Motorhead concert recap

Just this past Tues night I went to go see Motorhead with a friend. I had previously seen them 3(4?) times before. The first time was back in '99 I think. It was over at the infamous East St Louis institution that is POP's in Sauget/ IL. In the pit I got knocked into this old big gnarly biker dude, and when I turned around to look at him he grabbed my throat and straight choke slammed me to the floor. A life moment I will never forget!

The second time was a few years later also at POP's. Rumor has it that I may or have may not been wandering around out back by the bus's and was able to pound some Jack Daniels with Lemmy himself. It was this time also that I'm not absolutely sure if I was confusing seeing Motorhead for a 3rd time or not, but what ev's.

The true 3rd time(maybe 4th?) was at the Pagent 2012. Some 10 years later I think? It was truly "Everything Louder Than Everything Else". The "new" Misfits were supposed to open and flaked out. Good for us! Bad for the silly little Hot Topic punk kids sitting on the ledge during Motorhead bellyaching about how the "new" Misfits cancelled. I tried to explain that Motorhead were the true heroes of the night, but my words were lost to both ignorance and earsplitting volume of MOTORHEAD! I still remember at that show how in my older age I had gained a deeper appreciation for the bands music. It was no longer "Oh yeah, Motorhead is cool. Ace of Spades, man!" from my teenage years, but "MOTORHEAD is bad mutha' fuckin' ass! The triple ending of "OVERKILL" sends shivers up my spine!" to my elder years.

So weeks ago when my friend said she would spot me a ticket I couldn't say no. As time grew near, I began checking out and reading stuff about Lemmy Kilmister himself. I found to no surprise that his health is diminishing witha quickness. The man has been drinking Jack Daniels everyday for years and living the rock n roll dream or what some people call it.

At that show at the Pagent. I remembered how the music was still spot on, but Lemmy's stage presence was a little sluggish. At the time I thought nuthin' of it, until later that night I saw him through a open backstage door being escorted by some lady. It was the way he was walking that surprised me. He had the slow hobble of a dude who had been wrecked out from a life of rock n roll, and needed this lady for stability.

It was these memories that gave me the push to go see Motorhead play one more time. I say "one more time" because it very well could be that. Lemmy is 69 years old and can barely walk. He could die soon!

 So at the show on Tues, it all started off with some slower tempo songs. The volume was loud, but not as I had remembered it. For some reason I didn't recognize the first couple songs for what reason I don't know. They then went into "Western Movies" and the tingles trickled down my spine. Its one of my fav's and was ichin' to hear it live, again. Well, it was quickly apparent that Lemmy's health was indeed a major concern. He just couldn't keep time and was always singing slightly delayed. The rest of the show then pretty much followed this path, with even a few slip ups here and there. It made me sad and reminded me of my grandpa and how he was slipping after his stroke.

Even though it wasn't the best concert I'd seen, I was still super stoked I made my appearance. If anything, I kinda feel like it was a "I support Lemmy Kilmister!" show. Even though he'd probably say "F that shit!".  Lemmy's in rough shape and I had heard he has been cancelling shows this tour. So that being said,  I'm glad he was able to push through this show, and that I made it. I feel super fortunate that I have had the opportunity multiple times in my life to see such a rock n roll god like he through both good and bad. So if you have the chance to go see Motorhead, I recommend it even if it sounds like it was lack luster. You may never have the opportunity again.

This show also further cemented in my brain that mortality is eminent! Lemmy has been super fortunate to have made it to the age that he is and live the fantastic life that he has.  And Lemmy I know your not dead yet, so I'm sorry that I'm speaking as if you are. Its just this experience has givin' me all the more drive to not give up on what I'm doing with my life, what ever that might be, and to always live like tomorrow may not come.

Lemmy Kilmister, your freakin bad ass, and will "Always be INDESTRUCTIBLE!"

    
                           Motorhead  "Overkill"

And one of the best tv cameos ever! Motorhead playin' Ace of Spades on the '80s British sitcom The Young Ones.

