A Following Sea

2011-07-20T14:10:00.002-04:00

Salt Fresh & Field TEASER from Salt, Fresh & Field on Vimeo.

Salt, Fresh & Field is a TV series in development featuring an emotional and visually emersive treatment of hunting, fishing, foraging and exploring food sources on the West Coast of North America.

A vivid, and cinematic experience, Salt, Fresh & Field busts apart old paradigms of the "hook and bullet" genre with style and makes finding your own food sexy for a generation of urbanites who are becoming more conscious and curious about where their food comes from.

Chad Brealey, our authentic and approachable guide embodies the modern urban male — aware of his environment, up for adventure and not afraid to get dirty in and out of the kitchen.

Taking a visceral step beyond the farmer's market, Chad gets out of town and gathers ingredients to prepare a feast for friends and family waiting in the city. Chad's honest and humorous approach and the beauty and fantasy presented in each episode makes it cool to care about where food comes from and crave the art and adventure of putting food on the table.

Looks great, hope to see more about this soon.

1,132 Miles

2011-06-27T08:11:00.002-04:00

Porsche, the Road to Pikes Peak from Will Roegge on Vimeo.

Jeff Zwart drove his 911 GT2 RS 1,132 miles from his home in Santa Ana, CA to Pikes Peak, CO to defend his hill climb time attack record. Even thought his record was broken, it takes a certain kind of driver to forgo the luxury RV he could have been riding in and trek across the country himself.

B.V.I 2011

2011-06-03T08:21:00.007-04:00

I spent last week on vacation, sailing in the British Virgin Islands. The week before I left it rained for five days straight. That same week it also rained for 5 days straight in the Islands, and the forecast for the next week called for more of the same. Luckily the rain cleared up, leaving beautiful sunny skies and warm weather. There was an unusual lack of wind which is rare as the island are so well known for their strong trade winds.

The island in the photo is Saba Rock, which sits in North Sound on the island of Virgin Gorda. When I first started visiting the BVI, Saba Rock was only had a tiny family owned restaurant on it. It served up great Caribbean food and was populated by a few nasty mouthed parrots. On Thanksgiving theywould have a huge feast and their dock would be so crowded that the chain of dinghy's would almost reach the shore I took the photo from. The family sold the island to developers a few years back, and although its unfortunate the old restaurant is gone, the developers kept the island hotel they build relatively tasteful.

View from Saba Rock looking east out to the Atlantic and
towards the east shore of Virgin Gorda.

Sunset from Biras Creek looking north towards the Sir Francis Drake Channel

We visited an artist community in Trellis Bay, Beef Island.
They had lots of friendly dogs and cats. This guy was especially friendly.

Even when sailing, I am still car spotting.

This is the house of an old blind man named Conrad who lives in Great Harbor on Peter island. He hangs out the beach welcoming sailors who use his beach to get access the the nicer resorts which don't exactly cater to sailing types. His house seems to be the only private residence on the island. The rest of the island is owned by a a few large resorts. I assume he was the only person to not sell their land and move when they started building.

Deadmans Bay on Peter Island, home to one of the best beaches in the world.

Topo Designs

2011-05-31T16:25:00.005-04:00

Topo Designs is a bag manufacturer based in Colorado who have recently released a set of classic 60's and 70's inspired gear. The bags are made in a LEED certified facility right here in the good old US of A. They are also priced at what seem more than reasonable for what you get, something that cant be said about a lot of the throwback bags coming out lately.

Roadside Vernacular

2011-05-20T07:51:00.006-04:00

A hot dog stand that's inside a giant hot dog, a hat store inside a giant hat, a tamale stand inside a gaint pug. Ok, so not all of these buildings are in the image of what they sell, but they all capture the uniqueness of mid century California all the same. While New England has its old world colonial charm, it lacks the Americana of the the west and midwest. About has kitschy as it seems to get around here is along Route 1. For a short time out west kitschy reigned supreme and some of the most unique and American store fronts were created. Although most are long gone and very unlikely to return, I'll take a building in the shape of a pig over a concrete cube strip mall any day.

Images from here

From Steel

2011-04-28T12:47:00.000-04:00

FROM STEEL: The Making of a Soulcraft from michael evans on Vimeo.

The Dash

2011-04-14T12:07:00.006-04:00

I used to not pay much attention to the interior of cars. As long as it was functional, then it was fine with me. Now that my daily commute keeps me in the car two hours a day, I have began to appreciate the attention to detail found in cars. In my wandering through car websites I began to notice how cool looking the dashboards in some care are, and how terrible they are in others. The dashboard seems to be one factor that illustrates the lack of detail and quality that was found in 90's American cars. The switch from wood, metal, and leather to cheap plastic and rubber. Nice toggle switches and dials, gave way to plastic sliders, the knobs of which feel like they are designed to fall off at the gentlest touch. European manufacturers seemed to keep up the quality in the dash department, and I especially enjoy their first forays into high tech instrumentation. It has a great future-retro feel, like watching 70's and 80's sci-fi. I also noticed that now only exotic cars seem to have interesting or innovative dashboards, this combined with how homogeneous modern dashboards seem to be is quite disappointing.

Quaked - Skating in Christchurch

2011-04-13T08:11:00.002-04:00

More Skateboarding Videos

I apologize for the major lack of posts lately. Saw this today, definitely one of the cooler things I have seen in a while.

Ride Motorcycles, Climb Mountains

2011-04-07T10:44:00.001-04:00

&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/iframe&amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;gt;

In White

2011-03-31T13:14:00.005-04:00

I have always been a fan of white cars. White seems to be a color most people treat as substandard. Its too boring for some and too hard to clean for others. I think the reason some people dislike white is that is shows off all of a cars flaws, both in design and maintenance. This may be the exact reason some cars look so good in white, because when you accentuate the curves of a well designed car, it just looks better. It seems to me that most of the cars I think look best in white happen to be European, which reaffirms my nothing that the extra effort they put into fit and finish doesn't go unnoticed. That doesn't mean I dont appreciate an American or Japanese beauty in white.

CXXVI

2011-03-30T09:58:00.003-04:00

New York based CXXVI released their spring/summer collection. Its very similar to their previous releases, which is a good thing. The collection has a lot of things that I look for, simple designs, muted colors, and made in America. Check the website for the full lot, including bags, knives, beanies and more.

Formula 1 2011

2011-03-25T10:28:00.005-04:00

The 2011 season of Formula 1 kicks off this weekend with the Australian Grand Prix. I am definitely excited for this season.

