Category: Story time
Training in Las Vegas.
Red Rock Canyon outside Las Vegas, actually.
Interbike was especially hectic for me. Not only was it my 1st time in Vegas -a huge culture shock- it was also Interbike – another full-on sensory overload. Fortunately there was training- my safe haven from the ruckus and all the squalor out there.
Epic long ride over McKenzie pass, Oregon.
I did a 4 hr ride with a short hard run off the bike. I started in Sisters, just outside my home Bend, Oregon. I rode up and over the lava covered McKenzie pass and dropped down to the green lushiousness (its my blog, I can make up words if I like)- of the west side of the Cascades to almost sea level, (500m) before turning around and climbing back up and over the arid 1600m peak. Nothing but climbing or descending for 4 hrs- great training mixed in with soul riding. About as much fun as road riding gets…
XTERRA Czech build up
I love Czech! This country is beautiful- the countryside, the castles, the people. Here is the main street in Hluboka nad Vltavou- venue of XTERRA Czech. Great coffee and Apfel Strudel to be had under those blue umbrellas. English, Afrikaans and French doesnt get you far here, but most Czechs speak some German, so I’ve been using my own German/Afrikaans to deadly effect!
The Xterra Czech course is mostly on private property ( a game reserve) so most of it cant be seen, I rode some of the open parts to comical effect. Deep forest and afternoon thunderstorm makes for muddy riding…
I lost it and bought a farm in the picture above. (not sitting down for a picnic) And the mud went into some funny places…
Yes, SRAM X.O shifters work great, even when covered with mud and vegetation
I got horribly lost and bumped into 2 Hungarians who also got lost. (If you bump into 2 Hungarians, there is a 100% probability that at least one of them will be called “Gabor”) Eventually we hit a road and asked for the way home. Couldnt resist composing this shot with the local mowing his lawn in a speedo and flip flops
Caveman’s clever trick to lube a needy chain WITH YOUR CAR’S DIP STICK!
How to lube a rusted bike chain when you have no (Squirt) chain lube.
Disaster strikes. The airline took your luggage hostage. You have to pre ride the course, so you borrowed a bike, helmet, shoes 2 sizes too big and clothes. (Yay for someone else’s used chamois!) Read more about why and how this was the worst travel of my life: Flying the friendly skies.
But oh dear, no chain lube to be found!
Levels of lube:
– Best case scenario would obviously be Squirt lube.
– A very distant 2nd would be the other stuff they call chain lube. (But you’ll have to decontaminate your chain before re-applying Squirt once your luggage comes)
– When I was a kid I once sprayed energy drink on my chain every time the squeak got bad. It worked pretty well, but I realized the spraying intervals became really frequent and of course the noise came back worse than ever. And then the monumentous BONK on the way home when all your carbs went on the chain. (Like I said, I was a kid)
– Last resort would be:
Caveman’s clever trick to lube a needy chain WITH YOUR CAR’S DIP STICK!
1) Pop the bonnet. (Hood) in USA. *Read more about the bike at the bottom of post.
A story of inspiration by South Africa’s #1 female triathlete, Mari Rabie…
Here is a short story by Mari Rabie, South Africa’s great hope for the Beijing Olympics. Visit her excellent blog at MariRabie.com.
I was quite unaware of the inspiration, but am very touched by this story…
