I just got off the phone with Chris Van Dine who just got back from 5 weeks of racing in South America. He has a killer blog about his trip here:
http://www.cannondalecommunity.com/the-cut-riders/chrisv/
If you don't know the Van Dine clan, Old Man Galen pretty much started mountain biking in Jim Thorpe in the 80s, and his son's are legends as well. Galen has been staying and riding in Salt Lake with Nick and Doc from Brooklyn Machine Works for the winter -- left with a backpack and a wad of cash. Last I talked he and Nick were heading off to Moab to rent motos. I wonder if he'll ever come back east?...