Day four saw the four of us split up. While Skinny and Lutz headed back to Castelfranco to meet up with Tim Collins from Astars and head over to the track for Friday’s opening ceremonies, Eileen and I took the train to Rome to take in the sights. When we first arrived, I immediately noticed that unlike Asolo and Venezia, Rome was kind of dirty. Lots of graffiti and the first signs of litter in the streets gave Rome a distinctly different feel than the places we had previously been. I saw this lady, sprawled out and begging, just outside the Coliseum. Man, in the States a “will work for food” cardboard sign is the norm. Here, the beggars go all out! Truth be told, as jey lagged and worn out as I am, I felt like laying down on the ground and taking a nap, too. I wonder if I would have woken up with some Euros thrown down beside me?

The Coliseum was pretty bad ass - definitely huge and awe inspiring. I tried to joke with Eileen and tell her that this was where Scott Goodwin held the first Superbowl of Motocross, but all I got was a disgusted look from her. Apparently, she is a lot more serious about taking in the historical sites than I am.

No, we don’t feel like tourists, snapping photos of each other, everywhere we go…

This sign was posted at the top of the Spanish Steps. I don’t know if you’ll be able to read all of the text, but one of the lines says, “Use of this area for defecating is prohibited.” Seeing as how there were lots people chillin’ on the steps - reading poetry, playing the guitar and singing, and just being all-around cool and bohemian - I could hardly imagine anyone dropping their shorts and pinching a loaf on the Spanish Stairs. After I read the sign, though, I must admit that I at least thought about it…

They have these green cookies everywhere in Italy, and they look horrifying, sort of like a fresh cow turd with corn studs. In actuality, they are pistachio flavored and studded with almonds. Of course, I bought one, just because it looked so gross.

…and of course, it was AMAZING! So far, I’ve had two. I swear that I’ve gained about five pounds since I’ve been in Italy. Pasta, pasta, pasta…

…and gelato, gelato, gelato! I don’t know why, but this stuff tastes 100 times better than regular ice cream in the States.

The gelato lady was a ham for the camera, but if Skinny and Lutz had been with us, I can guarantee that she would have been trying to be a bit more seductive…

Apparently, you must dress respectably to get into the Vatican. (Boy, was I glad that I didn’t wear my wife beater and bun huggers!) I just had a funny thought…half of the girls in the 909 probably couldn’t get in…

If I were a Vatican security guard, I wouldn’t have let this guy in, dressed like this, either!

The Trevi Fountain was pretty sweet. We could hear the sound of the water, about three blocks before we could even see it. You are supposed to throw three coins in, over your shoulder. I wished for Ross’ complete recovery.

I never understood why Smart cars were called smart cars until I saw one parked like this.

What the heck? I thought they only had squat pots in Japan? I guess compared to this toilet in the Vatican, it might be easier to lay some cable on the Spanish Steps…

Due to the lack of Internet service in our hotel, I’ve not been able to update my blog with details about the TransWorld Motocross Italian MXoN adventure. Sorry, but I’m not nerdy enough to go to an Internet cafe…

We’re all in the Autodromo di Franciacorta press room, and the wireless is as fast as we could have ever wished for. The day’s activities have yet to begin, so I’ll load some snapshots now…

Our rental cars are absolute shoe boxes. Between the four of us, there is NO WAY we could have shared a single vehicle. Truth be told, this is the first time in years that I have driven a stick shift. Couple that with the sketchy Italian roads and my European-enhanced-Asian-ethnicity, and I am driving like a kook! Lutz and Skinny’s car is even smaller than my Nissan. Here, Skinny tries to tempt the Italian women who were walking past.

Our tour at the Alpinestars headquarters was by far, the coolest tour we’ve been on. Here, Tim Collins from the US office gives Skinny the rundown on the new, more affordable Bionic Neck Support.

While I filmed for a video that we’ll post later in the week after we return to the States, Lutz snapped photos for a magazine feature.

