A Room WIth A View (and the return of Kodak)

Having located the camera I am happy to put more pictures and less prose in this post...

So as you can see, our view from the bedroom window in the Banff Springs wasn't all that bad!!!! I had to make sure that I got the edge of the window frame in the photograph because otherwise the scene just looked like a bloody postcard and really didn't look like a genuine view from a hotel bedroom window.

We were right up on the very rooftop floor, and I managed to capture Brina waking up as I had an early morning stroll.... (I'd like to say she was cheerfully waving, but in fact she's banging her fist shouting "where the bloody hell is that damn coffee you were meant to be bringing up to me?"). Needless to say, we had a delightfully relaxing Thanksgiving weekend at the Banff Springs - it was rather unique and surprisingly pleasurable to soak up Banff as a bona fide tourist; not wanting to race up to the summit of every mountain or go and disappear into the back country for hours on end. Having had a few somewhat hectic weeks, just kicking back, enjoying the town, scenery, hotel and coffee was just the ticket, with a couple of stints in the pool (well I can't sit completely still) and hot tub evenings, this touristy thing is all that it's cracked up to be!

As for the previous week's excursion up Cory Pass....

We shot up the steep side of the loop from Banff,and then skidded down into the screes of Gargoyle Valley...

And I'm no expert, but I'm guessing these endless freaky rock formations are something to do with the monicker "Gargoyle Valley".
The impressive Mount Louis towers over the far end of the valley (as usual, photographs without any scale in them don't really do justice to the scene - but it was a pretty big chunk of rock!).
border=0>And it was back into Banff in time for tea. Through the yellowing trees... In the past 2 weeks most of the yellows have now ended as the trees have decidedly had enough of the fall and are sleeping for winter - also the snow is building up (slowly but surely) on the higher trails (yippee!), although with it is coming the biting cold (not so yippee).
Anyhow, that's enough of that for now. I hope all is well in all your worlds...
That's as succinct as I get,
S&S.

Where's the Kodak?

Hi All....
as the title of the post suggests, I am photographically vacant due to the misplacing of our camera! We had headed up to Cory Pass last weekend and enjoyed one of the last summer ish days in the Rockies this year. I'm sure the photos wouldn't have been that orignial though, just scroll down through the endless posts where I harp on about Brina and I going out for a hike and look for the ubiquitous shot of me and the misses stood atop some very nice viewpoint - and you'll get the picture of what Cory Pass was like! It was rather impressive though as we desecended down the other side of the Pass into Gargoyle Valley, which, as the name suggests, had many spectacularly gruesome rock fomations, all sat around the rather impressive chunk of rock that is Mount Louis. Maybe if I find my camera within the next hour or so then I'll put some imagery up here!
We're heading off to the Banff Springs today for two nights of 'get away from it' relaxation. We had giddy notions of doing a couple of epic hikes in the mountains, but I've come to the conclusion that that's the kind of thing we do most weekends, so why not just stop, hang out and relax in Banff - so that's the plan - a whole lot of nothing but enjoying the luxuries of the long ThanksGiving weekend! (Saying that I'll be taking the running gear and hiking stuff for when I realize at 3pm today that I can't sit still very well - I'm a little worried about not taking the bike(s), but Brina has convinced me that they'll be o.k. left alone in the garage for a couple of days (I'm not so sure).
Although I'm excited about the relaxing part of the weekend, I actually have so much work to do that it isn't funny (and this week has been pretty much like that - hence the lack of blogging in the week) - it's actually 6.30am on Saturday now as I got up early to get some work out of the way - but as ever procrastinated enough to find something else to do (this) before actually committing to get my real work out!
Brina is thoroughly enjoying teaching the little kidlings out on the reservation, I'm sure you can all imagine her lovey dovey side caring for the lil' 'uns, getting cuddles from the class and being the teacher that's almost like a "fun mum' for them.
As sad is it may seem, we've missed the fact that there's a general election going on in Canada (not that I'm allowed to vote anyway, although Brina was keen not to vote for Celine Dion (in fact the Liberal Guy is Stephan Dion, but what's in a name anyway!)). We have noticed that there's some kind of election going on south of the border and the entertainment value them there Yanks put out with their "how to pick a President" game is well worth the air time on t.v. It's like a fully fledged comedy soap opera with the occassional terrifying twist - and just compelling viewing (obviously I can't vote there either, but it's way more fun to follow, and will probably have more direct consequences on the future than if Celine becomes the Prime Minister here or not).
Anyhow, I'm off to get that not so early morning anymore work done before we go away, although I may just procrastinate a bit more and try and find the camera first.
I'm hoping that there'll be photos next time,
Happy ThanksGiving,
S&S.

