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Crush-Out Austin: Patrick, The Orange Hat Bike Messenger Guy
It's the handsome downtown gallery owner with curly hair or the hot Astanga instructor at YogaYoga South. It's the pedicab driver with the cute southern accent or your favorite Lone Star Rollergirl.
It's your local, secret crush.
Austinist is pleased to kick off the new year with this edition's interview: Patrick, The Orange Hat Bike Messenger Guy. We'd just about given up on this request—after months of scoping out messengers downtown. However, Lady Serendipity threw a bone our way, and we spotted him at the corner 8th and Congress just last week. Hoorah!
Next up: We continue to use the search for the Whole Foods counter guy as a worn-out excuse for our raging juice bar addiction, while also following the trail of another object d'amour among the two-wheeled set: "the cute pedicab driver with a slight southern accent."
It's a new year, dudes! Ready to take your unrequited crushies to the next level? Shoot us an email, and we'll get the informacion that will help make your approach less Geraldo and more Gerardo.
[Note: This interview was requested by the big brother of the person who was crushing out on Patrick . How great is that?]
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What do you do when you aren't working as a bike messenger?
Most of the time I'm riding some kind of two wheeler. I race road bikes, which requires a lot of training—15 to 22 hours of riding each week. Most of the hours I put in at work aren't really quality hours, because it's stop and start - short bursts of riding instead of the longer, extended efforts needed for effective training. So, that means I climb off of the track bike I ride at work around 5 o' clock and get on the road bike for another 2 hours in the evenings. On the weekends, I usually ride 3-4 hours each day. I also ride BMX bikes and my motorcycle whenever I get a chance.
I worked downtown at Emo's for a couple of years, so I'm kinda over going downtown to hang out. Occasionally, though, I'll make it down there to catch a show. Most of my friends ride as well, so a lot of my socializing is accomplished when I ride.
Straight-edge. Iron Maiden. Kelly Clarkson. Patrick pieces it together for you in the extended interview.
What was the last book or periodical you read?
DigBMX magazine. I'm in-between books right now. I just finished a book called The Rider by Tim Krabbe.
Alrighty. Here is the required annoying record question. Give us three all-time favorites and one recent find. Feel free to wax poetic on why these make the tops.
Three of my all-time favorites that come to mind are:
1) Jawbreaker - Dear You. Catchy, good, simple lyrics. I don't know...I always smile when I hear it.
2) Fugazi - Repeater. See above.
3) Gorilla Biscuits - Start Today . Reminds me of being a kid; I also listened to this non-stop around the time I met a lot of my best friends.
I've been listening to a lot of Calexico lately.
What's the last thing you saw that really made you think?
When I was overseas last month, riding through the mountains of northern Italy and the hills of Tuscany, I wondered what the hell I was doing spending so much time riding in the hill country of central Texas when I should be exploring more of the world.
I'm always inspired by quiet, smooth roads and scenery, as well as traveling.
Do you have any siblings?
One younger brother—Timmy.
Where is your hometown?
Austin, TX.
I've lived in Austin most of my life, with several stints on the east coast.
What is your favorite eatery in town?
Veggie Heaven or Mr. Natural.
I should be exploring more of the world."
What is your favorite mascot and why?
Eddie (the mascot for Iron Maiden) would have to be the first that comes to mind. I don't know why... he's the only mascot I can think of right now.
What is a guilty pleasure of yours?
Kelly Clarkson's "Since You've Been Gone".
How many times have you been 'doored' while riding? Any advice for those of us that are downtown drivers?
I've never been 'doored'; I've been hit eight times, though.
I guess my advice for drivers is to leave cyclists alone; don't honk, yell at them or fuck with them at all. Even though you're in a car, you are very vulnerable... or at least your car is. You may think you can honk at a cyclist or harass them, and then just drive away, but if it happens downtown, chances are the rider will catch up with you in a couple of lights, and then it gets ugly.
I've 'seen' mirrors get knocked off, doors get kicked in and windows broken. Other than that, just be aware of what's going on around you, which means putting the cell phone down when you're driving.
What is the most interesting thing you have ever messengered or couriered over? Do you have favorite clients/pick ups and/or messenger stories?
Nothing too interesting—mostly we carry court filings or architectural plans—but I've carried some random stuff, like: a kid's backpack to his third grade class for him (his father is a big shot lawyer), the bankruptcy filing papers for Enron, and too many bottles of champagne around the holidays (they're heavy once you get three or four on your back).
There are too many crazy stories... something ridiculous happens nearly every day.
What else would you like us to know? This is where you can say you're single, etc..
I'm single.
I'm not allergic to anything but cats.
I've got a lot of quirks, I guess—way too many to list here. The quirk I get the most puzzlement from would have to be the fact that I don't drink, smoke or use drugs, and I never have. I'm not religious; I just never cared to try them.
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