The Hill

You know how some things can be considered both a blessing and a curse ? Maybe a softer way of putting that might be to say "advantage and disadvantage" or "pro and con".     We live in a subdivision on the edge of town called Little Mountain.   While that in itself has pros and cons,  when it comes to cycling, I think I'll stick with the blessing and curse description.    It's about a 1 klm ride from the flat main road up to our house.  Over that distance there is an increase in elevation of 225'.  As I'm typing this,  that doesn't sound like much because the distance is short, but it's a grind.  It's granny gear time and a speed of 8-10 klm / hour compared to a comfortable 25 kph on the flats. If I'm going to ride with a friend, I'll say "Meet you at my place", but the reply always is "I'll meet you at the bottom".   

Every time out cycling involves a ride back up. Doesn't matter if I do 10 klm or 100. Usually slugging it back up our hill is a bit of a curse, but when it comes to Sea to Sea training, I consider it a blessing.  Sort of.

Of course, going down hill is pretty quick.  I'll brake at 50 kph just because of the sharp corners and a desire to remain in one piece.

Well, the sun is shining.   I'm going to go for a ride down the hill.  

POST SCRIPT:    Yesterday (Saturday) I biked over to my brother and sister in law's place in the Abbotsford countryside. Steve Dykstra also lives in Abbotsford,  and we had arranged to meet at my brother's place and then bike from there back to my place in Chilliwack.  That's about a 90 klm (50+ mi) round trip.  When I met Steve there, I told him that no one that I know had ever willingly biked up our hill.  He replied that it sounded like a good challenge.  So we did bike to my place and Steve cycled up the hill and he made it look easy.  I think he might have even enjoyed it.   Good job Steve.  You are definitely ready for the Rockies!

btw, Steve drove the gear truck for us in the 2008 ride and will be cycling the route here in 2013.

The Golden Triangle and 2005 Sea to Sea

Last weekend Shelley and I made a road trip (by car) to Ponoka, Alberta for a family wedding.  One thing we both are apt to take notice of from time to time are the cycling conditions en route.   Participating in a cycling trip will do this to you.

As we were making our way back home on the holiday Monday, it occurred to me that we had seen very few cyclists on this trip.  Perhaps because it's only May.   But then just past Banff, AB, I saw a cyclist, followed by another, and another, and another.  Soon we had counted up to 30 or so cyclists as we were driving West towards Golden, BC.  Then we came by a pit stop and there had to be at least 100 cyclists there. Continuing towards Golden, we counted dozens more.  I figured there had to be at least 200 in total.  It turns out that this is an annual event called the Golden Triangle put on by the Elbow Valley Cycle Club out of Calgary, AB.  The actual number of registrants is more like 350+.  It's a three day event that goes from Banff, to Radium Hot Springs, to Golden, and then back to Banff.  About 330 klm in total (200 miles).

What strikes me about seeing all of these cyclists is that it is a serious climb out of Golden heading East towards Banff.  Until one does a climb like that,  it's really hard to appreciate the effort and training required to make it up the mountain.   It reminded me of what I consider to be the most difficult day of the 2008 Sea to Sea trip, being Day 2 from Sultan to Leavenworth, WA.  About 130 klm (78 mi), which included going over Stevens Pass.  If I were to relive a day of the 2008 trip, Day 2 would not likely be it. 

But it also made me think about the 2005 Sea to Sea trip that went across Canada.   There were about  100 cyclists that would have cycled on this same stretch of highway past Golden. Those 2005 cyclists did 150 klm (90 mi) from Revelstoke to Golden, BC and then over the next two days did 160 klm (100 mi) to Canmore, AB (just past Banff).   Seeing the Golden Triangle cyclists struggle up these "hills"  makes me take my hat off to all those 2005 Sea to Sea cyclists who also made it up those hills.  I'm sure many thought "why am I doing this?".

Cheers to all those who participated in the 2005 Sea to Sea trip!

Sea to Sea 2013

I recall sitting in a coffee shop with Fred M in Pennsylvania back in August, 2008, and we joked about how we could leave our bikes to sink in the Hudson River by the Statue of Liberty upon reaching our destination at the end of the 2008 Sea to Sea cycling trip.   Riding a bike six days a week for nine weeks straight can easily make one think that way! 

And truth be told, I have done precious little cycling since then, although it does happen from time to time. I guess it takes a Sea to Sea trip to get me on the saddle again, and it was just back in January that I decided to participate in the 2013 ride.

Why?  A couple of reasons.  The first is that this event requires cyclists to make it work.  The goal is to raise funds for organizations that aid in poverty relief, such  as World Renew (CRWRC) and Partners Worldwide.  I like what they do, and this is a way I can help out.  If there are no cyclists, there are no funds raised.

Having said that, if there are no people volunteering their time to drive the Sea to Sea vehicles, set up camps,  cook meals, and do a host of other tasks, this event would not work either.  Same as if there were no people willing to help out financially either.  An event like this makes us truly dependent on each other and God for His blessings too. 

The second reason for signing up is that many times I've thought how good it would be to relive a day or two of the 2008 bike trip.  It was a phenomenal experience and the trip of a life time.  Every so often I'll see a group of cyclists out for a ride, and my heart will beat just a little bit faster and I'll reflect for a moment on Sea to Sea 2008. Good times.

And so in four week's time I will be flying off to LA, bike in box, tent etc in duffle bag, and will again participate in Sea to Sea.  The distance will be shorter for me, as I will finish off in Phoenix a week later. That seems kind of short in some ways, but I'm OK with that and happy to be able to help out. I also look forward to seeing a good number of the 2008 Sea to Sea cyclists and volunteers who also are participating again in 2013.

My bike is tuned up and good to go, now I just have to get the old body ready to hit the road for a 660 klm trip in the CA/AZ desert. I'm looking forward to it.