Cool trip!

I'm a roadie myself but I've got an ancient, very heavy mountain bike which I keep for those special occasions when I feel the need to cake myself in mud. I'm not very efficiant but easy, flatish single track with some good puddles is excellent.

Like the sound of the course your going on - as far as I know there isn't really anything available like that in where I live. Should be excellent fun.

By the way - I also spent the week in my living room pracitsing getting out of my pedals when I got my bike. I still did a spectacular slow-motion fall when I approached a set of red traffic lights and laughed so much I couldn't get up!