Valleys
As this blog approaches its two year mark I wonder if the future will look anything like the past.
I love bike polo. It’s as easy as riding a bike and it’s as stressing as doing eight things at once, while riding a bike. I always wanted other people to play bike polo with. And in some way I thought if I could show others what this sport is, what it looks like, how it’s played, and how many others that love it too, then I might never be at a loss to share a game with new, or old, friends. My history of using the internet to promote bike polo goes back further than when hardcourtbikepolo.com started in February of 2008. There were a few places I used going back to 2006 but the idea of my own blog seemed to be the best way to meet my goals. I wanted to be found easily, have the basic info available, like rules and how to build a mallet. Also to keep track of the variety of aspects close to bike polo such as news, events, products, and videos. And last but not least to show my photos. I like the way bike polo comes across in photography. I’m not a good writer in fact I’m terrible but when it comes to conveying ideas, I think the images of riders leaning on each other just to hit a little red ball, or the crossing of mallets so close to spinning wheels, arms stretched, teeth showing, or the shots of a small corner of the court with all six riders packed in and none are frozen in a parallel line to any other but all eyes are fixed on that little red ball. That ball is like a fox on a rail for us, for 10 minutes nothing means more. I love to even just watch bike polo.
As this sport has taken off in the last two years I’ve spent a lot of time on the internet, too much, just to keep up with all the growth and to do what I can to keep others up to date about it’s growth. I guess it’s been good. I have never said no to an interview or held my breath too long when I thought some shit needed to be said. I guess maybe I think I’ve tried to encourage others to try bike polo if they feel like it. But now I feel discouraged to be that person. I don’t feel discouraged to play, just to do the other things I’ve done besides play. Because this site that has my name on it, the biggest thing that I wanted to do is to add original content, I never liked all the blogs that do nothing but repost some content from some other site over and over again. If I don’t have original content I don’t have a reason to do this. Since most of the time I only write a little and try to post my best photos I consider my photography the base of my content. But, and this is the reason for all of this, I don’t feel like posting my photography of bike polo anymore. For two reasons. One, I don’t get the response I’d like to get. Because I can feel satisfied with a good photo wither it’s posted or not, the posting is really just a waste of my time. Sometimes it’s like I post them and then they sit there silent, almost like the energy is gone. The other reason is when I do post a photo someone will quietly swipe it if it’s of them or if it suits their need then chop it up, crop it to their liking and not tell me it’s being used or give credit.
There are other reasons too, a few, but there isn’t much reason to go over them here beyond saying that I’ll be working on other projects. At best I’m just going to take a break from this for a while, it is February after all. I have not posted anything original in a month so there has been nothing on here that can’t be found somewhere else. And like I said. I’m not a fan of sites that just repost shit from other sites. That being said there might be some reposting going on here because I’ll usually repost suggested topics upon request.
At worst this site will be static for however long.
This site will stay up at least two more years, I just renewed the URL. Maybe I renewed it for 5 years, I forget now.
That being said here are some of the links I look at when I want to see what’s going on in the poloverse.
As we all know there is League of Bike Polo but here are some (a lot of) other blogs…
- bikepoloadelaide.blogspot.com
- anchoragehardcourt.com
- azhc.blogspot.com
- atxbpsc.blogspot.com
- brbikepolo.blogspot.com
- bike-polo-leipzig.blogspot.com
- bikepolo.blog.fr
- bloomingtonbikepolo.com
- 208bikepolo.blogspot.com
- bostonbikepolo.wordpress.com
- brisbanebikepolo.blogspot.com
- budapestbikepolo.com
- calgarybikepolo.com
- cascadiabikepolo.com
- casperbikepolo.wordpress.com
- chicagobikepolo.com
- communitymallets.blogspot.com
- denvermalletmafia.wordpress.com
- ehbpc2010.wordpress.com
- evbp.ca
- edmontonbikepolo.com
- bikepoloec.wordpress.com
- directeurenzonderderailleuren.nl
- ghettocourt.blogspot.com
- greifmasters.com
- grenoblebikepolo.canalblog.com
- gvapolo.blogspot.com
- hardcorepolo.wordpress.com
- scarylarrykbp.org
- legitbikepolo.wordpress.com
- lrbpolo.blogspot.com
- londonbikepolo.wordpress.com
- londonbikepololeague.com
- labikepolo.org
- losmarcospolos.com
- madbikepolo.org
- bikepolo.com.au
- www.mkebikepolo.com
- mtlpolo.blogspot.com
- mplsbikepolo.com
- nopolo.org
- nycbikepolo.com
- osakabikepolo.wordpress.com
- parisbikepolo.wordpress.com
- perthcyclepolo.blogspot.com
- phoenixmtbpolo.blogspot.com
- polohaus.blogspot.com
- bike-polo.blogspot.com
- romabikepolo.org
- rvabikepolo.blogspot.com
- sdbikepolo.wordpress.com
- saucylobstarz.wordpress.com
- stlbikepolo.blogspot.com
- tokyobikepolo.blogspot.com
- repartopista.blogspot.com
- wichitabikepolo.blogspot.com
- wilmingtonbikepolo.com




about 3 years ago
I’m sorry to hear that you haven’t been getting the feedback that you’ve been looking for from your photos, I know that I’ve always enjoyed them.