Many tech changes have been made this season. The banning of the controversial F-Duct system and the addition of adjustable rear wings will give the manufactures some new tech to show off. Bridgestone has been replaced by Pirelli as the tire supplier. Testing showed the new Pirellis wear much faster and will add a third pit stop to many races. KERS units will also be an option open for all the teams that choose to use one.

On the driver side of things, two teams will be running under the Lotus badge, one running under Team Lotus Renault GP, the other as Team Lotus-Renault. How can two teams be running under the same manufacture badge? Lotus founder Colin Chapman kept the commercial and racing sides of Lotus separate, eventually leading to two different people having the rights to the Lotus name. So for this season one team has optioned to buy the rights from the new owners of Lotus motor car and the other team is licensing the rights from he current owner the Lotus racing division.

In sad news Lotus Renault GP driver Robert Kubica suffered a terrible crash in the Ronde di Andora Rally and was severely injured. He is luckily alive, but has undergone numerous surgeries including a partial amputation of his forearm. Hopefully he recover goes well and he can make a return to racing. He is being replaced for the season by former teammate Nick Heidfeld.

I was always a fan of the Melbourne based track, with parts on sectioned off public roads and the rest on purpose built speedway. I hope that Sunday shows to be a great opening race for the 2011 season. Here are some shots from the first two practice sessions.

For Japan

2011-03-16T08:55:00.002-04:00

By now you already know the state of devastation Japan is in. So take the effort and put some money towards helping them rebuild. The easiest ways to donate are by texting the Red Cross (text REDCROSS to 90999 from any mobile to make a $10 USD donation) or instant donations through Paypal.

Here is a list of other reputable charities

Also if you still need something to show for you donation check these out.

Corter Leather bracelet for japan-All proceeds to Red Cross.

Max Erdenberger's Help Japan Poster

Lady Gaga wristband for Japan

Cold Fronts

2011-03-15T08:37:00.000-04:00

Cold Fronts from Derek Hanson on Vimeo.

The other 240

2011-03-10T11:50:00.004-05:00

I have mentioned my love for the Fairlady, Nissan's 240z, but there is another 240 that I hold close to my heart. This one happens to be often loved by soccer moms and New England college students, and the professors of those colleges. I am talking about the Volvo 240, the brick shaped car known for its reliability and safety. One of my best friends acquired one from an aunt for his first car. It was in terrible shape, the paint was peeling, the AC didn't work, the windows didn't roll down, and the door latches and locks were finicky at best. But it ran strong, and it was the only car any of our friends owned that was real wheel drive, meaning it was the only car we wanted to ride in when there was fresh snow in any parking lot.

Now as these cars enter their second decade of life a new crowd is starting to take interest in them. There reliability, coupled with the fact that they are dirt cheap to pick up, rear wheel drive, and can have a turbo bolted on without to much trouble has made them part of quite the revival. They seem to today to be in the same standing they were when they first came out, the poor mans solution to expensive E30 BMW's, and I am fine with that.

As Long as There is Whiskey in the World

2011-03-07T10:02:00.002-05:00

They put on a great show Saturday night. I am eally glad I caught them when they were in town this time, as I missed their last tour.

Poler

2011-03-03T09:21:00.004-05:00

I don't know how I missed the initial post about Poler over at 10Engines, but I sure am glad that they were brought up again. Poler seems to be exactly the kind of gear I was looking for to use in my planned summer adventures. I love camping and traveling, but my idea of camping is a few nights out in the woods with friends, beer, and food cooked on a camp fire, or sleeping in the backseat of a car near the beach. Not attempting to cross the Antarctic tundra or sitting one tent site over from a family that seems to living not camping there.

Currently there seems to be two main types of camping gear, ultra high tech gear used for first ascents or month long excursions into the wilderness, and crappy, poorly made gear for people traveling with pop top trailers staying at sites with showers and a pool. Poler seems to be hoping to fill the middle niche, gear that performs well without unneeded bells and whistles. High tech enough to keep you warm and dry when the weather gets cold and wet, but cheap enough so you can still afford a pack of hot dogs and box of devil dogs for the trip. For an added plus they seem to have a real good sense of humor, something that I can really appreciate in outdoor gear. That and they make koozies.

Pop Culture Calavera

2011-02-24T10:02:00.004-05:00

San Francisco based artist Jonathan Koshi has created a series of amazing prints by blending the Mexican art of Calavera with some well known pop culture staples. Calavera, which translates to skull, is often associated with the Mexican holiday of Dia de Los Muertos and All Souls Day, many people know the style from sugar skulls that are made during the holidays. The prints are pressed by Cranky Pressman of Salem, Ohio on 100% cotton paper made in the U.S. by Crane & Co. Unfortunately most of the prints have already sold out, but there is always hope for a re print. More info can be found here.

Penfeild SS 2011

2011-02-18T13:16:00.004-05:00

Penfeild's spring/summer lookbook is out. The line once again looks very solid. Hopefully they keep up the amazing ratio of quality to cost they had with their winter gear. The new styles definitely have a brighter tone than was present in their winter line, which I do like, but I would be really happy to see the red pull over windbreaker in an olive green.

Ghost Box Orchestra

2011-02-14T11:43:00.001-05:00

Nice Rack

2011-02-03T12:21:00.004-05:00

I have already mentioned my love of performance station wagons here before. Going along with the theme of high performance while keeping things utilitarian is my love of roof racks. Maybe its from watching Mad Max one to many times, but there is something I love about cars that look like they would be right at home in the apocalyptic outback. Its good to see a classic car covered in gear for biking, kayaking, drifting or even just hauling a keg and a BBQ grill. It means the car is being used for what it was meant to be used for, getting places and having fun. Its just an added bonus that many of these cars making the getting there part just as fun as the final destination.

Cooley! Movie Illustrations

2011-02-01T08:56:00.006-05:00

If you love movie posters as much as I do, you are always waiting to see what will be created for the Alamo Draft House next. While the Drafthouse posters are great, sometimes a 24"x36" poster is too big for the wall or room you are trying to decorate. Enter Josh Cooley, an artist selling hand illustrations of some or my favorite and hopefully your favorite movie scenes, each one in nice compact sizes. Josh is a storyboard artist for pixar, but in his spare time puts his talent toward creating these great prints. Perfect for where you don't want to hang a wall hogging Drafthouse poster.

Burn Units - Alive

2011-02-01T07:43:00.002-05:00

I cant even imagine trying to ride back country at night. Even under a full moon it must be an intimidating experience.

