The Updated Firsttimer's Guide - Part 4 Equipment

What to Expect at your first TransRockies PART 4 - Equipment

Let me make one thing perfectly clear. BRING A DERAILLEUR HANGER. No, let me revise that, BRING TWO DERAILLEUR HANGERS.

Okay, now that I've got that out of the way, let's look at the rest of the equipment that you might need. I'll divide this into the stuff you should carry on the trail and the stuff you might want to have in your duffle bag as a spare.

On the trail Essentials
Whether you use a hydration pack, or water bottles, jersey pockets and a seat bag; there are few things that each team will need to carry every day.

·        1 derailleur hanger per bike (They weigh next to nothing, only cost $20.00 or so and every day on the TR about half a dozen people break them. Just think of it this way, if you wanted to ride a singlespeed to Canmore, you would have brought one to Fernie.)

·        1 inner tube per rider (Even if you are going tubeless, a tube can be a lifesaver if you damage your tire or rim so much that it will not hold air.) This gets a little bit complicated if you and your partner are not using the same size wheels. For 2012 I’ll be on my 26” Rocky Mountain Element, while my partner will be riding her new 29” Rocky Mountain hard tail. I’m sure that we could make a 26” tube fit a 29” wheel, but it is not ideal.

·        1 inner tube patch kit (Multiple flats per day are not unheard of. Most people just throw in a new tube and stuff the old tube in their hydration pack, but by flat number 3 or 4 you and your partner may not have a usable tube left. A patch kit can mean the difference between a few minutes sniffing rubber cement and a long and miserable walk. Make sure that the rubber cement and patches are fresh or you may be in for a nasty surprise when it comes time to fix a flat.)

·        2 tire levers (They weigh next to nothing and make removing and replacing your tire a snap. Weight weenies will try to carry only one, but the realists will realize that two make fixing the inevitable flats so much faster and easier.)

·        1 pump (Well, duh. CO2 is fine for flat number 1, but I've heard of a few too many mishaps with CO2 inflators to not bring a pump.)

·        1 multitool with chain breaker (It is a 400 km ride. You never know what you'll need to fix, or at the very least tinker with over the 7 days.)

·        2 SRAM quick links (The SRAM quick link is one of the world's great inventions. With it you can repair your chain in a minute or so. They weigh next to nothing and will work with either both SRAM and Shimano chains.)

·        1 pair brake pads (While most people are running disc brakes and probably will not need to replace pads midday, if you are using V brakes carrying a spare sets of pads, or two, is essential in muddy weather.)

On the trail options
These are things that you may, or may not need. But they don't occupy much space or take up much weight. But each of them could save you hours if things go wrong or you get unlucky.

·        1 pedal cleat (Another light weight part that is insurance if things go horribly wrong.)

·        2 cleat screws (They weigh almost nothing, but if you lose a cleat riding is much less efficient and a lot less fun.)

·        1 shifter cable (I've been carrying one since my first TR in 2004. I've never needed it, but for the 30 or so grams it is really cheap insurance.)

·        A second inner tube (125 grams of insurance.)

For the truly paranoid
These items are for people who are intimate acquaintances of Mr. Murphy. You live under a blighted star and are convinced that whatever can go wrong will go wrong, and for you is probably already has gone wrong.

·        1 rear derailleur (This is the only part I have seen regularly damaged and/or destroyed on the TR. Every year, at least a couple of teams will manage to damage a derailleur beyond repair and be faced with a long singlespeed ride.)

·        1 tire (In 2009 on days one and two I met teams that had managed to shred a tire on the shale above Panorama and were out of action. As an Ambassador I carried a spare tire and was happy to shed the weight and help them on their way.)

In your duffle bag
The Bike Shop offers pretty remarkable service. In the middle of nowhere, for days in places with no power and little or no cell phone coverage, the mechanics are lifesavers. They work day and night and make sure that everyone can ride every day. For a bunch of folks who are rarely finished before midnight, they always seem to be in pretty good spirits.

But even though they come prepared for most things, they obviously can't carry every possible part for every make and model of bike. They'll have the obvious stuff like saddles, seatposts, stems, handlebars, chains, cassettes and derailleurs, but if your bike needs less common parts you should bring them.

·        1 derailleur hanger (There are hundreds of different models of bikes and dozens of different hanger designs. In addition to carrying a spare hanger with you every day, you should have an extra one in your duffle bag.)

·        3 spokes per wheel (Every wheel is different and while the mechanics may have the right size spokes for your wheel, if you bring along a few spares you'll be sure that a broken spoke won't put you out of action.)

