Güdrun Mountain Biking Festival, Hot Springs, Arkansas

Bonfire at sunset on Saturday night after the Slow roll, Mini enduro and Jump Jam.

The Festival was held at Cedar Glades Park, a venue with a 360 view that is part of the Hot Springs National Park.

I never had my 3 girls stand on the same podium before! Hey, there's a first for everything! Also: first time I saw an Elvis cat with a viking crown.

The local microbrewery, Superior Bathhouse brewery (that uses hot springs water to make its beers ), even created a special beer for the event. It was a delicious Norwegian Farmhouse Kornol (never heard of that type of beer before? Me neither!) brewed with voss yeast and local red cedar. You could really taste the cedar and we really enjoyed it.

Vikings racing!

Mathilde at the start.

Mathilde pushed hard.

… and finished first in her category!

She was so proud!

Stout rolling in the grass and soaking up the sun during the festival.

Aïsha leading the Cat 1 ladies at the start!

Mara showing great form on a flat turn.

Aïsha coming down fast!

That last hill (that they had to do twice!) was a dozer after 25 km of racing.

The girls got to race with a pro from Colorado who was incredibly nice and kept encouraging them. I just love the mountain biking community!

My adorable little vikings shared the podium (they were the only ones in the Cat 1 15-29 category).

The Güdrun Northwoods Mountain Bike Festival celebrated the one-year anniversary of the opening of Hot Springs’ new Northwoods Trail System and combined a mountain bike expo, a group ride through downtown Hot Springs, a mini enduro, a Jump Jam and the annual Attila the Hun Mountain Bike Race.

Güdrun is a Germanic heroic legend. A woman warrior Viking! She was the wife to Attila the Hun and later defeater of the Huns. We were sold!

As you might know from our social media, we barely made it to Hot Springs National Park** in a cloud of white smoke before the bus engine died on us. Replacing it is an expensive and long process, so we are figuring out the best options. The Festival was a great diversion and allowed us to focus on something else for a bit and let solutions emerge (isn’t it often the best way to go at it?).

We thought we would at least enjoy the hot springs while we are stuck here, but soaking in the springs is only allowed in the bathhouses in town (the cheapest one is 20$ per person, so 100$ for a soak for our family… yeah, no).

Whereas most national parks cover thousands of acres, are far from city streets, and keep natural resources away from commercial users, it is not the case with Hot Springs National Park. This smallest of national parks borders a city that has made an industry out of tapping and dispensing the park's major resource: mineral-rich waters of hot springs.

A National Park inside a city? Well, almost. The city of Hot Springs, Arkansas was founded right up against Hot Springs National Park (which happens to be the smallest National Park in America) to capitalize on the tourists coming to the area for a dip in the healing hot spring waters.The city’s main street (called Bathhouse row) is actually part of the National Park.

Here’s a little back story that won’t surprise anyone:

Following 8,000 years of use by indigenous peoples, European Americans discovered and appropriated the springs. Then, the government decided that bathing in spring water would only be available in approved facilities at a cost (and they diverted the spring water from the mountains to the bathhouses only). The entire Bathhouse Row area is designated as a National Historic Landmark District and contains the grandest collection of bathhouses of its kind in North America. Comprised of eight bathhouses, these stately structures owned by the National Park Service were constructed between the years of 1892 and 1923. The historic Fordyce Bathhouse, located on famous Bathhouse Row, serves as the park's visitor center.

So, there you have it. It’s one interesting way for a National Park to say that they are “protecting the ressources”... 

It’s no biggie. The people we have met here are really nice, the town is just quirky enough for our liking and the trails are pretty sweet! We’ll be OK for a bit.

** Hot Springs National Park is a first-come, first-served campground with full hook-up for 30$ per night, only 10 minutes from the Northwoods mountain biking trails and 5 minutes from Bathhouse Row (downtown Hot Springs).

Two more Island Cups and turning 15

Celebrating their 15th birthday racing in the rain in Campbell River!

Mara took the first place in the women expert field! A great birthday gift to herself.

Mathilde got first in the women beginners and Aïsha got second in the intermediate women! A memorable race!

Simple and beautiful birthday for our sweet girls.

A bald eagle feasting on a dead seal during our morning walk…!

The view near our campsite in Comox. So pretty!

The Cumberland Island Cup was a very muddy one on a beautiful but tough course. Mara lost her chain twice on her last lap, but managed to finish third in the women expert. Mathilde pushed too hard on the climb and got sick, while Aïsha had to stop since the pain in her neck and back was too intense (again - my poor girl).

So muddy! One turn in the washer wasn’t enough to remove all of it…

We only spent 10 days in the Comox-Cumberland-Courtenay area, but really loved it. We were camped at Cape Lazo RV Park since we needed water and sewer hook-up with all that mud! It is a great little RV Park right by the ocean, but it is crazy windy. We nonetheless recommend it and would go back there!

The biking community here is very active and the trail system is very well developed. Parts of the village of Cumberland reminds us of the old downtown Whitehorse, before all the big box stores moved in. Actually, all these stores are not far, in Courtenay, 15 minutes away, so it allows Cumberland to keep it’s charm and local shops and restaurants.