The Burn Units - ALIVE - feat Gigi Rüf, Ståle Sandbech & Arthur Longo from Burn on Vimeo.

Bean 2010/2011

2011-01-20T10:37:00.004-05:00

I have posted about Boston based Bean Snowboards before, and they are back again this year with a couple new additions to their lineup. They are still making the Violator true twin park board, and the Commonwealth directional twin all-mountain destroyer. Added to the lineup is the District, a small, light and flexy board for the Groms who want something local and handmade to hone their skills on. But I am most excited about is their Artist series,three boards designed by three different local artists. Each board is in a super limited edition of five, and comes with a signature print. Its really about time snowboards got this type of treatment, which skateboarding seems to have been doing forever. You really cant beat local dudes, making boards with as much locally sourced materials as possible, who do it because that's what they love, not because its their job. Its good to see more and more bean shirts popping up on the east coast this season. Hopefully the trend continues.

Rauh Welt Begriff

2011-01-17T10:25:00.004-05:00

Japan takes lots of things to the extreme, and this couldn't be more true than in the world of auto tuning. Its seems for every type of vehicle there is an auto house in Japan that will perfect the art of tuning that specific car. In the case of the Porsche 911, Rauh Welt Begriff is that tuning house. The man behind RWB, Nakai-san, treats each car as a blank canvas. He takes some information from the customer but makes many decisions about the modifications himself, including what color the car will be. The style is definitely extreme, but like it or not, you have to appreciate the dedications Nakai-san has for his cars.

WPA Posters

2011-01-06T08:05:00.004-05:00

I posted a little while back about some WPA posters specific to the National Parks. I just found out that a massive collection of posters was digitized and available for browsing on the Library of Congress website. During the 30's the WPA was the largest employer in the country, supplying almost 8 million jobs. Created by the New Deal it was responsible for projects that involved rebuilding and improving public buildings and roads, supplying food and clothing to the poor, and promoting campaigns in drama, literacy, and the arts. Hundreds of posters were commissioned with subjects from community events and travel, to health and safety.

St. Lucia

2010-12-22T21:56:00.006-05:00

It only took me 6 months, but I finally got around to uploading photo's from my sailing trip last May. I'm certainly missing that warm weather right now. The trip was amazing, the scenery of the Caribbean is always so vivid. The volcanically formed islands leap from the water. The sheer size of the pitons is stunning. The people we met along our trip could not be nicer or more accommodating. Traveling by boat is something I have been lucky enough to do for many of my vacations. Sailing is fun enough in itself, especially this trip were the winds could not have been more favorable, but coupled with the amazing scenery and wonderful weather it cant be beat. The freedom that comes with being able to plan out your trip exactly how you want it, and be able to see what things you want to see at your leisure is unmatched. I also feel like it gives you a whole new appreciation of your surroundings, and the people you meet. A hot meal and a cold drink feels mighty satisfying after a long day out on the water.

Click for bigger

A friendly cat at Jambe De Bois in
Rodney Bay, best roti of the whole trip.

Anse La Raye, we stopped in on a Friday night when the
whole town cooks out in a giant fish fry.

Anse Cochon, one of the prettiest coves on the island.

View of the Pitons from afar

South side of Gros Piton, absolutely dwarfing the small sailboat next to it.

North side of Gros Piton

I made a friend while on my hike

The walk up to Fort Rodney, which the British used
to defend the island from the French

View down from the fort.

Tabacco Tin

2010-12-22T15:13:00.000-05:00

One of the things I used to collect while being dragged around by my mother to every antique store within an hours drive of my house was old tins. By collect I mean I started "collecting" by buying three or four of them and quickly moved onto "collecting" something else, probably baseball cards or old glass bottles. The tins always seemed to house what I deemed valuable through out the years. Starting off with a couple 2 dollar bills, an Indian head penny, and whatever foreign currency my parents brought back from vacations. After I started mowing lawns and raking leaves I used them to store whatever cash I didn't immediately spend. In high school, after I started putting any money I had into the bank, they held any contraband I didn't want my parents to find. Mostly lighters and loose cigarettes. I'm sure they knew what I was keeping in them, but they never mentioned it.

Daikoku Parking Area

2010-12-17T08:20:00.007-05:00

Located just off of the highway that runs between Tokyo and Yokohama is a rest stop known as the Daikoku Parking Area. The parking area rests on a man made island in Tokyo Bay. The island is encircled in a massive concrete coil of twisting highways. During the day the stop is just like any other, a place for truckers and other people commuting to and from the busy Yokohama shipping port to rest and refuel. The mood of the area changes dramatically at night, turning into what could be described as a car fanatics mecca. Groups dedicated to every niche and facet of auto tuning meet and share their projects.

A Frame

2010-12-15T12:01:00.005-05:00

I have always enjoyed A-Frame style houses, they just seem to fit in so well in the wilderness. The floor plans may not be the most practical, and many may skips stairs and have only a ladder to a sleeping loft. I always liked the idea of owning a small A-Frame in the woods. Maybe its just that they seem to dig themselves out of the snow for you.

In the booming post WWII economy of the late 1950's through the 70's thousands of A-Frame homes were built. For one of the first times in America people had enough disposable income to to build vacation homes, and the qualities of the A-Frame made it one of the most popular designs. The cost of construction was very low due to the minimal amount of framing required, this also meant that they were relatively easy to build. Maintenance costs were low as almost the entire structure was roof, and very little of the home actually needed to be painted. They fared well in snowy regions, the steep roof lines shedding snow immediately. Another plus is that A-Frame homes were different, even though the design had been around for some time, they were relatively uncommon. This gave them a modern look and appeal. The boom in A-Frame construction has been partially attributed to Andrew Geller, an architect who built an A-Frame on the New York coast that was then featured in the real estate section of The Times.

Lands End Canvas Lace Up Boot

2010-12-07T13:46:00.005-05:00

I picked up a pair of the Land End Canvas Lace Up Boots a couple of weeks ago. For the price they were exactly what I was looking for. The construction is solid and they have broken in quite comfortably. The part that makes me really satisfied with my purchase is that yesterday I came home to find a letter from Lands End in my mailbox. The letter contained a hand written note thanking me for my purchase. Definitely cool to see customer appreciation like this.

