July 29th was the annual Tour de l’Alberta (http://www.tourdalberta.ca/ ). Over 700 bicycle enthusiasts set out from Beaumont to tackle one of three routes, 50 km, 100 km or 160 km. The Starship Enterprise
The Starship Enterprise
(our BMW motorcycle, so named for the number of ‘gizmos’ that have been added) is one of three motorcycles in the province equipped with ham radio. It is also one of 2 in the province (non-police) motorcycles equipped with LED strobe lights (sorry, not the pretty red and blue).
The North Central Alberta Amateur Radio Club (NCAARC)
NCARRC Mobile Command Centre
whom we voluteeer with (http://www.ncaarc.ca/) is responsible for communications between the start/finish and the various rest stops in addition to the 310 km of riding routes. My assignment was to ride the route, alerting traffic as they approached the riders, watch for strays who may have inadvertently wandered off the route, make sure stopped riders were okay and of course watch for signs of fatigue and exhaustion.
Preparing for the day
As the day progressed the temperature climbed steadily to 32 degrees C, which of course, was compounded by the heat radiating off the black asphalt. Numbers of riders recognised that it was time for them to pack it in. Some had dehydrated sufficiently that they had to be told that they could not continue. The hardest part for us on the motorcycles was having to escort the last riders safely to the finish. Motorcycles are not designed to be ridden at those slow speeds for an extended time. It takes a toll on both the motorcycle and the rider. So after about 20 to 25 minutes of the slow speed, another rider would come along side and allow us to scoot ahead to the next rest stop. We kept switching positions until all the participants were safely at the finish line.
The closer the participants got to the finish line, the slower they rode. The final stretch was heading north into Beaumont from the south. If you have been in Beaumont, you know the hills that must be ascended as one approaches Beaumont from the south. Kudos to all who finished, it took a super human effort to complete that last stretch. The focus and look of determination on their faces will not soon be forgotten.
If you ride a bicycle, come on out for the 2019 Tour de l’Alberta. If you feel you need to train then Revolution Cycle has classes to help you prepare for next year. Check their website (https://revolutioncycle.com/classes/)