so much going on...

We are showing bikes this weekend at the OBCA show in Northwest Portland. The show is the second for the Oregon Bike Constructors Association. We didn't show the last time they had a show (2007), but feel really good about supporting the organization. The OBCA is a collective of Bike builders in the Northwest, trying to pool our resources to make things easier for everyone. It is a bit of a bummer that the show happens to fall on the same weekend as the big cyclocross crusade Halloween weekend, but we decided to stick with the plan and show bikes instead of going to Astoria.

Tonight we had a pre-opening party with lots of beer from HUB, wine from Grochau Cellers and food catered by Higgins. Higgins is the place to go in Portland if you want to experience the best of northwest cuisine. If my typing seems a little irregular, I blame it on the HUB beer. I love HUB's IPA. I think it's my new favorite...

At the show I talked to some people that I haven't had the pleasure of talking to yet. As a builder, it's really great to talk to and hear from other builders about what's going on in their world. We all have different takes on the same basic idea, but everyone manages to bring their own aesthetic to the table. It's cool. So far the bikes that have been standing out to me are the beauties that Mitch puts together (MAP cycles), his space mate Joseph Ahearne's unique take on bikes is very well done, The road bike that 333 has is sweet, Co-motion has a belt drive Rholoff bike that is pretty cool, Keith Anderson brought his kid's bike that was at NAHBS last year and it looks amazing, those Renovo wood bikes are technically astounding. All and all there are more amazing bikes under this roof than should be legally allowable. It's worth the 8 bucks to check it out. Come on down tomorrow. Unless you are at the cross crusade. Having fun. In the mud.

Signal Cycles Cyclocross Video

Signal Cycles Cyclocross from Benji Wagner on Vimeo.

Thanks Benji Wagner for making such a rad movie! And thanks to the team Pete, Marila, Carey, and Dave for being so awesome!

After the cross race last week I came home and picked the last green tomatoes from the garden to make pickles. I tend to eat my pickles so fast there is no need to do proper preservation pickling. I use a quick pickling method my mom use to for the last summer vegetables like the last bunch of green tomatoes, beans and okra. She used to say that it doesn't matter what spices you use, the key is in the brine: 3/4 cup good vinegar for every 1 quart boiled water, after that the flavoring is up to you. Next up, sauerkraut. My friend, Dudeman, is growing some cabbages for me as we speak. MMMMMM!

Middle of cyclocross season

Today we drove out to the Cross Crusade race, popped up the tent and cheered for our team. We were without Marila today, and she missed a hilly tough course! It was dry and really bumpy, so I was glad that we finally got tires for our super-rad Chris King team wheels. The wheelsets are using Ambrosino tubular cronos rims with Challenge tires glued on. The 34mm tires were the perfect weapon for the course, I'm sure riders were wishing they had their mountain bikes with suspension after a couple laps of those bumps. Pete overcame a slight mechanical and had to pour it on in the end to make up ground. I overheard another rider in the singlespeed race say "I thought I was doing pretty good, passing people and moving up, and then Pete rode past me like I was standing still!" I know that feeling too, usually when he's lapping me.
Carey was looking good in her race, I didn't see where she ended up, but I know she was up there in the points.
And in the Men's A race Dave Roth had an amazing ride into the fifth place spot. The climb seemed to splinter the field and the top few guys really were going super fast. Congrats to Molly Cameron for taking the W, Eric Tonkin 2nd, Sean Babcock 3rd, Kevin Hulik 4th, and Dave in a solid 5th. Impressive. And my little 6 week old daughter Sunday hung out all day like a champ. It's her third cross race (so far), and I think it was her favorite.

There is a really cool article in the current Ready Made magazine featuring a few Portland builders. Benji Wagner took the photos. Check out his new work on his website to see more photos that you can't see in the mag. He is also working on a short film following the new Signal cross team and we'll let you all know when it's a wrap. Jeremy Dunn wrote the words and it came together nicely. Go out and buy the magazine and enjoy!

The Oregon Manifest festivities started a few weeks ago with the Constructors Challenge. Matt and I convinced my brother, Andy, to do the ride as we finished up some cross team stuff. He rode the whole route with the two wine bottles and finished up smiling. He had a great time as was pretty tired but still showed up to race cross the next day. Sweet! Our Signal bike is still on display down at the Bike Union at NW 10th and Hoyt and will be there for the next three weeks or so. Go check it out.