Winter Training Part 2

 Chapman's Peak

Emulating Lats' example of winter training, Mark has gone searching for some sun in the Southern Hemisphere as well.  He's racked up a thousand clicks in the last week or so riding in South Africa's 30 degree heat.   Personally I think all this warm, sunny weather training is BS and can't wait to expose them to the snow/mud/kale of a Mighty spring training camp.  Expect these fit Pirate bastards to be back towing us around on the Mighty ride soon!

 

His partner Genevieve riding up Bains Kloof Pass.  

Mark says this is the 'best climb of his short biking days'.

And he spotted a Mighty appropriate poster in the LBS.

BC GP of CX

Newest Mighty Rider Andrew Summers topped the podium in the Masters 3/4 Race on Nov 18th.  Full Results Here.

Lats Down Under

Lats is in Oz winter training and causing havoc with his Aussie Pirates.  Yesterday he was 2nd in the St.Kilda Crit and immediately spent the winnings as any good Pirate would...

 

Patrolling the front with a teammate.

 

Off the front.

 

Enjoying the spoils.

 

Also, there is some race footage above and a write up 

from his teammate.

(Note: Lats goes by 'Semi-Pro' when in the Southern Hemisphere) 

Led by Semi-Pro; Concrete Pill, Crackers and Done Deal fixed bayonets and charged the trenches of C-grade.

Done Deal spent some good time at the front, testing the legs of the bunch before Semi-Pro got bored and attacked. After a few laps alone out the front, he got even more bored so he returned to the peloton.

A break snuck away, and Crackers hopped across. Despite a heart rate of 192, Crackers worked well and the breakaway stayed away for quite some time. While this was happening, Concrete Pill sat on the front of the bunch controlling the race at tempo. His tempo, that is, as the rest of the bunch appeared to be well into the red zone while ‘Pill rode on the hoods and took in the scenery.

Part-time Pirate Col Red unfortunately popped off the back while the beak was away, and despite valiantly hanging on for a few laps retired from the race. Consequently the very next lap the breakaway was caught, and the pace slowed.

Bored again, Semi-Pro attacked another 17 times, and/or drove the pace from the front.

In the final lap, all the Beach Road pirate buffoonery paid dividends. Crackers drove the train down the back straight while ‘Pill pulled through the last corner. Semi-Pro exploded off his back wheel but unfortunately could only manage 2^nd, with legs deadened by spending most his time attacking and driving the pace.

Full Volume, ½ bionic and Uber Ubes supported from the sidelines with their small humans and WAGS Clare Crackers &  Kaz Concrete. This clearly contributed to the success.

Humans are smart...

 

Coming soon to a beach near you:  Climate Change!
It's enough to make me lose my beans. 

Updated Nov 29th.  Reuters ran a slideshow of the 'Surrealism of Sandy' highlighting the devastation we are helping to bring upon ourselves. 

Save the Date!

Ho Ho Ho!

So it's that time of year when everyone starts asking and talking and getting very excited about "A Very Mighty Christmas" party plan 2012!

Plans are in the works have no fear!

But for now this is what we have for you as Ed and his elves hash out the rest of the details.... FRIDAY DEC 14th.

So save the date!

(from the Liisa elf... note: bring whiskey. -Ed.)

Truth

I don't normally talk about the doping side of cycling as it *tends* not to affect a bunch of beer drinking ruffians like our crew.  But one of the most humble and well respected cyclists that has ever come out of BC has written a very good article setting the record straight.

Read it here: Vancouver Sun Article

Cycling is a hard, beautiful sport and a wonderful metaphor for life.  And it will always be so - with or without a Pro Tour.  I don't forgive any of the pros who tried to dirty our passion and now say they are sorry.  But with pros like Will (and his original teammates Svein and Meier), I still have some hope for our sport.

I told Will after Edmonton when he won the National Championships jersey and I finally caught up with him to congratulate him:  it's good to see the right guy win. 

 

A hard man representing Canada well.

Pumpkin Cross

While Meat was down in Seattle grabbing a very muddy podium the kids lined up for Local Ride's excellent Halooween Hooliganism known as Pumpkin Cross.  Barry and his crew always puts on some of the best racing in BC while having a blast.  Full Results Here. Below is Stott's re-cap:

Local ride organized a tight race under what was some obvious concessions to the land owner.   All of the Cat's started on time. The course consisted of three all too short tech sections, 3 massive straight stretches, and just 2 mandatory dismounts.  If you were a power type rider on a geared bike, this course was for you.  The sun broke through Sunday morning, and the weather  was great, with a heavy rain the night before that made the course really muddy and that suited my riding style.

 I had put the foil on in anticipation of a rough Cross race. 

I was pleased to see Mr. McCloskey in the parking lot.  He was running file tread tubulars, which was amazing to watch him control the slips and slides.  In my opinion it was without a doubt the loosest handling bike on the course.  I gained some speed due to a well timed beverage hand-up, and spent almost 2 or 3 laps with Paul trying to work together and gain time on the guys in front of us.    I finished 22nd, Paul was 21^st.

 (I think Hanson Brothers Stotts looks kinda like Bubbles... - Ed.)

Pat came to do battle in the masters race, he was in great position and it was sad to see him have his derailleur let go, and be forced to retire from the race.

Jen Gerth put down a hell of an effort for her second cross race (on a touring bike! - Ed.) and in Barney costume no less.  Here she is with some of the awesome women that pinned it on the course in full costume. 

 

Next weekend,  Nov 3-4th is a double deader called Cross Border Clash, in Ferndale WA.  A short road ride south of the border, and if the number of Canadian points exceed the number of USA points in the race the Canadians win the cup.  The cup would reside in Mighty on Broadway for a year, as is the declaration of the race organizer.  I am out of the province for the races, but maybe someone can come out of retirement and take my place.