Rainy Runs: Ferry to Ferry - Langdale to Earls Cove

Graeme had an idea to do this ride about a month ago, and decided to set it up as a club ride. We had about 18 people total, mostly from the club.

The ride was the hardest I have ever done. 160kms of hills and hill and hills and hills. I am used to riding hills but this was a whole other level. We took the 7:20am ferry from Horseshoe Bay over to Langdale, arriving there at 8:00. We were lucky enough to have a club member and wife of one of the guys doing the ride drive support for us. After loading up the truck we were off. And up one of the steepest and longest hills of the day, with no warm up.

The hills were relentless. My legs had nothing from the start which I honestly think was both good and bad. I felt better the second half of the ride then I did the first, and as I wasn't able to push that hard, I didn't really strain my fitness which meant I didn't feel totally trashed the rest of the weekend.

I lost the main group early on (which would have happened dead legs or not) but thankfully was able to ride almost the entire thing with my good friend J, and then meeting up with a few others at the rest stops.

It is a beautiful ride - an out and back from the Langdale ferry along the Sunshine Coast to the Earls Cove ferry terminal. Great views and the weather was perfect. The support was needed both to refuel and rehydrate as well as for a break from the hills!

Overall I felt pretty good, except for a weird foot thing which started around 110km in. Both of my feet, from just below the toes and all the way through the toes started to BURN! It was so painful I thought I might cry. I honestly thought I would have to get off the bike at Sechelt and hop in the truck. Luckily a couple minutes of standing at Sechelt made them feel a lot better, and while I could feel it after, it wasn't too bothersome. I have never had it happen before, and I think it must have had something to do with all of the climbing.

At 155km, we pulled into the pub in Gibsons and met up with everyone ahead of us. We had time for a quick beer before the last 5 km down to the ferry. A great, if not exhausting day!

I have a CLIF bar in my mouth in this picture...