North Shore - Triple Crown 07/07/07

[shirk]

It's time for the fourth and final North Shore Ripper event, The Triple Crown.

Reports from the first three events for those that missed them.

7th Secret

Super D

CBC DH Time Trial

The Triple Crown is an event that spans the three major mountians on the North Shore. It only has check points and the riders can pick any route or method to get to those check points.

The check points and basic rotue are:
Start Old Buck parking lot on Seymour
Top of CBC
Water towers on Mountain Hwy on Fromme
6th switchback on Mountain Hwy Fromme
Cleveland Dam (just below the tram on Capilano Rd that goes up Grouse)
Lot 5 top of the trails on Cypress
Obsession Cycles on Lower Londsdale.
68kms 7,510 feet of climbing/decent

Last year LeeLau and I teamed up to do an extended route. Our plan was to start at sea level and then climb beyond each upp mountian check point to the ski hills that are atop each of the local mountains, but also returning to sealevel between each climb. Lee's TR is here. We failed in returning to sealevel between Grouse and Cypress due to timing and wanting to hit each check point before they closed. Our day was 96.8kms and 9,954 feet of climbing over 12hrs.

This year I have planned an even further extended route. We will start in Deep Cove and cover most all of last years route but instead of heading back to North Van from the bottom of Cypress we will continue west to Horseshoe Bay them return along the road to Lower Lonsdale. The route will be 110km+ and 10,000+ feet of climbing. I'll be riding it with my uber fit big bike riding buddy MattJ. Instead of some clapped out 25$ junker as I've raced the last three races on I'll be riding a Bionicon Edison. Matt was to ride a Ironwood but instead will be hammering it out on his GranMal (still set up full DH aside from a light seat, no granny). Matt is a genetic mutant that rides a big bike like it's a 30lbs xc machine. I've done all the route finding ahead of time this year, we won't be picky the easy options down the mountain, Seymour will be CBC, TNT, Cabin, Dales, After Taste. Fromme will be JetBoy, final on Cypress will be Sagar. Should be fun.

I've already started planning an even further extended Quadruple Crown for next year if we survive this one

[kidwoo]

So.............................what are you wearing?

[shirk]

So.............................what are you wearing?

Oh forgot to add the costume......sadly none

Spectrum has hooked us up with a couple jerseys.

The girls team "Rack Attack" will be playing up their assets with costumes.

[kidwoo]

The girls team "Rack Attack" will be playing up their assets with costumes.

As usual, I wait in anticipation of your always well written and photographically documented report of the upcoming events in your local cycling community.

[filthyfrenchbum]

Ho-leee-shit!
That's just impressive, and a little bit sadistic I guess!
I'm usually done after going up and down Fromme once, can't even imagine doing such a trek!
Good luck

[shirk]

So.............................what are you wearing?

van_skier's Stinky has shed it's usual army green in favour of something from Liberace's closet.

[mattj]

I didn't change my seat at all! Jump seat all the way baby!!

140ish km, 14,000ish feet, 14 hours! Completely vehicle-free day (except for me driving over fromBurnaby in the morning and then back at night). Was one of the best rides ever.

The pics are weak. We only took summit and ocean pictures, more as proof for naysayers than trying to capture the day's fun...


-m

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

140ish km, 14,000ish feet, 14 hours!

you guys are nuts.

[LeeLau]

way to go matt and brian

[shirk]

What a LONG day Saturday was. Thats easily the longest ride I've ever done.
I didn't have a GPS with me but with plotting the path on Google Earth I've plotted our route to be 116kms and 10,620 feet of climbing over 14hrs.


We left my place at 7:07am 07,07,07


First stop Deep Cove to dip the wheels in the water at sea level. From here we climbing up to the actual starting point at the base of Mt. Seymour.


Hunter S Thompson made it out for some Fear and Loathing.


Showgirls ride trails? Cool.


The all girls team Rack Attack got the morning started with some Champagne and OJ.


Infamous Team ShuttleWhore rocked pink baskets to hold their beer.


Hey look two guys dressed the same atop Mt. Seymour. 1020m of climbing and one mountain done.


We opted not to take the easy route down.


Mattj rides a teeter on Dales.


Ah back at sea level in one of the scumiest spots in North Van.


No pictures of the torture between sea level and Grouse, just this one from the top. Along the way I nearly blew up due to over heating on the Fromme climb. Felt like my head was going to explode. I think the only reason I am smiling in this pic is because the grass was nicer on my ass than a saddle.


Whats this? Just a random jet engine on the side of a mountain.


mattj "congratulations you are on the worlds longest demo ride"


Thank god for the ShuttleWhore bbq and beer in lot 5 on Cypress Mountain. Nothing like some beer and steak to pull you back from the dead.


Cypress ski area it's almost all downhill form here.


Yeah team. Ya we looked like dorks doing the staged high five. But I think we forgot that we still had a 19km road ride to knock off.


Finally done. mmmmmm beer and pizza is goooooood.

I have to give HUGE props to mattj for pushing thru major leg cramps and lugging his Grandmal all day. Somewhere between the 5th and 6th switchback on Fromme he cramped up, but just kept pushing along. Every so often we would thing about tossing in the towel and changing our route. But I would just say lets see how we feel at point x and decide there. Each time we got to a bail point we just kept pushing. Mattj didn't ride no stinking all-mountian bike or xc. He mashed it out on his very very very heavy Grandmal, with 2.7 Minnions and full on DH build. This bad boy has got to be 47lbs. He is a genetic mutants, a machine.

Every year a Ripper King and Queen are picked. For my antics this year I was named Ripper King. I am pretty stoked about this. For next year I'll have to come up with some great ideas to top this. I already have an even longer Triple Crown route idea.


Route profile (in feet for you Mericans)


Route map.

[Tap]

Long live the King!

thx for bringing the stoke, Shirk. Now get out there and freeride your ass off!

[Squatch]

That is rad.

[kidwoo]

Jesus christ......those are some big bikes to be taking on that kind of haul.


Nice work man!

[Rontele]

you canucks are fucking insane.

[mattj]

The hand is quicker than the eye, but not the lens. Damn, busted!


-m

[grskier]

Been waiting for the trip report the last few days and you did not disappoint.... you guys are nuts for pedalling that much weight around that far.

[Krazy Hawaiian]

Nice! Wanna try another excellent climb and blast down? Try Helemanu (the House of the Sun the sunrise up there is just awesome!) on Maui. I did it a dozen or so times in the past. Mauna Kea (home of Madam Pele the Hawaiian Goddess of Fire) on the Big Island is another winner, tallest peak on Earth.

[Spark]

Congrats to you and Mattj. Ripper King is well deserved.

Here's a pic of Shirk getting his Ripper King Jersey


I am part of the Ripper Committee and snapped this photo. The two to the right of Bri are James (owner of Obession Bikes) and Sharon, co-founders of the NSMBA Ripper Mountain Biking Events.

[Van_skier]

Here's a pic of Shirk getting his Ripper King Jersey

Thanks for that pic. I was too busy cheering to pull out the camera for his crowning moment (oops ... )

[Arty50]

Fuck yes!!!

Oh and are you sure you weren't nominated for the Ripper King by the people who rode behind you...