·        2 pairs of brake pads (In muddy years the consumption of brake pads is staggering. The most remarkable story I've heard was of a guy who bought a set of XTR disc brakes to get a set of pads. And if you use a less common brand of brakes; Hope, Magura etc., there may be no pads available at all. Bring along some spares and save yourself a pile of grief.)

·        1 front derailleur (I know I said that the mechanics will have spare derailleurs but in 2007 I managed to damage my front derailleur and could not find a replacement at any of the bike shops. The odd thing about my derailleur is that it has a low clamp to fit around the suspension. All the available spares were high clamps and interfered with the suspension.)

·        Any special tools for your bike (I use Spinergy wheels. The spokes require a couple of odd tools. Lots of mechanics don't have them, and without them it is hard to change spokes and true the wheels. So, I bring along the two little tools just in case. You'll know what on your bike requires proprietary tools.)

·        1 tire (By the time you get to the TR you should have done a lot of training and be very familiar with your bike and how it handles. Changing to a different model of tire halfway through the race, especially to a tire than handles very differently from the ones you are used to, could be a problem. The tires that I've used since 2005, Hutchinson Pythons, are the same front and back, so 1 spare tire will do me for the race. That being said, you should start the race with new or almost new tires.)

·        1 seatpost shim (For the 2004 to 2009 TransRockies I used a bike that took an odd size seatpost, 30.8mm. When I bought the bike it came with a 27.2 post and a shim to fill the extra space. In 2007 I purchased a 30.8mm Thompson post and didn’t need the shim. But if, god forbid, I manage to break or damage my post I'm not sure if the Bike Shop will have a post that fits. So, I brought the shim along just in case. If you use a common size post; 27.2, 30.9 etc. this should not be necessary.

Oh, and don't forget the derailleur hangers.

PS In separate instalments I'll cover the food, water and safety items you need to consider.

The Updated Firsttimer's Guide - Part 3 Cycling Clothing

Cycling Clothing

You’ve committed to do the race, you’re training your buns off, you’ve found a partner and it looks like you won’t kill each other by day 2.

Now it’s time for you to dig into the back of the closet and pull out all of your cycling clothing and see what is suitable to make the trek from Fernie to Canmore.

There are a couple of things you need to remember, and unfortunately they are a bit contradictory.

1)     Since 2002 TransRockies, riders have had to deal with a baffling range of weather. From snow and hypothermia to blazing sun and heat stroke. You will be at high altitude in the middle of the Canadian Rockies. As the locals say, “if you don’t like the weather, just wait for 5 minutes”. You will need far more gear than for your weekend ride with your buddies.

2)     You have one duffle bag. The space is limited and you are going to have to cram it all in every morning.

So, your choices of clothing and equipment are going to have to offer the maximum flexibility in the minimum space.

7 pairs of shorts or bibs – After some experimentation I’ve settled on Garneau and Sugoi shorts and bibs. My first pair of bibs were from Garneau and they made me a believer. I’d never got back to short again. From Sugoi I’ve used everything from their entry level NeoPro shorts up to the very deluxe RS Flex bibs. Shorts, and chamois, are a VERY personal choice. Every model is different. The seams etc. are in different places and what works for you may drive me crazy. You need to make sure that your shorts are comfy 6 hours into a hot sweaty ride. If you want to sample Dr. Marty’s magic butt cream the best way is to wear your shorts for multiple days without washing them. The cream does work wonders, but you’ll be much happier if you never need it.

7 short sleeve jerseys – Ideally you and your partner will have matching jerseys. This both aids the esprit de corps, but also has another benefit. The rules say that you can be no more than 2 minutes apart. Matching distinctive jerseys make it so much easier to find one another in a crowd. Garneau offers a custom jersey program with pretty reasonable minimums. (http://www.louisgarneau-custom.com/products/categories.asp?categories=cycling) In my first years I tried long-sleeve jerseys, but the conditions can change so quickly that the inherent inflexibility of a long sleeve jersey makes it a poor choice. If you need warm arms, wear arm warmers.

10 to 12 pairs of socks – I’ve used both synthetic and wool socks. I’ve found wool socks to be great for days with river crossings, especially if the weather is on the cool side. Extra pairs mean that you can take a spare pair on cold soggy days. Warm dry socks make for very happy feet.

