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Mud News
Volume 20, Issue No. 3
www.simbs.com
The S
Th
South
th IIsland
l dM
Mountain
t i Bik
Bike S
Society
i t
Welcome to
SUMMER
Inside
Race report
4-5
The tale of a new trail
6-7
Riding in the Kootenays
The South Island Mountain Bike Society
is an affiliated member of the
International Mountain Bicycling Association
10-11
All rights reserved. Copyright 2012
Board of Directors
President: Scott Mitchell
(250) 361-7966 [email protected]
Vice President: Dan Cammiade
[email protected]
Treasurer: Richard Baer
[email protected]
Secretary: Christyna Jones
(250) 217-8176 [email protected]
Members @ Large
Wayne Rix - Map Sales and Director at Large
(250) 479-2897
Danielle Stevens - Membership Director
[email protected]
Chris Oman - Trails Director
(250) 658-2819
[email protected]
Matthuw Ronald-Jones – South Cowichan Director
[email protected]
David Cusack - Website Director
[email protected]
Richard Cook
[email protected]
Nathaniel Cook
[email protected]
Eban Tomlinson
[email protected]
Scott Clarke
Mud News Production
2
Mud News • May-June 2012
Editor: Darlene Oman
[email protected]
Layout: Carmel Ecker &
Leigh Sifton
[email protected]
Mud News is published six times yearly by the South
Island Mountain Bike Society, and is distributed free to
members of SIMBS, local bike shops, and other activity
outlets. The opinions expressed in the articles are those
of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the
SIMBS Board of Directors.
SUBMISSIONS AND PHOTOGRAPHY:
[email protected]
SIMBS Mud News, PO Box 8145
Victoria, BC, V8W 3R8
ON THE COVER
Rider: Unknown
Location: Hartland-Mount Work
Photographer: Sean Hooson
Website hosted by Catapult
I think the spring has to be the best season
to ride mountain bikes. After being cooped
up inside for most of the winter, there is a
certain satisfaction when you can get out
after work for a ride without lights or three
layers of merino wool. The excitement of the
Island Cup race scene is also full throttle.
There have been several successful XC races
and by the time this paper hits the shops,
a few of the DH races will have passed.
SIMBS is gearing up for a few awesome
events like the Torpedo Run Throwdown on
June 21. We are also planning to be involved
with the Jump Ship weekend on June 2224 so stay tuned to the SIMBS website
and Facebook page for the details on a very
cool membership benefit that weekend. We
will also need your help volunteering that
weekend, so keep an eye out and help out
if you can.
I attended the first downhill race in
Cumberland in April, hosted by UROC,
and it was a great event. The support from
the local community was stellar as usual.
The staging grounds is one of the things that
makes this race a great event because there is
ample parking for everyone, the organizers
have plenty of room for registration, they
host a big barbecue after the race, there is a
killer trophy for the fastest dude there, and
the spectators come out in huge numbers
and line the course to make you go faster.
More than 200 racers showed up this year
and I was surprised to see how many younger
“groms” came out. It was great to see that
many kids out and it shows that we need
areas for these kids to ride their DH bikes
without having to drive three hours to get
to Cumberland. This was the fourth year in
a row that I have made it to this race and it
is great to see the race grow. It was also great
to show up and have a personal best run.
Improving as a racer is one of the things that
brings me back every year and I know many
other racers share the same passion.
SIMBS has made a few big changes this
spring. First we moved our meeting location
to the Vancouver Island Tech Park. We had
our first board meeting there in May and the
facilities are state of the art. The movie night
in May was also hosted there and if things
work out this could be the venue for many
SIMBS events in the future. We are excited
to have the Tech Park on as a silver sponsor
this year. Another big change that was
decided in the April meeting was a change
to our membership structure. As some of
you know we currently pay $13 per member
for insurance. Our previous structure had
three options: $10 student, $20 supporting
member, and $35 family. We felt that the
SIMBS is gearing up for
a few awesome events
like the Torpedo Run
Throwdown on June
21 and the Jump Ship
weekend so stay tuned
to the SIMBS website
and Facebook page.
student rate was too low and costing us
money so we decided to remove the option
and keep the $20 supporting membership
and $35 family membership. Many other
clubs in B.C. and Canada charge over $50
for a membership and we feel $20 isn’t that
steep for a year of supporting your local
mountain bike group.
