24 hours of Great Glen Team

Hi Everyone,

Team LBF is proud to announce the team list for this years 24 hours of Great Glen.

Team LBF Solo Racer:
Jenny Johnson

Team LBF 5 person open team:
Mel Brown, Dave Stiles, Jamie Myers, Jamie Belchak, and Ward Solar.

We as a team have raced in many solo 24 hour MTB races and as Great Glen is the best event in the area with the most of our friends that come to support us we've decided to come as a 5- person team this year and have more bodies in the campsite around helping all the solo and team racers that have helped us out in the past. It's our little way of saying thanks to all our local fans.

As a racer, when you need a hand at GG look for one of us and we'll help you out and get you going again...

Yackster Out-

Orenteering Clinic August 3rd!

Wanna learn something about Adventure Racing?

Team LBF is running a small unofficial O-Course Clinic for those wanting to learn how to wander around in the woods with some degree of accuracy.

If you are interested please email me: davidnstiles@gmail.com for more information.

No experience necessary.

Yacky Out-

There No Bad Races...Only Good races and Races Where You Learn Something.

The current position of Team LBF is far better then the previous 72 hours which consisted of not one, not two but three I.V.s and six different kinds of medicine that have had varying effects on the lower GI Tract. It all started 3 days ago after a 16 hour bus ride to the land where a distinction between hole in the ground and toilet is nonexistent. We traveled through the night to Kurtun, Turkey and after a lot of motion sickness and throwing up into bags, the Hammer was nailed to his bed in the hostel. The next morning we took one of what turned out to be many trips to the local clinic AKA Hospital. Down the 6 switchbacks and 800 vertical feet to the town center, past the raw sewage, round the building made of mud to a place resembling a scene from MASH (Glass IV bottles included). 36 hours after Hammers first IV I began throwing up everything in my stomach and then some. The Doctor said i should be fine and I should just rest but after hacking up a whole load of green vomit and proceeding to turn white (hard to believe more white than normal) he thought it would be a good idea to treat me.

We had our minds set on racing all the way up until 8 hours before the start when we couldn't go more than 45 minutes between bathroom breaks (the breaks were from napping in bed) and the fact that after being so exausted from figuring out which route to take I nearly passed out on the way up a flight of stairs. We took an inventory of our bodies at 9 am and realized that we and consumed a gross volume of 3 liters of liquid and 250 calories (Net after vomiting 1 liter and 14 calories) and we were weak enough to call the hump from the room to the can a grunt.

So long story short we are currently sitting in the Istanbul airport waiting for the Air France counter to open at 3 am to change our flight and make a shameless retreat back to North America where we can live in peace and train to return to Kurtun next year and drop the Hammer!

Don't take no for an answer

We've spent the last two days wondering around Istanbul like a couple of morons with Salomon back packs waiting to be jumped. Eating a healthy diet of bread, meat, olives and the occasional cucumber or tomato. I've actually been able to see a change in the texture and consistency of my skin...of course that could be the attributed to the weather. It's been a balmy 103 degrees with 137% humidity...unless your are near the water (within 12 feet...we are 2 blocks away) there it's a manageable 98 degrees with 101% humidity. The locals found a former NYC resident a little harder to barder with than the typical US tourist as i repeatedly walked out of a store with money in hand telling them I wouldn't pay half of what they asked. Moments later the merchant emerged from the store with items already packaged in hand waiting for the price I had set. The beauty of one particular transaction was when I just stood their and stared at Jason for a whole 3 minutes mumbling under our breath "just wait him out man..." the price was reduced...and reduced again...then again...a pair of yellow Velcro chucks went from 65 lira to 32 in a matter of minutes...

We met two of the other international teams at breakfast this morning and found out the Spanish team from PER has only one person...apparently the Race Director said "come to Turkey anyway well will find some thing for you". We're being kicked out of our room at 12 and have to wait around till 4 when the bus comes to take us and our gear to Kurtun. It's supposed to be a 12 hour ride and about 1,000 Km to the race area that's up against the border of Georgia...that's right folks I just checked the maps we are racing 100 KM from Georgia, 200 KM from Armenia and 300 KM from Iran, Iraq and Syria! I didn't really understand the geography of the region until I just took a look at the map and realized that we could drive to Bagdad in about 10 hours...Yikes?

So, we are off to the market for some bread, cheese, a pizza for the road and an AK-47 if the price is right.

This will be the last update before the race starts. So, wish us luck, fast and healthy feet and a seat for the ride home (rather than a coffin).

Yacky Out

Istan....Holy Crap!

After 24 hours of traveling (the last hour and a half being a 150 lira cab ride) Jason and I are settled in at the Hotel Zirve in Kadikoy (+90-216-4145142) Give us a call if you like room 108...

This place is a maze of tiny roads on hillsides that rise straight out of the Med. It reminds me of scenes from a James Bond flick or the Borne Movies. The place is amazing! Tons of vendors selling cheap and trendy clothes, shoes and jewelry. We are going to go for a run tomorrow along the beach and take some more pictures.

Sunday they are picking us up for the long drive to Kurtun!

More to follow,

Yacky Out

Kurtun Adventure Race or Turkish Disaster or Thanksgiving

Tomorrow I will be leaving for the only city on the planet located in both Asia and Europe...That's right folks I'm heading to Istanbul formally Constantinople...Strategically located between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara at the point where Europe meets Asia, Byzantine Constantinople had been the capital of a Christian empire successor to ancient Greece and Rome. Throughout the Middle Ages Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city, known as the Queen of Cities...

However, the travel alerts for The Queen of Cities is well...read for yourself...
From the US Citizens National Travel Advisory Committee..."Americans should exercise caution...keep a low profile, and remain vigilant with regard to their personal security. Terrorists do not distinguish between official and civilian targets. As security is increased at official U.S. facilities, terrorists will seek softer targets. These may include facilities where Americans...live, congregate, shop, or visit-- especially hotels, clubs, restaurants...outdoor recreation events, resorts, and beaches. U.S. citizens should remain in a heightened state of personal security awareness..."

Now if that wasn't enough to put your spandex in a bunch then how about this from the Race Director... "Last 5 days Utku and I was at the course. And local securities warning us about the increased risk of bears and wolfs attack. As a result the race will be stop every night. "

This looks to be turning into a stage race which is good for the Team of Dave "go too fast" Stiles and Jason "The Hammer" Lane...All the racers we know have said the same thing about Jason and I Racing on a Duo team..."if you guys make it through the first 6 hours without blowing up (bad choice of words) you'll be so far ahead of the field that no one will be able to touch you..."

I'm just happy to be able to take these kind of trips and race with such great people.

Update on the return and check out the website http://arkurtun-turkey.touaregturk.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=48

Yacky Out

Perform: Inside Adventure Racing

To everyone with us physically and in spirit last night I want to personally thank you all for supporting the team! Last nights movie was a huge success and went better than I could have hoped. Thank you all for your donations, laughter, warm smiles and generous applause! As a first time film maker I was chewing my nails throughout the movie waiting for laughs that came right on cue and tense moments to bring you inside our story. Thank you for being such a wonderful crowd and for all your wonderful comments. The movie will release on DVD in the next four weeks and will be available online and at the bike shop. We welcome comments and questions from one and all.

Thanks again for a wonderful evening!

Dave Stiles AKA Yacky