-peat

SBR Dirt Crit 7/8/9

Um so yeah, same ol' same ol'. Wonder where I've been. I've been smashed out, and just slumpin' around St. Louis. I've been warkin, and just tryin' to recover. Yes, I'm still kinda destroyed from Gravel Worlds, which I still a owe a race report on. It was bad ass! Lets just say I was very very very physically prepared, but minor oversights turned into big misfortune.

Its not all bad though. I learned a bit about my strength and how to be ready to overtake GWs for next year. Moving on though, heres a short recap on the last 3 DCs!

Week 7 I rode the cx bike. I managed to snag the hole shot and held the lead till the end. Bobelak kept me against the ropes for the first handful of laps. I eventually pulled away, but not far enough to be able to chill. It was good for me to have to stay focused on the turns and to not eat shit with the skinny tired bike.

smoke 'em if ya got 'em

 

Week 8 I got my baby back with a new bb(thanks Eric at Enduro).  Two weeks of racing the cx bike and then back to true ORB tires made the turns effortless! As it has so frequently crossed my mind before, 29er tubeless whether its with a rigid fork or shock is straight cheating! Thinking about how to take a turn was totally thrown out the window. However, the handling was there, but the power was low. From a outsiders perspective, everybody would call "Bullshit" to that, but this was the Thurs after GWs. I still took the win, but it was one hell of a struggle. 

nice form

ditto

Bobelak just before eating a taco. JK.

Week 9 was a dismal turn out, compared to previous weeks. We still had a allstar cast pushing the pace of the A race. If my legs felt blowed out the week before, the feeling was tenfold week 9. I snagged second into the woods, and then 2nd lap just past the finish line I washed out in the dust falling back 5 or so places. Our lead group had put a hurt on the rest of the field so by the time I was up and on the bike no chase group had caught up yet! I layed  out a couple efforts and bridged back up to my buddies. Within a couple laps I was back up in 1st and held it. I think everybody was feeling the accumulation of racing all summer because the whole race felt in slow motion. Even though I won, I still can't believe it. With as drained and uncertain I felt taking some of the tight turns, week 9 was won 100% on luck.

Last nights DC was CANCELED CANCELED CANCELED! We got a crazy storm that flooded out the course. 

Now I'm 1 week out from the last DC and Fools Gold 100 down in Georgia. I'm praying for a miracle to help me recover, push, and prevail through bofadoes races.

Also, next Thurs Sept 17th is the last SBR Dirt Crit! Don't be a fool and miss it.

And since I've dug up my Misfits cd's, heres "Last Caress" blended with some '50s rock n roll dancers. Enjoy!

-Peat

The Raleigh Technium 26er SS aka "Deth March"

Here is a pic of my new bike.

It was a donation bike to the Trek Store. A repair bike that the customer didn't want to spend the kinda money on that it needed and was too lazy to bring it home. I saw it and immediately saw its growing potential.

I stripped it down cut the chain. Left the 46t chainring on. Tossed on some spacers and a old 17t Surly cog plus donation Bontrager Hardcase 26x2.0 hybrid tires, and was G2G! I didn't even adjust the brakes and its honk is just as good as its looks. Deth March or Lil DM is my new training machine. Its painful, but does exactly what is asked of it. As of now it already has about 300 miles on it. Most of those were Gravel Worlds training day miles.

F the trainer! F a geared bike! I'm going for a Deth March!

-Peat

Dirt Crits Week 6. Another Weenier.

Last Thursday was Week 6 of the Dirt Crits. After testing the water the week before I decided, or was forced rather, to race my All City Purple Nature Boy CX bike. The back story is short. After less than 5 months I already blew out my Enduro bottom bracket. Enduro wouldn't send me a new one without inspection of the blowed out one first. And since I'm racing myself broke right now, I sent it to them in hopes of it getting warrantied. So, my BOCOMO O.R.B. has now become a strider bike.

