Mountain X Race
presented by Inov-8

Injured Kirkland Guts Out Relay Run
posted Saturday, July 26, 2008 by Mike Bitton @ 12:31 PM - 0 comments

Jari Kirkland, left, hurt her left hip/lower back in the whitewater yesterday, which made last evening's run a supreme challenge. Crested Butte Women teammate Deanna Blegg, right, backtracked the course a bit to run in with Jari. As the duo approached, supportive fans shouted, "Jari! Jari! Jari!" What a magnificent display of resolve! I'm proud of you, Jari!

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One Seriously Happy Italian
posted by Mike Bitton @ 12:19 PM - 0 comments

Italian team BG Extreme hasn't always been at the front of the pack during the Mountain X Race, but every time I've seen them, they are all smiles. That was the case again last night, when this female member of the team was completing her leg of the team relay run through the town of Morzine.

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Jon Brown of Crested Butte Runs Stairs
posted by Mike Bitton @ 12:09 PM - 0 comments

That's Jon Brown of Crested Butte Men on the right, running stairs in the French Alps town of Morzine. Jon had to work a little harder than he expected this week, after teammates Travis Macy and Bryan "Wick" Wickenhauser struggled with health issues. Both returned to good health yesterday, when I shot this picture.

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Germans Dodge Rock
posted by Mike Bitton @ 11:47 AM - 0 comments

Uh, watch out for the rock! German team Nordic Sports/Salomon did a great job dodging the nasty rocks on the Giffre River yesterday. Not every team fared so well. Many ended up swimming the glacier-fed river, an experience I expect they will never forget!

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How to Make the Migoo TV Edit
posted by Mike Bitton @ 11:26 AM - 1 comments

I don't think they did it on purpose, but Canadian team Urban Athlete/Helly Hansen likely solidified its presence in the final edit of the planned hour-long Migoo TV coverage of the SAAB/Salomon Mountain X Race. While the photographer was out on the rocks in the middle of a waterfall on the Giffre River, the Canadians had a spot of bad luck and rolled their boat. Grimacing for the photographer before swimming is one way to make sure you don't end up on the cutting room floor!

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Pedini-Iret Drops in on Giffre
posted by Mike Bitton @ 10:43 AM - 0 comments

This is a spot on the Giffre River in the French Alps where a whole lot of teams went for a swim. Here, French team Pedini-Iret drops in. They held their line well and stayed upright, at least for the moment. The canyon downstream punished lots of athletes with bumps and bruises.

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Tense Moment as French Team Rides River Rocks
posted by Mike Bitton @ 10:34 AM - 0 comments

Morbid adventure sports photographers grin with glee at photos of things gone horribly wrong, but we weren't cheering when this happened. That's Team 25, Forclum Azibrut, about to be thrown into a massive rock during one of yesterday's paddling sessions. Thankfully, the three men, Lionel Pompei, Gilles Canepa and Thierry Gaudineau, escaped without life-threatening injuries. Downstream from the unexpected swim, they climbed back in the boat, and kept on paddling.

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Crested Beauties Run the Rapids
posted by Mike Bitton @ 10:05 AM - 0 comments

This waterfall-style rapid on the Giffre River caused all kinds of problems for teams on Thursday at the Mountain X Race in France. Here we see the ladies of Salomon/Crested Butte Women shoot the correct line. They all stayed in the boat for this one. But later on, the river dished out some ground and pound on the girls, especially on team captain Jari Kirkland. Sorry Jari!

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Helmet Flowers Add Even More Beauty to Crested Beaties
posted by Mike Bitton @ 9:54 AM - 0 comments

Lisa Lieb, Jari Kirkland and Deanna "Dee" Blegg are having the times of their lives in France. Right before they hopped in an inflatable canoe to paddle the Giffre, they put flowers in their hair. This is how you make beautiful even more beautiful. The smiles illustrate a contentment that was short-lived. Not long after this photo was taken, the girls spent a considerable amount of time swimming instead of paddling the Giffre. Because rocks are tougher than humans, we tend to lose in any rock/human encounters. Jari had the most, resulting in a left hip/lower back injury that has her continuing on in the Mountain X Race in considerable pain.

