Finally made it “home” early last night after a 4 hour drive from Harrisonburg Virginia. BUT!!! not before i went and found some sweet mtn bike trails a little west of where i was for the week. Left early to drive to the George Washington National Forrest which is about bazillion acres and lots of good mtn bike trails.

As i figured out where go ride i realized how close i would be to the state line with West Virginia. So i had goal… just make it to the state line. i figured it would be a cool place to try and get too & look into the ‘wild n wonderful’ west virgina one more time. I have spent many adventure races in WV over the past 6 years and lots of memories. Funnily enough most of them are usually pretty funny and involve a unusal qirk about WV.

Off i set up a dirt rorad, quickly to begin climbing up into the national forest to hopefully the state line that sat atop a ridge line. The day was clear but cold as i quickly donned my tights even in the lung busting climbing i was now beginning to do.

The views were stunning and a few pcokets of snow remained from what i think was snow brought by Hurricane Sandy. Continuing to climb i was spooked by a very large black bear who also was surprised by my presence. I didnt have enough time to snap a photo as it disappeared up the mountainside.

I finally reached the ridge line after climbing for what seemed a long time. Photos below are from my sunday morning adventure. One such photo reflects Virginia  to the left and West Virginia to the right of thr trail. Even took a few fun moments to skip between the 2 states back & forth, back & forth.

Then begun the long sweet downhill sections back to my truck and some very cold hands

This week i have been hear Harrisonburg Virginia, for a conference at Massanetta Springs. It ended today, however i am sticking around until sunday for the board meeting, for the association which i have lead as president for the past 2 years.

Robin came over on wednesday and left this morning we both have some very good friends in this organisation and it was good to be around them but difficult at the same time to say goodbye.

The end of this conference also marks the end of numerous other finalities also. We have basically been moving full steam ahead since i got back from World Adventure Racing Champs. One thing after another, ending at camp, ironman, travelling, moving to Raleigh, and now this past week this conference.

Driving to Raleigh (or our home for now) on sunday represents the end of the craziness (not before i squeeze in some sweet mountain biking and running for several hours on sunday monring. Our gears really shift to moving home now, we have nothing to focus on but that.

If nothing else though, i sense like i am really stripping it down. Almost like when you strip down a car, or disasemble something, peel back all the layers, all the way down to the foundation, the core, bedrock.

Consider… finish working at Calvin Center, train hard for & knock out 2 major races in 6 weeks. Come to the this conference 1 more time, end my term at president of this organization. strip it down. All the way to there’s nothing left.

No obligations, no job, no organization to serve. All thats left is my life with Robin, our dog Cora & moving to NZ. Strip it down.

And cannot help but realize that we have stripped it down for a reason. Remove all the distractions, jobs, serving, racing(for a short time on that one) and here’s what we have left.

Each other and really only the most basic of decisions and choices left. Or as Maslow put it, Food, shelter, clothes,….

And from that stripping it down, begin it start over, and evaluate what it looks like as we put it back together.

As we “rebuild the car” what goes back in, and perhaps more importantly what doesnt and what needs replacing or upgrading.

Strip it down

Note from the title we are back in Raleigh. And for now we call it home. We have been away for about 13 days. And travelled back to Ga-Fl-Al-Ga-Nc. about 2200 miles in total.

We are glad to be back. Mostly becuase we saw Cora (our Dog) again for the 1st time in about 14days. She went nuts when she saw us of course.

We spent the past few days in ATL, with friends, catching up and seeing a few of our favorite places 1 more time. Left ATL this morning to arrive back in Raleigh this afternoon. Alas for me to do laundary, & turn it all around and leave for Virginia tomorrow for 8 days. While i will be attending our annual conference i am taking my mountain bike to sneak in a few rides and a big one the day i drive back. That part of Virginia is well known for A LOT of really sweet mtbing.

Furthermore… b/c we havent see Cora in 2 weeks and she has had a good run in ages, her and i will hit the trails for a few hours tomorrow morning at a very nearby State Park. I will run the mess out of her, off the leash, bush whacking, no trails, off-camber…pur un- adulterated bliss for her. That should keep her happy until i get back.

Since Sunday 28th October, Robin & I have been on the road. A trip to Raleigh to unload ‘our life’ with her parents (BIG THANKS THERE) then back to the ATL on Tuesday to clean up & leave Calvin Center for the last time on the 31st. To drive to Panama City to race Ironman, & now we are in Birmingham until thursday. Then back to the ATL and onto Raleigh on Saturday for me to leave on Sunday to drive to Harrisonburg Va, for the Presbyterian Church Camp & Conference Center (PCCCA)for 8 days. Lots of traveling!

Someone once said, “home is where you lay your head, …. & home is where you feel loved.” While we have been many places this past 10 days and laid our head on many different pillows the above quote is very true we have beeen made to feel at home everywhere we have laid our head and definitely loved. So thank you to all the people now & in advance for making us feel loved.

