switching blog to tumblr.

moving here

http://veloamant.tumblr.com/

I love you tio.

Im having a hard time not wanting to vanish.

get a pizza.

via funeralface

old picture, old friend.i remember laughing so hard trying to take this photo.

I got into pretty nasty bike crash last thursday. As I was fast down the blvd trying to catch up with the pack 100 yards ahead I decided to pull of and wait for some people that may be behind me. Little did I know there was Dylan directly behind me. As I went to the right I slowed down and Dylan ran right into me, we crashed and I got slight concussion but mostly just a bruised leg. My bike came out fine, Dylans seemed to be on the bottom of the pile when we crashed.I would say we were doing a good 30 mph. Have a look at his handlebars

as posted on sdfixed.com

I'm on the verge of something.

I can feel it.

Whether that be a breakdown or a epiphany I'm not sure.

I'm trying not to escape.

Coachella 2009 was amazing. Thank you friends for making the awesome time happen.

Photo by Joseph Villaviencio

DEATH PEDAL trailer 2 By Kareem Shehab from Killa Kareem on Vimeo

hillarious

from trackosaurus rex

DEATH PEDAL Trailer by Kareem Shehab from Killa Kareem on Vimeo

local guys

deathpedal.com

my top words from twitter.

Matt Lauer flipped over his bicycle recently and hurt his shoulder. What caused the sudden grasp of the brakes? A deer.

How the hell does someone run a bike into a deer? I think Matt was aiming for him.

article

chicks and bikes

and a picture from my trip to Amsterdam 4 years ago.

an old sketch i found

The Jungle Book Soundtrack

listen late at night.

I found an old temporary tattoo of a firetruck today. I have not been able to throw it away and finally taped it permanently into a book. I cant stand to throw away evidence of friends.

As I rode between fifth and sixth ave the other day, heading west on university...I encountered a monster. A white behemoth came up beside me and started tapping my back wheel with his car. I swung around and gave him a peace of my mind while signing the international "what the fuck" expression. He swings into me again and thats where it gets ugly. The light on fifth is red and hes coming over quick into my space. He honks and I give a quick karate kick to his mirror. After racing through the intersection I looked back to watch his face and hear his horn scream. Fuck that car and any other that tries to physically push me out of my way.

Next time it will be a window I swear.

from Angella

Untitled from rocco malatesta on Vimeo

bicycles=love

cant wait

I cant wait to answer the "so, what do you do?" question with a "I own my own business...bicycle business".

When did the speed get turned up on the treadmill of life?

Why are rainboots so sexy?

From What do vegetarian zombies eat?

Found this picture in an album I havent seen in awhile.

cab

There is a ton of interest in starting this buisness idea of mine. Check out the discussion going on.

sdfixed.com discussion

and of course....chicks and bikes

bicycle film festival 2009.

I am so stoked for this years bicycle film festival. I hope it comes somewhere close enough to ride to. Maybe my film friend Joey would like to come.

posted to sdfixed.com

Having just lost my job and getting under $100 a week from unemployment Im desperate for money and trying to think creatively. I started talking to some of the owners of places I frequent on my street (adams ave) about bicycle delivery. Most really liked the idea, some were confused . The owner of the new chinese food place across from lestats seemed excited today. He got my phone number and told me he would call soon. He suggested a maximum 1 mile radius which sounds great. There are many more small restaurants and buisnesses on Adams that I feel would be interested in such an idea as well. The new El Zarape is opening soon too.

My idea is this. Start a small local delivery serivce for the kensington, normal heights and university heights neighborhoods. I know there are many of riders in this area or at least close enough to the area to make this possible. In a time where every cent going into the tank is being counted and buisnesses strive to become "greener", this buisness could offer something simple and good.

So I have read about some of these types of buisnesses started in Seattle and Portland but whats the experience here locally? Do you feel that there is enough potential for this community? Obviously advertising would be important to get this wheel moving. I am not tech savy but know there are people on here who are. I figure a good website, blog(?) and local web advertising would be very helpfull for this type of buisness.

