JayP

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• Monday, January 7, 2008

  Spinning

  Yea, I’ve been spinning the wheels and legs, but it’s been my mind that’s been spinning most. Reality is hitting with a few things coming up.

  The Togwotee Classic is less then 2 weeks which I’ll be riding the 100 miles. Good timing really, and if I had to I could probably be ready in an hour since I will be treating it as a day ride (a day is 24 hours, right).

  The real spinning of the mind has to do with all the preparation going into the Alaska Ultra Sport 1100 mile journey to Nome. Less then 7 weeks away and I have just a slew of things spinning through my mind.

  • Time in the saddle. With the love of other snow sports and lots of recent powder from the sky it’s been tough being on the bike as much as I’d like, but it is picking up and I am starting to focus on it.
  • Food/mail drops. This is how I will be resupplying myself along the route. Trying to figure out how much to take isn’t nearly as hard as, what to take.
  • The “Kit”. This refers to everything I will be wearing, carrying, riding and pushing while I cross AK. The decision of each piece of gear making up the kit can be agonizing at times. Light enough? Warm enough? Too much? Not enough? Just enough? Will it work in -40? I will say one thing; everything in my “kit” is carefully chosen, used and abused beforehand.
  • Strategy. Sure, it’s a race but strategy is a result of the efficiency that one has learned before the start. I also see strategy as a performance of decisions that are presented to you at that time. So basically no preplanned strategy is sure, therefore I will just spin different scenarios through my mind. Do I let the race to McGrath effect my race to Nome?
  • Weather. No control here, but will I be riding 1100 miles or pushing? Will I be out there for 2 weeks or 4 weeks? Hope I packed enough food if its 4. The arctic temps, stop in your tracks blowing wind, and deep snow will be the dictator of time. Oh yea, don’t get wet in any open water or overflow either.
  • Navigation. Well, you will sink to your waist if you’re off trail. Bringing a GPS and just getting familiar with the route villages and general direction of travel with a breakdown of mileages will have to do.

  These are just a few of the more major things that I think about daily concerning the journey.

  All things spinning hasn’t prevented me from keeping at work and recreating more then the average bear.

  • Logged a 10k skate race in some severe winds and soft blown in snow this past Saturday. 2nd skate race of the year turning up 3rd both times.
  • Following the race, Tracey and I headed out for some earn your turns skiing, which has also been pretty consistent of a few days a week.
  • Yesterday was a 5 plus hour ride with Dave on the big bikes. This put me at over 10 riding hours for the week.

  

  Windy Wyoming

  

  Just another accepted form of snow biking.

  

  It's certainly not boring around here!

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