text:
Redirected from Lord of Mordor
this wiki
The main part of this article relates to the last versions of Middle-earth's history, and as such may controvert parts of The Silmarillion. See Middle-earth canon for a discussion. This subject's portrayal in earlier or alternative versions is discussed in the other versions of the legendarium section.
Biographical information
Physical description
Sauron (or Þauron; Quenya; IPA: [ˈsaʊron] or Vanyarin; IPA: [ˈθaʊron] - "The Abhorred"), the eponymous Lord of the Rings, was a fallen Maia, the creator of the One Ring, and the most trusted lieutenant of his master Melkor (Morgoth, the first Dark Lord). After Morgoth's defeat in the First Age, Sauron became the second Dark Lord and strove to conquer Arda, creating the Rings of Power for this purpose. In the Second Age, he was defeated in the War of the Last Alliance by the last line of defense: elves and men.
During the battle, Isildur managed to cut off Sauron's finger with the ring on it, causing the destruction of his corporeal form and scattering his armies. After spending hundreds of years lying dormant and slowly regaining his strength, Sauron returned to power in the Third Age, but was finally defeated in the War of the Ring through the destruction of the One Ring.
Sauron was originally a Maia of Aulë the Smith named Mairon, meaning "the admirable", and learned much from him in the ways of forging and crafting, becoming a great craftsman, and mighty in the lore of Aulë's people.[2] Although he was a Maia spirit, and not as mighty as the Valar, Mairon was one of the most powerful Maiar, being far stronger than others such as Olorin and Curumo (who was also a servant of Aulë).[Source?]
During this time, Mairon was as Eru had created him: good and uncorrupt. His greatest virtue was his love of order and perfection, disliking anything wasteful. However, this would also prove to be the source of his fall, for in the Dark Lord Morgoth, Mairon saw the will and power that would help him achieve his own goals and desires faster than if he had pursed them on his own. So great was his allegiance that even in later days, after Morgoth was defeated and locked outside the confines of the world, Sauron encouraged and coerced some Men to worship Morgoth as the one and true god. However, while Morgoth wanted to either control or destroy the very matter of Arda itself, Mairon's desire was to dominate the minds and wills of its creatures.
After allying himself with Morgoth, Mairon maintained his appearance of being faithful to the Valar, but secretly fed Morgoth information about their dealings. It was only when Morgoth established his strongholds in Middle-Earth that Sauron left the Blessed Realms and openly declared his allegiance, and ever after remained a foe of the Valar and the Free Peoples of Middle Earth.[Source?] The Sindar in Beleriand called him Gorthaur, meaning "dread abomination",[3] and to the Noldor, he was named Sauron, meaning "the abhorred" or "the abominable" (a mockery of his original name). At first, he was a spy for Morgoth, telling him of the Valar's doings.[Source?]
First Age
During the First Age, the Noldorin Elves left the Blessed Realm of Valinor in the Utter West (against the counsel of the Valar) in order to wage war on Morgoth, who had stolen the Silmarils of Fëanor, enchanted gems that glowed with light from the now-destroyed Trees of Valinor. In that war, Sauron was counted as the "greatest of [Morgoth's] servants that have names". He was soon feared as a lord of terrible phantoms and dreadful beasts--a shape shifter, sorcerer, and a cunning servant of his dark master.
Before Melkor's captivity, Sauron commanded the fortress of Angband and served as Melkor's lieutenant. When the Vala Tulkas came and captured Melkor, Sauron had already fled and was not found.[4]
When Morgoth left Angband to corrupt the newly awakened Atani (Men), Sauron directed the war against the Elves.[5] He conquered the Elvish isle of Tol Sirion, so that it became known as Tol-in-Gaurhoth, the Isle of Werewolves.[6] He was the Lord of the Werewolves there, and Draugluin was the sire of the Werewolves. His herald was the vampire Thuringwethil.
After Dagor Bragollach, Sauron's hunters brought Gorlim and questioned him of Barahir's, father of Beren, location. Gorlim told them none, until Sauron himself came forth and bartered with the man. Gorlim asked for his wife Eilinel, whom he thought captured. Thus, Sauron agreed and Gorlim yielded the information. However, Sauron revealed that Eilinel was dead, and he put Gorlim to death afterward. During the Quest for the Silmaril, Beren and Finrod King of Nargothrond were captured by Sauron. There Finrod and Sauron fought songs of power. He stripped them off their Orc disguises and cast them into the dark pits where werewolves devoured their companions. When a werewolf came to attack Beren, Finrod wrestled with it and passed away from his injuries.
Soon afterward, Lúthien and Huan the wolf-hound arrived at the bridge of Tol-in-Gaurhoth. Sauron sent wolves to capture Lúthien, but all were slain by Huan. One of them was Draugluin, but he fled and told his master that Huan was there. Therefore, Sauron disguised himself as a werewolf and leaped to attack Lúthien. Huan sprang and subdued Sauron. He yielded the tower to Lúthien and escaped in a form of a vampire.[7]
After his defeat by Lúthien, Sauron played little part in the events of the First Age (possibly hiding from Morgoth's wrath), and after his master was defeated and taken to Valinor in chains, Sauron seemed to repent and plead to Eönwë and the victorious Host of the West for mercy. Although his plea was probably genuine, Sauron was unwilling to return to the Utter West for judgment, and so he fled and hid somewhere in Middle-earth.[8]
Second Age
Forging of the One Ring
- "This is the Master-ring, the One Ring to rule them all. This is the One Ring that he lost many ages ago, to the great weakening of his power. He greatly desires it – but he must not get it."
- —Gandalf, The Lord of the Rings, "The Shadow of the Past"
After lying hidden and dormant for 500 years, he began revealing himself once more, and by SA 1000 he gathered his power and established himself in the land of Mordor in eastern Middle-earth and began building the dreaded Dark Tower of Barad-dûr near Mount Doom. Sauron, like Morgoth, soon began raising massive armies of Orcs, Trolls, and possibly other creatures, as well as corrupting the hearts of Men with delusions of power and wealth, chiefly Easterlings and Southrons (the Haradrim).
Although Sauron knew that men were easier to sway, he sought to bring the Elves into his service, as they were far more powerful. By about SA 1500, Sauron put on a fair visage in the Second Age, and calling himself Annatar, the "Lord of Gifts", he befriended the Elvish smiths of Eregion, and counseled them in arts and magic. Not all the Elves trusted him, particularly Lady Galadriel, Elrond, and Gil-galad, High King of the Ñoldor.
To the elves who listened, Sauron gave knowledge and encouragement in forging the Rings of Power, though in secret Sauron forged his own, the One Ring, to rule the Elvish rings. Upon that ring Sauron left the inscription, Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk, agh burzum-ishi krimpatul. In Westron the inscription translated into:One Ring to Rule Them All, One Ring to Find Them, One Ring to Bring Them All, and in the Darkness Bind Them.
However, as soon as Sauron put the Ring on his finger the Elves sensed his treachery, and removed their rings and hid them. Enraged, Sauron came against them in open war and demanded that all the Rings of Power be given to him. The Elves managed to hide the three greatest of the Rings from him, but the other sixteen Rings of Power were either captured by Sauron, destroyed, or lost. To the Dwarves he had given seven, but to Men he had given Nine, knowing that they would be the easiest to enslave. The Dwarf Lords who received the Rings proved to be very resistant to their power, and neither "faded" nor became enslaved to Sauron's will. The Rings instead created in them an insatiable lust for gold, which ultimately caused a great deal of grief for the Dwarves.
As Sauron predicted, however, the nine Men were all corrupted by their Rings and became the Nazgûl, Sauron's deadliest servants. Had the Elves not recognized Sauron's treachery and forsaken the power of their rings, the results would have been catastrophic for the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth. It seems that most if not all of the native Men of Middle-Earth succumbed to the power of the Ring once the Nazgûl were created; the Númenóreans were spared because of their distance. The Elves, had they been captured in this fashion, would have become the slaves of Sauron, and thus Celebrimbor's resistance was of immense importance in the history of Middle-earth.
In this era, during which he marshalled and commanded great armies, Sauron became known as the Dark Lord of Mordor and his fortress of Barad-dûr was completed. He was very powerful even without control of the Elves, and he conquered nearly all of Middle-earth during the War of the Elves and Sauron. However, the armies of Númenór's King Tar-Minastir were finally able to defeat him at a last battle near Gwathló or the Greyflood in SA 1700. Defeated but not vanquished, Sauron retreated back to Mordor and began recouping his strength over the many centuries.Towards the end of the Second Age, Sauron was once again powerful enough to raise again large armies to attempt to rule Middle-earth. By this time, he assumed the titles of "Lord of the Earth" and "King of Men". Sauron's rise in power and apparent intention to crown himself the King of all Men offended the Númenóreans; the powerful Men descended from those who had fought against Melkor in the War of Wrath. Some were the descendants, through Elros, of Beren and Lúthien.
Life in Númenor
These Men lived on the island of Númenor in the sea between Middle-earth and Valinor. The Númenóreans, who were then proud, came to Middle-earth with astounding force of arms. King Ar-Pharazôn marched his troops all the way to Mordor without a single battle, and demanded that Sauron abase himself before the King. Sauron could see clearly that even the most powerful of his servants could not stand against the Númenóreans, and so came from Barad-dûr without any offer of battle. He assumed a fair form and flattered Ar-Pharazôn, but the King demanded that Sauron come back to Númenor as a hostage. Sauron feigned unhappiness at this development but secretly was delighted, for this presented him with an opportunity to destroy the Númenóreans from within. After only a few short years in Númenor he grew from captive to the King's most trusted adviser, and nearly all the King's court fawned upon him. Drawing on their fear of death, he converted many Númenóreans to the worship of Morgoth, lying that Morgoth had the power to save them from mortality. As his power and influence reached its peak, he raised a great Temple in which he performed human sacrifices to Morgoth. Finally, he convinced Ar-Pharazôn to rebel against the Valar and attack Valinor itself and claim it for himself.
