New paved magazine is here. I'm really proud of my work in this magazine. I shot a story about the Basque country, and cyclocross. I've also got some images in the gallery section called "proof."
Take a look:
paved Magazine: Issue 2 from (((vernor))) on Vimeo.
Just home from the second hourish spin in as many days. Keeping it slow, keeping it mellow, and it really feels good to do something rather than nothing. My knee isn't super happy, but it's not super happy off the bike, either. It doesn't like walking up or down stairs, it doesn't like bending super fast or extending super fast. It doesn't like getting bumped. And it doesn't like Mariah Carey or Celine Dion. Can't say I blame it.
I've got ice on the thing now and it's fine and dandy.
Three weeks from skating, I'd guess, and that makes me a little insane, but I'm trying to keep it together. Still have tons to do before the weekend and we're a little past deadline at The Mag. Found out yesterday that my sister Annie will be in Cali the same time as me with nothing to do but fart around. My niece, Adeline, my brother Pat, and his lovely lady Jane all live in Venice, too, so I'm looking forward to some quality time wasting. Couldn't ask for a better crew of time wasters, either. Complete professionals.
I built a couple of those homemade "gel" packs for my knee-icing duties and they're totally killing it right now. Only had one at first and it wouldn't refreeze fast enough for a second or third icing in one day, so I got backup going and the rotation of the two is working perfectly. Thanks, ice bags.
The recipe is a simple one:
Three cups of water
One cup of rubbing alcohol
Two zip lock bags
Pour the stuff into one bag, get the excess air out, and seal the baggy.
Put that baggie inside a second one, get the excess air out, and seal it too.
Put the whole thing in the freezer over night and there you have it. It makes a kind of soft ice pack that forms around any sore spot regardless of its angle or shape. Works as well as any $25 gel pack from the health supply store and it's only 10% of the cost.
Okay, this thing's getting cold as hell. Gotta go.
Surgery was never an option. I don't think I ever hinted at that, but something about those last couple posts must have made going under the knife seem like it was on the table. Maybe it was the drawing of the knee. Just to confirm, that was not a drawing of my knee. Mine still has all the skin on it and is much tougher looking.
Making lists right now. I have a ton of things to take care of before I head to a warmer work environment at the end of the week.
I'm off for some cool-guy, backstage stuff related to the Bones Brigade doc, The Skateboard Mag's Year's Best Am party, and some sunny days. A couple meet-ups planned with traveling Donuthillers, too.
Got a few new boards today (Thanks, Andrew!), but I don't even know if I'll set one up for the trip. I wouldn't have time to get used it in the next few days and I think it'd be weird do go from not skating at all to trying to get used a new board with a hurt knee. The boards will be here for me when I get home. I've toyed with the idea of not even bringing a board and just letting my knee rest, but that seems weird.
Haven't ridden since the knee smash, but I'll try to get that going today.
It's on the list, anyway. 
Flip has these Schmitt boards now. His boards are the best and he messes with (and kills it) with new constructions. Haven't ridden one of the P2 boards yet, but they look insane. Very stiff, very light, steep nose and tail. Likey.
Got massage from Tara at Bella this morning. She usually works on my back and hip but today was all about my knee. She knows what she's doing and is really good at moving the the waste and bullshit out of the affected area. It's weird. I almost always feel better walking out of there than when I went in. And 48 hours later it's even better. Those pros who get massage or PT everyday are so stoked. Huge advantage when you're trying to win the recovery battle.
I have an appointment with the doctor today to get my knee looked at. I know how it's going to go:
"Doc, it hurts when I do this."
"Well, don't do that."
Maybe he'll have some nuclear anti-inflammatory or some new instant ligament healing compound, but I doubt it. Still, I'm going. Need to get my vitals taken by someone other than the blood pressure machine at Walgreen's.
Cian's home from school today, so I'll try to get him to go with me, but he likes to chill on his days off. I don't blame him. Couldn't even get him to go get a doughnut with me this morning and doughnuts are his favorite.
The other day I told someone I had Brian Howard knees, and then Brian himself made a couple comments on Facebook that made me feel a lot better. He's kneeslid and slammed on his knees way, way, way more than I could even imagine and he's a regular and veteran cyclist, so it was cool to have him chime in and confirm what I was hoping was true — I'll be fine.
