Sunday Driver - Brock Yates

Buried in my Pile-O-Books since the '70s, this copy of Sunday Driver last read by teenaged me.  That is until recently, when I dusted it off for a revisit.

Even with a few decades between readings, I actually remembered sections of it, especially the ending - where author Brock Yates races the very illegal Cannonball Run across the US, with legend race driver Dan Gurney in a Ferrari.  That bit of history stuck in my mind for 35+ years.

Up until that point, Brock Yates - who also was involved with  the early era of Car and Driver magazine - writes in detail about attending the Bob Bondurant racing school, racing some SCCA events, then finally a few Trans-Am races in a very modified Camaro.

All with an interesting and fun writing style.  Brock also knows his way around a track and appears to race fairly well throughout the adventure.  Super talented pro driver he is not however, so also puts a Walter Mitty spin on the tale.  You can imagine yourself in his shoes attempting all this along with him.

A very easy, entertaining, quick read for fans of auto racing. Being written in 1972 also puts a time capsule aspect to the whole gig.  Dig up a copy for a test spin...

Evel Knievel Biography - Leigh Montville

I recently reread this biography on Evel Knievel. Book on our shelf from about two years ago, pulled it out for a quick thumb through, wound up reading it again. Excellent job by author Leigh Montville.

Evel Knievel: Interesting, larger then life character, but also just - uh - a tad narcissistic and a bit of a sociopath. Thief, con-man, philanderer, charismatic, complete jerk, insanely brave, intelligent, semi-nutcase - all rolled into one person - with a career that could only be hatched during the '70s.

If you witnessed any of his jumps during the era, as I did on television as a kid - lots of interesting details and behind the scenes info on his exploits - including the wacky canyon jump later in his career. As you may or may not remember, his career basically over after assaulting a writer with a baseball bat. Nice.

This is not a "motorcycle book", it's a well researched and written look into a pop cultural icon of the '70s. A damn interesting life anyway. Highly recommended.

Dogtown and Z-Boys - Birth of Modern Skateboarding

While doing some Christmas shopping today, scored a copy of Dogtown and Z-Boys for $9.  Merry Christmas to me.  I've only seen this documentary once, a few years ago, so popped it into the DVD player tonight for another look.  As remembered, a fantastic film, even if you're not a skateboarder.

I wouldn't call myself an actual skateboarder, but did dabble with skating back in the '70s as a teenager.  Neighborhood cruising and general goofing around, including one broken wrist as proof.  I also read Skateboarder magazine at the time, so knew a bit about the Dogtown crew and influence on the scene.  That scene being Southern California, my scene a universe away in suburban New Jersey.

Those Skateboarder magazine articles and photos - especially the photos - made an impression on me.  Some of those images of Tony Alva, Jay Adams and others, burned into my teenaged brain.  I recognized many shots in the film, as it shows plenty of photo and video archive from that era.  Seeing the archived video was especially cool, since all my memories revolved around still shots.  Watching how they skated, you can really see how it formed modern skateboarding, pushing it from the stand up tricks from the '60s, into vertical moves that changed the entire sport.  Modern day interviews though out the documentary puts it all in perspective.  

Being a kid from the '70s, the look of the archive footage - long hair, tube socks, t-shirts - and the soundtrack, pushes all my memory lane buttons.  The look and feel of the old film and still shots, combined with the very stylish skating - fantastic to witness.  There's also a bit of surfing history and footage laced into the film, since early skateboarding was very tied to the surfing scene.

If you've never skateboarded in your life, still an interesting documentary.  Especially if you ski, mountain bike, surf, snowboard, BMX, motocross - anything involving movement, style and flow - you'll get it.  Highly recommended.

The Secret Race - Book Review

Unless you've been living in a cave for the last few weeks, hard to ignore the news that Lance Armstrong has been busted for doping and stripped of his seven Tour De France titles. Another massive blow to the credibility of pro cycling.  This doping nonsense never seems to end and makes you doubt the results of any pro level race, especially any of the grand tours.

I was a Lance fan, even though I had my doubts, put them off until something was proven. Well, with the USADA report and testimony of previous teammates, there is no more doubt. To me, if George Hincapie says Lance doped - Lance doped.  Then add in the other pros who've said the same thing - Hamilton, Landis, Andreu, Leipheimer - the list goes on. Incriminating themselves and taking Lance with them.

I enjoyed the hell out of watching those seven Lance tours, waking up bleary eyed for work after too many nights of late coverage.  Then bike commuting to work, 34 mile round trip, inspired by what I witnessed.  If pros can conquer mountain passes while battling each other at insane speeds, I can get my sorry ass to work via bike.  Now, according to the UCI, those Tours never existed - or whatever crazy version of history they'll rewrite.  It all leaves a lame, sour taste in your mouth.

Pro sports is basically the entertainment industry, so who cares - right?  Cycling is different however, many pro cycling fans are cyclists themselves - especially in the U.S.  So, we feel more of a connection to the sport itself, even if we don't race or do so at a grass roots level. How many football fans actually play football?  I think you get my drift.  That's why this kind of news stings us a little.  Because we're cyclists and cycling fans, so it digs deeper.

With that background, I read Tyler Hamilton's tell all book a few days ago.  Start to finish in one sitting, fascinated and sickened at the same time.  Many of the incidents and stories I've heard before, but now laid out in chronological order with full details.  I've always wondered how the mechanics of doping work, now I know.  And it's less complex then I imagined.  From shooting EPO to the creepy practice of transfusing your own blood, usually hiding in a nondescript hotel somewhere.  Blood bags carried via cooler and taped to hotel wall.  Somehow that scene never comes up during interviews or Tour coverage on cable.  Also apparently easy to avoid getting caught, though eventually the averages put you at risk.

