Traveling is a blast and I’m blessed and fortunate enough to see the world but being home ESPECIALLY this time of year in ARIZONA is EPIC!
Check out what I’ve been getting into lately…
Parker & I hit the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Races…
My old homie Robert hooked up the tickets & the hospitality…
Thanks Robert!
Robert offered to Parker & I to ride in the helicopter, oh word?!?!
Parker just wanted to see it, but i went high to check out the bird eye view!
Here’s the birds eye view o fthe Top Fuel boats hitting 240 MPH on the water, nuts right?!?
Will, the pilot & I…
What’s up AZ…
Saturday caught a burger at Zinburger with some homies Marc & Karl…
Fast forward to today, finished my long standing tattoo piece, bout 2 years in the making if I can recall…
Mike Roper finished it off, stoked on it…
Remember this was taken just a few hours after the spotting and stuff was put on…
This is Mike’s studio…
Speaking of more bicycle goodies from my last post of State Bicycles; Today on more door step, my friend hooked up the LOADED Precision products goods, they make primarily some killer mountain bike components & products but my homie Anthony hooked up some parts that are applicable for road cycling, spacers, skewers and chain ring bolt kit even a tee…
+ of course a part that’s good for all souls! a pint glass, CHEERS to Loaded!
I LOVE Halloween!
October in general is awesome, for one the colors, black & orange, the fall colors, smell, it’s my birthday month and of course it ends with Halloween!
I’ve loved decorating for Halloween since I was a kid, dressing up, etc. now as an adult I find other ways to enjoy the holiday here’s another one…
I found these Spooky Town Villages by Lemax, (yeah like the Christmas ones) at Michael’s one day years ago and now my Spooky Town Village is growing every year…
Here’s the overall picture of it…
Now close up of Dr. Stretch & Pull’s Torture Factory & The Shooting Range…
The Grinning Goblin Brewery… Just got this as an early birthday gift from my inlaws, thanks Fran & Garland
So rad!
The Mausoleum…
Here’s a video of all of it in action…
Listen to the different audio on all of the buildings…
If you live in North America including Canada now you know the brand Scion, ya know the xB, xA (now retired), tC, xD and now they and I present to you the Scion iQ…
Rolling out in waves across the country, Beginning October 1st on the west coast, then Texas, Florida and the southern area Jan 1st, East Coast Feb 1, 2012 then Central states March 1st…
Being invited to Manhattan Beach, CA for a special event to debut the car meant yeah a nice backdrop, setting, weather, food and more but in all honesty it’s cool to see something unique and new like the Scion iQ before most others see it or even drive one…
First of all thanks Scion and the respective team for having me…
Check out the Scion iQ and how I experienced it, I’m gonna tell you now, this car’s gonna be BIG maybe not literally but it will be BIG…
Got in Monday evening had a little mixer on the roof…
So Tuesday AM I had to go pedal the beach before the day proceeded…
NOW, the day started with a wealth of insight from a great guy, VP of Scion; Jack Hollis…
I was with 24 other bloggers, from fashion, design, everything but not traditional automotive journo’s because as we all know;
functional = fashionable…
My boy boy John P. was in the mix as well…
1st stop on the educational Scion iQ tour a super rad 4D film, that you will want to see.. Yeah I said 4D, smells, shaking and more…
Featuring artwork with artists like Sage Vaughn, Franki Chan, Ana Serrrano and more
Next stop a preview of what’s called Scion iQ Museum Project, an online museum; it’s going to show case some imagery, stories and more initially featuring East LA Chicano punk scene in the late 70′s to early 80′s, Detroit’s Strata Records + Producer Prince Paul & lastly rapper Big Daddy Kane
Received a tour of the Scion iQ with Brian & Kenny…
They spoke about 6 design innovations or manufacturers firsts!..
#1 Forward mounted differential versus rear frees up space in the footwell inside the car…
#2 High mounted rack & pinion assembly again more space!
#3 Fuel tank is under the drivers seat and only 5″ tall holding 8.5 gallons at 37 miles per gallon which is THE SINGLE BEST GAS MILEAGE in the industry outside of hybrids + on 87 octane!
#4 Air Con components are usually near the glove but not in the iQ making the cabin space larger it’s moved! Shrunken 20% and placed in the center dash console!
