2013 Ride of the Damned: NEW DATE, JUNE 23

Save the date, SUNDAY JUNE 23! 

This year's edition of the Ride of the Damned has been pushed into JUNE! Apologies for any inconvenience, the change was unavoidable. We're hoping it will probe a better fit.

We will be starting the RotD from the Ottawa side of the River this year. Details are being worked out, stay tuned.

This year is special, in that we have the opportunity, as a community, to use the RotD as a catalyst to raise funds for fellow cyclist, Julian Hine, and his family. Julian's wife, Vanessa, gave birth via C-section to their lovely daughter, eight weeks early, on March 11, 2013. Almost immediately, Vanessa began intensive cancer therapy. Julian is caring for both mother and child, and consequently, taking a leave of absence from work at Chromag Bikes. Thankfully, Julian's sister and fellow West of Quebec Wheeler, Deb, has reached out to the cycling community in Ottawa, engaging friends of Julian (who now lives in BC), old and new, to pitch in and help out the family. The Wheelers' Roller Race in March was the first event of 2013 to raise funds for the family, and all three of Tall Tree Cycles' events in 2013 will dedicate all revenue to them as well, beginning with the RotD. We'll raise funds and FUN together!

Please visit the family's site for more info, and donation options:
https://sites.google.com/site/myreyasunshine2013/

The Wheelers and Tall Tree Cycles will ally at the Ride of the Damned, and provide the best post-ride BBQ to date! We'll have draw prizes for riders, and a great raffle prize (we'll open ticket sales to both riders and non-riders, aiming to bump up our contribution to Julian's family).

I'm working on the registration site now, and will open it up ASAP. NEW THIS YEAR: ALL RIDERS WILL REQUIRE INSURANCE COVERAGE. I am confirming the particulars with the OCA, but this will either mean a 'non-member event permit' or a Citizen's Permit. I'd rather avoid this requirement to maximize accessibility, but liable suits in Ontario have forced our hand on this matter, so all riders will have to be insured to protect both them and us. The necessary permits will be attainable online, and I will provide the appropriate link and info ASAP. Online registration will close on Wednesday, June19, and there will be no on-site registration.

(Following the success of our short-route from Wakefield, we will once again offer this option, departing from Vorlage. This route is 65k, while the long route is 135k.) Update: We will be working out a new short route, which will start from the Ottawa side of the river. We will use the Cascades Loop for this route, which is less technical and hilly than the old route from Wakefield. 

If you are new to the Ride of the Damned, take a look over last year's posts for more details (side bar). Here is the rundown:

The RotD is part Randonnee, part Audax (latin for the audacious). Randonnees are typically ridden solo or in small groups. Audax events are ridden in large groups with a capitaine de route controlling the pace. Our first RotD was like that. With the team format we can incorporate the "allure libre" (free speed) format, thus mixing Audax and Randonnee genres. The result: Raudax (Road-axe).

The route is a mix of dirt and paved roads, covering 130km, plus about 12km from the neutral start. Total elevation gain is approximately 2000m. The route favours tires 25c and larger; tread is not generally required.

Teams of 4-6 members (5 is the target) are free to ride whatever speed they like. Best of both worlds. If you cross racing with this format, you get "gentleman's racing," an underground, honour system format. The RotD is not a race, but competition between teams does occur.

The route features a rest stop with food and drinks provided, but is otherwise unsupported. Teams are expected to take care of each other.

All riders will be eligible to win a draw prize at the post-ride BBQ (included in registration). Guests are encouraged to attend the BBQ as well; meal tickets will be available online, as well as on-site.

Wakefield 'Easy'

Sh#t! How did we mess this up? Wrong turn....somehow.

It was supposed to be an easy ride. Four hours or so, three dudes. In reality, hour-one was teeth-on-stem-hard, as Todd and I chased Iain up Erables. Are my tires slow? Well, Iain's on the same. Todd seems to be doing fine. Is he? Turns our we were both suffering while Iain drove it into the wind. Gawd it was windy. 27kph on a descent, PEDALING! Things had eased up a little by the time we hit the Connor Rd. detour off Ch. Mt. Cascades. If only there was more of this in our Spring Classics to justify our fat tires!

Three Steelwools: two generations of Truffle Pig and the original Secteur 18.

Yay, lets snack before more snacking! 'I've gotta get some shots.'

Cool.

Charming.

