The Headwinds of Lakeshore Boulevard

Just when you think you're a superstar, you turn around and realize you've been riding with a tailwind. Ah, that sinking feeling.

But the croissants were worth it. Mission Accomplished.

Race Report: Paul's Dirty Enduro

Another first! No, not first place ... first time trying out another one of the great fall mountain bike events Ontario has to offer. Many of you were kind enough to pledge my 100km singletrack race adventure and let me tell you, your donations went to a great cause, a great race, run by a great bunch of volunteers.

We got to Ganaraska just as the sun was peeking out over the horizon. It was a long day in every sense of the word. At the start, I don't think I was totally awake yet. At "go" I had that "oh yeah, there's a race today" thought that usually means I'd be coaxing heavier-than-usual legs through the first few minutes.

Kind of like the marathon last week, after about 20km, I considered myself "in it". But by then, Queen Heather had already put about 5 minutes into me. Hmmm. I decided that since pacing would obviously be the main challenge of the day I'd just concentrate on holding onto second.

The First 40 Kilometres

... were not my favourite. We were using trails shared by dirt bikes which meant that every climb had basically one line: up the middle of a ditch just a little wider than your pedals. So that meant any slip and you were digging your foot into the side. And slipping was hard to avoid since most of the dirt would be better described as wet sand. With mud puddles. I was glad to put those behind me.

Enter Gavin

Another challenge was riding alone in the woods. With so much terrain, and so few riders, there was very little to keep the mind on track. I was day dreaming non-stop. Musing over the porcupine quills I saw scattered on the trail. Scaring up grouse. Freaking out over the complete carpeting of poison ivy on the forest floor. And then a friendly guy came up behind me and we decided to ride together for both our sakes. All of a sudden a whole hour was down but since we were chatting the whole time, it felt like a few minutes, and our average speed had increased. Awesome. Huge thanks to Gavin, otherwise, I don't know if I would have gone out for the second 60km loop.

The Pit Stop

As you've probably gathered, the course was made up of a 40km loop and a 60km loop. Between the loops, we rode right by the car so I had a chance to make a pit stop, change bottles, take off layers, neutralize poison ivy, eat and then get back on the trail. Of course, my timing was impeccable, and I ended up setting out right behind the racers starting the 60km distance. That meant a huge field was between us and the rest of the 100km riders. Oh no. Gavin and I worked together to pass as many as possible on the open sections, opting to hurt a little now to save a little waiting later in the singletrack. It was going great, we were having a good time and moving at a good clip despite the many "slow-trains" we rode as we worked our way through the field. And then ...

Garmin Fail

... I looked down. And my Garmin was GONE. In a race this long, that little gadget was keeping great company monitoring the passing kilometres and tracking our average speed. Not to mention, I'd only had it returned the night before (thanks Sweet Pete's!) after the LAST time it jumped off my handlebars. That incident resulted in a replacement unit. The one that was now presumably lying in the dirt somewhere. Design flaw? I think so. In a flash decision I told Gavin the fun was over for me, I'd have to turn around. I knew I wouldn't be able to find peace about a [expensive] lost tool unless I'd done all I could to try to find it, so I turned around to ride upstream in a river of riders. Before long, I got to a marshal and stopped to ask her if anyone had turned it in. She said she hadn't had one yet. I was in the middle of making sure it was alright with her to continue into tighter terrain against the grain to try and find it when ...

Garmin Guardian Angel

... a young man, I think from Mountainview Cycling Club (or else a similar blue and white kit) stopped and said, "Are you looking for this?" and pulled my Garmin out of his jersey pocket. Holy shit. The odds are staggering and thank goodness for him!! I made him stop long enough for me to give him a big hug before turning him loose on the singletrack once again. As for the Garmin, I replaced it in my jersey pocket, NOT the stem mount. Huge thank you to you, whoever you are.

Where'd you come from?

After the Garmin incident, things started going downhill -- figuratively speaking. Literally speaking, they were still going very much UPhill. I knew I was losing speed, but I was confident I could keep 'er going enough to hold my position while keeping suffering to a minimum. So at check points, I let myself get off the bike and enjoy some orange wedges and bananas. I chatted with the volunteers and other racers and then moved on. This was great for a couple rest stations, but then seemingly out of nowhere (but actually out of my own lax riding), third place was on my wheel, then cheerily calling a pass and wishing me a good ride. Wha ...?! How did I let this happen?

So I paced her for a bit to get an idea of what kind of effort I'd need to put her behind me before unleashing an Ocup-Style final 30km. This was actually hugely enjoyable (ha -- read "painful") because the second loop was much more flowy than the first, with way better dirt too. Riding fast is always fun, and it was nice to know I had deeper fitness than I'd thought. Mental strength on the other hand ...

