Freight Trains of the Atlantic

by Roby Holland (aka the Old Man in the Sea)

For those of you who don't know I have an obsession for fishing. In the last couple of years I have honed my skills targeting Stripers and Bluefish in and around Duxbury MA. This year a friend and I decided to make a go at some Bluefin Tuna on Stellwagon Bank which is about 17 nm from Duxbury Bay.

We headed out at 5:30am towards the grounds with some iffy weather. The total trip took us 35 mins and the seas were between 2 to 3 ft. Once at the location we hooked up the bait and let them swim. It was only about 5 minutes till the first fish took the bait. It was a very large and strong Bluefish, that once brought boat side, broke thru the 80lbs floro leader and took off. Next two fish were Stripers and were both between 25 and 30lbs respectively. We hung around for a while longer with some hits but not the type of hits we were looking for, so we moved into deeper water.

Once we made it to deeper water our luck changed. The bird activity picked up to a frantic pace and the water began to come alive. Baits in the water, it was time to wait for a hook up and we did not have to wait long. My friend's bait disappeared in a wash of white foam and his line began to peel off his reel faster than anything I had ever witnessed before. We had hooked a Tuna!!! I put the boat in gear and began to chase down the fish, with my buddy reeling as fast as he could, but it wasn't long before we realized that this was a large Tuna. Once we were on the Tuna my friend began to try to muscle it in with no luck. The fish pinned him to the rail of the boat and only let him stand up to get some line when it wanted him to. After about 20 minutes of fighting, the rod was passed over to me. It wasn't until I had full control or thought I had full control of the rod that I realized how powerful these fish are. I consider myself to be in fairly good shape and this fish would not let me gain any ground on him at the beginning of the battle. I would try to stand and lean into the rod to get some line only to be pulled back down to the rail with authority. It was thrilling to say the least, until our luck began to change. I noticed that the reel began to move to the side of the rod as I reeled and I tried to tighten up the seat with no luck. The fish had started to break the rod and so the fight became more difficult. We began to gain some ground on the fish and knew we were getting close to getting this fish boat side, or so we thought. The fish began to give me a tour of my boat (literally) pinned to the rail he it went starboard aft, I went starboard aft and then back up to the bow of the boat. It made a quick dart around the bow as I lifted the rod, the line caught on the bow eye and SNAPPED!!!!! That's it….. as fast as it started it was gone. The ride back was a nasty painful hour and half ride into 4ft+ swells. It gave us plenty of time to understand what had just happen. We had hooked on to the freight train of the Atlantic.

Here are three pic from my adventure. First one is where I think I have the upper hand, second is where I know I don't and third is where I'm wondering if it was a wise choice to go after a fish that potentially weighs 1/3 of my boats capacity! Good times had by all…even the tuna.

P.S. Bluefin are a highly fished species. Please do your part to only harvest fish you need and return the rest for another day.
Cheers Roby

Run Naked

by Roby Holland, National Sales Manager, Commercial

Last night I got home from work and took off for a run. There was just enough daylight to get in my loop that brings me down to a lake where I usually find some people fishing or hanging out with their dogs. This run was different, there was an unusual flow to it and as I continued along the way digesting and dissecting the day's work, it hit me. I was running naked! Not literally, but in my rush to get out the door I did not have my heart monitor or my I-pod with me. This run was different, my breathing was more consistent and my pace more even and I was able to hear my body again. I know that sounds quirky but before there were I-pods, heart rate monitors and GPS devices we ran naked in a sense. I think most of these devices serve a good purpose, but GPS? I'll save that for a later post. The reason I think the run went so smoothly is because I was unplugged and I was running to my own internal beat and not the Black Eye Peas or Red Hot Chili Peppers. I forgot what that felt like and at the end of the run I turned in my best time for this short loop. Too deep a thought to go any further with this at this time of the morning. Well enjoy whatever you are doing and once every so often try it naked.

