Although it was FRIGID at the start (maybe I am a little sensitive to cold since the Wendigo Ultra...)...this event was awesome!!
The Start
Several things made this event awesome. First it wasn't really a race. There were no number plates, or race timing. But you know what happens when you get a bunch of competitive racers out on a 100km course...it's a full out try to kick your buddies arse kinda thing...but almost kind of laid back-ish.
Not far off the start
But I'm glad it was a non-race laid back-ish kinda ride...cuz I must have got off track (yes...lost-ish; yes, 'warrior not a scout' kind of thing...)...but at least I wasn't alone. Oh, its not that the signage wasn't great...it was ok...
But I need bright like this....
Or big as this...
Or maybe this...
Even with a kilometre or two from the end...drained to the max...I turned down Tillson Street looking for the finish line...until about a km down the street I realized I was supposed to turn down Tillson AVENUE...Doh!! (I'm certain every 'street' in this town is a Tillson Rd., Dr., Circle, Cr., Blvd., Way., Gulch, or something....) So....backtrack ... again....and laugh it off, cuz this race isn't really a race, which I found rather enlightening and enjoyable. Besides I got to ride 5 or more kms more than most others, and got to say hi to the same people several times...
What also made it awesome, was the varied terrain. There was paved pathways, there was pavement...there was many kms of gravel.....with hills...
There was very fun twisty single track through the forest...
sometimes with hills...
There were long sections of soft, boggy, grassy, rail trail double-track where mtb's and fatbikes dominated... (Kudos to anyone who did this on fatbikes...and to the big guy on the singlespeed with duck tape on his ankles who totally killed it!!)
There was the 'mud road of death' (may have only been a couple of kms but it felt like 15!!), where CX bikes really struggled...but was a great challenge!! Jaimie especially struggled here...on a spankin new carbon CX bike with the pedals jacked too tight he went down a couple times unable to clip out while stalling in the mud...and fell into deep puddles. The cold, wet, and cramps in a 100km race on a brand new bike would cost him...but no secrets to be told here.
Then in the last 10km on the single track was this poised up against a tree, with one of those directional arrows on it...
Seriously! The Blue Angel! I was seriously tempted to throw my fancy carbon CX bike in the bush and ride the Blue Angel into the finish...but I was afraid some little kid would chase me down and beat me up...
The best thing about the event is that it was free!!! Really!! They did accept donations for a great cause (to buy a bike...or bikes...for kids that normally would not be able to buy their own). And at the finish was a warm place, with great food at the Indigo Cafe/Lounge to recover, and swap stories.
A great way to start the season!! Now that I know about it (this was the 3rd annual) I will be there next year!! Thanks to Wardy, the folks at the Indigo Cafe, and anyone else involved for organizing.
So how do you follow up a Saturday 100km gravel grinder bike race?? Well with a 65km ride on the P2A course, of course...trying to keep up with the super pros again...Oggie, Giant, Seth, MichaelC, Unlgued...and some 'faster than they should be on mtb' guys!!
Here is Oggie at the start...
He's practicing his deer face...
Yup...cuz that's how he will look if I ever pass him in a race (will happen!!) .... maybe....
Now that's a croc!!
Even my daughter and her cat (Felix), are afraid for my sanity, thinking I could pass Oggie...
Yeah....thanks for the support...
Anyways this was the group on this ride...
And this is how you look catching the spray trying to hold on to the wheel in front of you...P2A style....
Actually, the coolest thing about this ride may have been the ice storm we had the night before...the diamond encrusted trees made the landscape look surreal...as if from a different planet.
I know...I got carried away on the ice pics....but so cool...except we had to beware of large chunks of ice falling from above...
And so, as a result of the heavy week last week...this week is recovery week (as prescribed by CoachRob). I struggle with recovery days....not to mention recovery weeks!! Days of limited activity...couple with limited caloric intake, of course. (I cheated yesterday...I had a 4th lettuce leaf!!!). So, here is hoping it is worth it!!
Leading into the first real gravel grinder race of the season...the Steaming Nostril...this weekend!! 70 kilometres of gravel, in the country of Mennonite horse and carriages...
And they are calling for great weather...below zero and windy!!!
Perfect!!! I will let you know how it goes...
Stay posted!!
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