Life as a Loose Cannon

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy; Jill too. While we work hard, we play hard too. Don't get us wrong, we're not all athletes. That's not what Loose Cannons is about. It's about doing things together, as a team, that we might not try on our own. Year after year we go beyond where we thought we could, stretching our minds and bodies (and hamstrings) with extreme challenges.

You're probably asking yourself, "Can I be a Loose Cannon?" That depends. What's your capacity for challenge and excitement?

Take a look at some of our past challenges and ask yourself: Do you want to just have a job or do you want to accomplish great feats, bigger than anything you could have imagined doing on your own.

LooseCannonSLOTriathlon

• November 2009 - Loose Cannons Switched Gears for Spooktacular's Hideous Hundred Ride
• November 2009 - Loose Cannons Joined Forces for the SLO Triathlon
• October 2008 - Loose Cannons Take on the US Marines AGAIN at the Volkslauf Ultimate "Mud Run" Challenge
• July 2008 - Loose Cannons Come Out In Force at the San Luis Obispo Triathlon
• August 2008 - Loose Cannons Rip Through the American River Rapids
• February 2008 - Loose Cannons Rally For the Tour of California
• October 2007 - Loose Cannons Take on the US Marines at the Volksluaf Ultimate "Mud Run" Challenge
• June 2006 - Loose Cannons Climb Half Dome in Yosemite
• June 2005 - Loose Cannons Survive the Mojave Death Race
• July 2004 - Loose Cannons Unphased by Mojave Death Race
• July 2003 - Loose Cannons Ride through the 24-Hours of Adrenaline Bike Race
• June 2002 - Loose Cannons Take on the Mojave Death Race

LOOSE CANNONS SWITCHED GEARS FOR SPOOKTACULAR'S HIDEOUS HUNDRED RIDE

Bakersfield - Team Loose Cannon's geared up on October 24th for the ride of the century, the Cannon Spooktacular Century that is. It's an extreme mountain-rural bike ride (with a Halloween theme) hosted by the Kern Wheelmen, starting just east of Bakersfield and leading into the Southern Sierras and Sequoia National Forest.

After enjoying the sun rise and few rolling hills on Comanche Drive, 7 Loose Cannons switched gears on to Breckenridge Road, or rather "The Big Climb" (the reason why they call this ride Hideous Hundred). For the next 20 plus miles the grade is about five percent with several sections towards the top with grades of 10 percent and higher.

A shorter climb leads up Caliente-Bodfish Road and eventually down into Walker Basin. After several flat miles, Walker Basin Road slowly ascends towards Twin Oaks, followed by a long gradual descent on Caliente Creek Road into Caliente.

The course then continues on Caliente-Bodfish Road and Bena Road, which features some short climbs followed by a downhill and flat section, before turning into Edison Highway. Comanche Drive eventually leads back to the starting point.

This will be the second year Cannon has supported the Kern Wheelmen Bicycle Club's Spooktacular Century.

LOOSE CANNONS JOINED FORCES FOR THE SLO TRIATHLON

San Luis Obispo - On July 26th, 2009, Team Loose Cannons competed in the 30th annual San Luis Obispo Triathlon. Cannon employees, family, friends and clients came together to form 13 teams and 11 individual competitors.

Each year the triathlon brings the extreme, intermediate and beginner Loose Cannon athlete out from his/her cubicle to train for one common goal: fitness, camaraderie and completion. This annual event for Cannon encapsulates what it means to be a Loose Cannon: taking on a challenge; pushing yourself beyond your limits; and working together as a team.

The event would not be complete without a proper Loose Cannon tailgate party/BBQ.

2009 marks the sixth year that Cannon has sponsored the San Luis Obispo Triathlon and Loose Cannons 2nd year participating together.

Loose Cannons thrive on team building, excitement and challenge. You don't have to be an athlete to participate. That's not what Loose Cannons are about. We're about doing things together that you might not try on our own. For more information go to www.teamloosecannons.com.

