaller checks...smaller checks equals no rent, food, or alcohol. the three basic food groups for a messenger. i know, i know...rent isn't food but it's my blog...ha!
j.dot...two-one.
6721...go ahead.
j.dot...yeah kid. want to call it a day? it's kinda dead out.
6721...umm, i...umm...i rather stick it out a bit longer if thats ok.
j.dot...fine by me.
...now i go down the list and just keep asking cats to go home...
j.dot...forty-one.
1141...go ahead.
j.dot...feel like going home?
1141...naw. now that i live closer i think i'll just stick out here with you. got nothing else to do today. i'll be around mich/wack.
...what can i say, go home already!! can't do that. if cats want to stick it out with me then thats fine. i just feel bad keeping these cats late with me in the winter...especially when there is no work. before i tried to keep three guys with me. now i have about six to seven cats sticking it out with me. the good news is i don't have to beg them to stick around with me and i'll try to make it up to them later. now they just won't leave. i really hope work pics up soon...im sure it will. till then...peace.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
lifers...
they are hard to come by. you don't see too many cats that stick around. as some of you know, this industry has a high turnover percentage...for several reasons. it's a dangerous job that puts your mind and body to the test. it's also a job that not many take serious...im talking about the six month all-stars that do it for cookie points. every once in a while you come across cats that have been around for 5, 10, 15, 20 years...
past...
present...
1168...as i know him, is definitely one of our main soldiers. sure we get on each others nerves every once in a while but in the end...i know the man can get the job done. it's bound to happen...his years of service vs my stubbornness equals insanity from time to time but even as a man who is over 50 he still can rock with the best of them. he loves his job as much as he did when he was younger. he's seen many come and go and has seen the industry change more than most of us. how many cats nowadays can say they were around when cannonball was still rocking? if you notice in the article...cannonball started in 1933!! they were bought out by dynamex around '99?
1168...did we hire again?
j.dot...umm, i think they brought in one more cat.
1168...well, that'll mean less work. i guess we'll let winter take care of that.
...the man is also a music expert. i dare anyone to question him on any jazz topic. he's been nice enough to bring me a few cd's from time to time from his collection. on another note, check out jeremy hughes chicago shots...he's got some good pics of messengers in action. he was able to capture 1168 and 6414 as you see in the pic above and the ever elusive...6646...
past...
click on pic to read article...
he says he wants to stay a bike messenger for another year or two. "but i like it enough to stay 5 or 10 years." he says. "sure sometimes i feel like i liked to trade my schwinn for a chevy. i think this is really a crazy affair i've gotten myself into.but i love what im doing.present...
1168...as i know him, is definitely one of our main soldiers. sure we get on each others nerves every once in a while but in the end...i know the man can get the job done. it's bound to happen...his years of service vs my stubbornness equals insanity from time to time but even as a man who is over 50 he still can rock with the best of them. he loves his job as much as he did when he was younger. he's seen many come and go and has seen the industry change more than most of us. how many cats nowadays can say they were around when cannonball was still rocking? if you notice in the article...cannonball started in 1933!! they were bought out by dynamex around '99?
1168...did we hire again?
j.dot...umm, i think they brought in one more cat.
1168...well, that'll mean less work. i guess we'll let winter take care of that.
...the man is also a music expert. i dare anyone to question him on any jazz topic. he's been nice enough to bring me a few cd's from time to time from his collection. on another note, check out jeremy hughes chicago shots...he's got some good pics of messengers in action. he was able to capture 1168 and 6414 as you see in the pic above and the ever elusive...6646...
Sunday, January 4, 2009
coming up...
well...it's the winter time. what does one do in chicago when it's cold and the bears didn't make it into the playoffs?
i know, i know...even if the bears did make it this would be worth attending. the famous tour da chicago will start up again this year and from the sound of things...it's going to be insane as ever...
the schedule...
first stage is set...
why would anyone want to subject themselves to such things?! actually, these races help pass the winter time blues. great pic provided by christopher dilts(as usual)...this specific one was from his set of the 2008 tour.
as if the tour itself wasn't enough...don't forget that many chicago cats along with folks from all over the nation show up to the madness that is the stuporbowl...