Well it was also very nice to see the finish line, let me tell you.

Results

I ended up in second, as planned and took home a neat little pottery plaque and a medicine ball for my efforts. We all enjoyed an awesome chili lunch and a good sit in the grass chatting with riding buddies and new friends we'd met while neutralizing poison ivy with a garden hose.

Huge thanks to the volunteers who put out a massive effort to make such a great event run so smoothly. And heck, they even ordered up good weather. Would I do it again? Hmmm ... ask me when my body stops aching. ;)

$100 for 100km

Paul's Dirty Enduro -- It's officially on my calendar. 100km of singletrack for me, 100 dollars raised for others.

I think it's the 15th time this race has been run, but it's my first time to line up. Here's hoping I can even ride all 100km of singletrack ... in a row.

But if the going gets tough, there are plenty of inspiring things to pull me through. First of all, Paul's story, and the love and support he still inspires today.

Paul was a young man who loved to ride bikes -- mainly in the Ganaraska Forest where this race is being held. According to his friends, he'd gather up fellow-riders and rip the trails all day long. He'd always say, "Let's do 100km!" but they never actually did.

He passed away by taking his own life in 1996. This event is run by his friends and family who come together year after year in his memory. They raise money for the Canadian Mental Health Association, put on a full day of activities and from all accounts, everyone has a good ol' time.

If you want to read more about Paul, his sister wrote a beautiful article in the Globe and Mail you should check out. I posted it below as well.

As for the race, I'm told it's 100km, mainly singletraick, never the same trail twice. I hear there's poison ivy, and its winners are worshipped like royalty. And I'm also looking forward to a promised hot lunch (which will probably be a cold dinner by the time I actually [literally] crawl over the finish line.)

If you want to show your support I'm trying to raise $100 for the event. I gave myself a head start with $20. Link to my fundraising page, follow the directions and be sure to print your tax receipt.

Then wish me luck on the 18th! Oh, and if someone could come and drive me home, that would be awesome ;)
KL

By Mary Lou Archibald

Globe and Mail

Friday, Mar. 12, 2010

My brother’s life is a dirty and exhausting endurance race that never ends, despite the fact he committed suicide 14 years ago today.

Every September since Paul died in 1996 at the age of 34, family, friends, mountain-biking enthusiasts and greenhorns have gathered in the Ganaraska Forest near Peterborough, Ont. We honour Paul’s life, sustain his passion for racing and the Ganaraska trails, and talk about the mystery and heartache of knowing that someone you can’t live without thought you would be better off without them.

On the one hand, Paul Rush was a rough-and-tumble mountain biker who could always be counted on to pull ahead in the home stretch during 24-hour relays with his biking buddies. He was a humble and hard-working cyclist, the strong and often silent type with broad shoulders, solid legs and a heart that could climb the steepest hills without missing a beat.

Paul loved to ride the trails, the more offbeat and rugged the better. His dream was to do a 100-kilometre endurance race, not to prove he was better or stronger or faster than anyone, but because it was a new challenge and adventure. It was inevitable that the Dirty Enduro race that started because of him includes a 100-kilometre trail that winds in one big loop with a new view at each twist and turn, which is exactly the way Paul would have wanted it.

On the other hand, Paul was a real character with an offbeat sense of humour. He had twinkling Irish eyes that reflected his appreciation for a good time with family and friends. Women loved Paul, not just for his charm and good looks but also for his sensitivity and vulnerability.

He had four older sisters who loved to spoil him, and a couple of girlfriends who probably would have married him in a flash if only he had popped the question. Yet he remained the eternal bachelor. I questioned this many times, and he always told me he was afraid of getting married and having kids because he might screw it up. I should have known this was a sign of his insecurities, but he always said it with a chuckle and such casual flair that I thought he was pulling my leg.

Paul was a big tease with everyone, especially kids. Nieces, nephews and friends’ children could not wait for him to shower them with attention. Young ones and even too-cool tweens would sidle up to the friendly giant, knowing that when the moment was right he would scoop them up and twirl them, bench press them with his big “muskles” or cart them around the block on the back of his bike.

His love and affection were unconditional and unencumbered. You could be yourself with Paul, and no matter how shy or quiet you were, you always knew he had no expectations. And he made a mean pizza from scratch, turning the kitchen into a cheesy disaster area, but the results were mouthwatering and the cleanup with Paul always fun.

Unfortunately, Paul was also a man who lived with the “black dog” of depression for years, a dark secret we live to regret.

