The Bridges & Ferry Tour 1000
Ride date: August 13, 2022
by Gary Baker

When the 2022 Bridges & Ferry Tour 1000 on Vancouver Island was announced I made sure I was at the ready to register for one of the coveted spots. I joked with friends, that at my age, I thought I had at least one Ultra left in me. This was to be my opportunity to prove it.

Two years of Covid and four unsuccessfully Ultra attempts after successfully riding PBP 2015 raised self generated doubts to a new level. about completing 1000 and 1200km rides. Adding two more serious injuries in 2020/21 to my rather long list of injuries added to my concerns. I had a bad fall hiking and had to have reconstructive surgery on my left shoulder ( last Sept). The recovery had not gone well and I still have limited strength and range of motion. The second injury was a strange one. While snowshoeing in the back country in deep snow on steep terrain I got a quad cramp and simultaneously went into a full squat. The 3km hike out was slow and very painful. The surgeon said, "Why didn't you break a bone or tear a tendon, that we can fix.". I had a 100% tear across the belly of the largest of the quad muscles, the Rectus Femoris muscle which is not repairable". So I no longer have a quad on my left leg, it is a "threaud"*.

My preparations for this ride did not go as planned. The plan was to ride the Spring brevet series complemented with lots of touring. I DNF'd the LM 600 which forced me to do either the V.I. or INT 600 in the Summer Series. I rode the VI 600 a short two weeks after a bout with COVID....S..t!. Thankfully it went well. but I felt wasted!

My strategy for the 1000 was to tuck in behind my friend, Rick " the diesel" den Braber who over the past several years has become faster and a better climber than me. He is big, I'm small; he punches a really big hole in the wind. Day # 1 of the ride was tough, tougher than anything I remember on PBP. The Malahat is bigger the any climb on PBP and the ride into an out from Genoa Bay was a muscle burner with multiply 15-20% grades ( a rare occurrence at PBP).

Day 2 looked to be more forgiving but in my opinion it was not, much of the route involved long 1-2% gradients that slow you down but comparable descents do little to up one's speed. So, day # 2 was tediously long. Day # 3 with all the trail riding and frequent urban turns just ate up the clock. These comments are not complaints, just observations. Overall I think this was a really will thought out, challenging and interesting route. The organizers did a stellar job organizing the event and supporting riding along the route.

Every ride needs a good story, a unique event, a surprise. Late in the ride it happened. We had just climbed up for the Esquimalt Lagoon and were about to enter the Galloping Goose Trail. We were bagged and decided a sidewalk snooze was in order. As we walked by one particular building we triggers a set of sliding doors into a large entry vestibule. This reminded me, in my sleep depraved fog, of the open post office buildings on some of our past US rides, a perfect place to crash I thought. The other were not so sure, I went in, they lay down on the sidewalk near by. I took a caffeine pill, set my watch, set my helmet up as a pillow and all was well. I was in full sleep WHEN, thud something hit me on the side of the head, my helmet went flying and my head bounced off the floor and there was a man standing over my saying, " Are you OK?" Hell, what just happened? It turned out I was sleeping in the entrance of an Holiday Express Motel and the night clerk on his rounds saw me. As he approached he triggered the interior automatic doors which slid open striking me on the side of the head. Let's say there was quite a commotion. His behavior was not what I'd expect of a 'night clerk' he was most apologetic and invited the three of us into the lobby to sleep on the sofas and offered us coffee. It took five days for the lump and mark on my forehand to heal. That was a surprise for the books.

The ride was a success, I did have one more ULTRA in me. I'm pretty sure I still have 'at least one more in me'. PBP perhaps? With a completed 1000 I plan to register for PBP with the first openings in Jan. '23 and to do the qualifying super series. That is a far as I have planned. Will I ride PBP if I qualify, time will tell.

* Gary's own word... a three muscle thigh group as compared to a four muscle quad group.