SWAG, SWAG AND MORE SWAG!

Here is the latest and greatest. But certainly not all of it...

With 5 hours till countdown, we continue to walk the expo floor collecting more swag. But check it out - there's plenty so far!


Action Wipes - Sports Kit
Bike Monkey - TBD
Bike Pure - Bike Pure eadset spacers and a Bike Pure cycling jersey
BMC Racing Team – Team signed cap & photo
BrakeThrough Media - Editing Services
Campagnolo - TShirts
Castelli - Arm warmers and caps
CatEye
CCSD Cycling – Two $100 gift certificates to CCSD camp and baseball cap
CycleAware - A silver stow-away, silver torpedo and silver Heads up! Mirror
Cycles Brixton - 2 ITM stems
Cyclefilm - Eye's Wide Open DVDs
Cyclelogical Gear - 100% organic cotton tee
Cyclepassion - 2010 calendars
DZ-Nuts - Men & Womans TShirt
Escape Sports - Tire Repair Kits
Felt Bicycles - TShirts
Fizik - Bar Tape
Garmin – Soccer Jersey, cap, bag
Giro - Gloves
GoPro - HD Camera
Honey Stinger - Chews
ICLA – Reflective Leg straps
John K Howard – Signed ‘Mastering Cycling’ book
Kathleen King - Bike Scribble jersey & necklace
Kenda Tires - Tubes
Kinetic Coffee - coffed mugs/coffee
Kryptonite - Bike Lock
K-T Tape - Camo tape
Lava Magazine - 1 yr sub, tee, cap, belt
Lazer Helmets - Helmet
Levi’s Gran Fondo (courtesy of RoadID)– One Entry
Masi Bikes - TShirts
Motor Tabs - Fluid Replacement
NUUN
Pactimo Colorado - Water Bottles
Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY 12
Pearl Izumi - Sun Sleeve, shoe insoles
Po Campo - Handlebar bag in contrast damask
Primal Wear - Arm/Leg Warmers/Jersey
Rage Cycling – jersey
RoadID - $25.00 eCards
Shimano - Caps
Sidi America - Genius 6.6 road shoes
Specialized - Helmet & Jersey
Spot - SPOT 2
1000 Bikes Foundation
Team UTAC - Tshirts
TrainingPeaks.com - 1 yr premium subscription
Trek – Saddle, Subaru–Fisher National Champion jersey, Bontrager Rasta Tee
TotalCyclist - 45 min training consultation
Udderly Smooth
USGP Cyclocross - two jerseys signed by Ryan Trebon and Katerina Nash
VeloImages – George Hincapie print from B4 & After The Peloton Series
VeloReviews - Shirts & Caps
Walzcaps - caps

COUNT DOWN

In less than 18 hours, Interbike participants will converge on Lagasse's Stadium for the 2nd Annual Bike Tweetup and Charity Raffle!

Our goal is to double last years attendance and raise $5,000 for both MS Bike and ADA Tour de Cure. We've collected (and continue to collect) some pretty cool swag that can make this goal possible. With your help, we can make it happen!

The venue is amazing - Lagasse's Stadium is the perfect location for the event. A lot more room to accommodate everyone and an overall fun place. The staff has been great to work with and very accommodating and generous. Again, we thank them for their support.

Today, we spent the morning doing a walk through of the venue to ensure an efficient and easy way of checking in, purchasing raffle tickets and finding your way to the designated areas. So here is what you need to know...

Lagasse's Stadium is just below Lavo, last years tweetup venue. To find it from the Sands Convention Center, simply follow the signs to The Palazzo. Find your way to the registration desk and then look to the far left. You'll see Lavo, and in front of it, the escalators will take you Lagasses Stadium.

We will have two tables set up at the entrance - one with name tags and a second to purchase raffle tickets. Once you walk through the doors, hang a left and follow the signs to the patio. There will be another table set up just before you enter the patio where you can purchase more raffle tickets (in case you missed the one at the entrance). We will be accepting cash only and checks for purchases over $40.
Raffle ticket prices are:

• 1 for $3.00
• 10 for $25.00
• 20 for $40.00

We will have all the swag displayed in Luxury Box 1 where you'll be able to walk through and check it all out. There is so much, you're going to be blown away. We also have the use of Luxury Box 2, which has a pool table and two big screen TVs. Here, we will have a second swag table set up for items that will be auctioned off! These items include autographed swag and big ticket items.

David Bernstein of The Fredcast is the master of ceremonies - this year, he will be equipped with a wireless mic, so you will be able to hear the raffle tickets being called. Again, you must be present to win as we do not have holding or shipping capabilities. So, should you decide to leave early, give your tickets to someone that can collect the swag for you.

