This is it, we're done!! Aaaaah! 😭

Great turnout for the final week with 37 riders, we had a bit of weather this week, but also some pleasant patches if you could wait it out. I certainly got lucky a couple days. From what I heard the final timed segment was a fun challenge, hope you enjoyed as well! 

I'll cover this week's results tonight, please take a look and let me know if there are any errors ASAP! In a few days I'll send out the final Season report, focusing on the series overall - so it's important the numbers are all correct! (This also affects how the final prizing is awarded.)

In some other news, there's a documentary about Rob Britton's ride from Victoria to his original home of Regina, on Wed, Nov 5th. Thanks to James C for sending me this, get your tickets here, proceeds go to the Tripleshot Youth Coffee Fund (I mean program): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/no-place-like-home-film-release-tickets-1907575693249

Thanks to all who replied last week, seems like there's some interest in new series, something along the lines of a Gravel Winterquest - good chance I'll whip something up, and I'm working on some other creative elements for it...I'll keep y'all posted. If anyone is keen to help with coming up with some fun elements, lemme know!

But let's keep moving...

Racing News

Note: expect spoilers!

Today was the 5th Cross on the Rock in Nanaimo, and boy I enjoyed that course - great racing by many of our Segment Challenge riders as well!! Find all the results here.

Two bigger cyclocross races once again this weekend, I've only seen both the Men's races (good timing this morning being on when I got up, but haven't had a chance to see the women's). A bit strange how Nice's two races went.... Saturday's women's race was quite good as well (it was the Koppenberg Cross), so great to seen Brand finally take that W.

There was also CX racing in the US, Northhampton or something like that... I saw Katja was just off the podium yesterday, with McGill taking another win! Today Anna Megale, a name I don't think I've seen before, was 3rd and top Canadian, with Sidney in 5th...must have been some kind of technical..?! Rhett Bates was the top Canadian in 7th both races, from Broad St as well!

HOUSEKEEPING

Notes for the week:

Nothing too exciting this week!

Reminder if your time didn't record (this week or any), please either tag me in your ride, comment on the Strava group post, or send me an email -- if you rode it, I can usually figure out a 'manual' time for you, but you need to let me know!

4 <- THIS MANY WEEKS WITHOUT AN ERROR 🤣

If there are any errors, omissions, issues, concerns, or anything else, feel free to hit reply!

SPONSORS AD

Okay, this is too weird even for me. I was going to make up something like 'butt breathing strips', because there keep popping up articles about how we can 'breath' through our butts. Seriously. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

SOUNDTRACK NOTES

Note: 'back in my day' people talked about music, albums, etc.. Doesn't really seem to happen much these days, so I'm carrying on the tradition here! 😊

Ugh no time tonight, but listening to a fair bit of Sufjan Stevens this week! And looks like Supergrass has yet another new album?! 🎶

THIS WEEK IN RIDES

For those new to the series, results are tabulated each week, and the event page has all the results updated each Sunday night! To see the weekly results, hit the tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet.

The A's

Just two A's out for the final week, and Jolene claimed the final QOM of the season by 13 seconds over Amy!

Julian once again took the top time and KOM - if you check out my Strava post from the day, I posted a neat animation showing where the guys I rode with that day, plus Julian, were along the segment's timeline, it's kinda neat!

But sticking with the main news, Rob Parkin was back and 2nd was his, nearly 10sec off the top time, and Adam W just a few seconds behind that! Myself and Jon B were next best dressed.

The B's

Great efforts in the B's, but Tania J posted the fastest time, and Rachael earned 2nd by just 1 second ahead of Anne and Katy, who tied for 3rd! Great riding by Shannon M as well!

Joel C ended the season on a high note with a pretty speedy time, Markus K had to settle for 2nd, and Scott H's ride earned him another podium! Mark C and Ryan T were close, but no podium. Lots more great rides, 45 second separated ALL 8 riders this final week!

The C's

Just Tanya and Lani out this week, and that was the order of our final podium, congrats!!

Bicycle Dave took his first W of the season, 8 seconds ahead of Dan C, and Mark B was just 2sec further back, rounding out our very final podium! Tyler and Kit just missed out, and 10 riders finished with great times and efforts!!

BONUSES & CURSES

See the Scoring section of the Event Page for more details - note that there aren't any curses for the Gravel Edition!

As mentioned QOM points went to Jolene, and Julian earned another KOM this week.

• Early Bird was Mark D
• No secret time of 4:47 this week.
• Bicycle Dave once again collects the Socialite points with a vid of Mt Cuthbert - but surely it wasn't taken during his effort!
  (Post a shot of your ride on IG or FB and tag @AboutTheRideCA for a chance for 5pts each week! If you've posted, but I haven't given you credit, or liked or commented on your post, please DM me directly, IG has been a bit finicky.)

PRIZES!

We've always got some sweet draw prizes every week! Watch our socials (Insta & Facebook) to see what we'll be giving away each week!

No prizes -- yet!

Since this is the final week, we'll have all the prizes up for grabs. Everyone who rode the final week will be in as usual, plus the Top 3 in each category will have their name in twice, increasing their odds of winning an item (limit 1 of course).

I'll send out the list in the next email, after giving people a chance to make sure their points are correct!

Our prize page is live on the site, everything is on there, take a peek!

Not a terribly exciting trail...but it's the start of something fun!

This is more like it!

The final segment done, with Jon F, Dave B and Scott H, thanks for the fun rides!!

There it is - the final week, thanks as always for tuning in and reading my semi-coherent ramblings! It's a little tougher since I'm getting back fairly late from 'cross racing, but hopefully it makes some sense! 😂

Once again, I'll be putting together a final report and sending it out in the next few days, so will wrap things here for now.

Safe and speedy riding all! 🚲

- Dave

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