Good. I absolutely wasn't looking for a pissing contest. Sure, we're proud of our routes here on VI and they do have a reputation as being hard. It's not so much the vertical gain as the "character" of the constant, steep rollers. They are also some of the most scenic and low traffic anywhere.

As far as the "international" flavour, you probably know that we get a good attendance from south of the border, with some Washington riders spending as much or more time riding BCRCC brevets than their own. I've hosted visiting SIR members in my own home.

I can't understand why my route comparisons elicited such virulent responses.

I offer an open invitation to anyone who wants to ride one of our Island events. PM me for details.

We have a new (easier) Tsunami 300 and a "Backroad" 400 (4,000 metres climbing) coming up.