Cabin Fever cured by snow riding

What a rollercoaster day- I was hoping to ride with the journalists but ended up shuttling Mount Zola for them.
ThenI was hoping to fly to Whistler for the night with them too but couldn't go at teh last minute.
Having had my hopes up I suddenly got a case of cabin fever- I have been here for 10 weeks now with only 2 days away in Lillooet- I need to go shopping and get out for a while.

I was a bit miserable when Nat and Pascal found me, so we went for an ATV ride up the Around the Lake trail to the snowline and the Alien Station at the peak- great views over all the snow peaks and lakes, and great fun on the quad bikes! It fair cheered me up.

Snow!

This morning on the commute to work (5 mins walk down a dirt road) I glanced up at my fave view of the mountains then stopped dead in my tracks and took a 2nd look! "Snow on the mountains!" I ran inside in excited fervour!

Today we are riding with Mountain Life journalists and there is snow on the mountain tops! Exciting! Winter is coming!

But is Summer really over :-(

I hope this shoulder season isn't too anti-climatic from this awesome Summer and then that Winter surpasses my last winter!

Search and Rescue

My hangover took a bit of recovery today, I worked, then Daryl, Elisha and Judy helped me clean the carnage in my cabin, then I laid on the loungers on the beach and snoozed off my hangover in the sunshine.

I was due to retire to my cabin for a mellow fire and a snooze after dinner, when Jeremy asked me to go rescue a couple who had got lost mountain biking. So I took the pickup and an ATV and some warm clothes and water for them.

I ended up hiking up the Pearsons trail in the dark on my own for an hour til Ifound them. Anbd boy were they happy to see me! They'd bitten off more than they could chew. As beginner mountain bikers but fit road bikers they had gone up Taylors to do Camels Pass but missed the singletrack turn so ended up on the High trail which they were not skilled enough to ride so had to walk a lot. Eventually they saw smoke from Eldorado cabin and went there. Luckily it was occupied and the guide there called me on the Sat phone to request I meet them on the Pearsons/high trail junction.

I got them back by 9:30pm after they'd been out there 9hrs and it was dark and cold. Jeremy got me very drunk free as a reward. But having just done a big hike and being rather sweaty and dehydrated it really took its toll within 2hrs of shots of jaegermeister bombs and beers and Black seal rum (140% proof)- I was more drunk than I have been for a very long time. So much so I could not make it to my cabin and I just went upstairs and collapsed in staff accomodation spare bed!

Honestly I used to be such a sober character- what has happened to me!?

Birthday Party at my cabin

Nat's birthday party and everyone descended on my cabin. We had a fire inside and a fire outside, Daryl brought a birthday cake and Vodka jello shots! Chris has his turntables and a good mix of music all night. We sat riund the campfire telling tales then we ate, we drank, we hugged and we danced until 4am.

Eyes were glazed and smiles were permanent by the end of the night and I retired for a very short sleep for tomorrow I will be hungover!

My cabin is a great venue for a party but the cleanup is not as much fun!

Gun Slingers

Tonight we went out with JJ and Brennan's guns and had a shooting party. We shot their 22 rifles which was easy and I hit a few cans straight off. Then we started moving up to big shots!

I shot a 40-75 which had a bigger kick and then a 12 guage shot gun that even knocked JJ backwards on his feet and really kicked my shoulder and hurt it. Finally I fired the 30-30 again- cool! Better with ear defenders of course! No hearing loss this time!

It was a great eveing with a top gang of friends! We are all turning into Rednecks!

Nat's biking initiation

Nat was the 1st member of staff to ask me to take them biking but until now she never made it so as her birthday treat (punishment) we went to ride the North Cinnabar to Mowson pond trail.

The first few sections were hysterical as she moved at great speedlooking every part the mounatin biker, right kit, right bike, right body postition ... but wrong braking technique. All I could hear were screams and giggles as she bit the dust a few times in the first few 100m of descent. At one point all I heard was "I'm literally hugging a tree right now!" lol.

Well her skills improved but her fitness was lacking and by the lookout she was suffering a smokers cough, so we laid down on the fallen tree and snoozed and ate lunch and stared at the view for a long break. It was such a hot day!

By the time I got her out to Mowsons pond she was pretty speechless and I thought maybe I'd overdone it she was so worn out- I was not sure if she was mad with me or with herself (her fitness).

Anyway she went straight to bed after a post ride beer and a quick dinner! Ooops!

It's tough round here there are no beginner trails so no breaking in gently!

Logging!

Today I drove this truck full of logs for the renovations, down a logging road very slow and cautious as it was very back heavy. It's a really old Ford F350 pickup and I felt like I was in "The Waltons" driving it! Old style steering wheel, brakes you have to do a leg press to stop with, steering that is questionable and a huge turning circle!

Dale and Scott chainsawed the trees and manoeuvred with their tractors and huge Caterpillar until the logs were loaded. I'd jam them on the flatbed of the truck and then precariously drove them down to the mill on a logging road.

I sure am really experiencing backcountry life here!

Camels Pass Bike Tour

I took the Hausheers on a big ride up the Taylor basin over Camels pass and down the high trail- just right. Another glorious day- how lucky are we so late in September!!

