BC Bike Race Day 3 Day 3 is coming to you delayed. Day 3 began with an early wake up and then a bus trip to a ferry ride to Powell River. The town of Powell River is beautiful and the people were really excited to see us. We were greeted off the ferry by people of all ages ringing cowbells and cheering, keep in mind that this was just for us walking off the ferry. The race began quickly after getting off the ferry and the roll out through town was filled with cheering crowds and steep pavement climbs.
The trails started after a bit of road that got people pretty well spaced out. The singletrack was very rooty and semi-flat and rolling. Technical and slow seemed to be the theme for the day. Slow is pretty much the theme everyday for me, but today seemed especially slow. I passed a few riders who were pulled off to the side of the trail having what appeared to be a full mental breakdown. There was lots of cussing, stomping feet, throwing bikes and I even saw someone crying hysterically. I guess the BC Bike Race effects everyone differently.
Post race we had the best dinner so far. We all ate to our hearts content and I saw lots of people talking about how good the food was and how nice the town was. I had a conversation with a woman who lives in Powell River and she told me that people from town have put in over 400 hours of volunteer work over the past year. The trails that they build are primarily used for the BC Bike Race and it was evident during our stay that the town puts an incredible amount of effort into getting the race there. Prior to going to sleep in the park the sunset on the bay was perfect and a nice end to the day. The night was capped by a beer by the campfire and a cozy tent. The trails were not exactly my favorite type of riding, but riding roots that look like an aerial view of a highway interchange are not really most people’s favorite. Powell River is in the books.
BC Bike Race Day 4 Woke up early in Powell River and ate a tasty breakfast complete with “real” hollandaise sauce. What “fake” hollandaise sauce is I don’t know? After a bus ride and a ferry ride we arrived in Sechelt (pronounced by everyone so far as sea shell).
Day 4 seems to be the day that everyone was worked up about. It was also the first stage that was not a loop, but rather a nice long point to point.
Today was rumored by all to be the hardest day of the race. In the start chute I saw lots of people looking scared and heard lots of nervous laughter.
Starting uphill on roads is a running theme in the BC Bike Race and seems like a good way to get things going and spread out. The climbs were long, numerous and exposed. The descents were loose, rocky and mostly steep on the doubletrack and fun, flowing BC singletrack. Riding today was fairly similar to the riding in New Mexico so the sun, heat and sketchy descents were all a nice reminder of home. Suffering was plentiful today and everyone that was riding around me was totally cracked by the end of a long day. The course profile looked like the edge of a saw blade and by the end of the day people were destroyed, including me. It was the longest day on my mountain bike in years and reminded me that sometimes a good long hard day is good for the soul. Despite the length, elevation gain and legendary hardness today was my favorite day.
The town of Sechelt is pretty and the area where we are camping is very nice. Life continues to treat me well with good riding, beer, good food and better people. Tomorrow promises more good trails, but on a shorter, condensed track.
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Connor Rice
