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Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Between camping, cleaning out my lady's attic, mowing lawns at two houses, mulching, and all the assorted other things that seem to take more hours than there are in a day...I have completed my Project Juan Solo.  The bike is going with me to Japan at the end of the week where Jason, Peter and I will be visiting our Japanese distributor and meeting with a bunch of Japanese bike magazines to spread the Salsa gospel. As such, I've got her set up as an urban legend which can still poach some singletrack when opportunity presents. Up front I'm running a Spinner Echo fork. You've probably seen them running some advertising lately. The Echo is pretty sweet. A simple fork that offers 80-125mm of travel adjust and a very convenient push-button lockout. A Chris King headset ties it in place. My Pepperjack grips and brake levers are mounted to a Jones H-Bar. It is my first try with this bar and thus far it seems quite promising. The wide grip end position is very comfortable. We'll see how often I use the other positions. The wheels are Salsa Delgado hoops laced to some really sweet DT Swiss 240S singlespeed hubs. Nice and light! Schwalbe SuperMoto tires are mounted up. The tires are big fast rollers and they can handle some dirt too. Classy red Flip-Offs keep the wheels on! Avid BB7 mechanical discs round out the package. I like disc brakes, make no mistake about it. The Hone cranks match the bike well. My first time with the integrated bb spindle type cranks and it sure is nice and simple. No crank puller needed. Should be nice and stiff too for some get up and go. My Shaft seatpost holds on a titanium railed Brooks saddle. If you haven't ever ridden a Brooks saddle do yourself a favor and try one. I've only had them on road and commuter bikes before so it'll be fun to see how it handles the off-road world, but I've really had good success with my other Brooks saddles. They are comfy. So that is it...Project Juan Solo. Send your comments to pman@salsacycles.com Cheers, Kid Posted by Salsa Kid : 3:05 PM 0 comments 
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Well, we had our two nice days of Spring and now it is back to drizzly and windy weather. I've got a good view of it from my desk at work. But a better view will be had while camping the next few days at Whitewater State Park. A tarp, fire, sleeping pad, my lady and Jordan, and some food. We are set. Rain may make some things damp, but not my spirits when it comes to breathing nothing but fresh air for a few days and just plain relaxing. Tonight...a pizza, some packing for the trip, and the completion of my Juan Solo Project. Pics after the weekend. Happy Memorial Day to all of you. Enjoy the day off. Kid Posted by Salsa Kid : 9:35 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Just when Dave and I started to worry that the marriage trend we started wasn't going to stick...Chuck went and got himself engaged! This brings the Salsa crew's summer wedding schedule up to three weddings in 10 weeks! We challenge any other small bike brand to beat that! Seriously, congrats to Chuck and Stacia. We are glad to hear that news! -Kid Posted by Salsa Kid : 3:22 PM 0 comments
Thursday, May 19, 2005
 Salsa proudly brings you our first gut-buckler, the Bobby Buckle. Designed by our very own licensed buckle artisan, Ray Stobbe, this is 196 grams of pant-grabbing, stare-inducing, 3-D forging, solid pewter belt adornment. Wear one and urban cowboys everywhere will be jealous of you. The Bobby Buckle is NOT named for the billy club carrying cops roaming the streets of London, but rather in honor of BobbyD, our superlative Salsa Dealer Account Guy. BobbyD just happens to wear these big ol' buckles everyday and he was the first to suggest we head down the pants securing path. Loose, droopy pants watch out cause these buckles are available now! Kid's Revenge of the Sith Movie Review (no secrets spoiled here) I joined the midnight collection of Star Wars geeks last night to check out Revenge of the Sith. There were two Darth Vaders having a lightsaber duel in the theatre lobby which got things started off right. As Roger said, "We are all geeks". Overall, I give the movie a relatively high mark. It is clearly the best of the "new" movies. The effects are incredible. They are much more realistic than in the past, and the detail that is possible with such effects has improved greatly as well. The opening scene will blow you away. Truly incredible. The acting is probably a bit better than The Clone Wars but it still leaves something to be desired. Chancellor Palpatine is solid, Obi Wan improved, Padme worse, and Anakin pretty much the same. The movie does a very good job telling a complicated tale though. If you are a parent of a younger child this may interest you. The movie has a bunch of humour in which kids will truly delight. I expect Jordan (8-1/2 years old) to be rolling around laughing at times. There are some very dark scenes however which will most likely have him cowering and asking questions later. And seeing as he's a sometimes sensitive kid, it won't surprise me when a scene or two has him crying. I don't think it is a movie for 6-year-olds. It sure wouldn't have been when we were growing...a long time ago in a galaxy far away. Running time is about 2:20 I think so make sure you go to the bathroom first. There aren't many parts of this that you will want to miss. May the force be with you, ha! Kid Posted by Salsa Kid : 1:38 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Well not really, but that's kind of what it feels like. Midnight tonight the final chapter of the Star Wars saga is