It’s quite low-key as far as vandalism goes but I’ve been sticking these magnetic words on magnetic things all across the country. A Ride Find somewhere in Florida months and months ago, few pounds of these things, maybe a hundred in total. One of the reasons my bike is goddamn heavy but it brings me a lil bit of joy and thus feels like the right sort of weight to bring with me. Graffiti is one of the few tools you have if you have almost nothing. And even if you don't come up with a picture to cure world poverty you can make someone smile while they're having a piss. -Banksy, probably.
Southernmost
As evidenced by how lazily casual I am in the quick video I took to prove the control point, touching the southernmost point buoy down in Key West didn’t feel like a significant moment when it happened. That sense has shifted a bit as I’ve been talking with folks on my way up the east coast and approach the easternmost point in Lubec, ME but it’s still somewhat a “I mean, I just rode my bike here, what’s the big deal??” kinda vibe in my book. It’s a lot less complicated than waiting for marine life to die and decompose for a few million years under great heat and pressure, digging that up out of the ground somewhere on the other side of the world, putting it in big tanks on a boat to send allllll the way to Houston where some kind of magic happens, sticking it in leaky pipes that take it all over the country, then putting it into a metal box in the front of another larger metal box, and setting it on fire so it’ll explode but somehow still waste 80-something% of the energy on keeping the radiator warm while spraying poison out the back of the metal box? Weird flex but ok.
All I did was grab some pizza from a dumpster and pedal a bike. It’s a lot less complicated.
What We Leave Behind
I’ve been thinking a lot about legacy. Questions that I’m often asked; why’re you doing this / what’s the purpose of the trip / is there a cause you’re raising money + awareness for? A difficult thing to answer as saying “because I can, because I want to, and nah” never seem to be as satisfying for them as it is for me.
Doing something just for yourself can be painted as selfish, but hey maybe it’s not always about some hugely significant greater good. Instead of focusing on leaving behind a physical legacy, such as a building or a monument, the aim should be on leaving behind a legacy of connection.
Support local businesses, volunteer your time when you can, and get involved in the community where it matters. Somewhat related: here’s a bunch of photos of things that used to be important a long time ago.
Bike Against A Wall
My folder of “pics to put on main” has been growing to an almost unwieldy state so consider this a decluttering post showing off my Omnium in places that I thought were nice.
Grav Grav
This a visual love letter to gravel in the south. Usually buttery smooth, occasionally sandy, alllways seemed to be CHOICE no matter where I turned. If you want some of this beautiful, find your closest National Forest spot and just go ramble.
Thank You Tampa
This is essentially an appreciation post for how goddamn good the bike scene was during my time spent in Tampa. Thanks to numerous internet friends who connected me with Jorge, the proprietor of Bike Haus, I was able to spend a couple weeks with him and a wonderful peach while I explored the city, picked street fruit, and rode as many of the group rides as possible. This city quickly had a strong hold on me that was tough to break. Miss y’all. I’ll be back.
Free Gasoline
Ah, dumpster diving, a practice that highlights the gross excesses of capitalism and the urgent need for a socialist revolution. It is a stark reminder that our economic system is designed to benefit the wealthy few at the expense of the rest of us.
Approaching a dumpster, I am filled with anger at the waste that surrounds me. It is a tragedy that perfectly good food, clothing, and other necessities are thrown away while millions of people around the world go hungry and without basic necessities. This is a direct result of a system that prioritizes profit over human need.
As I rummage through the trash, I am reminded of the vast wealth inequality that exists in our society. The fact that people are forced to scavenge for food and other necessities in the midst of such abundance is a damning indictment of our economic system. It is a system that creates billionaires while leaving the working class to scrape by on scraps.
And yet, even amidst the waste, there is hope to be found. Dumpster diving is a powerful act of resistance against the capitalist system that has created so much inequality and waste. It is a way for us to reclaim the value that has been stolen from us by corporations and the wealthy elite.
In a world where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, dumpster diving is a powerful symbol of resistance and solidarity. It is a reminder that we are not alone in our struggle and that together we can build a socialist society that values people over profit. So, the next time you see a dumpster, don't turn away. Dive in and join the struggle for a better world.
The above text was generated by chatGPT using the prompt “a socialist soliloquy about dumpster diving”
Dirt Devil 2023
Here’s a bunch more photos from the Dirt Devil 3 day trip because it was just that dang good of a time.
Singletrack Samurai
Next up on the perfect coincidence of planets aligning was a three day trip with Karlos Bernart and co around some BEA EEE AYY YOU TEE FUL florida “gravel” roads.
A+++ camping too at Gilchrist Blue Springs and Two Hawk Hammock (which has the coolest tree I’ve ever seen and an emu named Kahlua) so uhh yeah would definitely recommend signing up for a future event by Karlos or grabbing some of his routes off RWGPS and giving them a ramble on your own.
So many backyard future camp spots have been added to my world map after this trip that I’m gonna start scouting out weekend bikepacking tours along the way (send me your suggestions!) as a reliable method to meet my favorite kinda locals.
Gainesville
It seems I’ve adapted into a sorta game of touring for a week or two, then staying with friends (whether new or old) in a city for a week or two, then continuing on to the next spot that anchors my interest.
Even me being that basic pessimist realist misanthropic sadboi, I still seem to have a need for human connection and companionship that is slow roasting in these depths.
SOMEHOW I keep getting goddamn lucky ending up in very right places at very right times like Gainesville for this lil s24 with the Bikes and More crew which perfectly satisfies that requirement. Bit of wet weather, bit of throwing stuff at stuff, bit of donuts on pizza, bit of exploring abandoned houses, and a lotta everything coming together juuust right.
