I heard a few songs by an Austin band named The Black Angels and was particularly fond of their single “Black Grease”. They remind me of The Velvet Underground or Brian Jonestown Massacre. Psychedelic rock – full tilt boogie. If you haven’t seen it, check out the video for “Black Grease”:

I managed to get a ticket to their sold out show at Southpaw this past weekend, a venue a few blocks from my apartment in Park Slope – Brooklyn. First, Southpaw is a great place to see a show – small room, big bar, great sound. Second, The Black Angels put on one helluva show. The songs are long and kinda trippy, it’s easy to get lost in the wall of sound. Towards the end of the gig, I think it may have been during the second encore, the lead singer Alex Maas wandered to the side of the stage. Facing the wall, he sang for the next 15 minutes. Say what you will, but brother was into it. They are playing at the All Points West Festival this summer – really looking forward to hearing them on a festival stage. Should be a real kick in the head.

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Like everyone, I LOVE bacon. If I was on one of those cooking shows where someone gets eliminated each week, I’d just make bacon every time – how could I lose? So simple. I just ran across a video of a place down in the Lonestar State that makes Chicken Fried Bacon. I did some quick calculations and you have to run a mile for each strip that you eat, otherwise you better be “really funny” or a “good dancer” cause you’ll never get laid again. I can run a 10k these days so I’m good for a sixer…

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I don’t usually use exclamation points or “screamers” as they are known in the publishing industry. I think they are a sign of a lazy mind, but an Arrested Development movie? That rules the roost!!!!!

Check out this interview with Jason Bateman where he gives the skinny:

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The “New York City Waterfalls” exhibit opened this morning. For those of you who aren’t in the know, an artists named Olafur Eliasson was able to raise $15.5 million and secure Mayor Bloomberg’s help to install 4 waterfalls across the New York Harbor. I like the look of the one directly under the Brooklyn Bridge.

This installation is on the scale of “The Gates” by Christo and Jeanne-Claude that filled Central Park with saffron-colored fabric panels back in 2005. I wasn’t that excited to see “The Gates”, but was taken aback by the beauty and scale when I did make the trip. It was really extraordinary. Make sure you don’t miss this one…

Kudos to Mayor Bloomberg who helped the artists navigate the NYC bureaucracy to get over 30 separate permits to make this a reality. Well played sir.

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As our good and jerky friend (compadre?) Jeff related earlier this morning, this past weekend was the much anticipated Shelter Island 10K. The Dukes fielded a 12 person squad, a dozen Dukes if you will, for a picture perfect day on Shelter island. The course was beautiful and the weather was hot. Damn hot. 80 degrees and blazing-evening-sun-holy-sheet-I-wish-I-had-ice-packed-shorts-on hot.

No course records or PRs were set that I’m aware of, but everyone did managed to finish the race strongly amid much DOFB howling. Special congrats go out to Paolo, Lydia, Deirdre, Amy, PT & NG for completing their first race under the DOFB flag and earning their stripes (shirts). Righteous work folks!

Typical DOFB pre-race stretching routine. Works best with some horrible disco blaring to, you know, get Paolo pumped.
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Ivan showing strong form and gettin’ it done at the finish
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Juanito bringing it home
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GJ showing pluck at the end.
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The White Witch cranking towards cold water and a mojito
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PT making it look..well…something.
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NG & Amy showing that the Dukes will get it done no matter what. Neither rain, nor snow, nor pregnancy, nor a complete lack of training can quell our ferocious spirit. I salute thee.
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Big Lydz & Sam cruising home. There is no way on earth Lydia ever considered, a year or two back, that this is what she would be doing one beautiful June afternoon in the year 20 Ot 8. Seriously nice work to you both.
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One critically overheating Paolo as he nears the finish….huge showing P.
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Post-race Deirdre….who the hell knew she was so damn speedy?!?!?
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Much happier post-race Paolo grin. Thank god – I was afraid he was going to cross the finish and slug me for getting him into this sweaty mess.
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Lydz and staff photog Alixa…thanks for snapping all the great shots lady!
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DOFB Team shot for the Shelter island Reporter. Graham has a standing bet with an old friend and fellow islander about who can get in the reporter first (and not in the police blotter!). If this makes the paper, he wins. Hands Down. Seems like the prize should be paid in shellfish – no?
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A second group shot where we attempt to show our missing compatriot Jeff just how much we value and understand his life decisions.
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And, finally, expressing our club dominance by throwing the DOFB up right in the middle of the finish area. I’d say the “O” could use some work, but let’s see Los Compadres try something this daring. Hmmmm? Hmmmmmm?
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Dukes celebrate post race with a White Party involving amazing Fried Chicken from Commander Cody’s, outrageously good Margaritas & Mojitos and a fantastically prepped outdoor space….sweeeeeeeeet.
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Eating outdoors under a flawless night sky was the perfect way to end an amazing day ’cause, you know, that’s how we do.
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White lights in the trees…ladies in white on the lawn; very naaaace.
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The White Witch & PT. The post-race festivities were all her idea and everyone helped realize the vision. She rocks.
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P-funk livin’ the smoooove.
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As you can see, a shite time was had by all. Thanks again to the the great folks of Shelter Island for their amazing support over the length of the course. Especially those dudes with the hose at the top of horse hill…you really saved my butt from imminent heat-induced bootage. And to Graham for hosting us ne’erdowells and Fayth a& everyone else involved in making the post-race party such a fantastic time.