Reconnoiter for the Larches

The idea of a reconnaisance for a good long hike this weekend was more forced than chosen. Opting to get up early on Saturday and head into the mountains (and cloud) we were dead set on having a hike up to Borgeau Lake. But, not wanting to be dictated to by bear in the area signs, we were dictated to by a bear in the area sign that wouldn't necessarily put us off the trail, had it not stated "Aggressive Grizzly Bear Active on this Trail". Alas, we opted to hike up over Healy Pass instead - not too far away, but far enough from aggressive Grizzlies (the cuddly ones who merely want to play are just fine!). Arriving 10 minutes later at the trail head to Healy Pass, Brina decided to announce that she had left her hiking shoes on the step in the garage. So there was the reconnaisance for our hike. Saturday spent driving into the mountains to check that the car park was open and that all bears were passive. The rest of Saturday wasn't put to waste though as we idled around Banff and even managed to get a late evening mtb ride in K Country in.

Sunday was the new Saturday - a bit of deja vous - up early, quick coffee (from the glorious new machine), packed car, checked we had boots, checked we had boots again then off - and much to our joy it was blue sky sunny today, something Brina continually kept making me aware of, trying to make out that she had intentionally left her boots behind the previous day knowing full well of the meterological delights of today.

We were in fact searching for larches at this time of year - a tremendous pine that turns incredible yellow. There's a famous larch hike up to sentinal pass we did a couple of years ago (and which has a blogged posting if I remember correctly), but it is so busy this time of year, we were after a bit of solitude. And solitude we got for the first 2 hours of our hike - not a soul to be seen, which had something to do with the fact that we were bush bashing our way along the wrong side of a creek on what was very clearly not a path for the first hour of the hike!

I did get to find me one of those little yelow larches....

And Brina found a whole valley full....Atop the Pass it seemed appropriate to command a vintage hiking pose....

And Brina wouldn't let me get away without the old chestnut photo at the top of this post.

The summer is making a spirited fightback this September - making for early bunks off work (abusing my position already!) for plenty of evening mtb riding, and this coming week is forecast to be in the 20s during the day so it should be more of the same (and I was hollering about winter 2 weeks ago!!!!).

I trust that you all remember your footwear, wherever you venture,

Enjoying the fall colours,

S&S.

Chasing of the tail

Hi all...
I'll be aiming to maintain an air of professional decorum in this post and refrain from chastising, mocking and ridiculing educational bureaucracy and educational employees with whom I have frequent contact (far too frequent for my liking). I shall comment no more, other than; "there really are some stupid buggers who defy all sense and reason". O.K. that's work done with... now for the other stuff, of which there is scant news.

A couple of evening rides were had last week - and as the shot of the bike shows, the single track is quiet on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night, the sun had been shining all week (balmy 20 degree heat) and with the fall colours are making for rather amazing viewing. I still have to pinch myself that an after work ride can entail dead quiet trails, views of snow capped peaks and endless expanses of mountains turning shades of brilliant yellow and red. I had to stop for a couple of 'awe and wonder' views, trying to remember how far I could see in the Peak District without sight or sound of human touch (now don't get me wrong here, I'm not knocking the Peaks, and never will - I sorely miss the lines of drystone walls and the cozy warmth of magnificent country drinking establishments), but this season here is truly amazing and I just can't get enough of it. The weekend was followed with a ride on Saturday with the Weible on his Cannondale (who is incidentally threatening to move into the world of Cervelo on the road - something Brina needs to hear more of before I put in my proposal for another road machine).

Sunday was the end of the sun, the rains came down and therefore the house chores were caught up with - although we did go for a hike up Jumping Pound Creek with the macabre intentions of sighting the black bear that mauled somebody up there just out of Cochrane the other day. Brina had today off school (Indian day - no Pow Wows to attend though) - so she bravely shifted the new car through Calgary and much to her delight came home in one piece. If only I could say the same of the other car (ie: My Car) - with brake lights sticking on and tyres to replace, I left the garage today a good $600 lighter, and a step further back from my rowing machine (and aforementioned road/cross bike).

We aim to be out and about next weekend - still trying to make good on the trails before the snows hit. We have a couple of nights booked in the Banff Springs in October too, so that's something to look forward to! Got a cheap off season, Alberta residents deal!

There's the hint of having to start my Masters on the near horizon, but I'm fending it off for as long as I can still ride the bike in the evenings and weekends.

I hope your repairs are less expensive than mine,

S&S.

Work More, Buy More

So it would seem that the ever so slightly increased affluence in the Williams household, due to the stepping up the proverbial ladder, is swiftly balanced out by the purchasing of further shiney new equipment - some of which is not so much essential, but more a gregarious indulgence in all things new. If you hadn't been made aware yet, we sucked it up and purchased the new car (above) - like a really new car with only 3km on the clock. Needless to say, this has become "Brina's Car", but I was allowed to drive it today to get us out to a nice hike in K Country!We hiked up to Rawson lake, up off the Upper Kananaskis Lake trail, and Brina just couldn't resist being all artsy fartsy with relections in water etc...

And I got a little carried away with the first snow of the season... although there was hardly enough to fashion a rock hard ice pellet like mini snowball to pelt at the camera woman;

Fortunately, I made up for any Tomfoolery with agreeing to pose for the time honoured lovey dovey pose in front on some pretty scene....

