Posted Aug 20th 2007, 10:34am

TRANS ROCKIES BLOG - Stage 7

THE FINISH LINE APPROACHES

Isporty founder Chris Ward and team-mate Bill Gilbert's have made it through to the final stage of this years 7-day Trans Rockies mountain-bike race.

Bill's Blog ..

Final day, and by sunrise our tent was a methane bubble, jeez! Chris's tummy bug had worked overtime through the night and by race time he still wasn't feeling well.

Everyone on the start line was in good spirits - we were lined up with Dick and Dan, and notwithstanding Chris's illness we had planned to race with them .. they are fit boys and experienced mountain bikers, so it would be a challenge.

We went out as hard as we could, but Chris was suffering so he and I took the effort down for a little while. For as bad as he felt he really did push it. The whole race ended with about 7k of single track - which I actually enjoyed, despite going over the handle bars at one point! Who would have thought that a week ago?!

The finish was in Fernie, which is a great little town. There was a street party and everyone was very happy just to hang out in the sunshine and have a few beers whilst sharing stories of the last week.

It was a great race. We finished 47th out of 83 in our category, but without mechanical failures it would have been a lot better.

I'm on the way back to Calgary now and then home and family. I must admit I'll be doing more mountain biking - its a great sport with a lot of skills I still need to learn!

Thanks Trans Rockies for a great week.

Chris's Blog ..

I'm wearing my finishers t-shirt amongst a tent full of around 500 other riders in our exclusive lime green marks of achievement.

We did it - around 75-100 didn't so we have to be happy (at the moment though I'm too tired and full of drink to feel anything other than wrecked - both physically and emotionally).

It was a short day today but my stomach hadn't settled so with absolutely no energy in the legs I tried my hardest to turn it into a longer one.

Bill did aid me a couple of times by taking me out on a gravel bend and then taking himself out as we descended fast through singletrack to the great main street of Fernie where we finished, and spent the afternoon with Brits and beer - only mad dogs and Englishmen ..

Our hotel was too far away for my liking and in my tired stupor I managed to fall off in some gravel - two passing cars immediately stopped - packed my bike into the back and lifted me to the door.

Bill was determined to cycle it and prove he could keep going longer then me!

All finishers have got to get on stage for a mass celebratory photo so off I go - that, a few more beers, bed, flight home and my four kids - one more round-up blog from me in a few days - it has been fun!