Secret trials

As Strathpuffer nears our intrepid engineer is trying out his latest invention in the hope of capturing a podium spot in his first face of the season. The fully customised wheel has been formed out of a unique blend of crystals and moulded into an aerodynamic lenticular shape mimicking that adopted by the mythical UFO's. Further adaptations to note are the dimples on the surface that really come into play above 12 mph, thereby smoothing the air to allow the perfect cut in the wind barrier. Only time will tell if his latest invention will allow the team to beat the 4 miles covered by Mr O on boxing day...

Please note that the skis have been removed from the front of the other bike for security reasons....

Mull Cross

Click on this for some fun.

http://vimeo.com/8182060

Rapha 2010

David got me looking on the web tonight and I saw that Rapha look as if they are going to do a pink fixed shirt next year...

Facial hair, yes or no?

Without hair I find it hard to change my appearence so that's my excuse for having so many pairs of glasses, but what with so much time on the bike over the weekend I thought I might try something new. I am getting quite comfortable on the new cross bike and so riding handless across bumpy terrain has been mastered as has face painting now.  I went for the handlebar look and actually think I pulled it off quite well. Something tell you I don't try hard enough!

Skills morning

Cyclocross requires a unique blend of skills.  Like a fine malt a lot needs to go into the mixing pot, and in cross you need fitness, bravery and excellent bike handling skills. Often during a race you are faced with obstacles and so you have the choice of dismount and carry or jump.  So we set about honing our bunny hops over all things big.

David ate so much he couldn't get the wheels off the ground..

But it was quite a big jump you have to remember...

I mean it was nearly as tall as an iPhone......

Beautiful things......

We took some wonderful photographs over the weekend, but this is my favourite that I took (Jammy took some good ones when we were racing).  The rest will be uploaded to Flickr for general viewing and others merit a seperate posting........

Ever since a young age........

When you have a weekend away with friends you share intimate moments, perhaps more in 72 hours than you have done so over the course of a year.  You experience their highs and low's and inevitably you end up sharing stories that you might not otherwise have done.  Quite unusually Gordon was overcome by the moment as well and he chose to share a story from his childhood about Santa and how ever since a young age he was scared of him.   It still haunts him today and unfortunately the racing on Sunday brought it all home...........

And so starts the tale of our wonderful adventure to the Isle of Mull.

Rouleur

Mr Ogg receives a lifetime achievment award to sport by getting this photograph in Rouleur. I doth my cap to him.

Always keen to help you..........

Obviously I know a few of you are pushed for time at Christmas, so I thought I could help you with a suggestion or two, I will try and post a few ideas over the next couple of days but this caught my attention in Browns (West George St).

Probably best for a west coast lass!

Ironman Australia

The picture opposite says it all, need I say more, Sian did herself proud although got ill during the run.  Race temperatures were in the mid 30s, making the 3.8km swim, 180.2km ride and 42.2km run all the more daunting for the 1,309 individual and 110 team entrants. Just to show you how hard it was, of the 34 professionals who set out at 6 AM, just 20 completed the course.

Given the way the girls have performed this year we need some good performances from the guys next year!

Old Skool Parlee

This is an Old Skool look for a bang up to date carbon frame and forks.  It's almost translucent in that you can see through to the weave.  Very nice in a retro kind of way.  Not too sure of the colour though!

Famous after all - forgive the tache! Glad it's gone now.

In 2000, Brian Skinner was named the 13th most significant person in Mountain Bike history by Mountain Bike magazine. His involvement in shaping the sport, developing product and promoting racing and fun are all factors that garnered him that honor.

http://www.completesite.com/mbhof/page.cfm?pageid=6&year=2002&memberid=127

Brian made the transition from BMX to mountain bikes when introduced to Victor Vincent’s first classic Reseda-To-The-Sea race in 1980, and never looked back.

Take the time to read this, I think we could be onto something for our races next year, the members lounge etc, I like it!  Great name.

