tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-752738564208706742024-03-05T19:49:21.814-08:00Clutch Couriers WeblogSanta Cruz County's Courier BlogThe Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-9309477969675791092015-10-15T13:19:00.003-07:002015-10-15T13:19:52.585-07:00Slow Going at MerryXmas Charity Race After Party 2014<iframe src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwFo22-s3hjbVWZmT2lZMUxJcDA/preview" width="640" height="480"></iframe><br />
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The narrator is a loud-ass goofball, but the rest is pretty good!The Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-71311257922100993492015-09-30T16:39:00.001-07:002015-09-30T16:39:19.793-07:00Messenger Profile #14 Casey Monahan!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOH6DxSgZlEC9m4xHeVzk0yitKh4UChltuSGxs-rDYZv9_ZWNzjf3TYpSeyksAkYno7zFc4KzASwXqg9OSaGr1jXmJ0-EunzlRZU4Df5N4aD8Msu_xTREXhXf8i2cI2H4xgpnvY9p8_AE/s1600/IMG_1157.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOH6DxSgZlEC9m4xHeVzk0yitKh4UChltuSGxs-rDYZv9_ZWNzjf3TYpSeyksAkYno7zFc4KzASwXqg9OSaGr1jXmJ0-EunzlRZU4Df5N4aD8Msu_xTREXhXf8i2cI2H4xgpnvY9p8_AE/s400/IMG_1157.JPG" /></a><br />
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Casey has recently left us for Seattle, but was a great addition to the crew while he was here. We're only dissapointed that he had to quote Jason Gordon Levitt at the end of his profile. Good luck Casey!!! Sad to see you go. -RG<br />
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Hey there. I’m Casey. I started riding the treacherous roads of Santa Cruz in 1998—at the tender age of three, on a red plastic heartbreaker—and I’ve been wrecking hills ever since. I started working with bikes in high school at the local non-profit Bike Santa Cruz County (formerly People Power) instructing kids on bike safety and maintenance, making smoothies and generally “taking care of business”. I got into the d.i.y. punk scene early, and have made being a musician a huge part of my life. I’ve played countless shows in the area, and everywhere up and down the west coast, in my own projects or in my friends’ bands. My band Pigeon Pit talks a lot about growing up in Santa Cruz being loud and queer and sad (you can check it out if you want but I didn’t tell you to) and has a lot of autobiographical narratives. My music for me is about storytelling, which is a huge passion of mine. The other thing I do, besides biking and sleeping, is write. I now study Creative Writing and Gender Studies in college, and plan on writing to be published in the relatively near future. I met the guys at Clutch playing bike polo while studying literature at Cabrillo College in Aptos and working at the Bagelry downtown. After a couple years working in food service jobs and pestering Brandon about letting me work at Clutch, an opportunity arose. Working at Clutch Courier has been completely liberating for me. It’s a paycheck, sure, but it’s also an honest day’s work where I get off with a thin coat of dirt and sweat and I feel fantastic. The progress I’ve made at Clutch with my riding, my outlook and my anxiety has accomplished a huge amount of positive change for me. I feel like I’m really working for myself here, waking up completely stoked to go to work, and going home feeling exhausted and accomplished and ready to eat anything that comes near me. I recently transplanted to Seattle, WA to study Creative Writing and to eventually teach high school, but I’m still wrecking hills and blowing through tires every day, hopefully returning to courier work once I’ve gotten to know the city. I ride a touring steel frame road bike for business and a steel frame fixed gear track bike for pleasure (no brakes no masters, all cars are bastards, can’t stop, don’t want to).<br />
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The Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-31752964905862647032015-09-30T16:35:00.001-07:002015-09-30T16:35:32.007-07:00Messenger Profile #15 Kellie Su!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRdh05RiLnqlU9arKD6CpxIq3TMzKUmm_u3zGvXdcEP0tEv6BqKuZ4o_ubL6LZ6zPUmqa36ODJqE7TWW8i22k69ER3Q7XSr9K1Bs5XrEW-ePF__JU2lridlWoq870S3ptxgSOuBvd3JI/s1600/ksriderprof%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRdh05RiLnqlU9arKD6CpxIq3TMzKUmm_u3zGvXdcEP0tEv6BqKuZ4o_ubL6LZ6zPUmqa36ODJqE7TWW8i22k69ER3Q7XSr9K1Bs5XrEW-ePF__JU2lridlWoq870S3ptxgSOuBvd3JI/s400/ksriderprof%25281%2529.jpg" /></a><br />
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Kellie has been an awesome addition to the Clutch Crew .. ready to take on whatever we throw her way with professionalism and a positive attitude. Plus her gear and riding skills are always on point. Keep up the good work Kellie! -RG<br />
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Hello folx,<br />
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My name is Kellie and I’ve been with the Clutch Crew for almost a year.<br />
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I was born and raised in San Francisco, doing hoodrat things with my friends mostly around the Richmond and Mission districts. I owe most of my love for cycling to my beautiful hometown, and my dad who used to be one of those spandex wearing weirdos. And now I’m a spandex wearing weirdo, but only on the weekends.<br />
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I moved to Santa Cruz circa 4 years ago to attend UC Santa Cruz for school. After pestering Clutch off and on for a while, they finally had an opening for me and I was able to say I wasn’t a starving college student anymore. Clutch gave me the opportunity to do what I love while going to school, and a real work-life balance that worked perfectly for me. Now that I’ve graduated, I get to ride my bike everyday, and sometimes even get paid to do it-- and I love every minute!<br />
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I like riding my bike in San Francisco, but I absolutely love it here in Santa Cruz. The people are nicer, traffic is less terrifying, and the roads and scenery are breathtaking.<br />
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When I’m not riding my bike, I’m either holed up playing video games, eating way too much spicy food, bummin’ it at the beach, or riding my bike.The Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-69031109327121318072015-03-18T15:19:00.000-07:002015-03-18T15:19:12.622-07:00Messenger Profile - Cody Gin<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRten8b0irAtpx5YpVMUgOSMVctCB6sDawxJrc2URhx6yOPAza52G5_4kUViEUo3Ut2Dj9UxigNVqKhJoPpb5yGE_NFW_qzv4vNOiF4f8lj39Y9bnwlmZVjSfQjSgZ9UHTsrSwnYHsDZo/s1600/10389495_10152934215309923_7609989115656599081_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRten8b0irAtpx5YpVMUgOSMVctCB6sDawxJrc2URhx6yOPAza52G5_4kUViEUo3Ut2Dj9UxigNVqKhJoPpb5yGE_NFW_qzv4vNOiF4f8lj39Y9bnwlmZVjSfQjSgZ9UHTsrSwnYHsDZo/s400/10389495_10152934215309923_7609989115656599081_n.jpg" /></a><br />
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Messenger Profile ~ Cody Gin.<br />
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Howdy,<br />
<br />
I’m Cody, and I’ve been working for Clutch Couriers for a little over a year now.<br />
<br />
Rick’s been hassling me to write this for months, but now feels like the right time.<br />
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I was born and raised in San Luis Obispo, California. There, I ran amok in the hills and woods with my friends, always riding our crappy mountain bikes or rollerblades to the next adventure and/or troublemaking opportunity. I started riding my bike to school in the 8th grade, and I’ve been hooked on cycling ever since.<br />
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I moved to Santa Cruz to go to Cabrillo College to avoid the torrential rains of Humboldt, where I had previously been schooled. Here, I started playing bike polo, a weird mix of hockey and horse polo (which you all should totally play!), where I met Brandon and Andrew, who worked at Clutch Couriers at the time. It seemed like they had the dream job; getting paid to ride a bike all day. I made one attempt at that operating a pedicab, but it turns out that legal documents are way easier to carry than overweight tourists.<br />
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After graduating college, I managed to evade adult life for a couple of months by working at a camp near Yosemite. After the camp burned down in the 2014 Rim Fire, I was cast adrift into the real world. Direction was only restored when Brandon offered me a job at Clutch Couriers. After a month of couch surfing (thanks for the couch Brandon!) I regained my footing and am happily working here today.<br />