At this point, we'd moved back into Pipolinka from the hallway, and were on coffee  #2, somewhat terrified at the thought of returning to the out of doors. The temp was dropping and we were damp. WTF, isn't it April 1?

Keep the hat on to help it dry. 

How many papers did I stuff down my pants? Three, the perfect number. With a tailwind, I was comfortable on the return leg. Phewf.

The Spring Classics in the Ottawa-Gatineau begin on Sunday, while Paris Roubaix is contested over in Europeland. Like Roubaix, our route will be flattish and windy. Unlike Roubaix, ours will feature sharp gravel, rendering supple tubulars inadequate. It'll be a test of will and tread, a battle of whits and guile. We've been doing all we can to prepare, and on Sunday THE QUESTION will be answered: was it enough? 

Here's Iain's trace. My Garmin wigged out, so this is better than what I've got:

2012 in Review

A lot went down in the cycling world in 2012. Some of it was painful, some of it was enlightening, and some of it was downright sad. In our little corner of the world, cycling is thriving despite the turbulence being felt in the PRO peloton. More people are riding bikes each year around here, there are many local events to ride, and new projects are on the horizon. Here's how 2012 shaped up from my perspective.

2012 was my first winter on a fatbike. I rode my Surly Pugsley two or three times a week and figured I was setting myself up for some solid rides in Maui come March. The constant tension on the legs had to amount to god strength for the hills, right? Right, I had no issues with my joints during my trip to Maui, but the climbing I did there didn't exactly set me up for the hard training rides I'd do in late March and early April as well as I'd hoped. Instead, the lack of intensity I'd done showed, and I got destroyed on our group rides. Iain and Neil were perhaps fitter than they'd ever been in the early season, and that compounded the ass-kicking. Keep on trying, it'll come. Such was my mantra.

2012 was not a year of winning, yet it was one of my best seasons ever. It was a season of satisfaction earned through striving.



Iain, Tood and I headed down to Battenkill to kick off our season. I knew I'd suck on the climbs, but Iain would be good. As expected, I got schooled, and Iain flatted. The next day, we were back home and I earned a huge boost in confidence, along with a handful of dents in my rims - through attacking the last sector of gravel in the Clarence-Rockland Classic - and fighting off chasers to grasp the third podium spot. This was certainly one of the highlights of the season, as it exemplified the confluence of preparation and opportunity manifesting success. It feels good to take a risk, dig deep within, and meet your goal. Some seem to think racing is about winning. Its not (except for PROs, for whom it is, mostly), its about trying to win, or simply trying to realize every modicum of your potential. Maybe to even transcend what you think your potential is. Every highlight from the 2012 season involved risk taking and tenacity.

Battenkill 

Clarence-Rockland Classic

The Calabogie Classic road race later in April was an odd experience, but another boost in confidence. I rode the Cat1/2 race without any team-mates, and didn't really have a plan. The race was very aggressive at times, then docile. I missed the winning break but made the next best move in helping form the chase group with a group of much more experienced and strong guys. I put in my share of the work, and we almost caught the leaders. I finished 13th, far from the podium, but nevertheless, I was happy. You have to be there if you want to win, and I was there.

Neil's ride at the Almonte Roubaix was one of the biggest highlights of the season for me. We'd planned our strategy, and Neil had committed to an early break-away attempt. He rode through the first wooded sector brilliantly, and made his escape with Osmond Bakker. He rode hard for about 50k with Osmond while the chase group, including Iain, bided their time. Despite his massive effort, Neil still hung on for 4th. This was a massive accomplishment, demonstrating formidable mental strength on top of physical ability. I'm very proud of Neil for the way he rode the race. Iain was not able to match Aaron Fillion and Doug van dem Ham for the victory, but landed in 3rd, a laudable result, nearly pulling off our plan. Rodd rode outside himself too, and I was just left wishing I'd been able to contribute to the team. 3rd and 4th felt like a victory for the team.

Things were coming along well by the time I was in New York city for the Gran Fondo at the end of May. Our Ride of the Damned had just passed, and I was too tired to ride well. But the event was a hit, and I was feeling good in the Big Apple, and eager to ride the route. As luck would have it, I flatted while riding in the lead group and had to chase back on for about 15 minutes. Within another 5 minutes, we were on the first timed climb, and the group was going ballistic. I simply climbed, then chased back on, and continued that way until I was in the lead group of 6 riders coming into the last kilometers of the route. I'd not been able to match the pace of the fast climbers, but I put in a ride to the finish that I was proud of, having tapped my ability to maximum effect, riding with the likes of Tim Johnson and many other talented riders. It was a heck of a ride, the route was spectacular, and despite being way down on the KOM scoreboard, I couldn't be happier about the day. My sealant even sealed up my tubular so I could ride back to the hotel!

