Tour de King Thing

went out for what could potentially be a Great Fall Classic Race at the TdK.... great course, tough trails, fast competition... but a horrible day for it.... started at 6degrees and windy only to upgrade to 7degrees and raining.... and still windy... Not a nice ride for some people (i managed to avoid the worst of it) but we were greated with a cool band and some good eats at the finish... Mike Steed was like myself and many others.... glad to have food, be off the bike but looking for warm dry clothing.... so we opted for hanging out near the BBQ and breathing in the warm but propane-vapour filled air....

Thanks to the Trek Canada Crew for organizing shuttles and rides back to the cars at Seneca College... although Barry took the "scenic" route back..... sorry for the long cold wait Eric Sirois.... probably the last time i talk him into a "great fall ride"....

You'll always be my first...

and the first is always the worst!!! Getting back into the groove of CX racing is always tough... the hard starts, the accelerations, the racing without drinking, the pounding on the wrists and shoulders.... and we started off racing in 23degrees!!! it would have great to have a shot of Heed at about lap 5.... but i was forced to chug it at the end....

2 stories of my race: 1 - Ted Ingram trying to make a sketchy pass on the outside of a loose corner, hooking bars with him, ripping through the tape and then being forced to chase Crouch for the rest of the day.... and 2 - catching my pedals about 8 times on the inside of corners as i get back on the gas.... jumping the back end around and almost tossing me off a few times.... "OK Barnes.... pedal AFTER the apex of the corner...."

everything still worked out well... hammered for a while with Eric Jobin (just like the old MTB days!!!) until he faded and i chased solo for 4 laps.... finished 2nd and won my first cash of the year (almost paid for the gas to get there) and a 6 pack of Wellington beer!!! Gotta love to hate 'Cross....

In your back yard...

Finally got around to riding the Don Trail system the other week... i always thought that it was small, simple and boring.... but i was totally wrong!!! Spent almost 3hrs riding in the trails and most of it was pretty technical off-camber or steep up/downhills.... and caught the sun setting over the skyline... Home Field Advantage definately went to my escort Murray (great guy that i met through XC running at school events) ... i might have the edge physically, but he knew the gears and corners... and dropped me on several occassions...

we entered just at Pottery Road and went all sorts of places that i could never find again or describe, so if you live in the city, haven't ridden the Don and have someone who knows the trails... GO FOR IT!!! i'll definately be back for more... as long as Murray is there to get me home...