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Riding one’s bike in Santa Cruz is interesting to say the least. The dense traffic and non-intuitive street layout makes for some strange riding, unlike anywhere I’ve ridden before. However, it’s all worth it when I ride to the top of a hill and can turn around to see the entire coastline wrapping around the Monterey Bay, but on overcast days see nothing but an ocean of fog reaching all the way up to the redwoods. That shit never gets old.<br />
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In my spare time you can find me drinking beer and heckling at the polo court (search for Santa Cruz Bike Polo on Facebook for times), riding my weird cyclocross bike in the forest, or throwing my disc golf discs at trees.<br />
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Owners note- Cody is our latest messenger to cruise through his rookie year with flying colors, while always leveling up in the game. He is a dedicated and professional courier, and we are stoked to have him on crew. Great messengers like Cody don't come along every day, but they are starting to become more common due to the decent living and opportunities for advancement offered by Clutch Couriers.<br />
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The Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-5193236135748570392014-08-18T12:50:00.001-07:002014-08-18T13:07:33.999-07:00A new way of doing business<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAfXnRTZpkH9QAA-_JuvlJp7JTDmNmruKO3FWCIM3t77fxiZs0-4tlam64lrCXr3ETBlxDkB2qxCg6s6rU88rLg_Fmsm-UvAVraIMzfl1_2if62YL33rc5ycQzYAjsEK9DrZv7DNkp71Y/s1600/photo-6.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAfXnRTZpkH9QAA-_JuvlJp7JTDmNmruKO3FWCIM3t77fxiZs0-4tlam64lrCXr3ETBlxDkB2qxCg6s6rU88rLg_Fmsm-UvAVraIMzfl1_2if62YL33rc5ycQzYAjsEK9DrZv7DNkp71Y/s400/photo-6.JPG" /></a><br />
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I was in a business meeting with my right hand man at a local burger joint recently, and we were a few beers in when I threw out some home-spun cliche like, "every problem is an opportunity in disguise." and something changed in his face. "I never thought of it that way!" he said, and proceeded to thank me for being his mentor and tell me how much the knowledge and trust I've placed in him over the years has changed his life for the better.<br />
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It was quite a moment, and I guess I hadn't crystalized my role in the relationship in my mind until then, because it struck me what an honor and awesome responsibility this is. I mean, I was just trying to get him to change his attitude about the endless little challenges of running a small business, which is something I struggle with always. I never fully realized how valuable all my tips to success in business could be when applied to other people's lives. Many of these gems were passed down to me by my own mentors, and many were mined from decades of brutal trial and error.<br />
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This could be my ultimate contribution, I thought.. and such a scary prospect! What if I'm found out to be a hypocrite? Betraying my own lofty ideals of what I say should be done. The role of mentor can inspire me to always be a better example, to personify the vision I preach. And it can be a burden of guilt if I don't always live up to the high standards I hold others to.<br />
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The difference is in full disclosure. I am human, and I will fall short, but I know from experience what works and what doesn't, especially in my realm of expertise.<br />
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My long term crew has seen me at my worst, but they also know I have their backs, and that I've been where they are and want to make it work better for them. The knowledge I pass on to them is the best of what I can glean from everything I've collected over the years. I've been punched in the nose and gotten up - many times. Maybe I can help you to see it coming, and duck.<br />
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The Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-46714995008703098632014-07-23T20:44:00.000-07:002014-07-23T20:55:09.495-07:00Ongoing discussion of bicycle entitlement vs empowerment and what that means to our real time relationships on the road...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2D55bliMLIqbQvRMIWWiJHyw9zuQr7xuvOYOOnkDSlsoCYMq3Mtc_vc5pDbJdbk8oKCIAL_fN9Pk-uHQ16RVT30qp8BMPoFkxCiEoAroIdzqoZeufIAEUlNo5enqRhJ3VKcu_bZxNwN4/s1600/nyc+bike+lane.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2D55bliMLIqbQvRMIWWiJHyw9zuQr7xuvOYOOnkDSlsoCYMq3Mtc_vc5pDbJdbk8oKCIAL_fN9Pk-uHQ16RVT30qp8BMPoFkxCiEoAroIdzqoZeufIAEUlNo5enqRhJ3VKcu_bZxNwN4/s400/nyc+bike+lane.jpg" /></a><br />
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http://clutchcouriers.blogspot.com/2014/06/bicycle-empowerment-vs-bicycle.html<br />
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Anonymous writes in response to my article:<br />
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"Entitlement means you should receive something by right. All people on bikes should be entitled to safe, comfortable passage.<br />
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When you say someone is 'taking up more room than they need' what you really mean is 'taking up more room than I think they need.' As a skilled, former bike messenger, you may not understand how much space someone who is a little wobbly or carrying children needs to be safe. Maybe to you 'cars that cut her off are simply obstacles that she has the deftness to go around' but to me they're physical threats that could leave my children without a father."<br />
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In reply:<br />
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Thank you 'Anonymous' for your well taken points and for pointing out a valid perspective differing from my own. I see this as an opportunity to foster mutual respect and forge positive discussion about common ground solutions.<br />
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I wholeheartedly feel the validity of being vulnerable as a cyclist on the road, but how do we get beyond that feeling of fear and get home safely on our bicycles? I think we can agree that all cyclists - no matter how wobbly - are entitled to safe passage. But feeling comfortable is an entirely different and subjective thing based on each individual's experiences and opinion, and it's much harder to write that into the law books.<br />
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For me personally, pushing myself beyond the bounds of comfort - getting out there every day and conquering my fears - has led to the kind of empowered cycling I'm talking about. It allows us the ability to assert our rights on the road while remaining above all - aware, cautious, and conscientious of the other travelers around us. While it's true that cyclists are relatively more vulnerable, we also have more freedom of movement, and the convergence of these two realizations should lead to a heightened awareness of our spatial relation to other people and things on the physical plane, as well as our options for avoiding collision - an increasingly crucial skill for survival in today's distracted and hurried world.<br />
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Safety on the road is all about your awareness and expectation of the objects around you on a very concrete level. If you expect a motorist to cut you off - regardless of how you feel about it - you are better prepared for how to deal with it. If you can let it slide off your 'duck's back' and keep going without becoming fearful or indignant, you stand a better chance of staying on the road and becoming a more experienced and stronger (less wobbly) cyclist. Alternatively, if all day long you see every car as a life-threat, you may conclude that bicycling is dangerous and give it up entirely until society creates an infrastructure built just for you and your comfort level.<br />
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I submit that a certain amount of faith and responsibility in becoming competent and comfortable is required in stepping outside every day. I know that when I was first starting out as an urban cyclist, if I felt particularly nervous on a certain busy thoroughfare, I would seek alternative routes until my skill level and confidence matched the flow of traffic on those streets.<br />