Although, the old 'rest the self timed camera on the rucksack' trick, fell foul as it slipped at the critical shutter moment, and I'm sure you'll agree that in the retaken picture (below) the lake looks much prettier...

So a very nice hike was had early on today. The weather has gone bonkers - it is suggested that temps will be in the 20s all week!!! I just hope that I can avoid another 65 hour working week and get some biking in during the evenings.

The other, aforementioned shiney addition to the home is in fact a rather spiffy espresso machine. Having waited eons for the damn thing to go on sale, we picked up the last one in the store this morning and have been overloading on 'practice lattes' all afternoon. It was with great concern however, that when reading the instructions, I realized that you are not to make a scalding hot espresso over the head of your baby....

We're really fortunate that the manufacurers placed this cautionary illustration in the instruction manual, as I had been considering scouring the local suburban streets for an infant whose head looked appealing enough to slurp a frothy cappucino from.

Other than that, I'm sure you can guess that I'd say work is busy, so I'll refrain from thinking about employment commitments until Monday morning. I'm still longing a bit to be out training for a big race with the big bro, and the bike season officially ended today with the running of the Bow 80 - my legs feel lost and mistreated at the moment as they pedal maybe 3 times a week, but are mostly used to spin my chair around at work - something they'll soon be sick of and will be calling out for the screaming burn of snowboarding quads!!!

We're also booked in to the Banff Springs for Thanksgiving (some kind of Alberta resident's special - lucky I got my resiency card then!!!), and we're slowly planning out our ski resort trips for the winter (for the next 10 months!).

Had a nice ride out on some new single track in Bragg Creek yesterday, Brina's all happy and smiley - not sure if it is due to work being nice or due to the obscene quantity of coffee that has been consumed!

Hope you're all keeping the frugality at bay...

spend, spend, spend, (and enjoy the sun)

S&S.

p.s... and here's another rather soothing reflection; on Brina's request..

Crazy New and Awesome Old

Hi all...so this week has been 'new' to say the least. As much as I've been apprehensively excited about the new job, it sure has been full of surprises and non-stop 'action'. It certainly isn't boring, it certainly consumes every single second of my time, and it certainly is a million miles from teaching Social Studies to Junior High kids! Needless to say it wouldn't be deemed too correct to disclose all of the ins and outs of the working week - but just imagine the most bizarre things that could possibly happen in a school, then multiply that by a crazy factor of 10, and you're close to what I've been dealing with! It hasn't just been a steep learning curve, it has been a vertical take off, blast my ass into orbit style of learning trajectory. So, as I skirt past my working issues, Brina's having as equally an interesting time coping with the Kindergarten kids in Morley - some rather defiant little ankle biters who, having never been exposed to discipline and a school environment, are more than willing to express their disdain towards Brina's meticulous teaching plans - with one kid only being able to say one word "swing", communication is limited, but he knows where to go at playtime - and Brina knows where to find him at the end of recess where she must, by all accounts, manhandle the little bugger back into the classroom as he kicks and screams for his 'swing', clearly confounded by the notion that he is then meant to sit in a chair, grasp a crayon and colour in his name - something which he has yet failed to grasp - although he is apparently becoming very adept at throwing the crayons at the other students (and the teacher, clearly showing his low IQ, as, trust me here, you don't want to throw anything at Brina since she tends to find something much bigger and heavier or sharper to throw back - and I have the scars to verify this). Apart from that, there's just the kid who got lost on the loo for an hour, and all is fun and games in Kindergarten!!!
So... the training has been slow since the TR ended, but a few little rides out have cleansed the soul and made the week more bearable. However, the big dump of snow in the mountains this week caused me to worry that winter was nearly here - and the scraping of ice off the car hasn't been warmly welcomed either. But, as mentioned in previous posts, TR piccies will slowly infiltrate the blog, so here's what home was for a week on the race...

It slept 4 of us really comfortably, and was the ideal spot for an afternoon nap following the long stage days - it looks like I'm also praying - probably muttering something along the lines of "oh Christ just make my legs work and let me just hold on in tomorrow's stage!" (Mark did his afternoon naps kneeling on a straw mat facing Mecca).

Not that I want to subject you to big brother's nipples for a second posting in a row (and the farmer's tan), but this clearly is the way to travel. Here we're cruising down the TransCanada into Canmore at 120kph - it sure beats being crammed into the back of the Ford Focus!

We also needed the obligatory shots of Team Icebreaker racing in; you guessed it; Icebreaker. Not that I'm biased but I just love the gear!
And finally (for today), when two foreigners end up beating some pretty hardcore sponsored North American riders on the first stage (mentioning no names..... Trek and SoBe Cannondale), no matter how knackering it was, or how snowy it may have been at the top of the 2000m climb, you can't help but be a couple of cheery buggers when greeted at the finish line with Protein smoothies and sushi!!!

I hope your weeks have been calm and that you've actually had time to take a breath (I think I stopped breathing on Wednesday - no time for such luxuries).
Bask in the good memories when things go dour,
still planning whatever's next....

S&S.

