My coworker gets back from NZ tomorrow so it's back to three days a week. This couldn't come sooner as I've been feeling run down and training is starting to suffer. I work until May and then it's full time focus on riding. A good thing too with all the trips planned for this year.

Source: Bike Tales & Other Stuff: Kika\'s Blog

"I compiled this list of songs as my favourite list of warm up songs for the crew at CharityMix.com," wrote Fionn in her fionngriffiths.com blog, "I never realised this before, but have a read through all the song titles in the list below and see if you notice how relevant all of these songs are to the race run I am warming up for!"

You can purchase Fee's Warm-Up Mix and help out some great causes at the same time at: charitymix.com

Paul Oakenfold: You're Not Alone
Sarah McLaughlin: Delirium
Paul Oakenfold: Faster Kill Pussycat
Lee Cabrera: Shake It (Move a Little Closer)
Paul Oakenfold: Hypnotised
Love Inc: Broken Bones
Paul Oakenfold: Time of Your Life
Prodigy: Breathe
Nelly: Number 1
Orbital: Spin Spin Sugar
BodyRockers: I like the way you move
New Order: Confusion
Stereophonics: Superman
Paul Oakenfold: Ready Steady Go

Back on the plane! Had an awesome last show today, everything clicked, my riding, announcing, and the audience; great way to finish the weekend! Thanks to both my sponsors Norco Bikes and Shimano Components who had booths beside me for all their help!

I had a chance to watch some bmx flatlanding today (on the flat ground spinning and twisting with the bike), these riders are true artists. Got me thinking about art, and how these days anyone can claim to be an artists, especially with modern art. You just need to slap some paint on canvas, use your awesome marketing skills, and be super social by mingling with the right people, and boom, you’re a sought after artist.

Not with flatlanding! Like art back in the day, when you had to apprentice for 10 years, full time, before you could even display something. With flatland, it’s similar, you have to put in your practice, more than you can imagine (I tried for a while!) no faking it!! The commitment and patience it takes to dial in these fluid flatland runs is incredible. Beautiful artwork in motion. Props.

Anyway, now I’m going to talk about planes again. On the flight from Van to ...well Ottawa, I had the very back row seat. No reclining, and a lot of flushing sounds. Now on my way home from Toronto to, well hopefully Van, I’m sitting in the very front row, kinda funny! No seat in front of you to put your feet under, so you can’t really stretch out. No seat back tray either, it’s an ‘in arm’ tray that folds out and sits at about a 15 degree angle to one side making typing this a little bit of a challenge!

So I pick up a new tow vehicle tomorrow. My VW Touareg is gone, and I’m getting a Chev Silverado Diesel pick up truck. I did a lot of research to find out which vehicle would be the most efficient and stable for towing. This seemed to be the one. Diesel engines actually emit approx. 30% less CO2 than an equivalently gas powered rig, this being the most harmful greenhouse gas. Don’t get me started on plane emission, it’s bad news.

I’ve got another corporate gig next week for the Young Presidents Organisation, then I’m off to Seattle next weekend for their Bike Expo.

Hope everyone has a fabulous week!!!
Peace,
Ryan

Source: ryanleech.com

So my travel saga continued, but as I write this, all is good!!!

Got to the airport in Ottawa plenty early for a 10 am departure. Actually sat down in the plane at about 12:15. Took off at about 3:30. Part way through the short flight, I see a bright flash and the loudest explosion ever. Either we broke the sound barrier or something very wrong just happened! The flight attendant walked down the aisle and I stared at his eyes to see if I could see any fear. I figured we'd blown an engine or something. Couple minutes later the pilot came on and said that due to the stormy weather we'd experienced a 'static discharge', or in other words, I think we were hit by lightening.

That was a first for me, what wasn't a first was having my baggage lost. Yup. The whole plane ride I was thinking that I'll probably be able to perform at least my last scheduled show for Friday evening. But with no bike and no clothes I was out of luck. Just signed some posters instead.

Then at around 10:45 that night in the hotel room, I got a phone call from some random dude named Andrew telling me he was looking at my bike box at the airport. He'd dialed the number on the tag because he was a biking fan!!! This guy took the bike home, and delivered it to the show the next morning for me!!! Thanks buddy!!!

So I was all set, well almost all set thanks to my friend Andrew! I of course still didn't have any clothes. So I felt like a bmx'er doing my first show in jeans! My jersey was borrowed, and since it was too small, I felt like a roadie. Then since I didn't have my wireless mike (in my luggage), I felt disconected. So it was a weird day of shows for me, no announcing, show times were the same time as the biker cross right next to me, and well, it was just odd.

So back at the hotel room tonight, hung out for a while, ordered some food, dialed air canada to find out where my bag was when I noticed something I'd walked past a few times since I got back to the room, it was my bag. Sitting there with a smile. Clean underwear, a toothbrush, a fresh shirt!!! Awesome!!

So I'm looking forward to a couple good shows tomorrow!!!

I’m currently trying to get to Toronto for the International Bike Show. Not having much luck though. After a 2 1/2 hour delay in the plane before taking off in Vancouver, we have just been informed that the snow conditions are so bad in Toronto that we’ve been diverted to Ottawa!! So much for setting up for my show today!

I had a great week though, had three Trials of Life school presentations around the Vancouver area, they all went really well! Combined with some local and national media coverage this week on my presentation, it gives me a lot of excitement and momentum for my Canadian tour coming up later this spring.

Just had the number 3000 opt in subscriber to my web site newsletter, thanks everyone for signing up!! I enjoy sharing my adventures and stories!!

...Sitting in a hotel room in Ottawa now, managed to get a flight to Toronto in the morning, but with 20-30 cm of snow expected here overnight, things might be a bit dicey once again!

Source: ryanleech.com