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Chapter 4
 
Back at the hotel parking lot, Jenny removed the key from the ignition and the girls started to unload the van.

“It’s now seven. I think we should consider getting some food before long. Anyone else feels the same?” she asked the whole group while she glanced at Jenelle. They all quickly agreed that food was a priority.

“You’re more than welcome to join us, Jenelle.”

“Thank you, Jenny … I’d like that.”

Before they headed to their respective rooms, it was unanimously decided that they’d all meet in the lobby at eight-thirty, but first they all wanted to get the beach out of their swimsuits and towels as well as freshen up.

Some time later Gaby answered a knock at the door to their room. Kristen was drying her hair, so rather than say anything and fight with the sound of the blow drier, Maddy just walked in and flopped down onto one of the two beds. When Gaby walked back into the room and joined her, Maddy noticed how quiet and preoccupied she appeared.

“Penny for your thoughts, sweetheart...” Maddy asked while cuddling up to her favourite girl.

(sigh) "I’ve been thinking … an’ I really think I need to talk this over with both you and Mum.”

“You want me to go and get her … or would you rather wait until later?” Maddy stood up as if to leave.

Holding onto Maddy’s hand, Gaby looked up at her with a blank look and said, “Might as well do it now.”

Jenny was ‘killing time’ as she looked over the individual stats for the tour on her laptop when Maddy came into their room.

“Jenny? Excuse me … are you in the middle of something?”

“No … not really. What’s up?”

“Gabs asked me to get you … she wants to talk to both of us.”

“Sounds serious. Best go see her then, hadn’t we?” After closing down her laptop, both women walked into Gaby’s room where they found Kristen and Gaby sitting on their beds, talking.

“Want me to leave and give you three some privacy?” Kristen asked her teammate as the other two came in the room.

“Might as well stay Kris … you guys will learn about this discussion anyhow,” Gaby softly offered.

The two lovebirds moved over to snuggle on the couch while Kristen remained sitting cross-legged on her bed and Jenny took one of the chairs in the room.

“Okay … what’s on your mind, kiddo?”

“What would happen to my cycling if I took time off to go to university? … How’d you deal with it?”

“If you’re asking me how can you keep up your training and concentrate on your studies … the answer is simple … you can’t.”

Before Gaby could say anything, Jenny added, “Unfortunately … you’ll have to make a decision where your priorities lay.”

“In my case … I chose to continue my studies and was lucky enough to be able to resume cycling once I graduated … but I had to work hard to get back where I was. Fortunately the part-time nature of my teaching position at Warsop College allowed me the time … but that may not be the case when you graduate. It all depends on your boss and the teaching position you end up with.”

“How ‘bout if I turn pro after we get ‘ome … or… do you think it would be better to get my degree and teaching certificate like you did?”

“Well … we both know what George would like … but let’s examine this carefully and in the end you’ll have to make the decision … not me … you!”

Jenny realised she had to try to discuss both sides of the equations fairly and let Gaby know her options — not the easiest thing to do, considering her bias. She sat back in the chair and looked off into space for a moment and then the three of them carefully examined the facts.

First they looked closely at Gaby’s academic choice and possible careers. Jenny acknowledged that she could have both her degree and teaching certificate, possibly even be teaching by the time Maddy graduated. They weighed that against what may well happen if she returned to cycling after a two-year break and had to acknowledge a ‘return’ might never happen, with Jenny using herself as an example.

Then they looked at Gaby’s prospects for turning pro and the earning potential she could realistically bring in, assuming she stayed with her existing sponsorship contracts. Jenny pointed out that if Gaby were to get the Women’s Junior World Champion title that it would increase her net worth when pro teams looked at her.

“I’m not doing this to sway your decision, kiddo … but I’m only telling you this so you have all the facts. According to the current download of UCI stats for the various junior teams … you have a very good shot at getting that title if you keep doing what you’re doing,” Jenny imparted.

