Hi everyone,

I thought that a personal note on my personal website would be more appropriate than a sterile third person report on what’s going on in my life. So here goes.

2005 is shaping up to be my last season of racing. After sixteen years of pinning numbers on my jersey, I’m going to pass on the $150 USA Cycling license renewal and for the first time in years, spend more time sleeping in my own bed than in some marginal hotel full of millions of unknown microscopic creatures. It’s hard to imagine not racing. Yet I feel ready to be done. I still enjoy training and racing, but I am tired of all the travel. I am tired of the stress that comes with racing. I’m tired of being away from my husband and family. And I really want to get a dog!

But before that happens there is a heck of a lot of racing ahead for the 2005 season. At the end of 2004, I won the U.S. National Championships in both cross-country and short track cross-country. This means I get to wear the stars and stripes jersey at all the races in 2005. So of course I can’t retire just yet. I have signed up for one more year with the Luna Women’s Mountain Bike Team. They have been an amazing organization to race for and I will be honored to finish out my career with them. All of the riders from last year are coming back so we should definitely be in for some crazy adventures! The best thing for me is I won’t be racing in Europe anymore. After more than 40 trips to Europe in my many years of competing, I am ready to stay on this side of the pond. I won’t be racing any of the World Cups or World Championships, and that includes any that may be in North America. My only focus is the Norba National Series and Sea Otter. It is exciting to think that from March 1st to Sept 30th I only have ten weekends of racing. Compared to the 59 races I did in 2004 and the six trips to Europe, 2005 is going to be a welcome relief.

2005 will also see us expanding the Alison Dunlap Adventure Camps. We will be running six camps next year. New developments include a Novice camp in Moab, an Intermediate/Advanced camp in Moab, and a trip in Sun Valley, ID as well as Bryce Canyon, Utah. We are excited to expand to new locations and hope this gives potential participants more options to choose from. For more info please check out our camp website by clicking on the link above.

For now it’s back to riding my bike after taking six weeks of rest and recovery. Our first race is March 5th in Texas. Until then I will be enjoying the Colorado sunshine, eating Thai food with my husband, and going for a ride or two.

Happy Trails!
Alison

Photo by: Rob Karman