Tis all a blur

Hi all... thought I'd better post something this week since it has been a while, so here's Friday evenings lot.....

It's almost two weeks since the TransRockies ended and I'm still basking in the adreneline fuelled glow of our race, and having only been on the bike once since the race am itching to get out for a spin sometime this weekend - whilst trying to avoid work and weather issues. It's the last long weekend of the summer and the forecast is for cold weather and pissing down rain! Nice!

No matter how stressful and busy going back to work has been this week, it matters not as I just cast my mind back to this...

That was the start of day 4 (a 109km stage) in Nipika, a remote little cluster of chalets in the midsts of the Rockies - the comedic dog was planted near the startline in a vain attempt to unsaddle the classy Italians who were winning everything.

When I have an early start at work this week, I'm missing the very early TR starts...

And after a hard in front of the computer sat at my desk all day, I simply recall that a hard day to big brother Willy is nothing more than a Tina Turner impression;

Whereas to me, the same hard day on the bike warranted a "what the chuff you lookin' at, do you want some?" crazed yet exhausted kind of stare;

The whole TransRockies experience continues to amaze me the more time I have to digest what we actually did and think of how hard we worked in order to get there - certainly one of those life experiences that'll burn brightly for a long time (well.. certainly until the next time!!!!! although Mrs. and Mrs. Williams will need a bit of convincing). We certainly have a bit of payback time owed to Brina and Lucy, as without thier efforts we'd never have been able to have the race we did.... Lucy was putting brother Willy to use with immediate effect..

We had a great road trip after the race, cruising down into Montana and Idaho, and back up through some amazing places in BC - it was quite refeshing to have a week completely off training and do nothing but wander through quaint mountain towns and stop at as many decent coffee shops as possible for serious caffeine loading each day - was a tough trip!
It was sad to see Mark and Lucy depart on Wednesday, but a great time was had by all. It was fun to have the Kiwis come and see where we worked, as Mark wandered into my 'office' I was struggling writing up timetables - and we noted that at his work some of his struggles revolve around which bikes to order for the shop - Now, they're both jobs we work hard at, but I know which I'd rather being doing (perusing the latest Giant catalogue if you hadn't figured).

We'll have more tales of road trips and TR as the piccies roll in. Other than that, we look like cancelling a camping trip this weekend as the weather is turning crappy - oh and we bought a brand new car - but I'll take a piccie and recant that news next time.

Yes, work is busy. But a final note - or perhaps word of caution... please don't try to pierce your nipple with an XTR breaklever, it just doesn't work and really buggers up the breaklever too!

That's all for now, it's time for a snooze.

Hope you're all planning for the next big adventure (I am)

Keep your nipples safe,

S&S.

p.s: keep your fingers crossed on Tuesday - it's when the kids are back and put my timetabling skills to the test (I've a sneaky feeling the wheels might be about to fall off!).

TransRockies Wow

WOW indeed.... the past week was one of the most phenomenal weeks I've ever experienced - the TransRockies was just simply awesome! Seven days of full on hammering it on incredible trails in the remote areas of the Rockies with big bro is still a bit too much to completely appreciate. We'd be battling it out with some pretty hardcore riders each day, testing our fitness and technical abilities to the max - then roll into the evening's camp where the very hardworking Brina and Lucy would have driven the campervan to and would be ready and waiting with ensures, smoothies, protein bars and a hot meal - which we'd scoff down before servicing the bikes, taking a nap, eating more and then sleeping early ready for the next day! The level of competition at the race this year was intense, with the top 10 teams being made up primarily of professional riders - the winners were wolrd champion riders from Italy, Rocky Mountain bikes had 3 teams of pros (including the winner from the previous 3 years), Scott had a team, as did Trek and SoBe Cannondale had a couple of guys knocking around too. We were well chuffed to beat the Trek and Cannondale boys on a couple of stages and get ahead of them in the overall classification (but they came back strong at the end of the week and usurped us in the standings). Overall, Mark and I finished 12th, which we were just delighted with - all the hard work and tireless preparation for the race really did pay off (it's just a bummer now thinking that it's over, but exciting planning for "what next?").

The course began on a monster 2000m climb straight up Panorama ski hill - which we summited in about 7th place (it pays to be a couple of light weight skinny gits with nothing but legs). We got snowed on on the top and got caught by a couple of guys on the crazy steep rocky single track descent (which went on for hours).

The days were between 85 and 109km long of all out racing, and overall we climbed over 17,500 metres (the body is keen to rest this week). We were in 9th after the first day - and by day 3 we still held that spot! We saw a bear on the trail, had a few tumbles (mainly my crashes - no surprise there then, although I'm still suffering with a bruised hip), a mechanical lost us some time on day 6 when Mark's back break broke near the start of a 102km stage (you kind of need a back break when you're about to crest RaceHorse Pass and rip a 20km 70kph+ over shale and rock) - we fixed it at an aid station with a hammer one of the first aid crew had (nothing like twating the shit out of a shiney new XTR break lever to make you feel good).