As a fan I always enjoyed watching and reading about Hamilton.  Super tough guy from Massachusetts; from riding the Giro with a shoulder injury, to suffering to a 4th place finish in the Tour with a broken collarbone.  All with a humble, low key style.  Then after being busted for doping a few years ago - complete with "unborn twin" crazy excuse, the Believe Tyler crowd, endless denials - made you wonder, yet another weird chapter in pro cycling.

After reading the book, you realize to an extent, why Hamilton acted this way.  From the don't tell pro culture, to realizing without doping, winning at that level would be next to impossible, at least during that era.  It was all part of being a professional.  It's easy to call these guys cheats and liars, 'cause in fact they all did just that.  Still, if you were in their shoes at that time, you'd say no and head home?  Or just become pack fill at a lower salary?  That grays up the area a bit.  I'm not condoning what they did, but it certainly puts more light on why they did.

Through Hamilton's experiences, you also get the impression that Armstrong is quite the ego manic, and the conniving all powerful jerk.  You're either in with him or on his enemy list - complete with high priced lawyers, connections to the UCI, bike industry, and media - to insure you're dismissed as a disgruntled employee, nut case, or ironically enough - a doper.  Huge piles of fame and dough at his disposal.

If you're anything of a pro cycling fan, this book will open the doors a bit - a peak behind the curtains - and it ain't that pretty.  Names are named, pro culture split open to revel the bloody truth, dates and scenarios explained, no holds barred.  Well worth the read and the eye opener.

Through it all, the silver lining, Hamilton comes across as the honest nice guy. The guy you originally thought him to be.  With his book, USADA testimony, and other actions of finally telling the truth - maybe, just maybe - will start the path of a dope free pro scene.  His response, along with other pros doing the same, deserve kudos and even forgiveness if you will.  These folks are human, made mistakes - of their perceived own doing or not - and are now trying to make things right.  Many fans will remain fans of pros doing just that, I know I will.

For all the pros, officials, team directors, and others to continue to play the denial game - Lance included - time to fess up.  Cover has been blown, the jig is up, time to honestly move the sport in the correct direction, no matter how painful that may be.  Do it now, we're all behind you.

Just Ride - Book Review

As I've mentioned a few times in this wildly popular blog (ha!), I'm a bit of Grant Petersen fan, starting from his days running Bridgestone during the company's heyday of the '90s.  As proof, purchased three new Bridgestones in '91:  RB-1, MB-Zip, and MB-3.  The vibe, catalogs, and bikes from Bridgestone were something out of the ordinary for that era.  Most things Bridgestone have now become eBay collector items to some extent, and the company is remembered fondly many years later.

As most bike nuts already know - after Bridgestone USA folded up - Grant went on to start Rivendell and himself becoming somewhat of an icon in certain bike culture circles.  Rivendell carving its own little niche of real world bikes and accessories.  There's no hype involved, the company just sells what it believes in and doesn't follow any fads or trends.  Even if you don't agree with Grant/Rivendell you gotta enjoy someone who stays their course.  I know I do and always enjoy reading his words and checking out the Rivendell site.

With that, I enjoyed reading his book - a guide for folks looking to ride without pretending to be a racer - the Unracer, as he calls it.  If you're familiar with Grant Petersen, the book basically puts all his views in one convenient place:  Handlebars should high enough to be comfortable, frames need enough room to handle fatter tires and fenders, baskets and bags are a good thing, steel frames rule, carbon fiber is unreliable, don't use clipless pedals, wear normal clothes to ride, etc - the list goes on and on...

And for the most part, for many riders, I agree with him - even though I don't subscribe to it all myself.  I usually dress like the wannabe racer (and do race occasionally), I'd rather use a messenger bag then clutter my bike(s) up with bags or baskets.  I own a carbon road bike (along with steel) and will never give up clipless pedals.  My mountain bike does indeed sport a suspension fork.  After riding as the (alleged) adult for 28 years, I've developed my own style/beliefs.  Grant's book basically documents his bike related style/beliefs and there's nothing wrong with that - as well as being fun to read.

As mentioned, I do agree with Grant on many things.  For most people just looking to ride, using racers as role models is stupid, and cuts down on "normal" folks from perhaps doing just that - ride.  You really don't need to dress like a Euro Pro to cruise the bike trail for an hour or commute to work.  Fatter tires are more comfortable.  Fenders do work and keep the toxic road stripe off your back.  A basket or large bags do allow you to actually carry something on a ride, besides a spare tube and CO2 cartridge.  And horror of horrors, if you want a kickstand to hold your bike up - use one.  All this stuff adds up to using the bike for more then a "training tool" or pretending to be a racer.  And we need more of that, the more people riding bikes, the better.

if you're familiar with Grant, some of the chapter titles give you a clue to what they'll contain:  Racing Ruins the Breed, The Shoes Ruse, Helmets Aren't All They're Cracked Up to Be, Most Bikes Don't Fit, No Ride Too Short.  My favorite was Frame Arithmetic, spelling out insights to frame design.  Cool stuff.

If you're not familiar with Grant and looking for tips and views that go beyond the usual bike marketing hype, this will also be a fun read.  Give it a whirl, book available off the Rivendell site.  Ride on, ride often...

Eat, Sleep, Ride - Book Review

Paul Howard, sports writer from London, becomes fascinated with the Tour Divide - mountain bike race from Canada to New Mexico - a few thousand miles of unsupported riding.  Quite the long distance racing adventure, no?

Oh yeah, Mr. Howard signed on with no mountain biking experience.  Six months later, finds himself in Canada at the start line.  Gotta dig that kind of go for it attitude.