“If you feel once you turn pro, that you still want to get your degree or teaching certificate … you can always do that online. It may take longer, but that’s what Tina did.”

After she heard Jenny’s bit of wisdom, Kristen finally spoke up.

“May I say something?”

“Please do,” Jenny replied.

“You’d be crazy if you don’t do it, Gabs. Like your Mum said … you can always work online toward your degree in the ‘off season’ … but at least you’d be earning a good bit of coin for you and the ‘missus’ in the meantime.”

“For me an’ the ‘missus’? Cor! … You do have a way with words … don’tcha?” Gaby playfully remarked.

“Sweetheart … she has a good point. You’d be doing something you love … and getting paid for it, while I’m in school. You do keep saying you want one of us to have a good job before we get married…”

Maddy snuggled in closer. “Besides … I think you’ve already decided … haven’t you?”

“Say I do want to turn pro … what do you think?”

“It’s your life … so it should be your decision,” Maddy quietly replied while tightly holding onto Gaby’s hand.

“It’s our future, Mad … yours and mine … I want to hear what you have to say.” As the words left Gaby’s mouth, Maddy leaned over and tenderly kissed her fiancée’s cheek.

“Turn ‘pro’, sweetheart. Kris is right ... and ... we might not get this chance again.”

“You sure?”

“Very sure. Turn ‘pro’…” Maddy confirmed her answer with a gentle kiss.

“Okay, then … (sigh). Mum can you let George know I’ll sign after we get back?”

Getting up off the couch, Gaby went over to her mother and gave her a hug while whispering, “Thanks, Mum…”

“You’re sure this is what you want. I don’t want you saying we pressured you into making this decision,” Jenny cautioned.

“No, Mum … Mad’s right. I kinda already decided … but I wanted to hear what the two of you had to say.”

“In case you weren’t thinking clearly?” Jenny knowingly wondered.

“Something like that…” Gaby softly admitted. When she wrapped her arms around her mum, Jenny closed her eyes and just held her tight.

She realised that events of a few years ago were now repeating themselves, only now instead of her and Dave, it involved Gaby and Maddy. This time, Gaby was avoiding the mistakes her mother made by actively involving Maddy in the decision making process — something Jenny didn’t do and it almost cost her, her family.

As these memories flew by in her mind, Jenny’s eyes began to tear up as she also thought of her daughter’s future.

“I handled things so badly and almost threw everything I really loved, away. She’s done what I should have. She remembers…”

“Mum always said God works in mysterious ways … maybe my cancer was His way to bring me back to my family …and to see things that really matter. I know it sounds odd … but … Thank You!”

Jenny a felt more tears run down her cheek as she held Gaby tightly in her arms.

(sniff) “Can you forgive me?” Jenny whispered

“Why?”

“I think you know...” Jenny breathed. Her words were almost inaudible even though she said them in Gaby’s ear.

“Mum...” Gaby softly replied as she held back a growing lump in her throat. “...there’s nothing to forgive ... Dad, Jules an’ I ... we all love you...”

The room fell silent for several minutes while mother and daughter continued to hold each other and shed a few tears. After a while, they released each other and Jenny sat back in her chair, dabbing her eyes with a tissue that seemed to materialize from thin air.

“Before I go and call your father … I need to know … again. You’re positive you want to do this…” Jenny affirmed in a very serious, but emotional voice.

“I’m sure,” Gaby confidently replied, then turning to look at Maddy’s smiling face, she corrected herself. “...We’re sure.”
As she started to go back to her room to get her bag, Jenny hugged Maddy and gave her a peck on the cheek. The two exchanged whispered comments, which caused Maddy to shed a tear.

On the way out of the door, she reminded the girls to meet the others in the lobby. They still had to eat!

Back in her room, Jenny placed the call to her husband even though it was very early in the morning back home. Dave pointed out that he’d have to contact the University of Bremen and cancel Gaby’s admission as well as request any paid tuition be refunded so that she’d have it by the time the team returned home.

