grasshopper

Director Sporty crafted me another dream come true bike. Grasshopper is the name. Going down the road is game.

Interbike 2011

Upon touching down in Vegas the smart thing to do is ask your cabbie to stop at a liquor store on the way to the hotel. A time honored move that will save you loads. That's Rick. He enjoys single malted Scotch and a cigar to wind down the day.

A couple of trash bags from the housekeeper down the hall, some ice, and we're in business.

The guys at The Hive were kind enough to bring our display down for us.  Dealing with the union guys down there is no walk in the park.  All we had to do was roll our cart a couple hundred feet and we're all set!

That night we had dinner with Paul and his clan.  At some point I came across the reason our country is in so much trouble.  On the right is your standard 16oz whatever.  On the left is the "single serving of diabetes".  Must be at least a gallon.

Wednesday started early with drinks at the bar until 2am.  Then up and ready for all comers by 9am in the convention hall.  We shared with King Cage, Two Fish, Bruce Gordon, and Slipnot.  The coolest 100 square feet at the show.  One of the few places at the show where you could shake hands with the person who actually made the parts on display.  "Hey, when are they going to turn the lights on?"  "Uhm, they are on".  Made for a very intimate setting.

Here with Bruce Gordon himself.  As you can see Bruce gets pretty excited when Interbike rolls around.

Here we have Wes Williams (right) who is credited by many with creating the 29r.  On the far left is JayMac, who was the guy in charge of garment production and purchasing at Swobo 1.0 and 2.0.  The guy in the plaid shirt is some sort of groupie.

On the way out on the last day I spied this about to be boxed up.  A new replica of a mid-eighties Kuwahara.  Got me all nostalgic but for $350 I couldn't pull the trigger.

To top off the week we got to help White Industries pack up their booth which we were more than happy to do considering all they've done for us over the years.  Then they took us to dinner.  Super nice.

Almost forgot to mention the "work" part of the trip.  Standing at the booth all day talking is a picnic.  This other stuff is crushing. Thursday night was the Soulcraft/AHTBM/Ritte/Paved Magazine Party at the Peppermill Fireside Lounge.  Big pressure to look your best and all.  Sometimes a helping hand makes all the difference.  

Here we are delivering a couple $30 six packs to the table.  Yeah, $60 for 12 beers (with tip).  But hey, we were playing host so it was the least we could do.

We recently delivered a Dirtbomb to Evgeni Plushenko.  He was kind enough to show up and say thanks.  Humbling, if not somewhat uncomfortable.

Hurl telling JayMac, "Check out what I just saw in the men's room."

At every party there comes a time when you realize it's time to go.  That you've reached the point of diminishing returns.  This was that point.  See you guys next year.

I think I was in Las Vegas.

It sure seems so, though from what I can remember of it, those may have been mental images from last year.
Or the year before.

As usual, we here in the Soulcraft camp came through with handsome colors.

Have you seen us? We all are incredibly good looking.

The new Soulcraft stems were causing quite a buzz, as was the fact that we even had an official presence at the show for the first time in over a decade.

Of course thanks go to the Interbike organizers for putting us in the one corner of the 900,000,000 square foot exhibition hall with no lights, but that's pretty much just par for the course.

Happy twelfth birthday to us, and there's no need to say it.. We're well aware we don't look a day over ten.

I'm sure Captain Sport Pants will come in here and actually make a post that is a bit more official, and also probably make mention of the fact that I keep referring to 'we', when in fact I don't do jackshit for the betterment of the company. I just like to feel as though I belong.

In closing, I might like to offer a shot of Lanolin from Ritte Racing and Captain Sporty at our annual 'Bike Industry Bottom Dweller Extravaganza'®. We showed Las Vegas just what we were capable of and emerged with a few dollars less in our pockets and not a whole lot smarter.


What happened in Vegas stayed in Vegas, our self respect included.

But 'we're' Soulcraft.

You wouldn't expect anything less.

Oh my my, oh my yes. Time to put on your party dress.

I put the cock in 'cockpit'.

Cross bikes are to be ridden year-round.

That will be all.

Barn Burner 104 with Soulcraft buddies

Raced the local Barn Burner 104 miler last weekend on a team with fellow Soulcrafter Leslie Gilmore. We've known each other for a bunch of years, but this is the first time we've ever raced together! It was a bunch of fun, and we earned ourselves some sweet belt buckles.
Leslie's husband Stacy raced, too-his first race ever, about 3 days before his new Soulcraft showed up! I think he'll be doing some more races on his sweet new bike :)