Don't Let a Bus be Your Motivation!

by Roby Holland, Commercial Sales Manager

Right around now I begin my resolution list and over the years it has become shorter, not because I'm accomplishing all my goals, but it is a depressing sight at the end of the year when I look back at all the things I didn't do and could have. We'll I cannot say that I have changed my stripes, but I am becoming better. Anyhow, if you are looking for motivation for getting off the couch or doing things that you say you want to do before you blow your mortal coil, look no further then this article in Runner's World March issue. The title of the article is "26.2 or Die". It gives new definition to the meaning "Long Haul". Read it and you'll be off the couch in no time.

Cyclin' For Life

12th Annual Cycle for Life to benefit the Tufts Medical Center Floating Children's Cancer Center

by Rob Zuraski, Director of Engineering and NPD

Woke up at 4am Sat. morning to heavy downpours on the South Shore of Boston , along with news on the web site that the 50 mile ride was cancelled and everyone would do the 25 mile for safety reasons. I was drenched to the bone just loading up the bike and getting in my truck. Luckily by the time I was driving through Boston to the North Shore where the ride was scheduled, the rain let up and held off for the whole event. It was great to see past Kryptonite crew members and all the other riders and volunteers inspired to raise funds for this event. Thanks also to all the volunteers and police that helped man the route and the donors that supported us.

The ride started out at Devereaux Beach in Marblehead and wound up a beautiful coastal route to Singing Beach and back. Even more inspiring than the scenic route were the people I met along the way...
One woman I met had a daughter who lost her battle with cancer several years ago. This woman was back riding to support the hospital. Another guy I met passing each other a few times along the way told me at the end of the ride that he was a cancer survivor and had a huge section removed from his abdomen. Can't forget to mention he was riding a mountain bike and I was on my road bike! Even had a couple of kids along the way collecting for another cause in front of a store cheering me on and informed me that I was in 10th place (even thought it wasn't really a race!)...

Most of the riders and volunteers that I met seemed to be directly affected by the work done by the Floating hospital (hospital workers, cancer survivors, friends and families of children touched by the wonderful program) and have inspired me to make this an annual event..
Our team: Fast Foodies raised $7,911. So far, the web site says $127,579 total was raised for the event, but they mentioned $150k tally at the end of the event - its still not to late to donate!
www.cycleforlife.com
www.floatinghospital.org
http://www.tuftsmedicalcenter.org/

Special thanks to Peter and Ellen Zane, founding family members of Kryptonite who helped organize our team and the event.

Our Fast Foodies team consisted of previous/existing Kryptonite crew:
Peter Zane
Roby Holland
Rob Zuraski
Neil McDaid
Rosalie Garver
Eric Lightbody
Nadine Fallon
and a few other friends Peter recruited...

Get Out and Ride!

by Roby Holland, National Sales Manager

I just came back from a very relaxing local vacation. I was supposed to have my brother visiting and the plans for his visit were golf, fishing then repeat. Unfortunately he was unable to make it so I changed my plans to spend my days with my family, which is more appealing. When you live in an area that has so much to offer it is hard to decide what to do.

I had been pushing my wife to get a bike all summer and she has been reluctant to do so because she was unsure she would like it. Unexpectedly, she asked if I would be interested in going down to Brewster, MA and rent a couple of bikes, to ride the bike trail. I was in! This was a great opportunity to spend sometime with the family and do something that I really enjoy. In the morning we headed to Cape Cod Rail Trail Bike and Kayak on our adventure. It was a great morning to do this, like a perfect early fall morning. We got our bikes, a trailer for Owen, my son,(attached to dad's bike ). I did a quick review with my wife of the bike components and how to use them. I tried to keep it as simple as I could so she would get the maximum enjoyment out of the ride.

Before we took off I grabbed a lunch from The Brewster Lunch Box then we headed off along the trail. I was apprehensive that my wife was going to have a difficult time adjusting to the new technology on these bikes. The last time she was on a bike was over ten years ago, in Ireland, and the bikes were equipped with 3-speed Strurmy Archer shifters and old school breaking. For about the first half mile I was tense and constantly asking how things were going. I even asked Owen to ask Mommy how thing were going. As only Owen could say it "Mamma how doin?" Mamma how doin?". To my surprise and relief she was enjoying it! Now, I could relax and enjoy the ride.