Paul was raised in an era when boys were taught to deal with their anger or frustration by scrapping, or shutting up. Going to the doctor was for pregnant women and old people. And talking about it was something you were only allowed to do in the church confessional, to ask forgiveness for feeling this way when you should be grateful you have a roof over your head and food on the table.

So when Paul had thoughts of suicide, and even attempted it unsuccessfully, as we later discovered, he sucked it up because that was what real men did. When he told us that stray dogs were chasing him during his solitary bike rides, little did we know the animals that were really haunting him were in his mind.

Paul lost his job, and he told us it was because his boss was a jerk. He probably was, but what we didn’t see was that Paul’s anxiety, in the days before employee mental health was a sincere consideration, led to behaviour that was typically dealt with by pushing the difficult worker out the door.

In the end, it was not the stray dogs or the tough terrain that took Paul’s life, but his own desperate desire to end his pain.

So every year we gather, and what started with a few close family members and friends and a pot of chili 14 years ago has become a big event with hundreds of riders and volunteers, and more than $17,000 in donations. The funds are used to raise awareness about suicide, especially among young people.

The cause has become a potential source of healing instead of pain. Family and friends would much rather see Paul leading the pack in the 100-kilometre race year after year. Instead, we gather annually to watch others continue the race, and it is a bittersweet ride. Whether they participate for the thrill, or to honour someone who suffers from mental illness or tragically took their own life, the participants at Paul’s Dirty Enduro continue his life journey on his behalf.

Mary Lou Archibald lives in Brantford, Ont.

Albion Night Ride

Awesome night ride with D-Rock. Did Albion frontwards, backwards, daylight and nighttime. All tired out. My kind of Saturday night.

2010 Ride to Conquer Cancer

It rained. For once, the weather man got it right much to our chagrin. Even more annoying, apparently our route was the only wet one, as the 200K riders stayed dry all day. Anyway, I don't want to get all Eyeore on it, but the rain made a challenging weekend that much more difficult. I was going to write a long winded report, but in hopes that you might actually read on, I've decided to go with point form:

Friday:

- Mom came too, and we four (mom, dad, G and me) went to a Happiest on my Bike teammate's house for eats and greets -- amazing spread, thank you Larry!

- Late packing, got me to bed past midnight. Stayed up long enough to experience the torrential downpour that made it difficult to sleep well, envisioning a wet ride in the morning

Day 1:



- All that was left of the rain (sounded like pebbles pelted at our windows!) was the humidity; G drove me to the CNE with 4000 other cyclists. I ended up walking in so we didn't have to sit in the traffic

- Opening Ceremonies wrapped up and we slowly moved out of the CNE. Ten minutes in spot the first crash victim; ambulance was cleaning up ... sucky way to start and end the weekend. Good reminder to keep wits about us!

- Not very long before 200M riders split from 200K riders. Varying levels of experience with group riding in our posse of 6 Team Happiest riders, but managed to stay mostly together

- Rain started just before halfway, with full downpour at the 100K mark. Oh yeah, if we'd signed up for the other route, we'd be drinking beers now!!

- Near the end, dad's knee began to give him some grief ... hrmmm

- Finished the ride up the big escarpment climb, and rolled into camp where the party was in full swing

- Ryan Leech peformed, two free drinks for everyone, good eats of turkey sausage and salads with veggies

- Stats: 4,108 riders, $16.1 million dollars raised, 35.5 million calories burned, 45,000L of sweat, enough kilometres to circle the world 23 times, 1,000 volunteers. Oldest rider? 82

Day 2:

- Weatherman promised better weather, but he was wrong and we began in the rain again

- Dad's knee bothered him from the start and so the ride had a strange tension for us ... knew he could complete it, but should he? Each rest stop we talked about packing it in, and each one, he decided to go "one more". He showed the kind of determination Cancer demands and I'm so happy we finished together to show Cancer what's what. Way to go DAD!!!

- Mom, G and the Gledhills met us in Port Colborne at the cheering station!! Woo hoo!! It was so awesome to see them there, let me tell you.



- More drama: apparently a rider before us fell on the bridge over the canal in Port Colborne (one of those metal grid type surfaces) and lost her finger!!! We walked across that one.

- After the cheering section, we didn't see anymore rain, so we finished in relative peace

- Final 18km section was all along the Niagara River, on smooth flat road. Ahhhhhh.

- We made it!! Beers and burgers were our reward, but then we upped the ante back in Toronto at "My Place" (Jane and Bloor, great pub) where I had a steak dinner, and dad opted for pulled pork. Only, for some reason we were the ones who had trouble finishing while G and mom demolished their trout dinner and portabello burger.



