TransRockies
Stage 3- Nipika Time Trials
Cory Wallace / 12.08.2009
Not riding till 1 pm in the afternoon I was pretty stoked to sleep in and have a leisurely breakfast with the other riders before heading back to bed for a pre-race sleep. Lying in the tent I could hear a small drizzle coming down and pretty soon it was a full on rain. As I got out of my tent at 11am to start preparing for my ride it became apparent that today's stage which was suppose to be somewhat of an easy day was quickly turning into another adventure.
The day had 3 different starting blocks with all the faster riders starting in the last one going out fastest to slowest. At 1pm we got called into the starting tent to hide out from the now torrential rains.
<br><br>Some riders were concerned with what to wear on the day but I figured it was a no brainier as you either went out with a bunch of clothes on and delayed getting wet for 1 minute until they got drenched or you dove right into it with jersey and shorts and enjoyed getting the chance of being a dirty biker. <br><br>At 1 pm the lead riders, Team Rocky Mountain headed out on the trails with myself 1 minute behind them and Kerr (Rocky Mountain), Lega (Pedalhead) and Team Amarante from Portugal following in one minute intervals.
None of us had pre-rode the course so had no idea what to expect but about 50m in it became apparent that we were all going to transform into mud men and woman for the day and be riding our bikes like out of control crazy carpets down muddy rocky mountain terrain.<br><br>Two minutes into my ride I missed a 2x6 bridge and endovered into a creek bed. A little while after I body checked a tree got thrown off course and into a buffalo berry bush. <br><br>With about 1 km down and 39 to go I was rattled as the rain continued to beat down. Team Rocky Mountain wasn't faring much better as Lazarski nearly mangled his rear derailleur as he tumbled into the woods. Lega who is well known for his technical skills was even succumbing to the crazy conditions and stopped to let some air out of his tires to try and improve his traction.
The ride itself was pretty spectacular as the single-track wound its way along canyon edges, across scenic ridges and through wide open meadows. The owners of Nipika resort and builders of the local trails have done an amazing job with the trail network they created and I'm sure many of us will be returning in the coming months to hopefully ride these trails in dry conditions. <br><br>Without the slimy conditions the riders would've had a better chance to experience the settings around them but with the mountain weather most people were tuned into survival mode. By the time I hit the halfway mark I was squinting out of both eyes and spraying Gatorade on my drive train to try and make it work.
When I rode past the last checkpoint with 30km to go I was told the Rocky Team was 2 minutes ahead and the Kerr had somehow gained 6 minutes. Pretty sure Kerr hadn't passed me I was confused but didn't really care too much as I was more concerned with getting myself to the line in one piece as every downhill was like playing Russian roulette as I would skid down the hills with one leg out to try and slow the pace, but once in a while a controlled crash into the willows was the only option. <br><br>Being an experienced rider and having a pretty adventurous time on the race course I could only imagine what some of the other riders may have been thinking. Coming across the finish line first after 2 hours and 43 minutes of craziness I waited a few minutes for Lega to get in and then we headed straight to the nearest pond to try and morph out of mudmen and back to ordinary dirty bikers. Kerr who would come across the line first on the day had accidently taken a wrong turn and cut some of the course but it was dealt with in a very professional manner and everything was smoothed out in a couple minutes.
At 7 pm this evening the last of the riders had safely crossed the line with more stories being told than over the last two days put together. It seems that days like today may not be welcomed at first but they create adventures and memories that riders will remember for a long time and I believe it is what keeps us all entertained and coming back for more year after year.
At the finish line today the TR3 solo competition came to a close with myself taking the overall victory with Kerr and Lega not far behind. Tomorrow the 125 teams in the legendary 7 day Transrockies race will continue their adventure with a 107km long stage to Whiteswan Lake with Team Rocky Mountain leading the way. Meanwhile the solo riders will be waving goodbye at the start line and then starting their journeys back to their homes around the globe.
SleepMonsters
