Grand Forks started as a copper mining town originally way back around 1900 with Grandby Mines a big player in the area. Pacifist Russian immigrants (Doukhobor) settled in. The Doukhobor background is still an influence as you can find borscht and perogies in most restaurants. We even saw a perogy topping available on pizza at an Italian restaurant!

The ride is 350km over three days with 4,000m of elevation. Three predetermined skill levels of Hammerheads, Ryders and Tourists make up the groups. The overall level of ability is high. The first day we all start with a police escorted 15km neutral zone then the Hammerheads go like Hell. Ryders know this, and later take every opportunity to attack anybody who looks fast but has fallen off the front. The Tourists know all the above and slyly draft and hide, then attack the worn out Ryders and bonked Hammerheads. All good competitive fun with Velo Vets fitting right in.

The first stage begins with paying $120 at 10:00AM Friday. I realise later this is a very good value. We start riding at 12:00 with a Police Escort ‘parade style’ through Grand Forks downtown. Then north out of town, kinda quick, up Grandby Road. Groups form and fall apart with various pace lines happening. Sometimes rotating to the left, sometimes to the right and usually disintegrate when a good hill comes up. Just like with Velo Vets.
Weather is sunny. At the mid turn around we get water, bananas and bars. I contemplate to myself how water always tastes funny when you are not at home. So do people come to Vancouver and the water tastes funny to them? On the way back to town we head up a steep climb, Hardy Mountain, for a final toasting of the legs. It’s kind of like our Seymour, so I figured out why they call this mountain Hardy. After riding we finish the day at Robb’s home where the local Grad 2013 class has prepared what was previously described simply as a ‘potatoe feed’. We were greeted with ice cold Coronas, chilli (meatless for some) salads and baked potatoes with all the fix’ns. Way more than just a potato feed! First class actually.

We are given RR13 gloves. These gloves were produced by Hayman out of Penticton. As in Ron Hayman, Vancouver cyclist who rode for 7-11, won 3 straight Gastown Grand Prix and a bunch of other stuff. Makes me really like these red and white gloves.

Second stage starts at 9:00 with a scoot across the border to the USA. The weather is cool and cloudy. The rain holds off and things warm up. The road follows various creeks and rivers along some up and downs, and minimal vehicles. Stop for coffee at an artsy shop in a tiny town that is off the map. The lady running the barista tells us it’s a town of population 20! Cyclists all over the place like swarming bees, looking for and getting strong espresso and home baked style pastries. We are heading west then north up to Osoyoos. The final mountain descent is high speed and a lot of fun.

At Osoyoos we are greeted with gratis cold beer at the Coast Hotel. Riders hop off this 5 hour ride, grab a cold Corona and wade into the icy Lake! Looks like Robb’s Ride has pulled a critical mass and taken over the whole hotel. Dinner that night at the Diamond Steak and Seafood with the restaurant fully booked for us. Robb hands out more goodies ….socks! A select few also get Robb’s Ride 2013 jerseys. Look for Michel to quietly slip by in one.

The next morning it’s an early start east to Grand Forks from Osoyoos. First thing out of the gate we are greeted with the steep mountain Mike is calling Anarchist. Doesn’t sound too good does it? The sun is hot on my back. I do my best to ride this thing without dying, all the while thinking what the hell does ‘anarchist’ really mean anyways? We still have to ride 100km to Grand Forks after this Anarchist! There is a KOM competition on. My mind blocks it out.

Get to some flatter stuff and I get a second wind. I hook up with a peppy Glotman Simpson rider with a Euro accent I don’t recognise. We trade turns doing the TT thing and after a good stretch I pull off to let him catch riders ahead. Mike, Barney, Michel and I group up for coffee at Deadwood Junction Coffee Shop in Greenwood. This is 3/4 of our journey to Grand Forks so Deadwood really describes the legs at this point. I make a seriously poor food choice of cocoa with whipped cream and a iced cinnamon bun the size of a small cake. I notice others making colossally bad food choices too heh heh. A bit of rain, a bit of fast stuff and we are back with the Sun descending into Grand Forks.

I reflect on 3 days riding Hardy and Anarchist Mountain and then Deadwood. Huh? The original settlers had a sense of humour with the names. Overall awesome and well organised cycling event.

Ride report from Brian: I want to thank everyone that came out for the annual President’s Ride, a great turn out, 35 riders enjoyed a mixed weather day but for most part it was dry and by the time lunch was over it was beautiful sunshine. It was worthwhile to bike the new Perimeter road but alas unless they sweep more regularly it serves as a poor bike route. Considerable gravel and crushed rock from the many gravel trucks caused 6 flats. Not acceptable and I have talked to Mainroad Contracting twice on the matter and will again today but seems to be falling on deaf ears or else the gravel and rock is accumulating quicker than their sweeping schedule. I will as well call the
DOH and complain.

The flats however helped the second slower pack arrive back at the golf club first and with only one flat, thus it would seem apparent with 5 flats that the 40kph group’s speed is conducive to more flats. LOL. Remember the tortoise and hare fable!!!

The golf club did an excellent job on lunch, all reviews as Leo’s below were very positive, tasty and a nice presentation and a bright quiet room for us to enjoy lunch. We will use them again and we have the choice of many routes in this area. We had two guest riders, Paul and Carol and they both confirm they are joining the club and we happily get one more female in our ranks. Both strong capable riders.

Again thanks to all for your participation, much appreciated. Brian.