Suckers!

These are the things they let of play with at work! Check out the levers and dials! These are the sand filters for å swimming pool. Today I flushed them out by turning the direction of the water flow. Pretty cool! And they pay me to do it!

New personal record.

I just did my training 10 out and 10 back. I was gonna take it easy, but as I pulled out on to the road I spyed another rider about 50m back. Well I couldn't let him catch me so I kinda sprinted the whole thing. I got to my half way mark after 20 minutes and was really surprised, AND the other rider had disappeared, so I sprinted home too. Made it up the last hill and home at 42.57! Av speed 26.65kmh. Those of you too brainy will see that only gives a total distance of 19.07 but I still call it my 10 out 10 back. Oh yeah and I topped out at 50.77kmh.

The twins

Though not identical, one is stronger and heavy hitting, the other subtle and sinewy. The brawn and the brains? The geeza and the gent? Nah c'mon, they're just bikes. My vip dh and 55. Nice

I'm bad

And will burn in hell. I have finally unpacked and put my beautiful dh bike together. I'd forgotten how great it looks. I'm very lucky to have it.

Beach day.

Sunny summer sunday and we're chillin' at the beach, although there is no sand, so I'm unsure if 'beach' is the right definition. I am hot and bored with my book. I kinda wish I had brought a bike, I kinda wish I had a trials bike. Oh well.

Explorer

Not that Scott or Amundsen should be worried (from beyond the grave), but I just got back from exploring on my 55vip. I went south (I usually ride north of here on this bike) along the road I train on (xc) and pulled off on some singletrack I've had my eye on. It was pretty wicked with good flow, but short alas. So I rode more and explored more stuff. The bike rocks, but there are few trails around here to challenge it. But hey, every time I go out on it I find new stuff. S'cool.

Women...

...know your limits! We're building furniture for the new diningroom today and according to the book of destructions you shouldn't do this with just one woman. I don't get it.

Anette and Rufus day of fun.

Fun food, wine, old cds and SingStar. Home is good too.

Sugar daddy.

French sugar rocks.

Dirty again.

The mountain sent up home. The last runs were excellent so we thought we'd do one more... So it rained. Home time, we've hooned enough.

Guy

Or Poo Monkey to his 'friends' is the man with the plan in Morzine. Always happy, helpful and great to ride with. He came out to ride our last runs with us, bless his cotton-mix socks. On wednesday he took us down the most technical dh in the world. Thanks Guy.

Last food.

Last food in France. Ciaran, Jay and I eat the best burger and chips in the world just near the Pleney lift. Yesterday.

The sky.

I got home at 5am.

Moon hoon.

I have just started driving again after a brief zzz. There's about 2 hrs left til I am home. More tomorrow.

On the pissa.

Ok,last day tomorrow and I wanna ride, but it's supposed to rain and I'm not riding in the rain again. So I'm at the pub... Again, post of. Guy is looking after me so I'll be fine.

Scab.

Ciaran pulled his plaster off at the pub. It left a really good white patch from the sun blocking capabilities of the plaster, but there was a disappointingly small amount of whimpering and whining. Some pus and gore, though.

Pictured.

No pics today either. What am I gonna take pictures of? What do you want to see? (Answers on the back of a postcard). We've done some great riding and the trails are good, but pictures of fearless jumps, stunts or general hooning I'll leave for the magazines. I'll just focus on having fun and getting fast.

Reminder

Whenever I feel chicken or not be bothered to do something difficult, I look down at my bike and ride for my wife.

Morning

Wednesday and we're off to Chatel. A lot of the guys are also going over too, but we are moving in smaller groups today. I feel I must apologise for the lack of my Norwegian this week. In a couple of days I'll be back in Norway and Language will be nog again

Mirage.

Craig sad we could get back to the Pleney a different way, so we tried be after many up hills we came to a chalet seemingly in the middle of no where. They didn't sell ice creams so we rode on in stead. I am now finished for the day as my hands are too tired to brake any more. But it has been the best day of riding so far!

Yeah.

Really good weather today so we are hooning down the race tracks in Les Gets. If it drys up any more I'll get my off duty race kit on!

Reason.