There’s lots more info in this issue of the
Mud News. I hope to see you out at the
SIMBS events and out on the trails. Keep
the Rubber Side Down!
Travel
John WEBSTER
The Cariboo: Shangri-La of Mountain Biking
Williams Lake hosts the
largest legal trail network
in the province with over
300 kilometres of single
track. ROCK and ROLL
BABY!
For hour-long technical
descents,
hit
Desous
Mountain. For great cross
country riding, any trail
on the Southside will do,
or Jimmy’s Fox on Fox
Mountain. Fans of Fast
and Flowy riding will
love Fox Mountain and
the Westsyde! Check out
Aflow Daddy on Fox (15
minute ride) and Snakes
and Ladders to Death to
the Left on the Westsyde
(1.5hr plus). Last, but
not least, there is a 2 acre
bike skills park to practice
everything from log riding
to back flips.
You
can
shuttle
everything or XC all day.
Getting here: From
Vancouver
you’ll
be
taking a nice drive up
the Thompson River on
Highway 1, then Highway
97 to the Cariboo. It’s
about a 7-hour drive from
Vancouver.
Where to stay and eat:
The Overlander (OV)
offers pub food and an
Book review
affordable night’s rest and
the Oliver Street Bar and
Grill has great pub food
and lounging.
When
you wake up, head to the
Gecko Tree Cafe for an
amazing breakfast that will
keep your bread basket
satisfied.
For a lighter
meal, California Sushi
offers the best Japanese
food north of Vancouver.
Yummy Day!
Register
yourself
at
http://ridethecariboo.ca/
and stop in for beta and
gear @ Red Shreds Bike
and Board Shed and the
Barking Spider.
Wayne RIX
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
SIMBS YOUTH RIDE
2ND SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH
After many months without a ride
leader, the SIMBS youth ride is back.
Meet @ 9:45am in the Hartland parking lot. Ride @ 10am.
SIMBS WOMEN’S RIDE
2ND SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH
Beginner to intermediate
Jennifer Magdalenich leads this ride.
Email her at [email protected] with
any questions. Meet in the Hartland
parking lot at 9:45am, ride at 10am.
SIMBS TRAIL MAINTENANCE
3RD SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH
Bring boots & appropriate work wear
for the weather! SIMBS provides the
lunches. Meet @ 8:45am, Hartland
parking lot.
To be included for lunch, contact
Chris Oman at [email protected].
3
also thanks hundreds of people, by name, who
helped him one way or another.
If you want a good example of “what doesn’t
kill you makes you stronger,” this guy is headed
to become the strongest man in the world. He
sure gets my respect.
2ND SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH
Beginner to intermediate
You can learn skills and/or be guided
around the park. Meet @ 9:45am,
Hartland parking lot. Ride @ 10am.
RSVP to Wayne Rix, 479-2897. If no
one RSVPs, the ride will be cancelled.
Mud News • May-June 2012
You’ve probably heard about the guy who
was hiking in Moab, Utah, and got his arm
trapped by a boulder and had to cut it off to
escape… His name is Aron Ralston and, after
reading his book, I’m under the impression
he wouldn’t do anything that wasn’t life
threatening.
He’s survived an avalanche, been stalked by
a bear, and jumped into the Colorado River
without stopping to think about how fast it
was flowing or how cold it was. He had three
incidents with boulders and on the third one
he had to give up his arm. He also climbed the
59 Colorado peaks that are over 14,000 feet
high... alone... in winter. Yeah, I think he was
asking for trouble too.
