Saturday we did three hours of mostly technical skills at the Canmore Nordic Center instead of pushing fitness after a week of TR work for Catalyst. Bursts of glee were heard as Cindy successfully rode the Devonian drop early on. We played in the skills park. We rode EKG and then the Coal Chutes - mostly. Those tricky loose switchbacks took a little bit of sessioning, and sometimes those trees just "jump right out in the middle of the trail". All in it was good seasoning.
Sunday we rode with my co-worker from his place in Three Sisters - up the Spray Lakes road, down Goat Creek, and back on Rundle Riverside after a very elegant stop at the Banff Springs. In retrospect the better way to do this is out Rundle Riverside, stop at the 'springs for some decadence, up Goat Creek, then down just a bit of the Spray Lakes gravel road and drop into Riders of Rohan and hook up to Highline until dropping down to his neighbourhood. I forgot how nice Rundle Riverside is. "Flat" or gentle grades, but with roots and rocks to slow you down, or to float across at XC speed. Goat Creek is a highway, the gravel path was nicer than some parts of the potholed Banff Springs golf course road. It draws a different audience - the flat pedalled, no helmet, tourist crowd mostly.
Monday we did part of the Sibbald gravel road, up Canyon Creek to Jumpingpound Ridge the way the Bow 80 used to go, then along that bumpy singletrack at the top. Lots of great views - yes it's hard but it's one of the best tourism rides around in my view - you see 180 degrees of the front range completely uninterrupted and right up close, plus Calgary on the other side. Lots of climbing, then of course the rugged Cox Hill descent which Cindy made it down in a blaze of glory. I suspect Breck descents might be like that - high alpine views then rugged mountain trails rather than the BC sculpted for bike riders by bike riders sort of stuff. I had fun trying to clean everything - and managed to do so up till the last 20m up to the peak of Cox Hill where it was all loose rubble (waiting for Cindy helped keep my legs fresh for bursts along the way - but fun none the less).
West view from the top of Cox Hill.
East view from the top of Cox Hill.
The chipmunk by my handlebar kept trying to lick my grips (sweat) and downtube (sports drink splatters) whenever I walked away to take pictures. Sounds like a great way to acquire some obscure rodent borne disease. They're cute and persistent.
That's a view! We actually rode north on the ridge, but as I screwed up on the first click so this is Cindy looping back.
All in it was about a 13h riding weekend, with some solid naps going on in the car on the way home. That's all I can do for boot camp for next week, rest is to be determined in Colorado.
Monday we did rooftop pizza order with Juan & Jennifer (Juan will be in Breck for first 3 days), Gerry, Steve, Trish and Pat. Good way to cap off a weekend!
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