Wednesday 3 July 2013

BC Bike Race Day 4 - life doesn't getter better than this!

It's like god has shone down on Bakke and given me a day in the sun. If I expired in my sleep tonight, I'd at least have gone out happy. How can yesterday's riding, food, entertainment and fun be beat?

Let's start with the float plane ride I lucked into. Flying through the fjords to reach Earl's Cove is just beautiful, the little plane was just such an awesome morning experience. Plus it let me sleep on the grass for an hour pre start.

Then let's follow up with my slow paced start, pacing all day, so I could rip the end. I had juice right to the end, and the Pivot and I have a really sweet little relationship developing in the singletrack. Gobs of traction, so smooth. Front end feels reminiscent of a ti sprung Marzocchi Bomber fork I had on a Turner years ago, and the pedaling is straight up efficient but with a plush rear. It's all working right. I end up finishing 21st, 2 seconds off Wendy's wheel - with a class act like her, I'm not dumb enough to ride around at the end. Seeing her on the trail is also a symbolic sight to behold for me - she's a marker that's rock solid steady - we've ridden many a TR and BCBR stage in proximity and I'm back to where I can ride when things are tuned up. I feel on fire. You know, 20's places are junk for actual talented riders, but for my engine that's success. I had such issues this year I was almost believing age was catching up and I was just washing up and it'd all just be the good old days and not feeling as good again. So I just feel so happy.

That's not all... How does it get better yet? Showered up, walked to the park with food. Walk up to the lady with sushi, and she simultaneously marks down prices and tells me there's a sale. She is so nice, I eat 3 boxes of sushi in the shade, on fresh grass, with of course zero mosquitoes, wasabi and soya galore, just enjoying some post race gluttony to the max. She has no idea my price elasticity of demand didn't require any markdowns.

But that's not all. How does it get better yet? Really can this be? The band sets up, she says its her neighbours, they squeeze out a huge melodic squelch out of the system to shock my ears to attention, then let it rip like a class 5 tornado starting off with Sabotage by the Beastie Boys. Their set slays metal, grunge, rock classics that I love but don't get to hear as much these days. Some dude is like a trained dancer bringing it all to life, probably has been wearing his blue glasses on the coast for years, spending as many calories as I did today by the looks of it. They finish with My Generation by The Who and do it a very proud honor, then blend into some original just rock out loud piece.

Sometimes life doles out enough luck that you can just bask in the glory for a day. Today is one of those days.

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