There's a frickin' birds nest on your anchor

I am pretty sure it has been said in just about every piece of reading I have done that you need to alow yourself enough time to acclimatize to your new surroundings. Yes, we train in all conditions and prepare ourselves mentally for every immaginable scenario on race day, but there is something to be said for having intimate knowledge of the race course and conditions. I am certain this what they often refer to in sports as "the home field advantage." Now, this is not going to help me win the race... hell a jet ski, a Ducati and a special pair of magic shoes from Mercury himself wouldn't help me win this race.... but that's soooooo not why I am here. It is just nice to swim the route and run about and get used to being here amongst all the other athletes.

So Welcome to Penticton! - Part II

My day started at the seeming wee hours of the morning as I did my best to get up before the crack of dawn at 6:30.... now that was the easy part, as 6:30 felt like a sleep-in, seeing that my biological clock was still on Manitoba time.... but not for long.

I made my way to the kitchen window to see what kind of day it was going to be and there across the yard was this huge Buck eating away on the lower Spartan apples on one of my parents trees. I opened the door to get a shot for all you readers hungry for all the best of my day. Very reminiscent of one of my 1st blog postings.

Before my 1st cup of coffee, my mornings are all such a blur.

So my swim goal today was to truly get to know the course.... well at least the first turn of the swim course. I was looking for this bad buoy.... get it.... bad Buoy....... (I slay me!)

Up close and personal not to hard to miss. But from the infamous "Peach," it was like finding a needle in a haystack, but without too much effort and before I took my glasses off, my Dad and I were able to spot it out in the shallows some 1600 metres away as you can see from the course map below.

My route would take me out of the well protected and well marked safe zone that is the swim area at Okanagan Beach. So to keep the crazy Jet Ski renters far away from me (see below), I had my Dad shadow me in the boat...... but you already guessed that didn't you... you clever little reader... either that or you were asking yourself, how did Tri-Guy manage to take all these excellent shots. Like I said, I will go to great lengths to keep my one reader coming back..........as for the crazy Jet-Ski renters... well let's let this photo speak for itself.

I was on the beach when I was out for the Osoyoos Half Iron watching these two idiots and I had just turned over to Lori and said... something is going to happen out there and WHACK! I took this photo seconds after. One idiot is still in the water and the other one was thrown into the next postal code.... see ya later goofball.

Back to our regularly scheduled program....

I doubt there will be a morning now until the race that I don't run into other triathletes at the beach. Some head over to Skaha to train, but as I mentioned above, I like to train in the conditions. The Okanagan lake can blow up fairly quickly, but if you are out early enough, it is like glass.

Although it didn't feel like it, apparently I was swimming up hill.

I hit the marker and then the wind started to get things a bit wavy, but nothing we aluminum men can't handle.

In fact, it looks a little stormy towards Kelowna... of course everyone knows they get all the crap weather anyway.

Here I am cruising by one of Penticton's enduring landmarks.... the S.S. Sicamous - the paddle-wheel queen.

So, my Mom, being the jealous type that she is, wanted to get in on the action. If Dad can drive the boat to help out on my Iron-Journey, she can accompany me on her bike. In fact she went one more and trumped Dad by getting her photo on the blog.

Two looneys in search of a bin.

So instead of running the same old marathon route today, (don't worry I will be doing a Tickle-berry's run soon enough), My Mom suggested I try out the route she loves and head down the old Kettle Valley Railway bed towards O.K. Falls on the West side of Skaha lake.

Connect the dots and you could win our next big prize.... oh... wait a minute... I already did it for you. I guess I am the winner! WOOOOOO HOOOO! You hear that Mom... I am a winner!

Any way....... we headed out and did a 7 mile loop. Well, actually, my Mom decided to add on Kaleden. So the plan was that she would go out to Kaleden, turn around, and hurry back and catch up with me. The hell with that. At the turnaround I kicked into gear and made for the up tempo. I dropped a gear, added: the jet pack, magic shoes and Helicopter helmet whilst heading for the finish with the intent of a horse that knows it is retuning to a nice cozy stable and fresh apples. There was no way she was going to catch up with me.....

It almost looks flat... well along the lake at least.

Down around the corner, half a mile from here

see them both feet run and you watch them dissapear

(Only Colin and Rob will get that.... but neither of them read this blog.... oh well.)

So As I watched my HR soar, I had to make sure this was not all for nothing. I made it back to the truck with about 5 minutes to spare as she confesses to me that she was doing 60 pedal stroke sprints to try and ruin my day......

Ride, ride as fast as you can

You'll never catch me,

I am the Rocket Man.

All in all an excellent first day of my Taper. We ended the evening with dinner on my parents boat. As Dad was making sure the boat was all safe back in its slip, I wandered the various berths looking at boats with my Mom.

How can you tell that a boat hasn't been used by its owners in a while....

Why that's easy.... there's a frickin' birds nest on your anchor.

Peace out!