Meanwhile, back in the girl’s room, the phone was ringing.

“Gabs … it’s George! Here…” Kristen hissed as she handed the phone to Gaby.

“No … he couldn’t … could he?” Gaby whispered as she accepted the receiver.

“The jungle drums are working overtime, tonight...” Kristen quietly mumbled to herself.

“Hallo? … Ja … Danke…” There was silence for a few minutes while the sounds of conversation could be heard through the phone’s handset. “Gute Nacht, George … und Dank wieder.” Gaby slowly returned the receiver back to the phone.

“Well … what did he say?” Maddy impatiently asked.

“He congratulated me an' said he'll have a contract waiting for me when I get back...” Gaby replied. “Crikey! You believe that? I only told Mum a few minutes ago!”

After the three girls touched up their make-up, they grabbed their team jackets and bags. As they got ready to leave, Maddy noticed that Kristen’s mood became somewhat reserved.

“You upset over what we just talked about?” Maddy whispered.

“No way!” Kristen softly responded.

“Then … is it Gaby and I?” Maddy guessed.

“Nothing’s wrong, Mad … nothing to do with you two, anyway...” Kristen talked in hushed tones.

“But … I … umm ... I felt like I was intruding. What happened here was a bit more than just a discussion about Gaby turning ‘pro’ … wasn’t it?”

“Yeah … it kinda turned out that way,” Maddy whispered.

“I hope everything’s okay.”

“I think it finally is,” Maddy quietly allowed.

“See you two kids at the elevator?” Kristen abruptly asked, changing the subject. As she started to go out the door, Gaby started to follow then turned back into the room and pulled Maddy aside.

“What did Mum say to you, Mad?”

“She told me how happy she and your dad are for us ... and … I’m to take good care of ‘her baby’.”

“Is that all?”

“I promised her that I would ... till death do us part...”

They both looked deep into each other’s eyes as she wrapped her arms around Gaby’s neck and gave her fiancée a long, passionate kiss.

“Now that’s a ‘Kodak moment’!”

The girls quickly broke their embrace upon hearing a disembodied voice coming from behind them. When they looked towards the door, they saw Kristen posed in the entrance hall to the room with a big grin on her face.

“Ladies … the elevator?” She asked, standing to one side and motioning the two girls, through.

Gaby gave a quick look through her bag for her room ‘key’ while Maddy went ahead with Kristen. Once she found it, she ran out of the room letting the door lock behind her and quickly joined the other two by the elevators.

(Ding)

“Good timing! Your mum’s already gone down, by the way…” Kristen mentioned as Gaby walked up.

Jenelle stood inside looking back at the three girls as the door opened.

“Speaking of good timing!” Maddy enthused as they entered the elevator.

“Thanks for hangin’ out with us today, Jen … I think we all had fun … I know I did,” Gaby commented as they started to descend to the lobby.

“Thanks Jen,” the other two chorused. A few moments later, the doors opened to the lobby and they joined the rest of the team.

Mindful of the time, Jenny asked the desk clerk to recommend somewhere close-by to eat and after a short walk, the girls found themselves at Gretzky’s Sport’s Bar. Once they ordered their meals, Gaby rapped the top of the table to get everyone’s attention.

Trying to sound serious, she leaned forward on the empty table so that all could hear.

“Guys … I’ve got a bit of an announcement to make.” Gaby paused to ensure she got their undivided attention and was amused when she saw one or two eyebrows shoot up in anticipation.

Looking briefly at Maddy, she continued.

“Ahhh … no … not yet!” A chorus of quiet groans soon emanated from her teammates while Maddy turned a deep red. Gaby took a deep breath and pressed on.

“I’ve thought about this quite a bit … an’ earlier tonight I talked it over with Maddy … and Mum ... an’ I’ve decided that at the completion of the tour … I’m turning ‘pro’ an’ signing with Team Apollinaris.”