Things just got better, but not because I was winning anything. Six of us drove down to the U.S of A. in June for the Rapha Northeast Gentlemen's Race. Sure, we got hassled by the cops on the way down, but that made for great story telling. In a word, the event was incredible. It might even have been epic. If it wasn't, it was damn close. It was a ride I hope never to forget, marrying camaraderie, challenge, heartbreak, triumph, apocalyptic weather, and fashion excellence. Sure, we didn't get cut into the beautiful video, but Dave and I did get props for killing ourselves on the Strava climb. One of the best days on a bike I've experienced.

Come July, it was time to crack the Masters stage race in Sutton, QC, Les Coupes des Ameriques. Again, we didn't win anything, but the weekend was incredible. Hanging out with the guys, talking bikes, racing, and Le Tour, we were in a bubble and loving it. Todd rode an outstanding time trial, Alex was a motorcycle, Jamie worked himself over, and Iain and I just missed the podium in the circuit race. In 2013 we'll aim to do better, but at the very least, we'll take risks and have fun.

"Winning is over-rated." - Iain Radford

Later in July I rode the Ottawa Gran Fondo. I didn't blog about it because I didn't want to add to the negative feedback swirling around the interwebs. I won't ride the event again, but not because I had a bad ride. On the contrary, the ride was great. It was my first day actually hitting 200k, finishing at 223k. I've come within one or two kilometers so many times, I was happy to finally hit it. But beyond that triviality, I was able to ride with many of the strongest riders in the area for the whole 223k,



Rounding out July our Hell Climb for Kidneys went down. It was incredible. The spirit of the event was embraced and taken to 11 by numerous participants. The quality of costumery was staggering, and to be honest, heartening. I can't wait to see what people go in 2013!

August's Deerfield Dirt Road Randonnee was special for a couple reasons. First, Rodd was there. Our rental car's flat could not keep him from making it down to Massachusetts for his long overdue first D2R2. Iain was along for his first too, doubling the excitement for me, as D2R2 is best enjoyed by taking in the glee exuding from your camarades as roll out of the countless dirt descents. Pascal and Chris were on tap with families at their side, along with Nathan, Dawn, and Deb, our homies. Good company: check. The second thing that made the 2012 D2R2 special was seeing the communities we rode through having bounced back from 2011's hurricane, which destroyed swaths of road and property. Roads were reconstructed, locals were out smiling and urging everyone on. It was beautiful.

Into September, the Hastings Hilly Hundred was back for a rain-filled edition. Have you ever ridden for 180km in constant rain? I hadn't. Now I have. Ditto for Rodd, Todd, and Andy. Despite 50mm of rain, the ride was outstanding. The pace was mellower than usual, conversation more intense. The ride was free of drama (mostly), but at the same time, kind of illuminating to realize how riding in the rain for 6 hours can be no big deal. Its fine. Whatever. Its wet. I enjoyed learning that. I also learned to be more careful about dropping my buddies.

Double Cross, in October was a blast. Beautiful weather, great company, Pipolinka....what more could you want in October?

Cyclocross season is now a blur. It played out differently, yet the same as 2011. I finished no worse than third in every race I did, 13 of them. I was dogged by two lung infections, with one weekend clear in between, so I never felt like I was at 100%. I found it virtually impossible to beat Steve Proulx, whom I'd been able to battle in 2011. Most of the time he was on another level. I just did what I could, and I was consistent. About that I feel good. Second overall in the series for the third tear in a row, I can only hope to pull off the win eventually. Iain's steady ascent in the ranks was a consolation. His goal was to beat me, and that he did, convincingly. Neil was out for virtually the whole season with a broken collar bone, so it was just Iain, Andy, Jim, and me out there most of the time. Fewer team-mates than we'd have liked, we still had a great season.

This run down only captures the events that stood out over 2012. Interestingly, almost every big event I did made the cut. That must be a sign that I'm doing the sort of events I ought to be doing. Most of the rides I did in Maui should be on this list. The riding there was breathtaking in every sense of the word. But in fairness, the after work hammer sessions I did with the guys on Tuesday nights were amazing too; they brought us together and made us stronger. In the end, the most satisfying experiences I had on my bike in 2012 had nothing to do with winning or being better than anyone else. They were about working together; the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

2013 has begun, what adventures will it bring?

