As soon as I got back from California it was back to real life with exam week......wooooo (just soooo much excitement). Exam week was short but painful and I got through with little time to spare to get ready for my adventure to Vancouver. Highlights of the week include killer rock band night, filming a helmet saftey commercial, Bur Oak Time trial, awesome birthday bon fire, 12 hours to pack up my life, drinks at the Paw with ma gurls, and 2 intense days of driving to Van-city.
Specifically I'm super stoked on the Bur Oak Time trial where I posted a sub 20 minute time, a goal and a new personal best of mine. Woooo!!!
My dad helped me drive out to Vancouver and we were determined to make it out here in 2 days. We got delayed on the way to Canmore with high speed head winds, and just 10 km out of Golden we were delayed 4 hours by a disgusting truck accident (included pig carcasses, and there was blood everywhere), however we made it here safe and sound.
Trek Red Truck holds an annual training camp down in Santa Rosa California for both the elite team and the masters riders. Let me just say it was EPIC. I have never spent so much time on a bike, and done so many kilometers in one week, with just that much elevation. We averaged 100 km a day, and every morning pre ride Matt would say " 100 km, 3 hrs".
I had come into the camp with literally no knowledge of what we were doing (besides riding bikes), where we were staying, or how we would eat. Needless to say I wasn't disappointed. We stayed in the gorgeous house up on the hill in Santa Rosa, rode "100 km, 3 hrs" in the mornings, and hung out by the pool post ride (unfortunately wasn't warm enough to swim in). And the cherry on top of the cake was Marcia who cooked the most amazing food for 20 of us all week.
Santa Rosa is 2 hours north of the San Fransico airport, and located mostly in wine country. We were able to make it out to the coast a couple of times, and rolled through the rolling Sonoma Valley all of the other times. Each ride we did was different from the last, and were all so gorgeous.
The first day we hit the coast, and there were some huge ass waves. It was so cool and I couldn't stop smiling (I've never been on the west coast before)
The trees were sideways.
Vinery
Duck Ride coffee stop.
So Mark James (owner of Red Truck beer) organizes a ride each year called the duck ride. Where the masters team rides south, climbs up 12 km, desencdes on this sketcy/AWESOME descent, and then stops in St. Helena for a duck. After having some delicious duck and lots of wine, theres an even steeper (albeit shorter 8 km) climb back over the mountains back home. Though it sounds extremly painful (which I'm sure it was), everyone has a great time, and lets be serious it makes for a strange training camp tale.
Kings Ridge Ride (2, 15 km climbs and Colemans pass (10 km), which is part of this years Tour of California)
More Coast photos.
Pine Flats ride was the last day.
All week there was a lot of ping ponging going on in preparation for Janky Cup 2012. i suck so I was out the first round. The final round was contested by Dustin and Tyle, and Dustin the king came out on top.. not so much of a surprise.
The chef's secret stash of wine.
Bailey McKnight put together a great video of his time at the camp.
Soo its been a crazy awesome month! and they just keep coming...
March started off with me coming home from 2 much needed weeks abroad, and to a very delightful gift of a new bicycle! YAY
and some clothes!
The new racing companion. :) So sick.
About mid March the temperatures went insane..... 20 degeree one day. So I've been riding up a storm....in Winnipeg....IN MARCH. YAHOOO!!!
Not to much else to report except that soon enough school will be over and I'll head off to Vancouver to race with Trek Red Truck on their new mountain bike team! Can't wait to hit up the gnar of the north shore every day this summer. Jealous much?
