GoldiChick and the Three Bikes
nce upon a time there was a girl named GoldiChick who signed her fool self up for a 130km bike race in the dead of winter in one of the coldest places on the planet. The training, she figured, would be a great distraction over the winter months and help her kick some serious ass when summer finally came.
She trained and trained for the race, wanting to make sure she was ready and wouldn’t end up a cramped and frozen carcass somewhere out on the bald prairie. She experimented with lots and lots of different clothes to keep warm. Sometimes it worked, and sometimes it didn’t. She rode for miles with nothing but her sweet tunes to keep her company.
But as the race approached, she started to worry about her bike. She had been using a 17 year-old hardtail mountain bike with no front suspension. The seat was a little loose and the wheels were only 26″, plus this bike hadn’t had a check up in, well, 17 years. Plus, there really wasn’t very much snow on the ground. Would this bike be too slow and heavy for the conditions?
So GoldieChick started to think about using her cyclocross bike. It was lighter, newer, had bigger and skinnier tires (GoldiChick really likes skinny tires) and would go much, much faster (GoldiChick really likes to go fast). But she had never ridden more than three hours on this bike, and it was a little less reliable in deeper snow and on ice. Would this bike be too sketchy and uncomfortable for such a long and unpredictable course?
Then a nice man named Ian the Race Organizer offered his 29er mountain bike for her to use. This bike had fancy front suspension, 29 inch wheels (the same size as a road bike), but wider mountain bike tires to keep her mostly upright on sketchy ice and shit. Of course she had never ridden this bike before, and 12 hours is a long time to be on the wrong bike. 
After changing her mind about a million times (she is, after all a Chick), GoldiChick decided the 29er would indeed be just right.
I guess she’ll find out tomorrow if she was right.
(Not) The End.
There are many, many frozen dead bodies on the slopes of Everest.
Thankfully (for you), we don’t live anywhere near Everest and you’ll be kicking some serious butt this weekend. Bon Chance!
Whimpy Johnny
I’m covering the Niverville checkpoint for a few hours, but I have a feeling I won’t see anybody. By 3pm (when my tour of duty starts) all you guys will have blown through! Good luck Andrea – kick ass! I’m proud and in awe of all you guys!
Good luck tomorrow. Glad you are riding that 29er. I used that same bike for Reach The Beach. Ian Hall is so generous you will do great. Have you seen the YETI? Best Mascot ever.
I am predicting right now you will be in top ten overall.
Have a great ride – can’t wait to hear (read) all about it!
Have fun and stay Andrea. Once you’ve ridden a 29er you’ll never go back to a 26er. Ian is indeed a fine fellow.
Terry
Great choice ‘GoldiChick’ … true there’s no going back after you’ve tried a 29er! Good luck Andrea – you want need any help from us support-looker-oners.
Well played Ian! Hey, can I borrow all your stuff for Arrowhead next year? 😉
sp: ‘you “won’t’ need any help’ …
Andrea–best of luck on this great adventure! We’ll be thinking of you on Saturday–enjoy the ride.
go girl, go, cannot wait for the post-race ‘post’!
[…] to race organizer Ian Hall, who even went so far as to lend me his bike. He and his wonderful wife Donna – who seemed to be everywhere that day – were absolutely […]