Day 2 starts off in the quaint little town of Cumberland so it is an early wake up ( one of many ) to get loaded up and drive up. This will also be one of the last days we will have the truck as we are ahead of support for the rest of the race. Base camp is to be at VillagePark right at the end of Downtown Cumberland. I spend some time here on and off during the summer and its great place to come and ride. If you can get here I recommend it. The route will take us right up the main drag of this historic town and into some of my favorite trails on the whole Island. With trails names like “Two and a Juice, Buggered Pig, and Short and Curly bouncing through my head how could you not love it? Weather is again magnificent as we herd together in the field. Luckily our Start is also our finish today so its one huge loop ….kind of.With approx. 60km and 1300ft I am hoping the chain holds today. No worries, I am on my bike so life is good.
The gun goes and we are off. Its cool seeing 500 cyclists rolling down the strip in Cumberland. We pass the Old Waverly hotel famous for Lucky lager consumption among other things. It’s Just a quick burn on pavement before we hit some dirt. It doesn’t take long through some quad trail to get packed up with traffic. So much so that we are now at a stand still. The time I was thinking of gaining with trail knowledge is dwindling as we speak. I would be bummed but it’s sunny and we are riding so “hmmph”. Just like the Colwood Crawl in Victoria its hurry up and wait. And trust me; I am in no rush to get to Forbidden Plateau. I have shuttled it in the past but never tried to climb it. Now I know it’s a grunt. I just settled in and grunted along. Often felt like I was going backwards. The aid station is atop so I dismount and grab some food and drink, something I didn’t do in Nanaimo and think it hurt me a little bit. The downhill is super fun and then super technical, on the rigid bike anyway. A lot of rocky stairways and loose corners so its survival mode for a lot of people. Regretting the no suspension idea for a little bit.The trail Peels out to some wicked fun riverside trails and then back towards town. Again I recognize some trails so I crank he throttle a bit. I am Full boar until town where I see my friend BOB waiting for me. Its A super fun day, as all riding days in Cumby are. Dinner tonight is a little different in that some local restaurants are opening there doors to serve the BCBR clan. We hit up Tarbell’s and as we walk in there lies the biggest chocolate cake I this boy has ever seen. At least I know they won’t run out!! Dinner was awesome and I would like to thank all the folks that kept everyone fed here in Cumberland. You truly cannot beat a small town in Canada.
Today was the first of which I hope are many, Leechtown races. For those of you not familiar with what or where Leechtown is, take a look. In my usual procrastinating way I decided to build my Masi SS late last night for the "race." I figured that a SS would be safe as most of the @stuckylife guys run singles. Man was I surprised when the only two SS ( not including the fixies) were Pro city boys, Colin being the other. Well, no refunds so nut up and enjoy the hurt! I think there were about 26 people out which for a gloomy Sunday is frigging awesome. Good to see Tanya out after nuking her elbow at The Ricky Bobby. It was set up Neutralized for the first 15k or so till Veterans Memorial and after that it was game on. As soon as we were off neutral it was giver. With a lot of road crossings for the next while i realized the single speeds only downfall was with all the yielding, it meant a lot of accelerating. Well i do need work on my starts so take the positive right? It lo
It has been a few days since dad has finally passed away and I honestly don't know what I am feeling. Such a mixture of emotions that I don't have the ability to truly deal with. I had spent 7 weeks with him and watched him deteriorate to the point that no human should reach and it tore my soul apart bit by bit. From the strongest man to the most frail frame imaginable. Nobody should have to go through what he did and conversely nobody that loves him should have to watch it. It is absolutely gut wrenching. If I had to do this solo I wouldn't make it. Being back here I find myself not really caring about anything other then Mical and us living our life. Not motivated to work hard at the shop even though I truly do enjoy work and all its foibles!! I just want to ride my bike, eat good food and have fun with my girlfriend. I don't think that's to much to ask is it? To bad about that money part!! Mical will just have to become a venture capitalist!!! ;) I am supposed t
I wasn't going to ride at all today, give the knee and shoulder and day off. Decided I would be Lil Suzy Homemaker and take care of a bunch of stuff for the family. Well.....that only took like 3 hrs. And there is so much more time in the day. A lil chilly today so I geared up around 3 and headed out for just a slow and light spin. I don't know why I keep telling myself I can do slow and light, but I will keep trying!! Head down to waterways and cut off up the path as this is only going to be an hour spin...right? Chugging up the hill, knocking the crust off of my sleepy knees. Cresting the hill I decide to go the back way through some quad trails, cross the "bridge" and through rotary and back down to waterways...sounds easy right? Riiiiiiight!! These trails are so fun because they are sooo muddy. Slipping and drifting around like a 10 yr old who's mom said " Now have fun but stay outta the puddles!!" The mud is also what makes these trails difficult.
favorite trails on the whole 
s atop so I dismount and grab some food and drink, something I didn’t do in 
ferent in that some local restaurants are opening there doors to serve the BCBR clan. We hit up Tarbell’s and as we walk in there lies the biggest chocolate cake I this boy has ever seen. At least I know they won’t run out!! Dinner was awesome and I would like to thank all the folks that kept everyone fed here in 
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