Turkey Day

The Princess and Rainbow Bear.

The Princess and Daddy.

The Princess, Daddy and Gramma.

The Special Guest... and he was a good one.



Jackson Carter (getting his groove on)- my sister Mandy's son.

Jackson and The Princess.

My nephew Gianluca, with his mommy (my sister) Sara.

Mandy with Gianluca, Harry (Sara's husband, Gianluca's daddy and my brother-in-law), Mom and my step-dad Rick.

Unky Jeff (father of Jackson, husband of Mandy and my brother-in-law) with Gianluca.

Absent today, was my brother Ronnie and his wife Cheryl and two sons Orion and Nolen, but they had a good reason; at 10:02PM last night, Cheryl gave birth to their third son Adrian. So that now gives me at least 5 nephews! Soon, I'll be able to have my own junior team!

Happy Thanksgiving.

Tim

Being Thankful.

I find myself feeling particularly challenged this year, in the "being thankful" department. Sometimes life is like that though. Just the same, I'm working on remembering the blessings I have because when you take them for granted, they go away.

I am thankful for;
My children- happy and healthy, thank God.
My family.
The friends I have- both in the flesh and those of you I've never actually met.
The job I have that allows me to travel the country and the world- all because of bicycles.
Bicycles- without them I wouldn't have my great job.
The ability to still ride a bike- even if less often than I would like and below the level I would like. Every ride is better than no ride at all.
The ability to be thankful for something, no matter how small or insignificant it might seem to somebody else.

I hope that you have at least a little something you can feel thankful for too. Enjoy Thanksgiving- even if it just means you don't have to work. Be thankful for that and go for a ride. Always remember, things can always get worse. This year, I have been reminding myself of that... more than in previous years. I'm thankful I can still believe it.

Have a great Thanksgiving and spend it doing whatever makes you happy, whether that is being with family and eating turkey (or turkey tofu) or just riding your favorite road or trail. Regardless, enjoy the day and be thankful.

Tim
PS- More Taiwan and Japan pictures and stories coming.

Japan photo gallery

Ok, I'm slowly beginning to figure out Flickr. I have set up my first photo gallery there with a small sampling of the pictures I took in Tokyo. I'm still figuring it all out and this is just photos and no descriptions yet, but there are a few good images there, so go check it out.

Tim

Sayonara.

Sadly, it is that time. I leave today. My flight is a little later in the afternoon, so I'm going to eat some breakfast and then hit the streets one last time before I hop in cab to the train station to the airport. Planes, trains and automobiles... yippee.

I will have a much larger post, or posts, with many photos from Japan and stories, but I simply must reiterate my many thanks to all of the wonderful people I have met this week in Japan. I can not say enough about how honored I have been to meet so many generous people. Japan has made a very lasting impression on me and I look forward to returning many times in the future- both for business and pleasure.

I know I will miss a few people, but I have to thank the amazing people from Azuma (my Japanese distributor); Takaichi Terai (President of the company and the most incredible host- I can not thank you enough), Tetsu Furuta (the man who really helped to get Masi into Japan, as well as me), Masa Nagoya (a very good man who was a big help getting Masi into Japan as well) Ishibashi- "Ishi" (guided me from the airport to the hotel and frequently served as interpreter), Masaomi Aoki, Ryozo Fujioka, Hori (a fellow keirin racer) and others who I have forgotten. There was also the very beautiful Kumiko, who assisted in the booth and was also very kind.

I hate to finish this post without more stories or pictures, but I have too little time left to wander and explore this beautiful city. I will have more later.

Once again, thank you to all of the many wonderful people who made me feel so welcome here in Japan. I am without words to thank you adequately.

Tim

Good morning Tokyo

Today is the last day of the show, which means I will be flying home tomorrow. I miss my family and Thanksgiving is just a few days away, but I will be a bit melancholy as I step on the plane- Tokyo and the people I have met in Japan have made a very lasting impression on me.

I certainly hope that I am lucky enough to return next year and as many years as possible afterwards. Fortunately, the Japanese market represents some great potential for the brand, so I have a legitimate reason to return. I will be working on some special bikes, just for Japan, in the coming months and years. The Japanese market is similar, yet very different from the US market. Bikes that I can not sell in the US are very popular here. I am very fortunate to have the distributor (Azuma) here that I do.

I will have more pictures from the show- the booth, the bikes, the people and products- later tonight or tomorrow morning.

To Japan and the people of Tokyo, I wish to say thank you- supashi-bo. I will forever be an admirer of Japan and the people.