Coleman Camping

2010-12-06T16:22:00.004-05:00

While Coleman may not make the best equipment when it comes to ultra light backpacking, their offerings of casual camping gear are just as solid as when they started selling kerosene lamps in the 1900's. I always wanted to do a US road trip, stopping at the major national parks and any place with good rocks to climb. If I did I would plan on camping as much as possible, and with the storage space of a car, Coleman gear would be some of the best options for price and convenience. While a two burner stove may be too large to backpack with, its fits in a trunk just fine and is large enough to cook an actual satisfying meal on. Pair that with steel belted coolers and enamelware and and I'm good to go.

Levis x 686 2010

2010-12-03T08:52:00.003-05:00

I have always been a fan of the Levi's and 686 collaborations, and this year is no different. Its interesting to see classic designs reworked into high tech outer wear. I never thought I would see the day were snowboarding in jeans wouldn't make you the mockery of all the locals.

Tim Doyle's Bad Dads

2010-11-29T10:44:00.003-05:00

I have mentioned Tim Doyles amazing work here before. Recently he released a series of prints dedicated to the terrible fathers of Wes Anderson films. The set includes prints dedicated to Bottle Rocket, The Darjeeling Limited, The Royal Tenenbaums, and Rushmore. They can be purchased here either individually or in a complete set.

Chaser

2010-11-29T10:04:00.002-05:00

Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. Sorry for the lack of posts lately, been really busy at work.

Harvard vs. Yale

2010-11-20T19:49:00.003-05:00

Harvard beat Yale today, 28-21, in the 127th playing of the game. Yale still leads the rivalry 65-54-8.

Pullover Anorak

2010-11-17T08:00:00.005-05:00

The pullover anorak was a staple of classic sailing and mountaineering jackets. It makes sense because both of these sports demand the most weather resistant outerwear possible, and the anorak delivers. Fewer seams equals fewer leaks. Most are designed with binoculars in mind, having a large kangaroo pocket that fits them perfectly, another reason these became popular by people who spent their lives exploring.

Hiromo Naruse

2010-11-11T10:35:00.003-05:00

A tribute to arguably the best test driver of all time, Toyota's Hiromo Naruse. Naruse was a test driver for 47 years, before being killed in a tragic accident while testing the Lexus LF-A. He started working at Toyota in 1963 as a certified mechanic, his skills on the road quickly gaining him a reputation as one of the best test drivers, and would eventually earn him the title of master test driver. He worked in the development of some of Toyota's most successful cars including the Sports 800, 2000GT, Celica, Supra, and the MR2. At Ferrari he was known as the "driver who knows all the worlds roads" and his long career has earned him the most hours on the track at Nurburgring than any other Japanese driver.

Linotype: The Film

2010-11-09T08:35:00.001-05:00

"Linotype: The Film" Teaser from Linotype: The Film on Vimeo.

Linotype: The Film is a feature-length documentary film centered around the Linotype typecasting machine invented by Ottmar Mergenthaler. Called the "Eighth Wonder of the World" by Thomas Edison, the Linotype revolutionized printing and society, but very few people know about the inventor or his fascinating machine.

The Linotype completely transformed the communication of information similarly to how the internet is now changing it all again. Although these machines were revolutionary, technology began to supersede the Linotype and they were scrapped and melted-down by the thousands. Today, very few machines are still in existence.

The highly-skilled operators of the Linotype are in a battle against time. If their skills are not passed along to a new generation of operators, the machine will die completely. There is a small group of former operators that want to save the Linotype from the scrap yard but some see this as a fruitless endeavor to slow down progress.

Ken Taylor

2010-11-05T12:55:00.006-04:00

Melbourne based artist Ken Taylor started doing posters and album art for bands in the late 90's before moving to Melbourne in 2001, and making a name for himself there. More recently he has won the Desktop Create Award for Best Illustration in both 2007 and 2009 . He was also a guest speaker at the 2009 AGIDEAS design conference. Kens artworks speaks for itself, he seems able to create piece in almost any style and the details are always spot on. His ability to work with any kind of subject matter is amazing, from the macabre to the nerdy he has a knack for it all . Its easy to see how his work has influence a lot of newer artists, and no surprise that his recent Star Wars: Bounty Hunters set quickly became one of the hottest commodities on the poster market.

Popular Science

2010-11-01T13:59:00.003-04:00

Thanks the the wonderful people at Google and the very generous people at the Bonnier Corporation, every issue of Popular Science from 1870 to 2009 is now available through Google books. Check it out here

Barrel Room

2010-10-29T11:31:00.003-04:00

"Its ok, I have all seasons on it"

2010-10-25T09:29:00.005-04:00

There's something great about super cars being driven in the snow. While many would claim that it shows the owner has a total lack of respect for their vehicle, I think it shows that they have respect for driving. Cars are built to be driven, and while it it is amazing to see vintage cars that have been stored in almost new condition and driven only a couple of 100 miles per year, I think its better to see cars that have been put through their paces. I guess I would rather enjoy a car behind the wheel instead of looking at it in my driveway. But then again its a pretty hard to justify driving a hundred thousand dollars of car in the dead of winter.

Top Shelf Flea Tomorrow

2010-10-23T20:43:00.003-04:00

The second Top Shelf Flea will be held tomorrow just outside of Davis square in Somerville, at 371 Summer St. from 10-4pm. Definitely stop by and check out all the great stuff that will be for sale from some of Bostons coolest second hand and vintage stores. Doesn't hurt that there will also be a cash bar open all day. So even if you cant afford to buy any tweed blazers, Hawaiian shirts, art deco furniture, or classic vinyl definitely stop by and have a drink.

Beautiful Losers

2010-10-20T09:57:00.004-04:00

Beautiful Losers the amazing documentary of street art and the burgeoning poster scene is finally available to watch online. Its also available on neftlix instant for those wanting to watch it in higher quality. Definitely worth a watch.

"Beautiful Losers follows a loose-knit group of like-minded and creative outsiders in the 1990s who found common ground at a little NYC storefront art gallery. Rooted in the do-it-yourself subcultures of skateboarding, surf, punk, hip-hop and graffiti, these individuals created art that reflected the lifestyles they led. The documentary speaks to the collective memory of the 1990s and sheds new light on those that were unbeknownst to mainstream America, but in the end, left an indelible mark on the worlds of fashion, music, art, design, film and ironically, sports"

Story of the 550 Spyder

2010-10-19T10:25:00.003-04:00

One of the most iconic cars of all time, for good and bad.