We rode for a while, passing lakes and cranberry bogs along the way. The bike path was in great shape, smooth and wide. There were plenty of people using the trail, bikers, runners, and in-line skaters. There was a ton of families like us. Owen was a little too quite while he was sitting in the trailer and now I had a new concern, my son's enjoyment. I had to investigate whether or not he was having a good time and the best way to do this with my son was to say "Peanut, Peanut butter ". If he was in a good mood I would hear him respond "JELLY" . So I got his attention and said "Peanut, Peanut butter" with no responses. Oh no, this is going to be a short ride. I tried it again a little louder this time "PEANUT, PEANUT BUTTER" and waited. A few seconds later he popped out "JELLY" and then " jazz hands". He was having a great time! He only says "jazz hands" when he is shaking his hands, which is an indication that he is really having a good time. I know I was having a great time and now the circle was complete.

We rode for several miles and then decided it was time to turn around. We wanted to have lunch at one of the lakes that we had passed on our way. Once we arrived at our destination we broke out the lunch and sat down to eat, but that was only for a brief second or two. The next thing I heard out of my son's mouth was "DUCKY, DUCKY" and "Owen down please, Owen down please" He wanted to go play in the water with the ducks. How could I say "NO", he was having fun and so was I. So we played in the water and fed the ducks and just relaxed. We took a few photos to remember the day and headed back to the bike shop. By the way awesome sandwich from The Lunch Box!!!!! Once we got the bikes back, and our helmets and stuff in the car we headed home. As I watched my son drift off to sleep on the ride back I thought about how awesome that day was and how much fun I had with my family. I would recommend to anyone in the area, take the family to ride the trail and stop by Cape Cod Rail Trail Bike and Kayak, as well as The Lunch Box while you're at it!

Tadpole

by Roby Holland, National Sales Manager

During the summer, I like to go to a pool or to the ocean for a dip with my family when the heat is too much, or after a long day working in the yard. I was taught a long time ago to always have a healthy respect for Mother Nature and more importantly , water. It is the great equalizer, no matter how big or tough you are, water could always defeat you. During my time in and around the water I have personally had several close calls with drowning. Three close calls stick out in my memory. My first happen at a friend’s house in the winter. I wanted to grab a piece of ice from the pool that had no top on it. I lost my balance and fell into the pool crashing through the ice. I was able to make it to back to the side of the pool, only to be pulled out to safety by one angry father and Uncle. Second time occurred on vacation with my cousins in the surf when I was just eight. We were in a line holding hands when a large wave broke my grip, sent me tumbling int0 the wash and pulled me back in to the grasp of another wave. My savior this time was a stranger who was on the beach and saw me tumbling around in the surf. My third incident, which still haunts me today, was a sailing accident. It was my first time using a harness on a fast and unstable boat. The wind cut out and the boat turtled (flipped entirely upside-down). The harness that I was attached to pulled me under and since I was not familiar with the harness system I could not unhook myself. Under that water I struggled to get free till I began to run out of breath. I was able to get myself into the cockpit of the boat which had a pocket of air and was able to grab a breath, which saved my life. There are many other times I have been in the water in a bad situation only to get out because I knew how to swim and respected the water. The other day I watched my son swim for the very first time and I could not have been prouder. Mind you, we are not talking about doing laps, he is only two. He was swimming under the supervision of an ISR instructor. This is a swimming class that teaches babies, toddlers and other children how to float and swim. My family spends a lot of time near the water and the possibility of our son drowning is our biggest fear. This summer, my wife and I wanted our son to take swimming classes, and while searching on the Internet we came across this class. This class was different; not only do they teach your kids how to swim, but they teach them how to swim fully clothed! If you have ever tried to swim fully clothed you know how hard it is. All those wet clothes weigh you down and tires you out, making it difficult, if not impossible, to swim. Our concern is not when our son is in the water; it is when he is around the water and accidentally falls into the water when my wife and I are not around. We wanted to make sure he was prepared if he fell into the water without being ready. When I fell into the icy pool, it was not summer time and I was not planning to go for a swim in a large down jacket and snow mobile boots. We all know accidents happen and the more prepared we make ourselves, the better we react to these situations. I encourage all parents to look into these classes, or some similar type of swimming class and prepare your child for the water. It is the best investment you will ever make!

