The culminating race of the season is glorious history.
Here’s our sprint team … minus moi.
Lisa and Sheena finished 2nd in Women’s Duo: 3hrs 31min.
I cancelled out last minute due, supposedly, to a dislocated finger.
Our long race team did great things as well finishing in the fastest time of all 4 person co-ed teams at 9hrs and 50min.
Dave posted a detailed race report on the Funastics Adventure Racing Team blog:
One of these days I’ll have to actually get into a race.
My Adventure Racing team — the FARTs — are in Tahoe for Big Blue, the biggest race of the year.
Sadly, I’m home in Calgary.
Good luck team!
I fell off my bike, something that happens several times a year.
Must say the Canadian Health system worked quite well for me. No cost. Good service, though slow.
In a splint for a week.
Over the past 2 weeks I’ve been watching the Olympics — AWESOME — and training for our Adventure Race with the FARTs in September.
I did about 2/3 the volume of Chief FART Evangelist Dave Adlard, the most aerobic exercise I’ve ever done in my life.
Feels great!
XLNT.
Smoking is stupid and unhealthy. I applaud this action.
Bill Gates and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced on Wednesday that they would spend $500 million to stop people around the world from smoking.
The World Health Organization estimates that tobacco will kill up to a billion people in the 21st century, 10 times as many as it killed in the 20th.
This time, most are expected to be in poor countries like Bangladesh and middle-income countries like Russia. In an effort to cut that number, Mr. Bloomberg’s foundation plans to commit $250 million over four years on top of a $125 million gift he announced two years ago. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is allocating $125 million over five years.
Since 1999, the Gates Foundation has spent more than $2 billion on AIDS programs and about $1.2 billion on malaria. Mr. Gates has just left his Microsoft post for full-time foundation work and said he intends to form partnerships with other philanthropists. …
NY Times – Billionaires Back Antismoking Effort
I first got so tremendously angered when I saw what Big Tobacco was doing in South America to addict a new generation: enticing third world youth to smoke (2006)
A.K.A. Plumpy’nut and Plumpynut.
Apologies for the too large video. But it’s worth it.
My buddy Grant Assenheimer is working in Bangladesh for Doctors Without Borders. They have a terrible rat infestation there. The rats are eating all the crops.
Grant helps distribute the Plumpy Nut. From his email:
… In all but the most severe cases, we use what is called a RUTF – or Ready to Use Theraputic Food – called Plumpy Nut. In the past, feeding centers prepared a milk/porridge mixture spiked with vitamins and other nutrients. This is a pain to transport, difficult to store and the quality very much depends on how it is prepared. Plumpy Nut is the solution. It’s a pre-packaged ‘powerbar’ that has the perfect mixture of vitamins, salt, protein, energy and fat needed to bring a child back to full strength and weight. It doesn’t (really) expire, is easy to transport, doesn’t have be cooked in the field and has the exact proportions of nutrients that are needed. Basically, it’s a peanut butter based energy bar…with LOTS of salt. I tried a bit and although its OK, it isn’t a chocolate bar and not something I would actually chose as a “snack”!! Therefore, we don’t just provide food for the children, we provide medicine in the form of a specialized, nutrient rich snack they must eat a couple of times a day.
… read the rest of Grant’s email update in the comments of this post
When I was in Cambodia last week I bumped into a Kiwi dentist teaching at the University there. He recommended one clinic for visiting tourists:
Here’s a comparison of some costs between them and my clinic in Mazatlan, Mexican Dental Vacations:
Extraction $60 in Mexico, $25 in Cambodia.
Crown on gold $500 in Mexico, $450 in Cambodia.
Root canal $350 in Mexico, $100 in Cambodia.
The one in Mexico is 40-50% of the cost of dental work in Canada. Cambodia closer to 25-33%.
On the other hand, Mexico is much closer to me in terms of travel.
… I’m definitely considering the Cambodian option. Especially now that I have friends in that city.
Ocean Blue, San Francisco, California – July 26th, 2008
Where is the start line? And what’s the course record?
AGH.
UPDATE: I’m sick with the dread Cambodian Flu (I assume). Might not be able to race.
Today made the final commitment to compete in an Adventure Raceon July 26th called Ocean Blue AR, in California near Half Moon Bay and El Granada in the Pillar Point Harbor area.
That’s in preparation for the BIG race: Big Blue Adventure, Lake Tahoe, California – September 20th, 2008.
The final commitment was securing a bike for both races.
I just paid $540 including tax for the 2008 model bike, upgraded pedals, mounted light, lock, 2 cages with water bottles and a one year service package.
Read reviews on Rate It All and MTBR. It’s considered a great value for the low price.
Dave and Lisa Adlard will transport my new wheels to both races, along with their own, by vehicle.
I’m still city commuting with my excellent Kona “Blast”. I’ll keep both bikes for now, the DB dedicated to Adventure Racing.
Rick McCharles 