Speed Trials

I went to the Black Sheep Inn yesterday for the first time in a while… It was also the first time I saw a show there in Summer. Boy, and here I thought it was a great place in Winter!!

www.theblacksheepinn.com

The band we saw (United Steel Workers of Montreal – who were FANTASTIC, by the way) played two sets, the first starting at 4:30pm. And so we were able to cross the street, the train track, and climb down to the water’s edge and dunk our feet in the Gatineau River while basking in the glorious afternoon sun between acts. There couldn’t have been a better way to spend an intermission. Both sets were great, as the six piece band cranked out slow and fast numbers, an accordion, gruff and angelic vocals, and not a drum in sight to keep the beat. The massive double bass did that! My toes tapped through the whole thing, and it was great to hear them sing about my favourite spots in Montreal (Place St. Henri, and a quick nod to N.D.G. – my old hood).

The Black Sheep has a great reputation amongst the alternative rawkster crowd, and despite its remote location, it hosts all the great up-and-coming acts, as well as some pretty well-established ones, when they make their way across the country.

The atmosphere there is great: friendly, unpretentious, neighbourly. The local dogs are absolutely welcomed, and the band had to endure an over-anxious pug cavorting between their legs as they played on stage. The Inn is in the heart of Wakefield, about a ten minute drive along the river from my grandparents’ old cottage, and so driving up there was a bit of a trip down memory lane for me as well. The entire family would have Sunday dinner together there when i was young, and my favourite part of those evenings was sitting in the back seat on the drive home, in my pyjamas. I don’t know why, but nothing spells childhood quite like clicking that seatbelt over your nighty. Sigh.

So, I’ve got two months to train for my first intra-city bike trek. The courier boys are going to Montreal in October, and I plan to go with them. Donnie says it can be done in 8 hours. Seeing as it’s a 200km journey, that means keeping a steady pace of 25km/hour. That’s pretty intense. I don’t know what my regular top speed is, but I do know that I’ve never ridden for more than 2 hours straight.

So the major training begins. It started last Thursday where I got so goddamn loaded that I went back to Angelo’s house, puffed a little (which, if anyone knows me, is the kiss of death for me) and then got on one of his bikes and traversed the city, blowing red lights, desperately trying to keep up with the boys, all the way from the Aloha to the Dominion. Good times. If I can do that, Montreal will be a breeze!!

There are so many wonderfully cool people in this world. And they all collect and amass such wonderfully cool things.

www.autravailatwork.50megs.com

Egads… What do I do with such an event??? My little baby, now a man. It’s not right. Though he is the coolest 16 year old I have ever met, and I’ll tell you why:

1. He looks you in the eye when he shakes your hand.

2. He has a sense of humour that could put a 36 year old to shame.

3. He likes Daft Punk and The Gorillaz.

4. He hates his generation.

5. He does acrobatics when he’s drunk.

6. He break dances like a crazy fool!

7. He is my favourite Hack partner.

8. He is absolutely comfortable in his own skin, which makes him calm, unassuming, and modest. His actions are not guided by his friends, but by his own convictions.

9. Everyone in his high school of 1500 knows who he is.

I have managed to open up both of my knees on completely separate occasions, but two days apart. Weird.

The first wound, already beginning to heal and more difficult to see, was inflicted late into the evening on Sunday, at the cottage, where much alcohol was consumed. My shoulder and jaw also took some hard hits with the fall, but the knee left the most impressive mark.

On the other hand, the second wound was caused by sheer stupidity! (haha) I was riding my bike in a skirt, and I tried to dismount in the most ladylike manner, but my foot didn’t make it over the bar of the bike, and I ended up crashing to the pavement three feet from my front door. Brilliant. My basket was full, and items were scattered everywhere. Boo.

PS. The corpse-like feel to this photo is thanks to my shitty camera phone, and the green walls of my bedroom. Good times.