Day 6 in Campbell River, presented by Waste Connections Canada, has been highly anticipated for its promise of epic greenery and flowy trails.
“Pedally” was the word of the day. Think rolling ribbons of singletrack instead of punishing punchy climbs. It was the kind of stage that gave your lungs a break and your grin a workout.
Campbell River’s new flow trail and today’s Fox Timed Downhill, Tres Hombres, was a big hit with racers.
While the trails on this stage feature plenty of the rocks and roots Vancouver Island is known for, overall, today’s stage was smoother and more flowy than the past five.
One rider summed it up perfectly while weaving through a sea of bikes at the finish line. “Ya bikes! Look at all these bikes. These bikes had fun today!”
The River City Cycle Club builds and maintains all the trails here and has put a lot of work into developing the Snowden Demonstration Forest trail network, which now has 100 of the 400 of trails in and around Campbell River.
Back by popular demand, Brett Tippie was at the aid station feeding watermelon to racers as they came through.
Some unusual spectators showed up to congratulate racers at the finish line.
60+ Women Shine
Today may have been mellow on paper, but the women in the 60+ category lit it up on course. This is the first year BCBR has had a full 60+ women’s category, and it has quickly become one of the most connected and joyful groups on course.
Florida’s Patty McKeenan has been mountain biking almost since the inception of the sport and loves coming back to BC Bike Race to connect with others she has met at the event.
In 2021 at BCBR she met Val Terada, who lives in Hawaii, and the two quickly became friends, not only because they are about the same age, but because they had the same bike, the Spot Ryve, an uncommon sight given that it’s made by a small company out of Colorado.
“I thought I was going to be original, the only one with the bike, and here comes Patty,” says Val.
2025 is Val’s fourth BCBR and Patty’s third. Among the reasons for returning this year was to support BCBR’s Racer Relations lead, Moniera Khan, but FOMO (fear of missing out) has played a roll in the past. It’s tough not to sign up when you see all your friends doing it.
Val Terada, Patty McKeenan, Marisol Perez and Dedi Williamson at the Day 3 finish line.
“I’m stronger now than I was 10 years ago!”
That’s not a tagline, that’s the story of Heidi Dhose, from Idaho, who’s been on the podium throughout the race. She says she’s actually fitter now than her first BCBR experience a decade ago which she rode with support while managing a heart condiditon. This year she’s got a more advanced pacemaker and she’s doing it on her own.
“ I am stronger now and more fit now than I was then,” she says. “As a 50-year-old, I wasn’t as strong as I am as a 60-year-old. So I think I can inspire more women to just like, keep doing it and it actually gets better.”
Jockeying with Heidi for second place, Line Moisan, from California, is here for the first time and loving the experience.
“Part about doing this and having a seven-day stage race as an adult is, it’s like going to summer camp and you get to hang out with a bunch of friends and play bikes and where else do you get that kind of an opportunity in like your real life?” she says.
Most of the women in this category aren’t here to be on the podium. They’re just enjoying the ride and supporting one another.
Val Terada never seems to stop smiling.
Their advice for other women their age who want to mountain bike or do events like BCBR?
“The thing about being older is that you lose it fast and it’s hard to gain it back. So just continue staying in shape,” says Patty.
”The hardest thing is getting up and getting out,” says Val. “Once you get out, just get on the bike and sit out there, it’s beautiful.”
”You don’t have to let life challenges get in your way,” shares Heidi. “You can just kind of keep turning pedals and next thing you know, you’re doing BC Bike Race with really awesome women.”
More than a race, it’s a Movement!
Several of the women have gotten to know each other well over the past six months, being part of a BCBR WhatsApp group for 60+ women (and a few 50-somethings). The group has been chatting with one another since January and have had plenty of encouraging words for one another all week long.
“We are a most fortunate group. Thank you so much for your inspiration,” wrote Dedi Williamson, who lives in North Carolina and is doing BC Bike Race for the second time. “I am so lucky for these beautiful women who have been such phenomenal examples of sportsmanship, inspiration, instruction, and encouragement.”
Words by Carmel Ecker
Photos by Deniz Merdano, Dave Silver, Petri Miniotas and Sara Kempner