Stage 2 : detail

Stage 2 - August 11: Invermere to Nipika Resort, 74km

13,000 feet of climbing.





A detour to heaven. It was a long day for everyone on the TransRockies trail today, as an already gruelling stage got longer when the front pack went off course and everyone played "follow the leader," The riders went awry when some of the top teams missed the flagging tape on course indicating a right-hand turn. Instead, the group marched up a steep avalanche gulley shouldering their bikes all the way to the top, missing the turn and finding out, upon summiting the chute, that the trail had gone cold.". Everyone was so focused on putting one foot in front of the other that we ended up just following riders at the front of the race, realizing their mistake, turned and began backtracking, eventually finding the route the leaders completed the course with a time of 5h50'37. There was a lot of climbing today even without adding an extra hour and a half of uphill with my bike," said Frederic at the finish line, still sporting a smile but showing signs of fatigue after two straight days of steep vertical.



The degree of difficulty was high and the wrong route created an extra hour of hike-a-bike. The descent was so difficult with roots, mud, water falls, stream crossings. Today I question my tire choice of Michellin Pythons as I slide down shoots of mud and scree at high speeds, though no major crashes - maybe they will be ok.



The 3 climbs today were absolutely brutal at well over 15% for 20k each. It took us 7 hours and 56 minutes to complete todays stage.



The next stage is at Nipika Mountain Resort and promises to deliver that with some exceptional private singletrack along the Kootenay River, bordering Canada's Kootenay National Park. The weather is clearing now as the clouds cracked open to reveal blue skies today.



There was plenty of snoring in Tent City last night. Perhaps this collective deep sleep, after only Stage 2, it is concrete evidence that TransRockies VII is indeed the most challenging edition yet?



strong Kicking Horse Coffee is on the menu in the morning.