Aftermath:

- 340km, ~13hours ride time, 10,000 calories burned

- Took yesterday off training. It was glorious. Made G a nice dinner to thank him for being such a good fan this weekend, driving all over southern Ontario, taking photos, getting up early on a Saturday and everything. Thank you Gerhard!

- Thank you mom for coming, cheering, taking photos, and all your help leading up to the ride!

- Thank you Aunt Mindy for coming out and cheering!! (... and with a sign too!!)



- Thank you Donors for making it all possible and standing up to Cancer with us

- Thank you Dad, for starting, for finishing, and for an awesome weekend (minus the farts in the tent. not cool.)

- Legs held up great, happy about that. A little knee pain (sports med on Thursday) and of course my "rib-out" is totally enraged at the moment (chiro on Monday)

- Dad's got his knee in a brace and he's icing and elevating (or else he'd better be!)

- Already signed up for 2011. Who's coming with us?



In case you didn't follow the "live updates", here they are:
Twitter

Terrible night's sleep ... but woke up to birds, not raindrops. fingers crossed. 4:50 AM Jun 12th

good news! T-storms out of the forecast!! On with the show ... 4:51 AM Jun 12th

Having breakfast. smoothie. cereal. rain. 5:22 AM Jun 12th

Dropped off my bag, now just need to find my team. Thanks G for battling the event traffic! (@ Opening Ceremonies w/ 24 others) 6:47 AM Jun 12th

Looking for team "Happiest on my Bike"! (@ Opening Ceremonies w/ 27 others) http://4sq.com/boRcoC 6:48 AM Jun 12th

Found the team! Found dad, found mom, and hear aunt mindy's going to be cheering at a zone in mississauga. Woo hoo! (@ Opening Ceremonies) 7:07 AM Jun 12th

We're ready! @ the opening ceremonies! http://tweetphoto.com/26835790 7:15 AM Jun 12th

Here we are!! The "before" shot. Gonna have a great ride! http://tweetphoto.com/26835964 7:16 AM Jun 12th

Finally on our way. Back of the pack, tailwind! (@ Opening Ceremonies w/ 41 others) http://4sq.com/boRcoC 7:41 AM Jun 12th

De-layering! Split from the 200k riders now 8:52 AM Jun 12th

Is it really that hard to pee in a hole!? C'mon! (@ Pit stop #1!) 9:26 AM Jun 12th

Parking lot is our 2nd pit stop! 70km down. Six in our pack, working on road skills. A little mist ... But will it rain? 11:01 AM Jun 12th

Lunch!! My shoes are wet (my everything's wet), it's pouring rain and we *could* be done if we'd just opted for the 200K. Doh. 1:03 PM Jun 12th

Space man, oh space man, come rescue me! Brrrrrr http://tweetphoto.com/26890249 1:27 PM Jun 12th

Approaching the hammer!! Almost done day 1. Still raining ... http://tweetphoto.com/26905433 2:54 PM Jun 12th

Just heard some thunder .... Stay back!! Stay back, thunderstorm! 2:56 PM Jun 12th

Hardly any riding between us and a wet tent. Awesome (@ Ride to conquer cancer last pit stop)

Done! Day one in the bag. Time for beers!! (@ Camp w/ 37 others) http://4sq.com/9xoyZ5

Set up camp, had a shower, and now, time to eat. And long-awaited beers, of course.

4108 riders, 16.1 million dollars, 35.5 million calories, enough kilometres to circle the world 23 times. Oldest rider? 82.

We sweat 45,000 litres of sweat, collectively.

1,000 volunteers put on this event! THANK YOU volunteers!! 400 of those also added their fundraising to the cause!

By the way, the 82 year old gentleman lost his sight in both eyes in 1990. He's run the Toronto half marathon, and now the RTCC ... Twice.

Breakfast of champions! A lot of sore people around, but we're stoked. http://tweetphoto.com/27019715

I thought I was deaf in one ear. Then I remembered to take out my ear plug.

I just got asked if I am an Olympian. Now that's some morning sunshine! *flattered*

We're off! In the rain ... Please clear off, brrrr

38.75km first break. One crash on wet pavement by barb. She's ok. Joined a triathlon and felt like the race horse scene in mary poppins.

Pit stop #2. Dad's knees are hurting him ... I have faith. C'mon dad! (@ Grand island bar- b- q) http://4sq.com/aahKYi

74.76km down!

