Greg Storey and Jeffrey Zeldman discuss the finer points of balloon folding at Raw (http://rawlounge.net/) during a visit to Happy Cog East offices in Philadelphia.
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Madsen Cargo Bikes
August 27, 2009 – 12:58 pm
I rarely write for personal reasons (a.k.a. on this site) anymore. But, I often want to. Now is as good a time as any, right?
Madsen Cycles is giving away a bike a week to those who help spread the word about their line of cargo bikes. They truly are great bikes, as I had some up-close and personal time with one of their bikes during the Bikehugger Mobile Social event at South By Southwest this past March.
So, check them out by clicking on the banner below or following this link: http://www.madsencycles.com/
SXSW and related activity
March 16, 2009 – 4:49 pm
I’ve been in Austin, Texas for the annual South By Southwest interactive conference. A lot of my activity here has been focused on cycling and triathlon training, talking with new, current, and prospective clients/colleagues, and exploring ideas related to the web industry. Bikehugger put on another amazing event (the Mobile Social SXSW), which I’ll be writing more about over on bikehugger.com.
For details on my posts for Bikehugger, visit http://bikehugger.com/people/robert/.
More updates will be posted here as soon as I’m back home from Austin.
The Austin CarShare offers vehicles with bike racks.
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Review of Ibex Roaster Wind Briefs
January 30, 2009 – 11:05 am
Ibex Roaster Wind Briefs - merino wool
The following product review and associated drivel is made possible by a generous grant of frigid weather from the Great White North.
Baby, it’s cold outside
I went running during one of the coldest , windiest mornings during the East Coast’s recent arctic blast (gee, thanks Canada). Since I’m training for a half Ironman triathlon and don’t particularly enjoy indoor/treadmill running, I decided to bundle up. I’m ok in the cold, and I layer religiously in the winter. This run was no exception. I was sporting poly-pro base layer top and bottom, fleece tights, wool longsleeve top, hat, gloves and windproof jacket. I was set.
Bullshit! The frank and beans disagreed. Wind gusts around 25-35mph made the per-dawn air around my nether regions feel like they were forced to take an ice bath. I pushed on, knowing I wasn’t going to suffer frostbite with the layers and all, but the discomfort made for a short, serious tweet later that morning about needing some windproof undies to protect my junk.
Warmth from the bosom of the Interweb
Keith Anderson (@ibexwool) replied via Twitter, and that nudge was all I needed to make the purchase. Ironically, I had actually looked at those undies earlier in the day, and my one concern was the $40 price tag. What if they didn’t block the wind well, or chaffed me in ways no man should be chaffed?
Based on the quality of the swag Ibex beanie I received at last year’s SXSW Bikehugger Beer and BBQ event, I decided to trust the recommendation and make the purchase. Ordering was easy on Ibex’s site, and my stuff shipped quickly and arrived on-time, just as one expects these days. There were the usual email notices confirming the order, package tracking info, etc. God bless the Interwebs. You know, I could really do well as a shut-in.
Like springtime in the Rockies
I took my first run the morning after the briefs arrived, and I can honestly say my goods and services felt like they were still indoors, within the warm confines of the bed. The temperature was about +15 Fahrenheit with winds blowing around 10mph sustained. Not exactly the coldest, harshest conditions, but nothing to scoff at, either. Not only did I not feel the wind or any cool air under the briefs, but they were really comfortable. It was almost like they weren’t there at all, except for the support that a solid pair of tighty whities gives.
Running in these briefs is like waking up to realize it’s springtime in the Rockies. You just feel great and want to keep moving as a result. And, knowing that these briefs are eco-friendly, sustainably produced, and constructed in the U.S. by what seems to be a great group of individuals gives me an even warmer feeling. I highly recommend the Roaster Wind Briefs to anyone who likes to stay active outdoors in all kinds of foul weather.
- Product: Ibex Roaster Wind Briefs
- URL: http://www.ibexwear.com/shop/ProductDetail.php?GID=1151&VID=13648&Product=Roaster-Wind-Brief
- Price: $40
- Verdict: Buy this now (or risk frostbite in very bad places)
SmartyPig goes live!
March 10, 2008 – 1:28 pm
A little over a year ago, I received a call from a guy named Mike Ferrari who had what sounded like a fantastic idea for a website. Simply put, he wanted to build an online bank offering high-yield savings accounts with a social twist.
Problem solving ideas
With people sliding into debt for small, medium and big ticket items, why not offer a way for people to establish accounts with specific savings goals? And why not allow users to share their goals publicly so that family, friends and even perfect strangers could contribute safely and securely? Couple those ideas with additional discounts offered by best-in-class retailers when savings goals/accounts are redeemed, and that’s an idea a whole lot of people can benefit from.
Our work together
We (Happy Cog) worked with Mike and the team at SmartyPig to refine the banking experience, which is often overly complex and rigid, into a easily understood and pleasing process without forsaking valid security concerns and controls.
About my savings goal
I’ve been working with a highly-regarded, Austin-based bike builder named Whitney Moyer. I decided to set this up as my first public SmartyPig goal. Feel free to contribute as much as you wish to my goal or setup your own account and take advantage of the savings system built with users in mind.
If you want to check out the progress on the bike build, just let me know by commenting below.
As Rob pointed out…
December 3, 2007 – 9:12 am
On September 11th, I noted that my move back to MT was complete. And then, in true slackass blogger fashion, I made no attempt to post again. I thought I’d come up with a clever and beautifully original design, but I’m not that guy.Where’s your post, Rob?