It's a dirty job but ...

The weekend past, hundreds of cycling's crazies descended on the Paris, ON area to compete in the 2023 Paris-to-Ancaster (P2A) Gravel event bundled in their high-tech waterproof and thermal duds, bravely facing the cold April rain, eager to traverse the mud-infested race route all in a effort to fuel their relentless passion for the sport. I, being of somewhat lesser levels of commitment, chose not to pay the organizers to slog my way around south-central Ontario so I can only imagine what the conditions were like, but I count a number of racers as good friends whose social media posts gave me a realistic understanding of the day's outcome.

Bewilderment ... Amazement ... Shock ... Respect was my reaction.

It will come as no surprise to those that know me that I proudly proclaim to have been bitten by the cycling bug, my fanaticism prompting rolling eyes and shaking heads as I regale the details of my latest venture into the Great Outdoors. Although some would point fingers at my relatively new passion, I have an assortment of cycling friends who exhibit a fanaticism that leaves me in the same state of slack-jawed incredulity at the proof of their considerable courage.

Or lunacy ... I'm not at all sure which is correct ... no offense intended.

I've shared in past posts that the fine fellow responsible for my segue into the cycling world is a former Barrie North colleague Kevin Simms. 'Simmer' (as he is affectionately known) has embraced the Bike Life for the entirety of his, with a lengthy list of accolades like World and Canadian Championship performances supporting his whole-self commitment to the sport. Even after retirement from education, Simmer still competes at an elite level, regularly standing atop the podium after the race's end, balancing his training with his role as race director for Ignite Cycling, an elite youth cycling team he created to further the sport here in Canada and secure pro-cycling contracts for his young protégées. Heck, he even 'infected' his own children with the bug, his daughter Hannah pictured with him here a podium placer herself, and his son Noah already a seasoned pro rider. 

I'll proudly proclaim that both Simmer and Hannah earned places on the podium at the 2023 P2A, Kevin earning a silver, Hannah a bronze. Thanks to their incredulous level of skill, ridiculous level of fitness, and some good ol' fashioned luck, they literally pulled a 'Survivor' by Outlasting, Outplaying, and Outwitting their contemporaries, their mud-encrusted bodies and bikes a shocking testament to the day's efforts. Kudos to Hannah who flew home from BC to compete in the race since it was the Canadian Gravel Championships.

But they weren't alone in marking the day a success.

A number of my friends from the Simcoe-York Gravel Association (SYGA), a group of fanatics that have welcomed me into their fold, also braved the conditions of the P2A in the name of pure fun, some finishing in a respectable time (Ruth, Duquette, Ralph, Chunky, Chris), others succumbing to the fickle finger of fate with broken bikes thanks to the sheer bedlam caused by the boggy mess of the course. Judging by the photos of mud-caked heads, slogged attire, and filthy bikes being counter-balanced by 1000 watt smiles, I'd wager that most would mark the day as a proud accomplishment.

One of the casualties of the day was my great friend Jay Rothenburg, a former colleague at Barrie North, an Uber talented human who plays several different instruments in multiple bands, head of the Arts department at North, and the personification of the Energizer Bunny when it comes to cycling. Although the details of how are still sketchy, the fact remains that he managed to break the frame of his bike some 25 or so km's from the race's finish, braved the resulting hypothermia while waiting for assistance, yet still felt the day was a rousing success. He didn't have to wait alone, however, since the fine fellow giving the one-finger salute behind Jay is Ron Rehel, another SYGA vet, who lost both front and rear brakes mid-race.

To put things into perspective for all of those non-cycling types, completing the P2A in its 2023 conditions is the superlative management of bike racing while traversing through sand, your tires going in directions counter-productive to balance, while gunk splashes up onto your butt, legs, and face adding kg's of cold wetness to your attire, while peddling as fast as your little legs will allow.

This is called fun ... and it likely is ... call me a chicken sh*t, but not my circus, not my monkeys.

As the saying goes, "It's a BIKE thing. You wouldn't understand!" but I haven't felt the need to test myself like this yet so I really don't understand, BUT certainly respect those who choose to challenge themselves! I bow to the efforts of all my friends who tested their mettle!

Simmer implores me, "Mate! Ya gotta get out there for a race!"

Who knows what the future will bring?