From Long Beach, we proceeded Lowbanks on Lake Erie, then followed the road east to the Niagara River and eventually into camp. As it turned out, we were able to reconnect with the rest of our team at a lookout point about a km away from the finish line, which allowed us to cycle across the line en masse.
The final few metres of the route takes you down a chute, with fences on either side and thousands of people cheering you on. It's quite stirring to be surrounded by so many smiling faces and to see that the weekend's labours are almost at a close.
As we crossed the line, I heard the announcer call out that the Bloor West Village Idiots had finished the route. We came to a quick stop and found ourselves surrounded by friends and family.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Heard on the Road
We decided to try to get an early start on Sunday morning and left camp around 7 am.
The EC forecast for Hamilton that morning was 20% Probability of Precipitation and the skies were expected to clear up later in the morning.
As soon as we clipped into my bikes that morning, it started to rain. Though not quite as heavy as the worst downpour on Saturday afternoon, it was heavy enough that we were soaked before we left the Hamilton city limits. This rain stayed with us until early afternoon.
I ended up beside a guy on a country road about mid-morning. We chatted about how things were going and he mentioned that he had talked to his wife the night before and that when she asked how it was going, he said that it was “the longest swim he'd ever been on”. Truer words...
The EC forecast for Hamilton that morning was 20% Probability of Precipitation and the skies were expected to clear up later in the morning.
As soon as we clipped into my bikes that morning, it started to rain. Though not quite as heavy as the worst downpour on Saturday afternoon, it was heavy enough that we were soaked before we left the Hamilton city limits. This rain stayed with us until early afternoon.
I ended up beside a guy on a country road about mid-morning. We chatted about how things were going and he mentioned that he had talked to his wife the night before and that when she asked how it was going, he said that it was “the longest swim he'd ever been on”. Truer words...
Lunch – Day 2
The route on Sunday took us west of Hamilton and, eventually, all the way down to Lake Erie.
Compared to the 200 km route, which is mostly on country roads, the 200 mile route spent a fair bit of time on arterial roads heading south (I don't recall which ones specifically – the morning's heavy rains meant that we cycled with our heads down for most of it).
The lunch stop was at a trailer park called Long Beach something-or-other. A fairly busy place for vacationers. There was a steady stream of cars and buses going in (and leaving) the park in addition to the cyclists.
Aside from the early morning rain (and wind!), temperatures stayed reasonably low throughout the first part of the day. By the time we reached Long Beach, we were soaked (again) and cold. At the entrance to the tent area, one of the medical crew was handing out packets with emergency blankets designed to combat hypothermia. The blankets come folded into a small package the size of an iPhone; unfolded, they can be wrapped around most of a normal-sized person.
A visitor to the camp that afternoon would have seen something out of a science fiction film – dozens of people in brightly coloured spandex uniforms and helmets, wrapped in what appeared to be aluminum foil.
[Post-script: I was checking our house's voice mail on Monday morning and picked up a message from Paul Alofs at the Princess Margaret Hospital advising us that the weekend was going to be humid and that we should wear lots of sunscreen. Shame we didn't get a team picture at the lunch site, wrapped in our hypothermia blankets]
Compared to the 200 km route, which is mostly on country roads, the 200 mile route spent a fair bit of time on arterial roads heading south (I don't recall which ones specifically – the morning's heavy rains meant that we cycled with our heads down for most of it).
The lunch stop was at a trailer park called Long Beach something-or-other. A fairly busy place for vacationers. There was a steady stream of cars and buses going in (and leaving) the park in addition to the cyclists.
Aside from the early morning rain (and wind!), temperatures stayed reasonably low throughout the first part of the day. By the time we reached Long Beach, we were soaked (again) and cold. At the entrance to the tent area, one of the medical crew was handing out packets with emergency blankets designed to combat hypothermia. The blankets come folded into a small package the size of an iPhone; unfolded, they can be wrapped around most of a normal-sized person.
A visitor to the camp that afternoon would have seen something out of a science fiction film – dozens of people in brightly coloured spandex uniforms and helmets, wrapped in what appeared to be aluminum foil.
[Post-script: I was checking our house's voice mail on Monday morning and picked up a message from Paul Alofs at the Princess Margaret Hospital advising us that the weekend was going to be humid and that we should wear lots of sunscreen. Shame we didn't get a team picture at the lunch site, wrapped in our hypothermia blankets]
Observation -- Day 1
This is my third Ride and one of the things that was most striking this year (besides the rain!) was the presence of corporate teams.