Most riding/adventure books in this format get old quick.  "We rode, ate, then slept".  Lather, rinse, repeat.  Not this book. With his witty and interesting view on the United States, from a Englishman's perspective, made for some fun reading.  Being a mountain biker to appreciate the stories helps, but is not required.

Anyone with a taste for adventure would enjoy this book.  The Tour Divide sounds like an amazing event. Experience it via some well written words and view from basically a mountain bike beginner. Does he succeed? Read and find out.

Wileyx Romer II - Glasses Review

For cycling, sunglasses are more then just a fashion statement, they're a piece of gear.  I rode for decades without eyewear, now can't imagine riding without 'em.  Protection from the sun, bugs, branches, and wind.  And yeah, they look cool and depending on the model say "Look at me, I'm a cyclist".  Nothing wrong with that.

I only own one pair of shades at a time, so used on the bike and general street wear.  They must have changeable lenses, since I use the clear lens for mountain biking and rainy day commuting.  For many commutes here in the Seattle area, I'll use clear for the morning commute and dark lenses for the ride home.  I'm also picky on the look, I don't care for the newer square styles.  I dig the bigger rounded styles, which are getting harder to find.

For a few years I used the Rudy Project Ekynox model, now discontinued.  They also proved a bit fragile and after snapping my second pair of 'em, didn't go for a third.  While searching for a replacement, a fellow bike blogger recommended the Wileyx Romer.  I never heard of Wileyx and checked 'em out online.  I picked up a pair locally here in Seattle and put 'em into service.  

Me testing the Romer shades and living my motto:  Look Pro. Go Slow.

After two years of use, some thoughts and feedback.  I dug the looks of 'em on and off the bike. The Romer kit came with multiple lenses - dark, clear and amber.  I've never used the amber, but have swapped between the dark and clear a few zillion times.  Once you get the knack, swapping lenses is literally a snap.  The lenses have also proven to be durable; been cleaned countless times with not so perfect cleaning methods - bike jerseys, cloth towels, shirt and jacket sleeves, etc.  Still clear with no scratching and extra bonus of no distortion.  The frames themselves have also proven durable - been sat on, dropped, bounced around in a messenger bag, etc.  I've never used the protective case that came the kit.  So, plenty of real world use.

Just few minor distractions, though nothing serious.  The nose pads aren't really adjustable, since they're molded into the frame.  On me, the glasses are just a hair loose, though not enough to be a problem.  They also fit better with helmet straps over the glasses, a styling faux pas for some roadie types.  I've worn 'em both ways, straps over and under - usually under - especially for mountain biking.

Only other nitpick is when stowing 'em upside down in your helmet vents - doesn't really work.  The arm design doesn't really grab anything and they slide around, unless I wear a cycling cap under my Giro helmet, which seems to hold 'em tighter against the inside of the helmet.  At times, on a long road climb, or if the glasses are sprayed over with muck, I'll do the helmet trick.  Maybe you never stick the glasses in your helmet, but I do occasionally.

Unfortunately, this review is also a bit of a obituary - since I lost my pair last week.  They're nowhere to be found, could gave fallen out of my car door storage pocket.  My theory anyway.  I honestly don't lose things, so a rare occurrence, still a serious bummer.  I paid around $90 for 'em, not looking forward to dropping that again to replace 'em.  I will though, soon enough.  Either with the Romer or something similar.  Until then, will be riding bare eyed - like the good ol' days.

I Love My Bike - Book Review

Picked this book up from the library last weekend.  First glance, "Hey something to flip through at home", thinking one cruise through would be enough. According to plan, once home, flip through I did.  More then once as a matter of fact.  This is a great little book.

Simple formula of taking pictures of people with their bikes from various cities around the U.S.  It all works and I found myself studying the photos in detail, checking out the people and bikes, but more importantly - the cool backgrounds.  Well done portraits of people and their two wheel rides. If you ever have the need to photograph people and bikes, one awesome little reference book.

Another reason this book works is due to the majority of fixie hipsters contained within.  Fixie hipster I'm not, so that subculture of bikes and uniform was a cool change of pace, over the usual carbon race rig and wanna be racer look.  A look I've seen plenty of and guilty of myself, so nice change of vibe to see people in normal street clothes mixed with bikes.  Fixed gears, tattoos, urban transport, hipster scene.  It's all good and makes for some great pictures.

Book by Matthew Finkle and Brittain Sullivan.  Based out of Boston.  Nice job.

Team 7-Eleven - Book Review

Santa left a few books under the tree this year, including this one.  It has something to do with bikes.  How did he know?  Santa is watching, so you better be good.  For goodness sakes.

Full book title is Team 7-Eleven.  How An Unsung Band Of American Cyclists Took On The World - And Won.  That's a mouthful, or an eyeful, if you can read silently.  Book written by Geoff Drake with Jim Ochowicz.  Why am I telling you all this?  Just look at the cover, official shot of Andy Hampsten, minus head, for the added bonus.  Man, that 7-Eleven team kit looked cool, eh?  All aboard the steel Merckx.  Makes my old school heart all a flutter...

Enough nonsense, let's get down to some serious reading. Oh yeah, I already read it.  And I dug it.  I may be a bit biased however, since this stuff is from my era.  My serious interest in cycling really took off around 1984, so many of the events and characters from the book, I remember from magazine articles back in the day.  

Even so, I'm far from being the Team 7-Eleven expert by any means, so did pick up some knowledge and insight.  How the midwest speed skating and cycling scene was the birthplace of it all.  Jim Ochowicz built this team from the ground up, during a time when American pro cycling was basically non-existent, on a world level anyway.

