humor from the relay

Each HTC team is required to have two vans to ferry six members each between transition areas. Many of the teams decorate their vans with magnetic posters, washable window paint and other items so that team members can find them easily at a transition point. Since each team is required to have a name, most will decorate their vans with their team names or drawings that are somehow related to their team name. Many of the team names, in the spirit of the light hearted nature of the race, are humorous: 'L.O.S.T: Lack of Speed and Talent', the 'Go-Nads' (the winner of last year's best team name contest), 'Physical Fatness,' etc. Here's a photo I took of one team's van (click to see detail). The vaan seems pink at first glance, but the team has actually painted the entire vehicle to match their 'Inky Oinkers' theme.

more HTC

The majesty of Mount Hood was the backdrop for the starting line of the Hood to Coast Relay. Groups of 12 runners were sent off fifteen minutes apart with 1000 registered teams in total. Today's weather was outstanding: 80 degrees and sunny and despite the heat of the summer, there were still snowboarding and skiing camps and clinics being run on the mountain at the Timberline Lodge -- you can see the tips of someone's skis here -- and they continue through the official end of summer.