How to know your pro? Color photo in the Boston Herald. AND when they lay out the photo, the front wheel is literally bursting from the frame. AND we all know that Kyler knows how to look pro. Damn that shit is "tite!" Just sayin'.INCOMING:
Here is what I've got coming up for you. I'll break them down in the order that they happened. Last week we left for Vegas in the middle of Monday. A week later and if I said that I was reeling from the week that just happened, I'd be lying. Reeling is putting it lightly.
You don't believe me? Check my Twitter. It was an amazing way to quickly document the show and now offers me a little fodder to go back through and check. Might actually be an interesting way to do some of the blog posts, just update the twitter post with a lengthier bloggy one. Then update the blog post with a magazine article and then eventually a book on the subject. And then in no time we will be flying. What they hell am I talking about?
LAST WEEK:
MondayLeft for Vegas, drove for what seemed to be days, but which was really just hours. Ate a whole bunch of crap and stayed at a hotel in Weed, California. Yes please. Kicked off a long train of unusually bad eating, which included: McDonalds (twice in one day), more soda than you can shake a stick at, various and sundry flavors of chips, gummi something-or-others, Taco Bell (are you getting sick yet?), a corndog, pastrami, more chips, Starbucks, salty liquorice... I'm just going to stop...
TuesdayMore driving. Lots of driving and lots of driving on very, very straight roads. Then a big lake and then some more driving on straight as hell roads. Through hell. And then, finally when you thought it couldn't get any better, we rolled into Vegas. Showered, drank a bunch of booze, at burritos (probably the best meal in Vegas) and then drank until I couldn't see or think straight.
Highlights: Junk Food, Traveling Companions, Hilarity Ensues,
Lowlights: See above (kidding, the companions were the best part)
WednesdayHit the show for a few hot minutes. Handed out some invites and then headed back to the Artisan Hotel to prep for the party action. Did that for a few hours before heading to Cross Vegas. Shot photos of Dylan with every attractive...um...person available. Interviewed a Belgian friend who was more than pissed at the lack of Beer stands, and then watched former (note I said former) bike racers schmooze it up for each other (ahem Cannings). Loaded a bunch of people into a pre-arranged bus and then headed back to the party. Saw some MASH folks and promptly lost my Pink Rapha Logo T-shirt to our buxom bartender GG. Great gal, but I kind of want my shirt back.
Highlights: Seeing old friends at the show, Cross Racing, Chris Distefano, Party Time, The Artisan Hotel, Jeremy Powers DJ Set, Andy Clark, people packing the shit out of the Artisan, absolutely anyone involved with Knog, Molly Racing (AND HER RIDER CARDS!!)
Lowlights: People hacking up Lungs from Dry Racing Conditions, Jeremy Powers being booted (by the management) off the wheels of steel after one song, not enough time with Kaiko and Mike, completely missing Rob Vandermark and B. Quirk,
ThursdayShow day, well, mostly. The hotel rooms in Vegas get unusually dark when the shades are drawn, throwing ones sense of time and place into a whirlwind of confusion. And making one sleep well past the time that normal people should sleep. Headed to the show a little late but got to see a few key people and talk about things like: Rapha, advertising, Embrocation article ideas (some really great stuff will come out of this). Then it was back to the hotel for a minute before piling into the trusty white whale and heading over to Mandalay Bay for some Crit Championship action.
Highlights: Hot new Embrocation Socks, Espresso at the Fizik Booth, Bike racing Adam Myerson style, Moots, Ridley, Asian Food (always drink hot tea and you can eat as much as you want and not feel full and gross), Hanging out with James Selman and Ben from Freeman Transport. Twitter action. Seeing Thayne Nord. Hanging out with Jason and Craig Roth made me feel like I was back in Boston.
Lowlights: Walking around all day eating Power Samples (powerbar, power gel, goo, electrolite goo, powerballs?), The George W. Busch photo in the Kenda Booth (not a great idea guys), a fake mud covered bike in the Kuota booth (not even a good idea guys)
FridayTo the show for a few quick meetings. I only say 'meetings' because then it sounds professional. Got to see the inside of the Oakley black cave of death, but only by peering in from the outside as Katarina Nash came stumbling out clutching 40 new pairs of Oakleys. Looks nice in there. Then it was drive time again, back to PDX, but not before a quick stop at In N Out Burger. So good. Before I left though had a great chat with Bob Roll on how much he likes Embrocation Cycling Journal, there's Video on that too. Then we headed back into the desert.
Highlights: Bob Roll, Steve Blick and the LOOK stickers. More espresso. Playing "Where's Waldo" with all of the Independent Fabrication Bikes (Whipperman, Cane Creek, the CO2 Inflaters, EDGE. Am I missing any?) Dan Sharp and I running around on the floor like madmen, the release action on the Time Road Pedals and the Time booth in general. Bern headphones. Military case sales at the side of the road.
Lowlights: Leaving the Artisan Hotel behind. So long. The booth with the leg rollers. Rushing. Chrome's boombox, looking towards another drive. Assy People.
SaturdayDrive Drive Drive Drive, Listen to music, Drive Drive Drive. Eat some candy. Drive Drive Drive. Laugh at some funny shit that Carey, Slate, Dan or Dave say. Drive Drive Drive. God its good to be back Best Homecoming ever. Steaks, drinks, fellowship, laughs..
SundayWake up late and read the newspaper. Go straight to sports section and look for some cycling. Be disappointed with the above from NY Times. Then race some Cyclocross. "Oh, I wonder how that went?" you might be asking yourself. See above. Especially the parts where it says things like: driving, junk food, drinking, party, McDonalds....
"And on Monday we be at it again."
More later.