Back then, I also didn't realize how Eric Heiden really helped launch the team, via his Olympic speed skating fame.  Not being one to milk the limelight, he humbly used his celebrity status to draw attention and money to the team - and cycling itself - something he believed in.  Without  Ochowicz and Heiden, Team 7-Eleven would have never existed.  And the entire landscape of US cycling may have developed differently.  Consider that Team 7-Eleven morphed into Team Motorola, then into US Postal, along with the Lance Armstrong era.  Team 7-Eleven put a US based pro team on the world map.  And that changed the face of pro cycling itself for the better.  Well, for US fans anyway.  True?

The book takes you on the ride, from the very beginning, with all the famous characters along the way:  Davis Phinney, Eric Heiden, Ron Kiefel, Jonathan Boyer, Chris Charmichael, Andy Hampsten, Bob Roll - the list goes on with heros from an earlier time in the sport.  At one point, Greg LeMond was signed to ride for 7-Eleven, but the deal fell through.  Damn, that would have been something to witness.  Reading about the big races of  that era, now gone, like the Coors Classic and Tour de Trump, reminded me of flipping through the pages of magazines during the '80s, when this was all new.  And of course, when Team 7-Eleven headed to Europe to contest the big ones - like the Giro and the Tour de France.  It was truly a fantastic era for cycling.  Wanna argue about that?

Also, the corporation of 7-Eleven are heros of this era.  At the time, business was booming and money was available to invest.  They elected to go with cycling, knowing nothing about the sport.  They sponsored various teams, build velodromes, and really helped cycling grow in the US. Without 7-Eleven putting up the dough, US cycling may have never taken off during that era.  It was a great chain of events and mix of business and cycling personalities.

Ultimately, what I took away from the book, is what made me a 7-Eleven fan to begin with.  This gang of folks took on European cycling in an American way, annoying the old school cycling system.  The riders worked as a true team, ate Mexican food, got a little crazy off the bike, blindly went into race situations, pulled off spectacular victories, and experienced embarrassing failures along the way.  They went from being the underdogs to a respected pro team in the European peloton.  They paved the way.  They were the prototype American pro cycling team. They made history while thrilling cycling fans.  A very cool story to be celebrated. 

On Any Sunday - The Movie

While cruising Facebook last Saturday night, came across a posted link to the entire 1971 Bruce Brown classic, "On Any Sunday". I've seen this film a few times, but the last was easily over 10 years ago. I clicked the link, intention of watching for a few minutes. An hour and twenty eight minutes later, watched the entire deal via YouTube and enjoyed every second of it. Being from that motorcycle era - well, maybe just a tad later - the film pushes all my old school buttons. It's now pretty dated, but still the best motorcycle documentary ever filmed. Hands down. Thanks to Bruce Brown, who's also responsible for the surfing classic, "The Endless Summer".

This film could never be recreated today for many reasons. First, films from the '70s have that specific look and feel to 'em. A softer, more muted colorful look; I'm sure due to the type of film used during the era. Everything also moves at a slower pace, the camera shots and dialog. Film critic I'm not, but check out some films from the '70 and you'll see what I'm babbling about.

Second, during the '70s, a dirt bike boom hit the U.S. Mini bikes, mini cycles, and dirt bikes were everywhere. The sport of motocross was gaining popularity, along with observed trials and other events. Many manufactures were involved with a huge selection of various dirt motorcycles available. Land access and environmental issues were yet to exist. Plenty of areas existed to play ride, practice motocross, and get out with your friends. For better or worse, that scene is long gone.

The whole overall tone to "On Any Sunday" is about having fun and getting yourself out there - not watching other people ride - the film itself giving you the itch to ride. And many did just that, including myself and a bunch of friends during that era. In my case, not directly from the film - was already involved with dirt bikes - prior to originally seeing it. Still, once viewed, nodding my head in approval the whole time with a smile on my face.

If this film were recreated today - caution, old guy cranky alert - it would probably involve tattooed freestyle motocrossers back flipping over 60 foot jumps, to a death metal or rap soundtrack, complete with fast MTV style clips. The intent being how insane these guys are, while the audience munches on a barrel sized portion of popcorn, complete with two gallon sized soda. The message wouldn't be to get out there yourself. Or maybe I'm just biased or been around the block too many times. Old cranky guy alert over, we now return to our regular programming.

In any case, we still have the original film to inspire and show us a good time. Since I'm a motorcycle guy (though on a few year hiatus) and bicycle guy, viewing the film - reminded me how mountain biking fits the vibe of this film. The final scene of Steve McQueen, Malcom Smith, and Mert Lawwill riding and sliding around the beach, laughing and just having a great time riding together - it's the same for me now getting some pals out for a mountain bike ride.

My '70s memories of dirt biking and racing motocross can't be replaced. However, I now have decades of mountain biking memories piled on top of that. Two wheels in any form is always a good thing.

Click here for the full film on YouTube. Full movies on YouTube disappear at times, so if the link goes bad, do yourself a favor and grab via DVD rental. The film is now a classic and worth the time, no matter what your two wheeled slant may be. Check it out.

Grouchy Chef - Mukilteo, Washington

Hit dinner last night with a group of old coworkers, as we try to do once or twice a year, since no longer sharing the place of employment. This group an eclectic, intelligent, fun loving gang - very cool folks to know and occasionally hang out with. Sometimes we do lunch, other times dinner. This time, dinner it was.

For this event, someone suggested the Grouchy Chef, a somewhat infamous place due to the one man show that owns and runs it. Think of a real life Soup Nazi - if you're a Seinfeld fan - you know what I'm referring to. If not, well - let's just say this guy, Chef Matsumoto, has been known to throw people out of his restaurant for not following his rules. Rules? Yes, many posted on signs throughout the place. No standing by door, sit on bench. No toasting with the glasses. No men in women's restroom, etc.

