BB#2 Prep

I'll take one sore throat and an overall feeling of exhaustion. That should do my fitness wonders.

I'm going to use the wonders of the human mind to thwart off the attack on my system, "I'm not sick, I'm not going to get sick. Stay strong." Will be my mantra for the next 24 hours. If that doesn't work and I am overcome with the illness, I'll mope around the house whining about getting sick until K$ tells me to man up and deal with it. At which time I'm usually felling well enough to get out and ride again.

I'm off to go mix up some more of this.
Drink it up

Represent

Who's the guy in blue and red, and what did he do to make the guy behind cover his face?
Sharp
Look closely at the head badge. Look familiar?

Bananna Belt #1

Aside from the racing, the one thing that really stood out on the day was seeing this guy in his kit. Holy crap, could you BE any skinnier Doug. I think the bike saddle was wider than his body.

Blazer B-ball

If there's one thing in this world I truely hate it's the Lakers. I hate them with every ounce of my soul. The reasons are many and just.

Last night the Blazers, with a full roster, took it to the team in gold and purple. It made me feel good to see those youngsters play team basketball and remain composed for the entire game.

Here's a clip that makes me smile evertime I watch it.

Ripped from Cyclingnews

I thought this was good. The Lion King breaks it down for Ball.

Cipollini and Ball's relationship on the rocks

The relationship that was started last fall in a Las Vegas discotheque could come to an end if Mario Cipollini does not get his say in the management of Rock Racing. The Italian, who came out of retirement at the age of 40 to race in the Tour of California last week, and his lawyer met with the owner of the team, Mike Ball, yesterday to discuss the coming season.

"We need to sit at the table and make clear who is in command," said Mario Cipollini in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport's Luigi Perna. The Italian from Lucca and lawyer Giuseppe Napoleone were scheduled to meet with Ball later in the day.

"The boss is Ball, but after him it is me. Therefore I want to manage the squad starting now. I can organise the participation in [Milano-] Sanremo. To find men to race is not a problem. ... If Ball does well it will continue, otherwise goodbye. I now understand that the name Cipollini still has value, in the United States and elsewhere."

Cipollini was happy with his return, but not with the fiasco surrounding the team and Ball's backing of Tyler Hamilton, Oscar Sevilla and Santiago Botero. The riders, all allegedly linked with Operación Puerto, were barred from racing by the organiser, but continued along daily by riding behind the race caravan and signing autographs for fans at the stage villages.

"For a week I had an infinite amount of patience ... Maybe it was my great desire to return to racing with an important project. However, we can't go forward like this. We are not able to continue to pull along this heavy weight that ruins our image, and now Ball also understands this. It is not enough to advertise and show off models."

En Vogue

Racing with your name on the frame.

Sexy Gathering

Pro/1/2 staging at the Cherry Pie RR.

2008 NAHBS Report

Here's how it went for 3 days at the show.
Me to showgoers, "Hi. How ya do'n?"
Showgoer, "Good"
"Where ya from?"
"Portland" (at least that was the majority of the people)
"Great! I'm from Salem."
"Really?!" they'd say with great suprise.

Another question I would get was, "Is this aluminum?" I guess people had never seen shape steel tubes before.

In all it was a good show. I handed out a ton of business cards and went though 100+ stickers. I met a lot of good people and I learned a lot having John Slawta displaying next to me. We'll see about going to Indy next year.

Cyclingnews.com Luv

James Huang of Cyclingnews stopped by the booth on Sunday to snap some photos. I was stoked because I was sure to not get any coverage from VeloSnooze or BikePDX. And we all know cyclingnews.com is the shiznit and the only real cycling website worth reading, well 'cept for Pez. Check it out.

SS MTB

Road

Jersey

Eff-Yeah

Just got back from the show.....I'm spent. I'll get a full report from the show up a little bit.

NAHBS Pre-Show

Got the booth set up tonight. Check it.

Getting my shiznit to the show. About $15K worth of bikes and equipment stuffed into the back of the Element.

Someone to do the heavy lifting.

Wheel in the goods.

Set up, ready for showtime.

Oh Dude,

Tomorrow I set up for the big show. I only have few more things to do :) Apparently my stress is showing. Vickers was nice enough to give me a hug today when I walked into the shop to pick up some tires for a bike. Thanks.

Got a text message today from the author of everyones favorite pro blog. Look's like Omer is going to start updating again. Let's hope he can keep it up.

WebSite Re-Do

A few months ago I was looking for someone to rebuild my lame attempt at being a webmaster. Who I found was a furry transplant from the mid-west. He agreed to rework my website while he adjusted to his new moister environment.

Check it out, I think it looks like someone actually knows what they are doing. Great job, yo!

NAHBS Exhibitor List

I was scanning through the list of exhibitors for the show and something struck me funny....some of the builders are actually big ass companies that are cranking out a huge number of bikes per year (6000+). Hmmmm. I was looking forward to displaying with my peers.

Oh well, I'll make the best of it. If you're coming up to the show stop by and say hi. If all goes right I should be losing my voice sometime Sunday so if you want to actually talk, stop by Saturday.

While they last, I'll have cell phone sized Marcroft stickers to hand out too.

Economic Stimulus

It looks like everyone that held a job in 2007 is getting a 'gift' from the government. Sounds like a great time for everyone to buy a custom bike that's made in the US.

The only true way to stimulate the US economy is to keep the money from going overseas. The largest component I use that is not manufactured in the US is the tubeset and that is made in Italy. Bottom brackets, bridges, bosses are all made in the bay area. The tubing reseller is in Sacramento and Tri-Cities. All my Ti is domestic. My paint is done in Salem, Grants Pass or PDX.

So when a frame is purchased from Marcroft Cycles it's economic effect is far reaching.

2.5 Weeks

A super short amount of time before 'the show'. I'm sorta freaking out about displaying. I hope I'm not laughed at.

You Tubed

I've been on the You Tube some more.

Rock on Jack and Meg.

Weekend away

So this last weekend was spent away from home. Bellingham Washington to be exact. K$'s best friend lives up there and we hadn't been up in a long time. Friday we packed dude and all his stuff, a bike, Mick's frame and enough clothes for a long weekend away. Here's all the stuff I didn't while K$ and dude hung out.

Friday:
-Ride for and hour in B-Ham and see three real cyclists (Western Wash and a couple FRM)

Saturday:
-Drive to Herriott Sports Performance to check out the facility and do a group indoor ride. It was cool to have 8 people all hooked up to Computrainers 'racing' a course and each other. All the while Todd is jumping around and talking a mile a minute.
-I then went to Cascade Bicycle Studio and met Zac. He's got a sweet gig going, Here's what he's doing.
-Went to the 'burbs and hung out with Anthony and company. We discussed the merits of riding on all white Flights and I think I might have his lady sold on a new mountianbike.

Sunday:
-Rode with a group out of Fanatik Bike under sunny skies. It was great, there where about 20 people that showed up. They have a pretty good bike culture in Bellingham and from the sounds of things it's growing.

Monday:
-Drive home, yuck. I have to work tomorrow.

Current Mood: Gloomy

Rain....go away. I've had enough of your cold moistness.

Where are you sun? I need the sweet vitamin D that you provide my ailing body. I'm in dire need of your postive ions that keep me sane.

Only a few more weeks until the weather breaks and life starts anew.

Off to Paint

Another rain bike heading out to get painted.