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Crested Butte Boys Paddle Giffre
posted by Mike Bitton @ 9:48 AM - 0 comments

It's non-stop action for teams here at the Mountain X Race in the French Alps. Here's a shot of American team Salomon/Crested Butte Men as they leave the town of Sixt fer a Cheval for a memorable trip down what locals call "The Gorge." But the locals say it in French, of course.

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Rafting Through Historic Sixt fer a Cheval
posted by Mike Bitton @ 9:25 AM - 0 comments

If Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is a great place to go whitewater rafting in the United States, the French Alps village of Sixt fer a Cheval has to be in the running for the best place in France. The Giffre River runs right through town, and leads to a gorge I'm confident no one who's ever run it could forget. Let's just say, most rafters become swimmers at some point if they choose to run the Giffre.

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The Serene Section of the Giffre River
posted by Mike Bitton @ 9:07 AM - 0 comments

Isn't that just stunning? Whitewater rafting in the French Alps is an entirely different experience than whitewater rafting the Deschutes River in Oregon, which is exactly what I was doing with my family the day before I flew to Europe to cover this race. Our Descutes trip was pretty remote. You couldn't exactly pull over, tie up the raft and order lunch. You sure can on the Giffre River in the French Alps! Would you like Perrier with your crepes, you river rafter you? Oui.

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Ultimate Support Crew
posted Friday, July 25, 2008 by Mike Bitton @ 9:53 AM - 0 comments

The Salomon/Crested Butte Women willingly answer to support crew chief Sarah Odell. That's her on the right, helping Lisa Lieb out of a stubborn life jacket. Odell, a former model who hails from the United Kingdom, was one of the original wonder women of adventure racing. She competed in every Eco Challenge, which sounds like more experience than anyone I know. Sarah's been great about giving me updates on the team, and on the men's Salomon/Crested Butte team as well. She's the woman in the know around here.

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Escargot for Real
posted by Mike Bitton @ 7:53 AM - 0 comments

While waiting for teams to arrive by canoe this morning, I saw this snail scooting across a rock near the river. It's escargot for real!

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One of These Paddlers is Not Having Fun
posted by Mike Bitton @ 7:21 AM - 0 comments

The Crested Butte Women team came paddling down the Arve River this morning, and Captain Jari (pronounced "Yari") Kirkland had a look on her face that I've never seen. Not the usual happy-go-lucky look I've photographed over the years. Not the focused on the situation look I've also captured. This one was more like fear. The girl in the back? She ain't scared of nothin'. At the finish of this first boat section, Jari declared her back-of-the-boat steer woman a champion of heroic proportions. "We were headed into the biggest rapids on the river sideways, and she turned us right around!" Jari declared. That's a good member to have on your team!

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Crested Butte Boys Paddle the Arve
posted by Mike Bitton @ 7:03 AM - 0 comments

American team Salomon Crested Butte Men made their way down the Arve River this morning during the first paddle section of the Mountain X Race. Teams used inflatable canoes for the trip downriver. Some teams went swimming on accident in the glacier-fed river, truly a chilling experience! Not these guys. They stayed in the boat.

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Nike Start Canoe Stage With Swim
posted by Mike Bitton @ 6:38 AM - 0 comments

I didn't see it myself, but I heard from several people that American team Nike began the canoe section this morning with a swim! Shortly after they launched the large red inflatable boat you see on the right, they apparently flipped. Everyone was OK, and reminded I'm sure that water from glacier runoff is quite cold. They looked happily hard at work when I saw them several kilometers downstream from the start.

