A look at the new GoPro HERO 4 with the team behind the launch

With HERO 4, GoPro quality even better

By Ken Lewis  

1:54 p.m. Oct. 13, 2014

Rick Loughery, director of global media relations, Todd Ballard, director of global sports marketing and Jeff Youel, director of software engineering (left to right) hold various versions of the new GoPro Hero 4. Rick Nocon

It has been an important couple of weeks for the San Diego offices of GoPro. I made a visit this past week while they were knee deep in the launch of the brand’s newest release: The GoPro HERO 4.
How does a company improve on a camera that has already taken the world by storm? Better quality, better price points and, most of all, killer new features were what I found when I got the tutorial from PR director Rick Loughery.
New features include the HiLight system, which allows you to tag key moments in your footage for easy retrieval while editing, plus a built-in LCD touchscreen (Silver edition only) for easy viewing and scrolling, and finally, the long-awaited 4K video at 30 FPS (Black edition only). GoPro also made an introductory model, simply called the “HERO,” which has 1080 video capabilities for $129.99 and is great news for the millions of kids (and parents) who will have a GoPro camera on their Christmas wish lists.


Cardiff
What quickly impressed me was how San Diego has played such an important role in the global release of the GoPro HERO 4. All the new software, sports marketing and PR is based out of the North County office in Cardiff, which is interesting because the company’s main campus is about an eight-hour drive north in San Mateo.

While GoPro has always had a few employees based in San Diego, the company increased that number significantly a couple of years ago when it bought Cineform Studios for its software components and online editing system, which is now simply called “GoPro Studios.” The Cardiff office is also the hub for the sports marketing rollout, which was orchestrated with deadly accuracy. It was no mistake that all schedules were planned, in some instances down to the minute. The print, Web, athlete, social media, in-store promotional campaigns and pretty much anything else you have seen come across your Instagram or Facebook feeds all started with a roundtable meeting in this office.


Living the Dream
I met with San Diego native Todd Ballard, director of global sports marketing, and Jeff Youel, director of software engineering, to discuss the culture and people behind the brand. I was quickly aware of how hard the employees work toward their goals and how happy they are to be doing it. There is a real sense of pride that comes out of these offices and it’s one that is genuine and appreciated. Ballard and Youel talked about how that comes from the top down from the ever-smiling and energetic CEO and founder, Nick Woodman.

While on the rooftop meeting area, Ballard and I discussed the company’s 130 athletes and how they are a large part of the marketing rollout and are truly living the dream. I couldn’t help but realize that that ideal is exactly what people are hoping for when they set out to use this product. They want to share their version of “the dream.” Ballard said the company’s most important marketing outlet is “our consumers, hands down. Their sharing of videos is more important than anything we can dream up.”

Isn’t that the truth? Thank goodness for GoPro giving us the chance to show the world how our cats chase lasers or gazelles ram us on our bikes in Africa. I know my life is way better because of this little camera. How about you?

How to sell your car at a Mecum auto auction

By Ken Lewis on October 23, 2014

So you want to sell your restomod at an upcoming auto auction? First ask yourself a few questions. Is your prized possession worthy of making the cut? Are you ready to part with your cherished whip? Do you know how much it’s really worth? All these questions need to be answered before you contact Mecum and start down the path of becoming an auction hero.

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS -Photo: Mecum

First know that there is a consignment process you will have to go through before you can get your car listed. Get the payment and vehicle specs out of the way early and try to sign up for the express check in to avoid delays.

Photo: Patrick T. Fallon

Learn the rules that the auction house has posted. This is critical if you want to have your vehicle in a certain position in the auction and most of all you’ll want to know the details of how and when to expect your payment if your vehicle sells. All sold vehicles will have a commission taken from the sale price so study up and know what to expect. The selling process basically goes like this: pay your registration fees, provide all documentation, photos etc. and speak with your representative about your vehicle lot and order of presentation because once your car is there, its pretty much out of your hands until after it rolls onto the podium.

1969 GMC Sierra Grande – Photo: Mecum

Make sure you have your clean title and papers all in order. If you’ve gotten this far in the process I’m sure you laugh at this but make sure you know where they are. You never know when your wife might have “filed” them after your last fight.

350/300 HP Engine for 1969 GMC Sierra Grande-Photo:Mecum

Lastly, Take some professional photos. Don’t settle for a camera phone or trust your buddy who has an old polaroid camera to take them. Hire someone to shoot high -res images to give your car the best chance to create interest. Shoot outdoors and get creative with your angles and make your car look like the special beast it truly is.

Surf Artist Matt Beard

Surf artist brings his magic to SD

By Ken Lewis 3:58 p.m. 

Oct. 23, 2014

Nor-Cal artist, Matt Beard. — Ken Lewis

Surf art is something I truly love in all its different applications. From the hyper-realistic imagery of Phil Roberts to the cartoon worlds created by Bob Penuelas and Drew Brophy, it all resonates with me due to my love of the ocean and the seascapes that surround it. That being said, not many can do it any better than NorCal artist, Matt Beard.

