Whiteswan Lake- Mount Doorman

Whiteswan Lake- Mount Doorman
Originally uploaded by Steed Cycles

TransRockies 2008 Day 4
August 13, 2008
Nipika Resort to Whiteswan Provincial Park
109.7 km/2567 climbing

As I said yesterday, eventually you pay the price for every energy expenditure in these races. Today was that day. 110 km of hell! Right from the get go, I did not feel right. I was having great difficulty keeping down both fluid and food, in general, I just felt like crap. The day finished with about 60 km of road work all slightly downhill but invariably into a head wind. Today it was my turn to be regularly popped off the back of pace lines.

We spent a good part of the day riding with Andy and Moe Handford, owners of Different Bikes in Vancouver. Andy is truly an elite athlete and paired with his wife were making an attack on the 80+ mixed lead. I tried to help at the front, but there was just nothing there. Eventually, Trevor was the one to come back and say, “Lets back it down John; we still have 3 more days.” The rest of the ride became survival hidden in behind Trevor’s fantastic windbreak.

If Nipika is in the middle of nowhere, Whiteswan Lake is at the end of the earth. Thankfully, the organization had seen the need for early food, and the BarBQ was on. Trevor and I inhaled 3 cheeseburgers each in the space of about 30 minutes and we both felt much better. It is becoming apparent to me that multiple long days in these races can not be maintained on gels and electrolytes. One half of a cheese and salami or a PB and honey sandwich can do wonders to settle a stomach and provide some slow burn calories that last much longer than the peaks and valleys of power gels. I vow that from now on there will be some of these calories in my back pocket during these races.

The awards ceremony that night included a section for multiple year participants and I received my “belt buckle” for five years of participation. While on stage with the other recipients, it was sort of funny as we all recognized each other with the “Oh yah, I remember you.” On the trail when your head is down, you don’t always recognize the other racers.

From past memories tomorrow is a great day that finishes with a ride down the infamous rock garden made famous by Tom Zidek when he cleared it on his bike carrying his partners’ bike attached to his back by an inner tube. Trevor’s parents are planning on meeting him in Elkford so it should be amusing to see what they think about the TR circus.