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Here Come the Leaders!
posted by Mike Bitton @ 6:31 AM - 0 comments

SAAB/Salomon of the United Kingdom continue to lead the Mountain X Race, now in its fifth glorious day in the sunny French Alps. Ben Bardsley, team captain, was here last year and won this race. His two mates, Tom Owens and Andy Symonds, are new to the Mountain X Race, but haven't missed a beat. The team continues to dominate daily, and clearly are the equipe to beat here in France.

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Absolute Proof the French are Argumentative
posted Thursday, July 24, 2008 by Mike Bitton @ 2:22 PM - 0 comments

Driving to Megeve we passed a store with this sign on the front. It was an immense sign, probably 20 feet tall. Need any more proof that the French are argumentative? I think not.

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The Rule of Thirds
posted by Mike Bitton @ 1:28 PM - 0 comments

French team Bioderma were running down from the climb this morning when I captured one of its members with my camera. This is a nice picture, and there are some reasons why. It's not just the scenery, the exposure, or the action. It's a combination of those things, but also, it's the composition. Ever heard of the Rule of Thirds? Imagine two lines from the top to the bottom of the image, and two more from the left to the right, creating an equidistant grid. According to the Rule of Thirds, if you place your subject at the intersection of any of those lines (you should have four!), the photo will have a pleasing appearance. Go ahead and try it yourself. See where the helmet of the Bioderma athlete sits? On the bottom left intersection. I know, sounds like new math, but it works.

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Descending from Climb
posted by Mike Bitton @ 1:01 PM - 2 comments

Teams had this view to hike through today as they descended from the climbing section of the Mountain X Race in the French Alps. See those mountains way off in the distance? They're not a painted backdrop on some Hollywood set. They are the absolute real deal. Go ahead. Have some peak envy. These things only exist in Europe.

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A Tour of French Cheese Factories? Sign me up!
posted by Mike Bitton @ 11:46 AM - 0 comments

Living on the cheap here in France has led me to bread and cheese. The breads I've encountered are pretty standard fare. The best I've had so far was a baguette with dates inside. Yum! Thanks Benjamin! The cheese, though, is anything but standard in my opinion. The cheese is absolutely outstanding. I live in the Pacific Northwest, home to true cheese snobs who won't buy any cheddar unless it's a Baby Loaf of Tillamook Sharp. But the cheese in France? It has brought out an entirely new cheese snob in me. Used to think that Baby Bell stuff from the Happy Cow people was REALLY good cheese. That was so four days ago. Here is a French word I have already memorized: Tomme. There are different kinds of Tomme, but I'm kinda partial to the Tomme de Savoie. I've bought it three times in the past four days, once from a dairy farmer whose home and barn sit at the top of a pass in the French Alps. This morning when we were trying to catch up with teams during the ropes sections of the Mountain X Race, I spotted this map of France, with detailed listings of cheese factories throughout the country. If there is a tour of French cheese factories, sign me up! Long live the cheese snob! Or should I say the snob de fromage?

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Col de la Colombiere
posted by Mike Bitton @ 8:25 AM - 0 comments

Ahh, the Col de la Colombiere, hotspot for Tour de France legend and lore! If you're not a road biker, Google this place and you'll understand what I'm talking about. We had lunch here today, and it was magnificent. Ham and cheese never tasted so good!

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Probably the Best French Road Sign Ever
posted by Mike Bitton @ 8:18 AM - 0 comments

Is it safe to drive on this road? Maybe. Maybe not. Read the sign, silly, the road's viability is uncertain! It doesn't say "rough road." It doesn't say "road closed." It says viability uncertain. And it's probably the best French road sign ever!

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Morning Commute from Thones
posted by Mike Bitton @ 8:09 AM - 0 comments

This was the view Thursday morning as we left Thones, headed for the climbing sections of the Mountain X Race. The architecture here in France continues to blow me away. How can you build a house out of rocks? How can you build a roof out of slate? I'm gonna buy a book about French architecture before I leave.