One of the seasons we keep coming back to Morzine is Dug's cooking. Every day, with the help of TJ and Guy, he whips up culinary delight to fill us up after a strenuous day on the slopes.

Alvoriaz

C, C and me rode in to Alvoriaz today on the way back from the valley. The architecture there is amazing enough, and there is also gonna be a slopestyle comp there tomorrow. Roof drops and North Shore. We might watch, unless we ride.

Portrait 2

Commencal rider and all-round nice guy, mr Craig, in the mountains.

Portrait 1

Ciaran in the mountains.

Nice.

I just like this picture.

Fresh snow.

The recent rain has been delivered as snow to the mountains, luckily we're not traveling that far. We went out for a quiet beer yesterday, and I have never been so hungover before as I an today. The weather is nice now though.

Beer

Tim says: all the cool kids drink.

Big McFurhair

I walked into a shop and was confronted by an enormous fury blob. A person in an animal suit? A bear? chewy?

Tease.

Start the day with a bike film and trial the body into thinking it's not too tired to ride. The weather is still crap so motivation is low-.ish. Maybe ride over to Switzerland. Don't fancy getting wet again.

Today.

After the storm the temperature rised up to bite us again and the trails lured us with hope of dryness. But alas. So I'm off up the chav to meet C and G on the berms... Actually it's just started to rain. Arse.

Storm!

Mountain storms are the dog's! Suddenly a storm blew in. Thunder and lightning, gusts of wind blowing dh kit all over the place. Excellent! And good timing too, I just got back from an impulse ride down the Pleney's hidden singletrack. Sweet bonus!

Nerd.

The weather turned out nice, almost too hot really, but I'm at the chalet chillin' and recovering from fatigue. Oh yeah, and lack of photos? Seriously the riding is good, the photos don't get prioritised.

No Shoppi.

Now it's the Ed. So no more inane, irritating German songs on the brain... Although I have been singing Shaun the Sheep most of the time.

Rain.

It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring. Day off to work on my 'off duty racer' look.

Berms.

Today we trained for berms. The track on the back side of Chavenes is all berms and tables, and gives a propper workout. Did we get better? I did my back in, and C ducked his fork. Short but sweet day.

A hearty breakfast.

To start a great day you need a great meal. 3 Weetabix, one croisant, one egg on toast and a glass of apple juice. This means you won't be hungry till just before lunch.

Postcard from France.

I'm having a great time. Wish you were here. There are lots of berms here and its great.

Shopping

Today we are collectively knakkered, so we are starting the day by shopping. Many shops here with much dh kit. The weather is great today, of course. We'll ride later.

Beer and bikes.

After a good day in the slopes a cold beer while you wash and lubricate your bike is essential. Today started slow, Le Pleney untill lunch, then Ciaran and I met up with Jay, Andre, Dug, TJ, Guy and Craig and rode to Switzerland. Deep mud and uphill was the price to pay for good riding and lots of laughs.

Good day.

That was a great day, the bike got well mucky, but got washed too.

Nice.

No comment.

Steep and muddy.

This is difficult to see, but this was just a bit too much for me, so I almost walked down... Well slid down.

First lift!

Wayhey! First lift of the first day. C is on the bone with his wife. It has stopped raining and I have bought myself a prophelastic rain jacket.

At last.

After over an hour waiting for the plane to take off, we finally arrived in Geneve to find noone to pick us up. Short panic then the guy turned up. An hour later (ten pm now?) and we arrived at the Chalet Nantugue (spelling?), it's great to see Dug again, and Guy is here too! Quick beer and straight to work putting bikes together. Mine looks great, but the weather is wet, will I ride tomorrow? Maybe.

I'm off.

It was really difficult to say goodbye to Anette, my loving and beloved wife. I'm looking forward to getting some good riding in, but without Anette to share it with it doesn't mean so much. Gonna miss her to bits.

Packing for France.

I don't enjoy this bit. Packing and compromising. What to take what to leave, weight and room. Well at least I got the bike in the bag. ;)

Together again!

For the first time in over a year, me and the wife took a motorbike ride. I had forgotten how romantic it is to ride with my girl on the back. We didn't go fast or very far, but it was really, really nice. I remember being a 16 year old on a moped dreaming of having a big bike and a sweet babe. He he, I'm there!