Future Oilers

Posted on September 12, 2011October 3, 2011 by Smoke

Here’s a random one. The western Canadian NHL teams have an annual prospects camp in Penticton, and the Edmonton Oilers called up Freedom to organize a little ride on the KVR to give the guys a break from the rink.

Bush Pilot Biking - Edmonton Oilers Prospects Camp

We had to fire up two rides, though. Do you realize how hard it is to come up with 19 large mountain bikes to rent in Penticton? Thanks to the guys at Olympia in Vernon for some spare rides.

Since these guys are here to play hockey, they really weren’t going to be able to ride any single track. Instead we just did the quick blast on the KVR back to town. I did try to push a couple of them off a cliff, but they’re pretty wily. Hey, if I’m gonna pick a favourite, I’m still a Vancouver guy.

Uh oh, now they’re after me. Well, at least they can’t ride very fast. Wouldn’t want to trade any punches with these kids though. They’re all hulks.

Round two, and at this point we did manage to lose Kevin Lowe and some of the trainers. Totally not on purpose…..no really. Canuck Nation, yo.

Seriously, though I think these guys were just glad to be out in the sunshine instead of at the rink. Must get pretty low on the vitamin D living under those lights.

Fun little afternoon. A couple of rips on the KVR is not the worst way to spend a day, even if Buchberger was there the whole time.

Looks like the Oilers won’t be the cellar dwellers for much longer. Some decent athletes in this gang, looking forward to seeing some more of that Nugent-Hopkins kid in the regular season.

St Georges KVR – 5

Posted on May 13, 2011June 3, 2011 by Smoke

Ohhh, it’s a cold one this morning. Looks like it’s gonna heat up soon. Sooner if these slackers don’t get outta bed.

You think they’d learn. I mean, in this age of interwebs and such, it’s pretty easy to look up how this trip goes. Every year we drop the tents on the slowpokes.

Funny, eh? You just want more sleep, I know your type.

One more sing along with Gary. See? When you get up early, you have time to sing songs and hang out.

Da crew…

Great day to ride down the canyon. As per the rest of the week, the gang killed it. I barely had time for a swim and a couple of scenic shots, like this one of the famous ochre outcrop of Vermilion.

“Dude, cut me some slack. I’ve been sleeping on the ground all week.”

So tired…

…so very, very tired.

Well, another KVR session has come and gone. Good times as always. Here’s hoping the bus was clean at the end.

St Georges KVR – 4

Posted on May 12, 2011June 3, 2011 by Smoke

That’s what I need after a rainy night. Some serious fried up breakfast scramble. Oh, and sunshine would be nice too.

Yesterday was the big day. Today is the fun day. We start off with a short downhill, a visit to the store, and then a tunnel.

On the other side of the tunnel, it’s like a whole new world…

One that has some epic Flinstones sort of geology to play in.

Oh, and dead carcasses too. That’s an elk. Pretty ballsy for a cougar to take down an elk, but that’s what you get in the Tulameen. We trade off the biggest cougars on record with some place in Arizona. Around 120 kg. Begger than me by a long shot.