The place only sits about 20 people, reservations only, and don't dare to be late. To have this group of friends arrive somewhere on time, it must be serious. Before we went in, asked my pals was this serious or just a schtick. Oh no, he's serious, very interesting guy runs the place. Also turns out a few of 'em have been here before, including one who's a regular and even assisted in setting up the sound system after a move between locations.

So we're in, as they say. I should also mention, the place sits inside an industrial type building, off the main road. Not exactly the usual restaurant setup. My pal who is the regular, has witnessed people being asked to leave the premises due to agitating the chef, or breaking some of his rules. This outta be interesting.

I also later discover another one of my work pals knew him a bit via some martial arts training by a family member. Turns out, Chef Matsumoto is also a very high level martial arts master. I guess you really don't wanna piss him off.

Our 7:00 PM reservation hits and we're inside, sitting on the bench as instructed, then led to our table by the chef himself. He really runs the entire place singlehanded. The interior is clean and sparse, casually fancy - nice. At each seat is a binder with a menu inside, in a few languages. On top of the binder, a printed page informing people not to toast with the expensive water glasses. The chef then verbally informs us the linen napkins are for your lap only, to protect your clothes - not for wiping your mouth or nose. The paper napkins are for that. If you need to blow your nose, you must leave the table. I'm thinking is this for real? Apparently so.

What the place is known for, besides the above mentioned fun facts, is the amazing food he serves at super reasonable prices. Super foodie I'm not, but we're talking a four course gourmet meal for around $20. Plus no tipping. A large jar is available to donate something to cancer research instead of a tip, if you wish. The menu only contains a few items and according to my friends, all of it is great.

After you decide on what to eat, the party lines up to the counter, where Chef Matsumoto takes your order. You then stack the menu and "toasting glass warning info" sheet on the counter. And from what I guess is a Japanese culture thing, you don't directly hand him the money - it's placed in a tray on the counter - along with the change he returns. And yes, this is a cash only deal. The whole process really had the Seinfeld Soup Nazi schtick running through my head.

In short order, the chef is bringing out the first course - yes, soup. Like I mentioned, full blown foodie I'm not, but I don't exactly live on junk food either. The soup was spectacular. And I don't even know what kind it was. I thought about licking the bowl clean, but thought for sure I'd wind up out in the parking lot - banned for life - waiting for my friends to finish dinner, while laughing at my misfortune of incurring the wrath of Chef Matsumoto.

After the insanely good soup, a killer small salad, mixed with pieces of fruit and two small slices of bread. Followed by the main dish, in my case, grilled shrimp with risotto cakes - with some sort mouth watering sauce dribbled over it. Damn, that was good. Pal Scott offered a piece of his steak - impressive as well. Finally, dessert included - a plate with small samples of chocolate mousse cake and other sweets. Not exactly large portions, not the intent here, but a pretty amazing meal for under $20. Not easy to top that. Even without rules.

By the time we were half done, we had the whole place to ourselves. Cool setup. The "No Photography" rule was even broken, with the chef himself manning the camera for a group shot. Not my camera however, so no actual proof offered. He also chatted a bit with some of the gang after the meal. A fun night. According to my pals, the chef was in a good mood. We all finished our meals safe and sound...

I got a kick out of the whole shindig. How many times have you gone out to eat, to be served so so food, by overly friendly folks? Plenty I'm sure. Well, this is the opposite. Amazing food served by an apparently eccentric guy, who takes his craft very seriously, who expects the rules of his house to be followed. As payback, a memorable meal at a bargain price. It seems plenty of his regulars and fans agree. The online feedback - good and bad - as in being tossed out of the place, are pretty entertaining to read.

The fact that he runs the entire place alone, almost puts this into the performance art category. Certainly a different experience then hitting the local Red Lobster. Food critic I'm not, but enough of an experience to bump my usual bike fluff off the blog for a post.

I plan to return, this time with my lovely wife, sans the kids. I've already given her the rundown of the rules required to sample and enjoy this place. It's something out of the ordinary, and that's always a good thing.

The Digital Photography Book - Book Review

I've been dabbling with photography once again, courtesy of a new digital SLR camera. I've always taken pictures with the old Point 'N' Shoot, various examples sprinkled throughout this very blog. Most being just snapshot quality and that was the intent - telling a story - nothing fancy.

I'm attempting to bump it up a bit, also an excuse to get the ol' brain working on something besides bikes. Decades ago I goofed around with the 35mm format, so I'm not completely starting from scratch, though I'm just the amateur hack. The digital SLR also allows action photos, something seriously lacking shooting with the Point 'N' Shoot.

Along with the new camera - 50th birthday present from my wife (nice, eh?) - I've read a pile of photography related books. Out of the pile, this one, loaned to me by a fellow coworker bike/photo/gear-head pal, stands out: The Digital Photography Book, by Scott Kelby.

At first glance appears to be super beginner oriented, dig in a bit and that's not the case. This book is chock full of great tips written in a laid back, humorous, super easy to understand format. I read it cover to cover, then flipped through a few times since. I picked up and learned a few things every time.

Once I return the book to its rightful owner, may pick up a copy for myself. I've also discovered there's a second and third volume available. That will also be on the agenda. If you mess around a with photography at all, well worth checking into.

Nice job Scott Kelby...

The Birth of Big Air - Mat Hoffman Documentary

I caught the Mat Hoffman documentary, The Birth of Big Air, over the weekend. Freestyle BMX guy I'm not, but I will watch some vert action during the X Games or similar clips, amazed at the skill involved. I remember seeing pictures of BMX kids riding skateparks in magazines during the '70s and '80s - thinking it was pretty cool. So, even though I've never done any kind of riding remotely like that, I'm a little familiar with it, and give the people that pull it off huge respect. I've also read Mat Hoffman's book, The Ride of my Life, years ago. Even though I live in a completely different bike subculture, the scene interests me some, from a spectator point of view. My personal version of big air is about two feet off the ground.

