T.J. Lavin and our Wheelapalooza Grand Opening

T.J. Lavin is a legend in the BMX world of cycling.  He’s also a local here in Las Vegas.  I remember watching the Dew Tour Championship back in 2010.  I made sure to watch T.J.’s run.  I watched that day in horror as did thousands of fans when T.J. crashed.  I’ve seen enough catastrophic crashes in my day to know that T.J. was seriously injured.  I had a knot in my stomach and watched in disbelief as they carried him off on a stretcher.  It has been a long road to recovery for him.  He’s a great inspiration and wanted to share this video of his recovery with you all.

I hope some of you local folks will be able to stop by and say hi to him at our Grand Opening this weekend.

Carol

Wheelapalooza features local indie artists

LVC Supporting local, independent artists, athletes, and environment.

LIVE LOCAL ARTISTS: In order of appearance, subject to change, check back for updates.

SATURDAY

• 9-11 Jesse Pino (indie rock)
• 9-11 Brock Frabbiele (folk alt. country rock)
• 9-11 No Red Alice (punkcoustic)
• 9-11 Bobby Meader Music (acoustic folk)
• 9-11 Mercy Music (power pop singer songwriter)
• 11:30-1:30 Najja Dread & Lion Pride (reggae)
• 2:30-3:00 Fisher Family Banned (pop alternative)
• 5:30-6:30 Green Valley Jazz Combo (uptempo jazz & rock)

SUNDAY

• Stephen Hawking Experience (psychadellic rock)
• Stage Luminous (reggae fusion)
• Green Valley Jazz Combo (uptempo jazz & rock)
• Fisher Family Banned (pop alternative)
• RedHill (indie rock)

This weekend we at Las Vegas Cyclery are proud to feature an ecclectic mix of local independent artists from

indie rock to punk to rockabilly, reggae, jazz, psychadellic, pop, to alternative, singer-song writers.

From professional bands and independent singer song-writers to student musicians attending the Las Vegas Academy and Green Valley Jazz Programs, to the mysterious, never before heard of…Fisher Family Banned.  Just kidding.  A couple of people may have heard of the FFB, just never actually heard us.  We don’t consider ourselves a real band, we just play one in real life…at home when nobody’s around…to try to learn hard stuff like work and cooperation and NOT YELLING!  But like the groundhog on a sunny day, if you’re lucky, and the elements are just right, you might catch a glimpse of a rare performance between work, school, church, bike tours, scooter tricks, and sports, because sometimes it’s fun, and sometimes we like music, and sometimes we like to Love Out Loud.  And so do our friends…like the LVC gang and the guides and the bands listed here, and like all our great biking buddies whom we hope to see this weekend.  Come watch, listen, ride, run, eat, and have fun. We hope to see you all this Saturday or Sunday because we won’t be having another grand opening for a long, LONG time.  In the meantime, check out these other fun bands:

Fisher Family Banned

Redhill Band: Las Vegas Cyclery mountain bike customers, friends, and neighbors from Blue Diamond, Firefighter Mike Davis, Stage Rigger Joe Reid, and their 2 firefighter friends have made the big step from rockabilly cover tunes to all original songwriting and performance with a fresh new modern beat.  Even though we all loved it when they rocked the house before, the all new original material rocks a tighter, smoother vibe.  Good luck at your upcoming battle of the Bands!

Bass Player Joe’s bike

 

Najja Dread and the Lion Pride: always a good groove to put everyone in a great mood.  The easy swaying rhythms of original and cover reggae by Najja Dread and his band have been heard from downtown First Friday to the Hard Rock Cafe, to the Lifetime Fitness Red Rock Rally.  Lead guitar player Dave Kruleski’s is a friend and customer of LVC as well, sporting several bikes and scooters along with his favorite climbing gear. His wife, Jenn just won second place pro in Bootleg Canyon this last weekend.  Congrats on the great riding Jenn and the great music Dave, Najja, and the rest of the Lion Pride. video

Jesse Pino (review by Punks in Vegas)

Singer/songwriter Jesse Pino is no stranger to the music scene. The Vegas native musician/martial arts instructor first started making music seriously in 1998-99. At age 15 he formed the melodic punk band Nadaclue. Heavily inspired by the bands of Fat Wreck Chords and Epitaph, they gained a fair amount of popularity capturing kids with their fast, driven beats, hook-laden song writing with solid harmonies.

Soon after Nadaclue’s short lived 2 year span, Pino spent the next 10 years (2000-2010) on guitar and backup vocals for Las Vegas’ much-loved 5-piece rock band Left Standing. Sharing the stage with his two older brothers Chris and Danny Pino, Left Standing serves up a welcome dose of alternative electric rock as well as incredible acoustic sets.

In 2010, Jesse decided to step out on his own and pursue his own creativity. Comfortable with a full band backing him, or just an acoustic guitar in hand, he continues to craft his own signature blend entering the arena with a sound reminiscent of Dan Andriano, Dave Hause, and musical idol Joey Cape. Pino released The Burn EP in 2011 and is currently writing music for his first full length album.
-written by: Steven & Ashleigh Matview of Punks In Vegas

Bobby Meader

Of his recently completed album, We are the Blues We Write, September 2012, he said, “This album is a compilation of almost two years of writing, and about 8 months of recording. The process has been so ridiculously fun and difficult, I wouldn’t change it for the world. Check out my thoughts.

Las Vegas Cyclery and Escape Adventures Grand Opening March 9th & 10th

 

Only two more weeks before the Grand Opening of our new shop. I was lucky enough to start working for LVC back in 2008.  I’m not gonna lie.  I was a bit concerned about working with a bunch of hairy legged, laid back, mountain biker  dudes.  I’m a middle aged roadie chick(woman).  How was this ever going to work?