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To me empowerment is the act of carving out your niche in the ecosystem we all intend to share in a way that takes into consideration all the players involved. After all we are all just people trying to get somewhere alive and continuing the 'us vs them' narrative leads nowhere fast.<br />
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I do see a middle ground that provides for everyone's safety while keeping in mind the need for the efficient flow of all traffic. (see positive examples of dedicated NYC/Portland bike lanes) The vehicle code, although not set up originally for the rights of all, is a means of correcting the equation between motorists and cyclists. Dedicated and painted bike lanes that are routed 3 feet out of the path of opening car doors and jay-walking pedestrians are one example. Another is the recently passed law in California requiring cars to 'safely' pass cyclists by giving them at least 3 feet of leeway. <br />
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One proactive step we could all personally take would be to lobby our state politicians for stricter penalties on motorists who kill and maim cyclists with reckless or negligent driving. <br />
<br />
Bill Monning State Senator <br />
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http://sd17.senate.ca.gov/send-e-mail<br />
<br />
Mark Stone State Assembly<br />
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https://lcmspubcontact.lc.ca.gov/PublicLCMS/ContactPopup.php?district=AD29<br />
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Finally, while I appreciate the input, I do have to correct you on calling me a 'former bike messenger'. I'm not just writing about this stuff, I've been a working messenger for over 20 years and I still regularly ride 50 mile days on my bike to Watsonville and back for Clutch Couriers. Also as a worker/owner I'm proud to say I don't take any accounts or jobs that I wouldn't be happy to do myself for the price offered; An important distinction and another building block of empowerment for my crew.<br />
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"Rather than pave the whole world in leather.. put on a pair of shoes." - Unknown<br />
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The Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-45749218360850002742014-06-12T15:37:00.000-07:002014-06-12T15:37:57.025-07:00Bicycle Empowerment vs. Bicycle Entitlement - an opinion piece<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsvQfMuiJppuDezJ2b3-i4xGCgJQUHvy4PCfh9LZZtIQt7QNPJ8mQQGosKB7wiUO13w8BeRa8erwAnDz6LhqjsgDVsI8iYPS6UnormYhKl96kTD6xZZbh6xhzegRX1nUu4s10MI2ABAs/s1600/NateKing.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsvQfMuiJppuDezJ2b3-i4xGCgJQUHvy4PCfh9LZZtIQt7QNPJ8mQQGosKB7wiUO13w8BeRa8erwAnDz6LhqjsgDVsI8iYPS6UnormYhKl96kTD6xZZbh6xhzegRX1nUu4s10MI2ABAs/s320/NateKing.jpg" /></a><br />
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When I was a kid growing up in rural New Zealand our family farm was in the Waitakere mountain ranges, perched a couple of miles up a gravel road and then up a steep driveway winding through overhanging rainforest ferns dripping their big dew drops down the back of your jacket. <br />
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I thought of a bike as a tool and a toy; it was for getting around and play. Racing down that country road with the wind at my back I felt as if I was flying. It didn't matter that I was precariously balanced on the back of my older brother's bike rack on the way to school, or that he often tried to bump me off by hitting the biggest rocks as a joke. The danger only added to my exhilaration. I was always disappointed when we got to the asphalt and he would let me off like so much dead weight. As he disappeared over the next hill, his strong legs barely showing the effort of his acceleration, I marveled at the speed and grace the bicycle gave my sometimes dorky brother. It seemed to transform him with the power of movement.<br />
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When I got my own bike I was more cautious, but I was always thrilled at how far I could go up our little road without much effort, and I never tired of letting the miles of greenery just flow past as my little legs found their first tenuous cadence.<br />
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In my 'urban twenties', living in the lower east side of Manhattan, my bicycle opened up a whole new world to me. First of all, it's the only practical way to get around. If you own a car in New York you are a fool or must love paying tickets and gridlock, because that's all you get. The subway is ok, but it takes forever and is extremely claustrophobic. The bike is the complete opposite and it's a perfect tool for inner city transport; also your bike lock can serve as a handy form of self defense in a pinch. Most often my bike offered me freedom and empowerment. The freedom to leave my neighborhood and explore the madness that was New York City. Boundaries meant nothing to me, and if someone tried to corner me I could easily get away .. "Gotta go, yo!"<br />
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When I became a bike messenger in '94 it gave me an escape out of my dead end retail job where I was treated less than human. In courier work I found a merit-based career where I could move up in value and commission based on my willingness and ability to grow stronger and learn new skills.<br />
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People who rode bikes in New York came from every socio-economic background. If you looked at all the snarling and immobilized motor traffic, it just seemed that we were the locals with the most common sense and moxie. Everyone else was trapped in the grid, but not necessarily inferior or worthy of derision beyond a chuckle as you flew past.<br />
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It wasn't until I moved back to the west coast in the 2000's that I met the 'Entitled Cyclist'. You know the type.. They sit up real straight in the saddle, snoot aloft, taking up more room than they need on the road to feel comfortable - because godammit they are saving the planet with every pedal turn - and you are just going to have to wait with your carbon-spewing monstrosity. The cyclists who call themselves 'car-free' and look down on you if you drive. Ask them to say 'SUV' without making the letters drip with judgement and contempt. Also included in this category are the inconsiderate cyclists who incite road rage and confuse the flow by blowing through intersections and tearing down one-way streets the wrong way because they feel they deserve to and everyone else should be looking out for them.<br />
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I was visibly annoyed with this crowd, and still am for the most part, but I was recently illuminated by a different perspective from a friend who told me that when she first started to ride regularly, she cultivated and used that sense of entitlement to propel her up hills in the rain when really, she would have rather been in a warm, cozy car. "I'd look at these 'car-people' knowing they were fat and lazy and would never get off their asses to do what I was doing, and that made me feel great about myself, even if I was physically miserable." she admitted, adding- "As I got stronger from riding every day, I didn't need that feeling as much." In this instance she used her entitlement to empower herself, although I doubt the smug look on her face inspired many drivers to get out of their cars and into the rain.<br />
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I realize that at least half of all human endeavor is motivated by ego, and if you can feel superior to someone else, it's a great motivator. While I see the powerful drive behind such thinking in the bicycling community - and even it's positive outcome - I feel it's a double-edged sword that can create a martyr complex from a sense of sacrifice - i.e. "I'm better and give more because I'm biking versus driving." <br />
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An Entitled Cyclist lives in a world relative to the motorist. She feels good because he is lazy and polluting in comparison. In contrast, an Empowered Cyclist lives in a world relative to her better self. She feels good because with every crank she gets closer to her literal and figurative destination; as well as her goal of good health and a sense of joy through movement. The cars that cut her off are simply obstacles that she has the deftness to go around .. like water in a mountain stream flowing around rocks on it's way to the ocean.<br />
