#bicycle race Australia

[pastryfication]

hi! If you are still taking requests would you please write a Oscar x reader where the reader starts being besties with Hattie and Oscar is half panicking bc they are now both making fun of him bc Hattie tells the reader so many embarrassing moments in his life

MONACO MAYHEM, oscar piastri

oscar piastri x fem!reader

becoming best friends with hattie piastri was perhaps one of the best things that ever happened to you.

it wasn’t something you had planned, but it happened almost instantly and so naturally that it felt like you were actually soulmates.

oscar had just invited you to meet his family during a visit to australia, and you were incredibly nervous at first—meeting the family of your boyfriend felt like a big deal!

but hattie had made everything easy. as soon as you two started chatting, you clicked. it wasn’t long before you were in deep conversation, laughing at her endless stories, many of which revolved around oscar’s childhood blunders. by the end of the trip, you’d exchanged numbers, and from then on, your texts became a daily thing. hattie’s constant updates were often filled with the most embarrassing and ridiculous moments of oscar’s life, which you gleefully stored in your memory bank.

oscar, however, wasn’t exactly thrilled with this new friendship—especially when he became the main subject of your conversations. now that you and hattie had teamed up, he was completely outnumbered.

one morning, when you were curled up on the couch in the monaco apartment you shared with oscar, lazily scrolling through your phone, you received yet another message from hattie.

hattie: did i ever tell you about the time oscar made a homemade 'racing simulator' out of a lawn chair and bicycle handles? he claimed he was training for the future . . . except he was like 5.

you burst out laughing, barely able to contain yourself. oscar, who was sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table, sorting through some papers, looked up in alarm.

“what happened?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at you. his voice was tinged with that familiar suspicion—he knew that laugh too well by now.

you tried to bite back a grin, quickly locking your phone screen. “nothing. just . . . hattie being hattie, you know.”

“which means she’s telling you more stories about me,” oscar muttered, already dreading whatever had made you laugh. “what is it this time? my high school haircut? the time i crashed my bike in front of the neighbors?”

you shook your head, barely able to keep your laughter in. “no, not quite. it’s . . . something about a ‘homemade racing simulator’. a lawn chair? bicycle handles?”

oscar’s face immediately flushed a cute pink. “oh god, not that story.”

you grinned, enjoying his embarrassment way more than you should have. “i mean, it sounds pretty impressive. five-year-old oscar was ahead of his time, huh?”

he buried his face in his hands, groaning. “i’m going to kill hattie.”

“oh, come on! it’s cute,” you teased, scooting over to sit beside him. “i love hearing about little oscar and his racing dreams.”

“you love hearing about my embarrassing moments,” he corrected, glancing at you with narrowed eyes.

“true,” you admitted, leaning over to kiss his cheek softly. “but it’s all in good fun. besides, it just proves that you’ve always been destined for racing greatness—even if you started off with bicycle handles and a lawn chair.” you stifle a giggle by burrowing your face in his shoulder.

oscar sighed, shaking his head. “remind me again why i introduced you to my sisters?”

“because you love me,” you said sweetly, wrapping your arms around him from behind. “and because you secretly love how well i get along with hattie.”

“yeah, but i didn’t expect you two to team up against me,” he muttered, resting his head back against your shoulder.

“we’re not against you,” you teased, kissing the top of his head. “we’re just . . . having a little fun.”

oscar rolled his eyes, trying to keep his irritated demeanour, but the small smile tugging at his lips betrayed him. “yeah, sure. that’s what it is.”

just then, your phone buzzed again. another message from hattie.

hattie: hey, so i’ve been thinking . . . how about me, edie and mae come visit you guys in monaco next month? i’ve been dying to see what oscar’s life is like over there.

you grinned, already excited at the idea of oscar’s sisters coming to visit. hattie had mentioned visiting monaco before, but this was the first time she’d included edie and mae in the plan. you quickly typed a response.

you: yes! please come! we’ll be thrilled to have you!!

oscar noticed the gleam in your eye and immediately sat up. “what’s going on now?”

you turned to him, trying to keep your expression innocent. “oh, just hattie asking if she, edie and mae can come visit next month.”

his eyes widened in what could only be described as mild panic. “all three of them? here? in monaco?”

“yep,” you said, stifling a laugh. “she wants to see where you live and get the full experience. plus, you’ll get to be the perfect tour guide.”

oscar groaned, leaning back against the couch dramatically. “so i’m going to have my girlfriend and my three sisters all in one place, ganging up on me?”

“sounds like a good time to me,” you said cheerfully, nudging him. “don’t act like you’re not excited.”

“i’m not excited,” oscar grumbled, though you could see the slight smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. “this is going to be a disaster.”

the weeks leading up to his sisters’ visit flew by, and before you knew it, the monaco apartment was buzzing with excitement. oscar, despite his initial grumbling, was secretly thrilled to have his sisters visit—though he wouldn’t admit it outright.

“do you think they’ll like it here?” oscar asked nervously as he placed snacks on the kitchen counter. “i mean, it’s . . . different from home.”

“are you kidding?” you replied, giving him a reassuring smile. “they’re going to love it! monaco’s gorgeous, and they get to spend time with their favorite brother.”

“yeah, but they’re mostly here to spend time with you,” he said, half-joking, half-serious.

“i mean, hattie did say she’s excited to see me,” you teased, wrapping your arms around him from behind. “but you’re not so bad either.”

oscar gave you a playful look, shaking his head. “great. my girlfriend and my sisters, united in their mission to embarrass me.”

just as you were about to respond, the doorbell rang, and oscar stiffened. “they’re here,” he muttered, as if preparing himself for battle.

you laughed, giving him a gentle nudge. “go on, open the door.”

oscar opened the door, and in an instant, the apartment was filled with the sound of his sisters’ excited voices. hattie was the first through the door, pulling oscar into a tight hug before spotting you, rushing over to give you a big hug as well. “it’s so good to finally be here! i’ve been dying to see this place.”

“it’s amazing!” edie chimed in as she stepped inside, looking around in awe. “oscar, you didn’t tell us you were living in this kind of fancy.”

mae followed close behind, wide-eyed and already snapping photos on her phone. “this is insane. i can’t believe we’re in monaco!”

oscar stood there, slightly flustered by the sudden burst of energy, but he managed a small smile. “yeah, it’s . . . different from home, huh?”

“just a bit,” hattie said with a smirk. “you’re really living the high life now, oscar.”

“okay, okay, let’s not make a big deal out of it,” oscar muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

but over the next few days, his sisters made sure to make a big deal out of everything. the apartment was filled with laughter and playful teasing, and oscar—despite his constant groaning—was clearly enjoying having his family around.

“remember when oscar tried to teach himself how to juggle and ended up with a black eye?” edie brought up one afternoon, and you nearly spat out your drink from laughing so hard.