Congratulations came from everyone at the table. However, Jenny noticed from their faces that Gaby’s announcement had an unspoken impact on the rest of the team and wondered if they too would have similar thoughts by the time they returned to Germany.

The next morning when the team went for breakfast, they found the hotel restaurant was busy. Despite the horde of departing cyclists, they were packed, checked out and back to the airport, all in good time. Once the plane was loaded, they bid good-bye to Ron and boarded for their flight west to Vancouver.

Their aircraft’s departure from Pearson International required them to head east before turning towards their destination. This afforded them a last look at Toronto in the morning summer sun, as they over flew the city.

When Gaby turned in her seat and peered out the window with Maddy, she had a nagging feeling that this was not the last time the two of them would see the city.

As they reached cruising altitude, Jenny got everyone’s attention.

“We’re going to be in the air for a few hours, so while Judith passes out some drinks from the plane’s kitchenette ... I’ll get the business bit out of the way and then we can all relax.”

Hearing no objections, she began talking about their next challenge.

“The race venue is Vancouver’s Stanley Park. It’s probably the prettiest course you girls will find yourself riding, but keep focused on the job at hand. You can sight-see after the race, okay?”

Looking directly at Gaby, she continued, “A 9 kilometre individual time trial will be run in the morning.” Shifting her gaze back to the entire team Jenny added, “Followed by a 75 kilometre race, in the afternoon.”

She explained the road race would be five laps of 15 kilometres each, on a two-lane road that ran around the circumference of the park. The time trial would be run along the Seawall, a bicycle/foot path that follows the winding shoreline of Stanley Park.

What followed was a full briefing on the courses, the geography of the park and the expected competition for each race. It was pointed out that parts of the road race were winding and that the whole park was heavily forested.

“Use the trees and the winding roads as cover if you’re in a breakaway … a chase group seems to get a second wind if they can see their quarry.”

Jenny also mentioned that once the team was on the ground, they would have the opportunity to tour both courses in the park

“I know you can all do well on this course … but hopefully we’ll have Kris in position if it comes down to a sprint. We all know what you’re capable of Gaby, but if we can get Kris into position, I want you to be her leadoff. Get her within 100 metres then cut her loose ... but you remain in the sprint! It’ll confuse the heck outta them. However, let’s keep our options open and keep them guessing.”

“Now ... we’ll be using the van as the team support vehicle for the race but the path running along the seawall wasn’t designed for full-sized cars. So, for the time trial ... each team will be supplied with two of those elongated ‘electric carts’ you see in airports. Hans will take one and I’ll take Maddy in the other. That way, we can follow two of you on the course simultaneously.

Hans … Maddy? I’ll leave you two to work what we need to carry on the carts for the time trial.”

Before she returned to her seat, Jenny summed up her talk.

“Tonight, before dinner … we’ll get to tour both the park and the Seawall to see what we’re up against. That’ll be follows by the usual get together back at the hotel … any questions? Complaints? No? Well then … I guess all that remains is to relax for the rest of the flight.”

“Sweetheart? Back in Toronto … did you realise we were about a fifteen minute walk from legally getting married at their City Hall?” Maddy cooed.

“Wot about the licence?”

“A minor technicality...”

“I kinda fancy a church wedding, though … don’t you?” Gaby quietly replied.

“How ‘bout an outdoor wedding?”

“Hmm ... I can think of a few places back ‘ome I’d like … but you’re always second guessing the weather … an’ you have to have a ‘Plan B’ in case it rains. Why add to the hassle?”

“You wouldn’t be thinking of a certain ‘Town Church’ as the church of choice ... would you?”

“Umm ... uh huh.”

“I shoulda known there was a method to your madness when you and Kat took me shopping and showed me the town.” Maddy playfully whispered.

“You had it all planned when you and Kat took me shopping ... didn’t you?”

“I did ... Kat was as much in the dark as you...”

“Think they’ll marry us?” Maddy softly asked, as she snuggled up against Gaby’s shoulder.

“Who … the church? They should … it’s legal now,” Gaby whispered back.

