Quintuple Pave Classic Report

Another early wake up (something like 5:50am, the details are foggy at best now) in order to bike the 20km to get to the start of the Tall Tree Cycles Quintuple Pave Classic. The ride was scheduled to start at 8am, with registration wrapping up at 7:45. I was aiming to get there for 7:30, and despite a couple of wrong turns on the bike paths leading to Lac Leamy, I got there right on schedule.

Crossing the Champlain Bridge.

Registration area, complete with bike racks!

The ride got started a bit after 8, and with the cool morning temperature (it was about 8 degrees, if I remember correctly), I was actually shivering once we were rolling. It didn't take long to warm up The first 8km were neutralized, after which we stopped for the official start AND a much needed mass pee break.

The first 20km were ridden at a mellow pace, and the group pretty well stuck together. Despite some accelerations and a bit of breaking up of the pack, the majority re-grouped at the 44km where a bridge was under repair, and we were forced to walk around (except for Rodd, who rode the whole detour...badass! Of course, I don't have pictures here to show you how badass it was, but trust me, it was!)

View from the dam near Low.

Photo shoot on the dam.

Leading up to the dam near Low, the roads featured a lot of loose dirt/gravel sections that made riding tricky...especially for me, since I was running 25 width tires. Normally, these would be fine on packed dirt roads, but a little more float would have been nice for those dodgy sections.

After Low, and some paved roads the pace seemed to pick up a bit. Onto some more dirt roads, and our team (Rodd, Matt, Neil, Nathan and myself), plus a Euro Sports rider were riding alone ahead of the rest of the pack. Back onto paved roads and Nathan had a flat (go figure). While he changed it, Euro Sports and the Wheelers passed us. On a side note, Neil got yelled at by some lady for taking a piss in her driveway. It seemed to provide some entertainment for the rest of.

Matt taking a piss in a field, not a driveway.

Matt and Rodd, stone cold chillin' on Cross Loop Road.

By the time we made it to the end at Gamelin, it was roughly 2pm, and we didn't have to wait long until the Wheelers and Euro-Sports came cruising through. Everyone raved about the route, the weather, the format...a good time enjoyed by all. The post ride BBQ was also a nice bonus (big up Glenn and Marilee for volunteering their time).

Neil, stone cold chillin' at the end.

I'm actually at a loss for words now 'cause it's getting late as I post this, but if I don't do it now, it'll never get done, so enjoy the next couple of pics!

Word is this is the Tall Tree team van for next year!

New beer that I tried when I got home, nice flavour (hard to pin down, hint of toffee maybe?), not too hoppy and lightly carbonated. Gets my vote!