Leaves of three, let them be

Ahhhh, spring. Don't you just love the buzzing of bees, the green grass, beautiful blossoms and the warm sun that signals the arrival of spring?

We are fortunate to live in a rural area of town, surrounded by rolling hills, somewhat distant neighbors and great walking trails where I take "da boys", Riko and Jasper, for a walk in the afternoons.

Right now, the hills are full of wild flowers and there's still water running into the creeks from the last set of storms, so the visuals and the sounds are amazing.
However, with the beauty comes the beast - Poison Oak. If you live on the west coast and you're not familiar with it, it's a good idea to educate yourself before you go hiking, camping or cycling through the hills. This nasty weed can cause a severe, itchy rash if you happen to get the urushiol oil from it's leaves, stems or roots on your skin.
Should you happen to brush up against the bush, or in many cases, your dog happens to brush themselves against it, try to clean off the oil as soon as possible. While many people believe dogs are not affected by the oil, they do however carry the oil on their fur. So, if you happen to pet them, or they happen to brush against your leg - you're in trouble! So make sure to clean them well too.

Here is a short video on how to clean up after your walk...

Make sure to check out our YouTube video too...
We recommend that you take a shower when you get home to ensure you've removed all the oils from all possible areas. Find out more about poison oak, poison ivy and sumac and how to treat it by visiting http://poisonivy.aesir.com/ and http://www.poison-ivy.org/.

How To...

People are always surprised to hear that you can actually machine wash Action Wipes multiple times. Yes, not just once, twice, three times, but more! We have personally tested them up to six times and they're still usable.

We created the wipes with a durable polyester fabric for a number of reasons 1) to clean out the grime and sweat out of every pore on your body really well, 2) so they don't fall apart while in use, 3) not leave any lint on your stubble (face or legs ;)) and 4) keep them out of the land fill as long as possible.

To that end, here is a short lesson on how to wash Action Wipes... (Now, keep in mind that I am not a professional videographer, scriptwriter, film director or actress! It was difficult trying to do the wash with one hand while holding the camera with the other. Ha!)

(If the video takes to long to buffer, you can go to our YouTube Channel)

What's Up?!

I know it's been a while since my last post (boy, that took me back to my catholic roots... "forgive me father for I have sinned. It's been 2 months since my last..."). And shame on me because a lot of exciting things have been going on...

We started September by sponsoring the 2009 MSA Classic in Malibu, CA. The surf competition brought celebrities, pro and amateur surfers of all ages from California, Hawaii, the East Coast, Japan, and Australia. This annual competition is a green-aware event and promotes the importance of sustainability. Therefore, our sponsorship was a no-brainer. When everyone was done surfing, they cleaned up with Action Wipes. (That's Sal Masekela of E!)

That same weekend, we made our way over to the Nautica Malibu Triathlon. Here too, we got to meet celebrities, pass out Action Wipes at the finish line and cheer for Action Wipes sponsored LA Tri Club and Paramount Tri Team.

End of September found us in Las Vegas, attending Interbike, the nation's largest cycling tradeshow. While we did not have a booth, you couldn't miss us. Action Wipes made their way to Outdoor Demo via Masi Bikes, the VIP tent and shuttles. At the show, we were fortunate to have BlackBottoms Cyclewear pass out samples from their booth and at times, have me share the space. The biggest thrill for me though was helping coordinate The Bike Tweetup. One of the biggest parties of the week that helped raise $1500 for charity. (Yup, that's George Hincapie)

In October, you found us at the inaugural Levi Leipheimer's King Ridge GranFondo. Here, we did have a booth at the bike expo & festival, which was a blast. 3500 cyclists, friends and family made this event a huge success. Next years should be bigger and better with a goal of 5,000 cyclists.

November was somewhat quiet. However, those participating in the Dana Point Turkey Trot found a fun surprise in their registration bag... Turkey Trot branded Action Wipes. Same great wipe, but made specially for them. But here is a very cool thing - the committee sent 2,000 of the wipes to our Marines in Afghanistan. I can't tell you how much this pulled on my heart strings. Aside from wet wipes, our troops can use other items that you may be able to help with - so please, check out the list and see if there is anything you'd like to provide.

December is keeping us busy filling orders and getting ready for the holidays. We are very thankful and appreciative to Triathlete Magazine for including us in their Holiday Gift Guide. As a national publication, this brought us a slew of new fans from all over the nation. Thank you again Triathlete!

We also received a great review from BikeRumor.com. It's so thorough that I think I'll us it as a training guide for our new retail clients! Thank you BikeRumor!

Also this month, our dear friends at Cyclefilm have released the eagerly awaited film - "Liz Hatch, Come Ride With Me", sponsored by... Action Wipes! :) So if you have a cycling fanatic that appreciates beautiful scenery and hot chicks, this is the stocking stuffer for them! Check out all their DVD's, you might just find one for yourself too.

Ok, enough for now. I will be updating the blog before the month ends as we have some exciting news to announce very, very soon...