ReReturn of the Jedi – Day 14

Almost to the finish line now….

Remember how I mention ed that it’s not so much when it’s raining as when it’s starting to dry up that the trails get tough? Well, it stopped raining last night. So today it’s gonna be real slippery. Which is a big drag because we’ve been trying to get to Bowen Island to ride Dangerous Dan’s stuff, but I’m NOT going there without pretty much perfect conditions.

I’m also bummed that I broke my camera this morning. Luckily, Jedi always has his camera phone, so you will be enjoying his images for the next couple of posts.

Must be rough road to make Andy’s hat fly up in the air like that….

Stubz took us to some old school SSC trails today. Wicked slick wood, as the slime was so greasy. I rode these trails when they were first built about 9 or 10 years ago. They’ve not changed much. The one line that Mongo and I did was the scariest line I hit all tour. A really long slimy log to a high ladder that turned way up in the air and descended a ridkety ramp to small dropoff. Thing was, it was so slick that we were moving sideways as much as forwards. Good times….

Further on to the ride we got into some nu-skool stuff.

Some of this trail is brand spankin’ new. Gonna take a while to finish though, as it’s abit furhter out in the woods than some of the other trails.

One cool thing about using another guy’s shots….that’s me hitting a skinny to gap.

Well, then there’s Stubz, making us all look stupid.

Things started to get a lot better towards the end of this trail. Although the older wood was treacherous, Mongo managed to stick some serious skinny lines.

That evening, the shenanigans started. We had a big Indian feed in Sechelt, and Flash manged to set himself on fire a couple of times with Sambuca. Later, when he was somewhat comatose, we were planning on strapping him to a piece of plywood and putting him in the pig sty, but everyone was laughing too hard and kept waking him up.

Good times…..

ReReturn of the Jedi – Day 13

The dreaded thirteenth day. And the evil Slytherins are trying to wreck it already.

Nah, it’s just a spot of rain. Now it’s time to really show these Brit boys what Shore riding really means. Wet = good out here. After the rain…well that’s another story.

Talk about intensity. It’s always surprising how rideable the wood is in the wet. It’s just that it gets….trickier.

Oh, and spookier.

Or downright creepy at times.

Still, it’s in many ways more fun than when it’s dry out. Most of the crew, like Panama, figured it out.

Even if SOME guys didn’t bother coming out. Tony did.

I think that’s Phil there.

Still fewer guys made the swivel teeter today.

However, Llew had one of his best runs of the tour, and nailed more of Cunning Stunts today than any other day.

Washing up with the Teflon Don.

Chaos had no such immunity…

Afterwards we went to the pubs. The first one ID’d us. Like who ID’s 13 englishmen looking for a place to drink? We skipped that place and went to the other pub in town, where we met the young “lady” on the left. Who told us that last time she went drinking here she did too much GHB and got gang-banged by 27 guys on a boat. Ummmmmmm…….well there’s 14 of us.

Yeah, Gibsons. Who knew? These girls seemed nicer. You can tell by the way that they’re ignoring us.

Anyway, no conversions (luckily, I think), but another great day in the books for the Jedi Council.

ReReturn of the Jedi – Day 12

Or as it should also be known, “Stubz’ Birthday.” Happy days, Stubz. See if you can spot the man of the hour in the shot below. As a Canadian, he kind of stands out.

Then there’s the riding style. Stubz is mre of an XC guy than anything. You can tell by that Blur he’s rocking there.

Panama didn’t fare as well on his big freeride rig. That’s one serious egg right there.

Smilin’ Andy really stepped it up today. It was a little bit wet, and finally the Brits started to realize that I’m not taking the piss when I say it actually makes things better in the wet.

Lairy Nick could care less. He never shuts up long enough for anyone to tell him anything anyway.

Birthday boy goes for another XC climb.

OK, shot of the tour right there….

For those of you who watch bike vids, these shots are all from Boyko’s headcam seggie out of Kranked 6. The trail (which we inspected yesterday) is called Black Mamba. this would be a one footed table stepdown.

Chaos with a more straightforward version of the same.

Mongo nose bonking the stepup (not on purpose either).

Even Flash got into the act on this hit.

Fully X’d up. told you he was XC.

Afterwards, we went for a little hike on a technical line down in the woods. Stubz works for Radical Films, so he knows all the hidden stuff out there.

This would be Ryan Leech’s line. It took him 6 months to film it. We were pretty gripped just trying to walk on it. Believe me, the video does NOT do it justice.

I think Tony may have shit himself…

Bonus rounds, making Welshmen fly….

Chaos, creating….

Ah yes, well…..it’s not quite Abbey Road, but it’ll do.

What are ya…..chicken?

Panama tries to repair his wheel (actually, it took some wacky lacing, and some pillaging of spare parts, but Chaos managed to get a working wheel out of the bits and pieces left over. Serious wheel building magic there).

Weenie roast….

Weiner….

Note: DO NOT fall asleep in the company of drunken freeriders with electric shavers. Although Nick does look sort of cute with smooth legs…..