Trans Rockies is more in the news this year than I've seen before - or maybe I'm paying attention because I'm on the start list this year for the first time. 2002 was the first year Trans Rockies was staged. When I heard about it I so wanted to race it - a 7 day mtb stage race - wow! The problem with the summer of 2002 was I spent the first half of it heavily pregnant and the second half in post partum vacation mode. The next year 2003 a whole lot more riders signed up and I coached a few through the race, same for 2004 and 2005 with one of my riders getting on the podium - awesome!
Big changes are afoot for 2006 TR. For one, I talked Dave into racing with me (it wasn't too hard to do that :-) The bigger news is the new course - even made CyclingNews. And it's being kept a secret!
Event director Aaron says "Though exact course details are kept secret until immediately before the event, riders who have participated in the TransRockies Challenge before should be ready for a very different route this year. The new course will head North and West to a finish line in Panorama Mountain Village, located near Invermere, British Columbia, three hours west of Calgary. Along the way, it will take in some of the stunning scenery along the Central and Western Canadian Rockies where the peaks of British Columbia's Purcell and Kootenay ranges soar to heights of over 3000 metres."
One guy commented on this new route "While I was simply envious before, if this news is correct regarding the new route, I am officially drooling, green-eyed jealous!"
Whether they are keeping the course a secret or actually don't have it figured out yet, I am looking forward to going to Canada in August and riding the snot out of my bike for 7 days in beautiful country and good company.