A good reason to come ride with me today
GeoTagged, [N39.24875, E106.29456]
The good folks at Garmin-Slipstream had two big boxes of their branded Camelbak Podium bottles waiting for me here when I got to the hotel yesterday.
These are by far my favorite kinds of bottles, and the only kind I use anymore.
I plan to give these away to folks who come ride with Kenny, Dug, Rick, Gary and me at Turquoise Lake at 1:00pm today.
It will be a casual, mellow-paced mountain bike ride on beautiful lakeside singletrack.
Plus, it’s a good idea to get in a short ride the day before the race.
At this point I believe I have been so convincing that I can no longer imagine anyone NOT joining us for this ride.
See you there!
Comment by Weiland | 08.14.2009 | 7:17 am
Water fight!
Comment by Miles Archer | 08.14.2009 | 7:20 am
I’m not coming!
Because it’s 1200 miles away. Sorry.
Comment by Born 4 Lycra | 08.14.2009 | 7:21 am
If I leave now can you wait until Tuesday. No – okay you better start without me then.
Comment by Jeff | 08.14.2009 | 7:23 am
I’d love to ride…if I weren’t on the East Coast and if I weren’t convinced that the altitude in Leadville would darn near kill me.
Comment by steventoby | 08.14.2009 | 7:24 am
SWEET! Too bad I’m on the other side of the country.
Comment by Lana | 08.14.2009 | 7:31 am
I got two (and gave one away) from the 100 miles of nowhere and LOVE those bottles!
Too bad I have this whole job thing in the way of me and Leadville (and the fact that I am a flat lander from the Midwest)
Comment by Fuzzy | 08.14.2009 | 7:33 am
What steventoby said, but the Atlantic is also in the way!
Have a great few days at leadville Fatty!
p.s. Thanks for the offer of a Garmin bottle- I managed to ‘acquire’ one from the Garmin team workshop truck in Monaco on 3rd July :-)
Luv ‘n Stuff
Fuzzy from the UK
Comment by Dustin | 08.14.2009 | 7:45 am
I soooo wish I could be there but I’m stuck at work in FL. I’m posting this from a meeting!
Comment by Fodder | 08.14.2009 | 7:45 am
I love those bottles too, but don’t we hate Garmin-Slipstream for chasing down George and keeping him from the yellow jersey?
Comment by Scoty in Salida | 08.14.2009 | 7:47 am
I’ll hopefully see you on Harrison before. If not, I’ll be dam’d.
Comment by chiggins | 08.14.2009 | 7:50 am
I’m sorry, but I cannot resist the allure of spending the day under florescent lights looking at little screens while the union protesters downstairs beat out a march on empty five-gallon buckets. Damn this glamorous office life!
don’t we hate Garmin-Slipstream for chasing down George…
Isn’t that offset by the fact that they’re associated with the sweet, sweet burritos?
Comment by Danielle | 08.14.2009 | 7:53 am
If I would’t live far, far away in the Netherlands I wouldn’t even let my total lack of mountainbiking experience hold me back ;).
Comment by BikecopVT | 08.14.2009 | 7:53 am
They are great bottles, I have several. Anybody tried the chill version yet? Fatty, you are starting to live up to the reputation of another fat man. He usually wears red though…not black and pink. Rock Leadville tomorrow.
Fight Like Susan!
LiveStrong
Comment by Vito | 08.14.2009 | 7:54 am
I would love to be there. Hopefully next year :)
Have an enjoyable ride this afternoon and best of luck to you tomorrow.
Comment by Tubenerd | 08.14.2009 | 7:57 am
Stuck in Nashville with a summer cold. Just wish I could breathe that air.
Comment by steventoby | 08.14.2009 | 8:06 am
Hey BikeCopVT
I too have numerous Podium Bottles, and two Chill Jackets! Love ‘em! They do a good job in the Kentucky summer heat and humidity. We finally browbeat the local shop owner into stocking them!
Comment by Peter | 08.14.2009 | 8:06 am
I’d love to come up from Denver to ride with all of you today. But, I’ll have to wait until Austin to ride with you. You ARE coming to Austin, right?!?
Have a great time, and I hope you come in under 9hrs. The only thing that frightening picture of you is missing is a huge silver belt buckle!
Comment by akaKathy | 08.14.2009 | 8:08 am
DANG IT! I’m stuck in Dallas, at work, while you’re riding… no fair!
Comment by steventoby | 08.14.2009 | 8:11 am
Sorry, can’t help myself. Here’s me climbing Clingmans Dome Tuesday. Notice the two Podium Bottles on my bike!
Comment by kimbrolio | 08.14.2009 | 8:15 am
That sounds like so much fun. And those bottles are greatness!
