Most of us will be with family or riding out bikes the next four days, but we know a lot of people like that whole Black Friday [link] thing, so we decided to give you all a present!

Friday and Friday only! 20% off all the components we sell. Also included in the 20% off sale are the DryLoader DryBag as well as the ShowerCap. Even though we’re in California we hear it’s “winter” in other parts of the country. We’re not quite sure what this means, but some people tell us that it rains and snows!

Happy Thanksgiving. Save some Tofurkey & yams for us.

We’re aware that one of the resources we’re using more and more of as a company in the distribution of our products is cardboard. Radish, our new complete, comes in a box that’s nearly 90 square feet in size once unfolded. We love these boxes - they protect Radish incredibly well, they are renewable (though certainly at a cost to our forests) and thanks to our graphics team, they’re damn stylish. All that said, the question remains - what do you do with this resource once it’s done acting as the skin between your stuff and UPS?

One option that happens to be seasonally appropriate, is sheet mulching. An outgrowth of Permaculture philosophy which prides itself on creating useful systems (think stewardship) rather than toiling away (think calloused farmer hands).  No offense to farmers, or calloused hands, both great things, but if you’re short on time, being a steward rather than a farmer means more home grown veggies per unit toil.  First, start with some land.  Good old fashioned earth.  Don’t go making it look all pretty by removing stones and twigs and pulling weeds.  That my friends is called work. Instead, lay down cardboard, newspaper, anything biodegradable and low on fat content. 

• Next, cover the cardboard with one to two inches (2.5 to 5 cm) of peat moss, peat moss substitute or other moisture holding organic material.
• Layer several inches of organic material such as straw, leaves, grass clippings, or garden waste on top of the peat moss.
• Continue to alternate layers of peat moss and organic material, until desired depth is reached.
• Water until the garden is the consistency of a damp sponge. 
• Regularly increase soil level by introducing large amounts of mulch and compost to your garden and sheet mulched area. Essentially, bury the organic matter, build up your garden, restrict those weeds and still have time to get in a mountain bike ride.

How does this save energy?  Well, every municipality it seems can justify picking up cardboard streetside, taking it to a recycling facility that will turn it back into pulp.  It’s great, cardboard has a kind of Cradle to Cradle life cycle.  But all of that transportation and processing spills carbon into the atmosphere.  Hence, an argument in favor of keeping your waste local, and even better, using it to help grow oxygen emitting green things.  Like radishes.

Check it out here

Check out the bicycle & pedestrian infrastructure section on this great website.

We have some pretty awesome all over the world, but check out this amazing group of parents, teachers and children from Bellingham, WA that really show us how to incorporate the Xtracycle into their Everyday Adventures.

Four teachers and the principal of the school ride Xtracycles to work. Several families also commute to school on Xtracycles.

Click here to see the photos they sent us

To find out more about Larrabee Elementary, check out their website.

Our Web / IT / avid racer guy here at Xtracycle went up to Portland, OR this past weekend for the Single Speed Cyclocross World Championships. Crazy thing is that he decided to race his Big Dummy!

Apparently a lot of people loved the Big Dummy. Several people blogged / posted in forums about it:
Drunk Cyclist’s Blog: SSCXWC
MTBR Forums

And here’s a post from last weekend when Jason carried his race bike from Oakland, across the bay via BART and then rode from Embarcadero Bart to Candlestick park Nippleworks Blog: SUB with Mega Tires

A big dummy on a Big Dummy, a dog, a camera, and 5250 miles

Jim Perkins is riding his Surly Big Dummy from Washington to Key West with his dog Elke being towed in a Burley Tail Wagon trailer.

Read more about his journey here or keep up on his progress on his blog.

I knew one existed.

From the 75th Anniversary Book

Back to your regular scheduled program.

Perhaps the world’s newest Big Dummy owner, Mark D. stopped by Xtracycle HQ yesterday to pick up his frame and fork. Typically, we shy away from the will call pickups, as you folks, our dear customers, are simply too darn fun to socialize with.  Before we know it, a day slips by as we reminisce about our recent Xtracycle adventures. However, Mark plied us with Pie and fresh pressed apple cider scored from his buddy’s family farm. Hence, the photo above, entitled: Working Lunch, Xtracycle, 2008. A still life including avocado, will-call berry pie, footsie with new strap prototype, diagram of caliper protector, Blackberry. Thanks for the calories Mark.

Please note, all future will call exceptions will require baked good incentives for staff. Thanks Mark and enjoy your new rig! (Note, our Big Dummy plus Kit promotion ends today, 10/31/08)