We were all shocked to run into Colin Ferrell at the Astars factory… Depending on the amount of sleep he’s gotten, Skinny looks like various celebrities to me. When he’s grumpy, he reminds me more of Johnny Knoxville. Haha…

After our time at Astars, we all boarded a train bound for Venice. No, we don’t look like tourists…

After getting us lost several times (in spite of the GPS I rented) and actually driving the wrong way into a roundabout in Milan, I was glad to park the car and take the train! I think Eileen feels safer, too…

I don’t care how many times you’ve stayed at the Venetian in Las Vegas…Venice is bad ass! All of us were freaking out about how cool Venezia is as we took the water bus to the center of the city. In this photo, I think we were reacting to a fellow tourist who doesn’t believe in deodorant…there are A LOT of them.

I’ve yet to succumb to the circus better known as Facebook, but the guys are Facebook afficionados. Here, Lutz goes all Pastrana on me as I snap him a shot for his ‘book.

On our way to the hotel, we stopped in the Piazza di San Marco. There were thousands is pigeons everywhere. I wanted to kick them. Dirty ass birds. This V-Unit family was trying to capture their dinner, I believe. When food attacks!

The canals that run through Venezia are pretty cool. There goes Lutz with his Pastrana pose again…

At the hotel, Skinny changed his attire to blend in better. Note the sophisticated Euro headgear. haha all he needs now are new, red frames for his glasses!

I can’t believe that I have gone my entire life without ever trying a caprese salad. It is A M A Z I N G !

At night, Lutz and I had a point-and-shoot camera shootoff to see who could get the best shot of the San Marco church without a flash. Ahem….I won. ha!

In an act of desperation, we ventured into the Hard Rock in Venice. It cost us 31 euro for four beers. Half an hour later, we went to a local bar and paid 11 for the same order. God Bless American culture.

Just like they did in Milan, Skinny and Lutz charmed our waitress at the Hard Rock. It’s too bad Cassanova is long gone - he could have learned a thing or two from my guys…

Oh yeah, Skinny has a Facebook, too…

At the second or third bar we visited (I can’t remember), I was mesmerized by this guy’s shoes. They looked like something from the Michael Jackson Estate Auction. Only now, in the nice light of the press room, was I able to see that they were actually Nikes! I’m sure they aren’t from the good folks at the 6.0 division, though.

When I first strolled the streets of Venice, I felt a little self conscious because I was the only person wearing flip flops. It seemed like people were staring at me… you know…Japanese dude in flip flops? Anyway, here in Italy everyone else seems to prefer MANDALS.

Right after I snapped the MANDALS photo, a giant Australian guy came up to us and asked if we spoke English. I think he overheard us laughing about MANDALS, and he figured that we might know of a better place to grab a beer. Sadly, we didn’t. After a few minutes, our three new friends from OZ mentioned that they were in Italy to watch their friend race in the motocross world championships! Turns out that they are all friends of Bret Metcalfe, and they are here to support Metty. Talk about a small world!

The fourth (or fifth?) bar that we found actually encouraged graffiti! Patrons were allowed to write on the walls and such. Instead of scrawling “Swap was here,” though, my big brother came to mind and I left his mark instead. As of Friday afternoon in California, Ross was in good spirits, and has been transferred out of the ICU and into a regular room. He has been getting a ton of visitors and I’m told that he cracks everyone up with his usual funny story telling. Bed sores are an obvious concern, so his bed is equipped with a bar above his head, so that he can pull himself up and readjust his position in the bed often. His daughter Nikki said that he is practically doing chin ups on the thing! Getting Rossi transferred to a better facility with more specialized care for spine trauma patients is our biggest priority right now. Of course, his HMO insurance is being difficult, so it looks like we are going to have to band together and pony up for some better care. Of all the things I am homesick for after this long in Italy - my kids, my home, my friends - I am most homesick for my big brother.

