Secrets to Longevity #1:Bicycles

As the workweeks and bike to work weeks fly by I am reminded to share four secrets of longevity-bicycles, pacing, yoga , and love.

Bicycles are fascinating to so many people for different reasons.
For me bicycles are an exquisite means to an end-that incredible feeling of freedom you get that could only be described as flying. I remember the act of learning to balance on a two-wheeler as one of my first significant confrontations of fear, an assertion of independence out there in the world, the realization that I must press forward or fall over.
Many people lose this feeling once they get their drivers license and adult cycling is left to wide array of factions, all with various baggage and class divisions. It's a pity that cycling isn't seen as a more approachable sport or activity by the mainstream. I know of no better bridge between a very adult functionality and the sheer joy of childhood.
Sometimes I feel people are discouraged to pick up a bicycle by how intimidating all the cliques on the road are. When I wear my helmet and ground-scored maui-jim sunglasses I hear comments about how my bike must be worth thousands of dollars(it was $375). When I wear my chrome messenger work-bag I get lumped in with hipsters on fixies even though I have gears and brakes.
The best thing I think all these groups get and hopefully will appeal to more and more people over time, is the conquering of one's fear of vulnerability, the ability to get off your ass and feel great while seeing the world. I swear it's the cure for depression or whatever ails ya.

Of all the modern human inventions the bicycle may bring the most joy of life. So lets enjoy the ride.

Keep the rubber side down-Rick

Bell Helmets

Loving my new helmet! Finally comfy! Gonna return the Specialized that was giving me forehead cancer.
This is a Bell Volt-a little pricey at $175 but Moms would say it's worth it. Thing is I used to get clucked at by the roadies and envirogencia for not rocking a helmet-now the hipsters sneer at me while flipping up their little caps-no pleasing some. PS you're not from Europe.

Live and let live-RG

Preventative medicine is bike fitting!

As you can see there's a big difference between how I've been riding for 15 years and how it supposedly should be done. The bottom picture is the bad fit.
For my 40th b-day I treated myself to a professional bike-fitting with Wade at The Spokesman http://spokesmanbicycles.com/
It was a learning experience and Wade was really friendly and instructive, plus they extend a fat discount to working messengers!
The proof will be in the pudding tho' and I will update as to how the new fit feels over a long week of mashing to Watsonville and back.
Big ups to all The Spokesman crew for your help!

Ride Safe and Ride Another Day-Rick

Wu Wei and helmet or no?

Kinda hating on my new helmet-Can we please make a cap that will satisfy the people screaming at me "get a f-ing helmet" from their cars while still not feeling like it's going to give me forehead cancer from the LACK OF COMFY.
Oh well, I'm sorry moms but I'm far more likely to get severe head injury in a car or falling out of bed.
Does anybody else feel this way?-I know all the local folks preaching about "bike safety" like to let their hair feel the air on the weekends too. shhhhhhhh....

Peace out and stay safe with knowledge of self and respect for those sharing the road.-RG

The Real Oldest Profession-Messenger!

Chasque-The Unstoppable Messenger

Long before there was money to pay for sex and goats to herd, somebody had to deliver the news to the cave next door. Whether it was good news-"The Mastadons are over the next hill!"-or something that might anger the recipient-"Your wife lives in Ork's cave now."-someone had to be trusted to securely transmit the message, and be neutral to the consequences of the message getting across.
Over the ages, the fates of whole civilizations have hinged on this sacred trust. From the tides of war carried to Athens to Bill Clinton's secret love letters to Monica Lewinski, the whole reason for the messengers existence was based upon his or her loyalty to the secure transmittal of the message.
This is why the professional courier must practice neutrality. I'm not saying that what Clinton did was right or that Athens shouldn't have been burned down by the Spartans, it's just that there are two sides to every story and it's not my place to say.
If every messenger dithered about the whether it is morally correct to get the message across, nothing would ever get done. Our job is to get everyone informed and then let the judges and lawyers sort it out.
This is why I believe a courier service wedded to a political philosophy is doomed to failure and a danger to the trust placed in our profession.
In Santa Cruz a slogan-happy ideology -"One Less Car"-is being attached to the messenger image. This has created a class division between those of us doing it to make a living and because we love the job, and those who are doing it to save the world-"one bike at a time" while gaining social status in our liberal community.
While this may help people feel good about themselves, it ads an unwanted connotation to bicycle delivery and undermines the only true value we can sell to the market-our dedication to the secure transmittal of the message while remaining neutral to the parties and the consequences of delivery.
You might say "if you want neutrality why not use a machine?"-because the truly important message must be trusted to a human vehicle. A machine will not run over water to get your message across. A machine will not find creative ways to get around obstacles in it's path. It will short circuit.
We are professionals and members of an ancient and noble trade-I have gotten messages through gale force winds, blizzards, floods, fires and armed guards, and I am proud to have done so.
I'm not too worried about our long term survival however. Long after all the "real jobs" have gone away and we're back to herding goats, someone will still have to deliver the news.

Clutch Couriers Forever!

-Rick Graves

Best Roadie v Hipster video ever!

You gotta get a chuckle from this one-The debate rages on!

http://www.bikejax.org/2009/08/mc-spandex-hipster-vs-road-cyclist-rap.html


Ha!-RG

Messengers who work hard...play hard.

The Kickballs! tournament

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=129168&id=104853234922&ref=mf

was a great example of how play is essential to the messengers long term survival. When I worked in NYC, messenger organized races called alleycats were the best way to get together, let off steam, and foster camaraderie. It wasn't really about who was fastest but how interesting and challenging the course was, and the after-party.
Reading the messenger boards and attending the "championship" circuit races these days you'd have very little idea that it's about the companionship and fraternity. It's all very serious and competitive and full of ready made conflicts.
Lets bring the fun back into messenger culture!-RG ps (Yer Out Zack!!!)