But here, Sauron's cunning overreached itself, for Eru then directly intervened - Númenor was drowned under the sea, and the great navy of Númenor was destroyed and the army that reached Aman was buried under mountains of falling rock and imprisoned in the Caves of the Forgotten. The world was bent, so that thereafter, only Elven-Ships could sail into the Utter West. Sauron's body was destroyed, but his spirit was not diminished, and he fled back to Mordor bearing the Ring, where he slowly rebuilt a new body and his strength during the time known as the Dark Years. From this point on, he lost the ability to assume a fair shape, and ruled now through terror and force. A few faithful Númenóreans led by Elendil were saved from the flood, and they founded Gondor and Arnor in Middle-earth.
Loss of the Ring
After losing his body in the destruction of Númenor and a brief period of renewed war, Elendil and his people allied with the Elven-king, Gil-Galad to create the Last Alliance, and together fought Sauron. They finally defeated his armies at the Battle of Dagorlad, and laid siege to Barad-dûr for seven years. Finally, Sauron himself came forth and dueled both Elendil and Gil-galad, slaying them both singlehandedly. Then Isildur, son of Elendil, took up his father's broken sword, Narsil and cut the One Ring from Sauron's finger. Sauron's physical body was destroyed. With nearly all of his power stored in the ring, the dark lord was vanquished when it was cut from his finger. Without their leader's dark will driving them on, Sauron's armies were routed and fled, and thus, his campaign to defeat the free peoples was seemingly ended, and his greatest weapon taken from him.
But while Isildur had taken the ring, he could not bring himself to destroy it in the fires of Mount Doom where it was forged, instead he became corrupted by the One Ring and kept it for himself. He was eventually betrayed by it a few years later, and slain by Orcs at Gladden Fields. The Ring fell into the river Anduin, and was lost for centuries before being found by Smeagol's friend Deagol.
Third Age
Despite his defeat, Sauron was not vanquished permanently. Though greatly weakened, and in non-corporeal form, he still existed, due to pouring most of his native power, strength, and will into the One Ring. Thus, as long as it existed, he could never be truly defeated, and during the first thousand years of the Third Age, he lay in hiding, slowly recovering his strength until he was once again able to create a body for himself.
The Necromancer of Dol Guldur
In the year TA 1000, Sauron at last began to rise again, taking the stronghold of Dol Guldur, the Hill of Sorcery, in southern Mirkwood in TA 1050. There, he was disguised as a dark sorcerer known as the Necromancer, and the Elves did not realize at first that he was actually Sauron returned.
Around this time, the Valar sent the five Wizards, or Istari, including Gandalf Greyhame, who later changed into Gandalf the White, to oppose Sauron and rally the free peoples of Middle-Earth against him.
While Sauron continued to gather his strength, the Ringwraiths reappeared in the year TA 1300, and began steadily assaulting the Numenorian kingdoms in exile until, one by one, they fell. Whether the Witch King was acting on his own, or was being guided by Sauron, is not known.
Suspecting that Sauron had returned and was guiding the Nazgûl, the wizard Gandalf infiltrated the fortress in TA 2063 to confirm his theory, but Sauron fled into the East to conceal his identity. This marked the beginning of the Watchful Peace, which ended with Sauron's return to Dol Guldur in TA 2460. During the same year, the One Ring was finally discovered by the stoor Smeagol and his friend Deagol.
Gandalf the Grey made a second intrusion into Dol Guldur in TA 2850, and finally discovered that the Necromancer was indeed Sauron. Eventually, the White Council put forth their might and drove Sauron from Dol Guldur permanently in TA 2941. Without the Ring in his possession, Sauron could draw on only the smallest fraction of its strength, so that his enemies were able to drive him from Dol Guldur with relative ease. However, the Dark Lord, having had ample time to prepare, was willing to abandon Dol Guldur, and returned to Mordor, where he openly declared himself in TA 2951, and began preparations for his final war against the free peoples of Middle-earth.Sauron bred immense armies of Orcs and allied with and enslaved Men from the east and south. He gathered his most terrifying servants, the Nazgûl (airi in Quenyan), or Ringwraiths, each wearing one of the nine rings designed for mortal men. He adopted the symbol of a lidless eye, and was able to exert his will over Middle-earth, so that the Eye of Sauron became a symbol of power and fear. But while Sauron had much of his former strength, he was still much weakened without the One Ring and remained hidden in the shadows, directing his armies from afar.
War of the Ring
After the creature Gollum, who had previously possessed the ring, was captured, Sauron had him tortured and learned that he once had a magic ring, and from him he heard the words Shire and Baggins. He deduced that Gollum's ring was the One Ring, and sent his servants, the dreaded Nazgul, to find Shire and search for Baggins, so that the One Ring might be found and returned to him.
Meanwhile, Sauron had allied with Saruman the White (another fallen Maia, or Istari), whom he had ensnared into his service, expecting the wizard to move against Rohan and thus remove one of the major threats Sauron faced in his planned conquest of Gondor and the remaining Elves. Saruman failed however, and Sauron lost his most potent ally as well as Saruman's massive orc army of Uruk-Hai.
Shortly after Saruman's defeat, Peregrin Took looked into the Palantír that Saruman had possessed and accidentally communicated with Sauron, who believed that Saruman had captured the Halflings bearing the Ring. However, when Aragorn took the palantir and revealed himself, Sauron realized that Saruman had fallen. Concluding that the heir of Isildur carried the One Ring and could possibly use it against him, Sauron sped up his plans and attacked the city of Minas Tirith in Gondor much sooner than he had planned, seeking to raze it and crush last true human resistance to his rule.
Fortunately, due to the combined efforts of Gondor, Rohan, and the Army of the Dead, Sauron's army was defeated. He still had many armies in reserve, however, and enough military strength to easily conquer Middle-earth once Gondor fell. Yet, instead of striking out and covering Middle-Earth in a second darkness akin to Morgoth's near-victory, Sauron feared that Aragorn was attempting to master the ring's powers for himself, and waited for a period of strife between Aragorn and other potential Ringlords in which he would move out and take the Ring for himself.
Despite their successful repulsion of Sauron's forces at Minas Tirith, Gandalf and Aragorn knew that an army of 10,000 orcs still stood between Frodo and Mt. Doom, and that Frodo stood almost no chance of reaching the mountain undetected. In a desperate gambit to buy time for Frodo to reach Mount Doom and to distract Sauron from the presence of the Ring in Mordor, Gandalf and Aragorn led the remaining host from Minas Tirith to the Black Gate, making Sauron believe that Aragorn did indeed intend to challenge him directly.[9]
Their ploy worked, as Sauron marshaled the entirety of his remaining forces and marched them towards Udun to utterly crush the Men of the West and regain his prize, leaving the Planes of Gorgoroth completely deserted and allowing Frodo and Sam to reach Mt. Doom unhindered. However, once Frodo reached the Cracks of Doom, he finally succumbed to the power of the Ring. As he put it on and prepared to leave Mt. Doom, Sauron suddenly became aware of him, immediately drawing his gaze towards the mountain. Though enraged, Sauron was suddenly gripped with terror having realized his own folly, and he frantically sent the Ringwraiths towards the mountain to retrieve the Ring. He was too late however, and Gollum, after taking the Ring from Frodo, slipped and plunged into the Cracks of Doom, and the Ring was unmade. The earth shook as a great shockwave rippled across Mordor, and the foundations of Barad-dûr were finally destroyed, causing the great fortress to fall into ruin once and for all. Mt. Doom was completely destroyed in a cataclysmic eruption that consumed the eight remaining Nazgul, who had left their combat with the Great Eagles to race to Mount Doom, in its fiery ruin.[10]
With his source of power gone, Sauron was utterly defeated and his armies were destroyed or scattered, bereft of the driving will behind their conquest. With the Ring's destruction, Sauron was permanently robbed of his physical form, reducing him to a malevolent spirit that hovered above Mordor like a "huge shape of shadow, impenetrable, lightning-crowned, ...terrible but impotent," only to be blown away by a great wind.[11]
All of Sauron's old strength that was "native to him in his beginning", in the words of Gandalf, was forever lost. Since his new body was based solely on the powers of the Ring, it was destroyed when the Ring was unmade. Without the strength of the Ring to aid him, he would never regain enough power to form the weakest body in Arda, and thus was restricted to existing as a hateful spirit, weak, and forever unable to take part in the events of Middle-earth. While evil would continue to exist, Sauron could never emerge as a Dark Lord again and never would have the power to create an army or draw evil creatures to his rule as he once did.
- ""If [the Ring] it is destroyed, then he will fall, and his fall will be so low that none can foresee his arising ever again. For he will lose the best part of the strength that was native to him in his beginning, and all that was made or begun with that power will crumble, and he will be maimed for ever, becoming a mere spirit of malice that gnaws itself in the shadows, but cannot again grow or take shape. And so a great evil of this world will be removed.""
- —The Return of the King, "The Last Debate"
Sauron is the Quenya term for "the Abhorred".[3] In Sindarin, it is translated as Gorthaur from gor ("horror, dread") and thaur ("abominable, abhorrent").[12]
Other names
His original name was said to be Mairon ("the Admirable, from maira = admirable, excellent"), a name he used while in Númenor, adding the title "Tar" for "Tar-Mairon" ("King Excellent").[13] When disguising himself in the Second Age, he called himself Annatar ("Lord of Gifts, anna = gift and tar = king, lord"), Artano ("High-smith") and Aulendil ("Friend of Aule").[14]
His name is sometimes seen written as Thauron (Þauron), an earlier pronunciation of Sauron.
- The Enemy
- The Nameless Enemy
- The Deceiver
- The Dark Lord (Post-First Age)
- The Lord of Barad-dûr
- The Lord of Mordor
- The Necromancer (Third Age)
Earlier names
Thû was Tolkien's earlier names for Sauron in the Lay of Leithian.
Despite being the title character of the Lord of the Rings, Sauron is notable in that he never directly appears during the events of the trilogy. Nowhere is any detailed description given of what he looks like, other than in vague terms.
