Wow!

The boys have been expecting the 2011 Scalpels that we'll be racing to arrive the last few days. Since I was in the area this morning I figured no harm in dropping by. And there they were gleaming black and white. There are not enough superlatives to describe how giddy one feels when lifting up a full suspension bike, complete with pedals, and computer, and bottle cage, and set up to run tubeless; all the things you need to race your bike, but most manufacturers strip off when they list bike weights and it's still so unbelievably freakin' light. Thank you Olympia! Thank you, thank you, thank you Cannondale!

Crash

Uggghhh that one really hurt. Not the type of crash you're thinking. Preparing for Cape Epic is incredibly exciting, but we still have to deal with all the normal worldly concerns like computers crashing. Thanks to Tomek for helping me put the jersey design back together.

Go Cannondale!

Dropped in to see the guys at Olympia today. They had just finished setting up Don's Cannondale Flash. Fully set up and ready to race including computer, bottle cage, bar ends, and pedals it weighs only 17 lbs 12 oz.!!! And that's ready for endurance racing without any stupid light parts. That's just sick. Whooo Hoooo Cannondale.

I Feel Good

36 days skiing at Silverstar. I feel good! We will leave March 1 for Africa so I should have lots of time to toughen the butt before the race starts March 27. One last thing to attend to a few days before we leave, The American Birki ski race. Me and 7500 others looking for glory, it should be a great time as usual. Only 1 out of 3 bikes have come in from Cannondale so far, no worry they will show. Stormy my German Shepherd and I skied 7 hours this weekend at Birch. I am happy, she is a mess. Too much of a good thing, chasing those deer make for a stiff dog. I am getting very excited about Africa. It is the last of the big classics on my bucket list. I have been told that dogs can be big trouble while training in the South African countryside. Every farm has a four legged security service on duty 24-7. I love dogs but this worries me a little given the amount of time I will be training on my own in unknown terrain. I am really looking forward to having my daughter Lisa join us from Johannesberg for the 5 weeks that we will be in country. She will help us become more accustom to the way of life South Africa offers. Lisa has enjoyed her time in SA traveling to many areas during her stay. Alex, her guy, might be able to join our crew during race week, don't know wheather he can take time away from his work.
Gary is over the top with his computer savy, setting this blog thing up. I hope it will give you at home a little insight to our great race adventure. Gary is about to have a rock star experience racing Cape Epic, he just doesn't know it yet. Mountain stage racing is over the top in so many ways. It will take month after the race to digest the experience and then you start thinking where your next fix will come from. I have been really lucky to have done Trans Rockies twice, Trans Alps twice with great partners and friends and La Ruta with a great riding buddy. Cape Epic will be the icing on the cake for me.
I will add more thoughts later............