Saturday June 14, Full Blown Palooza

[barton bourassa]

My plan is to ride 140 K. Same route as two weeks ago.

BUT WITH A TWIST: LEAVING STARBUCKS COOK ST AT 6 AM.

I am helping out at the TS tent/booth at the MEC Bike Fest Saturday PM.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/429266408

Lots of places to join in and lots of places cut out. If we don't dilly dally too much we should be at the coffee shop by 11:30.

Repeating myself:
What could possibly be more fun than doing this route again!

Again, be careful with your nutrition. We should be out for about 5 1/2 hours so nutrition and hydration will be key. We will stop in the Central Saanich Wallace area for a quick stop to replenish food and fuel, at about 85 K.

Like before, the idea is a solid steady pace, keeping the legs rotating and the wheels moving, working the hills and practicing cresting the hill with some momentum. A number of the faster riders during the last week's ride came back down from the hill tops for us slower folk and we all seemed to be able to roll over the hill tops without having to stop much. What tends to happen without the quicker riders really knowing it, when you rest at the top of the hill waiting and waiting for the rest of us, you are well rested by the time we get there then when we go, sometimes the rested ones really go! Come back, climb some more and we can all go together off to the next hill!

[barton bourassa]

I had forgotten a couple of things. I had forgotten how early 5:10 AM feels on a Saturday morning! I had completely forgotten that 8 days of traveling across the country (to Halifax) without Scotty (my dear bike!) does not exactly equal a week of rest!

Three of us, I repeat, only three of us started out. Ritchie and Rob Grant, brave souls! Not sure where the rest of the regulars were! It was cloudy and the roads were pretty wet thru the east part of Saanich but not a drop of rain fell. The cool thing about a 70% chance of rain is that there is a 30% chance it won't rain! I like the odds! I installed a clip on fender but tossed at Geoff's place on the way thru. It was just rubbing and rattling and generally making a nuisance. Besides, no one else brought a fender and I did not want to be the one to pull the rest of the way in case it did rain! Geoff, I am sure you were wondering! I'll pick it up later.

Hector and his Dad Kevin rode joined us along the way and road with us a bit.

The first time up and around Munn is really not so bad! The climb back up Willis from the water is! We rode and rode and climbed all the hills we could find. Rob pealed off at Prospect and Munn while Ritchie and I headed back up Munn for a second time. I just kept telling myself not to think about what was behind but only that it was 7 K to the top of Munn then almost home free, except for that last 22K! I am so glad Ritchie was still there cause I had nothing left went we hit Willis. He pulled me home almost all the way. I made a few vain attempts at taking a turn on the front. It was ugly!

I need to rest for next Saturday's fun! The Silly Summer Solstice 100 (MILES!). 100 laps of Beacon hill. What a blast!

See you tomorrow for regular Sunday! Did I say rest? That starts on Monday, I hope!