24 hours until the 24 hours of great glen

I have Europe "it's the final countdown" stuck in my head. This happens every year before the race. I don't really know any of the words other than "it's the final countdown" and then I can hear the power cords being played.

In 24 hours I'll start getting all nervous and feeling like I've forgotten something. Then I'll start wishing the race began at 9am so I would be about to start. That's just the way it is!

So today is the get some work done, get some packing done, gather my food, clean the bikes, give the bikes a shake down ride, try to get our camping space dialed, go home and sleep and then get up and get it going.

In keeping with tradition I'm doing what you are not supposed to do, race brand new gear that you haven't had a chance to ride. That's what I do. I like doing that, it offers a built in excuse if things go south or a great way to really put something through the paces if they go well.

I'll have my trusty Salsa El Mariachi but I'll also be bringing my newly converted and refurbished Salsa Mamasita that is now a carbon forked, White Industries ENO's single speed. I did give it a short ride last night and the fit is close. I may still shorten the steerer tube by a centimeter still- but we will see.

I did build a nice custom chain ring guard out of a spent 32t chainring from 1995. A bit of grinding and then drilling out the pins that help with shifting. As usual it took a lot more time than I had planned- but in the end it worked and that's all that matters! Now I was able to use the 32t as I'm running a 30t for my front ring as my freewheel is a 20t- and yes I'm going for a baby gear, but considering better than 1000 feet of climbing per lap, and hoping for 13 or so laps- that's a fair amount of climing- so better safe than sorry.


K is going to pit for me this year, which will help, especially when it comes to bottle hand ups as I only want to carry one bottle on the bike. It will also help to see her each lap as she'll make sure I'm eating and taking the Endurolites (which I'm hoping help with the cramping).

Either way it's going to be a fun weekend. JJ and A1 are both racing Solo SS as well so we'll get a chance to ride together for a bit (I hope). I haven't ridden with A1 at all this year, so I'm looking forward to that.

That's my take at the moment- oh and in other TWAF news- NK starts work at Bridgton Academy on Monday- so two TWAF'ers will once again be working in the same place! At one point three of us worked together, and at this moment in time none of us work together so this will be like a mini reunion.

Ride safe and hope for sun.

DEA