I met Beard at the end of a steep La Jolla alley on a cloudy afternoon. I have gone down that alley hundreds of times over the decades to get to a favorite surf spot of mine so it was nice sorting through some of the old memories. As I approached, he looked up from his work, from under a baseball cap and through a bushy black beard, he gave me a genuine smile and greeted me like we were old friends. As we talked about the waves, his upbringing in Long Beach and his home in Humboldt County, I was stoked to see that good things do indeed happen to good people. But good people still have to work hard, and that was exactly what Beard was in San Diego to do. Each day he painted two 20-by-20-inch canvases; one in the morning and one before sunset, only breaking occasionally for burritos, beer and surfing.

This past week, Beard (yes that’s actually his last name) made a special trip to document 10 different ocean views from the La Jolla area. What made his trip down to San Diego unique is that most of the paintings were bought sight unseen, and each day he didn’t know where his host would be taking him or what he was going to paint. I asked Beard if that made him a bit nervous to which he replied, “No, but PMK knows the area really well, so I have complete faith in him.”

That “PMK” would be Beard’s good friend and San Diego native Pierce Michael Kavanagh, who produced the 2014 surf documentary “What the Sea Gives Me.” After a conversation with Beard about his upcoming trip to paint La Jolla’s best surf spots, Kavanagh offered to help him sell a few of the paintings. He put out the call through his extensive social media networks and the response was immediate. Kavanagh had half the paintings sold before the first post was even on his homepage. His friends and acquaintances didn’t even care what the paintings were going to be, because they too had faith that Kavanagh would pick the perfect locations in his hometown.

From the stunning cliffs of Black’s Beach to the rocky shores of Windansea, Beard has captured the feel and soul of the little beach community in only the way he can.
If you’d like to see Beard’s work firsthand and meet the artist, he will be at Windansea Beach from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24. To learn more about the artist go to mattbeardart.com.


As a lifelong San Diegan, Ken Lewis has surfing and ocean life in his DNA. A 30-year surfer himself, Lewis has worked in the surf and skate industry for most of his career. Send him your thoughts about the surfing world to kenlewis760@gmail.com or follow him on Instagram @hanger18.

Surf Images for 2013-2014

Litterbug

Hey, litterbug! Don't make us clean up after you

By Ken Lewis  

6 a.m.Sept. 28, 2014

On Sept. 21, 2014 an estimated 1,000 surfers paddled their surfboards around the Ocean Beach Pier to raise awareness for ocean and beach pollution by participating in the Paddle for Clean Water. Photo by Terry Rodgers 

 

 

An estimated 1,000 surfers paddled their boards around the Ocean Beach pier on Sept. 21 to raise awareness of ocean and beach pollution by participating in the Paddle for Clean Water. The event, now in its 23rd year, is not only a fundraiser for the San Diego chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, it serves to remind us all that we need to take better care of our most precious resource, our oceans. So instead of just paddling, here are some things you can do to make a difference.


Pack it in, pack it out
If you and your friends decide to go to the beach to enjoy some tacos and 64 ounces of diet soda, please make sure you throw everything away in a trash can or take it back to your car. I can’t tell you the dozens of times I have gone to the beach and watched visitors leave their food wrappers and bags of fries unattended as the seagulls moved in and tore it to shreds. The worst part is, most of those same people suddenly felt that it was no longer their duty to get that trash off the beach. If you see those people, tell them to get a clue and educate them on where the closest trash cans are located.


Hold on to your butts
I know some people love their smokes, but next time you decide to blast a cig and feel the urge to flick that butt out of your car window, know that your act will be adding to a terrible problem on our beaches. All trash on our highways and city streets eventually finds its way into our storm drains and into the watershed. Last year during just one beach cleanup in Pacific Beach, volunteers picked up more than 6,200 cigarette butts off the sand. In 2013, there were nearly 60,000 butts picked up on the beach — and that’s just what volunteers counted on a few occasions. That number could be zero if people took a few seconds to dispose of their butts properly. Be aware that your actions matter.


Beach toys
Each summer tourists and locals alike want their kids to have a great day at the beach and often pick up a package of blue and pink shovels, green buckets and orange molds to keep their little sand-jammer stoked while they bronze their pale carcass on the beach. What’s mind blowing is how many parents just leave them behind when the exit the beach, like they are doing the next family at the beach a favor. What really happens is the high tide comes in and washes these items into the ocean where they never break down completely and chip into tiny pieces that are eventually ingested by sea animals. Always remember that if you bring it, you take it home.


We are all stewards for our coast and if you love the ocean, pick up trash every time you leave the beach and look into volunteering at the next ocean or beach cleanup. Check out sdcoastkeeper.org or sandiego.surfrider.org for more information about our environment.

Surfing and Fall in San Diego

Surfers can reap autumn's rewards

By Ken Lewis  

6 a.m.Sept. 14, 2014

With fewer tourists in town, fall is a great time to catch some great waves in San Diego in the morning and explore the county in the afternoon. Charlie Neuman

 

Fall is the time of year surfers will gladly add a few millimeters of wetsuit in exchange for the summer kooks heading home. To celebrate, here’s a short list of some things that make our sweet hometown that much better when autumn makes its return.