In The Silmarillion, Sauron is described as being a shape changer, and took many forms, including that of a serpent, a vampire, and a great wolf. After Morgoth's fall, Sauron appeared in fair form as Annatar, the Lord of Gifts, and maintained this appearance until the Fall of Numenor, in which he was unable to ever take fair form ever again. The History of Middle Earth include a passage describing (again, vaguely) how the Numenoreans saw him: "Upon that ship which was cast highest and stood dry upon a hill there was a man, or one in man's shape, but greater than any even of the race of Numenor in stature...And it seemed to men that Sauron was great; though they feared the light of his eyes. To many he appeared fair, to others terrible; but to some evil."[15]
A few clues are given as to Sauron's appearance as the Dark Lord, after he lost his ability to take a fair form: Tolkien described Sauron in one of his letters as having the form of a man of more than human stature, but not gigantic, and as an image of malice and hatred made visible. He apparently gave off great heat, so much so that Gil-Galad was burned to death by his mere touch, and Isildur described Sauron's hand as black, yet burning like fire, suggesting that his entire body was blackened from fire and heat.
Gollum, having apparently seen Sauron directly, described him as having only four fingers on his black hand, suggesting that Sauron was unable to regenerate the finger from which Isildur took the One Ring, similar to how the wounds Morgoth took from Fingolfin never healed.
In addition to his physical appearance, Sauron also apparently had an aura of incredible malevolence. A passage in The Silmarillion describes him as having a "dreadful presence," and daunting eyes. Furthermore, his mere presence could bend all but the strongest wills.[7]
Regarding Sauron's personality, Tolkien had this to say from his letters:
- "In my story Sauron represents as near an approach to the wholly evil will as is possible. He had gone the way of all tyrants: beginning well, at least on the level that while desiring to order all things according to his own wisdom he still at first considered the (economic) well-being of other inhabitants of the Earth. But he went further than human tyrants in pride and the lust for domination, being in origin an immortal (angelic) spirit. Sauron desired to be a God-King, and was held to be this by his servants, by a triple treachery: 1. Because of his admiration of Strength he had become a follower of Morgoth and fell with him down into the depths of evil, becoming his chief agent in Middle Earth. 2. when Morgoth was defeated by the Valar finally he forsook his allegiance; but out of fear only; he did not present himself to the Valar or sue for pardon, and remained in Middle Earth. 3. When he found how greatly his knowledge was admired by all other rational creatures and how easy it was to influence them, his pride became boundless."
- —J.R.R. Tolkien[16]
Weapons and powers
Sauron was among the mightiest of the Maiar. Originally of Aulë's people, he acquired great "scientific" knowledge of the world's substances and how to use them. He would retain this knowledge throughout his tenure as the Dark Lord in Middle-earth, using it to forge the One Ring and construct his fortress of Barad-dûr. Sauron also seemed primarily linked to the use of fire, and as Morgoth's chief lieutenant, his ability to tap into the fires in the earth was of great value.
Among Sauron's chief powers were deception and disguise: In the First Age Sauron took on many forms. His battle against Luthien and Huan in The Silmarillion has him taking on no less than four separate shapes: his "normal" shape, presumed to be that of some kind of terrible dark sorcerer, a great wolf, a serpent, and finally a vampire "dripping blood from his throat upon the trees" ("Of Beren and Lúthien," The Silmarillion). At the end of the First Age, Sauron took on a fair form to appeal to the Captain of the Hosts of the Valar and ask for pardon. In the Second Age, Sauron took up that fair form again and used it under the alias "Annatar" to deceive the Elves into creating the Rings of Power. The level of deception required to fool the Elves of Eregion must have gone beyond simply taking on a fair form. Sauron was literally instructing the Elves to make artifacts that while capable of great good, were ultimately purposed for his own domination and were imbued with power to arrest the natural order of the world. The Elves were unaware of who they were dealing with until the eleventh hour, and only narrowly escaped his trap. Centuries later, Sauron was able to deceive the Númenóreans and steer them directly to their own destruction under promises of eternal life. Such destruction is a testament to Sauron's manipulative nature and ability to twist the perceptions of his enemies.
An interesting dichotomy is set up between his deceptive nature and his symbol. While rarely appearing personally and deceiving all but the most wary, he represented himself as an all seeing eye that could pierce all disguises. Consistent with Tolkien's theme of evil being finite, wasteful, and self-destructive, Sauron's powers gradually decreased as time went on. After the Fall of Númenor he was incapable of taking physical form for many years, and then later became a horrific Dark Lord. After losing the Ring it took even longer for him to regain physical form, although by the War of the Ring he had regained it.
The extent, nature, and specifics of Sauron's power are largely left to the imagination. Like his master Morgoth, he was capable of altering the physical substance of the world around him by mere effort of will.
In The Bestiary under the section "Wolfhounds," it is said Huan "took the greatest of the Maiar by the throat," referring to his fight with Sauron. However in the section Maiar it says "the mightiest of the Maiar is Eönwë."
Signs and Symbols
The Symbol of Sauron was the Eye of Sauron, particularly after he arose in Mirkwood at Dol Guldur. The Evil Eye is also the most popular representation of Sauron, but Sauron just controls it. It is known as The Eye of Sauron in The Silmarillion, and in The Lord of the Rings is also known as the Great Eye, the Eye of Barad-dûr, the Red Eye, the Lidless Eye, and the Evil Eye. The term Red Eye is also used to refer to the actual Eye of Sauron.
Other versions of the legendarium
Since the earliest versions of the Silmarillion legendarium (as detailed in the History of Middle-earth series), Sauron has undergone many changes. The prototype of this character was Tevildo, Prince of Cats, who played the role later taken by Sauron in the earliest version of the story of Beren and Lúthien in The Book of Lost Tales. Tevildo later (but still in the Book of Lost Tales period) was transformed into Thû, the Necromancer. The name was then changed to Gorthû, Sûr, and finally to Sauron. Gorthû, in the form Gorthaur remained in The Silmarillion. In Numenor he was known (according to the Notion Club Papers and associated writings) as Zigûr.
In the books
- The Hobbit (Only mentioned as "the Necromancer")
- The Fellowship of the Ring
- The Two Towers
- The Return of the King
- The Silmarillion
- The Children of Húrin
- Unfinished Tales
- The History of Middle-earth
In films
- An Unexpected Journey (As the "Necromancer")
- The Desolation of Smaug (As the "Necromancer" and as himself)
- The Battle of the Five Armies
- The Fellowship of the Ring
- The Two Towers
- The Return of the King
In video games
- The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth
- The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II
- The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II: The Rise of the Witch-king
- The Lord of the Rings: Conquest
- The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
- LEGO The Lord of the Rings: The Video Game
- LEGO The Hobbit: The Video Game
- Guardians of Middle-earth
- Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Portrayal in adaptations
Prior to the publication of The Silmarillion, Sauron's origins and true identity were unclear to those without full access to Tolkien's notes, so that early editions of the Guide to Middle Earth described Sauron as "probably of the Eldar elves".
The Hobbit film trilogy
- "There is no light, Wizard...that can defeat darkness."
- —Sauron confronts Gandalf in Dol Guldur
In the The Hobbit film trilogy, Sauron appears in the film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in the form of a black, humanoid, ghostly shape, perhaps alluding to Tolkien's description of a man with blackened skin, and appears as a mass of black, tendril-like smoke in the next film, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. In the latter film, Sauron revealed more of his powers; when Gandalf searches through Dol Guldur, Sauron confronts him and a duel erupts between the two. Sauron unleashes a barrage of dark spiritual energy at Gandalf, and then gives off a burning heat which melts Gandalf's staff, possibly a reference to the heat that Sauron radiates. He then telekinetically pins Gandalf against a wall and reveals himself to the wizard in an aura of flame. Gandalf is later seen imprisoned after this encounter. English actor Benedict Cumberbatch, (known for his works in Sherlock), who also voices the dragon Smaug, provides the motion performance and voice of Sauron as The Necromancer of Dol Guldur. The extended edition confirms he and Smaug are working together. This implies that although he is not strong enough to face the Wise, he would have had enough power to subdue Smaug if he attempted to attack him.
- "It has begun. The East will fall. So shall the Kingdom of Angmar rise. The time of the Elves is over. The Age of the Orc has come."
- —Spoken in the Black Speech, as Sauron reveals himself to Galadriel
In The Battle of the Five Armies, Galadriel arrives in Dol Guldur to free Gandalf from imprisonment. As she tries to leave, Sauron (as a disembodied voice) taunts her and sets the Nazgul in wraith forms on her. As the Nazgul surround her, she reveals that she had come with allies: Saruman and Elrond emerge and engage the Nazgul in a fight. After Radagast has taken Gandalf to safety, Sauron gathers the Nazgul to him and materializes in his flame form to engage the White Council. Galadriel rises from the floor, taking on an etheral form and engages Sauron in a battle of wills and words. The Nazgul are dispatched and the Dark Lord's spirit is repelled from Dol Guldur and thrown far into the east, towards Mordor. After the battle, Galadriel is severely weakened and Saruman instructs Elrond to take her away while he deals with Sauron.
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
- "There is no life in the void, only death."
- —Sauron's voice to Frodo Baggins through the Great Eye, while Frodo wears the Ring.
In Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring, Saruman (Christopher Lee) refers to Sauron as "Lord of the Earth" while speaking to him through the Palantír. His most common titles, the Dark Lord of Mordor and the Lord of the Rings, appear only a few times in the books. His other titles were similar to Morgoth's. In the film adaptation, Sauron was originally intended to appear at the Battle of the Morannon to fight Aragorn. However, this was ultimately scrapped from the film, due to the fact it was not in the book and the developers believed it would take the main focus away from Sam and Frodo. Furthermore, Jackson believed it would be demeaning to what Aragorn was trying to accomplish.
As seen in Peter Jackson's film trilogy, Sauron appears as a massive figure in black armor, measuring over nine feet tall and wielding a horned mace. His armor is based on Morgoth's primary form in The Silmarillion, though scaled down a great deal. The way the Great Eye of Sauron appears in Peter Jackson's trilogy (as a giant cat's eye) is a reference to the character of Tevildo in the first drafts, who took the form of a cat.
In the movies, Sauron's weapon is a large black mace used against the Last Alliance to kill both Gil-galad and Elendil. The mace is extremely powerful (either that or Sauron uses magic to strengthen his might), as it can blast back and kill entire battalions in one hit.
Video games
- In The Lord of the Rings Online, Annatar was depicted in a mural in the ruins of Tham Mírdain. He was called Antheron (Gift Lord), because Turbine doesn't have the rights to the name Annatar. In the session play quest 'Daughter of Strife' from Volume I: Book XV, where the player takes on the character of Narmaleth, Sauron is also encountered in his disguise of Annatar (Antheron), at the time he taught the elves of Eregion the secrets of the Rings.