I just don't get it???

by Roby Holland, National Sales Manager


I was in a large sporting goods store last night to look for some lacrosse sticks for my son and I to play with. I had some time and wondered over to the bike section to check out what was going on and gather some intel.

While I was doing this, I overheard a sales person pitching a customer on a kids' bike. Well, it really wasn't a pitch, it was more like a verbal warning not to buy that bike - at least to me it was.

The customer was asking a few good questions about shifting and breaking to get an understanding of how it works. The salesman began to demonstrate how these components work and as he tried to do this they did not work in the same manner in which he was explaining it. Then sales person proceeded to explain to the customer that the bike was improperly put together and proceeded to give him a crash course on how to fix it.

As I looked over at the customer, he began to get this glazed look as he tried to keep pace with the sales person's instructions and then he broke. In a short verbal burst he asked the sales person if he could do it. The sale person's response was "I'm pretty sure I can, we have a shop in the back".

I thought to myself , why would you allow or even want a person who said "I'm pretty sure I can" to work on your son's or daughter's new bike? Why would you want to buy a bike that is improperly assembled? This blew me away and it is not the first time I have heard similar sales pitches in big stores like these.

I guess now that I have a child, I look at it differently. Would you buy a car if the sales person told you it was assembled wrong? I don't know about you, but my kid wouldn't even get to smell the inside; I'd be out of there so fast.

If you take away something from this rant I would ask that it be this. If the sales person tells you how to fix the new bike that you are about to buy, walk away, or run away and find a real bike shop. They are all over the place and they will be able to give you the right advice and get you, your kid, your family or your friend on the right bike, safely!

Did you catch that last word.....SAFELY!!!!! I have nothing against these stores except they don't do a good job to make biking a safe and enjoyable sport for the masses that they serve.

Cheers
Roby

Bike Night & Women's Riding Essentials

MEET DAVE PEREWITZ

MEET JODY PEREWITZ

MEET NICOLE HOFFMAN ROESCH

And...some of the internal Kryptonite gang (Eric, Roby, Tim and me!)

When? Where?

There are two opportunities in some cases.

The FIRST Perewitz Bike Night of the season is tomorrow night.
Wednesday, June 18 at 6pm at Perewitz Cycle Fab
We'll all be there. C'mon down!

The first WOMEN'S RIDING ESSENTIALS is Thursday night.
If you are a woman who has questions about starting to ride or are a new rider, this is the night for you! Jody & Nicole are kickin' out all of the guys from Perewitz Cycle Fab and having a women's only night. They'll talk about their experiences on motorcycles - how they got started - some safety tips - gear tips - riding tips - simple maintenance and answer your questions. The fun starts at 6pm.

Happy Father's Day!

We wish all of you dads a wonderful Father's Day filled with everything you like to do!

And to the Team Kryptonite dads.....Joe, Don, Rob, Roby, Gustavo, Ross, Craig, Bob and Dave....enjoy your day with your great kids!

What did I say????

by Roby Holland, National Sales Manager



I was on the last leg of my ride this morning, when a man walking a dog said "how are you?". I replied to him "Good, Good".

As I peddled off across the intersection I thought to myself....Good, Good. What the heck did I mean by that comment, Good, Good.

Did I mean to convey that I was REALLY GOOD, did I mean that I was OK, but could be better or did I mean I'm doing fine, thanks for asking. I began to think about the differnt responses that I give people through the course of the day and listed them out in my head. I wonder what people think when I respond with these different innocuous comments and what does that communicate to the person I'm responding to.

Some of my replies are so ambiguous that they left me thinking, "what the hell did I just say"? When you respond to someone who is asking you how you are think about your response. I find it totally funny to think about some of the responses that I have received and said.

