After an epic drive, I managed to get home in time for an amazingly restful 5 hours of sleep.  I was in a bit of a hurry because I’d been contacted by some fellers that wanted some info on the Hurtin’ For Vert routes from last summer, and even they had to admit that they were unlikely to find their way without some guidance.

They picked a good day.  Although hot (and a succession of flat tires and derailleur failures only accentuated this), it was perfect in every other way today.  Not even too dusty.  Here’s Guy on the climb up to the top of Rock Oven.

 

Also along were Chris and Chris.  Chris has ridden with me before a few times, but this Chris is new to the area.  For some flatlanders, these guys are in shape.  Actually, I was noticing how much Chris has improved since the first time I rode with him a few seasons ago.

Top of the world, time to take a break.

Yeah, I know.  I always take the same pics.  But could you resist this?

The nice thing about taking North Shore guys out is that not much will faze them when it comes to technical descending.  The heat and the incessant punchy climbs that are par for the course on this may have taken their toll, but there was not a lot of waiting around on the descent.

Here’s Mark and Julian bringing up the rear of the train.

At this point near the end it got loose.  I was wondering about this line, but I tend to be rolling with some good flow at this point and just kept rolling by.  Guy went for it without really even looking.  I was a bit slow on pulling the camera out, but at least I got proof.

It did catch the attention of one of the Chris’s, though.

Sent.

Yeah, that was a solid ride.  21km and 5000′ of descending.  The boys were done.  But was I?  No way man.  It’s Thursday, time for some more of this bull…

Another low turnout, with only four in the crew tonight (that’s Karl and Dave.  Stocker was along as well).

I was feeling trashed from the effects of the past 10 days, and was trying to find a way to slow Karl down.  I just couldn’t pedal any more.  Luckily I remembered that I wanted to check out the access to the top of this rock line I’d spotted earlier in the season.

If you’ve ridden Boss Hog in Kelowna, then this rock is not quite as steep as that face, but it’s substantially longer.  I did a check ride from about halfway (there’s a little ledge you can use to get started) to make sure that the runout was OK (pfffttt….it’s perfect), and so Shane lined it up.

Sent.

Thanks to the boys on that Rock Oven line for the inspiration.  It’s been a big day for big rock.  Karl hit it on the Endorphin next.  You could see the fear on his approach, but much like the Boss Hog line once he got fully in to the line you could see the instant he relaxed.  The angle here doesn’t do it justice, but I couldn’t pass up the colour on the dead Ponderosa there.

So that would be the “Night Stocker” line, as it was christened (Stocker couldn’t think of a name fast enough, and Karl killed it with the quick wit).

I should be going to bed for a few days, but instead I think I’ll just jump in the lake and have a beer.

Tomorrow is the finale.  Little White to the Eldorado.  Just one more epic and I can take a breather.