Its either this or I'm going back to pedicabbing. The retail chapter of my ife is closed and I dont want to open it up for awhile. I really want to to work for myself again.

Anyone interested, got an idea, annoyed at the idea or have some sort of guidance?

i could go for a stella

Rapha Rides the TOC - Episode 4 from RAPHA on Vimeo

and part four

Lance on the Tour of California. Lance is legit.

this bike is a pipe bomb

via chicks and bikes

a blog about chicks and bikes

Rapha Rides the TOC - Episode 3 from RAPHA on Vimeo.

kinda cool. kinda scary. diet coke and bicycles?

was pulled over today on university. i ran a red light because there was no cross traffic but as i passed through i saw the motorcycle cop on the opposite side turning left. he waved and so did i as i pulled over up adead into a parking spot. i didnt say much besides my height and weight.

went to buffalo exchange and got some money for old shirts. met up with JC and got potato pancakes at whole foods. on the ride home from Jc's i was almost hit by a car trying to pull out of a parkinglot. idiot bastard was an inch close. i held my breath and hoped he would stop in time because I could not.

wanded bowls with ariel and ate natures express. i belive im going to balboa park right now. it feels good to be out of the house so much today.

from i love bicycles

Rapha Rides the TOC - Episode 2 from RAPHA on Vimeo.

kittens inspired by kittens

Rapha Rides The Tour of California from RAPHA on Vimeo.

this got me excited for my trip today even more.

From: Matthew R
Q.I had a dream last night that I was playing a clarinet on stage with you guys. Can you visit my dreams everynight? We jammed.

A. We haven't used enough clarinet in our songs actually. I met the film composer David Arnold, who told me he hates clarinets. I rather like them.

Mick - 12/02/09


from Belle & Sebastians site

San Diego Velodrome Classes are starting in march. Sign me up.

click here to read more

And check out this bike I found on craigslist. It looks great and its my size.

stoked for this. who wants to ride there?

Why have I never seen this movie?

from ccc

View Larger Map

The Map

Thats 1,013 miles total...Its going to take more than a week for sure.

My friend Joey is on board for filming the Yosemite trip. I am stoked to have him involved , its going to be bitchin.

I need to go down to Velo Cult and put a deposit down for a bike, really start to save for it.

I rode to PB from my house in the rain today. It took 30 minutes. Tomorrow I'm going to attempt the Cabrillo lighthouse. Its a long hill up but not too bad of a grade.




I cant wait till spring and summer. Till the time I can ride with shorts and a tanktop.

i dont think there is anyway i am going to coachella this year. again, the cost is just too high and will really fuck up other plans i have for the year...yosemite trip, bicycle institute in the fall.

times are tough, i have to prioritize.

Belle & Sebastian Discography

http://www.mp3locker.net/2008/10/belle-and-sebastian-discography-1996.html

There is an account that in the 1940s a British embassy worker, Miss Lois Jessup, went on a tour of the Hypogeum and convinced a guide to let her explore a 3ft. square "burial chamber" next to the floor of the lowest room in the last [3rd] sub-level. She claims that after squeezing through this chamber she came into a large room; where she was standing there was a large cliff with a steep drop and the floor of the cavern could not be seen. Across the cavern there was a small ledge with an opening in the wall. According the Ms. Jessup, a number of 'humanoid beings' that were covered in white hair and hunched over came out of this opening. They raised their palms in her direction and a large gust of wind filled the cavern, extinguishing the light of her candle. She then claimed that she felt something brush past her. When she went back to the Hypogeum on another occasion, she was told no such tour guide had ever worked on the site. Sometime after Miss Jessup's first visit, a group of school children and their teacher visited the Hypogeum on an outing and entered the same burial chamber, which then collapsed while they were inside. Search parties could not conduct a thorough search for the children or their teacher due to the cave-in. The parents of the children claimed that, for weeks, they could hear the voices of their children coming from under the ground in several parts of the island.

