Day 5 - Grand Forks to Trail 105 km

Thank goodness, this hard day is done! I'm writing this in Trail, BC, after a grueling but relatively short climb after leaving Grand Forks this morning. Sitting around the breakfast table at the Grand Forks hotel, we were all a bit nervous about this ride. We had just finished that massive climb out of Osoyoos the day before, and now this. The good news, if there was any to be had during breakfast, was that the real climbing today did not start until we were just past Christina Lake, about twenty kilometers outside of Grand Forks. At least we could digest our meal !!

Breakfast in Grand Forks. Susan and Tom Evans is closest to the photo. Tom is a volunteer who has been assisting Joyce Taylor and has been a huge help driving our support van this tour-->

<--Here was the route we took today, plotted by my Garmin GPS

<-- Our elevation profile. For details of the route, including a larger map, click here

As we left Grand Forks, we passed lush valleys and fields filled with wild flowers, which gradually gave way to broad forested hills leading to Christina Lake.

There is also abundant wild life in the region. Several of the riders spotted deer. Two riders came across a black bear, and one found two wolves looking on with interest as we rode by. The Christina Lake area itself is quite lovely, and a favorite summer holiday destination. I would have loved to have stopped to explore a bit, but we were all anxious to get the climb over with.

Once we left the low valleys and broad, short hills outside of Grand Forks, the climb from Christina Lake onward was gradual, but relentless.

<--Starting the ascent just outside of Christina lake

A view of Christina Lake at the beginning of our ascent-->

Towards the latter third of the 30 kilometer climb, the grade increased to eight percent, reaching at times, nine percent. Then, just as we approached Paulson Summit through Bonanza Pass, a blast of wind hit us, swirling over the ridge. I had to kick in every reserve I had to get up and over the hill, telling myself 'I'm nearly, there... I'm nearly there!'. The descent on the other side into Rossland, and the 10% grade from Rossland into Trail made the hard work worth the effort. A fast descent is part of the joy of long distance cycling!

<--Susan, at our lunch break at the junction of Highway 3B leading to Rossland. My trusty Trek 5200 carbon fibre bike with its aerobars is in the background.

We rolled into the Ray Lynn motel on the outskirts of Trail, at the bottom of the big descent from Rossland. Exhausted, I put my bike in the room, fell on the bed and was asleep in seconds. I woke with a start about an hour later.... still fully clothed in my bike gear and cycling shoes! I'm feeling much better now. I was glad the ride today was relatively short, so we arrived in early enough to rest, get showered and organized before dinner.

Dinner at Benedict's restaurant, just across the street from our motel, was excellent. I treated myself to french onion soup, prime rib and Yorkshire pudding, figuring that I needed to have some "quality" calories to replenish what I've been burning up these past few days. No worries about eating a huge meal when doing a ride like this! During dinner, I had an opportunity to chat with Trevor, who said that, for him, this trip has been hugely significant. His words rang true: this tour is all about making a difference.

I only have to look around at my fellow riders and the wonderful folks supporting the ride and see that each has a story, all highly personal, that brought them onto this tour. It is quite unlike any other long distance ride I've been on. For not only are they facing huge challenges riding up mountains that would be daunting to anyone, but they are also facing, and overcoming huge personal challenges themselves just to be on this ride, and, as Trevor said, to make a difference. If you have not read the bios of the riders, located here , please take the opportunity to do so when you get a moment.

Roy, the chef, who has served GearUp4CF rides in previous years, came out after dinner to chat with us. Although the restaurant does not normally open until 11:00 in the morning, he offered to warm up his kitchen for breakfast tomorrow at 7:00am. The goodwill and support we have received during this ride has been tremendous.

Roy, with Simon on the left, and James on the right (John is behind James, hidden from view) -->

We're all psyched up for tomorrow's journey. By all accounts, the route, from Trail to Creston will be the most difficult one of the entire tour. After cycling fifty kilometers of variable terrain, we will suddenly be faced with a near constant 8% percent climb over 25 kilometers. The result is expected to be a vertical ascent of close to 4200 feet, over twice that of Cypress mountain. After that, we descend for over 30 kilometers into Creston. So far, my body is holding up well. No huge aches or pains. Incredibly, my average heart rate was only 121 bpm today. Maybe I'm not working hard enough?? Tomorrow, I'll need to, so I'd better turn in for bed now. Assuming I have reliable Internet access, I'll provide a report in the evening.

