Newsletter - 2000 Archive

BC Randonneurs Cycling Club

Next--->   

It all started at a fitness conference. At the conference, Karen, a marathon cyclist met Rainy, an avid triathlete and spin class instructor. Together they hatched the idea of spin classes designed for marathon cyclists (aka randonneurs).

Over the winter, the weekly spin classes brought together a fluctuating group of randos. By spring Rainy and partner, Joe had bought Rando jerseys, had pledged to put mud flaps on their back fenders and officially joined the Randos.

Then Rainy had the idea of a bike ride that tackled the north shore mountains, incorporating a hike up the Grouse Grind. The idea was cemented when she found a cause - one of the randos who had been a regular at the spin classes was raising funds to do a charity ride across the country - thus the Tim Pollock/Triple Mountain/Grouse Grind Challenge was born.

Thanks to the organizational skills of Rando, Danelle, approximately 25 challengers assembled at the Grouse Mountain Sky-Ride parking lot on June 3rd at 8 a.m. The sun was shining in a cloudless sky, camel backs and water bottles were full, route sheets were handed out and everyone was raring to go. The idea was to cycle over to Seymour Mountain (by way of the 29th St hill, just for practice), climb the mountain to the parking lot, down the mountain, over to Cypress (via Keith Road and Taylor Way for a little more practice), up Cypress to the Mountain Grill, down the mountain, along the Upper Levels, up Nancy Greene Way and back to the Grouse Mountain parking lot. But that was not the end of it - pack the bike away, get out the hiking boots and up the Grind, just to add to the "challenge".

You didn't get your pin (designed and hand-made by Joe) until you reached the top of the Grind. A post-ride/hike celebration was held in the restaurant. Tim Pollock himself had set off early to do the event and was at the top. Rainy presented Tim with $410 collected from participants to the applause of the entire restaurant.

A great event which we may even see appearing on the rando calendar again but we are thinking of calling it The Triple Mountain and lots of little hills/Grouse Grind Challenge.

_