Rideau Lakes Tour
Jun 6-7, 2009
Here are some comments from some of the FMCT participants in this year's Rideau Lakes Tour...
The Tour was fun. Here are some highlights:
from Bill...
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Beer at the Crown Plaza on Friday.
Riding by myself (my choice) for 6 1/2 hours into the wind, every once in a while being passed by your friend's
expressing encouragement (hahaha, suck's to be you, are you having fun yet). That actually may not have been what they said but that is what I heard in my delusional state.
Beer at Queens. Dinner at Queens. My room at Queens. Jim's room at Queens. Mafia vs 'Yakuza' nap at Queens.
Breakfast at Queens. The cycling team from Sherbrooke, Quebec. My best friend in the whole wide world, the Sherbrooke cycling team guy wearing the green jersey, who if not for him the rest of the Sherbrooke cycling team would have dropped us like a brick.
Perth and the lovely ladies from the auxiliary with their sanwiches and home made cookies.
Beer and hamburger at Carleton on Sunday.
... BUT my all time favourite memory is riding with my friend, Klaus and having a fellow cyclist comment on how we had
dropped our two buddies, only seconds later see our two buddies, led by the Brampton Express Jim Dalzell, go 'flying by' us, almost on cue, causing me to launch an all out leg numbing counter attack with my friend, Klaus in tow.
GOOD TIMES !!!
Bill
from Jim...
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"Ride memories..
Klaus after having ridden his ride.. ran his run.. drank his beer.. was now lying on his back surrounded by people in the middle of the beer and munchie section with his hat pulled over his eyes, arms crossed while the rest posed around him so Murray could take pictures.. now that is a photo op that will no doubt make it into the year end video..
Jim
from Klaus...
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My memories of the Rideau Lakes Ride.....
-Most people start this ride very early in the morning - like 6:00 am. We were literally the last to leave, around 8:30 - the registration girls were already packing up and we barely got our luggage on the truck! Do those other riders know something we didn't??
- almost 1-1/2 hours before we started to catch other riders
- my first experience riding in a pelaton - OMG! What a difference a draft makes!
- Talked to two riders using 'reclining' bicycles. They love them - no sore wrists, arms, butts. Just as quick on flats and down hills - ( he proved it to me!) a little slower climbing.
- Jim and Brian always disappearing into the distance (Man you guys are strong!!)
- Hooking on to the back of a Pelaton - doing whatever it took to keep up - and reeling those guys in just before Perth on the way home!
- new Motto: No one gets left behind - as long as you're not too slow!
- Queens is a beautiful University - right on the waters of Lake Ontario and only a short walk from the infamous Kingston Penn. No connection I'm sure!
- Beer tastes incredibly good when you are really, really tired!
- Those Mafia guys sure believed in keeping their weapons simple!!!
- That infamous 'fly by' mentioned below only needed to be accompanied by a blood-curdling banshee shriek to have made it more dramatic. Holy Crap! - and within a few km's of the end as well!
- Bill recommended that I get a 12-23 or 12-25 rear cassette instead of my 11-21 I have been using. Done.
- It's a long way home from Ottawa when you are really, really, really tired!
- Richard - you would love this - hopefully next year
Klaus
from Murray...
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Hey sorry I didnt stick around to see you guys in Perth...ran into Mitchs group as they were leaving so against better judgement decided to go with them and hang in as best I could.....well, I looked down and we were often doing 40 - 45! Well you guys rode with him a while so I dont need to explain! I didnt get out of my big ring (couldnt!) and red lined it all the way back. The group had swelled to about 40 and Mitch pulled the train most of the way, guy wasnt even sweating! I came in at 5 hrs 55min avg'ed 31 - my avg at Perth was a nice 28!
Anyways, Nancy was waiting for me so I collapsed into the car..
Thanks for the ride guys, you are making me a better rider! Now I just have to drop 30 lbs and see if I can run more than 10 k's!
Cheers guys, see you swimming or in Guelph..
Murray
PS that guy took two pics of Klaus sleeping and missed me in BOTH! Anyways its a good shot and should be worthy of the website!
