SCC Gibsons Grind 2015 - Saturday, June 20, 2015

June 2, 2016
Hi Grinders,

All of the info is now on the http://www.gibsonsgrindgranfondo.com/ site now but for those of you who check this blog, I have some important info.  There is a cap on the number of riders this year and we're at roughly 80% capacity.  If you are interested in riding the Grind this year, you'd better not procrastinate.

Safe Riding,

Larry

April 10, 2016
Hi Grinders,

We're working hard to bring you the 5th annual Gibsons Grind. The date will be June 25 and all information is at:

http://www.gibsonsgrindgranfondo.com/

Online registration is already set up and we're looking forward to seeing you there.  If you have any questions you can contact us through the contact section of the new site.

Safe riding,

Larry

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June 28, 2015
Hi Grinders,

It's been a week and I'm finally feeling caught up again, which is good as the SCC Gibsons Grind organizers are getting together tomorrow to debrief and start the discussions about next year.  The discussions will, among other things, include how to make the event better for the riders.

If you've ridden the event, let us know what you liked and what you thought we could do better.  We've already heard from a few people and would like to hear from more of you.  If you've thought about it and haven't ridden, let us know why.  The organizational talks are going to be ongoing so we have lots of time to consider your thoughts. The best place to get your message through is to email me through the Contact page. 

Safe Riding,

Larry
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June 20, 2015
Hi Grinders,

The fourth annual SCC Gibsons Grind went off without a hitch, mostly.  We realize that we can improve the sign in procedure and maybe make the marker arrows a little larger but for the most part, things went well.  To the best of my knowledge, we had 100 riders, all finished safely,  and many rode much further than they believed they could 

I'd really like to thank the people that volunteered their time to be at the aid stations, help organize, put together some well deserved food and finally cook and serve it.  Finally, I'd like to thank the riders that came out to ride with us.  I hope that you had as much fun as we did. 

We're already talking about the fifth annual Grind, so if you have any comments regarding how we could make the event better, please email me through the contact link.  We'd like to hear your thoughts and ideas. 

Safe riding,

Larry
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June 19, 2015
Hi Grinders, 

There is just 90 minutes left to register.  We're currently at 93 registrants and the tally seems to keep going up.  When we started organization for this year's event, we thought that 60 riders would be all we could ever hope to see.  Given that we had no time or money for promotion, we thought 60 was pretty ambitious.  However, you had other ideas.  It appears that you've spread the word better than we ever could have hoped to do.  Thanks for doing that.  I look forward to seeing you tomorrow morning. 

In the time it took to write the above paragraph, we're up two more riders to 95.  I think I'll go do one last check of the route to make sure that everything looks good for the ride.

Safe riding,

Larry
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June 17, 2015
Hi Grinders, 

Update to below: We have our volunteers.  Thanks to J. and R. for their time and effort.  Most of the riders will be riding to or past the Mason Rd. aid station so please yell your thanks as you fly by. 

With just a few days to go, we're furiously taking care of last minute tasks.  The biggest item on our to-do list is finding a volunteer or two that can handle the duties at the Mason Road aid station.  It consists of nothing more than handing out bars and water, and perhaps delving into that novel you've been working on.  It will only require about 3 hours of time.  If you can help out, or know of someone else that can, please contact me here.

Check out the news section as well for some interesting new... well, news.

Safe riding,

Larry
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June 14, 2015
Hi Grinders, 

Check out the news section for a fun announcement regarding sponsorship.  Hopefully you're out there enjoying the sun today.  If you're out there on your bike, you may see me doing a bit of sweeping or trimming some blackberries away from the shoulder of the road.

Safe riding,

Larry
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June 13, 2015
Hi Gibsons Grinders,

With just one week to go, we have 66 riders signed up.  That's just one or two away from doubling last years' turnout.  Thanks to those that have signed up.  If you're sitting on the fence and not sure that it's the ride for you, rest assured that there are riders of every level participating, and it's not a race.  Ride as fast or as leisurely as you like, just ride safely and have fun.  Also, the weather forecast is looking good at this point so that is yet another reason to take the plunge. 