2 pairs of cycling shoes - Shoes will die. It is a fact of life. In the 2008 TR I had one pair where the upper separated from the sole. On my other pair I tore out a toe stud and it took a chunk of the sole. Take 2 pairs and make sure they are broken in and you can hike-a-bike in them without getting crippling blisters.

1 pair over booties – These are mainly insurance but have been almost a necessity on a couple of years. (2002, 2004, and 2010) If you can find some that leave most of the tread exposed it will make walking much easier.

1 pair waterproof socks – A waterproof/breathable sock is great for wet days with lots of hike-a-bike. They don’t offer the same warmth as over booties, but they do leave the sole of your shoes exposed for maximum grip.

1 to 2 pairs of leg warmers – The TR stages start in valley bottoms early in the morning. Out of the sun in a mountain valley it can be a bit nippy. By the time you’ve been riding for a while you’ll be pulling off the warmers, but for the first hour or so you’ll be glad of them. I bring one lightweight and one midweight pair. If they have zips in the lower legs it will make undressing so much easier.

1 pair knee warmers – A more flexible and less committing option than leg warmers, they still offer a bit of extra warmth for cool mornings and mountain passes.

2 pairs of arm warmers – The great thing about arm warmers is that it is so easy to pull them off while riding if you get a bit hot. Folded up in the pack they occupy almost no space, but if you are feeling a bit chilled they can make all of the difference.

1 lightweight jacket – On most days this will stay stuffed in a little ball at the bottom of your hydration pack, but if the temperature drops, or if you need to stop for a while to do some trailside repairs, you’ll be glad you have it. Windproof and highly water repellent should do the trick.

1 lightweight vest – I’ve started many days with this on. Along with arm warmer and knee or leg warmers a lightweight vest gives you a very flexible combination for all sorts of weather. You’ll probably take the vest off by the first aid station, but at less than 100 grams it is cheap insurance. (And in combination with a lightweight jacket the vest will cover the coolest weather you’re likely to encounter.)

1 waterproof jacket – When it rains/snow/sleets etc. you will get very wet and very cold very quickly. Lots of people bring along a PVC cycling jacket. A perfectly fine choice, and affordable to boot. In the past I brought a waterproof/breathable with pit zips. A bit heavier, but on long days a lot more comfortable. For 2010, I bought a new lightweight jacket, very similar to the Garneau Climate Grid 2. Waterproof and breathable, and compact to boot.

1 toque/beanie/ear warmers etc. – When it gets chilly in the Rockies you can freeze the old noggin pretty quickly. A light hat that fits under your helmet can be a real life saver.

5 to 7 pairs of gloves – I prefer all long fingered gloves, although some people prefer fingerless in hot weather. Either way, make sure that the gloves are broken in and you have a selection of gloves for all conditions. I brought along very light weight, mid weight, waterproof, and insulated waterproof. Your gloves will get wet and very dirty. I also bring along some surgical gloves to go under my cycling gloves in wet weather.

In future instalments I’ll cover the clothing and equipment that you’ll need for camp.

The Updated Firsttimer's Guide - Part 2: Finding a Partner

 Part 2 - Finding a Partner

The 7-day version of the TransRockies is a 2-person race. And every team will only be as fast as its slowest member. If you want to ride as fast as possible and hate waiting for anyone, then perhaps the TR3 and/or the TR4 is the right choice for you. But if you are prepared to work together and encourage your partner when they are down then, with the right choice of team member, you should have a great time on the full 7-day TR.

Finding the right partner is one of the most critical elements in having a good TR.  The forum is a great place to start your search, but even if your e-mails indicate that you’ll be a great match you’ll need to get some details ironed out.

These are a few of the things that you should agree on before you team up. (And while most of this you’ve probably already thought of, there are some things to consider.)

1)     What are you looking for? A podium finish? A great ride with a friend? A 7-day anaerobic lactic acid fest?

2)     What sort of bikes will you ride? It will be challenging for a singlespeed rider and a 3x9 (or 3x10 or 2x10) rider to maintain the same speed, especially on the road sections. (Although the lighter bike weight will give the singlespeed rider will have a big advantage on the hike-a-bikes.) The 26” vs. 29” divide is less critical, but does have an effect to your decision about carrying spare tubes and possibly a spare tire.

3)     Do you have similar or at least compatible personalities? If you’re old enough, think of The Odd Couple. Are you an Oscar and is your prospective partner a Felix? If your partner is happy to have the tent look like a Lycra® bomb went off and you are a bit of a neat freak there may be trouble in paradise.

