Day 6

Apologies for the lack of updates, as the main website says the Internet at many of the motels is very hit and miss plus I have problems with my laptop too!  I will post full updates one I get back and pictures – lots of pictures. Every one is doing really well.  For many of us this ride has combined some of the longest days of cycling with some of the steepest and longest climbs we have ever done and the most number of days we have done consecutively.  Yesterday we cycled over the highest paved road that is open year round in Canada.

So things are good with only 4 days of cycling left I’m starting to feel sorry it will be over soon.  For me I seem to be going well, I’m pretty quick, but not quite as quick as the more professional sports people on the ride.  I’m also learning a lot about bikes from the others, which is really great.  The best thing has been meeting and getting to know all the new people, there are some great people on this ride.  So I’m doing good and the bike is doing good – just one puncture and one new set of rear brakes (from all the heavy braking I do on the downhills!).  Will post more if I get the chance in the coming days.

2 days to go

So just 2 days to go, till we depart.  I did some last minute shopping today for some rain gear (rain is disappointingly predicted on Saturday, although the forecast seems to change by the minute so who really knows?!).  I just have to pack my stuff and head out.  I’m very much looking forward to it!!!  Anyone who looks at my flickr site will see that on Sunday I did my final big training ride of 73.15 miles, this was slightly less than I would have liked but still not bad going – especially as it did include a climb up Cypress Mountain. 

Before the ride this will be my last update on the fund-raising.  Even more fantastic progress has been made and the total now stands at 6,124.38, plus I have some further cash donations to submit too.  This is magnificent and I am so grateful to everyone who has donated.  I, of course heartily encourage anyone who hasn’t donated to do so, every penny is going to a good cause.

If I don’t get chance to update tomorrow then I will be taking my laptop with me, this is ancient and not reliable.  So if I get an Internet connection and chance then I will try to update as often as possible with progress.  If not then I will update after the even and there will be lots of photos!

New bike – Trek 1600

New bike – Trek 1600

Originally uploaded by JamesZ_Flickr.

Here it is, finally a photo of the new bike. I took this photo this Sunday, when it was rather overcast. I still managed to do 73.15 miles, despite the weather. I’m very pleased with this (even inspite of the not great service at time of purchase). It is much faster than my old bike (which is still very good for training as it is much heavier).

This is pretty much how it will look during the ride. I’ve added the handlebar bag (and some unfortunate extra weight) to carry carry essentials, such as rain gear and of course the camera.

1 week to go and sponsorship goal shattered

With one week to go till the pedaling starts in earnest I am delighted to report that my sponsorship goal has been exceeded.  As of the update I received today I report a total of $5,876.79 has been donated to CCFF to sport my own ride.  I can also tell you that the event total is currently running at over $99,000.  I’m sure you’ll agree this is good going for 21 riders and their bikes.

I can tell you that so far I have had 47 individual sponsorships and I want to thank everyone massively.  There has been some amazing generosity.  I know that I am still behind on the emails, but they will be forthcoming I promise.  You can all rest assured that you have contributed to a very important cause and your donation will make a difference for the better.   So here’s to you all.  Cheers. 

Fundraising update

More stunning progress, as of last Friday this is where I was up to.  Very nearly there!  I know I am behind on the thank you emails, had a definite lack of energy this week – lets put it down to electrolyte depletion.  In the meantime another very big thank you to everyone who has donated.  I am now very nearly ready for the ride and looking forward to it!

After the mountain

After the mountain

Originally uploaded by JamesZ_Flickr.

This last Saturday was my first trip up Cypress Mountain. 4 of us from the gearup4cf team head out from Kits beach to the North Shore for a training ride, via Horseshoe Bay. For me I was very pleased just to get up the mountain – the elevation is somewhere just under 1,000m. This is definitely something that will be easier to do again when I know what is ahead of me. The new bike was superb, cannot even begin to imagine what that would have been like on my old bike. It showed it was best though on the lower levels where it was very fast and dealt with hills much more easily than my other bike.

Here are the other three outside of a fantastic pie shop on Marine Drive, the rhaspberry and rhubarb pie was amazing as was the chicken basil sandwich.