For the first time in years, I’m not doing the Greyballs birthday tour on the May long weekend. He was invited up, but without the catalyst I guess it’s just too far to the Okanagan.

So Saturday I was left to my own devices. Not much to report. I went and hooked up a Powers lap on 2.5 with some locals that I went and bummed a ride off of. Nice guys. I’ve ridden with Kurt Froese before a few times. No pics, but we had a good rip and some cold ones after.

Sunday I had a committment in Penticton with the Festival of Bike being put on by Freedom Bikes and the City of Penticton. A very low key event designed to get bikers out and enjoying the immense variety of cycling in the area. Shuttles on the KVR for the less experienced, some group road rides around town, and some hardcore freeride shuttle drops courtesy of the Bush Pilot.

While I was offering rides, I ran into Mike Kinrade and Fiona Taylor from the Devinci/PinkBike team. A few other locals soon shoewd up and we headed up to the Bog for a few laps.

You may note that the average Okanagan ripper sports a bit more X in their chromosomes.

I love this town. Those girls aren’t just pretty faces, either. They rock the singletrack pretty hard.

Most of the Code 4 line has been buffed out htis spring by Dax. It’s in better shape this year than I’ve seen it in many a moon.

Not that it helped Kinrade out much. He was suffering the usual woes of the pro rider with too much riding and not enough maintenance. Still, that’s a 9″ travel bike that weighs only 38 pounds. Look for that at your Devinci dealer in 2008.

Fiona is a new acquiantance. Another Island girl that slays gnarly trails. I don’t know what’s in the water over there, but whatever it is, it’s working.

She’s a lot like Courtenay (our guide from last year). See it……hit it.

Step up, step down, all good.

Meanwhile, back at Chuck D. Railers, it was time for a gin-and-tonic break.

We had one more run to do, but of course I took NO shots. A Rusty Muffler at full throttle is a great way to finish a day, and when you can be chasing the BirdMan, so much the better.

(yo…click o this, roll over it, whatever you gotta do)
There was a nice wildlife moment on the shuttle return with Barb when we came across these two moose (or is it meese?).

After the ride, there was still time for a cruiser ride.

Al Box, rocking the Eurobeats on the Orange Crate.

What a day. End it with a heap of beers and ribs at Piggys for a job well done.

To read up on the PinkBike version of events, check out THIS LINK.