Double Cross 2012: The (not so) Skinny

Poster by Greg Cosgrove

All right folks, bust your fattest CX tires out and get ready for the best CX ride of the season. Featuring road, trail, and Pipolinka, the route is an 88k loop.



When is it where? 
Thanksgiving Monday, October 8, 09:00, Gamelin Gate of the Gatineau Parkway. 09:00 is the departure time, so please arrive early enough make a donation and receive your cue sheet. This year will will once again pass along your donations to Bicycles for Humanity, but we will also donate a portion to the Eastern Ontario Cyclocross Series for the purchase of cloth number plates (for the 2013 season) and/or some of the other consumables the races eat up (course tape, stakes, etc.). This is a great opportunity to share. This year's Ride of the Damned raised $1790.00! $1780.00 of which went to AFRICYCLE, and $10 to Canada Helps, via Bicycles For Humanity.

So is it a race?
No, Double Cross is an un-race. Like our Ride of the Damned, Double Cross is all about creating the context where teams - in this case of 2 rather than 5 - can do whatever they feel works for them, be it ride full on, or more conversation pace. Its up to teams to decide what they want out of the ride. We provide the route and let everyone loose. There are no prizes for placing. Whoever finishes first will simply be finished, first.

Why teams of two?
Teams afford riders some security in the case of a mechanical, biological, or navigational.  Ideally, you'll want to pair up with someone who you can ride your comfortable pace with. If your partner likes to bring along lots of spare tubes and tools, or say, cookies and whisky, that's good too.

Groups will form organically once we roll out. If teams want to hang with other teams, I advise you to make your intentions very clear so everyone knows the plan.

If we have an odd number we'll form a team of three. Lets preserve the spirit of the ride.

How will the route unfold?
The 2012 route differs from the 2011 route in two spots. 1) I've included Schnob Road, which we will access by the covered bridge at the Lac Phillipe entrance. Schnob becomes trail #53, one that I think most will not have ridden before. I wanted to include it for that reason. 2) Highway 105 construction has knocked out the section of trail #52 from Mill Road to the 53. So we'll ride past the descent to the stream, and spit out onto the HIghway at P17. From there we will ride into Wakefield for goodies at Pipolinka. 

We will provide very basic cue sheets to each team. If you wish to create your own more elaborate version, please do. This is a good exercise for those who aim to do rides like D2R2, the Kearsarge Klassic, or any other randonnee. Since the map above doesn't provide trail numbers, you'll want to use the Gatineau Park map in tandem. Please familiarize yourself with the map. We won't be providing any. If you are not familiar with the trails in the park, this is a good opportunity to put your navigation skills to work. Its very hard to go wrong with this route, and there are maps around in the park to refer to. You can purchase the Gatineau Park map from any of the NCC information centres, or World of Maps on Richmond Road.

We will all roll from the Gamelin Gate to bike path at the base of the Pink Lake climb to Mine Road. We'll work our way over to Scott Road, then Highway 105, which we will follow until the split to River Road. At this point, we'll continue on the 105 to Pine Road, turn Left onto it, and continue straight onto the trail (#50). We'll take the 50 all the way to Lac Phillipe, then ride along the lake to P19. Continue on the road to the Covered Bridge, and turn Right on Schnob (before crossing the bridge). This will become the 53, which we will follow to P17. Do not head left and downhill on the 52 under the Highway 5. From P17, head Right (South) on the 105 for a quick jog to Chemin Valley. At the T-intersection, turn Left, then Left again at the Hibou to get to Pipolinka in the back, along Mill Road. Think of Pipolinka as a lunch stop in a randonnee or century ride. No rush, enjoy it.

To return, head Right (South) on Chemin Riverside / River Rd. to Rockhurst, and follow that to and across the 105. You will head straight to Chemin le Lac Brown. At the fork, stay Right/straight. You will descend to the cabins, and head Right, on the 57, then Left on the 52. Stay on the 52 until the T-intersection with the 50, and head Left. This will take you back to Pine Road, where we entered the Park from the 105. Retrace your steps from there.

What happens at the end?
Nothing is prescribed here, many will be heading to Thanksgiving dinners. Those who don't have commitments after the ride may want to catch a drink and food afterwards. This will likely largely depend on the weather. In the event of rain, most will likely want to get home and into warm clothes. Its probably best to play it by ear and make plans on the fly.

