This Saturday, November 10th. there will be an afternoon work party to hone the course for the COTR Championships on November 24th. MIVA members meet at 1pm at the BMX course in Beban Park, wear old clothes, work gloves, and bring a rake, trimmer, shears, scythe, sickle, or whatever implement you can lay your hands on.  

Interesting world championship cx video from nearly twenty-five years ago. Note the amount of running, the MUD, the pit area techniques. and the handlebar end controls. To view, go here. Another great video from northern England in the early 1950's. The caption says 1950 but there's a 1953 Rover 60 in the picture. Look for the frame numbers, the single speeds, the guy with the rear light (pessimist?), and the river crossing techniques.  Note the Le Mans-type start (the 2010 COTR event in Errington started this way). Bear in mind that this was by no means one of the toughest courses they rode in those days.

Most avid cyclists never have enough bikes but the main problem with collecting them is where to put them. Perhaps a shed at the bottom of the garden will suffice.

An interesting article by Vancouver Sun columnist Cam Cole homes in on the phenomenon of inactive kids and offer a solution  To read it,  go here.

Cycling, especially mountain biking, is very popular in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan and there are a number of organised races, including a full half day MTB event organised by the Dragon CC. As with other sports in this mountainous country, there is no drug testing.  For example, archers take prescription sedatives to slow their heart rate and thus result in steadier aiming at the target. Many archers also resort to ample quantities of alcohol, partly for social reasons and partly to relax them. Competitors will sometimes be removed from contests if they are really drunk and constitute a hazard to themselves or other archers.

Perhaps the remaining druggies in the pro peleton could emigrate to Bhutan and continue to take PED's with impunity until the Bhutan Cycling Association (if there is one) brings in doping control.