On another note, your email must be down since I haven’t received notification that I won that Orbea yet. You can just reply back to this comment and let me know when to expect it! ;-)
Comment by kiwi | 08.14.2009 | 8:31 am
O I wish….dam living in Chicago!
Have a great ride!
Kiwi
Comment by steventoby | 08.14.2009 | 8:44 am
Sorry kimbrolio, the Orbea is destined to be mine! I’m already making room in the garage to add another steed to the stable. I’m just playing it cool because I know Fatty is too busy with Leadville to send me my winning email notification.
My photo link didn’t work. So sad. Too bad.
Comment by annainaspen | 08.14.2009 | 9:08 am
I would love to go but I have to work. The sad thing is I’m not that far away from Leadville. :-(
Have a great ride!
FIGHT LIKE SUSAN!
Comment by nrbp | 08.14.2009 | 10:38 am
Oh I wish! My (6 year old) son put one of those bottles on his Christmas list–it’s never too early, apparently–because “I love argyle and I love watching bike racing”.
Have fun!
Comment by Kathleen@ForgingAhead | 08.14.2009 | 11:11 am
Elden, you are breaking my heart. Not only am I missing out on meeting you and the core team in person. And a great ride. Now I’m missing one of these sweet water bottles.
Charisa told me she lost one of these exact bottles on a ride and found it a week later – the must be super duper to elicit that kind of dedication!
Comment by Michael K | 08.14.2009 | 12:13 pm
I received two of these bottles in my 100 Miles of Nowhere care package and I absolutely love them. Not only are they the only bottles I ride with anymore, they’re the bottles I carry around all day at work and at home! They’re nearly leak-proof, and because bacteria has a tough time getting in–your mouth is physically separated from the valve–the bottles tend not to get skunky.
Only thing I’ve noticed is that they’ll make a faint squeaking, sucking sound if they don’t repressurize completely after you squeeze them. Driving to Vegas last month, I heard the noise and had to pull over north of Barstow to pop the hood and investigate, thinking it was something to do with the car.
Apart from that little gripe, though, these bottles are straight aces. They even match my bike-knicks-argyle-socks combo.
Comment by Haven (used to be Kt) | 08.14.2009 | 12:31 pm
Stupid job. And stupid me, I fear mountain biking. Looks like I’ll have to pony up some dollars and purchase some instead of waiting for Fatty to show up in the Willamette Valley with his bag o’ goodies. :)
Good luck!!!!
Comment by iammykl | 08.14.2009 | 1:17 pm
Ah, the Colorado heights! Fill those bottles, Fatty, you’re gonna be thirsty tomorrow. I’ll be reading your updates. Ride fast and ride strong!
Comment by Mike Roadie | 08.14.2009 | 1:31 pm
I have two Podium Chill Jacket bottles…..awesome!
FLS
Comment by Amber | 08.14.2009 | 1:39 pm
Even if I could ride…I would reject a Garmin/ Slipstream bottle.
Comment by EvilCyclist | 08.14.2009 | 2:00 pm
Its like you’ve all turned into Stepford Wives for Garmin/Slipsteream bottles…arrgh!!! Except Amber.
-Evil C.
Comment by Jamieson | 08.14.2009 | 2:07 pm
Bring some with you to Philadelphia for the riders of Team Fatty!
Good luck tomorrow, will be trying to get as many updates as possible from the road.
Comment by Julie | 08.14.2009 | 2:38 pm
Yeah, sorry, can’t get down with any Garmin stuff just yet…they need to redeem themselves for George.
Comment by Jenni Laurita | 08.14.2009 | 3:09 pm
Feel free to bring any extra to Philly! (;o)
Oh, except I think I’m holding a grudge against Garmin.
Comment by Philly Jen | 08.14.2009 | 4:06 pm
I second (third? fourth) the praise for the Chill Jackets. While I prefer the exterior appearance and [*cough-cough*, sorry, gonna say the "C" word now] colorways of the Polar bottles, I hate the fact that the Polar interiors have dozens of dimples that are easy to grow lab experiments in but difficult to clean once said experiments take hold.
I put a Chill Jacket in the freezer last weekend and took it out, frozen solid, at about 4:00am. When I got around to drinking from it at about 8:45am, I got a very nice, very cold stream of water.
Camelback, if you’re reading this: please, pretty-please, do away with the butt-ugly diagonal design elements that are imprinted on the Chill Jacket exteriors. Uh, 1992 called, and they want their “futuristic graphics” back.
Comment by Powerful Pete | 08.14.2009 | 7:54 pm
Not fair. Just because I live in Rome Italy and have never mountain-biked in my life. I guess I am a safe invite – the guy who you can ask to come over, just because you know he will never show!
;-)
Have a nice ride…