Empty line-ups and beach parking
Yes! We finally get our beaches back! The kids are in school, vacations are over and tourists have gone back to wherever it is they came from. You can now slide into all those available parking spots, shimmy into your new full-suit and enjoy the uncrowded waves at your local spot. After your surf, tuck into one of the epic coffee shops to warm up. I recommend Bird Rock Coffee Roasters and Bay Park Coffee as they are two of San Diego’s finest and their espresso will rock your socks.

Indian summer
In late September and in October the Santa Ana winds return and the northwest swells get groomed to perfection. These chilly mornings are often less crowded due to the brisk water and later dawns so get out of bed early and be rewarded by watching the day turn from average into something extraordinary. Nothing beats the sunrise and empty perfect tubes.

Football
As a surfer, nothing beats a 1 p.m. kickoff. You will watch the line-up empty out as die-hard fans leave great waves to watch the game and give you the opportunity to enjoy some uncrowded conditions before dark. The downside is if you love the Chargers like I do, you will miss many good waves on Sundays sitting on your couch cussing at the TV. Pick your games wisely and if the surf is good, get out there because you know Rivers is going to break your heart in the fourth quarter.

Julian apple pie
October is apple season in our local mountains and trucking up to Julian is a San Diego rite of passage. Go shred the waves early, grab some coffee and a breakfast sandwich from Kono’s in Pacific Beach then head out on the beautiful drive into Julian. There are quite a few options for pie in town but the standouts are Mom’s and Julian Pie Co. Try both, but in my eyes there is only one that is best and that’s the Julian Pie Co., hands down. Try the Dutch apple pie and I think you’ll agree with me. While you’re up there, try some local wines at the Orfila tasting room in Wynola, and for bonus points do the gold mine tour just out of town, it rules.

Torrey Pines
The beach hike at Torrey Pine State Beach is always killer but go in the late afternoon and watch the cliffs light up during magic hour. Afterward, head up into the bluffs and look out on your beautiful ocean. From that vantage point look for whales heading north, dolphins riding some waves and the local osprey catching fish. It’s breathtaking to say the least and it’s Instagram gold.
Do you have some favorite locations that best represent fall in San Diego that you think we missed? Share them with us on Instagram #discoversd

The GoPro Dummy Mount

GoPro mouth mount making waves

By Ken Lewis  

6 a.m.Aug. 30, 2014

Byron Rohrer is the inventor of Dummy Mount, a simple Mouth Mount solution to carry your GoPro Camera between your teeth. — Rick Nocon

Do you own a GoPro Hero 3? You know the one. It’s the little hi-definition camera that is the world’s best-selling camera. San Diego surfer Byron Rohrer has one, and after using it and finding that the accessories available to him didn’t meet his needs, he created the world’s first mouth mount for the device. The creation, called the Dummy Mount, is a molded mouthpiece made of soft silicone and rubber that the user can easily breathe through and film their favorite activity hands-free.
Every idea starts somewhere, and for Rohrer that moment came in early 2014 when he suffered a knee injury. During the recovery, he started tinkering in his garage, fabricating prototypes for a mouth-mounted accessory that would fit his GoPro camera. He wanted something that he could use and keep his hands free to push up on his surfboard. Eventually, it all clicked, and the breathable mouthpiece mount was ready for research and development.

Byron Rohrer is the inventor of Dummy Mount, a simple Mouth Mount solution to carry your GoPro Camera between your teeth. — Rick Nocon 

 

The little item with the funny name is making its debut to the public after months of R&D and grass roots marketing. I asked Rohrer how the name came about and the bushy-haired surfer said, “When I was first using the prototype, my buddies would give me a hard time saying that it looked like I had a baby pacifier in my mouth. On my trips to New Zealand I remembered that the Kiwis called pacifiers dummies, so right then and there I knew I had my name.”

I also asked what the response was like when he first used it in public, and with a smile Rohrer said, “Everyday, 15 people would paddle up to me and ask what it was and where they could buy one. It turns out many other people have GoPro cameras and share the same frustrations.” With that bit of inspiration, Rohrer rolled the dice, got a loan and decided to quit his dead-end job and make a fresh start. Within the week, he filed for a patent and started on the fast track to producing the world’s first breathable mouth mount for the GoPro camera.

After Roher got his production samples, he knew he needed to get some backing from professionals. The tenacious Rohrer booked himself a flight to Fiji at the same time as an ASP world-tour surf event, chartered a boat and paddled into the Cloudbreak lineup with his invention. He knew he had to make his own luck.

Right away, the pros were asking him the same question as the kids back in Pacific Beach, “What is it?” and “Where do I get one?” Rohrer passed out his samples and explained the device to top pros Kelly Slater, Joel Parkinson and many others. The positive feedback was immediate, and it didn’t stop in the surf. The demand for the Dummy Mount has grown outside of water sports, finding traction in tennis, golf, fishing and biking. These are a few other sports that are discovering the little accessory with the unforgettable name, what would you use it for?

If you would like to learn more about the Dummy Mount visit their website dummymount.com and their Facebook page facebook.com/dummymount

You can find all my articles over at www.discoversd.com