Every year around this time, the company I work for (QBP) holds it’s annual event called SaddleDrive. It’s this event every year where many of the brands I work with, and for, launch their new products. If you landed here thinking you’d see all the latest and greatest new products I am sorry to let you down. I’m not intending to be a media outlet. Instead, you can read about and check out a few pictures I like from my recent trip.

My trip started with me being reunited with my old friend, the Salsa Vaya. After I rode Dirty Kanza a few years ago, I put this bike away. I needed a break from it. During that time my friend in San Francisco had his trusty Fargo generation 1 stolen and I sent it to him. It sure was nice being reunited with this old friend. It was the perfect steed to explore the beautiful city of San Francisco and a few of its surrounding cities.  As the top picture shows, there is endless street art throughout the city, but it was particularly good in Oakland where I snapped that pic as well as a couple below.

The only downer for me on my whole trip was that I missed seeing the Leica gallery and store. We arrived at 5:59 and it closed at 6:00! Dang it, another time.

Regardless, here are a few pics.  Click on any of the pics to go to slideshow mode.

After a couple days in San Francisco, I headed east towards North Star resort near Lake Tahoe. I was blown away by the beauty of this place and the crazy good trail network. I rode two bikes while I was there, the new Salsa Timberjack and the trusty Pony Rustler. Both were amazing on the trails. Both got me to the top of the 8600 foot resort area with ease. Both tamed the gravity inspired trails on the way down.  Both are worth looking into depending on your need and motivation for either a super affordable and capable hard tail or a full featured, plus sized suspension bike. Anyway, here are a few pics from the event. Again, it was a beautiful area and I hope a few of these pics can give you just a glimpse of how beautiful the area is. I sure hope to go back and explore a little more.  Again, click on an image to move to slideshow mode.

So good to see so many of my friends. That’s a wrap and I can’t wait until next year’s event.