This year, we also want to showcase women's cycling. To that end, we will be showing two film clips - "Eyes Wide Open" a behind the scenes look of the Cyclepassion calendar, by Markus Neuert of Cyclefilm. (MTB Worlds bronze medalist Willow Koerber will be on hand to sign calendars.) And, "The Heat is On" in support of Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY12 Professional Cycling Team, by BrakeThrough Media.

Again, Lagasses has arranged for special happy hour prices of domestic beers, cocktails and munchies. To make serving you faster, we encourage you to pay with cash.

That's about it. If you have any questions, tweet us.

A new list of swag will be posted tomorrow!

SWAG UPDATE

We're only four days away and the swag continues to come in... here's what's come in this week and who's commited to finding me in Vegas before the raffle starts:

• 1000 Bikes Foundation
• Clean Bottle
• CCSD Cycling – Two $100 gift certificates to CCSD camp and baseball cap
• Cycles Brixton - 2 ITM stems
• Honey Stinger
• Focus Bikes - Tee, cap, bottle
• ICLA – Reflective Leg straps
• John K Howard – Signed ‘Mastering Cycling’ book
• K-T Tape - Camo tape
• Lava Magazine - 1 yr sub, tee, cap, belt
• Levi’s Gran Fondo (courtesy of RoadID)– One Entry
• Pactimo Colorado - Water Bottles
• Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY 12
• Primal Wear - Arm/Leg Warmers/Jersey
• NUUN
• Spot - SPOT 2
• Udderly Smooth
• Team UTAC - Tshirts
• VeloReviews - Shirts & Caps

Now, this is *just* the latest, click here to see more and how the raffle will be held.

Reminder: Please take a minute to RSVP. Thank you.

(And please, don't ask why there's an image of the Blue Moon beer logo on the last post if they are not on the drink special list. My bad. Blame it on sleep deprivation. Yeah... that's it.)

EAT. DRINK. TWEET.

To help make your planning a little easier, Lagasse's has put together a tweetup menu that will speed things up and make serving everyone easier. Come and have a beverage, food and fun. If you want something a little heavier, you can certainly order off the standard dinner menu.

Food Menu - $5.00 ea

• Mini Chili Dogs
  
• Artichoke Dip with Crostini
  
• Potato Skins

Beer Specials:

• $3 Domestic beers (not including Fat Tire and Blue Moon)
  
• $15 Buckets of Beer (domestics above)

Specialty Cocktails Pitchers - $20 ea

• Monday Morning Quarterback - Absolut Peppar, Tabasco, Worcestershire, tomato juice, lemon, salt&pepper


• Hat Trick - Absolut Vodka, Sauza Hornitos Tequila, Bacardi Light, Plymoth Gin, Cointreau, lemon sour & Coke


• Slam Dunk - Crown Royal, Sour Apple, lemon sour & cranberry juice


• Grand Slam - Sauza Hornitos Tequila, Cointreau, lemon sour & fresh lime


• Homerun - Cruzan Rum light & dark with fruit juices


• Mulligan - Cruzan black cherry rum, Pama pomegranate liquer & lemon sour

Again, we encourage you to bring cash. However, your credit cards are welcomed too.

Next Post: Updated Swag List

ABOUT THE CHARITY RAFFLE...

First, a big thank you once again to Lagasse's Stadium. They have been incrediably generous and an absolutely wonderful to work with. So can you help us do a favor for them? Please, RSVP and get your friends to RSVP as well so that Lagasse's can plan staff.

Not sure where to RSVP? Just CLICK HERE. Thank you!!

Alrighty then... here are some deets about the raffle...

This year, the Charity Raffle will benefit the American Diabetes Association and National MS Society. 100% of funds raised will be split 50/50 with these associations.

As we mentioned before, there will be a reception area in front of Lagasse's where you can pick up a name badge and purchase raffle tickets. Please, we request cash, but will accept checks for ticket purchases of $40 or more. If writing a check, we ask that you split the total and write two checks - one to the MS Society and one to ADA. (Please note, if the check bounces, we will tweet it and hunt you down). Ticket prices are as follows:

• 1 for $3.00
• 10 for $25.00
• 20 for $40.00

The raffle will begin at 6:30pm and go until the all the prizes are raffled off. Same as last year, winners must be present to win as we do not have the facilities to store or ship items. If you decide to leave early, pass your ticket(s) to someone else.

Here's the list of swag. Keep checking back as it continues to grow...