I use to refer to the old shop as “the cave”.  It always seemed so dark in there.  That was because of the 300 plus bicycles hanging from the ceiling.  We use to joke about wearing hard hats just in case that rickety old ceiling decided to give in. 

Now here we are in this beautiful green, Leed Platinum Net Zero building with more than double the space.  The sun shines in, like we’re being blessed from the heavens on a daily basis.  Jared and Heather Fisher are big dreamers.  The Field of Dreams quote, “build it and they will come” is so true.  Thank you to every one of our customers, new and old who made all of this possible.  

My fear of how will this work??  It worked because all of us at LVC have a love and passion for the bicycle.  We love to get people started and keep them going on whatever type of bike they prefer.  From small children, to the “round the block” folks,  to the top triathletes, mountain bikers and roadies.  We just want to see people riding their bikes and having fun.

We hope to see you all on March 9th and 10th for a weekend of bike riding, fellowship and great fun!

Thanks so much!

Carol Vails

“Just Deserts”

 

I have less than two weeks to prepare for my first century ride this year, ELEVEN DAYS to be exact.  What was I thinking?  I’ve been on vacation, been sick, not riding, blah, blah, blah.  So this is how I punish myself for being a slacker.  I will go and destroy myself on the road.  I know I’m not alone in this.  There’s a group  from Las Vegas with too few miles on our legs headed over to Palm Springs to ride the Palm Springs Century.  Will I find some solace in seeing my fellow compatriots, slogging it out, churning their pedals in what inevitably I will later describe as nothing less than a death march? Disturbingly enough, yes!  I will stop at every rest stop, and feel a sense of camaraderie with the courageous pedalers of the Palm Springs Century ride. And I must say, I’m looking forward to the journey into the “pain cave”. I will let you all know how it went!

Carol Vails

A True Champion……..

 

As a cyclist and cycling fan for 30 years, the last few months have been difficult.  Like so many of us, we take it personally.  I hate to see the sport I love in shambles, but I know that it’s necessary in order to move forward as a much better sport.   I just wanted to say a few words about my longtime hero Greg Lemond.   I will never forget 1986, when Greg won the Tour de France for the first time. An American winning the greatest cycling event in the world seemed impossible. I remember a lot of the guys I rode with said they were going to move to Europe, Belgium in particular, so they could learn how the Europeans raced.  All of a sudden, we had hope!  We would watch Greg race himself into shape every year and loved him for it.  He always seemed like one of us.  Maybe he ate too much at the holidays and didn’t get on his bike as much as he should have in the winter.   He was human and we loved him for it. What always stood out in my mind was how much he loved the sport.   This amazing athlete, gifted beyond my comprehension, just loved to ride his bike.  It was always apparent in any interview on television or in print.    

I was lucky enough to meet Greg at the top of Brasstown Bald during the Tour of Georgia in 2006.  I couldn’t believe that he took a few minutes to have a conversation with me, reminds me of a certain German rider(Jens) of today!  After all his years of riding and racing, it was still very apparent that he loved cycling.  Whether he raced or was just riding with the rest of us schlepps on a recreational ride, that impish grin was always there.  

I for one am so happy that everything he’s been saying for the last ten to fifteen years has finally been proven true.   I am sad that the Lance Armstrong Mafia, Trek included in this, tried to crush him, not only as a cyclist but as a human being, all for the almighty dollar.

Thank you, Greg Lemond for your persistence, in speaking the truth, even when it cost you almost everything.   Everything except what really counts, your family, your honor and your love of the bike!  Mr. Greg Lemond, the only American to win the Tour de France, not once but three times, 1986, 1989 and 1990!

Carol Vails

It’s the New Year, now what??

So 2012 came and went, along with my fitness. I rode Ride the Rockies this year, a 6 day sufferfest in June. I trained for 4 months for it and survived. Since then I’ve been on a downhill roll to slow poke village.

It seems like every year now, I’m 3 months away from being fit, but those 3 months stretch to a year. This year will be different. I will buy a trainer, a heart rate monitor, hire a coach and get my mojo back, I promise. But just in case all of that does not happen, I will ride my bike. I will ride fast sometimes and slow at other times. I will suffer on any and all of the climbs no matter what pace, and continue being a “downhill specialist”. I will solve the world’s problems and all of mine as I roll on down the road. Best of all, I will ride with my buddies, who put up with my whining and always encourage me. Now let’s go ride!

Carol Vails

Saying good bye to 2012………

As with every year, this one has flown by.   I know this has been a tumultuous year in the sport that I love so much.   The biggest news story is the uncovering of the drug doping in the pro ranks and the stripping of Lance Armstrong’s 7 Tour de France wins.  People in the cycling community, like in politics, have very strong opinions on this.  My opinion remains, go ride your bike!  Ride your bike because you can, because it makes you feel like a kid again, to raise money for your favorite charity, to forget about your job, to just be alone, to feel strong, to feel free,  or to be with friends. It’s still the most beautiful sport in the world.

2012 at Las Vegas Cyclery, has been monumental.  I watched the progress of our new building being constructed and all of the hard work  from the LVC staff to make the move as smooth as possible.  Jared and Heather Fisher are true visionaries. I hope you all can come and visit our new shop and see what 20 years of hard work and a dream looks like.

On a personal note, my oldest son was deployed in October. I am so proud of him and all of our troops who continue to fight for our freedom and way of life. This will be a tough Christmas without him, but many families across the globe will have an empty chair at their Christmas dinner table.  My thoughts and prayers go out to all of them.

2013 promises to be an amazing year, filled with new challenges, lots of laughter and adventures. From my family to yours, I wish you all a Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Feliz Natal, Joyeux Noel, Frohe Weihnachten ,С Рождеством and a Happy New Year.

Peace,

Carol Vails