Here are a few differnt responses that came to mind:
I'm alright
Outstanding
Just ducky....Yes there are people that say this as I do and I don't know why.
Just fine thanks
Doin well
Righteous
Smokin'
Stellar
I'm there
I'm standing aren't I
Well I made it out of bed to be here
Excellent
I'm breathing
OK
I have a heartbeat


Cheers Roby

Off the beaten trail

by Roby Holland, National Sales Manager


This week I was on the road once again and for those who know me it usually means flying from Boston to where ever. This time was differnt, my trip was to up into Canada and the airfare was outrageous. Instead I decided to drive, it would cost half as much as the flight and with a new Thule bike rack atop my car I could bring my bike along and maybe get a ride or two in along the way.

On my way from Montreal to Toronto I was feeling the need to pull over and take a break. I pulled over in this town just north of Cornwall to fill up on gas and see if there was a bike shop around that could point me in the right direction for a afternoon ride. The guy behind the counter pointed me down the highway to a shop call Kalrim. Mind you I was in the middle of nowhere and I had a feeling that the shop was going to have a "gone fishing" sign hung on the door when I got there, I was wrong.

When I went in the store I met Parminder "Cookie" Kalsi, the owner. The store was small and decorated with pictures of hockey stars and cycling events from days long along. If you took the time to look closely you would see that Cookie was in most, if not all, the cycling pictures. In fact he was a top mechanic back in the day over in Europe and was on the circuit for a long time.

His craft brought him over to Canada working for companies like Speedwell and Yamaha. Yes, Yamaha was in the bike business back in the day. The companies that he worked for ended up going out of business and so he opened up Kalrim. In my conversation you could see that he loved the work that he was doing and that he was very passionate about cycling.

We had a great conversation about his ski tuning machine parked out in the back of his shop. The machine was similar to the one that I used when I was working as a ski tech and the conversation brought back memories of the fun times I had working in the shop.

After talking for awhile Cookie showed me the local bike trail and pointed out the route that I should take. I wanted to stay longer but I still had a long drive ahead and daylight was creeping away. So, with a farewell to Cookie, I headed off for my ride on the Cornwall bike trail.

Forty-Four miles later I was still eager to ride some more. The trail took me downtown and along the river through islands, it was awesome. I had never ridden a trail before on my road bike but it was great! No, cars to worry about - smooth pavement with no potholes! It was the way cycling should be experienced. The ride and my time meeting Cookie made my trip all the more worth it!

The long boring drive ahead of me passed quickly as I played back in my mind the day's ride. I will never forget this and I will look forward to doing it again in the next time I have to do this trip.

To Cookie,
Thanks for the maps and the direction, the ride was more then I was expecting! Take care and I look forward to seeing you again!

Craig's Theories 101

by Craig Glab, Central Regional Manager

Donna seems to have posted a lot about the NASCAR race, but not the shenanigans that went on behind the scenes.

After leaving the track on Friday, and visiting the Bass Pro Shop in Concord, we picked up Nicole and headed out to Dick’s to get a cooler for the next day and apparently, Donna wanted some candy and ended up with Hot Balls.

Then we went to dinner where I had to explain my broccoli theory to Roby, Nicole and Donna. My theory is that every restaurant uses broccoli as the filler vegetable. It’s the cheapest vegetable to buy so they offer it with everything. Have you noticed that restaurants offer it with steak, fish, chicken…whatever. They will throw it on every plate, unless you ask for something different. Why is that? Because the restaurant makes the most money from broccoli. I love broccoli, but I refuse to get it at a restaurant. I always ask for a different vegetable or side.

We even explained this to our waiter who then arrived at the table with a birthday treat for Roby because I told them it was his birthday at the beginning of the evening. The treat? It was a little dessert dish with a candle in a middle of 2 pieces of broccoli. Roby didn’t know exactly what to make if it all since it really wasn’t his birthday, it was a prank.

Roby, Nicole and me at the tent

The next day at the races, I decided to mix the Hot Balls with my beer. Why? Because the Hot Balls are hot and the beer was nice and cold. Donna didn’t seem to get that logic.

Got my first piece of NASCAR apparel, which was a Dale Jr. hat. Makes me enjoy my Mountain Dew that I drink every day! It made me part of Dale Junior’s crew/posse/fan base. Since I’ve spent so much money on Mountain Dew over the years I must have one little, tiny piece of the quarter panel of his car. Do you know that in convenience stores, Mountain Dew is the number 1 pop seller? At least it is at the corner store near my house.

