Reigate Hill

Reigate Hill, originally uploaded by kendyck1.

I've been back in the UK 5 days and the weather has not been that biking friendly, its not pouring but scattered showers and occasional storms means muddy trails. I jumped right out of my desk chair yesterday following a clap of thunder and lightening so loud I thought a gun had been shot by my window!

The weekend forecast is for showers unfortunately, but today was sunny so I got back on my Cove Hustler for the first time in 9-10 weeks and it felt so light and fun. Weird to have no armour on, no full face and a light bike (albeit 33lbs still)- great spin up Reigate Hill the chalky steep climb and along the ridge to Headley and back down to Reigate Heath and Skimmington. A lot of fun! Legs feel strong!

Finally got a short haircut- my hair was so long (for me) and thick it was great to lose it at last. Then I started my chores by cleaning the windows which were thick with dirt and cobwebs from my long absence. Dinner with G&H to catch up on their last 3 months and swap stories.

Whistler Day 26

Ride don't slide climb, originally uploaded by kendyck1.

Friday August 8th
Bear Sitings = 4
Kms= Don't know GPS stopped
Runs=
Crank it up
Garbanzo DH top to bottom= 30 mins
Crank it up
Ride Don't slide (1 hour up, 1.5 hrs down)
Picture= Ride don't slide climb
Beers= Dusty's post ride rehydration!

Today was my last day riding in Whisler- boo hoo :-(

Tom, Paul and I started out on Crank it up and I was flowing well, then John joined us and we rode Ninja Cougar, Karate Monkey into World cup then B-line to GLC.

Tom and Paul took a break while John and I went up to the top of Garbanzo and decided to see if we could do top to bottom in one go following the course for the Garbanzo DH during Crankwork on Sunday. We took a photo at the top to see what time we set off, so we could estimate how long we took. John was out of my site in no time but I paced it so I could keep going although I think I was going faster than ever. I took the drop between the trees and roots on Original Sin top section (which was good) was overtaken on the climb to the scenic view. Dropped into In Deep and over the woop de woop wooden ladder onto the rock roll down and suddenly there were 2 riders right on top of me I lost attention and dropped off my bike sliding down on my back-ow! Crash 1, New bruise.

I waited 30 secs to get my breath back and for these faster riders to leave and I took off down In Deep a section I have not done this year so I was slow. Eventually I came out onto Duffman and I really enjoyed that section.I kept on going with sweat dripping in my goggles, breath heavy and arms and legs cramping up. Onto World Cup Singletrack much smoother- time to relax a little.

Finally Ho Chi Minh a bit too fast and into the rocky berm that turns left into the woods I hit the tree and was over the bars on the floor. I jumped up and headed down Upper Heart of Darkness across Double vision into Monkey Hands and GLC drop. Exactly 29 mins top to bottom. Exhausted!

We had lunch at GLC and I felt sapped and ill after wards but we rode Crank it up then I took a break for powerade to try and recover enough to do the Epic ride this evening while the others did one more run with Liz too.

We headed up to the top of Garbanzo again then down Original Sin and Freight train and the bit of No Joke under construction til we found the fire road up to Ride don't slide. We climbed (Hike a Bike) up this severe gradient for 40 mins in full body armour on a hot sunny day. I remember the bad feeling from when I climbed to Khybers pass with Pete in 2005. It hurt.

Then we dropped into this loose and loamy steep descent, I was so tired I wondered if I could cope with the extreme riding on this trail. Lots of roots and pretty skiddy on the steep loose stuff. The trail was great though and I loved it even though I got off and walked a couple of sections and I crashed on 2 sections. I even made Tom crash into me.

From Ride don't slide we dropped into BC's which was just as steep but not loose, rocky instead! We kept on for 1.5 hrs at least and I was sweating heavily, panting heavily and drinking all my camelbak contents. We arrived at the Oasis of Dusty's in Creekside, with a hail of hallelulah, at around 20:30 for pitchers of Kokanee, some Nachos and wings to recuperate. Exhausted!

