Day 1 Finish K2 Ranch

Day 1 Finish K2 Ranch
Originally uploaded by Steed Cycles

TransRockies 2008 Day 1
August 10, 2008
Panorama to K2 Ranch
52.3 km/2478 climbing

Off we go!!!

Out of the start we headed straight up the mountain that loomed behind at the start. A quick spin through the resort stretched out the field and then the pain began. A la TransAlp, see ski lift, climb to top. The climb was all rideable but very steep in places and certainly had everybody on the rivet for the first hour. As we passed the bottom of the Summit Quad and then the top of the Champagne Express, all I could think of were those riders smoking “down” the bike park and then riding “up” the lift. A short hike a bike led us to “Outback Ridge” which is winters access to double blacks like “Devils Drop” and “C-Spine”. It felt a little unreal to be riding my bike past double black ski run signs and looking straight down chutes that would probably cause a significant cremasteric reflex in the winter. (look it up!)

The elevation here is about 2400m and as could be expected the temperature was a tad chilly. I suppose I should have expected that a climb to the top of a ski resort would be associated with a snow storm and sure enough as we exited “Outback Ridge” the wind came up and the snow started. The last 7 multi day races that I have done have never seen temperatures less than 25C and have reached highs of 43C. I guess I have become complacent because we were way underdressed and I was sure worried that if the snow kept up or changed to rain that we would be in danger of significant hypothermia and forced into survival mode on the first day. Thankfully, we were required to hike some significant hills which kept our core temps up, and by the time we started our major descent, the wind had decreased and the snow had stopped.

The sun eventually peaked out, and it immediately warmed up. Trevor and I were having difficulty moving forward because of the severe sketchiness of the trail. The consequence of a mistake would have led to a quick slide down a very steep scree slope in similar manner to the rider that went over the edge in this years “Tour de France”. Our road block ended when Trevor blew by me and cleared a long, steep, and extremely muddy slope traversed by lots of eroded roots and rocks. Clearly, I had to step it up as he went by, and we must have passed 8 teams as we hailed “rider up” and slid our way to the bottom. Being in the back, I heard the impressed comments of the riders as we went by them, but at the bottom I had to remind Trevor of rule #2 “Live to ride another day.” The gap that we achieved was enough to send us through to a great finish after we hammered the last km on gravel road; 7th overall in our division and 34th in the field.

Not a bad start!!!

Tomorrow looks really ugly with three major climbs and the nasty descent down Bear Creek. At least it starts with about 20 km of road. If we can get out in the top pack we can hide and cruise to the first climb.