Wednesday News and Views

Did I ever mention that I got to ride this bike off road and that it rules!

Look for this frame to become available next spring and then watch it become one of the top XC 29"er hardtails of '07.

Yes......it's that good!

I just completed a review on the F-29 Cannondale Caffeine hardtail for Twenty Nine Inches which details my thoughts on that hardtail 29"er. Go read the review. I will only say here that it is a very different hardtail than most that I have had the pleasure to ride and it's definitely not a "me too" design. It's got a very different personality which may or may not appeal to you. I think it's a smart decision on Cannondales part because it definitely sets their bike apart from the "crowd", if you can call the geared only 29"er hardtail market a crowd.

The post card idea for entry to Trans Iowa is really a blast! (I like getting mail, by the way) The amount of effort and thought going into some of these cards is getting some play on mtbr.com's Endurance Forum. Check it out. Can anybody top Dr. Gary Cale's card? I don't know......it's the front runner right now! (By the way, check out the "advertisement" on his blog. Hilarious!)

Speaking of the subject of Dr. Gary Cale's advertisement, I noticed that the long distance running Dallas Sigurdur has mentioned that a certain somebody might be along for the ride if he makes the roster for Trans Iowa V3. veddy een-tahresteenk! (Don't forget! The cutoff for post card mail ins to get in the lottery drawing for T.I.V3 is December 15th!)

Mr. 24 leaves again on a jet plane today for sunny Southern California. His mission is a secret.......for now! I suspect there will be a "big announcement" coming soon and that his current status in life will forever be changed. Lookin' forward to see what happens and hoping for good things! We'll see come this weekend, I'm thinking!

The Twenty Nine Inches 29"er Festival idea is set for June 23rd and 24th, (I do not have an '07 calendar to verify that, but I believe that's a Saturday-Sunday date) At any rate, things are moving along quite well concerning the event. It looks as though we'll have some major demo bike action from the likes of Fisher, Salsa, Raleigh, the Badger Dorothy (or two!), and a as yet un-named new 29"er manufacturer that will be showing some proto-types. We will be raffling off chances to win a Raleigh 29"er and some other goodies, so stay tuned!

Okay, that's all for today folks! Back to work!