Landsailing – the americas cup in a dry hot place …. NALSA

Found on sailing anarchy – just when I thought Ice Sailing was mad enough …….

NALSA’s annual America’s Cup of landsailing regatta was held March 19th through 26that Ivanpah dry lake near Primmm Nevada. We had high winds for the event and a bit of carnage on the race course at times. Winds ranged from 5 to over 50 mph due to the frontal systems working there way over from the California coast. The racing stops when the gusts exceed 30mph. Most of the racing was in winds around 20mph. The race course is set windward leeward as best as possible with the configuration of Ivanpah dry lake.

The marks ranged from about 2 or 3 miles apart. Most of the races are timed for 15 to 25 minutes which translates 20 to 30 miles distance depending on how fast your boat can get around the course. I raced 2 different solid winged boats in 2 separate classes. Nalsa class 5 (49 sq. ft.)yellow winged boat and class 4 Wood boat with green wing(59 sq. ft.). I had a personal best of combination 14 first places and one third place as a throwout between both classes. My max speed was 81.69 mph via gps.

NALSA

More underwater pics in the clearest of water

Great photos by LUCASURF

 

Absolute Hunger

Went to the gym to do an hour steady high cadence cycle – I sometimes prefer the gym for this because:

a) I can watch Bored to Death and giggle chuckle my way through 2 episodes .

b) It is dark outside and Baghdad potholes can swallow the unwary (and small wheeled bicycles)

c) the brompton pedals are plain flats so can’t pull up on the pedal (robbing that precious 1/3rd of muscle that should be exercised.

Then weirdly I started craving food – a craving like ‘I have done 5 hrs of the enduro and I must eat NOW’ so couldn’t help or distract myself and cut off after 45mins ….

So a bit annoyed with myself and think my portion might have been on the galactic side of normal. If you want to know Vegetable curry with some slices of chicken breast. Diced raw tomato pepper and onion salad (mmm nice breath) and some red kidney beans …. so carbs and protein.

Have you been put off exercise lately through any cravings? Tell me about it?

WordPress 5km Run – I’m in

If you have a wordpress blog and fancy a run then now is the time to do it ….

 

We had a great idea: Get all 80 Automatticians from 62 cities to run/walk a 5k on the same day! This way we can get some exercise together as a company even though we’re apart (though we won’t rule out a softball or Texas scramble at our next meetup).

We want to invite you to join us, WordPress.com users (and self-hosted WP users, too!), in the Worldwide WP 5k – the 5k blogged around the world! The date is approaching, so read on to find out how to participate.

WHAT IT IS: A 5k run/walk (approximately 3.1 miles). You can run, walk, or skip. It’s up to you. There’s no time limit and there’s just one requirement: that you participate! [Updated: You can do it inside or outside, on a treadmill or on a track, or even do a swim or a bike ride instead of running/walking - just get moving!]

It’s roughly equal to:

• 3.1 miles
• 12 laps around a track
• approximately 6000-7500 steps
• approximately 50-60 minutes of brisk walking

WHEN: We’re all busy, but we want you to participate, so we’re giving you some flexibility, too. The WWWP5k is set forSunday, April 10th, but you can do your walk anytime from April 4th -10th (you’ve got a week to fit it in). Just post about it and use the tag “wwwp5k” so we can find you (and for a chance to be Freshly Pressed). 

WHO: Anyone who’s ever used or loved WordPress (and your families and friends, too).

HOW: You’re welcome to blog your entire route and your preparation (videoblog, perhaps?) but above all we’d love to see where you are and how you’re completing your 5k. Give us a picture of you and what you see when you cross the finish line and tell us your location as you complete your 5k with the rest of the world.

Some tools & suggestions:

• Get a pedometer
• Use http://www.mapmywalk.com/ to chart your course
• Set your car’s odometer to 0, leave your house and drive along a safe course with sidewalks for walking/running, until you reach 1.55 miles (you can loop back the same way), or chart out a 3.1 mile course

If you’re not up to running this year, never fear, you can get started with the Couch to 5k method which several Automatticians like – 9 weeks from couch potato to running a 5k, and be ready to run for next year. But make sure to walk this year – no excuses!

 

That run – 9km in the heat – Huff and Puff

 

Sweaty Betty

 

 

Went for a run yesterday and boy did I suffer. Temp here has suddenly hit Spring was about 28 degrees and I went off with a plan to do a 10km ish run. It was an explore type run was looking for a new route and i found quite a sweet one.

Went off the normal route and up a dirt road next to a canal – came around to one of the lakes where I saw a squad turning in for a 5km fitness run … always an incentive to pass 20 year old chaps (the shameful fitness levels of the US Army but that’s another story)

 

HR spike catching the lads

 

 

After that exertion I was HOT and tired so came in and flopped out – not quite the 10km but a good run none-the-less.

 

Split Times / km

 

 

A neat solution – water bottle holder for Brompton

It had crossed my mind out here in the desert when going for a spin that it would be good to be able to carry a water bottle on the brompton … the alternatives being a camelback or shoving some bottles into the S-Bag.

