school was hell.
i felt so outta place.
i still wanted to be a kid...
and looking around me in the
hallways i realized it was all
gonna change. jocks with full beards,
dudes wearing perfume they
called cologne, and these little
groups of alike kids
that stood about and looked down
their noses at the kids that
didn't belong to one of their nests.
skateboard tucked under my arm,
repeating in my mind my locker
combination 10-23-13... 10-23-13..
praying i would dial it in quick
and stash my board. the principal
had already told me at the front
of the school "no skateboards in
classes or riding anytime". when the
locked popped open.. i tried to jam
the board in the locker. i couldn't do
it. it wouldn't go. like a fucking
nightmare.. three senior jocks
just stood right around me,
talking out loud about me,
how shitheads do...
saying:
"damn look how little he is",
"skateboarders are total fags"
"man i could kick that kids ass so easy"
"we should take his board"
so...finally some older skater
that knew my older brother
came by and showed me how to
dent up the top part of the locker
and wiggle the board in at a crazy
angle. Then some bed wetter
kid that had the wrong color
backpack or something walked
by and they latched their verbal
dipshittery on him. i hated that
place. sit and wait... and daydream
about skateboards and dirtbikes.
fitting in has always been a
difficult concept for me.
the older i got the more i
found people with the same feelings
drawn to loner activities like
skateboarding, artwork, music, and
motorcycles. things that you can
do on your own... but are also
fun to do with like minded folks.
Saturday morn nov, 14 2009.
i blasted down telegraph ave
in Oakland... like walking
down that hallway 20 years ago
the first day of high school...
i was nervous. what if no one
shows up? what if its jocks
wearing cologne????
i pulled up slightly late
for my own ride... but instead
of heckling jocks greeting me..
it was all smiles. and like
minded folks. gathered to share
a loner activity, together...
young skater kids on sportsters,
grown ass men on old bmw's,
eccentrics on cafe cb's, pans, knucks,
vintage racers, all kinds.
i was blown away. i got the chills
so crazy, the good ones.
an old friend of 30 years said
" dude i couldn't even sleep last
night i was so excited for the ride today"
i want to thanks everyone that showed up
.... from the bottom of my balls.
you guys are awesome. thank you.
-max-
39 comments:
thanks again max. it was a great day. great bikes, great people with great attitudes.. the way it should be.
EVERYBODY, just wow. can we move the next annual ride up to this weekend?
nice script, great day, nice.....be peace
word up.
One day, I will go on this ride and it will be epic.
Great way to spend a beautiful saturday. Thanks Max.
Max, It takes one to know one. It was special. Thanks, "the grown ass man".
Max you're ride was awesome! Thanks for waiting for us when my friend hit that cat. We thought you guys were long gone... It be huge if you dropped by the shop sometime, its kinda near Bottom of the Hill.- San Francisco Vintage Cycle, www.sfvintagecycle.com
Right on Max. That ride was fun. I'm glad the unknown ironhead made it all the way back to Sacramento. The next ride shall be just as epic.
Looks like a blast. Surfing fell into the loner groups. Although some surfers sucked too.
nice write up, looks like a great day on wheels; I smell what you are stepping in about high school
looked like a damn good time.
Max, thanks for hosting a great event. No bullshit. Good times with good friends old and new. lets ride again soon. Kevin G
I had such a great time for the first 20 miles! Then my little mf sportster just had no more go. I was so happy to see some other women riding too. Michael is taking my junk into Hannon's today to get it all up to snuff. Next year I think I might be riding long enough to keep up with you guys - sorry I'm such a turtle - riding motorcycles is a new thing for me, but it sure is fun.
Looks like a great ride out...wish i could've joined you!!! jealous! x stevie
steviemonster.blogspot.com
hi max , got my shirt in the mail ! thanks ! , but got sent the wrong size (small instead of medium)... shall it mail back ? have you any mediums left ? cheers mate , seth (london )
Max that was a great little write up. I can't tell you how many times I got called "skater fag" or slapped in the back of the head by some jock in High School. It's funny because the whole time I went to High School in Pensacola FL all I could think about was, man it's gotta be better in California, I guess we just went to High School at the wrong time. Shit, may be we went at the right time, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. I wish I could of came up for the ride sounds/looks like you guys had a great time.
Take care
-r-
no sleep till oakland.
i had a great time. thanks for everything. smiles for miles.
yes!!!
thanks guys
for the responses.
Great vibe. Zero egos. people that dig bikes for the right reasons. Cheap beer and food doesnt hurt either. Successfully Stoked Saturday
This is for Ricky Bedenbaugh. I don't know when you went to high school but it's always been that way. I was a surfer/skater in the early 60's and I had to take my back seat out of my slammed 41 chev coupe w/wire wheels and split duals(low rider) so as not to get hassled by my fellow bros. Jocks didn't fuck with us lowriders though. I dig your blog Ricky. The Grown Ass Man
i have to admit, that I am quite jealous...it seems to be quite sunny over there, back here in Germany we have about 8°C and rain...I envy you!
maybe I can manage to participate in some years...
michael---
you deleted your comment
about an addendum ride... or a
bonus footage run. some type of
do over. sorry i didn't get back
quick enough... you did a re-read
and thought-fuck i've responded
two times.... i'm a fuckin goon-
..... but no, man your right.
your "noble leader" will get something going soon.
If I lived on the west coast I would have been there!
illustrious potentate, assemble the masses for an addendum. into battle we shall surge, no bugs will be spared from the innumerable "glistening chicklets" of the gleeful mass as we spiral reversing tornadoes upon the awestruck cattle in stunned amazement of our thunder horses.
REDS HEADS ARE UNDEAD............
Looks like it was a great time. 1up Max.
You're a goddamn wordsmith.
Looks like so much fun, its snowing in Washington...
Could'nt make it to this one, but Looking forward to the next ride. Sooner than later hopefully. Great to have something like this in NorCal, the SoCal guys were making us look bad. Good stuff Max.
I would have loved to be there.
Max, it was loads of fun. thanks for putting it together. -- pete & kim
Max, this post hits close to home...glad to see the massive positivity you breed around all the things I love.
Blam-
Maiden voyage of the 6T Sinner sunk. Crunched fender of embarrassment and leaky primary of oversight prevented the scoot of destiny. I hear inklings of another in the wings. What say ye?
Jared
BELLA ROBA!
bummed i missed it, when is the next. Can't wait!
Damn, I was tearing up until the bottom of your balls part... always fun to ride with a buncha kooks on cool bikes!
Great ride with like minded folks with no attitudes. perfect day for a loner that is new to Oakland. riding to the coffee shop at the end of the ride through berkley was fast, reckless, and fun.
Thanks again Max, good to meet you & everyone else.
Joe Nots
looks like fun! damn the rain here. neverending.
but... 2, 3 ladies outta 50? damn, if the unicorns were there that'd be tripled.
oh, we got a zine for you on the way. michelle's in oakland next week, can maybe leave it on your doorstep?
got her a message
kegstand is gonna
guide her galloping
this way
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