Sometimes a few well typed words are all it takes to make you feel right.
I slammed on my knee last Thursday. I knew it was bad right when I did it. Fell about six feet straight to the joint right under the knee cap. It's where I usually fall, but this was a full-weight, full-speed thumper. I tried to get up super fast like squirrels do when they fall out of a tree. Almost like I was trying to get out of the way of the injury. Didn't work.
I've fallen like this before — a lot — but not for years. It's the kind of fall where what you hit doesn't even hurt that bad — the opposite side of where you hit takes the brunt of the slam. Like if you slam to your hip, your groin hurts from your femur tearing into your crotch. I hit my right knee on the front and right so the back left hurts. It's a bit of pcl and a bit of mcl aggravation, not sure about the tearing, but it's definitely sprained. The swelling is minimal, but it doesn't take much swelling inside the knee to make it tight and painful.
Still ... icing three times a day on two different spots on my knee. Ibuprofen too.
I'll go to the doc on Monday, but I know the drill: stay off of it, maybe see an orthopedic specialist, maybe see a physical therapist.
There's been improvement everyday, which I love. I can walk pretty good, but lifting my right leg while going up the stairs hurts.
I think I can ride. I might spin around for a half hour or so nice and easy. Get the blood going and stretch things out little. No skating, though.
Cyclists will say stop skating, just like the skaters question cycling after a bad crash.
I can think of like half a dozen people who do both and they won't say anything. They'd do what I'm doing: serve their sentence and then keep going. 
Anthony Sloan passed away on May 6 at the age of 37. Anthony was in charge of Yeti's Rocky Mountain demo program. He was a talented photographer and writer and he left behind a mind-boggling collection of mountain biking photos to inspire us all to get out and ride! anthonysloan.com
The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy named Nebraska's Cowboy trail its May 2009 "Trail of the Month." Check it out on their Website.
Read "Byways for Bicycles - Nebraska's rail-trails offer gateways to outdoor adventure" in the May issue of The Prairie Fire newspaper.
Watch Incase for HUF and DQM
Incase launched the HUF/DQM Messenger Bag collaboration yesterday. Pretty schweet schtuff.
with gas prices over $4 a gallon,
I say bring it on
I am making no friends with my ultra conservative, mall dwelling, gun slinging Utah neighbors by saying,
“Bring it on, I hope gas becomes $10 a gallon”
Time to re-think the bike.
(photo: cargo bike Copenhagen, Denmark)
"Awareness Test" created by Transport of London for their cycle safety campaign.
Take the test.
Got it from trackosaurus.
"A good place to find white people on a Saturday is at a Bike Shop. Bike shops are almost entirely staffed and patronized by white people!
"But not all white people love bicycles in the same way, there is much diversity."
[read more...]
From Stuff White People Like
I'm selling this bike. Cheap. It'll be hard to let go, but I thought I'd offer it up locally before i put it up on the world wide wow.
Hand built steel, cool mix of parts (some new, some not), fender friendly, raceable, rideable.
60cm or so.
Direct all your questions, test-ride requests, photo requests, or friendly visits to me through the comments.
Why does it have to go?
Making room for the future, i guess.
Went to stay with Annie in Portland and randomly called up Slaven a day ahead of time.
He magically located a sweet ride for the entirity of my visit (one of his work buddy's Trek Pilot—a relaxed northwest-specific trainer w/clearance for fenders) for my visit and then dragged me around the area hills for two days. 
Matt's doing great and sends his hellos and howyadoins back to all the Lincoln folks.
He's working for Portland's Bike Gallery managing all the inventory between their seven locations and racing a ton. I guess you can race 7 days a week in and around Portland if you feel like it. Makes everyone out there pretty fast—Slaven included.
Thanks again, Matt. Awesome town goin' down.
I've been reading this blog for the last few days and it's so funny. A critical look at cycling.
Yah. Kraftwerk.
You may have guessed, but now it's confirmed—musical genius and obsessive-compulsive cyclists.
You like, yah?
Friend of GP and author of “The Answer Is Never: A Skateboarder’s History of the World.” Jocko Weyland has had a piece on fixed gear bikes published in the New York Times.
Check it out by clicking here.
While you're there, reading each and every one of Jocko's well-crafted words, click on the interactive feature "The Fixers." Another cool and diverse view on the phenomena of never coasting.