On another note, PROBAR is sponsoring us again so that will help keep you fueled on the ride. 

Also helping to top up your fuel tank, both during and after the ride, Gibsons IGA is generously helping us out as well. 

Thanks to both of the above sponsors for their ongoing contributions to our humble event.    

Safe riding,

Larry
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June 6, 2015
Hi Grinders, 

So far we have 18 riders registered for the 4th annual SCC Gibsons Grind, yet we still have a few weeks before the big day. 

The first "Grind" was just a ride of 8 or 9 friends and was called the Canada Day 100.  We rode from our house in Gibsons to the end of Mercer Road and back.  When we returned we had a barbeque in the neighbors back yard.  It was conceived simply as a one-time event.  However, those friends coerced us, in a friendly and enthusiastic way, to run it again.  We figured that it would be another group of 8 or 9 and didn't realize that our friends were recruiting their friends to come out as well.  The second CD 100 turned out to have more than double the riders of the first one. 

At that point we realized two things.  The first was that there was interest in a road event here on the Sunshine Coast that extended beyond our little group of friends.  The second was that if we were going to open this ride up to others, we'd need a lot more help.  So we reached out to the Sunshine Coast Cycling Club in Sechelt and Spin Cycles in Gibsons.  They were both immediately enthusiastic and jumped on board.  Because of their help, we were able to offer aid stations and a few other perks last year.  The ridership increased, doubling yet again, a lot fun was had by the riders and new friendships were forged. 

Which brings me back to the 18 registrants we already have.  At this rate, the number of riders turning out will likely double again.  The little group ride amongst friends has grown into a real event, one that is drawing riders from not just here on the Sunshine Coast, but throughout the Lower Mainland.  Because of the generous help of the club, we'll have three different courses this year, with an aid station at the turnaround point of each one.  And thanks to Spin Cycles, we'll have full and highly competent mechanical support. 

That's pretty amazing for an affordable event that is just trying to break even.  And it's all happening because of the volunteer work of a great bike shop, bike club and a few of our friends.  Thanks to all those helping, and especially to all those who have signed up for the Grind or are yet to.  I look forward to seeing you there.

Which reminds me, I need to sign up now.

Safe riding,

Larry
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May 24, 2015
Hi Gibsons Grinders, 

The News tab has all the latest but it's worth saying here that thanks to the hard work of Glenn and Tim, our online registration is now active.  You can sign up for the ride and the barbeque here:

BikeReg SCC Gibsons Grind Registration

Note that you can sign up for any distance and ride any other distance.  We just have the options to get a sense of how many people are interested in each route.
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May 22, 2015
Hi Gibsons Grinders, 

A few of us organizers will be meeting with Persephone Brewing today to discuss having the post ride refreshments there.  Then on Monday we're having a meeting to finalize the last few issues.  As soon as that's done, I'll get the info up here on the blog.  Please keep checking in for the latest news. 

Safe riding,

Larry
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May 19, 2015

Hi Gibsons Grinders, 

After looking into it, it seems that riders feel that an intermediate distance route would be a welcome addition to the SCC Gibsons Grind so we're adding a 70km route.  It may be shorter than the full route but it's still not a walk in the park.  It features more than 1000m of climbing but bridges the gap between the 50 and the full 110 km rides.  The route can be seen in some detail here:

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/715776139

This year's routes are still being finalized but I don't foresee any significant changes in any of them.  I'll keep you posted.

Safe riding,

Larry
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May 17, 2015

Hi Gibsons Grinders,

Over the next few days we'll be finalizing the details for this year's Grind.  What we have worked out so far is that this year's event will take place on Saturday, June 20, 2015, we'll have at least two different distances and we'll have another great prize draw at the end.  We're also working on hosting another barbeque or something similar.  Please check the News section of this blog over the next few days as we'll be updating regularly. 