Previous rides included many teams, but they tended to be cycling clubs or other, predominantly non-commercial groups. The Bloor West Village Idiots has been unique in that we represent a neighbourhood team.
This year featured a number of teams from banks and other companies (TD Canada Trust, KPMG, Scotiabank, to name a few). They both looked the part (their kits were really well designed) and, in addition, their participants had clearly trained together. In general, they rode as a team and rode well.
Previous rides included many teams, but they tended to be cycling clubs or other, predominantly non-commercial groups. The Bloor West Village Idiots has been unique in that we represent a neighbourhood team.
This year featured a number of teams from banks and other companies (TD Canada Trust, KPMG, Scotiabank, to name a few). They both looked the part (their kits were really well designed) and, in addition, their participants had clearly trained together. In general, they rode as a team and rode well.
Camp -- Day 1
Pulling into camp around 4 pm on Saturday, we quickly parked our bikes in the compound, collected our luggage for the “overnight” and went to the food tent to find our comrades from the 200km route.
Bags are transported between Toronto and Hamilton (and ultimately to Niagara Falls) on moving trucks. The volunteers empty the trucks and place luggage in long lines for pick-up.
It doesn't look like they were prepared for the rain. They were trying to put tarps over the bags as we walked up to them, but by that time, it was too late. Most of the bags were wet and the dampness had started to soak through to the contents.
Even in the food tent (a long tent housing rows of tables & chairs for the cyclists), the rain was heavy enough that the ground was completely wet. I suspect that the crowds gathered for dinner on Saturday night (and breakfast the next morning) totalled the grass.
We found the other “Idiots”. They had arrived about a couple of hours earlier and had managed to complete their route without encountering any rain. We stayed for a bit to trade stories over a couple of beers and headed out to the cabs to go to our hotel.
Bags are transported between Toronto and Hamilton (and ultimately to Niagara Falls) on moving trucks. The volunteers empty the trucks and place luggage in long lines for pick-up.
It doesn't look like they were prepared for the rain. They were trying to put tarps over the bags as we walked up to them, but by that time, it was too late. Most of the bags were wet and the dampness had started to soak through to the contents.
Even in the food tent (a long tent housing rows of tables & chairs for the cyclists), the rain was heavy enough that the ground was completely wet. I suspect that the crowds gathered for dinner on Saturday night (and breakfast the next morning) totalled the grass.
We found the other “Idiots”. They had arrived about a couple of hours earlier and had managed to complete their route without encountering any rain. We stayed for a bit to trade stories over a couple of beers and headed out to the cabs to go to our hotel.
I Will If They Will
The approach into the town of Dundas was done a sweeping downhill on the north side of town. It wasnèt quite as hair-raising as the approach of the 200km route, but it was still possible to generate speeds of 50 kph or more by the time we reached the bottom.
At the bottom the hill, there was a sweeping right turn, followed by a couple of hundred metres of flat road before arriving to a pit stop area.
About half-way on the flat, an RTCC sign advised us to “Obey the Rules of the Road”. Just past this sign was a T-intersection, with one of those arcing right-hand turn lanes that linked up with the road I was on.
As I passed the sign, a car made an illegal left-hand turn in front of me (fortunately, I wasn't near enough to him to be in danger). As I reached the area where the right-hand turn lane merged with my road, another driver ignored the yield sign and shot in a few metres ahead of me.
Clearly the Highway Traffic Act includes exemptions for people on four wheels. I must have missed that part.
Regrettably, we saw a lot of brain-dead behaviour on the part of (some) drivers this weekend, a lot more than previous years and more noticeable perhaps because of the weather. Distressing, but it heightened the need to stay alert.
At the bottom the hill, there was a sweeping right turn, followed by a couple of hundred metres of flat road before arriving to a pit stop area.
About half-way on the flat, an RTCC sign advised us to “Obey the Rules of the Road”. Just past this sign was a T-intersection, with one of those arcing right-hand turn lanes that linked up with the road I was on.
As I passed the sign, a car made an illegal left-hand turn in front of me (fortunately, I wasn't near enough to him to be in danger). As I reached the area where the right-hand turn lane merged with my road, another driver ignored the yield sign and shot in a few metres ahead of me.
Clearly the Highway Traffic Act includes exemptions for people on four wheels. I must have missed that part.