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Thones for the Night
posted by Mike Bitton @ 8:01 AM - 1 comments

More "view from the hotel room" envy anyone? This is a shot from my hotel room in the town of Thones. These accommodations are quite a bit nicer than I'm used to. And French hotel beds, man, they are luxurious! I could sleep all day if my roommate Pyro didn't wake me up on time every morning.

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More Beautiful French Churches
posted Wednesday, July 23, 2008 by Mike Bitton @ 12:08 PM - 0 comments

Here's a small shrine we saw while waiting for teams to bike through a Col this afternoon. Truly beautiful to me. I joked with the media pool that I must be approaching a mid-life crisis, because I feel so drawn to the many churches I see here in France. Or, my friends countered, maybe you just like things that are really, really old. That could be it.

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Sybelles Merrell Bikes by Barn
posted by Mike Bitton @ 12:00 PM - 0 comments

Here's a shot from the start of today's second bike leg. The actual starting line is at the far end of the barn. This is French team Sybelles Merrell heading out for the afternoon.

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French Village Bike Bath
posted by Mike Bitton @ 11:57 AM - 0 comments

Nothing removes French mud quite as well as French water. Athletes and support crews alike flocked to this water basin in the village of Notre Dame de Bellecombe to clean bikes, bike shoes, socks, and occasionally entire human bodies.

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Bitton's New Backpack
posted by Mike Bitton @ 11:52 AM - 3 comments

I came to France with two bags. One is the three-day rucksack from Mystery Ranch that I recently picked up in Montana. The other is a laptop case. So here I am in the French Alps, with no one-day ruck to haul my bread, water and cheese. That ended today in the village of Notre Dame de Bellecombe. I went into InterSport, met this very helpful woman, Emily Mollier. She sold me a top-quality bag for 15 Euros. I gave her a Checkpoint Zero business card and told her to go see if I write about the backpack.

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And Only Halfway There
posted by Mike Bitton @ 11:48 AM - 0 comments

Team LaFuma - Sport 2000 Vibram of France laid out its mountain biking gear late this morning in a church parking lot in the village of Notre Dame de la Gorge. There were two mountain biking sections today. So when this gear was laid out to dry, it was about to be put right back on for another bike adventure through the French Alps!

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Team 28 Rests at Notre Dame Church
posted by Mike Bitton @ 11:43 AM - 0 comments

Team LaFuma - Sport 2000 Vibram rested today between mountain bike sections in the parking lot of a church. The refuge is in the village of Notre Dame de la Gorge.

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How to Photograph Adventure Races
posted by Mike Bitton @ 11:32 AM - 0 comments

I'm car pooling with a bloke from Leeds, England who goes by the name Pyro. Yes, that kind of Pyro, related to fire. We were walking up a trail today to fetch some mountain biking photos, and Pyro spotted this massive tree that had fallen across the trail. I told him a shot of the bikes from above would look real cool, especially if he used his popup flash to fill in the shadows a bit. He Climbed, he perched, he photographed. The resulting shots are truly unique. Good job, Pyro! Can't wait to see the shots in your gallery!

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Planet XA Breezes Through Bike Section
posted by Mike Bitton @ 11:28 AM - 0 comments

This has got to be one of the most unique mountain biking photos I've made in a while. The light wasn't great, but I figured if I could get lucky enough to catch a three-person team in the sunlight, the shadow and the sunlight, it would make a great shot. I didn't get all three members of French team Planet XA in the shot, but these two will do!

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Horses Momentarily Clog Mountain X Race Bike Route
posted by Mike Bitton @ 11:14 AM - 0 comments

As if there weren't enough challenges facing competitors in the Mountain X Race, horses entered the fray this morning during the first mountain bike section. Several teams nearly collided with the horses, which were ridden by tourists. Let me break down the confusion in this photo. That's Mont Blanc in the back. Tourists on horses on the left. Those on bikes are British team Alpkit, U.S. team Crested Butte (women), and British team Inov-8, the other all-girl team in the mix.

