Greetings from Iraq

[boy in a kilt]

Hey all,

My tour in Iraq is winding down slowly. Definitely on the downhill side now.

Very much looking forward to getting home to Oregon, SGTiger and the kids. They've been holding out well, but by the time I get home, I will have been gone for the better part of 14 months.

Also looking forward to riding bikes again. SGTiger has authorized me to build a Big Dummy. So, Aaron (from ABR in Seattle) and I worked it out and he built it. Last little bit is he's been waiting for Phil Wood to have a production run of rear hubs for disc brakes. That should be waiting for me when I get home, Inshallah.

I have a fixie over here because it's pretty flat where I am. I broke a spoke a couple of weeks ago and since we don't have a bike shop on post anymore (some Iraqis had one for a while, but it closed) so I'm having to scavenge. Problem I'm having is most of the bikes on post here are mountain bikes with 26" wheels. Spokes are too short and the wrong gauge). However, I'm still looking. I know there is one around here somewhere. If I don't scavenge one in another few days, I'm going to take the opposing spoke off along with the ones on the opposite side of the wheel. It's not a strong wheel to begin with but that'll get me through the rest of the time here. Then I'm going to sell it cheap or abandon it here.

I will never again get all worked up about speedbumps. Most of the speedbumps around here are track from old tanks a such. Probably about 6" high and definitely not a smooth transition. Fortunately, they are easy to see at night.

I also have a very different relationship with heat. It was 97 degrees (humidity about the same) when I left Georgia back in July. It was 114 (at 8 am) when I landed in Kuwait but only 4% humidity. Really didn't seem that bad, although the wind does nothing to cool you when it's that hot. It's more like turning the hair dryer on high and pointing it at your face.

I've been assured we've seen days over here in excess of 130 degrees. It's a little worse in the Baghdad area because it's more humid there. It's been in the mid-70's all week and should touch 100 a few times before I left.

What I really want is to ride my bike in the rain. When it rains here, it rains mud and the roads are actually muddier when the rains end.

[salsabike]

Hey! Glad to hear from you.

[Trek420]

Hey there!!!!! Good to hear from you. hmmmm, wondering if any of us here have a spoke to spare? Is the fixie staying there when you come home?

[KnottedYet]

BIAK!!!!!!!!

Hooray! So good to hear from you!

Dude, I saw a picture up somewhere of your Big Dummy at Aaron's. I can't remember if SGTiger posted it here or on Facebook. Nice bike!

That heat sounds awfully tough... we'll save some rain for you, ok?

Meanwhile, can we mail you a spoke or two? How long would it take for something like that to get to you?

[OakLeaf]

Hey, good to hear from you.

Stay safe.

If my first husband's experience in the Air Force in Thailand is any indication, when you come home you will be freezing in 80° weather...

[Wahine]

Good to hear from you!!! I hope to see you sometime when you get back. Take care!!

BTW - I might be able to get a spoke for you. My BF runs a bike shop and I know he ships to other military type places around the globe. If you want to check it out you can reach him via email tom@gvhbikes.com. Tell him I sent you and he'll do what he can.

[Tri Girl]

great to see you around again I'm glad the tour has been "good." I'm sure your homecoming will be amazing!
I hope the time flies until you return stateside. Stay safe, and post a picture of you and your new bike when you get back home!

And thank you for your service!!!

[Biciclista]

wow, your rides sound amazing. Stay safe and come home!
(riding in the rain which is raining mud?!?!?!)

[bmccasland]

Hey BIAK! Glad to hear from you, and things are going as well as can be expected in the Big SandBox. Sounds like they're getting your bike fixed too.

Happy Mardi Gras!

[NbyNW]

Good to hear from you! Hope you have a safe trip home to your family.

[boy in a kilt]

All,

Thanks for the offers on the spoke. I think I have a solution in hand. Someone just bought a new-old bike and said I could scavenge what I wanted off his old bike. I've actually worked on this bike before and, if memory serves, the spokes are one of the few things on that bike worth scavenging.

Yes, it really does rain mud. There is usually enough dust suspended in the air so when it rains, the rain drops mix with the dust and make mud. Also, rain here is usually associated with cold, windy fronts. So, first it gets really dusty, then it gets muddy.

On the plus side, we had some brilliant thunderstorms this winter. When it was really hot this summer we used to have lots of dust devils in a row on the bluff above main post. I met an Iraqi Highway Patrolman who said they refer to August as "Flaming August." Not sure if his interpreter translated the name of the month of Ramadan for us (the word Ramadan implies deprivation and I think burning heat.) However, I think Iraqis also use the Gregorian calendar when it's convenient for them.

I was home on leave back in October. It was averaging about 110 (around 40-45C) when I left Iraq, and was about 60 when I got home. I was a little cold most of the time, but my body seemed to say 'Oh, so this is what you are throwing at me next.'

One of the interesting things here is Iraq isn't all desert. If you get around water, particularly the Tigris or the Euprhates, it's kind of pretty.

This is the looking east across the Euphrates just outside of Hit

And this is roughly the same area, but looking west:


Not surprisingly, it's hard to take a decent shot out the door of a moving chopper with a cheap digital camera. I was trying not to get the door gun in the shot, but the autofocus on my camera kept fixating on it.

[MM_QFC!]

Hi BIAK - great to hear from you and I'm glad that you have found a spoke source close by...will keep you and your wonderful family in my thoughts for a great homecoming soon!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!!! and thank you also to SGT and kiddos for your sacrifice too!
Mary