I'm on pace with the training ... that part is OK .... but I have been thinking about how I'm going to handle the sleep/eat/etc. aspect between the rides. I will be in a motel, so I've got more options than I would if I were camping.

There are 4 rides ... a 200 km, 300 km, 400 km, and 600 km. If I take the maximum allowed time for each, I'll have about 10 hours between the 200K and 300K, about 27 hours between the 300K and 400K, and about 20 hours between the 400K and 600K.

I'm tempted to bring along a protein shake mix to consume between the rides. I'm not a big fan of meat products, but some extra protein would probably be a good thing.

I'm also debating about bringing things like heating pads, ice packs, menthol gels to rub onto sore muscles, etc. Does anyone know of some sort of bath salts which aid in muscle relaxation and that sort of thing?

And I'm thinking of some recovery walks along the beach, and maybe in the ocean, if it isn't too cold.

Any other suggestions?

I aim to do some heavy duty pampering between rides!!

How far a drive is it from Seattle?
Can you recommend any good places to stay?

I can't imagine it would be very far from Seattle ... Seattle would be a lot closer than where I'm coming from!! As for places to stay, contact Ken Bonner. I think he lives on the island so he would know. My father and I just picked a place out of a list of accommodations and are hoping for the best.

I'm considering going up to BC for the Eau de Hell week. I'd be driving from Seattle.
Anybody interested in carpooling?
For those who know the area: where are the good places to stay and eat? Any logisitical advice?
I'd like to hear from any of the Seattle Randonneurs who might have ridden up there before.

Driving by car, it's about an hour and a half from Seattle to the border, and probably about half an hour from the border to Vancouver proper. Then, from there you'd have to take a ferry to the island; figure on a couple of hours for the crossing.

It looks like Chemainus is about equidistant from Nanaimo and Victoria (the two ferry terminals on the island), and if I were you, I'd probably opt for Victoria. It's a bit of a longer crossing, but Victoria would make for a decent base if you have car. If you're planning on being car-free the entire time, I'd pick whchever terminal is most convenient for your schedule, as you'd likely be using closer accomodations.

I believe that you can take a ferry from Washington State right up to Victoria, too, but have never done it.

So, I guess that if I drive to Chemainus, it will necessarily involve a ferry. I wonder how much it will cost to get my truck across to Victoria.

Yes ... the entire event is on Vancouver Island. So at some point you and your bicycle and/or vehicle will have to take a ferry. If you do a Google search, you'll likely come up with how much it will cost.

And if you are planning to ride one or more of the events, I'd recommend staying in Chemainus or Nanaimo so that you are close to the start. The events start at 7 am, but we are supposed to be there a bit early to get signed in etc.

Ken has updated the website information ... have a look! And if you do have questions, send him or Susan and email. They've both answered a whole pile of mine.

I'm in ! I'll be doing the first leg, the Tour du Cowichan 200K. Look forward to seeing you there. Hopefully it won't be tooooo wet.

Mike

I just did the 200K in Washington, and it got nasty midway through. It'll sure make it easier to get through the week if we don't get beaten up by the wind and rain every day.
I'm planning on bringing a fresh jersey and pair of bike shorts for every ride.
Do any of you try to launder your dirties every night?

I've already made my hotel reservations. I'm looking forward to seeing everybody there.
I've never done back-to-back brevets before, so I'm expecting a tough week.
Food is going to be an issue. It's fine to live on convenience store burritos and cup-o-noodle soup for a day. It's going to be difficult to maintain on that stuff for a week straight. I don't think there'll be much available late at night when we finish the 300k and 400k. What's your plan for healthy eating?

Not only am I planning to bring a fresh jersey and bike shorts for each ride, but I'm planning to bring all my polypro and wool, all my splash pants/wind pants, all my rain jackets, all my tights, leg warmers, arm warmers ... I'm packing it all! My plan is to have a whole, entirely different outfit for each ride, and two for the 600K.

I'm going to be looking for more rain gear at Canadian Tire this week ... I could use at least one more pair of gloves, and I want to see if they have waterproof socks. I might look at what else they have in rain jackets and pants too.

I had to DNF a 600K in 2005 because of hypothermia. I do NOT want to go through that again! It was horrible!
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As for food ... what's "healthy eating"?? When I'm on a brevet or randonnee, I eat anything and everything!!

I have approx. two cases of Ensure ready to go ... they are for during the rides, but I might use one right after I finish each ride. I'll be experimenting with some new Whey powder protein stuff tomorrow to see how it goes down. If it works for me, I'll bring it too, and will have a packet of that after each ride. I probably won't go with both Ensure and the Whey, probably just one or the other.

I will be bringing various other things like ... a tin of almonds and/or cashews, beef jerky, cookies, granola bars, fruit, etc.

Then when I get in from my rides, I'll have my Ensure or Whey with some nuts and beef jerky, and go to bed. I'll eat a meal later in the day when things are open.

We're heading for Vancouver Island the day after tomorrow ... getting nervous!!


Who all from here is going ... TruckerMike? mitchel? Anyone else? I'll be the redhead with the waist-length hair at the start of the 200K with my blue Marinoni, Machak, beside me.