This documentary shows how talented, driven, and brave/nuts/insane Mat Hoffman is. The air and tricks he pulled off defined and pushed the sport of BMX freestyle. The amount of injuries he's sustained and came back from is mind boggling. In one scene he's stitching up a huge gash in his shin - by himself. Multiple broken bones, concussions, shoulder injuries and related surgery. Mat became friends with Evel Knievel and you can see why. What they did was similar and maybe the reasons why also were - who knows. Most normal folk can't fathom why they would push such boundaries and take on that risk.

Mat does differ from Evel in the fact he did most of this for pure love or obsession for the sport. Many practice sessions and huge risks taken out of the limelight, just to push himself to new limits. Evel was all about the being the showman and risking death for money.

The film gets really interesting in Mat's quest to grab the most air possible off a vert ramp. A sketchy 20 foot mega ramp is constructed in his Oklahoma back yard. They discover the huge ramp is beyond pedal power, so he starts being towed in with a dirt motorcycle for the required speed. Yeah, pushing the BMX thing a tad out there for sure.

All this adds up to 20+ feet of air off the ramp. That's 40+ feet off the ground for those keeping track. This goes beyond BMX freestyle and into the stuntman category of risk. Mat winds up crashing and rupturing his spleen, coming close to internally bleeding to death. Afterwards, the ramp is destroyed by high winds - or so say his circle of friends. In the film, you obviously get the idea they tore it down in an effort to keep Mat alive.

Later in the film, another mega ramp is constructed in Mat's final quest to grab the most air and hold the record. This initiated after another BMX rider and related company make that claim - of 19 feet of air. Mat knows he pulled off 26 feet in his Oklahoma back yard and is shooting for 30 feet. Now we're talking 50 feet off the ground - on a BMX bike. That's beyond comprehension in scope, risk and reasoning.

The day of the record attempt is slightly windy, with the added pressure of cameras to record the event. After multiple attempts and few scary crashes, things get a little uncomfortable, as Mat continues to go for it - with wife and young daughter watching. Eventually a huge crash renders Mat unconscious with a serious concussion and related after effects. Game over.

Watching this makes you really wonder about the mind set of people like Mat. It's impressive and unsettling at the same time. Is it worth risking death or serious injury for something that in a sense is meaningless? Race car drivers, Moto GP riders, big wave surfers, and other high risk athletes all have to answer that question. In Mat's case, there isn't even any money involved.

Still, in some ways you admire people who can face that risk. It's complicated and a little strange. Maybe because its so unlike the usual safety filled world most of us live in. Maybe it's because as cyclists - you get it and admire overcoming the risk - though our scale is microscopic compared to what he's pulling off. Our 20 foot vert ramp is the local log section you can bunny hop on your mountain bike. Maybe its the twisty 45 mph downhill you bomb down on your road bike. You've built up your skill level to push these personal boundaries and take joy in overcoming them - and coming up with new ones.

Mat Hoffman does the same thing. Except his limits and skills are light years ahead of the average cyclist - BMX, mountain biker, roadie - whoever. And that's why we watch and can relate on a certain level. True?

I caught the film on cable, though it is available on DVD. It's also available on the iTunes store for download. Check it out.

Performance Mountain Biking with Ned Overend - Video Review

During a trip to library, noticed this DVD hanging out in the rack next to all the Tour de France DVDs, so grabbed it for a look see. Appeared to be pretty dated, but hey - Ned Overend - so worth a spin. Gave it a whirl tonight with 11 year old son Ian as the copilot.

Yeah a bit dated, circa 1996, so hardtails and Bar Ends-O-Plenty. That's okay though, since XC riding techniques haven't changed that much, even with full-suspension now the norm. And with the rise in popularity of 29er hardtails, all of the techniques and tips shown still apply. Plus, did I mention Ned Overend? The man is a legend and even today at 55 years old, still can place in the pro class.

The video covers climbing, descending, cornering, switchbacks, bunny hopping, jumping and other useful skills and drills. It's really a supplement to Ned's book from that era: Mountain Bike Like a Champion, which I recommend. The DVD and book are XC riding and racing focused, but those skills are the building blocks for any off-road action. If you're a beginning mountain biker, you'll pick up plenty from both resources. If you already have many dirt miles under your belt, still hard not to pick up something from watching. There's always something to learn when it comes to riding mountain bikes.

For me, the coolest part of the whole show was the guest instructors Ned brings in to display some tricks. If you're the old school NORBA XC racing fan, you'll dig watching John Tomac, Greg Herbold, Daryl Price and Julie Furtado in action. All icons from the heyday of XC racing during the '90s.

The Bonus Chapters: Trailside Repairs and Suspension Set-Up were added to the original DVD a few years later, since Ned is now post-famous-moustache and the bikes magically appear with disk brakes and full suspension. That's okay though, since Ned does a decent job of describing some suspension basics.

Overall, dated or not, still a fun watch for me due to the famous names involved. Son Ian mentioned he learned a few things, so we give it two thumbs up.

Riding Giants - Film Review

I've never surfed in my life. I'm a terrible swimmer and don't even dig getting in water much at all. Yet, I've always been fascinated with surfing. Maybe its from dabbling with skateboarding during the '70s or listening to The Ventures and Dick Dale.

Then again, I don't think so. I think its from the culture and vibe of it all and how people who are into surfing are really into surfing. Its like an obsession or religion. And that obsession is shared among cyclists, skateboarders, musicians - or whatever your thing is.