- In The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II, Sauron's mace kills most units in a single hit, and even with the most durable, Sauron only needs a few hits (2 or 3) to defeat them.
- In the 2014 Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor video game, Sauron appears before Celebrimbor as Annatar, the Lord of Gifts, and deceives him into creating the Rings of Power. After the secret forging of the One Ring, Annatar takes Celebrimbor to Mordor to prefect the One Ring. Celebrimbor later escapes Mordor with the Ring and uses its power to challenge Sauron into battle. At the last moment, the Ring slips from Celebrimbor's finger. As vengeance, Sauron transforms back into Annatar and proceeds to kill Celebrimbor.
Translations around the World
|Foreign Language
|Translated name
|Chinese (Hong Kong)
In film versions of The Lord of the Rings, Sauron has been portrayed as either a humanlike creature (as in Ralph Bakshi's 1978 animated version, The Lord of the Rings) or a physical, disembodied Eye (as in the 1980 animated The Return of the King), or both.
This last option is shown in the 2001-2003 film trilogy directed by Peter Jackson. Here, Sauron is shown to have a large, human-like form during the forging of the Ring and up to his losing it, then being "limited" to the disembodied Eye form throughout the rest of the storyline.
Though the 1978 animated film and the 2001 live-action film both contain a prologue featuring the forging of the Rings of Power, the War of the Elves and Sauron goes unmentioned and the films jump straight to the much later War of the Last Alliance. In both, Sauron does not have the form he wore as "Annatar" when he forges the One Ring, but rather the one reflecting his identity as Dark Lord, and he is defeated by Isildur alone.
In Jackson's series, Sauron is originally portrayed as a towering "black knight" wielding a huge black mace (reminiscent of Tolkien's descriptions as well as conceptual artist John Howe's illustrations of Morgoth); in this form, he is portrayed by Sala Baker. Sauron's armor is brutal, spiky, but of very high quality: it has very ornate filigree but is also quite functional. In the DVD commentary, the production team explained their intent was to represent Sauron's great skill as a craftsman and ring-maker: Sauron was originally a Maia spirit in service to the smith-vala Aulë, and thus was very wise in the lore of physical construction. Sauron may have fallen from his previously angelic state, but a shadow of his great skill in forging and construction remains, even though it has been twisted to making weapons of war. Thus they chose to depict Sauron as wearing frightening, but very high quality and ornate armor of his own creation. This body disintegrates with explosive force after Isildur cuts off the Ring with the hilt-shard of the sword Narsil. After this defeat, he is thereafter portrayed as the Eye, which is presented as an actual physical manifestation. Sauron is voiced by Alan Howard and, in The Hobbit, Benedict Cumberbatch.
Later in the first film, Saruman remarks that Sauron cannot yet take physical form, so the audience is apparently to assume that the flaming Eye of Sauron is his disembodied spirit. This Eye hovers between the twin horn-like spires above Barad-dûr. In the novel, Sauron was inside the tower, gazing out through "the Window of the Eye in [his] shadow-mantled fortress". In the extended edition of The Return of the King, Sauron's humanoid form appears when Aragorn looks into the palantír.
In interviews, Jackson repeatedly refers to Sauron as "just a giant floating eyeball". In the novel, even if one interprets the text as saying that the Eye exists physically, it is never clear whether it is disembodied or not.
In the Jackson films, Sauron wears plate armour, but the author nowhere specifically discusses what kind of armour (or even clothing) Sauron may have worn during his physical incarnations.
According to Saruman in the first film, the Eye of Sauron "sees all"—though this is somewhat clarified in the third film. Here, the Eye of Sauron is shown scanning Mordor rather like a searchlight, and can only observe one location at a time. The effect in Mordor is seen as a red beam that moves across the land, forever probing. A later statement regarding Sauron's observational powers shows they are akin to the novel, as Gollum says at one point that Sauron can see everything, but he cannot see everything all at once. It also seems to be visible to Frodo (and to see him in turn) any time that he is wearing the Ring.
Pippin has a brief encounter with the Eye, after gazing into the palantír of Orthanc. In the book, Pippin indicates that he somehow perceived Sauron, but it is not made clear exactly what he saw, whether the Eye or some other manifestation of the Dark Lord.
The Dark Tower crumbles with the destruction of the Ring, and as it does so the Eye appears to turn more yellow and the dark clouds of Mordor swirl in around it before finally being wiped from existence with a final massive explosive force, which in turn destroys anything under the control of Sauron (the Black Gate, the Ringwraiths, and the Orcs).
In earlier versions of Jackson's script, Sauron would indeed "come forth" at Aragorn's challenge, and do battle with him: The extra materials published together with the extended DVD version of the third movie indicate as much. Scenes of the fight were shot, but later this idea was discarded and was replaced by a scene (in the extended version) where Aragorn kills the "Mouth of Sauron" (a representative of Sauron) before fighting a Mordor troll. In fact, the footage of the battle with the troll was the same footage of Aragorn fighting Sauron, with the CGI troll mapped over a painted-out Sauron, as seen in the DVD special features. In this abandoned scene, when Sauron first emerges from the Black Gate, he appears in his fair and seductive form as "Annatar the Lord of Gifts", trying to entice Aragorn and the other leaders with offers of peace and dominion. When they reject him the image fades and he appears as the armored Sauron from the prologue. Jackson said he removed the scene when he realized it was too much of a departure from the source material and thematically missed the point: the battle was supposed to be a selfless sacrifice by Aragorn and his army, and making it into a duel between Aragorn and Sauron made it more about personal glory.
Sauron appears as The Necromancer in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit film adaptations, where he is portrayed through voice and motion capture by Benedict Cumberbatch. As a shadowy humanoid, the Necromancer appears briefly in the first film when Radagast the Brown enters Dol Guldur. In the second film, Jackson moves Gandalf's decisive expedition to Dol Guldur forward in time to coincide with the quest of Bilbo Baggins and the Dwarves in 2941. The Necromancer is shown as an amorphous entity of shadowy mist floating around in the ruins. Only when Gandalf confronts him is Sauron's form partially consolidated as a glowing, armored figure before the entity reforms into the Eye of Sauron to subdue the wizard. By the third film, his form is sharper and more pronounced; however he remains a shadowy figure encased in fire until his banishment to the Void by Lady Galadriel.
Sauron appears in merchandise of the Jackson films, including computer and video games. These include The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II, The Lord of the Rings: Tactics and The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age. Sauron also appears as a playable character in the game, The Lord of the Rings: Conquest. He is also a playable character in LEGO The Lord of the Rings.
|Manwë (Súlimo) • Ulmo (Ulubôz) • Aulë (Návatar) • Oromë (Aldaron) • Námo (Mandos) • Irmo (Lórien) • Tulkas (Astaldo)
|Varda (Elentári) • Yavanna (Kementári) • Nienna • Estë • Vairë • Vána • Nessa
|Melkor (Morgoth)
|Eönwë • Ilmarë • Ossë • Uinen • Salmar • Melian • Arien • Tilion • Curumo (Saruman) • Olórin (Gandalf) • Aiwendil (Radagast) • Alatar (Morinehtar) • Pallando (Rómestámo)
|Sauron (Mairon) • Gothmog • Durin's Bane • Ungoliant • Shelob • Curumo (Saruman)
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The Silmarillion, Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age
- ↑ The Silmarillion, Valaquenta, "Of the Maiar"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Silmarillion, Index of Names
- ↑ The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter III: "Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor"
- ↑ The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XVII: "Of the Coming of Men into the West"
- ↑ The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XVIII: "Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin"
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XIX: "Of Beren and Lúthien"
- ↑ The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XXIV: "Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath"
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Five, Chapter IX: "The Last Debate"
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Six, Chapter III: "Mount Doom"
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Six, Chapter IV: "The Field of Cormallen"
- ↑ The Silmarillion, Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin names
- ↑ Parma Eldalamberon, Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
- ↑ Unfinished Tales, Part Two: The Second Age, IV: "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn, and of Amroth King of Lórien", Note 7
- ↑ The History of Middle-earth, Vol. 5: The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part One: "The Fall of Númenor and the Lost Road"
- ↑ The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien, 183 Notes on W. H. Auden's review of The Return of the King
External links
- Sauron at Tolkien Gateway
- Sauron at LotrProject


text:
Feb 12
February is "I Love to Read" month!
Posted by heather in Library News
(Book display by Sandy)
Come celebrate the Month of Love with some "lovely" reads!
We are a wi-fi hotspot!
Library Hours:
Mon, Wed, Fri: 10am - 5pm
Tue & Thur: 12pm - 8pm
Sat: 10am - 2pm
Feb 12
February is "I Love to Read" month!
Posted by heather in Library News
(Book display by Sandy)
Come celebrate the Month of Love with some "lovely" reads!
Feb 08
Jan 09
Columbia County Rural Library District is very excited to offer Zinio digital magazines for library patrons!
Zinio digital magazines are brought to you by RBdigital. The library subscribes to 26 different online magazines, including: Alaska, American Patchwork & Quilting, Bicycling, Discover, Horse & Rider, PCWorld, Prevention, Rock & Gem, Rolling Stone, Successful Farming, Taste of Home, and more. These online magazines are in addition to the print magazines already offered in the library. You may view the complete list when you sign up or contact the library.
Alternatively, you may access Zinio via the "eBooks/eAudio" page.
First time users need to set up an account. See patron user guide for instructions on signing up, which is linked right under Zinio. Every time a new issue is available, you will receive an email notification. Digital magazines are also available for iPad, iPhone, and Android Mobile users. Questions about the library's new Zinio service please call 382-4131 or email email@example.com.
Jan 03
2013 Teen Video Challenge: Beneath the Surface
The Washington State Library has announced CSLP (Collaborative Summer Library Programming)'s national video challenge for the 2013 Teen Summer Reading Program, "Beneath the Surface."
Teens ages 13 to 18 are invited to create a 30 to 90 second video with their interpretation of the slogan, "Beneath the Surface," in relation to libraries and reading. The creators of the winning video could win $275 for themselves, plus $125 for their local library. The submission deadline is February 23rd, 2013.
For more information on the video requirements and how to enter, please visit the Washington State Library's website for the Teen Video Challenge.