I'll be rolling in the afternoon of the 6th and staying at the Fuller Lake Motel in Chemainus. I'm not sure if I'll be driving my BigAss truck, or my wife's Subaru (the Subaru would be more economical and cheaper on the ferry).
I've got a Litespeed Tuscany that has been downgraded to a clunker with the heavy Schmidt hub Open Pros and all the rando crap hanging off of it.
I'm getting nervous too. I'm planning on doing all the brevets, but I'm not sure about the wisdom of that notion. I've already qualified in a 200K, so probably I should save my legs and skip the first brevet. But, my friend bet me $100 that I couldn't do them all. There's honor and ego at stake.

Hey, just wanted to wish good luck to Machka and all the other raandonneurs doing the Eau de Hell. Sounds like quite a challenge. You guys will qualify for PBP in just a week!!! Then you can just relax and wait for August 20th...
Enjoy and let us know how it went!

Yes, I'll see you bright and early on April 7th. Had a great Populaire100 last weekend (427 riders turned out!) and looking forward to Tour de Cowichan. Will look for you in Chemanius.

Mike

Thanks claire!!

And congratulations on your 200K!

Well, mitchel and machka are likely registering for the Day 2 300 right about now, so I'll bring the update to the masses. Yesterday's Tour de Cowichan200 was well attended, with at least 30 riders taking part. The weather was wet, but reasonably warm (10-12C). It's a really scenic route of coastal backgrounds, but there is quiet is bit of climbing up rolling hills. No death-marches, but hills that do get the lactic acid flowing. The organizers and volunteers did great job and the controls were well-stocked.

This was my very first brevet, and by all accounts it was everything I hope it would be. I rode in group of 5 most the time and enjoyed the company and pace setting that comes with group riding. I quickly seem to blow up when riding alone. In the end, it took me 8hrs to complete the 200.

I finally got to meet the imfamous machka too! She was smiling at the greenery (I think she's used to seeng a lot of white this time of year). Hats off to her and mitchel for hanging in for more helpings of marathon cycling. I hope today's cloudy weather breaks for them and they're rewarded with some sunshine as they dig deep to finish a longer brevet!

Cheers from Vancouver Island!

Hey Hardy Randonneurs.

I was driving up to my road race in Cowichan yesterday on the Malahat and kept seeing touring cyclists headed South (opposite to me). I wondered what was going on, and then remembered: Eau de Hell week!

Man the rain was slashing down sideways and it was difficult enough for me to finish my Masters road race (which I won ). I can't imagine doing a 200km brevet or whatever it was you were doing on Sunday.

Major kudos to the randos and I'm hoping for excellent weather for you guys today. Doesn't look too bad so far!

Thanks, TM, looking forward to more updates from the rest of the series.

Congrats to everyone riding hell week - sounds very challenging. I hope to be riding my first 200K this coming weekend if winter has finally given up the ghost!

Just a quick update ...

I finished the 200K, despite a rather nasty crash at the 100K point. There's a reason we wear helmets!! Mine is cracked through ... but my skull is OK. I'm pretty bruised and scraped and stiff and sore everywhere else though.

I opted to skip the 300K to rest ... I could hardly move yesterday ... but am feeling some better today and am planning to be there at the start of the 400K tomorrow.

It was great to meet TruckerMike and mitchel!!

How'd you crash? Hope it wasn't coming down the 'hat. That is a nasty, sinuous, precipitous decline.

Glad it was nothing serious.

Glad you are okay Charlene. I hope the rest of the week goes smoothly.

I crashed coming down a 15% grade into Duncan. There was mud all over the road and it was a very slippery descent. Then there was a 4-way stop at the bottom of the hill. The other two I was cycling with shot through it because there was no traffic, but as I got near it, several cars pulled up and I felt compelled to stop. I stopped all right! I was a heap on the pavement. The guy who hauled me and my bicycle off the road told me that he didn't think I was getting up because I crashed so hard.

I am basically bruised from head to toe, and I think I've pulled my left triceps muscles ... they are visibly bruised, but they hurt deeper too, and I've got no strength in them. I've got pretty much no skin on my left knee, and my right knee is badly bruised and scraped. I also suffered from whiplash - I can barely look over my right shoulder.

And so I started the 400K, but DNF'd at the 260 km point, when I was so sore I could hardly move anymore. I ache today.

Still, I've enjoyed being here ... it's a beautiful area!

Ack, that sounds like a nasty spill ! The wet conditions were a real challenge, and the many hills of the route combined with the odd bit of tire-track mud didn't help either. I have almost zero brake pads left after that ride - wet weather just chewed em up.

Good on ya for attempting the 400! I didn't fall, and I'd still be afraid to try that distance. Again, was great to finally meet you and I hope you heal up quick.

yikes, Machka, glad to hear you're ok; and impressed to hear that, despite that, you still attempted the 400k.

hope the rest of the year fares better and that you can recover in time to complete the series and get your PBP qualification. Enjoy the island and hope you get some time off to go explore and indulge in some of the creature comforts of Victoria or Vancouver.