2010 BCBR day 1




Day 1 has arrived and we awake to great European breakfast prepared by our host at the B+B we invaded the night before. Our star is the Departure Bay Ferry Terminal which just happens to be below the house we are occupying. With breakfast done and nothing else to occupy my time I guess it was time to suit up, hop on the bike and roll down to the start line. A mass of spandex and wheels hits you as you peel into the terminal to await the start. A huge inflatable archway name “Bob” is erected and waiting for the riders. Music blares as people line up and await the gun to send them on there way. We will be getting a police escort through the town and up into the awaiting starting trail, “The Abyss”. Having loved here I am stoked to rid this trail. Fast and flowy with some cool textured rock lines. About 4 minutes into the trail my chain snaps. Just when I was starting to have fun and now all the people I just passed are zipping by me as I stand still! Oh well, get it fixed and keep it pinned. I go as hard as I can on this long 70km stage but before the trail crests the back side of the mountain I broke it again. GRRR!! More people burn by me as I get it repaired again. Not long after there is a long fire road climb that had a really low grade but it just seems to suck the life out of me. I was mentally begging for single track and wondering what I had gotten myself into to. Oh my, glory, glory there’s some ahead. And now a little single track to get me to my happy place again. Slowed up a little by a man from Belgium who proceeded to wipe out right on a stump…with his ribs!! Stayed with him and made sure he was ok and bolted off to find the finish line. Trail spits you out onto the road by Malaspina University my legs cramped like never before. So in my infinite wisdom I geared as high as I could and pedaled hard through it. It’s down the road and to the track for a half lap before crossing under Bob. They have set up a great venue/tent city here in Nanaimo. All the tents litter the inner ring of running track with all the amenities just on the outer ring. With an aquatic centre across the street I’d even consider a swim….if I could feel my legs! Then again maybe not. It will be stretching followed by some grub as well as just trying to sort my brain and get “acclimatized “to stage racing. I can say it’s a pretty ok Stage 1 minus the mechanicals.

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