The movie, 127 Hours shows the Moab
incident. The book goes into a lot of detail
about his life. On page 23, his right hand is
trapped. He will be there for 127 hours, or just
over 6 days, running out of food and water…
but not spirit! Chapter 2 goes back to 1987
when he was 12 years old, living in Indiana
and intimidated by things like mountains and
skiing. Well he sure got over that quickly after
moving to Colorado.
Don’t look for humour in this story. But it’s
good if you like lots of details and facts. He
SIMBS INTRODUCTORY RIDE
Race Report
Sarah MITCHELL
Island Cup XC Cumberland and Hammerfest
up three kilometers of fire road. Nothing
here was as steep as Cobble Hill or
Pooh’s Corner, but it was still a long slog
to the turnoff of our first single track
trail – Teapot. A tight and technical trail
through the forest, Teapot definitely
challenged me to keep my momentum
and not get off the bike. Things got a bit
easier as we headed around Allen Lake
into swaths of clear cut forest.
Located on actively logged land, it
seems as though there is constant trail
development in Cumberland. Much
of the single track travelled that day
was freshly cut trail, with names like
Short n’ Curly, Rugburn, Scat and Brat.
Everything was really well designed,
with great drainage and good flow. If
you decide to explore yourself (as I truly
hope you do) it might be best for you
to pick up the most recent trail map
from nearby Dodge City Cycles – also a
*fantastic* place for women’s mountain
bike clothing!
About halfway through the race,
I discovered I was being followed.
Not too much of a surprise given the
circumstances, but I decided then and
there that I was not going to let this rider
pass me. (Up until this point I hadn’t put
up much of a fight against the constant
flow of people riding around me.) The
chase was on! Every time I hesitated, put
a foot down, or walked over something,
she would get closer. As the gap between
us shortened, I threw caution to the
wind. No longer could I be scared when
crossing bridges (and there are many of
them in Cumberland), I had to attack! I
had to push myself and stay on my bike
if I wanted to stay ahead.
Fortunately the end of our 10km
lap was quickly in sight. Overall, the
United Riders of Cumberland did a
fantastic job of organizing and executing
the race, going beyond the expected
with delicious post-race burgers and a
fantastic smorgasbord of draw prizes.
The following weekend was XC
Hammerfest, just outside Parksville and
daringly close the Coombs Country
Market – home of all things delicious.
This trail system seems far lesser know
than Cumberland, and as a result, drew
Mud News • May-June 2012
It seems like everyone who ventures
to Cumberland returns with big smiles
of satisfaction, urging anyone who will
listen to go there. I found myself in the
same predicament after completing the
Island Cup XC Cumberland race on
April 15.
With two cross country races under my
belt, I drove into Cumberland not quite
sure what to expect, but definitely ready
to have fun. I struggled through my
first race at Hartland, running my bike
over obstacles and learning a lot about
what to expect from both myself and
other riders. My second race at Cobble
Hill was an exercise in cardiovascular
endurance (they have some rather steep
fire road climbs there), combined with
the ongoing development of my “race
pace.” Now I was about to embark on
another adventure in mountain biking
race – travelling on unknown trails as
fast as I dared.
We began on the streets of Cumberland
with a mass start. This was a bit daunting,
but the hoard of racers spread out as we
biked with varying levels of aggression
4
photos by Sarah Mitchell
Racers at the ready in Cumberland.
hand-crafted
wheels built
just for you.
cadboro bay
l
22 years experience
,YQFSPHX7X
ALL SEASONS AUTO RACKS
Right Rack, Right Price, Always!
photos by Sarah Mitchell
Hammerfest Expert Women: First, Karen Trueman; second, Glenowyn Carlson;
third, Kelly Rolof.
3627 Shelbourne Street
Victoria, BC V8P 4H1
www.macscyclecentre.ca
Phone (250) 477-7614
Hammerfest Intermediate Men: First,
Simon Kubachi; Second, Mark Wieler.