Jan 02
Branch Manager position opening
Posted by heather in Announcements
The Columbia County Rural Library District is seeking a Branch Manager working a maximum of thirty (30) hours per week including evenings and Saturday for the Dayton Memorial Library.
Starting Salary: $15.11 per hour
Position will begin March 4, 2013
Position Description Summary:
Branch manager position reports to the Director and is responsible for managing, supervising and overseeing a small library to meet the educational, recreational, and informational needs of the Columbia County community.
Application, resumé, and essay must be received or postmarked by January 25, 2013 at 5 p.m. You may download the application packet off our Employment page, or you can pick one up in person at the library.
Dec 05
Trustee Position Open
Posted by heather in Announcements
The Columbia County Rural Library District Board of Trustees announces an opening on the County Library Board of Trustees. The County Library Board is taking applications for anyone who is interested in a five-year term as trustee beginning April 1, 2013. Applications must be received by Chair Tanya Patton at the Columbia County Rural Library District by January 4, 2013. Applicants will be interviewed by the Library District Board of Trustees at their regular meeting in February. One person's name will then be recommended to the Columbia County Commissioners for appointment. The term for the incumbent trustee, who is completing a term for a trustee who resigned, will expire March 31, 2013. The incumbent trustee will be applying for her own first full five-year term.
Please view the Trustee informational packet on the Employment page, and print off an application to submit by the deadline date of January 4, 2013.
Nov 30
New books for November 2012
262 items added this month! Several Teen books, Large Print books, General Fiction, and a LOT of Children's Non-fiction!
Nov 21
Holiday Happenings
Lots of things going on this week, folks!
The Library will be closed both Thursday AND Friday (November 22nd and 23rd) for the Thanksgiving Holiday.
The Friends of the Library will be hosting their "Cookies on Parade: Cookie Walk" sale on Friday, November 23rd from 1 to 3:30pm in the Delany Room. You can swing by and pick up some homemade Christmas cookies and candy for $6 per pound. All monies go to the Friends of the Dayton Library.
The Library will have normal open hours on Saturday, November 24th (10am to 2pm).
Have a happy -- and safe, if you're traveling -- holiday!
Nov 14
Border Songs Discussion: Thursday Night
Come join us at the library for a book discussion on the Everybody Reads 2012 selection, "Border Songs" by Jim Lynch.
The book discussion goes from 7 to 8pm in the Delany Room.
About Jim Lynch:
Jim Lynch's first novel, The Highest Tide, won the 2006 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award and became a bestseller in the United States and the United Kingdom. His second novel, Border Songs, won the Washington State Book Award for Fiction in 2010 and was a finalist for the American Booksellers Award for Best Fiction. Before becoming a full-time novelist Jim wrote for newspapers throughout the Northwest and beyond, winning the Livingston Young Journalist Award for National Reporting. He now lives in Olympia, Washington with his wife and daughter.
To learn more about the Everybody Reads program, and find out about other Everybody Reads events, please visit the website: http://everybody-reads.org/
Nov 13
eReader Overview and Help Program This Friday
(photo by edvvc)
The eReader Overview and Help Program is coming up this Friday!
Come join Carolyn Peterson from the Washington State Library to learn about various ereader devices, and get some one-on-one experience with an ereader of your choosing.
Friday, November 16th, 2012
10 to 11:30am
In the Dayton Memorial Library
How do I get a library card?
Our eligibility policy is based on residency or property ownership...
Need Help? Try AskWA, our new 24/7 ask a librarian service! Or check out our Tutorials page!
I am looking for the...

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Lyon's Three Hits Leads Baseball to Fourth Win in Last Five Games During 6-4 Victory at Newberry
March 7, 2012
NEWBERRY, S.C. - Preston Lyon put together a 3-for-4 night with a RBI and pair of runs scored to lead Pfeiffer University in a 6-4 victory at Newberry College on Wednesday night. The win, their fourth in five games, improves the Falcons to 12-8 overall while the Wolves fall to 8-12.
Pfeiffer started early and often with a Jon Gray RBI-double in the first and Aarin Sharpe run-scoring single in the second. Newberry would sandwich two runs in the first on an Albert Baur groundout and Josh McElwee double to left-center.
The Falcons would added a Jacob Yates RBI-single in the fifth and a Lyon single in the sixth that scored Cole McGraw. The Wolves would add single runs in the sixth and seventh on a pair of sac-flies before Pfeiffer added the two runs needed in the eighth and ninth frames.
Lyon would start a two-out rally with a single in the eighth, move to second, third and eventually score on Newberry wild pitches. In the ninth, Gray would also score on a wild pitch after reaching on an error, swipe second and move to third on a throwing error in his stolen base attempt.
Tyler Summers would pick up the win in relief tossing perfect seventh and eighth innings. Craig Bolton would notch the save getting a game-ending double play in the ninth.
Pfeiffer returns to action on Saturday and Sunday hosting Coker in a Conference Carolinas weekend series at Joe Ferebee Field. Saturday's twinbill starts at noon with all games having live stats available at http://www.gofalconsports.com.


text:
Location, Location, Location
Centrally located, the Yakima Convention Center is your best choice for a Pacific Northwest convention or event. Driving distance is less than 200 miles from Seattle, Portland, and Spokane, making it easy for all your attendees. A recent $9 million revitalization in Downtown Yakima charms visitors with new sidewalks, over 300 flower baskets, vintage-style light posts and new wineries, spas, restaurants and boutique shopping.SHARE THIS PAGE
Our Facility
The Yakima Convention Center features 41,000 sq. ft. of versatile column free, carpeted meeting space. Including:
- The South Ballroom: 6000 sq. ft. Ballroom, divisible into 6 breakout rooms
- The Alex Deccio Ballroom: 23,400 sq. ft. Ballroom, divisible into 8 breakout rooms
- Pre-function space: 11,600 sq. ft.
- Two conference rooms
- Outdoor Plaza: 7,000 sq. ft.. The perfect place to gather and enjoy the Yakima Valley's 300 days of sunshine.
- For full details regarding the floor plan visit our Facilities page.
- Complimentary Parking
- Over 850 sleeping rooms within walking distance
- Complimentary WiFi
- Experienced, customer focused staff
- ADA accessible throughout the entire facility
- Catering Company on site, serving light fare to seven course meals, even portable espresso machines.
- Your guests will enjoy Yakima's restaurants, golf courses, and winery tours in their leisure time.
- For more details about our services and features visit our Services page.
Make your next convention or event extraordinary in Yakima!
of making convention planners happy.
"The exceptional service we receive from the Center staff coupled with great food and a state of the art facility are key components in meeting our trade show goals. The Center staff meets and exceeds our expectations every year."Connie Alseth,
HDI Distribution, Inc.
"We feel that you have the best Convention Center staff of any facility we have ever used."Tracey Hunter , Executive Director,
Evergreen Rural Water Association


text:
Current Articles
RSS Feed
It may at first glance appear an odd thing to read about a city which welcomes around 15 million tourists a year, but Tampa actually does remain one of Florida's undiscovered secrets. The Big Guava hasn't thrown itself at herd tourism, as has its near neighbor, Orlando. Rather, the city caters to its own affluent residents, looking for fun local events, and to tourists seeking memorable, VIP experiences. Use these expert tips to plan some Tampa nights you'll never forget.
The bar scene is second to none in South Florida. Try:
Taiga Lounge has four bars on two levels, a bottle-service VIP area, and a relaxed feel helped along by numerous big-screen TVs in the open areas. Accessed via the upper level, an outside deck flutters with tiki torches and servers dressed as everything from maidens of the islands to hot surfer chicks; not to be missed.
Hyde Park Café is about as far from London's pea-soupers as it's possible to imagine. Also a determinedly upscale venue, part of the floor space is turned over to a dance club. There's an outside patio bar, too, famous for attracting Tampa Bay's most beautiful and elite clientele.
'Diverse and distinctive' doesn't begin to describe the options for eating out in Tampa. Unique Cuban breakfast spots offer signature breads and deep, rich cafe con leche. Try a funky, owner-operated seafood place for lunch, then enjoy the best of Florida's fine dining in the evening. Visit a little outdoor café, maybe down by the Gulf, to finish of your galloping gourmet day with a nightcap, or maybe try a hand-rolled cigar while watching the stars drift over the water.
Nightlife is as upscale as one would expect from a city that so carefully guards its reputation for attracting VIP visitors. For the traveler, or resident who seldom visits such venues, Prana -- in Ybor City -- is the best bet. Operating on five floors, each level specializes in providing different types of niche entertainment (each story has VIP options available, too). The uppermost floor is an open rooftop patio, delivering an entirely unique clubbing experience.
The best-known, and most anticipated, of the year's entertainment events center around the Gasparilla Pirate Festival. The popularity of this celebration, a feature since 1904, recommends early booking; festivities occur between January and March each year.
Numerous pirate-themed events include the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, the Gasparilla International Film Festival, the Gasparilla Children's Parade and the more adult-oriented Sant'Yago Knight Parade. Pride of place goes to a mock pirate attack sailing in from the Gulf of Mexico, complete with a fully decked-out invasion flotilla led by a pirate galleon, and an attendant parade for land-lubbers.
Whether returning resident or visitor, jammed schedules that court delays are very much minimized at Tampa International Airport (IATA). The city's main hub, IATA serves almost all commercial passenger flights into the entire bay area. The facility consistently ranks as a favorite in surveys of North American airports, both within the travel industry and with the traveling public. Zagat ranked Tampa International #1 in 2007 for overall quality (the survey taking all USA airports into account). Condé Nast Traveler frequently places IATA in its Best Airports ranking, awarding the #1 slot in 2003 and #2 in 2008.
This is great news for Tampa executives who must travel often for business, and for the corporate travel manager, seeking to make seamless arrangements for sometimes-demanding executive clients. Travelers arrive relatively fresh and stress-free, ready to enjoy bars, restaurants, clubs and events that make a Tampa night one you'll never forget.
For a free quote on safe, stylish and reliable transportation for your next Tampa night-on-the-town, click the button below.
photo credit: Photomatt28 via photopin cc
Social events and influential business lunches or dinners are regularly hosted in Tampa's more elegant restaurants.
First, to get you there:
Ambassador Limousine is the expert in the finest service of accommodation. Our foundation operating principle and statement is, "in the service of others with pleasure and professionalism."