We finished in Fernie and felt like we were riding down the Champs Elysees to rapturous applause, t.v. cameras and the entire high street was closed off for us to whizz of Fernie's epic single track right into the limelight of the cheering crowds - we came in 12th on the last day, so the crowds were still enthusiastic (they dwindled a bit by the time the 300th team rolled in 5 hours later).

No doubt I'll prattle on about the race in more detail in future posts, but I just thought I'd give you all a taster for now. Gotta dash as we're off camping....

Hoping you're all striving for the podium,

S,S,M&L.

Ready to Roll

Hi all... so the much anticipated TransRockies is just a couple of days away, so all of that harping on about the 'Big Race' I've been doing for the past year is upon us - yikes! Much excitment and a hint of sheer terror curses my veins 24/7 at present - just can't wait to get on the start line and pretend I'm as good as the Pro riders (until the gun goes).

Mark and Lucy arrived all on time on Friday - bike bag all present and correct this time around too (thank goodness!), and Brina landed in from the Soo literally 3 minutes after Mark and Lucy touched down from NZ. A couple of days out on the mountain bikes over the weekend got us all psyched up - a few laps of Suffer Springs in Bragg Ck in the sun, followed by an evening ride from Canmore down around Spray Lakes that caught us in a nasty storm where temperatures plummeted to about 3 degrees (not good for lycra clad skinny lads) and brought the onset of hypothermia by the end of the ride (Mark was so glad to have done his heat acclimatization training in front of the fire at home, in preparation for our summer. Sticking your head in the deep freeze for a couple of hours is the best way to get ready for Canadian summers!). Needless to say, the thawing out post ride process of mincing around Canmore in compression socks, blue crocks, down vest and a beanie made for interesting stares from the holiday makers in town.

We've figured that we'll be consuming more food than ever before in this race, so here's a sample of our daily race diet...

I think we have about 100,000 calroies on the table - should keep us up and pedaling for a day or two!!!! (and this is just what we'll be riding with - never mind the cupboard full of pasta and steak etc..).

We headed off to Panorama for the last couple of days - that's the place where the TransRockies begins. We wanted to check out some trails and get a feel for the place (and the place is bloody lovely by the way - a must stop see place on a ski trip for this winter). However, being the TransRockies, nobody knows the route until the day before the race - that is unless you are a jammy little bugger and happen across the man who actually designs and sets the course for the race whilst you're rummaging through his workplace searching for a map of the local. Alas, we managed to glean a good idea of where the first 5 days will be running (not that it's that useful since we couldn't ride it all) but we at least have an idea of where the first stage takes us - and it is quite simply like this "find the biggest, steepest, longest, most painful looking hill climb you can and start up there, after which the desecent will be a blur as your oxygen starved brain will have ceased to function half way up the climb" - a 4000ft climb off the bat - nice!

Mark brought over a shed load of new kit, so here's the new fandangled international R&R race jersey....

And with Mark having got us sorted out as Team Icebreaker NZ, it has meant a great deal of sowing Icebreaker patches onto our many jersey's and paraphanalia such a camel backs etc... I feel like I've been working in a Phillipino sweat shop for the past few days doing so much nimble fingered sowing...
We've loads to organize today, so I should really go and get on with that.... we get the camper tomorrow and head off to the race Saturday - the race begins Sunday and no doubt can be followed on http://www.transrockies.com/ .
Other news that doesn't involve biking doesn't really exist right now (thoughts of work still linger in my mind, but they are seriously burried deep until after the race). Big Red bought himself a new shiney road bike last week - so it's good to see all the Williams' getting out on the velo!
I trust that you are all as prepared as can be,
lets hope the hard work was worth it,
Have a blast!
Team Icebreaker.

Knees, more bears and 24hrs

I had to begin this post with this piccie I stumbled upon from Nic and Browny's last visit. Make of it what you will (or feel free for a caption competition), but I reckon it's pretty apt (and I'm sure that's a coke Browny's holding, not a Bud). Unfortunately, I haven't become a regular at Kensington Road Church there, so perhaps nothing has changed.
Anyhow... after last week's Grizzly bear sighting (over which I have still not calmed down) it seems that I can't get enough of bears when on the road bike. A good 100km wizz out yesterday from Johnston Canyon up to Moraine Lake and Lake Louise and back had me zipping past another Grizzly!!!! I was on the Bow Valley Parkway and lo and behold a little Grizzly cub was rolling around in the buffalo berry bushes by the side of the road - I didn't linger around since there wasn't much between me and bear and I didn't have a clue where the mum was, but a brief glimpse of the exciting wildlife (I don't think the cub even knew I was there as it was so engrossed in wrestling with the buffalo berries).
I'm slowly coming out of my glum mood which stemmed from me thinking that I'd buggered up my knee which was curtailing my training and TR aspirations. After two days off on the weekend (the first weekend since early October that I haven't ridden on either day) and having taking medication and applied ointments, the knee seems to be holding up o.k. - phew.... lets keep our fingers crossed it stays like that until after the TransRockies!
To cheer my somber demeanour over the weekend I headed out to Canmore to watch the 24 hour world solo mountain bike champs (basically very fit guys ride an incredibly technical course for 24 hours non stop, contending with the night, thunderstoms, hail and I imagine arse ache). It was a super atmoshpere, loads of bike maniacs spinning around in awe of the solo competitors (some people get together and do it as a team relay event, but these seem to be more in party mood than anything else).
Mark and Luce arrive on Friday and Brina lands 2minutes after they do (couldn't have planned it any better to avoid lingering around at the airport to pick them all up!). We'll have a couple of good rides at the weekend, then it's serious tapering time before the big race begins next weekend!!!!! (mega excited about the race - although I'm sure this excitement will transform into squeeky bum time come next Friday night).
Not much else going on in my bachelor lifestyle at present (should really be heading into work, but can't get my head around anything but peddaling at the moment).
And just to make sure that my knee was iced properly, I had to ice it with the best organic antioxidant filled blueberries I could find (sod the ice pack)..