revealed. And I'll be there. As a kid the whole Star Wars thing got hold of me and held on. I've got a ton of the stuff from way back then. Action figures, posters, drinking glasses, pencils, fan club patches...heck, you name it, I've got it. But my coolest Star Wars memorabilia is this. A two volume set of very thick comic books telling the story of the original Star Wars movie. These aren't skinny comic books. These are a good 3/4 of an inch thick each, only in black and white drawings, and with all of the writing in Korean. I like to think that I might be the only guy in the world that still has a set. If you know otherwise, let me know. Someday maybe I'll sell 'em, but for now, I just dig having them. If you are a Star Wars fan, enjoy tonight and the days ahead. It has been a great ride and we are all lucky we got to be there for it. Bravo George Lucas, whether I like this movie or not, bravo! -Kid Posted by Salsa Kid : 8:30 PM 0 comments
It was a long night, but Jason, Chuck, Dave, Bobby and I have almost finished construction of the Salsa ark. We ran out of really big nails early this morning so Chucker is at the hardware store picking some up. Bobby and Dave are busy making sandwiches and packing box lunches. We do have room for some more animals. We still need a pair of monkeys, a male iguana, a pair of panda bears, and a female water buffalo. Other than that, we are set. Yes, it is still raining here. -Kid Posted by Salsa Kid : 10:06 AM 0 comments
Monday, May 16, 2005
Nevermind. It's gone already. The sun hasn't been shining here much lately, but I saw it for a little while this morning. The rainy, cold weather has left me with a bad cold that has just lingered on and on and on. You get the picture. My initial plan with colds is always to ride through them. You start riding and the sinuses loosen up, the gunk starts coming out, and life starts to look a little better. I swear that sometimes riding helps make a cold go away. But at this point I've given in and will see if staying off the bike for a while will help. So tonight I'll drive home with my new Juan Solo frame and superpimp DT Swiss/Salsa wheelset, see if I can wade through the 6 foot tall grass growing in my front yard, and throw a few more parts onto the new rig. Not exactly riding, but it's still sort of biking, right? I hope you all don't have colds too. -Kid Posted by Salsa Kid : 7:05 PM 0 comments
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Thirty-eight degrees, 25 mph gusts of wind, and a steady falling rain. Truly beautiful riding weather...NOT. When I walked out to the garage this morning to grab my bike the rain was a soft drizzle. No problemo. Well, by the first stoplight 5 blocks away it had already turned into the steady drizzle that would remain for most of the day. Of course, I'd forgotten to put on my booties so my shoes assumed the role of "sponge" in my morning commuting theatrics. But frozen toes aren't that funny really. Well, not really frozen as it was above thirty, but darn cold all the same. The shower here at work hurt some, but more painful was me thinking about how I'd been so stupid. See, I'm one of those folks who believe that there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad (or not well thought out) clothing. Cold, rain, sleet, snow, and hot humid days are all things that remind you that you're alive. You aren't gonna notice them when you're dead. At least that's my theory and I'm sticking to it. Tomorrow looks to be more of the same supposedly, but I've got the day off, and part of tomorrow's plan includes a long slow ride. Tomorrow I will be dressed for success, riding in my booties. Enjoy the weather wherever you are. And the weekend. Kid Posted by Salsa Kid : 8:45 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Yep, the news is true. I'm getting married. As reported earlier in the Blog, I asked Becky on Cinco de Mayo and thankfully she said 'Yes'. I love her a whole heck of a lot and we are going to have a great life together, but... The day after proposing I develop a twitch above my left eye. It kind of comes and goes, and Becky thinks it's funny! She keeps saying "Whenever you start thinking about the wedding your eye starts twitching!" Yeah, that's real funny. So now I'm totally conscious of this twitch that's developed and I don't know how to make it stop. I might have to start wearing sunglasses but I'll probably have to keep moving them up all the time because the twitch will make 'em slide down. I just pray that the twitch actually does leave me at some point. I don't want to be up front saying my vows while my eye goes into monster spasms and uncontrollable twitching! It wouldn't be pretty and I'd probably wind up on America's Funniest Home Videos or something. For those of you keeping score, you'll enjoy these statistics. Kid's proposal: May 5 Date of wedding: August 6 (Yes, this year!) Church booked: May 9 Reception hall booked: May 10 Days remaining till Kid and Becky's wedding: 82 As you can see, we don't mess around! Rubber side down, Kid Posted by Salsa Kid : 2:13 PM 0 comments
Monday, May 09, 2005
Salsa has been sponsoring Jeff Hall for quite a few years. Those of you in the Midwest know that Jeff is one fast guy. Well, here is your chance to learn from him. If you're saying to yourself, "Well if I didn't have to work I could be that fast too", then you should consider taking part in his camp that much more. See, Jeff races at the pro level while working full time and being a husband and father helping to raise two young ones. We don't think it gets much more difficult than that. If you've invested in a nice bike for racing and a whole lot of time and effort, not to mention race fees...consider maximizing your investment by attending Jeff's camp. Get faster, Kid Posted by Salsa Kid : 4:51 PM 0 comments
