Life at Forest

Biking Barcelona

2012-02-06T16:23:00.001-08:00

I shot all this way back in May and never got around to compressing and uploading it. For some reason I thought of it today and decided to get it done. Nothing too ground-breaking, but a fun tour of a city that I thought was absolutely awesome. Shot with a GoPro mounted on a hilariously ghetto mountain bike rental machine. According to Strava I covered something like 40 kilometers...

Reel 2010/11

2012-02-02T18:17:00.000-08:00

Ok, here's one of the big things I've been working on lately. A long overdue reel, a sampling of my work behind the lens of a camera for the past couple years. I'm working on focusing my career toward cinematography and I wanted this to reflect that. I also tried very to hard to keep things tight, always a hard thing to do when you're going through two years of footage that you're somewhat attached to. So, without further delay, enjoi!

Cav

2011-12-18T08:29:00.000-08:00

Awesome Sky mini-documentary about the fastest man on two wheels, Mark Cavendish. Some good moments, and pretty crazy to see how calmly he talks about the Olympics with the amount of pressure he's under. Pressure from the Brit press is famously difficult for athletes to handle but Cavendish seems to have such an innate belief in his own ability that he can manage the pressure. Its pretty remarkable, and the more exposure we have to him, either through twitter or videos like this, the more I like him.

Talking dog hilarity

2011-12-13T07:58:00.001-08:00

Clarkson's Cars of the Year

2011-11-19T09:44:00.000-08:00

Jeremy Clarkson recently put out his yearly dvd (to watch the whole thing, head here. ) and the engineers in Munich will be smiling all the way to their Christmas bonuses over it. The 1M manages to top even it's astonishing third place in Evo's Car of the Year test with an over all pick of the year from the world's most influential motoring pundit. At this point I should point out that other cars in the test had badges from Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Mclaren... the list goes on. He even puts it ahead of the incredible E-Type recreation that he loves so much.

Having now spent two years with the 135i I can't say as I'm surprised with the 1M's success, it really is an incredible little car. Both a composed tourer when you want it and a rowdy hooligan with the footprint of a hot hatch, it's about as much fun a car as I've ever driven. Turn that up to 11 and it couldn't be anything other than awesome.

That 535 is pretty damn awesome as well, but seeing as I live in the mountains of CheapGasistan I'll stick with a pickup for hauling duties for now...

La Grave

2011-11-18T07:08:00.001-08:00

I've only skied La Grave once, but that's all it takes for the place to burn a spot in your memory. This video does a good job of showing why.

Bike Lust

2011-10-26T11:35:00.001-07:00

Currently spending too much time on bike websites. Not sure if I heard winter is starting. I've had my squishy bike out of action here for most of the fall, which I've also been traveling constantly throughout, so I'm yearning for some real deal mountain biking. Heading to Moab next week though.

Aluminum Tallboy with a big fork. Mmmmm. Fast but bomber.

Or, for the full monster bike effect, build a Stumpjumper frame with a Fox 34...

New GoPro

2011-10-26T11:08:00.001-07:00

GoPro came out with a new version of their ubiquitous POV camera this week and it looks to build on the success of the original. I've always really appreciated their boxy form factor as opposed to the competition's more bullet like shapes because it encourages you to use the GoPro as more than just a helmet cam. You can use it for timelapses, plasticky-camera stills, all sorts of stuff. Before dropping my own personal example into Lake Bemidji this summer the GoPro was easily one of my very favorite tech pieces. Now there's an excuse to get a newer better one! This promo video they released along with the new camera does a great job showing the variety of shots and set-ups you can put together with this awesome little camera.

Napa

2011-10-26T10:54:00.000-07:00

All the snow here in Colorado this morning has me missing the colors of California.

Ken Blocks newest hoonage.

2011-08-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

Ken Block is known more for his ridiculous stunts than his success in the World Rally Championship, but when they're as hair-brained and hilarious as this it's hard to fault the guy. I think this is his best one yet, with more of a rally feel to the course around Universal Studio's back lots than his previous stunt sessions at a warehouse or runway.

Shelf Road to Alp D'Huez

2011-07-17T01:10:00.000-07:00

Cliff riding on Col de Romeyer

2011-07-17T00:29:00.001-07:00

So this was crazy...

My favorite ride.

2011-05-27T12:41:00.001-07:00

Surfing with some of my favorite friends in the desert outside Moab. Music is Kings of Leon, video is from the GoPro, gnar is from the Mike Dahl and Josh Ray, among others.

Cateye INOU video.

2011-04-26T10:11:00.000-07:00

This spring I shot and edited this video for Cateye which I just finished up. It highlights their new INOU gps + camera bike computer which is a pretty cool little gadget.

To shoot it I headed home to Moab hoping for some sun in mid February as Boulder at that time of year is mostly grays and browns, not exactly the most fun for video. Luckily the weather cooperated and I was able to shoot both mountain and cyclocross under beautiful blue sky.

Highlight of the trip was riding Amasa Back to Pothole Arch with a return via Rockstacker and Jackson's trail. It was my first time on Rockstacker, which ended up being a good thing as I didn't know the technicality of the trail I was about to ride with 5k worth of camera gear on my back... Let's just say that rode sections which I would have thought twice about had I known what was coming up.

Anyways, here's the result.

Vail > Lyons: One Day in Colorado

2011-04-01T06:16:00.000-07:00

This was a first for me. Sure, I think I've probably snuck in a little road loop or something after a ski just to say I'd done both in the same day, but I've never gotten an honest to goodness, legitimate ski day and a mountain bike ride in one day. We started in Vail with 14" of powder and some of the best turns I've ever skied under blue sky and sun, then headed to Lyons for a gorgeous evening session on the awesome Picture Rock Trail. Tacos Don Jose put a cherry on top. I love Colorado.

Vail

2011-02-10T12:57:00.001-08:00

Having grown up half my life in Crested Butte it was a harsh transition moving to Boulder and learning what it took to get a day of skiing in up I70. Weekly traffic nightmares are enough to send one over the edge of insanity, or put a decidedly negative ending on a fun day of skiing.