And there you have it. We all had a great time.

Memorial Day "Thank You"

Many of us in the U.S. have come to think of Memorial Day as the three day weekend that kicks off the summer. It’s a time to go to the beach for the first time, watch the Indy 500 and/or the Coca Cola 600 and BBQ with friends.

But, there is such a deeper meaning than that. The true meaning of the holiday sometimes gets lost in our frantic rush to start summer. Memorial Day is the time to commemorate U.S. men and women who died during military service to our country. It’s a time to remember all of those we have lost, say “thanks”, if even in a silent prayer, and show kindness to the families they left behind.

For me personally, it’s also been a time to remember those who are serving, and who did serve -those who are very much alive and giving selflessly of themselves. Take the time to thank them for all they have done, and continue to do, so we can all live the lives we live. So we can go out on that long bike ride or ride down the highway or along a winding country road on a motorcycle - all without fear. We are free to wander where we may. So we can go to the beaches and the mountains and the lakes on our long weekend and know that we are as safe as we can be.

Now, things have changed quite a lot since 2001, and we need to be more vigilant here in the States, but when you look at the unrest in many other parts of the world, please do count your blessings. Those blessings are on Naval ships around the world, they are in Air Force planes and on the ground in Marine, Army and National Guard uniforms.

Please take the time to thank those around you who serve, or who have served. And, if they are far away, in one of those unsafe places, say a prayer for their safe return.

My personal thanks go to each and every one of the troops past and present, but especially those who have touched my world the most and served our country….my dad, George D., John K., Ronnie H., Pete K., Brian T., Sev, Rich S. and, in the Kryptonite family, Gustavo and Roby.

Gustavo

Roby

Thankfully, they are all out of harms way, but there are those who, courageously and unselfishly, still are out there doing their best to keep all that we hold near and dear safe..….in my world that means two I consider family, John and Travis (I’m so proud of you guys)….and Miss Meg, of course….and Eric, who is in the middle of it all right now. Please do keep them all in your prayers.

John

Travis with colleagues

To Eric and this brave unit...prayers for a safe return

Stay safe, my friends. And Thank You!

And The Winner Is.....

The big day has arrived! While we were at Lowe's Motor Speedway this past weekend, people signed up to win a very cool raffle prize from Kryptonite - a New York Fahgettaboudit chain, a KryptoLok series 2 Mini, an Evolution series 4 Disc Lock, a Superman padlock and an Ingersoll Rand Thunder Gun!

One of our category managers, Don Warren, is a huge Tony Stewart fan, but wasn't able to make it to the race with us. So I asked Don to draw the winning name when we got back yesterday....are you ready race fans?? Are you feeling lucky?

And the winner of the Kryptonite lock package and the Thunder Gun is........
JIMMY HUNSUCKER from North Carolina

Woo-hooo! Congratulations Jimmy! We appreciate you stopping by and will be calling you soon about your prize.

Below are some more photos from our day at the track. Enjoy!

You have no idea how happy I was to see our banners at a NASCAR track!!! You can ask Craig and Roby, but I believe I squealed in delight when I saw this for the first time.

I was equally as thrilled to have our tent up so close to the track we could touch it! What a great location! Craig's doing a good job of holding down the grass don't you think?

As soon as we got the table set up people were right there. This is about 10am.

Before you knew it, there was hardly space to walk by the tent because so many people were lined up to see us. This was about noon-ish.

Nicole signed about 300 posters and posed for tons of photos with fans.

This was around the time Nicole was in the tent. This was around 2-ish. It was like this all day!

How clever was this? Not only were there Kryptonite banners in the motorcycle parking area, but John had each pole stickered! He just ROCKS!!

This is a Dale Earnhardt Junior motorcycle done by OCC. No, it wasn't in the parking area, it was under very watchful eyes.

This was a section of one of the infield motorcycle parking areas. Notice the cool Club Car in the photo, too. Yup, that was our 'baby' for the day. Thanks, Club Car!

