The SLGF 30 km Challenge

Do big rides make you nervous? Don't fear- we've made the Skatelife GranFondo a ride for everyone with the 30 km challenge.


It’s only 30 km!
These traditional French kilometre markers will be our guide through this years route, marking out the 30 km rest stops. Breaking your ride into 30 km stages keeps your legs fresh and provides fun goals to reach along the route! 

Day 1
Our first stop is at the summit of the climb out of Okanagan Falls. White Lake Road connects here with Hwy 3. At 60 km we break for a hearty lunch in Keremeos. The last stop at 90 km is the beginning of the home stretch as we leave Hwy 3 for scenic Old Hedley Rd.

Day 2
After a 30 km warm up from Princeton we break close to Bromley Rock Park. Lunch is served again in Keremeos at 60 km. then, riders are tested with the day 2 ascent up and over the routes final pass. There is a brief break at 90 km before cruising to victory back in OK Falls!

Register now for this Summer's Skatelife GranFondo, June 21-22. Click here to sign up to ride, or find out more info on the Skatelife GranFondo website.
See you this summer!

2014 Skatelife GranFondo jerseys

The new 2014 Skatelife GranFondo jersey design is out and we can hardly wait to get them on for a ride!

These Jakroo jerseys from Haymann Sport are high quality, and with your choice of sport of race fit they will suit your ride perfectly! Our classic jersey design is provided by Nathan Siemens at Slumberfight Design. We will be adding our sponsor logos to the jersey in April. Is your business interested to get a logo on this sweet jersey? Contact us and we'll set you up as a SLGF sponsor!

Order your SLGF jersey today!
You can customize the size and style of fit to suit you best. Go to the Haymann Sport website for fit details. Once you have found the size you like, go to the SLGF registration page to order your jersey and register for the ride!

Time to register

Now is a great time to sign up to ride the Skatelife GranFondo.
You have 3 registration options- Gold, Silver, or SLGF rider. The registration page has all the info you need. We look forward to cycling with you this year!

Charity rides- the new golf tournament

Check out this article in the Vancouver Province  newspaper the other day. In it they ask, "Is cycling is the new golf?" It is an interesting proposal given the recent surge of interest in road biking. For me the answer is yes- I put away my clubs 4 years ago as I discovered a new love for cycling.

The question I would ask as well is then, has the cycling charity ride become the new charity golf tournament? I have attended many golf tournaments, some as grueling as 100 holes in one day. I must say they can be a lot of fun and a great excuse to walk through some great scenery. However, now that I have ridden in a few charity rides, I can say that I can get a lot more scenery in a day than at any golf tourney!

Both golf and cycling events do a great job at raising funds for many worthy charities. One thing I love about a fundraising cycling event is that the effort needed to pull off a long ride makes me feel like I've accomplished something special. It is also a fun challenge to match the hard work of riding with hard work raising funds for the event. As well, it's hard not to sponsor a rider when they tell you they are going to clock a couple hundred clicks in one event for a charity. If a rider can donate that kind of effort, I can donate some money!

Whether you are a regular rider at charity cycling events, or if you are considering your first one this summer, on behalf of all the great non-profit organizations- Thank You! Your effort to ride and raise funds really encourages our effort to reach out in our community.

If you want to make this your summer to try to Skatelife GranFondo, now's the time to sign up! Click here for registration info and much more. See you this summer!

Get ready now for cycling ahead

 

Five ideas to get you prepared for Skatelife's GranFondo June 21-22.

 

Depending on where you are spring may or may not have sprung already. Whether you are seeing daffodils or snowbanks here are five ways you can prepare for Skatelife's GranFondo, June 21-22!

