jeremygrant.com

cicle shows us how it can be dun!

bicyclists taking full use of the left lane … no ‘shutting down streets’ or scofflaw riding…
cicle throws some of the most stress free rides in all of los angeles. they get the award for sticking it to the man.

‘best picture if the damn shutter wasn’t stuck award’:

‘sometimes you need a little push’ award:

‘most precious cargo’ award:

‘sneakiest rider’ award:

‘gnarliest cargo’ award:

‘most gas saved’ award:

‘most panache’ award:

‘biggest catch of the day, two headed salmon’ award:

People always told me be careful of what you do

So take my strong advice, just remember to always think twice
(Do think twice)

the sun just came up… your feet are cold. put your tube socks on. it’s early in the morning and your parents aren’t awake yet so you steal your dad’s walk-man and don the huge orange foam headphones. slip in the tape of Michael Jackson and fix a bowl of cheerios trying not to make any noise… cue to “Billie Jean”. try not to screw up the tape, it’s a bad copy off the radio.

I said don’t mind, but what do you mean I am the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round

She said I am the one, who will dance on the floor in the round

slide across the kitchen floor with the cereal in one hand and the Sunday comics in the other… spin out at the end whilst placing the bowl squarely in front of the tv. do the moonwalk and turn on the tv at the dining room table. after much head bobbing and adjusting the scanner on the black and white set sit back and watch reruns of Kareem, Magic and Kurt Rambis winning the Lakers game.

And don’t go around breaking young girls’ hearts
And mother always told me be careful of who you love
And be careful of what you do

i had no idea what the song was about… i just thought it was the perfect song to break dance to. way cooler than the Bee Gee’s i remember one time my mother told my dad i shouldn’t be listening to ‘that song’. i protested ‘why?!’. then they wouldn’t explain and let me kept listening. =) it’s probably good because these lines stuck with me and reinforced my efforts to be kinder to the fairer sex. the ‘baby-daddy-scandal’ was way over my head.

now i’m off to blast some Michael Jackson on the mobile bike stereo…

a while ago i posted this image:

it’s about a mile or so of green paint dropped on a stretch of Del Amo Blvd in Long Beach. it’s obviously a statement to make it safer for bicyclists by keeping the cars a safe distance away.

then i was riding a few weeks later and there were sharrows on the first arterial road i ever cycled on. i almost stopped and took a picture. i was so startled to see that. that’s because long beach has kind of always lacked in the some of the bike lane planning infrastructure in their recent developments (concentrating on pedestrians) but the kind residents of the Beach treated most cyclists fairly and kind of made up for it.

well it’s 2009 and Long Beach has changed in the last ten years. development has caused more traffic, its more congested and parking is ridiculous from what i hear. it really sucks sometimes riding out there now. so it’s great to see some striping and signage being posted… even if it looks as if the projects haven’t been value engineered at least somethings happening….

check out this photo that Russ Roca posted:

los angeles can’t even paint sharrows or give us bike lanes. the lapd criminalizes us.
los angeles is the second largest city in country. it’s embarrassing.

yet, Long Beach can afford to blow the whole budget on green tactile paint.
this my friends is one instance you value engineer!!!
rolling out the ‘green’ carpet like that is hypocritical and shows a little ignorance.

wtf.

i still like it tho…

ok, just, imagine you are in the second grade. the kids don’t like you and you’re picked on a lot. its hard to make friends and you don’t fit in. on top of all that there’s school, swimming and soccer practice to go to.

every once in a while some bully comes and beat your ass. you want to be a little man so you don’t snitch and just develop a twitch from getting sucker punched. telling the teacher doesn’t do much anyway. your parents can only console you when you let them know.

they tell you just to ignore it. it will go away. walk away Jeremy, just walk away.

your mongoose isn’t as nice as some kids and you find it one day with the tires flat and the brake cable busted. your skate board is a variflex and one day some kid breaks it in half. you get another one and someone steals it. everyone mocks your swallow tail surfboard and throws sand in your face. your parents can’t afford the tuition and none of your clothes have cool labels on them.

