Tour of Missour Stage 1

i couldn't have asked for a better day to tool around KC on my bike. the weather is just great, the sun is out. i met my friend moe for breakfast, then rode a new route to work. about noon, i jumped on my bike and rode from the crossroads to the Plaza down main street and was just in time for stage 1 of the Tour of Missouri.

first of all, i was floored by all the people. the turnout was awesome. many people did what i did and biked down - seemed like the easiest thing to do. i was also able to represent the Sunflower Outdoor and Bike gear (there were a ton of Sunflower T-shirts throughout the crowd, guys).

like many of the other spectators, i huddled around Team Discovery's van as they exited one by one and rode through throngs of people to the start. it was nice to be part of what will surely be a historic race for a historic team.

here are some photos. if you're able to run back down to the plaza around 4 or 5, do it. the finish will be just ask exciting as the start of this stage. and surely there will be some great milling about with the teams and vendors. i'll be heading back down there, so look for me in my blue and white kit.

support vehicles lines the plaza

Kodak/Sierra Nevada holds a special place in my stomach

George Hincapie exits the van before navigating through a roaring crowd

right on time, the stage 1 pushes forward

Tour of Trek

one of my favorite bloggers, Guy Kawasaki, penned a nice behind-the-curtain post on one of my favorite brands, Trek.


one of the things that stood out to me is how Trek is working to ensure its own employees are its evangelists...something many brands and companies forget while attempting to convert customers to zealots. from a nice bike garage and locker rooms for commuters to free bike tuneups to gear discounts and points accumulated for commuting each day, it's no wonder the brand is thriving from the inside out.

how is your company making it easy for you to be it's biggest fan?

Bike update

worked late tonight, then made some pork chops. yum. after the temperature dropped below 100 (round about 9 p.m.), monk and i hit the garage to work on the western flyer and kill some time before Shinji, my roommate from my japan days, arrives to crash on his way across the country.


monk loves to help...whether he's doing anything other than parking it in the yard or not. i commend him for actually moving a couple times tonight. once when the neighbor kids came over to pet him. the next when my next door neighbor dropped by. i can't blame him though - the heat is horrible.

made some progress getting the three-speed detached from the hub (properly, after some informative reading and a couple near fatal attempts doing it the wrong way). cleaned the chain and rear hub, which was caked in grease and grime...it's still not sparkly, but you can see it. worked a bit on the cogs and then cleaned up the rims, tires. the tires look surprisingly good after a scrubbing...the tubes need replacing, but i may be able to eek out some time on the existing tires. it's amazing what soap and water and a little 409 will do...the bike is in great cosmetic shape - dust and sediment are gone, and a new shine is ready to be admired.

and though i tried to pry the chain lock off, it won't budge without the proper criminal arsenal. that's the major problem left at this point. i can't wait to ride it.

Follow your folly

i believe in the subconscious, therefore, i believe that New Belgium Brewery was all up in my mind last weekend when, after a great breakfast at You Say Tomato, i stumbled upon a bicycle swap meet where I found a rusty, worn and absolutely last-cog cruiser for 20 bucks and figured this restoration project was exactly what my soul required.




and then i didn't buy it.




and for the past three days, i've regretted that decision. so in a moment of weakness tonight, i visited New Belgium's site to get my cruiser fix from the progressive brewery's TV spots.



i sighed dramatically, took a swig of Merlot and grabbed my mtn bike for a few laps around the dark neighborhood. a few blocks into the ride, after i accepted the fact that my Trek knobby would have to replace a vintage cruiser, i settled into the peace that is a night ride. there really isn't much that is better than slow-pedaling from side to side down dark streets, admiring the moon and porch lights.

got back home and immediately cued up New Belgium's spots, but this time from a marketer's view. and i realized that the beauty and success in the spots is the ability to connect to two audiences:

1) the tinkerer in practice
2) the tinkerer at heart.

as marketers, that's really our job. engage the rational and the aspirational. the guy who buys Fat Tire Ale because all his buddies drink this and it, very frankly, has a cool bike on the label. AND, the guy who buys Fat Tire Ale because some evenings, the closest he can get to sailing down a long hill by moonlight, freedom and rebellion going through his hair in a little part of the world where a 401K is first measured in miles instead of dollars...is a bottle of beer with a great bike on the label.

connecting both demos in the same passionate way is powerful. while you're thinking beer, check out New Belgium's "Follow Your Folly" microsite. a deeper dive into the above thoughts.

i'm think i'm going to have to hunt down that rusty bike, while Monk crashes out next to the knobby, in a futile attempt to make me feel guilty for not taking him on my night ride.

Prairie Punisher Duathlon: Finished

sitting here having a protein shake after a heckuva saturday morning. my buddy joel and i (with great coaching/encouragement/photography by Pa Woolard) finished the Prairie Punisher Duathlon (5K, 27.5K Bike, 5K) and had a blast. this is my first official duathlon, though we frequently pair runs and rides during training.


we either looked like teammates or dorks, with our matching Sunflower Outdoor gear and Cannondale roadies. style aside, i beat my goal time by 7 minutes and to my surprise, knocked off the final 5K in about 23 minutes, which is fast for me even if I hadn't already run one, and biked 27K.

An exciting change, and a new bike

2007 will start with an exciting change in my world. I will join Sullivan Higdon & Sink next week as a brand strategist. I've long admired the creative minds and culture SHS is known for, and am excited to jump into the action.

Oftentimes the best opportunities evade the convenience of timing, and though the time at my current post has been brief, I made the decision with confidence and excitement. I get to work with wonderful brands, a group of talented co-workers, inspiring bloggers/podcasters - all within my favorite part of Kansas City, the Crossroads Art District.

On another exciting note, here's my new toy.
I rode this bad boy to work today, soaking up another freakishly mild December day. I always debate days like this, as I enjoy the opportunity to be outside - in December - but lament the climate change. Maybe by riding to work, I can feel a little more balanced within the debate.