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Must be a French Thing
posted by Mike Bitton @ 11:10 AM - 0 comments

I saw these posters in Les Saise this morning. They look like they are advertising a puppet show. A puppet show? I thought that art had been forever elevated by the Muppet Show! This must be a French thing. The show is tomorrow at 6 p.m. in the Crystal Ballroom.

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This is How We Roll
posted by Mike Bitton @ 11:04 AM - 0 comments

That's a Toyota Corolla, a rental, and it's the way the media are being ferried around during the Mountain X Race in the French Alps. I had a Corolla once. It was nothing like this car. This thing is big, and powerful, and corners real well on the curves of the narrow mountain roads. Our drivers, Benjamin and Fanny, aren't shy about putting the pedal to the metal when it's time to head out.

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The Beauties Bike France
posted by Mike Bitton @ 10:57 AM - 0 comments

Salomon Crested Butte's all-girl team may wish everyone called them by their official team name, but instead, they've become simply "The Beauties." This is how they looked this morning, mountain biking along a rocky road in the French Alps. They're still in a very close race for being the first all-girl team. England's team Inov-8 has traded the coveted first place girl's team with The Beauties several times. That drama is expected to continue to draw attention as the week's events continue.

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Unwell Macy of Crested Butte Goes on Tow
posted by Mike Bitton @ 10:50 AM - 0 comments

It's rare to capture the moment one teammate needs help and takes it, but that's exactly what's going on here. Left to right, you're looking at Travis Macy, Jon Brown and Bryan Wickenhauser. Jon is handing a tow rope to Travis, whose insides have given him fits during the Mountain X Race. "I think I may have gotten Giardia in Montana during Primal Quest," Travis said when I spoke to him later in the day. For the first time ever, he was not the chipper guy I've come to know at adventure races around the world. He was suffering, but not complaining. He is in the care of his teammates, which he's sure will get him through this race.

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The Other Tour de France
posted by Mike Bitton @ 10:43 AM - 0 comments

Who's that at the front of the peloton? It's team Nike/Beaver Creek, that's who! I loved this photo opportunity as it approached my perch. Looked kinda like what we've been seeing on every TV and hearing on every radio since we got here!

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Nike Pedal the Alps
posted by Mike Bitton @ 10:37 AM - 0 comments

This morning I caught a rare glimpse of team Nike as they biked up a mountain. They were a few minutes off the leaders, but weren't sweating it one bit. "How we doin', Mike?" Mike Tobin asked me. I told him they were a few minutes back. "Thanks, Mike," he said, and away they pedaled.

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Orion Health Dot Com Descend from Col
posted by Mike Bitton @ 10:31 AM - 0 comments

New Zealand is home to team Orion Health, racing here in France during the Mountain X Race as orionhealth.com. These are some seriously tough athletes. One of the men injured his ankle rather completely, but did not let it stop him from continuing on with the event. Is he crazy? Is he stubborn? Maybe both? Those are requirements for adventure racing. In this crowd, maybe he's normal.

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Mountain Running Looks Like This
posted by Mike Bitton @ 10:28 AM - 0 comments

A member of French team Raid 74.org makes his way down from Col de la Seigne during the Mountain X Race in the French Alps.

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Salomon Santiveri 2 and Mont Blanc
posted by Mike Bitton @ 10:25 AM - 0 comments

That massive snow-covered peak on the left is Mont Blanc. The lucky bloke running in front of it is a member of team Salomon Santiveri 2, competing in the Mountain X Race in the French Alps.

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Quechua Cpgnie des Alpes 2 Treks off the Col
posted by Mike Bitton @ 10:20 AM - 0 comments

Could you ever get tired running in a place this beautiful? Turns out yes, you can. In this shot, though, French team Quechua Cpgnie des Alpes 2 makes its way down from the Col de la Seigne. Isn't the adventure racing life grand?

