Akron OH is the least likely of places to launch a new basketball sneaker unless you went to St. Vincent / St. Mary’s. Like many of these trips, the expectation is to get crammed with messaging from the brand side about new product. In the case of the new Lebron VII, Nike focused on people and community of Akron, OH who helped shaped the guy into arguably the best basketball player in the NBA today.

The Ed Davis Community Center was host to a small number of media outlets from across the US, South America, and Europe. There is nothing outstanding about the Ed Davis Center. The center, for lack of a better term, is plain. Situated on a back road in a suburban corner of the city, it serves a strong role in Akron’s youth community. Basketball’s role is one that has been elevated since Lebron and the “Fab 5″ made their trek to success after winning the National Title in 2003 but the real story is the community.

Make no mistake about it – there was no grand change of beauty made to Akron. What we all saw was the Akron of today, where people live, work, play, and continue to do their thing. There was no shiny wrapper put on the city. We experienced it for what it is – a living breathing view into the people of the Akron – who are not that different from you nor I.

Below is a look from my camera at the weekend. I’ll be writing more for Highsnobiety later in the week as will Beau on his Selectism Column. Many thanks of course to Lebron James (who ran my ass on the court with no mercy), Deme, Keywan, Simon, Dean, and whole crew at Nike for hosting, as well as the cities of Akron and Cleveland.

I left my laptop bag at home, so I resorted to a Marriot Hotel laundro baggie to carry the book.

Part of the Lebron history buildout. This quote stuck with me.

Stole this photo op from Simon. Nice call.

Moving onto the main event…

Allen doing what he does best, while Karen works a toy.

You have to imagine that the room is an indoor basketball court, ok?

Lebron takes questions from the US press. No holds bar really. Everything from his new contract, Dunkgate, the Lebron VII…

Then shit got crazy….

We walked into STVM’s and were immediately sent into the locker room.

It was about to get serious.

Coach Dru (who coached Lebron during travel ball and highschool) enters the lockroom, gives us a pep talk and tells us to get on the court. Now, seeing as most cameras were not allowed on the court, I will leave you with these…

Shout out to Matthias. Jay Z. loves you.

Look for a full write-up on Highsnobiety shortly….

Pure evil.

Our workspace is in Berlin Mitte, hidden a bit on a back walkway. I hate the chairs but what ya gonna do?

I’m stationed in the Highsnobiety Berlin office for a few weeks. Since moving the operation full time to Berlin, a great deal of things have changed for the team as well as our business. David has up and moved from Geneva for the opportunity to connect with some of the best creative minds Europe has to offer. I am pumped to be here for a few weeks with him.

The main reason for coming to Berlin outside of the local office was Bread & Butter Berlin. The show returned to it’s Berlin roots by taking over the Tempelhof Airpot location in west Berlin. The airpot layout was so expansive that one could walk miles back and forth from one end to the other. To help ease this pain, the show outfitted buses, private golf carts, and free bikes which you could pick up and run with. Well done.

Some of my favorite views below…

Greg and Ease running the goldsprints in the new HS New Era Umpire Caps we gace out during BBB.

Goodbye BBB. See you in January.

Sidenote: Henrik lives and rides here. He told me he’d help me find a bike after Barcelona next week. I’m holding him to it!

Though the crew may be moving down to Brooklyn, they’re still Boston’s own. They’re off for the Summer festival season shortly. Good luck guys.

For as long as I have known Kim, she has been filling my head with tales and stories of a private stash museum her father has built in the back of their Maine home. Her tales revolve around a two story barn packed and stuffed with just about every type of motorcycle and hotrod memorabilia you can image. The problem for me was that in general, most girls I know want nothing to do with their fathers’ grease monkey tendencies but for Kim, it was simply another part of life’s necessary educations.

Collectors come in all forms – from those that leave shit wrapped up in their cellophane packages, to the hands on obsessive who is on a constant hunt for the next find.

Mr. Harris is neither to me. He is a man so well connected with his first encounter with the mechanics of cars and motorcycles way back at the age of 13, that he simply converted his love into an occupation of restoration (hotrods, Harleys and Indians for the record) and curation. When you have been at it for 30 years, you’re not hunting down the next find – they somehow discovers you through the ever aware eyes of friends and fellow collectors who know just what will make your day.

The Harris Museum really should be open to the public at some point because my words and photos will not do it justice. It is indeed housed in a private barn and is one of those special places in which you walk in without a drop of knowledge on a subject matter but walk out wanting to return to explore some more.

Then again, maybe it should remain private.

Here’s just a quick dip into what I discovered on my first visit.

I apologize in advance for not knowing the make of this bike but what you should take away from this image is to what means Americans went in keeping their bikes in order during the World War years when metal was scarce. Old “Vacationland” plates used to mend a fender.

I was hesitant to show this image as it is Mr. Harris’ homage to the names of those who have passed on who made an impact in his world of motorcycles and hotrods. I find it to be the coolest way to commemorate a passion and the people who influenced it.

Your grandparents and parents probably took their driving tests on a machine like this back in the day 50’s and 60’s. Beats a computer screen any day.

A 1950 Harley “Pan Head” as removed from a scrap metal yard after being crushed. Two questions – who would crush up this bike and how do you find a relic like this?

O.G. Studebaker radio. His father was a Studebaker dealer back in the day.

Prime example of the first two years which Maine issued license plates. I’m thinking 1913 or around there. Ceramic on metal.

This example from 1934 is my absolute favorite in it’s saftey orange finish. I am pretty interested in acquiring an example for my own collection.

Thank you sir.

Wow. I guess this is my first collaborative one of one joint.

The boys at OPEN dropped this on me last week. It’s a custom top tube protector handmade by Boston’s own 3RRR – fabricators of all things bullet proof including their now world famous “Bling Ring” 1/8 chainring.

Nau at 3RRR is one of those guys who has can take a tired and true bike product and make it all his own. From the handbrushed 6061 aluminum top tube protector to his ridiculously strong chainrings, he’s part of a new class of bicycle parts fabricators who are developing goods in small runs that can compete with the big manufacturers out there.

Credit as well to the OPEN boys for turning me onto 3RRR and a variety of other small niche parts makers. Visit their store in person in Somerville, MA or online to check out goods they carry – including some excellent wears (and bicycles) by my friend Ben at Freeman Transport. These kind of business go a long way in establishing themselves not only in a community but also with the goods suppliers they build relationships with.

Shit, looks like Ben got the top tube treatment too. That puts me in good company then.

Speaking of Ben, anyone else catch Lance Amstrong giving his Giro Di Montana shirt from love last week? Makes me proud.

And you thought sailing was a fun day out on the water? The Volvo Ocean Race took off for it’s next leg from Boston to Galway, Ireland. It is a full on non-stop race. Seven sail boats with crews of 11 are bombing across the Atlantic at this moment. No support team. Just them, water, wind, and a little help from above.

Many thanks to the good people of Helly Hansen for inviting Karen and I on board for the chase boat view. Absolutely killer.

More on this soon. I’ve never experienced anything like it.

How about this – Boston says goodbye like no other city. We let a massive freighter right onto your race course for the fun of it.

Ben Harper covering Bowie’s “Pressure” at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston.

I spent last week in Los Angeles to celebrate the launch of Stefan Janoski’s signature shoe for Nike SB. New friends and old were in attendance. Many thanks to the SB team for the hospitality, Stefan, James, Kevin, and Mr. Leon for the access, and Blake for driving me around all week.

What’s got Bradley making funny faces?

I think this shit. More on that soon!