[reply]The year I did it, Darryl Haley was next to me during the swim! :)[/reply]

Can you imagine him whacking you on accident during the swim? He almost knocked me off the dance in Panama City one year, by accident, but still that is a big guy.

The girl he was dancing with looked sooooo small next to him.

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"Remember: a bicycle is an elegant and efficient tool designed for seeking out and defeating people who aren't as good as you."

--BikeSnobNYC

I'll be there. Thank god for the lottery. I certainly couldn't win a spot by swimming/biking/running.

Woo Hoo, I'm in. Got myself a "sponsor". Now where can I find a decal for my bike that reads "Mom"?

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Awww, Katy's not all THAT evil. Only slightly evil. In a good way. - JasoninHalifax

YEAH!! Mom's rule!! :)

Especially mine. I'm gonna miss her :(

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Awww, Katy's not all THAT evil. Only slightly evil. In a good way. - JasoninHalifax

[reply]Especially mine. I'm gonna miss her :([/reply]

Yeah, your mom IS cool! As was all your family. Maybe we can go visit???? ;-)

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

Definately! Additionally, she LOVES SF, so she'll be over to visit quite a bit. I'm so excited but packing is a bitch.......kj

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Awww, Katy's not all THAT evil. Only slightly evil. In a good way. - JasoninHalifax

Good luck on the packing! We'll have to have a little get-together when you get here and settled (and I get back). Maybe head out to the East Bay to introduce to you Hinds57 and JohnA.

clm

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

Sounds good. How are you with bike assembly? I can do it, I'm just not really confident in my abilities. I'd hate to be headed down one of those hills and have it fall apart on me!

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Awww, Katy's not all THAT evil. Only slightly evil. In a good way. - JasoninHalifax

[reply]Sounds good. How are you with bike assembly? I can do it, I'm just not really confident in my abilities. I'd hate to be headed down one of those hills and have it fall apart on me![/reply]

That is what the boys at the bike shop are for. If I were stuck in the middle of nowhere, I could do it. I have cash and beer, so they can do it.

clm

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

Good plan.

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Awww, Katy's not all THAT evil. Only slightly evil. In a good way. - JasoninHalifax

dammit.

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_________________________________
I'll be what I am
A solitary man

"Maybe head out to the East Bay to introduce to you Hinds57 and JohnA. "

Good idea. We are finally getting back on the bikes and have a nice little training group out here. I say Mines road or Del Valle for some hills.

Dave

Dave:

When do you guys normally do your rides out that way?

"When do you guys normally do your rides out that way?"

We ride Saturday or Sunday mornings depending on the weather and or schedules. You want to head out Mines this Saturday?

Dave

Ahhh, wish I could this weekend...heading to Yountville for Christmas Eve and then down to Fremont for Sunday....early morning indoor training on both days.

But keep me in mind for future rides---I'd love some company out there!

Now that we have totally hijacked this thread,

I want to start getting out a lot more so plan on coming out this way when your weekend schedule clears up. We could even hit a swim bike brick and meet at the Livermore tennis club pool first. Mid week is too hard right now with the short days and work schedule. As the sun comes out we do AM swims mid week at Shadow cliffs or out and backs from Livermore to the top of the hill on Calvarias Canyon, 40 mi round trip.

Are you still in Danville or have you moved yet?

Yeah, we did kinda take this one over, huh?

Moved to lovely Discovery Bay in October, so it's a quick back road drive to Livermore. Riding on Vasco is way too much of a dice roll for my taste now, so I avoid that at all costs except in a car.

For me to get any hills now I've got to either ride on a trainer or drive somewhere. Marsh Creek road is a great one to ride but I've heard of just enough horror stories of idiot drivers at certain times that unless I'm really pressed for time I avoid that one as well.

My weekday schedule is flexible enough to be able to do some early AM stuff as you describe, so spring and summer consider me there...weekends, just have to get through this one and virtually all my Sundays are clear (normally work on Saturdays with the exception of this next one, off every other Monday) for whatever.

One of our group lives in Discovery bay and comes out here every weekend. We will get you two together on our next ride. Vasco is a death road for cars. I would give up my bike before I would ride that road.

Dave

Cool, sounds good.

In the meantime, have a Merry Christmas (or whatever holiday!) and stay safe...talk to you soon.

Tom,

I've done a qualifier in California and when the lottery took place after the race there were more than 8 spots available. I don't know how it worked but they handed out well over 20 if not 30 spots to people who stuck around for it. It might have been unclaimed spots by people fast enough to qualify in the race. That was 2 years ago they may have changed it this year but I remember being surprised by how many slots were being given out based on what their site said back then.

I crashed during the race this year and was not able to take part in the lottery so I didn't stick around to see how it was run.

Quite frankly, some kind of a "roll down" or other spot is my only chance. There is really no way I will be 1st or 2nd in my age category in a race inb Florida in March. Those guys will just be a little more fit than I am. Also, the guys from the Mongo Multisport Team from up here will be down there. They are pretty much all faster than me, but I'm not sure if they have anyone in my AG.

One way or another, I am looking forward to the Florida race. I have got Doug Stern's camp in Curacao to help in the preparation and it will be an excellent early start to the season. We are also both looking at St. Croix, so I will need the race in Florida. It will be a good one.

As far as Alcatraz is concerned, I am going to the event for sure since Sarah already has a spot. Even if I weren't racing I would just help her out and then concentrate on her race and shooting photos during the event, which would be a blast also.

We'll see. Either way, it is shaping up to be a good looking season.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com