BC Bike race day 3 and 4

Day 3 and 4. I am going to start this entry and state: stage racing is just hard- ficking hard, when you maxing. Whether you in the front pack or down the tail end of the race. Everyone is trying to do their best and pushing their own personal boundaries – and respect to that I say! I feel everyone in life should challenge themselves in life and try go do things you think you are not capable of, as you learn so much about yourself and puts so many things in perspective. From time to time we all get caught up in the daily routine of life, which is so easy to do!

This BC bike race has been amazing, and Carrie and I have just had so much fun travelling Canada. The race takes you to a new beautiful location everyday, shuttling ferries, over snow capped mountains, through the most pristine lakes which we cool off after every day’s race effort’s to having a beer at the local pub on the water. Ok, so we have done the race in style in the camper aka”Home” and has been our dream not to do tent town and have transport so “ Home “ has made it for us. With the assistance of a few incredibly people/mate for lifes: Simon and Alex Lamond(who is 2weeks from popping bubs #1) who we have found the most epic camping locations and made delectable meals (along with endless stashes of Biltong). The Saffa convoy has been strong and the flag flying proudly on Simon’s rented 1983 poo brown VW campervan. Carter Hovey, Simon and Mike Robinson the local Canadian’s have put us on the “inside program” meaning we are missioning to the next stage ahead of the race organizers to ensure we are maximizing our time and staying in the best locations to chill and braai post race. Really just that alone has been a joy.

Then I need to make creditable mention to the girls Alex and Carrie – A grade support team. They have had us on the program to the minute, and when I say a minute I mean arriving at ferry terminal with not a minute to spare. Support teams are the rocks behind racers! Trust me having a good support team just makes racing hard much easier! Because little things are even hard to do post race- like eat food or hand you your pants etc etc

Now to the riding, O my god! Everyday I cross the line and say : those last 10-20km where the best trails I have ever riding. However the bar just keeps getting set higher everyday. Look there are some hard miles to get to the sweet trails and but no means is the BCBR just made up of sweet single track, there some climbing and hard grinding of the gears. Distance means nothing, you look at a course profile and you go this day should be easy (only 50km’s) but at times you are chewing the bars so hard all I am seeing is roots, green most and blood red around it. Which for me has caused issues as the course has been marked with pink ribbon tape hanging from the trees and at turns and because I am just seeing blood red, cause my heart rate is maxing out so ficking high, the pink ribbons just blend in the blood red. In turn is making me miss some turns. Over a week long stage race it is near impossible to for you to have a smooth race, shit happens and happen more often when you redlining it trying to hang onto a 10 year younger Pro’s tail. I have been coming in consistently 11th overall which I am super stoked about knowing that I can mix it up with some of the world’s best trail riders (even if it is for the first 1hr). But Day 4 I took a wrong turn and ended up dropping down 300m into the “valley of hell”, so I call it. To see no blood red/pink ribbons and to my dismay had run back up the valley from hell. Anyway shit happens and that’s racing you can’t have everything go your way over such a demanding race. So I finished 17th overall and dropped a few positions and rolled across the line with a few broken spokes and some more grazes.

Day 5 was another so called it quick day 41 km’s on my Magellan Switch up over Blazing saddles El Dorado,Guys Gulch to HWY103, then enter the Enduro segments HWY102 at 4km downhill track of pure insanity followed by a further 4km Enduro -Sidewinder . It’s kind of my aim now to try stay in the top 10 of the Enduro segments as they are really proving to be setting the fit mountain biker mad men from the others, just hope I don’t kill myself but if I do so me it I did it doing what I love doing. The Enduro’s are not just pure downhill but more down/up, over 2 or 3 wooden dodgy structures, then on a 20cm wide structure then over an old bridge then into twisting turning berms over a kicker jump which launches you 15feet in the air and at this stage I am holding on for dear life and my blood red eyes focusing on the track so hard I think my brain is going to pop. Yip the Enduro segments rock!I am a fan.