Surfing is also a beautiful sport. I occasionally flip through surfing magazines, in awe of the freeze frame photos of surfers in action. The water, sun, splashes of color via the board and wetsuits. The expression on surfers faces while they're doing their thing. Great stuff.

I also see similarities between surfboard makers and frame builders. Surfboard dude shaping a board with a sander in a small shop. Frame builder guy manning a torch, partially constructed frame in a jig. Both are soul tools designed for the committed.

This film documents the beginning of surfing hundreds of years ago, up to the modern form of big wave surfing. Not being a surfer, I don't recognize any of the people interviewed, except for Laird Hamilton - who has spilled over into mainstream culture. If science could create the ultimate surfer, looks and all, it would be Hamilton. Laird and everyone else interviewed comes across as very cool, likable, and totally live what they do - surf.

I got a big kick out of the clips and stories of surfing in the late '50s and early '60s. Surfing was still a secret subculture, yet to get big. The pioneers of modern surfing basically thumbed their noses at society, lived on the beach in tents and shacks, and surfed daily. They needed little money, lived off the land and perfected their craft. As mentioned in the film, maybe 5000 surfers in the world existed at the time. After the Hollywood exploitation of surfing via movies like Gidget during the '60s, surfing exploded in popularity with now millions taking part. Innocence now lost.

As the film progresses through the years, what's considered a big wave continues to grow. Waves and areas once thought unrideable become rideable - and exponentially more dangerous. I find it incredible these guys (and some girls) paddle miles out into the ocean to ride these monster waves. You're way out there with just a board and your talent and ability to keep it all together.

The Jeff Clark story was amazing. He basically surfed this dangerous area in Northern California by himself for 15 years, before other surfers discovered it was in fact ridable. Ridable for extremely talented surfers that is - for non surfers like myself - the place looks like instant death. Huge waves crashing into a rocky shoreline. I have utter respect for people who can call something like this their playground. How they get pummeled underwater after wiping out is incredible.

This lifestyle is not without risk, people do die - as noted in the film - including Mark Foo, a world famous surfer who died on his first visit to very area Jeff Clark surfed solo for 15 years. Then a year later, another surfer died there during a ceremonial tribute to Foo.

The film ends with spectacular shots of Laird Hamilton and other surfers hitting monster waves, 80+ feet tall. To surf these waves, the surfers travel by boat and Jetski further out in the ocean, where these monsters live. The waves are so fast and big, they must be towed by Jetski to slingshot themselves into position. Dropping into one of these waves is like falling off a skyscraper, with a mountain of water right behind you. Surfers with this ability are the chosen few, and for mere mortals watching them do this, is almost beyond comprehension. They literally risk death with each session. It is awesome to witness however.

Riding Giants, directed by Stacy Peralta is well worth watching. Peralta also directed Dogtown and Z Boys, another fantastic documentary, this film about '70s era skateboarding.

A Dog in a Hat - Book Review

In 1986 Joe Parkin headed to Belgium to become a pro bike racer, following the advice of Bob Roll, and wound up basically living and racing there into the early '90s. This book covers his exploits and adventures during that time and beyond - racing for U.S. based teams for a few years, then finishing his career racing mountain bikes from '95 - '97. Quite the two wheeled trip.

I found this book fascinating since Joe was indeed a pro cyclist, though not at the super star level. He was a working class pro, scratching out a living racing bikes. This is not private jet Lance Armstrong stuff - much more down and gritty, what it's really like to be a Euro pro, earning a paycheck on two wheels. He did this in relative obscurity as well, at least as far as U.S. media coverage. I've read about a zillion bike magazines and books from the '80s until present, and have never heard of Joe Parkin until just a few years ago.

The insane amount of training and race mileage, the dysfunctional teams, the crazy travel between races, the drug use and selling of races - all spelled out in a real world, matter of fact, writing style. The selling of races I found interesting. Yeah - you know it occurs - but now I know how. Group of riders in a breakaway basically work out a deal, deciding who will win, then all receive some money for their effort. Fair? Debatable. But when you're riding for cash, winning some unknown race is less important then scoring some dough to eat. Welcome to the real world of bike racing.

If you have any interest in pro road racing at all, this book is a must - one of the better racing books I've ever read - if not the best. It removes the super star veneer found in many other race related books. This is the real, muddy, cobble stone deal.

Maybe some cyclists can relate to it, since in our own pipe dreams of being a pro, this would be the level of actually doing it - if you had the ability of course. This is not the uber-level of racing fame and fortune, maybe a few rungs down on the ladder, making it seem slightly more believable in our own dreams of glory.

For Joe Parkin however, this was no pipe dream - he went out and lived it - and his story is well worth reading.

Legendary Motocross Bikes - Book Review

Last time I ripped around on a dirt motorcycle was probably 1981, though that era of bikes and associated fun is still a fond memory for me. During the mid to late '70s, my friends and I were seriously into dirt bikes, trail riding, and motocross - sprinkle some observed trials in there as well. We entered the occasional motocross race, along with hare scrambles events - a longer cross-country type race. These were the days before land access issues and other kill joys that eventually neutered the fun of it all. Ignorance was bliss.

During that time, the '70s and into the early 80s, motocross racing was exploding in popularity, along with the general dirt bike boom. A colorful time of many companies producing bikes and sponsoring riders. Besides the big Japanese companies - Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki - many European companies produced bikes as well, some that are no longer around today - Maico, Bultaco, Montesa, Husqvarna, CZ, Puch, and a few others.

Riders sponsored directly from the manufacturer rode what was known as "Works Bikes". These bikes appeared something like you could buy off a showroom floor, from a distance anyway. In fact, they were handmade works of art that pushed the technology required to lap a motocross track as fast as possible. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were poured into the research, development, and construction of these works bikes. Some of the technology trickled down to production bikes you could actually buy, though certainly not at the same build quality of the works unit. The works bikes were the test bed and ultimate motocross machines of that era.