The Bear Mountain Canada Cup

The whole Dalbix-Siboire Team for the Bear Mountain Project with the coaches.

Mathilde taking part in the race even with her 12 stitches.

Aïsha going strong even with very intense back pain.

Mara finished 3rd on the cross-country course! A pretty impressive feat for a first year cadet!

Mara giving everything she had on the short track. She kept her second place for most of the race and slipped in a corner on her very last lap… She still finished 3rd and was very happy!

Left: Mara sharing the short-track podium with one of her teammate from Dalbix.
Right: Mara and Aïsha with their wonderful coach who has been training them from afar since December.

Proud team. Such amazing young people!

The Bear Mountain Canada Cup was the first national race to which the girls ever participated. They are finally old enough for it and did great for first year cadets (U17)! If, like me, you are a neophytes to race lingo, you might not know the difference between a Canada Cup and the national Championship. The Canada Cups are a series of 8 races to which anybody can participate (so there were US racers who came to race it in the Junior category - U19) whereas the national Championship is a once a year event to which only the best Canadians can participate. Bear Mountain was the first Canada Cup of the 2019 season and Mara and Aïsha were racing in the cadet field (15-16 - the age at the end of the year) as first year cadet. The big race (the XC race) was on Saturday and there was a short-track race on Sunday. There was also a big Enduro race happening on Sunday, as well as a Bike Festival, so it was quite the event!

Mathilde is still too young to be part of the Canada Cup, but she could take part in the Bear Mountain Challenge XC on Saturday morning. However, she crashed on the Enduro course while pre-riding with the local team (Dirt Squad) group 4 days prior and ended up in the ER and needing 12 stitches on her knee… She was very bummed to not be able to race, and at the last minute decided she still wanted to give it a go and said she would stop if it was too painful. She did one lap and decided to stop (her race was 2 laps), and was very proud she gave it a try.

It was a wonderful team experience for the girls and they were so happy to be part of such a big event. It was great to be finally reunited with the team and their amazing coach. I’m already looking forward to the next Canada Cup… and coming from me, this means a lot!!

Quebec Cups in Tremblant, Sherbrooke and St-Félicien

The Quebec Cup in Tremblant was pretty rough. Just like in Baie St-Paul, it rained the night before the race and the course was wet in the morning.

The Tremblant village is so cute!

Aisha and Mara crashed into each other during the warm-up and Aisha opted out of the race since she was in pain. Mara had a great start, but crashed on the course and collapsed after crossing the finish line, saying she wasn’t seeing straight. She was seen and patched up by First Aid and was OK once the shock subsided.

Mara just before the finish line. You can see her bloody knee and her unwell expression.

Watching the daddies' race!

Martin (JF's cousin) asking us jokingly if he is first or second (knowing very well he is last!).

Alex encouraging his dad Martin going uphill.

The next day was much better as it began with a soak at the Hotel pool and spa where Isa and Martin were staying, then JF and I went for a ride in the beautiful trails and we came back to the village to watch the Downhill Canada Cup. 

The Quebec Cup in Sherbrooke was exactly a month later and had 2 events. There was a crazy heat wave hitting the south-East of the province and the girls raced in very high and humid temperatures. With a very good prep that included a strict hydration + electrolyte schedule more than 24 hours before the race, they all did great and did not suffer too much from the heat.

Aïsha on the first lap of the Mont Bellevue XCO Quebec Cup in Sherbrooke.

Mara in 3rd place on the first lap.

3rd place finish!!! That's a victory smile!

Chatting with teammates as they cross the finish line.

My mom, her partner and Christophe (my step-sister's son). Christophe is explaining to Aïsha how her clip pedals are just like his ski bindings.

Christiane (my step sister), François and the boys, came to the race! It was such a treat to have them there!

JF was racing on a fat bike since he is waiting on Niner to replace his cracked frame. He still managed to finish in 10th place!

Aisha and Mara at the beginning of the race (turquoise and blue helmet near the front).

Aïsha had a great race on the Sunday XCC event of the Quebec Cup in Sherbrooke, even with the crazy heat.

Mara got bronze on the two events at the Sherbrooke Quebec Cup.

The only picture I have of the St-Félicien Québec Cup (taken by Mathilde) since I had to stay back to work. Mara got 5th place on the XCO and crashed hard on the XCT the next day, but still managed to finish. Aisha had a great race both days and Mathilde did the XCT on Sunday and had a good time too!

Our summer is beating to the drum of mountain bike races. The girls could talk about mountain biking for hours, throwin in names of techniques and teammates I know nothing about, and rolling their eyes when I ask for explanations. Remember when your toddler was into dinosaurs or planes and was driving you bonkers chatting your ear off about everything he knew about it? Well, picture that, times 3, and throw in a good dose of teenager sassiness. I’m kind of glad I have taken a job at the state liquor store (SAQ) and can talk to other people about wines and spirits. It keeps me sane and pays for some of the unending list of mechanical problems that keep coming up...

