I have to admit I was pretty nervous for this last brevet. I had been training for two years for the PBP, but if I didn't make this last qualifying brevet it would mean no trip to Paris for me. I have completed many other 600km brevets before, but you never know what could go wrong. The best I could do was put everything I had into it and have a positive attitude, and of course drink lots of coffee!
Early morning starts are always the best time of day to ride. See the world waking up, have the sun warming your chilly hands and feet, listening to the birds singing their welcoming song to the new day ahead. Its days like these that I truly feel blessed to be able to explore the world around me by bike.
The first 100 kilometers were filled with rolling fields, bursting with plentiful crops and trees providing generous shade from the climbing sun. Soon we approached the base of the Appalachians, lakes and low mountains starting to appear around me. Rolling hills turned into long hot climbs. Up and down we went without a straight line in sight. It had rained the night before so the humidity was getting higher and higher, making the air feel heavy. Heat was definitely going to be a factor on this brevet. I could feel my feet starting to swell more and more. My jersey was becoming stained with white caches of salt. On these longer brevets I like to break every 75km just to take a breather and give my body a rest as I knew it would be a long day and night. The climbs started getting higher and higher. At one point around Notre-Dame de Bois (a great name for a town!) I shifted into granny gear. Its something I rarely do, but it gained a lot of altitude in such a short time. Fortunately at this point the brevet was half done so I would be slowly start heading back home, which meant the downhills would be more prevalent. Luckily throughout the day I was able to ride with various people, which always helps to pass the time much more easily.
The sun was starting to set and a large group of riders were congregating at a Tim Hortons to fill up on coffee and donuts for the long night ahead. We had been in the saddle around 14 hours, a little over half way now. We slipped on our reflective gear and turned on our lights and were back on the road again. Twilight was calm and we were making good time again with our belly's full. Luckily the roads weren't busy so we could relax a bit and not be too stressed about visibility. Darkness was falling fast and the temperatures was falling with it. Wrapping up in light layers was tricky as over sweating is always a major factor in being comfortable. Flashing red lights were seen intermittently throughout the night with other riders coming and going. I fell in with a group of four other riders and the time was ticking by fast. Our goal was to reach a town around 415 kilometers into the brevet to get some more food and possibly find a place to rest for the night. The fog started to build, which made it a little spooky. At one point we were riding in a tight group, with a car coming quickly up behind us. All of a sudden two of the guys in front yelled "PORCUPINE!!". Without a second to think we split the group in two, leaving the poor porcupine frozen in the middle with a stunned look on his face. Luckily no one was hurt, but disaster is always a factor with night rides.
Around 1:00am we were rolling into our desired destination. Some guys had reserved a room, but I had left things up to chance. I wasn't sure if I should try going further or rest up and have an early start. One of the guys piped up and said he had an extra bed in his room if I was interested. Shivering in the light of a local depanneur I couldn't resist. We had made good time up until now and a warm bed would be good to keep the spirits high tomorrow.
Before I knew the alarm was going off and it was time to roll. The short sleep had done me good, and a quick shower felt like heaven. We stopped at a greasy diner on the way out and shared a breakfast of bacon and eggs with some local older gents. With the sun rising we were off on the road again with about a 180 kilometers to go. Little towns and villages rolled by. Trains tooted their horns in encouragement as they passed. I was feeling strong, as was the rest of the group. The 5 of us were making great time.
Before we knew it the city limits were in sight. All I could think of was "I'm going to Paris!". The feeling of accomplishment was strong. Finally our last checkpoint was reached and we celebrated with ice creams and a few cheers. What an amazing feeling! We had finished in 34 hours.
Even though the qualifying brevets were over, much more training was necessary to be at the fitness level I wanted to be at. The road ahead was still going to be a long one with only 2 months to go!
Until next time, keep the rubber side down.
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