During this time, suspension technology really developed and took off. In a few short years, suspension travel jumped from 4 inches in the rear, and 6 inches of fork travel, to 12 inches or so at both ends. Plus the quality of the suspension improved dramatically as well, changing the style in which the bike was ridden and the speed it could fly over bumpy terrain.

Some famous names of motocross were paid to ride these bikes in the search of championships, and increased sales of production bikes to people like my gang of friends, who idolized the likes of Bob Hannah, Kent Howerton, Roger DeCoster, Marty Smith, Tony DiStefano, Marty Tripes and many others. This era was (not so) arguably the golden era of motocross. A truly great time to be involved with the sport.

I recently picked this book up from the library, Legendary Motocross Bikes, subtitled Championship Winning Factory Works Bikes, written by Terry Good. This book captures the story and details behind many of these works bikes of that era, with great photography and inside information. Being from that time and with plenty of past knowledge from those days, I pored over this book, analyzing the photos and enjoying the related stories.

A few examples to give you a taste of what's included...

1971 was Yamaha's first real attempt at a motocross bike. It doesn't look all that different from a production DT dirt bike, but was in fact completely hand built. Also notice the short travel suspension, long travel was a few years away. The YZ637 was the code name for this bike and doesn't reflect the engine size, which was 250cc.

1972 example of Suzuki works technology as ridden by Joel Robert and Roger DeCoster. Many motocross bikes of that era still sported down pipes, that were often dented and flattened from rocks and other impacts. This age of motocross bike speaks to me. Simple, light, yet trick for the time. Look at that hand welded expansion chamber - nice.

Here Roger DeCoster pilots the 1973 Suzuki RN73 in Belgium. The rear shocks feature cooling fins cut by Roger himself. I personally owned a 1974 Suzuki TM125 that featured the same tank graphics - about the only similarity between a production bike and a full works racer. Still, having a bike that looked like Roger's was cool - especially for a teenager in the '70s.

Yamaha works racer for 1973, big change being the monoshock rear suspension, replacing the standard dual shock setup - single shock now located under the gas tank. That technology helped push the suspension revolution forward into the modern era.

Interesting info on the development and sale of the monoshock idea. Belgian Lucien Tilkens came up with concept, as noted by the modified CZ frame pictured, complete with Citroen car shock. The technology shopped around between various companies, including Suzuki who built ridable prototypes, but passed on the idea. Yamaha of course, did purchase the concept and ran with it. At the time, no one could figure out why it worked so well. No one realized the increased travel was the key. The concept was being sold with some mathematical reason that actually didn't make sense, causing some factories to pass on the idea. When the long travel light bulb finally went off, other companies developed their own way of increasing wheel travel.

Now we're talking - '76 Honda factory RC500. Total open class weapon of that time. Honda dumped mega money into their motocross program with bikes like this as the result. As you can notice by the space between the wheels and fenders, suspension travel was in the long travel phase. The overall look, fit and finish, and of course the technology is worlds ahead of bikes just a few years older. Oh yeah, the engine is also painted red. I thought that was cool as hell at the time and just screamed "works bike". I also owned a '76 Honda CR125 Elsinore back in the day, the paint color being the only thing they shared.

The European companies had their own works bikes as well, though generally not up to the insanely expensive examples from the big Japanese companies. The book includes a piece on this interesting Puch 400 ridden by Joel Robert at the end of his career. The European bikes were always a little cruder then the slick Japanese bikes, though that gave them a different sort of trickness factor - my opinion anyway.

This bike is famous for putting Bob Hannah onto most people's motocross maps. I remember reading about this bike and Hannah back in '76. Yamaha upped the game with water cooling on this 125cc machine, though water cooling never fully took off until the early '80s. Bob Hannah went on to become one of the best motocross racers of all time.

The book features stories about various bikes in the words of the talented folks who actually raced them. People like Bob Hannah, Roger DeCoster, Joel Robert, Marty Smith, Kent Howerton, Rex Staten, Rick Burgett and a few others. A great addition to the book that I really enjoyed, as these were my heros from the glory days of MX.

Bob Hannah's 250cc OW40, complete with famous lightening bolt stickers. I personally watched Hannah at speed on this in '79 racing at Unadilla. Great memories from that time.

I remember when this bike was released in 1980 and raced by Johnny O'Mara. It looked space age at the time, complete with water cooling. This was a semi-works bike sold by Mugen to the general public for $4000 a copy. That was four times the cost of a typical 125cc race bike. Only 5 were ever sold in the US, including one to Terry Good - author of the book.

Kent Howerton's Suzuki RH80 looking fantastic. This era of motocross just looks right to me - still air cooled, two-stroke, drum brakes, twin shock suspension, but serious wheel travel. I also owned a production '79 Suzuki RM125N, so maybe I'm just biased.

The works bike era lasted until 1986 in the US, derailed by a new production bike rule - meaning factory bikes were required to be production based. Works bikes were still legal in Europe for a few more years however. Even the "production based" bikes were highly modified by the factories, though not the extent of the big bucks one off models featured. It was the end of an era.

The book features more examples of works iron, all impressively photographed and detailed. More amazing, the bikes featured are real time - meaning restored to their original condition, or actually in their original condition. Finding and rounding up a group of bikes like this is an impressive feat in itself. Older photos of the bikes in action during their heyday adds to it all.

This is the total gear head book that older motocross fans will enjoy - no doubt. Newer MX fans will little to no knowledge of old school MX may get a kick out of it as well. A great document that displays the history and development of motocross technology. Highly recommended.