The Power Lunch has secured more important deals and agreements historically than the cigar fumed back room of yesterday. Power Lunches offer gentility and sophistication for today.
442 West Kennedy Boulevard #110, Tampa
Executive Chef: Marty Blitz
A staple of Tampa's upper scale cuisine since 1986, Mise En Place serves creative lunches paired with fine service.
Recommended:Fried Green Tomato, Jumbo Crab and Arugula Salad, with buttermilk chive vinaigrette and piquillo pepper oil.
Seared Tuna Club, with Nuske Applewood smoked bacon,avocado, Bibb, tomatoes, sprouts, white cheddar and Louis sauce on a brioche bun.
Linguini with crab, zucchini, roasted corn, tomatoes, spinach and pine nuts in lemon basil broth.
204 Westshore Boulevard, Tampa
Executive Chef: Clifford Pleau
Master Sommelier: George Miliotes Seasons 52 cranks the casual grill up quite a few notches. Executive chef Clifford Pleau takes pride in offering fresh menus that will impress the most hardened clients. Recommended:
Maple Leaf Farms own Sesame Duck, with greens, mint, cranberries, apples with butternut squash and pecans.
Caramelized Grilled Sea Scallops with asparagus and sun dried tomato mushroom pearl pasta.
Spicy chicken Chile Relleno with goat cheese, spinach and Roasted corn cakes on pico de gallo.
1208 South Howard Avenue, Tampa
Executive Chef: Habteab Hamde
Pastry Chef: Kim Yelvington
Director of Spirits: Dean Hurst
Châteaubriand, served with French onion soup au gratin,baked potato, and vegetables.
The Châteaubriand has a flavorful crust with a very tender center.
Rack of Lamb, with a Pinot Noir reduction and mint jelly, servedwith French onion soup, baked potato, and house vegetable.
Chicken Bern, breaded with flour and sesame seeds and sautéed, served with wild rice pilaf, farm mizuna, crispy Shiitake mushrooms Brian, and sauce. This flavorful choice is excellent for those who avoid red meat.
2205 North Westshore Boulevard, Tampa
Executive Chef: Nick Grosenbach
Ocean Prime is one of Tampa's top experiences for fresh, original seafood creations. Recommended:
Ginger Salmon, with sugar snap peas and a soy-butter sauce. An ultimatedining experience.
Chilean Sea Bass, seared,with whipped potatoes and champagne truffles.
Filet Mignon, with green peppercorn sauce. The sides are selected at dinner, but the Parmesan truffle French fries or lobster mashed potatoes and glazed carrots with brown sugar butter are highly recommended.
2117 East 7th Avenue, Tampa Billed the oldest restaurant in Florida, Columbia Restaurant first opened in Ybor City in 1906. You and your clients will love the Southern Spain courtyard dining atmosphere, as well as the balcony, mosaic-tiled fountain, and friendly servers. This is an excellent spot for relaxing dining and to impress clients. Recommended:
Camarones Rellenos "Jesse Gonzalez," or jumbo shrimp stuffed with lump crab meat and baked with lemon butter. Served with rice and fresh vegetables.
Veal "La Reina Isabella," thin, tender veal covered in Cuban breadcrumbs and pan-grilled, topped with saffron butter sauce and blue crab. Served with rice and asparagus.
Marilyn & Joe "Salteado," or tenderloin tips, chicken breast, shrimp, and pork, sautéed with extra virgin Spanish olive oil, onions, peppers, potatoes, mushrooms, chorizo, garlic, and a splash of wine. A favorite of past guests Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio.
photo credit: rusteford via photopin cc
Hotel prices, baggage fees and airline and cab fares are all on the rise. The cost of business travel has suddenly become much more expensive, and companies are feeling the impact. So, how can you make the most out of your trip without paying a huge price? Keeping reading for some tips on cutting the cost of travel to your next out-of-town meeting.
The rising cost of jet fuel is part of the problem - it now accounts for a much larger portion of an airline's overall operating expenses than a decade ago, meaning airlines have to pass that cost on to consumers. And a plane ticket is usually the biggest cost a company incurs when sending it's executives off to an out-of-town summit.
It may seem obvious, but frequent flyer programs can help executives save on air travel. Choose a preferred airline and use it as much as possible for corporate travel; that way, your executives will incur points that they can redeem on their next trip. These programs can also help business travelers get free upgrades.
Are you shelling out for cab fare to and from the airport and business meeting venues? Are rental cars making a huge dent in your travel budget? It might be time to consider a corporate car service. These services are intended to provide sleek and convenient transportation that will impress your clients and get your executives to meetings on time and in style.
If your company is going to be using a car service frequently, it might be a good idea to consider signing a contract with them. This will save you lots of money in the long run. And, you will develop a valuable relationship with an essential service for your executives - providing you with future benefits and easy booking.
Like transportation, accommodations are also becoming more expensive. Just a night can set you back hundreds of dollars and you might not even get all the perks you were hoping for: free WiFi, breakfast, late check out and so on. So, how do you ensure that your executives are comfortable on the road without breaking the bank?
Booking your hotel with your airfare is an excellent way to save - many websites offer deals when you book a package. Using a corporate booking service is a fantastic way to save on multiple rooms at the same location. Also, joining the loyalty programs of the hotel chains your executives frequent can set you up to earn points and perks like free stays or upgrades.
For a genuine hassle-free business travel experience, enlist the services of Tampa's executive transportation professionals at Ambassador Limousine. No matter where in the world your business takes you, or how many colleagues you travel with, we can accommodate your needs and provide safe, comfortable and professional transportation. Request your free quote by clicking the button below.
photo credit: ╚ DD╔ via photopin cc
via: Nashville airport parking
It's not easy to get things done when you're on the road, but doing just that is essential during a business trip. Unfortunately, long flights and back-to-back meetings can take a toll on executives, causing fatigue and bringing down productivity.
To keep from wasting time while you're away from the office, check out some of these business travel tips for productivity.
Hunting down an available cab to take you from place to place can be a huge time waster. Also, some cab companies have ways of bumping up your fares by taking longer routes; and there's always a chance the cab driver isn't familiar with your destination.
Opt instead for a car service to save time and get more done. Your chauffeur will have advance knowledge of the venues you need to attend, dropping you off with time to spare at your destination.
Once worrying about car travel is off your plate, you can use the time in your chauffeured vehicle to get more done. The backseat of a limousine is luxurious, comfortable and private, perfect for taking important phone calls or reviewing presentations.
In a cab, noise and other distractions will keep you from using your time effectively. A limo will give you more time for important tasks or just a great place to relax between meetings.
Related: Effective Time-Management Techniques for Tampa Professionals
These days, executives can get more done faster using the technology available: tablets, mobile apps, smartphones and more. Luckily, today's devices are easier than ever to take with you on the go: in cars, on planes and into the board room.
Use mobile technology to your advantage by emailing, reviewing documents or updating your calendar. The more you get done on the road, the more time you'll have to focus on meetings once you've arrived at your destination.
Related: 5 New Tech Tools for Executives
Once you get to the meeting, finished work in hand, you'll want to get down to business. If the typical boardroom banter isn't doing it for you, it might be time to overhaul your process. Executives get more done when they have a shared vision or goal, so be sure to come up with a mission statement for each meeting.
You can even take things a step further by suggesting a desired outcome of your meeting. What exactly do you need to accomplish by the time you walk out the door? Once everyone knows what needs to be done, they'll start doing it more quickly and effectively.
You May Also Like:
How To De-Stress During Business Travel
photo credit: Nick Chill Photography via photopin cc
Whether you're in a train, plane or car, the noises around you can be disruptive. If you're an executive on the go, this can be particularly detrimental, as you probably have work to get done or meetings to prepare for before arriving at your destination.
Luckily, you can shut out the world easily with a pair of high-quality headphones. Check out one of the options below to cancel out the noise and focus on the important stuff.
At $99.95, the affordable and stylish Privates by Outdoor Tech provide wireless listening for hassle-free travel. These headphones are touch-controlled and connect to your devices like laptops, tablets and cellphones by Bluetooth. Calls are easy to take on the road because the headphones come with a built-in microphone and you can answer or hang-up without touching your cell.
The Privates stream high quality audio for a range of up to 32 feet for 10 hours on a single charge. To control the volume or to skip tracks, simply swipe your finger left or right on the touchpad located on the right earpiece. Don't want to go wireless? A 3.5 mm jack is included.
For powerful sound and amazing noise-cancelling capabilities housed in a compact design, check out the Harman Kardon AKG K391 NCs for $199.95. A premium hard case is included with your purchase to protect your iPhone or iPod, and answering calls is made easy with an inline microphone.
These headphones are in-ear, so they are unobtrusive and space-saving. Plus, they provide studio-quality sound. The battery that powers the noise-canceling capabilities last up to 40 hours on one charge and can be recharged using a USB port, making these perfect for a long trip.
As part of rapper 50 Cent's headphone line, SMS Audio STREET by 50 Over-Ear ANC eliminate ambient noise while being stylish. Retailing at $279.95, these headphones are worth every penny: They deliver superior studio-grade audio and conform to the listener's ear using soft leather memory foam ear cushions.
The hybrid headphone works with or without a charge, and the battery lasts up to 70 hours. It also comes with a hard shell carrying case and a built in mic, for easily making calls.
Still not enough headphone for you? Sony's MDR-1RNC is pricy at $499.99, but it sure can block out the noise. The inline remote with a built in mic makes using your iPod, iPad or iPhone incredibly simple. Plus, the built-in Lithium-ion rechargeable battery will keep on trucking for up to 22 hours.
Even more impressive, these headphones are equipped with three noise-canceling modes for use in different environments - airplane, bus or office - so you can have total control.
photo credit: Audio-TechnicaUK via photopin cc
Everyone wants to save a few bucks, but what happens when that discount ends up costing you? You might up paying the difference with your peace of mind as disorganization, subpar accommodations or unexpected events derail your business trip.
Spending the extra money to hire a travel professional made sound old-fashioned, but, in fact, travel professionals and travel agents can help to ensure that your trip runs as smoothly as possible. So, by just spending a little extra, you can avoid a lot of hassle and stress. It just might be worth it.