“...But I guess we’ll just have to add that to the things we have to look into it when we get back.”

Maddy gazed into her fiancée’s eyes and softly kissed her on the lips, before laying her head back on Gaby’s shoulder.

“I know we weren’t going to really start planning things just yet … but it’d be nice to know our options before we start ... wouldn’t it?”

“It would,” Gaby whispered as she held Maddy tighter.

The wedding dreams of the two girls were interrupted by the clattering of Kristen rummaging through the onboard DVD collection. Seems the rest of the girls decided now was a good time for an in-flight movie.

“Find something suitable we can all enjoy … including Hans,” Jenny reminded Kristen.

“What about this? It’s got something for everybody.” Kristen held up a DVD for the rest to see and approve.

Obviously she was pleased at her selection and when all agreed, she put it on. Nina and Judith were just passing out drinks and a few bags of ‘nuked’ popcorn, when the title appeared on the built-in 40” screen in the front partition of the passenger cabin — ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’. The flight passed quickly with everyone enjoying the movie.

As the closing credits appeared on the screen, they were accompanied by the song, ‘Everything I Do (I Do For You)’. Kristen came up and knelt down beside Gaby’s seat.

“I can hear why you and Mad like that song so much … it sounds like it was written for you guys,” she quietly commented. Maddy only snuggled closer to Gaby, closed her eyes and started to quietly sing along with the track.

“Yeah … it means a lot,” Gaby sighed with a nod as she used her free hand to hold and squeeze Kristen’s hand.

As she went back to her seat, the voices of the two girls could just barely be heard as they quietly sang along. Upon hearing the girls, Jenny decided to let it play until the very end, before putting the movie away.

“You two have lovely voices,” she whispered as she walked past. Her comment caused both girls to blush and sit up a bit straighter in their seats. They weren’t aware the others had heard them.

Shortly after they cleaned up the cabin, the team was informed to prepare for landing at Vancouver International. As all eyes peered out the windows to get their first glimpse of the city, Jenny pointed out Stanley Park, when it came into view.

They were quick to get on the ground and just as quick to taxi past the large passenger terminals and directly to the corporate airpark.
When the aircraft shut its engines down, the team was met at the plane by the now familiar van/trailer.

“The van and I are here just to move you and the team to and from Stanley Park. I’ll also be using it to take you around the course later on after the park closes, but for the actual race ... you’ll be using one of those new Toyota electric-gas hybrid’s as the team car ... all the teams will have them. You’ll get the keys at the hotel when you get your car assigned.”

By now Hans and Maddy had the unloading routine down pat and in relatively quick time they were starting on their way to the hotel, via Stanley Park.

As they toured the planned racecourse, they made note of the all the geographic features that would figure in any team strategy.

When the van pulled back into the parking lot at the main entrance to the park, the team found themselves being shown to one of the two ‘electric carts’ assigned to the team. Being empty, the cart easily held the entire team as they joined other teams in inspecting the Time Trial course along the top of the Seawall.

As the moved along, the girl’s saw several features of the proposed time trial course, like the twisting nature of the south shore line and the width of the bicycle path along with the vertical rock face that was on the park side of the path for a portion of the south course and of course. Gaby commented on the ‘decorative ledge’ or lack thereof that separated the bicycle path from the vertical edge of the seawall and the water.

“It’ll be great fun taking that at speed ... as long as it’s dry.”

Like the racecourse, one couldn’t escape the dense ‘forest’ of old growth trees, park side! These were all definitely factors that would limit the speed of the competitors.

Back at the hotel, the team decided that they’d all ‘dress’ for dinner as a chance to escape their ‘denim uniforms’. Hans appeared in dress slacks and a shirt. For the ladies, mini skirts and ‘heels’ replaced the usual jeans and trainers.