That said, Robin & I have been joking the past few days that we feel like Gypsies, excuse my use of the un-pc term. Maybe ‘travellers’ in better. We have even given ourselves new ‘travelers’ names… Ivan & Poppy

We spend the day today relaxing and recovering from yesterday. Took a walk on the beach, visited St Andrews State Park at the end of the Island. These photos are from there, & yes that is a 6 foot alligator behind Robin in that photo. Tomorrow we leave Panama City Beach to travel to Birmingham to be with some good friends for a few days. It has been good for our souls to be here this long weekend. Even racing has been good for me too. We also were able to hang out with some good friends for the last time for a while. Chris & Beth (& son Noah) and then last night PJ Brobston.

Robin & I are currently in Panama City Beach for the running on the Florida Ironman, which i completed yesterday! Ironman IS NOT ANYTHING LIKE ADVENTURE RACING. And i you know me well you might be thinking ‘why do it then?’ Ironman is a 2.4mile swim, 112 mile bike & a marathon or 26.2 mile swim to finish off. Over the many years of Adevnture Racing i often get the question ‘is that like ironman?’ and i have often answered no, not really. There are many differences, to many to get into here. But what better way give a btter response than doing field research.

So yesterday i completed my 1st and probably last ever ironman. Not because i didn’t enjoy myself i did, but realize it just not for me.

The race start at 7am on the beach with a 2 lap 2.4 swim. the ocean was a little chilly but got through it no problem.

This race is huge there were close to 3000 people competing, so imagine all those people in the water at the same time trying to swim but really thrashing about, swimming over each other. Really is was chaotic. I got kicked in the forehead and in the eye socket. felt like a combat sport.

Got out of the water and transitioned to the bike for the 112mile ride. Which was bascially an out n back ride. Ironman has a no drafting rule s you have to maintain a 4 bike length distance between you and the next bike, or else if you get caught then you get a 4min penalty to be served in a penalty box located in several places around the course. The ride was taxing, and along the way missed my mountain bike several time. The ride took about 5 1/2 hrs.

From there i transitioned again to the run. A standard 26mile marathon. I ran this is a slow 4hrs25mins, was hoping for less time but was running in the heat of the day and really became a little fatigued at several points. Never really walked for more than 2 mins at a time though.

Made it back to the finish line and the wonderful atmosphere that exists as one runs down the finishing shute, about 1/4 mile long to all the 1000’s of people gathered to cheer you and others one.

i finished in 11hrs 25mins. relatively happy with that.

With Ironman i realized how motivated i am by team, community, the group whatever you call it. Ironman is very much and indivdual event and they make that very well known. While the level of support from people that line the streets in the marathon etc is wonderful and very helpful, you are very much on your own. Conversely AR is all about the team, and helping each other. quite a stark contrast. And while i did have a good time racing yesterday and are happy with my time & always knew i would finish it is very different.

Probably leading to the meaning behind the title. one & done. I loved the physical challenge and always will however it was storngly reinforced how much of a team, group junkie i am

Preparing.. for what. GOING HOME. yes its true. Robin and i are going home. I have been here for over 11 years and with my time in Japan before that i haven’t lived in NZ since 2000… WOW. time to go.

So this blog will take on a slightly different look, with relfections on going home, packing, the chaos of that. But still lots of good stuff on adventures etc that will ALWAYS continue. Don’t know any other way to live our lives… that filled with adventure. At least for the next while it will be an adventure minute by minute.

Stay tuned.

I’m writing this sitting on the last of 3 flights to my home!!! It’s been 2 years since I have been back in NZ. While its sill only February the first 7 weeks of this year have been crazy and it’s only really sinking in now that I am about to be home

This trip has lots of significance to it the biggest being that I haven’t been here since the earthquakes including the largest one that killed many almost 1 year ago to the day

Stay tuned for more details

Last week I turned 182. At least by the standards of ‘Heart Rate Max'(MHR). Which is the measure assigned to you based on the simple formula of 220-your age. or put another way the most my heart can beat per minute is 182 +/- 5-10 beats

That means I did have a birthday, no big deal… Let’s move on, not real big on birthdays. Not because I’m getting older or anything just don’t really see the fuss.

However I will say that what is more important to me is my MHR age or what the fastest I can go. Not that one can hold that intensity for very long. In fact it’s about 10secs. But with each year old ones MHR gets lower and lower or you get slower or slower… GULP!!!

This may all sound weird that someone measures at least this part of their life in beats per minute, but I guess thats how I’m wired up. Another years older another year slower

Happy 182… Hmmm not necessarily a good number to celebrate

I did get to go out in that windy weather on saturday. it was a lot of fun. I did go for a swim. but only twice.

started off paddling downwind and was basically surfing once out in the main part of the lake. i think the swells were about 4-5feet. At times wasnt even paddling just ruddering with the rudder and my paddle. i was flying downwind. the bow would get burried and submerged as i went down the front of the wave… SO MUCH FUN

Knew the most challenging part would be paddling cross wind with the waves pounding me from the side and they did. thats when i flipped. then paddling back into the wind the swells were just as huge. With the bow coming right out of the water then smashing back into the water with the waves almost completely washing over me.

It was a fun hour of paddling completely soaked but worth it.

here are some pics of the lake. doesnt really do it justice but helps