Pumpkin Ride – 1

It’s been quite a year, but something has been missing.  I haven’t been to Williams Lake since last July.   Well, I guess I should send it then!

OK, that’s not me.  That’s Justin, who is moving away from the Puddle shortly and was taking the opportunity this weekend to dial a couple of lines before he’s gone.  That little road gap was something that’s been bugging Justin for a while.  I think the town will miss him.  He did a lot of great work with Ride the Cariboo and the Peel Out.

Yeah, that’s a skinny. There’s a whole bunch of new ones on Snakes and Ladders.   I don’t care if the kids can’t ride em.  I love those things.

It was very nice out this weekend.  Sunny and warm enough for short sleeves all day.  Plus insane fall colours.

My mom is worried that I’m having my mid-life crisis.  Maybe I am, and maybe I’m not, but this here Fire Chicken sure looks awesome right about now.

Of course, we were really here to take part in the Pumpkin Ride, so after a good 5 or 6 laps we met back at the shop for the annual event.  Antlers are optional.

Good thing I brought my Petzl.   With 50 or 60 riders, you really didn’t need your own light.

This ride goes down every year just before Halloween, where everyone goes for a night ride on the South Side trails and end up at Uncle Kenny’s and Adele’s for a mad feast.   The final trail is all lit up with pumpkins and lights, and there’s enough food for an army.

On the way we have to stop several times for refreshments…

Several times…

Decisions were made, actions happened…

Oops.   Jer, I don’t think those old Manitous are supposed to take air.

While we waited for the ambulance, Doerfling killed some time by killing this hip into the sand pit.

Here’s some more carnage for you.

Luckily, Jer was only ‘Mostly Dead’ after that crash, and so they released him from the hospital with enough time to make it to the feast and eat pie.

I think he needs another slice. He’s looking a lot skinnier…

 

Singletrack Stampedin’ – Day 2b

The photo epic continues…

Now let’s see.  Where were we?  Ahhh…that’s right.  On our way to Godsmack.

More than half the ride to the big mountain lines of Farwell is actually this awesome grass and cactus area.  The girls were all learning lots about how to read lines in open terrain at high speed, and I was just plain old enjoying some good times out there.

Hard not to have a good time on this kind of day, even though the mercury was flirting with 40C at this point.

Ahhh yes.  Here’s what we came for.  I really didn’t expect anyone to ride this line today.  It’s much different in the heat of summer than in the shoulder season.  Everything is faster, and just that much more intimidating.

Luckily we had Doerfling and Jer along to show us how.

And even though none of ‘my’ ladies went for it this time, rad local Chiara popped her Godsmack cherry today, and she did it in style.

She sent this line as fast as I’ve seen it ridden.  A tip for anyone trying this one; if you’re going too fast to crash you should be good.  Chiara didn’t just style this one, she STOMPED it.

Well, it’s just too hot here to do much more, so we went back up to the Fingers for one last blast.

Ashley and Aja (the unicorn in the background) on the steeper part of the Fingers.

Bum shot of the day?  Could be…

Monica, about to take me out.  Nice position though.

Aaauuuggghhhh!!!!

Hahahahahahahahahahaha!

There you go, Lidia.  That’s the steep one you were looking for.

Unicorn!

The voluptuous Mallory.

And the other contender for bum shot of the day.  Don’t make me choose, I like them all…

Lydia, making it look all too easy.

And the inimitable Annie.  Who said to me at the end of the day "I didn’t even know this level existed."  From someone who’s been charging hard her whole life, that’s a serious statement about how rad this zone really is.  Pictures and video do NOT do these trails justice.

Leanne "I Wish I’d Brought My Other Bike" Tompkins, loving it on light gear.

…and yes, Lindsay almost hit me too.  Probably just not used to riding without a big camera bag on her back.

Here’s our "guides".  Ride the Cariboo set us up with these two as our celebrity guides for the weekend, but they partied too hard at the Stampede and only made if for one run.

Look ashamed, boys….

Yeah, that was yet another all time session, and once again I’m amazed at the level these ladies are riding at.  I have always liked shredding with the girls, be it on dirt or snow, but for a long time that meant making certain concessions to the choice of trail, or how hard you go; that sort of thing.  No longer.  It’s not just that these women are beautiful (they certainly are), or that they shred hard (which they definitely do, and that just makes them hotter), it’s that they are just so damn cool.

Thanks for letting me hang out again, and we should do this again sometime.