ain't no cure for the summertime blues
Now Playing: articles of faith up against a wall

It's time for the annual Kzoo BMX contest. August 20th is a sunday and on saturday from 4:30 to 9 bikes are allowed as well, so there will plenty of time to ride one of the midwest's best parks. There are already a grip of sponsors lined up and I'm just waiting for the thumbs up from a couple more companies and I'll send this flyer out to spread the word. This is truly a Deliverance/Etnies event and is all about a good time. Kzoo's outdoor section is awesome and unless the weather gets crazy on us, it will a full-tilt bozo event. We'll take it indoors if it rains or hellfires or something.
Speaking of Hellfire, I think we're expecting it to come any minute now. Hatfield, Fro Ardelean and I made an early morning trek to Charlotte yesterday but there was no beating the heatmiser

. We got there a little after 10am and rode for like a half an hour. It was absolutely brutal. Like scary, hallucination brutal. Insane. We did enjoy these "burgers" that Fro's mom made on the drive there

Don't ask.
Modern, on the other hand, is air-conditioned and that is a blessing. It was a fun session Sunday and tonight but I really wanted to ride for longer. I could have ridden for four hours tonight. People seem actually bummed that I have front brakes on my bike, like "how dare you! Those are so 90s!" I love it. I still haven't really learned anything too exciting, but if I can learn nose-picks on quarters I'll be stoked. The park was busy for both sessions and I heard a lot of gripes about that as well. I guess I have the "adult" perspective, but, uh, guys, paying customers keep the park in business, you know?
There is a contest this Saturday the 5th at TRP in Dearborn, Michigan. I was going to put a link to their site but it seems to no longer exist. Here's the info I took from the Team Young site.

Transitions Ramp Park Contest THIS SATURDAY!
8.05.2006
BEG- $15
INTERMEDIATE-$30
PRO-$50
CASH PAYOUT FOR PRO, PRIZES FOR OTHER 2 CATEGORIES!
PARK OPENS @ 10 A.M.
COMP STARTS @ 1 P.M. WITH BEGINNER CLASS
While you're at the TY site, check out the photos of Dave Moon and The White Lotus riding those crazy trails in Charlotte. That one photo is especially amazing. You'll know which one I mean when you see it.
Those of you that know Sean Rakos may not recognize him while he's using his new disguise...

Yes, it's real. A real tattoo, not a real mustache.
Dane is moving back to Binghampton soon and is also going to get this tattoo:

. Matt Sparks drove the Albe's car in the Kink demoltion derby and Joe Gall's Team Young car was defective and didn't run until the end of the derby. I woulda been pissed. Joe was. He vented his anger by taking free-coaster madness to new levels.
I know I'm always talking about obscure bands and documentaries and such, but I am really stoked about this one. That is my music--the shit that changed my life for good. It's like the Joe Kid on a Stingray of music for me. I can't wait to see it.

stress remedy
Now Playing: J Church Where the Trains Go
Between work stress, home improvements and traveling, I've been a stressed-out mofo lately. Like lightning bolts shooting through my head stressed. The home improvements are a big cause, which are causing work stress, all of which make for family stress. Plumbers deserve to be millionaires. Fuck plumbing. Dan Closser is our electrician but I need to find a plumber friend. Matt Bu-C Newman is a plumber, but I don't think he does residential work. He and Hanaan, his partner in crime, are two of my favorite people to ride with and they also have a new website, called VeteranBMX. I like the name, but I had to laugh when Hanaan explained they named it veteran because they are "getting old". Mid-twenties is kind of old for BMX for the average person, but to me it's just getting started. Sean Rakos started riding BMX when he was 23. He completed tattoo school up here a couple weeks ago and did so well he was offered a full-time job by the instructor. Sean hates Michigan, so he had to decline. I'm still waiting for a photo of his insane new tattoo.
Anyway, Veteran BMX is a blog-based BMX site and I dig it. This quote is so right on: "it's pretty interesting dealing with all the things that come with being an adult and trying to hang on to childhood". Works for me.
As far as the stress, riding at TRP last night and Modern tonight have cleared my head and really let off some steam. I really need to keep things in perspective. I get worked up about some pretty unimportant crap. A leaky pipe can be fixed. Front brakes can be dialed. Both are not right now but it's not the end of the world. No lives hang in the balance. Was that a really shitty front-brake related pun? The front brakes are cool, but so far I am doing the same shit with them that I was doing without them. We'll see how that goes.
Dane wild finally returned from an extended trip to Binghampton and points east. He made a last-minute attempt to get a Deliverance car entered in the Kink Demolition Derby, but I was too stressed to answer the phone. Next year. He also brought me a soil sample from Baker's Acres, which is amazing. I'll post a pic when I get my ant-farm set up using it.
Speaking of stress and keeping things in perspective, I recently signed up for the J Church band newsletter. The singer of J Church, Lance, was in a early 90s band called Cringer that is one of my favorites. J Church is kind of a continuation of that band and has been putting out great music for years. Recently, Lance's health has taken a very bad turn and he is getting Kidney dialisys and may be facing a heart transplant, which is horrible. I don't know the guy or anything, I'm just a fan of his music, but I really feel for him and wish him the best. The things I've been sweating ain't shit compared to that, you know? Check out J Church Newsletter for more info and there are lots of J Church songs on Itunes.
Lots of questions and comments so far on the Deliverance Man Bag. Stay tuned for a whole slew of new shit....