And, especially, to Jeff, for not ruining our fun by attending this year’s event.

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As my exile from New York City continues, I have missed a few crucuial events that DOFB has sponsored over the past few weeks. This past weekend I missed the Shelter Island 10K, Summer Solstice and DOFB member Birch’s birthday, the trifecta of DOFB events. I thought I had a great excuse for missing the weekend, I am currently in Paris on business and could not attend. I thought it sounded good.

Well……..I think the reaction to my decision can best be expressed below:

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I’m trying a new feature called “stacks” at Search Me. It allows you to categorize and share a visual representation of your favorite sites. The end result is similar to an iTunes display. These are the gossip sites I can’t help but ping every day…

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Oh my god.

The Rock-afire Explosion was an animatronic robot band that played in Showbiz Pizza Place restaurants from 1980 to 1991. The show was created and manufactured exclusively for Showbiz by Creative Engineering, Inc. in Orlando, Florida.

Some guy bought one and is running current hits through it. This clip features the band performing Usher. The Gorilla in the gold lame suit and bowtie slays me, as does the Sun who sings backup. The most awesome thing ever.

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The motto of the Dukes is “Res Firma Nitescere Descit” which means “Once You’ve Got It Up, Keep It Up”. This motto can be applied broadly across one’s life, and gardening is no exception. The Shambaugh Victory Garden is starting to take off after prodigious rain and sunlight. This past weekend, the Brothers Shambaugh built a few structures to keep the plants off the ground, and improve air circulation and pollination.

The first is an ingenious system for the crop of heirloom tomatoes. They built two towers on either side of the raised bed. Placed a few wood screws into the top of each and strung a few strands of decent gauge wire across the bed. Once those were in place, the plants can be connected to the wire by means of string. The overall effect is that of a marionette.

The second was a simple trellis for a crop of snow peas. They took some old wire fencing and strung it across the back of the plants, up against the paddock. The vines can be easily trained to grow up the trellis, making harvest a snap.

If you have any ingenious garden structures of your own, please send us pics to dofb@dofb.com.

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I don’t know about you, but I’m a huge fan of taxidermy. I lived in Paris for a while and would regularly visit a legendary store named Deyrolle. Not only did they have every butterfly and bug imaginable, but also every bird and animal. And I’m talking about the full gamut – think Noah’s Ark – they even had a Golden Retriever if memory serves correct. If you are ever in Paris, this is an absolute must.

Deyrolle is right next to Saint Chappelle, known as the most beautiful room in the world. Just take a look – this is one of the most special places I’ve ever been.

I was also sent a link yesterday to Custom Creature Taxidermy, a shop that does “fantasy mounts”. I’m not sure what to say abut this so I’ll just show a few pictures. Wait, just one gag, “that squirrel is nuts!”

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Well, the DOFB more than survived it’s trip to Laconia for Bike Week ’08. In fact, a damn fine time was had by all on a ride that was, as any proper bike adventure should be, filled with hilarity, calamities averted and plenty of cold suds. I’ll let the pictures do most of the talking, but first I’d just like to say a word or 100 about one particularly memorable event.

On the ride up I experienced one of those moments that every rider dreads, the kind of thing that puts a not in your gut just thinking about. I blew a front tire on the Merritt traveling at highway speed in failing light. Blowing a front shoe is one of those things you hear about happening but is by no means a regular occurrence. In fact, most of the folks I know who’ve been riding for a lifetime have never had their number come up. Let me tell you something – it is not a good time.

