The Radavist

Look, cycling in Austin is by no means as “epic” as Oregon, Colorado or California, but we’ve got some damn fine riding here. In Travis county, the elevation maxes out at 1,300′ and drops down to around 400′, leaving most of the gain on your rides to short, steep climbs. The Dam Loop is a popular ride for weekenders and training elite alike but it’s no where near as fun as some of the hill loops, unless you incorporate a few into the mix, which is what we tend to do. It’ll come in around 50 miles and over 3,000′ if you play it right but it doesn’t have to end there. And it’s hard not to, especially if it’s cool out and the heat hasn’t gotten to you. Not to mention the looming skies and limestone cliffs make for great scenery.

In the few days that I was in Austin after Australia, I hit the loop with Jon a few times and this Recent Roll showcases that.

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People always ask me why I don’t do A Day in 10 Photos posts that often anymore. My answer is simple: with the new blog format and gallery, it’s a lot easier for me to dump 40+ photos into a set and call it a day. ADi10P was an easy way for me to link to 10 important photos and then post more on Flickr but now, I have been putting them all in big photosets. Case in point are the “Randomness” posts I’ve been making recently. But today’s activities merited a return to “the” 10. And to be honest, this was only a few hours out of my day.

It’s summer already in Austin and with all the rain we’ve been having, the rivers, swimming holes and beaches are flooded. Both with water and people. Today, I took Murph from PDW and Billy down to the Greenbelt for some people watching and straight relaxing. Check out nine more photos below.

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Last night was the Levi’s 2012 Commuter Series party here in Austin at Fast Folks. The event started off with the Hustle and Flow 6th street time trail and ended in a haze of booze and randomness at Cheer Up Charlies. Like last year’s event, people got loose and had a blast. Check out some photos below!

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No, we didn’t stop there to eat. Not this time. Ross and I have been riding a lot when I’m in town. One day, we took off for the dam loop and finished it off with Jester and 360. It’s been raining a lot here in Austin, causing all the limestone cliffs on 360 to collapse due to the excess run-off. It’s an eerie sensation to ride next to large, wet rocks, ready to fall but if you catch the sun just right, it sparkles in the water. This Recent Roll was taken a month or so ago, when I had just gotten my Bishop. It’s lovely weather to be riding in right now. Get out on your bikes!

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The old Empire BMX bowl was legendary. So many videos and photos took place behind their old spot off 5th street and since they moved up on north Lamar in Austin, their bowl was in shambles. Various radii of ramp laid out in the rain, mixed in with remnants from Texas Toast and other jams, until Ryan Corrigan submitted drawings for a bigger, better ramp. Months later and this sprawling bowl is complete but it took a lot of work. A few weeks ago, I headed out to shoot some photos with my 15mm fisheye on my AE-1. Trust me, these photos don’t do this ramp justice.

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Seriously. I’m burnt out and I didn’t even go to many shows. Today was unofficially the “last” day of SxSW. The hordes of people will start heading back to their home town tomorrow and slowly but surely, the decompression and reconstruction of Austin will take place. Yesterday, I met Erik and Sofia from Sweden. In the next few days, they’re leaving on a 10-month cycle tour of the western United States called The Great Escape. I’m letting them crash with me for a few days before they begin their Raidô.

Last night was a wreck, which lead to a great ride and finally, I was ready for music. So this afternoon, I went by Barcelona to see the only DJ group / crew / bass record label I give a shit about anymore, Trouble and Bass. I’ve known these guys for years, since before this blog was even in existence. Seeing them grow and prosper over the years has been very inspiring. I made it in time for Drop the Lime and Death Face‘s sets. As the crowd became even more intoxicated by the deadly bass, the mood darkened and it was still daylight out!

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One of the reasons why I love riding here in Austin is that I’ve got great friends to ride with. Fixed, BMX, road, whatever your preferred terrain may be, this city delivers. On a road bike, you’re missing out if you avoid the hills, just a few miles northwest of the city. Some of the my best times on my bike have been spent with Ross and Jon. This Recent Roll is dedicated, once again, to the hills!

Today was awesome. We started off with a detox ride to some hills and immediately got sucked into the madness that is SxSW. I randomly bumped into Matty B, who was working at the Handsome roasters pop up shop. After some much-needed caffeine, I headed over to Yellow Jacket, where Elle Camino Vintage Clothes had her pop up shop going and from there, it just got kinda fuzzy. I do know that I saw Lamour Supreme at Secret Walls at some point but again, the rest of the night was a blur. Check it out for yourself here.

The best way to deal with SxSW is out on your road bike in the hills (hopefully you brought your bike). Or, if you prefer, a quick roll through the city often delivers some prime people watching. After I cleaned up from my morning ride, I headed into downtown to an old friend and along the way, I caught a few photos. Nothing serious, just an idea of what it’s like here during SxSW. Click the image above to see the Gallery.