24 hours of Kincaid AKA "The Moose Gauntlet"

For the summer solstice weekend Amanda and I called in some more Grandma and Dennis favours to look after Fiona so that we could go race at a 24 hour race at Kincaid park.

The local Bike club (Arctic Bike Club) mountain division organises the event with the help of some sponsors.

The race is a lot lower key than the previous 24 hour race (Sleepless in the Saddle) I competed in back in 2004.  Racers could race a variety of different categories including Solo, Duo and Pairs.  Revolution racing were fielding four teams.

DUO 24hr M Team: Revolution Racing

Clinton Hodges

Jim Rasi

DUO 24hr M Team: Riff Raff

Aaron Mells

Trevor Jones

QUAD 24hr F Team: Midnight Masochistas

Jill Parsons

Kirsten Gilbert

Laura Fox

Amanda Blades

QUAD 24hr M Team: Insomniacs Inc.

Nicholas Blades

Marc Romano

Andrew Cunningham

Peter Malecha

We all arrived before 11am on the Saturday, to get set up and check over bikes etc.  Then it was time to wait for the start.  We all lined up ready for the Le Mans style start for it to be delayed 30min whilst the course flags corrected, some idiots had decided to move the course which is really not that sporting.  Once we had the go ahead racing got underway at 12:32.

Start lineup

Running start with our base camp in background

Bike pickup

Almost at the end

The atmosphere at the event was really relaxed and combining that with the great summer we are having at the moment ensured the event was a whole lot of fun. Snacks and BBQ was provided along with a fire drum for when it got dark, yes it did get dark for a couple of hours, not really dark but dark enough to require lights on the single track trails.

The course was a 11ish mile loop which used a combination of ski trails, social singletrack trails and STA trails.

Due to animal activity in Kincaid we all had to ride with Bear Bells, although annoying at least they alert other users to our presence in the park.  Oh and the nickname "The Moose Gauntlet" comes from the fact that moose like bedding down/walking along the trails we all like to ride, they also don't really move off these trails when we are riding on them so we sometimes had to detour from the course.

Since I was racing I don't actually have any pictures of the course but I can confirm the following things, ski trails are fast but a little boring, social trails are technical and rooty, STA trails are fast flowing and smooth.  I know which trails I prefer to ride.

Critter count

Rabbit - 1

Porcupine - 2

Moose - Many many

Birds - Many many many

Unidentified rustling in bushes - Lots

Results

All of our teams did really well, full results can be found here and summary here

Revolution Racing - 12 laps, 138 mi, 23:14:12 - 2nd

Riff Raff - 6 laps, 69 mi, 21:28:12 - 3rd

Midnight Masochistas -  11 laps, 126.5 mi, 22:57:40 - 2nd

Insomniacs Inc. - 19 laps, 218.5 mi, 22:59:24 - 2nd

I think I speak for everyone when I say I don't think anyone had another lap left in them by the end of the race, to all the racers well done and see you all again next year.... or at the next XC/road race!

Until next time have fun all

Nick

More XC racing

Another Tuesday night race at Kincaid last night for me.  Overall I'm pleased with my performance.  I foolishly hadn't tightened my seat bolt up enough so ended up completing the last 1.5miles stood up which was tiring (See photo below), I also missed a turn on the final section of the course which was really dumb.  It definitely helps to have a good cross country bike, the Fatbike just wasn't cutting it, roll on the next race, 24hours of Kincaid this weekend!

End of lap one feeling good but tired

Stupid Nick forgetting to check seat bolt

Once again I am thankful for all the people who support me whilst racing, especially Amanda who looks after Fiona during my races I really couldn't do it without her.  Also a huge thankyou to all the people who helped get my bikes over here you have made this racer a little bit faster if only in his head.

GPS track of the route, includes heart rate data to see how hard I was working.... ignore the 200+ figures they are not correct but for the most part I was maxed out.

Getting out of Anchorage..... if only for one night.

The weekend of the 24th to 27th May is Memorial day holiday here in the USA.  For us that means Amanda gets a Monday off work (Bank holiday for UK people)  Being as organised as we ever are in the Blades household we hadn't realised this was sneaking up on us.....

With a lack of planning comes problems like me not booking time off from work (I work Sunday's) and not being able to find a place to stay.

Late last week about the Wednesday night we finally managed to come up with plan of what we would do.

Friday evening I would spend some time racing my bike up one of the local hill climbs, the race was part of a weekend race series but at least I would get to test my legs out on one of the longer hill climbs in the local area.  
Saturday morning would see us head up the road to Talkeetna about 2.5 hours away.  While in Talkeetna we would ride the Huricane flag train and take in some of the town once we returned, we would stay overnight in Talkeetna and return to Anchorage Sunday morning so I could sell some bikes.

Pretty much everything went to plan. The train ride was a huge success.  We actually saw Mount Mckinley (Denali)!!!! This is a pretty big deal, as most days of the year it's shrouded in clouds.  Also seen were Moose, numerous birds and we even got to see what an Ice Jam looks like.  Fiona was awarded a "Golden Spike" - really just a genuine used Alaskan Railroad spike - by the conductor of the train for being such a good kid on the trip.

