For some the phrase going to 'Vegas' has some connotation of wicked fun times and sin city. Then you add the plain text 'tradeshow' and or 'inter-bike' and the meaning slides five ways sideways. This is especially true when you are a hardened veteran of the industry a new father or for some other poor souls - on your 3-5th tradeshow of the season, ouch.
I fall somewhere between 1, 2 and 3; I have been hitting the festivals hard this year, launching products and talk, talk talking it up. Crankworkx, BC Bike Race, Sea Otter and Fruita are all virtual tradeshow and with the amount of traveling done leading into Vegas, a new kid running amok at home, I found more than ever the sheer fatigue catching up with me.
Don't get me wrong, we have fun we work hard, there is virtually no riding or exercise, there is a lot of beer at all times of the day and night and it lasts 6 full days in either dessert conditions or hard core air conditioning. All of this leaves one with the proverbial Vegas hang over; when you arrive home, there is an adjustment period like jet-lag. Perhaps it's the weening off of the Oxygen rich casino's (word has it that they pump it in to keep people awake and alert) or the removal of the osmotic absorbtion of excitement brought on by; the heady crowds of excited bike fans, the other Vegas attendees or some residual dessert survival instinct that has all of your senses on red alert.
But I have to admit being the bike dork that I am that I love the 'show'. Teching out on all the new gadgets, talking turkey about the BC Bike Race, going through the facets of the new RMB 2011 line and all the tiny nuances of bike-geek-ness. Ahhhh yes it's like comicon, a bunch of grown-up kids, not to mention that after such a long time in the industry it's a big party with a whole bunch of great friends. So, tired and exhausted after my once a year to Vegas I returned home.
It is rumored that Interbike will be moving to August next year and that it will also be held in Anahiem CA. Interbike is comprised of two parts (the day parts) dirt-demo, outdoors(Mon, Tues) and inter-bike, indoors(wed,thur, fri) - lets not forget that this is a dealer based show where many decisions are made about what products you will see at your local bike store next year.
This years highlights were: a short team ride post the dirt demo, Wade's birthday bash (in our rental house, just the team), The Fro Riders getting inducted into the Hall of Fame, Rockies launch of the new Element and Slayer (two amazing bikes), the arrival of BC Bike Race as the 'Singletrack Adventure' to truly attend and one wicked ride - 'The Legends' with Mountain Bike Magazine a bunch of other pro's and oh yeah leaving Vancouver for the dessert while it dropped 40mm of rain or something crazy like that.
Sometimes the tradeshow and Vegas at this time of the year is 'A-OK'. Stay posted for a view of the movie Lifecycles- we didn't make it with all our work but it is rumored to be amazing.
All in all a trip to the dessert should happen at least once a year if you can and if you are a bike-dork like me get to Interbike at least once in your life!
Bikes forever
Dre
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