Hope all your ailments are soothed,
S.

A Grizzly Tale

Hi all.. so a few things have passed this week. A ride in Bragg Creek with Mr. Weible early in the week resulted in an hour and a half coffee shop stop and a retreat home to the windtrainer due to this....

A good few inches of hail fell (enough to cover my ankles) and the thunder and lightening made for more than dubious riding conditions - so after a caffeine hit, it was home to spin indoors (urgh). I'm thriving the bachelor lifestyle at the moment, although am readily realising that I need to get things ship shape in the house before the misses gets back (the dragon).

Headed out to Nordegg on the weekend to race a 60km race on remote single track descents and killer climbs. It was the otherway round for me though, the climbs were great, it was the single track that killed me - crashing (no surprise there then) and banging up my knee so that it ballooned like a golf ball, forcing me to abandon the race after another lap of agony. First DNF of the year was awfully disappointing as I was riding well and in contention with the overall winner - but hopefully I'm getting all the mistakes out of the way before the TR! (Was thinking about my racing stats this year, and the races where I haven't crashed, I've won!!! Not saying that I'd have won the races I stacked it in, but it's an entertaining statistic that highlights my riding ineptitude!). Decided to cheer myself up so drove home from Nordegg via the Icefields parkway, to get to which you drive along the very deserted David Thompson Highway - which has endless views of....

and of this..There were just endless spectacular views with nobody else around for hours... and that's before hitting the icefields parkway!
Got the knee all iced up last night, swelling went down a fair bit this morning (I'm still singing the praises of my compression socks for such assistance), and the aforementioned Mr. Weible drove us out to K Country for a superb ride over Highwood Pass. Those of you familiar with Canada's highest paved road will appreciate the grandeur of the scenery (especially on a clear blue sky, hot and sunny day), and being a Monday made for us being passed by all of 10 cars (if that) over 2 and a half hours. BUT... the piece de la resistance that will keep this ride in my memory until Alzheimer's kicks in is that as we summited the Pass the second time coming back to Peter Lougheed, we viewed out to the mountain and saw two Grizzly Bears digging around in the undergrowth, turning over rocks and generally having a damn good rummage for whatever yummy Grizzly goodies where hiding there. They were two awesome beasts, I couldn't believe it at first, "They're not sheep are they?" I commented, not wanting to be disappointed (having seen zillions of rocky mt sheep on the road), "No, they're bears" responded Brad in his usual laid back tone (whilst no doubt thinking "Sheep?!?! Dumbass!!"). We watched them for 10 minutes, and they were huge! It was one of those Canadian moments I've been waiting for since we arrived - awesome! I could just rant on about the Grizzlies all day, so I'll contain myself and leave it at that, as I head off to ice my knee and watch a re-run of today's stage of the Tour!
You never know what's around the corner,
Striving for yellow,
S.

Yee Haw!

Howdy pardner,

so after three years of living in Cowtown, we finally made it to "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth" - or the Calgary Stampede as it is otherwise known. We got ourselves tickets to the rodeo and made our way downtown to see the bulls flip cowboys in the air, and the broncos leap around like they had electrodes attached to their danglies. Taking the C-train into the city (driving and parking at the stampede is just a non starter) was quite an eye opener. The closer you get to the stampede ground, the more prolific the stetson hats, wrangler jeans, and other such cowboy regalia becomes. By the time we were at the stampede station, the train carriage looked like a coach of extras for some over exaggerated western musical. I'd like to continue in a rather facetious fashion, mocking cowboys (and girls), belittling country music and the like, but I have to admit - I loved it! The whole city embraces the cowboy culture (albeit for 10 stampede days) with such vigour that you can't help but be impressed, it's certainly a unique event. And as for going to the rodeo - bloody hell! The size of the bulls those guys sit on are Stegosaurus like, and they get flung around like rag dolls in the washer. I'm not sure who first decided to try and ride a bull (or why) and for what reason the dangerously mental task continued - but it makes for a great spectacle.

