Is This A Logo??

Is This A Logo??

Thursday 24 March 2016

Good Friday's Post Thursday

Yeah....a whole day early.  Anyways, nothing too exciting has gone on this week.  Just typical riding/training.  Sometimes solo...





Sometimes, destroying myself type training rides.  Sometimes easy recovery rides taking time to enjoy the local sites...







Sometimes, group training rides trying to keep up to the gifted like Giant, Oggie, Seth, Kyle, MarkR...

However, looking forward to this coming up on Friday...




I have never done it before, but I have heard it is huge fun.  It is actually a ride, and not a timed race.  However, guys like Giant and Oggie don't do anything just for fun; when it comes to bikes they are serious.  They will be fully gunning it at race pace; and if I have any hope to getting the post ride food provided, I will have to do my best to keep up...so I guess I will have to be serious too.  I can you know...here is my serious look...






It's not as good as Blaze's serious face though...




I think FiveFocusLaura has to work on that serious look though...
She could learn from Lois' serious look...







I should know, I see that look often....especially when I tease the cats...




unlucky cat






lucky cat??



Anyways, getting way off track here again...sorry, very bad habit.  So....looking forward to seeing many familiar faces at the Tillsonburn Friday, and it will be great prep for the Steaming Nostril coming up next week, and the Homage to Ice, and P2A all coming up yet before the end of April.

Speaking of actual races....my shiny new green OCA/UCI (whatever the heck it is) license appeared in the mail this week....so I am legal now...and serious.

Sorry, serious....I am throwing around your nickname on this post a lot...

serious being serious on the trail


Actually I think serious has been doing a boat load of indoor training....and secret outdoor training.  He will be a serious force to reckon with this season.  In fact, when he does ride outside for secret training he wears this mask...




His is a little livelier than my riding mask....




Yeah, I know, I'm no better at photography than I am at MTB.  I actually had to wear the mask Wednesday.  I got caught mid ride when the weather shifted suddenly from cool and dry, to ice cold wind and rain.

In case you cannot tell, that mask is the zombie mask that Blaze generously threw my way.  My crappy photog skills make it hard to see...kinda like this...




Don't tell your kids that is the Easter Bunny...and don't tell them this is either....





That would be just mean...

Anyways, we are a little ahead of ourselves, it's not yet Easter.  And I can't use my Easter stuff and leave  myself with nothing for next week, eh.

Anyways, speaking of mean...what's mean is following up a Good Friday 100km gravel grinder with this...

https://www.facebook.com/events/653231291482504/

Yeah, a 65km Group P2A training ride early Easter Saturday morning.  Thanks Giant, for planning and organizing this...I think.  These guys almost killed me last weekend with this ride, so this weekend should be interesting...

Especially with today's nice spring weather...(Freezing rain and snow here currently...)





Anyways, both events this weekend, the Tillsonburn on Friday, and the P2A Training Ride Saturday are open and welcome to all...so come on out and join in the fun.  Even if it is only to see a chubby, old, Metis Riot hurt...and yes, pointing and laughing is OK...then I will know you are a friend.

Whatever you choose to do, and how to celebrate, enjoy a great Easter long weekend!

Stay posted!






Friday 18 March 2016

Write Title He- (SQUIRREL!!!)

So, not a lot to report this time around.  After the epic fail that was Wendigo, I have been hitting the training schedule as much as life, liberty, and Lois will allow....and whatever CoachRob tells me to do.  Unfortunately with the weather we have been getting the last few days, has meant some riding in the rain and wind.  Ah, well....beats golf.

And been riding with the likes of these guys...the experts and elites...just to see how long I can keep up before getting dropped like a nerd at the prom...(yeah that was me...)




And yes....still trying to lean out more...cuz so far, I am still that `before`picture...
Kinda like this...






Anyways...also, this week, BicycleWorksPaul was finally successful in getting an OCA sanctioned BicycleWorks race team...so my license is now applied for...with one difference.


Yeah...in an attempt to avoid serious, BobM, and MikeL, I have upgraded from Sport to Expert.  Now my goals will be to not finish DFL every OCup, and possibly to keep guys like Oggie or Guy in sight.

Of course before the XC MTB season really starts, there are the gravel grinders....and April is packing up with options.  Here is what I have going so far...

March 25 - TillsonBurn 100km
March 26 - PinoyPedalPushers T.O. Centurion
April 3 - Steaming Nostril
April 10 - Almonte Paris Roubaix (Not yet registered...waiting on the LandHams to confirm)
April 16 - Substance Projects Homage to Ice XC Marathon
April 24 - Paris to Ancaster

So, yeah, bit of a packed plate for the next month or so...
Kinda like this...