San Francisco Fire Ladders

2010-10-18T09:07:00.003-04:00

The San Francisco Fire Department is one of the last remaining departments that still uses wooden ladders in all of its operations. It is also the only city department that builds its own ladders. Wooden ladders are used for a number of reasons. The main reason being that wooden ladders don't conduct electricity, which is very important when your has lots of exposed high voltage power lines. Wooden ladders are also heavier, making them more stable in the heavy San Fran winds. They also handle heat better and don't fail catastrophically like aluminum ladders can. Wood may be much more expensive than aluminum, but the city actually saves money using the wooden ladders, because unlike metal ones they can easily be repaired, something the department also does in house. Some ladders that are still in use date back to as early as 1919.

Ladder Shop for SFFD from AdamKaplan on Vimeo.

Boombox

2010-10-14T10:11:00.006-04:00

Wiki Says: A Boombox, also known as a ghetto blaster, jambox, or radio-cassette is capable of receiving radio stations and playing recorded music, usually at a relatively high volume.

I was born a little late for the boombox trend, but I do remember one of my friends older brothers having an amazing one that I was always jealous of. I also remember hanging out at the skate park in my town before any of my friends could drive. One of my friends would lug around a terrible sounding Sony boombox all day at school so we could have music to skate too. I'm pretty sure I was with him when he picked it up at a yard sale for 2 bucks, and thought he had got the deal of a lifetime until he went to go purchase the 10 D batteries it needed.

Pictures from the amazing Ghettoblaster Pool

Train on the Brain

2010-10-13T20:52:00.001-04:00

Alison Murray was born in Nova Scotia, at 15 she ran away to live in England. Years later she embarked on a trip across Canada and the United States, hopping trains the whole way. This is her Journey.

Train On The Brain from Bob Billy on Vimeo.

Beer Trays

2010-10-13T09:26:00.008-04:00

Growing up, whenever I ate anything outside of the kitchen, be it dinner or a snack, it was served on an old beer tray from the now defunct Diehl Brewery. My family had two of them, which were almost always reserved for use by my sister and I. Through my highschool years and up until today whenever I'm home as soon as I try and bring any food out of the kitchen I am kindly reminded to "Put it on a tray!" Even as a child I remember the tray's being in pretty rough shape, but years of cereal and ants on a log have reduced the pair to nothing more than black paint, oxidation, and rust.

I am surprised that the tradition of brewing companies making trays has stopped for the most part, it seems like a great way to advertise along with the rest of the branded items given to pubs such as glassware and coasters. For many breweries that are no longer around, beer trays seem to be one of the most permanent reminders of their existence. Adorning the walls up pubs long after the glassware has been broken, coasters have been discarded, and the breweries themselves torn down.

Green & Wood

2010-10-11T17:00:00.002-04:00

I've been doing a lot of driving lately, visiting friends all over New England. This has kept me company for good portions of my time on the road.

Green & Wood - Live at 2HeadedHorse from 2HeadedHorse on Vimeo.

Akimenko Meats First Cook Book

2010-10-07T18:37:00.003-04:00

My friend Aarn and his good friend Vadim Akimenko are currently hard at work bringing a true classical butcher shop to Somerville. They are currently planning on opening this winter, and I am definitely excited to see what they will have to offer. In preparation for opening they have released a cookbook that focuses on the techniques that lead to great dishes. The first volume can be purchased here and check out a sample recipe below.

This roast beef recipe will work for most cuts of beef, it’s really a method rather than a recipe. I like using top round because it is fairly inexpensive and under utilized. When you are looking for a roast, look for cuts that will do well with dry heat methods of cooking, think rib, strip, sirloin, top round, eye round or knuckle to name a few.

What you need:

* 5# Top Round roast, (first cut is best)
* 6 cloves of garlic, ground into a paste
* 2 shallots, ground into a paste with the garlic
* Salt and pepper to taste
* 2 cups of mire poix, (2:1:1 onion, carrots, celery), optional
* Roasting Pan

The Process:

Pre-heat oven to 425′F. Set the roast aside and allow it to come to room temperature.

Rub the roast with the garlic/shallot paste, then sprinkle generously with pepper first then salt. If you like you may sit the roast on a bed of mire poix. This adds flavor to the roast, but more importantly makes a good base for a sauce or gravy from the drippings.

Throw the roast in the oven at 425′F for 15 minutes then turn the heat down to 325′F, and cook for 9 minutes per pound for rare. Remember that cooking times for these types of recipes are just guide lines. Always check the internal temperature with a food safe thermometer making sure the tip of the probe is close to the center of the roast. When the internal temperature reaches 100′F for rare or 115′F for med-rare, remove the roast and let it sit for about 15 to 20 minutes. And don’t cheat on the resting time. During this 15 to 20 minutes the jus is redistributing throughout your roast. Cut prematurely and lose the jus to the carving block.

So, you’ve been very patient, carve that roast and eat!

The Pig & The Butcher from Paper Fortress on Vimeo.

Michael Kahn

2010-10-06T11:44:00.005-04:00

David A Smith - Sign Smith

2010-10-01T14:46:00.001-04:00

David A Smith - Sign Artist from Danny Cooke on Vimeo.

This Car Climbed Mt. Washington

2010-09-29T17:15:00.004-04:00

The first "road" up Mt. Washington went into construction in 1850 after a rail line was built from Montreal to Portland, the line passed through Gorham and sparked some tourism into the whites. This lead the rail company eventually finance the rebuilding of the road from Gorham to Pinkerton Notch and extended it all the way to the summit of Mt Washington. The plan was to build a grand hotel at the summit and use the road to move visitors up and down in carriages.

The building of the road was hard and dangerous work. Supplies had to be brought up by horse, oxen or simply by hand. Hand drilled holes were filled with black powder to blast out rock, which then had to be shoveled and carted away. Laborers lived on site in small tents and worked twelve hour days even in the harsh weather. The road was halfway finished in 1856 and the initial company that had been selected to build the road was bankrupt and construction was halted until 1859. Then a new company, the Mount Washington Summit Road Company, began construction on the road. The company opened the road on August 8, 1861 and continues to manage it until this day. Now most of the road has been paved, although a dirt section does remain. Each year over 45,000 vehicles summit Mt. Washington.

Now the point of this post in only half history. The other half is that where there is a road there is a race, and the Mt Washington Auto Road is a good one. The current record was just broken by Travis Pistrana with a summit time of 6:20.47 beating the previous record set by Frank Sprongl (above in the Audi Quattro) by over 20 seconds.

