Now Please understand this is my first real blog and I am bound to make mistakes and say stupid things. But I feel the need to start sharing weather anyone reads this or not. so for my kickoff blog I am going to talk about my trip to The Sea Otter Classic in Monterey California With Airborne Bikes, How I got there and why. I suppose I will start at the beginning. Feb 18th 2010, I have been up 3 nights and 3 days without sleep waiting for the birth of my daughter. I am running on fumes, and I am not sure how much longer I have before I pass out. They just took Izze out for her morning checkup, and to make sure she is getting used to breathing air and all that. My wife finally got to sleep, and I am surfing the web because I can't sleep. I have gotten tot he point that I am so tired I can't even close my eyes. Or maybe it is the ridiculously uncomfortable plastic couch they give husbands to suffer on. I stumble, onto the IMBA site deciding I need to renew my membership. a small link catches my eye. Airborne Bikes, is looking for the first ever "Flight Crew". I read on a bit and find out about the contest. Looks legit enough. So I need to make a video or write and essay. Psssssh, essay it is! Maybe it was the fact I had just undergone a life changing moment a few hours before, maybe it was the lack of sleep and utter exhaustion. But I managed to write something that caught the attention of Airborne. To be totally honest I have no clue what I wrote. But I remember submitting the essay and thinking " well it's worth a try". Izze was brought back into the room and I promptly forgot about Bikes, Airborne and the contest. 1 month later I get an email in my inbox from Mike P. The heading says "Congratulation, you have been selected for the Airborne Flight crew!" What? Who is theis Mike guy and why have I won anything. So help me, if he asks for my bank routing number and SS# I will lose my mind. I decided a quick Google of Mikes name was in order. Nothing sketchy turns up so I decide to give him a call. "It's real", Mike says to me. I was in shock! I never win anything! well after a few LOOOOONG weeks of anticipation I am able to board a plane for Monterey California! The whole experience was amazing. When I arrived the I was shuttled to my hotel and then straight off to the Venue to meet the rest of the guys. after a quick walk around the site we headed off to dinner. Of course Airborne took care of us and treated us like we were stars. we took a drive by the Pacific ocean, and then returned to the hotel so Airborne could hand out all of the gear the had made for us at the event. we received hoodies, polo shirts and even a GoPro video camera to capture te event and our riding.
After a good nights sleep It was off to Sea Otter for a full day of everything bike. Day one was packed, we walked around the venue and met lot of people and reps for different companies. Day one is not open to the public, so it was only industry insiders, pro's and people running the booth. Everything is such a blur, every booth was giving away swag and full of the new and best products for 2010. we stooped in at booths and checked all the prototype bikes, and I even got to meet Steve Pete. My personal DH hero. That night we had dinner on our own. The rest of the Flight Crew and I decided to walk down to the fisherman's warf for a dinner by the sea. on the way we saw a private party on the beach put on by SRAM to launch the new XX groupo. we all commented on how we wished we could be invited to such a party. After dinner on the way back we walked past the SRAM party once again. 2 of the flight crew "Tony, and Lincon" decided we needed to be in that party and walked right in. after a few moments the rest of us walked right in. Now successfully in we walked around talked to some of the pro's out on the beach and pretty much did what we liked. they started to shut down after about 30 min so we decided to leave. But the SRAM guys made sure we got our free t-shirt before we left. once again I feel into bed and passed out only to wake up ready for another day at Sea Otter! The next 2 days were more of the same, getting swag and meeting lots of cool people. we also squeezed in a few amazing rides at Fort Ord public lands that surrounded Sea Otter. I will not bore you with most of the details. However I was also responsible for working shifts in the Airborne tent at Sea Otter. Working was a great experience, I was able to meet lots of people and talk about the bikes and the company that I was now a part of. Airborne had a mobile t-shirt printing press available for anyone that wished to make a free t-shirt. We also had a free raffle every day to give away a Airborne bike of your choice. 3 days at the venue and 3 winners! it was amazing to be able to work right along side the guys at Airborne and the PR firm Brunner. All 9 other Flight Crew members were also in attendance. we got to hang out, ride together and pretty much live the dream for 5 days. It was a pleasure meeting and getting to know each and every one of you. On sunday after a long week I was totally worn out. I wanted to stick around, but ready to get home and see my wife and baby. It was a week I will never forget. I would not feel right without thanking everyone involved. The guys from Airborne, Reed, Jeremy, and Ray. The guys from Brunner, Mike, Jake, April, Steve, and Jeff. And last but not least the Flight Crew. Thanks for everything!
Well for my first blog I think I did pretty , "ok". Please feel free to comment and add anything you like, or any memories I forgot.
Dan Lucas
Flight Crew
Airborne Bikes
P.S. also a special thanks to, Brad from Kali Protectives, RaceFace, Marzocchi, Magura, Funn, Kenda, Dirt Rag, and the other vendors that were so cool. THANKS!
