Catching Kelowna

Erik, Brad & Kirsti ride it out.

The past few days on the bike have been incredible. It has been incredibly hard, incredibly demanding and incredibly beautiful. Cycling is like that. A good ride combines a perfect amount of suffering with the right amount of reward. An easy coast around the block doesn’t leave you with the satisfaction of putting in a good honest effort and testing your body’s capabilities. Conversely, it’s no fun maxing yourself out into the red zone to the point of spotty vision and dizziness. The perfect day on the bike challenges your physical limitations without killing you.

The ride on Highway 5A between Merritt and Kamloops may just be among the most amazing bike rides I’ve ever had in my entire life. It was the ideal mix of rolling hills, no wind, beautiful weather and even more beautiful scenery. It was not the beautiful lakes dotting the desert landscape that made that day so amazing however. It was the pure feeling of setting your tires to the road and having perfect freedom. Just like the first day Dad takes the training wheels off your first bike and the simple act of riding to the end of the street fills your heart with joy.

           

This morning we set out for Kelowna hoping for a repeat of the day before. The weather seemed to be cooperating as the sun shone over the Okanagen Valley but our invisible nemesis, wind, made the day very challenging. This was also the first day of our ride where we were under a time constraint. We promised the BGC in Kelowna that we’d be in at 2pm to play road hockey with the kids and we didn’t want to be late. After some tough miles into the wind, we welcomed some help. Our friend, Kirsti Lay, a speed skater from Vernon, BC, joined us to get us into Kelowna on time. As much as cycling is largely an individual effort, there are cooperative aspects to it as well. Cyclists often use a technique called “drafting” where one cyclist ride in front of the other, breaking the wind for the person behind them. In doing this, the rider in front carries a much harder workload while the rider behind uses considerably less effort to maintain the same speed. By alternating who rides in front, the workload is shared and the day is a lot easier. Especially with the wind blowing like it was, it was great having a strong rider like Kirsti helping out.

We arrived at the Kelowna club to a road hockey game already in progress. We were a little slow out there after our ride but we had a great time playing with the kids. I signed a few autographs and they presented me with a sweatshirt and a water bottle (that will come in handy!) from their club. I even met an old friend of mine from my elementary school in London so with the night free I was able to relax at his house and catch up over a well-deserved cold one. Tomorrow we’re headed to Revelstoke and back into the mountains. I’m starting to look forward to those flat prairies.

Brad

Bike Pick Up

Brad with Ridley's owner Ron

We just got to Calgary and after a long flight it’s nice to have things for the trip in motion. We’re headed to Ridley’s Cycle in Kensington to pick up our new Trek 5.2 Madone bikes. Ridley’s is one of the biggest Trek dealers in western Canada and we’re lucky enough that my son Patrick works there.

Ron, the owner, greets us at the shop and after some catching up, we get changed into our bib shorts and sit upon our new bikes for the first time. I went first and spun on the rollers similar to when we originally got sized up at Bushtukah, in Ottawa, except this time the adjustments are more minute. Cycling greats like Lance Armstrong and Eddy Merckx were known to be fanatical about their bikes, stressing perfection down to the millimeter, so I know the importance of a good fit.

Pat takes a look and has Ron take a look for a second opinion. They seem to be channeling the spirits of those legends’ mechanics as he moves the seat forward slightly and swaps out the stem for one that’s slightly longer to accommodate my long gorilla arms. Erik goes next. It’s interesting to watch the process from a different perspective; you really can see how the smallest adjustments to the bike or seat position affect the way the rider moves on the bike. The more efficient we can make our riding, the easier it will be on those long days in the saddle that lay ahead.

Brad and son Patrick

Once we’re all fitted up, Pat starts up “The List.” With our spring start date and the unpredictable nature of the Rocky Mountains, we have to be ready for anything from rain to snow to sub zero temperatures. We gather all sorts of gear so we’ll be ready for anything and grab some spare parts so we can make minor repairs as needed. It may be a flat tire, snow over the mountains, or maybe even something worse but the more prepared we are to cope with what’s thrown in our path, the better.

Wheeling my bike out of the store, I’m excited to get out and go for a ride with Erik and Patrick around Calgary and try out my new bike. I’m feeling fast and strong and I can’t wait to dip my tires in the Pacific and start the journey.