I can't believe it's that time of year again already!! Transrockies! Yippee. I've opted for the TR3 this year instead of the full seven days of riding.....which I'm actually kinda sad about because the course in the Kananaskis uses all the best trails!!! TR3 this year is all on the super duper awesome trails of Fernie!!! Oh how I love Fernie riding:)
After a big mint chocolate chip ice cream with my old TR and BCBR partner and his wife last night, and a delicious organic supper with my folks, I was stoked and feeling good!! Day 1 was a 32km (my gps says 34km) TT with 1 min gaps. Based on UCI points Catherine Vipond started ahead of me and Jean Ann Berkenpas behind me....and Mel McQuaid somewhere in the mix behind her. 400m out of the gate I heard the train blowing it's whistle as is rolled through town and right over the course .... Uggh. Thankfully they let me start again and reset my time, but now Catherine had a 6 min gap on me...outta sight outta mind.
I had a great start, feeling strong climbing up the first hill, yup starts are my forte. Up over the first climb, crossing a chunck of road about 10 mins in I go to shift into a harder gear in the back ..... And nothing. Ahhhhhh what the???? It's like the shifter is empty, pushing all the way through the lever but nothing is engaging. Big double BOOOOOOO. Stopping quickly I can't find anything jamming the derailluer, so I give a little sob and a swear and come to terms quickly with the fact that I'm running a really expensive two speed for the next 30 km. Thankfully the my big ring is only a 38 tooth (which is pretty small) so I'm able to use my big ring a lot.
I'm stuck in the second easiest gear in the rear, so glad it's not one of the harder gears or that first climb would have double sucked. Long uber steep grind of a climb, almost 500 m in about 2 km.....ouch.
As I crest the mountain I switch to big ring and I loved the super fast steep technical descent....didn't even need to pedal for most of it.
Through the feed zone, thanks poppa for riding out to give me a feed, the up into the second half of the course. This half is a lot more rolling and fast, with some short hard steep climbs and fast open sections. I was definitely hating my gearing on the flat to slightly downhill road section!!! Haha it's probably the only time you'll ever hear me wish for a climb. Spin spin spin tuck spin spin spin tuck. I was looking over my shoulder the whole way running scared.
Looking at the profile, the majority of the run back into the finish was predominately downhill, and this spin spin spin thing was just wearing me out. By tightening the cable on the barrel adjuster I was able to get my chain to stay in the fourth gear in the back. Once I got it there I didn't want to risk changing gears again so I was really suffering on a couple of those final climbs haha. Regardless of the gearing these trails are incredible!!!! And way more fun this year when they aren't so soggy and so slippery that you end up tripoding everything like last years TR.
So spin spin spin tuck spin spin spin tuck, spinning in fear looking over my shoulder the whole final stretch into the finish!!! Yippee I survived!!!! And I actually did a lot better then I thought I would pulling off the first stage win :).
Yah clean jersey for tomorrow!! And a new rear shifter.....upgraded from a 2 speed to a 20 speed....
Can't wait for supper I'm hungry!!!!