So I knew I had work to do, but I was warned not to ride on St. Patty`s day...






So, I didn`t...I did one of those trail running days instead...but I`m not sure that was such a good idea either.  Seriously, as I was running down a rocky trail...within a couple of kms from home...a squirrel fell\jumped\flew....I don`t know which....but he literally landed directly on my head!!!

I`m being completely serious!  It scared the bejeezus outta me!!  (and I don`t even know what that is).  As the squirrel scampered off, I was still screaming like a little girl...still not even really sure what just happened...

Anyways, that was enough...FTS...I headed home...especially knowing I was going to have to contend with this later....






Luckily I brought an evil cohort to fend off the demon Blazes...







Or something like that....


Anyways...off track again....and I have a boatload of challenges I need to get ready for...(and now a burned in fear of flying rodents I need counselling for)...

Stay posted!









Friday 11 March 2016

Whipped by the Wendigo (And I don't mean Lois)

Warning up front....may be a little shorter on the ha-has on this post than usual.  Last week was quite the daunting week.  I'm told there is a stinkin flu going around...well I struggled through it last week Tuesday to Thursday.  Yummy...sorry Paul....(apparently I spread it to BicycleWorksPaul...who is just getting over it now after a 5 day stint...but now his bowels are cleansed!)

Friday came, and I wasn't yet 100% but feeling much better...just in time.  As Giant and I loaded up and headed north to the Ottawa valley, for the Wendigo, an Ultra Endurance (90km; 45km out and back on the same trail) Fatbike race, starting out of Cobden, Ontario.


We had Giant's Ford Escape loaded to the gills with all the necessary gear...


I'm sure there is a cat in there somewhere...

Anyways...we overnighted in Pembroke (just north of Cobden)...and woke up Saturday morning (raceday) to this....




Holy Mother of Mercy!!  I don't believe I had ever ridden in temps colder than -15...and that was brutal.  So we layered up like crazy, (actually it was a tough call, it was supposed to warm up drastically in the mid-afternoon, then cool just as drastic late afternoon)...and headed to Cobden...at least the sunrise looked nice along the way...





Sorry, it getting too artsy and emotional....and sorry again, cuz it's gonna get worse...


We get bikes, and gear ready...


Or at least Giant does...while I apparently stand around like a dipstick...
And then we head over for the mandatory gear check.  Mandatory gear, which includes (amongst other things) minimal calories and hydration, a pealess emergency whistle, an emergency bivy bag and sleep pad, multiple blinky lights (to be obvious to snowmobilers), and reflective surfaces...





As we see the other racers getting ready, they have impressive gear and bikes.  They are experienced and hardcore so we know we are in a tough crowd.  Then the prerequisite riders meeting (rules, etiquette, lawyer stuff....blame our lawyer friend Unglued...).  Then a start line photo to commemorate the first ever Wendigo...





And we were off...
The first obstacle started immediately...with an 11km crossing of Muskrat lake.  The route had been 'groomed' with a cross country ski groomer, but the majority of it was soft an squidgy....like riding through 6-10 inches of sugar.  It was, ride for 20 feet then fall or step off....ride for 20 feet then fall or step off...or just get off and run the bike.  An energy sucking nightmare that left the legs depleted and shot 5km into a 90 km race...and when Giant and I eventually (2 hours) did make it to the end of the lake crossing together, our leg muscles were shot.  Giant and I had ridden much of the lake crossing in 2nd and 3rd place, but positions changed continuously as riders looked for more rideable lines...and we came off the lake somewhere in 5th or 6th place.  We took a moment to gather ourselves, and let pressure out of our tires in an effort to get better traction.  We even posed for a pic...




Letting air out to gain traction, which we did repeatedly throughout the day trying to find that magic pressure...



The group crossing the lake...



Me and Giant crossing the lake (another artsy pic....)...




Dave...coming off the lake crossing, still smiling...




Alexis adjusting air pressure on the lake crossing....



BrunoSuperstar (yes selfnamed) struggling at the end of the lake crossing...


Jack, who was in second place for much of the race but had a mechanical that caused a delay, and he eventually finished neck and neck with Alexis for 4th and 5th place...



Greg the eventual race winner....barely...



The running man.  This guy ran the half ultra, 45km (22.5km out and back).  That is some serious shite in these conditions.  And to give you an idea how much we were struggling on our bikes, this guy passed us running on the lake crossing!!