Now it was dark and I had beer in me we cycled the Valley Trail home which was rather dark and collapsed with Pizza at 11pm too tired to hit the Crankworx parties in town.

What a great finish to my holiday/ working holiday!

Whistler Day 25

CK Schleyer drop, originally uploaded by kendyck1.

Thursday August 7th

Bear sitings= 3 (really close up, too close for comfort)
Kms ridden = 40 DH, 10 XC
Picture = CK Schleyer drop

Worked from 6am-3pm but nipped out for lunch hour ride on Lost Lake loop on Keith’s Banshee Pyre. A sweet bike for cross country, it rivalled my Cove Hustler on those trails and really and zero bob on the climbs. It climbed well and was light but stiff. I’d certainly consider it as a replacement but I guess I want to move up from 4.5 inch travel to 6inch All mountain so I want to try out the Banshee Rune first.

After work I met John, Paul and Tom and we rode the park from the top for my warm up on Original Sin to In Deep and Fatcrobat then too tight and angry pirate, and Crack addict. On Crack Addict John took a nose dive off the skinny log ride and hit his head hard but luckily he had a Giro Remedy full facer and it really saved him. He only ahd a Dainese shaped scratch on his forearm!

Paul and Tom called itr a day but John and I rode til 7:55pm and narrowly missed the last lift back upm for another run! We rode the whole Garbanzo DH course but with a few break stops. I finally rode the left hand rock corner on Original Sin after the viewpoint- I have had such a mental block there!

Duffman and No Duff were superb fun- I’m riding the tech stuff faster. Thankfully it’s all dry but getting loose again.
We met Keith and Marcello so went to ride Crank it up then we rode Schleyer but after the wooden drop we stopped to tighten John’s headset and were then warned by everyone on the chairlift about 3 bears on thye trail heading towards us. I took a look and there not 2 meters from me was a cub and a little behind it -Mum and another cub. We moved away swiftly and they headed up Joyride to the dismay of riders descending that! We were safe to ride down Schleyer. Then we ventured into Lower Whistler DH and Rock City where I showed John the lines down the huge rock rolls- scary!

A great day riding AGAIN, then beers at Amsterdam – go to your head immediately! Tom cooked a great meal of Pork chops and we relaxed at home- late!

Whistler Day 24

Banshee Pyre, originally uploaded by kendyck1.

Wednesday August 6th

Bear sitings =1
Kms ridden= 40

James left today and Paul and John moved in so we had a spring clean and a room swap around.

Today I headed up to the bike park around 4pm and met Tom, Paul and John and we rode laps until 8pm (at leat John and I stayed to the bitter end). It was extremely busy with Phat Wednesday race down the Canada cup course and with Womens Wednesday goups going out. So after a long lift line we headed to the top and rode Freingth train Original Sin and Duffman and No Duff. This was great fun- I love No Duff !

We also sessioned Ninja Cougar doing skim jump bounces from berm to berm, and Crank it up really flying over the table tops.

We joined Dan from T2R and Tom and Paul in Longhorns for a pitcher before returning home for pasta with Keith and one of his riders Marcello.

Another great finish to a work day!

Whistler Day 23

Flank Trail view point, originally uploaded by kendyck1.

August 4th

Bear and Cougar sitings= 0 (phew!)
Kms= 25
Ascent= 850m
Descent=
Picture = Flank Trail view point

So I worked today and it was tough as it’s so hot outside and everyone else was riding, but hey I knew that and I can ride later and one does have to work to pay for this fun!

I finished by 4 and went out for a long cross country/all mountain ride. I hike a biked up Rick’s Roost to Rainbow-Sproatt Flank trail – tough work. Some fantastic view points of the valley below and all the mountains and lakes. I rode down and counted the 27 switchbacks which was so cool, across a beautiful waterfall and then climbed back up the Flank trail sometimes hike a bike with my 40.8lb Cove not really made for climbing.

