It has been almost a month now since getting back from my multi week trip up and down the west coast in the pursuit of getting the word out about Ocean Air Cycles and the Rambler. I have had such a mass of pictures it was hard enough to keep up with it on the trip and I have been putting it off until now. The catalyst for the trip was the Seattle Bike Expo, with a whole mess of diversions. The trip went well, very well, and that is part of why I have been buried for weeks now trying to keep the business up to speed. Thank you to everybody out there who has been keeping my busy!
Things started out by sorting and cramming 3 Ramblers and a show booth’s worth of stuff
into the back of a rented mini van
Saying goodbye to the Munchikin (Photographer in training)
And starting leg one of the long drive north.
Leg one stopped in Oakland where I picked up Co-Pilot Jason.
We worked through the night getting Rambler No.4 ready for the trip. It looked like we had possibly dodged the impending snow storm hitting the PNW. Last year I was stuck in 10 inches of snow in central Oregon. We had an uneventful trip this time, but did see snow passing through the Shasta area.
We made it to Portland late, passed out, woke up to coffee with Russ and Laura, then had more coffee at Velo Cult
before heading to Seattle to pick up Aly at the air port.
After 3 days of driving and jamming to get things read, not even counting all the days / weeks of prep, we were really there and unloading for the expo. Well almost there, we get lost finding the ramp to the expo and found this park with an incredible view.
Then we made it to the ship terminal to unload. The folks at the Cascade bike club were incredible from start to finish.
Somebody thought it would be funny to shoot this, so it must be good enough to share, right?
Set up went quick, thanks to lots help, from the back of the van to the booth, there is no way I could have pulled this off alone.
Home to bed, and then the next day started. Aly was able to get one shot in early
And it was off to the races. I was able to take one short break, but it was a really long day for all three of us. I met tons of new people, put faces and handshakes to internet friends and customers, and made the initial connection for what will be our first retail outlet. Day one was a huge learning experience, mostly listening and a bit of explaining. I was energized and fried at the same time.
There was dinner and a crazy party in the basement of a building down town. I was too tired to keep shooting pictures. That proved to be one of the hardest parts of the trip. The times that you are really busy making memories and connections the camera is often still in the bag. Day two was a repeat, then Aly took off for the airport with her uncle, Jason and I loaded out, and Part one of the journey was complete. Seattle was awesome, with a few days to go. If the weather was always that nice I think I could live there, at least for a bit.