SLaB October Update

interbike 08- last booth surfing for me

Yesterday I managed to see a fare amount of booth's and talk apparel and sponsors with a few vendors and product lines. I have a great bucket of images... that at this time I cannot upload from my camera to my laptop at Mcarren Airport. Yes... I'm packed up with a very heavy bag full of brochures and publications relating to anything bike or commute and transportation.

Some of my cool finds are listed below:

REFLECTOR "dots".
Small stretchy silvery dots, which you can put on your clothing or bike for commuting. They stay through a remarkable number of washes. Put on your spokes, helmet, where-ever.

(Primal Wear) Custom JERSEYS.
I really liked the product line of customizable kits from Primal wear, and the available designs they have now are super pretty, creative, but made overseas. Only downfall. I'll speak to 2 other jersey makers I chatted with, one that manufactured in the Czech Republic, the other in Mexico. Can't remember their names - but they were serious contendors along with Sugoi - for a custom cycling kit next year!

New Zealand Merino WOOL fabric/jerseys.
Doesn't hurt to have the adorable accent, but we stopped at this booth to chat with the kiwi for data on custom and semi-custom designs from New Zealand, made of this fab fabric. Wicks, is natural, or combined w/ a lycra for the sublimation customization process. Nice designs, nice fabric - soft, more sustainable. Not from China!

53x11 COFFEE:
Super cool coffee roasters with environment, advocacy, and cycling community in mind. SLaB may try to get sponsored by them for 09, we connected well.

HELMET and BIKE GRAPHICS
Some interesting helmets nad helmet graphics, some very cool women's bike graphics, and some lame ones.

OIWC:
Luncheon was a smashing busting out the doors event. A fantastic turnout - and fantastic panel of inspirational women from all aspects of our industry. Take-aways from the panel discussion were: Be true to yourself, integrity in business, make goals, and get better at public speaking!

iZIP bikes and eBikes (Schwinn)
Electric bikes were the big trend. Get folks out of their cars any way you can! I took a shuttle to a "Bikes to commute" event at the Springs Preserve. An amazing natural preserve I didn't have time to tour, but was landscaped beautifully with native plants and desert scapes. Ed Begley Jr. Spoke, and folks tested the bikes. Mostly it was dealers asking about carrying the iZip product. My friends Larry Pizzi and Rob Kaplan were hosting the iZip event. I had met Ed Begley Jr. before at the Silicon Valley Green Fair, and was hoping to get another chance to converse. He may have remembered me - but I told him for sure I wanted to go for a bike ride with him and his wife! I also asked him for connections at Whole Foods... regarding the bike rack blogging and activism I'm trying to affect. He seemed sincere to get back in touch with us, to help on that matter!

I'll add photos later for these comments. Thanks for following along my interbike journey!

Sustainable "green" fair - and a bike ride

I'm over the "Green" term... but "am" by definition - as I choose greenly. (Maybe the next bumper sticker huh?! CHOOSE GREENLY - folks will think it is political... hmm)

Steven's Canyon was beautifully green Sunday - we rode to it's end after attending the "Greenfair Silicon Valley". Below are highlights from both the convention center and bike ride.

The fair was a great place to source materials and contractors & services that you hear about - but can't find so easily. There were exhibitors from non-toxic house-cleaning services to solar companies, renovation materials and construction contractors. Very worth the few hours we squeezed from our weekend and house guests. Should have gone the day before and spent even more time. This was my element for sure!

Steven's Creek

Bev & Plastic-bag-man. He recently was kicked out of San Franciso.

Convention center is a "fabric" style building. Glad there was a decent turn-out, and I was surprised it was not all "the choir" - and some new to being "GREEN" were there... not just us green junkies. That's what we need - to reach the nay-sayers or naive.

Solar powered with nice fans that ran - made me think I need one for home... that my husband can use outside the house... snicker snicker.

Made an appointment this week from these guys- they harvest your rainwater from your roof - and you can hook that up for various usages - including watering those pesky lawn and gardens!

Terry and I overheard a father telling a son that was excited about the product... telling him "we only get 14 inches of rain a year... doesn't work for us". Well aalllll be darn, dad thinks he knows everything doesn't he? Imagine 14" of rain times the square footage of your entire roof?! Ticked us off... but decided not to try and solve the smarty pants family issues there.

Gorgeous counter and kitchen and bath products made from recycled and sustainable materials. Been fantasizing about our remodel with these products - for years now. I'm ready to just do it... and not wait another month/year/decade!

Ed Begley Jr. and Bev have a discussion about who they both know in the bike business - and how they both want to go for a ride! My goal.... get his lovely wife Rachelle to go riding... and maybe wear one of my SLaB shirts or jerseys! ;-) He was super nice, and gave a fantastic talk on what you can do to be sustainable in your own life. Spoke of alternatives, or choices we make - from as small as a light bulb - to whole house solar and more. He doesn't preach, but feels strongly that it is not so hard to d0 - and is living proof! 

Most interesting was that he thought his house was pretty energy efficient... until he had an energy efficient inspection done. Where they have infrared lights and I think these blowers to find the drafts - the leaks - where your heat and cooling are disappearing. Hopes in the room were for future required inspections like this - in all real-estate transactions.

Only a couple motor scooter and bike vendors - was surprisingly low number of displays regarding transportation... maybe next year.

After the fair we went for a bike ride up Steven's Canyon Road - perfect end to a nice earth friendly day! Here is a nice recycled bike frame gate. Some of the other gates are not as welcoming or pretty in this canyon - but we found the good stuff.

Terry, Amy and Kirk - going up canyon. From my phone camera while riding... too fun!

www.greenfairsiliconvalley.com

www.livingwithed.net