Kyoto and Providence meet in New York City

Takuya and Ogura (friends I met while visiting Kyoto) pedalled around New York city this week collecting merchandise and connections for Ogura's new bicycle lifestyle shop. Currently, Ogura runs a high end clothing shop popular with international celebrities. He is modest and friendly, shy about speaking English. Takuya–messenger, artist, and bicycle socialite–accompanied him to help translate and introduce him to fixed-gear fetishists and bike culture guru's that he knows from events like Cycle Messenger World Championships and KyotoLoco. Ogura brought his stylish track bike, while Takuya, with some chagrin, borrowed a mountain bike.

Since New York is a lot easier to get to than Kyoto, I threw my bike on the bus and made a daytrip to reunite with my foreign friends. I met them at Trackstar Friday morning.

The cupcakes I'd carried from Providence in my bike basket looked rough when I presented them to Takuya; nonetheless he devoured them. When I traveled to Japan last spring, he hosted me generously, having never met me. He helped me to meet my favorite painter and the national champion of cylcocross. I couldn't understand much Japanese, but I believe he exaggerated my credentials, tailor my introduction as "an artist from America" or a "great bike racer from America" to fit each situation. He was my guardian angel in the form of a dirty old bike messenger with mischievous eyes. The least I could do was meet him in New York with a box of jostled cupcakes.

After hob-nobbing with our friends who run Trackstar we ate sandwiches at a shop the Kyoto due had frequnted three times already this week. I guess it's hard to get an affordable sandwich in Japan. Over roast beef and cheddar cheese, Takuya updated me on Japanese bike scene gossip, and also decided to commission me to design and print some shirts for the new shop (look for pictures here in a few weeks)!

We parted ways; they continued their schmooze tour (pictures of it are on Ogura's blog) while I headed to Chelsea to peruse galleries before returning to the bus. Perhaps if I sell enough t-shirts I can visit them soon.

Equal Prize Money for Female Cyclists

This is really important. Please read it, and sign it.
http://www.petitiononline.com/equalpay/petition.html

Sweet January

Four and a half hours spent pedalling up and down country roads, then almost as much time spent preparing an elaborate meal*, all in good company: I couldn't dream up a more satisfying day.

*homemade gnochi in spicy red sauce with littlenecks, broccoli rabe sauteed in lemon and garlic butter, and then red wine poached pears over vanilla ice cream.

OMG

Ayako's cuteness is unparalleled in cyclocross. This is her special National Champion outfit. She rules.

Champions

I heard from Ayako that she won Japanese National Champion for the third time, and our friend Masumi won second! Look how rad her kit is–I admit to coveting it.

Meanwhile, I won the somewhat less prestigious honor of Rhode Island State Champion (there are no other Elite women in the state to challenge me). As promised, I celebrated my victory at the HUB's annual holiday/cyclocross party with a bottle of fancy champagne. Once again, the HUB outdid themselves: the taqueria provided a copious buffet of their renouned tacos, DJs Isaac P. Gertman D.D.S. and Micah Jackson spun the whole room into a dance party, and Peter severed intoxicating espresso from his fabulous shiny copper machine.

Ain't no Party like a West Coast Party

If you live anywhere near Encino Velodrome, I hope you will attend this event on December 8th!

http://www.encinovelo.org/
http://fixedgearfever.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=774

Mr. Sugino has taken a great interest in bike messenger and urban cycling culture: working with couriers on product development, sponsoring alley-cat races and such, and showing up at these events. Super rad!

If you make it to this one, please tell me how it goes!

Ain't no Party like an East Coast Party

I'm looking forward to racing and partying on my home turf this coming weekend. I plan to win Rhode Island State Champion at the W.E Steadman Gran Prix of Cyclocross on Saturday. Considering that I am the only Elite woman in the state, I've got that one in the bag.

I'll celebrate my victory that evening at the HUB's annual holiday/cyclocross party–enjoying superior food catered by Taqueria Pacifica, while DJs Micah Jackson and Isaac P. Gertman D.D.S. (in town from NYC) play their jammin'est jams. There's been a lot of talk at Fort AwesomePants (my house) about what fabulous outfits to wear, and Jesse usually dons a 3-piece suit: I dare you to outdo us! (Don't worry: schlubs and smelly bike punks are welcome too).

Sunday, you can catch me racing off a Veuve Clicquot hangover at the NBX Gran Prix of Cyclocross. Both races will be hosted in Goddard Park, and offer free Narragansett beer–for spectators as well as racers! This is the final weekend of the New England Verge series, and the end of the season for most anyone not attending Nationals. Woot!

I just finished a run of 50 posters commisioned by NBX for their race. Here are some shots of the process.