Four Thousand

January 2009 marks many milestones for October Hand Made. This one may be insignificant compared to the customers, friends, riders, and all around good mojo we've had this month. However, as the internet is an important vehicle for spreading the October Love, it feels significant to us. I'm happy to share that www.rideoctober.com surpassed four thousand hits this month. Thank you to everyone for clicking here.

October CX on Plus One Lap!!!

Big thanks to my homeboy Bill for submitting shots of his October Hand Made cx bike to Plus One Lap. And big thanks to the Plus One Lap crew for the post. Please go check it out here.

300 Grand

Today was an expensive day. No matter who loses billions or even just millions, for me to have to eat 300 Grand today, was pretty disheartening. I couldn't have just eaten 100 Grand, or gone to the limit and eaten 200 Grand. No, I had to push past, over do it, knowing the outcome would be unpleasant. Not even Barack Obama could have helped me. 300 Grand on 1/22/09.

Mogwai Batcat Animation

Handmade Bicycle Show

These are exciting times, no matter what you may be hearing. Remember, the value we place on things boils down to an idea that human beings had. Once upon a time, if you had something I needed, and I had something you needed, we traded. That evolved into me trading you something that I (or we) think has value, for your goods or services. Then, I didn't even have to have that something, I could borrow, on credit, something that I (or we) think has value, and pay you for your good or services with that. This is all well and good, but ultimately, 'value' is an idea. 401k's, mutual funds, large houses or small, Mercedes or Yugo's...stuff has an idea of value, not a tangible value. I completely recognize this is a drastic simplification, and my perspective. However, it does keep things in check for me...

For the past month so, the October Family has been working to plan the booth for the North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS www.handmadebicycleshow.com) at the end of February. The group has batted around ideas, suggestions, giggles, diversionary stories, and even busted out some arts and crafts. October Hand Made is amazingly excited to be going to Indianapolis. We will stand next to our peers, our mentors, our role models, and those who are so good at their craft that we get uncomfortable in their presence... But we'll be there, proud of our work, our ideals, our vision. We will be there and that in and of itself has a 'value' worth more than the price of admission.

It 'costs' to do things today, but I like to look at the value of things as the impact they have on my life. This journey costs so little in comparison to the value that it has...

Reflect on you idea of value, and remember, dreams are free, but so immensly valuable.
Andrew

Current Playlist:
God is an Astronaut "Far from Refuge"
Mogwai "The Hawk is Howling"
Agraceful "The Great I Am"
Murder By Death "In Bocca al Lupo"

Butterflies

As I sit here with October Factory Team rider Kate Harris, I've got butterflies. Not because she has a pretty amazing way with words (we're, um she's, writing sponsorship proposals for 2009) but because I had one of those moments. The moments happen when you are aligned, you are resonant, you are recognizing you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

I may sound like a broken record to those who are close to me, but I couldn't have imagined the way 2008 has gone. October Hand Made Bikes has had an amazing year. We've sold some bikes, yes, made some money, no. Made lots of new friends, yes! We did our part to be visible this cross season, to get up early, pack the tent, pack the bikes, stand in the freezing cold, smile with kids and their parents, high-five our friends who lit up the course.

The people who have come together to make October Hand Made Bikes such a success get it. They realize we are here for a reason - to live the life we chose to live. We have choice, we are the boss. We drive our own bus, make our own waves, cast our own shadow.

Yes, the October Family is indeed guided by a different set of principals.