PERFECT DAY FOR SKI TO SEA

Bellingham's World Championships yesterday and what a day for it--perfect weather. High 60s, little to no wind, and best of all, I didn't flat during my mountain bike leg. Yay! Yay! Yay! I didn't flat! Get a flat during Ski to Sea and you're not just flatting for yourself, you're flatting for seven other people, several of whom you've never met (or met just hours before) but, for some reason, you still don't want them to think ill of you.

Our team was Awesome Dawson Descending Masters (pictured above: Tom O'Moore, Matt Eichenberger, me, Scott Young, John Clark, Pete Dawson, Rick Lingbloom and camera-shy Brad Haggen) and as far as I can gather, we finished 29th overall (out of the 398 teams that finished), 4th in the Masters division.

The mountain bike leg was pretty killer. No flats! (Did I mention that?) As opposed to say, Graham Yountsey, whom I saw attending to his second puncture at about the 3-mile mark and who wrote on his Facebook that he had "three flats and a broken spoke". Thankfully, RD Charlie Heggem diverted us away from the nasty puddle of goo at the end of the RR track section but the tracks themselves were still uncalled for. (Were I Charlie's parent I'd send him to his room for a time-out for including that section.) Saw Beau Whitehead after the race; he flatted on the tracks and also busted his chain on Marine Drive and ... still beat me by three minutes! (My time was 52:47.)

Wanna see something hilarious? Check out my photo on brunkphoto.com. I look like I'm reminiscing about the fetid railroad puddle: http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=07Q600B8050029&po=29

Below, Baker watches the kayaks come in to Marine Park.

PITCHERS 'N' STUFF

Random photos and a video from recent weeks. Above, the Mount Baker Highway on the way to the Mount Baker Ski Area and Artist Point taken a couple weeks ago. (One of the most scenic stretches of the Mount Baker Hill Climb.) It was the week before Scott, John and I rode it. Below, John Clark ridin' Buck Mountain, out Winthrop way.
Below, Bake finishes up Jr. Ski to Sea--that's him in the black shirt and gunny sack hopping to ring the bell. (Teammate Peter has his hand extended for a semi-hi five.) Flowers--arrowleaf balsamroot--along the Buck Mountain trail. Here, John test rides a Kona 29er hardtail. He doesn't seem to like to too much, does he? Post Ski to Sea, Bake makes his PowerAde bottle float in mid-air.
Then lies down, exhausted.