Kyoto ´08

Lovely shots by Riki (thx Riki).
Kyotoloco has been going on for a long time and everyone I know who has been to one gets a smile on their face when they talk about it.. It´s a sign!

Nippon - The land of the rising sun..

I dont know about you, but I have a lot of butterflies flickering in my stomach when I think of next years CMWC.. Tokyo ´09 - oh yeah!

STRIKE!!

Or at least union meeting.
There are some issues with the percentages and sickpay wages in the company Bring formerly known as "De grønne bude".
So for the first time in the world to my knowledge there was a united refusal to work while a meeting with the bosses was scheduled and planned.
This is great proof of that if it happens in united form we can get the attention of the powers that be and we should not be afraid to communicate what we want for fear of our jobs.
Thanks to Tekno for the pics..

New wheels!

The Level and Deep V connection.
I know I could have gotten better lighter and more blingy rims, but these are the ones my daughter liked..

Something wonderous my way came..

I still have not quite realized what has happened. Normally I sit down and write what´s in my head - These first sentences took 5 tries to start rolling.. I am honored and humbled by the names that sits on the base of this piece of art that I was presented with by the few that braved the weather and came out to celebrate my friends bikeshop (www.trackbikeshop.com) 1 year and change anniversary.
My girlfriend Tif was apparently told a couple of weks back - and hinted already then that a surprise would come in the mail for me. Hmm what has she been up to? A funny bike part, a piece of clothing, a new sex toy? I was starting to think what ever it was it was lost in the mail..
Then on saturday my 7 year old daughter Selma was adamant we´d go to the polo/alleycat/celebration for trackbikeshop.. Hmm shouldn´t we stay in watch a movie and eat good food? No we had to go! Ok - but who are you texting with? It´s a secret dad. Well it is not the first secret a girl has kept from me - I have come to realize it is best not to inquire - you will not be told so I tend to just let it go..
So when I roll up with Selma nice and warm in her Cargo trike - me drenched from riding 40 minutes in pouring rain - My brother is there I´m still just guessing he was bored and decided to come hang with me and mine.. Im starting to suspect that my friends have decided to pony up a little something for good cooperations (I build wheels) so Im thinking a sign of good standings with the Gaggia would be nice - but whadevver..
Then my friend Angus gets on a box and starts talking about that the global messenger community has an award concieved by Buffalo Bill - At that instance I know!
I have been chosen to recieve The Marcus Cooke award!
My eyes well up and the first thing on my mind is that I´m glad Selma is here. I try to listen, but a million thoughts kind of drown out what Angus says - so I give him a hug and rambles off some drivel to thank for the honour.
I´m still in awe - Thank you.

For more on the MCA:
http://www.messengers.org/ifbma/mca.html

I was really glad I was mentioned in sentences with the MCA and was even nominated this year. I was also pretty sure I was not up for the award - I was not entirely satisfied with the level of competition the race achieved this year. I was particularly disappointed that we did not make it absolutely clear to all including the japanese what was required to participate in the main race. I take this as my personal mistake that the communication was less than adequate to the main race participants.
I was really happy with the whole event coming off despite various divisions and fractions in the organizing group. It again proved to me the strength and ability to overcome in my brothers of all colours and sexes..
Special mention goes to Cory who is consistently in the finals except when he throws it out the window to help me. Please consider asking him to make a bag if you look for one. He does not have a www page - yet. It has been in the works for 3-4 years, but he makes bags that love you back. Look up Dank in Seattle.
And my brothers Morgan and smiling Steve and a hell of a lot of more great people who made my trip to Toronto worth while.
As I read this again before sending it off into the world I realize that I am being a goldfish - again. Toronto is just still very much on my mind - I guess the MCA members remembers Zurich, Copenhagen, Gijon, London, Sydney, Oslo, Seattle, DC, Philly, NYC, and I remember a good handful of other cities where i have met and broken bread with messengers.
Thank you all.

A day in life..

Somebody has to stand up when the italians steamroll the world..

Breschel wins bronze

Matti Breschel (Denmark)
Photo ©: AFP

Matti Breschel won a bronze medal at the elite men's UCI Road World Championships on Sunday, thanks in part to the help of fellow Dane Chris Anker Sørensen.

Sørensen made several attempts in front groups and was eventually joined by riders including Breschel, making a total group of 13 for the final selection. He then picked up the pace so no more riders would be able to join the leading bunch.