Once in a while though you get the perfect combination of storms, traffic, ski partners, and the chance to play hookie on a workday. The results are ridiculously good. This was our Tuesday:

Brosiffs of Powville from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

007 Dogs

2011-02-07T11:42:00.001-08:00

Dog Ski Chase from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

My lady took me skiing this weekend. It was good.

2011-01-19T07:25:00.001-08:00

The White Room from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Yum.

2011-01-04T08:19:00.000-08:00

Popovers from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Picture Rock Evening

2010-12-21T11:28:00.000-08:00

Picture Rock Trail from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Speed Flying on Mt. Superior

2010-12-19T06:29:00.000-08:00

I don't think a time has gone past when I've visited Alta and not gazed longingly across at the gut of Mt. Superior. Occasionally there are ski tracks down it depending on snow stability, but of course, if you can fly that less of a concern...

For some perspective, here's the mountain in question, with "the gut" being a line from the summit right down through the middle of the beast. (I suggest fully loading this video and going the whole full screen experience)

Now here's another perspective. I am so jealous I don't know how to do this.

Superior, Speed Fly from Marshall Miller on Vimeo.

F1 2010

2010-12-13T08:47:00.000-08:00

F1's look back at the 2010 season, one which many called among the best ever. I don't remember the second quarter of the season consisting of perving on the ladies, and the music could improve a bit, but overall I'd say I enjoyed this montage of Formula 1 excess. The final sequence, documenting the title decider in Abu Dhabi, is particularly sweet, drama you couldn't script.

Thanksgiving to Bikes

2010-12-03T07:52:00.000-08:00

The proper technique for working up an appetite for Thanksgiving dinner: Some laps at the Kipster's pumptrack, a tour of Moab's hobo singletrack, and a sunset session on the Slippery Slidey Rock Trail.

Thanksgiving to Bikes from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Nighty night.

2010-12-03T07:39:00.001-08:00

No Scuffs No Cuffs from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Tour of Hall Ranch

2010-11-23T10:11:00.000-08:00

I've been having an absolute ball with my new GoPro camera. It really is an amazing little device with tons of features to explore. Here's a little experiment shooting at 60 frames per second off the seatpost of my mountain bike on Hall Ranch. The reason to shoot with the higher frame rate is you tend to get smoother shots with more data to work with, and you can also spread all those frames out (to 24 or 30 frames a second) to get super smooth slow motion. Check it out.

Nomads on Hall from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Tour of Boulder

2010-11-19T15:46:00.000-08:00

Tour of Boulder from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

I can't wait till November 24th.

2010-11-18T14:06:00.000-08:00

Building bikes at BCS

2010-11-16T08:11:00.000-08:00

Recently finished up this video for Boulder Cycle Sport. Dwayne gets after building up an eye-candy-licious Ridley X-Fire.

The Birthday Route

2010-11-15T10:30:00.001-08:00

We're actually still riding mountain bikes on singletrack here in Boulder, but much of the birthday route from last week is probably closed for the season. However, I do now have the gps trace, which is pretty fun. Check it out:

Best Ride Ever

2010-11-09T10:02:00.001-08:00

Sunday, I was lucky enough to partake in a 75 degree epic super D here in Boulder for my birthday. 3,200 feet of climbing and over 6,000 feet of descending spread of 35 miles of intricate route finding through Boulder's backyard. It's my favorite type of ride, tons of downhill, but still lots of uphill to make you earn the turns, so to speak, and it's taken me 9 years of exploring to piece this one together. The Boulder Whole Enchilada, or ICFIGIN.

However, five hours to the west, in my hometown of Moab, is the real Whole Enchilada.

Two days before my wedding I was lucky enough to ride the benchmark for all epic super-d's the world over. Thanks to Michael Cody and Spencer's bachelor party trip to the desert, we now have the Whole Enchilada on GoPro, slickly edited down to 4 minutes that document what is undoubtedly one of the world's best rides.

The Whole Enchilada from Michael Cody on Vimeo.

Slooooooow Moooooooootion

2010-11-05T07:58:00.000-07:00

I've been having fun playing with the 60 frame per second mode on my 7D recently. Two videos, one with men in tights, the other with dogs.

Slow Motion Puppy Romping from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Slow-Mo CX Test at Boulder Cup from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

1 Year of Magnolia

2010-11-02T10:57:00.000-07:00

Getting a dog just over a year ago has sure shaken things up here at Forest, but for every stressful or frustrating moment there are a million of pure bliss and hilarity. To make this video I compiled every photo I've ever taken of Magnolia (yes, there are a lot...) as well as video clips off everything from my phone to the full 7D/Zacuto set-up and created sort of a flip book/video montage.

Year 1 of Magnolia from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Boulder Cup CX

2010-11-01T10:20:00.001-07:00

Boulder Cup CX moved to the Flatirons Mall this year for a crowded race featuring some of the country's best. Here are some of my favorite images I snapped from the day.

My good buddy Ross along the pond.

Tim Johnson was precision personified all afternoon throughout this tricky course on his way to a W. I love how his shoulder is SO close to the apex of the turn and his eyes are already 20 yards down the course ahead. Perfect.

Race long leaders Todd Wells and Tim Johnson hopping the key barriers, a skill that gave a decisive edge with only a short uphill left before the finish.

Wells leads Johnson, as he did for much of the race, until Johnson dropped him.

Webber, Brandon, and Allen drill it in a BCS mini peleton.

Johnson saving energy behind an enthusiastic riding Wells.

TJ on his own and off the front.

Tim Johnson checks his gap back to Wells through the switchbacks.

Driving home the gap through the tricky downhill switchback section. Click to enlargify and you can see him sweating, despite the focused, calm look on his face.

Wells, however, has the look of a man behind in a fist fight. At this point he knows the win has ridden away without him. I also love how you can see the handlebars in his shades.

Winner.