Day 4 - Osoyoos to Grand Forks 132 km

Breakfast in Osoyoos before we left for our trek up the mountain. The gentleman on the left is Chris Parker, who coordinates Kinsmen and Kinette activities in chapter organizations throughout British Columbia. Their support on the ride has been tremendous. On the right is Joyce Taylor our lead organizer
or GearUp4CF---->

This was the ride that I think I was fearing the most. Anarchist Pass, just outside Osoyoos city limits, has a seven to eight percent grade for well over 20 kilometers. This, and yet another major climb before approaching Grand Forks, is truly intimidating.

To make matters worse, it starts immediately on leaving town, so there's no chance to really work off your breakfast before hitting a big climb (hint: don't eat and jump on the bike to do the climb right away... you might lose your breakfast on the way up!). I had cycled down it in a reverse direction several years ago when we did a tour through the interior, and had found myself hitting the brakes frequently at sharp curves in the ends of the road. The steepness of the road was impressive. It is also a major trucking route, so the roar of heavy diesel engines coming up from behind and sounding air horns at close quarters is enough to give even the most seasoned cyclists a white knuckle experience.

<--The sharp, 3000 foot vertical rise in elevation is easily noticed. What is not quite so apparent is that we were facing strong headwinds during the second ascent, and even when descending rapidly into Grand Forks. For ride details, including a larger map, click here.

Stan at a viewpoint partway up the climb

out of Osoyoos-->

So, what was it really like?

Although the trucks were still on the road, blasting by and sounding their air horns, surprisingly, the ride was not bad as far as I was concerned. You see, I had been a bit strategic the day before. If you look at my riding stats in the detail link provided on my journal entry, you'll see my speed, time traveled was not much to
brag about. Basically, I dwandled, helping out some of the slower riders, which in itself is a rewarding experience. Perhaps it was good Karma as well. At any rate, I didn't blow my legs apart by riding fast over the rolling hills yesterday like some of the younger guys did. Several of them had to be carried up the hill today in a van, with blown knees (at least badly hurting ones) and pulled Achilles tendons. And it's just going to get worse tomorrow and the next day... more climbing. I sincerely hope they will be OK in the morning. They're great guys and are here for one additional reason to loving cycling... they are deeply committed to the CF cause. One of them has a child with CF.

The route today took us from the desert-like conditions in Osoyoos into sub-alpine forests with green grasses and forest flowers that appeared with a few kilometers of Anarchist pass. The rapid descent below Anarchist Pass was thrilling!

Chris, whipping past me at the bottom of the descent-->

<--A farm at the foot of the descent below Anarchist Pass.












Lunch was prepared by Joyce at a lovely park next to the Kettle River at Midway, a little town literally midway between Osoyoos and Grand Forks.

<--Historic buildings at Greenwood, an old mining community on the way to Grand Forks. The building on the left was built in 1899.

Old church

in Greenwood-->

What do you think about when riding for up to five to six hours? Focus on the road. Keep riding perfectly consistently so that others who are following close behind can trust your riding skills. Each pedal stroke takes some thought, if nothing else but to make sure all muscle groups are being used. Listen to a wide range of music, and let the mind wander to areas that might not be visited otherwise. This is the part that I enjoy the most. Time to think of my family, and my dear friends. Time to consider how fortunate I am to have life, health, love, and an opportunity, in some small way such as through this ride, to help make a difference. For, here I am, riding here in excellent health and fitness (injury-free, so far!!), at the same age, 52, that my mother passed away from cancer. I think about that. And then, I think of the CF children I met on day two, in Harrison Hot Springs, and the difficulties they face every day. It cannot help but reset priorities that one considers needs to be done. I didn't have an opportunity to speak today to Chris or James about the important work they are doing in CF research, but we will try to do so in the next day or so. I'll share what I learn here.

I've been receiving some wonderful email and Facebook messages during the ride, thank you!! Your support is making a huge difference. I often think of each of you on the ride. BTW, please feel free to comment in this blog using the "comments" section provided. Do you have any questions about the ride? I'll be happy to answer them, or else find someone involved with GearUp4CF, or CF research who can!

I'd better close off and get some rest, as we'll be getting an early start. Tomorrow is going to be another brutal climb, this time up to Rossland, near Trail, our next destination. There is no respite!! Please think of us tomorrow.