Soma Fabrications
5
ride, for energizing trails that will bring
a grin to your face, or some awesome
fun times on your bike, take the time to
explore it all for yourself. I promise you
won’t be disappointed!
Intense
Mud News • May-June 2012
a much smaller crowd. Nevertheless, the
amazing folks from Arrowsmith MTB
Club made everyone feel welcome and
put on a great event.
After a randomly announced mass
start, we headed up fire roads much
gentler in slope than anything previously
experienced in the Island Cup series.
Our first single track was Walrus – a
rolling cross country trail not without
its challenges, followed by a steady climb
up Brian’s Worm – a fantastic change
from the boring grind up fire roads.
I’m not sure of the cause of what
happened next – whether it was the
result of riding delightful trails or some
bizarre expression of physical fitness
– but something crazy happened – I
passed someone! It didn’t last long (he
promptly passed me), but my feelings
of euphoria continued as the course
turned downhill, featuring trails such as
Rock & Roll, Camelback, Jughead and
Boomerang. On these newly cut tracks
I sported that fanatical grin that comes
only from epic riding. Fantastic flow
through loamy forest with slippery roots
to keep you awake but not enough to kill
the buzz had me wanting more. So much
more than I decided to forgo my novice
status and do another lap!
All racing antics aside, the Hammerfest
trail system is definitely worth the drive.
If you’re looking for something new to
455 Gorge Rd E.
250-383-2100
Trails update
Craig GILLETT
6
Mud News • May-June 2012
Trillium Rebuild: the epic tale of a new trail
Many mountain bikers have it. Some
have it worse than others. Unfortunately,
there is no known cure. As far as I know,
it is not contagious, but once you have it,
‘Line Disease’ can be very infectious. It
becomes impossible to look at something
without imagining a line to ride.
Personally, I have been afflicted to varying
degrees. Sometimes building a trail helps,
sometimes it just feeds your illness. In any
case, I was probably not the first person to
think about a singletrack line connecting
Sidewinder and Old Payoff.
Two-way singletrack around the
Hartland Mountain Bike Park perimeter
had long been an idea. Thus, in my mind
at least, the section between Sidewinder
and Who’s Yer Daddy needed a singletrack
connector. In 2007, tired of riding the road
back from Sidewinder, I finally decided it
was time to ‘do something about it’. Across
the road from the bottom of Sidewinder,
an old sign high on a tree marked the
faint remains of trail. The trail went up to
and beyond the dump fence, proving that
people used to ride right next to the landfill
many years ago. Upon closer examination
of the sign, which was an old number plate
from a bike race, the trail name was faintly
visible: Trillium. Suddenly, I felt like an
archaeologist, keen to revive an ancient
trail. I couldn’t cross the fence like the old
trail, so instead decided to at least keep the
old entrance.
After walking the area below the road
and putting up some flagging tape, I
paced out the line, drew a map by hand
and attached it to a written proposal. The
proposal included a description of the trail
purpose, type and building standards, and
some risk-related issues. This package was
then submitted to Richard Waterfield, the
Hartland Park Supervisor for the Capital
Regional District (CRD), as part of SIMBS
long term trail plan.
The Trillium proposal was shelved for
several years until April 2011 when Richard
and I walked the area. He gave his approval
and the CRD issued SIMBS a building
permit. Final preparations were being
made for trail building (i.e., marking out
exactly where we wanted the tread), when
Chris Oman got a phone call from Chad
Lazaruk. Chad happened to be on a break
from travelling the country, representing
IMBA with their Trail Care Crew, and he
was keen to put some of his newly honed
skills to work in his hometown. Though
Chris and I had been through the area
several times, I was happy to have another
set of eyes look at the project. People see
terrain and possibilities differently, which,
of course, is a reflection of the degree to
which they have ‘Line Disease,’ however
we did have consensus on a number of
‘control points,’ or points that we felt the
trail needed to pass through (or around as
the case may be).