Partly because they had them and partly because it was a ‘kewel’ statement of team identity, all the girls decided they’d wear the ‘feathered’ earrings they got back at the Tyendinaga Reserve, in addition to their team jackets. Even Jenny joined in the ‘team spirit’ and wore a pair of her earrings from the Trading Post.

Conversation at dinner evolved into the team meeting Jenny had planned for later in the evening. In any case, combined with Jenny’s talk on the plane, their enthusiasm and their tour of Stanley Park, it wasn’t long before they hammered out a plan for the next day’s race and time trial.

In place of the planned meeting and considering they were all dressed up, the girls adjourned to the hotel’s dance club to relax for a couple of hours, before calling it a day.

Next morning, the girls went to breakfast wearing tracksuits over their ‘skins’ and then it was a quick drive to Stanley Park.

Maddy and Hans quickly unloaded the special time trial bikes from the trailer, along with the aerodynamic helmets — each one equipped with a radio receiver to allow communication between the following support vehicle and the rider. In addition, they unloaded two spare time trial bikes, one for each ‘electric cart’.

Each cart also carried a spare front and rear wheel, first aid kit, walkie-talkie as well as a few items not normally associated with a bike race. Since this was being run along the waterfront, they also carried a beach towel, blanket, life ring and a length of rope.

Jenny had returned from checking in with the race organizers with their individual start times. Out of sixty riders, Judith was to start in the thirtieth spot, Nina in the forty-eight position, Kristen in the fifty-fifth position and finally Gaby — dead last. It meant that they had some time to prepare before they actually rode and that they had two strong time-trialer’s on the team.

Since there was a two-minute interval between individual starts and a three-minute interval between the last two start times, it meant a two-hour wait before Gaby actually started the course from the time the first rider was started.

The ‘Beep … beep … beep’ of the countdown, followed by the gentle pressure of the starter’s hand on her back, sent Judith down the shallow ramp of the starting podium and onto the course. A few seconds behind her, Hans pulled out in his cart, staying behind her but keeping her in sight. From the radio on the seat beside him, he was able to hear them relay the times of the riders ahead of her to Judith. At the first checkpoint just after Brockton Point, she checked in with the third best time of the day.

She completed the run with a time of 13.32, putting her temporarily in fourth place.

By the time Judith finished her ride, Nina was preparing to go — probably already on the start podium. Hans relayed Judith’s critique of the course to Jenny who, having the luxury of another body with her, had Maddy relay the information to Nina after she was on the course. During this time, Hans quickly drove back the short distance from the finish at ‘Second Beach’ to the start at Coal Harbour to get ready to follow Kristen on her ride.

As Nina raced through the first checkpoint, she recorded the best time of the day, by .023 of a second. About mid-way between Brockton Point and the second checkpoint at the inlet for Beaver Lake, Nina lost her chain. She rubbed the seawall ledge while negotiating a sweeping turn, but managed to retain control of the bike. Thankfully, she stayed on the bike path and didn’t go over the Seawall’s ledge, ending up in the water.

Jenny quickly pulled the ‘electric cart’ up behind Nina. Maddy had the chain back on the sprockets and Nina back on the course in a matter of seconds, but she’d already lost her lead. Crossing through the second checkpoint Maddy relayed to Nina that she had slipped to tenth position.

By the time Nina crossed the finish line, she managed to re-gain three spots, but was still seventh with a time of 13.64. Jenny had only a few minutes to get back to track Gaby.

Kristen was already well onto the course and through the forth checkpoint at Third Beach, where she recorded the second best time of the day. She completed the course after dropping down to third with a time of 13.25 and an average speed of 40.75kph or 25.23mph.

(Beep … beep … beep) Trisha from Team Exxon, Gaby’s closest rival in the overall tour standings, was off on her run. Seconds after Jenny pulled into her start position Gaby rode up onto the start podium to await her three-minute countdown.

(Beep … beep … beep) Gaby took off like the proverbial 'bat outta hell', with Jenny in hot pursuit. From her radio contact, Jenny learned Trish passed through the first checkpoint with the third best time of the day and Maddy promptly relayed Trish’s time to Gaby as she neared Brockton Point.