Skyline GTR

2010-09-22T11:50:00.006-04:00

The Skyline that started it all, the C-10 GTR debuted in 1969. This was the first racing model skyline produced, it pushed 160hp from a 2L inline six, which was competitive for sport coupes at the time. The Hakosuka, which translates to Box Skyline, would help spawn some of the fastest and most competitive Japanese cars ever made.

Chow: Obsessives

2010-09-16T20:07:00.003-04:00

Chow runs a regular series known as Obsessives. They feature people who have taken their love of a specific type of food to the limit. They cover anything related to food in cooking, from knife making to pickling, or beekeeping to pizza. Its a great way to learn a thing or two about something you may not put a whole lot of thought into. I always like seeing someone that is truly passionate about something, even if it does seem strange.

Obsessives: Soda Pop from CHOW.com on Vimeo.

Pure Pizza Pleasure from CHOW.com on Vimeo.

Hard Cider

2010-09-16T19:48:00.005-04:00

Fall means many different things to many people. The leaves change color, sweatshirts and flannel get broken out, wood gets split, and boats get put away. To me one of the best things about fall is apple cider. All over the country orchards are taking excess apples and pressing them into delicious cider. What is my favorite way to enjoy cider? Fermented.

I usually brew a couple of my own batches each year. The problem with home brewed cider is that a good batch takes 6 to 8 weeks at a minimum, so by the time its ready to drink, fall is almost over. Luckily every year more and more companies produce their own batches of cider, giving me something to drink while mine is fermenting. Besides its always good to do some research so you know what to compare your homemade stuff too, right? Best of all Harpoon Brewery will be having some free cider tastings around the Boston area next month.

Scrumpy's Organic - Michigan

Farnum Hill - New Hampshire

Doc's Hard Cider - New York

Black Star Farms - Michigan

Ace Hard Cider - California

Wild Fire Cider - Washington

Harpoon Cider - Massachusetts

Reel Rock Tour 2010

2010-09-13T14:59:00.003-04:00

The Reel Rock Tour is back again for its 5th year. They will be showing six new films from some of the biggest names in climbing. The films will feature footage from all seven continents in every season imaginable. The limits of every type of climbing will definitely be pushed. I'll be checking out their stop at the Regent Theater in Arlington Mass. on October 14 where its being put on by the fine folks at REI Boston, Metro Rock, and Boston Rock Gym.

Jaques Mesrine - Killer Instinct

2010-09-12T14:24:00.002-04:00

The two part film about career criminal Jaques Mesrine is finally making it into theaters in the states. Bank robbing. Kidnapping. Jailbreaking, all in a days work for the French ganster. He was their Dillinger, except with twice the criminal accomplishments. Catch the first part, Mesrine: Killer Instinct, now to see his the start of his life as a gangster. The second part of his story Mesrine: Public Enemy #1 when it gets to theatres this fall.

Backpack for Fall

2010-09-12T14:08:00.005-04:00

I'm a sucker for a nice rucksack. I like everything from high tech waterproof bags, to vintage style canvas daypacks. A bag good for hiking in the whites, or a bag for the work day. High-end Japanese companies or high value skate companies. Here are a few that have caught my eye lately.

Nixon

Woolrich Woolen Mills

Harry Clarke Illustrates Edgar Allan Poe

2010-09-08T18:11:00.008-04:00

Dublin born book illustrator and stained glass maker Harry Clarke created 24 black and white illustrations and 8 color plates for the 1923 edition of Tales of Mystery and Imagination, a collection of Edgar Allan Poe's works. Clarke was initially trained in the works of stained glass at Dublin Art School, where he excelled. After graduation he decided to put his efforts towards book illustration and sought work in London. His first published work was a set of drawings done for Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Anderson. This work was then immediately followed by the newest edition of the Poe collection. He would go on to illustrate the works of Charles Perrault, Goethe and even do a booklet for Jameson Whiskey.

Its amazing how intense and detailed his illustrations for Poe's collection are. The paintings are easily at tortured and haunted feeling as the poems they accompany. His stained glass work is also nothing short of stunning Stumbled upon this while looking thought the amazing imagery and information at A Journey Round My Skull.

Detroit Velodrome Board Track

2010-09-07T13:14:00.003-04:00

A Detroit based group known as the Mower Gang, who bring lawn mowers, weed wackers, and hedge trimmers to overgrown and mistreated Detroit outdoor spaces and clean them up recently did some work ad the long abandoned Detroit Velodrome. After hearing about it some Bikers decided to go get a few laps in on the newly recovered track.

Keeping Time at Sea

2010-09-07T12:47:00.004-04:00

Time must be kept to a precise standard to determine longitude. The first true chronometer was invented in the race to win the prize set by the Longitude Act of 1714. Now almost any watch will suffice, but the original chronometers are things of beauty. There is quite a bit of drama involving the inventors of the marine chronometer. More reading about the race to invent the first accurate clock that worked at sea can be found in Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Problem of His Time

Falcon Bikes on the LA River

2010-09-03T21:57:00.003-04:00

Sorry for the delay in posting. Just finished moving across the river into Somerville. Still unpacking and eating to much take out. Be back into the swing of things shortly.

Always dig the bikes these guys put out. http://www.falconmotorcycles.com/

Inside the Ferrari Museum

2010-08-28T14:50:00.002-04:00

For all of us who haven't been lucky enough to have visited the museum in Maranello.

Galleria Ferrari Part 1 from Mattia Santino Merli on Vimeo.

Corbin Bridge

2010-08-27T14:13:00.006-04:00

Corbin Covered bridge in Newport, NH. I used to take it all the time to get from my hometown to the closest movie theater in Claremont, NH. There was of course a faster route on the main road, but the bridge was worth taking the long road there. Constructed in approximately 1845, it was almost torn down in early 80's due to the cost of upkeep, but luckily it was saved by the combined forces of the Historical Preservation Society and the National Parks fund. It then unfortunately burnt down in 93', the fire was later attributed to arson. Amazingly funding was given to rebuild the bridge in 94' along with a small park nearby. Covered bridges are something to be appreciated. Most of them are one lane, and too small or rated too low for trucks to get through. Most of the reaming covered bridges are on back roads with little traffic, which is exactly the kind of place I like to be. There are a couple other bridges near by, some on roads the others on abandoned rail road tracks that are now used for hiking and snowmobiling.

