#randomness

tag

Team Dream Sunset-Chasing Team

Reportage

Team Dream Sunset-Chasing Team

These are totally random, but too good to just let sit on my hoard drive…

Sean from Team Dream Team has a really rad VW bus that has been in his possession since he was just a bobcat cub. Well, truthfully, he’s shared this bus with a buddy of his since the early 90’s. On our last night in Los Angeles – adios! – Sean took Lauren, Kyle, Liz and myself on a ride up one of the many canyons in Malibu where he lives.

It was awesome and the perfect way to end a road trip. Now, for some much-needed time on the bike!

West Coast Best Coast Wrap Up

Reportage

West Coast Best Coast Wrap Up

Well, we’re here in Los Angeles, after four days of pedal to the metal driving down Highway 1 from Portland to Los Angeles. The Pacific Coast Highway is one of the nation’s most popular bicycle touring routes and unfortunately, that also means it’s one of the most popular RV / Camper / no-clue how to drive windy road tourist destinations.

West Coast Best Coast Day 03 – Oregoners

Reportage

West Coast Best Coast Day 03 – Oregoners

Ok. Seriously. Now it’s a vacation. Nothing against hanging in cities but it’s damn stressful trying to get around and see all your best buddies. Well, a different kind of stress, especially when compared to driving with the windows down and music blasting down some rad gravel road with no one in sight. That’s stressful.

Lauren and I spent the day on a route I planned out to take us from Portland to the 101, without getting on any major highways. It ruled. Then, a wreck happened on the 101 and we had to take a 50 mile detour. That didn’t rule. Getting to eat at the Local Ocean in Newport, Oregon made up for it though.

I didn’t shoot a lot of digital today, because I’m shooting medium format, but I did get a little trigger happy at a nice little beach spot before we called it a night.

Check out some in the Gallery!

West Coast Best Coast Day 02 – Portland

Reportage

West Coast Best Coast Day 02 – Portland

Look, I didn’t want day two to be more Portland photos. I know this city is awesome and I have a lot of rad friends here but come on. I need some nature. Alas, yesterday was our last day in PDX, before we head out of town, along the Nestucca River to the PCH.

It’s been 12 years since I owned a vehicle and I was quickly reminded at the cost of maintenance. New tires? Yeah, expensive. Funny how you can rationalize $80 tires for your bike, but $200 tires for a car or truck? Dammit!

After running some errands, I swung by to see my friends at Rapha North America to see their expanded offices and drink all their coffee before heading out to do much of the same – try to meet as many friends as I could before we headed out of town in the morning…

West Coast Best Coast Day 01 – Portland

Reportage

West Coast Best Coast Day 01 – Portland

Vacations, holidays, or just plain breaks. We all need them and regardless to how fun you may think this job is, it’s a lot of work. Like, I’ve worked for 8 years in architecture and I thought that was a lot of work. No way. Traveling, shooting photos, maintaining this site, is all work and once a year, I like to take a break.

Granted, the very fact that I’m writing a post today, on the first day of our West Coast Best Coast trip, contradicts the notion of a true “holiday”, but hey, I can’t just leave the site alone for a week!

Lauren and I have been apart a lot this year, she’s been kicking ass in Myanmar doing design research and I’ve been jet-setting around the globe attending various events. So when we had a week or two open in our schedules, I planned a trip.

The general idea was fly into Portland, spend a few days there and then dip down to LA along the Pacific Coast Highway, aka PCH.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with this route, I rode it a few years back on my touring bike, albeit a bit later in the year. In August, it’s a haven for people in the US and around the world, leaving camp sites, hotels, everything booked out for months, making it difficult to plan anything.

Luckily, I’m not a big fan of plans and I have a pretty good idea of where to go, what to see and how long to spend in each place.

The only planning I did was our vehicle. I’ve been wanting either a mid 80’s – mid 90’s Toyota 4×4 4 cylinder pickup since moving to Texas and getting back into mountain biking. Trucks in Texas are crazy expensive and so I extended my search to the west coast, where I found a pretty good deal on a ’96 Tacoma.

It’s red, has a 3″ lift, camper shell and it needs a name. More on that later. Best news is, it runs and will be our vehicle for this trip and hopefully many others.

Yesterday, we did the tourist thing in Portland. Went to a few shops, met friends and took it easy.

It was a perfect day to begin our West Coast Best Coast trip!

Thanks for the Reminder Sean

Radar

Thanks for the Reminder Sean

Photos by Sean Talkington

… of how much #LASucksForCycling. Head over to Team Dream for a few more 35mm jammers.

I miss that town all the time. Actually, I just miss the West Coast, period. Luckily, this weekend, Lauren and I are leaving for a proper vacation. We’ve got a week to drive from Portland to Los Angeles (which isn’t nearly enough time) and I’ll be shooting vacation photos the whole way.

Hopefully, if you have never been down HWY 1, the next week will make you want to do so.

How’s everyone’s summer going?