Day 3 - Manning Park to Osoyoos 186 km

We woke to reports that there had been a heavy rain the night before. We fervently hoped that this meant the clouds had released most of thier load so that it might be mercifully drier in the morning. We agreed to get an early start, rolling out at 7:30 AM. It was to be a very long ride, 186km (115 miles).

Our route and elevation map today, plotted by my Garmin GPS --->

For more details about the ride, click here

Whoopee... mostly down hill !!! -?? The graph is deceptive. Each of the little tiny bumps in the middle of the curve represents sharp, rolling hills that were pretty tiring. ---->

It was still cold by the time we wolfed down a huge, calorie (and energy) laden breakfast. but the rain had abated. I decided to take my time this ride to conserve energy for the mountains to come in day 4. So, I enjoyed a leisurely pace, stopping a number of times to take photos.

Brian, Sherri and Stan at Sunday Summit, the first pass outside of Manning Park, 1282 meters in elevation (4206 feet) -->

The country was beautiful.

<--Eagle's nest on a telephone pole!

Once out of Manning Park, we found ourselves cycling through a remarkable transition of climatic regions, from sub-alpine forest, to lush irrigated valleys, to dry scrub brush, to beautiful orchards and vinyards as we neared Osoyoos. It was much easier to sense every nuance, every sound and smell of fresh country air on a bike.

Whipping by a car, with closed windows, air conditioning and stereo blaring, it is simply not possible to do this.

Speaking of cars.... the IDIOTS on the highway up here are astounding. Twice, we nearly witnessed a head-on collision as impatient drivers crossed double lines on blind curves to get around our bike trailer supporting the ride, and protecting us from just such folk. The one that stands out in my mind was an event I could not bear to watch. The two cars were racing at each other at well over 110 kph just past a blind corner, with our pace car nearby. I closed my eyes, then opened them in astonishment... both cars had somehow avoided each other and continued their way in opposite directions. I still wonder how on earth they missed each other. It must have been by literally a foot or two. God, I hope that is the closest we ever come to witnessing an accident on this ride.

The climb out of Manning Park was easier than Allision Pass, but still tough with seven percent grades to overcome before we made a long descent into Pentiction where we stopped for a mid-morning snack. Then we hit headwinds that made progress feel like we were cycling through mud. Teamwork came to the rescue. The four of us who were riding together formed a tight paceline that rotated constantly so that no one was left facing the headwinds for more than a few minutes before being relieved by someone else moving ahead of them.

Along the way, we stopped at a provincial campground between Princeton and Keremeos beside the fast-flowing Similkameen River.

Similkameen River-->

Then came a series of broad, rolling hills outside of Keremeos, a farming community. They were deceptively tough, with short, sharp inclines that quickliy descended until, with only a minutes of respite, we were climbing again. Here, a paceline didn't really help. We really needed to take care to ride with all of our muscle groups, using the lift of our opposing leg to take the pressure of the leg thrusting down into the pedals.

It was a huge and painful effort for some, but I marvelled at the gritty determination of the riders I was with. One of the riders, Sherri said how she kept thinking of the three children she was riding for, children of her best friend, all of whom have been diagnosted with Cystic Fibrosis. No matter the pain, nothing... nothing was going to keep her from finishing the course for these kids.

Thankfully, as the day wore on, it became progressively warmer until we started the last huge incline up Richter Pass, a steady 4% grade that went on for miles. By then, it was hot and anyone who had not carefully kept hydrating themselves with liquids as they cycled quickly found they were losing steam. But, we all made it through a combination of teamwork through pace-line riding, using all of our muscle groups, and a HUGE amount of motivation. It was inspiring and a priviledge to ride with these folks.

We arrived in Osoyoos to another incredible welcome by the Kinsmen and Kinettes of Summerland and Penticton. Blair and his Kinsmen colleague, Matt served up burgers and hotdogs, while the Kinettes prepared lovely fresh salads and desserts.

The Kinsmen and Kinette team who greeted us

in Osoyoos-->

At the end of the dinner two our our riders, Doug and Simon, both of whom had children with CF, were presented generous donations by the Kinsmen to support their ride. The generosity of the Kinsmen and the Kinettes was exceptional, and greatly appreciated.

