Saturday April 11

[barton bourassa]

Starting from Discovery Coffee on Menzies in James Bay at 7 AM Sharp, rain or shine, calm or windy. Ride some of the route or all of it.

The route: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/674528948

I hope it is hilly enough for you Marcus! And oh look, Neild Road! And if you/we really want to, there is always the Observatory near the end.

I'd like to try to ride this one right thru without much stopping. Bring lots of food and lots of liquid. There are places to stop and fuel up if necessary. I have not yet been able to convince my dear wife or daughters to meet us somewhere near the 2/3 point to set up a feed station. I can't figure out why!

Barton.

[Bosie]

Hi Barton,
As a relative newbie, I would like to give this a try, perhaps even the whole thing
What sort of speeds are you looking at?

[Marcus]

Now that's art Barton. See you at 7.

[barton bourassa]

Bosie, we aim for 27 K/Hr by the end. May not sound like it is very fast because it isn't. It is long and steady. We (well, I!) will be out there for 5 to 5 1/2 hours. By hour 4 we are feeling it! By the end, the legs are tired but not completely wrecked! Hills and distance; building strength (body and mind) and endurance. And callouses on my butt! Those are the goals.

Come on out and give it a shot.

Barton.

[barton bourassa]

Nothing kind nor gentle about today's ride. Started with Louise, Amy, Craig (aka Bosiei) and Marcus. Went out to the William Head Prison (decided not to check in) then Louise had the great idea to ride down to Pearson College. That was fine but we had to come back up! Then off to Liberty, Lindholm, back up Rocky Pt to Gillespie then up Mattheson Lake Rd. Never been up there before. Now I know why! A lovely long climb that I am sure would be just dandy in dry warm weather. Pouring rain and 1.6 C; very cold coming down! Then back to Kangaroo and one more time up Lindholm before settling in to Happy Valley Rd only to be interrupted by Neild. Hey, that one was Marcus's idea. By then it was just Marcus and I.

Road thru to Millstream just so we could climb the back side of Munn. Oh what fun! Pounding rain, almost hail, cold! Very cold coming down to Prospect but once we hit the Goose, 10 C!

We had some flat sections but mostly hills of one form or another. Along with all weather conditions, warm, very cold; nutty wet, really dry; calm and wind. We had it all. I guess my estimated pace of 26 to 27 K/Hr was pretty well off. The ride took over 6 hours, 2,069 m of climbing, 22.2 K/Hr Avg.

Nice to see a few more people out for this Saturday silly hilliness. If you want something different from the same old route, this is it! Every Saturday a different sort of pain! Thanks to Marcus for riding the whole way! So nice to have company. But, the only way to get Marcus out for a Saturday ride is if there are lots of hills!

Barton.

[amyeee]

Thanks Barton. The part I did was lots of fun! I think I need to work more on hills though ...

Amy

[Marcus]

Great ride today Barton even though it took an hour for my hands to warm up after I got home. Matheson is a beauty, 246 metres of vertical which to my knowledge is the most in greater Victoria. My Garmin showed 2530 metres overall.

Marcus

[Bosie]

Great ride- Thanks Barton. Especially enjoyed Mt Matheson- well worth the effort- would like to do it on a clear day, the view must be spectacular.

[Rolf]

Dearest Barton and Marcus:

Please have your heads examined.

Or as a certain deserter, triathlete would have said:

<whap>

[John D]

Matheson is a beauty, 246 metres of vertical which to my knowledge is the most in greater Victoria. My Garmin showed 2530 metres overall.

Well, they do say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[mfarnham]

Marcus, did your Garmin cost more than Barton's? Just working on a theory...

Martin

[katew]

<whap>

Hey.