Best Laid Plans
As a young man, my sport of choice was road cycling – particularly long distance rides. I’m not a young man anymore so I hadn’t cycled in quite some time, until two summers ago that is – when a fellow parent at CDS cajoled me into taking a ride or two again.
So, I decided to give it a try and spent last year desperately trying to stay on the rear wheel of the group – without much success. But I stuck with it this summer and even enrolled in my first competitive race – a 123 km ride from downtown Vancouver to Whistler. Needless to say, that is a mostly uphill ride!
I trained all summer and made my way to the race on Sept 7 with a group of friends. Amidst 5000 riders, we set off down Douglas Street for the 5-6 hour race. Before I reached the Lion’s Gate Bridge I blew my rear tire – approximately 1 km into the race! I hobbled to the side of the road, changed out the tube and it immediately blew again. Without another spare, I slung the bike over my shoulder and ran back to the start line to get some mechanical assistance. All the time watching all 5000 riders merrily pass me by.
To this point, I remained undeterred as some able bike mechanics who were just leaving the start line assisted me. But, it was quickly determined that the back frame had been bent in transit from Toronto to Vancouver. The rear brakes were offset and were rubbing into the sidewall of the tire, causing the repeated blow-outs. This wasn’t something they could repair, but they advised I could race to the first rest-stop about 25K into the race where a proper maintenance support team might be able to help out – however, I couldn’t use my back brakes!! While the ride to whistler is mostly uphill, the first 25K does involve cresting and descending several thousand feet down the other side of the Coast Mountains.
Well, I had come too far and trained too long not to give it a try – even though the rest of the race was probably 10km ahead of me by this point.
So I cycled hard to catch up and as I came over the Lion’s Gate Bridge and into the view of the mountains, I did begin to think twice about the prospect of the many descents I would face without the aid of rear brakes. And as I started my descent at the mid-point of the bridge I blew another tire. I decided that was fate trying to tell me something. So I pulled off to the side of the road and resigned myself that this wasn’t going to be the day I finished my first race.
Things don’t always turn out as we envision them. And that’s entirely okay. I’m safe and I will ride my first race another day.
Land Acknowledgment
The Country Day School wishes to recognize and acknowledge the land on which the school operates. Our nearest Indigenous Nations are now the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Chippewas of Georgina Island. The Dish with One Spoon Wampum covenant is often cited as an example of the shared responsibility for caring for these lands among the Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples who would call these their traditional territories. CDS respects the relationship with these lands and recognizes that our connection to this land can be strengthened by our continued relationship with all First Nations, by acknowledging our shared responsibility to respect and care for the land and waters for future generations.
School Information
13415 Dufferin Street King, Ontario L7B 1K5
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