 

Well help came in the way of a friendly heads up on twitter when I was sent a link to this

which instead of fitting this way can be made to fit the top tube which won’t affect the fold. Your bike will then be sweet like this ….

thanks to @urbanfragments on twitter

Brompton Globe Trotter (youtube)

blurb info

If you thought Sadaam’s legacy was something you could smell in the air, you would be wrong. He’s gone and the city is now rebuilt and bold once again. Doesn’t mean they care about me, the humble cyclist though. What a novelty I was on those roads

Just came across this guy on YouTube and his Brompton GlobeTrotter Channel. Basic info is he’s a steward and takes his bike wherever he goes ….. this one the first is Kuwait – but there are others in Lagos, Nigeria and the Bahamas ….

Seems to be filmed on something basic like an iPhone but interesting never the less. Really should get himself something dainty like the olympus pen with a fixed 17mm lens …. in fact might suggest that to him.

Will post the more interesting video here but if you cant wait then access him here …..

Brompton Iraq – Palace lakes and tanks a plenty

Filming the filmer

spot the tanks in the background.

Photo snapshot – Brompton in the sun

same bike different filters

Dream bikes – fixie look hub convenience Traitor Luggernaut

luggernaut - get it?

Hub geared bikes are back in fashion, and they’re suddenly back in vogue, mainly because they’re an efficient, low-maintenance gearing option for an everyday bike. It’s no surprise that just over the channel in the low countries, where they take everyday cycling seriously, they never went away.

Another thing that’s never really gone away, but has taken a back seat for a while, is lugged steel frames. It’s a great way to make a frame, and the finished product is invariably a classy looking bike. Like hub gears, they’re going through a bit of a revival. So you could say that the lugged, hub-geared Traitor Luggernaut 3spd is right on trend… and an equally on trend thrifty £749.95.

Traitor’s Luggernaut frame is made from lugged Columbus Thron tubing and it’s mated with a sturdy lugged fork. You can have it as a singlespeed but it’s also available in this build, with a Sturmey Archer S-RF3 hub gear, controlled by a bar-end shifter. The hub has a classic 177% range (25% below and 33% above direct drive middle gear) and with the supplied 42/16 transmission (check out the lovely Sturmey Archer crankset) that equates to 53″, 70″ and 94″ gears. That should be fine for the flat but around here it ain’t flat, so we’ll probably swap out that 42T ring for something a bit smaller.

The bike is designed to run tyres up to 34mm (it comes with 29mm Halo Twin Rails) and there’s braze ons for rack and ‘guards (although you’ll have to double up on the single dropout thread at the rear). Traitor finishing kit completes the build, including some absolutely cavernous drops, and stopping is taken care of by Tektro levers pulling the same company’s R538 long drop callipers.

The overall look is minimalist and classy, helped by the low-impact decals, and our 59cm bike weighs in at 10.8kg (23.9lb) which isn’t too shabby at all for a very solidly built machine.

 

 

SPEC:

HEADSET Neco H886 (Polished Silver)
STEM Traitor Poser Stem (100mm, Polished Silver)
HANDLEBAR Traitor Drop Bar (Polished Silver)
GRIP/TAPE Rivet Perforated Black
SEATPOST Uno Seatpost (27.2mm, Polished Silver)
SADDLE Traitor Rivet Commuter
CRANK Sturmey Archer FCT 42t Crankset 170mm (Polished Silver)
BOTTOM BRACKET Tange Sealed Bearing Alloy 107mm
WHEELS Traitor Hoopla Singlespeed Wheelset (Black Rims w/Sturmey Archer Hubs)
TIRES Halo Twin Rail Courier 700x29C
TUBES CST Presta
CHAIN Yaban MK-747
CASSETTE/COG 16t
FRONT BRAKE Tektro R538
BRAKE LEVER Tektro
SHIFTER Sturmey Archer 3spd Bar End Shifter

I love this shot – fab cafe and bike shop

Filming the other day popped into the North Star Cafe in glasgow on Queen Margaret drive for lunch. It’s great tasting and has a healthy/hearty menu. Love the way they have menu written over the tiles and that long mirror.
Nice little street with the most excellent bike shop right nearby – the lovely Carl at BikeLove – he is going to be assembling a new range of Surly fixies for cheaper than the standard range. Give him a call +44 141 945 0999 and see what he can do for you … I am sure he can ship around the UK too….
bikelove
120 Queen Margaret Drive, Glasgow G20 8NZ
Subway: Kelvinbridge SPT Subway Station
Open Weekdays 9am-7pm
Sat 9am-6pm

 

Do you know the cafe and the shop? Tell me about your favourite place?

do i need a gopro HD for mtb video

Well prob not but that isn’t going to stop me

bought anything lately that you don’t need?

