Wade Simmons Freeride Experience – Day 1

Posted on August 1, 2007 by Smoke

Ah yes, time to get your Experience on again. This year, it’s Nelson and the Kootenays. Although to start, we’re hitting up the old fathful, Powers Creek.

Wade of course, is late. But George is along for this trip and he’s keen on making an impression. Here he is impressing on the wall ride on Powers.

As usual, Nicole is with us. Also along is Mike, who if you remember blew his knee out on the second day of last year’s tour. There are also newcomers Niclas from frankfurt Germany, and Ian Millar of Mountain Biking magazine (and one of the most out of date websites I’ve seen in a long time).

Not a bad way to start the tour, with some rippin throwdowns from girl in the crew. Amazing to see the progression from year to year with the regulars. When Nicole first started, she was all tense and full of questions and ….. hey, I guess not much has changed. Well…

She’s throwing the airs without much difficulty now. It was good to see how Mike actually rides now too. We barely got started on the trip last year when he went down with a freak injury. Fingers crossed that we get through this one clean.

Nicole, styling the airs AGAIN.

New guy, Niclas, showing us some Teutonic styles.

Mike and some beetlekilled timber.

Here’s a full crew for another lap, including Wade (finally) and Barb. The only missing person is Luke, who pulled out of the trip at the 11th hour at the behest of his workplace. Considering what’s on the agenda for this one, I’d be looking for another job if I was in his shoes.

You know, some skinnies…

Some more skinnies….

Still more skinnies…..

Think he’s gonna make it?

Yeah, you should know by know how that’s gonna turn out. Still, no harm done, just a little spill.

Nicole contemplating a high log ride.

Nicole, acing it.

Not to be outdone, George throws down a huge one on Shenanigans. First day, and the crew is KILLING it.

Barb is even tricking it out a bit she’s so inspired by the level with this bunch.

Nicole, not quite tricking it yet but still throwing down HUGE for the first day.

Quite a start to the tour. We’ll have to see how this goes….

Revenge of the Sith – Day 8

Posted on July 30, 2006 by Smoke

Lat day in Nelson, lets climb!

Yeah, I know….it’s every Englishman’s dream to push your bike up steep mountains in Nelson. We went right by this sign on the way up, and for those of you who don’t know this already, Smilin’ Buddha is Pauls’s nickname (he even looks like the Buddha in the pic).

Me, “Aww, we gotta do this trail. It’s named after Paul.”

Local guy, “Uhhh, it’s not in very good shape.”

Me, “Perfect, neither is Paul!”

These trips are a laugh a minute, I tell ya.

From chuckles to hucks…

This would be the infamous 719 road gap, as seen in some New World Disorder film.

Jedi found something to love here.

Our nameless local guide (if I don’t write it down, it never happened. Anyway, he’s a ripper and good guy. Look him up if your in Nelson).

That was a nice warmup. Back to the push……

OK, the top. Here’s some skinny stuff for you, Paul.

…and a few drops for Tony.

The weather started to get sort of unsettled as we rode. It would sort off cloud over…..

Then get windy and sunny…..

…and then it got dark.

REALLY dark.

Then it poured rain. We’d planned on going to Castlegar to check out some serious new stunt action, but Kootenay wood is not rain riding friendly construction, so we packed up and drove down to the Okanagan.

I think most of us were satisfied with what we’d done anyway.

Plus it gave us a bit of rest before settling in at Salty’s Beach House for some martinis.

Revenge of the Sith – Day 5

Posted on July 27, 2006 by Smoke

A forest fire started, and apparently someone (not sure who, he might have a mustache) started a rumour that it was the fault of a bunch of bald Englishmen. We split town just to solidify that story, and headed on down to Nelson. Oh look, more steep mountains down to lakes. What luck.