“oh, i’d forgotten about that!” hattie chimed in, leaning forward eagerly. “he thought he was so cool, but then bam! right in the face.”

“seriously?” you said between giggles, glancing over at oscar, who was sitting on the couch with his face buried in his hands.

“it wasn’t that bad,” oscar mumbled, though you could tell he was smiling beneath his hands.

“it was pretty bad,” mae teased, snapping a quick photo of oscar with his head down.

“i’m never going to survive this,” oscar muttered, though the warmth in his voice betrayed him. he really did enjoy having his sisters around. and the fact that you all got along so well made it even better.

in that moment, his life actually felt pretty close to perfect.

[alexturntable]

kymillman CARLOS' RECOVERY? 12 days ago, Carlos Sainz had his appendix removed in Jeddah. Today I photographed him in the Albert Park paddock after he returned from riding the track on a bicycle with his crew. After getting off his bike, it looked to me like he was not moving freely. I spoke to him for a couple of minutes and I'm not 100% sure his body is ready for the rigours of an F1 race. He showed his keyhole surgery scar to a handful of crew out the back of the garage (pic 2) and then explained his plan to reduce some of the pressure on his stomach using padding under his seat belt buckle (pic 3). I think he will do FP1 and see how his body handles it. If he's at risk of doing further damage, he'll have to step aside and let Ollie Bearman (probably) race again. Somone did tell me though, that Prema (the F2 team Ollie drives for) have not brought a reserve driver to Australia which would suggest they're of the opinion Ollie won't be needed in the Ferrari. Interesting times.

[ladysomething]

there’s just something so wrong and sexy yet so wrong but so sexy about max and charles hooking up even tho max has a gf like. i was just rereading the post aus gp snippet and This Line????

By now, she’s surely clued in to the fact that it’s somebody associated with F1 and who is always wherever he is.

SHE KNOWS ⁉️⁉️ that makes it so much worse and so much better. and the fact that max knows that she knows. omg this is so messy

like YES charles is in fact always wherever max is. and yes it’s because they’re in the same line of work but also they are tied by the red string of fate. AND THE DADDY KINK INCLUSION??? are u trying to kill me. because it’s working <3

the tragic thing about the Aus GP fic is that about once I month I get a brief moment of inspiration to write more, but then it fades very quickly.

the even more tragic part of that fic is that it already has a sequel 💀

I present to you: the Monaco gp sequel

Except Charles doesn’t text. 

He goes so silent that Max is actually worried about him. He knows that the celebrations after winning a home race are something special, as are the ones in Monaco. He can only imagine what it’s like when those two things are combined. 

But Charles always finds time for Max. 

He sees a video of Charles riding home on his fucking bicycle, for God’s sake. 

Max’s body aches from how hard the ride had been in the RB20 today, but he still sits in his simulator in the hopes that it will distract him. Instead, he sits in silence and stares at the home screen, eyes barely focussed, ears perked while he waits for Charles’ custom text tone to sound. 

It doesn’t. 

Kelly comes in at around nine, hovering next to his chair until Max looks up at her. 

“Well?” she asks, a perfect eyebrow raised. “Are you leaving tonight?” 

Things have been different between them, since Australia. Despite acknowledging his affair for the first time, Kelly seems to be on a mission to pretend everything is alright—more than usual. 

She hasn’t even hinted towards his affair since then. 

He wonders, again, what she knows. Whether she suspects. 

“No,” he says, and then plays dumb to hide how hurt he is by Charles’ silence. “Why would I be going anywhere?” 

Kelly stares at him, then crosses her arms. “Are you going to make me say it?” 

“Say what?” 

She scoffs, then rolls her eyes to the ceiling. “Say that you would be leaving because he won.” 

[historia-vitae-magistras]

Could you go into the meaning behind the aesthetics? I'm intrigued but I'm uncertain if I'm fully grasping everything I want too!

Character by character? Sure. Clockwise from the top left: young anglos only I will have to do the others another time

Alfred: Clockwise from the top left: chalkboard to represent his math and science oriented brain from early days especially as he predates calculus in multiple handwritings to show the collaboration of science. Lady liberty emerging from the fog, his ideals looming over him. The microscope is a sign of innovation. The moon is his hops and ambitions ever upward. The car both the american auto industry and the innate loneliness of it. The national bird, the eagle in flight, the ferocity and aim he often has for his goals. the horseshoes for the old west but also the odd nostalgia Alfred has for things that never were. Then the star, rusting on a warship. theoretical end of empire but never the end of american airpower. And finally his portrait is his spacesuit. The only one without hair/visible human features because no country has ever projected such a strong image around the world and it obscures him.

Matt: Whittling with a small knife because he's got anxiety and a lot of woods. a looming moose for the darker force and mystery of nature and his own personality. Pancakes because he's a domestic fuck when permitted. a hatchet. Lots of wood an also war crimes. his tools are often weapons too. Maple tapping. A reliance on the natural resources at his disposal that shaped his culture tightly. man's outline in front of a fire is for Matt's propensity for salt and burning and personally annihilating obstacles when properly motivated. sunrise through a frosted window. Spring and hope rising over winter and despair. A repeating rifle. He too, is the result the arms of empire. And finally his 'portrait' a young man facedown in the sheets, lots of curls. This one is popular for Matt aesthetics for the hair but he's a tired, depressive bastard who tends to linger in safety rather than push himself for better.

Jack: a selection of fossils. The happiest part of his childhood was in natural history but these very collections are soaked in empire. A kangaroo and joey. His fauna but also his instincts of aggression about his environment and sometimes his sister. Meat pies because they're popular but also, born a penal colony he lacked a lot of agency over his own food and being as fast growing as he was he's a chronic snacker. map of Australia. could be self explanatory but even all the way down there he's pretty concerned about his place in the world and tends to look at himself at globes when he sees one. Two horses. Man and his country love to race but also I picked two because he really is not a person who prefers to be alone for long periods of time, as misanthropic as he can be. Surfboards: he loves his water-sports but the sunny, 'no-worries, mate' attitude too. Coffee on books. He's always been very keen to prove his wine, coffee, cuisine and tastes can stand up to the snobs and a flat white was an Australian invention. Golden wattle is the national flower and symbolizes resilience, often appearing first after fires and floods. And finally the portrait. A young man with a collar pulled up and one hand on the back of his neck, pondering his future? being a bit sheepish? both suit him.

