I have to work today and tomorrow (Fri. and Sat.) in the shop. The Vegas Observations will begin Sunday after I've slept a bit. I spent 18 hours over the course of 2 days talking with 75 different vendors and taking photos with my cheap on-sale at Best Buy camera of many new products for 2008.
Interbike in the Sands Convention Center ends today. Some industry people are imprisoned without light, vegetables, and real exercise for an entire week. Be kind to these people when they get home. Remind them that they don't need to wear their badge to work and that they are no longer trapped in the desert. So no more drinking 4 diet cokes, 6 regular cokes, 4 lipton iced teas, and 8 plastic bottles of water between 9 and 5.
I found the IB vendor guys, who were running the style gamut from Uncle Bill to Sid V on parole, helpful and sporting fabulous manners. The women, representing styles from the friendly girl next door to Uma Thurman in Gattaca to Charlize Theron in Aeon Flux, were all very cheerful and highly knowledgeable about their product lines. People went out of their way to share technical information. You can say it is their job, but after several days of dehydration, scheduled late night events, leg-numbing cement floors, and no natural light, I could see myself cracking and smacking one of the 22,000 people walking into my booth with a glossy new 2008 catalog and price list. Everyone was unfailingly polite.
In general, the impressive bike community waits in long line calmly for cabs, doesn't bump into each other when grazing on $4.50 hotdogs, and holds doors for those leaving for the hotels each night on their fixies. I am happy to say during the daylight, the usual big trade convention sleaze factor was extremely low. (I had tickets to, but didn't attend, the after-convention functions, so only you know if someone had the bad manners to drink too much in the extra hotel room that served as a pub, chuck, and use your coat sleeve as a napkin. My overall experience was happily pleasant.)
Keep checking back to read about a ton of 2008 products as well as technical information and resources so you can service and maintain those new products.