Eventually I got to my target trail “Cheap Thrills” a double diamons black trail. Oh and boy was it worth it. It started rolling rooty and rocky then a great little rock roll past a mini waterfall (see video)- some bigger rock rolls and wood work and some real skinny skinnies with a “must not fall” drop on the left (I walked those). More switchbacky, rooty rocky rock slab features all with loads of flow then a couple of huge vertical rock drops that I clambered down (not to be attempted alone!).



I emerged and took Blue trail Beavers Pond to Beavers pass and climbed up to the power line and rode half the rock slab not making the right turn half way down. Rode the rest of this rooty tight trail with a few pieces of woodwork until I emerged at alta lake and took the valley trail home- exhausted 4.5 hrs of riding later but glowing with the exhilaration and energy expenditure achieved.

This is the real old school riding style, earn your turns but still have a challenging descent.

Whistler Day 22

GLC rest stop!, originally uploaded by kendyck1.

August 3rd
Bear sitings = 0
Kms= 45
New riders= John and paul
New bikes= Keith's Legend finally arrives
Picture = GLC rest stop!

Today thye road opened from Vancouver after the rock slide was cleared and so Tom headed off to collect John and Paul. The rest of us recovered our hangovers. I bought some 5-10s and then we sat in the sun searching for sight of Keith's Legend that was apparently being ridden on the park. Finally he has his long awaited bike!

John and Paul arrived, built up there bikes and joined me in the park with Tom and James. I was riding really well and the park conditions were superb, really fast, the smoothest ever after the rain had dried out and the loose dirt was gone. I had already ridden Crank it up, Schleyer, karate monkey, Angry pirate to Crack addict.

We rode crank it up and I was flying so fast, too fast for the tabletop before the wall ride and I overshot it by a mile landing nose first on teh flat and squirming til I crashed and hit elbow, knee, and helmet pretty heavily. Whoa! I've gone from crashing cos I ride too slow to crashing cos I'm riding too fast?! Gone from landing on teh top of even the small tabletop to overshooting the mid sized ones and landing the big ones! Anyway I tore my cove shirt :-( and got a lump on my elbow and thigh but got away with it- good old body armour does its job.

We rode until 8pm when the lift shut-Upper Whistler DH, Angry Pirate, Crank it up, B-line to Karate monkey. Great fun I loved it today really in the flow even after crashing.

We celebrated and relaxed over beers and food at the GLC- mellow.

Whistler Day 21- Pemberton Shuttles

CK on Cream Puff, originally uploaded by kendyck1.

August 2nd
Bear Sitings = 0
Replacement parts = 0
Kms= 15
Shuttles = 5
Drinks= too many
Dancing= some
Picture= CK on Cream Puff

Pemberton Shuttle day
We drove up to Pemberton in Tom's pickup with the bikes strapped in the back and headed through the gravel pits up the steep rutted stony fire road, bumoiung around like crazy.

James and I rode first down Cream Puff, we found the trail head without issue and headed down the first jagged loose rock descent then the one pictured but shortly after that we lost the trail as it petered out into a cleared area with a new logging road. Eventually we found a trail and followed it . It turned out to be Moby Dick and Dark Forest and brought us back to the rail track and to where Tom was with the pick up but it took us an hour.
Tom in the meantime had got stuck with the pickup on an alternative way out but managed to recover and came back the way we went up.

I drove up next to top of overnight sensation and dropped Tom and James, they had a very long ride down and I waited near the railway bridge at the bottom trying to dry my shoes out in the sun.

We had some lunch at the Pony Espresso which was great food and we were glad it still existed given that Pemberton seems to be developing rapidly with new buildings and shops as well as houses and hotels.
Next we drove up to Hawaii and Toma nd I rode that and Indy 500 down- it was steep and loose in places, I did the first steep rock roll and the very tight switchbacks and after that it was fast and loose. Weird conditions and not much traction.