Mike Amann - Turkey Days

2010-08-24T16:41:00.005-04:00

Kentucky gallery BLDG and artist Mike Amann have teamed up to pay homage to the local flavor of Kentucky. That flavor being bourbon of course, Wild Turkey to be exact. The print they have produced uses actual Wild Turkey bourbon in all of the colors, giving the piece an authentic, boozy, scent. Its coming out in an edition of 40 pieces at the surprisingly low price of $35. Grab them tomorrow when they go on sale at 1 pm.

Here is a video about the scene chosen for the poster, where the liquor used for the print was actually purchased. Bonus props to BLDG for using Scott H. Biram as the soundtrack.

The Sword- Warp Riders

2010-08-24T16:33:00.004-04:00

Austin metal band The Sword have their 3rd full length Warp Riders due out shortly. The whole albums is sci-fi themed which is totally fine by me because I've been on a Bladerunner/William Gibson/Neil Stevenson kick as of late. They may not be the most innovative band out there right now, but I am always up for some blatant Sabbath worship. Love the cover art for the new album by artist Dan McPharlin, who probably deserves his own post one of these days. Two part tack below.

Never Lost

2010-08-20T16:26:00.005-04:00

The tools of Dead Reckoning. No batteries required.

Dash n' Dive

2010-08-19T16:28:00.001-04:00

Summers almost over. Gotta get busy.

Time Ball

2010-08-18T16:20:00.006-04:00

Growing up spending a lot of time on boats I learned to appreciate the art of navigation from a young age. Today with GPS its almost laughably easy to get an extremely accurate reading for your current position. The amount of technology that developed from the quest for accurate navigation is amazing. The development of the modern chronometer(clock) came from the quest to measure longitude. I will post more on the first chronometers later, but while reading up about them I came upon the time ball.

The time ball is a large wooden or metal ball located on the top of a building, often in a cities center. At a specified time each day the ball drops so that sailors can synchronize their marine chronometers. The first ball was built in Portsmouth 1829, its inventor was a captain in the Royal Navy by the name of Robert Wauchope. Soon time balls were constructed in all of the major UK ports and the idea eventually spread globally. As radio bases began to expand in the late 1920's the Time ball became obsolete and many have since been taken down. Today around 60 of them still stand.

Sydney Observatory

Quebec Citadel

Point Gellibrand, Victoria

Lyttelton, NZ

Greenwich UK

Deal, Kent UK

US Naval Observatory

Harlem at Night

2010-08-18T13:49:00.004-04:00

This has been making its rounds through some of the nerdier blogs. Its a night club map of Harlem drawn by Elmer Simms Campbell, one the first African American cartoonists to be published nationally. The map was drawn in 1932 at the tail end of the Harlem Renaissance, which resulted in the first real burst of african american art and media within the U.S. The detail of the map is amazing, definitely worth a good look.

"The only omission is the location of speakeasies, but since there are about 500 you wont have much trouble."

Olly Moss for Alamo Draft House Roadshow

2010-08-13T15:03:00.004-04:00

I feel like everything that gets created for the Alamo Draft House is almost always flawless. Artist Olly Moss has helped to add another perfect set of posters to their already amazing collection. The posters were created for the Draft House's Rolling Roadshow,which Levi's is sponsoring. The tour is pretty interesting because the movies are being shown in the towns they take place in. The movie selection is definitely spot on, although I am a little disappointed it will not be making its way up to Boston. The posters is below. Dirty Harry and Rocky are definitely my favorites, might be time to do some eBay hunting to try and pick one of them up.

Catboat

2010-08-12T12:10:00.007-04:00

There are few sailboat styles that are more elegant than a cat-rigged vessel. They may not point worth a damn, and they may get quite fussy in heavy winds, but they certainly look good doing it. The wide hull, flat bow, and rounded sterns give one visions of the classic days of sailing. The sail almost looks to be to big for the vessel, and some days it certainly does feel like it. Historically used for fishing and transport, catboats soon gained popularity as a pleasure craft. The catboat makes perfect sense as a leisure vessel, they are simple to sail with only one sheet to take care of. They are very wide by design for transport, which when combined with the fact that all of the rigging is pushed to the bow, makes them easy to accommodate many passengers even on a shorter vessel. The boats draw very little water, allowing them to be sailed in shallow areas. One of the biggest positives to catboat designs is that even modern ones maintain the old world styling. Unlike other styles of sailboat, catboats never really modernized. This means there are very few in sharp and edgy 80's design, or in horrid 90's colors.

Pack up the Wagon

2010-08-10T10:08:00.005-04:00

One of the types of cars I've always lusted after are high performance wagons. I cant imagine a better day then packing up an S4 Avant with snowboard gear and tearing up to the mountains. There is something I love about the idea of being able to blow past almsot any car in what most people asume is a lame family vehicle. A nice wagon would make one of the best road trip cars around, plenty of room for luggage and a place to sleep if need be. European companies may refer to them as avants, touring edition, or estate models but to me they will always be station wagons, and there is nothing wrong with a station wagon.

Route 1 through the North Shore

2010-08-06T17:51:00.007-04:00

While traveling north out of Boston on Route 1 is an eclectic experience to say the least. The road is narrow and rough. To each side lies thirty years of sprawl. A giant neon cactus stands tall in the distance. Parking lots melt into one another. Eroding signs loom over empty lots. Seedy motels sit adjacent to newly opened big box stores. Absurdly themed restaurants stick out, making the brightly colored fast food chains look dull. The entire stretch seems to be unable to decide what year it is and whether business is booming or dead.

Concepts X RAW

2010-08-04T13:20:00.002-04:00

Normally I recommend Orchard for skate related stuff, but the new "Welcome Back" series from Concepts and RAW are definitely cool. Its refreshing to see skating start to thrive in Beantown.

The Future of Travel

2010-08-02T18:36:00.003-04:00

Found some pictures of art deco trains from the 20's and 30's. I always wish there were more opportunities to travel by train both economically and comfortably in the U.S. On my west coast trip I took a train from Portland, OR to San Francisco and I really enjoyed it. Sure 18 hours on a train did get a little draining, but there were many benefits. It was an overnight trip so it saved me the cost of one night of lodging, while being one third the price of flying. I got to enjoy amazing scenery through out the whole trip, including a quite spectacular sunset over a canyon in southern Oregon. I was able to walk around during the trip and sit and eat at an actual bar, not while stuck in a seat with a tray table. Probably one of my favorite parts was that in the bottom of the train there was a run down Galaga machine that was only a quarter, which is quite the deal in today's arcades. Flying may be faster and less time consuming, but the views from the train and the fact that I didn't have to deal with over anxious security made it a very pleasurable experience. I wish all the money that got poured into luxury airships in the mid 2000's had gone towards luxury rail lines instead.

