Sixteen Tons

It is probably a good thing we didn't know how much work it is just to get ready for PQ. Everybody is doing something with the gear list and training.
It's a good sign however. The workload has just split up without much discussion. That means that the team is on the same wavelength.
Lisa is working on the climbing gear, it seems easy, just get what is on the list. But no. She has to go to this site for this piece and then over there, then the ropes guy says "no you need this" then this one isn't right. Granite Sports has been great in helping us out.
Haven did the early research on gear and the best prices,and him and Lisa got the trip to Moab for the ropes course together. And he is dealing with a new puppy at home.
Paulette is working on the kayaking gear and setting up the weekend training sessions (and putting up with her new computer geek)
Of course Jason (aka FNG) isn't doing much. Just looking for gear and money and packing to move. Slacker.
Of course they all are working, training 3/4 hours a day and trying to be somewhat normal (?).
The good news is that the race will be easy compared to getting ready.

Thanks for reading
Now go play in a coal mine
Randy

I Pity the Fool

The A-Team rides again. Lisa, Gary, and Paulette did a Nav workout at Fort Meade Saturday.
We took the A-Team van up so they could look at maps and figure out where they are going. It was a nice sunshiny day but with a cold wind. We did a combination of landmarks and shooting bearings. Pretty much hit every post. And they knew when they were in the wrong place. That may be the most important thing. When you are in the wrong place how do you find out where you are and get back on track.

Jason was at a bike show in Minn. working on get some different sponsorships. 2 more weeks and the team will be together and real work starts. Tentatively they have a caving day with Dan Austin in 2 weeks. That should be interesting.

Everybody is ready for it to be nice. Reading maps is easier if you aren't shaking in the wind and cold.

Paulette did a 2 hour ride on Her new Kona Sunday. It was cold but she really wanted to get out and ride it.

Thanks for Reading
Now go put on some Gold chains and beat somebody up.
Randy

Born to Run

Just a quick shout out to the Black Hills Runners Club. The club stepped up and gave us a big chunk of money. This helps you with the climbing gear and the ropes course in Moab. Paulette, Gary, Lisa and Jason are going at the end of March. The course is taught be the same people that will be setting the PQ Badlands ropes.

Tomorrow is a swim and Nav day.

Paulette will be at the Rapid City Sports Show tomorrow. The Black Hills Paddlers are raffling a Kayak. It is a fund raiser for the Whitewater Park.

http://blackhillspaddlers.org/

Thanks for Reading
Now go say hi to Rosalita

Randy

Back Pack Fun

I've officially started running with a backpack. During PQ I"ll have about 25-30lbs strapped to my back...so there is no better time to start. Today there was only 6.5lbs of randomness carried (couple pairs of pants, books, avid bb7's) and I can feel the extra weight in my legs, abs and lower back. It's safe to say that I'll be doing extra crunches and back extensions at the gym tonight.

11 days...
-jmk

There's plenty of snow!

There was fresh snow through the night and on & off through the day.

Lisa, Paulette, Randy and Emma snowshoed 15 miles Saturday. We added in some navigation points. It is fun to compare the present with the topo map, last updated in 1957 ! The paved road to our home is not on the map. We made our own trail and ended up intersecting the Dead Gary (M) Trail which led to the Centennial Trail. Gary (H) was driving to and fro Montana. Jason will join us soon.

The last 2-3 miles,
we laughed and smiled.
Emma needed leashing
because the snow balls were freezing
to her face.
She was blind,
the trail she couldn't find,
she ran into a tree.

Poetry, poetry, how I love that poetry!

Paulette

Like a Ton of Bricks...

What a ride! Randy sent an email last Monday, over-thought Tuesday-Friday, met up with the team for a hike and ride Saturday-Sunday, Randy called Monday giving me the go ahead. This opportunity is once in a lifetime…and I couldn’t be happier. When contemplating the decision about exhausting myself and living on very little sleep for 10 days, several factors came into play; time, money, ability, crapping in a bag and carrying it…hell, could I even stand these people?

It was very fortunate that I was able to fly into Rapid last weekend to meet Gary, Paulette and Randy. Lisa was in PHX, but I’m assured we will communicate very well. I’m told she is a wordsmith, like myself, which is important in PQ=) After the first couple of miles hiked, I knew that Gary and Paulette where my kind of eggs. Gray is very intelligent, humble and a pervert. Paulette is the same…but she likes better music. It will be nice training with Randy as well, although he will not be competing by our sides, its nice to know he has our backs. He is one of the most generous people I’ve every met and I couldn’t think of a better team director.

This will undoubtedly be the hardest athletic event I have ever done. Harder than all the road races, marathon mtb races, and 24 hour events combined. Just to show how hard this event will be, I look to the statistics…no “home team” has ever completed PQ. When I asked Gary about this, he simply said “It’s Fucking Hard.” I’m most worried about foot care and the lack of sleep. Riding a bike is second nature, I can run and hike all day, caving and climbing I can learn, but I don’t know how it will all come together after my feet are turned to hamburger and I’m seeing the Virgin Mary dancing with a tree. But it’s going to take more than that for me to THINK about quitting!

