Day 22- GLC Drop

(This ain't me but a pic will be forthcoming I hope!)

So for the last 3 years I've come here to ride and watched from the GLC balcony as riders dropped off the GLC drops in what seemed effortless style, although I have to say some have made a right hash of it and its extremely entertaining for the GLC diners as well as the lift queue to see carnage or a humiliated rider pick themselves and their bike up and walk the walk of shame!

In year 1 I only rode the ladder roll off, year 2 &3 I made the drop off the middle drop with my heart in my mouth every time. Last year I really hoped to make it off the big one, but an ankle injury and a cracked rib made me duck out of it before I flew home- very disappointed.

This year I was determined to do it but as its my 1st week I'd already put it off until week 4! However all that changed today, I rode the park with Sean and after a few runs down Crank it up, Ninja Cougar and Schleyer he asked if I'd do the big GLC drop. He took me to look at it and showed me the line. I was feeling switched on, riding well, no aches no injuries and pretty sure I could handle it.

We walked back up to the run in and with my adrenalin pumping through my veins on overtime we set off, in I pedaled slow and steady and popped off the lip, I looked down to check I'd cleared the rock, it kinda looked like I'd land on it but no I cleared it and landed my back wheel just on the wood! Yeehaa exhilaration! I've done it and it seemed so easy and so smooth! Yes! What a feeling of acheivement (and relief!).

That done we had to do it again to prove it's no fluke. Down Ninja, straight into Karate Monkey, non-stop down World Cup Singletrack, Ho Chi Minh, A-line and Hornet and here it came a gain the GLC drop and I did it again, a little faster this time!

That was it for the day- tired and happy. Just finished the day by taking sue to the skills park and teaching her a few skills for her ride in the park tomorrow.

mmmm- time for a Sleemans Honey Brown lager! Ahhhhhhhhh!

Day 21- Whistler Valley Trails

Bear sitings: 0

Trails Ridden: 6, Valley Trail, Shit Happens, White Knuckles, No Girlie Man, Big Kahuna, River runs thru it

Riders: Just me

It's the weekend and I figured the bike park would be busy(er) and that my body needed a break from pounding but some cardio workout instead.

I headed out onto the valley trail and over to Emerald Estate and the trailhead for "Shit Happens"- a black diamond trail. It climbs to a lake called One Duck Lake where I got attacked by a swarm of mosquitoes - I quickly tried to don my armour as protection against them but ended up having to wave it at them like a mad-woman as they buzzed in my ears and bit me through my shirt!

I started the rock slab descent and hit some rocky singletrack steeps which were great fun. I missed the trailhead for "Anal Intuder" but this was fun enough. Soon I found the TH for White Knuckles and rode that - a really rocky up and down trail as hard to climb a techy climb on this as to descend it. It emerged onto a great viewpoint over Green Lake and then I joined the trail for "No Girlie Man"- the rocky/rooty tech challenges continued and then the big rock slab and rocky steep descents started and I amazed myself how much I managed to ride. This Lapierre Zesty is perfect for riding up and down these type of trails. Such fun!

Down to the Lake where I sat and had my packed lunch in isolation in such an idyllic spot overlooking the lake and the float plane I'll be taking to Tyax at the end of the month.

Climbed back up through emerald to the very hidden trailhead for Big Kahuna and rode this fun fun trail up and down huge rock slabs, the one on the video looks tame of course but it is in fact steep and rather off camber so it's a tough one as you gather speed and get pushed sideways, just hoping you'll make it to the bottom before you get pushed right off the trail. It's not a long trail but so filled with fun that I did some areas twice and so it took some time- playing.

From there a pedal along the Valley Trail to River Runs Through it - I even found the new trails running into it and rode that as an extension. Now this trail has to go down as the most fun trail ever. It's just full of North Shore Style stunts but most are low(ish) to the ground and wide(ish) enough but still challenging enough to get the adrenalin pumping for a rider like me.

I was flowing over this stuff, took off over the 3 jumps down Bart's and then flowed right along to the big log crossing and without batting an eyelid (mainly cos my eyes were totally out on stalks foccusiing on staying balanced) I was up and on the log that crosses the river. The river was raging higher than I've ever seen with all this melting snow and heart in my mouth I passed along the majorly exposed bit and then had it done- Yeehaa- always a good feeling to have ridden that Log bridge- watch the video and you'll understand why its so adrenalin fueled!

A couple of wooden structures have been repaired or changed and the double teeter drawbridge has gone (it was starting to suffer last year- dropping too late etc) and in its place a double teeter totter (ride from on onto the 2nd)- it looked doable for me but a bit high and as I was alone I ducked out of it but it's on my challenge list to come do when I have some company to eitehr spot me or pick me up if I fall off!