Lunch! About 95km down. And finally, the rain seems to be on its way out. Dry roads at last. (@ Wainfleet Beach) http://4sq.com/ddb5ZM

Last pit stop! 40 more km. Saw mom, g and the gledhills cheering! Wooooo!!!

We did it!! We didn't know if we could, but gramma helped us. Celebrating now! Thanks for tuning in. Full blog soon xoxo

Post-ride steak dinner. Check. (@ My Place - a Canadian Pub) http://4sq.com/aKeaN

One more sleep!

At last, the long-awaited weekend is here. Between the training, the spaghetti dinner, and bothering everybody I knew for donations the past seven months, somehow it's all come together and it's going off tomorrow!!

I want to thank my donors and supporters once more for all their help -- thanks to you, I've raised nearly $4000, and dad's gone past $5000! It's great to think what kind of difference that will make for people fighting cancer, and researchers working for a cure.

Now all that's left to do is the ride! 200 miles is serious business; lightening is also serious business, and both are on our agenda for this weekend. Don't worry, we'll be riding with a "safety-first" mentality, but rain or shine, hell or high water, we're going to make it to Niagara Falls (by bike ;) ).

If you would like to watch our progress, I'll be sending live updates via Twitter (assuming my phone doesn't get too wet). My twitter feed can be found at www.twitter.com/kristenmlake and the feed is also available on the side-bar to the right of this post.

Finally, I also want to thank team "Happiest On My Bike" for having Dad and I join as late additions. We're looking forward to a little get together tonight, and sharing the pulls tomorrow. Already stoked for the beer tent.

Wish Dad, me and our team good luck, and good weather! We're off!

Cake-loving cyclist starts a cupcake tour of Toronto

OMG, wish I'd thought of this!!! My two favourite things: cupcakes and cycling, together at last! I'm joining their facebook page tonight and you can bet I'll be on the next ride. Can't wait.

By Chantal Braganza
Toronto Star

Hyedie Hashimoto’s idea of a sweet ride is hopping on her black road bike and zipping across Toronto from bakery to bakery, sampling cupcakes.

Call it a kind of culinary biking tour. There are definitely enough cupcake shops across town to support one.

“I just have a sweet tooth,” says Hashimoto, a 32-year-old graphic designer. “Tying in cupcakes was tying something fun into biking.”

Having seen similar rides take place in Nashville, Tenn., Washington, D.C. and Paris, she decided to start one here last April. She drew up a logo, created a website and posted notices on city biking boards asking interested cyclists to join in. The only catch? It’s a girls-only event.

“I heard last year about a report that said less women were riding bikes than men,” she says, referring to studies published by Rutgers University in New Jersey and Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia. Both noted that in North American and Australian core cities, more men than women were riding bikes. The key to improving cycling infrastructure, they suggested, was to close the cycling gender gap.

“I wanted to do something to help promote girls on bikes,” says Hashimoto. Here in Toronto, only a little more than 30 per cent of cyclists are women.

This isn’t to say cupcakes are female-exclusive. But it doesn’t hurt that they fit sweetly into a bike basket and travel well. And from Yorkville to Dundas West, there’s no shortage of bakeries, or route ideas.

“The sheer number of bakeries that sell cupcakes in the city is amazing — it’s a great way to see the city.”

Her first ride, from OMG Baked Goods on Dundas St. W. at Dufferin St. for chocolate vegan cupcakes to Icing on the Cake on Queen St. E. via the Martin Goodman Trail, took place April 3. Only one other rider showed up, she laughs. However, last Saturday’s sophomore ride down Bloor St. fared better. Four women met up at Hot Oven Bakery on Bloor St. W. at Runnymede Rd. before cycling west to High Park to take part in Bells on Bloor, a cycle parade to support bike safety in the city. Within minutes, baked treats and cycling stories of first bikes — and first accidents — were being swapped.

Malena Andrade, a web designer, experienced her first “door prize” one night a couple of years ago, in the club district at Adelaide and John Sts., when a group of girls exiting a cab opened the door without looking. The door banged her wheel so hard, the wheel warped.

Andrade had never been in an accident before. Standing amid the crowd of hollering club-goers and noisy cars, she brushed herself off and cycled home. It was only when she took her wheel to get fixed, that she learn about her rights as a rider in such a situation.
“I just wanted to get out of there,” she says, peeling the paper off a fat, pink cupcake.

But that incident isn’t likely to change her, or any of the cupcake riders’ penchant for biking in Toronto.

“It’s not that scary, once you learn how to bike defensively,” says Hashimoto.

“For me the benefits outweigh the cons,” says Amelia Velasco, an administrative assistant who started cycling while living in Paris for two years, before moving back home in 2009. “It’s just the most efficient way to get around . . . most places are a 30-minute radius away from me. I get exercise, get to work and help the environment: I can’t lose.”