In parting, I present to you a new discovery. I like to fancy myself an expert mullet hunter, but I must admit that I was so awestruck by this new species of mullet, that I nearly let it get away! Part buzz cut, part dreadlocks, I’ve decided to name this one, the MULLOCK. Sweet….

With a heavy heart, I boarded a plane bound for Milan, Italy, on Monday morning, ultimately heading to the site of the 2009 Red Bull Motocross of Nations. I didn’t want to go, taking my brother’s recent injury into consideration, but Ross urged me to follow through with my original plans. Web Master Chris Kinman, Photo Editor Brendan Lutes, my wife Eileen, and I landed in Milan early Tuesday morning. Our plan? To check out some of the sites Italy has to offer, visit the good folks at Alpinestars, and then crush the rest of the American motocross media this weekend with photos, race reports, news, and videos. Eileen thinks she is tagging along for fun, but she is going to be working that plane ticket off! I brought two laptops so that she could post content as fast as Skinny, Lutz and I produce it!!!

Now, you may find it hard to believe, but this is a pure coincidence. Yes, the three of us are all wearing Alpinestars tee shirts, and yes, we are visiting Gabrielle at the Astars factory tomorrow. But I swear - we didn’t call, tweet or text each other before we got on the plane to coordinate our outfits. Really.

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While Eileen and I enjoyed our pasta dishes, Skinny and Lutz went to work on our young Italian waitress. Needless to say, she was mere putty in their hands. By the end of lunch, she was hand-feeding both of them grapes and sitting in their laps. Who says Americans can’t be charming?

Would you believe it? They didn’t have the latest issue of TransWorld Motocross at this newsstand in downtown Milan. Sheesh…I’d better give the guys in the newsstand department a call!

Jeff Weiner and Tim Collins from Alpinestars USA are also in town for the MXoN, and we joined them for dinner in Asolo at an amazing little hole in the wall. Yes, Skinny, Lutz and I changed. haha

Okay, now some of you may have seen an e-mail that circulated around a few years ago. The subject line was something like, “When Asians take pictures.” Inside, were a ton of funny ass photo of Asian guys striking a variety of ridiculous poses while they snapped tourist photos. Today, as we visited a massive cathedral in Milan, I gasped with delight as I spotted a real-life specimen in action. I wasted little time and managed to capture him, just as he prepared to strike a pose. This was better than any mullet I have ever captured.

Now, through the years I have learned that shooting a poster model from waist level or below can give her a longer, leaner appearance. And on the opposite end of the spectrum, shooting them from above can make them look short and stumpy. But seriously, folks. I have never contorted into a position like THIS to get a photo. What the hell is this? This guy was a good 5′8″ or so, but he scrunched down into a little ball that could have fit into a used Big Mac container! Let’s be honest, I have two bad knees and couldn’t physically get into the position anyway, but I’d only attempt to strike this pose if I was taking a dump in the woods.

The lady in the green shirt almost tripped over the Asian Ansel Adams because she left the house wearing her Nintendo 3-D glasses on and didn’t see the little ball of yellow flesh at her feet. What’s the moral of this story? I don’t know. I just hope that was one hell of a photo of the concubine and the chapel behind her. Heck, maybe I will try that angle out at the races this weekend…

Before my brother Ross crashed last Friday, he had just spent a week in Italy on vacation, visiting some friends and riding at various tracks across Italy. Of course, he had a great time and had lots of stories to share with me about his trip. Sadly, he’s only told me a couple thus far, as there are some obviously more pressing issues at hand.
Currently, I am in Italy myself. I came a few days early for the Red Bull Motocross of Nations, along with my wife Eileen, and fellow editors Chris Kinman and Brendan Lutes. We will visit Alpinestars and take a tour of the boot-making facility before this weekend’s events.

A couple days ago, I told Ross that I was going to bail on my trip, so that I could stay by his side at the hospital. Of course, he insisted that I still go. Not because I needed to do my job, mind you, but because, “Italy is so cool!” After he said that, Ross told me a couple stories about his recent trip and I could tell that he really wanted me to go. “I’m going to be okay,” he said. “You go. There’s no sense sitting around here with me. I’ll be fine.”

