Thursday, February 7, 2008

Alaska baby!

This morning while cranking out my L3 session on the rollers and listening to The Crystal Method it hit me; I am fortunate. I am going to Alaska to race my bike across the snow, test myself, and hopefully meet some great people! Fuck yeah!

Chris E. and I are bringing some FAT mojo all the way from Idaho and I am getting excited now. I should have been excited long before now but I am not wired that way. In addition to “life” getting in the way, I have been analyzing, tinkering, and reorganizing while nervously watching the temps in Wasilla, AK plummet. At one point earlier this week I was actually pretty nervous about the Su and the potential for being out in -20F temps all night…and that made me mad. I don’t like having negative thoughts about racing. So this morning while on the rollers I had a little talk with myself. I know better. I know that “Hope” is not a strategy and I am prepared. If it’s cold, fine. I will just add layers, drink some peppermint tea, eat a few extra dark chocolate covered almonds, turn up Metallica, and keeping moving forward. Fuck yeah!

10 comments:

Chris said...

Rock on! That's the attitude! Can't wait to see you rip it up at the Su.

JenyJo said...

FUCK YEAH!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

You're going to kill it at SU Dave and Chris E.
"Shake N Bake"
Jill D.

Jill Homer said...

I am with you. I checked the weather in McGrath this morning ... a balmy -43 at 9 a.m. ... and I wondered, is it even possible to survive outside in those kind of temps? God help me if I have to find out.

That said, you are going to tear up that Susitna course. Any chance you'll still be in AK the Thursday after the race? Would be cool to meet up if so. Let me know.

Dave said...

Juneau Jill - I wish my stay in AK was going to be longer but I am cathcing a plane home early Tues AM. I would be great to meet up with you and Geoff.

Jill Homer said...

Yeah, Geoff and I won't be on a plane to Anchorage until Thursday morning. But we will be cheering you on from our computer screens Saturday. Good luck!

Doug said...

Good luck Saturday Dave! I'm looking forward to being a spectator for this one!

Geoff said...

fuck yeah dave. you're going to love it out there on the susitna. forecast looks pretty mild but that's still a ways away. prepare for the worst and feel fortunate for anything better than that. last year they were calling for lows around 10-15 above in wasilla and it was about 5 below out on the trail so even if the forecast looks "warm" you'll need to expect several degrees cooler out on the trail after nightfall... then again, with the way you'll be rocking it out there you might be finishing up before the cold part of the night sets in.

Ed said...

Good luck Dave!!

Ed

carlhutch said...

Hi Dave
I just saw a message on MTBR.Im sorry i only just picked it up.
Too late in the day now to get technical but i feel i should answer.Use Neos overboots with the insulated sole.I dont like the size of the things but you get used to them and they kinda work as a snow show they are so huge when you have to walk.I wear a columbia winter boot inside them 3 sizes too big and the typical thin caplilene sock as a base with a thicker sock over that.Bill and Kathi use running shoes and cut a sock to go over the front of the shoe which they put a chemical warmer in.they then run the neos over that.
Sorry to hear about the frostbite,even in the UK im having trouble keeping my damaged toes warm.
Good luck with the race,just run with the bike for a bit if you get cold feeling toes.
wishing you a good trail.