Couple of things that grabbed my attention today.

First, the Lopes Link first production proto. Gorgeous. Not quite ready for the Ibis store, but they’ll be there before the end of September.

Second, looking out in my back yard today at my nuclear powered Sunflower.
The package said height to 6′.
I measured this one a couple days ago at 13′6″.
I like summer.

Last weekend arrived with very high expectations attached, and I wasn’t disappointed. The Single Speed World Championships were right in my backyard, just over the hill in Napa California. The 400 entries were offered online at midnight January 1 this year, and were sold out three minutes later. So this qualifies as a very exclusive event. And the sale at midnight qualifies for a good excuse for me not to be online then. Which gives me an excellent excuse when asked why I’m not racing.

The festivities started the Wednesday before the race with a race in Santa Rosa’s Howarth Park. It’s an evening Dirt Crit that’s been happening for many summers in a row. Single speeders were there. Missed that one.
The next morning was a ride in Annadel (Santa Rosa park where single track is actually legal), followed by a party over at the Sycip world headquarters. Missed em both.
Friday was a bike ride in Marin, followed by party at American Cyclery in SF (missed both of those too), followed by bike ride across the Golden Gate Bridge to the coldest spot anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere on August 22, followed by a “BBQ” on the beach (made the last two).

Too Much Typing. Let’s Have Some Pictures. 

Here’s the ferry ride, resplendent with douche bags and others
(PS, Thanks to Holt the Relaxer for these here pictures)

Then with much anticipation we rode across the bridge, up a big hill down a big hill, worked up an appetite.
And waiting for us at Kirby Cove, there’s the BBQ!

It took a minute, but we did manage to find the food. As promised a BBQ!
Unfortunately it was all gone by the time I put the camera away.

Saturday was registration and drunkenness in Napa. Missed those too.

But Sunday we were there, and here is what we saw.
Racers, ready to race.

However, I’ve saved the best costume for last.
Santa Rosa’s own Glenn “Tinker” “Factory Pilot” “70’s” Fant rocked it all day long.

And YES, those are denim Lycra rights. Not shorts, tights.

ON TO BUSINESS
We have a nice commemorative T-shirt we prepared for the race. Get them while you can, there are only 50 available for sale in the entire world. Once they’re gone they’re gone.

Order them HERE.

See them just below…

That’s what the art looks like, the actual shirt is shown in the next picture. It doesn’t look this washed out though, it looks pretty darn good. It also doesn’t quite look as good as the image above. Somewhere in between.

Again, we are offering only about 50 these for worldwide distribution.

We won’t make them again, so now is your one chance to get them.

Ciao!
Chuck Ibis

Many of you may remember the raffle we had a few weeks ago, raising $37,505 for cancer research, the winner getting a brand spankin’ new Silk SL with full Dura Ace.

Those nice folks at Shimano managed to find a brand new 2009 Dura Ace kit for the bike, and the winner was a very happy (and lucky) fellow. Here’s a picture of the happy ticket buyer with his pimped out new ride up in Crater Lake last weekend. He’s actually using the bike! 330 miles on it last weekend.

Check our boy Brian Lopes winning the Jim Beam Air Downhill in Whistler at Crankworx.

Brian piloted his Mojo down the legendary A-Line ahead of  second and third place Greg Minnaar and Chris Kovarik in a time of 4:22.10

Nice Work Old Man!