The next sweet ride is in the planning stage. If you want to get in on it, visit http://www.cupcakeride.com/.

PS -- all the cupcakes pictured in this blog post are from "For the Love of Cake" in Liberty Village. I was lucky enough to grab a Groupon that gets me 6 of these babies for only $7 (regularly more than twice that!). Click here to join Groupon yourself!!

Family Riding to the End of the World!

Every month I get the Women's Cycling Newsletter which often has amazing little stories, and this issue is no different.

Check out the Vogel Family's epic quest to make their twin boys the youngest to cycle the Pan-American Highway. They've been on the road for 2 years now, beginning in Alaska, and are only 5000 miles from reaching their goal: Tierra del Fuego. The boys are reportedly loving every minute. Chyea, no doubt!

It's a pretty inspiring tale that's got me thinking about what sorts of things I'll put any future offspring through in the name of higher-learning, travel, bonding, and FUN.

Here's the link to the article:

http://www.womenscycling.ca/blog/cycling-tours-and-vacations/family-on-bikes-cycling-the-pan-american-highway/

And here's a link to their website:

http://www.familyonbikes.org/

Glorious Morning Ride!

Thanks to Randall for the great ride this morning. Only sorry if you have as many bug bites as me! I take full responsibility, since I was the piano tied to your ankles this morning.

I was having "one of those rides." Things were going great for our first leg -- a rocket mission across the Ridge, completed in a cool 18 minutes without even trying. Finally, I'd found the rythym I'd misplaced at the Canada Cup. Needed a ride like that. Randall even commented, "I was just thinking you could teach a clinic on flow!" Now that's what I like to hear!

But then we rolled into the Upper Don, covering such favourites as Catalyst, Rim Job and a newly cut trail called "Aerodrome" — thanks to its running behind what used to be an airplane hangar from the 1920s, or so I was told — before cutting back into the valley for new singletrack. Randall and I have agreed to rename the trail "Bent Hangar" so that it retains its aviation roots, but also carries a mountain biking connotation. Respectfully submitted.

Bent Hangar has got a lot of potential, but it was about this time that the full extent of my klutziness caught up with me and I was riding like a mess. This was poor timing since the trail is still very new, and not exactly "smoothed out" yet. I was catching body parts on protruding sticks, washing out my wheels, and once, I even did a summersault, careening into one of the ravines. No major damage but I was definitely getting frustrated. The cure for riding like crap? Have a snack. Once my gel kicked in, I was back on track (and on trail).

We finished our Upper Don Loop, exiting the way we came in and although I was feeling better, I was still feeling a little shell-shocked, so we grabbed the Fast Track back to the Trailhead.

A few nips of smoothie before heading to the office and I call that a dandy morning. Thanks again Randall for the get-out-of-bed-ridiculously-early incentive.

If you would also like to start your day off right, let Randall or I know and we'll be sure to include you on the next week's communications. We usually try to meet on either Tuesday or Wednesday mornings, 6:45am at the trailhead.

Let me tell you, it feels good to roll into work at 8:30 and already have a 2+ hour workout under your belt.

You've Got To Be Kidding Me.

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone. Mine started off great, got a free lunch and a green beer, the whole thing. Top it off with some amazing temperatures for an after-work bike ride and that's what you call the Luck of the Irish.

Everything was going so well until nearing the end of my ride on Queen's Quay by the ferry docks, I realized I was not going fast enough to clear the light on its way to red. So I was hard on the brakes. If you've stopped a road bike before, you know it takes a little longer than say, disc brakes. As such, My wheels came to rest just past the cross walk. I did the usual lean on the top tube, most of my weight on my down foot as I waited for the light to change.

Next thing I know the bike is sideways, held up only by my cleat. WTF.

There were no other people around, no crowds, no cars, except for this older, handsome looking couple. Dressed like they were off to a show or something. The man sneered and stomped across the intersection. As I raised my arms, now realizing what had happened, his lady yelled at me, "You're blocking the whole crosswalk".

Flabbergasted, the only thing I could think to say was "Excuse me? Why don't you kick my bike then?" Genius. It always is, isn't it?

So this blog is dedicated to what I wish I'd done.

I wish I'd unclipped and walked with them across the street, asking for their names. I don't know what I'd have done with their names, filed a police report I guess, maybe in front of them. Because I'm pretty sure it's against the law to go around kicking people and their property. I wish I'd demanded an apology. I wish we'd finished the whole thing with a "Happy St. Paddy's".