Our summer is a whirlwind, probably like it should be. The bus is a mess, there are more showers in a day than there used to be in a week not so long ago and the girls are constantly hungry and complain that there is *nothing* to eat when there is literally no more room to stuff food in the bus… They are fire and water, expletives and superlatives from morning to night.

But they still ask me to clean their road rashes and give them a massage before bed. They still come and snuggle with me in the morning sometimes and tuck me into bed at night with the best hugs and I love yous.

I’m not gonna lie, these teenage years are quite the emotional ride. I’m not sure I’ve ever questioned myself as a mom as much as I do now. My years of know-it-all are far gone… I know full well that I’ll mess up and that good enough is the new perfect.

I’m not nostalgic of those little ducklings following me around like the center of their universe... Of course, I sometimes miss those chubby little hands reaching for mine to cross the street or those sparkles in their eyes when I told them a story with puppets...

From the moment you birth your kids, you are not the center of your own universe anymore. That was a pretty rough introduction to adulting for the 25 yo only child that I was. Fast forward 15 years and I think I managed OK, although not always as gracefully as I could have, like most. But when I look at those beautiful strong daughters of ours now, I’m so very proud of them, sassiness and eye rolling included!

Havasu Havoc 2018

I sit on the pointy rocks on the side of the trails, carefully avoiding the cacti, camera ready, waiting for someone I know to ride by. Every time, I am surprised when JF tells me that one of the girls is first or second. I’m excited, I’m happy, I’m proud. Or is it the right feeling? I struggle with the idea of pride... JF and I don’t have much to do with their successses. I always tell the girls that I am proud FOR them, not OF them.

The world of competition is new to me. I’ve never been an athlete and never will be. I’ve never competed or stood on a podium. In my world, swimming lessons were synonymous of shame and anxiety. So I am a rookie here. Cheering from the sidelines, taking pictures, following JF’s lead. Like many, I used to assume that a lot of these kids were pushed by their parents to compete. What I see now is that this is more the exception than the rule. I see happy excited kids that raise to the challenge. I see our girls count the days before the race. Sure, I also occasionally see meanness and jealousy, over zealous parents and crushed egos, but I what I mostly see is excitement, self-confidence, satisfaction and pride. And it’s a pretty humbling experience. 

Estrella Hedgehog 2018

Amazing food to feed an army prepared by our friend Diedra.

Our little set-up at Estrella Mountain Regional Park competitive loop.

Leg marking to identify the categories

Antonio.

JF coming in hot!

Energy chew have to be accessible when you ride. They also might get extra crunchy...

She had that big beautiful smile the whole time!

Mathilde at the finish!

Mara on the podium, 1st place! Sisters supporting sisters!

So proud of herself!

Just a week ago, Mathilde and Aisha were not interested in racing the next bike race - The Estrella Hedgehog, but at the last minute, Mathilde decided to register (she is in the same category as Mara, 13-14 yo – the age the child will have at the end of the year – so on the young side of her category) and Aisha decided to race up a category (in the 15-16 yo) because the course was more interesting in her opinion (the 15-16 are on the adult long loop -10 mile with some pretty technical and loose sections - instead of doing 5 junior loops like the 13-14). The other reason is because she finds it too emotionally hard to race against her twin sister. So this was perfect. There were 9 girls registered in her category and her only wish was to no finish last. She came in second and surprised us all (and herself!!). She so needed that confidence!
Mara had a great race and finished first on 15 girls in the 13-14 and Mathilde rode very well with a big smile on her face the whole time and finished 9th!
JF also had a great race and finished 12th on thirty-something racers. Our friends all had great races and podiums too!! What a day!

McDowell Meltdown 2018

Our set-up for the race near the Competitive Loop (4 Peaks).

Jason leading the pack of Intermediate Single Speeders.

Antonio after his first lap.

Diedra at the start (women intermediate 40-49)

Mara on her first lap.

Ben closing the gap!

Mara at the finish!

Mara came in third (over 14 girls) in her category (13-14 yo girls)!!

Last year, the McDowell Meltdown was JF and Mara's first ever bike race. You might remember that they had registered just for fun. This year, they came in a little more prepared (but not super well-trained since they both got a nasty bug over the holidays). They still did great and had a good time. 

Some of you have asked why Aisha and Mathilde did not do the race. The answer is that they simply didn't feel like it. They might or might not ride the other races in a few weeks. Our girls are free to choose, of course! As for me, I'm not interested in racing (nor am I in racing shape!).

We had never stayed at the McDowell Mountain Regional Park campground (we rarely pay for campsites), but this was well-worth it since they could pre-ride the course during the week and because there are also tons of trails that you can ride right from your campsite. We explored some trails, but there are still lots we haven't had a chance to ride. There are all types of trails, from wide sandy washes to steep rocky trails.

The sites are huge and well-spaced, they all have power and water ($30), but make sure you reserve in advance online because they fill-up pretty quickly at this time of year. If the campground is full, there is an overflow where you can stay for $20/night with no services, but access to showers and dump station.