August 14, 2005 Winding down Last of the racing season, already starting to think about next year... Me n' Jenny lovin' life in Fernie. Thoughts on Harry I finished reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince a while back. I really enjoyed it and was so hooked, that I had to complete it before starting Canada Cup #4 in Fernie, B.C. I would have missed the start of the race if I hadn't finished in time. Actually, Keith offered to read me sections every time I went through the feed zone as motivation, but it wasn't necessary in the end. So, Harry Potter #6: - Is definitely a more grown-up read than its predecessors - Once again emphasizes the importance of friendship - Says it's okay to kill if the person is evil - Includes lots of snogging and gawky teen relationships Fernie: How I love you! The town of Fernie, B.C. lies on the extreme eastern border of B.C. in the Rocky Mountains. The Elk River, which runs through town, is a hotspot for fishing and floating down on inner tubes. It's primarily a ski town (Fernie Alpine Resort lies just five kilometres west), but it's becoming a popular summer destination as well. An amazing and endless selection of mountain biking trails can be found throughout the Elk Valley and features some of the sweetest, most whoop-worthy singletrack I've ever ridden. Ah Fernie, how I love you! Every time I come here (I've raced here every summer since 1998), I say: "I could definitely live here." In between races (I had two Canada Cups in Fernie on back-to-back weekends) I camped in Mount Fernie Provincial Park with Catharine, Keith and Jenny and instead of training, we just went riding! Bike heaven. Parental update: They're back! After 52 days and over 1300 kilometres of paddling in their tandem sea kayak, my parents arrived home. They just won't stop talking about their amazing Inside Passage trip that started in Horseshoe Bay, B.C. (just north of Vancouver) and ended in Ketchikan, Alaska. They have some beautiful photos, but also a whole lot of grey, cloudy ones, as their trip involved rain almost every day. But despite the sogginess of it all, they had a great time, saw fantastic things and met cool people. My mother has 'hired' me to write the book. I'll let you know how that goes.... Dad and Mom shove off. Jeff and Shawn: On the road Jeff and Shawn are riding from Vancouver, B.C. to San Diego, California. Sounds like their having a great time, doing lots and lots of miles on the road and lots of camping. Check out their reports from the road: Jeff and Shawn each have blogs. I'm still really really tempted to ride my bike to Mexico, but I can't find anyone else who will join me. Please! Be my riding buddy! I'll cook.... Canada Summer Games: B.C. Rocks! Congratulations to my good friend and training buddy, Jean Ann, for her gold medal in the mountain bike race and bronze medal in the road race at the 2005 Canada Summer Games in Regina, Saskatchewan! Way to go, girl! And, of course, a big YAY to Martina, who grabbed silver in the mountain bike race after a strong and aggressive ride where she put it all on the line. Way to go guapa! Sun Peaks I just got back last night from Sun Peaks, B.C. where I raced in the Canada Cup Finals. The weather was gorgeous and the riding was... uhh... dusty.... Catharine's and my toes -- still dirty from the race. Hot!