Instead, I picked my jaw up off the ground and pedaled away furious, pushing back tears of frustration both over the incident and also allowing myself to be trompled on like that.

Comments comiserating, or expressing shared outrage would really make me feel better. However, if you somehow think I deserved to be kicked, then please keep it to yourself until I've had a beer and have calmed the eff down.

So ... How was the Bike Show?

Where did this weather come from? Traditionally, the Bike Show weekend is the last blizzard of the year, but it couldn't have been further from the truth in 2010. There was no way I was going to spend the weekend looking at bikes when I could be out riding them.

So I prepped the road bike right up to the point of swapping out my trainer skewer, but I didn't want to jinx it so I rode with it in. Secretly, I'm wondering if my trainer days are over ...


Saturday, I decided to ride right from my house via the new house! That's right, a new place in my future. Gerhard and I are moving to the west end as of May 1 -- maybe more on that later. I continued west past our new amazing grocery store and onto Dundas West. Then it was a complicated maze of city streets (mostly with bike lanes ... some without) until finally, at last, the city ended.

Every year it seems to take a little longer to get to that last house or shopping plaza. Sigh. I rode along Lower Baseline for a bit, making sure to ride over my favourite old wooden bailey bridge, and past the curvy river that will be filled with fishermen soon enough. Can't wait for the summer -- that spot gets so green and the sun comes through the trees all golden-like. It's hard to imagine the city just a concession away.

I came home via the College Way/Mississauga Road and the Lakeshore, stopping for a restorative Dr. Pepper, and wishing we lived in the west end NOW, because I would have been home that much sooner. My neck and shoulders definitely weren't ready for 4+ hours in the saddle, but my legs held up great, so I'm happy for that. After the Olympics I was afraid I'd be starting from zero again.

With a great ride under my belt, what more was there to do besides make a healthy dinner, and watch a movie?

Sunday, our spin instructor has decided to take himself to Cuba (whatever!) so the 7am spinning session was to be "self-led". I decided to self-lead myself on another epic solo mission.

I was a little later getting started (blueberry pancakes take time, y'know), so my ride time ended up bumping into sunset, but it was all good. That, and an unepxected training partner decided to join me -- Head Wind. What a re-introduction to riding outdoors. This time, I decided to drive to basically the same place I left off the day before and continue from there, skipping city roads, lack of bike lanes and traffic lights for a more consistent workout.

I saw a few funny things -- like snowmobilers out in the 7 degree sunny afternoon. I don't think I've ever waved to a snowmobile from my bicycle before.

The GPS did most of the driving, but I did manage to get lost anyway. I thought I was on a bikely.com route, and then all of a sudden while we were on our way to Belfountain, it started chirping "U-turn" at me although I know I was going the right way. Just as well, because I think I was about as far as I ought to have gone at that point.

By the end, I was so happy to see the van where I parked it. I hopped in, cranked the heat and drove home ... and pretty much went straight to bed.

All told, the weekend total was about 190km. Stoked.

A Dirty Day.

It was a rainy day in Squamish today, but that didn't stop us.

Found myself on a guided tour of some of the Squamish single-track treasures, flowing downhills and even a few gnarly climbs. Not only that, I got to do it all on one of the most fun bikes I've ever had the pleasure of riding: Santa Cruz's Nomad. I've heard it's good, but until I had one under me, I had no idea how flexible that bike is. It is the rig for this region, that's for sure. Six cushy inches in the front, and a matching six in the back, crazy responsive and you just feel like you're IN it the whole time which gave me way more confidence than I should have had for the terrain, in February, on a bike I'd never rode before. Not to mention it looks killer, and climbs like my Trek. It wasn't even all that heavy. Pretty stoked on it for sure. Thank you Priscilla!

Crispin and I (and Axl too) headed out for about 2 and a half hours and covered some trails around Alice Lake, including Credit Line (sooooo fun ... think flowy downhills, with the odd "kerplunk", berms and switch backs ... hmmm ... sounds like my credit line), Jack's Trail (memories of the Test of Metal!) the two-decker climb (ouch) and closing with the same downhill I closed my Good Friday Ride with last year. Just as fun the second time around, even in the rain.

If the Garmin can be believed, ride stats are as follows (no sensors were set up though, so this is all by satellite ... oh and it includes stops too):

Total elevation: 470m
Ride time: 2:18
Distance: 14.25km
Avg speed: 6.2km/h
Max speed: 36.5km/h
Terrain: 100% off road, right from Crispin and Priscilla's backyard
Temperature: around 5 degrees C
Conversation: excellent
Wardrobe: improvised
Riding: unbeatable.