Zee: Two sheep gently headbutting each other. Sheep and a stubborn affection is something she shares with Jack even if it probably influenced her culture more. Books because she's the best educated of her generation for a long time but the titles for birds, fairytales and oxford classic texts are for her famous birds, her two sets of folklore and culture and her oxford education. Kiwi box on bike handlebars. Bicycles were a massive part of early feminism and her own independence. The box and kiwi silhouette see something she probably knocked together herself. She's handly like that. Silver ferns are a national symbol and very hard to kill, resilient and the shape is very elegant and invokes Māori art and resistance. A grumpy looking Kea. This image looks very cranky but they're the goofiest and probably smartest birds on the face of the earth. Map of new zealand on a globe. Her name is bigger than she is on the map because its somewhat imposed on her nd there's also her brother always in the corner. A canoe or boat to symbolize her maritime culture, but also her own ability to build and engineer and pilot one. Her portrait I chose a woman with her hair type elegantly put up and looking away, back to a wall, a hint of a smile on her face because she has her strict lines and a slog of struggles but also a pretty decent place in the world.

[crestfallercanyon]

Weekly Tag Wednesdayyyyyyy ✨

This week’s tag game is a hodgepodge of questions from the group, which is such a cute idea!! Thanks for tagging me @jrooc — let’s hop to it

🔠 Name: crest

🌀How do you pronounce your own Tumblr handle in your head? I pronounce it how it sounds — I’m shit at phonetics, here’s my best attempt lol: ck-rest fall-ur

🪟 When you look out the window right now what do you see? Gray skies, a few government buildings, and a very pretty garden actually.

💼 What is the most unusual profession someone in your family was in? An entire side of my family races motor vehicles like motorcycles and funny cars for a living (as well as worked in shops to fix those vehicles) I spent many of my summers at racetracks and in RVs watching them.

🎨 What hobby were you really into as a kid? Reading. Theater. Chalk drawing as a young child.

🔍 First autofill google result when you type ‘How can I…?’

“How can I watch ‘Quiet on Set’” which I don’t know what that means because as far as I know, Quiet on Set is a (great) song by Remi Wolf

🎶 If you were the main character in a sitcom, what song would be playing during the opening credits? Trying to keep with like sort of sitcom-y vibes of having like a consistently “active” song (most sitcoms don’t have parts to their songs where the instruments aren’t consistently playing — i.e. they don’t back off for things like choruses or bridges) I would say either Australia by The Shins or Shuffle by Bombay Bicycle Club

🎬 What’s the last movie you watched? Did you enjoy it? What genre is it? Rogue One, I did! And it was Sci Fi (Star Wars Universe)

🎥 What is your favourite movie genre?

Mines also not a genre — I love like 80s-90s movies, they’re so fun. I like most movies if I’m honest — bad or good can be fun. I tend not to delve into horror that often unless it’s coupled with something else (like Alien is a sci fi horror and Sigourney Weaver as Ripley will be my forever crush)

What movie would you recommend? (I still need to see Garden State, Ive heard good things!!). Mine are Life as a House and Little Miss Sunshine (and so many more but we’ll stick to those!)

👯‍♂️ Do your IRL humans know about your fandom life? If you’re a creator, do they know you create?

One does. She knows I read and write, and knows I have written at least one fic for most of my fandoms. And I guess my brother knows I write one particular fanfic but that’s it.

🚣🏼‍♀️If you could do one activity with your pocket/fandom friends what would it be?

I also vote game night I think that’d be a lot of fun. Or like a bonfire night where we make s’mores and hang out. That’d be lovely.

Here are some no pressure tags! @mmmichyyy , @darlingian , @michellemisfit , @callivich , @mybrainismelted

[qnewsau]

Sydney Olympics featured our own drag show 24 years ago

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/sydney-olympics-featured-our-own-drag-show-24-years-ago/

Sydney Olympics featured our own drag show 24 years ago

Footage of Sydney’s own Olympics drag show from our closing ceremony in 2000 has resurfaced after the homophobic backlash to the Paris Games.

For more than four days, Christians and other conservatives have been up in arms that during the Paris opening ceremony, a group of French performers dared to recreate Leonardi da Vinci’s The Last Supper while queer.

Aussies are now also reminiscing on the last time we hosted the Olympics, in Sydney in 2000.

At the closing ceremony in Sydney, dozens of Australian drag performers join the loud and colourful parade around the stadium. The drag float was a tribute to The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

Sydney 2000 closing ceremony had drag queens driving heels in a tribute to Priscilla FYI pic.twitter.com/QYMFvSLrdx

— adam (@adamjmoussa) July 26, 2024

Forty-six of Sydney’s top drag queens were approached and cast in the performance, putting on original gowns and costumes from the 1994 queer classic.

A recreated Priscilla bus was also part of the parade, and during the closing ceremony, performers attached giant lashes to the buses’ windscreen.

Drag queen Vanessa Wagner rode atop a giant pink wig on the Priscilla bus.

Out in front, drag performers pedalled the iconic giant high heel shoe bicycles.

The Priscilla float in the Sydney 2000 closing ceremony was one of a few that celebrated Aussie films.

It followed Crocodile Dundee star Paul Hogan, who was surrounded by Australian animal costumes as he rode atop a giant Akubra hat.

‘The homosexual capital of the world’

The drag queens’ involvement in the Sydney closing ceremony – which also featured Kylie Minogue – was kept very hush-hush.

Olympics bosses announced it around three weeks before the Games began, and at the time, there was backlash.

Callers raged to conservative talkback radio stations that a Priscilla show was “endorsing a gay lifestyle”.

Church leaders and far-right politicians warned it could make Sydney the “homosexual capital of the world.”

“This blatant condoning of a public homosexual display during the closing ceremony will not enhance the Olympic Games nor Australia as host to the Games,” NSW MP Reverend Fred Nile said in 2000.

“Homosexual and lesbian behaviour is not a true representation of Australian culture and lifestyle.

“Drag queens do not truly represent our great Aussie culture at all.”

In reality, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert was a box office hit and became an Australian classic. The film is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

The movie is returning to cinemas in September. It now has a popular outback drag festival dedicated to it. A highly-anticipated sequel is in development 30 years later.

In just under a decade, Brisbane will bring the Olympics back to Australia in 2032. Bring back the shoe bicycles!

The Gold Coast hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2018. At Surfers Paradise during the Games, Courtney Act hosted an entire concert dedicated to drag queens and queer performers.

