The SingleTrack 6 (as mentioned in last weeks post) finished up with local Landrys and Swayze putting in top notch showings.
Also in last weeks post, the Quebec SingleTrack Experience (7 days of mtb racing!) finished up with some of our local Lapdogs rippin' up the trails...(luckily no Quebec motorists on these trails...)
There was the Raid Velo Mag Velerium, 100km MTB marathon at St. Anne de Beaupre, Quebec. Fellow True Grit Race Team members DavidV and Giant where there showing their charm. In fact Giant charmed his way onto the podium!! OK...you are right...he isn't that charming (well...maybe)...but it was hard work, dedication, determination got him there. Congrats dude!!
Then there was the World Cup in Mont St. Anne, Quebec...and the Canadian contingent was all over the podium.
OK...a tad more local. The Kelso weekly Tuesday nite series. And this week GrantSonOfSeth toasted all of the fast guys...including his dad. Yes!! First overall!! Grant...you are now officially one of the fast guys!! Definitely hard work, dedication, and determination! Congrats dude!!
So...even more local...and much, much less exciting...yours truly (that means me)...still not racing. This past week did manage some rides on road and gravel. Trying to maintain some level of fitness...or at least keep the fatness level somewhat under control.
I can't be Lois' Superman if I look like this, can I?
Or even this...
Anyways...I've been going through a plethora of bikes trying to find one that will be easier on the thumb and ribs...
My own carbon Crux cyclocross bike was still kicking the heck out of me...
A titanium Kona Rove with 36mm cross tires borrowed from BicycleWorks was more comfortable...
Then BicycleWorks Paul lent me this...
The 2017 Specialized Roubaix. I tested it out on a shorter 50km ride. The Future Shock technology...a semi-suspension system built into the steerer tube, and into the seat tube, and seat post just felt so smooth! It had me leaping over broken pavement and gravel in a single bound! And the 26mm road tires kept the bike fast and efficient as the carbon race bike that it is!!
It almost had me feeling like Lois' Superman again...
Well...OK...not quite...
But I felt comfortable enough to take the Roubaix on 100km+ ride...where I met this guy...
If you look close enough you can see him...that's my buddy Hank...yeah that's right...Hank Heron...
Anyways the Roubaix had me feeling confident enough to do another 100km+ ride and invite these fast folks...
That's Jack...who brought his fatbike...and still kicked the crap out of us (yes...he is that fast!!). Seth, and that super fast Grant...and PowerPaul rocking his Venge. The Roubaix kept me in the game enough that I was almost able to keep up to these guys for the entire 100+ kms of gravel, rail trail, and road.
That is...until they decided to end the ride with Sydenham hill. After over 100kms, including over 600m of climbing we scooted up the 120m, 7-8% grade climb. But my ribs screamed in protest at the effort...so I dropped into granny gear to finish the climb...and my good, sweet friends dropped me.
Dropped me...like the fat kid at the prom...like Friday afternoon French class...like a bad idiom...
And as I humbly finished off the ride I realized I am not ready yet for this coming weekend's Eager Beaver race. The Eager Beaver 100 2.0
(Yeah, I bet you didn't even hear that gear change, did you...yup...that was smoother than the 2017 Specialized Roubaix on a 100km gravel ride!!).
Anyways...the Eager Beaver, Substance Projects 100 mile (yes...that is 160kms!!) gravel race is coming up this Saturday. With over 1800m of climbing...160kms...it will test your physical and mental fortitude. If you are on the fence, you still have time to register... If you are on the fence just do it!!
I would be there if I could...
Anyways, I'm not done yet. Another 3-4 wks in the thumb cast...I will be working to stay in shape, on road and gravel. Maybe even on a mountain bike of sorts soon...
Stay posted...
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