Mooseknuckler Cycling Alliance

Well, today has been a bit eventful. The Pratt radar shows he will be back soon. Soon as in next week he should be here. It looks like I will be driving Cimarron back to Tucson Thursday and then bringing Pratt, the biggest Mooseknuckler of all, back on Monday, or something. I’m going back to Tucson after all. Bryce has promised that we will ride this weekend. I’m just not sure I want to go through the embarassment of pedaling with someone who rides a 69′r, it’s just not right. Of course, Pratt has always been the creative type.

The Goose, I rode it again on Sunday. It was absolutely beautiful. I rode in the morning and only needed a long-sleeved jersey and my knickers (Did I mention I like knickers?). Lily was among the usual suspects, actually she was the only suspect. Fairly uneventful ride, except that I cleaned the Bitch. I felt pretty damn good about that. And then to top it all off, I ran into another tree. The eye doctor told me I have perfect vision but I have my doubts. After the first bout with a tree in December I have been extra careful when they are around. This time the vicious tree stopped me dead in my tracks and left its mark on my knuckles. I’m not sure why they hate me so much, I recycle. They just keep coming after me. I hadn’t ever ran into a tree before on the Goose until I got my singlespeed. Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I think there is a corelation. The Goose just doesn’t jive with singlespeeders. Period.

In Moose news, t-shirts are in the works. I talked to Mega Dave yesterday and things shall move forward. I’m thinking black with a blue logo on the back and our name on the front. We’ll see what happens. Of course this is only the start. I hope to soon reserve my place among all loser bloggers and have socks, jerseys, and coffee mugs with our cool logo on them. Did I mention my wife drew the logo? I personally think she did a damn good job. This first run of T’s will be limited. To reserve yours, email me at lukas@mooseknuckleralliance.org

Anarchocyclist, a fellow brother in arms.

Life goes on. Ride it on a bike.

It didn’t take too long for you wackos to come crawling out of the woodwork. It warms up and within two days we are busy, and a man down. Good thing we are professionals. We got the technology and the know how.

I rode the Church on Thursday. My legs didn’t exactly want to cooperate. They usually loosen up after a few minutes but not this time. I rode the entire trail and my legs were still tight when I got back to the car. No good, I know. I put myself on a stretching regimen to see if I can get it all worked out. It isn’t as much fun to ride when your legs don’t want to cooperate. But it’s still better than being in bed.

It seems I have forgotten how bad it sucks to pull BOB around. We have started to talk about doing some shop tours. The J-man wants to ride to Toroweap on the rim of the Grand Canyon. Everyone but Father York has committed to that trip. I have to say that I’m stoked but have doubts about the weather come Memorial Day. The end of May tends to be a bit warm especially farther south. ProZac and I are also planning to do a loop around Cedar Pockets in the Gorge. That should come about here soon. Not really sure, but it seems like everyone wants to tour now.

I was planning on going to AZ next weekend but not sure that is going to work out. I hate money.

Now that it is warm, or at least has been for two days, I’m thinking that the night rides will start soon. Right now I’m thinking Wednesdays around 8.

Peace.

Today was absolutely beautiful. We almost hit 60. If this holds up Father York and I are going to be in big trouble at the bike shop in just a couple days. Arrggggggghhhhhhh. I know I will regret saying this in a couple weeks, but I’m really getting tired of not having much to do. I prefer to be slammed and be bustin’ my ass so everyone else can ride their bikes. Speaking of riding, I think I’ll be spinning in the morning. I’ll most likely hit Church Rocks. It’s close, fun, and red. The Barrel Ride just isn’t quite long enough anymore and if you link it to other trails it is too long. To Church I go. Again this all hinges on whether I can get out of bed or not. I’m really excited for spring to start. I know it’s January, but that is when our spring starts. Night group rides will be starting shortly once I get enough motivation to start them up. I’ll make sure you stay posted. Any rides will also be posted here.

Life goes on. Ride it on a bike.

Quote for the Day: Every experiment, by multitude or individuals, that has a sensual and selfish aim, will fail. The pacific Fourier will be as inefficient as the pernicious Napoleon. As long as our civilization is essentially one of property, of fences, of exclusiveness, it will be mocked by delusions. Our riches will leave us sick; there will be bitterness in our laughter, oud our wine will burn our mouth. Only that good profits which we can taste with all doors open, and which serves all men.

Ralph Waldo Emmerson, from Napoleon; or, The Man of the World.

I have to admit that not much is going on, at least not today. Yesterday was the beginning of two weeks of work and only Sundays off. Top it off with a “things have been slow” and you will have a good view of my life.

Casey’s 69′r

Snow in Tucson

Kool Wheels

I have been trying to figure out how to add a gallery to this page but I can’t figure it out. So until I do, all my pictures are here.

Chao.

I have been accused by none other than my mother of being pessimistic. I think I can understand where she is coming from. The problem is that she is not picking up what I’m laying down.

It is important to understand the way I perceive humanity. I’m under the distinct impression that every human born has both a bad side and a good side. Obviously, the dialectic between these two sides creates the synthesis of what we are. We can observe the human possesion of these opposites. One human can live a normal, productive life without any outside signs of extreme violence and then crack. After the agression has subsided the same individual may never show signs of violence again. We should view this as the potential for degradation in human nature. On the other hand, many examples of the average Joe going about his business and under some extreme circumstance he reacts in a heroic manner. Only to decisively fade back to his normal existence once the situation has subsided. Both examples show the human ability or potential to be both good or bad. These same two qualities can co-exist within the same individual and in some degree do within us all. Understanding this potential, namely that we are all potential murderers and heroes, is why I choose to believe that given the opportunity humans will react in a way that is logical and good. I believe that every one of us is capable of being the most vile criminal and at the same time the most devine of all individuals.

