This morning, I’m sitting at my laptop, on the bottom of the 2025 Sea Otter Basic, poring over the pictures I’ve taken all through the present. I’m weeding by means of the good and not-so-great ones. And I notice I took lots of random pictures. Like, tremendous random.
I assumed I’d share all of it. The great and the dangerous. However, I’m additionally going to incorporate some stuff that isn’t bicycles, however was a part of the present, and tremendous cool.
My necessities for stopping and taking a photograph of a motorbike have been easy. If it was one thing distinctive, old fashioned, cool tech, stunning, or only a clear construct, I finished for a photograph.
On high of that, I used to be additionally pondering that this yr I’d skip my typical Better of Present. I assumed perhaps as an alternative of specializing in discovering a bicycle product/model for this yr’s award, I’d recognise an organization that I sit up for seeing and having fun with yearly. You realize, do one thing completely different.
My Better of Present award is on the finish of the article. Till then, let’s take a random stroll by means of the 2025 Sea Otter Basic.
Let the Randomness Shine On!
Jarod Bourdeau’s Fendered Magnificence
I’ve run into Jarod on the final three Sea Otters. I’ve made a degree to shoot a photograph of his artistic designs each time. This yr was no exception. Try this rad bike!
Kick Ass Cargo Tourer
I’ve shot this bike earlier than as effectively. It appears to be in a continuing state of change. So it’ll look just a little completely different the subsequent time I catch it, I’m positive.
Goldie/Crackle Aero Large
Fairly trick paint job. Rahsaan Bahati’s Dream Construct.
Ol’ College Haro Impulse w/ Elevated Chainstays
The elevated chainstay… it was a factor there for a second…
Rock Lobster California Masi Gran Criterium
That is fairly cool. I bumped into Paul Sadoff of Rock Lobster at Sea Otter, and he was pushing, what I assumed was a very clear ol’ Masi Gran Criterium. I finished him for 3 causes, one I’m a fan of Mr. Sadoff’s work at Rock Lobster, two, I’m a sucker for outdated Masis, and romanticize them, identical to good ol’ Dave Stoller did. And three, I wanted to get a shot of it for the roundup.
However, it wasn’t an outdated Masi… actually. Paul had made his personal Masi, calling it a “Mock” Lobster. We laughed, I took an image, and we went on with our days.
Seafoam Chevy Blazer with Matching Bike
I’ve no phrases for this. I like ol’ Blazers, and this one was cool. Depart it to the kings of colormatch at Stikrd to have an identical bike & Blazer setup.
Cool Metal Full Suspension
Bitchen Rodeo Labs
Cool Penny-Farthing
Previous Klein Adept Comp
Georgeous Scarab Drop Bar
Telepathy Metal Full Suspension
Charlie Kelly’s Breezer #2 (the second MTB ever constructed)
Tremendous Clear Neuhaus Hardtail
I’m additionally a sucker for a clear hardtail.
Hans Rey’s GT Bicycles eMTB
Hans was nonetheless on the present repping GT, although the model remains to be on pause so far as we all know.
Haute Bikes Bridgestone XO-1 Tribute
Not a Bridgestone, nevertheless it positively made us do a double-take! That Cane Creek gravel suspension fork seems good all color-matched…
Tremendous Clear Otso Warakin
Should you regarded carefully, there was a Wolf Tooth Elements backside bracket on the bike. Extra on that later…
Child Blue Bridge Surveyōr
Horny Secure o’ Sages
Cool Painted Seaside Membership
“Saved By The Bell” Impressed Norco
The cool “Saved By The Path” high tube shout out to the TV present Saved By The Bell, says all of it!
Distinctive Ti Hardtail Singlespeed
The 2025 Sea Otter Better of Present Winner… The Lumpia Girl
Like I discussed earlier, there’s a person who I sit up for seeing at each Sea Otter Basic. I maintain what she does with very excessive esteem. I’ve a particular place in my coronary heart for Filipino Meals. I’ve been married to my spouse Maria, a Filipino lady, for 25 years, and her residence cooking is to die for. Maria discovered how one can cook dinner from my superb mother-in-law, Dolores (Dolo as we known as her).
So, once I first tried the Filipino delicacies that the Lumpia Girl was making, tucked again in her Sea Otter sales space, it tasted like residence to me.
Began in 2018, the corporate is household owned by Zen and her daughter, Chelsea Windham. Zen’s cooking jogs my memory of Dolo’s cooking. It’s genuine and contemporary, and made with actual ardour. It’s constant and really, superb each time my spouse and I eat there. I’ve been completely consuming her meals for lunch whereas attending Sea Otter since she confirmed up on the present again in 2019. It’s one thing I actually sit up for once I’m driving up.
Ardour and Authenticity
Properly, I assumed she deserved a point out as one of many unsung heroes of the Sea Otter Basic. However, then I assumed… You realize what, she wants greater than only a point out, so I gave her my 2025 Sea Otter Basic Better of Present award. She deserves it for making sufficient meals to feed the huge variety of friends on the present. For doing it with a ardour and dedication to cultural authenticity, and for serving it up with a heat smile. She’s a spotlight of Sea Otter for my spouse and me.
You wanna know what we order? Her parts are fairly huge, so Maria and I normally break up a “Combo Plate”. This consists of both hen or pork adobo (we alternate), pancit bihon (rice noodles), and two lumpias (Filipino eggrolls). And, it’s tremendous scrumptious!
Properly, that’s it. Right here’s to you, Zen Windham, our buddy, The Lumpia Girl. See you on the subsequent Sea Otter!
