Bike Tart
alwaysriding
Always Riding's good friend Kevin 'Blackhound' Cunniffe is taking part in the epic 'Tour Divide' race through America this year, and here, the intrepid adventurer talks Peak District rides, a first foray into camping, snow and much more...
As I write this it is now 5 weeks until the Tour Divide starts in Banff, Canada. Training is generally going well since my trip to Majorca in March. Before that I was struggling and not going very far, very fast. My rides have got longer and I am certainly riding a lot better. I am riding climbs and in bigger gears than I was a few years ago and achieving times on some local loops I was doing 10 years ago.
In April I comfortably finished a 300km audax with the first 100km passing by in under 4 hours including a cafe stop. The following weekend I rode in a group, including Pete from http://www.alwaysriding.co.uk, up to the Cat & Fiddle in beautiful spring weather in direct contrast to last years cold and wet outing. I was feeling OK on the climbs and recovering quickly once over the climbs.Last weekend three of us cycled up into the Peak and camped overnight before returning on Sunday. One of the downsides of the dry weather we have had recently is I have not had a chance to test my equipment in the wet. Last weekend gave me that opportunity. It rained all morning but was dry all afternoon and evening and we arrived at camp with dry kit. Just after our evening meal it started to rain heavily keeping me awake for hours. I had not pitched the tent before and it was getting dark and I did not pitch it as well as I might, combined with super-light pegs the inner and outer tent were touching after pegs came out allowing some wetness inside. I will substitute some decent pegs and with a bit more practice I believe the tent will be ideal. The Western Mountaineering sleeping bag was warm enough as well. At times it was uncomfortable but the kit was capable and I coped fine and felt good on the Sunday despite a sleepless night.I have also been pouring over the maps, particularly the first 250 miles through Canada, looking at potential overnight stops. There are towns at Elkford after 110 miles and Sparwood at 140 miles before reaching the border at 245 miles. This is bear country and and in between the towns it will be a risk to camp. I am not confident of reaching Elkford on the first night and hope to stay at primitive campsites between 70-80 miles and on the second night I will camp wild in the Flathead valley. I am not going to make specific plans because a number of factors will dictate how I get on. Weather, mechanical issues, and how I am feeling will all play a part. I am determined not to ride to hard over the first week to 10 days and ease myself into the race. The race in the past has a 50% failure rate, the vast majority of these early on before leaving Montana. If I can get myself past say. Lima Montana, in good condition then my prospects of finishing are good.This year there has been a lot more snow then usual in The Rockies. By now it would usually be receding but snow is still falling in places and this may lead to a harder race than usual. I am confident of my ability to ride all day but I am less confident of my ability if it is mile after mile of pushing, carrying and dragging my bike.This is a race though and so I need to get myself into race mode quickly on June 10th. I have been racing for over 40 years but never with any real success, I am just not good enough. I do enjoy racing against my peers down the field at my level though and obtaining personal bests. One of my first recollections is of Ian Stewart winning the 5,000 metres at the Commonwealth Games in 1970 and his competitiveness. I am not at his level but I want to race just as hard as he did - and in black and white will do just fine.