Fancy rubber, tired legs.

Slurry Bomber over Boulder

2010-10-29T17:51:00.001-07:00

Updated with better video:

Air Support Over Boulder from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Wednesday Worlds

2010-10-26T07:02:00.000-07:00

Each week in Boulder sees a huge group of cyclocross addicts meet at 8am for a little friendly cutthroat "practice" at a variety of local parks. Last week the group headed out to Boulder Reservoir to preview the course of the upcoming Colorado Cross Classic. I went along with the 7D to shoot some pretty morning action for my series of cross videos for Boulder Cycle Sport (who incidentally, is hosting Cross Week this week in case you need some supplies). Greg Keller also hooked me up with the footage from his onboard GoProHD. Enjoy.

Dueling Ridleys at Wednesday Worlds from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

60 Minutes profiles The Best TV Show Ever.

2010-10-25T16:18:00.000-07:00

First Snow

2010-10-25T15:52:00.000-07:00

Today was sunny for the most part in Boulder but I'd heard rumor it was snowing as close by as Nederland. Over the weekend I'd ridden on Magnolia and seen the snowline just hundreds of feet above us. Today it was time to head into the belly of the storm and get our first snow of the year.

Heading up Fourth of July Road past Nederland. Better remember how to drive in the snow, and turn on 4wd.

Dog was ecstatic with snow's return. She immediately set to doing leaping hot lops the minute she left the vehicle.

I did manage one pose out of her.

Yeah, that water is cold.

Pre-Wedding Ride

2010-10-22T09:34:00.001-07:00

The morning of my wedding I was lucky enough to get in a ride with my dad and some of my very best friends. We were up early and riding from out mountain lair before 8am, a notable feat considering the previous night's fun.
We headed north, desceding into Castle Valley where we met up with my dad, Gordon, and Sevey. Then we turned around and headed back up the hill to breakfast, and a wedding!

Ageless Gordon, with Mark in the Breck Epic leader's jersey.

Schleck caught winter training. Everyone knows Luxembourgers love Moab.

The in-imitable style of Henri Barlow.

24 Hours of Moab

2010-10-22T07:41:00.000-07:00

The 24 hours of Moab is done and dusted at this point so I'm a little late on this but figured it'd be fun to post one of Alex and I's original videos. From the 5 year old vault of standard definition digital video, the 2005 24 Hours of Moab.

24 Hours of Moab 2005 from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Gates Carbon Drive at Cross Vegas

2010-10-22T07:34:00.000-07:00

I recently put this video together for Gates documenting their cross team's Las Vegas debut.

Pretty much what I would do if I was rich as hell...

2010-10-13T16:46:00.000-07:00

Wedding Photos

2010-10-04T13:35:00.000-07:00

September 18th marked a pretty special occasion as Abby and I "tied the knot" after almost 6 years of dating and even more of having fun together. We'd been working like mad to plan the party of our lives for the past year so its a bit of a shock to find ourselves home from the honeymoon and have it all be over. The past three weeks have truly been among the best of my life.

While its hard to see great events like these turn into memories, good pictures help you live it over and over again.

And there are perhaps no better images that convey the unbridled joy that was felt that night at Whispering Oaks than the ones from our "photo booth." Who knows what it was; Timmy's hilarious props, Steve's delicious wine, or just the all around loving vibe in the air, but people were ready to let their hair down, dance, and take pictures.

Below are a few samples from our "photo booth," which turned out to be more of a twisted live fashion show on the dance floor.

Cool pictures from way back when

2010-08-04T14:07:00.000-07:00

I've been terrible at putting anything whatsoever out there on this blog recently. Life, and more specifically summer, has kept me away from it but I'll back. To start with here are some fun pictures I unearthed from back when people took photographs on film.

I'm looking pretty focused here.

Eating something healthy I imagine...

I should sell my childhood hat collection to some hipsters...

Very small me with some very cool looking parents.

Yeah, I was once an accomplished llama wrangler. People often forget that about me.

Tina, eat your dinner!

Explorer

2010-06-07T08:28:00.001-07:00

Walking the dog

2010-06-01T08:31:00.001-07:00

I've been having a bunch of fun shooting these lately. Holding the camera in front of me I simply click off pictures at variable speeds as I cruise along. For walking sections I've been taking a frame every 4 or so steps, but when I wanted to really capture some movement or action the 7D's 8 frame/second motor drive is awesome. I then import all the stills into Final Cut so each picture = one frame and play it back at 24 frames/sec. A little frame blending helps it all flow together. (It also helps your work-flow to take the pictures at 'small' resolution on the camera. You'll see much less spinning ball of death, and there's really no point in taking 3000 18megapixel stills are 40mb each when you're going to play them back at 720p.)

Las Vegas: For this one I walked from one end of Caesars Palace to the pool at the Bellagio without stopping. Somewhere around 2800 individual pictures.

Casino Walkabout from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Magnolia the Explorer: This was also made with around 2800 pictures that I shot on a recent dog walk.

Magnolia the Explorer from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Ride Cams

2010-05-12T12:30:00.000-07:00

I made these the other day as a concept for a section on the new Vecchio's website about local rides. Only problem is I need to time it so no car shadow shows up, or the obvious solution, actually film it by bike. The problem with that is that the bike is just too slow. It's pretty simply (technically) shooting then speeding up 15 minutes of 720p video, entirely more of a data compressing clusterf#$% to do a 1.5 hour bike ride's worth. I could also do time lapse with a still camera but the using the Flip with a Panavise suction cup mount is SO easy. (We played around quite a bit with the GoPro Hero HD's built in timelapse in Monaco and its great, if the camera actually works... let's just say that there should be a wide angle shot from the belly of the helicopter... but GoPro turned into GoAmateur) Anyways, here they are.

Vecchio's Rides: Old Stage to Lee Hill from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Vecchio's Rides: Wagonwheel to Linden from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Best Day Ever

2010-05-08T07:10:00.000-07:00

Can you tell we're enjoying ourselves?