Read more:

Drag Race host Nicky Doll’s defiant response to Olympics backlash

Guy Pearce weighs in on Priscilla Queen of the Desert sequel

‘Save the queen’: How the original Priscilla bus was rediscovered

‘They booed’: Stephan Elliott recalls horror first Priscilla screening

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 5.13 (before 1955)

1373 – Julian of Norwich has visions of Jesus while suffering from a life-threatening illness, visions which are later described and interpreted in her book Revelations of Divine Love. 1501 – Amerigo Vespucci, this time under Portuguese flag, set sail for western lands. 1568 – Mary Queen of Scots is defeated at the Battle of Langside, part of the civil war between Queen Mary and the supporters of her son, James VI. 1612 – Sword duel between Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro on the shores of Ganryū Island. Kojiro dies at the end. 1619 – Dutch statesman Johan van Oldenbarnevelt is executed in The Hague after being convicted of treason. 1654 – A Venetian fleet under Admiral Cort Adeler breaks through a line of galleys and defeats the Turkish navy. 1779 – War of the Bavarian Succession: Russian and French mediators at the Congress of Teschen negotiate an end to the war. In the agreement Austria receives the part of its territory that was taken from it (the Innviertel). 1780 – The Cumberland Compact is signed by leaders of the settlers in the Cumberland River area of what would become the U.S. state of Tennessee, providing for democratic government and a formal system of justice. 1804 – Forces sent by Yusuf Karamanli of Tripoli to retake Derna from the Americans attack the city. 1830 – Ecuador gains its independence from Gran Colombia. 1846 – Mexican–American War: The United States declares war on the Federal Republic of Mexico following a dispute over the American annexation of the Republic of Texas and a Mexican military incursion. 1861 – American Civil War: Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom issues a "proclamation of neutrality" which recognizes the Confederacy as having belligerent rights. 1861 – The Great Comet of 1861 is discovered by John Tebbutt of Windsor, New South Wales, Australia. 1861 – Pakistan's (then a part of British India) first railway line opens, from Karachi to Kotri. 1862 – The USS Planter, a steamer and gunship, steals through Confederate lines and is passed to the Union, by a southern slave, Robert Smalls, who later was officially appointed as captain, becoming the first black man to command a United States ship. 1888 – With the passage of the Lei Áurea ("Golden Law"), the Empire of Brazil abolishes slavery. 1909 – The first edition of the Giro d'Italia, a long-distance multiple-stage bicycle race, began in Milan; the Italian cyclist Luigi Ganna was the eventual winner. 1912 – The Royal Flying Corps, the forerunner of the Royal Air Force, is established in the United Kingdom. 1917 – Three children report the first apparition of Our Lady of Fátima in Fátima, Portugal. 1940 – World War II: Germany's conquest of France begins, as the German army crosses the Meuse. Winston Churchill makes his "blood, toil, tears, and sweat" speech to the House of Commons. 1941 – World War II: Yugoslav royal colonel Dragoljub Mihailović starts fighting against German occupation troops, beginning the Serbian resistance. 1943 – World War II: Operations Vulcan and Strike force the surrender of the last Axis troops in Tunisia. 1945 – World War II: Yevgeny Khaldei's photograph Raising a Flag over the Reichstag is published in Ogonyok magazine. 1948 – Arab–Israeli War: The Kfar Etzion massacre occurs, a day prior to the Israeli Declaration of Independence. 1950 – The inaugural Formula One World Championship race takes place at Silverstone Circuit. The race was won by Giuseppe Farina, who would go on to become the inaugural champion that year. 1951 – The 400th anniversary of the founding of the National University of San Marcos is commemorated by the opening of the first large-capacity stadium in Peru. 1952 – The Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament of India, holds its first sitting. 1954 – The anti-National Service Riots, by Chinese middle school students in Singapore, take place.

[velocitysedge-if]

Alex "Ace" Walker

Born in Adelaide, South Australia, his fascination with speed was ignited by his father, a former rally driver who often regaled young Alex with tales of daring adventures behind the wheel.

As a child, Alex was always on the move, whether it was riding his bicycle at breakneck speeds, skateboarding down steep hills, or participating in go-kart races with friends. His boundless energy and innate fearlessness were undeniable.

By the time Alex was a teenager, his family had relocated to Melbourne, the heart of Australian motorsports. It was there that he had his first taste of competitive karting, and it didn't take long for his talent to become apparent. His ability to push the limits of speed and control was unmatched, and he began winning local championships with ease.

With his reputation as a young racing prodigy growing, Alex's family made the decision to invest in his career. They secured sponsors and enrolled him in a racing academy. His charisma and charm made him a marketable figure, and soon, he was competing in Formula Ford championships.

His wins and podium finishes in various categories caught the attention of a Formula 1 development program, and he was offered a contract with a junior team. Alex quickly established himself as a daring and charismatic driver. which got him where he is today.

[plenilune]

tagged by @endquestionmark an age and a half ago but I lost it in a tab. however I love to do a little Survey like it's 2004 on Xanga.

relationship status: ecstatically partnered, but non-monogamous

favorite color: the specific pale green smoothing to black of oxidised copper, and the dark dark pine green that is its companion.

favorite food: god I love food. favourite categories include: inventive sandwiches with many layers, very simple and perfect sandwiches (peanut butter, nice salami, ham on brioche with kewpie mayo, tamago sando, the old American man version of tamago sando which is very mustardy egg salad on toasted pumpernickel), tomato soup, buttered toast, ramens and stir fries, anything of the put an egg on it variety, Corey's chicken cooked in herbs and butter and white wine, Corey's strip steak, hot dogs from the roller grill at Speedway, anything you can order at a diner at 3am, Fancy Pizza, anything that goes in a fry-up, quiche, marble rye, beer bread, fresh baguette with cheddar, rosemary bread, focaccia, savoury scones, sourdough, bread, also bread, other bread, more bread,

song stuck in my head: perpetually the main riff from Charles Mingus' "Moanin'" (specifically this version), a tune which Corey and I have decided is just the soundtrack to an easily imagined animated piece about small terriers getting into Trouble. thus it has become the melody to at least a third of the little songs we sing to and about our small terrier when he is, getting himself into Trouble.

last thing i googled: kdjsshjkghs. well. it was "bicycle in tenebrae" because I watched the opening to Argento's Tenebrae last night and discovered the protagonist spends the first scene riding a MOTHERFUCKING CELESTE BIANCHI to the JFK airport and I needed to know if any other bicycle enthusiasts were talking about this. (a Bianchi is a very iconic Italian racing bicycle, often painted a highly recognisable shade of oxidised-copper blue-green called Celeste. anyway I happen to have one from the mid-80s because Corey, who works as a bike mechanic and salesperson at a terrible little bike shop that is absolutely exploiting them, scored a frame in perfect condition in my exact size and has been refurbishing her since like, August, and she is my pride and joy and the fastest and most beautiful bicycle in the WORLD.) the most ABSURD special-interest collision I've had in months. anyway Corey was able to identify the bike in the film down to the model and the approximate model year, which I thought was very sexy of them.

local time: 5:19 pm

dream trip: I want to show Corey (and everyone else I love) New York, the city I fell in love with, and Corey wants to show me London, which they fell in love with as a teenager, and we both want terribly to spend a month in Scotland, walking Edinburgh for hours and bicycling through the otherworldly green hills. I want to go back to Boston. I want to go back to West Virginia. I want to go back to Nova Scotia, and explore the plains of Canada as well, and I want to drive up the entire west coast and get my head lost on those long strange highways. I want to see Prague, and Tokyo, and Berlin, and Vienna, and Mumbai, and Sao Paolo, and Paris, and Beijing, and, everywhere that's a city that has become a myth of a city. I want to see places I'd never considered and fall in love with the unexpectedness of them. I want to take every single subway in the world. I want to go on a food tour of Italy, and Vietnam, and Turkey, and Morocco. I want to see forests that are older than any building I've ever touched. I want to see Australia, and Galapagos, and I want to get stoned as fuck with Rebecca and Britt in Atlanta and then go hiking, and for Corey and Rowan and Dylan and I to all cook a big meal together and then scream about tv, and go thrifting with JD in Texas, and have Kater show me her best weird secondhand shops in upstate New York, and Avery I want to lie on the floor with you and the record player and get so fucking lost, and I want all the people I love best to show me the places they love best, and tell me why it matters to them and try to see the ways in which they love that place and if I can get it inside of me, too. I want to see so much. I want to see everything.

