Celebrating Pain

[dirty deeds]

If you youngsters out there want to taste the joy of old time mountain biking, check out this link and celebrate the pain.

www.cheakamuschallenge.ca

Beg, borrow (but don't steal) a somewhat suitable bike and just do it. It's not a race. It's a cultural experience that you will tell your grand children about.

There's a good chance you'll be puking on the side of the trail somewhere along the way.. you'll be lying on the ground writhing in pain trying to work out the leg cramps, while some hard assed animal from a time forgotten will stomp past you on a climb so steep you'd probably think twice about riding down it.

Oh yeah you'll hurt like you've never been hurt before, but when you finally pull in to Whistler, salt crusted, dry spit, red eyed, racked in pain and fall down over the finish line you'll have experienced the essence of mountain biking, and you'll be so happy, I guarantee, you'll swear you'll never do it again... but you will

[Zedbra]

I'm going to do that this year, even though neighbours have suggested it is poorly organized.

I'll be the one puking.

[dirty deeds]

Originally posted by Zedbra
even though neighbours have suggested it is poorly organized.


The chaos (poor organization) is definately part of the beauty of it.

[LeeLau]

Grant puts on a lousy race - shortchanging the racers, skimping on volunteers and on race and course support. It blows that he chooses to slam Cliff Miller (who organizes Test of Metal) every chance he gets.

Its one thing for the race to be amateurish; its another thing for the course to be so poorly marked that half the pro/expert field ends up in Creekside and not at Village. How about cleaning up garbage after its done?

The course is mostly fireroad and not at all aesthetically interesting.

Save your entry fee and ride the Test instead - or do some other alpine epic. Heck go ride the Toonie races instead and support WORCA or SORCA.

Did I mention that the race is a joke.

[LeeLau]

Originally posted by Zedbra
I'm going to do that this year, even though neighbours have suggested it is poorly organized.

I'll be the one puking.

Better to come along on a ride from Diamond Head parking lot to Elfin Lakes instead. Next week- Squish? I am planning on taking the afternoon off and checking out some real estate

[Zedbra]

Originally posted by LeeLau
Grant puts on a lousy race - shortchanging the racers, skimping on volunteers and on race and course support. It blows that he chooses to slam Cliff Miller (who organizes Test of Metal) every chance he gets.

Its one thing for the race to be amateurish; its another thing for the course to be so poorly marked that half the pro/expert field ends up in Creekside and not at Village. How about cleaning up garbage after its done?

The course is mostly fireroad and not at all aesthetically interesting.

Save your entry fee and ride the Test instead - or do some other alpine epic. Heck go ride the Toonie races instead and support WORCA or SORCA.

Did I mention that the race is a joke.

That's exactly what my neighbour said. And he organises a variety of events in this town. I shant mention names, but it will be on that website.
He is a recent bike nut and is always coming over to check out all my buddies rides. He offered to guide me one time to save my money and have a better time. So now I'm on the fence.

[Zedbra]

Originally posted by LeeLau
Better to come along on a ride from Diamond Head parking lot to Elfin Lakes instead. Next week- Squish? I am planning on taking the afternoon off and checking out some real estate

Well well well. I recently did that ride. Last week in fact. Got Barry off his butt (been out with a broken arm) and I did that ride on my Turner DHR. Needless to say, I hiked a lot. I'm interested.

Barry and my wife:
http://www.pseudocool.com/ian/Elphin%20-%20Roberta%20and%20Barry.jpg

What views!
http://www.pseudocool.com/ian/Elphin%20-%20Mountain%20shot.jpg

The goal.
http://www.pseudocool.com/ian/Elphin%20-%20August%202003.jpg

Just to tease you.

[dirty deeds]

Well, I don't know about the moral or ethical qualities of the organizers. TOM is definately better organized with the entire township of Squamish out for the party cheering racers on.

To me TOM is more of a race. CC is more just an event. There is a purity about it when the climbing starts and there is nowhere to hide. You're out there suffering with all those around you and you kind of form a bond. You're not racing against each other, but with each other against those never ending climbs looming ahead.

I last did CC 2 years ago, and was impressed with how much singletrack they had managed to add over previous years track.

It's not good, though if they don't sweep the course and pick up garbage.

I love both the TOM and CC. I wish more of the younger brigade would do them to get a taste for what it was like before everything started to go downhill (literally not figuritavely).

[LeeLau]

Sorry I was so harsh. I guess I am pretty opinionated.

Originally posted by dirty deeds
Well, I don't know about the moral or ethical qualities of the organizers. TOM is definately better organized with the entire township of Squamish out for the party cheering racers on.

To me TOM is more of a race. CC is more just an event. There is a purity about it when the climbing starts and there is nowhere to hide. You're out there suffering with all those around you and you kind of form a bond. You're not racing against each other, but with each other against those never ending climbs looming ahead.

I last did CC 2 years ago, and was impressed with how much singletrack they had managed to add over previous years track.