Construction began in October on the
monthly SIMBS trail day. The ground
work for almost the whole lower section of
Trillium was done that day. Pretty excited
at the progress, I mistakenly thought the
trail might be completed in a few months.
Chad finished his year with IMBA and
came home to roost. Struggling with a
serious case of trail building withdrawal,
he focused his energies on Trillium. The
building got a little harder, and more
attention was paid to details, with Chad
again keen to show his skills, spending
many long hours working solo on the trail.
Some details of trail engineering include:
• rock armouring on areas prone to
braking bumps and over sensitive areas
(roots)
• French drains (loose broken rock that
allows water to drain through but still
rides well)
• strategically placed rocks (gargoyles),
to keep people on the tread
• sweet berms
• grade reversals to prevent water from
gaining momentum and eroding the tread
photo by Chris Oman
Natasha works on a new retaining wall on Trillium.
For the first time in
trail engineering at
Hartland, some large
rocks were moved
using a highline rigging
system, similar to
those seen in logging
operations on steep
slopes.
photo by Chris Oman
Greg’s patio work on Trillium.
for making a Trillium sign and Greg for
varnishing it. Thanks to all of you who
engage in discussion about trail building,
who have promoted trail stewardship
over the years, and who have led by
example, thereby laying the ground work
at Hartland and building a relationship
with the CRD that allows us to construct
and enjoy mountain bike trails today.
Most importantly, many thanks to all the
volunteers who come out, rain or shine,
to lift picks, shovels, rocks, and dirt.
And by the way, if you have been afflicted
with a case of ‘Line Disease’ while out
hiking or riding around Hartland, please
know that help is available. On the third
Sunday of every month there is a support
group that meets at Hartland. Soup and
sandwiches are served after morning
therapy. Therapy sessions during the
week can also be arranged. Please contact
[email protected] for more info.
7
Weekend riders with intermediate skills
enjoy the well-groomed tread. Young
riders have been spotted riding down
the trail, pushing back up the road
(regional trail), then doing it all again, an
application I had not foreseen. Trillium,
and mountain bike trails in general,
appeal to so many different types of riders
because as one fellow single tracker put
it: “the trails are a canvas, and you paint
them with a different brush every time
you ride.”
At the end of April this year, Chris,
Richard and I walked the finished trail for
the final leg of the CRD approval process.
Verbal approval was given and written
approval should soon follow.
A lot of hard work has gone into
ensuring the success of this venture and
there are many people to thank for this:
Chris, Carmichael, Chad and others
who led crews on trail days, Phillipe
Mud News • May-June 2012
but also to provide a little speed control
and some fun for the rider
• out-sloping the tread to promote
‘sheeting’ of water
• sump holes dug on the inside of turns
(holes in the earth that are well below the
trail tread to keep the trail dry)
• a rock crossing of a seasonal waterway
• retaining walls of rock
• small obstacles to manage the flow and
decrease the need for braking in corners
• a corridor designed to be visually
engaging
For the first time in trail engineering at
Hartland, some large rocks were moved
using a highline rigging system, similar to
those seen in logging operations on steep
slopes. Though not strictly necessary to
build the trail, I wanted to see if it could
be done. After some reading and talking
to experts, I pitched the idea to my friend
Ryan, a professional rigger, and he was
keen to help out. We set up the system,
hoisted some boulders in the air, and slid
them on a pulley down the highline to
deposit them on the trail. Moving large
rocks with ease was pretty sweet. The next
day the build crew slid them into place to
form the edge of a berm. Unless you were
there for the build day, you would never
guess you are riding over such large rocks.
Pictures and details of the build are on
the SIMBS website forum (see the link at
the bottom of the Feb 19th trail report).
To date, the trail has been well received
by a variety of riders. People are getting
to know the trail and discover their flow
through the tricky sections. It appeals to
riders who like to ride down flowy trail,
pump tight berms, or climb switchbacks.