• Action Wipes - Super Pack
• Bike Monkey - TBD
• Bike Pure - Bike Pure eadset spacers and a Bike Pure cycling jersey
• BMC Racing Team – Team signed cap & photo
• CatEye – TBD
• Clif - TBD
• CycleAware - A silver stow-away, silver torpedo and silver Heads up! Mirror
• Cyclefilm - Eye's Wide Open DVDs
• Cyclelogical Gear - 100% organic cotton tee
• Cyclepassion - 2010 calendars
• Garmin – TBD
• Kathleen King - Bike Scribble jersey & necklace
• KEEN Footwear - commuter bag, springwater sock and cycling shoe package
• Kinetic Coffee - coffed mugs/coffee
• Lazer Helmets - Oasiz Helmet
• Liberty Sports Magazine - subscription
• Po Campo - Handlebar bag in contrast damask
• Rage Cycling – jersey
• RoadID - $25.00 eCards
• Sidi America - Genius 6.6 road shoes
• The Sufferest - Cycling Videos
• TrainingPeaks.com - 1 yr premium subscription
• Trek – Saddle, Subaru–Fisher National Champion jersey, Bontrager Rasta Tee
• USGP Cyclocross - two jerseys signed by Ryan Trebon and Katerina Nash
• VeloImages – George Hincapie print from B4 & After The Peloton Series
• Walzcaps - caps

If you would like to donate any swag, just contact us. We're trying to collect everything before September 16, but can make arrangements to meet you at Outdoor Demo, during Interbike expo set up, or sometime prior to the tweetup.

Again, please RSVP.

MORE DETAILS

Please take a minute to RSVP

We've been working with Lagasse's Stadium team and am excited to report things are progressing very well. Here are some things to know...

Lagasse's Stadium is located directly below Lavo, last year's venue. So if you attended last year, simply go down one level. We are working to get a map posted here that will direct you from the Sands Expo to Lagasse's.

Once you get downstairs, there is a large Main Entrance with a water fountain that we will use as a greeting station. Here you will get a name tag and purchase raffle tickets. (While many think name tags are nerdy, they will get you special drink and food specials.) The first 250 people will get a tire patch kit with the ADA Tour de Cure 20th anniversary logo.

Once inside, head to the The Veranda, this is where we will start the festivities - if you missed the raffle tickets at the door, you can purchase them here too. Unlike last year, we will have a PA system, so it will be much easier to hear the raffle being called.

We also get the use of two luxury boxes! Combined, they hold about 50 people, so the current plan is to use these to display raffle items.

The raffle will start at about 6:30p and go till the prizes run out. Half way through, we will have a special, 10 minute preview of Cyclefilm's "Eyes Wide Open - The Making of Cyclepassion 2011". This will be shown on all the TVs in the Veranda and the luxury boxes. And yes, there will be Cyclepassion Calendars at the raffle!

Drink and Food Specials will be available throughout the Stadium to those wearing the Tweetup name tags (see why they're important?!) This means you can purchase drinks and appetizers (menu will be posted soon) at any of the bars inside the Stadium.

Specials will include $3.00 domestic beers, $15.00 Domestic Beer Buckets, $20 cocktail pitchers and a happy hour menu . Now, because we expect several hundred people, we want to make it as easy as possible on the wait staff. So please, we encourage you to pay with CASH. It will make it easy for everyone.

OK, so what do we have for the raffle so far?? We're still collecting and still requesting swag, so if you have any to donate, contact us! Here is a partial list...

• Action Wipes - Super Pack
• Bike Monkey - TBD
• Bike Pure - Bike Pure eadset spacers and a Bike Pure cycling jersey
• BMC Racing Team – Team signed cap & photo
• CatEye – TBD
• Clif - TBD
• Cyclefilm - Eye's Wide Open DVDs
• Cyclelogical Gear - 100% organic cotton tee
• Cyclepassion - 2010 calendars
• Garmin – TBD
• Kathleen King - Bike Scribble jersey & necklace
• KEEN Footwear - commuter bag, springwater sock and cycling shoe package
• Kinetic Coffee - coffed mugs/coffee
• Lazer Helmets - Oasiz Helmet
• Liberty Sports Magazine - subscription
• Rage Cycling – jersey
• RoadID - $25.00 eCards
• Sidi America - Genius 6.6 road shoes
• The Sufferest - Cycling Videos
• TrainingPeaks.com - 1 yr premium subscription
• Trek – Saddle, Subaru–Fisher National Champion jersey, Bontrager Rasta Tee
• USGP Cyclocross - two jerseys signed by Ryan Trebon and Katerina Nash
• VeloImages – George Hincapie print from B4 & After The Peloton Series
• Walzcaps - caps

That's it for now. We will continue to update the blog as more information and swag comes in. Again, please take a moment to RSVP, it will be really helpful to the folks at Lagasse's Stadium.