Anarchy is an agreement. I agree to allow everyone else the right to act as they seem best fit and in return everyone else must afford me the same right. This is a risky proposition. It is furling our want for stability and predictability out the window in hopes that if allowed, we humans will react in a logical and good way. The beauty of such an agreement is the ability for each situation to be handle by those involved. Allowing people, not a system of rules, to judge and act in a way they deem appropriate. We can then choose for ourselves what society we will have, for we can choose and how and with whom we will interact. Anarchy is allowing the individual to be sovereign. In all truth, the individual is the only truly sovereign entity because only individuals possess the ability to act.

If Anarchy is self-governance than communism is the economic system that accompanies it. Communism is an economic system where the people (not the government, that is socialism) owns and shares the means, distribution and profits of production. By eliminating the government from the equation, we can choose where, how, and with whom we will trade. There is no real need for the excess we create within the system of capitalism. More importantly it is unethical that excess and luxury is only created on one side of the equation, the side that is consuming. I believe that if we bring consumption and production to a personal level the interaction can and will be advantageous to both sides. Thus solving the problems created by the mass consumption and production of goods.

All in all, I beleive we have a good system but believe we are capable of a much better system. Ralph Waldo Emmerson, in “New England Reformers,” argues that if part of a system is bad than the whole is flawed. I believe we should be attempting to progress towards Utopia.

ProZac and I rode the goose.

It was a bit windy and there was still ice, but the goose is the goose and it doesn’t get much better. I love riding it on the singlespeed. It throws a whole new dimension into the mix. We stopped for a bit out by the point and I checked the watch, 32 degrees or O for anyone who is not a ‘Merican. Down right freezing, oh yeah, it’s fun to ride when it is cold.

We got word from Pratt. It snowed today in Tucson. Crazy…

Peace. Love. and Revolution.

I got rid of the compact that came on my bike and headed out for a spin this afternoon. Visions of grandeur were within my mind. I mean a bike like that needs to be ridden. Right? It was 1:30 when I stepped out the door. The last week here in S.G. has been considerably cold but we were peaking around 50 today. First mistake, I wore a longsleeve base layer with a jersey on top and my knickers. The temperature was perfect and things felt good. When I peaked onto the Hurricane Highway I was feeling great so I decided to do the Tour loop backwards. Things were going excellent. This bike is damn smooth and its lack of heft definitely helped me out today. Once I turned onto the Sand Hollow road, I realized I was hungry. No problem I brought along a granola bar. Actually there was a big problem I still had a long ways to go. My tiny snack held me over for about ten minutes. Then the cold hit. As the sun started to dip my apparel became a serious problem. By the time I made it back to Telegraph, I was delirious from hunger and frozen stiff. It took me at least an hour to ride through the fields and then another hour to finally warm up and feel like I could move. Getting my key out of my jersey pocket proved to be nearly fatal. Perched on my Speedplay cleats I was teatering like a drunk and my fingers were not cooperating at all. Anyway’s that was my ride. It was awesome but it also kicked my ass. Note to self: next time dress appropriately and take food you hypoglycemic idiot.

Well, I get to try again tomorrow. ProZac and I are going to ride the goose. It’s supposed to be a bit chilly, I’ll report on my stupidity. Which brings me to the broken bastards I work with. For a bike shop you would think there would be a lot of pedaling going on. Out of the four of us, half the population is undergoing some sort of something that impedes bicycle riding. Father York has grown an inch since they started stretching him. Soon he will be riding a 56. Soon….

Peace. Love. and Revolution.

It is vitally important that viewers understand this is not the same Mooseknuckler Cycling Alliance (M.C.A.) that existed before. Yes, I was involved in the original. Yes, I wrote some of the original content that was on Ryan’s site. No this is not the same M.C.A. and definitely not the Y.M.C.A. The same type of people that were interested in the original experiment will be interested in the riding side of the new Alliance because we are still the same Mooseknucklers. However, this is now my personal blog and I will say what I feel I should. Which means you cannot hold Ryan Gurr responsible for anything that comes from here from now on. You all should have recieved the infamous last newsletter that explained the death of the alliance but not the death of Sir Gurr’s advocacy efforts. So to review, this is now Lukas’ site and he will say what he will and this will not and can not be held to Ryan (even if he is still our mascot).

A few links of interest:

Nihilism

Bryce Pratt Photography

My View

For those of you linking over from Viva the Carless Utopia, you will be glad to know (Pratt) that it is much easier to comment here. And I do encourage comments.

Declare your sovereignty!

Thanks to the Gurrman for hooking up the site. I have already screwed it up so hopefully he can be patient.

For all you old school Knucklers who are used to this being a webpage and not a blog, I hope I can in someway fill in where your heart has been broken. As the last newsletter from here stated, Ryan has taken things back to just him and the group has gone to hell. I have taken over the site and hope to turn the Alliance into a grouping of like minded individuals, more of a club. I will hopefully be able to pull up the old stuff and repost our definitions and what not, but until then, you old schoolers know what a Mooseknuckler is so there will be no further ado.

All of my old posts are still available at the original Viva the Carless Utopia. My pics will be posted at jlukasbrink.deviantart.com.

 As always remember, Life goes on, Ride it on a bike.