Well a great day's riding, skills are really coming together and confidence boosted.

Matt arrived in the lodge today so now we are 4- which seems like a better number.

Day 20- Whistler Bike Park

Bear sitings: 1

Trails Ridden: 8

Riders: Just me

Well you can see from this photo that there is still snow on the tops but it's melting so fast as its so warm here- well hot really- around 28-32 degrees everyday so far. And when you are riding in full armour and a full face helmet- that adds up to a lot of sweat loss and a lot of camelbak drinking! Anyhow I'm hoping it means Garbanzo will open earlier than the current expected 27th.

Today my skills really started coming together and I stayed in the park longer than I planned. Crank it up had opened all the way down so I was sessioning that and really popping off the tabletops and clearing them almost as well as I was at the end of last season. I'm really pleased with this bike although it needs a bit of tweaking to really polish it off.

I ventured onto Schleyer a couple of times- trying to drop further down the ramp on the big wooden drop. I even decided to go for the middle GLC drop and took that in my stride a few times. SO yes I was pleased. Today I finished off with a run down Smoke and Mirrors, that trail is full of great old style wood work stunts- low to the ground but challenging enough for me. Particularly as this is where I injured my ankle last year so I had that nemesis to put to bed.

Tonight I went to the T2R BBQ- which was pretty uneventful. It's quiet in our lodge so far and we have not really built any relationships yet or banter to entertain. It's early days tho'. I managed to tweak my forks preload a bit though in their workshop- so hopefully they won't be so harsh.

Day 19- Whistler Bike Park

Bear Sitings: 0

Trails Ridden: 6

Riders: Just me

Spent the morning on Skype catching up with Pete, then Mum and then Jules and the kids, before I knew it the lifts were open- time flies eh? Quickly tried to get in touch with Gerry to wish her happy birthday but she's not as computerised as the rest of us.

Just a few hours today in the park- taking it easy as my arms were aching from yesterday's warm-up. I pretty much rode all the trails from yesterday but certainly a lot better skills wise - this Banshee Scythe is definitely a much better bike for this style of riding and is helping me get back to last years levels quickly.

The great thing about this place is that everyone here is here to play, whether biking, hiking, Golfing, fishing, etc etc- the attitude is relaxed but energetic and generally most people are happy and if not its just because they are hungover right now!

Day 18- Whistler Bike Park

Bear Sitings: 0

Trails completed: 9

Riders: Tom, Pete (San Diego), Claire, Ella

First day in the park today. I arrived at the T2R EP lodge last night and did a whirlwind supermarket and Liquor store stock up while I had the car. So I had breakfast and finished my bike fettling just in time to meet Tom, Ella and Pete at the lifts.

Season pass sorted up we went. First run was down B-line for a warm up and blimey I was out of practice and took it really slow. Next run was Upper Crank it up, but lower was shut. So we hit Devils Club. Then we took on Ninja Cougar and Karate Monkey into Samurai Pizza Cat. Then another run down Crank it up but this time the whole run was open, and my skills were starting to come back to me so this was a sweet run before lunch.

After lunch we went for Schleyer which was great to do but I was still a bit raw down it. We had a few more runs down Ninja and Crank it up and B-line then we finished up on Angry Pirate. 

My hands and forearms were killing, but it was a great day and wonderful to have people to ride with to warm into the park.

Day 17- Bike Building

Tom and I had bikes to build today and lots of parts to acquire. So the day started with a tour of the North Vancouver bike shops- Obsession- North Shore Bike shop- John Henry and finally Cove Bikes before going back to Obsession for forgotten parts. Cove Bikes came through with excellent customer service even cycling over to the supplier to get me some mounting kit items for my Manitou Swinger rear shock- great!

A manic and hot sweaty time was spent in Tom's apartment trying to build my Banshee Scythe up with all my old parts and Tom making Ella his sister build a Cannnondale Hardtail for Ella to ride.

Bikes built so tomorrow we ride. 

Day 16- Driving and Flying

Here I am modeling my new Western Spirit T-shirt- mainly cos it's clean and today I have to mix with real world people!

It was a hot night in Fruita and I slept under the stars no rain fly, but up early to decamp and pack my bike up for flying. I had a great IHOP french toast breakfast treat and waited for REI to open to return my camp gear. Then it was a long long drive through rainstorms and up and down cold mountain passes to get to Denver airport.

I flew with United and was pleasantly surprised by how efficiently I was checked in-- even if my bike cost me a fortune to fly! (Almost as expensive as me!)

Bit of a turbulent flight followed by a Canadian immigration officer who wasn't at all sure about my 97 days planned stay and how on earth I could afford it. But she let me in fortunately.

Drove over to Tom's and met his sister Ella and then a heavenly shower and sleep, bike building starts tomorrow.