Dave Robar & Cynthia Wood, Nanaimo Control (111 km)
Photo: Kristy Lee Mighton

Highway to Hell 400 - Organizer's Report
by Mike Croy

On Saturday Brynne and I hosted the Vancouver Island Highway To Hell 400 km brevet. In all aspects the ride was a huge success with 8 riders starting and 8 riders finishing. Those that didn’t stay the night arrived at our house bright-eyed and busy-tailed by 3 am and left again as quickly as they arrived, riding off into early morning’s hushed darkness.

Kristy Mighton manned the first control in Nanaimo at McDonalds. Then The Denman Randonneur, John McGillivray, staffed the next control in Union Bay with his usual amazing spread of goodies. A crowd welcomed early riders back, thinning steadily until only Brynne and I remained to welcome the last two rain-soaked and weary souls. We were incredibly pleased to be able to present Cynthia Wood with her first 400 km finisher’s pin. She is close to a full series now, perhaps we’ll have another woman for the SR ranks by the end of this year.

I was doubly impressed this time around, both by the speed of the first riders and the perseverance of the last ones. Adding to the significance was the fact that this was a first 400 for half of the riders on course. Every rider who came and rode the brevet are true Randonneurs in my eyes for totally different reasons.

Thanks to all the riders who came and enjoyed the scenery of the island and made the spring V.I. 400 a success.

Mike Croy (with Brynne and Steven Croy)

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May 13, 2013