Cosmic Kid
Posts:3636
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| 08/31/2020 03:18 PM |
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So looks like me & my buddies are heading to Iceland in July (assuming COVID lets us)
We had planned to do it this year, but missed the registration date....everyone else got in off the waitlist for next year, but somehow my applicaiton got lost in the shuffle. I contacted them and they told me they woudl get me in, no worries.
I fully believe it when I see it. 
I hope we get to make the trip....the race looks absolutely spectacular!
https://www.therift.bike/ |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Orange Crush
Posts:3653
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| 08/31/2020 04:00 PM |
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It used to be on the list but I've come to realize that most of what world has to offer in terms of gravel riding I can find here in British Columbia. The amount of diversity of landscapes never ceases to amaze.
Fernie (Rockies) and Gold Bridge (Coast Ranges) next year? Plus maybe a trip to Kamloops area grasslands.
For this year, the last gasp if I can get back in shape will be joining of an endurance MTB race on my gravel bike end of September. It "should" only be about 10-20% technical, on the remaining 80-90% the gravel bike "should be" superior. In ranch land country. |
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Dale
Posts:1488
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| 08/31/2020 06:19 PM |
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| NO WAY! CK, a couple of my buddies have done that. Super stoked for you! |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:3636
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| 08/31/2020 09:15 PM |
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Update - registration is official.
My buddy from Marin Bikes did it last year and it looked absolutely spectacular. Refilling bottles directly from the rivers, bacon and Red Bull at rest stops and unbelievable scenery.
Most of the climbing is in the first 70km (~7k total elevation)...whole route is around an active volcano and you have to give them your cell so they can send you an emergency alert in case of volcanic activity!!!
Just hope we get to go. Fingers crossed!!
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Orange Crush
Posts:3653
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| 08/31/2020 09:34 PM |
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Yes those volcanoes are liable to be perpetually active being located on rift zone.
I believe you can actually scuba dive to underground ones. I better stay away. After we did the lava boat tour on big island the very same boat we were on got hit by that lava bomb a week later and a woman suffered burns on her leg.
It’ll be interesting to see where we’re at next year. I’m solidly banking local although thinking about how to visit my mom for her 80th in December. Our Zucchero concert (Italian blues) just got moved a second time from March to October 2021 and no idea if the Stones will ever make up that missed tour. |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2464
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| 08/31/2020 09:45 PM |
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Maybe next year. But this year would be, frankly, dumb.
Would be cool, a sort of bucket list thing.
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longslowdistance
Posts:2464
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| 08/31/2020 09:53 PM |
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PS OC good on ya for planning around elderly parents. Lost one this year during the lockdown and could not attend any of it. I regret, strongly regret, and nothing will ever correct this. Fortunately had family in the neighborhood so my parent did not die alone. And we had a grand reunion for this person last fall and that was special and will do rather nicely.
Now the two remaining (being married) are knocking on the door to eternity. It would be nice if these newly minted great grandparents could hold their new grandbabies. So hoping that we can have a reunion beyond zoom before the inevitable, please get vaccines right and delivered in time, but who knows.
When my time comes, that would work for me. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:3653
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| 08/31/2020 10:13 PM |
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| Oh they’re alive and kicking around on their e bikes like spring chickens LSD. It just seems like for a big one like that I should make an attempt to be there. Sorry to hear about your experience. These are difficult times. |
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79pmooney
Posts:2777
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| 09/01/2020 12:35 AM |
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My mom passed last Friday, last year. I got to fly back to Boston in time for her last hours. Whole family was there. Dad passed 10 years ago. I missed that but went home to see him two months before. So for me this COVID isn't bad timing.
CK, Iceland! I have a fascination about so much of that island. A stop on the traditional northern route to our continent (I've sailed the return, Newfoundland to Ireland.) Iceland has local Orcas; a little like Puget Sound, but Iceland's Orcas are a very different tribe. Different diet completely. Different language. Members of that tribe were captured and take to the aquarium in San Diego where they shared a tank with Puget Sound Orcas. Researchers couldn't understand why they didn't mix! They couldn't even find a common food to feed them. (Scandinavian sharing a prison with bushmen, only 1000 years ago.) |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:3636
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| 09/01/2020 11:05 AM |
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Maybe next year. But this year would be, frankly, dumb.
