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Dust In the Wind
The world’s had me down a bit lately. And I’ve been hearing from friends feeling the same (including one who woke up feeling alone next to a bag of potato chips). I sat in a park wrestling it in my mind. It was a green grass/ blue sky T-shirt kind of day in Geneva. An
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Riding the Mountains in My Mind
Some “Americans” showed up in my hotel and upset the peace of my creative retreat here in France. Mangler and Jessica (from North Carolina) were here last week by chance and they were perfectly lovely, but this new group of “Americans” is what the rest of the world thinks of as stereotypical yanks. Outrageously loud,
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The Sport of Music
I remember having a discussion with Chris Moeller ages ago about how I thought BMX shouldn’t be part of the cycling world. This was back in the mid 90’s and BMX programs had been all but killed off by the big cycling brands. The few who made “BMX” bikes really only made unsafe-for-BMX kid’s bikes.
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Evian to Aigle
I had two options, an easy one along Lake Geneva that was going to be filled with traffic or a more unknown one up into the mountains. I didn’t want to get caught in another freezing mountain storm and I had no idea what the roads would be like up there. I walked to the
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Where Next Wonderings
I’ve been taking a break from riding the last few days and indulging in some introspection, drawing and work. I started this trip with the idea that I would find a new home. I have not found one yet bit I’ve zeroed in on some things that my ideal home would have. -A grocery store
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Leaving Geneva
There’s not a whole lot to say about the ride out of Geneva but it ended at a fantastic hotel. I arrived hungry and the hotel had free pizza. And not artistically made fancy pizza on a paper thin crust with toppings stingily globbed here or there. And it wasn’t cheapo chemical laden greasy fast
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Frozen Climb
A big black dog darted out after me. I stood on the pedals to try and get away but I was in the wrong gear and he was coming too fast. His teeth were barred and I yelled, “no” at him but he didn’t even flinch. In mid sprint he open his mouth and licked
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Geneva and Giraffe
I walked around Geneva with a sketchbook in hand and mechanical pencil in pocket. I let myself get lost by going where my feet took me. Every so often I would sit down and draw or write in my book. I find walking a good time to think up ideas that are quickly forgotten unless
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First Little Mountain
Just like every other city on this trip I rounded a corner and boom, the city ended. I’ve been thinking about this a lot. Cities are exciting and interesting but they also carry a lot of stress. I see people all over cities looking like they need a break. Hop on a bike, pedal (15
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Train of Errors
I decided to jump down to Geneva. I got online to book a train ticket from Mainz south to Switzerland and it was a bit overwhelming. All the trains that allowed bikes were going to take over 9 hours and with a bunch of transfers. I decided to do it in two chunks and so
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Publish Your Own Book and a Visit to a Museum About That
In Mainz, Germany I visited the Gutenburg Museum. It was well worth the $5 price tag and the old zine maker in me loved it. It’s a museum of print making with workshops and works of print dating back almost 4000 years (well that was a stone tablet) up to modern times. Making books, lithography
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Observations from Germany
Corn is a popular option on pizza just like the weirdos in the UK. “Vegan” is everywhere here. Outside every restaurant and on every menu. Hotel breakfasts have salad bars. Hotels have fans. You could spend weeks traveling around being hot in your room and then one day see someone walking around the hotel with
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The Salad Had Avocado Slices
Minor wrestling match in my head going on the last couple days… I’m feeling tired. I think I’m tired of constantly moving around and a big part of me wants to chill out in one place for a few weeks, but the other half of me is arguing that I only have a short time
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Observation: Bananas Taste Weird Here
I was met for lunch by Stephan Prantl. We rode bikes around Cologne, crossed the Rhine River and had lunch at a quiet cafe across the water from the cathedral. I enjoyed catching up with Stephan (who I haven’t seen since god knows when). I’ve been thinking a lot about how people change over the
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Back in Cologne
The Invictus Games athletes staying in my hotel were like ravenous barracudas at the breakfast buffet. As soon a new bowl of food was set down hands came out of nowhere to empty it. I slowly drank a green tea until they started to calm down before trying to grab food myself. I imagine the
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Detroit to Germany
Woke up in the middle of Paul’s living room as his family headed off to school and work. I was fed and showered and sat on the computer for a bit (as has become my morning ritual). Normally I am off pedaling before 9am but today we went to visit Paul’s mom who lived down
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Pedal to Paul’s Boutique
I’m finally on the road again… well, I am permanently on the road but I’m pedaling again. After my quick trip over to England I left Rotterdam on a warm overcast day. I didn’t have any time to map a route so I plugged my destination into the Garmin and agreed to do what it
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Good Friends and Stage Fright at the Battle of Hastings
It already feels like a blur of commotion in my memory but I was just at the Battle of Hastings BMX contest and the NORA Cup in Hastings, England. I saw amazing riding, lots of my BMX family, embarrassed myself on stage, and I was given an award. I’m currently typing while under the English
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Dutch Urban Strike Force
I saw this kid’s smile first. I was coasting through a small town outside The Hague being a tourist and this irrepressible grin was beaming from across the sidewalk. It was one of pure joy that simply could not be contained. I inspected the scene and saw that it was a 12-maybe-13-year old kid wearing
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BMX Giraffe
If you wonder why I’ve been drawing Giraffe so much lately it’s because I’m working on a book with him. I’m excited about drawing him and each little doodle brings me closer to diving into the book’s final art. I felt roasted after my day riding through The Netherlands west coat dunes (Garmin says it
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Almost Home (but Still a Long Way To Go)
My street senses suddenly sent off an alarm– something was going on here. I locked eyes with the man and his shifty body language confirmed it. I held my ground for a moment trying to figure out if I was in danger. The man broke our eye contact, ducked out of my way and I
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One Floor Up
I started with a fancy and free breakfast buffet at my fancy hotel. After a little computer work I grabbed my bike and pedaled away for some sight seeing in Amsterdam. My hotel is in one of the nicest districts of a city that I have ever been in. Not nice in a fancy car
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A Study of Dutch Top Tubes
I’m enjoying being in a world where everyone gets around by bicycle. Here in the Netherlands there is bikes absolutely everywhere and under every kind of person. Good safe bike roads are all around too. Surprisingly to me I don’t recognize any of the bikes people are on. With 100s of bikes locked up on
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Rotterdam to Amsterdam
I pedaled out of Rotterdam early on Sunday morning. It was the first time I’d seen the downtown area quiet. On the edge of town the bike paths suddenly filled up with two oddly paired groups of cyclists; Swarms of road bikers in full kits that hummed along on their carbon wheels, and families dressed
Think Up Good Things 