March 29/01 9:18 am - Shep Report, Victoria News, Birthday

Posted by Editor on 03/29/01
 

Shep Report

Chris Sheppard begins another season of racing (translations at the bottom):

It's back to the office for yet another season! How do everyone, I'm currently residing at the Haro Lee Dungarees training/recovery camp in Calistoga Ca. We are lucky that manager Kingding set Chicken, Shamoe and I in a beautiful house smack in the middle of a winery! Good eatings and well Andreas is over so good errrr well eccentric movie choices. We are currently taking in Saturday Night Fever.........its going to be a long season!

It has taken me nearly three days to finally get the strength to write an update and tell you how my road to recovery has been. A relentless training and physio program has brought me back from being a fat, crippled couch potato,at the beginning of January to a lean, powerless cyclist that can't get enough pain! Slowly the knee is getting stronger and I'm happy to report that I made it through the weekend without incident (or accident for that matter). Courses were extremely bumpy prompting me to run Haro's new full suspension bike thus ridding myself of a knackered back on Monday. The highlight during the weekend was seeing not only my team-mates doing well (Chicken got two podes, Seamus rode at the front for all stages, Kurt snagged a 4th in dual 8th dh, and king rode strong coming back from injury), but having the other Canucks be a force as well (Rollie at the front pode every stage and win and Ryder in 4th in XC).

"So how was the Sea Otter might you ask?". I surprised myself in the time trial, did the Mir space station during the crit and rode steady like the one legged power house I am in the cross country! Bottom line was 14th in the TT, started really strong in the crit then blew after 20 seconds ended up 29th and was 29th in the cross country for the grand result of 27th overall. Ha. No laughing matter but this is just a step toward a happy, strong, injury-free season which is the reason why I'm not pushing my body yet. Motivation is in ample supplies....one never really likes testing the ego at big races but that is what will occur each time I shammy up for the next month or so. Looking forward to Big Bear when all pistons are firing.

Next report Napa wish me luck

chris

Translations

Kingding - Mike King
Chicken - Michael Rasmussen
Shamoe - Seamus McGrath
Andreas - Andreas Hestler
Rollie - Roland Green
Ryder - Ryder Hesjedal


South Island Mountain Bike Society - Victoria, British Columbia
(courtesy SIMBS)

1. Technical Training - Monday, March 26, 6:30 - 9:00 at CHAIN CHAIN CHAIN. We are holding a planning / organizing meeting to get together a team to plan and oversee the construction. Willing to help out? We need folks who can help do any of these tasks:

Project Planning - scheduling, drawing, coordinating, setting specs.
Acquiring Materials - wood, hardware, wood chips, calling suppliers.
Volunteer Coordinator - keep lists, phone numbers, calling, arranging work
Miscellaneous - signage, purchasing, storage, off site construction, crew boss, trucking supplies etc.

This is an organizational meeting. The building will start right after this team forms and gives our volunteers directions.

Anybody serious about the TTA should read the plans that have been approved by CRD parks. They are up on our website at www.simbs.com/tta/ttapage.htm . Read them carefully so you get an idea of what is involved in building it, and the many complex issues around safety and permission to build on CRD land.

Please pass on this information to people you know who have the skills and abilities to do this right.

Come Monday, or contact Monty Friend at 920-7132 or hollmon@home.com

2. Millstream Trail Threatened by Stunts - The time is limited for Millstream stunts. Western Forest Products (WFP), the landowner of much of Millstream, has contacted SIMBS and informed us of their intention to remove the stunts. Access to trails there may be threatened by mountain bikers actions. SIMBS intention is to inform bikers of the implications of stunts and our actions in this great riding areas. SIMBS has now established a dialogue with WFP and we can now relay their concerns to mountain bikers, and give our input to them to help preserve access to the trails. Read the complete story at www.simbs.com/news_millstream_threat.htm.


Happy Birthday To...

Odessa Gunn, today.