Here I go

OK, it's almost time to go. I think I have enough packed, but due to a slight change of plan, it doesn't really matter too much. I'll be back here in three days, then off to the race.

Off to bed now, got an early start in the morning.

I'll take lots of pictures - more in a few days!

Cheers.

Sneak Preview

Pictures are fun, so here a few of where I'll be this weekend, warming up for the race. This is Fujimi Panorama Ski Resort, my regular stomping ground in the summer.

The race will be elsewhere, but I bet will look similar. At least you get an idea of what we do.

Sleep Deprivation Training

is less effective than it sounds.

More packing and sorting tonight, plus a little spin on the new treadly, yep, I think it's gonna be a great bike. Weather looks a bit iffy for the weekend too, so I have decided to pack exactly eight times more gear and clothing than I need. Funny thing is, I have three of everything I could ever possibly need, except mud tyres.

Almost done with the packing now, just have the cooking gear and food to go.

Now if only I can bloody well get to sleep...

Oh yeah...

...my car is black. I had forgotten. Yesterday it got some TLC at the mechanics', and today it got a bath. Looks so good, I bet it doesn't even stay clean for 24 hours.

Not so much fun anymore.

Spent hours tonight packing and sorting out gear. Not even half finished. Not so much fun anymore.

Good news is that the more I put in my car, the bigger my apartment feels.

Don't try this at home....

Found this on the Surly Bikes website. One more reason why wheelies are not as much fun as they look.

Good News

Well, got the bike sorted out. Changed the few parts I wanted to change, and yep, 90 min was closer to the truth. The good news is that a part that I thought was stuffed is still OK. The front axle has a fancy new way of bolting into the fork (named a MAXLE by the fine folks who made it), and I thought I'd stripped an allen head bolt in it. Well, I actually did, and thought it was stuffed. This is a brand new fork, so spares haven't found their way into bike shops yet, and thus I couldn't replace it. But I found out today that I'd only stripped a few mm, and there is plenty more allen head depth to use, so it still works fine (as long as I take care, at least more than I did the first time!). Good news. And now that I know how to use the new axle system, it rocks. Very impressed - fast, easy and secure.

Also put a new carrier on the roof rack, bit scary with the weight of a DH bike up there, have to see how it goes.

Now onto the camping gear. Wish me more luck.

busy

Been a while since my last post. Lots of things have been going on, most of them involve alcohol-induced sunrise viewing sessions. Slept 12 hours last night, wonderful. Forced myself to get up because I have to start getting ready for the big trip next weekend.

On the list for today: install roofrack bike carrier on car, sort through camping gear and pack a one-man kit, fix camping chairs (three of four are broken), wash clothes and pack DH gear, change a small part on the bike (no doubt this 10 minute job will take me an hour and a half), pull old DH bike apart (to plunder it for spares), and if I have any time left after all that, go for a ride. Man, this cycling hobby of mine doesn't give me much time to ride.

Something else to read

when you get bored of my rantings (what, already?). This is a blog of someone I met years ago, and who has gone on to so much more on two wheels. She took Japan by storm, and is proceeding to do so to the whole world. Her name is Mio. and she's fast. really, really fast. cute too.

http://mioproject.blogspot.com/

or if you want to study a little Nihongo:

http://www.mioproject.com/2006/04/2006_e227.html

I'm in!

エントリー確認【スポーツエントリー】= Entry verification. Not that I can read most of that, but that is what Babelfish tells me it says. Which means my online registration worked, and I'm signed up for the first of the DH races this year. This one is in Golden Week (May national holiday round these parts, May 5 to be precise), and is quite a long way from here. I've just found out that I will have to drive there alone, luckily my/our regular warming up/training ground is on the way, so I'll be able to get in some practice on the way. I also have newly tinted windows, and good music to listen to, so I'm starting to warm up to the idea, and looking forward to it. I may be doing the same thing as usual (riding a bike - how juvenile!), but at least I'm going to a different part of Japan to do it! I've also thrown in a picture of my car from last year to show how I'll be travelling.

one more on the list...

of Japanese mania items.

RedBull mania has finally hit Japan. For the non-bikers, RedBull (the energy drink company) has been a long time sponsor of extreme sports, including MTB, mostly crazy DH/freeride stuff. Due to RedBull's high profile in the MTB world, most Japanese DHers were familiar with it, but had never seen the drink itself. Well, that's all changing, as finally, somehow, Redbull has snuck into Japan. Last week I received two emails excitedly telling me how Redbull was seen in a 7-11, and I just found this picture on a friend's blog (where I stole the picture). I really doubt they'll like the taste, but at least my friends now have the choice.

Practice makes perfect

Today was a sunny day, and warm. Perfect for a bit of local pre-season training. I loaded up and headed for our local trail, to be ridden for the first time on a DH bike. Was fun, but amazing how much flatter it seemed when riding a DH bike. I also managed to clip my derailleur on a rock, and convert it into another piece of bike art (junk?). That's two broken things on the new bike already, hope its not a sign...

DH bits 2

After buying the new bike, and spending WAAAAYYYY too much money, I couldn't afford a new helmet, so I got out the masking tape and spray cans, and went to town. I think the results aren't too bad. Like everything I do, it's great if you don't look too close!

With the black bike, and my old, black DH clothes, I think this colour theme is going to work quite well, if a little morbid. See how we go, I guess...and who knows, I might even get a role in the Adddams Family.

DH bits

Because I am allergic to having any money in the bank, I decided to buy a new bike for the new season. Here she is - and one little day of test-riding tells me that I got very lucky in buying this one....

Iron Horse Sunday team spec, lots of black. I smell a colour theme for this year...

Hi!

Welcome to the first post in my new bloog. I didn't think I'd ever join the bloog bandwagon, but here I am. Thanks for looking!

This year I am finally getting around to racing the Japan national MTB series, in the DH (downhill) category. I have created this bloog to be a record of my progress and travels this season, so it is primarily going to be a MTB-geeky kinda thing. Well, that and I don't have any other life....but maybe a few other things could sneak in from time to time, hence the non-MTB title.

The title has a few different connotations - they're all fairly easy to guess though, so I'll leave it up to you, fine readers, to figger it oot. Oh yeah, to keep myself amused I'm sometimes going to use a double "o" when I shouldn't, I'm weird like that. I know it's not funny, but if you'd met my father, you'd understand. Sorry, Pop!