Tim

More Japan stuff...

Just a quickie before heading back out for dinner...

I LOVE JAPAN! There... I said it... and I feel better now for having done it. Tokyo is beyond comprehension until you see it for yourself. I am beyond words for this experience. I actually really enjoy Taiwan too- especially the people- but there is something otherworldly about Japan. The beauty just seems to never stop. I am in constant awe of the city.

This is the night view from my room in the hotel... amazing. I am in the area of Tokyo known as Asakusa. It has one of the most famous temples in Japan. It was once the seat of the nation's power, during the Shogun era.

I still feel pretty unworthy of being here... not that I'm going to tell my boss or coworkers that...

Visiting the bike shops was really great and I'll have more pictures from that later, but now I have to run down to the lobby for another mindblowing meal.

Tim

Japan

So far, in my relatively limited scope of world travel, Japan is possibly the most amazing place I've ever been to. I've never been anywhere else where I've felt like such "an ignorant American". I say that out of total respect for Japan- the people are so nice and generous, gracious, respectful, dignified and elegant. It makes me feel coarse and rough. I've never been anywhere cleaner either. Tokyo is a city of about 20 Million people and I have not seen one cigarette butt on the ground.


I'll have more later- promise- but I have to get ready to leave and visit bike shops in the city today; I am VERY excited about that.

Tim

FYI

Japan rocks!

I love this country already.

And... yes, the sushi here is FAR better than in the US. Sorry... but it's true.


Tim

Waiting for a plane...

Sitting on the floor of the terminal here in Taipei, stealing a wireless signal from somewhere... thank you whoever you are.


Had mild panic attack this morning, with less than an hour before my driver for the airport showed up, because I thought I'd lost my passport! I ripped through all my bags and everything I was carrying. I sent a panicked email home to the office, asking "WHAT DO I DO?" Then I took a deep breath and started digging through the pockets of all the clothes I've worn this week... and found the passport where I left it. The thought of missing my flight or entire trip to Japan because of a missing passport had me in a cold sweat. Needless to say... I'm happy it is in my pocket right now- safe and sound.

Gonna board the plane in a moment, so sayonara!

Tim

Tokyo or bust!

Tomorrow morning I hop on the flying germ cylinder and head off to Tokyo for stop number two of this Asian whirlwind tour. The time here in Taiwan has been wonderful and curious as always. The city of Taichung is such an amazing place- so crowded and noisy, a little odd smelling at times, super industrial and yet still somehow elegant and graceful with a touch of ancient culture and civility. I am always amazed by the overwhelming hospitality of many of the people here. I am not fool enough to not recognize that some folks who are nice to me are hoping that it increases the business I do with them, or might do, but there is still such an amazing warmth that comes from the people of Taiwan. Each time I prepare to leave Taiwan, I am filled with mixed emotions- glad to be leaving, but still a little melancholy too. It's strange... I know.

Tomorrow I hope to be able to report on happenings in Japan and add more pictures from there and additional ones from here in Taiwan. I've taken tons of pictures as usual- I really do need to create a flickr gallery... but I'm lazy.

Little side story to Taiwan; right now, Taiwan is hosting the Baseball World Cup. The US team is staying here in the same hotel as me- along with the Japanese team (ironic, I know). For days I have been watching these young men and the team staff come and go from the hotel and have been eating breakfast with them at the buffet each day. In fact, the day I got in, they had just arrived back from a game and I ended up riding the elevator with a few of them. They looked like kids to me, though they are probably only about 10-15 years younger than me (shut up). That first night, after I got into my room and changed, I headed out the front door to go get a bite to eat. As I walked out, I was mobbed by a group of either Taiwanese or Japanese baseball fans (I wasn't sure from the accents), asking if I was "famous coach of American-style baseball team". Markers and magazines/ game programs/ autograph books were jammed under my nose to be signed... but I just couldn't take the credit for the team and politely explained that I was not associated with the team. I don't think they believed me, since I was wearing a ball cap (though it said "Dura Ace" on it). Tonight, I sat in the hotel lounge/ bar to have my dinner and a beer. On the wall sized projector TV screen, team USA and team Taiwan were locked in a great battle- both are favored to finish the series very well. It was pretty funny to see the young faces of the players in uniform and on TV, rather than on the elevator or eating. I have to admit that I was rooting for them a little harder than I might've under normal circumstances.

It's only a little after 9:00PM here now, but I'm falling asleep as I type and I have a long day of travel ahead. I talk to you from Tokyo...

Tim