Dogschusse

2010-04-09T08:05:00.000-07:00

Magnolia was so put out by me leaving her to go ski powder in Vail the other day that she went out and made her own video in response to mine. Here it is, not bad for a dog!

Dogschusse from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Luscious Lovely Vail

2010-04-07T19:52:00.001-07:00

Lovely Vail from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Crested Butte to Aspen Bike Tour

2010-03-26T07:56:00.000-07:00

These are some pretty entertaining videos from the 1980 ride over Pearl Pass from Crested Butte to Aspen. While I wasn't born until 1982, I can't help but recognize a lot of these characters from my childhood. Good stuff.

Scenes from a big city

2010-03-23T08:49:00.001-07:00

Tanner Foust drifts Mullholland

2010-03-17T14:53:00.000-07:00

This is one of the more ridiculous things I've seen in a while. It's tough to keep up with Red Bull's stunt onslaught, but this does a pretty darn good job.

(re)BUILD

2010-03-17T14:21:00.000-07:00

(re)BUILD from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

(Un)Set the table.

2010-03-05T20:42:00.001-08:00

Salon de Geneve 2010

2010-03-04T07:55:00.000-08:00

The Geneva auto show has long held a place at the pinnacle of venues for unveiling new cars. Despite the lack of any car industry to speak of, Switzerland has always been one of the prime spots to show the latest and greatest, and while the world economy isn't exactly going gangbusters at the moment (you may have noticed...) there's still plenty of cool stuff on display. Here are a couple of favorites from the first few days of show coverage:

We'll start out with something decidedly not-green since my next few choices all involve some sort of enviro trickery. A decidedly out there car, the Bentley Touring Superleggera Flying Star could possibly be my new dream car. It's a bit like a VW R32, two door hatchback with all wheel drive and plenty of power, turned up to 11....billion. 560hp should get you to Aspen with plenty of time to exercise the Amex Black card at Cache Cache before a good night's sleep and a day at Highlands Bowl.

Apparently only around 20 will be built each year and if you have to ask the cost you can't afford one.

Next up is Kermit the Ferrari. This is actually Ferrari's first ever 'hybrid' drivetrain, but before you think the prancing horse has gone all pious let me explain. Integrated into the 7 speed dual clutch gearbox of this monster is a road going version of the F1 team's KERS (kinetic energy recovery system) that will kick in a 100 extra electric horsepower on top of the 600+ the V12 already makes. Thank goodness. Conversely, if you're simply nipping down the block to pick up a frappucino and you don't want to wake the neighbors, you can cruise around in golf cart mode with none of Enzo's finest so much as touching drip of bezino.

I'm tempted to call shenanigans on the actual numbers Porsche is claiming on this one, but if they can pull it off it would be damn impressive. The 918 Spyder concept packs a 500hp V8 to go along with two eletric motors which create another 218hp between them. The German's are saying it'll do 0-60 in 3.2 seconds, top out at 198mph, and (actually, I'm pretty sure that should be an 'or') get 78mpg. All I can say is that if Porsche can suddenly make a 200mph car get 80mpg the rest of car industry might as well give up. I mean, if all Toyota (the front runners in hybrid tech) can manage is a car that'll hit 100mph and get 50mpg, how does Porsche suddenly double it?

Last, smallest, slowest, but not least, the Audi A1 e-tron. This car is undoubtedly the most pertinent to most people. Audi has been bringing an e-tron concept to the last few auto shows and in my opinion they are getting better and better. First off it was an E version of the R8, but really, something loud and gas matches that car much better. Then it was a TT sized car which was pretty cool, but this A1, which runs in the same manner as a Chevy Volt, is a perfect application for the technology. What makes it even cooler than the Volt is that instead of a standard gas engine generating power for the electric motor, they've used the brilliant Wankel rotary engine. Wankels are light, compact, simple, but until now pretty fuel INefficient. That's the brilliance of using it in this application. Since computers, not someone's foot, control the rotary engine it can be tuned to run at maximum efficiency, aka wide open, for only as long as it needs to be. Very cool.

My new Reel

2010-03-03T11:01:00.000-08:00

Enjoy!

Mat Barlow Demo Reel from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

If you're interested in having me tell your story please contact me via matbarlow at mac dot com.

Olives:Rainbows

2010-03-03T07:50:00.000-08:00

My good buddy/film mentor/all around bad ass Alex King, recently departed for Hollywood, has been playing around with his new Canon 7D. The results, as expected, are pretty cool. Enjoy:

Olives:Rainbows /// a film by alex king from Alex King & Mito Media on Vimeo.

Time Travel

2010-02-25T12:47:00.000-08:00

Experimenting with creating time-lapses using a Canon DSLR, a Promaster Interval-o-meter, and Final Cut.

Suitcase of Courage in Monaco

2010-02-19T07:41:00.000-08:00

Two years ago we headed over to Monaco to cover the Historic Formula One races there. I've had this behind the scenes look at our trip in a partially completed state on a hard drive for a while but the time has come for it to see the light of day!

Enjoy (for a bigger look, click through to youtube and make sure 720p HD is turned on)

Hey Jens, what do you tell your legs when they are hurting?

2010-02-18T10:52:00.000-08:00

Perkele!

2010-02-18T07:31:00.000-08:00

Found this one over at one of my all time favorite blogs, Axis of Oversteer and couldn't help but sharing it here. What's that? You're wondering what perkele means? Well watch the video, and then think of an English word you might use in the same situation.

Enjoy.

From the vaults: Chile Fest X

2010-02-17T15:00:00.000-08:00

From the vaults, one of the first videos I ever made, freshly re-edited for pubic consumption (you can stop worrying).

Shot in 2005 at the last Chile Fest hosted by the Chile Pepper Bike Shop in Moab, UT. I took my friend Stephen Smith along to experience his first (and last) Chile Fest while many of my friends there had been along for all ten.

