darcy

May Long – Saturday and Sunday

Posted on by Smoke

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.

Darcy’s 48th — Day 5

Posted on by Smoke

Whattya get when you cross the end of a long night shift tending bar, a brand new Yamaha R6, a gravelly corner, and a stunned senior citizen in a Chrysler?

Yo, road rash.

Better go hang out at the car show. I thinkthat’s where this guy was headed.

We went riding instead. Steve Mitchell tagged along today. He pussed out on the Monster Amigo and instead hit the middle one. Yikes…..

I think I like the big one better.

Well, at least he was going for it.

Even a teeter teeter totter totter in the rain.

Yeah…rain. Stupid long weekend. Happy birthday, Darcy. Until next year.

Wade Simmons Freeride Experience
July 9th to July 27th.
Click for details….

Darcy’s 48th — Day 2

Posted on by Smoke

There are times when you probably shouldn’t click on the pictures in this blog. The shot below definitely falls into that category. Think of it as a “before” and “after”, and remember; you’ve been warned.

Hey look, we went riding. There’s a new trail in Westbank by the name of “Builders Only.” Here’s Dave getting the feel of one of the new bridges.

Our courageous guide, Dirty Dave Diddler, came out to show us his new work. This is actually off the old line, but he rebuilt the deck as the old one was falling apart.

Another of the locals on a new stunt, which is a prime example of the “Must Have Stunt of 2006.” Step up gap to elevated platform with a gap and ending with a step-down.

They’re everywhere this year.

Bob keeps it anchored to the wood.

Barracho on a cool little corner step up/step down.

..and it s a bit blurry, but this would be Barracho againon his first road gap (Ok, it’s a mini one, but hte Camel Toe still hucks across a dirt road so I say it counts).

Not the driest long weekend on record.

Say hello to our trusty tow truck driver. The van wouldn’t start, and our guest of hnour (Darcy) buggered off to drink Jaeger so we had to call BCAA for a jump.

We got even…..

Wade Simmons Freeride Experience
July 9th to July 27th.
Click for details….