#5 Asymmetrical seating position the driver is further back than passenger so you can fit 4 if needed!
#6 Thin back of the seat design allowing for 2″ more inches in a car that’s only 10 feet long!!!!
11 Airbags in the car, yessir! safety!
They broke down the car step by step + Korey broke down the 25 different accessories that will be available for it…
Because a Scion is just a canvas for YOU to make YOUR own iQ, smarter than the others!
Here’s the Scion iQ featuring Five Axis kit, wheels, TRD Springs, ya know “hooked up”
My homie Nicolas thinking yeah it might be BIG!
Another homie Anwar not eating Peas & Carrots but wraps & salads!
Jack & I…
Time to drive one!!!!
Pick a color!
We’ll take black and be the 1st out the gate!
SMART WATER, c’mon high iQ water!
Saw this rad mural on Lincoln near Venice Beach, looks like Mike Giant did it, not sure…
Took it to Santa Monica Pier…
Hello…
Took the Scion to Undefeated in Santa Monica…
Ladies like it…
Showed it to some more people…
and dogs too!
That’s 1.3 liters of 94hp @ 6,000 RPMS…
But the practicality of the size is official!
Form meets function…
120″ Overall length aka 10′
66″ width
AND CHECK THIS
12.9′ turning radius, that’s tiny!
FUN TO DRIVE!
Check out Levi parallel parking it, too easy!
Liked the interior design…
BTW we were in Manhattan Beach so get serious had to get in the water…
Tuesday night, nice dinner, friends old & new + a guest speaker… Mark Mothersbaugh of DEVO fame yet, music producer, Yo Gabba Gabba star, artist and more…
Mark was awesome enough to bless me with 2 pieces of custom hand drawn goodness…
Here’s a video of him creating it…
I leave you with GNAR!
Scion does things differently I respect and admire that, was fun, light hearted and FUN that’s their intention FUN and think they nailed it!
Thanks Scion…
Seriously, watch this video and you can’t tell me you don’t wanna hang there with the crew, I know I do!
Beer, Gear, Bikes, Tattoos, cars, good people, good vibes, music, you know that’s what you want I do know these are a few of my favorite things!
Ryan hit the water, he’s got that whole Kelly Slater thing going doesnt he..?
Here’s a video of RYAN SAGE getting down…
Chabin & I chilling, Chabin has become a good friend and is also our Formula Drift TV producer…
Yeah Ryan!
Pat’s chica Chantel getting down…
Mind you I’VE NEVER watersported before, wakeboarded or anything soooo
So here’s my falling, falling some more but just wait… I get it…
Told ya, I got down…
Here’s video evidence of me, yes Jarod DeAnda wake surfing, it’s not pretty but its surfing!
Chabin shoots rainbows when he rides…
Pat shows us all up and puts it down…
Well he should he’s on the US Snowboarding Team and his brother is Nate Holland Multie X Games medalist including 5 peet Gold, these boys got talent…
Pat puts it down and has a rad business of being on the water, frozen or melted!
VIDEO OF PAT GETTING DOWN!
Ryan, Chabin & I, thanks guys for being good friends…
I’m telling you, get to North Idaho aka NIdaho and Lake Pend Oreille and get on a boat…
Here’s the info!
Peace out NIdaho, it was real, REAL AWESOME!
It’s not work, if ya love what ya do!
Had to have a good beer on the water, Lips of Faith New Belgium, Dunkelweiss, tasted like drinking a steak, black pepper hints, pretty good…
Rocking the SLB X REBEL8 lid…
rollin…
Dinner time…
Met some cool peeps from Temecula & Escondido…
I’m backin this Titan!
This bar was out of hand, in more ways than one, hahaha
Last hoorah on the water before we pull here in for the weekend…
Banquet to end the weekend…
The girl on the left (name slipping me right now) won the Cruise N Comfort 6000 A/C unit, congrats!
On the way home, met and rapped out with these dudes called Hell Fire Canyon Club, good dudes, RAD BIKES & good times…
Saw Danny Boy of House of Pain rocking a Hell Fire hat recently…
They gave me a sticker, I gave them a couple of mine too…
Formula DRIFT is expanding everyday it seems like and the latest installment is Qatar in the Middle East…Get ready because here comes your Qatar Heroes….
