Wednesday, 29 October 2008
No going back now.
Sunday, 26 October 2008
Friday, 24 October 2008
Crunch
12 hr local ride tonight with Mikey. Should be fun.
Thursday, 23 October 2008
Wednesday, 22 October 2008
Reunion
Thursday, 16 October 2008
Wednesday, 15 October 2008
The Ride Journal
If you didn't see issue 1 buy a copy now before they're gone. It really is very good.
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
"late summer heat"
I just got an email from Bill Merchant- one of the race directors. I thought I'd share it. Stuff like this gets me excited.
"Hello to All
Some of you are probably still living and training in late summer heat but in South Central Alaska the leaves have fallen, morning low temperatures are below freezing and it is snowing outside now. I was told they had 2 ½ feet of snow at Putilla the other night. Many of us here hope to be biking, running and skiing on snow covered trails soon. This type of weather always puts the Iditarod Trail back in my mind day and night. My head is busy with memories of past races and racers, details to get ready for the next race and of course excitement about seeing all our friends from the lower 48 and around the world in February.
We already have a lot of old friends on the roster and several rookies we look forward to meeting this year. Kathi will be race director during the race and I will be on the trail as one of the trail breakers. Rob Kehrer called me and we are glad he will be back for his 5th year as trailbreaker and checker at Rohn. Be sure and tell Rob, Lisa, Terry and Jasper thanks when you go through Rohn. Putting a trail in over Rainy Pass, building trail in the Dalzel and being the checker in Rohn is about as tough a job as you can find. Without the hard work of a lot of people we would never have the Iditarod Trail every winter.
As conditions on the trail change though the winter I will keep you updated even though all the veterans know the only time you will know what to expect is moment by moment while you are on the trail. We have had two years in a row of good trail conditions but what it will be this year we just have to wait and see. However bad the conditions might be I think it's always better than a good day in the city.
I hope all of you have a great winter training season where ever you are.
Bill"
Sunday, 12 October 2008
Sad Pug
The Cycle Show
After that I ran in to Jimmy from Mule Bar. I originally met him, and Alex, at the TransScotland. At that stage, they were some of those guys pushing a new product that they really believed in but hadn't taken off yet. Thankfully, unlike most of *those* people, they had a really good product. This year they had a new Apple Strudel flavour, which is my new favorite. Although the Piña colada is still right up there!
Then Lunch with Griff from Trek. It seems like next year I'm riding for the same company as Lance, Mr Clean and some super good dh riders. The Athertons deny it's them. So no pressure! I'm just a step below them in the food chain, honest...
Then beer and schmoosing, the obvious choice was to find Chipps. Not only does he know everyone, he can smell a free drink from a quarter mile. After drinking all the free wine at the booth beside Singletrack we headed over to Continental who had some great wheat beer. At this stage it degenerated. Although it's interesting to know that both Nick Craig and I have worse looking legs than Chipps. And Martyn Ashton is very coy about how much he works out. Something new ever day.
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
Seeing double
Sunday, 5 October 2008
Après pub bivy
Friday, 3 October 2008
Penny jar
Several years back I got given a bottle of Bruichladdich single malt. While the whisky is long gone the tin has moved with me, from my mouldy old flat to our (still not done up) house. It has been slowly filling with coins waiting for this day. A good old-fashioned, low-tech, solution for those of us who aren't good at saving. I've got to give Kathi a call to sort wiring my entry money, just got to wait to be paid. Then got to worry about flights. Yikes.
On a completely related subject thanks to all who have donated so far, it's all helping making it a reality! Topcaps are now spelt correctly...