Good Luck Sian @ Ironman Australia

As many of you know Sian is in Australia at Ironman "The Race Down Under" racing on Dec 5th. Racing Ironman for the second time this year you can follow her on http://ironman.com/ with a bib number of 1170.

From all at the club you have our best wishes and our thoughts will be with you as you race. 

I always remember getting a text from someone the night before my first Ironman race that said "Free your mind and your ass will follow".  He was right, in the only thing that restricts a lot of us is our mind, it limits our dreams and potential.

I also know there is a lot going on for a lot of people in my life at the moment some who read this, some who don't, but my thoughts are with them.  Many are achieving greats things and some dealing with the hardest things they have ever encountered to date.  Ironman/racing/training becomes the focus for many of us so we can face the other challenges but one day alone can make or break a dream that has taken an age to build. Stay strong and you will get that dream!

With what happened to Lee Vernett falling off her bike and having to get skin grafts and other facing health scares, it brings sharply into focus that we should all live for the moment, exploit each day to the maximum and give the best that we can give in everything we do in every moment of our life. It is like always doing what you are afraid to do, don't be rash, be calculated, but challenge yourself.  As someone once said life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Go have the best fun you can. 

Rock the course Sian and smack some Aussie tarmac for us on the run.

Go the G3R!!

Notice anything similar?

How short are his shorts? Use this link to get a closer look if you dare.......  (http://www.flickr.com/photos/hd09/4144188329/in/pool-scottishcyclocross)

You see Miss Daisy had something nice to show.  I may be wrong, but I don't think big Stu's cheeks are in the same class, but perhaps some of the "ladies" in the club may disagree.  I think he has been hanging out with our other cross dressing friend Cormac who also has a penchant for the "Daisy Duke" look!  And yes, that is my own signed copy :-).

Sometimes in Life you just want to share something...........

If you feel like sharing something perhaps even random, email me, I am happy to put it on the blog as the next photo shows.

David has been sitting at home alone this week and you can picture the scene, alone on the sofa watching an ironman dvd, bowl of crisps on his lap and a glass of wine in his hand, with a scrunched up kleenex in the other (keep it clean!).  With Sian at the top of her game and away in Auz to compete in Ironamn again he has been a lost soul.  Taken to growing a beard until she returns he sat down to find inspiration in his old photos, to kindle the flame again and capture his mojo to become the top vet once again.  It was because of this that he sent the following photo.......

Almost looks like a pro!

The Chaff "O" Meter was high last night..............

Ok, so I decided ro run again last night, and headed round Knapp Loch again, only this time I went round twice.  For some reason I decided to wear the G3R tri short as an undergarment, to offer support; the round of applause was much appreciated, but OMG do they cause some serious chaffing in the nether regions! I am sure it has nothing to do with my fat thighs, but I will watch when I wear them again!

The real reason for venturing off road in the middle of the night was really to test my new boats, er I mean trainers, but at size 14 (US) they are more like boats.  Running about in the mud and grass where I am is slippy sometimes so I thought I would go for a new trail shoes (click on the read more for my review).

Check the lug work on this puppy!

Wow!!! Beautiful is the only thing to say, this was on the following link from the photo of Irvine that was posted on the Bike Rumour website.

There’s nothing a girl likes more than sparkly things and, luckily, this sparkly bike was made for a girl. (This picture is a closeup of the hammered lug at the bottom of the head tube.) Giuseppe (Joe) and partner Alexis Dold hand craft bikes out of their shop, Villin Cycle Works. 

http://www.villincycleworks.com/


http://www.bikerumor.com/2009/11/30/bikerumor-pic-of-the-day-cyclocross-by-the-sea/

A minute of your time

Just click on the title above in this posting and it should jump you to you tube to see a wee video of the Dundee race.

Pink Cross

Well I rode a lap on my new creation and it was good.  I think I am onto something, although the rider needs to drop a few kilos before I embrace it fully.  I might even venture into a new frame if I like it.....