Events
John WEBSTER
8
Mud News • May-June 2012
Trials fundraiser/competition a success
On Feb. 18 I put on a fundraiser
at the Cobblestone pub on Fisher
Road in Cobble Hill, raising money
to help travel to Europe from May
– September to represent Canada in
all 6 UCI World Cup events and the
2012 UCI MTB and Trials World
Championships competing in Bike
Trials. At the fundraiser there was a
silent auction, 50/50 draw and tons of
awesome raffle prizes. The event was a
huge success with a massive amount
of support from approximately 200
people from the community who
came out to the event. Lots of local
businesses donated items for the raffle,
including Marty’s Mountain Cycle,
Russ Hays, Cycle Therapy and many
more! The event would not have been
possible without the Cobblestone Pub
backing the event. I would like to say
a huge thank you to the Cobblestone,
everyone who came out to the event
as well as all the local businesses that
donated prizes! Thank you all VERY
much!
Also on February 25th, the Saturday
after the fundraiser, I hosted a Bike
Trials competition at my own personal
trials facility located at my house. I
wasn’t sure what the weather was going
to be like; it rained like crazy the day
before the event and snowed the day
after! Luckily the weather was great
on the event day. At the event we had
all categories ranging from beginner
to elite, there were approximately 30
riders and 75-100 spectators. We had a
concession going all day and a nice hot
bonfire to keep the spectators warm!
The competition was a great first event
of the season and went very smoothly
due to the awesome volunteers that
helped all day! I am hoping to do
another event in late September, after
returning from Europe, and hope to
get lots of spectators to come check it
out!
Dan CAMMIADE
Land cleared for
bike skills park
in Sooke
Mud News • May-June 2012
When Lee from The Slow Food Cycle
came to the Sooke Bike Club meeting
and said they wanted to work together
and build a bike skills park on a parcel
of the recently decommissioned John
Phillips Memorials Golf Course, I
couldn’t believe my ears.
I, like many, still have a sore spot
towards golf courses ever since the loss
of the Millstream trails to the Bear
Mountain fiasco. So to hear the tables
have turned the other way made me very
happy.
The Slow Food Cycle, who really
got the ball rolling, has passed it over
to the District of Sooke and the bike
club now. A motion was passed at the
last Sooke Council meeting to approve
the concept and move into a Licence of
Occupation Agreement with the SBC,
who will be responsible for building and
maintaining the park. Plans are in place
to start fundraising for the project as
soon as the upcoming SBC AGM and
Film Fest happen at the end of June on
the 30.
SBC has brought in Judd de Vall, who
designed the Cecelia Ravine Park in
Victoria, to work on the plan. There are
1.8 hectares set aside, with a minimum
of 5 per cent slope and some spots as
steep as 13 per cent. Judd has completed
the site layout design and it includes wall
rides, bermed corners, and step downs.
The park will be implemented in a
three-phased approach and is expected
to open the first phase at the Slow Food
Cycle event in September. The new skills
park will be located between Rhodonite
Drive to the north and Tara Road to
the east with Townsend Road on the
westerly perimeter.
So put away those old golf clubs and
keep your ears open for the new call in
Sooke. It’s “Rider Up” and not “Fore”
any more.
9
Travel
Mike D’ANTONI
KOOTENAY
ADVENTURE
10
Mud News • May-June 2012
Mountain biking out of Retallack Lodge
My favourite part of every year is a little
trip I take out to the Kootenays to just
chill out for a few days and get in some
visiting with my friends in the tiny town of
Rossland, B.C. My friend Erik and I have
been biking together every summer for 10
years now, despite not living in the same
town for oh—I guess 10 years.
Last summer I did something a little
different. I still got in some fantastic
riding in Rossland with my buddy, but the
previous year I had heard about this really
cool guided biking thing in the Koots called
Rilor Wilderness Adventures. This year
they had partnered with Retallack Lodge to
go a little upscale on guided back-country
biking. I would apparently be one of the
first paying clients in the new arrangement,
so was super stoked: virgin singletrack
(okay maybe not virgin, but first year
undergrad…), how many times do you get
to go out and enjoy that?