If you bring a camera along, be sure to send a link to your photos afterwards. We'll put those up on the aftermath post.

Note:
Please remember that this ride, while free, is also an opportunity to devote some dollars to Bicycles for Humanity and the CX series. At the gate, I will collect donations and hand out cue sheets. If you want to make a donation that is sizable enough to require a receipt, don't expect one, I won't have any. Such donations can be made online. Bring bills if you can, they're lighter!

Please feel free to post questions in the comments, or email me: talltreerides@gmail.com

D2R2 2011: By the Skin of Our Teeth

Dawn. This field is now foot deep mud.

This year's edition of D2R2 was bookended by tragedy. Rodd, the man who first came across the event on the interwebs back in 2006 was poised to ride D2R2 for the first time, but a fixed gear crash put an end to his plans, and set him on a road to shoulder recovery. Jamie, looking forward to returning for his second crack, had to pull the plug to deal with a house purchase fiasco. Most regrettably, Steve, who missed the 2010 D2R2 due to his grandmother's passing, informed us a week before the event that his father had passed away unexpectedly. Everyone was in a state of shock. We'd ride without our comrades, but we'd wish they were there with us. Fortunately, at least for our group from Ottawa, the ride itself was free of drama, misfortune and suffering. Unfortunately I cannot say the same for Franklin County, which was hit very hard by Irene over the course of Saturday night and Sunday. While we were fortunate to enjoy great weather during the ride, the area took an absolute beating afterwards, carrying significant consequences for locals. We barely made it out Sunday morning before the carnage began. 


http://edition.cnn.com/2011/US/08/29/irene.vermont/
http://www.wwlp.com/dpp/news/local/franklin/state-police-shut-down-section-of-i-91

Rolling out at daybreak.

Rest stop #2, atop a pretty long climb. I noticed these sunflowers in 2009, but didn't in 2010 or  this time around until Pascal mentioned them. Then we posed the bikes. 

With all the regrets this year, our group was small: Pascal, Andy and Nathan Underwood, the lone wolf, riding the 180k , and Chris the 115. Nathan and Andy were first timers, Pascal a second-timer, and myself rounding out my third Dirt Rando. Chris was on his second Dirt Rando. Nathan would be our strongest rider, and on a 38x28 low gear, he'd have to climb at a faster rate much of the time. Pascal and Andy were on low gears, 34x34 for Pascal, and 26x32 for Andy. I'd intended on rolling a 34x32 or 34 so I could climb beside the the other guys, but I didn't make it happen, so I'd have to climb faster some of the time to prevent grinding too much. 

Andy started with three bottle, ended with two. He suffered our only puncture, likely on the rock that knocked his bottle out.

Chris was riding the 115, and unwittingly ended up riding for a longs ways with Richard Sachs, Mike Zanconato, and a bunch of other Velocipede Salon regulars. He even pulled RS back to the group at one point, legend!

Lunch stop, an amazing location. I suspect this river was raging hours later.

Looking out form the lunch spot, a veritable handmade bike show. We'll do a post dedicated to the bikes of D2R2.

Our ride unfolded beautifully. I won't provide a blow by blow, as that'd be boring. I'll try to highlight a couple things that struck me as noteworthy.


A few key changes to my equipment allowed me to enjoy the ride without anxiety. First, navigation. Grant was kind enough to entrust his Garmin 705 to me, which I managed to load up with four separate stages of the route. While the tracks I used contained many extra way-points that causes the unit to beep incessantly, irritating everyone around me, and me, I only erred on a few turns over the whole day. The difference between navigating with the GPS versus cue sheets is not night and day, not staying on track versus getting lost. Rather, I found the difference pertained more to the flow of the ride. Rather than slow for turns I might or might not have to make, I was able to carry momentum most of the time and enjoy the sensation of leaning in and getting the lines right. Or not. In some cases my line choice did not work out, and a foot had to come out to allow for a correction. Pascal got a good laugh on one occasion, when I locked up my back wheel of pavement for a second as I mangled a turn.

Nathan on the left, Matt on the right, one of the many beautiful covered bridges on the 180k route.

This bridge was ancient. I hope it weathered the storm.

Pascal through a beautiful wooded section. Most of the 180k route ins in fact wooded, which means wind and sun are not big factors.