Once back in Boulder I learned Final Cut Pro by editing this with Alex King. That was before 'the youtube' allowed you to share video on the interwebs as easily as today so it sat on a hard drive since then. Not anymore though! Enjoy

Chile Fest X from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Young pup on a mountain

2010-02-10T19:59:00.001-08:00

Magnolia bagged her first 'summit' today at the ripe age of six months and a couple days. Luckily she brought along a photographer to document her endeavors.

Partway up the climb and going strong.

Approaching the summit!

Posing, all she needs is a flag!

Time to head back down home?

Magnolia knows that the downhills are the most fun.

Not old enough!

Romping and rolling in the Rockies.

Lance's first year back

2010-02-09T11:25:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my dad for finding this awesome look back at Lance's 2009 season. While the narration is Dutch, there is enough Lance interview in English and great footage to make this one captivating watch if you've got some time to burn.

It's fascinating to see how candid Lance is during this lengthy interview with a Dutch reporter. Most of the American interviews you see are pretty guarded, but here he's dropping f-bombs and telling it like he sees it. Great stuff, and it just makes me even more excited for 2010.

It really is all about the tires

2010-02-07T13:26:00.001-08:00

Bridgestone Blizzak tires turn the 135 into what is by far the most fun car I've ever driven in the snow. Turning off Stability Control leaves you with a fantastically playful and subtle Traction Control system which lets slides go just far enough to not get out of control. The seamless shifts of its Steptronic transmission permit opposite lock, up-shifts under power without upsetting the balance of the car or instant downshifts into corners to dial in the power for the exit.

The biggest difference between sliding the Bimmer and sliding my previous Mini and Saab in the snow is that rwd power takes the place of an e-brake. Instead of barreling into the corner as fast as you dared and pulling the e-brake to initiate a speed sapping slide, the 1 would prefer you get the nose to the apex of the turn and dial in power, and thus yaw angle, from there, accelerating the whole time. It's incredible.

Volt Video

2010-02-04T07:08:00.000-08:00

Generally speaking, I'm the first one to chime in about the mediocre products GM has been producing for years now. A look at their current state shows I'm not alone. However, after all this time it seems they may have a great idea coming down the pipeline. We've been hearing about the Chevy Volt for years now; how it was going to save the company, change cars, etc. I was (and am until we actually see the finished product) skeptical, but things are looking very good.

Instead of just copying the Prius, which is what you could be forgiven for expecting, GM has gone off on their own road. They've taken a play from the railroad industry and decided to create an electric car with a as generator to power it when you can't charge it at home. Check out the video below for the full explanation, but this kind of car could really help in congested areas, while not being useless for the occasional road trip.

Car Overload

2010-02-01T17:50:00.000-08:00

Just noticed my blog has been dramatically tilted toward the car-centric end of my interest spectrum. Not only that but I've pretty much taken off most of December and January from riding. Whoa! It's ok though, because that's how things go, and that's also what always keeps riding fun for me, it's never a job, or 'training' :-). Anyways, just to balance things out, here's a little riding action from CB.

Crested Butte Singletrack Montage from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Onboard the 135

2010-02-01T17:41:00.001-08:00

I did some experimenting with onboard camera mounting today using the Canon 500D, a Flip Mino, and a BMW 135i. Nothing spectacular, but if you're familiar with what numbers are where on this car's speedo I think you'll agree that it's not exactly poking along. I used a standard tripod and some bungee cords to mount the DSLR behind the front seats with a 10-22mm lens set at 10, and a Panavise suction cup clamp holding the Flip for this. Next time I need to get the DSLR lower so the rear view mirror isn't so much in the way, drive a twistier road, faster, with better mounting angles for the Flip, and perhaps someone else to play with?

135i Onboard from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Winter shoes

2010-01-31T12:59:00.000-08:00

Coming this later this coming week from TireRack.com is a set of Sparco Pista 17" wheels mounted with Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 205/50R16 tires for the 135. We're hoping to take it to Moab next month and want to be ready for whatever (within reason) I70 decides to throw at the little rwd coupe. The wheels are very similar to the OZ's I had previously on the Mini (currently for sale, btw) but I'm thinking this setup will look pretty sharp dirty or clean, and really cool against the Space Gray paint... Check it out:

The Kimster flying in Finland

2010-01-29T07:53:00.000-08:00

Kimi Raikkonen has surfaced in his new role as rally driver and he's honing his skills in the Finnish championship before taking on the WRC later this spring. Check out this video where he gives a whole new meaning to the term flying Finn.

Tuscany Timelapses

2010-01-28T11:12:00.001-08:00

These were all done with the Canon 5D and 5D mkII, using over 50,000 individual images. I'm looking forward to trying this technique for myself, because I think you'll agree the potential results are pretty stunning.

Tuscany - Timelapse Impressions from Klaus Stern on Vimeo.

And check this one out. HDR modified RAW images from the 5DmkII edited into a spectacular otherworldly time lapse in Sedona.

Sedona HDR time lapse from dustin farrell on Vimeo.

Ken Block is coming to the WRC

2010-01-26T11:47:00.000-08:00

And there's no doubt he'll shake up the posing scene in a sport most well known for lonely men in anoraks standing in the forests of Finland. Add to that a trucker hat rocking Kimi Raikkonen in a Red Bull sponsored Citroen and you've got a recipe for some excitement next year. Of course, that's not taking one large unknown into account: Can these two hang with the established stars of World Rally when it comes to setting a time? Seb Loeb and Mikko Hirvonnen aren't going to give up the spotlight without a fight, even if that spotlight is shining quite a bit brighter because of these newcomers.

Check out Ken Block's 'Attention all fans, I now drive a Ford (and its cool)' video below:

Think about it.

2010-01-26T11:41:00.000-08:00

Medical Marijuana is currently one of the mostly hotly debated issues here in Colorado. With that in mind, put this in your pipe and smoke it...

10dayPOWDER

2010-01-21T15:17:00.001-08:00

Shot this in Steamboat Springs last weekend. Enjoy...