Thank you!

THE VENUE

We found the perfect venue...


Lagasse's Stadium, located in The Palazzo, is the ultimate sports bar and sports book in Las Vegas. And the ultimate spot for the 2010 Bike Tweetup!

Our search took a while, but once our team in Las Vegas walked into Lagasse's, we got the call advising the perfect spot had been found. Many thanks to Juliet in the Events department and LeAnne in Marketing for helping us secure the venue.

Over the next week, we will be working with Juliet and LeAnne to create drink and food specials and ensure no detail is overlooked. So stay tuned as we will be posting all the juicy details here!

In our next post... charity raffle details and swag items.

JOIN US!

The planning has started! Stay tuned for exciting news about the second annual Interbike Tweetup. If you weren't at last years event, make sure to put this one on your calendar:

When: Tuesday, September 21
Time: 6:00pm
Place: Will let you know soon

This years Charity Raffle will benefit the Tour de Cure from American Diabetes Association and Bike MS from the National MS Society. If you would like to contribute swag, please contact @marthavan.

Stay tuned for more and follow us on twitter!

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

Thank you to everyone that attended the 2010 Amgen Tour of California Tweetup last night, it was a blast!

40 some peeps attended over the course of the evening and amazingly, not much tweeting went on. It was pleasant to see everyone enganged, sharing their favorite tour stories and being in the moment.

Many thanks to BottleRock for hosting us and providing such friendly and efficient service, you guys are awesome!

Thanks also to all the companies that provided swag:

Action Wipes
Bike Religion
Camel Back
EpicPlanet
Team Garmin
JellyBelly Cycling Team
Kathleen King
Lizard Skins
Masi Bikes
SLO Gran Fondo
Team RadioShack
RoadID

And of course, thank you Amgen Tour of California. This was certainly a memorable race, we can't wait to see you again next year. Congratulations to Michael Rogers and Team HTC-Columbia for the win!

Next tweetup in the works - the 2nd Annual Interbike Tweetup, Las Vegas. Stay tuned as the infamous tweetup team of @fredcast, @marthavan, @cyclefilm, @carltonreid, @veloimages and @veloreviews start the planning.

Till the next time -

@Fredcast & @Marthavan

BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!

If you haven't been keeping tabs on who's riding, who's strategizing and who's winning, you can catch up with The Fredcast's "The Daily Tour Updates". So, tune in and listen up because... there will be a quiz at the tweetup! Yes, there will be prizes for those with the right answers.

Here's an update from the kind folks at Bottle Rock - The food items in the Lounge will be limited to the following:

• Short Rib Sliders
• Mini Grilled Cheese
• Tuna Tartare Crostini
• Olives & Almonds

Please make sure to order from the servers in order to get happy hour prices till 8pm.

Also, please NOTE the entrance to Bottle Rock is on 11th Street even though the address is Flower.

That's it for now - be there or be square!

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Thank you to BottleRock Downtown for hosting the 2010 Amgen Tour of California, Stage 7 tweetup. Gretchen and the team at BottleRock will be working with @marthavan to ensure everyone has a fun evening.

Details will be finalized in the next couple of days, in the meantime, here is what you need to know:

Where: BottleRock Downtown Lounge & Outdoor Patio

Time: 6-8pm

Drinks: Happy Hour prices on select wines by the glass and beers till 8pm in the lounge & patio area only, if you go the bar and purchase after 7pm you willbe charged regular price, so stick with us.

Food: We will be posting a happy hour menu shortly. As with the drinks, the happy hour menu will be available until 8pm in the lounge & patio area only. If you order from the bar after 7pm, you will be charged regular price. If you're really hungry, you're welcomed to enjoy a full dinner menu in the dining area - click here for a preview of the dinner menu.

Paying for Food & Drinks: Everyone will be responsible for their food & drink tab, so to make it easier on the BottleRock staff, we're asking that you please pay with cash. Credit cards will be accepted, but you may experience delays in processing.

RSVP: So that we can plan accordingly, would you please RSVP in the "Will you be attending?" poll to the right.

That's it for now, stay tuned for more fun stuff to be announced. And remember - be there or be square!

AMGEN TOUR OF CALIFORNIA TWEETUP

The party is not over when Stage 7 ends in Los Angeles! Come hang out with The Fredcast and friends at BottleRock Downtown Los Angeles.

Be at BottleRock Downtown on Saturday, May 22 at 6pm for the Amgen Tour of California tweetup. Stay tuned for more details, but know this... you won't want to miss it!