1. Get your bike tuned up. Avoid the warm weather bike tune up rush and take your bike to your local bike shop now for some servicing. Then your bike will be ready when the roads are ready.
2. Got an indoor trainer? Start spinning! whether it's a trainer, rollers, or even a cycling trainer at your local pool, getting some regular spinning now will prep those legs for the rides to come.
3. Get active. Shake off that winter rust- even if you can't pedal, with an exercise routine. A regular, brisk walk, run, swim, etc will get your heart back in shape- an important muscle for cycling.
4. Build up your core. Strong core muscles are surprisingly important for strong cycling. Find a few excersises you can work on at home that develop core muscles (abdominals, lower back and hips). You will find greater power, stamina, and comfort on your bike with a regular core work out now.
5. Watch some cycling videos. Nothing gets you excited to get on the road like a fun video. The spring classics are coming up soon if you want to watch some races. Or, enjoy a film like Breaking Away if you have a couple hours.

Get ready for a fun cycling season- and a great time at the Skatelife GranFondo!

SLGF 2014 Route

More back roads, better scenery- 
Here are the Skatelife Granfondo 2014 routes!

Images courtesy of Map My Ride 2014

Day one of the SLGF takes cyclists119 km from Okanagan Falls to Princeton. Our route begins on backroads through a grassland reserve then connects to Hwy 3 at Yellow Lake. From this summit we have a nice downhill cruise to Keremeos for lunch. Then, after taking on the Keremeos head wind we turn off to Old Hedley Road for a fun stretch through Princeton farm country. Riders finish in Princeton after a great first day!

 

 

 

 

Day 2 is 112 km from Princeton to Okanagan Falls. Our route is generally the same, but with a tail wind and more descending. Again, the main stop for the day is Keremeos. After a break the work begins as we ascend up and over Twin Lakes Rd. Our much deserved home stretch is a fun rural descent back to Okanagan Falls to complete a fabulous cycling tour!

We did it!

The third annual Skatelife GranFondo is in the books!
Warm sun, great roads, awesome support team, and fun company made this ride a complete success.

Thank you to all of our donors, volunteers, riders, well wishers and sponsors.
In the coming days check back for some fun pictures of the weekend.
If you missed out this year, plan now to ride the Skatelife GranFondo 2014, June 21-22!

Our SLGF 2012 riding team!

Last days of prep for the big ride!

Here's an article from Velo News with some good tips for riding just prior to a GranFondo. It's all about tapering the effort down to allow your body rest prior to a big effort.


"Tapering before your Gran Fondo is important. Trying to get in a last minute 100-mile ride to boost your endurance in the week prior to the event will not help. You’d be better off tapering to make sure that you are rested before a long challenging ride.

Make sure you are well rested before a Gran Fondo.
How best to taper?
•Do your last endurance workout 4-8 days before your Gran Fondo.
•Avoid “big gear” workouts for 1-2 weeks before the event.
•Avoid exhaustive aerobic workouts for the three days prior to leaving for your Gran Fondo
•Intervals (LT) are OK in the last week, but should be avoided in final 2 or 3 days before you depart for the event
•Use an active recovery ride (very, very easy) in the days before, or simply rest if riding isn’t an option
•Treat the first few kilometers of the Gran Fondo as a “warm-up” to get your legs accustomed to the effort

If you’re looking to peak for your Gran Fondo event you’ll want to reduce volume in the week before but maintain your intensity. High volume makes recovery more difficult, and lower volume allows the rest required for replacing glycogen stores, while giving you time to psych yourself up for the hard efforts ahead. As your schedule permits, you’ll want to continue to ride, but keep in mind that you’ll benefit most from decreasing the duration of your intervals while maintaining intensity."

Article from

Training for Gran Fondos, part 5: Tapering and tips

• By Curtis and Kristi Eastin, Chris Jones
• Published Jul. 20, 2010
• Updated Dec. 14, 2012 at 3:36 PM EDT

 See the entire article here.

Route adjustment = better day 1 riding

New day 1 route around Skaha Lake (image Map My Ride)

Our Skatelife GranFondo "route consulting committee" has come up with a slight adjustment for the day 1 route which will offer quieter roads and better scenery for the first 19 km of the ride.