The Little Big House, gallery, and the final rest stop of the route, atop Patten hill, one of the most difficult climbs.  The scale of the house is way off, lending an Alice in Wonderland aesthetic. Looking at it, you cannot tell how high the door is. Lucky for me, a woman entered while I was looking, and I got the scale. The door knob was at her head height, and she was about 5'10", so I put it at about 9" tall. This is without a doubt the most fascinating sight on the route. This stop features restorative watermelon, pickles, pretzels, and more. It is my favourite stop on the ride.

Processing the day's events, it struck me that the experience was rather unlike my first two. The first D2R2 has to be an eye opener for most, an epiphany for many. That was certainly the case for me. The second was about doing it with a degree of familiarity and seeing how it felt in comparison. This third time, there were no question marks penciled in beside climbs: would I make Archambault, Hillman, Patten? Yes, I would, my preparation was all there, I'd be fine. The question was: would I ride the whole route well? 


Indeed, the climbs of the route leave an indelible impression on the mind and body, in part because one spends so much time going up them. Pain is hard to forget. In contrast, the descents are a blur, and if taken in full flow mode (flow state, of complete in-the-moment-ness), one's ability to recollect more than an impression is challenging. This is somewhat of a paradoxical situation. If one hopes to execute their riding skills to the fullest on the epic (yes, I said 'epic,' and I mean it) descents of D2R2, a flow state of un/consciousness is the best way to do that. In such a state, one processes information and reacts in the most direct manner possible. This mode of cognition bypasses the part of the brain that forms memory. This is why people say, after narrowly escaping harrowing situations: "Its all a blur." It is, very little memory is retained from the flow states that manifest when we find ourselves in life or death situations. 

Pascal and Matt descent. Sight lines are long on these old carriage roads, so you can let the bike run if you  like. I like.

Some of the descents of D2R2 are so intense at high speeds that they literally become a blur. However, I don't think I actually entered a flow state for any of them. Do I want to, knowing I won't remember them if I do? Its probably unwise to say 'no,' since flow states tend to allow us to perform better than we could otherwise. They don't allow for indecision, hesitation. Bringing this back to navigation, a GPS that only beeps before an actual turn off the present course would help one maintain the focus required to flow. Ultimately, this is safer than the alternative. 


This brings me to my focus for future D2R2s: riding the descents flawlessly. I will make the climbs; my test will be the descents. Riding them flawlessly will require taking the right lines, entering sections at the right speed, and minimal braking. This will be my personal D2R2 challenge. Proven this year, 35c tubeless tires support such riding; all my equipment was dialled for the descents, including my cantilever brakes. Yes, cantilevers can provide enough braking power to ride at high speeds, at least in the dry. 

Matching team socks, courtesy of Alex's ordering coordination. To my surprise, they stayed rather white.

So, coming out of D2R2 2011, two things, perhaps lessons, are at the forefront of my thinking as I look ahead to the 2012 edition. First, a GPS unit with one continuous track and correct waypoints is a must (for me). Second, I will have to run lower gearing so I can climb beside my buddies. Both will support flowing through the route in more seamless manner, which is the main challenge if elapsed time is of marginal concern. Speaking of time, we rolled in after 9:45 on the road, at exactly 4pm, our projected arrival time. Neat. An hour later, the rain began as we plowed through great food and beer under a the cover of one of the circus tents. With luck, we'll share our celebratory meal with our comrades who missed out this year, plus a few more newbies. The smiles make it all more than worthwhile.


Many thanks to Sandy and all the fine folks who make the 2011 D2R2 not only possible, but an outstanding event. The vegan food options were very much enjoyed and appreciated, and it was truly heartening to be greeted and cheered on by so many volunteers out there making the event happen. Given the devastating impact of Irene, we will be more keen than ever to return in 2012 and spend out Canadian money in Franklin County. 

2011 Mufferaw Joe Sportif - May 1

Yeehaaaaw!

If you fancy a swell ride, hosted by the Wheelers, in the Pontiac, put your cowboy hat on and get yourself to Quyon on Sunday, May 1st. We'll have a gaggle of Tall Tree riders out for the day, and when the swelling goes down, we'll enjoy some darn fine food together at Gavans. Sankant will be aflowin, I can assure you. Here's the lowdown from the Wheelers' site:

Well, we’re off. The 2011 Mufferaw Joe Spring Sportif has us peddling up the Ottawa, not quite as far as Mattawa, on the 1st of May.
So we’re up the Valley agin’, meeting in Quyon, at Gavan’s Hotel, the ideal spot to head back to for some homemade chow and a cold brew.
The ride will be about 130 km with some good dirty sections, steady 2×2 riding and some high speed jammin’ at the end.