We even captured a chipmunk on camera on the trail by sitting very still and waiting for it to pop out and pose for us from under a wooden bridge on the trail!

Spruce Lake Guided Tour

Swiss couple the Hausheers are here and I have taken them riding for 4 days. Today we did Spruce in perfect fall conditions, a glassy lake, sunshine, cool at the top but T-shirt weather after the meadows. A lovely couple to ride with- real fun!

Dale took this picture of me at the top as the conditions were so perfect!

North Cinnabar Trail

I rode up and down North Cinnabar today for a 2hr ride- the fall colours are amazing and its a great ride right outside my back door!

Ridgerama

I joined newly weds Greg and Michelle's flight today and headed up Windy Pass from Spruce. About 1.5 hrs hike a biking and some riding to get up there. But such an awesome view from the pass.

I decided to head across Eldorado and camels pass and go up and do Ridgerama. They decided they would join me with their dog Lucia too. So we had an awesome sweeping ride over High Trail then left onto Taylors pass and at Eldorado we turned right along the Pearsons Trail to Camels pass- it was a bit shaly and tough to stay on the trail without slipping the big loose descent to the left.

Once up at Camels pass we hiked up to the peaks and pedaled along the ridge, what an incredible view everywhere. Descending into the meadows Greg punctured and we debated the best portable pump values before climbing up North Cinnabar and taking the 60 mins decsent down flowy flowy sandy singletrack of Volcanic pumice all the way to the Lake at Tyaughton.

We were back 8.5hrs later and had a few drinks in the bar together before I went to Daryls campfire party at Gun Creek Campground to say farewell to the German housekeepers Esther, Nadine and Matthias.

What a day- new friends, great ride and a party!

Kingdom Lakes

Decided to take an afternoon off today, so after sending out all the flights, I jumped in the car with Jeremy and Nat and we drove over to Kingdom Lakes at Bralorene. Hoping to go hiking we ended up sunbathing, jumping in the cold cold lake and having a few drinks and some long in depth chats! The lake is so remote and quiet, just trees and mountains forever, what an idyllic spot to spend a lazy day.

Nat managed to cut her foot on the rocks as she clambered out for us to take this group shot. So we patched her up. she said the shot was worth it but I hope she can walk around anddo her job all day with it!!

Pretty cool day- shame it had to end.

Tried to pretend to be sober at dinner and finish some work off ready for tomorrow!

Taylor-Lick

Sept 11- In honour of Pete's birthday and his absence in Canada- I went on a big ride- well the weather was gorgeous and I had no guiding to do.

Climbing up Taylor with a group we shuttled I soon lost them and met the group ahead at the Taylor cabin. then they ahd a broken rear hanger issue so I left them and headed along the High trail to Eldorado cabin where the Collective did some fliming once.

Then up the hike a bike to join the lick creek trail singletrack that swoops down like a black diamond singletrack trail for 45 mins or so- wooo weee! Roots and seriously exposed switchbacks- cool!

I had a great ride, such awesome weather and trails.

Camp Dinner

Daryl's enthusiasm does not abate! He went fishing and I went biking and we met at Friburg camground to cook up a camp meal and enjoy the sunset! Fun to be out for an al fresco meal.

I headed back to my cabin and lit the first fire I've had since Sky Camp, then I completely chilled out for the night- so mellow!

Bingo Night

Daryl decided we needed staff entertainment so he worked very hard to acquire some dubious prizes from around the lodge and make us all write up bingo cards.

He took his role as bingo caller very seriously and we all got pretty serious about our cards too- there was incredible focus during each game.

I wasn't winning anything until almost the last game I won some wine and a float plane model! Esther sat next to me and won loads including the $90 pot at the end- cash she needs for her road trip!

All in all a very entertaining night!

Lillooet

Hungover - we laid by the Seton lake most of the day making the most of what could be our last few days of sunshine! Then Pascal drove me back to Tyax.

Road Trip Lillooet

I've been on resort for 6 weeks now and I have not yet ahd cabin fever but today Nat drove me out in her new car to see the sites of Lillooet, BC's little nugget at mile zero of the Gold trail.

The beast (her noisy car- no muffler) was stickered up before I could board her and we drove the Road 40 along Carpenter lake with tales of friemds that have died driving it!

Town was small- I blinked and missed the mall! Still it has 2 pubs and we did a pub crawl and the crawled out of the pub much much worst for wear! I met quite a few locals and played pool, beating the boys and getting thrashed by the girls!

It was good to be out of Tyax for a night and weird to see a town with more than 1 shop again!

ATV

Trying out all the lodge activities this week - this time the 1 hour ATV tour. A bit tame but fun to try. I'm sure I'll get a chance to take on of these out and rip one day!

Horse Riding

Finally got me on a horse ride with Brennan but no Cowboy hat!

I rode Chum along the narrow trails and into the Lake where the horse ahead of me promptly knelt down adn rolled over tossing the guest who was riding him off into the cold lake in her jeans!

I managed to take photos for her husband as we giggled enough to almost fall off our horses.

We cantered back along the trails and I nearly bounced out of that western saddle- my thighs aren't used to gripping such a wide saddle!

Hope I can still ride my bike tomorrow!