The race was more or less decided three kilometers from the finish line, when Italian Alessandro Ballan made a strong attack. Sørensen got little help from the other 11, and he was unable to reel in the Italian rider. In the final sprint Breschel was the only one able to prevent a pure Italian podium as Damiano Cunego took second and Davide Rebellin took fourth. Sørensen would finish 13th

"This is huge! I'm extremely satisfied with getting a medal at the World Championships at the age of 24," said an elated Breschel according to a team press release. "My career at this level has only just begun so I'm very happy to be standing here with a medal.

"Of course I was sitting in the group at end hoping to take the rainbow colored jersey, but this is amazing though. I owe Chris and the other Danish guys a big thanks for all their hard work – they have a big share in this medal too."

Thx cyclingnews.com

Couriers..

Tribe? Idunno, but friends - yes..

Flecha is great.

Even though he stole the victory from Piil in TdF a couple of years back this is fucking great and he is my new hero..

Blackout celebration.

These are the pics:

Blackout celebration.

This was a little event I had foreseen to get a lot of trouble for. When the black and whites showed up we were on the sidewalk and they asked why we were there and they just left when we explained it was a party.The pics are from the party in the middle of a busy intersection. All cars that came by had to go right and go around the block. We had a party for 15 mins there and kept on going on the sidewalk afterwards with no problems. Way to go Toronto. I enjoyed it..

Open forum 1 (2) in pictures

This is what it looked like

Open forum 1 (2)

Open Forums as I saw them.

I was the secretary for the first.. So here goes.

Open forum 1 Toronto 2008

Intro by Andy D our revered and beloved president.
Andy explained how this circus is run. Basically and in short it is a flat structure, so everyone has as much say-so as any of their fellow members. If you choose the other option in the voting procedure, other than to vote yes or no, which is to block, it comes with a obligation to have an alternative to the suggestion you block.

Stefan explained that IFBMA (international federation of bike messenger associations) is incorporated under Swiss law, because there is no taxes for international federations. (ex: IOC,UCI and IFBMA) therefore to comply with Swiss law we have constituted a council.

And then I revealed the exciting agenda:

Website
Rulebook
Global alliance for ecomobility
CMWC2009
CMWC2010
Open floor

Website:
Jacobs has a plan, but no graphics. ( He was at the second Open forum elected to head up the IT group for us all.)
Andy Z: Go ahead and do it.
Jacobs: Content?
Ho: We could make a thread on it on the message board.
Stefan: We should keep it in line with the work Joel Metz has done.
Andy Z: We could do it wrong rather than wait for a perfect world to emerge.

Q: To migrate the messengers.org to a new format, and maybe an IT group.( Jacobs was at the second Open forum elected to head up the IT group for us all.)
Andy Z suggested to make schwag to support the IT.

Rulebook:
After lots of argumentation everyone agreed on making an event guide line.

Q: Is everyone ok with the council making an edit on this? (All were at the second Open forum)

Global alliance for ecomobility:
Andy D: It is a NGO that lobbies for city development that it is less car dependent and more focused on alternative modes of transport. Represents all sorts of messengers: foot- , rollerblading- , and bikemessengers. Members also includes amateur cycling organisations, governmental organisations. Advocates for passenging or car pooling.
The council opted to join for networking purposes, and we have agreed to be advisors, and to have a chair on the committee. We can at all times get up and leave if we feel compromised by the alliance.
Andy Z: It all sounds good, but can back fire if we just let random messengers speak on everyones behalf.

CMWC2009
Yosh: Last months race was good. We are ready for next year. Less experience with large events in Japan - but Tokyo is ready. Jacobs had a few questions and all was good.

CMWC2010
No bids at this meeting.
At the second meeting however Panajachel, Guatemala was selected, the bid was presented by Nadir Olivet and the race captain will be Andy Zalan.

There was a few shoutouts:
ECMC
NACCC
Cross dress for red cross
Earth hour
Now 3 of those sounds pretty standard events .. What do I know..

Peace out.

/m

Tobma meeting and election

Meeting in August for Tobma.
August 21st

Welcome to all.
Present was:
Marli, Jeremy, Givago, Charlie, Bennet, Rich, Brian, Mark, Martin, Smitty, Graham.