10dayPOWDER from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Magnolia in Crested Butte

2010-01-21T15:16:00.000-08:00

MAGsNOwLIA from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

The Mini Countryman

2010-01-21T07:28:00.001-08:00

Mini has released their biggest model to date, the Countryman. Available with all wheel drive, this is sort of a Mini Allroad, if you will. I'm sure many will bemoan the trend of bigger and bigger Minis, thus contradicting the very name of the brand, but I'd have to disagree. I think they've done a very cool job with this car, better than they did with the Clubman with it's semi-functional additional space. With this , I see a car that is quite a bit more useful for what lots of people do, while still retaining the small sporting values of the brand. How much fun with this be in the dirt on Cottonwood Pass for example?!

Sometime in the next year things should get even better, when Mini releases a John Cooper Works version of this in conjunction with Mini's entrance in the World Rally Championship. Can't wait!

In the meantime, check out this video of the newest Mini.

Dakar2010

2010-01-16T06:39:00.000-08:00

The Dakar Rally lives on and seems to be as good as ever with its re-location to South America this year. Check out this amazing set of images from the event.

Eyes

2010-01-15T10:32:00.001-08:00

Cars really seem to have grown eyes lately. Look at every car that comes out these days and the detailing on the headlights is pretty amazing. At night these details translate into functional features that improve the way we see the road, from automatically tilting and dimming to turning so you can see around corners.

Our new 135 makes me smile every time I unlock it with it's glowing cateyes.

My buddy Ben in Chicago put together this cool video showcasing his new GTi's glowing xenons

OneThreeFive

2010-01-10T21:36:00.000-08:00

Layers

2010-01-08T14:28:00.001-08:00

are the key to having fun in any conditions.

Layers from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Motomada (Not Safe For Work)

2010-01-07T13:00:00.001-08:00

Why is this NSFW you ask? Not because of any explicit material your boss would resent you looking at, but because if you happen to be at work when you look at this link you might encounter some intense emotions (anger, jealousy, etc) and if you're not careful it could ruin your day.

So, with that disclaimer, I present my good friend Stephen's blog from his journeys in South America this spring. His original plan was to hang out on an island in Brazil and surf while building someone's house. Then it became a 'Long Way Round' style motorcycle odyssey around the continent, visiting Tierra del Fuego and the Amazon. As it stands now his would be motorcycle is in unknown shape after its previous owner had a nasty spill over the holidays, so Stephen is living a life in Brazil where the most stressful decisions seem to be how many fresh bananas to eat in the morning and whether to take a shirt with him into town.

Not exactly trying for your sympathy then... but knowing Stephen things should be interesting.

Enjoy, the travels of Esteban Manchez the Sledgehammadore.

Shots from Vecchio's

2010-01-07T08:38:00.001-08:00

The second you walk in the door of Vecchio's you get the feeling that this is what a bike shop should be like. No slick concept store displays or gigantic Lance shrines. Only a handful of bikes on the floor (chances are, any bike you buy here hasn't been built yet), three perfectly laid out workbenches, and layer upon layer of cycling memorabilia and culture dripping from every surface. Jerseys, bikes, posters, and banners provide an endless source of entertainment. After years of visits and happy hour hangouts I'm still discovering new cool stuff in here.

Last night I took some shots with my new Christmas lens to share the feel of this awesome spot.

Jim's bench, complete with vintage Bianchi and perhaps my favorite poster, Andy Hampsten in the snow, signed by the man himself.

Vittoria Pave Tubulars, iconic tire of the spring classics.

Peter's bench, where he'll fix anything you need as long as its not called a mountain bike. If it is head to Jeem.
Plenty to ogle.
Fixters spend ridiculous amounts on stripped Pistas with no brakes, while Cx'sters spend it on shwanky tubulars to (have Vecchio's) glue on carpet fiber wheels.

Another Year

2010-01-06T12:41:00.001-08:00

In honor of a new year starting, I felt it was an appropriate time to share this cool video I found.

One year in 120 seconds from Eirik Solheim on Vimeo.

2009: year of the ride

2010-01-05T16:51:00.000-08:00

It's in the books. Although I've never taken the time to measure distances or count days before, I'm pretty sure I've ridden more in the past year than ever before. So, thanks to Mr. Garmin, here are the digits.

Distance: 3,840 miles
Climb: 471,635 feet
212 Days riding. (not counting commutes or townie rides)

And a slide show from shots taken over the past year.

Wookies on the ice

2009-12-29T14:13:00.000-08:00

Holidays

2009-12-23T12:02:00.001-08:00

GSRT

2009-12-15T09:28:00.000-08:00

I picked my bike up from Vecchio's the other evening after it's year end 'Grundle-Spritzing Revitalizer Tune' courtesy of Jim Potter. Year after year it never ceases to amaze me how sweet my bike ends up looking after a day at the shop with a true professional. Jim's skills as a mechanic combined with a frame and parts that were chosen for their durability rather than their sticker count means that a day in the stand rewards me with a bike that is as exciting today as it was when it was new.

Some of the parts in this picture are over 8 years old, while others are less than a year. Thanks to Potter they all look and feel brand new.

New tape is the part that you can see, but true to form, Jim made sure the real improvements are hidden to the eye, but far more tangible to the ride. The internals on this 8 year 0ld 10 speed Chorus lever are now all new carbon Record bits, and it feels amazing.
Bikes are fun.

Mark puts the slick in Slickrock

2009-12-11T07:22:00.000-08:00

We've had a pretty solid December of snow here in Boulder, but that's not very unusual. Moab however doesn't get a whole lot of snow. When it does its usually in the order of a few inches that are gone by noon the next day. Well last week they got a whopping 8 inches, and my good buddy Mark took advantage. Freshies on the Slickrock Trail, color me officially jealous.

GTIce

2009-12-09T12:35:00.000-08:00

GTIce from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Best of 2009

2009-12-04T15:07:00.001-08:00

I share a trait with many males in that I love top 10 (or 5, or 3, 50, whatever really) lists. We've all done them, cars, cities, albums, you know the drill. Magazine and the like always love lists around this time of year, so I figured I'd put together a top 10 of 2009. This is the stuff that I'll remember the most from an another awesome year.