<--Our incredible GearUp4CF support team: Joyce Taylor, our meticulous Cystic Fibrosis Foundation organizer who ensured every need was attended to, and Tom Evans, our ever-attentive and helpful support vehicle driver. They drove two support vehicles at a mind-numbing speed of between 8 kph to 30 kph from Vancouver to Banff. If that isn't patience, I cannot imagine what is!

The sunset over Osoyoos lake was spectacular, again, like our ride into Harrison, ending a perfect day. And now, after writing this journal... I'm off to bed. It will be a big day tomorrow, with a monster climb out of Osoyoos stretching over 30 kilometers. Then we ride for another one hundred kilometers until we find ourselves in Grand Forks, our next destination on this epic ride to the Canadian Rockies.

Day 2 - Harrison Hot Springs to Manning Park 127 km

We're just packing now, about to head out on the first real test, a 127 km ride into the mountains leading to Manning Park. Internet access may not be available in Manning Park, so I'll post an update as soon as I can.


UPDATE: June 22nd: I'm in Osoyoos now and finally have Internet access. Here are my notes from yesterday:

Well, yes, we made it. But it was a brutal introduction to the challenges that may be ahead . We started off riding together, with intentions to stay close together for the first 40 km. Unfortunately, it didn't quite work out that way. The strongest cyclists quickly started putting distance between them and the somewhat slower riders. It was not long after leaving the hotel at Harrison that most of the riders were long gone. I stayed back to ride with Chris, Sherri and Susan.

Eventually, Chris rode ahead to catch up with the lead group. I did as well, and managed to take some great photos of some of the riders.


<--Trevor Hird

<---Sherri Harrison

A long, wet road to Manning Park-->

I then fell back to ride with Sherri and Susan. We carried on, just as rain began to fall. I had been prepared for a few light showers, but it was not long before I realized it was turning to serious rain. Fortunately, my quick-install fenders were in the trailer of the support vehicle following us. These are important, not so much for myself (I can put up with a bit of rain!), but for the poor rider 'drafting' close behind me. I don't generally wear fenders on sunny days, but it is a MUST for group riding in rainy weather. So, I stopped to install them and quickly raced to catch up with my two cycling companions.

The ride quickly became a battle between us, the mountain and hypothermia, a real danger on this wet, highway.

But we slowed our pace, conserved energy, and with help from Tom, driving the support vehicle, we finally rolled into the Manning Park Resort, where we stayed in a rustic chalet nestled in the woods off the highway.

.

In all, we had climbed to a maximum elevation of 4,444 feet, with a total vertical ascent (after passing through valleys and climbing again) of 5,521 feet - over a mile - in just over 110 km. This would be impressive enough, however, it was also done in near continuous rain for practically the entire distance, and in temperatures that reached a low of 5 degrees Celsius as we neared Allison Pass.

<--- For more details of the route, including an enlarged map, click here.

Just before reaching the pass, and probably a result of the mind-numbing cold, I made an error in changing the gears, causing the chain to jam into the rear strut. In doing so, it tore off the metal protecting the carbon fibre stay running along the length of the chain. Thankfully, the carbon fibre frame itself was OK. Dripping with rain, I managed a temporary fix until I finally made it to the resort.

Dinner that night was huge helping of spaghetti, hosted by the Coquitlam Kinsmen. It was exactly what we needed. The only way we'll survive tomorrow is by stocking up on lots of carbohydrates. The hot tub never felt so good!

Tomorrow is an early start, as it will be the longest ride of the tour - 186 kilometers, from Manning Park to Osoyoos. We are all praying the weather will improve!

Day 1 - Vancouver to Harrison 126 km

<---Our GearUp4CF team for 2009, with our Kinsmen sponsors in the background, at our sendoff this morning in Ladner.


We're on our way! The long-awaited start to our ride began at 9:00 AM with a tremendous send-off by the Ladner Kinsmen at Kin House with refreshments kindly provided by Tim Hortons. Coming into the parking lot, I was struck by the large number of volunteers supporting this ride, from drivers of two support vehicles to researchers and CF parents showing up for the send-off, and even a police escort that took us through the busy street of Ladner, stopping traffic along the way to allow us pass.

.

Our route today, thanks to my new Garmin GPS --->

For details of our 126 km ride today, including an enlarged map, check out:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/7355853

Along the way, I had a chance to chat with some of the riders. My roommate, Christoph Blohmke, is a friendly, relaxed guy... just the perfect person to share a room with for the next nine days.

<--Christoph

Christoph is a microbiology reasearcher who is working with a senior investigator, James Zlosnik , who is also on the ride with us. (Christoph and James are writing a journal about the ride, too! Check out: http://gearup4cf2009.wordpress.com). Christoph works in Stuart Turvey's lab, a pediatric immunologist at BC Children's Hospital in Vancouver, who studies Cystic Fibrosis. Christoph is riding for Ali, who is now 16 years old, and has CF. Her sister, Joanie had CF as well, but sadly passed away in 2003 at the age of twelve. When I spoke to Christoph about the ride, he said that riding for Ali this year (and last year, as he did the ride then, too) has been very helpful for him as he spends countless hours in the lab throughout the year in CF research.

Christoph's colleague, James is riding with a little boy in mind, Alex, who also has CF. Their work, together with a third rider on in our group, Trevor Hird, (who is riding for another lovely little boy with CF, Beckett), is directly involved with investigating Burkholderia infections in CF, a very complex and potentially life-threatening problem if not managed carefully.

Your donations to CF goes directly to support this important work. As I write this week, I'll talk further about the work that they are doing, and the tremendous hope that many researchers are sensing that a major breakthrough in CF treatment is about to take place.

But for now, back to the ride. While on our way, we passed over the brand new Golden Ears Bridge, opened only last week, linking Langley and Surrey and the north side communities of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.

About an hour later, we arrived at our lunch destination in Mission, about five kilometers outside of Abbotsford. There, Kelly, Neleen, Diana and Allison, all volunteers through the Kinette Club of Abbotsford were waiting for us with a beautifully prepared lunch spread out on picnic tables. I was overwhelmed with the generosity and thoughtfulness of the Kinette Club, and the level of organization that has gone into making this ride.

<-- Left to Allison, Diana, Neleen and Kelly

The weather was cloudy, and yes, we did have a few showers (quite refreshing, actually, when you are riding hard), but for most of the time the roads were clear, the air was cool, and we whipped along at a breakneck pace hitting 40 kph. Now, in car with the windows rolled up and the radio on, 40 kph would seem to be a dreadfully slow pace. Not so on a bike, where the wind is whipping pas your face, the bike is shuddering under the strain, and every inch forward is dependant on human kinetic energy. All in all, however, it was a pretty easy ride, with a few gentle hills and long flat, fast stretches up the Fraser Valley.

I managed to stay in the lead group, arriving in Harrison at around 2:30 PM. Bikes locked up, we dragged our gear into our hotel rooms, showered, and basically crashed for the rest of the afternoon. My little gizmos indicated I'd burned well over 4,000 calories today. Tomorrow will be worse. We're hitting the first range of mountains outside of Harrison tomorrow, on the way to Manning Park, about 125 kilometers along Highway three. As I recall, there's a "small" hill in the way. The last time I rode it, at least twenty years ago, I broke the rear axle on my bike due to the torque and the heavy weight of the panniers I was carrying. Thankfully, I'm not carrying a lot of weight on my bike tomorrow, but it will be a hard ride, nonetheless. The first of many, I suspect. Wish me luck!

That evening we were treated to another wonderful meal by the Kinette Club. Kelly was there, together with several Kinette Club members I that I enjoyed meeting. Kelly apparently did a huge amount of cooking for both the lunch and the evening meal. The BBQ chicken and spare ribs were delicious! Several parents brought their children, many of whom have CF. I played a fierce game of ping pong with Roman, a delightful boy, who is in fourth grade. His two younger sisters, Madison and Hailey, who are in the 1st grade, are identical twins. Like Roman, all three kids in the family have CF. Their laughter and play filled the hall, bringing home yet again the reason we're doing this ride.

Just before turning in (and settling down to write this journal!), I stopped by Harrison Lake, a short walk from the Executive Hotel, where we were staying. The sun had just disappeared behind the hills, creating a scene of absolute serenity. It was a fitting moment to complete this splendid day.

Let the ride begin!

I'm ready to go! --->

Well, this is it, the eve of the start of my big ride. It's a bit odd, writing this in advance of the big day. I can only imagine what we will be experiencing over the next ten days. I am really looking forward to meeting the rest of the team. I haven't met them yet, nor have I met Joyce Taylor, the lead organizer for the ride. She has been absolutely amazing. It is clear from the very detailed communications I've been receiving, that she and her staff have planned every detail with exceptional care. From booking hotels, and flights, and even police escorts out of the city, to coordinating a small army of support volunteers, and ensuring every need is attended to. These folks are MOTIVATED, and the motivation is infectious.

