Mt Baker Hill Climb

[Barry McKee]

First of all congrats to all the Vanc-Whistler racers. Sounds like it went very well for all of you. Yes, there was another race this weekend, The Mount Baker Hill Climb on Highway 542. The race goes from Glacier, Washington to Artist Point, past the Mt Baker upper ski lodge. This is one of the classics. It is also for anyone who thinks they can climb. 4,000 plus feet elevation over 40k, the last 16k at around 10% grade. Because of a number of factors the race numbers were down some from previous years. I rode in the Competitive Div that totalled around 80. A few of the racers had done V-W on Saturday which made their performances that much more impressive. The race went very well. The start was quick. I managed to stay with the lead pack of 30 through the first 10k. The pace quickened on the first big hill and I did not have the legs to stay on. From there it was pretty much a grind. I don't think I once looked a the fabulous scenery and for sure I don't recall seeing much at the finish as I hammered towards the finish line in 1:32, good enough for 38th overall in the div and probably top 50 overall out of the 340 in the various division, which included tandems and a couple of uni-cycles and competitors from age 9 to 80. It was very satisfying to finish strong. My hill work outs and long mid-week rides paid off.

This was the last, last road race of the season for me and the 4th in as many weeks. I think I could do this for a few more weeks. I'm looking forward to next year and will be making a few changes this fall to get ready for the Masters season series and other races. Ciao!

[Stéphane Tran]

Well done Barry! This sounds like an event I wouldn't mind doing myself in the future.