Discount travel websites may advertise cheap fares, but do you really know what you're getting when you click "book it"? Not always. Expert travel managers might have access to deals and promotions that travel sites do not. Plus, they can help you work within your budget.
The time it takes to sift through the many fares and airlines can be frustrating. Many sites do not even have their own booking engines, simply transferring you to the home site of an airline or hotel. So, if you're looking to save time and energy, it might be time to seek out a professional.
One of the dangers of booking online is opening yourself up to fraud or computer errors. In the case of a website glitch, it may be difficult to get in contact with customer service - if the website even has customer service call center. If your credit card number is compromised, it could cost you valuable time to sort out the charges.
A professional travel manager is always on your side and able to address any question or concerns, last minute changes or cancellations. They can steer you away from fare scams or bad deals. And they won't bother you with unsolicited phone calls or emails.
Talking to a travel manager or agent doesn't have to be a one time thing. Once you've found one you trust, you can keep coming back for your travel needs again and again. While a travel website only knows you by your credit card number and previous bookings; an agent can become a trusted ally when it comes to meeting your business travel needs.
And agents can do so much more than a site can: booking shuttles, hotels, flights, looking over the in-flight menu, rescheduling, and addressing various travel concerns. So don't take a risk on your trip; contact the expert travel professionals at a reputable corporate transportation company, like Ambassador Limousine, to help you get started today!
These days, the amount of new gadgets and technologies popping up for businesses and personal use can be overwhelming. How can you possibly determine which of these tools will be great for you and your creative process, and which will fizzle out?
Do you want to better interact with your computer? Quickly draw on a tablet, or easily locate the stories that interest you? Perhaps you're seeking inspiration for that next big project. If any of these sound like something you want, the Websites and tech below are sure to impress.
Wish you could control your computer with just the wave of your hand? Now you can, thanks to hardware from Leap Motion. The company's Leap Motion Controller senses how you move your hands and interprets them on a screen, so you can pick things up, reach, grab, point and wave just as you would in real life - but virtually.
Want to quickly get to the important stories on the Web? Upworthy, a start up dedicated to providing uplifting and engaging content, provides a multitude of important stories in an easy to browse format on its website. You'll never miss the next viral video or big news story ever again, thanks to the site's innovative design and easy to sort content.
If you're tired of searching aimlessly for things that interest you, it might be time to let Archetypes do that searching for you. Using this program, you can take a quiz to determine your archetypes, and then navigate through the site for inspiration related to your results. When you install Archetypes' ME Button, you can easily share what you've found on the site and around the web with your friends.
Hukkster is a digital platform that can track products from thousands of different shopping sites to easily alert users when the products they want go on sale. Just install the "Hukk button," an extension for Google Chrome, and quickly tag products as you find them online.
FiftyThree's drawing app, simply called Paper, is an innovative way for designers, engineers, artists and creative types to quickly and easily create on a tablet. The app offers multiple tools, including Sketch, Write, Draw, Outline and Color. You can stream your creations straight from the app to the Web, over Tumblr, email, Facebook, Twitter or share pages.
photo credit: MAZZALIARMADI.IT via photopin cc
The stress of travel can be multiplied when a drastic time change is involved. Luckily, jet lag doesn't have to throw you off your game if you don't let it. So, ditch the aggravation and try out some of these tried and true techniques for warding off travel-related fatigue.
A dose of melatonin may reduce the effects of jet lag, according to research. Combining melatonin with light exposure may work even better, helping your body acclimate by allowing you to sleep on an adjusted schedule.
However, there is no accepted dosage of melatonin approved for use by the FDA. To avoid unwanted effects, consult with your doctor on a dosage size and brand.
If melatonin isn't for you, there are plenty of natural remedies that can lessen the effects of jetlag. Before, during and after your flight, make sure to drink enough water to stay properly hydrated. Mild dehydration can mimic the symptoms of jetlag, and airplane trips can cause you to lose fluids.
Performing mild stretches before and after your flight will keep up your circulation and allow your body to get nutrients and vitamins to the right place so you can stay active even after you arrive. Stretching will also help to eliminate the joint and muscle pain associated with long flights.
Last but not least, don't stay up late the night before a flight in hopes it will help you to adjust to a new time zone. Your body needs that rest to cope with the stress of traveling by airplane.
You don't always have to try something new. If certain techniques - like adjusting your sleep schedule before a flight - work for you, then stick to them.
Create an itinerary that allows you to get adequate light upon arriving at your destination. For example, if you're traveling west, afternoon light is best. Those traveling east will prefer morning light, as traveling east is often harder on the body.
You know yourself better than anybody else. Experiment as you travel to determine the best techniques for keeping your body and mind in working order. This could mean using a light box for optimal exposure when you travel, taking melatonin or simply getting a good night's rest.
There is no right or wrong answer. So pack your bags and prepare yourself!
Image courtesy of imagerymajestic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Travel doesn't have to be exhausting and stressful, especially when you're on your way to a big meeting or conference. Luckily, thanks to a multitude of loyalty reward programs, you can travel in style while reaping the benefits.
Check out the programs below to find out what you might be missing in your business travel.
Delta SkyMiles is a credit card rewards program that offers benefits like free bag checks and tickets for companion travelers. If you earn enough miles, you can even receive a free round trip vacation.
Even better? Users of the Delta Reserve American Express Card can relax at the airport in a comfortable SkyMiles lounge.
The award-winning American Airlines AAdvantage program is known for its customer service and miles redemption, as well as having an excellent elite program.
Frequent fliers are rewarded with special-preference seating and international flight benefits. Elite members are eligible for international upgrades from any fare. And free snacks and beverages are available even when you fly economy.
Marriott Rewards is also an award-winning program. It offers its members room upgrades, free Wi-Fi and breakfast. The program's great customer service and special offers also make it an excellent proposition for business travelers.
This American Express-based program awards gold status to members who spend 25 nights at the W, Westin or Sheraton hotels. Platinum members can take advantage of late checkout, free breakfast and rewards for suite stays.
Your points are also redeemable with more than 350 affiliated airlines.
The Hilton Honors program encompasses hotels like the Hilton, Doubletree, Waldorf Astoria and Hampton Inn. Under the program, you can take advantage of late and express checkout, as well as access to fitness centers and health clubs. Top tier members can view a free in-room movie at the Waldorf Astoria and a complimentary breakfast at the Hilton Garden Inn.
If you're an executive who travels in or out of Tampa International Airport, check out this article to make your next business trip easier: Business Traveler's Guide to Tampa International Airport
photo credit: susivinh via photopin cc
If you're headed to Tampa Bay for business, chances are you'll be coming by way of the Tampa International Airport. To help you make your time at the airport as pain-free as possible, we've compiled a list of useful information about everything from the security check points to the runway, and much more in between.
Take note, and you and your luggage will be onboard in no time.
The airport's most convenient form of parking is valet, which is located at the blue departure curbside for $25. For $20, you can park your vehicle in garage levels 4 and 9 of the Landside Terminal Building. In both the long term and short term parking garages, you get less than one hour free - so keep this in mind.
For a less expensive option, economy parking is available just south of the Landside Terminal Building for $9 per day. There is a shuttle to take travelers from this lot to the terminal.
Also, just south of the Landside Terminal Building is the cell phone lot, which is equipped with a flight display board, free Wi-Fi and food trucks.
To avoid the hassle and added cost of parking altogether, you can book a chauffeured car from a Tampa corporate car service. A professional, courteous chauffeur will pick you up on time, load your luggage, drop you off at your terminal (on time, of course) and unload your bags for you. No parking, no schlepping your luggage all over the place.
Each concourse at the Tampa Airport has its own security checkpoint. The busiest times at these checkpoints are usually weekday mornings from 6 to 9 a.m., so plan accordingly.
TSA Precheck is located in Terminal E at Delta's main checkpoint.
In addition to the cell phone parking lot, free Wi-Fi is available throughout the airport. Power outlets are located at all Airsides.
In the Landside Terminal, there are outlets close to telephone banks and seating areas. If you require a countertop work area, those can be found on Level 3.
The Tampa Airport is home to many shops and restaurants, making it easy to grab 'n go between flights. Inside Airside E, you will find the Columbia Cafe, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. In Airside A, you can treat yourself to the Green Iguana Bar & Grill, a recent winner of "Best Burger" at Tampa's Annual Burger Showdown. The Landside Terminal is home to First Flight, a wine bar by Mise en Place, while Shula's Bar & Grill and Cigar City Brewing are open for business in Airside C.
Need a gift? The Florida Shop offers Tampa and Florida-themed items, while limited production Tampa-themed clothing and merchandise are for sale at the Ron Jon Surf Shop and Harley Davidson. These shops are all located on the third level of the Landside Terminal.
To request a FREE quote on reliable and safe airport chauffeured car service to or from Tampa International Airport, please click the button below.
photo credit: get down via photopin cc
via Music City Dream Cars
© 2014 Ambassador Limousine, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Mavic Crossmax ST Disc Wheelset
|(40 Reviews)
|Weight : 760 grams
Store PriceBuy Now
Product DescriptionCrossmax ST Disc has always delivered exceptional value - many ofThe features of Mavic'sTop-end (and much more expensive wheels) at a more journeyman price. It's a great match for your full suspension MTB, light enough even for racing, yetTough for bigger, more aggressive riders. New for 2012 rim extrusion shaves 35g of rotating weight ITS-4 freehub body (Shimano compatible) Strong, light Zicral straight-pull spokes, 24 front, 20 rear, front 2x, rear IsoPulse lacing Claimed 1,590 grams pair Full
Review Options: Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating
|Reviews 1 - 15 (40 Reviews Total)
|| Next 15
User Reviews
Date Reviewed: March 25, 2014
Strengths: very stiff and lightweight for the strength they offer.
Weaknesses: Proprietary everything! If you break a spoke good luck. Luckily, broken spokes are VERY rare.
Bottom Line:
Date Reviewed: November 3, 2013
Strengths: rims solid
Weaknesses: bad axle /bearing design
Bottom Line:
Date Reviewed: June 17, 2013
Strengths: Strong
Weaknesses: Customer service sucks.
