3 weeks later

Wow, okay I know. I totally missed the boat on this one, but finally here's a quick recap of my very busy last couple of weeks....haha, I know, excuses already!!

Yes I'm golfing....of sorts
Photo Regan Pringle 

Left off at Transrockies.....geez I'm slacking.  I have to say that this year the Transrockies really worked me over in Fernie, no crashes, but each day I was left so wrecked that all I could that all I could do was nap at the end of each stage....THANK YOU DAD for cleaning my bike.  Not sure if I'm out of shape from having to work full time....I know, oh poor me lol, or if it was my head cold that finally caught up to me (that's what I'm blaming) or something else.  It's taken me a while to recover from the 3 days.  I was really sad to go home after just the TR3 while all the TR7ers continued on...next year I'm thinking 7 days again!

TR3 Final Podium
Photo John Gibson

 Day 2 and 3 were on the ski hill side of the Fernie valley, which is all steep, steep, steep climbing, my forte for sure!!  Going to make me strong.  I had a good race on my hands for these last two days, putting only a couple mins on 2nd place each day.  Day 3 we ended up at the beautiful Island Lake Lodge again, never really did find out if there is an island in that lake, but this year instead of just finishing after making the long climb up to the lodge, we continued higher and higher and higher.  Up past the lodge, around the back side of one of the surrounding mountains right through prime bear country and lots of fresh scat, to the very top ....... amazing views!!!!  Well worth the climb...which was good because I was just about ready to chuck my bike off the side of the cliff from all the climbing.  Then straight down a tightly switched back hiking trail to the lodge.  End Transrockies.....cheap early bird pricing on now for anyone wanting to do it next year :-)



Fast forward a week, which was last weekend, Regan and I are transformed into road riders for the long weekend.  Saturday we headed out for a mellow Goose cruise out to Sooke and up Otter Point in search of a beach (that was my big goal for this super sweltering day).  Our planned destination ended up being a private boy scouts beach....don't think skinny dipping in the middle of the day there would have gone over very well.  A quick look at the map and we picked out another lake, only to realize about 6 km in that the nasty gravel road climb up to Boneyard Lake wasn't going to get any better.  Turning around I actually think now the decent was harder then the climb, nothing like bombing down a low grade gravel road with large embedded rocks, eyes shaking in my head, can't feel my handlebars or feet.....not recommended on a road bike.  Quick well timed greasy pizza stop in Sooke, looking for a beach is hard work, and we finally stopped to soak our numb feet in a small slew in Langford on our way home.  5+ hours later, we were both pretty cooked!

GREASY LIFESAVER
Photo Regan Pringle

Aptly named road........I'm trying to work on my tan lines, I don't usually walk around like this...or do I
Photo Regan Pringle 

I'd never been to Port Renfrew before, so sunday needing a day off the saddle, we heading up the coast.  Leaving 30 degrees in Victoria, I was really excited about some hot beach time, but the cold fog in the Port made my bikini time very short lived :-(  Never did anything to help with my great tan lines.

Instead of joining the masses on Sunday for the closed to traffic Hurricane Ridge ride, we decided to go over holiday monday, which ended up being a great decision.  Also, instead of getting up really freaking early and catching the 6am ferry we slept in and grabbed the 10:30.  Again, leaving hot sunny Victoria, we hit Port Angeles and it was cold, windy and looked like it was going to be seriously nasty. Past a few riders shivering in the ferry terminal after the early morning ride.  It ended up being absolutely perfect.  The higher we climbing the warmer it got, the clouds burned off and by the time we summited the 18 mile climb it was hot and sunny.  Quick snack break and a giant brownie, then we were off passing each other and traffic all the way down....so fun!!!  Perfectly timed, we pulled into the ferry terminal with 20 mins to space!  Awesome job Regan and Eiry, both self proclaimed "non-climbers" killing the Ridge!

What a couple dorks!
Photo Regan Pringle

Fast forward one more weekend, and I had a last minute trip to Whistler for Crankworx Fat Tire Crit and Canadian Open Enduro.  Both really neat events, and as per Crankworx style, lots of people out to watch.  The Fat Tire Crit is just that, a crit race on mountain bikes....15 mins plus 3 laps of pure pain.  I really haven't worked that hard in ...... I don't remember the last time I worked that hard......my teeth were sore from breathing so hard!!!  Felt great off the start and grabbed the first $100 prime, but my lack of intensity was soon very evident and I just couldn't hold the blistering, yes blistering pace of Kelli Emmet, Jean Ann Berkenpas, Sandra Walter and Rosaro Joseph.  But I managed to hang in no mans land for the last 5 laps and finish 5th place......great kick start to cross training :-)

Fat Tire Crit.......Prime #1
Photo Colin Meagher

Fat Tire Crit GoPro

This Open Enduro is something new to me, and I really have to admit that I was really nervous about this one.  I know I'm pretty competent with my technical abilities, and descending is definitely on of my strengths, but her I am entering a predominately downhill race, riding the runs blind, against some serious fast girls.  Stage 1 to 3 went off really good, actually ended up winning stage 2 ( which had more climbing then the other stages) and was 1 of only 2 girls to make my stage 2 time (some potentially fishy timing going on with this stage)....and I only got myself into good trouble once, having to perfect my steep downhill cyclocross dismount!  Proud to say I rocked the spandex and XC 29er the best I could!

Getting ready for Stage 1 - Crank it up!  Getting the GoPro set up
Photo Colin Meagher

Stage 4 had my knickers in a little bit of a bunch though.  From the very top of Whistler to the bottom......1500m of descending all at once....oh my poor XC bike!  Taking the Gondola up with Kiwi's Anja and Tristan from the Transrockies (funny where you run into people), I looked over to the right to see a chair life running up the rock face...."We're not going up there are we??"  with an audible quake in my voice..."YUP" lol.  Riding up that last chair to the Top of the World I noticed a lot of random ski poles and other debris that probably ended up there in a bad way.  Once I got moving on the run, it really wasn't' that bad.  Wish I had done a pre-run though because I know I lost a lot of time pussy footing up to a couple rock faces, unsure what the line was.  26 mins later I roll, yes roll, not drop, down the GLC into Whistler Village.  I could barely pry my fingers off the bars haha, but THAT WAS AWESOME!!!  Somehow managed to finish 6th overall and only 5 mins down from winner and professional dher Strand.

Stage 4 - It is called the Top of the World for a good reason
Photo Colin Meagher

WOW...this is a long post, so that's all I've got for now!!  Cross time!

Infamous Pringle/Dyck pizza off.....Regan's on the right won the taste test this time...it's on!
Photo Regan Pringle