“Well they say Big Joe used to get real wet,
From pushing a big gear and workin’ up a sweat,
And everyone will tell you, all the way up the line,
If you’re ridin’ with the Wheelers, life’s mighty fine!”
Details:


Download the KML GPS data file
Detailed course map
Sunday, May 1, 2011
We ride rain or shine
Hot homemade meal at the end, vegetarian option
$25 for members, $30 non-members
Start/Finish is at Gavan’s Hotel: 1157 Clarendon St. Quyon, QC
No license required
08h30 registration, 10h00 start
2 groups on the road, one “steady as she goes” and the other a little peppier
be prepared for weather and mechanicals
no-one left for dead intentionally

Preregistration available via Paypal.

Green Bastards in Print and a Bit of Recon

Have you taken a look at the latest issue of Canadian Cycling Magazine? Look what's inside:

Yep, that's our  green bastard team on last year's Ride of the Damned, David, Rob, Todd and Rodd. I'm pretty sure I took the photo. I caught wind that the mag was putting together an article on cycling in Gatineau Park and looking for photos of road riding, so I sent them a couple from the RotD. I was pleased, though not entirely surprised, to see they ran this one with the covered bridge in the frame. Its certainly an iconic feature of the Gatineau Park. Grab a copy of the mag, its certainly Canada's best cycling publication. Ok, now on to my recon report.


I made it out for a ride in the wind Wednesday afternoon after two days off following the weekend's classics recon. While the legs felt fresh, I lacked motivation to push hard into the wind, so I didn't. Instead, I took the opportunity to scope out a few chunks of path and road we typically use for Cascades-Wakefield romps. 

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

First up was the bike/recreational path through Lac Leamy. This path allows us to avoid St. Joseph or the highway on the east side of the Gatineau River as we roll toward Cantley. Aside from a section of overflow ice under a bridge along the path, the route from Jacques Cartier Park to St. Joseph is mostly snow and ice free. It is completely rideable with treaded tires, perhaps slightly sketchy in a couple places with slicks. Totally navigable though.

I had a nice narrative drafted from here on, but lost it last night when Safari froze on me. So I'll do the rest of this quick and dirty.

The Chamonix neighborhood's dirt roads are in great shape. Oslo's steep climb is not too loose, and the descent to Clark is as good as ever. Clark usually retains ice in shady spots, but is now ice free. 

Cross Loop is undergoing construction near the entrance from the Wakefield end, but the construction seems to be around the road, not on the road, presumably for the highway 105 extension. The Loop is hardpacked; watch out for pointy embedded rocks along the way.

The trail running from Pine road into Gatineau Park is still under about 4-6 inches of snow. It'll be a two or three weeks until the trails are clear and dried out.

The bike path running from Mine Rd. toward the Parkway is partially covered in about 3 inches of snow, but was all rideable. Its going quickly. I accessed the Parkway at the bottom of Pink Lake from this path, and was not surprised to find the Parkway patched with snow. Again, it was all rideable. There is 3-6 inches from the base of Pink to the gate, with significant clear areas. Its melting well, and shouldn't be too long now. Sections on Fortune and Black usually take the longest to melt.

The bike path from the gate dropping down to Tache is still snow covered, as its mostly covered. 

Back on the Ottawa side, I was pleased to find the bike path from the Arboritum through Pinecrest Creek good to go, with only a couple tiny patches of snow that might already be gone. Things are rolling, spring is here.

D2R2 review- Best Ride Evar!

I will try to make this post shortish and sweetish. Firstly, I spazzed out in the morning at the hotel room and could not find my camera, so no pics. I can assure you that we were there and the scenery was some of the best I have witnessed while riding a bicycle. I was a little nervous going into this. Some say it`s one of the toughest Randonées in North America. It was tough but it`s really in how you ride it. We all rode super low gearing (34 chainring and MTB 9 speed cassettes, mostly 34 tooth). For 90% of the ride, we were either slowly grinding away in the lowest gear up these silly steep and long climbs OR we were SCA-REAMING down these seemingly never ending, twisty-turny descents. I spent most of the time smiling and often laughing, especially going down. This was the most fun I have ever had on a bike and I am somewhat timid going downhill. By mile 90 (get this, miles take longer to tick by than kms...) we figured out that the descents are so fun and smooth because the roads are mostly 2-300 years old. A 10-15% gradient with curves originally built for horse and carriage rides much different than one made for cars. (no stupid turns once you`ve hit 75kph)
The gravel was mostly excellent and the pavement was impeccable. I felt like I
got to spend 10.5 hours in cycling heaven. That sounds long but it flew by. I can`t recommend this ride enough. I`d do it again tomorrow if I could. Thanks to Matt for doing the recon last year, for prepping us properly and for the long term loan of the big orange bike. Thanks to Glenn, Ariel and Jamie for staying positive and riding superbly. BIG -SUPER-BIG thanks to Steve aka "the Colonel" who could not make it due to sudden unfortunate circumstances but who made us wicked tulip notes. Great job Steve, We owe you beer and/or something.

