THE OTTER!!! Sea Otter Bike Festival

Sea Otter wore us out. We're too pooped to write much, but here goes.

Sea Otter is a festival of bikes and we always love the atmosphere...here are a couple of pics from the days there...(so much stuff, so little time)


This bike drew lots of looks...crazy light Cannondale FLASH.







Me (GU...the dog) looking at some cool sliding dropouts on the new SALSA MARIACHI...if I remember right.




















Hardwood bikes...that's cool. All of them were pretty rad. The bike company was RENOVO.












One thing about bike racing is you get to hang out with the world's best without much hassle. Here are two superstars from TEAM LUNA CHIX ...

Georgia Gould...she won the short track and cross-country titles at this years SEA OTTER

Katrina Nash...top 10 in the cross-country (8th)

Its great when they don't mind getting their pictures taken with us.








Yes, this was the first time Chomps and I shared a pack. I don't know why he insists on looking the same way I look. He's kind of a copy-dog.

He needs his nails cut too... (CUB: If he gets his nails cut, so do you)












Here are some future women's stars...ALEXIS and KENDELL RYAN, and their dad (guy in background with helmet on) and Jeff.

New Sleeping Bag...it works!

GU, the Great Chiweenie (DOG)
I love wind! Its one of the best things in the world.

I hate cold! Its one of the worst things in the world.

After a crazy night, with Megan and Cub being a little stressed. It was unusual that Megan was the one barking, and not Chomps or myself. But we were all ready for bed.

I love sleeping in the tent, but the ELEMENT would have to do. Cub wasn't gonna put up the tent in the wind and I think Megan and him like to sleep in the car every once in a while. I noticed right away that Cub got a new sleeping bag...SIERRA DESIGNS ARROW ROCK. Through the night, I got to test it out a bit, but the real test was the next day.

After riding sweep in the girls varsity race, I was pooped and cold. The new bag came in handy. I didn't move for over an hour. It just filled in all those cold pockets that weren't covered by my extra sugar. I would recommend it to any dog that needs a good place to lay his head.


CUB (PERSON)
Our first test of the bag was at Lake Arrowhead for the SOCAL high school mountain bike race #3. The wind was howling and the free camping was desolate. We rode earlier in the day with our team riders and went out to eat. The wind kept blowing while the temperature was dropping. After dinner, I pulled a little to far into the intersection and a car was coming, so I backed up a foot and we heard a honk from behind. I backed into them with my bike rack, but there wasn't a scratch.

Luckily, I kept my mouth shut and just took the verbal abuse from the non-drivers who were far from being sober, in more ways than one. Megan didn't, but luckily we drove away as one said it was okay. Then we were followed by them for a while, so I drove in directions that weren't where we were staying, but near businesses. Finally, they turned around and drove by us again, then went off into the darkness.

Relieved and tired, we pulled into the camping area...one car with a tent behind it and an RV. We tooked stuff out of the car so we could use the HONDA ELEMENT the way it was designed...combine the front and back seat (taking off the headrest) makes into a nice recliner bed. We stuffed the area between the seats and got into out sleeping bags. My new SIERRA DESIGN ARROW ROCK was now my first 3 season bag. I was joined by Chomps, while GU slept with Megan to start.

I slept well in the ELEMENT and ARROW ROCK...the only times I woke were to see if our stuff outside blew away or not. I was toasty warm and noticed the many features of the bag that I would probably never use, but could if needed (you can attach you bag to a sleeping pad so you don't slide off while asleep).

Luckily, the races went better than the night before. After the race was packed up, snow soon followed.

High School Mountain Bike League...Lake Arrowhead

GU, aka THE GREAT CHIWEENIE (dog) Sleeping in the car is always fun. A big protected place to sleep with lots of warm blankets and portable down dens are fantastic. The wind blew all night, but I was comfortably hanging in the den. The next day, the weather started to get better....WIND!!!

Cub and I followed the girls varsity race and the weather was a little chilly, but perfectly windy. I stuck my head out and ears were a floppin'. It was one of the best rides of the year, but I was pooped. Time to get back into the car and check out those portable dens.

