Norway Day 2

Ole and I picked up the dirt bike early in preparation for the days shoot. The POD was to drive as far as we could, backwards, into the 56 mile course, park the car, hop on the bike, ride to the start and begin filming the course in the proper direction. That would give me a chance to get used to the bike, sample a bit of the course and see how the handlebar camera mount would be best rigged.

So off we go under threatening skies. As you can see from the elevation profile, this is not a casual ride. I find out in a hurry that riding off road is apples and oranges different than riding on. I immediately crash on a steep technical, slippery, rocky, ridiculous, insane, washed-out, glorious descent. Who put that birch tree there anyway? I am thinking that it is going to be a long day if this is only the first 5K.

The course mellows, I relax, the sheep and cows part as I pass and an hour later I get to the start. The fun begins as camera is mounted, GPS linked, breath caught, 90K, here we go.

I feel better about the return and try to compromise the clutch/throttle operation with the stabilization of the Canon. I can see from the viewfinder that it is going to be a serious challenge in post to removed all this unwanted shake, jiggle, vibration, bounce, bump and lens trauma. But we are getting it captured and there are stretches of sun drenched spender that I am confident will inspire upon mastering and debut. I do not crash on the return, powering up the spot of my initial carnage with what I feel is Steve McQueen like aplomb. I am hearing Sheryl Crow and seeing The Great Escape. The engine whines. I somehow am able to hang on. Thank God there is no barbed wire out here (and I am not being chased by Germans). The plan is to film all 56 miles as base, and then go out to the half way point tomorrow, during the Friday test run (some 8,000 riders in addition to Saturday's 15,000), shoot highlight vid and then ride the second half with the vest-cam. Then, come Saturday I will get to the start in Rena and ride all 56 with the vest-cam, most likely it is now looking, in the rain. That will give us three days of filming and we should be able to assemble the entire course as RCV. Worst case scenario, highlights of the above.

Today we are shooting interviews at the expo and of the CompuTrainer Multi-Rider school at which Ole coaches. I hope to get in a run prior to that effort and re-charge and calibrate cameras, cards, batts and gear. The rains are on their way, we need to shoot whenever possible before water and mud make it impossible.

Ole and Maria are superb hosts. Ole's house sits on the hillside overlooking the lake, about a mile from the Olympic Village. I have dined like a king for two days and we have had many discussions on riding, training, CT, MR, RCV, coaching, travel, politics (I can't help it) and all the finer points that encompass and define the quality of life.

They got it goin' on here in Lillehammer. I really like this place.

I think after looking at some of the video, you will too.

Birkebeiner'n elevation profile. Ole and moto guy help load the bike. The half-way point. Dirt, lake, cows and cam. Olympic Village from across the lake.