I’m getting a bit bored of Christmas so it’s lucky that’s its just finished. Bah humbug!

Nah, seriously, I’ve had a nice time and all that but I have done so much nothing that its starting to drive me a bit mad. Most people have gone away for the holidays so there aren’t many riding buddies around. Come home friends!

Anyway, despite the fact I’ve just begun to get cabin fever, I have enjoyed good company and nice food and drink over this period as well as some good music. My new favourite song has to be Nick The Chopper by Baris Manco; a seventies turkish gem about an evil woodsman who chops down trees who ultimately extract their revenge by strangling him with their branches.

Also been enjoying wearing my new Actual Pain top which I was lucky enough to receive for Christmas. I really like their stuff so stoked to have an item of their clothing. They have some great podcast kinda things you can download too – got a mix tape from them by Fenriz from Darkthrone, bandmate of Nocturno Culto who is up there in the snowy picture at the top of my blog. Go check their mixtapes for cool stuff.

Got these new shirts and hoodies in the online store and will be dropping some off at Shop 14 soon. Splat available in dried blood on black, hot pink on grey or as a hoody in fluoro green on back. Hoody has a back print too. WOO.

Go have a look at the Hell Yeah site here or go straight to the store here

The guys at Shop 14 were kind enough to take us go karting. It was such an ace day! Started off with a mad dash to get my work done and then I busted down the the shop for some of Andy FGL’s awesome homemade mince pies and the best brownies from St John’s Bread and Wine. YUM.

Next we all rode down the the go carting place somwhere near Woolwich. It was a beautiful sunny day and it was good to be out on my bike with everyone even though it was pretty cold.

Go carting was the best! I started off thinking I would just take it easy and hang at the back but the minute my foot hit the accelerator all that went out the window and my competitive streak shone through. I went as fast as I possibly could and wound up getting the fastest lap time out of all 15 of us. WHOOP! Andy took first place. It was awesome. Thanks John and Duncan!

We all doodled on Tony Fast’s new Shop 14 frame that Ted built. What a lucky chap….. heehee

Its been sent off to be lacquered so all our fine handiwork will last an eternity!

Got a party going on this Thursday at the Macbeth in association with Carhartt.

Beer, Music, BBQ, Mince Pies, Bad Tunes, Santa Hats, Peas, Burgers, Quorn, Whiskey, Mexicans, CARHARTT GIVE AWAYS, Girls, Boys, Plant Feed, ALL FOR FREE

If its anything like as good as the last party, its gonna be mental! I have a feeling it will be even better. Plus if I can find a couple of DI boxes we might have this teenage MC doing a set which would be pretty hilarious.

but this has got to take the biscuit.

I have spent the day organising 20 Santa outfits plus bags of candy canes and gold coins for an event Posy and I are putting on tomorrow.

Continuing with our plot to take over the world in the most retarded manner possible, we have organised a guerilla marketing event/PR stunt for Gocycle which is taking place tomorrow. We are paying 20 of our friends to dress up and ride about on semi-electric bikes for the day. Well actually, Gocycle but its going through the company that Posy and I set up, Final. Should be a laugh as I’ve tried one of the bikes and they are pretty hilarious to ride plus with the people we have coming along, there’s no way we won’t have fun. I don’t know anyone will be able to keep a straight face when we are all gonna look like this:

There’s a new issue of Fixe on the way. I LOVE the cover!

I think the launch party will be in Paris on December 17th. Go check Laura Manganaro’s blog here as she will have all the details. Inside the mag Laura has an interview she did with the guys from The Revival whilst they were staying with her in Paris.

Emily and I decided to go to Rotterdam for the weekend to check out the Revival premiere. Well actually, I’d already seen the film three times but thought it would be fun to hang out the the Vancouver crew, Laura and the Dutchies for the weekend.