The new route will lead all our cyclists from our start point in south Penticton along the east side of Skaha Lake to Okanagan Falls. From there the main group will begin the ascent to the Hwy 3a Junction

A great ride around Skaha Lake (photo The Doctrine Training and Racing)

and beyond toward Keremeos.

We will provide the first rider check point at OK Falls where cyclists can grab snacks, adjust their gear, etc if they want. Of course our luxury support vehicles (Van of Shame) can offer 'assistance' to riders at any point up the ascent toward Keremeos.

On Sunday's return home we will stay on Hwy 97 from the 3A junction in to our finish in Penticton.

Jerseys are on their way!

Is your jersey collection looking a little too 'retro'? Does your jersey stand on it's own after a ride? Has it developed new pin striping rings under the armpits? Tired of all the comments from that old Livestong jersey you got a few years back?
If you answered "yes" to any of the above questions then this summer's Skatelife GranFondo has a treat for you!

Check out our new jerseys for this year's ride! They come from Hayman Sport in the Okanagan, and they are great quality, stylish items guaranteed to make you faster! (or look like you are faster!)

All participants raising funds as Silver or Gold riders will get a jersey as a big thank you for helping support Skatelife's important work with young people.

If you are coming and would like to pick one up- they are available for $85 and come in sport fit and race fit.

Or, you can pre-order one right now by emailing skatelife@younglife.ca.

 

It's training time!

The weather has turned & it's the perfect time to prep for a great weekend of riding this summer at the Skatelife GranFondo.Preparing now for your ride will allow you the fitness and endurance you'll want for the event.

We've searched the internet and found some great articles to help your training, so stay tuned in the coming days and have fun riding!

Excerpts from- 
 Training For Gran Fondos, Part 1: Endurance

•    By Curtis and Kristi Eastin, Chris Jones

•    Published Feb. 23, 2010

•    Updated Dec. 15, 2012 at 11:23 PM EDT

From Velo News

“Since we’re speaking of training for endurance and not for “speed,” your most important ride will be your long ride. It is important not to mix your weekly endurance rides with speed, strength and power workouts. Avoid the local group ride on these days.

Find a friend who likes to ride steady i.e. you can still hold a conversation — yes, even uphill and on your favorite town-line sprints! Avoid those friends who insist on half-wheeling you. The objective is to train not only your muscles and your cardiovascular system — both of which receive benefits from strength, speed and power workouts — but also to train your digestive system and your ability to use energy efficiently.

The key is to plan and build up the miles slowly and consistently and enjoy your cycling!”

Register to Ride the Skatelife GranFondo

Registration is now open for this summer's Skatelife GranFondo, June 22-23.
Simply click on the registration link on the right to set up your rider page and you'll be ready to ride!
This year we are offering three rider options: Gold, Silver and SLGF Rider.

Thank you for joining us as we raise funds to help Skatelife reach out to young people across Canada!

SLGF Brochure

The Skatelife GranFondo Brochure is here!
We have a great route planned taking us from the Okanagan Valley to the Similkameen Valley and back. Our registration page will be online by the first week of March, so book off June 22-23 now and get ready to ride!

speed metal & fast eating

Peter is only smiling so he can get more mud in his teeth (photo IanHylands)

Congratulations to SLGF rider Peter Sinclair for a great showing in this weekend's Test of Metal race in Squamish.
Despite a day-long downpour, Peter laid down a speedy 3.05 hr ride to take 28th place overall in a field of over 900 competitors!

Nice work Peter!





Hungry to ride? What to eat during the SLGF.

On a long ride like the Skatelife GranFondo the last thing you want to be dealing with is bonking from either too little or too much food during the day.
Here are some helpful tips from ultracycling.com on how to eat on the big day.

