Tory's Blog

Race Checklist:

and I was ready to head out to the long awaited Main Jet Hare Scrambles kick off in Merritt BC, hosted byGnarly Parts & Accessories.   We didn’t know what to expect on the course after buckets full of rain, but overhearing hushed comments from the organizers area like this one:  “do you think we should string a rope downstream so if people get taken away in the creek they stand a chance of grabbing onto the rope?” doesn’t exactly put you at ease.  So with that in mind, Stephen and I set out for what we expected to be a 2 hour sight-in lap of the course.  This however, was not meant to be.  The 5 hour adventure began 5 minutes in, when we learned that the start area had yet to be designed, marked and cut.  The course workers set off to re-arrow the course and cut the last kilometre of the “A” loop, Stephen Shannon, Jim Yaschuk and I stayed behind to create the starting area.  2 hours later we were all patting each other on the back for a job well done, and Stephen and I finally embarked on our ride.   We spent the next hour and a bit examining impossible up & down hills, and forging across deep creek and mud crossings.  We made our way up to the farthest away and highest point of the course, a high ridge on the “A” loop.  As we sat high above the tree line watching the dark clouds inch their way closer, we were put to work once again. Our instructions:  “Here, take these arrows and mark a new trail to bypass the hill of imminent death”.  The hail and wind came out to play shortly after that, and after an hour of stapling arrows and cutting branches we were chilled to the bone and soaking wet.  Time to retreat back to camp.  A travel trailer with lights and a working furnace is a luxury that would cut too deep into the race fund, so I had to get creative if I ever wanted to feel my hypothermic toes ever again.  The best solution I decided was to light candles across the floor, and run my toes through the flickering flames until feeling returned.  Thanks to an unfortunate incident involving a squirrel years before at Ma and Pa’s place in Cherryville, Ma had littered the side of the trailer with bullet holes.  The holes allowed the wind to enter the trailer at the optimum speed and velocity, which fanned the candle flames perfectly. Before I knew it, the toe-cicles had subsided, and it was time for bed.  Thanks Ma!

222 racers including me lined up Sunday morning for a long day of racing. The race course was around 40 kilometres long, andboasted some of the steepest hills and ugliest creek and mud crossings the Western Canadian races have to offer.  By mid-day what started out as medium sized mud puddles and creeks, turned into gigantic mud bogs and raging white water rivers!  I managed to get a good start amongst the other 36 intermediate racers.  I was 6^th place into the first corner, and up to 5^th within the first 10 minutes.  After a gruelling 2 laps I was convinced I was done when I pulled into the check.  A little piece of me died when I heard the words “you still have 15 minutes till cut off...one more  lap!!!”   On the third lap I was riding a bit more conservative to coax my body into continuing, and then it happened.  FRONT RIGHT SPENDER BLOW-OUT!!!!  Dammit!!!!  All was lost.  When you blow a spender the bio-rhythms get thrown out the window and bad things happen.   I am blaming the fact that I squidded out on a rock face and ended up facing 180 degrees on the hill solely on my spender blow-out.  Rider fatigue and skill had nothing to do with it.  After my third lap, the finish line was a welcome sight.  Tired, wet, muddy and sore, but a 2^nd place in Intermediate was all worth it!  The Gnarly Parts Main Jet trophies were a hit and there were some excellent prizes thanks to Dave at Gnarly Parts.  The weather cooperated and there were smiles all around at the end of the day!  The weekend was a great success and now I believe it’s time to get acquainted with my old friend Ibuprofen!  Next race: OHSS race “The Rock Hound” in Salmon Arm BC!  See you at the races!