Olympic Mountains

I am back on Canadian soil but the Olympic Mountains iof Washington State were in full view from Vancouver Island today, a spectacular site at Mile 0 on the Canadian West Coast. Everyone is anticipating the opening ceremonies of the Olympics tomorrow night. What a surreal experience to be here and actually going to the biggest sporting event in the world because of my work. Oh Yeah, I like my job a lot!!!

My Friend is the Koolest Kat

Seattle is a frequent stop on the Yellow Road and thanks to my dearest friends Dan, Heidi and Kat, it has also been a distribution center for sock samples, a home away from home, and occasionally I have even hired them as secret shoppers. Got enough Shambalas to last you a lifetime eh Heidi???

I have a Yoga buddy here too. Kat even invented a new move called the peek-a-boo downward dog and she maintains that warrior pose longer than I do. If we could only hook her up to a generator, we could light up a whole city with all her energy. Well, she certainly lights me up every time I visit.

Falling Water

The passage leading to the REI Flagship store in downtown Seattle is a little glimpse of the West Coast Trail and the serenity is reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater.

We are proud to do business with REI, a Co-operative national retailer with core values based on environmental preservation and encouraging people to enjoy and appreciate the Outdoors. DeFeet socks have found a home in the Cycling department of REI stores across the country.

The magnitude of the cycling industry in the Pacific Northwest is astounding. It is hard to imagine negotiating Seattle traffic to commute to work, but almost all city streets have designated lanes so bikes and cars can co-exist. Portland is considered one of the most bike friendly cities in the nation.

Riding is so much a part of life here that the major cities of this region are connected each year by STP (Seattle to Portland), an event that involves tens of thousands of riders and volunteers who participate in a two-day 200 mile ride that seems to celebrate this integral part of the culture.

Bike shops such as Gregg's, one of the largest independently owned bike shops in the country, are thriving despite tough economic times. Some recent encouraging statistics on bike commuting in the United States bode well for our industry and certainly Oregon and Washington are states that are setting the example.

Larger than Life

Every now and again we meet people that seem to affect the world around them so far beyond their own physical space. I had to stop and say hello to John Crews, owner of Bicycles Plus in Folsom, CA. He struck me as one of those people the first time I met him.

He takes the time for all those who walk through his doors. Not only has he founded the charity Ride for a Reason, supporting those living with Parkinson's and Cancer, his most recent project was to fundraise to supply the Pediatric Oncology ward of the local hospital with Notebooks (computers) for the kids. He gives back to the community on so many levels and maintains one of the top 100 bike shops in the country.

It's been a real privilege to meet John and spend some time talking with him.

Auburn, Art, and Sweat Equity

The Tour of California is due to come through Auburn, CA mid May and the town is gearing up for it to fly down main street. This quaint Sierra Foothills community is a cycling haven and the bike folks here will no doubt put this town permanently on the Pro-Tour map.

Linda and John Elgart, our NoCal DeFeet reps included me in a meeting to build a team kit for the Sierra Foothills Cycling Club headed by four gentlemen who are all Western States alumni - the 100 mile ultramarathon. So they ride hard and run long here. Impressive!

The Elgart Design team help to outfit Northern California cycling teams and clubs with fine quality Voler clothing and DeFeet socks. Linda has a Master's in Fine Arts and John an artistic flair that is a huge resource for the companies they work with. So, I gave them a sneak peak at our Fall Collection and once again, their feedback and ideas were an inspiration.

I connected with them the day of their return from two weeks in South America. Never mind jet lag, they were back out on the sales road the next morning. Their due diligence is evident in all bike shops we sell to in NoCal, with some of the best merchandising of DeFeet socks in the country - including in the new Folsom Bike shop with Cafe - Coffee, Tea, Socks?

One Stop Shop

The traffic from LA thins out, the mountains are green from weeks of rain and the next stop is San Luis Obispo (SLO), a College town tucked inside the mountains a few miles from spectacular coastline.

DeFeet has a fine presence in SLO through upscale retailers such as Art's Cyclery.

Art's is a traditional bike shop with long history in this town and also has a second location as part of a Warehouse group of companies that include The Running Warehouse, The Tennis Warehouse and the Tackle Warehouse on the south end of town. With retail space, showooms and a distribution center that ships all over the world, its architecturally appealing exterior and efficient and uniquely private yet open work spaces blend the resources of like-minded companies into a sort of one stop shop experience for consumers, vendors, visitors etc.

Art's meticulous and sparkling showroom features top of the line bike gear and features its partnership with Team Columbia High Road.

We met with the buyers at The Running Warehouse and Art's Cyclery. There is great karma in this building and it is evident that the buyers have a great depth of understanding in their products and passion for what they do. We look forward to Erik's feedback on our Run Collection! I was even fortunate enough to be invited to a Yoga class - much appreciated after weeks of solo Yoga in hotel rooms.

LA is all about Rudy

So I came to Los Angeles to meet with Brad, one of the top DeFeet reps in the country. Well, it turns out Brad has these two bulldogs, one of which rides a skateboard. I miss my dog so badly when I am on the road, that Rudy is a surrogate.

Oh yes, and we did visit many bike shops and one run shop today before going back to check in on Rudy and his sidekicks Humphrey and Rocky. We head north tomorrow up the coast to Santa Barbara and SLO to see more accounts.

Brad is meticulous about making sure DeFeet products are well merchandised so I have confidence we look good in LA. That's important.