It's not good, though if they don't sweep the course and pick up garbage.

I love both the TOM and CC. I wish more of the younger brigade would do them to get a taste for what it was like before everything started to go downhill (literally not figuritavely).

[Overgrow]

I did the challange a couple years ago. It took me 5.5 hours :lol: and a shitload of people DID go down at the wrong place due to shitty course marshalling and they ended up in creekside.

[dirty deeds]

Originally posted by Overgrow
I did the challange a couple years ago. It took me 5.5 hours :lol: and a shitload of people DID go down at the wrong place due to shitty course marshalling and they ended up in creekside.

lemmings...:lol: :lol:

My arch XC rival the Bird Man is always fitter and faster than me, but whenever we've gone head to head in CC, he's never beaten me home which pisses him off no end. He's always had either a mechanical, mystery illness, too many clothes, not enough clothes or something.

That year he was ahead of me and it looked like he was finally going to turn the tables... until he saw the string of riders going down to Creekside. He knew the course but confusion took over and he followed them anyway.

I sailed by, took the right turn and was waiting for him at the finish, yet again, not willing to accept any excuses :lol: :lol:

For the record, he has a string of faster times than me. It's only when we go head to head that the MTB gods smile on me.

[mike]

i did the cc once
i dont want to do it again
it hurt, it hurt alot. i was on a dh bike

[Phelonius]

In the old days the Cheakamus Challenge was entered mostly by bike messengers who'd drop Acid and then do it...

Definately a Westcoast cultural experience.

[Darklord]

How long does it take to get from Diamondhead Parking Lot to Elfin Lakes?
Anyone except Lee can answer, as i believe he traded his soul to the devil to get upgraded legs!
Is it suitable for novices (ie Fishermans Trail etc) level?

[ATN]

I am contemplating it, especially if I get a HT.

I know a guy from PoCo who does it every year.

[LeeLau]

I was leading a bunch of people. I came out from NW passage and totally missed a right hand turn and took the logical straight line down. I took about 12 people down with me. I was pissed because i had a good chance to make sub 3 hours. It turns out that there was supposed to be a marshall there but "there weren't enough volunteers to go around". Also, that corner wasn't marked because "we marked it a week ago but someone from Whistler/Blackcomb must have moved the marker". GMAFB!

Actually I felt like an idiot for doing that but it turns out I wasn't the only one. I had to hike back up the hill after 10 minutes of going downhill screaming WTF! Where are the effing signs!

Originally posted by dirty deeds
lemmings...:lol: :lol:

[LeeLau]

Originally posted by Darklord
How long does it take to get from Diamondhead Parking Lot to Elfin Lakes?

Is it suitable for novices (ie Fishermans Trail etc) level?

It is totally suitable for novices! Its all doubletrack. The bonus is that the novice can drive your car down hill while you get to take PowerSmart all the way down.

I would say 2 to 3 hours up at a very leisurely pace - almost walking pace.

It is the only legal mountain bike riding in a BC parks and most of the riding is in alpine. The views are beyond gorgeous. If you get up there in early September you will find out why they call it Red Heather meadows.

[Zedbra]

Originally posted by Darklord
How long does it take to get from Diamondhead Parking Lot to Elfin Lakes?
Anyone except Lee can answer, as i believe he traded his soul to the devil to get upgraded legs!
Is it suitable for novices (ie Fishermans Trail etc) level?

Well my wife is a novice, and this climb to Elphin was something she won't be doing again anytime soon. It took us 3.5 hours to get there, and 1.5 hours to get back. It is uphill, rocky, uphill, dusty and rocky, more uphill, and you are there.

I had my DH bike with me, so I was mostly pushing. If I had my XC bike, I would have done just a little less pushing. :D

Oh - and she came home from work the next day (she never misses work) with sunstroke and dehydration! FYI

[Rat]

enjoy the horesflys up there boys. it's been many moons since I gave the elfin lake a go. the guy I was riding with who was faster than me had the only pump between us and fucked off ahead of me. I ended up walking my bike with a flat for an hour.


nice swim at the top though.

[dirty deeds]

Originally posted by LeeLau
I was leading a bunch of people. I came out from NW passage and totally missed a right hand turn and took the logical straight line down. I took about 12 people down with me. I was pissed because i had a good chance to make sub 3 hours. It turns out that there was supposed to be a marshall there but "there weren't enough volunteers to go around". Also, that corner wasn't marked because "we marked it a week ago but someone from Whistler/Blackcomb must have moved the marker". GMAFB!

Actually I felt like an idiot for doing that but it turns out I wasn't the only one. I had to hike back up the hill after 10 minutes of going downhill screaming WTF! Where are the effing signs!

At least you had my buddy the Bird Man to talk to on the walk back up the hill... oh, and thanks for taking him down with you and adding to his anguish at seeing me chuckling at him, yet again, at the finish. It made my day ;)