Today I crossed the line around the top10 again so back to form, and body is holding up well. Always good to know that the base training miles you put into pay off. I have seen some pretty batted bodies and snapped frames along the way with some stories of pain and hardship but for me the support crew aka: Carrie, Home and the Rocky Mountain guys have really made me feel awesome. A big up’s to the guys from Rocky Mountain factory Racing they have helped me out heaps, from loaning me a new Fox float rear shock from when I blow mine on Day 3 to servicing my bike post race. For privateer like myself that really helps. Carrie and I feel like we are locals here, cos more people ride Rocky Mountain bikes here than any other brand and the reason is simple, the bikes are built for this type of terrain along with the suspension and geometry is a winner. Big brand MTB’s have there place in the mainstream but RM can match them any day and here is proof!

O, ja highlight of the day: Riding with Andrea’s “ Dr Dre” Hestler (Olympic MTB and BCBR owner):The man can ride with legs that match the size of the Redwoods here and has skills with power! I rode with him for +-10km till this massive structure, that left me following him up to only find myself upside down 4 feet under the ramp! But was good as he knows the course so well, riding with Dre was great as the pink/red ribbons where easy to follow. However post me turtling I did make one wrong turn again and left me lost for 2 mins. But 5km from the end my moment arrived, I caught Dre and came flying pass him on a rocky section yelling “on ja right” Haha that was good!

Cool 2 more days left (Squamish to Whilster) and am supper stoked with my performance and experience more than anything. We are back in Squamish and Carrie has set off for a ride to try move up the Strava ladder.

BC bike race day 1 and 2

Let the race begin, 550 people lined up at the start of day 1 to find themselves 3-8 hrs later buggered. Day one was hard, stage racing is hard and life is hard racing for 7 days on super challenging terrain! The body hurts in places you didn’t know you had muscles due to the long downhills and rootyrocky single track. For me I loved it, it a challenge that you desire to push yourself and test yourself in area’s you have not been challenged before. If you look at anyones results weather you are in the top 10% or bottom 10% everyone has a story to tell for that days results. For me my story like anyone else is moan a little then stuck it up and just go out there and see how you do on the day, as you never know how you going to go until your bum is in the saddle. My first day result didn’t come easy and am happy to be in the front of race and keeping my stole which hasn’t stopping flowing for 4 days prior. I would say the guy who was 14th behind me was happy that I kept it inside me too! On day one out the 550 people there where 30 DNF’s due how tough the terrain was and many guys with broken bones and strain ankles, etc. For me it was just keep it tight and get to the finish in one piece. The pace of the race in the front is so fast its silly, and to try hang onto the Pro’s in front for as long as I can is mentally a race in itself. I been using the Magellan Switch (small and light with more than enough battery life) on my bars and have been trying not to look at my heart rate (as would scare me off) but have been riding at an average heart of 154 bpm for over just under 3 hrs it has been taking me to finish. So pretty much maxing it all the way for the race, but if I die I will die a happy man. Day 2: I woke to the first semi solid dump in 5days day, so yeah for that! The race bused us 1hr to the start of the race, which means they place us in the best trail network they can everyday leaving out boring traversing on endless fireroads (unlike some stage races). The first group (the race snakes) charged of the start line the pack is tight and hectic as groups for 50 set off dependant on your previous days result. Day 2 riding had to be some of the best MTB trails I have ever riding in a day, bold statement but I am putting it out there! Such amazing single track, mixed with techie climbs and fast flowing narrow and beautiful scenery (which all looked red to me from the blood and sweat in my eyes). Currently I am the top placed Saffa and 2nd Ozzie, I the last 25km with Ian from Perth (who got 6th on day 1) it was good to have company in the latter part of the race just to keep us flowing. He was strong on the flats (riding a hardtail) and lead through the singletrack. It was working for us till 2km from the end, the race lead us out of some single track over the road and back into a single track. However the two grey boulders entering the track camouflaged with trees where too narrow for a MTBer flying at pace to see and I nailed my shin into the lefthand boulder at 30 kph. I at that point I saw white light and stars-the mind quick ascertained that there was pain and issues! I looked down to see blood and my pedal stokes kind of stopped and I dropped of Ian tail yelling -O shit’s, o’no and o’ god’s,) and coasted to the finshline think is this my race over. I crossed the line in 11th overall and am 12th in GC after day 2. I finished in just over 2:30hrs and in a great position, not sure the result yet as have no internet, seen we are staying the most awesome campsite in the woods pimping it our Home next to our mates Simon and Alex Lamond (which has made the race just so much fun). 18hrs later after R.I.C. E (a little drugs- and people who know me I don’t take drugs to aid recovery, this time I took everything the medic’s had instock)and numerous cold lake swim, I can walk and think I am going to be ok to spin the crank in a square motion. So the plan is just to go out and see how the day of another racing pans out, and most of all just enjoy it!

