Marg's Racing Ventures: October 2013

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Deer Creek Death Ride 100-miler - 2nd time

I rode this my first time Oct 2012 and was looking forward to it again. This time I was riding it with only 1 day rest after my 26-hour car drive down.

Weather was perfect! Still had a teeny bit of cramping the last 15 km.

We were quicker this year: 162 km, 6 hr 25 min, 12100' elevation gain

Pitstop at the Mini convertible with the huge black widow spider on the back (barely visible). The awesome group of guys I rode with, mostly from Team Serious Cycling in Agoura

scooped from the RockStorePhoto.com site

One of my annual rides with Les on Highway 33 north of Ojai - wicked fall colours

After riding 7100' on the Ojai ride, a must stop at the Belly Ache spring. Includes a 140' hike up to the source

Met up with age old track friends since 1980 from the Edmonton Columbians - Mo Marg and Susan, with Susan's partner Doug.
They ran the Santa Barbara 1/2 marathon while I rode in Ventura

Marg, Sue & Mo from a 1920's party back University days.
Maybe a little too much red wine!

Maybe red wine helps... both Mo and Sue were part of the 4x800
U of A relay team that still holds the record!

Dr Susan is now a dermatologist in Santa Barbara. She gave me an awesome sample of her new PhytoEssence Skin balm designed to be therapeutic. Good for any athlete before/after an event or training.

Awesome mountain bike trails surround Simi Valley

Rode Les' son's medium Trek Fuel on the wicked Hummingbird descent. I appreciated the full suspension though needed to work the weight of the heavy bike on the boulder descent sections

check out video clip of hummingbird descent!

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Another October in California

After all the mileage and elevation climbs at both Haute Route races in Europe this summer, I still had the desire to climb a little more before x-c ski season.

Long drive from Calgary to Filmore, UT on my birthday, stopping at one of my favourite springs in North Ogden, Utah

Made the 3,000 km drive down and stayed in a few awesome couchsurfing spots on-route. It amazes me to continually find good people to stay with on the couchsurfing.org site that feel like age-old friends!

My endless pursuit to visit all the yummy fruits on their trees - my first freshly picked Avocado - super excited!

My couchsurf friends found a pomegranate tree in a neighbour's yard while they were dog-walking. They told the owner that a Canadian was staying with them that had never seen a pom tree before. We were given permission to pick the rest of the poms.
WOW, these were the best, most ripe poms I have ever tasted!!

Missed out on the persimmons tree - next year!

Sunday, October 20, 2013

October Cross Summary

RED DEER Riverbender Cross - Oct 12, 2013

Super nice weather with the course running reverse direction to previous years. Made the sandpit rideable.

Shantel nicely taking the holeshot - photo Bill Quinney

Chasing Shantel and Andrea on the gravel road before the trail in the trees. Awesome fall colours! - photo Bill Quinney

Thanks to the local cyclists who are awesome photographers, we get our hands on pro shotz - photo Bill Quinney

Shantel, Andrea, Marg - happy!

Jim Horner Cyclocross - Oct 13, 2013

Course at the park near the Velodrome was zippier with more twists. I could not master the hillclimb with the log jump at the base, though was wowed to see Shantel, Pepper and Andrea power up the climb.