Nanaimo2 Victoria Charity Ride

[Plawless]

so I have been looking at the registrations and Tripleshot is woefully underrepresented...... What is the deal do we like cancer? C'mon its been a hoot the past 2 years. Lets get some more committed Tripleshotters signing up and raising some dough! Register at www.nanaimo2victoria.ca Details:

[Rita]

For the newer members, who haven't heard (much) about the N2V ride yet, here's some info: The N2V ride is a really fun event. I did it last year for the first time after I had started road cycling regularly only a few weeks before the event. I wasn't quite sure if I was capable of doing this 120km challenge - I found out that I was and I was really glad I did it.

The participants are a whole mix of people, from commuters to regular club riders. I chatted to lots of people along the way as the pace is relatively easy and didn't get me out of breath too much. It gave me the chance to get to know some of my fellow TripleShotters, which was nice. The only hard bit of the ride was the Malahat, but I even survived that without the Hand of God. Maybe the 'Highway to Hell' coming from the sweeper car behind me made me push harder?

We had a couple of stops along the way, one of which was a fuel stop in Mill Bay, where we got plenty of nice food served. The funnest part of the ride was the police escort and the not-stopping at traffic lights along the highway. How often do you get to do that, heh? I also loved the colorful appearance of the peloton and the great vibes in the crowd.

Even though the pace wasn't too hard, I was knackered by the end. Sitting on the bike for 5 hours is tiring, no question. But it was totally worth it. If this sounds like it's too easy for you, there is always the option to double up and ride out and back, like several Tripleshotters did last year.

If you think you'd like to do this ride, but you're not quite sure, just talk to some of us who have done it.

Rita

[AlW]

This is definitely a great event. It's not often you get to do a supported ride down the island with a police escort. The pace is reasonable and definitely doable if you ride regularly. Toughest part, as Rita mentioned, is the 5-6 hours in the saddle.

As per the distance, they say it's 120km, but be prepared for more. Last year, there were detours to Mill Bay, Canwest Mall, and (due to permit issues) through Oak Bay to get to Clover Point. Total distance was a touch under 140km.

Add more if you plan on riding to the bus in the morning and home afterward. I did this and hit 170km for the day. Those that were crazy enough to ride both ways did somewhere in the neighborhood of 270km.


Here's last years route:
http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&source=s ... 8&t=h&z=13

[Rolf]

So there are still only 8 people signed up for fundraising on the Cops for Cancer site and this ride is only 25 short days away! I can't add much to Rita's endorsement above. This ride is what first got me out in the mornings with TripleShot and it was a very special day. I'm really looking forward to this year, though the thought of doubling my time in the saddle and hitting the Malahat twice is a bit daunting.

Anyway, if you're on the fence whether or not to join in the fun, I thought I'd post some images from last year to help give you a nudge:

Team TripleShot

Eric and Dolly

Norm and Eric

[Rolf]

...

Getting ready

Happy to be alive and healthy

And we're off...

[Rolf]

...

Ladysmith pitstop

Mill Bay feeding station before the 'Hat

More feeders enjoying the shade

[Rolf]

...

I rode for my grandfathers and father-in-law, all dead from cancer

The pace was very forgiving up the Malahat; Michael "Die Lokomotive" Lawless pulled me the whole way!

Pausing atop the Malahat to let everyone catch up.

My very welcome deserts!

[Rolf]

Here are some quick video clips from last year's ride (apologies for the crap picture quality and jerky, sometimes irritating panning - they're all mercifully brief):

TripleShot preparations:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzF6JkmndQI

A POV shot of cruising down the Island Highway (SO fun with a lane just for us and the intersections controlled):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5vYfPiuVG4

Riders prostrate on the pavement, enjoying a feed and a rest in the shade in Mill Bay:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiOnoL9Mo8U

A great 2 minute montage done by somebody else:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhH_WDY3RCw&NR=1

[steve]

Rolf,

Thanks for bringing this up - I want to reiterate what everyone else has said. This was my first ever ride with TS and is an awesome ride for a great cause. The police escort and honking cars made you feel like a real pro and there is a great sense of comradery in the peleton. If you are at all contemplating this ride, sign up!

I'm just waiting to hear if the home office has decided if we should take holidays that weekend.....

Steve

[Ian]

Just finished signing up! Definitely excited.

[bill]

Come on everyone. Dont be shy!!!!

[AdamD]

My excuse is that im going to that crit up in Stevemawhatchet

[Rita]

Hey Rolf, are you serious about doing the return trip? That will be 280km in the saddle, which seems an awful lot to me and therefore I'm not sure what I shall do. Who else is doing the double whammy?
Rita

[wonger]

thinking about it...

[jeremy]

I'm just riding back, 280 is a bit out of my grasp (for now )

[Rolf]

Well eschewing the school bus does seem a bit extreme, but that's what's motivating me right now; and hopefully it's what will motivate my donors.

Steve Young did it last year in scuba gear.

Plus I talked to Kim yesterday and we have permission to come into town straight down Douglas this year, which should cut a little distance. It think it will be more like 250K.

And if it's too much, there's always the broom wagon. I have no false pride when it comes to what I can and cannot do on a bicycle.

[leftcoaster]

thinking about it

[mlawless]

To all those worried about riding up and back I think you can rest assured that it will be worth it and is very manageable. The ride up the last couple of years has been done at a moderate pace with a stop at the top of the Malahat at Serious Coffee. Some went on a bit faster and the rest stayed in a productive, steady paced group. I found the ride up to be excellent.

The ride back is very much a slow stop-and-go affair with multiple (somewhat lengthy) stops along the way. The pace was very slow up the Malahat. If you can ride your bike at all you can ride from Nanaimo to Victoria. If you can ride with the group on any of our normal rides (disregard the sprints and the last stretch along the waterfront entirely) you can ride up to Nanaimo as well as back to Victoria.

For me the ride up was the most enjoyable - it was just a longer (albeit slower) version of our Sunday long rides. The ride back to Victoria was a different kind of ride given the pace and large number of other riders. However, given the ride up I did not mind the slower pace and frequent stops as it felt like I had already done my ride for the day and I was content to meander along with the larger group chatting with all sorts of people I had not met before (or had been unable to talk to because I was gasping for breath trying to stick on a wheel!).

So, I strongly recommend the ride up - with a larger group riding up it will be even easier and even more social!

Michael

[Paul C.]

Hi 3shoters. I have entered N to V, Aug. 15....Sounds like fun last year. Not sure if I will Bus up or ride. I ve heard last year was faster going up than down????? What was average speed going up? cheers, Paul C. (hopefully in a C group at Windsor this Sunday}

[steve]

Paul,

I think we averaged about 33.5 km/h up and about 30 km/h down. I think the pace may have been a little faster on the way up secondary to 6 flats making us almost late for the departure. As Mike said, the ride down isn't a race but more of a community ride. With such a large peleton, you do very little work and mcuh more chatting.

I was told that they averaged about 32 km/h the year before.

I'm definitely in for the ride up once given clearance to participate!





Steve