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As bicycling gains popularity you might think that more cyclists on the road is a good thing overall, but I would argue that we need all the entitled cyclists to eventually grow into a more responsible and empowered style of riding. Empowered cyclists are more desirable because they understand that survival on the road is a matter of respect. They know sharing the road means being aware of everyone's trajectory, and act as part of a system with common sense rules that apply to all. Like waiting to take your turn. Personally, I'm tired of motorists - conditioned by rude cyclists - expecting me to ignore four way stop signs, or worse, trying to wave me into situations where their well meaning but misplaced politeness would put me in danger. I'd rather give the right of way and live another day. Plus, it's less confusing for everyone involved.<br />
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I'm not advocating stupidity .. there are obviously some scenarios where it's appropriate for cyclists to bend the rules that are designed for cars. Common sense tells us though, that if you don't want to die or hurt someone (let's hope we all agree on that at least) you should be visible, slow down and look at every intersection, give the right of way, and not whip around blind corners that might have pedestrians crossing.<br />
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Empowerment is agency. It's the feeling of self-worth that comes from making yourself valuable to society and leveraging your skills towards a goal, whether it be personal or community minded. Entitlement is when you expect special treatment because of the sacrifices you have made for society, or because of your position at birth in the social strata - be it high or low.<br />
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Bicycling has brought me so much growth and empowerment in my life and career, and sometimes admittedly a sense of superiority. But I have to say that it came only after bicycling itself took over my life and made me stronger. It was something I had to do by necessity and for that I'm grateful. Perhaps if I had been given the choice I would have needed a sense of entitlement and specialness to get over those hills in the rain.<br />
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-- <br />
<br />
editors note: [pic is former Clutch Courier and Competitive Cyclist Nate King]<br />
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The Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-85128651690580597692014-06-07T15:08:00.001-07:002014-06-07T15:08:10.885-07:00Crew!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga8XbsSDD0ZtbakweSAd-2Msq-_OxSkq6q3MYFoDZkCEJ7v6qOSk6Yuy7o-IQiJNkxPHpu13W64HnHyMubfs9huPxFC__sJiZ4-_hh338CkGM05nQTb-4vStdCXJquz2QPo1EfwGixHeY/s1600/IMG_5068.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga8XbsSDD0ZtbakweSAd-2Msq-_OxSkq6q3MYFoDZkCEJ7v6qOSk6Yuy7o-IQiJNkxPHpu13W64HnHyMubfs9huPxFC__sJiZ4-_hh338CkGM05nQTb-4vStdCXJquz2QPo1EfwGixHeY/s640/IMG_5068.JPG" /></a><br />
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While we fairly often receive positive feedback about our riders on the road, Clutch Courier Cassidy Morris (see pic) gets consistently noticed and commented on as providing a great example of how to ride safe and courteous while getting the job done. Unlike some other cyclists who feel entitled to blow though right of ways or buzz in front of pedestrians trying to cross the road, she has developed an empowered style of riding that gives awareness and leeway to those around her while maintaining her maneuverability and communicating with clear hand signals. <br />
Way to be Cassidy! You get our 'considerate cyclist' award this month and we are proud to have you represent Clutch Crew. <br />
For more about empowered vs entitled cycling and how these issues shape our relationships on the road stay tuned to this site...<br />
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The Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-54390175892736074092014-04-28T10:10:00.000-07:002014-04-28T10:10:02.816-07:00SF Chronicle article on bike messengers 4-26-14Interesting article about the growing number of messenger companies in the bay area turning to cargo delivery to stay afloat. While I agree that adaptability is key to the survival of the industry, I don't think that the future of bike messengers is in being go-fers for the "culture of instant gratification". For one thing, food delivery provides very little upward mobility for my crew; there's only so much even a fantastically rich techie will pay for a bagel. The real opportunity is in the fact that business is picking up, and both offices and individuals need more help streamlining their day. A professional bicycle courier company can pick up good work in this environment by providing a better, more efficient service for delivery of items of consequence within time frames that are unattainable by motorized competition because of congestion. That way the bike courier is providing an essential service beyond pure convenience, and companies will find them indispensable even in hard times. <br />
This model has worked well for us in Santa Cruz with Clutch Couriers; where we provide a variety of professional services across a broad spectrum of the market. Our messengers are paid accordingly, and this allows them financial security beyond the 'fringe lifestyle' usually associated with bike messengers. By raising the professional standards and value of bicycle couriers in the market, the entire industry progresses forward and upward. <br />
I wrote about the differences in approach and the long-term viability of the job a couple of years ago. This is also worth reading .. http://clutchcouriers.blogspot.com/2012/03/who-needs-bike-messengers.html<br />
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http://www.sfchronicle.com/restaurants/article/In-S-F-bike-messengers-in-demand-again-5432660.php#/0<br />
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The Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-5452226012649118042013-10-29T16:07:00.000-07:002013-10-29T16:20:00.311-07:00Now We Are Seven! Clutch Couriers Grows Up - (sorta)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAMtrO_leVtsuKZtS5uiMxvzbJLOKLJ-BQqLzbeM3__jbfRHYeEF4dq9JbWRvOL8WA4QlwIbKNQJ_bPap3GfjftejhvZzKPk1jcaicd9izjn3pYyV3b4V3naID-wiF_Yk0t5mq7Ye3AA/s1600/Scan.jpeg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAMtrO_leVtsuKZtS5uiMxvzbJLOKLJ-BQqLzbeM3__jbfRHYeEF4dq9JbWRvOL8WA4QlwIbKNQJ_bPap3GfjftejhvZzKPk1jcaicd9izjn3pYyV3b4V3naID-wiF_Yk0t5mq7Ye3AA/s400/Scan.jpeg" /></a><br />
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<br />
When I started Clutch Couriers seven years ago, it was out of desperation. <br />
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I had looked around the bike messenger co-operative that I had poured my heart and soul into over the last six years and realized that all of it's members were at cross purposes. One of them wanted to work from bed, a couple were just social climbing, and one of them wanted to keep his wages low so he didn't have to pay taxes. Since we were a co-op in the strictest sense that meant we all had to keep our wages low, kinda like Soviet Russia.<br />
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As a father of two with rising expenses in a pricey town, that didn't work for me, and I began to realize after six years without a raise; I was doing all the work anyway - and being resented for it - so I might as well start my own company and do it right.<br />
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Clutch Couriers was founded on principles that I brought to town as an independent bike courier starting out in New York City.<br />
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To provide excellent and affordable service to a wide spectrum of the community; reaching out to those who might not intuitively choose bike messengers.<br />
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To provide a decent living for the Crew; with incentives and opportunity to move up in income and responsibility as long as they are willing and available to work hard and improve.<br />
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To change by way of example the connotation in wider circles that bicycle couriers are unprofessional.<br />
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To have fun and live doing what we love.<br />