Next year, prepare the best you can and do it (the full 180k); you won`t regret it.

One photo, found on flickr taken with a guy Glenn referred to as "Florida" for the duration of the ride. We met lots of other nice folks as well.

2010 Mufferaw Joe Lucky 7 Ride Report

Well, the photos are in, so I can commence reporting on the Mufferaw Joe, a relief I'm sure for all those waiting with baited breath. Or some kind of breath anyhow. Tanya is a far more adept blogger, evidenced by her post Sunday night. Check it out here.

The Wheelers' Mufferaw Joe is a pretty low key event that draws a huge gaggle of Wheelers riders, and sizeable groups from Eurosports and, this year, Tall Tree. This was the first time out for us, so we were keen to get a taste of the roads the Wheelers call their own. The ride was to be about 140k, forecast over with possibility of cats and dogs, and good food and beer back at Gavan's Hotel upon our return. Warm weather embrocation applied, obligatory team photo (probably the biggest one to date) taken, and we were rolling. 15 minutes after the slower group that it. We probably should have gone then to ease pressure on those in our group lacking road prowess, but we managed quite well anyway.

Rolling out of Quyon. Or was it Gavan? I was already confused at this early juncture.

Wheelers Chris and Mike (correct?) leading us out of town. Chris's rendition of Mufferaw Joe epitomized the spirit of the Wheeler crew: good times, no pretension. Lovely.

Apres a great rail trail sector, indeed, very Tall Tree, we stopped for a flat repair sustained by Wheeling Larry. I'd attacked a dirt descent, hoping to initiate a green tidal wave, then get lost, but alas, Larry tried to match my effort and punctured. Or he just flatted while 'riding along'. This photo of Jamie is terrific, according to me.

Still waiting for the flat repair, but amused by this hobbling dog who could chase a stick like nobody's business. What does that even mean? I don't know, but he was quick. I think we definitely made his day. Unless he killed a squirrel, that'd probably make him even happier than chasing twigs thrown by skinny dudes in tight clothes.

Our first dep stop. I figured we should get a head start on the others to compensate for our slower riders. Here I discuss the route with Norman (correct?), who is wearing socks that definitely would have looked better with my outfit. I asked him if he wanted to trade, but he declined, as his booties were very tight. As you can infer, I was in charge or navigating for our group. Great idea, I'm infamous as a pathetic navigator. Put me on trails in the area and I'm good. Pretty much anywhere else in the world, I'm crap.

Now we're cookin' with Vaseline! I'm glad Rodd stopped to capture the entrance to the ride's best sector, this old road along a lake. It was nice and loose at one point, featuring a sort steep turning climb. The green team attacked here and sprayed roost like nobody's business. Yeah baby! Fun.

We stopped at a dep somewhere on the back half of the ride. Rodd and Pascal scored p'tit Cokes, crowd pleasers. Rob acquired a bag of candies sporting 400 calories. Wow, 400! That's like way more than 300! Too bad they were hard, and therefore unpalatable. Rob tried to pawn them off on David and me later on; no chance sucker, you're carrying those all the way!

I agree, Jamie should consider taking up modeling. This whistful look is his signature. What should we call it?

This is what teamwork looks like. The back of our group got broken off the peloton late in the ride, so we regrouped and kept it tight. We managed to bridge back, not least because the Wheelers waited up and ensured we made a crucial turn. It wasn't until later that we missed some other turns, added 10k on, including a long gravel section that left Rob, David and me cross eyed from our team time trial. Out of water with only lame hard candy taunting us, we rolled into town to be greeted by the Wheelers and a tonne of chili, Large bread, and beer. A great day in the saddle was capped by a great sit down with fellow riders for food and drinks, prize winning and not-winning, and merry making. Looking forward to the Tour Dupont already.