Motorcycles in the Kryptonite Motorcycle Parking area at the front of the track.

There were motorcycles for as far as you could see!

The National Guard was protecting Dale Earnhardt Junior's Citizen Soldier car sponsored by our friends at 3 Doors Down. The band also did a pre-race concert for the fans inside the track.

That's the crowd about a half hour before the green flag trying to get to the track. It was an amazing sight!

The view as the sun went down from our seats in turn 2. Time to go racing!

What a great day for Kryptonite!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and congratulations to Kasey Kahne and Jimmy Hunsucker on their big wins!

NASCAR, Birthdays and Full House

I'm back from the weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway. We had a great time, met some wonderful folks and then watched a good race (congrats to Kasey Kahne on a great win!). I'm pooped, but wanted to post just a few photos before I'm done in for the evening. Don't worry - many more coming...and, on Tuesday, we'll announce the winner of the prize package right here!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by our tent. Roby, Nicole, Craig and I enjoyed meeting you all!

The tent was packed all day! We never felt lonely once.

Nicole joined us for half the day and signed autographs, including for the lady on the right. It was her birthday! I am so sorry, but I'm not sure I got her name, or if I did, I don't recall after such a busy day, but, sincerely.....Happy Birthday!

We met so many people who had Harley shirts, Sturgis shirts and even Myrtle Beach 2008 shirts. We talked about motorcycles with people from Connecticut, North Carolina and just about every other Eastern US state. We felt right at home! Here's one of the parking areas for motorcycles in the infield.

Checkin' Out Lowe's Motor Speedway

Craig, Roby and I went over to Lowe's Motor Speedway today - you know, the track where we are the official motorcycle parking area? Yea, that track. One of my very favorite places EVER!

I'll blog more after the All-Star Race tomorrow, but here are a couple of photos.....

The guys checking out the special All-Star car showcased in front of the Speedway's offices

Our sister company, Club Car, hooked us up with one of their cool, brand new vehicles. The guys LOVE this! I'm sure there will be stories about them driving this around...

Yes, this is a Kryptonite banner in the infield of Lowe's Motor Speedway!!! This gate was open today, but is going to be closed tomorrow so the banner will stand out a lot better. There are a ton outside the track, too! And stickers everywhere. The track did a great, great job for us.

More photos later in the weekend, but if you are coming out to Lowe's Motor Speedway for the All-Star Race, please come by the Kryptonite tent - we are right in the front of the track - near the Toyota demonstration and next to the Crocs tent. You can't miss us. We look forward to meeting you all!

Go Hendrick Motorsports!

Lowe's Motor Speedway Here We Come!

Ok, this is a huge week here at Kryptonite. Seems like just about every member of our team is out and about. Dave Perewitz is down at Myrtle Beach Bike Week with his new cool '66 Shovelhead. I talked with him the other day and he's pretty excited about it.

Eric is off to Bike to Work Day in Washington, DC. We've been a proud supporter of this event for years and year. This will be Eric's first time and he's looking forward to it. If you are going, please see him under the yellow Kryptonite tent and say "hi".

But, I think I have the best end of the deal. As a friend said to me this week, "Talk about combining work and pleasure ... it's your dream trip!" She's known me a long time so she's right.

Don't get me wrong, we all love what we do here at Kryptonite. I don't think we could do our jobs as passionately as we do if we didn't. But, my friend is right....guess where I'm going? Guess...Ok, the title of the post gives it away. I'm like a small child right before Christmas.

Roby, Craig, Nicole and I are going to be at Lowe's Motor Speedway this weekend for the NASCAR All-Star Race! We are the official motorcycle parking area for the speedway this year and we are all stoked about that.

Our ad in the Fan Guide

If you are going to the track on Saturday night c'mon down on your motorcycle. There's plenty of room to park and the Kryptonite Krew will have a yellow tent near there (you can't miss us) so come by and say "hi".

