We started at the back and eased ourselves into it. After first few climbs it sorted out and we were near people our speed. Some intenso guy wanted a very serious road paceline, probably too serious for in the neutral zone (first 8k or 10% roughly were neutral). Passed on that.
Once the climbing started, it was just Trish passing people and me hoping the bungee wouldn't snap. Mostly gravel roads, farm areas, around the lake, etc. Really nice country side. It's just so awesome being here, pedalling away, through such a beauty area.
Today's first big climb was good for about half, then the heat and Trish's pace got to me. I spun it out in first gear as second kept skipping. We figured I'd make up the gap on the 10+km of descent. I also then stopped to pick some grass and crud out of my cogs cause the skipping sucked. Had Trish in sight at the top, so stopped and had a full pack of gummies before heading down.
Downhills were grass and overgrown cutlines on the mountain, pretty easy. Passed a bunch, upset one who thought I passed too close, but I thought a passing on the right, taking the ass line and leaving the clear path plus a couple meters in between were pretty fine. Whatever.
Got onto the flat road bit which was nice respite for me (Trish and I have opposite preferences). A guy from Vancouver came up behind us and went by pretty quick, Trish said she was game to stay on. We did, then Chris Carmichael and Rebecca Rausch blasted by with some fast pulls. We came up to the next hill and Trish just picked up the tempo till next aid station. We did a fast stop with faces full of bananas and potatoes that needed to fuel us up the last big climb.
I set pace on the road; when it turned up Trish took over. The last 5k were flat and technical, so for the last climb I just told myself I didn't care how I felt, I was going to hold Trish's wheel no matter what. In actuality, we just leap frogged back and forth as the grade changed on the climb - it worked great.
Technical bit at the end was funny. Whole row of people dismounted for a rocky bit that was a bit like some of the choppy sections of the TransCanada trail by Quaite area. We motored through undeterred.
River crossing was fun, water was nice. Some slippery wet old collapsed bridge on another one we walked was deadly slippery, I accidentally skiied a bit of it. Yikes.
We pulled up the last climb both cramping equally about 30 seconds behind another mixed couple. Probably around 5h even. For not riding for months very long/seriously, I think we both felt pretty good. Chowed down a few bananas then went to find our cabin Juan helped rent for us. Didn't have our bags, cold and wet. Trish got a hot shower and snuck into a bed. I played boyscout trying to light the stove with damp cardboard and wood; did finally get it going. I got a few minutes of warm shower before it went ice, right when I was soapy. So I bailed and sat by the fire, hoping more hot water would happen. Cindy went looking for Steve and Gerry, while I lounged Burt Reynolds style by the fire with a towel trying to warm up. Eventually just mixed a kettle of boiling water in the tub and did that.
Sounds like Steve had a reasonably good day at around 5:15, and Gerry came in a bit later having a bit of a tougher day (Ger's mat and sleeping bag were in the bag that went missing, so he slept mat-less with lots of clothes on in his tent last night - he get's the softest bed tonight!). Most importantly, we're all in now, and laughing, stories and massaging ensue.
Only one guy asked how much "my wife" trained to get that fast today - funny. Another German? sounding guy just blurted out a short sentence in his language, finished by "wow" as Trish went by on a hill.
The accommodations are cool. This Huilo Huilo place is really neat, has like a tree house hotel thing. We're in a cabin built free form, really neat raw log techniques, probably not a lot of building code. Craig and Jon this is the best woodwork feature shot the little blackberry would do.
Nice work Erik (and Trish). Sitting at my desk in Calgary staring out at the snow it is nice to read about racing bikes to escape for a few minutes. Keep the reports coming!
ReplyDeleteI loved getting a front row seat, seeing shocked male cyclist expressions as Trish climbed past when we partnered together a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteCraig.