BCBR 2010 - Stage #2
June 28, 2010

Route: Cumberland
Distance: approx. 60km

Five am comes very quick after day a long day of racing. Breakfast was at 6:15am so it was up, sort out the cobwebs, and head over for what turned out to be a great breakfast. We loaded up on food and then to loaded up the truck with gear for seven people and made the drive to Cumberland. We arrived in Cumberland and got ready as it was an early start this am. We found out that one of the buses had a problem so that gave us a extra little time which was great as I really needed a longer warm up than normal. Cumberland really embraces this race and it shows from signs on marquees to the town shutting down Main St. for our ride. Today was a 58km-ish loop which was nice after yesterday - and I love Cumberland's trails.

Into the first stretch of single track and it's a stand still. Early on there was a lot of walking and bunching up. I was really hoping to be up ahead but with nowhere to go you just chat with your neighbour until you can go. This is a great trail that eventually opens up on to a fire road and the pack took off on me. If you know me, you know that I have zero road legs or patience for long road chunks. But that's how you get to the single track so I ignore my knee issue, find a gear and cadence, and chug along. While the pack in front of me gets further away, the pack behind is chewing me up. I'm giving it all I have to keep them at bay until the single track 'cause the last thing I want is 20 more people in front of me. It worked and I hit the fast and flowey single track trail passing people here and there and feeling great. I'm familiar with most of these trails and the terrain so advantage Regan. After a nice big section it spits you out to Forbidden -- UGH!

I caught up to a group and hung with them for a bit on the first pitch. Soon after the group blew up and I started going in reverse. It was 400m of climbing so I ignored everyone around me and continued at a comfortable pace. Sometimes granny, sometimes middle, but wherever my legs let me. A guy I met earlier today goes by me on his Niner with his granny ring laying on his bottom bracketS he gets into the big ring to the top. Thankfully he had two other ss'ers to hang and pull with.

Another gentleman, Jeff from Seattle got chatting and I was saying how bad I wanna go to a University of Washington football game. He happens to be a seasons ticket holder so guess who's going to a football game this fall?

I was pretty happy at how I got to the top so I stop and feed at aid station 1. Then it was time to motor! This was a really great section of the stage but it was followed by a rough, rooty, droppy section that me or my bike disagreed with. Enter the numb hands and hot feet. I was just hanging on through here. Still I managed to pass guys and just kept saying "hang on, hang on". It lasted longer than I wanted so I stopped and let the full suspension guys by, which kills me. But I knew I would get them back. The rest of the race was trail that I really know so I just had fun and passed a lot of people. I kept a good enough pace that didn't stress my knee. Knowing where I was on the course I got really excited about space nugget coming up and this gave me a lot more energy. I really pushed through and went as fast as I could. I must really applaud the Challenge riders as they knew when faster people were coming and had no problem moving aside for us. Kudos to them. I finished in approx 3:35 for the day and I'm stoked. I hung in there on a really hard day and had no mechanicals so "high five".

After a spin I decided to go and see Dr. Colin Wilson of Cumberland Chiroparctic for my knee and a wicked big thanks to him for fitting me in as it feels ten times better. As I am in there getting treated a rider came in with a piece of stick in his arm - yes, in his arm. He was fine but they drove him out St. Joes to get it removed and stitched up. Another perk of BCBR is that these resources are available and the people involved do care. I had a great supper and now I'm waiting for the GC podiums.

There were no real change in the day. I was speaking with Manuel Prado about his day and he said he launched against the guys on the Forbidden but didn't have enough to hold it for the whole climb so he finished a respectable 7th for the day. Norm [Thibault] and Wendy [Simms] were only 2 mins back of Mical [Dyck] and Jeff [Neilson], who in turn were about 6 min. back of Catharine [Pendrel] and Geoff [Kabush]. Chris Sheppard apparently tore it up again today with the fastest time. Cumberland was a perfect day for weather, food, hospitality and now to find a lucky lager before the GC podium.