Regrettably, we saw a lot of brain-dead behaviour on the part of (some) drivers this weekend, a lot more than previous years and more noticeable perhaps because of the weather. Distressing, but it heightened the need to stay alert.
Heading to Hamilton (Day 1)
The rain did taper off as we rode through the Flamborough area and, by the time we got close to Dundas, it had completely stopped.
In Dundas, we reconnected with the cyclists who were on the 200 km course. It was a shock, after riding in small groups on the country roads around Erin and Rockwood, to suddenly find ourselves in the company of the rest of the 4100-odd cyclists in the Ride (we found out that 4100 cyclists started on Saturday morning during the announcements. Not sure if it was the weekend's weather, but the total number of cyclists and the number of 200 milers was lower. The key number, though was the $16 million plus raised for the cause). It was like hitting full-blown rush hour traffic by crossing an intersection.
We collectively started the climb up Hamilton Mountain. This is the biggest challenge of day one. Aside from the long line of cyclists trying to get up the mountain, the car lane is also stuffed with cars. There's not a lot of room to manoeuver between the two, but the key is to maintain a steady cadence and keep going. It was one of the places where I appreciated the new road bike. It's a much better bike for hills than my trusty hybrid.
After the mountain, there is a brief journey through a reasonably posh area of Hamilton and then it's back out onto a main arterial road, which takes the group past a long line of outlet shops and an exit ramp for the 403. It's one of the more nerve-racking areas of day 1. Cars are moving at speed and jumping around lanes trying to get to their exit before anyone else. If there is one part of the day 1 trip that should be eliminated, it's this area.
As we crossed the 403, the rains returned. As we moved through the residential areas leading to Mohawk College, the rain was bouncing off the pavement and the resulting mist brought visibility down considerably. It was a good thing that I knew this part of the route quite well and knew that the camp grounds were just a little ways ahead.
In Dundas, we reconnected with the cyclists who were on the 200 km course. It was a shock, after riding in small groups on the country roads around Erin and Rockwood, to suddenly find ourselves in the company of the rest of the 4100-odd cyclists in the Ride (we found out that 4100 cyclists started on Saturday morning during the announcements. Not sure if it was the weekend's weather, but the total number of cyclists and the number of 200 milers was lower. The key number, though was the $16 million plus raised for the cause). It was like hitting full-blown rush hour traffic by crossing an intersection.
We collectively started the climb up Hamilton Mountain. This is the biggest challenge of day one. Aside from the long line of cyclists trying to get up the mountain, the car lane is also stuffed with cars. There's not a lot of room to manoeuver between the two, but the key is to maintain a steady cadence and keep going. It was one of the places where I appreciated the new road bike. It's a much better bike for hills than my trusty hybrid.
After the mountain, there is a brief journey through a reasonably posh area of Hamilton and then it's back out onto a main arterial road, which takes the group past a long line of outlet shops and an exit ramp for the 403. It's one of the more nerve-racking areas of day 1. Cars are moving at speed and jumping around lanes trying to get to their exit before anyone else. If there is one part of the day 1 trip that should be eliminated, it's this area.
As we crossed the 403, the rains returned. As we moved through the residential areas leading to Mohawk College, the rain was bouncing off the pavement and the resulting mist brought visibility down considerably. It was a good thing that I knew this part of the route quite well and knew that the camp grounds were just a little ways ahead.
Apres le deluge
Just a quick note. RTCC 2010 was notable due to the fact that it rained on us for probably 60-70% of each day. While I would have liked to provide insights from the road, I suspect my blackberry would have shorted out within a few minutes. So... it stayed in a ziploc bag for almost the entire journey.
For now, I'll note that WE DID IT! We crossed the finish line around 3 pm yesterday (under clear skies... a bit of a shock).
I've made some quick notes and will add my usual entries to the blog, hopefully keeping them to the chronological order of the ride. Check back in a couple of days and I should have something there for your enjoyment.
For now, I'll note that WE DID IT! We crossed the finish line around 3 pm yesterday (under clear skies... a bit of a shock).
I've made some quick notes and will add my usual entries to the blog, hopefully keeping them to the chronological order of the ride. Check back in a couple of days and I should have something there for your enjoyment.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Lunch... 70 miles in
We've been riding in the wet since about mile 30 -- patchy drizzle, heavy drizzle and light rain (right now it's the latter).
We're just west of some place called Moffat. It's around mile 70 and we're at an open field with the usual assortment of tents -- a tech tent to deal with minor mechanical problems, a medical tent and a couple of tents with food and water.
