breaking news

Update 2.0: I just heard from someone else that knows an ER doctor, and they're saying that Leslie suffered a stroke and is in a vegetative state. Damn, that sucks. I'm hoping for the best, but it sounds pretty dire.

Update: Sounds like Leslie's ok, as he's been out at ACL doing his thing all weekend:

At ACL, Leslie commented on my girlfriends breasts with "Niiiiiice."

Which is more believable? Leslie partying like a rockstar at ACL, or Leslie riding his bike from Florida to Austin?

Thanks for setting the record straight Mike.

Derek, our favorite cycling rock and roller, JUST sent me the following blurb about Leslie Cochran, EVERYBODY'S favorite local cross-dresser possibly being injured while riding from Florida to Texas:

I just saw this on the chat at myfoxaustin live page:

"RJW: I got a call this morning from a social worker that Leslie Cochran was critically injured in a fall sustaining a head injury,last night and may not make it,my wife and I have known Leslie for over 15 years and he has kept in touch off and on since he left Melbourne Fl on his bicycle heading for Texas
He will be missed..."

haven't found anything else about it. derek

Now I'm not sure if this was bicycle related, but apparently Leslie was riding from Florida to Texas via bicycle, and he sustained a head injury in a fall. As the source of this information is the local Faux News chatroom (I can only imagine what that must be like), I really hope it's completely spurious and Leslie is happily pedalling his way towards the Lone Star State. Keep your fingers crossed and if you hear anything else about this, please let me know.

I just received the following email from Glenn Thompson, main builder at DalTex Handmade Bicycles and the organizer of the Texas Custom Bicycle Show, filled with some really freaking awesome news:

I could not more excited about the 2009 Texas Custom Bicycle Show partnering with the Lance Armstrong Foundation to host the show at the Livestrong Village in conjunction with the Austin Livestrong Challenge.

This unique 'show within a show' concept will allow many more people to see & touch the best that Texas handmade framebuilders have to offer.

Show hours

Friday, October 23, 9 am - 5 pm (Runs in conjunction with Livestrong Packet Pick-Up/Registration) Austin Convention Center

Saturday, October 24, 9 am - 1 pm (Runs in conjunction with Livestrong Packet Pick-Up/Registration) Austin Convention Center

Sunday, October 25, 8:30 am - 5 pm (Village is part of the Post-Event Party adjacent to the Road Ride Finish Line) Dripping Springs, Tx

This event has 6,000 participants. Many participants will bring one or two family & friends. Traffic at the show will be huge.

Check out the current exhibitor list below:

Crumpton Cycles
Southwest Frameworks
True Fabrications
Alchemy
Kirklee
Dominion
Gallus Cycles
Massengill Cycles
Daltex Handmade Bicycles
Violet Crown Cycles

Great news all around. Thanks for all the hard work in bringing this to Austin, Glenn, and hell of a list of builders you've compiled! I wasn't familiar with all the builders myself, so I figured neither were all of y'all. Here are links to their pages and their cities of origin. Looks like quite a few in the 512:

Crumpton Cycles - Austin
Southwest Frameworks - Dallas
True Fabrications - Austin
Alchemy - Austin
Kirklee - Austin
Dominion - Austin
Gallus Cycles - Fort Worth
Massengill Cycles - Dallas
Daltex Handmade Bicycles - Dallas
Violet Crown Cycles - Austin

OH SHIT! It's PUBLIC! Check it out:

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/bicycle/update2008.htm

Freaking sweet! I JUST found out about this so I don't have much to say, but I'll definitely be writing more once I've pored over the five million pdf files that make up the new plan. Seriously. Five million. Way to go Annick, Nadia, Nathan, and everyone else on the long list of people involved in the creation of this document.

The City Bike/Ped Program is going to be presenting the new plan to the community at two big meetings, one on February 25th and another on March 4th. They'll be going on the calendar in the near future. Right now I'm gonna keep reading, and seeing all y'alls smiling faces. Thanks for submitting those pics to Nadia, y'all!