Here's a rodeo clown taking cover in a plastic barrel. Once the rider has been flung off, it's up to these clown fellers to usher the bull backstage - the bulls are not always that cooperative, so the clowns have to run after them to point the beasts in the right direction (with flimsy plastic tubs to hide in should the bull become more aggravated).

We've also been out on a few hiking trips, here's a piccie of mum and Brina up at Stanley Mitchell glacier. It was a good hike, but a sad day for my old faithful day pack...
The arse ripped out of my pack at the top of the hike, so I struggled to avoid spilling the contents of it all the way down the trail.
We've been out and about in K Country and around Banff too, with a nice little hike up Sulphur Mt yesterday. Stopped in Canmore on the way home to pick up some gels and biking juice, to be greeted in the car park of Homehardware by Fish and Wildlife officers who were darting a big Moose that had trapped itself in the timber yard of Homehardware, and to add to the animals in town excitement, they had a tranquilized black bear already asleep in the back of their pick up, ready to be taken to the city limits to be released (so that it can wander back into the town again the next day).

And finally, here's Mrs. Wife doing her Gone With The Wind impression (thankfully without the singing!) - I can get away with such comments at the moment as Brina is back home in the Soo for a couple of weeks, so I'm safe from getting a clip round the ears (for now).

Ride 'em cowboy,

S&S.

Computer death

Hi all,
the ol' computer took a turn for the worse and is currently undergoing critical surgery to remedy the ailment of not turning on without beeping, flashing and then refusing to move from ann unfrozen screen. Have currently got a substitute computer (hence this post), but am struggling to get photos up. Need to go an figure out the new technology of this laptop (the old one was over 5 years old, steam powered and pre-dated the abacus). In the next half hour hopefully I'll have piccies of our first stampede - YeeHaaw! Bucking Broncos, bull riding, cowboys (and girls!!!) and other such western foolery. Also hiking and biking piccies from Mum and Ken's trip, with not much else to report (you know the drill, work, ride, eat, sleep and repeat.....), although the Tour de France is taking up the only other spare time in my day. Not got the holidays of a teacher anymore which really sucks!!!!
More to come imminently when my camera decides to cooperate with this new Dell beauty.
Ta ra for now,
Keep multi tasking with one eye on the yellow jersey,
S&S.

Stylin' it up

"What the bloody hell is the big noggin stick man wearing now?" I hear you ask (or cry in mirth). Well, these are the new addition to my training paraphanalia - compression socks - these socks are meant to be worn after riding, but my idea is to wear the knee length socks when racing (I couldn't bring myself to post a piccie of me sporting such legwear whilst in my lycra (NICE!)) - if they don't improve blood flow, reduce lactate and all the other medical symptoms they're meant to improve, they may well just psyche out the opposition and reduce the other riders to fits of giggles, unable to ride on. They get their first race outing in the Expert category of the Canada Cup next Saturday (I may as well go down in flames at the biggest race of the year so far rather than reserve such an experiment for a small, unassuming race). As for the piccie above, I now realise why Ken.P. commented to me a while ago something along the lines of; "who the chuff is that skinny bloke wearing your head?".
All goes summery in Cochrane right now, the thermometer has boiled up into the 30s and the tan lines that my cycling shorts and the above mentioned socks are making just create an even freakier sight than you dare imagine. School has finished, and this is the first time in my life that I haven't had a real summer holiday - I really didn't think this new job through thoroughly enough... I have to be in for at least another couple of weeks (although if the amount of time I needed to spend in school over summer was realted to the lack of knowledge I have for the job, then I wouldn't have a day off until September 2010). Brina's holidays have started and she's doing a couple of days work in the outdoor shop in Cochrane before she heads back to the Soo for a couple of weeks in July. Mum and Ken are heading off to BC for a few days this week (where temps are something like 37 degrees tomorrow!!!). We cruised out to Horse Creek Road last night to watch the beavers (a past time I used to do in Sheffiled on Mappin Street, ah, they were the days), and the little blighters were dashing around building their lodge - whilst we were devoured by zillions of evil moquitoes.
Busy week this week, work, rides, and planning for the race on Saturday.
I hope you all find some amusing, piss taking banter from my fine hosiery,
Sock it to 'em,
S&S.