At least there were goats.




Seriously, coming off the lake bed we passed through a farm yard where the goats greeted the riders...



So...finally off the lake, through the farmyard, and onto a twisty mountain farm road.  2km of steep climbing, on already spent legs.  But it was almost pleasant because it was on well packed completely  rideable road...as long as you could keep the legs churning.

Then onto glorious gravel road!!  We hammered!!  Giant and I took turns pulling....passing the running man who was well on his way.  It was so good to actually ride, and to be able to ride fast (well, at least fatbike fast).  But it was shortlived....we were done the short gravel road section in minutes.  Then we turned onto rail trail...for the next 50 kms...mind-numbingly straight flat rail trail.

And while there was the occassional packed section like this...




Most of the rail trail was exactly like the lake crossing.  Soft and sugary.  Ride, slip, step off...ride, slip, step off (or fall)...adjust pressure....continue.  We did manage to pass a couple of riders.  And occasionally we would find a line that was a little more packed by the riders ahead of us....then a skidoo would come along and tear the line apart...and we would start over...

We were both running out of energy quick...but I was depleting faster...and eventually Giant rode away from me.  As the sun rose, so did the temperature...up to -5....and all of the intense effort combined with the slow speed had us sweating buckets in our -20 degree gear.  I drank (had lots of water), and ate....but I was depleting fast.  And I had a pervasive feeling, for the entire day, that I had to  use a washroom (that euphemism for dump)...but I didn't...I was empty.  Must have been a hold-over from the flu days before....but it made a very, very difficult ride even more uncomfortable.

I was struggling.  The riders we had passed earlier passed me back.  Then I was alone...no one ahead...no one behind.  Ride, slip, step off....ride, slip, step off.  Pull over for a skidoo....continue.  Continue.  Continue...for hours.

Then there was Greg...he had been to the halfway checkpoint and was heading back.  "Three km to go to the checkpoint!", he said....trying to encourage me.  But it was the worst, softest, deepest 3 km of the race.  It took me almost an hour to traverse.  There was Jack...chasing Greg down...but he looked beat...and was struggling mightily on the very soft trail.  Then there was Andrew...then Giant.  He stopped to tell me I had about a km to the checkpoint/turnaround.  He was wiped.  He said he was going to hammer as hard as he could to catch as many as he could before he quit.  He was as upset as I was...and unsure as to how much he wanted to continue...but he did.  He took off hard on the gas...to see how far he would get before calling it.

I continued on...met Alexis who said the checkpoint was just minutes ahead...and there it was...finally the checkpoint in sight....over 5 hours into the race.  Dave1 and Rodrigo were just leaving the checkpoint as I refilled my water...and topped up on food.  Perhaps I could find some energy reserves, and catch them, I thought.  I dropped my tire pressure to near nothing (was about 2psi).  I would either flat out, or be able to stay on the trail.  It made staying on the trail easier, but it made for a slower, even more intense push.

There was BrunoSuperstar coming into the checkpoint as I headed out to try to catch Dave1 and Rodrigo.  I never did....but little did I know, that they soon DNF'd....they had had enough.

Then there was Dave2...walking through the sugar.  I told him he was almost to the checkpoint.  He said he was calling it there...he was done.

I continued...but my tank was on fumes.  I had to stop to stretch...and to drink...and to eat.  I didn't have the energy to ride while eating/drinking anymore.  Bruno passed me...I scolded myself repeatedly...I should not have been this wiped.  Yes, conditions were beyond extreme, but my training and nutrition were going well.  I was either having an off day...or still feeling the tail end of the flu...or these conditions were just not my forte...either way...I was bottoming out.

I continued...sometimes riding...sometimes walking....just to keep going and get it over with.  Then the temperature started to drop....fast.  My chemical toe warmers and hand warmers were running out.  I started shivering while sweating....thinking, this can't be good.  Just keep going....keep moving.

Then it started getting dark.  I turned my bar light on...afraid of getting smoked by a tired snowmobiler (the blinkies were required to be on permanently).  As it got colder, and darker, I got even slower...more and more chilled...shivering uncontrollably...and I knew...with 25 km to go....and the cold, windy, dark lake crossing still ahead, the smart thing to do would be to call it.  Lois would kill me if I died out here, or even if I lost limbs...and I realized that out here in the middle of nowhere, that was a distinct possibility.