Day 1 of The BC Bike race :

The Taper

The Taper…

2days before a 7 day race it is always the hardest part for any athlete to taper off his efforts and try relax the muscle he has trained for months to regain their full strength and hopefully go into the race with fresh legs. Personally and many alike are not good at the taper and to be in Whistler with so many epic trails to be ridden who can blame me. As the riding is so demanding and challenging is not the best place to base yourself a week before a physically demanding 7 day stage race. But the way I look at it, I only have 2 weeks in Canada and am going to make the most of it and lap up as much as I can do within reason. So have been riding with Carrie as lightly as possible watching my HR on the Magellan Cyclo to make sure I don’t go above 145+-, well I do get a little excited when I hit a trail that shouts “speed”. This happened yesterday around the Lost Lake trails when I cruising through “Gazoom” trail and 10 m in front of me appeared a big Brown Bear on the single track, was an amazing moment as he slowly cruised off, unfortunately Carrie who was behind me didn’t get to see him (which has been her aim all trip to see a bear). However as we rode further along the track my amazing wild life spotting appeared again in directly in front of us both. I wanted to get closer to capture the moment, but Carrie after her initial moment, thought it wasn’t a good idea to chase down the bear on your bikes. But we can now confirm bears are big and really cool!

The rain keeps on lightly drizzling down on for most of the day here which isn’t too much of a deterrent for the masses. We can confirm now that we are the only XC/Trail riders in Whilster, as have been riding all the trails and still have not seen a rider with less than six inches of travel on any of the trails we have ridden over the 3 days. Carrie has made her mind she is going to be really good at Downhill MTB, although never been on a bike with more than 5inches of travel. So we have committed ourselves after the race, which ends in Whilster to hit the chair lifts and do some downhill runs, as it would be wrong to leave the downhill capital of the world without downhilling! So after 7 days of racing on 8 day I will have to drag my tried ass up the ski lift dressed in full armor and hurdle down on a 7 inch travel bike for the day. As we fly out the next day this will be the only chance, so if either of us kill ourselves we will not lose out on any travelling experiences.

So my bike is all sorted and serviced by a mate Luke Garside from Arbutus cycles in Upper Village, a resident Aussie who lives to race 4X and bases himself in Whilster as a mechanic for the summer and in Oz for winter working for Rocky Mountain as a brand ambassador. Either way Luke is the man and made my steed 100%- fork service, wheel truing, gears, headset and even new grips.

Next stop – do some washing and then head to race registration in Vancouver.

This is Whislter!

This is Whislter! What an amazing place, right now we are in summer and max is 19 degrees with the tips of the mountain’s still snow capped. There are still some hardcore dedicated guys skiing, but must be a mission to hike to the tops to only ski for 30mins down.

This town is definitely for the 6 inch and above travel bike for man and women. It is the downhill capital of the world, the hub of all hubs if you can cut the double black diamond runs. For us XC riders we feel totally inferior riding our Rocky Mountain 4 inch XC race machines around, but not feeling entirely out of place as at least are genuine Canadian bikes and we are definitely putting the RM Elements through there paces over the past few days! Can say that riding a 4” XC bike over some of this terrain has been the most challenging and confronting riding I have ever done and then multiple that by 3 for Carrie.

