Year: 2010

Newlywed or….? – Day 2

Posted on by Smoke

Awesome, these kids are fit.  And strangely well rested for people on their honeymoon.  Well, they HAVE been together for 7 years, so I guess they’re not as anxious as some might be.

Today, I’m finally going to get to climb up to the top of the Naramata trails.  They didn’t believe me that it’s 1000m up, but then again the Okanagan is totally deceiving in that way.

Yup, all smiles, but we are still at the beginning.

No rain last night, but the heat has yet to kick in.  It was perfect out today for a big climb.  Around 20C and the ground was still a bit moist.

OK, so no more pics of the climb, because it got very difficult and we started to hurt.  It was a bit over 2.5 hours for us to get up to the reservoir.  Here’s Mark on the descent.  No, he’s not smiling…yet.

Louise is always smiling, so that’s not really fair.

By this point, both of them were in total heaven.  Check out that ‘singletrack’.  And this would be one of our more popular lines to ride out here, too.

“The best descent we’ve ever experienced,” was the verdict.  I love hearing comments like that.  After a brief wine tasting at Laughing Stock, we went for a quick swim to cool off.

Another solid day.  Mark and Louise may not have a ton of technical singletrack experience, but they are certainly fit and capable, so tomorrow we’ll tackle Rock Oven before they move on to the Kootenays.

Newlywed or….? – Day 1

Posted on by Smoke

I think Louise may have thought she was going to end up nearly dead a couple of times the first day.   her and Mark just got married last week, and are in Canada on a honeymoon.  

Actually, since they were riding in Whistler on XC bikes last week, the Okanagan must have seemed like a very friendly Spain.

You’ll note the lack of a derailleur on Mark’s bike.  I’ve ridden a lot of singlespeed, and let me tell you, that’s one HARD way to go out here.

Power to them both, they stpomped Smith Creek easily.  So we went for a dessert lap over in Crawford.  I think they liked the teddy bears.

Yeah, that rain is over and done with.  Summer is finally here.  Not too warm yet, 

… but I sense a big heating up in the near future.  So long as we don’t have a repeat of 2003.  It may make some cool pics, but I’m not into a huge fire right now.

OK, they’re fit.  And they rode Rocky Screech.  I think we’re going to try a full loop out in Naramata tomorrow.

Silver Star!

Posted on by Smoke

First time out at the bike park this year, and there’s all these homeboys.  Ahh, it must be the good old AirPrentice, which is a lot like Canada’s Next Top Model, except that it’s dudes on bikes and instead of crying hot chicks you get pimply dudes bleeding.

Cam may look innocent, but notice that he’s on the left, or sinister, shoulder whispering sweet nothings.

One of the hopefuls with some nice whip style.  Shortly after this, I saw a guy throw a 450 spin off the ramps in the background.  He somehow stuck it, and on a hardtail with only a rear brake.  He won.

Today was more about riding with the ladies though.  Barb logged 10 laps on her hardtail, and we spent over half the day shredding with Sarah.  Solid day, and not a bad lap count considering the 15 minute line ups.  We were even able to get up the chair 15 minutes past last run to snag a Stubbies lap at the end.