Stage 4 - Sechelt

Stage Time: 3:40:04
Time behind the Leader: +25:39

Stage Placing: 4th/41
Overall Placing: 4th/41
Overall Time (Time behind Leader): +1:04:45
Time Behind next place: +37:37 (seriously, anything still goes)

Earls Cove - Sechelt

Distance: approx 60km
Elevation Gain: 1800m
Start Time: 11am
Start Line: BC Ferries' Earls Cove Terminal
Finish Line: Village of Sechelt

Profile:



Today’s ride will start on arrival at the BC Ferries' Earls Cove Terminal and end in the beautiful seaside Village of Sechelt.

After a gentle start from the Earls Cove Ferry Terminal, the route will swing left of the highway for 1Km as you pass by North Lake. This is the start of great climb through the rainforest to Klein Lake Park. Next, you'll roll into a singletrack trail that leads to some fantastic views of Ruby Lake and Sakinaw Lake below. Make your descent into Ruby Lake Resort and though the Iris Griffith Informative Center.

After a short 1.5km, you will enter the Suncoast Trail, a singletrack route that was designed to allow people to get from ferry to ferry exclusively on trails and back roads. This rolling and non-technical portion of the trail jumps in and out of the forest, onto small logging roads, and under the power lines.

The race route then comes back onto the road for a short distance before it dives off road again and starts to gain some altitude on logging roads. This undulating section of logging and power line roads – some old and some new – will prepare your legs for the short challenging climbs that will gain the next height of land. If you need to cool off, there will be a few opportunities in the 3 or 4 creek crossings along the way.

With the climb behind you and elevation gained, you’ll enjoy a very fast, tight, doubletrack descent to the next logging road. Ride a little more logging road, and keep your eyes peeled for some incredible views of the surrounding mountains. Watch for some seriously sweet singletrack added mid-course and prep those legs for a hardcore granny climb in search of more sweet singletrack!

Before ending the day you’ll enter some very nice, tight, singletrack that crosses through lush west coast rainforest. Save some energy for the trail ahead!

Stage 3 - Powell River

Stage Time: 2:44:47
Time behind the Leader: +13:08

Stage Placing: 3rd/41
Overall Placing: 4th/41
Overall Time (Time behind Leader): +39:06

There's no course Profile for today but here's a few details as to what we're up against for today's stage:

A ferry ride directly across the Straight of Georgia from Courtenay/Comox (1hr 20min crossing time) brings you to the warm, friendly community of Powell River on the Upper Sunshine Coast.

Accessible only by sea or air, BC's spectacular Sunshine Coast is an outdoor enthusiast's delight. Experience the creations of local artisans and unique heritage of First Nations peoples, soak up the spectacular scenery and bask in the mildest climate in Canada.

Your day's adventure both starts and finishes in Powell River after you get off your morning ferry ride at BC Ferries' Westview Terminal and we are stoked to introduce these incredible trails of "rolling thunder" to you!

Distance: Approx 53km
Elevation Gain: TBA
Start Time: 12pm
Start Line: Powell River
Finish Line: Powell River

Stage 2 - Cumberland

Stage Time: 2:59:56
Time behind the Leader: + 14:52

Stage Placing: 4th /41
Overall Placing: 4th /41
Overall Time (Time behind Leader): +25:58

The course today includes high speed, compact, mature trails to higher elevation rocky outcrops, dark and lush Valley bottom trails and well refined technical singletrack.

Should be a 'sick' day all around.

Distance: approx 60km
Elevation Gain: est. 1600m
Start Time: 9:30am
Start Line: Cumberland
Finish Line: Village Park, Cumberland

Here's the day's race profile (click photo to enlarge):

Some teasers include:

Bevan and Bear's Bait - super fast, fun mature trail systems that will let you reach the speeds you want to as you follow along the Puntledge river.

Screamin' Demon, River Rats, Two Pond pass, Sapporo Steeps, Puntledge Plunge, KMA and Transmission - Hold on to your handlebars, take in the view and test your limits as you descend down Forbidden Plateau to the Valley below. This trail network is characterized by high speed descending and rocky outcrops giving great views of the Comox Glacier, Comox Lake, The Gulf Island and the Coastal Range across Johnston Strait.

Two and a Juice, Buggered Pig, Tea Pot, Short and Curly, Soggy Biscuit, Black Hole and Space Nugget - Make sure you save some energy for this string of trails! A brief technical climb gives way to a matching descent all the way to the finish line!