Emily and I took the coach all the way there and back as flights and the train were looking really expensive as we were booking last minute. The coach was only £4o return but that meant we had to endure 12 hours each way.  It started off pretty badly when we had to give the drivers a twenty quid backhander EACH just so they would let us take our bikes with us. It was that or go straight back home (or leave our bikes in the middle of Victoria coach station, which was not an option). The coach was not fun at all – no light in the toilet meant that there was piss everywhere and we didn’t stop once so had to starve for 12 hours. Also, I’m sorry if your Mum, Dad or friend is a coach driver but I have to say that I have never met a meaner or stupider bunch.The shit these guys was coming out with was absolutely unreal. I think they must literally have been retarded.

When we arrived in Rotterdam Saskia was there to meet us with a couple of beers which was ace. Saskia  was an awesome tour guide the whole weekend plus her and John were kind enough to put Emily and I up. Thanks guys!

Friday morning, Emily and I went for a ride and checked out a couple of sites including this lovely gnome holding…. erm…….?

Rotterdam is really cycle friendly with cycle lanes everywhere plus amazingly, the drivers let you go first rather than turning into you like they do in England. It’s so mellow that it gets a bit boring at times!

We got some breakfast at 101 Pancakes. Loving that chandelier!

Later Wayne, Korey, Kati and Laura turned up. Tyler stayed in Paris and I heard he was having a great time riding with Rodolpe. The film went down really well and the evening was predictable messy. Emily and I missed the tricks comp as we went to get burgers.

Here is the calm before the storm –  Kati, Laura, Emily and me:

Things got good and rowdy later. Laura was in top form! We got told off for drinking on the streets which is illegal in Holland. The police were very polite about it though.

Unfortunately we were treated to torrential rain and freezing temperatures for most of the trip which meant that not a lot of riding went down but we had a great time! Met a lot of nice people and hung out with the guys from Rotterdam Fixed. We even went back to the pancake house where we witnessed a wierd Dutch tradition. At the beginning of December in Holland, Santa comes with his black helpers to give out gifts. So every year, people get blacked up and dressed up! I think some people try and claim that the helpers are black because they just came down the chimney but considering the Dutch’s colonial history I suspect that may not be the true reason…

Me and Em confused:

Santa liked Laura:

The Tokyo Fixed launch party last night was ace and the shop looks amazing. They have SO much good stock; heaps of stuff I would love!

Right. haven’t got time to fanny about – I gotta go to Rotterdam. Eleven hour coach journey ahead of me. Whoop!

On Thursday I jumped in the van with Wayne, Korey, Kati, Oscar, Odge and Thom and we drove up to Leeds for a showing of The Revival. Ian and Helen had loaned us some blankets and stuff for the back of the van plus Thom had his speakers so despite the fact it was pitch black in the back  it was actually pretty comfortable until the last hour when we all developed cabin fever.

We got a few beers in and settled down to watch the film. The movie is really, really good so make sure you go watch it or buy the DVD when you can.

Later that evening we went for a bit of a ride and had some streets beers somewhere in Leeds. Odge, Oscar, Thom and I found some ledges and stuff to jump off so messed about round there then headed back for a bit of kip.

On Friday we went to a skatepark up the road and had a bit of a mess around. I was feeling pretty hungover which didn’t help much but didnt stop me trying, so I am currently covered in bruises. I’m trying to learn those footdown spin thingys but keep landing on my ass. After it started pissing it down we jumped in the van and drove to Manchester where we went for a bit of a ride and I fell off a few more times.

The Manchester screening was in Central skatepark which looked like a great place to ride but it was really busy and full of BMXers so I just watched them for a bit. I did try and do the alleycat that Craig had organised but I lost everyone immediately and then had no idea where to go…..

Saturday night, The Revival was shown in Shop 14 and things got predictably rowdy… well, Ted was there, so of course they did! Added to that it was Massey and Waynes birthday and Tyler Johnson was in town so everyone was in the mood for having a good time. After getting punched in the face just off Brick Lane (and yes, I did fight back) we headed over to a house party. It was really good fun – we were all dancing in the basement.

Thanks to the people who helped us out/put us up/ put up with us this week. Its been ace. Off to Rotterdam Thursday too!