Safe riding,

Larry

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         All posts below are from the 2014 event or earlier.
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October 25, 2014

Hi Gibsons Grinders,

Hopefully you've all had a great summer and are readying yourself for the coming holiday/overeating season.  We're just starting to look at the planning and organization for next years event and we'd like to hear from you.  If you have anything to say about last year's event or any ideas for what you'd like to see next year, please visit the comments page and let me know.   If you can volunteer a bit of time to get involved, I'd really like to hear from you.  Send me an email from the Contact page.

Safe riding,

Larry

July 5, 2014

Hi Gibsons Grinders,

It's been a week since the 2014 SCC Grind took place and there are a few things that I want to take care of.  Firstly, I'd like to say thanks to everyone that came out and made the event fun and successful.  Despite the mixed weather, we had a lot of riders show up at the start. Thanks also to those who came out to the barbeque. 

We had a raffle at the barbeque and there were some prizes drawn for people that weren't there.  I'll be contacting those winners today to arrange to get your prize to you.  Also, we haven't yet had time to get together with the people at Spin Cycles to hold the draw for the "riders only" raffle.  We will be doing that in the next week or so and will keep you posted.  The prizes are being provided by Spin Cycles so thanks to them for the contribution.   

Thanks to Sunshine Coast Cycling Club members Darren and Glen, as well as their families for seeing to it that the riders had well stocked refreshment stations on the route. 

Thanks to the sponsors who were:
Gibsons IGA
Blurr apparel in Squamish
ProBar
Spin Cycles

They all provided time and product that helped make the event so much more than just a great bike ride.

Thanks to the SCC members who gave their time to help plan the event. 

Finally, thanks to the 7th Street Crew.  They were the genesis of the Grind and they have continued to provide a humbling amount of support.  They're the real reason this event has continued to grow.

We're already discussing how to make next year's event better so if you have any comments, please email me through via the contact page.  I'll see you out on the road.

Safe riding,

Larry

June 28, 2014

Hi Riders,

I must apologize for the lack of updates the last few days.  We've been working like crazy to pull off this little event we call the Grind. 

We marked the route with Route Arrows on Thursday but rain hit us on Friday.  Since Route Arrows are biodegradable, rain isn't very friendly towards them. So we hit the road again tonight with markers that don't dissolve in rain.  Before you get concerned about this, I'll be riding around next Tuesday or Wednesday pulling them all up and taking them to the recycling depot. 

Last minute details had what we refer to as the 7th Street Crew, the people who birthed the Grind, going over our plans until just a few minutes ago (12:15 am on the morning before the ride).  We think we have it all covered, but my favorite phrase ever may have the last word.  I'm too tired to look up the exact quote but it goes something like "The problem with fool-proof plans is that they fail to take into account the ingenuity of fools" and is attributed to Mark Twain.  Hopefully neither the riders, the organizers or the BBQ attendees will prove to be fools and we'll have a great day a few hours from now. 

The ride will go on rain or shine.  Unfortunately it will probably include a little rain but that's life on the west coast.  The barbeque is at a great venue and you can stay dry either outside or inside at the Eric Cardinal Hall.  There is a huge field and playground there for the kids so regardless of whether or not you ride, come and enjoy the eats and camaraderie there.

Have a safe ride,

Larry
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  June 23, 2014

For all intents and purposes, it's here, even though it's really next Saturday.  All that separates us from next weekend's SCC Gibsons Grind is 5 business days.  Unlike university exams, training isn't something you can cram for.  If you don't already have sufficient time on the bike, doing a lot of extra mileage in the week leading up to the Grind isn't going to help. 

Your best strategy is just doing a few relatively easy rides and be rested for Saturday.  You can't make up for time gone by with a flurry of binge training.  All that will do is leave you exhausted for the big event. So if you are like me and elected to or through necessity did other things this weekend (and far too many previous weekends) and let your training slide, you're not alone. 

I'm lucky in that I've always "ridden sweep" for this ride. I'll be the last one across the finish line no matter what. It's a bit of an excuse to not have to ride hard, but that doesn't tell the whole story.  I will start at the same time as everyone else but will finish last, as is required by the noble assignment of the sweeper. As a result I’ll spend more time in the saddle than anyone else. 

