I called Michel to find out the where's and when's of the registration process and he informed me that all the double iron athletes were to be housed in the college apartments for ease of transport to the race site on Friday.That was pretty cool I thought as usually they char
ge for this accomodation but this year it was free.He then amazed me even more by telling me that there was to be a free whale-watching trip for all the double iron racers the day after the awards ceremony.Is there no limit to what thes folks here in Quebec will do for the athletes.I did mention that I had a friend arriving to help me crew and he simply said"no problem,we will look after her.She can crew for you and we will feed her and her for free all weekend.Truly amazing!!
With that sorted I took off around the city one last time to get some photos taken of the race site from the high viewpoint of the citadel located directly across the river
from transition.After that I checked out a couple of bands playing in one of the parks and watched some dancers rehearse routines for that nights show.From there it was back to the hostel to wait for news from Barb about her arrival time in Quebec.It was another great day in Quebec and I just hoped the favourable weather would continue for the weekend.Racing here in bad weather sucks the big one. I also took the opportunity to head down to the harbour and check out something that Mike had told me about.There was a ship arriving in port that day which has special significance in Canadian culture.The Bluenose 2 is a replica of the shp that is portrayed on the Canadian 10 cent piece.The original met it's m
aker on the high seas and so this one was commisioned to be built in Lunenburg just outside of Halifax.It tours Canadain cities all year and is quite the attraction.I got pretty close to her and I must say I was very impressed indeed.
I assumed my little position at the far end of the courtyard with my new mates Crazy Jean(who you met in the video in part one) and Ontario Mike,who was in town for three weeks checking out all the festivities.The three of us spent lots of time together talking crap mostly but laughing lot's,which was mainly at Jeans expence.That guy was on his laptop for hours chatting up and singing to girls all over the world,it was too funny. It was pretty good fun but the day was getting late and having spoken to Barb on the phone from across the river only an hour or so before I was beginning to wonder where she was.To remedy the situation I went and bought some beer not that it would help find her really but someone was loo
king after us as when I stepped out into the street from the beer shop two doors down from the hostel who should I spot but Barb.She was at the wheel of 
her huge blue van being escorted through the cobblestone streets of Quebec City by two bicycle cops.I'm not sure they knew what to make of me as I raised my hands and started waving my two cans of guiness around.Stupid bloody tourists was probrably foremost on their minds but they said goobye to Barb and were off.Barb parked the van in a narrow side street and I showed her to the hostel and introduced her to my crazy fellow inmates.As we both had to be in Levis on the other side of the river the next morning we had an early night.Barb slept in her van and I packed all my crap before going to sleep full of anticipation of seeing a bunch of old tri friends that I hadn't seen for four years.
The next morning(after filling up on another freebie breakfast)we loaded all my stuff into Barbs van and headed off
to the ferry for the quick trip to Levis.I was so thankfull that Barb happened to be in the neighbourhood and could help me out for the event.She was on a cross-Canada driving trip and coincidenlty was close enough for her to make the trip from Ottawa to Levis for the weekend.This morning she would get to meet the other athletes as well as some of the people that would be helping as crew for me too.
We drove the short distance from the ferry at Levis to the college sports complex in Lauzon and found a huge group of skinny athlete types assembled in the foyer of the complex.It was like one great reunion for me as I scanned the room and spotted so many old friends that I hadn't had contact with for so long.The comeraderie of these ultra-triathlets never ceases to surprise me and somehow every time we meet up it's is like we were all hanging out just yesterday and not four years ago.It's is the smae at all the Ultras' I've done and many of the Ironmans as well.This morning was no different as I first met up with Jerry "the Llama farmer" Fassett who is a local and one of the real charachters of the sport.Then it was Harn Wei from Singapore,who I was glad to notice had all his facial features intact.He crashed heavily here a few years ag
o and the last time I saw him his face was beat up pretty bad>he is a tough guy though and it was no surprise to me to find out that he had signed up for the Deca-iron(38k swim-1800kbike-422krun)in Mexico later in the year.
It was a like old home week for all of us as we filed into the registration room for the pre race briefing and our blood tests(drug tests).I got to meet up with all the race organisers that had been so supportive of me over the years and said my hellos to Michel,Jean-Pierre and Jean-Guy.After saying hello to all the other athletes it was down to the boring business of meetings and admin stuff.I was glad to get out of there and head off to our apartment but not before being given a bike to use f
or the race by Jean-Guy.I don't now whose bike it was but I was very thankfull for the loan.
After settling in to the apartment which we shared with Montreal photographer Ben Beauchamp and his girlfriend Ninon it was off to the pre race dinner and one of the traditions in all big triathlon events, the fickin' food line-up!It was all good though and I enjoyed the evening a lot especially getting to meet the latest member of the Patent household.Melissa Patent and her family had served as my crew for every double iron I had done in Levis and this year would be no exception.It seemd every year I rolled up she was busy producing more crew members for future races.This year was no exception with a new kid for me to meet and one one the way for next years event.She assures me that this is the last but I don't know about
that.Her role this year though was as crew co-ordinator for the event and so as Barb had shown up unexpectedly to crew, she passed the torch over to her younger brother Gabriel who as usual ended up doing a great job.We can't do these events without our crews and I'll always be thankful to the my Levis family for looking after me for four very long races.
