Every Tuesday night in Penticton is Ladies Nite, thanks to our friend Jules here. Barb and I went out to assist in any way we thought we could last week and to meet some more of the locals.
Several local ladies showed up, so we loaded a few into the van for an intro to the Peat Bog and an informal session of sorts.
The girls were all pretty keen to try out some tougher terrain than they usually get out on.
Of course, it’s not always smooth sailing.
We got a nice sunset while we were out.
Jules shows us how to negotiate a tricky downhill section.
Not everyone could get it as smooth, though.
It was a fun little rip, and to top it off, we lost our spare keys to the van (those Hide-A-Keys don’t always work) so we got to hang out and enjoy the last of the sunset for a while longer.
Thanks, BCAA. Ladies Nite is every tuesday at Freedom Bikes. All abilities and all persuasions are welcome.
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.
Once we got Phil back from the hospital and safely stowed on the sofa back at the farm, it was off to Arawana. Here’s the boys getting scenic in the canyon.
We took in a few runs today, and were treated to some stunning scenery on all of them.
The Tominator found the ground at one point.
The bottom of the Canyon, on Ivy League.
Hubertus finally stepped it up today too. He was suffering from a minor shoulder injury he got on day one, and has been pretty mellow up to this point. Yay H!!