[brookston]

Holidays 6.3

Holidays

Air Force Academy Day (US)

American Space Walk Day

Bi-Pride Day

Casey at the Bat Day

Chimborazo Day (Ecuador)

Confederate Memorial Day (KY, LA, TN)

Defend Our Monuments Day of Action

Dr. Charles Drew Day

Economist Day (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

European Bicycle Day

Impersonate Authority Day

Insect Repellent Awareness Day

Intern Appreciation Day

Jack Jouett Day (Virginia)

Jefferson Davis Day (Florida)

Līgo (Latvia)

London Bridge Attack Day

Love Conquers All Day

Mabo Day (Australia)

Martyrs’ Day (Uganda)

McLovin Day

Mighty Casey Day

National Carl Day

National Itch Day

National Simp Day

Ni Una Menos Day (Argentina)

Opium Suppression Movement Day (Taiwan)

Phineas & Ferb Day

Pull Your Pants Up Day

Randouler Remembrance Day (Abeldane Empire)

Repeat Day

Repeat Day

Robocop Day (Detroit)

Shab e-Barat (Night of Records; Bangladesh)

Shuffle Day

World Bicycle Day

Wonder Woman Day

World Clubfoot Day

World Laksa Day

Zoot Suit Riots Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

International Sommelier Day

National Chocolate Macaroon Day

National Egg Day

National Stuffed Shrimp Scholars Day

World Cider Day

1st Saturday in June

The Big Lunch (UK) [1st Saturday]

Butterfly Education & Awareness Day [1st Saturday]

Dare Day (North Carolina) [1st Saturday]

Do-Dah Parade (Kalamazoo, Michigan) [1st Saturday]

Drawing Day [1st Saturday]

Eel Festival (Jyllinge, Denmark) [1st Saturday]

International Lolita Day [1st Saturday]

International Table Top Day [1st Saturday]

International Ungulate Awareness Day [1st Saturday]

Nametag Day [1st Saturday]

National Black Bear Day [1st Saturday]

National Bowls Day (Canada) [1st Saturday]

National Bubbly Day [1st Saturday]

National Cheer Coach Day [1st Saturday]

National Cherry Pit Spitting Day [1st Saturday]

National Family Recreation Day [1st Saturday]

National Health & Fitness Day (Canada) [1st Saturday]

National Learn to Row Day [1st Saturday]

National Pineapple Day [1st Saturday]

National Play Outside Day [1st Saturday of Every Month]

National Prairie Day [1st Saturday]

National Trails Day [1st Saturday]

National Virginia Diverse Business Networking Saturday (Virginia) [1st Saturday]

Pencil Day [1st Saturday]

Quail Day (French Republic)

Satyr's Day (Silenus, Greek God of Beer Buddies and Drinking Companions) [1st Saturday of Each Month]

Turtle Races Day [1st Saturday]

Wicket World of Croquet (Indianapolis, Indiana) [First Saturday]

Independence Days

Kingdom of Sedang (Declared; 1888) [unrecognized]

Silofais (Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

Vyomania (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Bellona’s Day (Pagan)

Broken Dolls Day (Buddhist; Japan)

Callynteria (Day of Atonement & Cleaning of Athena’s Temple; Ancient Greece)

Cecillius (Christian; Saint)

Charles Lwanga and Companions (Roman Catholic Church)

Clotilde (Christian; Saint)

Dragon Boat Festival (a.k.a. Duanwu Jie Festival / 端午节; China) [5th Day of 5th Lunar Month]

Drink Like a Pirate Day (Pastafarian)

Festival of Bellona (Old Roman Goddess of War)

Festival of Cataclysmos (Cyprus)

Festival of Gaphi Mahso (Ayahuasca)

Full Moon [6th of the Year] (a.k.a. ... 

Blooming Moon (Traditional)

Cold Moon (South Africa)

Dyad Moon (England, Wicca)

Festival of Goodwill, Festival of Christ & Humanity [Full Moon between 5.20-6.20] 

Green Corn Moon (Cherokee)

Hatching Moon (Traditional)

Honey Moon (Traditional)

Horse Moon (Celtic)

Hot Moon (Alternate)

Lotus Moon (China)

Mead Moon (Traditional)

Planting Moon (Neo-Pagan)

Poson Full Moon Poya Day (Sri Lanka)

Rose Moon (Alternate, Colonial, North America)

Ryan Moran Day [1st FM in June]

Southern Hemisphere: Cold, Long Night’s, Oak

Strawberry Moon (Amer. Indian, Traditional)

Windy Moon (Choctaw)

World Invocation Day (a.k.a. Gemini Full Moon Festival)

Genesius (Christian; Saint)

Hildebrand (Positivist; Saint)

Kevin of Glendalough (a.k.a. Coemgen or Keivin; Christian; Saint)

Lifard (Christian; Saint)

Mushroom Sauce Day (Pastafarian)

Ovidius (Christian; Saint)

Pharmakos (Festival for Ancient Greek Goddess Charila)

Raoul Dufy (Artology)

Robbie (Muppetism)

Smurf Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Visakha Bucha Day (Buddha Day; Thailand)

Vladimirskaya (Russian Orthodox)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Lucky Day (Philippines) [32 of 71]

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

Bataan (Film; 1943)

Beginners (Film; 2011)

Believe It or Else (WB MM Cartoon; 1939)

Big (Film; 1988)

Cinderella Man (Film; 2005)

Deep Purple in Rock, by Deep Purple (Album; 1970)

Dragnet (Radio Series; 1949)

Empty Sky, by Elton John (Album; 1969)

Entourage (TV Series; 2015)

Exodus, by Bob Marley & The Wailers (Album; 1977)

Layer Cake (Film; 2005)

Lickety-Splat (WB LT Cartoon; 1961)

Light My Fire, by The Doors (Song; 1967)

Lords of Dogtown (Film; 2005)

Nosferatu (Film; 1929)

Phantom of the Open (Film; 2022)

Polar Pals (WB LT Cartoon; 1939)

