Hey everyone!

Just a brief introduction of myself: I'm Robert and one of the euro-riders coming to NABX.

Maarten (cooperkite) and I will land in LA, a week before the event begins and will travel by RV to San Fran, to Yosemite to LA.

My Questions are : We need to kill two nights in LA, don't want to go clubbing too much, just go to a nice show or smth, in the vacinity of the hotel (so the question is): does anyone have an idea if I can best look in Hollywood or in 'downtown LA'? Can you tell me smth about it as I've been there 15/16 years ago, but was small at the time.

Question 2 : My current Helmet is too heavy to take along, so I'm thinking about buying a cool BMX helmet or Charly Insider. I would like smth 'not too ordinary'. Where is a good shop in LA/San Fran / Vegas to buy one? (We will drive along the coast line to San Fran). I'm willing to spend some money on it...

My current helmet :
(so smth in that style or another cool helmet).



which can also open up:



Please let me know!

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My Questions are : We need to kill two nights in LA, don't want to go clubbing too much, just go to a nice show or smth, in the vacinity of the hotel (so the question is): does anyone have an idea if I can best look in Hollywood or in 'downtown LA'? Can you tell me smth about it as I've been there 15/16 years ago, but was small at the time.

Where exactly are you staying? What kind of show(s) were you planning on seeing? What does smth mean?

If you could provide that feedback I could try to be of some help...either way...you really can't go wrong..one really good thing about this city is that there is a lot to see and somethings always going on around here...Hollywood is always fun....they've revamped Downtown so lots to see there as well...just be careful so you don't end up in the bad parts of town, especially at night (i.e. East L.A., South-Central, etc.....)

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Originally posted by lunchbox What does smth mean?

smth = something?

Just judging by context and the popularity of "texting"

ATB,
Sam

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smth = something? Just judging by context and the popularity of "texting" ATB, Sam

Of course...I should have gotten that....Thanks Sam!

Indeed.. smth means Something... Sorry about that one.. Just a million and one things to take care of.. I thought the US people would understand :D

Lunchbox :
I have no clue where we are staying yet, but that was why I asked the question. I don't want to book a hotel that the clerk tells me : "Do not go outside after 8pm sir, you'll be shot".
The shows : I have no clue, just some evening entertainment, not so much clubbing.. Could be a play or rather something you say : that is something you have to see when visiting LA, something we can't do in our own country (like clubbing).

Your ideas are welcome (but I'm not looking for a strip-bar )

best regards,
Robert

Stay in Santa Monica man, it's beautiful there and you'll be right by the beach. plenty of cool bars in that area as well that aren't too absorbed by the Hollywood stupid people lifestyle but more the loaded beach bum lifestyle. from Santa Monica down to Venice is all pretty nice and i never experienced any areas that were particularly dangerous whilst living there.

Hi Domdino!

We will land in LA in the evening (Sat 21st Mar) and wanted to see Hollywood and LA Sunday and Monday morning.

In the afternoon, Mon, we will pick up the RV, but don't want to spend fortunes on cabs riding back and forth from Santa Monica to Hollywood,..

Anyone good ideas about Helmet / padding - or is padding not really needed on the drylake?

Hey Robert,

Ok...here are some thoughts:

1) Santa Monica - Right next to the beach. Got the pier and best of all 3rd Street Promenade - Lots of restaurants, some nice bar/clubs, etc. There are some nice hotels in the area...safe area as well.

2) Westwood - Nice hotels and restaurants, clubs, bars, etc. Nice place to walk, etc. Safe.

3) Hollywood/Melrose - Lots of stuff to do...clubs, restaurants, plays, movies....pretty much nothing you can't do here....try to stay on Sunset (hotel wise). Check out Melrose for cool shopping...Hollywood blvd for some really weird people. Not a dangerous area but at night Hollywood blvd can get kinda sketchy...just be smart where you go if it's at night.

4) Downtown L.A. - Couple nice but expensive hotels in the heart of downtown...Disney Concert hall is nearly, Staple center has the Lakers and other concerts...if you stray away from these two areas, I would be really careful especially at night....

5) Universal City - Probably not as much going on as the other places but it does have some nice hotels and their's Universal City Walk which is really cool...please note - can get really crowded during hot days and there's a lot of teenagers and wanna be gangster's. Not dangerous, but I don't personally like those kinda people...