First, a quick note on riding in Rossland
vs. riding in Nelson. Rossland is by far
my favourite place to ride; they don’t have
nearly the number of trails as Nelson (40 vs.
over 100 I think), but the city of Rossland
actually has a paid trail crew (usually only
two or three people and maxes out at ten
people I think, they get paid about $15 an
hour thanks to the Columbia Basin Trust)
so the trails they do have are never washed
out and in super buff shape. I had this one
cool ride where the trail was being groomed
in front of me as I rode— very sweet.
Here is where I launch into my ode/
observation on the trail builder. The
trail builder is what makes riding special.
Without the trail builder, where would we
really ride and how good would the rides
be? It’s one of those rare things in the
human experience where a small number
of people do something selfless that benefits
a very large group. The most surprising
thing for me is that it’s such a small group
of people that really build trails; Digger in
North Van, Marc in Nelson, a guy who’s
name I can’t remember in Duncan, and Mr.
Riley Macintosh. Near the end of Strength
In Numbers, there is a shout out to trail
builders and their signature trails; Riley has
the words “Powerslave” beneath him.
Riley is actually an island boy—grew
up in the Cowichan and, as young lad,
actually built a few of the trails I loved
up @ the Zoo like Assassin (his brother
made Resurrection) and Roller-coaster
(RIP). Riley actually finished high school
early and moved out to Nelson to ride.
A lot of the big features you’ve seen in
your favourite mountain biking movies
were likely made by Riley, and one of
his signature pieces can be seen in the
movie Lifecycles—the bear’s den (song is
“Sweater Poorly Knit” by mewithoutyou).
The trails this man makes are really a thing
of beauty and with Retallack Lodge, they
have a tenure the size of Delaware in which
to make epic trails.
I got a little bit of an early start on my
adventure—after a quick rip in Nelson,
I drove up to Retallack, which is halfway
between Kaslo and New Denver. Retallack,
once upon a time, was a bustling town with
something like 86 brothels. Now all that’s
there is the lodge and a few cabins. Got in
a little early and managed to get a rip on a
trail near New Denver called Choices—very
fun, fast little trail, with lots of “choices.”
This was my first experience with guided
mountain biking and I’m pretty stoked on
the concept. It’s really nice to have someone
give you real-time intel on the trail. The only
funny moment was Riley, after I navigated
a pretty tech section, shouting out words of
encouragement, only to have me lay down
the bike seconds later.
The second day was a quick rip on the
trail @ Retallack, which has yet to be
named (I’m voting for “Punch it Chewy”).
We had a shuttle driver named Lia, a guide
named Lando, trails that seemed vaguely of
Endor...). It was just a super fun, flowy trail
that had only really been finished a few days
prior to us getting there. Riley builds these
really amazing structures, nice and wide and
you can either air or roll them, depending
on your speed. I can’t say enough about the
potential behind the lodge, the terrain is just
sick and Riley builds just the most amazing
features—nice and wide with perfect entry/
exits.
After the quick warm-up, we rolled out
for another rip on Choices and The Monster
above the beautiful town of Kaslo. Monster
is pretty wild, you have this just amazing
view of the town of Kaslo, and it’s a pretty
steep descent down. Riley is going to do a
few workarounds on the trail so that it has
better flow. I can’t wait to get a second burn
on that one.
Powerslave hadto be the highlight of the
trip. A lot of people think they’ve ridden
Powerslave, but on the day before we rode it,
Riley had been building higher than anybody
thought. There are no open gates nearby, so
if you go up sans heli, you are looking at
an epic climb. Definitely an epic—starts at
7,000 and something feet, ends at Kootenay
Lake, and smiles all the time. I can’t wait to
go back this August and see the new sections
that have been put in.
Anybody up for joining me?
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Mud News • May-June 2012
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