How to Rule Summer in Central Texas

Reportage

How to Rule Summer in Central Texas

Let me begin this post with the phrase: don’t blow up the spot, bro. Now, I know I’m posting photos of a few hidden gems, but you don’t have to name them… That said, we also were given “special permission” to access these spots from land owners, so, again #dontblowupthespot, bro. Also, also, remember one thing: this is Texas, people have a lot of guns and a particular connection to their private property. I’ve dealt with angry land owners before. Let me tell you, it ain’t worth it.

Now that that’s out of the way…

Central Texas can be quite unforgiving in the summer months and the only bastian for relaxation are limestone swimming holes, sink holes, aquifers, lakes and other vessels for holding water. The problem is: every frat boy bro and his messy friends camp out with coolers of beer and boom boxes, littering and ruining a lot of these swimming locales, leaving my friends and I seeking refuge in lesser-known locations.

Be it on a mountain bike, cross bike, or in this case, simply driving outside of the Austin area to swim has proven to be quite fruitful this summer in particular. We hike in and leave nothing but footprints and tire tracks.

Last sunday, we ruled summer as we partook in some classic Central Texas cliff jumps and lounging… enjoy the Gallery!

Tools of the trade:
Mamiya 7ii / 80mm
Kodak Portra 400

Radar

Geoff McFetridge is the Best!

… and I’m stoked to be getting a bike designed by him this year. I first was introduced to Geoff’s work when I used to skateboard religiously, as I’m sure many of you did at one point. Who else had those McFetridge Vandals?

In the 90’s, when skateboarding and larger names like Nike began to look to artists to revitalize their brands, Geoff’s work inspired me. Even in my 30’s I still love seeing what he’s been up to.

Looking good dude and I love seeing race numbers hanging in studios like this.

Radar

K-Edge Garmin Mounts and Chain Catchers are Made in the USA

So, the other day, I’m thinking I need to buy a Garmin mount for my new Argonaut, but I didn’t want a plastic one. After seeing the K-Edge mounts all over, but having never owned one, I thought, what the hell, a balleur mount for a balleur bike.

This is a totally random post, but after spending some time at the K-Edge site, I really admire what they’re doing. Buying made in the USA – or any domestically-produced – accessory like this keeps an industry alive and keeps people employed. I’m ok with that.

Check out K-Edge‘s offerings at their site and ask your local bike shop to carry them!

Modify Watches Does Cycling Brands

Radar

Modify Watches Does Cycling Brands

Stoked to see some familiar logos in this one:

Modify Industries, Inc., a San Francisco-based company that designs and manufactures interchangeable watches, announced today their recent collaborations with iconic IBD’s, cycling teams and street cycling heroes.

Following their successful Kickstarter campaign – ‘Mod-To-Order’- Modify Watches can now print-on-demand fully-customized watch designs These are printed and assembled in the San Francisco, CA and Modify is proud to offer the same process to cycling teams and IBD’s. This control over the supply chain and production enables Modify to service both large and small shops, as well as teams.

Modify has made custom watches for SRAM,Pinarello, Ritte Racing, Hodala Cyclocross Team,Cyclehawk, Godspeed Courier and Levi’s GranFondo to name a few. Shops such as One On One Bicycle in Minneapolis and West End Bikes in Portland are signed on to carry custom watches as well as stock options.”

Customize your own at Modify Watches and see more below.

Radar

That’d be Rad

Need some weekendspiration?

“Four brothers (the Zenga Bros) get together to discuss their dream of the ultimate family road trip. 17 family members, 6 to 60 years of age, tour the Pacific Northwest on custom art bikes and in wildly decorated vans; their dream unraveling on the open road before them.”

Fresno and San Francisco Bicycle Mail Route Patches

Radar

Fresno and San Francisco Bicycle Mail Route Patches

This is so awesome:

“1894 found the United States in a deep depression. Unemployment was rampant, businesses were collapsing and crop value was dissolving back into earth.

Summer wage cuts at the Pullman rail car plant in Chicago, IL ignited the infamous Pullman Strike. Its battles and sympathizers echoed out across the plains, drawing in Eugene Debs, President Grover Cleveland, and the US Military, eventually reaching California and crippling rail service. No trains meant among other things, no mail.

In response, in July of 1894 a bicycle mail route was organized from Victor Cyclery in Fresno, CA north to the Overman Wheel Co. of San Francisco, CA. Totaling 210 miles, divided into 8 relays, and occupying 18 hours the route offered to carry a letter via bicycle from one end to the other for $0.25. “The only delay was an occasional punctured tire.”

We have created a commemorative patch, a replica of the original stamp present on each letter carried. We retained the misspelling of “San Fransisco” for authenticity.”

If you’re into random California history, pick up one of these replica patches.

Thank You Mavic!

Radar

Thank You Mavic!

Man, I know I get to shoot some pretty balleur rides, but I had a blast documenting the Mavic 125ans bikes… And it brought me back to my favorite city in the world for riding bikes: Los Angeles.

I’ll be reviewing a set of these Ksyrium 125 wheels, for those who have been emailing me, asking what I thought of them.

For now, thanks to Chad and Zach for bringing me to my favorite city, to ride and photograph bikes.