This was the lunch stop for day 1, so we picked up our food (a decent pasta salad with chicken and a butter tart with juice) and found an empty, not-too-damp piece of grass to eat.
As we turned onto the road to start the next leg, one of the team, Loris, blew the tube on his back tire (all told, he blew three tubes on the same tire that weekend). Frustrating as hell for him but he was ably assisted by Mark Smith. A few minutes later, we were back on the road and then the rains really came.
Our route took us further west and then we turned down around Guelph Line, crossing the 401 a few minutes later. As we crossed over the highway, the rain began to fall with enthusiasm. Within a minute or two, our rain gear had completely surrendered and we were soaked to the skin. The rain stayed with us until we were just north of Flamborough.
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We're just west of some place called Moffat. It's around mile 70 and we're at an open field with the usual assortment of tents -- a tech tent to deal with minor mechanical problems, a medical tent and a couple of tents with food and water.
This was the lunch stop for day 1, so we picked up our food (a decent pasta salad with chicken and a butter tart with juice) and found an empty, not-too-damp piece of grass to eat.
As we turned onto the road to start the next leg, one of the team, Loris, blew the tube on his back tire (all told, he blew three tubes on the same tire that weekend). Frustrating as hell for him but he was ably assisted by Mark Smith. A few minutes later, we were back on the road and then the rains really came.
Our route took us further west and then we turned down around Guelph Line, crossing the 401 a few minutes later. As we crossed over the highway, the rain began to fall with enthusiasm. Within a minute or two, our rain gear had completely surrendered and we were soaked to the skin. The rain stayed with us until we were just north of Flamborough.
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Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld
Just about to start
Cloudy.... Very windy, but it will give us an initial tail wind.
Opening ceremonies about to start.
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Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld
Opening ceremonies about to start.
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Friday, June 11, 2010
Friday night
We're now definitely into the "eve".
I rode my bike down to the CNE grounds tonight. I'm getting a ride down tomorrow with my stuff for the weekend and will retrieve my bike from the grounds tomorrow am.
Talked to one of the crew captains while I was there. There are approx. 4800 riders this year (there were 3500 last year). Of those, 800 are attempting the "Double Imperial" century (i.e. the 200 mile route).
A couple of hundred bikes were already there when I arrived. The "imperials" sport yellow ID tags; the "metrics" (200 km) have black ones.
About 12 hours to go before we head out on to the open road. And miles to go before we sleep.
I rode my bike down to the CNE grounds tonight. I'm getting a ride down tomorrow with my stuff for the weekend and will retrieve my bike from the grounds tomorrow am.
Talked to one of the crew captains while I was there. There are approx. 4800 riders this year (there were 3500 last year). Of those, 800 are attempting the "Double Imperial" century (i.e. the 200 mile route).
A couple of hundred bikes were already there when I arrived. The "imperials" sport yellow ID tags; the "metrics" (200 km) have black ones.
About 12 hours to go before we head out on to the open road. And miles to go before we sleep.
Eve of the Ride
About 24 hours from now, we will be massed before the Princes Gate at the CNE, waiting for the opening ceremonies for the 2010 Ride To Conquer Cancer.
Most of the prep work under our control is ready -- the bikes are tuned; our bodies are in good shape, thanks to the many hours of training both on the road and in spinning classes and the fund-raising almost complete (a few donations continue to arrive, but the team and its members have met and exceeded our goals for this year. Thanks of course to all who have pledged their support this year!)
The remaining question mark is the weather. Forecast this morning shows showers and thunderstorms for Saturday, with a 30% chance of rain on Sunday. One of my own to do's for today is to get a more precise forecast for the weekend.
As with previous Rides, my hope is to document the weekend in text as well as photos. Stay tuned.
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Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld
Most of the prep work under our control is ready -- the bikes are tuned; our bodies are in good shape, thanks to the many hours of training both on the road and in spinning classes and the fund-raising almost complete (a few donations continue to arrive, but the team and its members have met and exceeded our goals for this year. Thanks of course to all who have pledged their support this year!)
The remaining question mark is the weather. Forecast this morning shows showers and thunderstorms for Saturday, with a 30% chance of rain on Sunday. One of my own to do's for today is to get a more precise forecast for the weekend.
As with previous Rides, my hope is to document the weekend in text as well as photos. Stay tuned.
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Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld
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