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Killer Pedal Deal!!!

Do you have old pedals on your bike?

Thinking about purchasing new ones?

Check out our new pedal replacement program!!!!!

You'll get a credit towards the purchase of new pedals when you bring your old, beat up crank pushers to The Arc Shop.

The pedals must be one of the listed brands below.

The pedals to choose from are in the chart below….

Here's the scoop!

From

June 15th through August 31st, 2010, you can bring your clip-less pedals to us and receive a discount towards a new pair of LOOK pedals. Now is the chance to trade up to the winningest pedal in professional cycling.

Trade in is available on the following LOOK Pedals.

Pedal   MSRP  Promotional Retail

Kéo 2 Max Carbon  $249.99  $189.99

Kéo 2 Max  $179.99  $134.99

Quartz Carbon  $199.99  $159.99

Quartz  $99.99    $84.99

The pedals that are valid for trade in are the following brands: Older LOOK, Speedplay, Shimano, Time, Crank Bros, Mavic, Ritchey, Campagnolo, and BeBop. Pedals must be in working condition.

Enjoy!

 

We all have differences but…

The world has been captivated by the beautiful game for the last two weeks.  I have written before about how this tournament unifies the world.  Even the most isolated country in the world, North Korea has a participating team.  Clearly this is a country that marches to the beat of their own drummer due to their isolationist political policies.  As I have been watching the tournament I am fascinated to see how the North Korean team conducts itself.  At first I was a little puzzled by the reports that the team is communicating with their home country with an invisible cell phone.  http://abcnews.go.com/International/world-cup-2010-north-korean-coach-talks-kim/story?id=10931655

Ok I have to admit, that's a little strange.  Then I saw this video.

That peaked my interest a little bit.  Then I watched this episode of National Geographic Explorer.  It's forty five minutes, but very interesting and worth the time.  

The point of these links is to show that North Korea is country that is completely different than anywhere else in the world.  Despite all of these differences, North Korea share the common love of soccer and completion as the rest of the world.  In fact, their last game was broad casted live, something unheard of in their Marxist political system.  I present this as undeniable proof of the unifying power of this tournament and the beautiful game. 

Check this out…. and try it out!

We load these up in The Shop and carry it around while wiggling into all sorts of strange contortions… We're sold on the idea… check it out for yourself!

 

 

Thanks to Outside Mag (on sale at The Shop of course) for the review and to BD for making such a cool bag!

The Ditch Witch

I am now a firm believer in the legend of The Ditch Witch.

It has been said that years ago, when the great mansions dotted The Kennedy Park landscape, a witch-hermit took up residence near what is now the town reservoir. She was a revered healer of broken bones and practiced the art of divination through the use of birds and meditative techniques.

The legend holds that she was a hermit by choice and not because of physical defect. In fact, she is rumored to have possessed an exotic beauty. Many well heeled gentleman who resided in the local summer cottages were seen passing in and out of her hovel door.

Then the change occurred.

It seems that one of the gentleman tried to spirit her away.

She resisted.

He came back with friends and somehow a fire sparked in the witch's cottage.

The witch, the gentleman and two of his friends perished. The third friend was burned badly but survived, scarred for life.

The spirit of the Ditch Witch now roams the far end of the park. She reaches out and grabs ankles as they run past, causing them to trip and fall. She also afflicts inattentive mountain bikers by pushing their front wheels into badly balanced positions. Horses just get spooked…..

She nailed me again this morning on a trail run. (She seems to like me…)

There wasn't a single object to trip over anywhere on the trail. I wasn't running fast. (Of course, I never run fast… I wouldn't even call it running…. more like waddling…) I wasn't tired.

But I WAS flat on face with a bruised shoulder and a knee gash that would make Hannibal proud.

I believe.

Link-a-Dink Day

We all stayed up way too late at Moe's watching the Celtics blow a ten point lead.

But we are confident that our World Cup team will provide a healing balm to our bruised egos as they hang with Slovenia today. (BTW, the game is being shown on our big screen in the coffee haus.)