you just feel so helpless. you just don’t understand why it all matters and then you hear these words on the radio:

Beat It

They Told Him Don’t You Ever Come Around Here
Don’t Wanna See Your Face, You Better Disappear
The Fire’s In Their Eyes And Their Words Are Really Clear
So Beat It, Just Beat It

You Better Run, You Better Do What You Can
Don’t Wanna See No Blood, Don’t Be A Macho Man
You Wanna Be Tough, Better Do What You Can
So Beat It, But You Wanna Be Bad

Just Beat It, Beat It, Beat It, Beat It
No One Wants To Be Defeated
Showin’ How Funky Strong Is Your Fight
It Doesn’t Matter Who’s Wrong Or Right
Just Beat It, Beat It
Just Beat It, Beat It
Just Beat It, Beat It
Just Beat It, Beat It

They’re Out To Get You, Better Leave While You Can
Don’t Wanna Be A Boy, You Wanna Be A Man
You Wanna Stay Alive, Better Do What You Can
So Beat It, Just Beat It

You Have To Show Them That You’re Really Not Scared
You’re Playin’ With Your Life, This Ain’t No Truth Or Dare
They’ll Kick You, Then They Beat You,
Then They’ll Tell You It’s Fair
So Beat It, But You Wanna Be Bad

the aftermath was three fold. it spawned my obsessions with popular music, gave me a taste of heavy metal, and spoke to me about dealing with the injustices of life. i didn’t know who michael jackson was and i wasn’t a fan; but i felt like the words spoke to me. it was consoling as a little guy. he was just that goodof a crossover artist.

so there i was in second grade trying to survive those few months till summer. then i wouldn’t have to deal with all that BS. that summer i toughened up and just concentrated on having as much fun as possible. bike rides, skateboarding, surfing, junior life guarding. i even studied! — it was nonstop activity and i tried to be the best guy out there. if i couldn’t or wasn’t allowed to beat the bullies on the school yard i most certainly was going to beat them at everything else. even at their own game.

so summer ended and back to school. the bullies tried again but i just acted a little nuts and showed them i wasn’t scared, then turned around and walked away.

but i wanted to be BAD

that would have to wait…

By 1987 a large part of my life was consumed with school, riding my bike to swim practice twice a day and doing laps and flip turns for hours and hours. it got me nationally ranked so i was happy with that. when you are in the pool for so long you get kinda bored so you play tunes in your head. i had a whole play list in my head and Michael Jackson’s “Bad” was at the top of the list. The melody and the lyrics are the perfect song for training and competition*. Till this day I use it… mostly when dropping those higher on the cycling food chain** or passing someone in a no draft race***:

Bad

“Your Butt Is Mine*
Gonna Take You Right
Just Show Your Face
In Broad Daylight
I’m Telling You
On How I Feel
Gonna Hurt Your Mind***

I’m Giving You
On Count Of Three
To Show Your Stuff**
Or Let It Be . . .
I’m Telling You
Just Watch Your Mouth
I Know Your Game
What You’re About

Well They Say The Sky’s
The Limit
And To Me That’s Really True
But My Friend You Have
Seen Nothing
Just Wait ‘Til I Get Through . . .”

there’s just nothing like blasting off the wall after a flip turn and humming:

“Because I’m Bad, I’m Bad-
Come On
You Know It”

it makes you feel like the space shuttle on blast off. it totally takes off two tenths of a second off the 50 meter sprint. I have this song to thank for plenty of blue ribbons. I also could not help thinking this when i collected them:

“And The Whole World Has To
Answer Right Now
Just To Tell You Once Again,
Who’s Bad . . .”

the moral of this story is just concentrate on whats important to you and don’t pay attention to anyone telling you can’t do better because one day you’ll turn around and find the whole world watching you and taking notes.

you won’t have to resort to violence or mean words to prove your power.

it will simply flow from your essence.

long live the king of pop.

i imagine he finally got his moonwalk tonight…