4)     Can you play nicely together? What are your problem solving styles? Do you just yell louder and louder until the other side gives in? I’ve seem too many people who were abandoned by their partners after a big blow up. Apart from being unfriendly, it is against the TR rules and potentially very unsafe.

5)     Can you put up with each other’s speed? Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses when riding. In eight years of riding the TR I never had a partner who matched my speed up, down and on the flat. Some years I was the faster climber, other years I was slower. Some years I took long pulls on the road sections, others it was all I could do to hang on as my partner barrelled down the pavement like a freight train. In 2009, riding as an Ambassador, I had the opportunity to see how lots of teams worked together. There were quite a few teams who discovered that by the end of the week their speeds were not as closely matched as they were at the start of the week. (And as I learned in 2007, an injury for one team member can completely change your relative speeds.)

6)     Can you both live with the “ground rules”? Will the race be 7 days of musical heaven or an iPod-free zone? How “close to the bone” are you prepared to go? Just two water bottles, or will you carry a hydration pack? Will one spare inner tube each be enough?

Some may disagree, but on the TR I think the most important factors in picking a partner are personality and climbing speed. In the seven years that I’ve raced (Plus one year riding as an Ambassador) in the TR, I’ve had four partners and we were never the same speed. Even if you spend a lot of time riding with your TR partner beforehand you need to recognize that over the course of 7 days your relative speeds will change. You need to think about who is faster on what type of terrain. Ideally you should both climb at about the same speed. That is where teams can make or lose hours. If your climbing speeds are very different you will have a harder time sticking together. On the road sections the slower rider can draft and on the downhill/technical sections the difference between the slow and fast riders is usually never more that a couple of minutes.

For 7 days you will both be pushing yourselves well beyond your comfort zones. You’ll be tired, sore, hungry and thirsty. You’ll snap at each other, or be tempted to. You have to remember that when you are doing the TR “it is what it is”. Anything that can break will break; anything that can go wrong will go wrong. The strongest rider can have a horrible day and the winners are the people who can maintain their pace all day long for 7 days. Burning out your partner on the day 1 time trial does not make for a happy experience.

So, if you go in to the TR with a pretty clear idea about what the two of you want to achieve and an understanding about how you’ll try to achieve your goals, then you should have a great time.  

The Updated First Timer's Guide - Part 1

The TransRockies has evolved over the past 10 years, and so I've made a few changes to the First Timer's Guide. If you have any comments or questions, please let me know.

Part 1 - Training

Congratulations! You’ve signed up for your first TransRockies and now you need to whip the body and mind into shape.

Before we get started here is my disclaimer. I’m not a trainer; I’m just a regular guy who has finished a few long races. I did my first cross country race in 2003. It was the Test of Metal in Squamish, BC and I was 45. Have I learned a few things? Yes. Am I an expert? No, and I don’t pretend to be. Up until 2010 I’d never been on the TR podium or even been close. (And getting 3^rd in 100+ in 2010 was a bit of a fluke. My results in 2011 confirmed that.)

There are a couple of things that you should bear in mind when preparing for the TransRockies.
1)     It will likely be the hardest thing that you’ve ever done on a bike.
2)     Two thirds of finishing the TransRockies is thinking that you can and keeping going for seven days.

I’m assuming that by the time May rolls around you’ve built up a base; you’ve done a bunch of climbing, and put in enough intervals to hate them. You need to have a few thousand kilometres under your tires before you arrive in Fernie.  You’ve also figured out a few ways to squeeze enough riding into a life that already includes a job (or jobs) and a family. You’ve explored the obvious choices.

1)     Riding on the rollers in the early morning or late at night. Boring, but it gets the job done.
2)     Commuting or part commuting by bike. On wet winter days I go to work by public transit and come home by bike.  This takes good lights and even more important, good footwear. But arriving home to a nice hot shower is rather pleasant.
3)     Crosstraining with the family. If it is cold and snowy get some XC skis or snowshoes.

But many people live in places where that don’t have the choice of riding outside 300+ days a year with a 1,000 metre climb a 30 minute bike ride from home. Here are some of the more creative training regimes I’ve heard of.

1)     Doing laps up and down a multi-story parkade in the middle of winter in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Freezing cold, but a little bit sheltered from the wind and decent traction.
2)     Riding into every possible headwind in Windsor, Ontario.
3)     Doing 30+ hill repeats day after day on a 40 metre ski hill in Edmonton, Alberta.