LOOSE CANNONS COMPLETE 1st OF THREE 2008 ADVENTURES

San Luis Obispo - On July 27th, 2008, 58 Loose Cannons came together to compete in the 29th annual San Luis Obispo Triathlon. The twenty Loose Cannon teams were made up of Cannon associates, family and fiends. For many, this was the first triathlon in which they'd ever participated.

"This event really encapsulated what it means to be a Loose Cannon: taking on a challenge; pushing yourself beyond your limits; and working together as a team. I'm proud to be part of Loose Cannons." Michael Cannon, P.E., President of Cannon.

2008 marks the fifth year that Cannon has been major sponsors of this event. The Loose Cannons plan to make this an annual activity.

LOOSE CANNONS RIP THROUGH THE AMERICAN RIVER RAPIDS

LOOSE CANNONS - MAJOR SPONSORS OF THE 3RD ANNUAL TOUR OF CALIFORNIA

VOLKSLAUF ULTIMATE CHALLENGE: 2007

Loose Cannons Push themselves to the Limit and Beyond

Cannon employees recently challenged themselves on a marine designed ROPES course in Bakersfield, CA. The "Loose Cannons" team received a hands-on lesson in teamwork, communication and core strength when they took part in the Marine's Volkslauf Ultimate Challenge. The ROPES course offered over 75 truly challenging obstacles strategically crafted to test strength, problem-solving skills, creativity, and cooperation. With about 8 MILLION gallons of water on the course, this course pushes your limits. Although it rained in the morning, 70 extreme Cannon associates, family and friends came out for the event.

"Each year we search to find an event that will challenge and energize us. This year was definitely not a let down." Mike Cannon, President.

The Volkslauf Ultimate Challenge brings hundreds of daring individuals year after year to raise money for the Toys for Tots. Over $35,000 was raised at this year's event.

HALF-DOME, YOSEMITE: 2006

Imagine the feeling of being on top of the world.

Now, imagine being there with 90 of your friends and family; climbing Half Dome with the Loose Cannons.

This hike is approximately 17 miles round trip with a 4,800-foot elevation change. It can take anywhere from 10-12 hours. Conditions include the ‘Mist Trail,' so named from the spray of the waterfalls which soaks hikers; a thick granite stair case; a series of steep switchbacks; and the infamous cables. The last part of the trail is too steep to climb without some type of support - some sections are at a 45 degree slope. The park service graciously maintains the cables up the last quarter mile to the summit.

	These are not ants.
Climbers afectionately call this "the diving board." Before you get any ideas, BASE jumping and hang gliding from Half Dome are strictly forbidden.

MOJAVE DEATH RACE: 2002, 2004, 2005

Yes, we said "Death Race." It's that extreme. With temperatures soaring into the 120 degree range, keeping the body cool can be difficult.

Now try running, mountain biking, and road biking 287 miles in anywhere from soft desert sand to hard packed dirt, paved roads and dirt roads, rocks, gravel, and weathered asphalt. This is a team relay where you don't just hope you have support from your team - your life depends on it.

For three years, Team Loose Cannons took the Death Race Challenge and beat the extremes. Anywhere from 25 to 45 friends, family, and coworkers trained, planned, and set out to compete against other teams, the environment, as well as their own self doubt. Each year we came back feeling more alive than ever before.

24-HOURS of ADRENALINE MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE: 2003

Some things aren't for the weak of heart. Mountain biking in the 24 Hours of Adrenalin is one of those "things." Located at Hurky Creek near Idyllwild, California this competition revolved around a massive relay, where solo riders or teams of riders compete to ride as many laps as possible in a 24-hour time frame. We knew we were off to a "shakey" start when our first rider threw his bike across the finish line. Turns out he'd had five flats along the course and a pump for only three of those. Nevertheless, we recovered and finished the race.