CUB (person)
Race #3 for the SOCAL Interscholastic Mountain Bike League. Lake Arrowhead was the destination. The wind was howling the day before and made our idea of sleeping in a tent not as pleasant. So we used our HONDA ELEMENT and its ability to make seats into long bed. We slept the night away. The family was comfortable in the warm blankets and sleeping bags.

Race day was even windier and the cold moisture was coming. Gu and I rode sweep for the girls varsity race. The course was great, but the wind at times felt like it was going to blow you off the hill. It doesn't help when the pup in the pack, GU, acts more like a kite than a missle. He turns toward the wind and those ears flop. He loves it. He must have been the only one. It wore him out, as it did the high schoolers, and he quickily got comfortable in the car.

TAIL OF THE TAPE

PLEASE READ: Watch this video and judge which CHIWEENIE wins the bout. GU, aka "THE GREAT CHIWEENIE", or CHOMPS (pup with collar on). Each dog has a charity they are assigned to for this fight. GOTO http://www.guforit.com and click on TAIL OF THE TAPE and it will take you to a page to vote for your winner. Each VOTE will put 10 cents into the purse. Next MONDAY (April 26th) at NOON Pacific time we will tally the votes and the winner's charity will get 75% and the non-winner's charity will get 25%. The 2 charities are PETFINDER.com and TRIPS FOR KIDS Foundations.

last note: GU and Chomps love to play wrestle with each other so we hope you enjoy! IN NO WAY DO WE ENDORSE DOGFIGHTING...BUT WE DO ENDORSE PLAYTIME FOR ALL YOUNG PUPS (KIDS AND PETS ALIKE). Tell your friends. Tell your friends.

FIGHT FOR ________!!!!

Check this page out on Monday of next week...We will be having a video we need your input on. For every input we get, we donate money to charity!!!

Last CLUE!!! We have 3 correct answers...only 2 more!

THE CONTEST...
Every week we will be putting more of the original picture up with a hint posted below (and this messege). If you know where GU is, you can send an email to thegreatchiweenie@gmail.com or wait til its posted on our website and there will be an answer box for you to put your answer and email address (in case you WIN!!!). We will take the first 5 correct answers and then randomly choose 1 to win. ONLY ONE (1) GUESS PER WEEK PER EMAIL ADDRESS.

PLEASE BE SPECIFIC! I know someone could say GU is on EARTH. And even though that is true, its not specific enough...(there is more than one answer that we will accept for this week)

THIS WEEKS CLUE...

I'm close to another country and North of Mt. St. Helens.

week 3: Whatever is behind me (GU), is considered active.

week 2: March 25, 2010 1:40 pm, the temperature is 33 degrees, with 0 inches of new snow the past 24 hours.

week 1: Cub thinks his grandfather would have been a great _____. Hmm. (remember: Cub is a person and his grandfather is not a chihuaua)

THE PRIZE...
Any one (1) book OR $10 off any product available on website.

GOOD LUCK!

ANOTHER CLUE...WHERE AM I?

THE CONTEST...
Every week we will be putting more of the original picture up with a hint posted below (and this messege). If you know where GU is, you can send an email to thegreatchiweenie@gmail.com or wait til its posted on our website and there will be an answer box for you to put your answer and email address (in case you WIN!!!). We will take the first 5 correct answers and then randomly choose 1 to win. ONLY ONE (1) GUESS PER WEEK PER EMAIL ADDRESS.

PLEASE BE SPECIFIC! I know someone could say GU is on EARTH. And even though that is true, its not specific enough...(there is more than one answer that we will accept for this week)

THIS WEEKS CLUE...

Whatever is behind me (GU), is considered active.

week 2: March 25, 2010 1:40 pm, the temperature is 33 degrees, with 0 inches of new snow the past 24 hours.

week 1: Cub thinks his grandfather would have been a great _____. Hmm. (remember: Cub is a person and his grandfather is not a chihuaua)

THE PRIZE...
Any one (1) book OR $10 off any product available on website.

GOOD LUCK!