In case you didn’t know this already, my brother Ross is amazing.

Thanks to all of you who have posted positive comments, sent texts or e-mails, and even called to show your support. Here’s an update on Rossi’s condition, as best I know it, as of Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. California time.

- Ross’ surgery went as well as could be expected. The three broken/displaced vertebrae are held in place with titanium rods. Thankfully, the spinal cord was damaged, but not severed. Doctors, of course, haven’t promised that Ross will regain the use of his legs, but they have not ruled it out. This is positive, in my eyes. Ross is a bad dude. He can heal from this!
- The EMT who called me right after the accident mentioned a broken collarbone and a possible broken wrist. Thankfully, Ross suffered neither of these injuries.
- Ross did break several ribs, and one of them punctured his right lung. He still has a chest tube to drain the blood from his chest cavity.
- After many torturous hours without food or drink, Ross is now allowed to drink and eat as he pleases, within reason. He sent his daughter out to fetch a burger yesterday.
- Ross is positive and in good spirits. (All things considered.)
- He has been transferred out of ICU and is now in a regular room.
- The family is looking into having him transferred to a facility that specialized in spinal cord injuries.

I’ve been regularly forwarding e-mail messages to Ross, and friends and associates of his who wish to send a message his way can direct them to me at donn.maeda@transworld.net

My big brother Ross has been my hero since I was a little kid, and I’ve idolized him for as long as I can remember. He is the reason I started riding motocross bikes, he is the one who sparked my interest in photography, he taught me how to ride and race, and he is the person I bounce magazine ideas off of when I need a second opinion.

Yesterday, Rossi crashed and suffered paralyzing injuries. He broke/displaced three vertebrae in his lower back and underwent a seven-hour surgery to repair the damage. Only time will tell if he will ever be able to walk again. Ross is a bad ass, though, and I know that if anyone can bounce back from this, it’s him.

To say that I am devastated would be an understatement. I’ve always said that Ross is my guideline as to how long I will be able to be the Editor of TransWorld Motocross. At 54, he still hauls ass on a mx track and has been a source of inspiration for me. “If Rossi can still rip at 54, I want to, also,” I’d think. I don’t want to be the editor of this magazine any longer when I can’t get around the track at a decent clip, so that’s why I’ve always looked to Ross for a time estimate. Now…I don’t know.

Ross is a fighter, and I know that he will get through this. All we can do is stay positive, think good thoughts, and keep him in our prayers. Think a good thought about my big brother for me, will you?

My brother got a scanner for his birthday or something, and he has been posting a ton of old photos on his personal blog. He got me good with this one! The following is his post. haha

This was a MAJOR find!! ROTELLI cannot begrudge me for posting this photo as it is in his “COOL DAYS” as a 3-wheeler PILOT! (Earlier days were much more frightening!) GREEN Tecate, stylish Jimmy White JT gear, and even SLIM physique!!!I think this was at a pretty big event, the CMC Trans Cal Series or something equally PRESTIGIOUS! It was during this period that ROTATUS was at odds trying to decide if motorcycles were better than 3 wheelers!?! Donny had asked for my older brotherly advice since I was a MX guy:”Rossi, what should I do? if I start all over again on bikes, I may never achieve superstardom…but if I stay in the ATV world, I am GUARANTEED GLORY! I am the mother-f’in MAN on 3 wheels!” I don’t remember the name of the guy standing next to him, but he was the starter at ASCOT. I think he is reminding Donny NOT to loop out whilst traversing the starting gate.

