Resident energiser bunny Kropa has taken the bull by the horns and started organising polo again for all us lazy sods. We also have a sweet court to play in, it's actually quite incredible, it's smooth, flat, grippy, has corners, all in all perfect, apart from the basketball hoops you can crash in to, but that's a small price to pay. Games are every Saturday from 1pm. Court is located in Eamon Ceannt Park, Sundrive Road. It's behind the velodrome, behind the kids playground.
We have mallets etc., but these break so if you can make and bring your own please do. The best materials are aluminium ski poles and abs piping, but whatever you can do that works is fine. There's a good how-to here from the New York Hardcourt guys. Also a rough guide to rules.
So i was wondering why people I know were angry with Mr. Leto all over arsebook today. A quick popular search engine search later I was to find out why...
Far be it from me to wax lyrical about the sanctity of cycling, but there is something distinctly sickening about this video. Cycling, and fixed-gear riding in particular, has finally jumped the shark.(actually I take it back, that happened a long time ago).
Combine it with this piece of turgid schmaltz, where pudgy, adolescent boy meets hot, pierced biker chick, who falls madly in love with his boyish charms and inability to fix a fucking flat(you know, that old story), and you leave many us who actually enjoy riding bikes, wanting to quickly find some 14 year-old ebayer who's into vampires, henna tattoos, and fixed-gear bikes, and offload that shit as quickly as possible...
In Fight Club, if I remember correctly, Edward Norton kicks Jared Leto's ass and smashes his prettyboy face in. When asked why, he states that he 'wanted to destroy something beautiful'. Well Mr. Leto has put one of the final nails in the beauty of cycling and is helping it on it's winding, downhill, no-brakes road, off that fucking pier, to destruction.
You know what, I just re-read what I wrote and have completely changed my mind. These videos are great for cycling. Now the pudgy adolescent need not fear the closed circle of fixed-gear aficionados. He will go on that midnight ride on his clunker with his head held high, and hit on girls that he used to think were out of his league. Elliot Smith would not be turning in his grave if this were to pass.
As for emo kids, they no longer have to skulk in corners wearing dark clothes, bemoaning the darkness of life and the expense of hairspray. They can now worry over what they can buy to match their hot pink NJS crankset!(nb. in the real world, all NJS parts must be silver, no colurs allowed, thans Ed!) Watch in wonder as hordes of youths ride brakeless and fearless through your neighbourhood, careening off car windscreens with a carefree attitude (well vampires are immortal so they have nothing to fear from mere mortal car drivers!).
Anything that gets more people who look like freaks cycling bikes they have no idea how to control is a-ok! Can we make Jared Leto official mascot/spokesemo of the IFBMA? Please?
2nd ghost bike of the year will be unveiled this Saturday coming at 11am.
Karl McGee died on the 15th September when he was involved in a collision with an articulated truck on Wellington Quay.
Here are the details:
On the 15th of September Karl McGee, a cyclist of 51 was killed on Aston Quays(sic). To remember him, a ghostbike will be unveiled at the location of the accident on Saturday November 14th at 11AM. The ceremony will take place on the south quays, at Ha'penny Bridge in presence of Karl's family and friends. After that, a group will cycle to Harolds Cross bridge and place flowers at the first ghostbike of Dublin, in memory of Paul who died there in January.
A great night by all accounts. Diarmuid consistently posted the fastest times all night, and really wanted to break 25 seconds... next time. We'll keep working on the system and things will get smoother as we progress. Next time we'll have a dj outside with us so we can properly announce it and make a better show for everyone. If anyone has any (constructive) comments to make about how we can improve please make them below, we really want to make this as big and inclusive as possible.
The Shaw have been on to us to host it again, so we're looking at the first week of December for the next event. There will be a chance to race again this Friday come in any time after 6pm (in Bernard Shaw again) and post a time and give it a go.
Dublin Messenger: I figured since for 2 years it's been me, it may as well stay me, so from now in it's Dublin Messenger, not Messengers... as that would imply some sort of co-operation, and it being overtly just me frees me up to talk about shit I want to talk about with no inference that I am speaking for a group of people.
I was in Barcelona at the end of August for another edition of Paradise Weekend, hosted by the ever smiling Dave of Imensajeros. It's a great city to ride your bike in, and combine that with sun, sea and cheap food and booze, and it's a recipe for a fantastic time. Turnout was pretty low this year, for out-of-towners at least, but it was good to see more locals taking part.
