Wednesday, April 13
Two days before the World Premiere
11 am

I just sat down. I’m getting glared at. Bad.

After travelling around the world last year, you’d think I would be savvy enough to leave my brand new Crank Brothers 19 Allen Tool in my bike box and not put it into my carry-on. But as the clowns of TSA ripped through my bike box, spewing the carefully packed contents all over the Dulles Airport departure terminal, I picked up my shiny new tool and instead of handing it back to the aggro woman who just flung it from it’s cozy home in my bike box, tucked it into my Timbuktu. Bad move. Security flagged me, escorted me out of line and after trying twice to mail it back to myself (and paying twice for an address label that refused to print), I had to hand it to the security guard to throw out. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. My flight was about to take off but since they had my luggage onboard, they held the flight until I finished sprinting to the gate. I was the last guy on the oversold plane. Oh the glares…

The entire flight out to California I was nervous. I had been up till 4am finishing editing and laying in some new music Haik had done but after sleeping for 3 hours I wrenched myself from the bed and watched the entire movie played from the tape we planned on using in the theater. It was a mess. Digital blips and flickers all over. The sun came up and there wasn’t time left to make another tape so I packed up my computer and Ken brought the small backup drive that had all the files of the film. We were mobile, if need be I could make slight edits to any part of the film. The thought of it was cool however - we were in need of not only 2 hours to rip the film to a new tape, but then also 2 hours to watch it played back to make sure this one was perfect. There was 3 hours of driving to do and one day until I’d be standing in front of a theater full of people, introducing the movie.

Thursday, April 14
The day was spent calling local media, TV and anyone we could think of to come to the theater. Ken and my friend Nick were at Sea Otter spreading the word while I stayed at the hotel monkeying with the tapes and setting up the lobby and projector. The theater was the most ornate, beautiful, stunning theater I have ever seen. It far surpassed our expectations and the staff onhand was more than helpful. We got the big display up, got the tables together and ran out to get concessions and table clothes. That night we did a dry run and sound check. It was amazing. But the tapes were still a mess. We had one more shot at it - another late night.

Friday, April 15
“It wouldn’t be a ‘Gripped’ production if it wasn’t down to the wire!” - Ken’s words were not comforting. I vowed to change our companies name. I ripped a new tape and watched it. Still a mess. We had one tape left. And a few hours. I ripped another one and ran across the street to the theater. Ken had been setting up with Haik, our composer, and their friends from San Diego, Alex and Stew. Dori arrived early so we put her to work as well. Before long it was time to take a fast shower, change and get the riders into the limo. From that point on it all seems like a blur. But what a great blur it was.

We got the movie off without too much trouble from the tape. Just one heart-stopping moment when it hick-up’d. But for the most part it was great. The crowd seemed to really get into it - hooting and cheering the entire way. I was so nervous about the tapes I could hardly enjoy watching and when it was over, and everyone was clapping, I finally cracked a smile.

We did it.

Big thanks to all who helped out and to all the riders.
More to come…as we headed to Hollywood next!