Would be cool, a sort of bucket list thing.
I'm under no delusions that the race is going to happen, actually.....at best, it is a 50/50 chance.
It was as much a protection play as anything else....I can defer to the next year if I have to, but if I didn't have a slot and the race is cancelled, then the chances of getting a slot in 2022 would be pretty slim, I think.
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:3636
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| 07/06/2021 07:19 PM |
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Did my final "big" training ride for The Rift yesterday...drove out to western Illinois, where gravel roads and hills are plentiful, and rode 115 miles w/ 8600 ft of climbing. Pretty close to the distance / elevation for The Rift (125 miles / 7500 ft).
Was a brutally hot day...I normally don't drink a whole lot on the bike. I can go two+ hours on a single small bottle in normal conditions, but not yesterday. I was downing one large bottle every hour.
The wind and the heat took their toll and I was pretty spent by the end.....but it was also done on pretty tired legs. I had ridden 350 miles the previous week, including 125 miles on Friday and two 40 mile rides over the weekend. So Friday-Monday I rode 320 miles.....which is a crapton!!
Plan now is to reduce volume and maintain intensity for this week and next.....we fly out two weeks form tomorrow!! |
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Orange Crush
Posts:3653
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| 07/06/2021 08:08 PM |
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Time to crank the Immigrant song. Have fun out there and make us proud.
I am riding next three days in Similkameen Valley. Road and gravel. 3x120kms. Was supposed to do my three times canceled big ride w 230kms and 5000+ m elevation. Canned last year due to high rain. Postponed this year due to Covid travel restrictions. And now it’s a double fire evacuation zone. Next year I guess. BC is one major fire zone now after the heat dome we had the other week. I rode 140 kms in that too, haha. That was wild. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:3636
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| 07/19/2021 12:50 PM |
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Bike is freshly cleaned and lubed....took the chain / casette off, did the sonic cleaning on them, cleaned the chainring w/ degreaser and scraped a bunch of gunk off the jockey wheels.
Cervelo Aspero w/ Ultegra mechincal
Added a Wolf Tooth adapter to accommodate the 11-40T cassette
Red Quarq crank w/ 1x 40T (so I'll have a 1:1 bailout gear)
DT Swiss 240 hubs laced to carbon rims
Goodyear Connector Ultimate tires 700x40, tubeless.
USE Suspension seatpost (now ~25 years old)
Did have a brief moment of panic as I did not notice until Friday how worn my old tires were. And sure enough, the rear had a slow leak on my ride Saturday. Thanks to the wonders of Amazon, I had new tires by Sunday. Luckily I was able to get them mounted and inflated with no issues. So brand new rubber is installed for the ride.
Flying out tomorrow night, so I'm gonna pack everything up tonight!
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Orange Crush
Posts:3653
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| 07/19/2021 01:33 PM |
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All that cleaning work that gets undone in first half hour of a descent gravel ride lol.
Have fun.
I’m headed Friday for three days w grizzlies in Gold Bridge. I’m bringing two ride mates as bait. Even the town itself doesn’t have any cell reception yet, remote .
Basic cleaning on my ride. Noisy bike is good to warn bears lol. My lowest gear is 30x36 so well below unit ratio. Beefy WTBs . |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:3636
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| 07/19/2021 01:41 PM |
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All that cleaning work that gets undone in first half hour of a descent gravel ride lol.
Yup...and with two pre-rides planned and the amount of rain in the forecast, it won't last long.
But the drivetrain really needed a solid cleaning. Been so dry on the trail here that there was a ton of sand and grit accumulated.
Just did a light lube on the chain w/ my normal lube but will be using a wet lube once we land in Iceland. |
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