The Saturday night alleycat is always my favourite part of the weekend, a proper pick-up drop-off, multiple manifest alleycat. I generally don't take it too seriously and I guess that's my way of enjoying it; stopping at checkpoints for a chat and a beer.
There were a few people writing an article about the race and I managed to do Dublin proud in it if I do say so myself... I guess it's a different attitude over there, as people were genuinely bemused to see me roll up to a checkpoint with a can of beer in my hand!
(click image to get larger resolution)
There's a new forum in town... dedicated to the fixed-gear fanatics in Dublin: Dublin Fixed Gear Agus Singlespeed, although I think the singlespeed is there just for forms sake, they're a really decent bunch of people, no snobbery, and so far no Boards-like behaviour.
A nice gallery of Britain's crap cycle lanes in the Guardian this week.
Aly has come out with another short video, this time featuring Kropa and his backwards cycling shenanigans. It's only available on Arsebook at the minute but as soon as he puts it on YouTube I'll pop it up here.
Nice article on BBC about small courier firms in the UK benefiting from the threat of Royal Mail strikes. (Via Joe Hendry)
Also from Joe, news that a new movie C.O.D, is in the works, about a New York Messenger forced to deliver bombs... hmmm. One reviewer states nicely: "Everybody hates bike messengers. First of all, the profession attracts douchebags. Second of all, they're a hazard on the road to drivers and pedestrians alike. Third of all, they always smell." Nice...
I haven't posted here since... well since the last post, and I'm not hitting the 'back' button to see what date that was, needless to say it's been a while. Nobody has stepped forward to try and keep this thing alive, so I guess I may as well try and help it limp along until it finally gives up the ghost or someone pulls the finger out.
What to report since last time...
Well, CMWC Tokyo happened. Daz won backward circles, 2nd in skids while wasted, got tied up and drawn on as he annoyed so many people, and finally got arrested(still in Tokyo awaiting sentencing I believe), Perrine won Fixie Queen(even though she's not actually a courier ...shhhhhh).
Um... I almost forgot, it has been so long that there wasn't even a report on ECMC Berlin! As far as I can remember Team Dublin won the Mechanical Bull riding... 25Sean came top 10, then promptly had a baby. Hungary successfully 'bid' for ECMC2010, many people got drunk and danced to electro music. Props to ex Dublin Messenger Gar for being one of the main organisers of a spectacular event. My photos here.
There is a raffle taking place to help Daz's legal costs. Tickets are 3 for €5 or sumfink... Matt(eternal rookie) from Dublin's newest (and only fixed-centric) bike shop Cultured has kindly donated a sweet bike as first prize. Tickets can be bought in the shop or at the Bernard Shaw this weekend and draw will take place after Halloween Alleycat. The Bernard Shaw are having another 'fixie day' this Saturday the 24th, from 4pm. There will be a parts market, videos, messenger dj's best in show comp, and finally Goldsprints will make a return to Dublin. 8 fastest times posted will go into knockout stages. Be patient with us as it's our first time running this and we are bound to fuck something up royally.
The week after will see the Halloween alleycat, this year organised by Colin and Kropa. They are getting some sweet jerseys(yes jerseys) made for this, based on one of Colin's designs.We are hoping to run some more goldsprints in Bernard Shaw afterwards.
Niamh, who has been filming Dublin Messengers since CMWC 2007, gave us a glimpse of her work with a short entitled 'Alleycat', which screened at the Galway Film Festival and recently during the Darklight festival in Dublin. We hope there's a lot more to come. For now you can see the magnificence of my arrospok (which I have since become too ashamed of to ride in public) in the first few seconds.
Elsewhere in the world of bicycle fashion, the bicycle chain bracelet recently jumped the shark when Louis Vuitton released this: A steal at $700, but not guaranteed to hold your chain together as a quick bodge when you snap yours doing a keo spin while wearing this to add momentum (and bling) to your revolutions.
In short... Registration now open for CMWC 2011 Guatemala Ex-Dublin Messengers Goofy and Tomek now helping with production of Polish mish-mash of all my favourite track bikes Torro. ECMC 2010 to be held in Budapest, CMWC 2011 in Warsaw. Tokyo organisers $34,000 (yes all those zeros are correct, and yes that is twice what we spent on our entire CMWC) in debt. Messengers trying to help here. I got a new Pac (yum)
I'll still update here with more general messenger info and race times etc. but I will be focusing my efforts on the company. Again, if anyone wants to contribute to keeping this blog alive please get in touch.