Remember all of those black and white photographs we have stared at from grass games long ago? Your pictures, and those of others, form the narrative of the exciting resurgence of this sport, and their significance cannot be known at this time. Those priceless facial expressions show us that they felt the same way as we do, chasing down that pass, fully in the moment.
Where and when your photographs mean the most doesn’t matter Doug, just don’t stop playing your game– snapping away at the ball, at Menace, with your finger on the shutter.
best,
Pieter
about 3 years ago
Doug, your site has been an inspiration for us here in Christchurch New Zealand…When we were just starting out (not that long ago) it gave me all I needed to launch hardcourt over here. I’m sorry to hear you’ve “lost the love” for your blog, but priorities change in life and that’s just how it goes. I respect your work greatly and thank you sincerely for the inspiration you have given. The godfather of Hardcourt bike polo blogs will be missed!!
about 3 years ago
D-,
One of my best friends is an avid photographer like yourself, and years ago when I lived in the mountains out west he would follow us around the mountain, only to take photos. We used to give him an incredibly hard time…yell at him to “put his fucking camera away and ride”. This went on for years and it was all well-intentioned (we really just wanted to spend the time riding with him) but we were relentless. Now, when we get together, one of the most exciting things about seeing him is getting to see 10 years of my life that he documented, most of it while we were busy berating him for not “participating”. Friends that I had forgotten about or are now gone, moments of total recklessness/stupidity, moments when we felt like gods…they are all well preserved thanks to him.
What’s the point of me telling you this? It may be obvious (but probably not), but its worth saying publicly. What you have been doing for the last few years, is irreplaceable and very necessary. I, for one, can look at previous life experience and know that your photos and blog will stand testament to a chapter in many of our lives. I have no doubt that whatever you decide to do with this site, it will be good for us. Thanks for all you have done so far, and know that it IS appreciated, and not just by me.
Dave
P.S. Don’t think I haven’t noticed that, over the years, you still haven’t published a photo of my polo bike! Jackass!
about 3 years ago
Doug your blog is the same age as my career in hardcourt. breaks are good. see you in 4 weeks.
about 3 years ago
hey boys from Spain ( Barcelona) there are another blog about Fixed And Bikepolo:
http://corpusfixie.wordpress.com/category/bike-polo/
about 3 years ago
doug,
i check your blog with some frequency, due to the fact that you make the effort to post original content on a somewhat regular basis.. it’s nice to check in and see what’s going on at The Pit or hear of some news from the poloverse that i somehow missed. i try to leave some feedback here and there; I definitely think you should keep it up.
well, i don;t know if you’re going to FL… but we’re on the same team for bench minor. i think we could do some major damage together. see you then.
oh, and you forgot mkebikepolo.com on your list of polo sites
about 3 years ago
i think it’s time for the coffee table book.
-p
about 3 years ago
doug- i wish there was a x2 button on your site so i could hit it for everyone’s comments above.
especially dave’s cuz pretty sure my polo bike hasnt been on your site either. well i was at toronto cmwc and you got ashot of me there.
hey remember when we first played each other in ottawa and you guys basically beat me and joe and cody up, to get us back for a rough game agaisnt your fellow NYers earlier in the tourney? then remember when hero squad put you out 5-1 at COG.
pumped to play at the pit again in March!
-jake
about 3 years ago
Jake i remember that well. You MKE guys did good in MKE. Didn’t we play you guys in philly too, i forget…. Anyways I’m gonna chew you up in The Pit.
about 3 years ago
My introduction to Hardcourt and concurring NYC sleeping arrangements were all courtesy of DD in 2007.
A great player and our historian-at-large.
x2.
about 3 years ago
I have always enjoyed what you have posted, here and elsewhere. Thanks a bunch.