Secretary: Martin
Speakers adjudisisarory/chairman: Mark

The meeting Had quite a short agenda.
Accept of the minutes from last meeting and the agenda for today.
Nominations to the steering committee/voting
Ideas for what Tobma should be
Open floor

The minutes for the last meting was accepted. So was the agenda.

http://www.new.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=5350&post=22791&uid=20038712099#post22791

Martin added a comment made by Tif - Why not have a veteran on the steering committee? My answer was: We are trying to make a club for working messengers that might be able to grow into a union. Veterans are welcome at meetings and in any capacity cooperating with Tobma, but should not have voting rights and should not be on the steering committee of said group. This is of course up to the new steering committee to agree upon and put in the by laws.

So we went on to nominations:
These 6 wanted to be on board:
Brian
Marli
Rich
Mark
Bennet
Givago

Rich did not get voted in.
So the new steering committee is:

Brian
Marli
Mark
Bennet
Givago

They will constitute themselves so there will be a president, accountant, secretary and 2 ordinary members.

The last 2 items of the agenda merged into:

An idea by givago was kicked around a messenger store of sorts in the core, even a vending machine with tire tube and lube on sale. Mark had an idea for a contact.
Mark have the laminator and the stapler.
One had an idea to make spokecards for all maybe with a slight difference for the steering committee members.
We can raise funds and awareness with:
Patches, Stickers, tshirts, sweatshirts, caps.
We basically need branding.
We need to keep up the work with the Guidebook for rookies.
Maybe make a seminar on winter.
Work place hazards.
What to do if you get in an accident.
Is there a tax rebate on less cycling oriented gear/clothing?
You can claim 30% of your own phone and claim your work space at home.
There is a owners club, maybe we should make contact to cooperate.
Rate transparency to the messengers so you can figure out what you make.
Rich pointed to a fact that we according to the law we are not to undercut the postal service. and we don´t if all our cheap calls are 47 grams or less. I think we need 3 volunteers from different companies to carry a scale for a month. Maybe what we find is an item for Market place on CBC.
We need to focus on the cheapest rates to make a reasonable living out of our job.
How else can we get attention? Strike?
We need to make a www page. Maybe a board.
We need to lobby with the city to make the city move more stuff by bike instead of cars.
Tif made a pledge to head up a ´zine for Toronto messengers.
And all should go to Velosocial on the first Monday of each month.

http://www.new.facebook.com/event.php?eid=44920354936&ref=ts

Working day Alley cat 2008 Toronto

MANIFEST:

Introduction: Welcome to the 2008 daytime workin’ alley cat challenge:
Read all the rules before you start. Certain challenges can only be completed during certain parts of the day. Remember to keep an eye on your due times... Cheating is always encouraged since it will only hurt your chances of winning. No aspect of this race is mandatory. Do as much as you want. You can win the event without completing even a portion of the challenges. Have fun, keep the rubber side down.

1. Style. All the greats have it. Merckx. Pantani. Cipollini. You. You ride your bike all fucking day. Most people have to join gyms to look this good naked. FLAUNT IT BABY! You can get away with wearing day-glow electric blue lycra skin suit covered in brown tiger stripes... So are you wearing it?

IF YOU ARE WEARING (LYCRA/BIKE GEAR): Shorts = 10 pts Jersey = 10pts Arm/Leg Warmers, Socks, Gloves, Cap, Shoes, Skull Cap, etc... 5pts each Is it any color other than black? That's worth double points Did you shave your legs? That another 10 points

2. Writing Implement. It's time to start your day. Dispatch is paging you a rack of work and you need to jot it all down on your manifest to get it straight in your head. You reach for your pen. Hm. Not there. Better go to your next pick and try to "borrow" one from the receptionist. She offers you a fine sparkly chunk of metal writing tool engraved with the corporate logo. She answers the phone. Might as well catch the elevator when she's busy.

Pens with a client's corporate logo are worth 10 points each. The nicer the pen, the nicer the points.

3. Crosswords. After a mad dash of scheduled runs there doesn't seem to be anything to do. Your leg is shaking from your sixth cup of coffee and not a single run in the last hour. Better kill some time by doing the crossword puzzle.

To qualify for points the puzzle must be completed & attached to the rest of the page, w/today's date
The New York Times = 15pts Others = 5pts
It's another 5pts if 2 or more are done.

