Equipment Crew- Part III

[Stasher1]

[Stasher1]

[trimble006]

[ProtienandIron]

Those are fantastic.

[KBKB]

Great captions on the jackass/donkey/burro photo. (I'm not precisely sure what they are. They were hanging around the parking lot when we drove in.)

[mensagitatmolem]

Ha, enjoyed the captions.

KB - good pictures on the last several sets of posts, for you.

Here is my recap from The Arnold on Friday. Have been going for years. Usually try to go on Friday or Sunday, as Saturday can be a swarm of mass. Well, it looks like Friday is starting to become like a Saturday, as it was the busiest Friday I have attended. Still got some autographs and pictures. Just more selective now. I can remember going several years ago, and trying to get as many as I can. Not so much anymore. Last year, Ronnie Coleman was not that busy, so was able to talk for a minute or two with him, and get his picture. This year, I saw Joe Palumbo standing by himself, and asked him if I could get a picture with him. He said sure, and then we proceeded to talk several minutes on different subjects. I had followed him many years ago. Believe he has lifted for 30 years, and is 52 or so. He also has been on a S.W.A.T. team for several years. A nice guy, who told me to get in touch with him, if I had questions. Also got to meet John Meadows, as he was walking around. Have followed some of his training/eating habits. He was also a pretty nice guy. Watched a few lifting competitions, and ate enough free samples to last me a month.... Well, so did several other thousands of people, and by the afternoon, I could have sworn there was a haze starting to fall upon the building, from all of the protein/samples starting to interact with all of the bodies. That, and some surprise smells meeting you around the corner...

All in all, an enjoyable day, but may need to start going back to Sundays.

[KBKB]

KBKB..... I went to a "Ghost Town" in Arizona a few years ago that had donkeys walking all over the place. This was one of their "claims to fame" and they were said to be descendents of the donkeys that belonged to the miners that left them when they deserted the town. When I saw your picture, I thought maybe you'd went there!

There are a bunch of ranches near the border of the Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area. I think it's likely that those burros or donkeys that we saw live at one of the nearby ranches. They're very well fed; when my wife first saw the small one, she thought at first that it might be pregnant, but she realized that she had the gender wrong when she saw his "equipment". I'm guessing that visitors to the park feed them. The big one in the photo was about thirty yards away when I started photographing the small one. It hustled on over when it saw me near the small one, probably hoping for a handout.

It's a shame you'll have to miss your visit to the west this year. As you say, it's a great part of our country.

[yankeemarko1]

Hey all. I did some hiking yesterday. I went out to the west side and hiked in the White Tanks Preserve. I hiked the Goat Camp Trail. This trail is proof that all 6 mile hikes are not created equal. It was up, up & more up. I climbed up to the saddle which was just past the 3 mile post and then did a turn around. The saddle is the highest point for any of the trails. The total elevation gain was about 1700 feet. I was tired when I finished but it was a nice hike that I'll do again. This would be a good training hike for the Grand Canyon.

This is from the trailhead. You hike out to the little spire in the center and then go to the left of it. It's much bigger than it looks.




All along mile one of the trail, there were big patches of these yellow wildflowers.




This is the top.




Also from the top looking ahead. If I had kept going in this direction, the trail heads down and to the right in front of the towers. It's 6.4 miles one way if you go all the way to the end.

[mensagitatmolem]

Yankee - good job. You've made a ton of progress. Congrats to your determination and effort.
How are things going for you?

[Keetman]

Ha, enjoyed the captions.

KB - good pictures on the last several sets of posts, for you.

Here is my recap from The Arnold on Friday. Have been going for years. Usually try to go on Friday or Sunday, as Saturday can be a swarm of mass. Well, it looks like Friday is starting to become like a Saturday, as it was the busiest Friday I have attended. Still got some autographs and pictures. Just more selective now. I can remember going several years ago, and trying to get as many as I can. Not so much anymore. Last year, Ronnie Coleman was not that busy, so was able to talk for a minute or two with him, and get his picture. This year, I saw Joe Palumbo standing by himself, and asked him if I could get a picture with him. He said sure, and then we proceeded to talk several minutes on different subjects. I had followed him many years ago. Believe he has lifted for 30 years, and is 52 or so. He also has been on a S.W.A.T. team for several years. A nice guy, who told me to get in touch with him, if I had questions. Also got to meet John Meadows, as he was walking around. Have followed some of his training/eating habits. He was also a pretty nice guy. Watched a few lifting competitions, and ate enough free samples to last me a month.... Well, so did several other thousands of people, and by the afternoon, I could have sworn there was a haze starting to fall upon the building, from all of the protein/samples starting to interact with all of the bodies. That, and some surprise smells meeting you around the corner...

All in all, an enjoyable day, but may need to start going back to Sundays.

Was expecting a phone call.....phone stayed quiet all day.....smashed it with a hammer.


Glad you had a good time. I ended up getting over there today with my wife.....I will tell you that I thought Sunday was going to be a nice day to take her for the first time....it was a crazy as the others. Apparently attendance is going up, so you may not be able to get a "slow" day anymore. I can't even imagine how bad yesterday must have been.

We watched some powerlifting competitions in the hall auditoriums, but the only thing we saw on the main stage while we were there was jump roping.....I didn't even know there was competitive jump roping....now I do. Same as it ever was though, although I don't mind going. Neat expo with chances to see some products, celebs, and the normal freak show on parade. (I will never understand why some of the women bodybuilders out there insist on taking their sport to the limits of gender bending. There was one woman I saw there that was about 5'6", 220lbs, jaw the shape of a concrete block....and honestly, it wouldn't have surprised me if she'd pulled out a giant penor..... at some point you're just a freak and not in the good way).

