Two in one weekend? Yes.

--The video I posted a few days ago, the one with the mountains and the trees? I found out what the music is. It's Paul Oakenfold, a brand new song with Perry Farrell (of Jane's Addiction and Lollapalooza fame) on vocals. It's one of those songs that fits exquisitely with the video. Watch this movie! The guy who recorded, compiled, and edited it is in the van at the end of the video--the middle guy with the glasses.

--The guy who made the California video that I mentioned a couple posts ago? The one which was kind of shaky and which I didn't post? Well, he hasn't made a new one, but turns out he had an earlier video which has a much less shaky camera. Not perfect but pretty good for his first. Download it right HERE. Now, the first minute or so is a little cheesy, music and action-wise. After that... well, I'll say this: if that doesn't make you insanely jealous, if that doesn't look like heaven, if you don't get the urge to go out and drive or ride, then you JUST DON'T GET IT. That's rush hour in his backyard. He lives right there. He sees NOT ONE CAR in a solid SEVEN minute block of time. Simply awesome. How much would you pay to have access to an amazing road and amazing view like that 24/7/365? Right outside your door? With no other cars around? Excellent weather during all seasons? This video doesn't have him stopping to aim the camera out over the lookout point, but it's still beautiful.

--Alot less arty but worth a look is THIS short vid of an older GSX-R750 (you can tell it's older by the analog speedometer). He speeds from 65 mph to 155 mph in thirteen seconds, and then back down from 155 mph to 55 mph in 7 seconds prior to passing the police cruiser. Looks fast? Words and videos can't convey what it feels like, BELIEVE ME.

--Last year, Valentino Rossi captured the championship in GP500, the most elite motorcycle racing in the world. This year, GP500 morphed into MotoGP and half the field of two strokes were replaced by four strokes, including Rossi's Honda. They're faster this year, but some would say not as exciting (as Rossi is running away with it this year). Anyway, THIS VIDEO is from an early race last year in GP500. Rossi is in yellow on the Honda NSR500, Max Biaggi is in red on the Yamaha. Well, I'll let the video and the announcers explain. Check out the speed of the side to side transitions right after the replay. Those bikes are wickedly, wickedly fast, even if they are outdated now. Also notice how close the racing is. This is why motorcycle racing rules. They make all kinds of turns, it's close, there are no 'yellow caution flags', they race rain or shine, there are no 'pit stops', and it's just non-stop excitement. Superbike racing is even closer (slower but some say more 'accessible' since the bikes are actual bikes you can buy at the store in this country). Nicky Hayden vs. Troy Bayliss in one week!

--From the pinnacle of racing to... moped racing. HERE is a moped racing video. The quality sucks, but you can see that they're actually pretty hardcore. It's all about keeping cornering speed high on those things. Needless to say, that looks like tons of fun!

--1fastchick has become pretty well known on the net (at least at all the bike sites I visit). You might like to check out her website, right HERE. If you've ever wondered how a rotary engine (as powers the wonderful RX-7) works, or why it's so great, you can get a pretty good graphical and textual explanation right HERE. I like that site in general. I gotta tell you, Felix Wankel, the guy who developed the rotary engine? A GENIUS. Piston engines seem archaic and clumsy by comparison. If you've ever wondered why some sportbike riders wear reinforced motorcycle boots, leather pants, armored jackets, full face helmets, and gloves with kevlar guards, it's probably because they do value their skin and don't want what THIS fellow has. Jeans, wife beater, and tennis shoes don't do much, do they? You don't have to live in the canyons of California to have fun if you've got a POCKETBIKE. Just a vacant parking lot and some cones. Of course, you can also take your 600cc SPORTBIKE out there around the cones if you want. I wonder who would win? Fast and the Furious 2 had its casting call last week. HERE and HERE are two of the nicer-looking cars which made it. Sure, there were a bunch of riced-out Civics, Eclipses, and Focuses, but you can't argue with a Lotus Esprit Turbo or an NSX.