Final preparations

Sunday afternoon; it's raining cats and dogs.....it's pissing down and it's not the first day. We've had rain like this for two consecutive weeks now and although I do not mind to much, it's giving me bad vibes for the 5-day Raid that I am about to embark on.

The last two weeks have been filled with preparations at Sospel. I was sleeping in my tent and luckily I put up the big one. Luckily, because that way I did not bring in the drab, the humidity of my shoes....I could take it off in the 'living-area' and sleep dry and warm, thanks to an excellent silk sheet and down sleeping bag.

We've had fun, held a bbq, yelled and cursed and kept on preparing our raid. Last week we've been busy mapping our routes. It is up to us to find appropriate roads, single-tracks and escape routes, to put it in a road book and to map the direction (compass) and mark each turn, twist and change of surface. Very good practise and I enjoyed it. It's part of the course, because as a guide you may have to map your own itinerary some day and spend 5 days with a group of people and lead them through the mountains and forests.

All said and done, I still fear this thing. For two weeks now I have a nagging feeling that something is going to happen and so I basically decided not to participate. This normally means failing the course, but I rather argue for my life as of why I don't want tot participate, than to break a leg, arm, shoulder or knee only to say afterwards: "didn't I tell you so". The internal battle is enormous. The pressure from my envrironment is hard to take, but this one is up to me. My decision to keep me safe and sound.

The weather forecast for next week, during the raid is bad....very bad. A third week of continuous rain is foreseen....so this means riding and cycling and slipping and getting wet and probably cold and nasty, every day, one hour after setting off in the morning. Is it wise? Is this the right thing to decide by the course leaders? Are they truly prepared to put suffering and misery before the educational benefits of a Raid like this?

Questions they have to answer!! I'm not convinced. Look at the picture of my bikes. My bikes? Yeah, they are there....underneath the sheet, to protect them the best I can againt the rain.

It truly is a Mountainbike Paradise

After a weekend of tough riding, I decided to take it easy today. I'm in full training mode for the 5 day Raid which is coming up in two weeks time and I might even overdo it slightly. Next week is a rest week, while I will be in Sospel, for the first of 3 heavy weeks.

I stumbled upon a steep path uphill to the Malmont. It is a on the property of the Domaine du Dragon, one of the many wineyards around Draguignan. They knew I was up there....I had permission to have a look. They had warned me it was a steep climb, but with the smallest and lightest of gear I happily and slowly went up their hill. I cannot judge about their wine, but they sure have the best view and coolest area to grow and nourish their wine. Who does not want to work in a wineyard high up on the Malmont hill, with stunning views and no nuissance of nearby roads. The best thing yet; who would think that high up on the hill there is a treasure of good taste.....It was another wow experience.

They also have holiday homes for rent....Not bad. It's an old bastide, well done up, with a magnificent pool. If you bring your mountainbike along, I'll guide you aroung on the Malmont, on the best tracks of the area. Afterwards...the pool!! What a joy.