I am back home from Scotland. What a great time we had. I managed to get many good rides in. The most epic was up to the top of the Cairn Gorm. There was some walking and hiking, lots of riding and great views. It was so misty that we had to get out the compass to find out witch set of Cairns to follow.
The photo above is from that ride. You can see a lot of rocks that were hard to ride over.
Now that I am home I am trying to get ready for cross. Last night I did a cross clinic with Bart Bowen. We worked on mounts and dismounts and some high intensity cross practice. There were around 20 people attending. Above is photo of Robin Laughlin working on barracades.
Last week at Hood River the Sunnyside Team did very well. Karen Kenlan won her race, Mike was leading when he flatted but still managed a top ten finish. I won't list everyone but you check results at the OBRA web site. I will try to post this twice a week and keep up your interest.
Don

Week in Scotland

After watching Mountain Bike World Championships and spending a week in the Highlands of Scotland we have settled into the Borders with our many Scottish friends. The highlights have been the Castle of Tantallon, on the Eastern Coast of the Borders with a great view of Bass Rock. We were also able to stay in a Caravan (we would call it a trailer) on the Coast for a couple of days. This was the perfect British holiday.
Yesterday we went to Dunbar, the birthplace of John Muir. He moved to Wisconsin when he was 12 but never forgot his natal home. I think what is most interesting is that if would come back to life and visited all the places he loved and lived Dunbar and the surrounding area would be most like when he was alive. His house has been converted to a museum (just a few years ago). Until recently John Muir was almost unkown in his native country. Amercans would come over and ask to see or visit his birthplace and the locals would have no idea who he was. That is changing as there is Park a long distance walk and a Museum with his name on it.
I be home in a couple of days but I will keep Scotland in my heart ready for the next visit.

With my friend Mary McConnelog

The Scotland Report

It was a great experience to be at the UCI World Mountain Bike Championships 19 hears after the first NORBA worlds and 17 years after the first UCI Worlds. As far as I could tell there were only two riders to compete in both races,Thomas Frischknecht and Bend's own Carl Decker.
Thomas was 2nd in 1990 and 30th today (though his teamates were 2nd and
3rd) and Carl was, I think 16th in 1990 as a jr and 69th in this version.
The course was fast and furious. Though Scotland is known for its rain and techicnal conditions this course was entirely man made with mainly some steep rocky bits, but as Mary McConneloug described it it was like a bike path. It was chalenging in that it had lots of climbing and twisty downhills.
Watching the race was amazing and there was a helicopter flying over head filming and we got to watch on a big screen telivision the complete race.
This is something we could look into for Pickett's Charge next year.

The strength of Julian Absalon (riding an ORBEA) was unstoppable in the men's race. Adam Craig was the first North American in 22nd place. Adam, I am sure would have liked a more natural trail with mud and roots. He still did well and put him in top postition for the Olympic team for next year.
Mary being the second American has done the same for herself.
I talked to Mary after the race and as always she said kind words of her time in Bend and promised to visit. She felt she had an ok race and had nothing but good things to say about Scotland, even though they had dummied down this course quite a bit.