We stayed at a local B&B up there called the Meandering Moose which had a really nice atmosphere, so much so we have booked to stay there again with Grandma and Dennis when they visit in June.  We had dinner at Twister Creek Restaurant  which was really good, Amanda had the brownie for dessert, and claims it's the best one she's ever had in her life (can't be that good, Nick had to finish it for her).  Although we had to leave too early on Sunday to get breakfast at the Talkeetna roadhouse we brought sticky buns back to Anchorage with us and they were enjoyed by all who got to have some (especially at work).    

Here are a couple of pictures from the train journey.

Turn around stop at Hurricane

The train

Train and Mount Mckinley

Train Shadow at Hurricane Glutch

Mount Mckinley

Ice jam next to tracks

Ice Jam

Saying goodbye!

6 months in and it seems the snow has finally gone.

Amanda, Fiona and I have been in Alaska a little over 6 months and it seems spring has finally arrived.  We have arrived in a record breaking snow season though not for snow amounts.  2012/13 had a snow season that was 232 days long (Measured from the first day of snow to the last day)  And if anyone is wondering that is a long time and even I am getting pretty fed up of the snow now :)

Apart from the snow season what else has been going on since I last gave an update on here.

Amanda has managed to run a chipped sub 30min 5km race so is super happy.

out on the course

Amanda and I have joined a cycle racing team (Revolution Racing) which is going to be really awesome.  I have already been racing a couple of times with them (10 mile time trial and a hill climb) and have been well and truly beaten.  I am slowly building up my riding volume to get to somewhere near the level of cycling fitness I had before I left Denmark. I am hoping that by riding my Fat bike with slicks on the hill climbs when my road bike finally arrives I will have big power advantage, well I can hope can't I :)

Fat bike vs Road bikes = Nick losing race

In other news I am no longer only a stay at home dad!  I am now working at a local cycle shop (Paramount Cycles) selling bikes.  This is a lot of fun and I am learning a lot about bikes and  finding the right bike for the right person.  It has been a bit of a shock to have adult conversations again bit I am slowly remembering how to do it. 

Our sad news for this blog is that Ron our intrepid rescue cat from Colombia is no more.... he never returned from one of his adventures outside and by the time we got to the rescue shelter he had been put to sleep. :(  Two things are really frustrating about this, one it was our next door neighbour who took him to the shelter and two we never thought to go to look for him at the shelter.  Susan is now microchipped though and has become a much friendlier cat since the demise of Ron.  RIP Ron 

On a happier note, Fiona has finally figured out how to ride her bike and it would seem how to knock people over also :)

The days here are getting really long, 20th May 2013 Sunrise 05:00, Sunset 22:54 and still a month of getting lighter for longer.  On the solstice we can expect Sunrise at 04:21, Sunset 23:42 and I have been informed that the afterglow even here in Anchorage means it doesn't really get dark :)   I am looking forward to it.  There is also a 24hour Mountain bike race on that weekend so we shall have to see how this all works out with the arrival of Grandma and Dennis.  

Lastly I'm going to leave you with a picture from my ride today, not a perfect shot as the train only says ALASK.  but that is more down to my poor timing rather than what is actually written on the train.  Hope it gives some of you an insight into how lucky we all feel we are to be able to live in this wonderful state. 

Another fun packed weekend

The weekend of the 22nd February was a busy one for all of us up here.

Saturday morning was spent at the Fur Rondy or "Rondy" as it is know locally.  The origins of this festival come from when the trappers used to trade furs.  It is now self labelled as "North America's biggest winter festival."  From reading the paper and what we saw of the festival it seems pretty big,

At the Rondy on Saturday we saw a parade and some sled dog racing prize money for the 3 day event is $70,000 which is not to shabby.  On the 2nd March the ultimate dog sled race (Iditarod) will have its ceremonial start in downtown Anchorage.

Here are some pictures of the sled racing from the heart of Anchorage.

Following the Rondy we headed back home to relax a little before Amanda and I got ready to go racing.  We had arranged to have a baby sitter so that both of us could race and then out for a meal afterwards.  I am sure I speak for both of us when I say we had a great time.

The course we rode is normally unavailable during winter months as it was on ski only trails.  Once again Chain Reaction Cycles here in Anchorage came through and put an a superb course, though not all of it was rideable it was fun to race and since it was only a 30min race that meant flat out the whole time, half the course was a run with bike half ridable, guess it's good I have been practicing pushing things while running with Fiona. I managed to get 4th place :) Results

Sunday morning was spent with a nice walk to the local shops to pick up a few essentials for dinner  then since Amanda kindly agreed to look after Fiona so that I could go riding again (no if, buts or maybes I have the most amazing wife ever!!!)

The ride on Sunday was on a permissive trail for winter use which the state park is assessing its usage to potentially open it up fully next year.  Although part of the route was more hikeyourbike rather than rideyourbike the route was still fun and once again I got to see some trails I wouldn't want to ride first time on my own.  Thanks to Paramount Cycles for hosting the ride. 

Going up looking back to Anchorage

Looking back along the trail

Regroup point after unridable section, me in blue jacket

Route
Finally today we went to see some of the snow sculptures put on for the Rondy.  Link to ADN images
My images, are not quite as good :)

The force is strong

Killer Whale

Fiona wouldn't stand near this one or have it behind her for a photo

Hi Mum