Newsletter - 2003 Archive

BC Randonneurs Cycling Club

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I apologize that this newsletter is late getting to you. This qualifying for France and staying in shape takes a lot of time (okay and there were the house guests…) I realize I am not alone in being overly busy, forty BC Randonneurs qualified and registered for Paris-Brest-Paris in France! Yesterday saw the start of the Lower Mainland Summer Series. Many starters were out for an interesting and hilly tour of Lower Mainland Tim Hortons. Yes, now one can do a Tim Horton's tour of the Fraser Valley as well as the Vancouver Island East Coast one. It was wonderful to see three of our injured back on the bikes: Henry Berkenbos, Ron Himschoot and David Blanche were all there.

The ride was good training for PBP. Lots of twists and turns and new roads. Climbing seemed high but at 5260 ft (from Keith Nichol's altimeter) it was a little less than the climbing density of Paris (which would be 5360 ft for 212 km). For comparison, Ken Bonner has measured the Fraser Canyon 600 km at 15,782 ft (PBP climbing density would be less at 15,270 ft).

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