Gaby started her ride at a blistering pace. She entered all the tight turns leading to the first checkpoint the same way, by staying on the outer edge and then as she went through, she crossed over to ride the inside shoulder of the turn.

At times she came very close to the rock face that formed some of the Park’s edge to the bike path, but in this manner she was able to maintain her speed through the individual turns. As a result, she was 1.29 seconds better than the previous best time recorded at the first checkpoint.

With the sharpest series of turns behind her, Gaby upped the pace, making Jenny speed up just to maintain the gap. When she passed through the third checkpoint at Prospect Point Lookout, she had slipped back to third position, but only by .22 of a second.

By the fourth checkpoint at Third Beach, she was .011 of a second behind Trisha for first place. Gaby knew there was only one sharp turn left then a relatively clear run to the finish at Second Beach.

As she crossed the finish line, she’d clocked the best time of the day at 12.85. Her computer told her she averaged 42kph or 26.1mph. Gaby learned Trisha finished with a 12.88.

As soon as Jenny stopped the cart, Maddy was out and headed in Gaby’s direction. She had to thread her way through the people at the finish, but found her fiancée. Ignoring those nearby, Maddy threw her arms around Gaby’s neck and gave her a quick kiss on her cheek.

As Jenny took the bike, Maddy directed Gaby to a bench for one of her “patented leg rubs”. It had been years since she had one and as she began, Gaby lay back on the bench and enjoyed every moment of it!

Hans soon had the van at the finish line and together with Maddy, loaded up the trailer with all the team’s equipment. Following a hearty lunch back in town, it was back out to Stanley Park for the two PM start of the 75 kilometre race through the park’s road system.

Starting at the Park’s main entrance, all sixty cyclists were moving towards Brockton Point at a relaxed pace and it continued like that, for the first couple of laps. Due to the width of the double-lanes of the road, the peloton was strung out over a longer distance than one would usually expect. Only slight movement was evident in the pack with everyone becoming accustomed to the course

By the beginning of the third lap, Gaby had the team up close to the front of the peloton after starting off in the middle of the field. After a quick survey of the situation, she felt things had remained status quo long enough. From behind her, Nina watched for her signal, a very subtle nod that could easily be taken for just a normal head movement caused by shifting a rider’s weight and finally she saw it.

She exploded in a burst of speed that brought her from behind Gaby and out, way in front of the main group. A member of Team Exxon and Team Alberta immediately broke away and chased her down, but not before the damage was done.

The ruse worked in that the duel breakaway attempts startled a complacent peloton and caused a void in which the remaining three girls in the team were able to use to launch themselves clear of the main body. As they passed the initial breakaway, the three became six. It worked far better than they planned as the entire team was now in the breakaway group!

Initially out of the saddles to power themselves away from the peloton, they soon opened a forty-second gap between them and the main group. Once the lead group hit the first bend in the road after the break, they sat down and assumed the classic aerodynamic crouched position, taking them through the turn.

Riding in single file, the group of six started performing ‘piano’ — the regular rotation of cyclists at the front, providing ‘drafting’ for the others, thus easing the workload for the group. With the course heavily forested on both sides of the road, they knew that as long as they stayed a bend or two ahead of the main body, they remained hidden from the direct view of the peloton.

After they cleared Prospect Point Lookout, they still enjoyed an almost one full minute lead over the main peloton.

However, everybody in that group knew that until they reached the main entrance to the park and began another lap, the roads were relatively straight with only gentle curves in which to hide from the others. Also, this second half of the course was much faster than the winding first half of the course. This meant the peloton had a chance to close any gaps.

Rounding Ferguson Point, Judith looked over her right shoulder and back along the bending shoreline, to see the lead riders of the peloton riding by Siwash Rock.

