Interesting article about bike messengers

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Claire Petersky) said:

seattletimes.nwsource.comcover.htmlOpen ↗

Remember the ol' paperboys/papergirls, distributing ppl's evening, last-edition newspapers? The ol'
canvas sacks w/ Gothic-lettered "Vancouver Sun" or "Seattle PI" silkscreened on 'em? Hangin' around
the Paper Shack with the Big Guys, all of whom were tough Greasers, but some certain ones had the
remarkable distinction of also being Crushers (as in, they could beat a guy up real bad)?

I'd like to get me one of those old canvas Vancouver Sun sacks. But the Crushers, I think I'd rather
leave alone. 'specially Crazy Rick Millovich, who used to like to pack scissor-halves, and use 'em.

Daytons were safety, if one could use 'em.

cheers, Tom

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[email hidden] (Tom Keats) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] (Claire Petersky) writes:

Remember the ol' paperboys/papergirls, distributing ppl's evening, last-edition newspapers? The
ol' canvas sacks w/ Gothic-lettered "Vancouver Sun" or "Seattle PI" silkscreened on 'em? Hangin'
around the Paper Shack with the Big Guys, all of whom were tough Greasers, but some certain ones
had the remarkable distinction of also being Crushers (as in, they could beat a guy up real bad)?

My older brother worked his way up the paperboy chain until he was Shack Manager. Girls in those
days were not supposed to be paperboys, but I used to sub for him from time to time, wearing that
grey (when new, white) Seattle Times canvas bag. And nowadays, the Seattle Times comes not in the
afternoon delivered by a teen on a bike, but in the morning, delivered by an adult in a car.

Warm Regards,

Claire too early in the morning for a .sig

(Claire Petersky) said:

seattletimes.nwsource.comcover.htmlOpen ↗

Hey! Those are my homeboys, some of them. Irving Arzeta and Matt Messenger are both distinguished
veterans of my own tallbike. They can both ride a sustained wheelie on it, to my amazement.

Nice to see an article about cycle messengers that isn't condescending. Hardworking folks, those. My
hat would be off to them, if I wore one.

Chalo Colina

One of my fondest and earliest childhood memories is helping my older brother deliver the newspapers
in our home town. I remember the wind going through my hair, cool breeze, morning sun shining,
sitting on top of the handlebars feet on the fender. He would say "watch this" and then he would
fling the newspaper on to the front steps of his customers!

You should hear my brother tell it.

take care Liz

Hey! Look what [email hidden] (Claire Petersky) wrote :

Quoted message said:

My older brother worked his way up the paperboy chain until he was Shack Manager. Girls in those
days were not supposed to be paperboys, but I used to sub for him from time to time, wearing that
grey (when new, white) Seattle Times canvas bag. And nowadays, the Seattle Times comes not in the
afternoon delivered by a teen on a bike, but in the morning, delivered by an adult in a car.

Warm Regards,

Claire too early in the morning for a .sig

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Claire Petersky) said:

[email hidden] (Tom Keats) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] (Claire
Petersky) writes:

Remember the ol' paperboys/papergirls, distributing ppl's evening, last-edition newspapers? The
ol' canvas sacks w/ Gothic-lettered "Vancouver Sun" or "Seattle PI" silkscreened on 'em? Hangin'
around the Paper Shack with the Big Guys, all of whom were tough Greasers, but some certain ones
had the remarkable distinction of also being Crushers (as in, they could beat a guy up real bad)?

My older brother worked his way up the paperboy chain until he was Shack Manager. Girls in those
days were not supposed to be paperboys, but I used to sub for him from time to time, wearing that
grey (when new, white) Seattle Times canvas bag. And nowadays, the Seattle Times comes not in the
afternoon delivered by a teen on a bike, but in the morning, delivered by an adult in a car.

If anybody ever did much to promote cycling back in the good ol' days, it was the newspapers. I
dunno what happened since, but I bet a line graph would show acorresponding decrease in
cycling-in-general, and bicycle newspaper delivery.

There used to be an art to rolling up a newspaper and tucking-in the top corner to keep it tightly
rolled up -- even after it bashes the mesh out of ppl's screen doors.

Nowadays some crusty old, disgruntled, retired guy who hates dogs, cats, kids, and everybody else,
drives up and leaves it flat on your welcome mat. If you're lucky.

Paper shacks were Sanctum Sactoria. And violin teachers always situated themselves near them, so
their students would necessarily have to go past them and be subjected to the usual punishment
for nerdism.

I'd love to get my hands on an old Vancouver Sun canvas sack, just to hang on the wall, next to my
Jolly Roger. Those things were the forerunner of the courier bag.

I sometimes also would like to look up some old paperboys, and get even. Maybe force them to listen
to me play "Lady of Spain".

cheers, Tom

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(Chalo) said:

(Claire Petersky) said:

seattletimes.nwsource.comcover.htmlOpen ↗

Hey! Those are my homeboys, some of them. Irving Arzeta and Matt Messenger are both distinguished
veterans of my own tallbike. They can both ride a sustained wheelie on it, to my amazement.

Nice to see an article about cycle messengers that isn't condescending. Hardworking folks, those.
My hat would be off to them, if I wore one.

Chalo Colina

Heh, I can't work out how to do a wheelie, most I get the front wheel off the ground by is
about 10 cm

"Arpit" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Heh, I can't work out how to do a wheelie, most I get the front wheel off the ground by is
about 10 cm

Try a lower gear and throw your weight back at the same time as you stab the pedals. You should be
moving slowly before starting and be ready to stop yourself from flying off the back by using your
rear brakes.

hippy -still practising :-)