Not having sufficient training time myself, and the Grind being about 40% longer than any ride I've done this year, I know I'm in for a long day. Also, in riding sweep, there is a lot of back and forth riding in making sure everyone is well, fixing bikes and whatever else may be required. As a result, I ended up riding about 130 km last year instead of the 100 km the route required. Sweeping requires a lot of riding but the there can be unexpected rewards.

At the first ever Gibons Grind in 2012, I finished the ride with someone who had insufficient training, rode too enthusiastically at the start, and on top of it all had some mechanical problems along the way. Towards the end of the day this person was physically beat, but not beaten. The smile never left his face and he never gave up. That moment of crossing the finish line was transcendent for him. I didn’t realize that it was for me as well. 

In the following months I often thought of my ride with that last finisher, of his spirit and courage. His effort inspired me to train fervently the following winter logging an average of over 12 hours a week just riding the trainer. One several occasions I did trainer sessions of over 5 hours long. When my motivation faltered, I thought back to my experience at the previous year’s Gibsons Grind and it kept me going. 

When spring finally arrived, I was more motivated than ever and my training took another leap forward. I was truly in the best cycling shape of my life. I entered several of the major Gran Fondos in Western Canada and got two top-30 finishes. That wasn’t for just for my age group, but overall. Not bad for a guy in his 50s.

As happy as I was about my performances, the moment that gave me the most satisfaction that season was meeting that last place Gibsons Grind rider in Penticton. It was at the finish of the 2013 Axel Mercx Gran Fondo. Not only did he finish the full 160 km ride in conditions that had a lot of people collapsing from heat exhaustion, he had done so with a really good time.

The SCC Gibsons Grind isn’t a big event. The truth is it’s really just a friendly local club ride. But a small event can still inspire a great effort that in itself inspires, creates good memories and great friends.

Ride safe,

Larry
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June 20, 2014

8 more sleeps until the SCC Gibsons Grind.  Please note that if you plan on attending the barbeque, we're getting pretty close to the deadline.  So please RSVP and also let us know if others will be joining you.  We need to know the total number of BBQ attendees so we can have enough food on hand.

Thanks,

Larry
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June 19, 2014

9 more sleeps until the SCC Gibsons Grind.  Keep checking the news section for the latest updates.

As we get closer to the ride date, we keep getting more great news to report. Today is a great example of news that will make your ride more enjoyable and possibly even a little easier.

If you are intending to join us at the barbeque, please RSVP.  See the BBQ section for more.

Safe riding,

Larry
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June 17, 2014
Hello Grinders, We finally have all the barbeque information up.  Sorry for the delays but we've had insufficient time to plan this event.  Having said that, the club has worked hard and things have come together very well. 

I hope to see you out riding and enjoying the great weather leading up to the Grind and really hope to see you there on June 28th.

Safe riding,

Larry
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June 15, 2014
Hello Grinders,

Notice:  We’ve finalized the price for the ride.  All the latest information is Under the Ride Info tab. 

The final price for the barbeque will be up tomorrow. As earlier stated, it will be $10-$12.
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June 14, 2014
Hello Grinders,

Two weeks until the SCC Gibsons Grind.  There's still time for some desperation training, which pretty much sums up my plan. 

Check back later today and I should have all the finalized information up on the blog. 

Some people are asking what you get for your entry fee.  For the answer, please see the comments page where I've hopefully provided a satisfactory answer.

Safe riding,

Larry
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June 9, 2014
Hello Grinders,

Please check the News, BBQ and Ride Info tabs for the latest information.  There have been changes to the start location as well as the barbeque time for the SCC Gibsons Grind.  These changes have been made to make participation easier and better for the riders.  The routes are finalized and the links are up under the Ride Info tab.

