94.6 km Headwinds, Burned Face and a Crash - All For The BEST Fish 'n Chips Ever!!

Wind burn, sunburn, bruises and scrapes and I survived! LOL

July 29th - I decided that a ride to White Rock was in order, to sit by the ocean and try out some fish 'n chips.  I got all my lights ready, plus took some MCT oil in a squeeze bottle to put into my hydration pack and bottles, for some extra energy. I brought Gu Roctane capsule electrolytes, macadamia nuts, detour and quest bars with me, plus High5 electrolyte tablets for the water.  The plan is to get up at 5:30 am, shower, get dressed, have coffee with MCT oil and butter, plus Roctanes, 2 energy bars and low carb pancakes for breakfast an hour before I leave, which should be 7 am.

July 30th - It's 5:15 am and I'm actually wide awake!  So, it's shower time, get dressed and downstairs to make coffee and have my pre-fuel breakfast.  All is good and I'm out the door at 6:45 am.  Lights are on, camera, trunk bag and handlebar bag are on and we're ready to roll.

It's a nice sunny morning of blue skies, with some wispy clouds and I'm off.  It's around 13 or 14 degrees outside.  I chose not to wear a cycling cap, because if it gets hot, the camelbak hydration pack, liner shorts and shorts may be too warm (they were).  Cycling with clips is getting better and my cadence is easier to maintain and legs aren't getting worn out easily, as they do when I ride flat pedals.

I thought River Rd. would be empty, but it seems I forgot that it's Saturday and there are people working today, people who don't know how to pass cyclists.  Jeesh.  Traffic is really light, even on the bypass.  I got up to the traffic circle this time riding clipless, which I'm still fearful of falling over when I lose momentum (thank you cycling buddy who shall remain unnamed), so I unclip and go on the flat side of the pedal when I'm still moving at a fair speed.  Plus, I'm not riding as much (my fault) and low carbing, which is going quite well.

I got uptown and noticed the Saturday Farmer's Market is starting to set up and a young fellow came out with his phone and was filming me and asked me to say "Happy Birthday Jay", which I obliged and went on my way.  Not sure what that was about.

On my way and everything is good until the traffic circle just past the Industrial Park, when I get one moron who decides not to share it, as he is required by law to do.  Typical entitled beamer driver.

Ahead is the Golden Ears Bridge, which I've not ridden over clipped, but have ridden over in the past month.  Hopefully, I don't have to use the flat side of the pedal and I didn't!  I rode up that bridge to the middle (have to take a photo) and it was the fastest, smoothest ride to that point!!  I see behind me that the clouds are no longer wispy white, but dark and ominous and it looks like rain.  It's very muggy out and I look to the south and see blue skies towards White Rock (which is normal).  Over the bridge and down the spiral and I was going to head through the industrial area, but decided to take the Trail on the bike route and got to the Golden Ears MUP in a timely manner.  I have lots of energy and before I lose it, it's time for a Detour energy bar (low carb, sugar free).

There is a small hill on the MUP, which I tackled like it was flat and then a longer one (much like the bridge) and again, it went quickly and then onto the last leg, which had another small hill, which I climbed up easily.  I crossed 176th at 96th and headed down 176th.  I ended up not going as fast as I would've liked, due to all the car bits, nuts, bolts, rocks, etc. and then it was time for the headwinds on the flats.  Wowzers!!  The headwinds are brutal, but cooling at the same time.

Pedaling along clipless is amazing.  I notice many abandoned homes and farms along the way.  Very sad.  Once I'm into Cloverdale, I have to pay extra special attention to the traffic in my rearview mirror, as many don't know how bike lanes work and use them to turn wide or park in them.  I made it through and crossed over Highway 10, for my first ride on 176th south and was told to go to 16th and turn right.  32nd avenue on the map also looked good.  The headwinds are absolutely brutal.  I stopped to change the battery in my GoPro and had to stand and brace my bike, even though it has a kickstand, steel and heavy with gear, it almost blew over a few times.  I persevered and carried on.

I got closer to 32nd and saw the hill ahead and decided I didn't feel like going up that to find 16th, so turned right onto 32nd, which had a bike route symbol.  Luckily, I went that way, because I didn't notice that 176th after 32nd going south has no bike lanes and a shitload of traffic, with a horrible sidewalk on the east side only, one not worth riding up.

