Headtube Angle

Sunday, November 01, 2009

The black hole that is time.

Danny Gatton - Bottle Slide, originally uploaded by SemicharmedLife (listening to Built To Spill).

Since SSWC09 in Durango, I've had less motivation to ride. I'm a full time guitar geek and it's easy for hours and hours, and then days and days to pass before I realize I've been practicing non stop, or bouncing between gig to gig and rehearsal to rehearsal and suddenly haven't ridden more than once or twice in a week.

Luckily the legs still allow me to have fun and not suffer too bad on that one or two days of the week.

Recently legendary local tube amp repair/customizer Rick Potter passed away. A huge blow to guitarists everywhere in search of that magic tone.

We had a memorial get together/jam the other night and every big hitter in town came out to play for Rick. It was an honor to be a part of and really just play our asses off for the man that always was there to take care of us and help us find our voices.

Tulsa is home to some legendary world class musicians. Many of whom you may not have heard of, but who have played with many people you have heard of (Clapton, JJ Cale, Bob Seger, and far far more..). These are the kinds of cats who's talent makes careers of pop stars. Real deal musicians that are all about the music. For them to accept me as one of their own and share stages and friendships with them is an honor.

A magical night and a fitting tribute to Mr. Potter.

The photo is one I found on Flickr of the legendary guitarist/musician Danny Gatton. If you don't know of him, get to learning. If there was a way to measure how far the electric guitar can and has been taken, I think you'd find Danny at the end of that line. The Humbler.

Friday, September 25, 2009

SSWC09. The report.

SSWC0905, originally uploaded by Adam Lopez Photography.

So I've waited awhile before this post to let all the hubbub settle in and my get my mellon back on straight. SSWC09 was nuts. But first, some history.

Many years ago as a wee teen lad, racing my MTB was a dream. I wanted to finish high school and move from SoCal's lowlands to either Big Bear or somewhere in Colorado. MTB'ing was becoming an Olympic sport. Durango being the mecca for all things MTB back in '93/'94 was my first choice. That never happened.

The bike racing happened still, but living the complete dream in dreamland never quite did. I was fortunate enough to live in SoCal and even ended up inCentral Cal where my "career" as a roadie racing full time in most all of the Cali classics was a blast. The mountain living always eluded me. Circumstance I guess.

Somewhere along the line, the struggle to race full time broke me down and I climbed off the bike. It's supposed to be fun. Between then and now a 6 year span of inactivity, lack of fitness and health, and only a few slight threads of bicycle love remained. No more racing, no more training, and very very little riding. Start. Stop. Start. Stop.

Even after meeting a magic pixie, the starting and stopping would continue to be a roller coaster.

6 months ago the inner dome was refreshed and the 2 wheel love was there when I woke up one morning. Keep it fun. Keep it fun. That was the plan. So far so good. For me, training and racing IS fun, as long as the stresses of "life" are worked out on the bike, not worked in.

Mission accomplished. What? I can go to Durango to "race" SSWC??!?

Count me in. The heavens opened up and the old magic met me in Durango. A lot slower, a lot less fit, and the magic Fun Fairy still wanted to be my friend. So many happy people on bikes. So much beautiful Earth. God blessed us all on that magical day. The birds sang and the animals of the forest danced with us.

Elvis is alive in all of us.

The end.