The Princess and the Goblin (Animated Film; 1994)

The Return of Martin Guerre (Film; 1983)

Scorpius, by John Gardner (James Bond Novel; 1988)

Shenandoah (Film; 1965)

Six Feet Under (TV Series; 2001)

Succession (TV Series; 2018)

Take It Easy, by The Eagles (Song; 1972)

The Turbo Charged Pre;ude for 2 Fat 2 Furious (Short Film; 2003) [F&F]

The Untouchables (Film; 1987)

Utopia (Intellivision video game; 1982)

War Games (Film; 1983)

Wu-Tang Forever, by The Wu-Tang Clan (Album; 1997)

X-Men: First Class (Film; 2011)

Today’s Name Days

Hildburg, Karl, Silvia (Austria)

Drago, Karlo (Croatia)

Tamara (Czech Republic)

Erasmus (Denmark)

Jolanta, Kanni, Kannike, Viola (Estonia)

Orvokki, Viola (Finland)

Kévin (France)

Hildburg, Karl, Karoline, Silvia (Germany)

Ieria, Ypatia (Greece)

Klotild (Hungary)

Carlo Lwanga, Clotilde, Olivia, Olivana, Oliviana, Oliviera, Olivera, Ovidio, Viera (Italy)

Dailis, Ineta, Inta, Intra, Jūnijs (Latvia)

Dovilė, Klotilda, Tautkantas (Lithuania)

Rakel, Rasmus (Norway)

Cecyliusz, Ferdynand, Klotylda, Konstantyn, Laurencjusz, Laurentyn, Laurentyna, Leszek, Paula, Tamara, Wawrzyniec (Poland)

Claudie, Dionisie, Ipatie, Luchilian, Paul (România)

Karolína (Slovakia)

Carlos, Clotilde, Kevin (Spain)

Gudmar, Ingemar (Sweden)

Pauline (Ukraine)

Chloe, Clotilda, Keven, Kevin, Kevina, Kevon (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 154 of 2024; 211 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 6 of week 22 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Huath (Hawthorn) [Day 20 of 28]

Chinese: Month 4 (Ding-Si), Day 16 (Red-Chen)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 14 Sivan 5783

Islamic: 14 Dhu al-Qada 1444

J Cal: 4 Sol; Foursday [4 of 30]

Julian: 21 May 2023

Moon: 100%: Full Moon

Positivist: 14 St. Paul (6th Month) [Hildebrand]

Runic Half Month: Odal (Home, Possession) [Day 9 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 75 of 90)

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 13 of 32)

[f1]

Valtteri Bottas is now sporting a mullet during the Formula One off-season

'You beauty!': Valtteri Bottas undertakes a drastic new hairstyle for the Formula One off-season... as the Finnish racing driver sports a MULLET to 'fit in' at the start of his stay in Australia Formula One drivers are enjoying a four-month break for the off-season  Alfa Romeo driver Valtteri Bottas is spending some of his downtime in Australia The 33-year-old is sporting a new haircut after deciding to embrace a mullet In a post on Twitter, Bottas joked about the haircut helping him 'fit in' in Australia  By Will Pickworth For Mailonline Published: 12:54 EST, 3 December 2022 | Updated: 12:54 EST, 3 December 2022 Valtteri Bottas has embraced a new look for the Formula One off-season, with the Finnish racing driver now sporting a mullet. Bottas, who finished in 10th place in the drivers standings during the 2022 season, is enjoying the off-season, with the campaign having concluded in Abu Dhabi last month. The 2023 racing calendar is set to get underway on March 5, 2023, with the Bahrain GP, meaning Bottas has plenty of opportunity to enjoy some downtime. Valtteri Bottas has embraced a new look for the Formula One off-season, with the Finnish racing driver now sporting a mullet The drastic new look was revealed by Bottas in a video he shared on social media on Saturday The 33-year-old has switched up his usual haircut (pictured at the Abu Dhabi GP last month) The Alfa Romeo driver has wasted no time in changing up his look during his time off, with the 33-year-old completely revamping his hairstyle. Bottas is spending his break in Australia, with his girlfriend Tiffany Cromwell hailing from the country. And, perhaps to fit in with his new surroundings, Bottas took a trip to the hairdressers and came out with a mullet - an iconic hairstyle in Australia. In a video shared on social media by the 33-year-old titled '#offseason', it begins with Bottas talking to Cromwell, who herself is an Australian road bicycle racer, explaining how he doesn't fit in in his new surroundings.   Within the video, Bottas talked about needing to 'fit in' in Australia during his time spent there The reveal of Bottas's haircut is accompanied with him drinking a bottle of Victoria Bitter lager and wearing a Victoria Bitter lager vest as the Finnish driver shows off his new look During the off-season, Bottas is spending time in Australia with his girlfriend Tiffany Cromwell Cromwell then asked: 'Well how are you going to do that (fit in)?', before Bottas responded: 'I think I'm going to need to change my style.'. Cromwell then added: 'What do you mean?', before Bottas said: 'You'll see'. The video then cuts to Bottas walking into a hairdresser and undertaking a rather drastic haircut, with the former Mercedes driver coming out of it with a mullet. In true Australian style, he is spun around on his chair and Bottas is wearing a Victoria Bitter lager vest, and drinking a bottle of VB - a traditional Australian drink.  He then walks off down the street sporting his new hairstyle, before Bottas adds another classic Australian term as he said: 'You beauty. Now I feel like home', before Cromwell added: 'So as long as you're happy', to which Bottas responded: 'I fit in'. Advertisement Share or comment on this article: Valtteri Bottas is now sporting a mullet during the Formula One off-season via Formula One | Mail Online https://www.dailymail.co.uk?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490

[galadriel1010]

In most countries in 1915, families were notified in writing. Officeds' families received telegrams, those of lower ranks had to wait for the slower post. They might even see the news in the paper first, before it could be delivered by a teenage boy on his bicycle, who knew what he was carrying and got out of there as fast as he could.

In Australia, though, the war was just starting. When they were preparing to go into Gallipoli, the government sat down to come up with a better way of dealing with what they knew was coming. And as almost every Australian volunteer recorded his religion when he signed up, religious leaders stepped up. The nearest representatives of the soldier's denomination were notified by telegram, and they would then deliver the news in person.

It was kinder, and it was crueller. Close knit communities came to dread the sight of their own priest on the street. Vicars raced against the press to track down families who had moved in time to give them a hand to hold when they heard the news.

Sometimes Death wears a face you thought you knew.

The Grim Reaper doesn't come for the dead. That's a myth. He doesn't wear a robe either. Nor does he carry a scythe.

The Grim Reaper comes for the living. He wears the uniform of a private, ill fitting on a young man who's barely past boyhood.

The Grim Reaper comes for mothers. And when he comes every mother on the street steps outside to watch him go, dreading that it's her door where he's gonna stop.