Safe riding,

Larry
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May 29, 2014
Hello Riders,

The Gibsons Grind is going to be held again this year, and there are a few changes coming.  The first, and biggest is that it will be run through the Sunshine Coast Cycling Club.  That means it will now be known as The SCC Gibsons Grind. This year there will be a small fee for the ride (the purchase of a club membership which will be $25 for most adults).  That will provide liability insurance for the event and riders. This means that we can open it up to the general public so please spread the word. 

We’re planning to have a post ride barbeque again, but instead of it being in a neighbors back yard, it will be at  Eric Cardinall Hall at Shirely Macey Park .  There is lots of room for the kids and adults to play. 

The Routes will be similar to last year’s event, but will change slightly due to the new location of the barbeque and a few other factors.

The SCC Gibsons Grind and barbeque will take place on June 28, 2014. 

Please check the News tab for the latest information.

Safe riding,

Larry

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              All posts below are from the 2013 event.
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June 26, 2013

It's almost here.  The weather is going to be great.  I hope to see you there at the ride, the barbeque or both.  Check the News tab for the latest updates.  There have been a few minor changes to the routes.  If you're out riding you may see me and a few helpers marking the route today.  If you're not out trying for a PR, stop and say hi.  Have a good one.

Safe riding,

Larry
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June 25, 2013

Hello Riders,

There’s less than a week to go before the Gibsons Grind on Sunday, June 30, 2013. I've reorganized all of the ride information to be under the Routes tab.  I have added a separate BBQ tab now for that event. Hopefully that will make it easier to find the info you’re looking for. 

Safe riding,

Larry

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June 17, 2013

The Canada Day long weekend is approaching rapidly so I've set up this blog to help keep people informed about the 2nd annual Gibsons Grind.  The date for this year's ride is Sunday, June 30, 2013.  We are planning to have two, and possibly 3 different routes this year.  We will definitely have the 100 km ride we did last year but will also have a 50 km ride, and if there is enough interest a 20 km ride as well.  The rides are self-paced and not competitive.  The goal is just to get people out on their bikes having fun and getting some exercise.  However, for those with a competitive streak, there will be lots of opportunity for Strava QOM and KOM attempts.  In fact, the 100 km route winds past a few good test pieces that don't exist on Strava yet. 

This year's 100 km ride will be similar to last year's ride, turning around at the far end of Mercer Road.  The 50 will turn around at Davis Bay.  The courses are essentially out and back courses so you can just turn around and head back at any point.  Those not familiar with the Sunshine Coast don't have to worry about memorizing the route or carrying a map as my partner, cb, splurged for Route Arrows to mark the route.  Just follow the pink arrows on the road and you'll be fine.  Check the Routes page for links to more detailed maps.

Of course, like last year the highlight of the ride for most of us will be the post ride BBQ.  The barbeque is open to all riders as well as their families and any friends you want to bring along.  There is more to do up here than ride a bike so non-riding friends may want to spend the day swimming, hiking, or hanging around in a coffee shop.  If there are enough children at the BBQ with push bikes, bicycles or tricycles, we may even have a quick and fun Mini-grind for the kids.

The barbeque will get under way about 5:30 pm.  We'll have hamburgers (vegetarian and meat), baked potatoes, salad and other goodies, as well as non-alcoholic beverages for all.  Feel free to BYOB.  Just make sure you have a designated driver.  The BBQ will cost $10.00 per person, kids 15 and under are free.  The 10 dollars will help offset the cost of food, propane, and the like.  In the unlikely event that we have a surplus of funds, the extra money will go to the Gibsons Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre.   The address of the barbeque will be given to all people who give advance notice.  We don't want to give it out randomly for many obvious reasons.

There is no need to notify us if you want to ride.  Just show up on time.  However, we do need to know in advance if you want to partake in the barbeque.  Just hit the contact tab above and send an email.  We'll need to know by the morning of June 27th.

Finally, blurr inc., a Squamish based apparel company, has generously offered some cool stuff to be given away in a raffle.  Everyone at the BBQ is eligible for the draw so don't miss it.

If you have any questions, please email me using the contact link above.

Safe riding,
Larry