Here's something to lift your spirits…. the guy on the washboard is a little scary….. but welcome to summer! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7bAzxPuQME After that we all could use a little relaxation… here's one of our local lads giving a great performance… take it away Cole! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fZFHY01yyo

Ahhhh, peace returns… check out this place we found in Leverett. We went for a hike and found this…. the video really doesn't do it justice… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mM-9orc7fr0 The whole community that resides there is dedicated to removing the threat of nuclear war… very cool…

One of us hiked Race Brook Falls in Sheffield, Ma. early in the week… if you haven't yet visited…. here's a bit of vid to whet your whistle… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2cb1-rN5-c This hike can be combined with a hike up Mt. Everett… well worth the time…. here's a taste of the view… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMnqkxBPHdQ

Let's wade into the hiking boot vs. trail shoe debate… here's an AT hiker giving a quick overview… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZ1muR56c4o  and a seven minute review of a southbound end to end… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEr6oEYj0sM&feature=related I want to go… now!

Sweet! So here's the JiFFL…. enjoy…. but a little more serious than normal… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvE_6X5QhYo

Have a wonderful weekend!

New Shoe Announcement!

We just received permission to roll out our campaign…

Let me present….. (drum roll, please)

The Teva Illum!

Check out the GLOW FROM BELOW!!!!

 

Ilum 002

A little Dawn Patrol… with shameless product placement!

These things rock!

Ilum 004
 

Check out who else wears these flips!

 

Come on by and try a pair on!

We'll have more info for you soon!
 

What to do this weekend?

Go to the theater!

I know, I know… sitting still for two hours is really difficult. We outdoor athlete types get antsy when our heart rate drops below 130 bpm….

Here's the deal….

Go out and ride/ run/ paddle for two hours…. then follow this with 30 minutes of hill repeats/ shallow water sprints….

Tired?

Good.

Pull on the Skins Recovery Tights http://store.arcadian.com/browse.cfm/4,573.html , buy some tickets and check out K2 on June 19th at The Berkshire Theater Festival!

K2large

Here's a description! (From The BTF Website)

At 27,000 feet, a single rope can mean the difference between death and survival. Trapped on a ledge beyond reach of rescue, a man struggles frantically to save himself and his injured partner. With time, the elements, and faltering hope working against them, the men turn to each other in a desperate attempt to grasp their situation. K2is a survival story with a deep emotional core, a gripping tale of two men whose lives and souls are threatened by the unforgiving mountainside around them, filled with what the New York Times calls “that tingling sensation of traveling beyond the rim of experience – of holding on to life at its highest peak”.

You can purchase tickets after the jump… just scroll down past the bike clinics…. http://store.arcadian.com/page.htm?PG=EVENTS

The Arc Shop crew will be present on Friday night…. We are picking out our finest fleece jackets and Prana pants to wear…. because we all have a hard time knotting ties…. besides, ties look a bit strange at the clubhouse… http://www.yelp.com/biz/moes-tavern-lee

See you there!

Summer Nonsense

It is a beautiful day and the weather is beginning to look like summer again.  Let's hope that the sun stays out.  On a summer day like today my whole spirit becomes uplifted.  The woodland animals fill the air with music.  My body is nurtured by the sun the same way a blue robin's egg is warmed by the feeling of their mothers body heat.  Sometimes it's even nice to do nothing and just enjoy the crystal blue skies and feathery clouds passing over your head.  For me, the summer is the best time of year.

I feel so nice today that I wanted to share a poem that my Father read to me as a child.  It always makes me laugh.  I feel the same rhythm in this poem that I do from the sounds of summer.  I hope that you also laugh and can feel the unique pulse of these words.  Sometimes nonsense can be illuminating, or at least to me. 

Jabberwocky by Lewis Carrol

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! and through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

World Cup and More Hints….

about the new shoes!

First, the shoes…. they hail from this very cool company!

 

 

Teva… thanks for donating and if anyone out there would also like to throw some money to water-keepers… www.saveourgulf.org

The Arc Coffee Haus was jammed with spectators yesterday as The USA hung with England in The World Cup. Jubilant cheers echoed up and down the Route 7 corridor as time ticked down and we realized that we are IN THE HUNT!!

Maybe we should listen to some opinions of Scot-Americans in New Jersey!

 

 

Quote from 1:10 minutes: "English keepers are crap…"

I see a discussion forming!

Secret Shoe Announcement…..

coming soon!

Remember a week ago when we hinted at The Shop having access to a shoe that is being carried by only 37 dealers in America?

Remember how people were guessing at the make and model?

The shoes have arrived!

Here's a hint!

Tevamoe

(BTW, the credit card was used up…. for all you creative types out there!)

Thanks to Daneille,Teva and Sadie at Moe's for the pic!