Disgusted at the naivete, arrogance, and lack of foresight that put me in this position, and literally sick to my stomach at the realization that I was considering quitting, I reached for my phone...and it was gone...my heart hit my throat!!  I couldn't feel it there in my pocket!  It must have fallen out on one of the falls I had in the soft shoulders...   Then as I pulled my hand out of my pocket, there was my phone...floating there in my hand.  What sort of mirage was this?  I pulled the glove off my other hand and grabbed my phone....sure enough...it was real.  Apparently, my fingers of my right hand were so frozen I could not even feel the phone.  Seriously, all tactile and proprioceptive (nice big word use, eh??) senses were gone...

(some guys might be tempted by a numbed hand...'the stranger'....but luckily I don't think that way...)

Anyways....that locked in that quitting, as galling as it was...was the right thing to do.  I called Cameron, the race organizer, and he had a truck come to the next gravel road to meet me...I was done.

Back at the start/finish I jumped in the car that Giant had graciously had warm and running.  It took forever for me to stop shivering...and somewhat warm up.  But what had happened with Giant after we parted on the trail??  He hammered...he passed guys.  As much as he considered quitting, he kept hammering afraid of getting caught in the dark....and he kept going, and passing guys that were spent.  He hit the lake crossing while it was still light, but starting to get dark.  He ended up sprinting Greg to the finish line...coming in second by mere seconds!!!  Seriously!!!  He ended up damn near winning the whole thing!!  You can't help but have so much mad respect for this guys toughness and resilience!!!  He may become as famous as this guy...




Anyways, this story, like this race, is going on way too long.  I didn't finish....but I survived.  And, if nothing else, I learned a lesson.  I am pissed off now.  As much as I said to myself during the race that I would never do this again...I will be back...I will have to beat this thing.  The Wendigo won this time...but I will be back to kick its ass.   I will whip it like a kitten...

So...-20 during this race....come home to +20 temps this week.  What a country!!



That happens sometimes when you get older...

Anyways, if I wasn't ready for the race season before...I am now.  Nothing I have planned...no solo 8 hours, no summer solo 24s, no Ocups, or XC Marathons can be tougher than this was.  Barring mechanical or injury, I will not ever quit a race again!  I'm amping up the training, I will actually rest on rest days.  I will follow the nutrition plan to the letter.  Never again!  Bring it on...I'm ready!  Look out!




Stay posted!!


Fk U Wendigo!

Friday 4 March 2016

Bracing for Wendigo

So I finally did it.  No not buy a Bieber album.  I entered a Fatbike race.  I even participated...sort of.  It was DanOfSubstances fatbike race in Bracebridge....the fourth and last of his 45NRTH/CycleSolutions fatbike race series.  This race was 8 laps of a 4.4km course, for 40 total kms (or if you didn't feel you were a big enough boy, you could elect for a 4 lap/20km option).

So woke up early and made the long trek to Bracebridge with these cool cats...




Burnsy and Al of Fatboy Nation fame....and yes they always look blurry like that...

I may  have freaked a few people out, driving with this on....







Anyways...we got there.  Bracebridge is cold this time of year.....and they actually had snow which made it worthy of an actual fatbike race!  And all the familiar faces (along with the rest of the bodies) were there...which brought back the old race mode feeling.  JeffS, Seth, Giant were all there so I knew there would be little room on the podium for this regular dude.  (That means me...)

I did manage to photo bomb as many pics of fast guys as possible...



And Fatboy Nation was on site...





And ApexRacePhotography was on site to take pics...

So, Dan often adds a unique twist to his race events, and this one was no different.  This race featured a 2.5km ITT at 10:15am.  Your result in the TT resulted in a time bonus based on your placing, that you could use to reduce your time in the actual race proper, that started at noon.  In the TT racers started at 15 second intervals...and so we all lined up....shivering in the cold wind (except for the guy in the short sleeves...what was up with that???)...and when it came to my turn off I went.  Like a rocket...or like a guy slipping in the snow.  Around the first corner of loose snow...into a longish nicely groomed longish downhill...fun.  Then a level right hander through very loose foot deep snow leading into a long series of climbs.  I attempt to power through the snow...GUNK...and sudden drag on the chain/drive train.  I get off to look.  The chain has come off the bottom pulley on the rear derailleur...


As I struggled to get the chain back on track, NewfieSteve passed me, and kicked me over...(OK...he didn't kick me...but I'm sure I heard a chuckle there...).  He started 15 seconds behind me...