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Price Paid: $550.00
Purchased At: Price Point
Bike Setup: 2011 Trek EX8
Date Reviewed: March 28, 2013
Strengths: Tubeless ready, stiff, tracks like on rails, great looking
Weaknesses: I did have to buy a special wrench for the well designed heavy load displacement nipples.which is ok with me and the longish freewheel paw / gear spacing
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: 3yrs
Similar Products Used: Shimano, sun and others
Bike Setup: 09 giant trance came spec with mavic st
Date Reviewed: July 23, 2012
Strengths: Strong
Weaknesses: Easily dented rim. Spoke nipples stuck -> disaster.
Bottom Line:
I bought these because my CMax XL Discs from 2003 were so good. Experience has taught that anti-seize is mandatory for nipples! Said goodbye to the whole rim, the guy at lbs broke it. Nipple twisted, snapped, and after drilling and carving out the crap the thread was gone. They went so well, that no truing was needed for 5 years!
Now with the new set I expected at least another 5 years of happy riding (or more with careful maintenance), but this dent raises doubts.
Date Reviewed: July 11, 2012
Strengths: Great cornering. Good value and looks
Weaknesses: Only gone on three rides so do not see any weaknesses yet
Bottom Line:
Date Reviewed: February 3, 2012
Strengths: Stiff, Stable, lightweight, smooth, tracking and looks great! Straight spokes are easy to work with too.
Weaknesses: Needs a mavic specific spoke wrench
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid: $600.00
Purchased At: Price Point
Bike Setup: Stumpjumper FSR, mavic crossmax ST, Marzocchi marathon fork
Date Reviewed: May 16, 2011
Strengths: - looks cool
- super strong
- stiff
- lite
Weaknesses: - need special spoke wrench
- expensive to replace spokes/parts
Bottom Line:
I will say they are expensive but if you buy them for closeout through a web retailer then they are 100% worth every penny.
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Purchased At: OEM w/ Giant Trance
Similar Products Used: many
Bike Setup: '08 Giant Trance X0
Date Reviewed: April 8, 2011
Strengths: Light, strong, no drag and looks
Weaknesses: None that I have come across in a years worth of riding.
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Price Paid: $650.00
Purchased At: LBS
Similar Products Used: Mavic SLR, Chris King, Cane Creek
Bike Setup: Titus Racer-X
Date Reviewed: April 3, 2011
Strengths: Light, fast, decent UST
Weaknesses: POOR design in hub. 2 prawl system is weak. Not enough contact points.
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Price Paid: $360.00
Purchased At: Jenson
Bike Setup: 2008 Yeti 575 with all the trimings
Date Reviewed: February 12, 2011
Strengths: I don't own these wheels, but i've veen a full time mechanic at a bike shop for the last 6 years. These things bombproof.
Weaknesses: Require maintenance. But so do brakes, derailleurs, and most hubs often require maintenance as well.
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Date Reviewed: November 17, 2010
Strengths: Weight, strengh, stiffness. These wheels are light and super strong. They are light enough to race and strong enough for B.C. All Mountain runs -- i.e. downhill.
Weaknesses: OK, I'll admit the rear hub is not the greatest design, but if you get your head wrapped around the fact that the rear hub needs to be taken apart and serviced (which is much, much simpler than it sounds) every two months during the season you will have yourself a great set of wheels. The job is simple, all you need to do is dissasemble and relube with 0 wt synthetic motor oil. Also, it is true that the freehub body glides on a plasic bushing that eventually wears out -- again with service you can get more than one season of heavy use out of the bushing. Aftermarket replacement bushings are available on ebay for cheap. Problem solved from the people I know who have used these replacement bushings.
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Similar Products Used: Lots of Mavic, WTB, Alex rims. Mavic are the best in my books.
Bike Setup: 6" travel Giant Reign
Date Reviewed: November 11, 2010
Strengths: light weight tough rim
Weaknesses: Hub: Wheels were original equipment on 2010 Orbea Rallon 10. The rear hub bushing wore out before the first 150 miles. LBS sent it back to Mavic for repair under warranty. Same problem again with less than 100 miles on rebuilt hub. Mavic says its not their problem. I've read great reviews about Mavic but the proof is in the product and customer service. They have obviously cut some corners while cornering the market.
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Purchased At: Lewis & Clark
Bike Setup: Orbea Rallon 10
Date Reviewed: August 18, 2010
Strengths: The wheels stay true and are very strong from a structural standpoint.
Weaknesses: Free hub body - Repaired under warrnty within the first year, one year later failed again and Mavic told sorry Charlie they are out of warranty and not able to be repaired. They will not even sell you a new hub to be laced into the wheel! No discount on a replacement wheel either. They want $300 to replace the wheel. poor customer service, I've had many XT wheel sets and never experienced this kind of failure.
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid: $700.00
Purchased At: CycleWorks
Bike Setup: Giant Reign, Fox Vanilla 140mm travel forks, Panaracer FireXC pro tubeless tires, Avid Juicey 7 brakes.
Date Reviewed: June 1, 2010
Strengths: Solidity, light, spin fast, tubeless compatible
Weaknesses: paint is fragile especially on spoke, need also specials tools for maintenance
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Price Paid: $400.00
Purchased At: Probikeshop
Similar Products Used: Sun DS1 on CK hubs (1800 g wheelset)
Bike Setup: Santa cruz Blur LT2
|Reviews 1 - 15 (40 Reviews Total)
|| Next 15
Review Options: Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating
Related Crossmax ST Disc Forum Posts
Crossmax ST Disc (Center Lock) on my SS?
Hey, folks. Does anyone see a problem with running a Crossmax ST Disc wheelset on a singlespeed rig? Would it just be a matter of slapping on some spacers? :confused: Any input is welcome. Thanks!Read More »
Crossmax ST Disc 2010 in a 2007 stumpy???
Hi there, I just want to ask if its possible to upgrade my stumpjumper 07 comp wheels to the 2010 Crossmax ST Disc wheels :) I dont know if there are some compatibility issues that i must know before buying the wheelset :) Thanks in advance.Read More »
Mavic - Crossmax ST Disc Wheelset
I am planning ti buy this set of wheels for my specialized endiro. Anyone knows the differrence between the 2008 and 2009 models? I am using QR release. 2008 is compatible for QR and 20mm hubs? Thank youRead More »
Mavic Crosstrail Disc vs Crossmax ST vs Easton Havoc AM
Narrowing a new wheelset down to the above three; 6'1", 200lbs, 07 SC BLT XL; friend has the Crosstrails and loves them, but he rides less aggressively; had a set of the havocs on a stolen 06 stumpy and found them to be bullet proof, but I'm thinking about making the leap to tubeless (the eastons ar ... Read More »
Mavic Crossmax ST disc online sale
Saw this on Bicycle Warehouse for $599.99 for their disc wheelset. Best I've found so far. Anyone seen better and/or have experience with this wheelset? [url]http://bicyclewarehouse.com/itemdetails.cfm?catalogId=39&id=8402[/url]Read More »


text:
Unfortunately Garmin nuvi 1310 Israel GPS is no longer carried by OpticsPlanet. You can also explore other items in the GPS category yourself to try and find the perfect replacement for you!
This model of Garmin GPS is discontinued and no longer available. Please, choose from our wide selection of Brunton GPS , Bushnell GPS , Brunton GPS and other GPS on our site.


text:
Pricing & Reservations - call 24 hours 800-242-1715
Refine Search:
3551 Bessemer Super HighwayBessemer, AL 35020
Phone: 205-425-5599
3 Miles from 35061
As low as
$ 29
per month
50 Ward WayBirmingham, AL 35209
Phone: 205-942-0030
7 Miles from 35061
As low as
$ 62
per month
3625 Lorna RoadHoover, AL 35216
Phone: 205-988-9431
11.1 Miles from 35061
As low as
$ 49
per month
6604 Walt DriveBirmingham, AL 35242
Phone: 205-991-8427
17.5 Miles from 35061
As low as
$ 75
per month
2630 Center Point PkwyBirmingham, AL 35215
Phone: 205-856-9791
20.5 Miles from 35061
As low as
$ 49
per month
Questions? Call 800-242-1715
For Your Convenience:
We've selected our most common size for you: 5x10.
To begin, please select the size you're most interested in.
Save 50% on Next Month's Rent! Special (Learn More)
Free Van/Truck Rental with Move-In (Learn More)
Climate Controlled Storage (Learn More)
Humidity Controlled Storage (Learn More)
Drive Up Access (Learn More)
Prompt, professional customer service!! We were very pleased!Peyton from Leeds, AL
April 27, 2015
Associate was extremely personable . Danny, reminded me of an ideal associate. Information was provided ,accurately . Questions that I posed if answer was unsure , he took the most critical step ,obtaining information from another employee via telephone . That's customer service at its best. Resolutions not excuses .Carol from Birmingham, AL
April 4, 2015
very professional, friendly, and helpful. Thx so much.Barbara from Birmingham, AL
May 27, 2015
The only concern I had, we saw a lot of Ants crawling inside by the storage unit on the wall and a few dead roaches.Lori from Fairfax, VA
May 26, 2015
Great price. Needed a larger space and we were able to change easily.Gretchen from Birmingham, AL
May 26, 2015
I looked for 10 x everywhere else. Not clean or security. Uncle bob made us feel secure. Thank uncle bob.??Rodney from Centerville, AL
May 26, 2015
I am so glad my mother in law told me about you all at Uncle Bob's. We had a very good experience with you. I would definitely come back. The manager (I cant remember his name) but he was so nice to us and has tremendous customer sevice skills. Thank you again Mr.?Catherine from Birmingham, AL
May 26, 2015
the office people were wonderful. They were very kind and most helpful.Katherine from Fort Payne, AL
May 25, 2015
The store did not open on time the day that I came from my reservation. It was over an hour late. That was my only dissatisfactionChris from Birmingham, AL
May 23, 2015
One of your associates went above and beyond meeting one of my last minute needs. I am now renting a unit of Uncle Bob's in Montgomery Al and are very happy with them.James from Hoover, AL
May 23, 2015


text:
Now Airing
Tom Cruise faces a frightening truth about his existence while completing a mission on Earth in 2077.
Subscribe now to watch blockbuster movies and acclaimed HBO Films as they air or anytime you like on HBO GO.
Join the community, get the latest news and show your appreciation for HBO on Facebook.
Sign-up now for breaking news and exclusive content on HBO Films and theatricals.