A not so clean pair of heels

This post's picture should be in some caption competition ("Show us yer arse", "does my bum look big in this?" etc.....), a not so clean pair of heels is about as lame as I could come up with late on a Sunday evening before I crawl into bed. I thought it'd be better to keep my ugly mug off all blog pictures after the chinny chin chin shot of freakyness in last week's post (although I clearly haven't thought this through as there is little better about a picture of a dirty, lycra clad ass than a picture of my face (all comments at the bottom of this post will be gleefully cherished - and no doubt delted immediately). So, as with most recent posts, the bike is the central theme (shock horror!). We headed out to the ABA cup race in Bragg Creek (Sulphur Springs - Suffer Springs), a really good course, three quarters of the lap was hard climbing, then the last quarter, a warp factor ten decent back to the start finish area. Two laps of that (and no big crashes - a first for the race season this year), and I sailed home in first place! Woo Hoo! (Portland Ken's blog gave me a bit of grief for harping on about racing but continually neglecting to mention the results - so there you have it!).
I'd ridden around the course with Mr. Wieble yesterday just to get a reminder of how steep some of the bloody climbs were, and Brad and Julie turned up to view the race too with Lucy (the greyhound, not the sister in law!). Mum and Brina were in fine vocals too as I lapped around (they'd set up camp on the home straight and were just missing the cowbells!). Then we razzed off to the airport to pick up Ken (2 hours late - oops!!!!!).
So things looked alright today with an eye on the TransRockies (although the Pro Elite rider who finished 13th in the TR was tanking it around the course like some EPO fuelled, blood transfusion Astana rider!).
School is out for the kids now, one week left for staff and then the administrators (that be me) stay in for god knows how long to set things up for next year (I'm still hoping to have worked out what my job entails by the time September rolls around).
I've got a feeling that I've missed all the important or humorous news out of this post but my brain is shutting down now, so the mattress is calling and by the time of the next post I'll have remembered what I intended to write here!
Camelbacks rule!!!
S&S.

Not much really - just tiding over

Another week and a bit has passed by without me sitting square eyed in front of the computer -hence the lack of posting since the previous one! The blog is being dominated by bike talk - but seeing as though that's about all I'm doing at present, I aint got much else to say! Although this week has seen a bit of an ease up on the bike front (took a couple of days off, and practised the fine art of sleeping, lots!). Last weekend in Canmore was a fun race in the rain and snow, and being rather knackered after having a few weekends of constant racing and hard training in the week I was not too disappointed to get a 5th place (I say that now, but I was pretty miffed on the day - despite once more having a rather spectacular crash, involving a sumersaulting bike crashing down on top of me and the disc rotor slicing the back of my arm open and burning me at the same time as it was to hot - a nicely seared wound) but at least I'm 1st overall in the Alberta standings (for now). Got another race next weekend in Bragg Creek so hopefully that will help me move up to Expert class - although I should be there already had I been given credit for the win at the first race of the season.
A quiet weekend this one, mother arrives today so we've been frantically dashing around making room for her to stay (we set up a bedroom in the basement but it turned out to be too dungeonesque so we moved the bedroom back upstairs and then had to shift the office around) although I managed to get a good 130km in yesterday in just 4 hours which was good for a steady ride in the hills.
The sun is out at last, and I'm thinking of mowing the lawn (although I relish the angst my long grass provides the fastidious neighbour). We haven't got much else going on right now. Mrs.W is in fine form, scurrying around the house with a can of pledge and a duster panicking about the arrival of her mother in law (I keep getting shouted at for leaving dirty plates and old magazines lying around the place- luckily I wrote that correctly and didn't say old plates and dirty magazines).
Alas, that is all for this meagre post - there should be good banter and piccies a plenty next weekend after the Bragg Creek race - and hopefully none will contain images of my blood.
Hope you've all got a lot more going on right now,
Happy dusting,
S&S.

Giver-8-r

So the title of this post is meant to sound like 'terminator' since that was the name of this confounded eight hour race held at the weekend. 14 laps, 120km (ish) and lots of slick chaffing cream later, and we made it! A 7am mass Le Mans style run 500metres to your bikes start just to really bugger up your legs for the next third of the day, and we were off! Although, having busted my ball (s) - yeah plural! If only! - in the six hour race in BC a few weeks back and died on hour 5, I took the first few hours of this race really easy, and as a result had loads left in the tank at the end (so hopefully I'll be judging it right by August and the TR!)

Mrs. W. was on hand once again as the chief pit crew nutritionist and kept me well supplied with shakes, bananas, gels, cubes, pringles and advil! The latter two parts of this menu (pringles and advil) were top tips given to us at the last race by the winner of a multi day race in BC. The pringles (real athlete's food) keep up the salts to reduce cramps - and worked a treat, and the advil just simply numb the pain (well the chronic back ache I was having, so it's not quite like doping with EPO).

"Show us yer chin, yer big jawed freak!" is what I wanted to shout at the feller above, until I realized who it was. Apparently this is what I look like coming off a fast last lap and sprinting to the line (poor Brina has to wake up to that ugly mug every morning - no wonder she can be cranky early in the day).
And on the note of bears with sore heads, here's Brina's day at work...

A trip to the zoo with the injuns to see the big ol' Grizz behind bars. These suckers are all out and about now, and two people have already been given a damn good mauling.
The summer rain continues to fall in Cochrane - so long as the sun rears up by the time school has finished it will be O.K. Just a couple of weeks until all the little kidlings are on vacation, then staff have to hang around for a week to tidy up their classrooms, plan lessons and generally pretend to be busy when admin are around - and on the note of admin, bugger... that'll be me I suppose, so I'll be in school for a bit longer this summer, learning the ropes and panicking like a man falling overboard wearing very heavy boots.
All things are worrisome back in Blighty with Nana, so hopefully if she's reading this we send her all our love!
And now it's time to retire for the evening,
Chin Up,
S&S.