We've just landed on the small island of Saipan where, on Saturday, HOM will take place.  I thought that Guam was laid back, but Saipan has set a whole new standard for that.  The people here are the most laid back I have ever seen.   Less developed, more isolated and much smaller, Guam's northern cousin is the capital of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.  Saipan saw a lot of action during the Second World War, and there is evidence of that wherever you go.   There are abandoned gun emplacements and bunkers everywhere.

Today's shakedown ride took us along the first 12km and the final 7km of the race course.  The first climb is preceded by several roadworks with rough hardpack coral gravel as the main feature.  Happily, these sections aren't too long, with the longest at about 300 meters.  The climb itself is smooth and steady, but I wouldn't be surprised if we see an early shakeout here.

Tomorrow we recce the course's biggest climbs and descents.   The descents are of particular importance as the forecast calls for rain and when that happens, the roads become slick and treacherous.  The local asphalt of choice includes a lot of coral, and coral becomes slippery when wet.  Although I am all for using local ingredients where possible,  I doubt the civil planners were thinking about bikes and motorcycles when they designed the roads here.  We'll check it all out tomorrow, though, and I will see how it goes.

Bike in nice hotel room

Guam is not what I expected.  When I first found out I was to come here to race the Hell of the Marianas, I envisioned a flat, hot jungle with little culture and a lot of people in camouflage running around (Guam is home to US Air Force and Navy bases).   What I had assumed could not have been further from what Guam really is.  Though not truly mountainous, Guam is hilly with some steep climbs and small mountains bringing dimension to the land.  The weather is hot and humid, but in a lovely tropical way, with beautiful rainbows and stunning Pacific sunsets.  Its beaches are first class, with waves breaking 300m offshore, creating coral-filled lagoons with crystal-clear warm water.  What's even better, though, is that you often have the beach all to yourself.

What really sets Guam apart, though, is its people.  They are among the friendliest and most generous I have ever met.  Drivers wait patiently to pass cyclists (though there are very few here and the roads are not designed with cycling in mind), and often wave as they drive by.  Baristas say "have a nice day" not because they are supposed to, but because they mean it.  Strangers say hello as you walk by, even though you're obviously OI (from Off Island - the term used by Guamanians for non-residents).  Speaking of OI, although there is a considerable US military presence here, it is hardly noticeable.  Guam feels more like its own country than it does an American Territory with military bases. 

So, what I had once written off as an overgrown aircraft carrier has instead become one of my favorite places to visit.  I know I'll be back. 

Here are some photos from the last few days.  Tomorrow we fly north to Saipan to prepare for Saturday's race.  Enjoy!

Ak and Joseph on little spin

For relaxing times....           Canned coffee from Japan is popular here

Guam sunset

No Hamburglar!

Ritidian Beach.  Completely unspoiled and amazingly beautiful

In just over a day, I'll be heading to Guam and Saipan for some sunshine and the Hell of the Marianas.  It's been cold and grey here, making the last bit of solid training I needed to do more difficult and slightly more dangerous.  In the last two days, I've broken a pedal and a computer mount because of the cold!  Fortunately, my colleague Russell from Upper Echelon Fitness came to my rescue today and let me do my LT intervals indoors on his SuperTrainer.  It's often tough to get a quality workout in extremely cold conditions, so I am most grateful to RC!

Also, I'm fortunate to have a few fantastic sponsors.  Today I received a lovely surprise in the form of some sweet wheels from  Easton Cycling:

They're Easton's premier carbon clincher, and the perfect wheels for HOM.  They come ready to race, complete with brake pads and qr skewers.  Thank you, Jenn and Easton, for sorting these out!

Today BBBS of Guam was presented with a check reflecting the excellent fundraising Joseph accomplished on his LittleBigRide last month.   The local paper covered it right here:

http://www.guampdn.com/article/20101114/NEWS01/11140308

And I even got a mention, along the lines of my upcoming trip to HOM.

Tomorrow is the day that the Beacon Foundation matches any contributions you make to Big Brothers Big Sisters .  Make your donation right here:

http://www.littlebigride.org/donate.php. 

Preparations for Guam and the Hell of the Marianas are going well.  Today, the Saipan Tribune published an article about the race.  Is Mr. Fast the one to beat?  We'll see!

It is not often that I get an offer to race my bike in a warm, sunny place in December, but recently just such an offer came my way.  In a few weeks time, I will fly to Guam and Saipan for the 4th edition of the annual Hell of the Marianas race.  This is made possible by my athlete Joseph Husslein, whose fantastic fund-raising ride across America I wrote a bit about earlier:

http://www.aeolusendurance.com/blog/index.cfm/2010/10/10/Support-Josephs-LittleBigRide-Across-America.

By the way, there is still time to give and, this Friday, the Beacon Foundation will match any donations made to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Guam dollar-for-dollar, DOUBLING the value of your pledge.

The preparation for HOM has meant a bit of sacrifice.  This sacrifice has come in the form of

1. Missing out on cyclocross
2. Doing long, tough intervals in November in the rain
3. Not indulging in my usual feast of autumn sweet treats
4. Going to bed early, and...
5. Not going Salsa dancing every weekend

Okay, the last one is not such a big sacrifice.  However, while my friends are hanging around doing coffee rides, I'm training.  I'm not complaining, though.  It's an excellent race in a beautiful place and the field improves each year.  I'll post updates here whenever I get near a computer.

This year has been a long road back for AES Triathlete Margaret Bishop.  Having begun the year in recovery from knee surgery, Margret had no idea how her knee would react to training.  With a measured, precise, year-long plan, she was able to not only finish her ultimate goal, the Everest Challenge in Bishop, CA, but to finish in the top 5 of her class!  This is no ordinary event, as it features nearly 30,000 feet (8,800m) of climbing in only two days.  There are certainly few better tests for recovered knees!  Now, Margaret is getting some well-deserved rest before beginning her preparation for next year's triathlon season.

This month, AES athlete Joseph Husslein is riding his bike across the country.  Joseph wanted this ride to be more meaningful than simply fulfilling his long-held dream to ride cross-country, so he created the LittleBigRide.  Thus, his ride will benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters, of whose program he himself is an alumnus.  Read more about the LittleBigRide here:

http://www.littlebigride.org/

Read his daily blog here:

http://www.littlebigride.org/blog/

and, follow Joseph via Twitter:

http://twitter.com/husslein

Last week in Los Angeles, AES athlete Jennifer Reither scored an excellent 5th place in the Madison with her partner Kate Wilson, despite a serious crash that still has her off the bike.  You can read more about the event here.

Chris Peariso continued his excellent build towards Chequamegon with a decisive win this weekend at the Copper Harbor Fat Tire Festival.  His wife Michelle took the Women's race as well, making it a great weekend for them.  Read more about it in the local paper right here.

The last few weeks have been great ones for Aeolus Endurance Sport athletes.  The results have been coming in fast in a variety of events and disciplines.  Here is the latest:

At the OBRA Criterium Championships, Flo Liebowitz rode to a solid win in the Women's 50+ category, accomplishing her main season goal.  Congratulations, champ!

Shawn Tevendale also hit his "A" race right on the head with a win in the Pro Solo class at the 18 Hours-Scout's Honor endurance MTB race in Virginia.

Jenn Reither's fast legs are coming back around just in time for the Gateway Cup with a solid 5th at the San Clemente Criterium.

Starla Teddergreen, visiting Portland from San Francisco, tried her hand at PIR on Monday night and came back with a win, as well as the cover photo at Oregon Cycling Action.

Cyclocross season is right around the corner, so stay tuned for more great results!