Monday, September 27, 2010

faster.faster.faster...



marie ullrich has been around the world and back but finally...the movie will be within our reach...ha! the chicago international film festival is coming up...along with other great films to watch dont skip out on faster! for a list of showtimes head here. the movie will take place at the river east amc. i cant wait...peace!

Sunday, September 26, 2010

sometimes...

people forget that this industry is literally just a job. it doesn't define who we are. we get caught up in the romanticism of the whole job...we get caught up in the never ending struggle between the have and have nots. we forget that at the end of the day we...couriers, dispatchers, managers, and so on...still go home to a family, friend, pet. what am i getting at? we forget that we have more to our lives than this industry. i want to share a story about one of our drivers...i know, i know, you guys just love to hear about bike messengers but they are not the only ones in the messenger industry...

one of our drivers called to say he couldn't come in. he got some bad/horrible news. his daughter was in an accident...she passed. things like this happen in life but this isn't where the story ends...its never that simple. the driver...he's a good man. always showed up to work. was more than professional and courteous. well, turns out he had lost touch with his daughter long ago. for what reasons...i am not sure but it doesn't matter. things happen in life and sometimes we lose touch with one another.

he had spent the last 18 years or so looking for her. he finally was able to reconnect with her. he found out he had two grandchildren and could not be happier to try and reconnect. to try and be there for the grandkids even though he was not able to be there for his daughter. then...just like that...she was taken from his life again. i could not believe it when i heard it. it's like he was meant to see her again...life was simply waiting for them to reconnect before she would be taken. i got so choked up when i heard this news. i still get choked up.

well...the man decided that working as a messenger was eating too much of his time. he had another part time gig that could hold him over. he had decided that...this industry wasn't worth the time he was losing to spend with his grandchildren. you could tell that he regretted not being able to share his life and love with his daughter and he would not make that mistake with his grandchildren. they have a father but he wants to be there for their moments. their first "A" in class...their prom night...their first date...their first everything.

this happened early in the year. im not sure how life is treating him but i do know that the man made the right decision. family definitely comes first. i wished him the best of luck. not that he needed it...you could tell that the love he had for his newly found family would bring him more luck than one could imagine.

why do i share this story? well...for the reasons i stated earlier. sometimes we get caught up in the silliness of this industry. sometimes we forget that the end of the day we go HOME. like another messenger told me once..."with things like this all you can do is go home and hug your wife...huge your kid...hug your loved ones"...peace.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

dont forget...

this weekend kicks off with the cuttin'crew classic...



be at the blue frog, 676 north lasalle, around 1130am on saturday the 25th. then take a shower and get ready for...



then on sunday you can show up to humbolt park around 1300 to watch some polo...maybe even participate...blue city cylces and cuttin'crew present...



thats a stacked weekend. good job to all the people who put this madness together...peace.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

worlds on velonews...



head here for the video, pics, and story...im sure there will be a lot more coming out from guatemala. once again, great job to all who had a hand in this...peace.

it is done...

mark your calendars...the worlds are coming to Chicago!!! 2012!!! very exciting news...great job out there in Guatemala kids...peace.

Monday, September 13, 2010

you can always count on christina...

the results are in and how did chicago do? congratulations to christina peck for coming in 2nd for the women and 3rd in the trackstand.



as usual...the men have disappointed us...ha! head here for the podium results and here for general results for each event/stage. congratulations to all the participants and winners. great job christina for making chicago look good...peace.

something more local...

the perfect saturday...wake up, have some coffee then head to the blue frog for registration...



then...head home. relax...eat some late lunch/early dinner...take a shower and get dressed up all nice and stuff...



then drink, laugh, drink, cry, drink, share stories, drink, dance, drink, and have a good time. its that time of year kids...the cuttin'crew classic followed by the messenger prom. good job to augie and the crew at fourstar for keeping this event alive. for more details head to chicago messenger prom. i have no doubt that this year will be as good as others...peace.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

you're best bet...

dont sleep on moving target...buffalo bill and friends are keeping us updated with the fun in guatemala. not only that...they're providing the photo proof that there are indeed messengers in guatemala...





check out the moving target flickr. i cant stress enough at how proud i am to be a part of this industry. it is the weekend though...i wonder how long that'll last...ha! seriously, great job kids...peace.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

september 11th...

here in the states and around the world...september 11th will always be remembered. i know i will never forget the day. now, september 11th will have new memories for messenger around the world...as put by Shawn "bega" Blumenfeld...

so 10 years from now, remember where you were, 10am on saturday september 11th 2010 when the first messenger championships in Latin America, on top a crumbling volcano in a city torn assunder by a hurricane, the main race will begin.

be safe out there kids. i would say keep an eye on the website for results but it's had so many hits that it shut down...holy moly! just know that the show continues to roll. im very proud of all of you. the participants, the organizers, and the people of guatemala...peace.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

the show must go on...

guatemala is experiencing some heavy rain at the moment...

Heavy rains from Tropical Depression 11-E have pelted Guatemala for days, unleashing deadly mudslides in several areas, cutting highways and forcing officials to evacuate thousands of people.


even through this tough time messengers are doing their best to get to pana...the location for the worlds. little by little they're all showing up. its a bit difficult with roads closed off but still...they try...

Here in Panajachel the river has broken it’s banks and washed half of the proposed bike polo court and half of La Ocho into the river. However the people of pana are well equiped to deal with this kind of situation and plans are in action to move the polo tournament and rebuild the track by the end of the week.

it wont be easy but, if i know bike messengers, they wont stop till a champion is crowned...ha! seriously kids...be safe...peace.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

now thats a figure 8 DIRT track...






for a nice write up on the madness in guatemala click here. the track looks insane. cant wait to see pics of cats riding this thing. its the rainy season in guatemala so i can only imagine the madness that will take place. great job to all the organizers and the people of guatemala for making this happen. good luck to all the participants...peace.