Mt. Audobon - Abby and I climbed this 13er in July, and while it may have only been one day of hiking, it stands out as one of the year's best moments. Perfect weather, beautiful wilderness, and my favorite person in the world made for one super day.

The Quest for 200 - From January through December I've ridden significantly more this year than ever before. Racking up the days became a quest for me this year. People do this all the time with ski days, and I've always said that riding is so cool because you can almost always get a ton of days in. I came up short of trying to ride 2/3s of the days (244 of 365) in 2009, but I'll be well over 200 come December 31st.

Powdercats - I've got to get at least one ski day on the list, and while 2009 was a meager year for huge ski days in general, snow cat skiing in Steamboat was off the charts and thus it makes the list. We had a blue sky day this year and the steepest terrain I've skied up there combined with pair of loaned K2 Pontoons made for a skiing experience that was more akin to water skiing on Lake Bemidji.

Interbike - Driving out to the bike show with Mike Dahl this September was a pretty perfect road trip. Highlights included four wheeling the Mini out to Gooseberry Mesa, and a particularly beautiful evening on Slickrock.

Foosker's Man Week - When Rafael came to visit this summer I don't think any of us had any idea what we were in for. 7 days and 7 rides later we were left in a daze, marveling at how the same jokes, told on the same trails and in the same restaurants, can never get old.

Black Hills - Abby and I headed north to meet her sister in the Black Hills this summer and it turned out to be the perfect escape. Almost no cell reception to tie you into the networks, and no shortage of attractions made it a weekend no-one wanted to end.

4th of July - My third summer visit to Lake Bemidji was the most action packed yet. Beautiful weather treated us to endless fun on the lake while Kim, Ed and Tyler made the trip for their first time to see what I've been raving about.

Thanksgiving - When we bought our new house one of the things that was immediatly apparent was its party potential. Plenty of space for people to spread out and relax, a garage full of toys for people to have fun with during the day, and a stocked bar at night. After a year and half it was time to truly do it right for a major holiday. We had an amazing time, and nothing made me happier than to see friends and family having fun together under Abby and I's roof.

Family Road Trip - This fall saw us head out on the road with Steve, Sally, Kim and Ed for a deluxe tour of Southern Utah. We hiked, rode, ate and drove our way across some of the most spectacular land around, all the while appreciating the simply joy of the open road.

Moab Man Trip - You'd think this kind of thing would get old, but it never does. This fall we had an absolute ball in the desert doing our usual combination of riding, eating, and pushing the envelope of tasteful humor.

Wedding Scouting - Heading out on an adventure with my lady is pretty much the coolest thing in the world. Heading out on an adventure to find a wedding location among some of the prettiest spots in Colorado during the height of summer is out of this world. Crested Butte and Telluride, we may not have found our spot there, but we sure had fun looking!

Magnolia - Getting a puppy this fall has easily stolen the headlines from a year full of them. The journey of raising a dog is just starting and we're having even more fun than anticipated.

Engaged! - After dating for almost five years, I popped the question to Abby this summer while on the dock in front of her house on Lake Bemidji. Luckily she said yes, and we're on our way! It never ceases to amaze me how much fun we have together and I'm looking forward to a lifetime of it.

Readability

2009-12-03T10:14:00.000-08:00

Ever get sick of bouncing, flashing, talking bla bla bla ads and links all over the edge of the web page you're reading? Me too. A couple of months ago David Pogue wrote about this and I failed to take the advice and check it out, until today when he mentioned it again in his what I bought column.

Here's what I've been missing:

Cyclingnews.com; a cornicopia of advertising surrounding every article you read.
After clicking the installed Readability 'bookmarklet' I installed in Firefox. And not only do you nuke the superfluous ads, you can specify how you'd like it reformatted for maximum, well, readability. Get it here, it's easy and almost instantaneous.

Turkey

2009-12-02T07:49:00.001-08:00

This month marked our first attempt at a family holiday after a year and a half of Life at Forest. We had visitors from Moab, Portland, Florida, New York and right here in Colorado, all hell bent on depleting our bar as quickly as possibly between days spent riding and shopping.

A few images from the mayham, and thanks to everyone for making it such an awesome time.

You know its party time when these are out.

Don't touch me.
Mom

No people.

People.

Dessert.
Burn off that turkey.

One more on Picture Rock to end the vacation.

Religion

2009-11-23T12:53:00.001-08:00

The below flow chart could prove to be revolutionary in my life as I was never formally steered toward one religion or another. I've always floated along in a god-less void, wondering what it all meant. If you feel the same way, I'm sure you'll also find this helpful.

click to enlargify

Thanks to Bryon for posting this on Facebook. Freaking hilarious.

Wheels + Tires

2009-11-22T17:44:00.002-08:00

The Panaracer 45s have been a revelation on my Trek XO-2. The incredible loft they offer, combined with the increased braking power of some mtb brakes has made this bike a sort of 29er lite mutt. It's great fun.

I did have to hand clip 102 side knobs, per side per tire, for a total of 408 snips of the clippers, so they wouldn't rub the stays under heavy loading.
My Nomad was finally in need of a new set of hoops after the rear Crossmax XL exploded into fixie mode earlier this fall in Nederland. Since then I've been riding a spare set of Mavic Deetrax (aka you couldn't make them heavier out of concrete) and was amazed at how many people were distracted by their copious stickers and concluded they were some new uber wheel. Nope, four years old, and they weigh like 9 lbs. Yellow stickers must really speak to people's subconscious, and I think it means awesome.

The new ones are much more subdued than Mavic's premade stickerfiestas.
In true form over function Vecchios style, Jim put together a proper large gentleman's wheelset that'll take whatever is thrown at them, or whatever they're thrown off of.

