2020 - What's on the plan?

It's been a bit since I last posted.  Not that there's been nothing going on, just that I've fallen off the writing.  Although I am not generally one to make New Year Resolutions, I did decide that this year I should give my blog a re-birth. 

Looking forward to the coming year, I do have some cool stuff planned.  Here's a quick overview.

In late February, I'll be flying to Kansas City, Mo to pick up my new VanDOit LIV (@vandoitco) camper van. I'm pretty stoked about that and it will facilitate a number of activities that I also have planned.  

The next event that is planned is the Smoky Mountain Relay in April.  This will be the 7th time that we've fielded a Blue Ridge Bootleggers team.  It will be the 6th time I've run this relay.  It will be the first time I'm participating as part of a 12 person team since 2015.  Every other time it was as part of an Ultra Team - the 2019 Ultra team was only 4 of us!  THAT WAS FUN!!!!  The one event I missed was 2017 when I was recovering from a serious injury that resulted in partial amputation of my left foot. 

One of the cool things about the 2020 Blue Ridge Bootleggers team is that we'll be able to use my new VanDOit as one of the team vans!!  Super stoked!

The next big event is the Wild Rogue Relay in June.  I did this relay in 2019 with @flowersofmoss and some peeps she knows out there.  Southern central Oregon is very beautiful and the relay was excellent.  I'll be driving out there, so my VanDOit will be one of the team vans. 

A couple of days after that I'll be picking up my brother Jeff and my buddy Ed.  We'll ride the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder.  The event is 5 point to point days of riding that circles back around to the same start point on the last day.  It is gravel roads through the Sisters area of Central Oregon.  A VERY beautiful area!  Technically, Jeff is coming out to drive my van each day while Ed and I do the riding.  This should be amazing!

After that, I'll be heading back home but at a much more leisurely pace.  I'll have my inflatable paddleboard with me so I've planned campsites at lakes along the way so I can enjoy some SUP-ing. 

Between these events I am looking for and have signed up for some smaller events which I will use as training events.  Southeast Gravel has a few rides here in the Carolinas which should be fun, besides opportunities to get out with my buddies. 

That covers the big events leading into mid-year.  I'll hold on commentary for the last half of 2020 for a bit. I do have some BIG things in the works though...