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Crested Butte Beauties Trek Down from Col de la Seine
posted by Mike Bitton @ 9:57 AM - 0 comments

The women of team Salomon Crested Butte continue to draw tons of attention here at the Mountain X Race in the French Alps. One of two all-female teams, The Crested Butte Beauties are gunning for a win over rival all-girl team Inov-8. The "girl fight" is evolving as a race within the race, and generating understandable interest. The lady teams have traded the lead a few times already, and both continue to be incredibly strong.

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Strange Alpine Art
posted by Mike Bitton @ 12:23 AM - 0 comments

You see some pretty impressive things hiking in the Alps. Like this combination of green grass, yellow wildflowers, granite scree, glaciers, granite that's not yet scree, and clouds. Mixed in the right proportions, it looks like this.

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Flowery Picnic
posted by Mike Bitton @ 12:21 AM - 0 comments

The Alps are full of hikers. Some are on a day hike for a picnic, others are backpacking through Europe. I caught this picnicking couple on the hike out from Col de la Seigne.

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Scenic Checkpoint
posted by Mike Bitton @ 12:19 AM - 0 comments

This may well be the most scenic adventure racing checkpoint I've ever seen. Those are the Italian Alps in the background. In the foreground, a man with the Mountain X Race organization walked out to greet an athlete to let them check in. The electronic system is similar to the SportTrack system used in the U.S.

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SAAB Biopower Treks
posted by Mike Bitton @ 12:15 AM - 0 comments

Team 6, the Swedes of SAAB Biopower, make their way back into France after hitting the checkpoint at Col de la Seigne on the French/Italian border.

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Crested Butte Boys
posted by Mike Bitton @ 12:12 AM - 0 comments

They're a bit tough to spot, what with the amazing French Alps in the background and all, but those three small spots on the bottom left are in fact the members of Salomon Crested Butte. They told me they are feeling strong and they are enjoying the mountain running day of the Mountain X Race.

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Mont Blanc and Nike/Beaver Creek
posted by Mike Bitton @ 12:06 AM - 0 comments

That's one of the blokes from Nike/Beaver Creek running past Mont Blanc. The yellow jersey he's wearing shows his team ended the day yesterday in first place. Sort of a salute to the Tour de France, which is the only thing you can get on the TV or radio over here right now!

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U.S. Team Nike Blazes Through Alps
posted by Mike Bitton @ 12:02 AM - 0 comments

U.S. adventure racing team Nike isn't slowing down for anything during the Mountain X Race. I saw them this morning at Col de la Seigne. They checked in, and were on their way immediately. Most of what you see in the background is in Italy. The team is running in the direction of France.

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Sybelles Merrell Powers Through Mountain Running
posted Tuesday, July 22, 2008 by Mike Bitton @ 10:30 AM - 0 comments

French team Sybelles Merrell is making quick work of the mountain running sections of the Mountain X Race. Here a member of the team arrives at Col de la Seigne.

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SAAB/Salomon Arives First at Col de la Seigne
posted by Mike Bitton @ 10:19 AM - 0 comments

British team SAAB/Salomon was first to arrive at Col de la Seigne this morning. The team looked in great shape after coming off a glacier section of the day's mountain running. They didn't linger. Moments after the team arrived, they left.

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Welcome to Italy!
posted by Mike Bitton @ 10:14 AM - 2 comments

This is Checkpoint B-6, atop the Col de la Seigne. Everything to the left of this compass rose table is in France. Everything to the right of this table is in Italy. So I guess you could say, I walked to work today. All the way to Italy!

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A Hike in the Sky
posted by Mike Bitton @ 8:03 AM - 0 comments

These are some peaks we hiked past this morning on the way to the pass known as Col de la Seigne. The backpackers carried heavy loads, so were slow going. That was fine by me, as my pace was about half that of the rest of the media in our group!

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French Alps Child Seat
posted by Mike Bitton @ 7:53 AM - 0 comments

Think your kid is too young to enjoy trekking in the Alps? Think again. You can rent burros for your kids, so they can go along with you! I saw this child nuzzling its burro this morning. Later in the day, I saw them again, with one more kid, and their mom. I bet my 5-year-old would have a ball on a burro!

