I caught up with Tanja Kimme (an old friend and once flatmate) at the MCA yesterday. As much as I love the MCA sometimes I just walk out of there frustrated by how shit some of the work on display is, but right now they’re exhibiting the work of Yinka Shonibare and it’s absolutely amazing (and funny!). I suggest everyone go now, check it out, it’s free too.

Yinka Shonibare.

We had lunch at Sailors Thai, $25 dishes aren’t cheap for That food but it’s Sydney’s best Thai so after the meal no one was complaining!

Also, last night we had a big dinner with my family, and Christina’s at Pony. Definitely one of my fave restaurants at the moment. I got pretty wasted but Mum drove me home. On the way home some fucker was flashing her in the tunnel. I took out the camera, stuck my arm out the car and started taking pics of them (with flash of-course lol). I love doing that to slow down hoons on the road. I assume they get paranoid I might send in the photo to the authorities or something.

Today, being one of the hottest days around, and with a splitting headache and hangover from last night, I decided to go for a Lucas Heights ride with Clifton. I just wasn’t into it. Too hot, too tiring and a severe lack of confidence (I fell over pretty early on in the ride) and energy. We did manage to do one of the drops though, and I attempted the log ride but failed to clear it.

Reign pre-ride.

Clifton did this drop first, which then gee’d me on to do it.

My huck.

Log ride attempt, it’s a shitload steeper than the picture suggests.

I saw a few strange things yesterday. Earlier on in the day I pulled over the side of the road to watch a male pigeon doing his mating ritual around a dead flattened pigeon in the middle of the road. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I wish I had my video camera with me. Later that night I saw an old lady fall flat on her face. There was a crowd of people around her helping her, looks like she might have broken her hip. Horrible stuff.

We had the JDMST end of month meet at Fox Studios last night, quiet as it usually is at Fox, or anywhere in the east (when we have meets out west all hell breaks loose) with only about 30 or so cars rocking up on the night. I much prefer the smaller meets, it’s easier to get around and meet new people and the authorities are always a little more friendly and relaxed.

Speaking of the authorities:

Our resident Policeman opened his boot at one point to grab a pen for me and Suga couldn’t help herself when she saw his gear in the trunk.

SO cute!

Hehehe.

Then everyone started having a go and getting silly – here’s Alan.

Suga putting on Police pants…

And top…

Haha.

I love taking pics of photographers taking photos. Love the dynamic poses they get into lol.

VIP YO!

RC madness.

Whilst waiting for the F1 to start last night I started fiddling with the Kink. I whacked on a carbon spacer to replace the alloy ones it came with and also replaced the brake cable end crimp with one of my signature black ones.

We had 7 riders on Saturday at Manly Dam (Sydney’s spiritual home of mountain biking… I love how that rolls off the tongue!). The trail was super busy too but no-one really got in our way, if anything we got in other peoples way! It was an awesome ride, the heat was on and all of us suffered under the sun but no one complained. Charlie and I are really getting a bit silly with how fast we’re doing some of the sections, we pushed pretty hard on the last section back to the Dam hucking off everything in sight and I was left buzzing like no other ride I’ve had before. Now for some pics:

I always pack all my gear up the night before and put it downstairs so I don’t wake Christina up too much (and so I don’t forget anything!).

Andy’s rides.

Matt’s rides.

Charlie’s Altezza.

Charlie’s a funny guy.

Charlie.

Richie, Matt and Andy.

Charlie had a mad slam just before the creek at the end of the DH section.

We chilled at the creek for a while whilst Charlie recovered from the fall.

Felix’s friend Peter’s old school 90’s cool.

Charlie doing it hard up heartbreak hill. Spot the walkers!!!

SUNDAY: Suga’s Dad’s B’day today, check the feast!!!

A whole crackling pig!!! Always a massive feast at the Suga’s!

Peppa and I.

Nyaw peppa.

The Lock’s!

In other news: I de-stickered my new BMX (couldn’t help myself):

De-stickered Kink Apex.

And shit fuck shit fuck shit fuck shit fuck my internet is fucking capped again (until Wednesday). It’s OK though I stocked up on some BMX/MTB magazines earlier today! Bahaha.

Well I finally caved in and bought myself a BMX bike. Jing’s been pushing me to do so for the past week and I’ve been doing hours of research since (going out of my mind).

Initially I thought I’d be able to walk into a shop with $500 and buy a decent “complete” BMX (“complete’s” are ready to ride bikes) but on checking a few completes out I felt that all of them looked a bit try hard. It’s almost like they were trying to look custom.

As a skater back in the day (lol) there wasn’t any such thing as a “complete” skateboard (unless you bought one from Kmart). You bought a deck you liked, then the trucks you liked, wheels and basically personalised your own board. Skate culture rocks and BMX culture is pretty similar so I really wanted to do it right an go custom.