DT 5.10 All Mountain Rims, 36 spokes, tied and soldered front and rear, with XT hubs.
And my favorite grippy, fast rolling, huge volume tire for the front and back, WTB's Weirwolf LT 2.55. Somebody get a doctor, because these wheels are SICK!

Training Day

2009-11-22T17:44:00.001-08:00

A guest post from the slopes of Mt. Ventoux

2009-11-22T08:08:00.000-08:00

I awoke this morning to a rather spectacular email from my dad which reminded me quite a bit of the Pez Top Rides features I enjoy so much. Well, it seems he's outdone me again here. While I've been yapping about how great the weather is in Boulder and that we've been getting tons of good riding in, it's nothing compared to this.

Enjoy, a dispatch from lovely Provence:
Spent the night in Malaucène, started early on the road to Bédoin, a road I'd never been on. Turned out to be an absolutely glorious ride. Sun low, temperature cold but warming, air still, only people out were a few hunters. Easy grades, narrow roadway, excellent pavement, a solid procession of bends and turns, a good percentage of which were generously decorated with tire tracks from cars sliding off the road at speed. Spectacular colors despite the late date.

Cruised Bédoin looking for the good bakery. Found it. Bought a loaf of bread filled with chunks of apricot and walnut. Headed out, or rather up, but gently. Into more fields of colors. The mountain this huge presence to the left. I didn't wonder if I could ride it but I sure did wonder how long doing so would take and how much it would cost.

At the rate I was stopping for pictures, a while.

Grade slowly increasing but gently. Into a village and that was that, the climb began. No shots taken for a good bit of time now. The road was too steep to stop. And always in a forest. Unrelenting grades. Kilometer after kilometer averaging 9%, 9,5%, 10%, on and on. Inside those averages were ramps lined with powerful vacuums that sucked energy out of the legs like a starving italian sucking down spaghetti. Climbed up through a narrow swale heading straight up the mountain with the road bending back and forth until exiting up through a hairpin that soared up into double digits. And onto a ever so slight relief with the first view of the summit since a long time. Time to knock down water and grab some shots. The pavement liberally painted with names and exhortations.

The respite lasted for maybe 10 meters then it was right back into leg-killing grades. Suddenly an easing, subtle but still there and deeply appreciated. What's this, shifting a cog! Amazing. Into a shallow bowl with ski lifts and a restaurant, Chalet Reynard, and the road from Sault arriving from the right. Hard curve to the left past the restaurant and there's a sign, Col du Mont Ventoux fermé. Surely only for cars.

The grades are easier, especially when the wind that is picking up strength is on the back. Around a curve and there's a bar blocking the road. Off the bike, pass underneath, onward I go. With every curve the wind changes direction, sometimes gratefully on my back then hammering from the side and battering me around like a feather on wheels. The views are spectacular. I'm here so rarely I can't pass them by. The view down towards Bédoin is huge.
Always the summit soaring overhead.

The higher I get, the stronger the wind. The grade is strengthening too. I'm way too hot inside my layers. I stop to take one off, plant a foot on it while I pull out my windbreaker and fight with the wind to get it over my head before it disappears over the mountain. I'm stopped, might as well shoot again. I stand the bike up and hear a sharp crack. Damn! A spoke broke. Just like that. Nothing touched it. It just snapped. Amazingly the wheel isn't far off true. No problem. Press on. No way I'm not getting to the summit.

The grade stiffens. How do those guys in the Tour go up this so fast! I arrive at the Col des Tempêtes. I've never heard of it and in truth it's not really a col, just a place where the wind howls over the mountain then plunges off to the north. I have to get a shot. Thankfully there's a wall or I think my bike could have been blown over the edge. Maybe me too.
Views looking north are sublime. A wild country laced with small roads. A paradise of cycling.

The vertical drop into the valley below is huge. There's a road there I'd like to do someday. From Malaucène to Sault to Bédoin and back to a Malaucène.

Back to the climb, the final section. Double-digit grades and pounded by the wind. I hug the inside edge, press on. At last, the final hairpin to the right to the summit. The wind brutally shoves me to the outside then once I'm around the corner, the wind is bouncing off the building and hammering me in the other direction. The summit is totally deserted. A year and three weeks ago I was here and couldn't even get my bike in front of the summit sign for a shot. I still can't but only because the wind is tearing over the wall so hard the bike wouldn't have a chance. But behind a small sign there's a calm spot. The bike stands untouched by the winds.

I find a corner against the building where I can stash my pack without it getting lifted and blown away and shoot some shots looking back where I came from. Beautiful.

Time to go, the wind too violent to make staying longer enjoyable. I want to fly back down but the weakened front wheel is ever so slightly worrisome. Thankfully there's little wobble. Should be good. It is. Definitely a bit slower than would otherwise be the case as I don't want to strain the front wheel. On the slopes just below the summit I hold on tight while the bike is buffeted left and right. Wild. Fabulous downhill. Maybe the best I've ever done. That section where the road bends back and forth through a shallow trough is as good as it gets. The acceleration is huge. Unreal ride. I was ready to take the road to Sault and then climb back up but not with the broken spoke so called it good with as fine a ride as I've done.

Doh.

2009-11-17T11:05:00.000-08:00

Hilarious, from the Snob.

CX@XILINX09

2009-11-16T15:19:00.001-08:00

CX@XILINX09 from Mat Barlow on Vimeo.

Top Gear is Back

2009-11-16T13:02:00.000-08:00

The world's greatest TV show is back on the air in Britain for a 14th season, and it opened last night with a doozy of an episode. Amid constant rumors of the show's demise or reduced budgets, this season opener contains all the elements of their best episodes paired with new forays into the unknown, both geographically and intoxication...ally. There are super cars, a super star guest, burnouts in luxo barges, the works, and the finale is even better than I expected it to be after seeing youtube footage of it's filming earlier this year. So enjoy, the boys are back!

(btw full screen works pretty well with this video, for me at least)

Top+Gear+season+14+ep.1

Mud

2009-11-16T00:35:00.001-08:00