On Saturday afternoon from 1-3pm Nicole Hoffman Roesch will be signing autographs. All day we'll be taking entries for a cool prize pack, too. A Kryptonite security package that includes a New York Fahgettaboudit chain, Evolution series 4 Disc Lock, a KryptoLok series 2 Mini and a Superman padlock. On top of that.....we've also got a Street Legal Thunder Gun! I'm not kidding....ok, it hasn't arrived yet so I might only have a photo at the tent...but it's on order and I have my fingers crossed...but, regardless, whoever wins will get it next week. Winner announced right here on Tuesday!

We'll also have lanyards and stickers and one of the new cool Club Cars to display (and ride around in....beep, beep).

I'm so excited I can barely contain myself!!! Do come by and say "hey" to this fellow NASCAR fan...and let me know who you think is going to win the All-Star Race. I already know who (hint below) but you can weigh in, too.

Ride safe and see you at the track!

Look for this ad in the Lowe's Motor Speedway program!

#24

Landry's Hosts Bob Roll

Friday night we were at Landry's Boston store for "An Evening with Bob Roll." Rob, Roby, Eric and I had a blast at the shop - everyone was so nice and they had everything planned perfectly. I think Bob's going to blog about it, but I thought I'd post some photos before then.

I just loved this display of the jersey and the old fashioned sign.

I might like this display just a teeny bit more, though. How could I not? It's what you see as you walk through the front door! I'm not kidding - it's right there. Have I mentioned that we love the guys and gals at Landry's?

Rob, Eric, Bob and Roby hanging out before the event

Packed house! I think there were a couple of hundred people there. Everyone had a great time.

Bob joins manager Mark Vautour and the rest of the Landry's Crew. I dig their shirts, don't you?!

After the event, Mark brought us to the Washington Square Tavern, which isn't too far from the shop. Gerry's the owner and made us feel extremely welcome all evening. He's a cyclist (if you can't tell by his shirt!)and hosts evening rides with the Landry's crew on Tuesday nights. But, better than that...yes, there is a "better than that"...the food is amazing! I've been raving about it all weekend to everyone I know in the area; both Roby and I have been telling everyone in the office today, too. It was the perfect end to a great event.

Thank you to Mark and everyone at Landry's for making us feel so welcome - and, of course, for being such a great Kryptonite partner!

THIS WEEKEND

There are so many things to do this weekend....here are only a few of the VERY coolest!

BOB ROLL at Landry's Boston store. Friday night at 7pm. C'mon out. Roby, Eric and I will all be there, too.....but we won't be offended when you tell us that you're there to see Bob...

Barb's Harley-Davidson in New Jersey is having their annual Open House on Saturday. Dave Perewitz will be there -- and, bonus....Susan and Jaren will be there, too!

Austin's latest bike shop, Mellow Johnny's, is opening on Saturday at 7am. They expect "special guests." Why's that so important? Lance Armstrong owns the joint. You figure it out. If you go let us know how it was....and take photos that you can share.

There's Cyclism Sunday on Versus! The Giro is going on, don't cha know!

And, of course, on Sunday it's Mother's Day. Celebrate by going on a Tour Day Neighborhood with mom. Just please make us and your mother happy and WEAR A HELMET, please!

Have a great, great weekend! And, Bostonians...we expect to see you on Friday night!

Bob Roll Event in Boston - Friday!

So, it's May...and the weather is starting to get better here in New England. Driving to work this morning I even got a whiff of fresh cut grass for the first time this year. That is when I know Spring really has arrived!

Another way to tell it's spring? More cyclists out and about. More people commuting, more people riding for enjoyment. It's great to see.

We are all about getting Spring going here at Kryptonite! And, we're helping one of our great dealers, Landry's, kick off the spring cycling season by stopping by with Bob Roll on Friday night! That's right, Bobke is going to be at Landry's Boston store this Friday night for "An Evening with Bob Roll." How cool is that?

The event kicks off at 7pm and all the details can be found on Landry's event page.

Here's the address:
Landry's Bicycles
890 Commonwealth Avenue
BOSTON, Massachusetts 02215
617.232.0446
RSVP to: boston(at)landrys(dot)com

I'll be there....Eric will be there....Roby will be there....and probably a few other Kryptonite folks. C'mon out and join us - it will be lots of fun hanging with Bob!