Here it is, StuporBowl 12 is back in action. * Friday night(January 30) preregistration(beer provided) and Texas Twins from 5 to 11pm at CRC coffee house(34th and Lyndale S). * Race day January 31, Main registration 11am to 2pm at One On One Bike Studio(117 Washington Ave N). Start time 3pm. Put your drinking pants on! Registration fee is $20 at door, includes T-shirt, manifest, stickers and other schwag!!
holy sh*t! thats alot of people. this was only the 2006 bowl...just imagine the crowd that will show up for this years madness. good luck to all who attend...remember, always ride safe and never forget your helmet...peace.
i know, i know...even if the bears did make it this would be worth attending. the famous tour da chicago will start up again this year and from the sound of things...it's going to be insane as ever...
the schedule...
first stage is set...
why would anyone want to subject themselves to such things?! actually, these races help pass the winter time blues. great pic provided by christopher dilts(as usual)...this specific one was from his set of the 2008 tour.
as if the tour itself wasn't enough...don't forget that many chicago cats along with folks from all over the nation show up to the madness that is the stuporbowl...
Here it is, StuporBowl 12 is back in action. * Friday night(January 30) preregistration(beer provided) and Texas Twins from 5 to 11pm at CRC coffee house(34th and Lyndale S). * Race day January 31, Main registration 11am to 2pm at One On One Bike Studio(117 Washington Ave N). Start time 3pm. Put your drinking pants on! Registration fee is $20 at door, includes T-shirt, manifest, stickers and other schwag!!
holy sh*t! thats alot of people. this was only the 2006 bowl...just imagine the crowd that will show up for this years madness. good luck to all who attend...remember, always ride safe and never forget your helmet...peace.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
bad news and great news...
bad news first...i will not be in attendance for the cmwc'09 taking place in tokyo. i know, i know...not like you cats care but i was hoping to go and rep dispatchers worldwide...ha! sorry simon. instead, i will be on the daily grind here in chicago saving and waiting, and waiting, and waiting for the 2010 cmwc. why? cause it's going to be in the country where my parents were born...GUATEMALA!!!
holy shit! are they serious or are they just pulling my chain? i've heard rumors of this taking place there before so i don't know what to think just yet but i am not lying when i say that im literally shaking just thinking about going back. i love guatemala and especially love the area that this will take place...panajachel and all around lago atitlan. this is too exciting...
pics by anel montes...
if i remember correctly this will all take place not to far from "las aguas georginas"...the water comes out of the f*cking volcano for a bath like you have never had. how nice will it feel to steam in that b*tch after a long day of racing in the hot sun? as if this wasn't enough great news they are also planning on reincarnating the figure 8 track...
A reincarnation of the original “human powered rollercoaster”, a figure-8 bike racing track featuring an “over-under”. The Guatemalan version will be made of clay with a wooden bridge. It will be a featured attraction at CMWC 2010 and serve as the primary pre-event.
o.man.this is too exciting and i really hope this happens. i can't wait for the madness that guatemala will bring. check out the main site here...oh, and if you cats are good to me i got family and friends all up and down this country...you might have a nice place to stay...peace.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
happy new year...
to help pass the time i have some videos for you...thank you andrew for reminding me of these...
...and thank you to the person who loaded these up on youtube for us to enjoy. i wanted the post mad skillz 2008 rap up but it's still not on youtube. for now click on here for the download. i know, i know...it has nothing to do with messengers but i always enjoy the rap up...peace.
...and thank you to the person who loaded these up on youtube for us to enjoy. i wanted the post mad skillz 2008 rap up but it's still not on youtube. for now click on here for the download. i know, i know...it has nothing to do with messengers but i always enjoy the rap up...peace.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)