You should have experience riding in cold, wet, hot, dry, dusty and muddy conditions. It is important for you to know how you, your clothing, and your bike will perform in the variety of conditions that you could encounter. (And if 2008 is any guide, all of the above on day 1.)

For most people the hardest thing about the TransRockies is riding long stages day after day. The average rider will spend about 30-35 hours riding over 7 days. (And some will spend closer to 50 hours on their bikes.) If you are not used to riding back-to-back 4 to 6 hour days you will definitely have a problem. You need to get your clothing and nutrition sorted out long before you get to the start line. Get shorts that are comfy and make sure that you have them broken in, but not broken down. Find out if your shoes are comfortable riding for hours on end and then hiking up steep slopes. Figure out if your outerwear will keep you warm and dry.

By the time June rolls around you should be doing long, 3+ hour, rides a couple of times a week. Don’t make the mistake that a lot of people make and just look at the length of your ride. Four hours off-road on your mountain bike is a lot harder than four hours on your road bike. Even though the amount of hike-a-bike has declined a lot in recent years, you must still be ready to shoulder the burden. Different frame designs present very different challenges when walking. You need to build up some experience carrying your bike up the steepest trails you can find. It won’t be fun, but it will be great preparation.

By the time July arrives you should be ready for a couple of back-to-back 4 to 6 hour rides. This will give you a good idea if your training has prepared you and if you’ve got the food and nutrition side sorted out. Also, if you are anything like me, all of this riding should give you some experience with doing repairs on the trail. Flat tires, broken chains, and shifting problems are the most common problems on the TransRockies, and a bit of practice resolving them quickly will help you between Fernie and Canmore.  

The TransRockies has developed into one of the world’s great epic mountain bike races. With fabulous terrain, great support and a challenging route it is the experience of a lifetime. It will be unlike anything you’ve ever done before, but going in with a bit of advanced knowledge will make it a more enjoyable experience.

Getting ready for 2012

I know, it's been a while.

I'm very excited about the 2012 TransRockies. I have a new partner, again. This will be my 5th partner in 9 years, and my first time on a mixed team. (As opposed to a mixed up team, which has been my usual mental state.)

I'll be posting a revised version of my beginner's guide and also my training plans and results. So far this year I've put in over 800 kms on the road. Once the trails dry out a bit I'll be doing more actual mountain biking, but using the road rides to build and maintain my base.

If you have any questions, please let me know and I'll try to provide some logical answers.

TransRockies Training Wrap Up

In Medieval religion it was the deathbed conversion by the dying man not wanting to take a chance that there really was a God, and he'd been "backing the wrong horse". These days it is the regret we have of the things we should have done, and the people we should have thanked. But all too often we feel that we've waited too long and now it is embarrassing to speak up for it has been too long. Well, I am embarrassed, but I am speaking up.

About a year ago I asked Aaron McConnell if he could connect me with a trainer and I'd write about it for the TR website. Aaron contacted Cory Fagan of TCR (http://www.tcrsportlab.com/) and Cory agreed to attempt to whip me into shape for the 2010 TransRockies.

I started my training with Cory with a healthy, or perhaps, unhealthy degree of skepticism. I'd been riding long cross country races for seven years, I'd already completed six TransRockies, and I really thought that I was on the wrong side of fifty to expect to see much improvement in my performance. In addition, I was in Vancouver and Cory was in Calgary. We'd never meet and we would not meet face-to-face before the TransRockies.

How wrong was I? Well just about 100%.

Cory provided a structured training programme that was tailored to my age, goals, and weaknesses. The biggest change was that I rode less than in previous years and injected some needed balance into my riding. I had light and heavy weeks, upper body workouts, some time trials to gauge performance improvement, and a taper towards the race.

The first evidence of improvement in a cross-country race was at the Gearjammer in July. I knocked 12 minutes off my time (The overall winner was only 2 minutes faster) and I also improved from 10^th out of 13 to 11^th out of 19 in my age group. Considering that this race is takes place on the trails that are fairly technical, and thus not really my strong suit, I was quite pleased.

As the TransRockies is a two-person race my speed would not be the only factor in how I finished. Jim (My TR partner since 2004) and I are reasonably well matched and after doing six TransRockies we both had a pretty good idea of how we each performed in the conditions we'd face. In the past races I tended to be faster up and Jim tended to be faster down. This was our first time in the 100+ category. I'd raced with the "old boys" a couple of times before. In 2006, my partner and I were 9^th out of 13 teams and in 2007 we were 8^th out of 21 teams. For this year my goal, perhaps somewhat audacious, was one day on the podium.

