2015 "Festive 500" Progress Reports

[John D]

At its peak I counted 22 people on the ride this morning. The weather was great: cold and calm, but totally frost-free (at least during the actual ride). As I headed home after coffee, however, frost had started to appear on the Goose and the Trestle Bridge. A fine example of the fact that the coldest temps occur AFTER sunrise this time of the year!

Thanks to Ritchie for organizing this morning's ride and to everyone else for the encouragement and support (especially Trev, Jim, and Pete). I was at 91km when I got home. By the time I finish my last minute shopping this afternoon I should break 100km.

The forecast for tomorrow morning is calling for a low of -1C. Let's hope they revise that up by a few degrees beore then!

[John D]

Xmas Day: Started the day with 102km logged. Six of us set out from Fairfield Bucky's at 6:00am. Me, Steve L, Claire, Kenji, Al Boden, and Garth. I hung on 'til Matticks before deciding to let the others go on without me. Rode as far as Mitchell Farms, turned left and headed home on along the highway. Logged 52kms.

Boxing Day. The plan was to meet Ritchie at the Oak Bay Disco ay 8:00am. Unfortunately Disco was closed, so I meandered around on my own until running into Ritchie, Jim, and Tim just before 9:00am to join the Oak Bay Bikes Saturday ride. Hung on until Arbutus whereupon the guy behind me and Jim pipes up with "Are you guys calling it a day or what?" before zooming past us. Rode on to Matticks before heaing home. Another 54km. Added 12km more later that afternoon.

Sunday: Around 20 of us showed up for the "regular" Sunday ride. I say "regular", 'cos Peter convinced us to skip Island View and extend to ride through Sidney and Wain Road to get 90km in. Foolishly, we agreed. Suffice to say that what followed was 3hrs of wind and non-stop rain. By the time we turned for home on Wain Road, most of us were pretty cold. I benefited from being pushed up no fewer than three hills by Peter, Trevor, and John T (who said "I'm doing this for me not you - I'm freezing and just wan to get home!). Another 87kms, plus 12km again that afternoon.

Monday: Woke up today at 6:30 to find that someone had unplugged my light last night in order to charge their phone. Urgh!!! Will try to log some kms this afternoon.

Total to date: 319km.

How is everyone else doing with thier Festive 500?

[Claire]

Weather be damned, I finished up this morning. I must admit, if I hadn't been so close to completing the 500, I likely would have bailed out after the box laps, which was nearly too close to home to carry on. This morning's freezing-cold downpour was not exactly inspiring me to log any more kms than necessary! I did cut out at the top of KGT and, after a brief warming-up over coffee, threw in a couple of laps of UVic to finish off.

I'm not sure what to do now... Certainly not something silly like not ride for the next three days... Especially if that bright thing up in the sky continues to appear.

Interesting stats at the top of the Festive 500 leaderboard for Canadians. Own very own Stephen Lund is a mere 26km from the top spot (after 3 guys from Quebec and Ontario, where they get actual winter), and Garth Campbell makes a respectable appearance in the top-10 as well. I'm currently the top woman and 13th overall, but that will likely change soon.

Kudos to everyone who's completed or well on their way!

[Lund]

Stupid leaderboard. I went out this afternoon to bag those 26 km, and by the time I got back two more Quebecers had leapfrogged ahead. So right now I'm sitting third in the country with 714 km.

[John D]

I'll be at 408km by the time I get home today. Anyone else looking to log another 100km over the next two days? I'm not on Strava...I've been writing my kms down on this weird app known as "paper". I have a feeling it might catch on.

J.

[sailor]

Still plugging away. I must admit that after Sunday's ride I was pretty spent. Yesterday my wife instructed me to spend some time with the family, she didn't have to tell me twice, so took the day off and watched Star Wars with my youngest. The day off and the sun coming out certainly makes things look rosier. Got out this afternoon for a couple of hours and logged around 60k. Leaves me at 415. May finish off tomorrow or save some for Friday.
Tim

[rhughes]

Hey John

I will be going out with the cross town rival gang--Farm ride tomorrow. That is assuming something actually dries out and the weatherman doesn't get it dead wrong again tomorrow.

Will still need a few kms on Thursday so maybe a Friday route.

Tim--to be "official" has to be completed before Friday.

Ritchie

[John D]

Did the Farm Team Ride this morning with about 10 others. It was cold but, with one exception, frost-free. There was a band of black ice across the road as we came down off KGT. Fortunately we'd been forewarned by a passing runner and managed to get across safely, again with with one exception...Rolf gave us a brilliant slow-mo fall (no harm done) while walking his bike across the ice.

After coffee Neil and I rode out to Sidney - for more coffee. By the time we got back to town we'd logged about 98kms which put both of us over the Festive 500 mark.

[Claire]

Way to go, Neil and John! On one of the coldest days of the year, too.
Out tomorrow for the TTT anyway? And TS Friday, of course? I may provide cookies to ring in the new year... If enough people commit to coming out.

[barton bourassa]

I have been off my bike for a week but the prospect of homemade cookies on Friday may be the motivation I need to get going again!

Way to John and Neil on the 500 and everyone else that took part!

Barton.

[Lund]

Had to take a screenshot of this because the leaderboard is a moving target. But for now, at least, a Tripleshotter holds the top spot in Canada. And congrats to Garth, who's in there at #6.

[Lund]

And just like that, I've been bumped down to 2nd by some Québécois nut-job who's tallied 49,000 km this year. He's only 8.5 km ahead, and I'm heartened by the fact that the forecast for his hometown is a low of -8º tonight and a high of -3º with snow showers tomorrow.

[sailor]

Far down the leader board, but passed the 500k mark today as well. Cold but gorgeous day. Ice still on the roads on Lockside and Saanich even late morning. Thanks Richie for the heads up with respect to end dates but more importantly, thanks for laying the groundwork for a successful completion. You should start charging coaching fees.
Tim

[Claire]

Sweet, I finished as top Canadian woman with 655km. Steve Lund 2nd overall Canadian. Garth Campbell 7th overall Canadian. Go, club!

[Lund]

My time atop the Canadian leaderboard today was, once again, short but sweet. Sean Saxon of Orangeville, ON leapt suddenly and decisively ahead by 200+ km with a 430-km ride over the past two days. Then there's Ben Merritt of LaSalle, ON — the perennial leader for monthly distance in Canada. He hasn't yet joined the Festive 500 challenge; but as soon as he does, he'll shoot straight to the top, besting Sean's 1,210 km total by about 30 km. (Ben has logged 1,240 km over the past eight days.) Interestingly, both Ben and Sean tallied all their Festive 500 mileage down in Florida.

Still, I'm delighted to have cranked out 1,005 km over the past eight days. (I believe it was Paul C who dared me to attempt a Festive 1,000. So, Paul C, take that!)

[Paul C.]

Steve way to go. I don t believe it was my challenge but I will take full credit anyhow....and you did it. Amazing with the " cool " weather.

Due an unplanned trip to the dentist I wimped out at 325. Congratulations to everyone. Teamwork.....works!