Then we drove up to PHD and James and I did the final hike up to the trailhead where James tweaked his bike and then we hit the trail. The first rock descent looked a little damp and rather long so we did not ride it (later Tom told me what speed you get on it so I am glad we rode around it). We did not ride the short steep one with the sharp right either but after that we rode all the rock slabs down.

Here's some quick footage of Tom on the 2nd roll.

We met Tom at the fire road crossing and turned right to pedal back up a few hundred meters and then drop in left across a wood bridge ride and then hike up in full armour and very hot day! Ow! Soon we were rolling again over steep short rock decsents and roots. It was a real fun ride from then on and I remembered it all. At times I felt my bike controlling me rather than the other way around and the rear wheel had a few skids but that added to the excitement.

At the bottom we were exhausted even though it was only around 5km descent! I drove the next shuttle and by the time they were down PHD again it was 7pm so we headed home.

Quick shower adn out to the Brewhouse for dinner and then Amsterdams and Maxx Fish club for drinks and a boogie. But that made me feel a littel old as the music was not really my style nor the people, I'm just getting too old! But we danced anyway first on our bar stools and then on the floor where you get bumped around a lot. Rolled home at around 2am.

Whistler Day 20

James on muddy ride day, originally uploaded by kendyck1.

Friday Aug 1

Bear Sightings = 3 (Mother and 2 cubs)
Replacement parts = 0
Kms = 49
Rain= lots and lots :-(
Picture= James' new sauna suit

The forecast was for a few showers but James and I went out and were on a dead empty lift by 10am and by the time we reached mid station it was raining. We rode the blue lines as it was wet and muddy. The trails were great though. We rode B-line top to bottom then B-line into Karate Monkey. Muddy goggles soon became the issue of the day and next run down Crank it up I really could not see much at all just ride by feel.

Then at Bike and Bean I had my pic taken and got interviewed by the press on my thoughts re the rock slide and how it was affecting Whistler this weekend. I'll try and find the link to put in here.

New goggles were in order for us both and tear aways made the afternoon rides a lot more visible and we rode Crank it up a few times, Golden triangle (which is the easiest blue and really boring technically), B-line and Karate monkey again. Not tempted to go to the top or black diamonds as the trails were really slick and getting muddier.

Had to wash bikes and selves under the hose pipes at the bottom for the first time.

Park was really quiet today but as we left at 5pm the sun came out and a few more hit the lift.

Whistler Day 19

Alan styling it up, originally uploaded by kendyck1.

Picture = Alan styling it up
Thursday July 31
Bear Sightings = 0
Replacement parts = 4 (Forks, brakes x 2, pedals- James)
Kms= 0 on Thursday
Rain= lots and lots 

Thursday started dry and we watched the guys at the dirt jumps – Alan impressed everyone with his bag of trips. Spike on the other hand took a face plant and broke his nose- but I did nor get that one on camera.

My bike was at Fanatykco where I had a chain device fitted and James had a good upgrade shop- some new Marzocchi 888s, Avid Code brakes and 5050 pedals- so we spent ages just rebuilding his bike outside the shop then it started to rain.

Unfortunately it rained a lot and instead of riding we went climbing at the Core climbing wall. It’s a good little set of walls, a bit short but plenty of variety and I was very rusty having not climbed for ages indoors. There were also 4 self belays so after we had belayed each other for a while and James went to do some horizontal bouldering I tried the self belay. It was rather disconcerying just letting go and hoiping it would slowly lower me but it did nindeeed do that and after a while that was fun in itself! We ended up doing loads of self belay til our forearms were starting to ache.

We wanted to keep fresh for riding tomorrow so called it a day.

Tom was playing pool at Longhorns and getting lightheaded and we joined him at Merlins later and had a bit of a night out but never caught him up in the inebriation stakes! James ordered pizza delivery at midnight and fell asleep before it came!