Cariboo Loop 400 Organizer's Report
by Richard Blair

The Interior 400k brevet also known as the Cariboo Loop attracted 10 cyclists from both the Lower Mainland and the Interior to Kamloops for the May 24, 2014 weekend event. The roads travelled ranged from major highways including Highways 1, 5, and 97 to less travelled backroads such as North Green Lake Road and Watch Lake Road.

The route included views of Kamloops City, the town of Clinton, the villages of Lone Butte and Little Fort, and various rivers lakes, farmlands, rangelands, deer and the occasional bear.

However, the ride also provided copious amounts of rain, a substance more usually associated with B.C.'s Lower Mainland than the Kamloops' area. Alternating with the rain downpours there was some hail as well as sunshine to remind riders that they were cycling in the Interior.

Of the 10 riders six finished and they were: Ian Fillinger in 14 hours and 50 minutes; Bob Goodison, Randy Benz, and Peter Mair, each in 19 hours and 30 minutes; Tobin Henderson in 21 hours and 35 minutes, and Richard Blair in 23 hours and 10 minutes. For various reasons, including illness and weather, Barry Chase, Gary Baker, Trevor Taylor, and Christine Kraayvanger all, unfortunately, did not complete the brevet.

It was after the closing time at the brevet's finish that an accident ended both the ride for Christine and her cycling capacity for some time. She and Trevor Taylor were cycling south on Highway 5 as it passed through Kamloops when she ran over a steel bar which then twisted into her front wheel, abruptly stopping her forward motion. Christine fell to the road and when I drove her to Royal Inland Hospital it was ascertained that she had suffered three fractures in her left elbow. After overnighting with us, she left Kamloops with friends to return home to Quesnel and expected to soon thereafter undergo surgery in Prince George to address her fractures.

Christine's injuries put an end not only to finishing the 400k brevet but also her plans to ride the Interior 600k brevet, the Nimpomaniac, the ride set for 7 June from Williams Lake to Nimpo Lake and return to Williams Lake. The Nimpomaniac was Christine's suggestion and she is the ride's co-organizers together with the writer of this piece. She has done a lot of work on the Interior 600k and will be missed.

Go to: Results

May 27, 2014