I got the chain sorted out....then started up the series of climbs...GUNK...there went the chain again.  Fine...these hills in this very loose snow were not rideable anyways.  Bike on my back...and run up the hills...almost a full km of loose snowy hills.  I could see Steve up ahead...and I was gaining on him...guess the trail running I've been doing was paying off...great.  I see Steve crest the top, get on his bike (I don't think anyone rode the hills), and away he was on the last downhill section...I would never catch him now...Steve loves downhills.  I get to the top...and as I pull the chain out of the derailleur again...I see a flash of red as someone else in a red jersey passes me.  I get on my bike, and into the remainder of the TT which is mostly downhill...and was quite fun...including a fun challenging series of steep down and ups (whoop-de-doos!)...then cruise through the finish with a crap time.  No bonus for me...



I spent some time between the TT and the race trying to figure out the chain/derailleur issue, but really, I am no mechanic....this is almost the extent of my mechanical abilities...





So...some chain lube...a bit of pushing on parts to see if  they would straighten out...and that was it.  Then wait in the truck to try to prevent hypothermia until race time.  Ah well...I was out on my bike...having fun with friends...could have been worse....



Anyways....after waiting in the truck for an hour or so for race time...we gather ourselves together and head to the start again...this time for the race proper.

The race itself, was flatter than the TT....thank goodness.  It had a couple of longish, gradual climbs...and a couple of soft spots that required a little more power, or walking.  Otherwise the rest was twisty flats or long downhills....and the fun whoop-de-doos that were in the TT were also in the race.  If you can figure the map out, this was the course...





Helpful?  Like you were there??  Anyways...bang...start....and off we went.  My hopes were to get through without incident...

Three times...in the first lap.  Three times the chain/derailleur issue.  So, after getting passed by at least 100 people, each one kicking, spitting, and chuckling at me (or maybe it was only Burnsy and NewfieSteve again...laughing...), I decided after the third time I would just ride it out.  It was still rideable off-track like that; it just created a large amount of drag.  Like riding in the tallest gear continuously, or riding with a flat tire, or riding with 10 extra pounds (wait...I'm already doing that this time of year, so make that 20...).  Anyways, I thought if I was careful I could get through it....although now I had so much lost time to make up...

And, so at the end of lap 2, and into lap 3 there was Burnsy just ahead.  Aha!!  I stood up to catch, and make a pass attempt.  And...BOOM.  The drag on the chain was too much...the chain snapped.  I was done.  I ran the bike back to the start to let Dan know I was out.  "Wait!", he says, "The Cycle-Solutions guys can help!"  Cycle-Solutions, one of the primary race sponsors had a pit at the start line.  They got to work repairing my chain...and made several attempts at trying to determine the derailleur issue.  After what seemed like a half hour (but was only 10-15 minutes), we decided that the derailleur thing was more than we could correct under the circumstances...and off I went.  Chain repaired but still not riding right on the the pulley.  So much thanks to Cycle-Solutions!!  I was back in it...although weakened chain and extra drag.

I finished my remaining 6 laps...the chain held and I did push it a few times trying to make up time.  I joked with the martial and her two small children on each lap to make me a hotdog or marshmallow on the small fire they had going.  The whoop-de-doos were fun....the small jumps at at the end of each lap were fun.  I made a few passes trying to make up time...I wiped out making an ass of myself trying to make passes where I shouldn't have a few times.  In the end...I finished.  And that in itself, was the accomplishment.

Congrats to all the fast guys...


JeffS, Giant, Seth...all on the podium.  (Seth killed the TT, but Jeff took him in the race....quite the internal competition).



NewfieSteve, second in the 20km (he says he will do the big-boy race next time).



No infamy for me on this day....but one day, if I work hard...


Actually, I did pass JeffS on this day...seriously...and as I did he took this pic....



So, there....proof it can happen...

Anyways...this just stoked the race fire for me.  I think I could have done well, without the incidents (I know...excuses...).  And I had been waffling about doing an upcoming race on March 5th...but it is an incredibly tough one...not sure I am up for it.

http://www.ottawavalleyultras.com/story-of-the-wendigo.html


The Wendigo Ultra...in the Ottawa Valley...a 90km fatbike ultra-race....the first 11km across a wideopen frozen lake (after they had 30cm of snow this week).

Of course, I made the mistake of telling Giant about this race.  He pushed me over the fence...he said he would do it, and he would drive (5 hours to get there), if I would do it.  So here we go...we leave today...March 4th.  With a new cassette, derailleur, and chain (thank you BicycleWorks Waterdown for the great service...yet again!!)...I am almost set to go...

Good way to start the season??  Should be some worthy stories...if I didn't feel like throwing up already...

Anyways...I'm running behind to get ready....so....

Stay posted!!