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Along the way, from rocky beginnings, to unimaginable success, the proof has come out in the pudding. The vision and standards that I have held have produced good jobs and happy customers year after year. Throughout the worst recession in generations while local companies were laying people off and going under, we reinvested in our core personnel and grew their expertise along with their quality of life. This year we are again experiencing growth and they are reaping the benefits as we record our best numbers ever and our market share expands.<br />
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Many local, state, and national establishments now rely upon our pro messengers daily efforts to deliver everything from event posters to subpoenas - and even bone marrow and blood plasma! - across Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties.<br />
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Clutch Couriers is a household name brand in Santa Cruz, and that's because our bike messengers are everywhere! Doing what they love and doing it efficiently. They are proud to wear the gear that identifies them as Crew and that says a lot. After seven years I'm proud to stand back a little and let them handle the business, because finally at this point I can feel less stress knowing that the day to day is in such capable hands.<br />
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Believe me getting a successful business up and running to the point where you know it's going to stick around is no small task.. and I have the ulcers to prove it.<br />
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I know now that my heart was in the right place seven years ago when I started my own company. Whatever damage was done to my peers - I would like to take this opportunity to apologize for it now. However, I had to break some eggs to make an omelette, and I'm glad I did it. In the long run Clutch Couriers has become and will continue to be a tremendous boon to the business, entertainment, and legal communities of Santa Cruz County. Most importantly it has provided a new model of courier company that puts the welfare of it's Crew first while still turning a profit.<br />
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My sincere thanks to all our supporters, customers, messengers, and extended family throughout the years, without whom this incredible journey wouldn't be possible.<br />
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To see my vision and hard work become a sustainable and valuable courier company that will continue to flourish into the foreseeable future is a feeling I will always cherish.. And I have so enjoyed the challenge of making it happen!<br />
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~RG<br />
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Clutch Couriers is fully licensed, insured, and bonded, and provides legal filing, process service, mobile notary, printing and promotional distribution, as well as same day, rush, and custom delivery services on both a call-in and contract basis for Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties.<br />
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For more info visit: www.clutchcouriers.com<br />
Or call: 831-466-0560<br />
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The Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-91421503000312988652013-10-28T16:45:00.000-07:002013-10-28T16:45:20.450-07:00'Tips for Longevity' as we finish up our 7th year in business<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgteaoujF_wV369cU6jAIUMHIyWoW9DxhZp2sNV4qw22oKeaFkVRzE4SvqxL0j_VsSqpBrz45a_CrZgc_lx6SWgcktki2xFpCSQ_NUTOGkdYLNCItECkZbRCC5b6YnjBJf74mHovrEurto/s1600/191_12627075109_8379_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgteaoujF_wV369cU6jAIUMHIyWoW9DxhZp2sNV4qw22oKeaFkVRzE4SvqxL0j_VsSqpBrz45a_CrZgc_lx6SWgcktki2xFpCSQ_NUTOGkdYLNCItECkZbRCC5b6YnjBJf74mHovrEurto/s400/191_12627075109_8379_a.jpg" /></a><br />
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This is taken from the comments section from an old post but as we finish up our 7th year in business, I thought 'Tips for Longevity" to be pertinent...<br />
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"Well Horace, most of this may sound cliche, but maybe you can sift some gems outta my bs.. 1. I don't know why you would want to but, if it's not for you, definitely get out. There's no sense in beating yourself up on something that isn't fun. 2. Find new and interesting things to do in the market that will increase your rate of return and put variety into your day: I'm a mobile notary-pays well and definitely an interesting part of the job. We are process servers, we deliver medical specimens, we slap up posters, we are not above delivering cookies. 3. Less weight, more money. If I delivered bagels and newspapers all day I would want to kill myself. 4. Annihilate the competition in a playful way. Invite them to your races and your kickball and badminton tourneys. Show them with your actions that we have a rich and long-held tradition of comraderie. In business set a standard for yourself and your crew that is hard to beat. Teach them with your bidding process that a rising tide raises all boats. 5. Ply your trade. Sell, sell, sell! Noone will will give a rats ass about you if you don't get out there and offer them something of value. Deliver items of consequence and be professional about it. 6. Use a decent bike with gears and brakes. I learned in my rookie year that friends don't let friends ride junk. 7. Be a conservationist. Your life force keeps you rolling. if you are going to be at a red light for awhile.. swallow your pride and put your foot down and rest. Track-stands are a waste of energy and only look cool to other hipsters. 8. Get over yourself. Yeah you are gonna get cut off nine times a day and if you get butt-hurt about the lack of respect motorist show you all day, you wont last long. Be Aikido about it and use your superior maneuverability and mental health to get outta the way. Honestly most of these drivers don't even see you, so get the F outta their blind spot, and signal and yell or whatever it takes to be noticed and accounted for. 9. Don't pick a physical fight with a car, they will wallop you. Remember the first and best way to resolve a conflict is to ride away. 10. Try and follow the rules of the road. You will feel like a big old dork at first, but once you get in the habit, you will realize that it's about respect and survival. 11. Eat and drink water all day. and sleep all night. Stretch in between 12. Ride on your days off!! You gotta keep up the pace and honestly it's way more tiring watching TV or diddling online. 13. Press your boundaries. Under-promise and over-deliver, but just slightly. We have a beautiful run out to Watsonville through the orchards of Corralitos that makes for a 50 mile day, 20 miles between picks. No-one believes that we do it but it's my favorite ride and we have opened up the whole county to bike messengers that way. 14. Always plow the coins you earn back into the game so you can get better gear, level up, and kill more monkeys!! 15. Make friends on the road. So many cyclists are way too stuck-up and we need each other out there. 16. Last but not least; try not to eat too much shit, drink too much booze, or become a drug addict. that makes it really hard...<br />
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That's just some of my tips to longevity. I learned a lot of this from experience but a lot I learned from other messengers in my first few years. I'm not perfect or a genius but I try and not be stingy with my skill-set. My inspiration lately is my crew and helping them and watching them come up in the game is my awesome reward. Oh yeah.. this one my mentor Eli told me my rookie year in NYC. Every once in awhile pull over and look up. Hardly anybody gets to do that in their working day, and that's really why we do the job! Oh yeah look down too.. you can find some amazing ground-squirrels (scores)."<br />
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The Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-52509950244702536192013-10-28T16:39:00.000-07:002013-10-29T16:18:45.951-07:00Messenger Profile #11 Kevin (Squid) Bolger NYC<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxmP3vSyxdESl6vsn9u04d1O_X8bgNWjq0oh2-_gr0KTdvmOuuVkELbD-SaY6wIOUfabHnwcZYQMyEsm_YlqGhsFnKotrHVzj1EhfAGtPxdxHrNqfqqAqUuV6Dk4Lxtp7sXo9KXlR4uc/s1600/539679_10151990674119923_1498419326_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxmP3vSyxdESl6vsn9u04d1O_X8bgNWjq0oh2-_gr0KTdvmOuuVkELbD-SaY6wIOUfabHnwcZYQMyEsm_YlqGhsFnKotrHVzj1EhfAGtPxdxHrNqfqqAqUuV6Dk4Lxtp7sXo9KXlR4uc/s400/539679_10151990674119923_1498419326_n.jpg" /></a><br />
