BC Bike Race - Joy in the Middle, Intensity at the Front.
January 14, 2009
The BC Bike Race is a multi-day adventure race taking place in British Columbia Canada. Starting at Shawnigan Lake on Vancouver Island and winding its way to Whistler over 7 intense days of racing. The race involved tears of joy, tears of pain, miles of gauze, and countless tubes of chaffing cream. As we sit and reminisce months later, now is a time for contemplation on the upcoming 2009 race season and our plans.
Day one - Shawnigan Lake to Lake Cowichan - 89 Km
To say the start of the race was eventful would be an understatement. It was the first time the race had begun at Shawinigan Lake, but the race directors had come up with what seemed like an excellent plan. Everyone would ride one loop around the trails and roads of the school grounds behind a control motorcycle and then do second a loop on their own before heading off into the single track. It seemed like the perfect way to spread out 400 bikes so they didn’t bunch up at the entrance to the single track. As a side benefit, the riders would go through the start shoot three times, creating a spectator and media dream.
Unfortunately, plans and reality are not always the same. One section of the course was a hay field that the organizers had marked a trail through with motorcycle tracks. Apparently the farmer who owned the field decided to cut the hay the night before the race to be helpful; I am sure he would never have dreamed the ramifications. As the lead pack entered the field, the cut hay was picked up by the wheels and thrown into the chains, gears and derailleurs of the bikes. Mountain bikes can take a tremendous beating and keep working, who knew they are no match for cut hay.
Day 2 - Lake Cowichan to Port Alberni - 125 Km
Day 2 was a 120 kilometer grind on logging roads up the middle of Vancouver Island. The stage would have been hard in any weather but the day brought record high temperatures. I believe the official temperature was 33 C but I heard estimates of up to 45C from different racers as the night wore on after the stage.
Day 3 - Port Alberni to Cumberland - 80 Km
This stage was what almost everyone was waiting for, beautiful B.C. rain forest with miles and miles of sweet single track. The weather was still hot and sunny so the conditions were perfect. It was on this stage that some of the international riders, or those from less rugged locations had some struggles.
Strong legs and a good aerobic capacity are clearly important in a mountain bike race, but the hard reality is, the ability to win a stage of a grand tour won’t get you over a series of roots and rocks in one piece. Many of the riders who dominated on the gravel roads of stage 2 were losing massive amounts of time in the single track. This was a stage where bike skills where at least as important as legs.
Stage 4 - Cumberland to Sechelt - 60K
A large section of the British Columbia coast is accessible only by ferry. This is because long ocean inlets and incredibly rugged terrain make road building difficult. In other words, perfect mountain bike terrain. The racers were told in the nightly briefing that they would be treated to some amazing views after the first climb, but to “be careful and keep one eye on the trail because it would be easy to lose concentration when surrounded by such beauty.”
Stage 5 - Sechelt to Squamish - 65 K
The Sunshine Coast has some of the best single track riding anyone could ask for. The area is thick with the towering trees that thrive in the B.C rain forest. The area is mountainous and crisscrossed with new and ancient logging roads that have given trail builders access to an amazing amount of terrain. The day was filled with long steep climbs, but each is rewarded with fabulous descents. There are a clearly some dedicated trail builders living in the area because hundreds of ramps and bridges have been added to the trails.
Stage 6 - The best of Squamish - 65K
A highlight of day 6 was the Plunge, a trail that is difficult on the best of days; made up of sharp edged rocks, exposed roots and steep chutes, most of the people I ran into on the plunge were not with their partners. It was interesting to see how connected many of the teams had become. Most teams would call back obstacles for the partner behind “Drop”, “Log”, “Bridge”. They would also be keenly aware of their partners distance in front or behind them on the single track. Others teams had zero interest in their partners and would only wait for them so they could check in at the aid stations. In a strange way this partnership has become a week long marriage. If there any way to test a relationship, this is it.
Stage 7 - All Whistler, All Day
The final stage of the race started at the “Creekside” base station of Whistler Mountain in the beautiful resort of Whistler. Whistler is famous for its gravity bike park but it also has a fantastic cross country trail network. If you needed any convincing that the race had been a test of man and machine, you only needed a quick look at the participants in the start shoot. You wouldn’t have to look far to see a gauze wrapped arm or leg, and I would defy anyone to point out a single limb without a scratch, scab or bruise. Some of the most impressive leg bruises I saw were on women. It was fairly clear that most of them would not be wearing skirts to work for a week or so unless they were willing to do some explaining.
The exhilaration of finishing a stage race is unparalleled by anything I have ever done before. Despite the pain and hardship, the friendships and memories that grew out of this event are what will bring me back for more.
Happy Trails!
Dave Richardson and Garth Campbell
Fresh Tracks
January 12, 2009
Welcome to 2009!! I hope this note finds you healthy, happy and already getting excited for another great riding season. I know many of you may still have snow on the ground where you live, so your riding season has likely not officially started up yet. But heck, that doesn’t stop us from thinking about riding, getting our bikes all ready to go or maybe even getting out on a brighter day, right?
In a funny way, a New Year is like the ride I had the other morning. It had snowed overnight and I was the first one out in it. Fresh tracks! I love it. I left my place just after 5:30am with snow still coming down. Luckily it was only a couple of inches or so (4 or 5 cm for you metric folks) so pretty easy to ride in still. I love how quiet it is when there is fresh snow on the ground.
There is something very pleasing about being the first tracks of the day in a park that probably would be well trampled out by noon. You can’t help to have a great ride when you are the first tracks of the day. But then I spotted a fresh set of tracks crossing our trail… first one, then 2 or 3 more. These weren’t Nevegal’s or Small Blocks though - they were other forest critters scurrying around out there. Over the next 1/2 hour I counted 4 sets of rabbit, a couple of raccoon and one set of deer tracks all crossing over our trail – coming from the forest on one side and disappearing back on the other. It was awesome, once again reminding me that there is lots of animal life despite being in a forest park somewhat surrounded by housing.
With my lights dancing off the fresh snow I started thinking how the New Year is similar to laying down fresh tracks -- it is a time you can hit the reset button. There is no frozen ruts or muddy tracks already there you have to follow, no old goals, it isn’t raining and bleak. Its a great time to just make changes and new goals. To me, making these fresh tracks is just like a clean slate, the snow beautifully hiding anything negative.
I am usually not a big one for New Year’s resolutions but there are some things that just make sense. I think once again I have to ride more and enjoy getting out regardless of time or place. It is so easy to forget how lucky we are compared to many others around the world. The fact that I can even think about "riding more" is amazing. Enjoy every day my friends!
Don’t just talk about it; go lay fresh tracks in 2009.
Seeya out there !
Steak Sauce