The Grim Reaper is trembling and shy. It never gets easier. All those eyes on him.

The Grim Reaper doesn't carry a scythe. He carries a mailbag. And in it are a hundred letters. Each stamped with the Royal Army Seal.

The mother cries. She refuses the letter. But the Grim Reaper will not be denied. He is not the instrument of death. Only its herald.

The Grim Reaper has no time to stay. There're so many letters yet to deliver today.

The year is 1915, and the Grim Reaper knows that tomorrow will be a busy day as well.

[the-firebird69]

This is a basic Chevrolet engine and it is taken directly from the Chevy website images. It's not a replacement motor it's a high performance motor it looks like it has a lot of stuff but it really doesn't it's an alternator a fuel pump a cool edge pump and we think it's a air conditioner LOL it's just on a high rise manifold with a 4 bell carburetor I am that's basically it it's not really a standard engine it is a standard engine with just some add-ons and we look at it all the time this vehicle is thinking of producing with somebody it's like a family tradition it's the shape of the car came from Australia where his brother was making the AMX AMC and that's what it is and it was intense and it's in magnax and the vehicle is very very very fast and when you see what these guys are trying they're trying to make like a ground up frame that's cheaper and you make the roll cage into the frame somehow it's easier to make simpler and works better and it just does not work it doesn't work it can hardly handle the torque of the engine now sunset look it's like a bicycle versus a truck stamped chassis with a ladder frame is very simple and fast and they said the regular manufacturers won't let us do it so it goes why not then make it like a Corvette They looked and says Real Simple and that son said yeah no less designed Some races with it years ago And they were really happy about it and went nuts and now it's kind of a similar frame but it's different it's very beefy but there's less components we call it simplicity of design it's really a racing chassis so they put that on there and they charge more money then they sold a lot of it But they got in trouble And it was because it was too fast they said but really it's because it worked and they don't want him having stuff that works. So we're going to look at this frame and making it a knockdown system it will go really fast And it will be less expensive because it doesn't use so much labor to make it it's less material believe it or not but it's a lot less time in handling and fabricating it's well worth checking it out and he wants to make the full kit like other people are and why make it cheaper at first the answer is we shouldn't work and you don't make it so cheap that everyone can buy it. That is part two of the idea part one is that you make a kit car and it comes complete and part two is the frame would be bolt up part three is the panels would be bolt on and we would require some welding and part one is the Chevy engine or Ford engine and we have a game there the 350 chevy is a wonderful motor and it work in almost any kit car and we would offer it in most kit cars or trucks even the scout the small one well we might put the 289 in it which the Ford but at 350 in the regular scout and we'd use either or and you'd have to watch out for that There's a great idea and it's for a kit car and it's ground up And we will get this in the pipe However we will start the kit that be in fiberglass And we will offer the engine early on And he says and she does on second thought this would be a perfect start at heart because you can't start making a cheapo depot out of nowhere there has to be a bunch of kick cars and you would make a subsidiary And he does wanna look at something else but this this idea for the day tomaso is perfect and it's because it is a mega car it is a mega car and people wanted and they would buy it because it's be less expensive than other cars it's a great idea so we're gonna publish

Thor Freya

in there up there yes

Hera Zues

and we aare too great ideas gang yes lets do this now too. fbgls at first and yes abbreviated but fiberglass frpr too. nice touch. but we do it and use the normals tuff leave the firewall and dash and controls. and more and back seat out y es. tons say it good easy. and have the wrecks to show for it need panels wont get them this a hot hot cr and moves and they love it we do it now.

Frank Castle Hardcastle

we ahve a team assembled and yes other than i heading it

Savage Oppress

and the little car will have to wait

DarthMaul

Olympus

[businessindustry]

Cycling Shorts Market Future Trends and Research Report by 2024-2032

The Reports and Insights, a leading market research company, has recently releases report titled “Cycling Shorts Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2024-2032.” The study provides a detailed analysis of the industry, including the global Cycling Shorts Market share, size, trends, and growth forecasts. The report also includes competitor and regional analysis and highlights the latest advancements in the market.

Report Highlights:

How big is the Cycling Shorts Market?

The global cycling shorts market was US$ 844.2 Million in 2022.  The market to register a revenue CAGR of 6.8% over the forecast period and account for a market size of US$ 1,526.1 Mn in 2031.

What are Cycling Shorts?

Cycling shorts are tailored, snug-fitting shorts created specifically for cyclists to wear while riding. Constructed from stretchable, breathable fabrics, these shorts offer comfort and support during extended cycling sessions. They commonly include a padded chamois in the seat area to minimize friction and absorb moisture, ensuring a comfortable ride and preventing skin irritation. With a close-fitting design that reduces air resistance and enhances aerodynamics, cycling shorts are an essential garment for cyclists, providing both comfort and performance advantages for riders at every skill level.

Request for a sample copy with detail analysis: https://www.reportsandinsights.com/sample-request/2059

What are the growth prospects and trends in the Cycling Shorts industry?

The cycling shorts market growth is driven by various factors and trends. The market for cycling shorts is steadily expanding, propelled by the increasing popularity of cycling for both leisure and fitness. These shorts are indispensable for cyclists, providing essential comfort and performance benefits. The market offers a wide array of options, including shorts tailored for road cycling, mountain biking, and casual riding, each designed with specific features to meet diverse cycling requirements. Noteworthy trends in the market include the adoption of advanced materials for enhanced comfort and longevity, as well as innovative designs to boost performance. Furthermore, there is a growing demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly cycling shorts, reflecting the broader shift towards eco-conscious products in the apparel industry. Hence, all these factors contribute to cycling shorts market growth

What is included in market segmentation?

The report has segmented the market into the following categories:

By Product Type:

Road Shorts / Bib Shorts

Mountain Bike Shorts / Baggy Shorts

Smart Cycling Shorts

Others

Consumer Orientation:

Men

Women

Children

Pad Type:

Padded

Non-Padded Shorts

Sales Channel:

Hypermarket/Supermarkets

Specialty Stores

Online Retailers

Multi-brand Stores

Sports Variety Stores

Other Sales Channel

Segmentation By Region:

North America:

United States

Canada

Europe:

Germany

The U.K.

France

Spain

Italy

Russia

Poland

BENELUX

NORDIC

Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific:

China

Japan

India

South Korea

ASEAN

Australia & New Zealand

Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America:

Brazil

Mexico

Argentina

Middle East & Africa:

Saudi Arabia

South Africa

United Arab Emirates

Israel

Who are the key players operating in the industry?

The report covers the major market players including:

Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc.

Aero Tech Designs Cyclewear

THE WRIGHT BROTHERS

Baleaf Sports

Nike, Inc.

Zara

Hennes & Mauritz AB

Manifattura Valcismon S.p.A.

Rapha Racing Limited

ITS Cycling Limited T/A Hunt Bike Wheels

Assos of Switzerland

View Full Report: https://www.reportsandinsights.com/report/Cycling Shorts-market

If you require any specific information that is not covered currently within the scope of the report, we will provide the same as a part of the customization.

About Us:

Reports and Insights consistently mееt international benchmarks in the market research industry and maintain a kееn focus on providing only the highest quality of reports and analysis outlooks across markets, industries, domains, sectors, and verticals. We have bееn catering to varying market nееds and do not compromise on quality and research efforts in our objective to deliver only the very best to our clients globally.

Our offerings include comprehensive market intelligence in the form of research reports, production cost reports, feasibility studies, and consulting services. Our team, which includes experienced researchers and analysts from various industries, is dedicated to providing high-quality data and insights to our clientele, ranging from small and medium businesses to Fortune 1000 corporations.

Contact Us:

Reports and Insights Business Research Pvt. Ltd. 1820 Avenue M, Brooklyn, NY, 11230, United States Contact No: +1-(347)-748-1518 Email: sales@reportsandinsights.com Website: https://www.reportsandinsights.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/report-and-insights/ Follow us on twitter: https://twitter.com/ReportsandInsi1

[testormblog]

Straight Draw

I didn’t inherit my father’s love of horse races.  I saw Dad lose more than win.  I valued the money I earnt too much to squander it so.  In fact, Dad’s addiction, that was how I saw it, really irritated me as a child.  He commandeered the radio every Friday night to hear which horses were listed to run that Saturday.  Consequently, I missed sequential episodes of my radio stories.  Then all day Saturday, he listened to the races ran in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.  At the time, I found the race caller’s constant chatter annoying.  Later as an adult, I realised my father looked forward to little else in his modest life.  He worked hard labour in the heat, cold and dirt day in and day out.  He earnt his time listening to the radio whilst sitting in a cool spot on the veranda.

Later Saturday evening, whilst I worked, I overheard Dad’s conversations with his mates whilst they chugged beers in Mattie’s bar.  They analysed horses’ forms, their wins and losses, the qualities of the various race courses and the bookmakers’ odds.  Some horses ran well on dry tracks and others on wet.  Consequently, I knew everything there was to know about the sport.

When the Melbourne Cup Race approached annually, energetic discussions and an infectious air of excited anticipation invaded the bar.  The men spoke of little else in the six week leadup.  Twenty-four horses would line up for the most famous race in Australia and run three thousand two hundred metres, about two miles back then.  Not only would the men lay bets with the local but illegal starting price (called an ‘SP’) bookmaker on the day, they bought tickets in sweeps, which popped up at businesses around the community.  It seemed the only establishment not running a sweep was the church!  A sweep was akin to a blind lucky dip.  Lots of tickets were sold but only tickets were drawn for the number of horses in the race.  The remaining tickets lost out.

The Station Master at Bethania Railway Station organised the biggest sweep around.  He sold tickets for weeks ahead at two shillings each to anybody willing to cough up such an extravagant amount.  By comparison, two bob usually bought you five tickets in a raffle.  Nevertheless, all the local Railway men bought at least five tickets if not ten.

In 1957, this race fever caught me in its grip too.  I was fourteen and wanted to join in the men’s excitement.  I deliberated for several days if I should purchase one two shilling ticket.  I only earnt three shillings for my Saturday morning shift at the refreshment rooms.  Besides, my odds were extremely poor; one ticket versus the hundreds sold to score a horse then one horse against twenty-four to win one of the three places.  Foolishly, I did buy one ticket, just one.  I told nobody about my gamble and hid the ticket in my money tin.

The day before the Melbourne Cup, the Station Master drew the twenty-four horse names from all the tickets he had sold in front of a crowd of ticket holders.  I wasn’t present but my father was of course.  Dad arrived home miserable.  He grumbled he had lucked out again and hadn’t secured a horse in the draw.

He then said, with a quizzical look on his face, ‘Jakob, you drew a horse though.  It’s Straight Draw.  However, the odds of it winning aren’t good.  Sorry lad.’

I felt down too.  I had wasted two precious shillings.  That was a lesson to myself.  Nevertheless, I had a horse to cheer on tomorrow.

The next day, I thought of little else.  The race was scheduled to be run twenty minutes before school finished.  The school had no radio so the students couldn’t listen to it.  The school teacher wouldn’t have allowed this anyway.  Alas, news of which horses had placed in the Cup travelled quickly.  As I walked my bicycle to the school’s front gate, I heard somebody yell that Straight Draw had won the Melbourne Cup.  Excitement bubbled up inside me.  I had never been so excited before.  I couldn’t believe my luck to score the winning ticket.

Dad walked with me to see his mate, the Station Master.  Even he was beaming!

Some loitering locals weren’t impressed however that I had won the sweep.  They suggested not so politely that my ticket should be disqualified because I was a minor and not legally entitled to bet.

The Station Master firmly replied, ‘The boy bought his ticket fair and square with money he earnt like everybody else.’  He then handed me a considerable amount of dosh with a broad smile.

I didn’t know it yet; but I’d need that money soon.  It would help change the direction of my future.  My win certainly was a miracle.

[halfwayanywhere]

Trip number one of this year? Racing the Tour Divide. I did my first long-distance bicycle tour in 2016 when I cycled across the Australian Outback from Melbourne to Darwin by way of Adelaide. It was boring. But it was also an awesome experience, an incredible way to see the country, and it made me some life-long friends (hi, friends!); that said, I wouldn’t want to repeat that trip (or necessarily recommend it). My second trip via bicycle was bikepacking the Arizona Trail. This was my first time on a mountain bike and it was a hell of a lot different from my trip across Australia (except for the whole bicycling through the desert part). Single track, technical trail, hike a bikes, and that small yet noteworthy part where I had to carry my bike across the Grand Canyon (would not recommend). Bike-powered trip number three? The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route by way of the Tour Divide. The short of it? It’s a 2,700ish-mile (4,200 km) bikepacking route from Banff, Alberta, to Antelope Wells, New Mexico, at the US-Mexico border. It follows the Continental Divide but has very little overlap with the Continental Divide Trail; however, they run nearly parallel for most of the route (as they both follow the Continental Divide, go figure). I remember meeting one Tour Divide rider when I hiked the Continental Divide Trail in 2017 in Island Park, Idaho (not officially on the CDT but instead on an alternate). He was stoked to see us, but I had no idea what he was doing or why I should be excited to see him. I apologize, stranger; if I could do it again, I would be stoked to see you (as I hope CDT hikers this year - and every year - will be stoked to see Tour Divide riders). What makes this trip different from my previous two? Well, a lot. But mostly that I’ll be attempting to complete the Tour Divide as quickly as possible (forgoing one of my favorite things about endurance outdoor activities - zero days). Should be fun? #tourdivide2024 #tourdivide