*Stage & Route details subject to change for 2010.

Stage 1 - Nanaimo

Stage Time: 3:24:38
Time behind the Leader: + 10:22

Stage Placing: 4th /41
Overall Placing: 4th /41
Overall Time (Time behind Leader): +11:06

So it begins.

The day started with us getting on the first ferry from Horseshoe Bay destined for Nanaimo, BC.

Day 1 of the BC Bike Race starts right off the Ferry in to Naniamo, BC.

After leaving the BC Ferries' Departure Bay Terminal, a short paved climb will help sort out the riders and from there we'll race 33 trails of pure island singletrack.

Distance: approx 70km
Elevation Gain: 1200m
Start Time: 11am
Start Line: Departure Bay Ferry Terminal, Nanaimo
Finish Line: Rotary Stadium, Nanaimo

Here's the day's race profile (click photo to enlarge):



At the end of each day we'll update our results so look for this:

Day 1 Results

Stage Time: ???
(will reflect how fast we raced this day)
Time behind the Leader: ???
(the number of minutes we were behind 1st place (0 min means we won that Stage)

Stage Placing: ??
(our position that day, ie 1st, 2nd, 3rd...)
Overall Placing: ??
Overall Time (Time behind Leader): ??
(Each day our times are compiled and added to the previous days raced. We can measure how fast/slow we are compared to other teams overall. This is a compounded time so while we can make up for a bad day, each minute gained is crucial in the overall standings.)

And We're Off!!

Day Zero Results:

Stage Time: 8:39
Time behind the Leader: + 0:44

Stage Placing: 4th /41
Overall Placing: 4th /41
Overall Time (Time behind Leader): +0:44

Today is the official Day Zero of the BC Bike Race and the day begins with an exciting 'Time Trial' Style 5 km rip through some of the world famous North Shore (North Vancouver for those not familiar) trail.

While we don't have an update on the course we will provide one at the end of the day along with our results of Day Zero.

*** Update ***

Although we don't have our results for the time trial prologue today, here is a picture of our new red Suarez shorts thanks to Julio from Suarez!

Check back each morning to see the course, the area and get a general feel as to what we're facing each day.

Check back at the end of each day for our results and share in our experience racing some of the best single track in the world.

Almost ready to roll

Last nights toonie was our final warm-up for the 7 days of racing coming up in the BC Bike Race.Dwayne took 2nd and me 3rd.
We're packing up and are stoked to rumble through the awesome trails that await us in the race.Sure to be some stories to come out of this one...we're both feeling great and are optimistic of our chances.
Donations still keep coming in and we are closing in on a whopping $11,000.00!
Thanks to everyone who supported our fundraising and was cheering us on a the Test of Metal last weekend.
Here goes...

Catching up with Team Squamish - BC Bike Race starts Saturday!

Dwayne and I have been training hard, racing the toonies and just finished the Test of Metal this weekend - I came in 8th and Dwayne was 10th...we are both riding really well, healthy and motivated to race together for 7 days and enjoy the adventure ahead of us!

We have also surpassed our goal of raising $10,000 for Team Diabetes! Thanks to all of the people who have donated to help those who are suffering from this disease. We will post a list of everyone who donated on the blog as our way of saying thanks.

The BC Bike Race starts on Saturday in North Van and then heads to the Island, then the Sunshine Coast then comes back home to the mainland for the big stage 6 here in Squamish and then wraps up in Whistler on July 3. Check out the BCBR website to follow our progress: http://www.bcbikerace.com/ as well as this blog and our Facebook accounts.

If anyone would like to come and watch the finish in Whistler on July 3 and party with us after and spend the night we have been given some special rates at the swanky The Coast Blackcomb Suites at Whistler ! Check it out:

Studio - $125 per night
One Bedroom - $143 per night
Two Bedroom - $179 per night

*All rooms have in suite kitchens and a breakfast buffet is included.

To book:

Quote: 'BC Bike Race'

E-mail: karl@coastblackcombsuites.com

ph# - 1.800.783.8133 or 1.888.905.3400 x 3

Hope to see some familiar faces for stage 6 in Squamish and 7 in Whistler...come on out and have a few beers with us after the race and find out why the BC Bike Race is a must do!

See you out there!

Kelly