Something look funny? Read this newsletter online!

Happy Monday!

Eurobike is done and dusted, Ray is finally home, and I decided to start off this week with a Monday edition of the DCR Newsletter.

If you don’t know who I am, this is The Girl writing to you for your weekly recap of what’s happening both on and off the field here in the DC Rainmaker blog/house. And if that information is new to you, then you must be new to the newsletter and might want to catch up on all the archives found here.

So to get things started I have two little announcements before the weekly recap. First, it’s Amazon Prime Day! Woot woot! And I would be letting you down if I didn’t inform you!! Of course, Ray has compiled a quick and dirty list for you of all the goodness you can go grab for a good deal. Yes, in all of the countries. As always, if you like Ray and the DCR site, or maybe if you like me, you’ll be sure to do your Amazon shopping by clicking the Amazon link on Ray’s webpage (or at the bottom of this newsletter)? It’s how we keep the lights on!

The second notable is Ray partnered up with a long-time friend of ours to be a guest in her “Project Jumpstart”. This is a free online interview series created by Mayan Tran, where she has interviewed 20+ successful entrepreneurs, best selling authors, and top experts who have amassed their own fortunes, built huge online followings, and created their own dream lifestyles. All of this in efforts to encourage us to start taking action with our own personal dreams and “to-dos” this year. To be super honest, Mayan is a big reason and supporter of how and why I’m finally taking the reins here at the Maker house and “Getting it done!!”. You can reserve your free place in the interview series here, and I can remind everyone again when Ray’s interview is set to go live in August. He dives a lot of the ‘behind the scenes’ type aspects of deciding when to go from hobby to full time job with the blog and all the fun that came along with it.

Cool? Great, let’s get going on what was last weeks big excitement!

So I think maybe Ray was influenced by his new RV roommate GPLama. As there is only 1 new written post on his website, and yet 6 new YouTube videos on his channel. I suspect it was easier for Ray to get the information to you via video (for now) and his keyboarding skills will catch up this week (lots of posts!). Sometimes Eurobike is just so jam packed with meetings, talks, testing products, and the never ending battle with spotty internet signals!

First up is the newest, and surprisingly great deal from Stages. Ray said “Stages may have just stumbled into making one of the best deals in the GPS bike computers”. But I won’t spoil the surprised. Check out the post here, or the video here.

Also handy on the YouTube channel was the Eurobike 2018 Sports Tech Award Winners, Lezyne Mega GPS Units, and Notio Konect Areo Sensor.

Then there are two super cool videos, in my humble opinion… One focusing on the Swiss Side aero sensor, and one focusing on what might be the next big Zwift competitor Rouvy. This is the reality indoor cycling concept which merges the 3D gaming world with real riding courses. 

In-Depth Thoughts from The Girl

Well hey hey. Welcome down here to below the fold! You’re entering The Girl territory, a space that you’re not really sure what you’re going to get each week.

Last week, I dedicated this space to a quick behind the scenes of what it’s like to be Ray at Eurobike. As well, I guess my sarcasm also revealed a little of what it’s like to be me while Ray is away. This year, in particular, was a lot easier for me, specifically because I could keep in touch with my new bestie Shane. It’s not being “home alone” that is hard for me, nor is it really that hard to be away from Ray for that long (hahaha sorry), but it’s the radio silence of a work-a-holic when he gets into one of his favorite weeks of the year. I just want a sign of life every now and then.

This year, that was Shane. He was often the go between in conversations for Ray and I. For example if Ray was driving the RV across continental Europe for many hours at a time, he would at least check in with a selfie or a street sign so I knew those two bike geeks were A-OK! I do find it hard to understand how the Aussie had better cell coverage than the European mobile… in Europe?!?!? But some questions are better left unasked.

(You can watch these two fools banter for almost 90 minutes in the above video on Shane's channel.)

Shane was a good sport throughout the entire Eurobike traveling campaign. I’m not sure he knew exactly what he had signed up for, being Ray’s RV “mate” and all. But let me tell you, along with all the video and photography skills they backed each other up with all week, Shane also had to delicately transmit conversations between Ray and I via SMS. The most important conversation being, “Where in the name of all of the holy doughnuts are my cupcake boxes and sprinkles?”.

See, just before we left for our American vacation, Ray and I unloaded our conjoined storage unit into his new work space. We hired a few muscle guys to come help do the lifting, it was a very organized and chaotic day, and I never saw any of my stuff again after that. So as Ray and GPLama made their way from Germany, to Italy, and to Austria...Shane had to help describe to me WHERE in the wild and unruly mound of storage unit moving boxes were my cupcake boxes located. Not to be confused with the pie boxes, or cake boxes!! I am sure the profanity of language and the absurdity of the topic would make for a great Ashton Kutcher film.

At the end of the day the boys finished up what I think was a pretty successful week, I found my pastry supplies, and as an extra bonus I even found my trusty bike helmet in the mound of “stuff”. So with that, I’ll leave to go explore you’re Amazon Prime Day Sales.

See you next week.

~The Girl.

Don't forget to support the site at Amazon or Clever Training
by using the links below!