January Permanent - Ugh! That was Tough...
Ride date: January 15, 2018
by Karen Smith

...I think I said that for my last Permanent too… time to get fitter!

Most of our recent snow had melted in Chilliwack and it was time to get the January Permanent done.
Just as we were going to start our ride, Gary noticed he had a flat. Better to have a flat before you start than on the ride. : )
Nice perk of the Permanent, that you don’t have to start your clock until you go. : )
We started in 6 degrees. Much warmer than expected.
The shoulders on Chilliwack Lake Rd were full of gravel and sand from being winterized, but there was so little traffic we rode mainly in the lane.
We made it to Birchwood in decent time as we had a wind over our right shoulder. By this time I was overheating and had to take my jacket off. Not bad for 10 am in January!
I had a really tough time climbing up 272. I don’t think I’ve ever gone that slowly!
In Ft Langley we fuelled up with Mac ’n Cheese at a table we shared with a with a young journalist student. Fun conversations.
Both Gary and I noted that we hadn’t had any water out of our water bottles yet.
We sure needed and used that macaroni as we struggled in the stiff and gusty headwind on North Parallel.
Both of us were so hungry by the time we got to Yellow Barn, we were eating the cake samples on the counter as we waited for our food.
We didn’t leave Yellow Barn until almost 5 pm. With over 60 km to go and the wind still howling, I wished I was just going home (which was only 15 km away).
But we pushed on and by the time we were on Hope and Camp River Roads, we were mostly sheltered from the wind.
There was a lot of snow on the shoulders and sides of the roads in Chilliwack.
A quick break at Popkum and then the final push home was really pleasant.
It helps when you have a tailwind.
What a beautiful evening with a star filled sky! A great way to end a tough ride.
I vow to be stronger for my next 200!

: )
K

Karen Smith and Gary Baker: Permanent #18, Chilliwack start, Jan 15.
203 km
12 hrs 4 min

January 25, 2018