It was an amazing treat to be reminded after a few months on the trainer and spin classes -- working hard, going nowhere -- what kind of joy comes from ripping up some singletrack. February Blahs: BEAT.

Me, crossin the bridges

Axl the trail dog

Cresting the Two-Decker (91m elevation change from top to bottom.)

I'm gonna need a carrot ...

"Carrot", chez Riverdale Perk


Another lucky sunny weekend in Toronto! Funny because I would have never thought on a Sunday in February that after opting to stay in from skiing, it would then be possible to go out for a bike ride! But that was the case.

James pin'd me around 10 to tell me about the idea. At that time, I was still hurting something awful from my 20 minute power test. Which went pretty well ... stay tuned for a new graph!

Anyway, after a great catch-up brunch with Casey and Tawnee of Kama Bay fame, I got home and commenced the big job of packing up for Vancouver. In all the excitement, I completely forgot about the asinine idea to go for a bike ride.

Then my blackberry started buzzing, and I surprised myself by agreeing to suit up and head out. Afterall, it'll be three weeks or so before I'm back on a regular training program, so might as well get it while the gettin's good.

It was a tough slog at first -- much complaining ensued, mostly from my quads. I told James, "we're going to need a treat -- something to ride for." And so after a meandering route along the Don River, the Waterfront and the Beaches, we closed with a "carrot" at the Riverdale Perk.

An awesome day in the sun. Glad I went, thanks James!


Some shots from the day:

Outside Ride!

Not sure where Winter went, but today, it wasn't here! Hopped on the bike around 2pm with a teammate. Our plan was to visit the horses up at Sunnybrook. However, despite the dry, amazing conditions on the city streets, the rec paths were not faring as well and since my training partner today was on a road bike (while I opted for my mtb since the road bike is all trainerized) she vetoed any further attempts at exploration.

Thus, we decided to head down to the CNE and see what could be seen. The boat show, I think! Or at least that's what I'm guessing from the blue Yamaha bags and a dude walking out with a sweet wake board. Ah, dreams of warm summer days!

Since the CNE was kind of a zoo, we decided to just keep on riding the "Blue Edge" ... ie the waterfront trail. I lost my training partner to cold hands and feet at the Roncesvalles bridge. Since it was such a nice day, I continued solo.

Not long after her departure, I met a man who was playing with his RC car in one of the parking lots. I was going to challenge him to a race, but thought I'd be embarrassed: that thing was quick. I think I missed a good photo opportunity. Oh well.

The next interesting pause came when I met Peter. By the time I'd arrived he'd only been there for about an hour and already he had an army of balanced-rock formations. I stopped to take a photo of his masterpieces, and got to meet their maker at the same time. When I got home, I looked him up online, and he's done some pretty amazing stuff. A Toronto treasure, for sure. He rocks.



Today was the first time I'd been that far west on the bike trail in a long time and I was happy to find it was just a little bit longer! On the way back, I turned off to get a photo and found the Humber River Trail (Number 15, people). I'd come down it once before, but never up. I figured I'd give it a shot. A bit snowy/icy in spots but totally navigable on the Trek and a really lovely ride. As I was exiting "The Old Mill", a man rolled down his car window beside me and said he'd "never seen a cyclist take on this hill!" which kind of made my day. (Although, caveat, it wasn't a particularly nasty climb or anything.)

After a quick street ride down Jane, I was back on the waterfront path. I decided to go see what was happening in Ashbridges Bay. Mostly, people were out doing the same thing as me: enjoying mother nature's little gift! I saw runners, rollerbladers, other cyclists, some tennis players (for real!) and even the skaters were out at the skate park.

With the sun going down, it was time to head home. Although most of the roads were dry, some weren't so nice so I had to figure out a way to clean up my girl so the salt and grit didn't do too much damage. I've seen it done ... but never had the guts to try it myself, seeing as I live with two others. So shhh, don't tell them but ...



After I cleaned the bike, I cleaned the tub and then I had a shower too -- one of those ones where the warm water makes your frozen toes feel like they've had too much hot sauce.

A snack, some stretching, a flop on the couch and that's a day folks.

Time for bed now -- spin class bright and early! ... and I'm cooking this in my sleep:



Here are some other shots I snapped along the way ...

From left to right (click to enlarge): 1. "And I thought my feet were cold!" 2. The Humber footbridge 3. Peter's people 4. A gull over the skyline from the base of route 15 5. The Humber 6. Bridge over frozen water 7. Tennis. In January. 8. Sun going down over Ashbridge's 9. A pile of kids were at the Ashbridges Skate Park.