dispatches from the new world of work

SSWC06/Stockholm

Great Blue.JPG

This Post will be my last for two weeks. Susan & I & Max & Ben are off for Norway-Sweden tomorrow. After 3 or 4 days of hiking-biking around the fjords of Norway we travel to Stockholm for SSWC06. "What?" you ask. Single Speed World Championship 2006. Yes, a day long single speed bike race over very, very nasty terrain. Both Max and Ben are avid bikers, living in Colorado. "Avid"? Try: Fanatic! Maniacal!

"Single Speed" is exactly what it sounds like. Mountain bikes are re-engineered to reduce them to one speed for this madcap race. They will indeed be among an exclusive set of maniacs. The prior year's champion chooses the location. Max was in last year's race, outside of Harrisburg, PA; he did well, though he was not a top finisher. He figures he has a chance to be among the elite of the elite this year. Ben is pretty close. Both are equally skilled (What else would you expect me to say?); but Max logs more miles than Ben.

It is a true championship—but it also has a great fun component—compared, say, to the "intense" Tour de France!! If you want to check it out, go to http://www.sswc06.com.

Susan's Rule for this trip is The Last Word: "No computer, Tom. No. None. Nada. Zip." So, away I/we go!

(Rowing yesterday. Finally got a half-decent pic of the Great Blue Heron I pass every day.)

Tom Peters posted this on 08/09/06.

Comments

Best wishes to you all for a very, very happy and extremely well-deserved holiday. Enjoy yourselves!

Posted by MarkJF at August 9, 2006 4:19 PM

Have a great time!

Posted by Trevor Gay at August 9, 2006 4:56 PM

Have a brilliant time - we'll just have to cope without you!

Posted by Stephen Spencer at August 9, 2006 5:34 PM

Have a great time! Happy Holidays!!!

Posted by K.Sriram at August 10, 2006 6:19 AM

Have a great trip Tom. If you haven't bbeen there before, check out the Vasa Museum in Stockholm. It is built around a 17th century warship that capsized and sank on her maiden voyage - about 1 mile from where she was built. While the ship itself is absolutely fascinating, the story of abject mismanagement and hubris that lead to her demise is equally fascinating. Enjoy!!

Posted by Andrew Hayden at August 10, 2006 11:52 AM