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More Cowbell
posted by Mike Bitton @ 7:49 AM - 0 comments

This morning's hike to Col de la Seigne took us past a dairy operation. Many of the cows had these massive bells around their necks. I kept thinking that if my 13-year-old daughter Ashton were here, she'd make non-stop references to the Saturday Night Live skit that involved Will Ferrell and a cowbell. Missing you, Ashton!

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Whatever Lotta Wants
posted by Mike Bitton @ 7:42 AM - 0 comments

Lotta Richter (that's her on the far left, wearing yellow), is the the kind and gentle force behind the Mountain X Race. She's an amazing woman whose vision of adventure racing keeps teams coming back for more. I made this photo this morning as we were hiking to Col de la Seigne, a high mountain pass to be used as a checkpoint.

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Trekking Tour of Mont Blanc
posted by Mike Bitton @ 7:33 AM - 0 comments

I've read about people who trek through the Alps. This morning, I actually saw them! This group, on the apparently famous "Tour of Mont Blanc," was a few days into what will eventually be nearly two weeks of trekking. Each night they stay in shelters like the one in the photo. Pretty sweet way to hit the trails!

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American Josiah 'Chicken Legs' Middaugh Wins First MXR Run
posted Monday, July 21, 2008 by Mike Bitton @ 11:10 PM - 0 comments

Josiah "Chicken Legs" Middaugh of U.S. team Nike/Beaver Creek surprised many when he was first across the finish line at this evening's trail run. While some attributed Middaugh's win to the fact that some of the leaders missed a right turn, the athlete himself felt no remorse. Instead, he felt pain. "That is the fastest I've ever gained elevation in a trail race," Middaugh said between bites of pasta. "My quads were seizing up, on the verge of full-on cramping." His win, plus the great showing of his teammates, earned the Nike/Beaver Creek bunch the yellow jerseys for tomorrow's mountain running section. Middaugh didn't bask in the victory for long. "Tomorrow's not exactly a rest day," he said.

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Numa Self-Portrait
posted by Mike Bitton @ 10:56 AM - 0 comments

Hey, it's me! I shot this vertical, but the crop was better horizontal. To my right in the red shirt is Travis Macy, teammate of the guy in the shades, which is Bryan Wickenhauser. Macy raced with Merrell/Zanfel Adventure at Primal Quest last month. I blogged about them during PQ, and you can read up on that experience here.

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Wick in Numa
posted by Mike Bitton @ 10:53 AM - 0 comments

That's Bryan Wickenhauser, captain of team Salomon Crested Butte, hanging out in front of the Festival Hall after the pre-race briefing in Bourg Saint Maurice. Don't recognize the stylish shades? You will. Those are Numa Sport Optics, and they're the next big thing.

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Escargot Mail
posted by Mike Bitton @ 10:30 AM - 0 comments

These little mail boxes are everywhere in Bourg Saint Maurice. Guess folks around here still use snail mail. Oh, excuse me, escargot mail.

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A Bouquet for Bourg Saint Maurice
posted by Mike Bitton @ 10:18 AM - 0 comments

This little French Alps town continues to inspire all kinds of silliness in me. Here's a shot of a bunch of flowers, with Bourg's main tourist district below. I think teams are going to miss Bourg when we leave tomorrow morning. I know I sure will!

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Chillin' in Bourg
posted by Mike Bitton @ 10:16 AM - 0 comments

Teams spent much of Monday morning and afternoon hanging around the Hotel Plaza in the middle of downtown Bourg Saint Maurice. That black arch on the right is the start and finish line for today's trail run.

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Loo With a View
posted by Mike Bitton @ 10:08 AM - 0 comments

Woke up this morning and headed to the bathroom to take care of some business, and this was the view. I'm dead serious. This is the view from the bathroom of the hotel I am staying at in France.

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