We were just in Abu Dhabi a few weeks ago and back at it for another long flight but lasting memories, here ya go SEND IT!
Prior to leaving for Qatar I was in LA for XDC which I’ll have a blog up on after this…
Emirates airlines at LAX…
Whole row to myself for 16 hours!
Flying over the North Pole…
Crazy
Dan can’t get enough air in his diet…
Emirates makes it real romantic…
Have no idea where this is but deep…
Saw this in Top Gear magazine… ironic people always ask me where is Qatar…
Dubai layover for an hour for an hour flight from Dubai to Qatar…
Bathroom stalls in the US are way more vulger, this is just a history lesson…
Respect…
Oh what Doha…
Of course my trusty INCIPIO protected iPod and Blackberry Bold kept me company on the whole trip…
Ok then…
No, you can’t not have my spare change, oh sorry Andy its been a while… since you shaved!
Dai, Ryan Sage and the Qatar Racing Club (QRC) gentlemen talking to the press about the historic event!
Yes that’s a gang of camels!
Here’s the ticket for the event…
So we head to the track where a FLEET of off road SUV’s incl Lexus, Toyota & Land Cruisers pick us up and we’re DUNE bound for about an hour…
Random in the middle of the desert…
Camel crossing…
Refinery…
Everybody getting briefed…
I love FJ’s, now seeing one in serious action I have even more respect!
This thing ripped too, capable little machine for real!
Here’s our driver Mohammed, Sergio riding shotgun, Kevin Wells Chris Forsbergs crew and myself bombed in the Lexus SUV, rad!
Here’s a small video of us and others getting down in the dunes…
Let’s just say some drivers got a little more nuts than other but all ways ok…
Except Myles dome piece….
Chris Forsberg getting kitted out for the sandstorm we were hit wit…
Andy profiling his whip…
This brand new Nissan what looks like a brand new Infiniti QX56 was getting it!
Mega steep dune hills, blast!
We arrive to our resort area…
Awesome hospitality from the QRC guys, catered apps, lunch and snacks!
Seriously one of the only real down sides to Qatar is alcohol is REALLY hard to come up on…
Here’s some of us at a bar in a Western Hotel, Blair, Andy, Forsberg, TAngelo, Djan, Kiki, Essa…My shoes…
Aasbo puting it down in his NEED FOR SPEED Supra, last time before GAME TIME in his NFS Scion tC at round 1 of FD, this is one of only action pics, figure theres tons of coverage via DRIFTSTREAM, Formula Drift official coverage and more…
Also, while actions going on I’m working and MC’ing my butt off…
Sunset in Qatar…
Half time show with the 2 wheeled driving, so rad!
No stunts or tricks just skilled driving
Peep the VVIP lounge chairs and all the locals in their garb so rad (I’m saying rad alot, oh well rad!)
Burnout til they blow up?!?!
Congrats fellas…
Fireworks for the finale…
Goldenchild and I…
Let’s just say this is last call and the rest is history…
Back to that naan spot for lunch at the souq…
This looks like a streetwear ad but this aint Melrose or Fairfax, this is Qatar…
More Indian food at Saffron, ad to re-visit this place…
Downtown Doha…
Wheel to wheel action…
Wait do I spy, jeans and sandals?!?!
I’ve held numerous trophies over the years as they go through my hands to the Formula Drift and other pro drivers but NEVER have I been able to take one home!!! UNTIL NOW!!!!!
This was a token of appreciation from QRC and I couldnt be more humbled, super stoked and blessed for all the opportunities been given to me over the past 8 years or so…
Thanks to Formula DRIFT, QRC and the whole community of drivers, crew, fans etc. this means more to me than you know…
Lets head home buddy…
That’s the crossing sign, we’re not in Kansas anymore but bout to be in Arizona in 24+ hours… Peace out Qatar
Layover in Dubai, peep the Starbucks…
One of the best plane meals I’ve ever had, was really good!
I leave you with this… I collect police and military badges from other countries heres one that was GIVEN to me, not taken or bought…
Qatar Police… Thanks everybody. RESPECT!
Qatar Hero!