Overlander 50km!!

This past weekend I raced the Overlander 50km Skate race. It was a great day for racing. We rolled into Stake Lake Ski area to a disceptive -6 degrees and fog. Over the week I had been watching the weather and had already waxed appropriatly, thanks to Frank for hooking me up with some Black Wolf, I had quick skis!

So after a little warm up the race was underway. It started off hot as usual and I managed to not blow my whole race right at the beginning. At the first hill a group of 6 or so went up the trail and contended for the win. I was in the next group of 8 or so guys and we were rolling! A race was in the works! It was so fun to have guys around me and be drafting and actually have that feeling of racing. I had fast skis, I was catching guys way heavier than me on the down hills. Each lap the effort increased a little so that 1 or 2 guys would get popped off the back of the group. For me this happened around 43Km, I tried to go with another athlete but the call to the engine room for more power went unanswered. Not to worry, I finished and improved on my overall placing from 2 years ago. I came 12th and felt good all day.

The best part of the trip besides the race was hanging out before and after. On our way home we stopped in Peachland at a Restaurnt called The Blind Anger, http://www.blindangler.com/ to have some delicious burgers and fries. Fantastic location, great service and really good food. I will definatly go back there soon.

While sitting reminishing about the day DBD once again offered up some cash for me to jump in the lake. I wanted to, but since he and his wife just had twins, his budget for shinanigans has been reduced. I figured for a brown one I would have but a red one just doesn't cut it.

Here's a few photos taken by Kerry Vancooy.









Thanks to DBD for driving and Johnny and Al for the company. Also to Frank for the wax.

GW

This just in, a post race video!!

Hiring: Ninjas

So, today after school I whipped down to Penticton to pick Katie up from work. As I got out of the car I checked up and down the street for parking attendants (AKA: Frickin' Stealth Ninja's). The coast was clear..........or so I thought.

I popped in to KHK for maybe a couple of minutes. Out of the corner of my eye I saw someone by my car. I just figured someone was trying to steal my sweet ride. Nope, they were just giving me a ticket! The deed was done, I now owe the city of Penticton $10, not $35 because I will pay it in the next 7 days.

Here is the ironic thing, the windshield wiper that the FSN put the ticket under was the rear wiper that is on the front. I was driving along and my brand new wiper flew off. If I hadn't replaced the wiper would they still have given me a ticket?

Also, you would think that with the big'ole orange jacket that the parking ticket person wears that I would have seen him/her. I guess it's dark when they turn it inside out.


Watch out out there.

GW

Be safe out there

A friend sent me this tonight and I had a great laugh. It is a bit vulgar but it gets to the point. Literally.



GW

unfinished business

The semester is coming to an end, children are feverishly trying to hand in unfinished work yet they still try not to actually do any work. Now remember this is only some. Others, like the champions that they are have pulled up their socks and stepped on the gas! Definate shout out to them.

Speaking of the pulling up of socks, last year around this time I started a 50km ski race in Kamloops. Poor planning and a weak mind led to an uncharacteristic DNF. This Sunday is all about self redmeption. I don't plan on winning unless Steven Bradbury was my lucky charm, but I do plan on going out on the conservative side of my balance point and feeling great and given'r for the last 20km. I'd like to pass people on the last lap, not be passed. I'll let you know.

On another note, go to www.google.ca and type in "pulling up socks" 2nd row.


GW

mini-vans

Have you ever noticed that you only get pasted by mini-vans? I drive an 'older' Volkswagen Golf, 23 years old to be exact. The "Mobile" has a custom muffler that I didn't pay for but others would, and I go on average about 7-10% over the speed limit most times, except for in school zones. Here I drive 5km below just to piss the people off who don't understand why we drive slow around schools. Because kids think they are invincible. Now back to the mini-vans. My first question is why?

1) Parents are late because they had to get their kids ready.
2) Parents are bored of their existence so they get a rush by going 30km over with their kids in the car.
3) According to DBD, who is a newly-minted connoisseur of the mini-van, it's because they are actually a little performancy.

I'm no expert, a) because I don't have kids and b) don't have a mini-van but I think it's all of the above. If you dropped close to 40 grand on a mini-van you'd want to see what it has too.

Take care and slow down.

GW

Winterman2010

Yes, today was the annual challenge that makes your stomach turn and your "nacho" shrink. I'm talking about Winterman2010, this entails a long ski* and some sort of run or showshoe either before or after the ski. DBD, Jonny-O and I undertook this endeavour at 8:12 this morning. Tom stopped off at Starbucks because he was already worried about the impromptu "Grudge" match he would submit us to.

Once at Nickel Plate I waxed quickly and got going. We started with a Loppet loop(when I say we I mean Tom and I because Johnny-o took a short cut at the upper meadow - I'm just saying is all) A quick pitstop was made for refueling and then we headed off to Panorama, Buck's Trek, Winter's Creek, Motherlode and back for our 2nd refueling session.

We then went out to Silverside to get our 3 hours in. At the bottom of Silverside DBD, threw it down. A grudge match for the ages, approximately 6-8 minutes up Buck's trek. Johnny-o and I were given a minute head start. This proved to be a costly miscalculation by Evans.

I went out hard to demoralize Johnny, and to make DBD think twice. I managed to feel strong and made it to the predetermined finishline approximately 20 seconds in the lead and about 1 minute ahead of Johnny. I'm not tooting my own horn here, just saying that they both looked into their suitcases of courage and found there was none.

After we got in, I went home and they like the champs they are went for a 10km run, to finish off Winterman2010. Thanks for the great training day guys.

GW



*I didn't do the run, I only did the ski. Just so no one is confused.