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In honor of international messenger appreciation day (10-9) we are expanding our messenger profiles to include pro bike messengers from around the country and the world. As far as I'm concerned the best thing about the industry is the people in it and Kevin 'Squid' Bolger is one of my favorites. When we were riding the mean streets of NYC together in the 90's, Squid was the one putting on all the epic alleycat races like 'Apocolips NYC' and 'The Warriors' based on the classic 70's movie. Today he owns CycleHawk Messengers - NYC's premier messenger company, and lives with his wife and kids in Brooklyn. To me he exemplifies what a true messenger should be... Always ready to give ups to his fellow couriers and contribute to the community. Thanks Squid for all that you do! Peep his bio below: <br />
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'My name is Kevin Bolger (aka Squid), I am a Bike Messenger in New York City since 1992. I love my job and am pumped to say it has taken me around the world and then some!<br />
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Lucky to meet the most incredible, interesting, and real people doing this work, including Amy (my awesome wife!). I feel blessed to make a career out of it, and raising two crazy kids from working on a bike makes me feel great.<br />
Have seen a lot of change over the years and technology has slimmed the work load considerably. Anyone who is a real go getter/adapter is still around and we are currently seeing a renewed interest in the industry from the tech sector. <br />
Founded the New York Bike Messenger Foundation in 2004 which is a 501c3 Nonprofit that benefits workers hurt on the job and families of messengers who have died while working. Check us out at nybmf.org <br />
I Believe we are here to help each other and it's up to us to make it through together. If I can help someone's day with a good deed, smile, or encouraging word that gives me great satisfaction. In my experience messengers are generous, hard working, life loving people. I'm Proud to be a part of this community and happy to see my friends/associates doing well! <br />
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If you ever need a package delivered in NYC hit me up at cyclehawk.com<br />
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Holler!'<br />
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<br />
-- <br />
http://cyclehawk.com/<br />
http://nybmf.org/<br />
The Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-51770589117855805942013-09-16T20:54:00.000-07:002013-09-16T20:54:28.266-07:00Messenger Profile #10 Cassidy Morris<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfUNYa14QlSHlwxaH318kjrZqGjk49kDvEaZciSZpasowxkqGVkTzU5zXlXGcwV5hyphenhyphenyKh7ngdNyxtVKVNVHSsWp4PxuSWo3JOlPKlGbPbOIgxkuh1AEhs6aA0mZ-nI4up79ddXeu-30mI/s1600/1240394_10151898681539923_450385280_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfUNYa14QlSHlwxaH318kjrZqGjk49kDvEaZciSZpasowxkqGVkTzU5zXlXGcwV5hyphenhyphenyKh7ngdNyxtVKVNVHSsWp4PxuSWo3JOlPKlGbPbOIgxkuh1AEhs6aA0mZ-nI4up79ddXeu-30mI/s400/1240394_10151898681539923_450385280_n.jpg" /></a>
MESSENGER PROFILE #10 - Cassidy Morris
'My name is Cassidy and I like bikes. It sounds like the introduction you give at recovery meetings and it might as well be. Bikes are an addiction of sorts. I guess it all started with my first road bike a few years back. It was a salvaged Univega mixte with stem shifters. A real clunker. I sanded it down and painted it brown and green and, with some gracious help from the Cabrillo Bike Co-op, got it rideable. It was my pride and joy.
I've always been into DIY culture - it goes hand in hand with the punk ethics that have shaped who I am. I've been learning how to build and maintain my bikes ever since with the help of my pal Jack, my fellow bike enthusiasts and the interwebs. It can be frustrating at times, but it's important to know how to deal with problems you might encounter while on the road-from loose crank bolts to broken chains. I've found that to be especially true while working as a courier.
I've progressed from the bike punk, to the bike nerd. I didn't even know bike messengers were a thing until I met some of the Clutch crew playing bike polo. (Which, by the way, is a lot of fun. I wholeheartedly encourage anyone who enjoys riding a bicycle to come out and join us for some pickup and laughs. Tuesday and Thursday nights and Saturday afternoons, check us out on Faceblarg.)
I was envious from the start. Riding your bike and getting paid to do it?! I learned that these guys were serious riders, though. They're the ones swerving to avoid getting hooked or doored in the rain on their way to Watsonville with the wind at their faces. This didn't curb my envy though, it gave me something to admire and aspire to. I started riding more after meeting them. I'd ride back from working in Watsonville, or out to work in La Selva. It gave me a great feeling of accomplishment.
It wasn't until March 2013 that I was given the opportunity to go on a ride along with Mike D. of the Clutch crew. It was different and new. Luckily Mike D. is a great teacher. There's more to this job than riding a bike, but I caught on pretty quick and Rick let me join the team. Since then I've met a lot of nice people and learned a few tricks of the trade. Cleat bolts threaded into the seat tube just in case is pretty clever. Most importantly - I've been having fun. I love riding back from Capitola via Portola and hitting the beach. I still look at the ocean and the lighthouse baffled and humbled.
This is where I live and this is what I do. The view from my office is better than most.'
-CM
Owner's Note- "It has been a true pleasure and honor to see Cassidy take to the job and really come up in the whole spectrum of skills and services we offer our customers. I'm proud of her efforts and dedication, and I really appreciate her love of the job and the ease at which she takes to it. Get it Cassidy! Best Rookie Ever!" -RGThe Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-20683541472492229822013-03-12T10:05:00.001-07:002013-03-12T10:05:04.477-07:0019 years and counting!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNuNhzSeGtY0Qd3Np-6-6SEDyODccwThFk9PXKjRMIy6hGobYEh_34XWI3ZWjPNNZs5znBfMLVy3ZuKKy1x6Fe5rmZlqoaM9Y8jGHzxC7xphwI4lPWvTLgrKOD2tBgEcqr_PNkkOAl2P8/s1600/Happy.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNuNhzSeGtY0Qd3Np-6-6SEDyODccwThFk9PXKjRMIy6hGobYEh_34XWI3ZWjPNNZs5znBfMLVy3ZuKKy1x6Fe5rmZlqoaM9Y8jGHzxC7xphwI4lPWvTLgrKOD2tBgEcqr_PNkkOAl2P8/s320/Happy.JPG" /></a> <br /><br />
Today marks the end of my 19th year as a bike messenger, and the beginning of my 20th!!<br /><br />
To those who have supported me and rode along the way: I am forever grateful for you pulling me forward in your draft, and for the welcome company on this sometimes lonely road.<br /><br />
To those who don't understand and have tried to stop me: There are times when I have carried the full weight of your judgements.. Yet - There is no ill intent I cannot outlast. There is no ridicule that will not eventually slide off my back. There is no roadblock you may throw up that I cannot out-maneuver. The only way you can cut my journey short is to run me down, and if that happens... God help us both.<br /><br />
I feel like the proverbial happy hound with his head out the window of a speeding car; ears flying back with a trail of slobber. I may get hit in the head with a pole.. but at least I'm enjoying the ride. Thank you to the 'driver' for rolling down the window and allowing me that freedom!<br /><br />
Peace~RG
The Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-62913977780735640682012-08-25T00:39:00.003-07:002014-08-18T12:53:40.066-07:00Messenger Profile #9 Rick Graves<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNLRxT9gMw-btYlqwLePWY5Je4vgC-jIQVCsoojfvZfirk4Fpa5CZSL6Mnf1c0Let51rfHdMu8sf37hrgp3oe8M3WxsaACzYwexny-CnPGQk4JTgQPGrNoX6AzdalrZCwZm-Rs6Wpcew/s1600/Spring2010+049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNLRxT9gMw-btYlqwLePWY5Je4vgC-jIQVCsoojfvZfirk4Fpa5CZSL6Mnf1c0Let51rfHdMu8sf37hrgp3oe8M3WxsaACzYwexny-CnPGQk4JTgQPGrNoX6AzdalrZCwZm-Rs6Wpcew/s320/Spring2010+049.JPG" /></a></div>You never would have guessed looking at my skinny ass pedaling out into the New York City snow on my Panasonic with the Pee Wee Herman handlebars, that 18 years later, I'd own my own courier company and still ride every day.<br />