Eight years ago, Marc Fiore laid the foundation at TWMX alongside me as Assistant Publisher. It was a good time, and he kicked ass. After several years, a great opportunity lured him away from TransWorld, but the two of us kept in touch. Recently, “Faropey” returned to the TWMX family, this time as Publisher, and it’s been great having him back……..,………

While he was away, Marc didn’t ride much, but during his first week back with us, I gave him a decked-out YZ450F to get acquainted with. His speed has been coming back in short order, and the two of us are again banging bars (literally!) at the track once again. Faropey is one of my favorite guys to ride with, because he’s dirty! He’ll slam you, cut you off, brake check you and try to knock you over…but the best thing is that you can do all of the aforementioned to him, and he loves it! Last week, I left Perris Raceway with cuts on my hand and forearm from his handlebars.

Night before last, Marc texted me, “I got some new gear! And it has my name on it so you will have something to read” Right then and there, I decided that he must be initiated with the ole’ food-coloring-on-the-goggles prank. Yesterday, Scott at Racetown 395 held a private ride day for some friends, and while Marc chatted it up with the rest of the guys after a moto, I snuck into his truck and sabotaged his Oakleys. When he went out to moto, I warned everyone not to say anything, and he went through the rest of the day looking much like a koala bear! Sadly, he discovered it before we made it to the restaurant for lunch, where we were all hoping that the waitress would say something.

Faropey swears revenge, and I’m looking forward to it! I’ve already got my next prank in mind, and it’s even BETTER. Muahahaha!

Last week, Kawasaki introduced the 2010 Kawasaki KX450F to the press. My buddy Mark Tilley of Dirt Bike test riding fame and Dubach Racing media relations was on hand with the DB crew, so I decided to retry the patented TransWorld Motocross food coloring prank on him. As Tilley hob-nobbed with the Kawasaki brass, I headed over to his Funmover hauler to sabotage his helmet. I was a bit miffed when I learned that Dirt Bike’s Tom “Wolfman” Webb (Ahhwooooooooooooh!) was changing into his gear in the back of Tilley’s rig, but I decided to move forward anyway. I worked for Tom at Dirt Rider years ago and he knows that I love a good practical joke. He chuckled as I coated the inside of Tilley’s green HJC helmet liner with green food coloring. I completed the “inking” and got away undetected.

Imagine my disappointment when Tilley gonned a white and black helmet instead. At first, I wondered if the Wolfman had given me up, but when I saw that Tilley’s photo gear was white and black also, I decided otherwise. At the end of the day, I said my goodbyes and forgot all about it.

Two days later, I got a text message from Tilley while I was at my daughter’s soccer game. Mark was at REM and decided to wear his green helmet for practice. “You got me, you sucker,” he wrote , and then enclosed a couple great camera phone shots.

“It’s a good thing I have my Motocloths,” he said.

I rode with Tilley today at Perris, and I made sure to check the insides of my helmet and goggle foam!

Oh, I know this has nothing to do with this post, really, but check out the sweet Futbol Mulletino that I bagged at the soccer game, while Tilley was “going green!” Siiick!

Earlier this week, our art director Dave Kania and I headed to Washougal MX Park to join Yamaha at their 2010 YZ250F press introduction. As well as being one of my good friends, Dave is a pretty good rider and a fun guy to hang out with. That said, when our mainstay editor test rider Brendan Lutes was unable to attend the intro with me, I offered the opportunity to good ole’ “Eggo.” Dave jumped at the chance, and the two of us had a blast, for the most part. I say most part, because when it came time to film his rider impression for the web site video, Dave turned into Rain Man. That’s right, a “ruh-tard.” Apparently, the camera makes him turn into a babbling, giggling fool, and it took over 30 minutes to capture the footage I needed to complete our first impression video.

Having been the victim of Taylor Congdon’s blooper reel at the end of the Skills 3 DVD movie, I figured that I would pass it on by making this compilation of just some of Eggo’s verbal fails. And I know it’s long…but the end is good! Hang in there.

Sorry, Dave. Hahahahaha
Check out the video player on the right…

Warren Johnson from Fox stopped by the offices the other day to deliver some new POD knee braces. We just happened to be messing around with our flip camera and we hit him up for an impromptu show and tell.
Click on DUB-J PRESENTS POD in the video player to the right