Yesterday I rode with one of the local Squamish hotshots Dwayne Kress who clearly can ride a bike like very few. It’s was pissing with rain so made good practice for the race to come, but certainly didn’t help with pre-race week tapering! Although I was part to blame as rode at 175 beats up an irresistible climb to “Credit line” which was a super techy downhill and found myself all over the shop including down the edge of the cliff.

So today the plan was to cruise with Carrie and try ride some of the trails around Whistler that the BC race will ride on the last day 7. So we set out in a light drizzle, and found some fun singletrack with lots of wooden structures, which was a good challenge for Carrie. Then we headed up a climb to the top of golf course to be chased down by golf cart telling us we can’t ride here, but he did point us to a sweet trail and off went on 3 hrs of the most technical trail riding ever (up Yummy Nummy to Comfortable Num). We only covered 16km in those 3hrs, which is a first in my books, I was loving life and Carrie well wasn’t. So was really 3hrs of relationship building as Carries confidence grew. The rock drop offs and structures are all amazing, and all ridable as long as you commit 100%. I only had one serious moment when I went back to show Carrie how to ride this one double bridge over a boulder to another bridge and rode off the second bridge into a tree, and that brought a pinnacle of realization of O’shit this could end badly! But the tree had lots of spring in it and didn’t break my bars or bones- so all good.

All up a wicked trail riding experience for the two of us, but can’t help but fantasize about spending a winter here as well as can only imagine how insane these crazy steep mountains are covered in snow, as we experiencing the exhilaration just from the summer activities. Back into the RV camper which we calling home as is bigger and better than our 1 bedder apartment on the Northern beaches for a warm shower and massage. Also managing to park in sweet locations and as of yet not had to pay! We loving it at the moment and life is good!

Vancouver to Squamish trail delight

Cananda, Squamish

After a few internal USA flights which we got hit up $100 each leg for excess baggage, we touched down in Vancouver, Canada. We picked up our new house on wheels from the airport, a 24ft sick ass campervan. On exiting the airport I miss judged the height of the boom gates and got stuck under the gate and ripped off a light, a great start!

We headed 1:30hr North of Vancouver to the small town of Squamish. The town is a sesspit for adventure sports people. From mind boggling cliffs for climbers, high vert peaks for base jumpers, snow fed canyons for kayakers and some of the most technical and aggressive mountain bike tracks I have ever ridden, this place rocks! 90% of all vehicles have bike racks and the other 10% are towing snow mobiles and motorcross bikes.

Squamish mountain bike tracks are made up of some serious riding from flowy groomed berms to rocks, roots and mud patches the riding keeps you engaged at all times. I have been trying to ride some of the tracks that the BC race touches on day 6, and can confirm that I suck hard. Well the good thing is that there is heaps of climbing, we have been ridng 30-40km’s per day and you spend 80% of your time switch backing up the side of a 25% gradient to bomb down one of the 100 or so single track downhills (just need to avoid the 20ft drop off’s or huge structure’s that have a 10ft gap to clear). Its no mystery why we haven’t come across many other riders on XC bikes and just surrounded by guys on fat travel all mountain and downhill bikes. 40kms also taking a comparable time frame to my usual 100kms, as has proven fairly easy to get lost and stopping to pull out map and consult the Magellan GPS every other trail crossing and intersection really pushes out the time! Not to worry though as staying light here until nearly 10pm which so far we’ve made it back before dark and not run into any bears or mountain lions!

We had awesome weather the first couple days but now just to add some spice, today it is pissing with rain non-stop and no doubt going to make those roots and rocks a little more challenging and energy sapping. I used to think this race would suit me, now that I am here and riding some of the most techie trails in the world, I will be happy just to finish with no injuries as the trails beg you to go harder and faster than you know is good for you and befor you know it you have hit a wet root fishtailing into a tree. Next stop Whislter to suss out what they have to offer!

Valley Centre and San Francisco pics

British Columba - Vancouver: 7 day stage race