Day 17: Battle Mountain, NV

Al'n'Alice Krause got here on Friday and co-opted many of the Dutch PSOs to help out with all the heavy lifting and so forth; consequently there has been naff all to do here today except loaf around and take a few photos.

I posted yesterday's Diary entry fairly early and a bit went on afterwards. The first person I met on arrival, fittingly enough, was Georgi Georgiev, busy polishing the Varna Battle Mountain round the back.  Once again no Sam Whittingham this year; he has banged himself up quite badly crashing upright bikes of late, but I understand he probably wouldn't have been in attendance anyway.  The Dutch PSOs have been around for a day or two; the team from the University of Toronto have also set up shop in the Civic Center.  Team Cygnus is here, with new faces Sjaak Bloemberg and Erika (Mrs Jan-Marcel) doing their utmost to keep Thomas and Jan-Marcel in check.  A forlorn hope, I fear.

Georgi Georgiev polishing the Varna Battle Mountain

Hans & Ellen van Vugt arrived about the same time as I did, and who is that familiar shape getting out of a Chevy Tahoe over there?  'tis Mr Woolrich, travelling with BRITISH competitor Al Grace, who is to be riding the Slippery Slug handcycle.  Jonathan, Al and I had dinner together at the Wol¹ Club, following which I spent a pleasant time not drinking with the Krauses, Greg Thomas and Peter Borenstadt (sharing the ex-Gareth Hanks trike Completely Overzealous) and John Jackson.  Well, I was on the tea.  What the rest of them were on I wot not.

Late up - 09:00 - so I only managed to blag a couple of the Super 8's specialty addictive cinnamon sticky things before it was coffee only.  I spent the ensuing period watching Larry Lem, Eric Ware and John Jackson fettling Larry's old machine Beluga, last in action in 2007, for local lass Teagan Patterson to ride.  Teagan is small and powerful, a track racer and college student in Grand Junction, CO.  Update: she has managed to ride the bike without the top on and will be heading out again for more practice in the morning with a view to qualifying on Tuesday.

Teagan Patterson gives Larry Lem the Evil Eye; Eric Ware (F) and John Jackson look on.

Following which I took a stroll over to the Civic Center to poke around and watch the tool-wielding apes at work.

Eta, from the University of Toronto, gets painted on the first day of the event.  Unlike Bluenose last year...

Greg Thomas inspects the various bits of Shiny and Clever on Velox 4

Nothing much happening in the afternoon.  Everyone has vanished to practice or something.  I think Teagan wanted to get to grips with her first experience of a streamliner away from prying eyes and marauding cameras.  I had lunch instead.  Then it was time to watch some more fettling, as Jonathan and Al started to put the Slippery Slug together enough to pass the technical inspection:

Jonathan Woolrich and designer/builder/rider Al Grace winning the fight with Slippery Slug's front wheel.

Slippery Slug ready(ish) to roll.  Cameras are hidden in the nose.

And finally the main event briefing.  These have frequently had an annoying habit of going on until forever, or certainly until well after El Aguila Real - the Mexican restaurant - closes.  This leaves the choice of the Wol Club or the Scottish Restaurant.  Or tea and biscuits.  A Stupid O'clock start tomorrow so I will get an early night.

On dogs: There are dignified dogs.  And then there's Rocky:

1. If you're reading this, Basil, be advised that this Wol business is almost entirely your fault