As Kristen rode past her to take her turn at the front, Judith suggested that she up the pace a bit. Judith’s computer showed her she was already cruising along at 38kph. The result of her suggestion was that they successfully held their position through the ‘feed’ now set up at the park entrance and maintained it well into the fourth lap!

After the peloton rounded Brockton Point, the lead group became aware of a second breakaway group from the peloton chasing them down.

It wasn’t until the original six entered the twisting roads leading to Prospect Point Lookout that the second group of nine came within sight and when the six slowed to negotiate the sharp turn at Prospect Point Lookout the two groups joined as one. Even now, they enjoyed an almost two minute lead over the peloton. Heading down the long open road going back to the park entrance and the last lap, Kristen recalled Jenny’s prediction of a sprint.

They did lose about a half-minute of that lead once the peloton hit the open road but as soon as they passed the park entrance for the bell lap and started into the winding section of the course that approached Brockton Point, they were able to make up some of the lost time.

As Kristen commented later, “The course was pretty fast, but it had its speed bumps in the form of a couple of winding sections around Brockton Point and Prospect Point Lookout.”

On the final half of the course, there were no less than seven breakaway attempts, four of them initiated by Team Apollinaris. The net result was that the lead group lost five riders and of the nine that remained, Kristen noted four were very good sprinters. Once the group turned onto the final 2 kilometre run along the Lost Lagoon to the park entrance, what few ‘attacks’ there were, became more serious in nature.

At the 200m marker, the ‘attacks’ amongst the leaders noticeably increased in frequency. There were no friends now.

At 100m with Kristen riding on her back wheel, Gaby shot out from the pack. She was quickly followed by about a half-dozen other riders. As they passed 50 metres, a couple of riders where still keeping the blistering pace with the two Apollinaris girls.

With nothing more than a quick glance back at Kristen, the two suddenly parted company as they both dramatically upped the pace. Initially, the move had generated the confusion they wanted, but the more experienced players in the sprint soon saw signs that Gaby was fading and quickly focused their efforts on Kristen.

Many seconds later, the leaders started crossing the finish line. After all was said and done, it was Kristen by a wheel! Gaby, Judith and Nina placed 5th, 7th and 8th respectively.

Hans and Maddy were quick to wipe down the bikes and pack everything up, while the girls used the time to cool down. As he raised the trailer’s ramp, Jenny ushered Maddy and the girls into the van for their ride back to the hotel. She had also decided they were to make use of the hotel pool and sauna facilities to relax, before dinner. No one questioned that decision.

A bit more than two hours later they were all back in their rooms, changed and ready to meet for dinner. As Jenny was finishing her make-up, Maddy answered a knock at their hotel room’s door. Gaby greeted her fiancée, then entered the room and walked up to where her mum was seated.

“Mum … can I ask you something?” Gaby asked.

“I’m your mother, kiddo … you know you can talk to me about anything that’s bothering you,” Jenny light-heartedly replied. Gaby gently grasped Maddy’s hand and pulled her closer.

“Do you know if Mad and I can get married at the ‘Town Church’?”

“Is that what you two want?” Jenny questioned, addressing the two girls.

“Uh huh … they have to marry us don’t they? It’s legal an’ everything,” Gaby wondered.

“Why worry about it now? After all you and Maddy have said it won’t happen until she’s finished university.” Jenny glanced at Maddy as she spoke.

“Still … it’d be nice to know if we’re going to be planning a church wedding … or something smaller at City Hall … wouldn’t it?” Gaby replied.

“You’re right, of course. A bride should know these little details. But remember … although same-sex marriages are now legal … it just means the Federal Government made it legal ... and City Hall has no choice but to marry you. As I understand it, though … an individual church still does have that choice,” Jenny explained.

“Don’t you girls worry about it now … okay? I believe the senior vicar at the church is still Reverend Albrecht. We’ll stop in and make some inquiries when we get back, okay? Now let’s go and meet the others for dinner!”

Both girls gave Jenny a hug before all three left the room for dinner and their last night in Canada … for now.
 
 
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To Be Continued...