On the morning of your ride

"Novice riders tend to either eat too little before a big ride, fearing an upset stomach, or else eat too much, fearing that they will bonk. Today is not the day to figure out what to eat before riding! You should experiment in training, and on event day have a tried-and-true plan of familiar foods and fluids. Some cyclists prefer a light breakfast the hour before a century or brevet; some prefer food at the starting line; others have learned to wake up at 4 a.m., eat a bowl of oatmeal, and then go back to bed.
Drink plenty of familiar fluids up to two hours before the ride so you have time to absorb the water and urinate the excess. Drink one more glass 5 to 15 minutes before you start riding. If you are used to having coffee or tea in the morning, do so today as well.
Don't forget to bring your foods and fluids that you prepared the night before."

Some of the scenery to come this weekend.  
(photo Notice Quiet Nature Photography, ©Sherry Robinson 2009)

If you want to pack your food in the van for the day, bring a bin to put your stuff in. The van will make several passes past the group through the day so food will never be far off if you need it.
We will also make a brief stop for lunch in Kamloops after 90 km. Our stop will be close to a few shops & cafes so you can pick up something to eat, or pack a lunch to keep in the van. 

See you all next weekend!

Wild horse crossing / Horse power

Wild peloton action close to Logan Lake

Wild Horse Crossing

The other day I was talking about the Skatelife GranFondo route to someone who regularly travels through the area. I thought it was a bit unusual that the first thing he mentioned about the roads was to 'watch for the wild horses on the road between Cache Creek & Merritt'. So I looked into it & turns out he's right. The highlands around Logan lake are home to over 250 wild horses. I don't think they will be any trouble, but it would be fun to see them during the ride. Keep your eyes peeled!


Horse Power

Everyone has their own system to prepare for a long ride like the Skatelife GranFondo. If you are looking for another pre-ride training idea, or need some guidance in your training, check out this article from Bicycling.com.   They suggest a variety of rides each prep week including a long ride, a steady ride, and a speed ride to build strength & endurance for the event. Check it out.

A couple route pics

A couple weeks ago I took a drive through the Skatelife GranFondo route & took a couple pics of the terrain. It was a pretty overcast day in late April. When we ride it- June 23-24 we'll see deep blue sky & bright sun!

Dry open terrain between Kamloops & Cache Creek- Day 1 preview

A sign of things to come on Day 2- except we're going up, and it's more than 2 km!

After the peak, it's all open ranch land

the final stretch gradually descending into Merritt

The roads are pretty quiet & decent quality for secondary highways. It will be a great out of the way loop to ride. Looking forward to seeing you there.

Elevations!

After checking out the actual route of a ride, the very next thing I want to figure out is how many hills am I going to be climbing?
Thanks to Map My Ride we have all the details of this summer's Skatelife GranFondo elevations.
Day 1 from Merritt to Cache Creek is actually not a strenuous day of huge elevation changes (save that for day 2!). We will actually lose altitude over-all. Check out the general altitude chart with the expanded categorized climb chart following it.

Overall elevations for day 1

Climbing details

Day 2 is the big climb day. After a 12km warm up from Cache Creek to Ashcroft it's up, up, and away on a 17 km ascent to high country ranch land- and a surreal open pit copper mine. You'll feel like you'll have ascended up into an alien landscape!
Not to worry, from the peak its a great & beautiful cruise South- East for the remaining 70km back to Merritt.

Day two elevation overview

Climbing details

A Great Ride!

The first annual Skatelife GranFondo is in the books!
Thank you to all of our riders- it was a great adventure.
Thank you as well to all our sponsors & donors! At this year's event we raised $5000 to help Skatelife reach young people across Canada this summer!
A big thanks to Adam Trodder for his great help as our support driver in the VOS.
Thank you also to Rockridge Canyon for the awesome accommodations.
Here are some pics from the event... Enjoy!

Sight lines. Some of the views from the SLGF

Here are some pics of what we'll be looking at as we ride the Skatelife GranFondo.
We're only two weekends away!

Vaseau Lake, km 25

Osoyoos Lk, km 55

Richter Pass, km 70

Cawston, km 100

Bromley Rock, Day 2, km 22