crazy night time wikipedia reading about the malta hypogeum. creepy.

riding through this tunnel is what i am looking forward to the most.

check out the view at the end. amazing.

you came by out of the blue

and it made my day

bicycle poem

my father introduced the bicycle
a new world was offered
self propulsion
self reliance
pride in ones self

blue
blue like a turquoise bird
old and used, heavy and creaking
it had the charm i was after

giving up the keys
letting my legs
my strength
my courage
my imagination let me explore a world
within range

widening the distance
planning destinations that seem out of reach
proving
hoping
dreaming
a reach for change

marijuana poem

being stoned feels so fine
being stoned frees my mind
being stoned brings relief
being stoned sheds the grief
being stoned sounds better
being stoned feels better
being stoned tastes the best
being stoned lets you see the rest

share it
love it
smoke it
bake it
grow it

I really prefer being called "Matthew"

"matt" sounds like a noise an animal would make.

"matt-matt" sounds like two animal noises.

"matty" reminds me of a creepy band director who used to exclusively call me that.

"reate" is my last name, and although distinct its still my last name. i'm not in the military or a detective.

"Matthew" is comforting to me, its what my mother and sister have always called me. Even after other family members transitioned from "matt=matt" to just "matt".


this whole blog stems from a dream i had last night. repetition is something that scares the shit out of me. a couple hallucinogenic experiments has really cemented this fear. in the dream people were repeating "matt" and after awhile all those people repeating would start to overlap another until it became deafening and a singular sound. it was horrible, this sound of "meahhhhh" and the surrounding "teh" sounds.

i started introducing myself as "matthew" years ago but "matt" still persists to surround me. i try not to care too much during my day to day but that dream was fucking terrifying.



On another note:
budgeting didnt go exactly as well as planned. i get paid on thursday, the big one.

Budgeting has never been anything I've been remotely good at. Today marked the first day of me actually trying.

12.88 a day is my budget for this pay period. I only spent $8. Not bad...not bad.

Im hoping if all goes to plan I can welcome a puppy to the house in a month or two.



On a totally unrelated note:

The clashes "straight to hell" is much better than M.I.A.

Straight To Hell - The Clash

On another random note:

I have started to think about the fact of this blog being linked to from both my "spaces". There are people on there that I havent talked to in a while and who I felt obligated to accept fried requests from. I started to wonder what they might find on this blog, things they might find suprising or sad. I dont feel like I should have to put a disclaimer on this blog for them but theres still apart of me that worries. I worry that because they havent had the opportunity to talk to me one on one in a long time, they might start filling in gaps or get the wrong idea.

I'm not proud of everything I do in my life but I also wouldnt take any of it back. I am who I am for what I have seen and done. Life should not be lived with regrets, its too short. I am happy with my life right now and the direction I am going. Although my goals have changed dramatically from just after high school till now I do believe I am getting a clearer picture of my future.

For anyone interested to know what it is I am working towards Ill gladly tell you. I want to build bikes and blow ornate glass. I want to own property and build a farm (house and windmills included). I want to own a bike shop/glass shop in a town or city within riding distance, entirely filled with my designed bikes and glass. I want to grow all my own vegetables and raise my own chickens and other animals. I want to grow my own marijuana and become a medical distributer with strains created by myself.

I hope to one day have a spouse and maybe even children...adoption seems more logical to me. I dont want to legally marry somebody though, unless I could obtain foriegn citizenship. I want to ride around the world one day. I'm starting a new tradition for myself this year by riding to Yosemite and want to increase the distance of the trip every year untill one day I can make the complete loop around the globe. I want to make sure my parents are comfortable in thier senior years. I would love to one day start a human rights organization.

These are some of the goals I could think of on the spot. I'm a dreamer and I do this kind of thinking a lot. I hope this shed some light on what my intentions are in life.

Next blog...how the bicycle and marijuana changed my life