The tire went flat in about 10-15 seconds. Not with a bang or a pop…just all of the sudden the handling characteristics changed. At first subtly enough to wonder if it was odd pavement. And then, very quickly, the front forks started traveling about a foot in either direction, yanking the steering back, serpentining the bike and generally making it impossible to control. Mind you 75% of the braking on most bikes, and prob 90% on mine, is done with the front brake. So it was a pretty impossible situation to get the bike to rapidly slow while keeping it upright.

With mountains of luck, and a formation of Dukes behind me making sure I wasn’t struck by an oncoming car, I managed to keep the shiny side up and get to the shoulder. Where I no doubt would have remained if it weren’t for the formidable aid and patience of Sergeant Raymond LaPlante of the Orange PD. Ray pulled up on his police Harley to see what was doing and, over the course of the next 12 hours, not only helped us sort out local accommodations, sustenance/beverages and a great mechanic, but actually borrowed a trailer and, (on his morning off with his young son in tow!), pulled the wounded SuperBad from where I’d stashed her in the woods overnight to the shop for an early am fix that got us back on the road.

Ray’s effort not only saved our trip from ruin, it reminded all of us a bit about what’s so special about riding. That it’s appreciably different than traveling the roads in a steel cage. There’s a different connectedness to the experience of moving from place to place. You don’t always know what might happen (especially on an old bike), but that the journey in and of itself is adventure. And, more than anything else, the camaraderie of two wheels and that bikers look after one another.

So a hearty DOFB thanks and toast to Ray LaPlante. We sent many a cold beer to it’s maker this past weekend and damn it all if most of mine weren’t dedicated to his awesomeocity. Keep the rubber side down and looking forward to when we get to ride together!

The SuperBad being seen to by Art Handleman @ Valley Motorsports in Ansonia, CT. If you’re ever in a pinch with your machine in CT – Art’s the man to get you back on the road.
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Turns out – I had a “rust-based failure”. On older bikes that have seen weather at one point or another, the insides of the rims can get to rusting. Small metal filings eventually peel off and will, inevitably, roughly have their way with your tube. Here’s the shop tech de-rustifying the inside of my front rim.

To recap = small metal filings + rubber innertube + highway speed = bad. Put it on your list of shit to think about if you have a late model ride.
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Sergeant Ray and his awesome little boy Nathan flying the DOFB flag after dropping our side-show off at the shop. Nathan’s already bewitched by bikes and shows great promise. Rumor has it Ray may be heading up to NH this weekend as well. Boundless thanks to both of them for spending their morning sorting us out – couldn’t have done it without you fellahs. Have an awesome ride to the granite state Ray!
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Th big man…..Emperor of the Rage Hut, host for this Bike Week jaunt and head of the New Hampshire DOFB Chapter. Not a finer NH specimen to be found.
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Ride on Winni to the Wiers for a peek around, some grub and one (read:10) Margarita.
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Graham lends a helping hand to a parched Hombre
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2300 CC Triumph Rocket Sled….daaaaamn.
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Sweet trike art – Rowwwrrrrrr.
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The next day the Big Man took us on an epic ride up over the Sandwich Notch road, around through Waterville Valley and back over the Kank. Being dirt, recently graded and pretty steep in many places, The Notch road was especially challenging for some of the bikes. Fritz on the Yammie FJR1300 gets the hero’s salute for muscling that beast all the way through safely. That bike was built for smooth speed and she was more than a little ornery about the conditions. He rodeoed it though and, in exchange, was treated to a singular adventure through pristine NH back country. Nice work man.
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Big and mean never goes out of style in NH.
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DOFB, now with more Back Road Action!
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Juanito going native. The arm stripes perhaps suggest some sort of vestment. A man of the cloth? A country bishop perhaps?