I had a play with adding things to a basket on an online BMX store. Frame $400, cranks $350… that’s already $750!!! By the time I had finished my build it came to $1700+. That quickly put an end to the idea of going custom. I had a little look at some 2nd hand bikes, rattled off a few private messages to sellers on forums and on eBay (to waste their time of-course) but decided I couldn’t trust buying a BMX bike off some 12yr old kid who’s thrashed it harder than I ever would.

So today I went for a drive out to Belrose cycles to check out their 2009 range of We The People (WTP) bikes. When I finally got to the store I saw a few lower end WTP bikes and again, all that paint, colours, skulls… they were just trying way too hard.

I eyed off a simple black BMX in the corner, turns out it the top of the line 2009 model Kink Apex. Kink Bike Co. are a brand that hails from NYC and I got thinking that the black was a good base to start with if I wanted to add some colour to it in future. The bike’s RRP was a whopping $1300 but I walked away with it for $899.00 (thanks Adrian!) so despite being a lot of cash for such a little and simple bike. I’m happy. Now for some pics (the bike will be de-stickered tonight of-course lol!).

Last night Suga and I and a few Saatchi crew went to the Burlington Centre in Chinatown for hand made noodles and dumplings. It’s been a haunt of mine for over 10 years now. There’s always a queue to get in there… in fact in all these years I’ve never ever been able to just walk in and grab a table. There’s a glass window where you’ll usually see a sweaty guy whacking some noodles (not whacking his noodle), there are strange carpets on the wall and plastic grapes hanging off the ceiling (something to do with the French overtaking part of China? I’m shit with history). The food is dirty but sooo yummy. I’d recommend the pan fried pork and chives dumplings, or a dumpling boodle soup, the combination noodles and the eggplant dish.

Pre-dinner drinks. Shaun and little Justin, Christine’s cousin who’s ‘turning 16′ (ie: he’s not 15!) and on work experience at the stock exchange. What a little shark!

Best dumpling noodle soup in Sydney.

The crazy grapes (now that’s a cool band name!).

Pan friend pork and chive dumplings.

I call this the Asian Spaghetti Bolognaise.

On another note, my Chain Reaction Cycles order came in lightning fast once again (1 week from the UK!). I love the idea of supporting local but when these guys can slash prices by 50% and ship for free it makes it hard.

Whilst I dreamt of getting a porn Industry 9 wheelset I ended up getting a set of Mavic 819’s which are UST/tubeless ready with double butted DT spokes and Hope hubs. They weigh in at a hefty 1944g a set. No more weight weenie for me!!! I’ll be running them non UST as I like my current Stick-E and DTC rear set-up and the UST Nevegals have had some bad reviews.

A lot beefier than the 717’s but a lot heavier too at 1944g the set.

Tubeless ready.

13.26kg – going up!

Also treated myself to this massive fuck off pump. It’s awesome!

And I finally got myself a light wind/rain jacket that scrunches up into a tennis ball which I’ll always have in my Camelbak when riding from now on.

A while back Jing posted images of himself wearing his new full face in his bathroom.

Jing 1 – this is the shot that started it all.

Just when I thought Jing couldn’t out do the shot above.

I couldn’t resist. And now my own contribution to join Jing in the poseur hall of fame LOL.

I dropped in to Heasmans today to visit Doug Heasman, Peter and his son Chris for a wheel alignment on the Jazz. I installed the coilovers ages ago now and I never bothered with a wheel alignment, mainly because I was just too lazy. LAZY IS BAD! The tyres have been screetching badly on right hand corners not to mention understeering like a motherfucker all the time. I haven’t been complaining though it’s made the car even more interesting to drive lol. Kind-of like a challenge but I knew this was going to lead to some pretty bad tyre wear so I booked it in.

Doug was busy backing in an R8 when I got there.

Nice and easy does it, she’s in the bay.

I had an hour to burn so I took a long walk down to Newtown to check out Hell on Wheels BMX shop which was so ridiculously chock with cool shit I could have dropped $10k in there but I’m glad I didn’t. Newtown’s still got it though, despite being attacked by yuppie cancer it’s still cooler than other suburbs around town.

Bombed van.

OMFG they were shut!!!

The drive home was super fun, the Jazz feels completely different. Cornering is a lot heavier now, heavier steering doesn’t always equate to better steering feel but in the case of the Jazz anything is better than nothing! Doug’s always setting my cars up as aggressive as possible. I don’t even have to ask him anymore, love the guy and love his work.

I came home and found a parcel at my doorstep:

Specialized Deviant with Oakley O-Frame goggles (hmmm not sure about the gold, wish they had the flouro green!).

It’s light, fits really snug and make me look hard even in the bathroom mirror…. bahahahah!

Peaty’s my age and he’s still competing in downhill mountain biking and finishing top 5 every time. Inspirationment! This clip is one of my favorite clips from the Seasons DVD. It’s just shot so well, the soundtrack for this clip “My Love” by The Sessions also fucking rocks.

Chris King is now making BB’s. Things are getting bling. Buy me buy me buy me! It’s almost as if they’ve directly targeted their new new products at me.