How's that for motivation...see you in March?
-jmk

One Door Closes and Another Opens

It is a mix of good and not good news.

Dan has to drop out of the team. His wife Robin is having some health problems and Dan made the decision that he can't deal with that and help Robin and be commited to the team. Family is always first. Paulette, Lisa, and Gary agree. We are thinking of them and wish them the best.

The good news is that we have found a new teammate. Jason Kingsbury has just moved here from MN. and has brain damage, thinks Primal Quest will be fun. Jason is 28, a runner, mountain biker and mellow guy. He has some climbing and paddling skills. He is also a bike mechanic, that will help in the transitions.

We went for a 4 hour trek Saturday and a Ride on Sunday. I think he will fit right in with the team. He even knows most of the same words that Lisa uses.

Jason will be posting an essay so you can find out in his own words what the hell he was thinking.

Thanks for Reading
Now go get better Robin
Randy

We'll Always Have Paris

I took Floppy to the airport this am. It was just like Rick and Elsa. Standing on the pavement in the rain saying goodbye. Of course Rick and Elsa didn't have cell phones, email, and Skype. Oh and they were in a movie and Floppy didn't need a letter of transit. And no Nazis. But other than that it was the same.

Standby for a big announcement soon.

Now go play in the rain,
Randy

Saturday, Feb. 7 & Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009

by Paulette

Saturday Feb. 7, 2009

Morning started with a PQ run/hike and slide on critter trails near our house. There is still a lot of snow and ice. Randy, Gary H., Jason, Paulette and Tito were there. Tito(4 legged) threw up a couple times. Must be the excitment of his new younger sibbling that will join us when she gets bigger. We welcomed the friendly temperatures. We were out 3 hours and 20 minutes.

Paulette had enough time to stop at home, eat and pack camping gear. Paulette and Karrie met at 1430 to find a campsite and pitch tents in the area of Alkali Creek. We didn't need the campground ! Not when we can pitch tents on high ridges.

At 1600, Paulette, Gary H., Gary M., and Karrie (I'm trying to spell her name correctly but she tells me she had it wrong for a while until she got her birth certifiacte, so I won't feel too bad) were present at the Alkali Creek area, near Ft. Meade. Gary has trained and tested many officer candidates for navigation here. We began in daylight and finished in moonlight. It was grand ! We found all the markers and didn't get lost ! We used topo maps, landmarks such as the moon, the bright planet in the west and the bright star in the east.
Gary & Gary drove home. There was peppermint schnapps, a hike/run and a full moon until 2200 for Karrie and Paulette. Life doesn't get much better than this ! We climbed into our tents at 2200. I was a little worried when I saw frost on the inside and outside of my tent and on my bag when I climbed in. I cinched up my mummy bag, leaving a breathing hole and slept well. Karrie is a new camper and used borrowed gear. She managed to stay warm in the fetal position. At night the noises change to sounds of the wildlife such as cats, hooves, and coyotes.

Sunday Feb. 8, 2009

We awoke in our tents to a beautiful sunrise. We hiked/ran for 2 1/2 hours. Again, we enjoyed warm temperatures. We checked out the spot where I have found fossils in the past. So interesting to find these in the prairie at elevations of about 3500 feet. It was interesting to navigate the same areas from last night in the daylight. Working up a sweat is not as worrisome when one can get into a warm car to drive home.


Randy will be one of the last persons Gary Miller sees in SD when he takes him to the airport tomorrow morning. Lucky guy! Gary will be in Iraq soon. I'll be thinking of him, and again, talking to him throught the wonders of e-mail. He has been immensly helpful sharing his friendship, knowledge and experience with navigation, web training and support. I'll miss him and look forward to seeing him back in Rapid City in a year.

"Merci Beaucoup and Au Revoir Gary"

Paulette

O Say Can You See

It's been a quite week at TeamSouthDakota. I had a Birthday, Paulette and Lisa picked up their new bikes, and Floppy's getting ready to go to Iraq.

This whole mess is sort of Floppy's fault.

It started in 2002 (cue flashback music). In 2002 I won the over 40 24 Hour Mountain Bike World Championship. Cool. So in 2003 I decied to do a Lance and only do one race, Worlds. It didn't go good. When I got home I was pretty depressedand didn't want anything to do with a bike. So I started running a little. One day I went with Skippy who was getting a new Mac. Floppy was there and knew me from races. Me I don't remember anybody, but took His word for it. He suggested that I come and run Wednesdays with the Runers Club,I did, it was fun, Paulette started running a bit, then we started trail running, and we ran the Centennial every Spring, and the Paulette did an Adventure race or two, and time passed and Primal Quest came to town.

Now Floppy is going to Iraq for a year,and We will miss Him. He's been helping with Nav and map reading. It's not hard to till that He's been teaching for like 50 years. He has also set up our website and showed me how to work it. Worst of all He set Me on the path to the Dark Side,my name is Randy and I am a Mac user.

So it sucks that He won't be here to help with training and the race. But We will be thinking about him (and Skyping) and a year will pass fast and He will be home and I'll have to give back one of my Macs. But that will be OK.

Randy

Thanks for reading
Now go play in the sandbox