Couple of shots I got with my phone:

Sorinex setup-











Sorinex bought up some Zuver plates...this may be the coolest thing I've ever seen at the Arnold-







Jump roping on main stage-

[Keetman]

Here's a couple more shots of the Classic '13


Jay Cutler-




Cool Barbell that "Fat Gripz" setup had on display-





Rogue had several setups and they had their bumpers feature in some of the powerlifting competitions....good for them for getting a bigger part of the Arnold that is held in their back yard-








For anyone that ever comes to the Arnold....when its time for you to eat, I highly recommend leaving the expo center and walking about a block to the "North Market". Its a cool old building that has a variety of international foods and a variety of other shops in an open setting. Some of the foods that are offered are Indian, Greek, and Polish. The food is great and you get so much more than a $10 hamburger that sucks at the expo center. You can also get your sweet tooth on over there and enjoy a good cup of coffee. If you don't like international foods.....they have a deli. You will not leave disappointed. Oh....there is seating for meals above the market.

[Keetman]

Hmmm....just went into the vintage iron thread to post my Zuver plate pics.....found that wasn't necessary.



Someone has some explaining to do......you don't travel to Keetman's backyard without at least giving me a phone call.


Especially when I bought you a bunch of beer last year.

[AttyGuy]

Lol.

[Accutron]

KM, that rack in red is a thing of beauty!

[ProtienandIron]

Great pics! Whats the 'chain bar' all about?

[dumb.bell]

Hmmm....just went into the vintage iron thread to post my Zuver plate pics.....found that wasn't necessary.



Someone has some explaining to do......you don't travel to Keetman's backyard without at least giving me a phone call.


Especially when I bought you a bunch of beer last year.

I almost called you, but I thought I was going to be traveling to pick up plates on Friday night. You bought me dinner, not beer, I don't drink (at least not very often) - LOL. I should be traveling back up to your back yard to get those plates in the near future. I'll let you know in advance, so we can meet up.

[Keetman]

I almost called you, but I thought I was going to be traveling to pick up plates on Friday night. You bought me dinner, not beer, I don't drink (at least not very often) - LOL. I should be traveling back up to your back yard to get those plates in the near future. I'll let you know in advance, so we can meet up.

Yea, I remember now....I believe I bought me a bunch of beers....which is why I thought I'd bought you some too!

No worries.....although it did surprise me you didn't give me a ring. I just figured no one was coming this year. Glad you were able to make it though! Let me know when you're in town.

[Accutron]

Great pics! Whats the 'chain bar' all about?

+1, chain bar is awesome. This is awesome too, as well as the chain license plate holder LOL.

[Keetman]

+1, chain bar is awesome. This is awesome too, as well as the chain license plate holder LOL.

I've seen the steering wheels and license plate holders....the barbell was new to me though. They also had a set of db's there...the "plates" were chains welded into a square...not sure why I didn't snap a picture of those.

I don't think there was anything "to" them though....must of just had a fabricator that could and would do it....then brought them along for the display. It was a neat idea because if you were watching...you should've noticed that they were special....which should bring you to at least look at their product.

The diamond plate bench press seemed a bit hardcore for my tastes, however.

[AttyGuy]

Where are the pics of the free spotter booth?

[BloodType3R]

Where are the pics of the free spotter booth?

Yeah!.. Don't leave us hanging...

[ProtienandIron]

Where are the pics of the free spotter booth?

On the bright side, at least there wouldn't be a queue in front of it...

[rlundregan]

Yeah!.. Don't leave us hanging...

(insert rimshot here)

[daniel327]

Where are the pics of the free spotter booth?

[Stasher1]

Where are the pics of the free spotter booth?

You have to go to a rope convention to see that.

[Keetman]

Some products/companies are doing so well they don't need to market to the masses at an expo such as the Arnold. Different companies have different marketing strategies. Some make the best possible product and sell at a premium based on word of mouth, some cut some corners and try to sell a value product to the masses in volume, and others make a flashy gizmo and hit the world with brilliant advertising.

Others.....well, they troll, cry, and piss off people that originally liked them.

I'm not a businessman, so I'd be hard pressed to judge a man on his marketing strategy. Good luck to all though.

[Stasher1]

Some products/companies are doing so well they don't need to market to the masses at an expo such as the Arnold. Different companies have different marketing strategies. Some make the best possible product and sell at a premium based on word of mouth, some cut some corners and try to sell a value product to the masses in volume, and others make a flashy gizmo and hit the world with brilliant advertising.

Others.....well, they troll, cry, and piss off people that originally liked them.

I'm not a businessman, so I'd be hard pressed to judge a man on his marketing strategy. Good luck to all though.

You are a very wise man, Keetman.

Repped.

[AttyGuy]

Yeah!.. Don't leave us hanging...

You have to go to a rope convention to see that.

Yeah. Don't go all David Carradine on us!

[Keetman]

Yeah. Don't go all David Carradine on us!

Just in case you're confused about where "the line" is...... turn around, its behind you.


I will refrain from adding to this mess by making a jelquing joke.




Wait....by announcing what I'm refraining from, I've kind of done what I said I wasn't going to do. Didn't I???


Guess I'm on this side of the line myself. Bummer.

[AttyGuy]

I will refrain from adding to this mess by making a jelquing joke.

It's no joke. At least that's what I read on the interwebz.