 

I love the Dirt Crits and figured it would be nothing but a learning experience to ride the CX bike for them. I kinda got the feeling that peeps thought I was out flexing my muscles by riding the Nature Boy, but I wasn't. I really had no clue how things would pan out. It also was really hard to take turns on that thing at speed with the dusty turns. It was fun however! I love doing things that sharpen my skillaz, and doin what I did last Thursday was much of that.

 After a bad start of not getting clipped in, and getting into the rabbit hole 6 spots back made for a tough and mentally draining race. Everything that the fat tires could disrespect, would straight make my rear end pucker.  Not to mention the matches burned in the first 3.5 laps before I was able to make a pass on the top four dudes. Even then Bobelak was still able to ride my ass to the finish.

In the end I still got the WIN. Will I ride the CX bike again for week 7? Yup. I have to, I don't have my bb back yet. So race Thursday night, clean the bike and then off to Gravel Worlds I go.

-peat

Event Horizon. Gravel Worlds here comes Peat Henry

For everybody surrounding me in my daily life Gravel Worlds is now old hat. Despite it not even happening yet. Its the race that I've been bustin' my balls for for the last 2 months, and the race that I mention when anybody asks "Have any big races coming up?"  Have a race Sunday? Oh lets go out and do a 125 miles Saturday. Got friends in town that want to party? Lets just stay out til 3 Friday! Feel shitty on Tuesday? 90 miles it is on Wednesday. I've been burnin the candle at both ends, and now I'm on the event horizon. I feel pretty hella good surprisingly. 

I never like to get my hopes up though. The body and mind may be tip top, but a unforeseen bike failure could sabotage everything when old man Murphy comes to town. I also haven't done this race yet. I've done many similar, but not this. Its totally unsupported with the exception of a few convenient stores and family members of the race organizers  opening up their lawns/garages to us filthy pedal pushers. So only time will tell how many souls I will crush, or how many souls will crush me? It goes both ways.

I'm not nervous. I'm not scared. I'm just excited to see what happens. I'm curious about what this Saturday will bring. I've been going on blind faith since I broke my hip a year and a half ago( man has it been that long?!!), and this is just another step into the darkness. Always having that funny feeling in my belly that keeps telling me to commit and then awesome ass shit will happen!

Life's crazy man. I still don't get it. So its time to give up thinkin', and start doin'.    

-peat

You Dirty Dirty Dirty

 Ok, so my new friend and fellow dirt bag Chris Reichel

is coming to St Louis this weekend.



He has some good association with Reeb Bikes, Drunk Cyclist, Oscar Blues, and he just quit his day job to ride his CX bike across the country towing a bob trailer with his SS ORB set up on the bob via a roof rack tray.


Well Sunday he will be at Hammerstones down in Soulard from 3 to 9ish partying and giving away crap. 

Speaking of crap, heres his Instagram. Its got great pics of his bike set up and him sitting on a tank.

I will be doing the 1gear100 road ride with a whole grip-o-folks, but will be hustling over to Hammerstones pronto after the ride.

Hope to see ya there, its gonna be fun!

-peat

Dirt Crits week 4 and 5

As I've said The Dirt Crits are a freakin good time. What I like about them is how they harness your high speed handling skillaz. I like 'em so much I don't think I have missed one since 2009. For serious! The peeps are also always rad and free sno-cones and beer to the racers.

That being said heres a flyer for it.

And the Dirt Crit fb link. Check it out. Only a handful of weeks left!

Trailnet is also one of the sponsors. They help get St Louis moar bike friendly. 

Oh, and by the way. Week 4 and 5, I nailed 1st both races. I even hopped in the B race last night on my All-City Purple Nature Boy to see how it would fare. I technically wasn't in the race, but I put a pretty good hurt the rest of the field and got a second 1st place of the night. Even though it didn't count for anything.

Why you grabbin' my beard dave?

Also, thanks Struckmans for dinner!

-Peat