Big Wheels are winning the races

from Singletrack

New Lapierre Pro Race 929

It seems that big wheels and hardtails are rapidly becoming a recipe for success in cross country racing, with the brand spanking new carbon fibre Lapierre Pro Race 929 taking a victory under Alexis Vuillermoz in it’s first race outing in France last weekend.

A very happy Alexis Vuillermoz…

The Offroad Cassis is the traditional launch of the XC season in France and Lapierre team riders Alexis Vuillermoz and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot decided to compete this race with their new large wheeled bikes. We haven’t seen the 29er version of their Pro Race hardtail series before but it’s a tidy looking thing, the carbon fibre monocoque frame using a tapered headtube.

The Lapierre Pro Race 929

Pauline is reported as saying before the race that “I really feel more confident with it in the downhills, and I don’t have the impression that I’m losing time on other sections”.

After a long and hard race – more than 2h30 – Alexis won the Elite event ahead of all top French XC riders: Tempier, Marotte and Absalon.

Tapered headtube up front…

In her first Elite race, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot finished a solid 4th place, 3rd in U23, despite a crash towards the end of the race. A promising start for the triple junior world champion.

Swoopy monocoque carbon fibre…

Now the 2011 season is underway, Alexis has confirmed hell be keeping the 29er on hand for certain tracks and conditions – his initial plans are to use it for Dalby Forest and the Roc d’Azur.

 

A brompton commute to be proud of

This on vimeo – somewhere in france and a great commute in a country that respects cyclists and bike commuters … none of the aggression found in parts of the UK and US … I guess being a proud cycling nation and having infrastructure for commuting all helps.

 

What is the best bike commute that you have seen?

palermo fixed gear

fixie boy goes a bit loopy

Decided to do something for my sponsor.

Camera – Canon 7d
DOP – Firhan Fikrin
Assistant – Firzat Alif , Mohammad Hanis Yahya
Director / Editor – Faz Adhili
Song – Access babylon/Probot

More info here :-
fazadhilicreativelab.com/​
peonfx.com/​
deviseclothing.com/​dvse010/​index.htm

insane urban bike race in chile

I have seen insanity and it happens on the streets of Valparaiso, Chile. The Valparaiso Cerro Abajo Race is a legendary urban bike race. The rider must brave jumps, stray dogs, and flights of stairs along the steep downhill path. The first person perspective provided by the excellent helmet cam lets us take in every glorious and frightening detail. Do yourself a favor and watch this one in full screen mode.

Also, check out this roundup from the 2011 race, which was won by Filip Polc.

This is what yacht racing should be Melges 24

A spectacular conclusion for the Melges 24 Volvo Cup at La Marina di Scarlino in Tuscany Maremma. After two sunny days of thermal breeze, a northeasterly front swept through, bringing a challenging 25-30 knot breeze. Perfect conditions for Favio Favini and his crew on Blu Moon, who won the race hands down. Second place for Lorenzo Bressani on Uka Uka, and third Alberto Bolzan’s Hurricane. 4 boats dismasted. Watch the adrenaline-pumping video. (day2)

 

The 300 sailors returned to the docks at La Marina di Scarlino tired but happy, with big grins on their faces. Winner of the Scarlino leg Blu Moon, owner Franco Rossini, with Flavio Favini at the helm, tactician Matteo Ivaldi, tailer Stefano Rizzi, bow Federica Salvà, Luca Faravelli at the halyards. Favini and the crew dominated the race from the beginning and the end, cutting the finishing line with a huge advantage, over 500 meters (8-1-1-4-1-1). On the last run the boat planed at 23-24 knots, a true speed test for a 24 footer. Favini, currently with Mascalzone Latino, said: “It was tough but we are satisfied: we raced in extreme conditions and it was a true test of our training. It had been many years since we had raced in so much wind and I must say we’re satisfied with how we handled the situation. We really reached 25 knots? Wow!”

 

Second place for Lorenzo Bressani on Uka Uka (2-6-3-1-12-4). “We sailed at an average of 23 knots of GPS throughout the last downwind leg, a situation that I had never experiences, really exceptional”, said the helmsman from Trieste.

 

Third Hurricane owned by Paolo Testolin with Alberto Bolzan at the helm and tactician Daniele Cassinari. Fourth Estonian Tonu Thomists, Olympic bronze in Barcelona in 1992 in the 470 class.

The challenging weather conditions were well managed by the Race Committee presided by Carlo Tosi and assistance personnel on the water who aided the 4 boats that dismasted during the race. Once back in the harbor La Marina di Scarlino Yacht Service quickly hauled out the 63 boats, that had arrived from 13 countries to race in the waters of Tuscan Maremma.

 

Kiting diary online

We came across an interesting website a few days ago where you can upload your kitesurf photos, geo tag them and describe your sessions: Kitedaily! You do the content, upload one or more photos and describe your session.

You can keep your spots secret by using the ‘Secret Spot’ option. All other photos will be placed on a world map. Geotag your own sessions, post comments on other photos and save the best shots as favorite. Check it out!

PHOTO SNAPSHOT – Casio G-shock GW5600