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...
My Saturday starts off as every Saturday does: Peeling myself out of bed and rolling downstairs to fire up the espresso and start to make some pre ride breakfast for Mical and myself. She makes her way downstairs shortly after the purr of the bean grinder, gives me a smooch and wanders over to the desk to check her email for her days workout. She tells me that Pedal Mag has asked her to do daily online updates and a magazine spread for BCBR like the one she did for Trans Rockies. Regrettably there were obligations that wouldn’t allow her to report so she was asked if she knew anyone else that would be up for it. She looks over at me and says “Hey Babe, you wanna do BCBR?” Well obviously my answer is yes and over the next few days I work through the logistics of riding and reporting with Pedal Mag. I make sure the guys at Pro City Cycles (my employer in Victoria ) are cool with me being gone and they couldn’t wait to be rid of me! Sweet! I am about to do BCBR on no training other then...
On the eve of returning to the island i can't help but be riddled with guilt at my decision to leave before my father passes on. I have been here 6 weeks watching him deteriorate to a mere shell of the man i remember and am asking myself " How much longer can this old bugger hang on?" I have spoken with my mother about what I should do and she agrees that I should return and resume my life as there is absolutely nothing i can do. My outlook on life has been altered since my return to Alberta; partially form watching my father fade but mostly because I now have someone to share my passions with. Without Mical this time here woulda drove me insane!! She allowed me to enter her world, filling me with warmth and support. Understanding of what I am going through and being there for me as it happens. Escaping to Calgary and Edmonton a few times to be with her and her kool ass family was invaluable to my ability to cope. Being able to have Mary here was a must as well. Anyone...
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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