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Hope this helps.

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Originally posted by DrBobke Indeed.. smth means Something... Sorry about that one.. Just a million and one things to take care of.. I thought the US people would understand :D Lunchbox : I have no clue where we are staying yet, but that was why I asked the question. I don't want to book a hotel that the clerk tells me : "Do not go outside after 8pm sir, you'll be shot". The shows : I have no clue, just some evening entertainment, not so much clubbing.. Could be a play or rather something you say : that is something you have to see when visiting LA, something we can't do in our own country (like clubbing). Your ideas are welcome (but I'm not looking for a strip-bar ) best regards, Robert

i was going to say Strip Bar .. but i forgot Maarten is bring his GF too.

i've told Maarten that i'm looking for a spare full face helmet for you.
if anything you can pick a Bell Ballastic Full Face Helmet in the USA at a Bike Shop !Cheap!

let me know where you are in LA, and i'll start phoning bike shops in the area.

msg me on Skype (ripsessionkites) or MSN (ripsessionkites AT hotmail .com)
maarten doesnt have skype so its hard to msg him all the time.

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msg me on Skype (ripsessionkites) or MSN (ripsessionkites AT hotmail .com) maarten doesnt have skype so its hard to msg him all the time.

I try to be online tonight with skype.

Ok, thank you for the info Lunchbox! Valuable & valued info! I'll start looking in Hollywood/Melrose then..
Thnx!

And should someone else have ideas about helmet so Riccardo doesn't have to phone all over the place?

Groetjes!
Robert

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Ok, thank you for the info Lunchbox! Valuable & valued info! I'll start looking in Hollywood/Melrose then.. Thnx! And should someone else have ideas about helmet so Riccardo doesn't have to phone all over the place?

Anytime Robert...Let me know if you have any other questions re: L.A. and I'll try to answer....

Also, re: the helmet....you might want to do a search here - www.murrays.com.

If you see a helmet you like, you can pick it up on your way to S.F. They are right off the 101 Fwy in Carpenteria.

Good Luck.

Hey lunchbox.. Do you have MSN or Skype or smth like that?
Otherwise.. I'm looking on West Sunset blvd.. There are some hotels there (I use expedia to search). Don't want to spend fortunes though, we'll only be there to sleep I guess...

Re the helmets : only Gath? Not really my "cup of tea"

i say second hand stores or thrift the have sooo many like that and for very cheap:saint:

Robert aka DrBobke

something like this okay: http://www.bellbikehelmets.com/viewLarger/viewLarger.asp?ass...

its around $80.00 USD / its the same helmet i use.

need to find you a store in LA or SF to pick one up. HELP!?!

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Hey lunchbox.. Do you have MSN or Skype or smth like that?

I got a Yahoo account - pmryden@yahoo.com...does that count ;-)

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need to find you a store in LA or SF to pick one up. HELP!?!

I wonder if a major retailer such as Sport Chalet or Sports Authority might have them....Might be a good place to start considering they've got stores everywhere...if they don't you could try a local bike shop in the area (Hollywood/Melrose area should have tons of shops and if they don't carry them, they'll probably know who does....)

Steve Murray is an old friend of ours and has supported traction kiting from the beginning, so if you don't want your money going to a faceless multinational business, please try finding something you like at Murray's first!

http://www.murrays.com

Do you have places you plan to stop and stay in the rv or are you just going to find a parking lot and sleep there?

Hi All,

Almost going to bed.. Tomorrow 4 hours solo race in the Panne (Belgium) jippie .. In freezing water - out of freezing water..

Thanks for your thoughts. I can definitely use them!
Lunchbox : I don't have a yahoo account anymore, but I'll send you an email if that's okay.. not now (almost going to bed).
Dean : I'll consider this, but I saw on his site only Gath helmets..? Not the thing I'm looking for..

Dakitez : I think to KOA's, not camping out probably.

KOA's are a good choice !!

u2u me the koa's you are planning to stay and I will give you my opinion.

No problem, get what you need, but remember to support those who support us when you can!

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Dean : I'll consider this, but I saw on his site only Gath helmets..? Not the thing I'm looking for..