Merci

Geneva, Switzerland

Our trip to Geneva: chocolate, cheese, polo, baguettes, espresso, polo, chocolate, polo, cheese, and chocolate.

10 minutes after arriving at the train station in Geneva, we found the polo.

Just a short ride from the train station, the Geneva polo courts are in a beautiful part of the city, right on the water with the mountains in the backdrop. They played a special day knowing we would be arriving, and the day was perfect.

The Geneva polo players are quick, highly skilled, and quite the hosts. Jared and I have been trying to play all the different cities, USA vs. ______ 2 on 2, or 2 on 3. We've taken a few cities so far, but no chance with Geneva. Our day trip for a little match against Berne was another story :)

L'Equipe has made quite a name for themselves, winning the 2009 European Hardcourt Bike Polo Championship in London August 2, 2009. Unfortunately, they were eliminated into the second day at the World Hardcourt Bike Polo Championship in Philadelphia last month. I think they would have done much better if one of their players frame wasn't broken because of the opposing team playing quite dirty...

The days we were able to play polo in Geneva, there were about 8 dudes, 1 lady, and 1 elementary aged child! (The future of bike polo!) All really, really great players. Very friendly, no disputes.

If you want good, clean, challenging bike polo...get your ass to Geneva.

Thank you Manuel, Clemonte, and everyone else that helped us out, and showed us a good time.


More photos from Geneva here!

You think your game is good?

Get on this level.

Mierda

Barcelona, Spain

Arriving into Barcelona was hectic, to say the least. We were sick of the trains, the streets were flooded with a festival, and the only thing on our mind was polo...

We found the courts, took a nap on the park benches that surround the perfect circle court, and woke up to the local Barcelona players skidding into the park.  All welcomed us with open arms, and mallets to borrow.

Their courts, La Aspirina, are in central Barcelona. One of the most unique courts I have seen being a circle, in a pit, and a very slippery surface due to some dirt on the courts.

The guys (yes, only guys) have been playing for just about 9 months now, starting in January 2009. Everyone (as of now) are riding fixed, about half brakeless. Some friends in the fixed gear community spread the word about bike polo, and now they are hooked.

Their first mallets were made with wooden heads, and were really heavy. They lasted about a month and now their mallets are looking pretty good.

Since the addiction, they play three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). I think the one thing this polo community is lacking is some ladies!

They've formed a few teams within their community now, and are hoping to "do something" at the Bicycle Film Festival Bike Polo Tournament in Paris Oct 16th. They only have one tournament under their belt, so hopefully you will be hearing about these boys after Paris....

 

Barcelona's fixed gear boutique, "My Beautiful Parking"   You can seriously find anything you would need/want for a fixed gear, or single speed bike. Gorgeous completes, parts, wheels, etc. all for a really affordable price. This shop also doubles as a "parking garage" for bicycles. Bicycle theft is sadly growing in Barcelona, and this is a safe way to store your bicycle. You can even rent a fixed gear bike if you come to visit Barcelona bike-less!

While on a night ride with the local "trick" dudes in Barcelona, they brought us to this gem. Famous in BMX videos, (not sure what this spot is called though) I can see why one could spend all night here.

Barcelona Bike Polo

El Polodromo 

Calle Aragon 446 

Barcelona, Spain

More photos from Barcelona here!

COMOSEXUAL - From July 16th, 2009

For the past 6 days, I spent my time in Columbia, Missouri AKA COMO.

Who would have thought this small Missouri town could have so much to offer?

The main downtown area is filled with vegan/vegetarian restaurants, eco-friendly shops, book stores, many coffee shops, and much more.

One of my favorite places to eat in town is Main Squeeze, locally owned vegan foods and smoothies. Also, the Lavender Honey ice cream at Sparky's, yum!

Another place that blew me away was RagTag Cinema, another locally owned place that is a three-in-one gem. The cinema consists of two theaters containing couches, and showing a variety of indie films, and documentaries that you wouldn't find in a big theater.

They allow food and drink from the bakery in front of the theater! Baked goods, full bar, coffee, etc. On the other side of this, is an independent movie store. Filled with all the regular movies, classics, anime, documentaries, foreign films, and quite a VHS collection! All for rent (really cheap!), and some for sale.

BIKE COMMUNITY

There are two main bike shops, Walts, and Klunk (lots of recycled bikes, awesome owner/employees helped us out a lot).

The Como Bike Polo group is astonishing. On a regular night, about 20 people show up. There are about 10 girls that play regularly, and have all-girl games, all night.

They play 3 times a week, from 7 until usually 11. Twice a night on top of a parking garage, and once at a roller hockey court.

Needless to say...these guys are good. They play hard all night, hanging out in-between games, the usually bike talk, and usually all end up going out together later in the night. 

The main thing I admire about this community (besides their sick polo skills), is they truly are a community. They knock on each others door to borrow bike parts, hang out outside of bike related events, organize trips to the polo tournaments even though they have little-to-no money, and get together to make mallets. They even gathered anything they could from their houses to put on a yard sale to raise money for the Rocky Mountain Bike Polo Tournament in Denver.

They all opened up their arms and houses to me and Jared all week. They showed us around town, introduced us to some amazing people outside of the bike polo community, and showed us the best dumpsters.

Some random pictures from the trip:

Riding skatepark in Kirksville. No bikes allowed, but fuck them! A skatepark is meant for people (more importantly kids) to have something to do besides get into trouble, drugs, etc. I guess skateboarders are the chosen ones.

Farm in Memphis, MO.

Yeehawww.

Riding in the combine. I felt like Pauly Shore in Son-In-Law. I really wanted to write my name in the wheat field.

Creepy basement.

This was probably the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. Check out the polo mallet in dudes hand. Yes! Imagine seeing this sex machine rolling by you. Shortest shorts.

Oh hai, bicycle. (You look totally different now.)

Some of my sidewalk chalk art. Don't hate.

Playing in shady places.

Thank you Nick, Drew, Charlie, Megan, Chris, Brian, Aimee, Julia, Liz, Tim, Colleen, T-Bone, Wayman, Maggie, Pete, and anyone else that made this trip memorable!