It was time to go back to the apartment though and get ready for bed and an early morning the next day.After some chit-chat with Ben's brother Yves who was also racing it was time to bed down for the night and hopefully get some decent sleep in preparation for the huge day ahead.
ge for this accomodation but this year it was free.He then amazed me even more by telling me that there was to be a free whale-watching trip for all the double iron racers the day after the awards ceremony.Is there no limit to what thes folks here in Quebec will do for the athletes.I did mention that I had a friend arriving to help me crew and he simply said"no problem,we will look after her.She can crew for you and we will feed her and her for free all weekend.Truly amazing!!With that sorted I took off around the city one last time to get some photos taken of the race site from the high viewpoint of the citadel located directly across the river
from transition.After that I checked out a couple of bands playing in one of the parks and watched some dancers rehearse routines for that nights show.From there it was back to the hostel to wait for news from Barb about her arrival time in Quebec.It was another great day in Quebec and I just hoped the favourable weather would continue for the weekend.Racing here in bad weather sucks the big one. I also took the opportunity to head down to the harbour and check out something that Mike had told me about.There was a ship arriving in port that day which has special significance in Canadian culture.The Bluenose 2 is a replica of the shp that is portrayed on the Canadian 10 cent piece.The original met it's m
aker on the high seas and so this one was commisioned to be built in Lunenburg just outside of Halifax.It tours Canadain cities all year and is quite the attraction.I got pretty close to her and I must say I was very impressed indeed.I assumed my little position at the far end of the courtyard with my new mates Crazy Jean(who you met in the video in part one) and Ontario Mike,who was in town for three weeks checking out all the festivities.The three of us spent lots of time together talking crap mostly but laughing lot's,which was mainly at Jeans expence.That guy was on his laptop for hours chatting up and singing to girls all over the world,it was too funny. It was pretty good fun but the day was getting late and having spoken to Barb on the phone from across the river only an hour or so before I was beginning to wonder where she was.To remedy the situation I went and bought some beer not that it would help find her really but someone was loo
king after us as when I stepped out into the street from the beer shop two doors down from the hostel who should I spot but Barb.She was at the wheel of 
her huge blue van being escorted through the cobblestone streets of Quebec City by two bicycle cops.I'm not sure they knew what to make of me as I raised my hands and started waving my two cans of guiness around.Stupid bloody tourists was probrably foremost on their minds but they said goobye to Barb and were off.Barb parked the van in a narrow side street and I showed her to the hostel and introduced her to my crazy fellow inmates.As we both had to be in Levis on the other side of the river the next morning we had an early night.Barb slept in her van and I packed all my crap before going to sleep full of anticipation of seeing a bunch of old tri friends that I hadn't seen for four years.The next morning(after filling up on another freebie breakfast)we loaded all my stuff into Barbs van and headed off
to the ferry for the quick trip to Levis.I was so thankfull that Barb happened to be in the neighbourhood and could help me out for the event.She was on a cross-Canada driving trip and coincidenlty was close enough for her to make the trip from Ottawa to Levis for the weekend.This morning she would get to meet the other athletes as well as some of the people that would be helping as crew for me too.We drove the short distance from the ferry at Levis to the college sports complex in Lauzon and found a huge group of skinny athlete types assembled in the foyer of the complex.It was like one great reunion for me as I scanned the room and spotted so many old friends that I hadn't had contact with for so long.The comeraderie of these ultra-triathlets never ceases to surprise me and somehow every time we meet up it's is like we were all hanging out just yesterday and not four years ago.It's is the smae at all the Ultras' I've done and many of the Ironmans as well.This morning was no different as I first met up with Jerry "the Llama farmer" Fassett who is a local and one of the real charachters of the sport.Then it was Harn Wei from Singapore,who I was glad to notice had all his facial features intact.He crashed heavily here a few years ag
o and the last time I saw him his face was beat up pretty bad>he is a tough guy though and it was no surprise to me to find out that he had signed up for the Deca-iron(38k swim-1800kbike-422krun)in Mexico later in the year.It was a like old home week for all of us as we filed into the registration room for the pre race briefing and our blood tests(drug tests).I got to meet up with all the race organisers that had been so supportive of me over the years and said my hellos to Michel,Jean-Pierre and Jean-Guy.After saying hello to all the other athletes it was down to the boring business of meetings and admin stuff.I was glad to get out of there and head off to our apartment but not before being given a bike to use f
or the race by Jean-Guy.I don't now whose bike it was but I was very thankfull for the loan.After settling in to the apartment which we shared with Montreal photographer Ben Beauchamp and his girlfriend Ninon it was off to the pre race dinner and one of the traditions in all big triathlon events, the fickin' food line-up!It was all good though and I enjoyed the evening a lot especially getting to meet the latest member of the Patent household.Melissa Patent and her family had served as my crew for every double iron I had done in Levis and this year would be no exception.It seemd every year I rolled up she was busy producing more crew members for future races.This year was no exception with a new kid for me to meet and one one the way for next years event.She assures me that this is the last but I don't know about
that.Her role this year though was as crew co-ordinator for the event and so as Barb had shown up unexpectedly to crew, she passed the torch over to her younger brother Gabriel who as usual ended up doing a great job.We can't do these events without our crews and I'll always be thankful to the my Levis family for looking after me for four very long races.It was time to go back to the apartment though and get ready for bed and an early morning the next day.After some chit-chat with Ben's brother Yves who was also racing it was time to bed down for the night and hopefully get some decent sleep in preparation for the huge day ahead.
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