I followed the signs and did the hills - rolling ones, so not huge, but with headwinds just about knocking me over, they felt huge.  Pretty countryside though.  Soon, I saw a sign that said To the Beach and I turned there and it was nice, but I ended up riding on the sidewalk for much of it, as traffic wasn't the best, even though it said 30kph, many were going much faster.  The road was called Stayte and was quite steep, so I chose to walk the last couple of blocks until I got to Marine Drive and the welcome to White Rock sign.  Now, it's time to find the fish & chip place called Moby Dick.

I had to take the lane on Marine Drive, due to it being so narrow and so many many cars and began looking around for a bike rack with a view from whatever place I was going to and guess what?  None.  I saw a serpentine rack way over by the building that houses the washrooms, but not visible from a restaurant or from the boardwalk or any one of the picnic tables up there.  Too bad.  They're hosting the Tour de White Rock and seem to be non-cycling friendly.

I ended up going to Moby Dick's, as it was open and the only one with a big line up before it even opened.  The food portion was very large and the best fish 'n chips ever!!  It was worth the ride for sure.

I even had "lovely" woman tell me I was too slow walking my bike on the boardwalk (I wasn't, she just wanted to power walk and apparently, doesn't like bikes?) and taking up too much space.  She had to walk around us as many people were walking the other way too.  It's Sea Festival time and I think she forgot she wasn't the only person there.  I told her to have a nice day and walk off the cliff.  She didn't hear the last part.  I asked the seagulls to shit on her head, but they wouldn't listen unless I gave them food.

I enjoyed my meal and waited for awhile before walking around. I figured the fish & few chips, plus a Pepsi (shoot me) would kick in and I'd have energy for my ride home.  I walked around for awhile and sat down on another bench (no picnic table) and an older fellow came along, as he was walking his bike too.  His name was Siggy and he has done the P2B more than once and had a Trek Madone about 10 years old.  He is a Randonneur.  We yakked for awhile, then both walked away, as he was leaving for Abbotsford (he used to live in White Rock) and I headed off too.  The roads were quite busy, as was the sidewalk, so I walked my bike for a bit until I found the road I could ride on and headed off.  I believe it's called 8th Avenue.

8th Avenue is a nice road, with nice traffic circles, that NOBODY followed the rules on.  I was surprised there weren't any accidents when I went through.  What a freaking zoo!!  I kept riding on 8th Avenue until I got to 176th and then the fun began and it was all uphill from there.  No bike lanes, no shoulder, sidewalk only one one side, which was in the shade thankfully, so that's the route I took.  I rode as far as I could before I felt it was too dangerous to ride up on.  Too many overgrown bushes, trees and bad pavement on the sidewalk made my walking decision a good one, plus I didn't want to ride all over the place to avoid hills.  I got to the top and still no bike lanes or shoulder and same shitty sidewalk.  I rode down it for awhile, but ducking from the bushes and trees was a bit dangerous, so I walked.

When I reached the bottom, I saw 32nd Avenue and knew that there were bike lanes on 176th heading north.  Yahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It's hot and I need to be pedaling.  Unfortunately, the headwinds are worse than this morning.  Great!  Not really.

Off I go and it's easy going with the clipless system.  It's windy and hot still, so I'd best just carry on, which I did.  My energy started waning around Telosky Hill, but no bonking.  I took longer to go home and take my time, as it wasn't a race, just a day to ride my bike.

Before I got to the Golden Ears Bridge, I realized I could get a metric century today.  I only needed to ride another 10 km, but the headwinds, they were still brutal. Pitt Meadows has terrible sidewinds, but I could get that extra 10 km.  Hmmm....  I got over the bridge and decided to hell with the century, that'll come soon enough, so I just kept riding.  It was good to get home and get into the shower.  Some stretching done after that.

I have to say I'm still surprised at the difference in using clipless pedals, as the effort to pedal is so much easier and especially going up hills, compared to flat pedals.

I ended up with 94.6 km, which is 4.6 km more than I thought I would get, plus I ate really good fish & chips.  No bike racks means I won't be going back without a cycling buddy to watch bikes.  Shame on you White Rock.