Countdown to ARMORGETITON

Hello Amazing Grace team!

We are now 14 days away from the big race! Hope you're all getting psyched, fit and ready. Latest news: We are happy to welcome Mr. Bob Hulett onto the team as our Xcountry skiier. He comes to us via Dean DeKoster, is a downhill skiier mainly, and he works up on the Mount Baker slopes. Bob writes "I am flattered to have the offer to x-country for your team. ... While x-country skiing isn't one of my skills, I can operate a pair and can handle a workout at the ski area." Welcome, Bob!

So, with a little modification, here is our final lineup (this time I mean it!) as listed on the official Ski-to-Sea website:
Bob Hulett CC
Mark Bryant DH
Chris Akers RU
Dean De Koster RB
Randy Kaech CA1
Isaac Akers CA2
Bill Akers MB
David Knebel KA

Okay, you top four, start calling each other and figure out how you can carpool up the hill. The website has a suggestion on how to do this, at http://www.skitosea.com/content/race_legs_and_i/green.asp . Go halfway down the page. Coach's idea for the top part of the race:
CAR ONE: Bob, Mark, Chris and Dean go up the hill together. (I hear Bob is already partway there?) Dean gets dropped off @DOT with comfy chair and snacks. After the top three finish, skiiers travel down the hill, pick up Chris, and Dean's stuff he left (comfy chair, tent, etc.) and goes home.
CAR TWO: Randy and Isaac go to Everson with canoe on top and bike rack on back. When Dean finishes, he drives Randy's van to Hovander in Ferndale (canoe ending spot.)
Haven't thought through the last two legs yet. Bill and David can work something out, I can help, aye?

IN OTHER NEWS......
---Randy and Deanna just purchased a nice used canoe. It's fast! Though Deanna is on a women's team, turns out Randy gets to use it, since it's illegal for Rec Division use (18.5 footer, too long, too fast!) and I entered us (luckily) in the Whatcom Open division.
--Isaac Akers, in the with Randy, is currently a Track athlete at Ferndale HS and is aiming for State in the hurdles.
--Bill is preparing for the new improved mountainy mountain bike course. Apparently they've jazzed it up this year, and he may be modifying his 'roadified' mountain bike strategy that worked great last year. From http://www.skitosea.com/content/about/news_alert05079.asp :
The new Ski to Sea mountain bike course is an actual mountain bike course. 14 miles in total with only 5 on actual roads, plus a bit of "pavement" here and there. ... The course is a mix of many things...and reminds me of various courses I've raced around the world. It will be a very challenging course for all riders though not overly technical. It will have some very challenging sections where some people might be walking. I have to reiterate that this is a true mountain bike course... Rigid bikes, arrow bars and slicks won't get you to the finish line. An ideal bike would be a super light cross country full suspension rig (with lockouts) or a hardtail or a 29'er...running on an aggressive semi-slick tire. The course has a little bit of everything: some mellow (and fast) greenway trails, quite a bit of mid-west style grassland riding, some urban assault pavement chasing, some classic northwest sections of mud, ladders and single track, and, my favorite... a little taste of Costa Rica over railroad ties mixed with some good Northwest mud and handlebar grabbing saplings.

Sounds like fun! Bill, email us your bike details and strategy if you have time, we'd love to hear it!

--Hey all, get me your cel phone numbers, if you want text messages with the split times! I know I have your cel numbers from registration, but I won't add you to the notification list unless you email me and say Yes. Email me the following and I'll set it up: The cel phone number with prefix (or email address), the cel phone provider (e.g. T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint, etc.), phone/email owner's name (not critical, but helpful), and which legs they want to see the times for (e.g. you can say all legs, or just kayaking leg, etc.) If you say 'all legs', you'll get seven separate text messages (or emails).
--Our only team get-together, besides congregating at Hillcrest, will be the day after, at the Hovander Park piknik. It starts at 2:00 Monday, May 25. Would love to hear y'alls race stories, hope y'all can make it!
--If family members are taking pictures of the race and you racers, do email all of them to me, as I'd like to post them on the blog. Thanks!
--Mark (downhill skier) is getting ready to go Up The Hill. He writes "I've been running stairs and could use another 222 days. It'll be fun though. Will it?"
Grace, Randy K