A slow and windy course set our times behind those of previous years, but the main thing is everyone had fun and finished the race safely. Well done to Lizard for organising this years race.
Starting on Sunday, National Bike Week will comprise of a series of events aimed at encouraging more people around the country to get on their bikes.
There's a Family Day in the Phoenix Park on Sunday, with a 10k group ride around the park, and on Wednesday there is the cycle through the city, which thankfully this year they have had the balls to actually put midweek and in the evening. Places are limited apparently (not sure how they can stop anyone from cycling on the roads that night however!?), so you can sign up here . If it's another exercise in high-vis jacket wearing I'm pretty sure I shall ride off into the sunset and tell them where they can shove their cycle.
This is overall a good thing for the city however so be sure to check out www.bikeweek.ie and get involved somehow.
Hey all, just a quick post to advertise a new forum for working messengers. Cassandra from NYC has created a really good forum here: http://cyclecourier.org/vanilla/
you may have noticed there has been a paucity of content over the last while. Some of you may know that myself and Chris are hard at work trying to get our new company off the ground, which has left me little time for filling this blog. It's a shame as I love it, but it deserves more attention than I can give it right now. If there is any messenger out there in Dublin who would like to contribute to the blog PLEASE get in touch, as I'd hate to see her wither away and die. I'll add when I can, but who knows when that may be.
On another topic, Global Gutz is just around the corner, I've officially registered us as of this evening. I'm stepping down as course creator and we'll have a fresh design this year, hopefully giving us a better chance of competing with those Europeans who can apparently maintain an average of 42kp/h in city streets over a 21km course while negotiating 5 checkpoints... lets see if we have found their secret...
Details of start/finish will come some time after we return from Berlin. Stay tuned... and get the legs spinning.
There are two places you can drink alcohol in this country; one is in your private home and the other is in a public house. This place is neither. You have to leave this place... NOW!!
Those were the immortal words of the Garda who moved us along from Grand Canal to marc the start of the last race in the ECMC Berlin Dublin Qualifier Series. So we started and ended at Portobello. Evening was very pleasant and they all turned out, Lizard with freshly shaved legs for the occasion. About 15 riders raced the final race; two manifests, both with four checkpoints, two pick-ups and drop-offs at each one. It took 27Aidan just under an hour to come in first with Kropa in second and Lukasz in third on the night. All got t-shirts from another Lukasz from dotties as did Doricea as first girl. Then came the prize-giving ceremony with a cacophony of prizes for the top ten. Results are below. 27Aidan had a great race on the night which left him that one point ahead of Lukasz to put the quiet Pole in third and to take second for himself. And Kropa took first, got a fancy shirt so as not to go away empty-handed on the night. He wins the flights and registration for ECMCBerlin which is not so far away at all. There was a closing ceremony in the Portobello Pub where we all shouted, shoved and downed pints in one, as is our want. I am happy that people took part and made the series a good one and I am thankful. Thanks to the marshalls, to those who gave prizes over the weeks and thanks to the racers of course.
Can somebody put on an alleycat now please so I can have a go...
ECMC Berlin Dublin Qualifier Series. Results after Race 3
Race last week got a bit trickier, perhaps too much so. But the numbers were good. Niamh was filming on the night for her soon-to-come 2 minute short, looking forward to it. Kropa took first, great result for Josh in second and 33 Steve takes third two weeks in a row.. All this meant that the table looks like this:
1. Lukasz. 46
2. Kropa. 45
3. Lally. 44
4. 27 Aidan. 43
5. Vinny. 34
6. 33Steve. 32
7. Lizard. 27
8. Josh. 27
9. Delo. 21
10. Cliffy. 14
11. Jonny. 14
12. Colin. 13
13. Doricea. 12
14. John W. 12
15. Geri. 10
16. 23 Cormac. 10
17. Big Al. 9
18. Eoin. 8
19. Pádraig. 5
20. Rob. 4
21. Seán. 4
22. Dennis. 3
23. Caríosa. 2
24. Raj. 2
25. Aly. 2
26. Lorcan. 2
27. Brian. 2
A Polish double bill for first and second, Lukasz and Kropa, with our man Lally trailing just behind in third. The points could not be closer with Aidan on 43 in fourth. This series is very much open. It's all to win for, flights and registration that is for ECMC Berlin 09 in six weeks time.
Race number 4 is this Friday 24th, 7pm at Grand Canal Square. Come one, come all!
Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death. ~Hunter Thompson
