Get Behind the Mule

So a couple of months have passed by and it feels like a lifetime given all the shit I've dealt with in that time. Certainly plenty of hard things for me to deal that the old Jim would just kick it down the road by getting smashed rather than face problems. Although I have dreamed of drinking beers in the hot sun, smoking weed and taking whatever recreational drugs I can get my hands on it hasn't happened. When I had those dreams I feel relieved that I wake up stone cold sober and it didn't happen. I've point blank refused any alcohol across multiple drinking opportunities and started turning the cog on the bike semi regular like in between work stints.

Basically, I monitor quite a lot of data channels including power, heart rate, cadence, weight, calories etc. Again everything doesn't go perfect as technology or whatever fails me from time to time.  I am a bit like an old woman when it comes to power to weight and despite some hard work across the board in training and disciplined diet nothing was doing. It just hovers around 88kg for about 7 weeks. Then I had to move house (afuckengain) and maybe busted my arse and it suddenly went back to around 85. Funny I used to take it for granted and even 82 when fully tuned peaking as a cyclist. Anyway at 85 still not any quicker climbing although I should be but then I'm old cranky fucker these days searching for a loophole in defeating age related afflictions. However time waits for no man and maybe on some level the ravages I missed me but the dentist still fucken loves me after all this time. But hey what's the price of world class smile as long as you have the chops to punish the weak afterall.

So I kept my word and turned shit around and looking and feeling good on the bike again. Now I continue the process development and delivery of a new level of self awareness as a rider. Thanks to my love of cycling and support from special people in my life for getting me to a better place where I am great and powerful. Nothing Else Matters:

Missing Link

Lost all focus, getting fat, shorter of breath and dying slowly. Not taking personal lifestyle decisions seriously and falling off the wagon- dead fucken easy. My hope is that this blog declaration will be catalsyt life improvements and changes needed to put my life back together  so  I be what I want go where I want to be after quite some time in the blackened wilderness mentaly.

2011- separation/divorce triggered deep hurt and remorse for my failings and a feeling of loss which I compensated with heavy drinking and smoking of tobacco and other substances.

Alcohol has continued to tighten its grip over my consciousness and ability to form meaningful relationships with people and whilst I once thought it could be controlled the fact is I'm in autopilot when comes to booze on a complete rampaging collision course with self destruction. Subsequently my cycling and other sporting endevours have suffered significant to a point of declaring my racing days are over and really couldn't be motivated to ride or care about it anyhow.

Now I can be a pussy and listen to that voice what says you're just no good or you can stand up and be a man. Since the start of July I've been trying to quit drinking/ tobacco unsuccessfully so hopefully with publishing it on my blog I can get it done and put clean air between myself and last drinks.

Date markers are 06.10.14- druken stupour for the last time
                            25.09.14- quit smoking for the final time

In the past I've managed to self assess and focus my cycling/ mtb riding etc into an ok position but always tended to fall away after certain events or rides again loss of focus or something and again booze, recreational drugs and of course fast women (I have a soft spot for those leading to irrational and expensive decision making- another human emotional feeling what I need control over).

This time the plan is to come at more holistically with a wider range of training activities including weights resistance and other cardio activities to cycling and see where that gets me. Also staying positive mentalily is a big deal, nothing is to lose but doing nothing with such an opportunity is crime when I am blessed and the world can be so fucked up.  

Stay Upright

James  L MotherFucking Robbie

 

 

 

Bush bash in Effect

Another Ashby Basher

So anyway, I've been on a bit of a tangent lately with old school bicycles and the like and just about broken all the rules as far as what's considered cool on the retro bicycle scene. Although I did deduce from Idiots guide to salvaged  80's bicycles that this bike was and is junk in every sense of the word. So why do I need to add such a thing to my collection? Well since starting this mission in the garage a couple of months ago and spending considerable time trawling the web for stuff about this. In this search I basically come up with precious little information it on various sources so here’s my take:

 

Please bear in mind that this is processed from my research and with my ADHD 4 web forums so year/dates etc may not be 100% accurate but will try:

 

Ashby Bros produced bicycles around Brisbane from around the 1930’s from a shop front/ workshop on Wickham Terrace in the Valley. Guthrie Bicycle Company (located in Stafford) which there precious little information regarding took it over or produced bicycles using the Ashby name and others such as Local in the 70’s. I have not seen any example of a Guthrie bicycle to date but bear in mind I am new to this side of bicycles.  In August 1977, Guthrie Bicycle Company was taken over or sold to become Cycles Australia. Cycle’s Australia manufactured and assembled bicycles at Geebung under various names including Peugoet, Swift, Ashby, Sprite,  Madison and Local. Later I believe they dropped the Ashby name in favour of Madison. By this stage I would suggest it would have been like rats off a sinking ship and if you've ever seen the aftermath of a defunct manufacturing facility then you'll know about the apocalypse(

 

The question I have around production is how framesets were churned and what influence mass production had on subsequent distribution. The reason is BITD when I ruled the streets of Jindalee on BMX we had quite a few kids in the hood riding Madison's which were definitely NOT COOL but try find one now. Maybe if I grew up in the eastern suburbs I would have seen Peugeot or Swift bikes instead. But were these identical frame sets with different post production assembly/ specifications same as practiced often today?.? At a glance I would suggest this likely but that's my subjective opinion. Ironically Mt Ommaney where we first started MTB on BMX and trail building got bulldozed so all those wealthy Asians could come here coz we're such a tolerant multi-cultural country or piss weak spineless depending how you see it;-) but anyway getting off subject. 

 

So I started on an earlier Guthries Ashby Tour De France what’s to my calculation is between 1973-1975. I wasn’t too sure how to address it as it has original pin-stripping and some crome that I decided is best left as is. Then I got some Cycles Australia Ashby stickers circa 1980’s by some stroke of luck/ divine intervention coz someone was selling it and I picked up a seemingly one off Madison set as well. Then I got even dumber luck, another Ashby. It is pretty evidently done on the cheap in an effort to stave off the Asian scurge flooding the Australian market with cheap rubbish. In saying that it really comes down to the materials and frame building process although this pretty much ticks all the pushies galore build off boxes hey.  I won’t be getting as precious with this one as the weathered old pin striped Tour de France, it’s got re-spray written all over it especially that since I have original decals in virtually new condition to possibly put on it.

 

And the N+1 rule dictates what it will become. At first I stupidly asked myself what the hell am I going to with yet another bicycle. Then I gave myself an upper cut and realised that I don’t yet have no cyclo-cross bike. The fact these came with 27inch wheels gives me the extra clearance to run fat tyres and build a bush pig. It's a 1979 the year before Bon Scott died so Rocknroll bush pig about to show these fancy pants dually bollock how to traverse the roughest terrain and get it done:

 

 

Ashby build continued