Day Two: 125k

Day Two was brutal. 77 miles of logging roads. What else can we say? It was filler miles designed to get us from one town to the next. The organizers couldn't get permits to gain access to the singletrack between Lake Cowichan and Port Alberni. So we rode logging roads. The race started out with a "neutral" 10k start with police escort. What this meant is 600 riders hammering on the pavement, wheel-t0-wheel, slowing down, speeding up. If you ever want to incite a calamity give some matches and gasoline to a child or have 600 mountain bikers try to ride in a peloton on the road. The results are essentially the same: something bad could happen. Luckily no such crashes ensued and the peloton made it way off the pavement and onto the long and winding fireroads that linked the two start towns. Today was also one of the hottest days on record with temperatures well into the 90s. On a positive note, this was the longest ride that Dave had ever done in his life. And what a ride. The two of us riding the dusty roads alone with nothing but the vultures circling above waiting for a misstep. But we preserved and made it to the end. This day was very remnant of the Cape Epic that I did a year ago. Long dusty roads with no end in sight. With this, the longest stage, out of the way, we will move on to more singletrack as the week progresses. Now it's time for a beer.