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Well here I am, and what a ride it's been.<br />
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I have learned so much from being a bike messenger. One thing is what people mostly see, the pure joy and freedom of tearing down the road for a living, but also the slog through bad weather and the burden of responsibility that comes with carrying out the job professionally.<br />
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Along the way I have parleyed my independent contractor status into an entrepreneurial way of life. I sell my skills on the open market, and if I'm not paid well enough where I am, I step up my game and look for people and places that will benefit from my services and can appreciate - in every sense of the word - their value.<br />
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Holding true to that vision and standard has created real lasting jobs here in Santa Cruz, a dream come true for me as I watch the fruits of my many years labor help to make other lives better.<br />
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Today professional bike messengers cross the county daily carrying everything from legal paperwork to your grandma's biopsy, and the people that hire them know they can be counted on to get the job done.. to get it done right.. and to get it done right away.<br />
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Personally, I am so thankful for what I have gained from the job over the years: An acute sense of focus on the road, and an awareness of where I am on the physical plane, especially in relation to others. A rare practice these days.<br />
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A strong body and disciplined mind are requisites for doing the job in longevity, and in turn these things add to your life span. A humble nature must be maintained in order to let flattery and abuse slide from those that don't understand the job in it's day to day.<br />
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And in the end always a sense of wonder in what lies around the corner.<br />
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Of course a huge shout must go out to all my fellow bike messengers I have met along the road, both in the Clutch Couriers crew, and those holding it down worldwide. You are all a special breed of human, and I have been honored to ride with you, and be a part of this community.<br />
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Mostly, I am grateful to the people that gave me the job. Those of you that trusted me and my crew with your valuables, your documents of high consequence, your faith in our ability to deliver, rain or shine. You've given me the perfect job, and as long someone will hire me.. I may never retire.<br />
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Today my big chain ring in the front lost a tooth. It went down from a 53 to a 52. They say I'm getting older.. just as long as it happens one ratio at a time I don't mind so much.<br />
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Long Live The Profession! Long Live Bike Messengers!<br />
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Clutch Crew Forever!<br />
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~RG The Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-18377304376121344752012-08-23T22:38:00.001-07:002014-08-18T12:54:11.645-07:00Messenger Profile #8 Michael Donohue<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8SS1Ls4VjGPyYMtfpF1BACOhp33Q4neBoRDkvkisKz4VW9qC3rqn8tH0R-F2ETmGKSVmXwoDHEjIp6p9JlLr8BmJmIxQwO3FXNgzJBmEOxRrPbV6qCL3EMti3OSh4bNgVKXGkLG0k378/s1600/Mike+Mess+Profile+Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="200" width="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8SS1Ls4VjGPyYMtfpF1BACOhp33Q4neBoRDkvkisKz4VW9qC3rqn8tH0R-F2ETmGKSVmXwoDHEjIp6p9JlLr8BmJmIxQwO3FXNgzJBmEOxRrPbV6qCL3EMti3OSh4bNgVKXGkLG0k378/s200/Mike+Mess+Profile+Pic.jpg" /></a></div>"Greets, My name is Michael, but some call me Mike or Micah. I like the variety. My humble roots are in Hilmar, a small dairy town in the Central Valley famous for its cheese manufacturing facility and high school football teams. Small town life was great for climbing fences, shooting bb guns and swimming in canals. It was also prime for commuting to scho ol on bicycle, and I have been a cyclist for about as long as I could walk. I spent many a sweltering summer playing bicycle ‘cops and robbers’ on the cul-de-sac, chasing and being chased by my brother Stephen and friends. I moved to Santa Cruz to attend UCSC in 2002, and even before graduating in Anthropology I knew Santa Cruz was a community I could settle down in and grow as a person. Being a cyclist from the valley I was amazed with the luxurious bike lanes on nearly every road and the sheer number of fellow cyclists. “Bike traffic... where am I, Amsterdam?!” I began professional cycling work in the summer of 2004 for a company operating a pedicab business hauling tourists from the wharf and boardwalk to downtown. The job ended with the summer, but working outside and on bicycle stuck with me as an ideal way to make a living in this beachside town. I joined the blossoming Santa Cruz Bicycle Polo scene one day after a trip to the Bike Church, and through bike polo I met and befriended Brandon and Andrew, both of whom are now with Clutch Couriers. I was smitten with envy when Brandon and later Andrew scored contracts to work at Clutch, and one night I pitched my cycling repertoire to Rick, who was gracious enough to give me a trial ride-along on the Watsonville route. Rick stuck with me joining Clutch even after my bike literally fell into pieces along the ride, and I learned a lesson in the value of dependability, both in the messenger business and life in general. I've been with Clutch Couriers since late October, and couldn't be happier with the way my life is going. Today you may see me riding along Soquel or atop UCSC; I’ll have at least one flower in my voluminous hair and, thanks to Rick and Clutch Couriers, a big ol’ smile smack across my face. See yall on the road." Editor's Note: Michael has been a welcome addition to the crew.. and when he's not trying to charm the ladies en route he's always on point. Thanks for the great attitude and hard work Mike! You rule!!-RG The Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-22587478344071220302012-05-10T11:28:00.000-07:002012-05-10T13:15:21.881-07:00Bike to Work Day turns 25!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpVpZrr0ZGXPqcTjKOp69kgVnewqz15bWVYQmFpF0HAxe2aaaHBVUoo1YWmo5SYN89Q8qYG3257thaREa5ZaBPfdGWw5ctwciKfXd4cEJTxYuHmI0Ywwk22d1nYsU6G_-R5KybaQ-X1Us/s1600/Sherida.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="290" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpVpZrr0ZGXPqcTjKOp69kgVnewqz15bWVYQmFpF0HAxe2aaaHBVUoo1YWmo5SYN89Q8qYG3257thaREa5ZaBPfdGWw5ctwciKfXd4cEJTxYuHmI0Ywwk22d1nYsU6G_-R5KybaQ-X1Us/s400/Sherida.jpg" /></a></div>
For 25 years this day has been celebrated as “National Bike to Work Day”, an event that has raised awareness and participation in cycling across the country and particularly in Santa Cruz due to the tireless efforts of volunteers and organizations that donate their time and resources to provide free breakfast to bike commuters today, and bicycle related events and outreach all week long.
While this is highly commendable, and I love the free brekky, it has always had for me-the working messenger- a sort of high rent feel to it, being so geared toward bike commuters. The-‘let’s get lockers and showers at our fancy tech firm so I can avoid being sweaty and helmet hair in the office’-set. While this may be somewhat of a personal bias, I’d venture to say there is a whole segment, maybe lower income population, that the bike to work movement has missed; those that actually work on their bikes, or rather use their bikes for work. You see them in Watsonville riding beat up mountain bikes to labor in the fields, you see them in the city streets of Shanghai transporting monstrous loads of cargo, and you see them in the tree-lined boulevards of Amsterdam safely shuttling their children in special ‘family trikes’.
In most of the developing world ownership of a working bike can be a ticket out of poverty for the savvy entrepreneur. By providing transport and a means for delivery the bicycle as a tool can improve the standard of living for whole communities. There are micro-lending organizations that are dedicated to the bike as a means to upward mobility.
