Amelia has landed back in NZ :)

Wow, what an amazing experience! John and Stephen pre race and Amelia ready to race to the first beer stop. Have been traveling home since Sunday and just thinking about the places we have seen and people we have met. Still can't believe the basketball game that took place - shear madness but so much fun! Single Speeders are a bike mad culture who love to have fun. Thanks Durango!

Look out the worlds are coming to NZ!

Yup after a mission of trying to find a basketball team today to beat Italy - we did it! Thanks to Jon, James, Kaveh, Greg and Damo from Aussie!!! What a party!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Look out NZ the 2010 NZ World Single Speed Championships are coming to town - you better get ready to ride and party!
PS race when to plan, rode to first beer stop and opted to enjoy the day and save the body and bike from the rocks! I didn't really want the tattoo and someone had to take photos. John came in at 3.45 - legend!

in the light of the morning

both John, Stephen and I have very sore and rough throats! We met at the Expresso Bar this morning, yes finally found a good coffee shop! Have had breakfast and just resting up before race start oops - I mean the ride starts at 11am. Had a quick catch up with the Italian team at breakfast made up of French guys (nice guys but gave them some grief about their nationality) as we are playing them in the finals to host the 2010 World champs in NZ. Playing basketball tonight at 6pm after the 'ride'!!!!!! Its going to be another hot one and some damage will be done on the course - hopefully not by the rocks. Durango is full of bikes, sort of like Taupo when the cycle challenge is on. Except they are mostly MTB and single speeds - lots actually heaps of 29ers! Off to get dressed into my outfit! Chow

We are through to the finals!

Yup John done good! I managed to find a cool Freddy hat today in town to complete the white singlet and pants look he had and he put his all into it! We now have to play off Italy in a game of basketball tomorrow night after the race.
Did try the course or half of it today and its mean! Rock climbing up and down, lots of pushing the bike - thanks Jamie cause your bike is nice and light. Only have headaches with the altitude and mean stinging throat when I push it. Looking forward to enjoying the ride and meeting some more neat people :)
Just need to beat Italy now - represented by french guys, I know dodgy! Then Rotorua start preparing for a show for 2010!
Better get some sleep now, cheers Vicki

party on ....

tonight was a compulsory ride your bike to the party where the teams competing for hosting next years worlds had to sing for their supper. So Steve hired a bike and we headed up to a canyon with some jumps set up and food and beer stalls around the outside. Yup several thousand bikes rode down the main street, over the bridge up to race central! Fantastic, the band was great, man these guys know how to party!

Durango

is like a an oasis of green and bikes after several days of driving in desserts. Wahoo we are here, now excited and nervous! Had a drink in town with the rest of the world and met John, my team mate before heading home for an early night. Lucky as one guy lost his bike last night, got lost going home and then can't remember where he left it! John and I went out with Hilary and Rhonda and some other dudes to ride the course - lets just say they don't call it the Rockies for no reason and that if you like rock gardens you would be in heaven - MY $^&$&$%^& god, what sort of course is this!!!!! Wicked, wicked, wicked - don't think I have ever been on a harder hike a bike course ever. It will be a fun day meeting people tomorrow I think, coupled with the elevation, 6000ft here and prob another 1000ft of climbing tomorrow!!!! I hope I make cut off for the second part of the course, I have not idea how it will go but think Karpoti and Triple Peaks with rocks everywhere and you would be close. But before that we have a party tonight and have to sing with a band, we have to do the Queen song called 'I need your loving' - I have talked John into that one :) Managed to find a black chain hat and a tiara just. Off to party, this place is Bike City and heaps of fun!

Monument Valley

is a place that has been viewed in a picture on my wall for many years and to actually see it was amazing. A beautiful serene place - stunning. The photos do not show the size of these rock formations. HUGE! We spent the day then travelling over the dessert, crossing from Arizona to New Mexico and then into Colorado. A day of driving in the wild west, not many cowboys but lots of indians. Again the extremes, today of poverty and barren landscapes.