Subsequently gathered evidence would seem to contravene this hypothesis.
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Graham loves it.
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Like Rodin’s thinker, this Duke too is made of granite. NH Chapter member (and lead carpenter) Whitney on his KLR. The KLR really is a perfect match for this guy and his natural surroundings.
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Top of the Kank….one of the best roads for riding on the East Coast and my personal favorite. The Dukes relay team will also be running the Kank this coming fall in the “Reach the Beach” 200+ mile relay. A painful reality not lost on those of us who’ll be on the squad as we climbed upward for 13 miles….
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Stop in Chocorua to visit the DOFB patron Saint – Ghee. Here’s she’s getting her annual ride around the block on the back of the Guzzer.
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Fritz on the Yammie. Can you believe he just took that 600lb beast over 20+ miles of mushy dirt logging roads?!?
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Heading back into the Wiers we start to get a taste of the action.
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Bike traffic for miles.
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Some local fauna met in traffic. The lady on the front claimed to have been arrested at last year’s bike week for mistakenly slugging a cop. Oops. Things can get a little dicey at Bike Week but come on ladies. These two sisters seemed a wee interested in a certain debonair Duke.
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This guy – can you believe it? No accounting for taste I suppose…
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Sunset at the rage Hut
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That pretty much concludes our trip. There were some other adventures had…a visit to the Franklin Girls’ natural lair, a few ‘old bike’ struggles with the Guzzi, electrical gremlins with the Triumph and many many coordinated high speed drifts to the curb of the highway for one dangling plate/about to be lost luggage/ atomic wedgie or another. But you’ll get that on these rolling thunder jobs.

Next year we’ll hope to have a bit more time and get a little more submersion into the epicenter of Bike Week. But I know I wouldn’t trade the ride we had on Saturday for much of anything – pure magic.

Thanks to everyone who was involved in making it happen this year…Ray and Chris especially!

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Just ran across this footage of trucks dealing with the silt during the 2007 Baja 1000. It’s the best video I’ve seen that illustrates the insanity of those sections. Also has some crashes that make a brother say “awoooooogah” – enjoy!

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We’re fresh back from the Laconia Motorcycle Rally in New Hampshire. After a weekend of riding, wrenching and communing with Gilford Girls, one’s thoughts naturally revolve around the simpler things in life. I don’t know about you, but I love a nice fire. I have fond memories of a friend’s farm in Virginia where we’d spend the day clearing dead wood with a tractor and building enormous bonfires. Today, I’m lucky enough to have a house in the country where I can stack a few cords of wood and indulge my inner pyromaniac. I ran across a great article on 9 ways to start a fire without using matches. They put it best “There is a primal link between man and fire. Every man should know how to start one. A manly man knows how to start one without matches”.

Learn for yourself!

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It has been a tough couple of weeks settling into the new city but I have still managed to get a few runs in every week. The good news about running in Seattle is that the weather has been ideal for running. Every morning has been overcast and mid-50′s with no humidity. As far as running conditions go it does not get any better. The bad news is also the weather, I would like some sunshine when I run. The people here tell me it will be beautiful every day starting July 4th, but I am still a little skeptical.

Ok , on to the fun stuff. Hills!!! Seattle is extremely hilly and will whip your ass if you are not ready. Some of the hills are so steep that it is not really safe to run down them, because there is a good chance you will launch off. These are the small lessons I am picking up the hard way and keep thinking to myself that if I ever qualify for the Boston Marathon I will be ready for Heartbreak Hill.

As for were to run in Seattle, I have not done a lot of exploring yet but my two favorite places are Volunteer Park and Interlaken Park. These are just minutes from my apartment but once you enter you feel like you are far away from the city. Found some pics online that will have to do until I bring out the old Sure Shot.

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The New York chapter of the Dukes of Flatbush are hitting the road to attend the Laconia Motorcycle Rally and meet up with the New Hampshire chapter. A mostly annual event for the Dukes, we pack as many people (and dogs) into a small cabin on Lake Winnipesaukee aptly named the “Rage Hut”. Over the years, we’ve managed to sink a boat and cracked supporting beams in the cabin, but it’s all in the name of a good time.

One thing you’ll learn about the Dukes of Flatbush is that we don’t trailer bikes to motorcycle rallies. We ride to them. I swear we’ve seen someone take a bike off a trailer just outside of town and throw dirt on it to give the impression of a long ride. For shame! To that individual all we can say is you better grow a pair.

I’m riding my 1974 Moto Guzzi Eldorado Police bike up this year. I’ve never ridden it on a long trip before so I put a few hundred miles on it this past weekend. It was a real hoss on the highway – very comfortable riding position, plenty of juice, bright lights. I did manage to lose my license plate and a foot peg so I’m going over the entire bike tonight to ensure all of the nuts and bolts are securely fastened. Not looking for a yard sale across the 1,000 or so miles we’ll ride.

One thing the Motto Guzzi has been lacking is proper saddle bags. I just managed to get this pair of vintage police bags off of eBay. I cannot wait to put them on.

We’ll post a round-up after the big event, make sure to take pics of all of the great bikes and people we meet along the way. New Hampshire here we come!

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