Oakley

Got a bit delayed at this karmic vegan breakfast spot in West Hollywood, one where all menu items are of thoughtful intent and where the server pronounces Rooibos in an unnecessary way, before further dragging at the pool. It was only a quick fitting I had scheduled for midday anyhow, and then to build the bikes Specialized had sent down.

Well, when checking into the production offices some 25minutes late with allen key set in hand to find the Tarmac built and mounted on a windtraine, displayed like an art piece, and six focused looking faces in a boardroom with apparel options aligned at even spacing, I realized I was out of my league. I’d be reminded of this a few more times before flying home.

One present was the British director for the shoot. Director since it was all video and no stills. He looked the part, sounded the part. Then there was the producer. The stylist. The main props guy, I think titled the art director. The tailor, to trim and custom fit any garment. I straightened up, pretended to be down with it all and posed in every possible combination of bike and run gear while photos were taken on an iPad and emailed real time to the Oakley offices.

Specialized had come to the party and sent helmet options, shoe options, 2012 sample kit options, two bikes, and all needed to make the gig happen. Since I’d only travelled with one set of Puma’s which were quite loud, Dunkin, the props man, darting out the boardroom and returned minutes later with about 8pairs of Puma options to choose from. We settled on a black and white Faas 300 set.

Needless to say, I was a little nervous.

Nervous to intimidated when I pulled in at 6am and found 40 vehicles (that’s where I stopped counting) lined up at what was called “base camp 1″. It was crisp and clear with snow powder on the background peaks outside Palmdale, a small town 90minutes northeast of LA. Crisp being 28F which would be sufficient for numb fingers and a nipple stand by the end of every stride. Strides that were 800m long.

But before the first stride I got to see my stunt double to be. A manikin head needed for firing pebbles at during the afternoon cycling brief. My freckles were examined and documented by iPhone, and the work started to turn an angry looking 40 something into, well, me!? How bizarre.

I had one guy exclusively assigned to me. He gets me where I need to be, doing what I need to do. But he doesnt get the coffee himself, he just instructs someone further down the hierarchy. So too a lengthy ladder upwards. Was all quite fascinating. And the jargon was awesome. Abbreviations for everything, which when strung together sounds like code. There were many brilliant comments, I should have written them down.

On those 800m strides, three guys filmed from a quadbike mounted with a platform and serious equipment. The Camera DP calls the shots on the bike, but doesnt adjust the aparture himself, or even presses record. Thats for another guy. And the third, I think he is just an assistant when needed, which didnt seem often. The director, producer and Oakley representatives were in a minivan trailing behind while watching live feed on a monitor. Every time we would restart a stride, 3 minivans would haul up the road, cops would block traffic either side, and we’d get going again. How does one make that look natural?

They had one of the Red Camera’s – apparently the best of the best and a company founded by the original founder of Oakley, as well as one that could capture at 1500fps. Which for the super slow-mo detailed shots like a foot strike puffing a small dust cloud, made for mad imagery.

They wanted one of those lone horse wild western tumble weeds to roll alongside me. So out comes a massive fan to blow it along. Or for some ‘fake’ heat they had a meter long warmer which would created that mirage effect when placed a few feet in front of the lens.

After relocating and some lunch we got riding, till my manikin got his turn. He didnt want to smile.

Thankfully daylight diminished early, one because of the mountains we were in and two, the daylight savings hour had just started on the weekend before. I say thankfully since there was still much they could have / wanted to do, but my flight was at 835pm and it was the only itinerary that gave me a shot at making the Wines2Whales start. Rushed to LAX for a timely check-in but without a shower.

I dont know, what to make of all that really. An opportunity of epic proportions and one I’m intensely grateful for. Oakley has a very sweet marketing vehicle to draft behind. And this has global potential. I’ll piggy back my own brand, and that of Specialized and Puma on theirs any day. Plenty laughs too, and even butterflies usually reserved for race day. Sport has been a gate keeper to many experiences and social connections I’d surely not foreseen. A grateful addition to the memory bank this one.