All of this brings me back to why I'm doing the ride. Cystic Fibrosis is such a worthy cause, particularly for an event like this. With every breath I take as I'm trudging up those huge mountain passes, I won't help but think of the kids and young adults who are the very reason this ride exists, and who are working even harder, every day, to get that same breath of air. Can we help make a difference? Yes. And find a cure? It it now becoming not a distant, far-off goal, but a real possibility. Supporting a ride like this CAN make that difference. For those of you who have sponsored us, THANK YOU!

So now, I'm off to an introductory BBQ tonight to meet, for the first time, Joyce and some of the wonderful volunteers, many of whom are CF family members, who have worked so hard to make this happen. And, too, I'll meet the riders, who I KNOW I have a lot in common with. For one, we're all craaaazy enough to do this! It will be great fun.

Look for entries in this journal every day throughout our nine-day trek. I'll be writing of our experiences here as long as Internet is available at the hotel and my laptop is working. I can hardly wait to see what will be on these pages ten days from now. Wish us luck tomorrow, and pray for good weather!!!

A final Saturday ride before the big event

Yesterday's ride was a great shake-down test after getting my bike back from the cycle shop for a major tune-up. Basically, I replaced my entire drive train (chain, rear cassette - the nine rear gears), and installed my carbon-fibre aerobars, which I had taken off during winter group rides. Aerobars are tremendously helpful, not only in making it possible to assume a compact aerodynamic shape on the bike when facing a headwind, it also provides an additional position to rest comfortably during a long ride. The only trouble is, you have to be really careful using them. Aerobars are inherently less stable than riding with your hands widely spaced in the usual position with regular handlebars - a fact I learned, rather painfully, when I hit loose gravel at 30 kph in Colorado a few years ago (http://www.pbase.com/kmsvw/rtr2006). I destroyed my helmet that day, but my brain was saved - a good reason to make sure you should ALWAYS wear one!

This 'shake-down' ride was quite important, mainly to ensure that the ergonomics of the bike and various components are working well. Even the smallest thing can make a difference. For example, I noticed about three hours into the ride today that my left toe clip was slightly twisting my left foot inwards, towards the bike. On a shorter ride this is not a big deal. However, today it was quite apparent that this was causing torque in my leg that created too much strain on my knee. A minor adjustment on the toe clip relieved the subtle strain, which might otherwise have led to a chronically painful and possibly serious problem long-term.

At Steveston, half-way through the ride, I met up with two friends from my cycling group Le Peloton. We retraced my steps back along No 6 road, then up River Road for a second time before heading home. Riding with these guys, both strong riders, made for a very fast ride on the return leg. After a while you forget about the pain and just rely on testosterone and adrenaline to see you through!

Here's a map of my 95 km (59 mi) ride yesterday... thanks to a new Garmin cycling computer I've installed just in time for the BIG ride next week. This unit is amazing. It tracks and maps the route through satellite GPS (accurate, believe it or not, to within 33 feet of my position!) and records, real-time, cycling speed, and cadence. Cadence is the "pedal stroke rate"... an important parameter as it tells me if I'm straining too hard on high gears before I manage to injure myself. Often I find my pedal stroke slows down before I am consciously aware that I'm using a gear that is to high for a given hill. When that happens, it's time to switch to a lower gear so that my cadence is usually clicking along at a nice, steady 90-100 rpm in all but the most impossibly steep hills. The unit also records heart rate (through a wireless pickup on a chest strap, so that I don't push myself TOO hard), altitude and even the grade of the road. Perhaps I'd better turn off those last two features. The less I know about those monster hills coming up on the trip, the better!!

If you're interested, here's the complete profile of the route, I took on Saturday, uploaded to the 'net', thanks to my new gizmo:

Richmond Delta Training Ride

BTW, if you do click on the link, you'll notice everything is in US miles. For us Canadians, there's a little link in the upper right corner that lets you switch the display to metric so that results are shown in kilometers.

If you are experiencing problems with the link, copy and paste the following URL directly into your Internet browser:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/7137806

I'll be training steadily between now and the start of the big ride on Saturday. The main thing now is to take great care and not overdo it. Only a few more days to go!!!