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Burning Brakes

Cory Wallace / 10.08.2010

Stage 2 was the first mass start of the this years race and it required some mass effort to get over the first 20 km climb to an elevation high point of 2200 m. The views over the Elk Valley were pretty cool from the top and the 1000m vertical decent to follow was even cooler. The locals call it Porky Blue, many of the riders think it should be renamed “Burning Breaks�. The super fast single-track descent left many of us on the edge of our seats and the overwhelming smell of melting brake pads had a few of us worried. Norm Thibault (Frontrunners) and his partner Wendy Simms (Kona) had one of their break rotors disintegrate and rap itself into a Christmas tree ornament. Pretty cool stuff.

Once off the epic decent the riders were treated to some rolling terrain through open meadows and cattle pastures. It was definately a day to be in a pack of riders as the last 25 km was on an open logging road in which pace lining can make it much easier for everybody. Riding through the historic Elk Valley to the finish line in the coal mining hub of Sparwood was like heading back in time. With one of the worlds largest historic coal trucks beside the finish line many of the riders were found playing around like little kids on the mammoth beast. No injuries resulted which was a relief to many of the spectators.

At the finish line the racers were transferred 20 minutes to the wilderness community of Elkford. Every year the TransRockies passes through this small resource community the locals come out in droves to welcome the racers with fresh baking, home cooked meals and offering to do the racers laundry. This type of hospitality is unreal and much appreciated by all us racers who often resemble walking bike zombies after a long day on the bikes.

With 2 days behind them, the 220 TR3 Solo riders have just one more day to leave their mark on this years race. Tomorrow’will be the grand finale for these riders as they are Alberta Bound and will make their way over the 2400m Continental Divide through some very rugged Rocky Mountain terrain where they will finish the day at Etherington creek campsite.

For many of the racers it is there first time ever to Canada and being familiar with the territory I can guarantee they will be awestruck with what lies ahead!

(Ed; Cory is being modest as he put in a great stage win on day 2.)

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