Sunday, May 08, 2005
Miker... well his whole week has been busy with Cinco de Mayo celebrations, eatin' burritos, and GETTIN' ENGAGED! (Nice work, Kid) not to mention becoming an instant Dad... hee hee hee. That Jordan kid sure is lucky. Me? What did I do this weekend? I officiated my first race out at Avon, MN. Since I am gettin' old, fat and lazy these days and training for 88 mile road races is becoming harder and harder, I figure I would give back to the sport the best way I can... by disqualifying centerline violators. Road racing takes on a whole new meaning when you are driving a car at 17mph in a 30mph headwind and watching those poor Masters 50+ guys getting popped off the back. There I sit, eatin' apples, drinking Coke and yellin' at guys as they get plugged against the double yellow. Hee Hee... Ultimate POWER!!!! Well, I am headin' out with Superteamer Todd Schmidt in a little while to put the Ala Carte through it's paces at Lebanon Hills. The AC is set up as singlespeed with the White Industries ENO hub. I gotta get a picture of my ride on the site. Give me time to figure out how to turn on the digi-cam. I am not so tech savvy... took me a year to figure out the iPod...which reminds me, I gotta get that thing juiced up so I don't have to listen to Todd grump the whole ride. Man that boy complains alot. Almost as much as me. Remember, if you see me out on the trail. Pick me up and brush me off, check for broken bones and please, no autographs. Happy Mother's Day, Anna!!! Maria!! Karen, Angie, Becky, and all you other Mom's out there. Posted by chuck : 9:24 AM 0 comments
Friday, May 06, 2005
Folks, my plan for some chips, guac, and cerveza last night took a suprise twist when I asked my lovely lady Becky to marry me. She'd said that she wanted to be surprised and she was. But she regained composure and said 'yes' and I'm quite sure it wasn't the beer talking! Jordan came around the corner at the tail end of the proposal and went nuts. Hysterical happy laughter that he couldn't stop. So I proposed to him as well that I'd like to be his dad. And like his mom, he regained composure and said 'yes' too. So I am a happy man, and blest to have them in my life. Twin City's people, be sure to see the blog from yesterday for information on the Cinco de Mayo festival in West St. Paul today and Saturday. Come celebrate with Beck and I! Cheers, Kid Posted by Salsa Kid : 12:02 PM 0 comments
Thursday, May 05, 2005
As Jordan likes to sing, "Cinco de Mayo means holiday in Mexico". I can't really describe the tune, but it is from a song they sing in school. Cinco de Mayo is actually the celebration of a Mexican victory in a battle against the French a long, long time ago. Fortunately now days it has less to do with killin' and more to do with chillin'. It is a great opportunity throughout our country to take in some culture and possibly learn a few things. Cinco de Mayo for me tonight means a nice ride home and hopefully some yard work. Then I'll indulge in a celebratory Negra Modelo cerveza, some guac and chips, and a little dinner. Got to make sure those cervezas don't become dinner if you know what I mean! Twin City folks there is a wonderful Cinco de Mayo festival on the west side of St Paul this weekend. Click this link for more information. Look for me there tomorrow night enjoying from tasty food and margaritas. Oooh margaritas...now that sounds good doesn't it! Say hi if you see me. I'll be wearing a red Salsa hat. Happy Cinco! Kid Posted by Salsa Kid : 12:45 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
Spring comes to Minnesota a bit later than some other parts of the country. This past weekend we had alternating gray skies and sun while snow flurries changed to sleet and then back again to snow flurries. Nutty stuff, but I've got to admit I kind of get a kick out of it. Because Spring arrives later it also means that the Minnesota (and other upper Midwestern states) bike racing seasons start a bit later than other areas as well. The Spring Cup at Buck Hill is pretty much the official start to mountain bike racing in Minnesota. It is coming up this Saturday and usually draws some good crowds. Buck Hill and racing have a lot of history for me. I did my first mountain bike race there. That was way back in 1989. I was foolish enough to think that I had it all figured out before that first race, but racing brings out the cold hard truth. Without fitness you can't go fast. Without good technical skills you can't go fast either. I was the coach for the winning team in the first 24-hour race at Buck. I've been stung by twenty-some bees while shooting a race at Buck. I've seen friends pass out from the effort they put into their race at Buck. I've had countless laughs, seen folks eat shit off the old jump at the bottom of Don's Descent, and worn Oakley Factory Pilot sunglasses with pride...all at Buck Hill. So, to those racers heading out to start their season's campaign at Buck this weekend, I wish you the best of luck. Do your best at the race, but don't forget to soak everything else in. There are all kinds of great memories waiting to be snatched up and tucked away for later. The friends you meet at the races could be your friends for the rest of your life. Enjoy the ride. Kid Posted by Salsa Kid : 3:00 PM 0 comments
Monday, May 02, 2005
A quick congratulations go out to our pro speedster Jeff Hall for getting his first win of the season down at the Decorah Time Trial a couple weeks back. Good work and good luck for the season ahead! -Kid Posted by Salsa Kid : 1:54 PM 0 comments |
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