W.O.R.D. — first impressions of America

AMERICA, the land of the free… and big utes, big meals, big people and some epic riding (eventually)!

For those of you that haven’t kept up to date, we’re a group of two guys and a girl from Wellington on a moutain biking adventure in the Southwest of America. We’re a bit slow off the mark, and have spent the first week getting sorted and hanging out with Ash’s folks in Arizona. Park permits have been requested, picked up the Ranger’s new bike that’s been built up by the awesome guys at

Slippery Pig

, bought Hamish’s new bike and done some mad bulk food buying. (A litre of peanut butter for $4….brilliant!)

Other days have been spent checking out American shops and spending way too much money. We have had our little New Zealand minds blown at the size of all the shops and just how cheap it is here. We did enter our first race, a one hour checkpoint running race in the blistering 40 degree Arizona sunshine that ended with $4000 in spot prizes being given away. Free to enter and a free beer at the end….bring it to New Zealand!

And no trip to Phoenix would be complete without a ‘hike’ (that’s what they say over here) up Camelback mountian (okay, think Mt. KauKau). With temperatures nearing 42 in the middle of the day, we opted for a 5am start (a breezy 35 degrees in the shade).

Saving the best for last, Ash got to play girl for a day and hang out with her ‘mom’ getting perfect skin and nails for mountain biking.  It was ‘bring a tourist to work day’ for Vince (Ash’s dad), so Hamish and Steve got to go to the Phoenix Police gun range and shoot guns (how manly).

 We’re being sent out in style with a family pool party, whoop whoop.

Next stop

– Sedona for the first bit of riding with our good friends at

Over the Edge Sports

.

This is going to be good…WORD.

-Ash, the Ranger, and Hamish