Of the nine teams in category we thought that there would be two or three ones that were quite competitive and Jim and I hoped to be able to pull of a good day and squeeze onto the podium once. Jim and I managed three 2^nd, one 3^rd, and three 4^th place finishes. We were holding 2^nd overall until the cold wet misery of day 6, but despite coming in 4^th on the days 6 and 7 we managed to hold onto 3^rd place overall.

After the TransRockies the last big cross country race of the season around Vancouver is the Cheakamus Challenge. This is a point-to-point epic from Squamish to Whistler. Lots of climbing, some technical single-track, and a few sections of pavement. This year I managed to knock 15 minutes off my time (The overall winner was 5 minutes faster.) My position in my category was not quite as good, from 5^th out of 17 to 7^th out of 19. But the time improvement was a very pleasant surprise.

So, what changes did I see as a result of Cory's training programme? The upper body work really helped on the technical sections. Being able to lift the wheel at the end of a long day made riding the technical sections cleanly so much easier. (And being able to ride those sections rather than getting off and walking them is so much faster.) Having some structure and taper in my riding, especially towards the start of the TransRockies, meant that I was starting the race both fit and rested.

I would recommend Cory and his team at TCR (http://www.tcrsportlab.com/) to anyone who is contemplating a major event like the TR. As a TR3 finisher, he understands first-hand the commitment required and the obstacles that you are going to face. What more could you ask for from a coach?

A new bike for the TR?

July 9 – 54 kms in 2:21

I'm so excited. On Wednesday I was in my local bike shop and I heard a customer talking about the deals on road bikes he'd seen on the store's website. So, Wednesday night checked out the deals and found a bike that looked like it would suit me perfectly. On Thursday I dropped in at the bike shop to enquire. The bike is located at the Burnaby branch and I asked them to hold it for me until Friday.

Before heading to Burnaby, and eventually Bowen Island, I had to pick up my road bike. I'd manage to break a spoke on the rear wheel and it took a while for the right one to come in. When I got down to the shop the bike was not ready so I hung out and ended up helping out. (I replaced the tyre and tube on a stroller.) I guess this is the reality of bike shops in the summer. When the weather is nice, everyone wants to ride.

Well, it turned out that the weather was not quite as nice as it might have been. Stinking hot. Well, stinking hot for Vancouver. The temperature was in the low 30s C/high 80s F. But I had enough water with me and made it out to the Burnaby shop in pretty good time.

This was the first time I'd seen this particular model, but my previous experience on other versions of the same design, and everything that I heard and read had led me to the conclusion that this would be a good choice for me and my style of riding. So, what was this mythical bike? A 2009 Rocky Mountain Element 90. The Element has won more stages on the TransRockies than any other bike. Last year's open men's TR7 winners, Marty and Stefan, and Colin Kerr, second place in the open men's TR3, rode Elements.

The 90 is one step down from the Team and has a slightly lower parts spec. The big difference is the Team has a scandium/carbon frame, while the 90 has an aluminium/carbon frame. A slight weight penalty, but the 90 will be about half the price of a new Team. The mechanic checked the bike over and I took it for a spin around the neighbourhood. The big difference between the Element and my 2002 Giant is this bike has Fox suspension fore and aft. And the Fox fork uses the QR15mm axle. A slight weight penalty, but a really solid feel. The fact that the rear suspension remains pretty active under braking should help on the descents.

At the shop I ran into Bryan Anderson, the new Rocky Mountain rep for BC. He rode in the 2009 TR but had to pull out after his partner broke his wrist. He had an Element before he worked for Rocky Mountain and loved it. He said that the suspension really helped on technical climbs as the rear wheel maintained really good traction on loose terrain.

It was pretty much love at first sight and I asked the shop to hold the bike until Tuesday when my apartment situation should be sorted and I can buy a new bike.

So, off to Bowen Island. I rode west to the Second Narrows bridge and then along the shore to Horseshoe Bay. It was stinking hot all the way, but I drank both of my water bottles and didn't feel too worn out when I got to Horseshoe Bay. On Fridays, the busiest day of the week, the ferry schedule does get a bit out of whack. So, the ferry was a bit late and I used my time resting and having an ice cream.

From the ferry it is a short ride home, but with a bunch of tough climbs. The gearing on the cassette on my road bike is not really a match for my 52 year-old legs and 16% grades. This means that when I ride my road bike on Bowen Island I end up doing more climbs out of the saddle. Not the most efficient, but a reality.