chicago loves polish people...

seriously, does any other state and/or city celebrate the life of casimir pulaski? ok, ok...a few other places but not like chicago? anywhoo...787 is putting together the 2nd annual chicago polcat...



a warning to all participants...i hope you love sauerkraut. i heard last year was great...i have no doubt that 787 will make this one just as memorable. get all your details here. remember kids...ride safe...peace.

did you hear? there's an election taking place...

chicago is voting in a new mayor...very exciting. we all have sat around wondering how long daley would hold onto the thrown but he has finally decided to move on give others a chance. this post really isn't about who's gonna be top dog around here...instead, its about a man with big dreams by the name of hector gonzalez...

hector is the man on the right...

Raven brought Gonzalez down to the South Side to work on engaging students at underperforming high schools through the hip-hop arts. Ultimately, Raven would found the “University of Hip-Hop,” an organization aimed at mobilizing and engaging youth through the art form.

As he grew older, Gonzalez would work with the University to explore misogyny and violence in popular music, get high schoolers questioning the artists they heard on the radio, and use hip-hop, art and dance to advocate for issues like summer jobs for youth and fighting the prison-industrial complex. But the long reign of Mayor Daley had Gonzalez disillusioned with city politics.

All that changed when Daley announced he wouldn’t be running for re-election, and neither would the Machine-backed alderman in the West Lawn area, Frank Olivo. Gonzalez saw a rare opportunity to put into practice the social ideals he’d been preaching at the University, and took the plunge into the aldermanic race.

why do i bring up hector on a bicycle messenger blog? he's an ex-patriot to the bicycle courier industry. he was riding before i started riding about 10 years ago. he lasted quite some time...5 years or so? i might be off. he's one of the greatest messengers i have ever had the pleasure of knowing and riding next to. im still angry he beat me in a global guts race one year by 2 or so seconds...ha!

here in chicago we're proud of messengers who go on to do big things. hector was always about the hustle...its good that hasn't stopped. the city needs positive people like him. the bicycle courier community as a whole should be very proud of hector and the fact that people like him exist...read the whole article here.

“They’re not going to be able to stop the new generation of movers and shakers. We’re going to be a force to be reckoned with.”

hector4alderman.com...peace.

3 main events...

every year there are courier championships throughout the world. every year the ones talked about the most are the 3 main events...worlds, naccc's, and ecmc's. this year is no different and promises to have some memorable events...



head over to warsawcarkillers.org for all the info needed to attend the worlds...taking place in warsaw, poland.



head over to www.naccc2011austin.com for all the info needed to attend the naccc's...taking place in austin, texas.



head over to ecmc2011.com for all the info needed to attend the ecmc...taking place in madrid, spain.

the bicycle courier championships that take place year in and year out are a great testament to how diverse this community really is. a pat on the back to all the organizers and volunteers. dont forget kids...while it is a lot of fun to visit other places, next year, the world comes to chicago...peace.