4. Flat Tire. It's 10am and your day is just starting to pick up. A rush here, a round trip there. Dispatches drops a downtown multiple on you. Great! Money! (Sort Of)! You hop on your bike PFFFFF! Flat on yr front. That money is getting cold, gotta fix this flat, and quick! (see Martin at Jet fuel between 1615 and 1715)

Time Trial Event - we clock your time, points are awarded for the fastest times:
1st = 35pts 4th = 20pts 7th = 5pts 2nd = 30pts 5th = 15pts 8th + up = 1pt 3rd = 25pts 6th = 10pts

It'll cost you 5 pts to use our tools, tubes, or patch kits (as available)

5. Kickin' It with the Client. You got that flat fixed, had your victory celebration and now your ready to get things movin' on the road. Your next job is at the office with the cute receptionist (mailroom clerk, secretary, etc...). You've been kicking your game for months and they've bought it. Maybe you should ask them out for a drink? Maybe you can ask them for their underpants?

Every piece of undergarment from a receptionist is worth 35pts. You'll need his/her phone number too, so we can call and confirm that you didn't get anything from your girlfriend, boyfriend, mom, dad, or closet. It'll be your job to return it to, so that phone number will be helpful for your game.

If he/she shows up at 165 Bathurst to pick them up at the end of the race (between 1730 and 1800) that's worth double points.

6. Kitty Kat. All this working and fixing and flirting is making you hungry. You want to eat lunch so bad, but your dispatcher is being a jerk and sending you all over creation. Better finish these last few up real quick so you can get to eating something. All food receipts are worth 2 points. You can have them back after they are counted.


7. Stupid Bonus Points. These can be completed anytime of the day A> What colour is the stage acces door at 909 Lakeshore The Molson amphitheater?
B> Show Off When you pass me or Mark H during the day. (5pts)
C> Get me stoned (5pts)

8. Beer Drinking. You day is winding to a close, it's August, so by now it's probably raining. A flat tire, a jerky dispatcher, shitty tags mean one thing: it's time for a motherfuckin' beer. (Bathurst 165 Between 1730 and 1830)

We buy your first round, after that your on your own. 5pts a beer. Remember to show us how many you drink, so we can keep count of your points.

9. Draw A Picture that demonstrates how cool you are (5pts).

10.The caring sharing points: At Bathurst 165 you can bring food for the food bank - They want:
-pasta and rice
-canned meats and fish
-dry and canned soup and stew
-flour
-cereal
-peanut butter
-canned/ powdered milk
-fruit juice
-pasta sauce
-beans and legumes
-infant formula and baby food
Any item is worth 20 points.


All manifests are due at Bathurst 165, app 201 buzz 0420 at 1730. Prizes at 1900.Winner takes most cash prize. Some may win other fabulatory even if they do not win. Others will receive nothing but fond memories for years to come.

Thanks to Joshua Whitesnake NYC.



10 people paid the 5 $ entry.

1 Tif
2 Heather
3 Bobby

There were 4 pairs of underwear and 2 owners braved it to come and pick them up. However the area where the top 2 pulled away even though bobby had 2 thongs was in the pens and the food. Good strategies by all - special mention to Bennet who brought a Bolo like instrument and played it while riding with me to the park to get me stoned - best joint of the day..

The pic is the food we got together for the food bank. Im on my way to get it off..

Thanks to all for competing and having fun and not wrecking my house at the party that grinded to a halt at 3am.. ZZZzzzz

Polo.. Thanks Ottawa.

Crazy tournament - nice to go to a messenger event and not do much..

I did do something at the CMWC 2008..

Here comes the boxes..

Late..

I know

this is little more than an elaborate pictureshow so far - I might write something someday - I might.. like..
This is my saddle from cmwc - it gave up while I was grabbing boxes for the Trackstar checkpoint. RIP lovely fizik saddle..

Some get to race in the city on a closed course..

There was a crit in Toronto the other day. Some of my friends were there and I shot this little ditty - I was only a little drunk and I didn´t loose the camera.. All in all a resounding succes..

La Carerra

Nadir at work..

Video- Eh?

Cool video.
Pretty good ridin´too..

MACAFRAMA Trailer from MACAFRAMA on Vimeo.

Parties are coming..

And you know it..

Im in Toronto, eh?

This about me and what goes on in my little world.
I´ll try to keep us updated on all..