“Sherida began selling tomatoes in 1995, starting her business with only $10 in working capital. Although her produce sold well, she could never really afford to improve or expand her business; her profits went immediately to fulfilling her family’s basic needs. In 1998, Sherida heard from a friend that an organization called FINCA was offering loans to women in the area. Sherida used her first FINCA loan to purchase spare bicycle parts for transporting the tomatoes. She also cultivated her own tomato garden, and was able to afford seeds and insecticides. But perhaps more important, she was able to set aside savings, even after paying school and uniform fees for her children.”
For more info visit: http://www.finca.org/site/c.6fIGIXMFJnJ0H/b.6088193/k.BE5D/Home.htm
Of course you can’t discount the bike as a sublime toy, an avenue to sheer joy. All the pro bike messengers I know are in the game because they love to ride. I don’t know any motorized couriers that do it because they love to drive.
For all the bike messengers working every day world-wide, for all the Sheridas out there, I propose an “International Bikes That Work Day”. Let’s honor the most efficient tool for energy conversion ever created by honoring the people that have thought up the best uses for it.The Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-20864637436203517872012-03-27T23:22:00.006-07:002012-03-28T00:00:23.615-07:00Who needs bike messengers?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsR77NLvSMZVUCDYFnpwbAEFfWYgIeomRT89LON8Iw82f6w0W_Zr9dgucmydb0qxfNTpzUGOfU3CojrNa9Km76EG1TwC0nYRFYREvjbzjucD3QzJJsMm7jp4IynAEBUQj641Y_M1Nk1Ko/s1600/computer-nerd.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsR77NLvSMZVUCDYFnpwbAEFfWYgIeomRT89LON8Iw82f6w0W_Zr9dgucmydb0qxfNTpzUGOfU3CojrNa9Km76EG1TwC0nYRFYREvjbzjucD3QzJJsMm7jp4IynAEBUQj641Y_M1Nk1Ko/s400/computer-nerd.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724829983625833618" /></a><br />One of my friends was having a conversation with some twenty-something techno wonks and the subject came up that he knew some bike messengers around town. The attitude around the table was universally contemptuous, “that's stupid,” offered one, “in this day and age aren't all messages digital? Who needs bike messengers?”<br />While I love the internet for the connectivity it offers my business, these whiz-kids are forgetting some of it's limitations. For starters communication on the web is very one way. It's easy to ignore a message you don't want to get, and for that reason alone there will always be a need for bike messengers to physically inform people that they are being sued or to make sure a legal filing gets done.<br />As we find out more about this new digital reality it's the human element that's missing. Just today there was a need for a clerk to get papers in our hands so that a little girl could be adopted by her grandfather after her parents death. If the superior court clerk didn't answer the phone and listen to the attorneys case as to why this needed to be expedited, if there wasn't a bike messenger ready to physically get those documents, they would be sitting in archives for 4-6 weeks as this little girl waits.<br />As it was we were able to get the job done that same day because of human interaction and physical requisition of documents. These things do not happen by email. In fact many counties are switching back from e-filing systems because of the cost of constant upgrades and unreliable software.<br />Also the web is subject to fraud. When you receive an email, you don't even know who you are talking to anymore. When you receive a document by bike messenger you sign for it and she tells you what it's about. There is a human being involved whose professional duty is to make sure that you receive the message. That is very important to the legal profession. <br />Also as mobile notaries, we bike messengers make sure that people are who they say they are, and when they are signing documents that they understand them and are signing under their own will. You don't want that done over internet. Remember all those robo-signings set up by the banks to fraudulently speed up foreclosures a couple years ago? <br />We deliver cookies, blood plasma, bone marrow, and biopsies. You can't fit any of those in an email, and when we deliver we give you a real smile not an emoticon. ;)<br />So who needs bike messengers? Everyone does!The Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-51300525408742404672012-03-06T21:01:00.002-08:002012-03-06T21:07:01.095-08:00Impact letter for consideration at Elliot Dess's sentencing<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4iedRvSnyy8o9AfVbFQesPETmcGOnIfzwday1_Dnlqa4mVDe5vGBbGkpx_0Ps7iSFlMVfpMxGvcOKHoK7WssQo4KphNPzl3_GfAf8KIFCxVJjUe1L3GhU1iF027uspIDgDYDHHls3JTc/s1600/Clutch+with+Zack.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4iedRvSnyy8o9AfVbFQesPETmcGOnIfzwday1_Dnlqa4mVDe5vGBbGkpx_0Ps7iSFlMVfpMxGvcOKHoK7WssQo4KphNPzl3_GfAf8KIFCxVJjUe1L3GhU1iF027uspIDgDYDHHls3JTc/s400/Clutch+with+Zack.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5717016947837159666" /></a><br />I miss Zack immensely. At Clutch Couriers we all do. He was our friend, confidant, and when he was taken from us, ¼ of our crew.<br />For years he was always there on time with a friendly greeting or bad pun. Now when the time comes for the bad joke that would break the tension I try weakly to fill the role but it's not the same.<br />Beyond being kind and funny, Zack's presence as a reassuring veteran on the crew is sorely missed. By always giving an encouraging or helpful word to the rookies, Zack filled an important role in maintaining our company's high standard of service, and relieved pressure on me as a business owner by being so reliable and generous with his knowledge and good humor.<br />He could have easily chosen to see his other crew members as competition, but he wasn't that way. These kind of people don't come along every day, and they are impossible to replace, in your work and in your life.<br />As much as losing Zack is hard, it's how he died that really gets to me. I am aware of the dangers of the job, and we all take risks, but I can't think about a world where people are left for dead on the side of the road and just go about my business. The brutality of it is paralyzing. <br />I have been a bike messenger for 18 years both in New York City and Santa Cruz, but this really shook me. It took me a while not to think that some drivers were out to get me. This is my job, and I had to soldier on, we all did, but I know we had to lean on each other hard to get the job done.<br />Part of what helped was the memory of Zack and what a great person he was. I have met so many amazing people and heard so many stories about how Zack has touched their lives, and I can see in their eyes what an impact he made. <br />I can only imagine the loss his family feels. I am honored to have met them, and I can see Zack in all of their quirky kindnesses.<br />I know that this was an tragic accident and maybe some day it can be reconciled or even forgiven, but the act itself, the senseless loss of our friend Zachary, can never be fixed.<br /><br />Rick Graves/Clutch Couriers<br /><br />Richard Graves<br />Clutch Couriers<br />831-466-0560<br />http://www.clutchcouriers.com/The Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-85595569751720987082011-12-19T16:40:00.000-08:002011-12-19T16:41:07.636-08:00Videos of Zack Parke memorial ride this is 1 of 4http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57Cq4gqCt34The Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-80344508527696236962011-12-19T16:39:00.003-08:002011-12-19T16:39:48.866-08:00http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLKQEPeN-mYThe Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-4807135997386097032011-12-19T16:39:00.001-08:002011-12-19T16:39:16.916-08:00http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjtwzsVehmwThe Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-11723096301718663542011-12-19T16:38:00.001-08:002011-12-19T16:38:40.684-08:00http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjtwzsVehmwThe Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-25634495857225618922011-12-19T16:37:00.000-08:002011-12-19T16:38:07.309-08:00http://www.facebook.com/pages/Clutch-Couriers/104853234922The Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75273856420870674.post-3800927151455411092011-12-19T16:36:00.000-08:002011-12-19T16:37:06.296-08:00http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEBnfzz7dJ4The Interminable Artichokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511067970200803259noreply@blogger.com0