Look Around You

2010-08-02T17:56:00.003-04:00

Look Around You was a series of shorts that ran on BBC in 2002. The shorts parody the ridiculously boring movies educational videos from the late 70's and early 80's that are unfortunately still used today. The humor is completely absurd but so spot on. I remember when one of my friends first showed me one of the shorts and I immediately went and watched all of them. All of series one happens to be on youtube which is amazing. There are 9 episodes of the first series and 6 episodes of the second. Some of my favorites are below.

Beans are Bullets, Food and War

2010-07-29T19:03:00.004-04:00

Nobody Fucks with the Jesus

2010-07-29T18:53:00.000-04:00

Meet Rocky Salemmo. He’s a ramblin’ gamblin’ man. For the majority of his adult life Rocky has hustled bowling for a living.

Here is his story. A short documentary about booze, broads and bowling.

The Bowler from Sean Dunne on Vimeo.

How the Leatherman became the Leatherman.

2010-07-27T10:33:00.008-04:00

After seeing a new article in popular science on the creation of the Leatherman, I decided to do a little bit more research. It turns out unlike a lot of tool companies they have a very well laid out history on their website.

The Leatherman tool was originally conceived by Tim Leatherman, a mechanical engineering graduate of Oregon State university. In 1975 Tim was on a trip through Europe and the Middle east with his wife. While traveling the Fiat they were driving gave them lots of trouble. Tim was able to keep the car running with his small boy scout knife that had a small screwdriver on it, but the work frustrated him. He began to imagine a pocket knife that also had pliers, scissors and more screwdriver options.

When Tim arrives home from his trip he decides to continue work on his new multi tool idea. He begins the design by working with wood prototypes to get the initial tools and mechanisms down. His brother in law who is a machinist teaches him how to design parts in steel and the first metal prototypes are made.

Calling the new device "Mr. Crunch" Tim applies for and successfully receives a patent in 1980. He takes his idea to tool, knife, and gadget makes. The knife makers call it a tool, the tool makers call it a knife and the gadget makers want nothing to do with it. Tim decides to go into business and make the tool himself. Eventually in the winter of 1984 Cabellas and the Early Winters catalog pick up the tool. The orders are small, around 250 units. Tim prepares his company to make 4,000 units in case sales pick up. Sales do pick up, and by the end of the year the catalogs have orders for 30,000 Mr. Crunch's and the Leatherman is born.

Line Of Sight

2010-07-22T12:05:00.002-04:00

Lucas Brunelle was a pretty big fixture in Boston before I moved down here. He arranged a lot of pretty ridiculous races involving tons of booze or lots of sprints. He also used to race around the unfinished Big Dig tunnels.

Bridge and Burn Fall Collection

2010-07-22T11:40:00.005-04:00

I've mention Portland, OR based Bridge & Burn on here before. I really do like there stuff. The jacket I have from them fits perfect, is high quality, and gets plenty of compliments. The cuts and styles are classic, the colors are muted, and the pieces are designed to be worn. Definitely a good mix of utility and style. Some people may say that their stuff is the same as the rest of the pieces that are coming out in this lumberjack trend, but I think they got as close to it as they could without going full blown urban woodsman.

Dont Say Slow

2010-07-22T11:38:00.001-04:00

Climb

2010-07-19T11:30:00.003-04:00

Weather has been beautiful the last couple weeks. Been trying to get as much climbing in as possible. Really want to make a trip up to Northern NH to climb some new stuff.

The Players Trailer from BS Productions on Vimeo.

The Sharp End Trailer by Sender Films from Sender Films on Vimeo.

PTLDME

2010-07-16T12:42:00.004-04:00

Went up to Portland, ME for the day with some friends. Had a great time there. Got some delicious food. Drank some quality beers. Hung out with good friends. All in all a really good day.

Inland Vans Berdoo

2010-07-13T10:49:00.007-04:00

In my search for pictures of lowered vans I came across this site. Its dedicated to a group of guys who in the early 70's formed a van club. Although the site looks like it was designed for angelfire, it holds a treasure trove of images from their days of raising hell and driving vans. Looks like a group of people who really knew how to enjoy life. Here is a little history from their site.

It began with a dream of some Highland, California teens, to form a Van Club like San Bernardino had never seen. It started out as "United Vans Berdoo". The club rapidly grew and in 1972 split and formed "Inland Vans Berdoo".

Yes, they called themselves "Inland Vans Berdoo", all wearing club jackets of blue. Gang or club it continued to grow and the common "bond" was only a van. But, nobody knew of the lifetime brotherhood that would grow, and even grow stronger as the years passed and we went through.

No matter if it was Steve with Ripped Van Ripple, Gernux, Pete, George, Roni, Shannon D, Ernie, Spanky, Jones, Wisinger, Juan, Cook, Brian, Ray, Slick, Mark, Rick, Dennis, Jeff, Shannon L, Tim, Debi, Rodger, Mike, Chris, or Cleo and others. Almost 70 strong, all in a line, as they cruised "E" Street or any other town.

Drinking Beer, fighting, and raising hell wherever they went, they called themselves "Inland Vans Berdoo"....A dream of a Van Club and much more had finally come true. Always watching each others backs and always holding up the Clubs name they vowed.

The years have passed like minutes, over 3 decades have now gone bye. Looking back on memories we still all laugh and tell stories of our wild adventures, and then cry some too....and knowing we would all love to do it again.

From the hard and wild lifestyles, we have lost some forever. Brothers like Norm Gernux, Shannon DeRosie, Mike Wilson, Brian West, Pat Ecale, Cliff Brown, Ron Wright, and Mike Navol now, all looking down from above. We think of them often in "Brotherhood and Love" which we'll always remember.

They still get together as often as they can, recalling the memories of a roaring Harley or a Van. When it comes to a party, they all pull together and still party like it was their last.

Through the "Love, Blood, and Beer" lives were changed forever before they were through, the Boys known through out the land as "Inland Vans Berdoo".

Slam That Van

2010-07-12T18:27:00.004-04:00

Ridiculous? Definitely. Awesome? Of course. If I ever moved to southern California a 60's VW Bus or Ford Econoline Van would be high on my list of things to purchase. Take out the seats in the back and throw in a surfboard rack and a futon and your good to go. Would I lower it as much as these guys, of course not. But there has to be something said for pushing it to the limit. True pan scrapers.