Wales

Fel Ci Efo Dau Gynffon – Day 5b

Posted on by Smoke

We now join our regularly scheduled ride, already in progress.

Wait a sec, how’d we get to Thailand?

Oh, never mind. We’re still in Wales.

You can tell by the glaciers and large peaks.

I guess to be fair the architecture is similar.

Enough of this, let’s go back.

Even though you’ve already ridden out, the way back is so different.

Definitely a worthy out and back ride.

Things actually got even MORE scenic, with the peaks in full effect for this one.

Damn hippies…

Sure a lot of smiles out there for people that are climbing all day.

Kind of makes you want to put off the whole “Blow up the Earth” thing.

NNGGGGGGGeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeooooooooooooowwwwwwwww!

Our happy crew.

Inukshuk.

Or about as close to the Olympics as any of US will ever get.

Richard and his stitches (they’re doing very well, and obviously not slowing him down. Well, he DID take 2 days off).

OK, enough artsy fartsy Inukshuks, lets ride.

OK, this is getting a bit weird. Can it get any better?

Apparently, yes. Yes it can.

Another big smile…..

..and we’re out.

Have a map.


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Fel Ci Efo Dau Gynffon – Day 3

Posted on by Smoke

Another sunny day? What is this…..Wales?

Richard would be taking a rest day. At least he’s not gonna miss much. We hit up some local high elevation trails that I’ve never seen before, courtesy of our pal Vance.

A nice warmup on doubletrack got us ready for some serious sub-alpine singletrack.

This is actually my parents turf. They’ve been cross-country skiing out here for years, and have a small warming hut very near here (if you know where to look).

A couple of sections of the old road are actually almost technical with the roots and rocks, but it’s nothing like the Shore. the singletrack soon took over anyway.

Now it’s almost like the Chilcotin. We’re at around 6500′ most of the time in here, so it’s a bit tough on the sea level types, but oh so worth it.

Once we got into the meadows the elevation wasn’t a factor at all.

Graham couldn’t be bothered with the views. Head down…hammer.

OK everyone, it’s another technical section…..

Whew..glad that’s over.

All smiles.

This is serious Clint Eastwood country.

More smiles at 7000′.

We needed a bit of a rest for the final climb.

The last 300′ are always the hardest…

…right Graham?

7 250′, looking east over the Okanagan Valley.

South.

North.

East again.

Today’s wildlife shot…. probably a Coopers Hawk. Hard to tell the difference from here though. They all look more or less the same.

Northwest.

OK, enough rubbernecking. I’m getting dizzy.

We only got lost a couple of times figuring out the descent. This is a new route for Vance as well.

Fairly technical singletrack, but overall pretty rad.

Just a couple of gnarly sections like this, otherwise it was smooth.

Like this…

We finally popped out on a logging road.

Yeah, piece of cake, right Mandy?

Hmmmm, I wonder of Andre thinks so too.

Another map for ya…..


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Fel Ci Efo Dau Gynffon – Day 2

Posted on by Smoke

Well, that was a pretty good first day. Since it went so well, I thought we should try something a little tougher. Our old pal Vance agreed, so we all hooked up for a lap of Rock Oven.

I should have figured it would be an adventure when I broke my seatpost in the first two minutes. Ahhh, it’s a steep enough climb I can just stand the whole way anyway.

Gotta even it out for the tourists, or it’s just not fair, eh?

Vance showed us this cool overhang I didn’t know about before.

I could live there if I had too.

Oh, and did I mention that it was another hot and sunny day? At least it cooled off a bit from the day before.

Andre was lovin’ the tech climb.

Hard to believe that ski season is fast approaching. Apex looks pretty dry right now.

Richard was more interested in eating his sandwich and getting back on his bike than thinking about skiing, I think.

I think I see why….

Yeah, 1st aid for bikes. Good thing I carry a 1st aid kit.

I’m not sure why I don’t ride this trail more often.

I mean, the scenery is kind of OK…

But I guess it looks just like any other part of Wales.

Vance split at about this point. I guess we were taking too much time with the cameras.

Do you blame us?

Graham also had a ton of flat tires to add to the woes of the day.

As we had a bit of split in the crew, I let Richard (who was dominating today’s ride) go on ahead while I hung back with Mandy and took some pics.

Ooops. Richard got a split in his leg. What a drag. He didn’t even really crash, just slid his front wheel on some pine needles and sliced his leg on a sharp rock. Talk about dumb luck.

Hey, at least I had a 1st aid kit, right?

It’s only a flesh wound, we kept on riding.

It just keeps on giving, as we went on down the endless rock slabs towards Skaha Lake.

I think Rob was really liking the steeps here.

Oh, too much fun. Take a break, Holly.

Ah, finally the lake. Shall we go to the hospital then?

Sorry, no map today. You’ll have to settle for this panorama.