life outside: BCBR Recon

Me and Kate in Salmon Arm

For 5 days spanning the May long weekend I headed west from Calgary with a posse of mountain biking chicks! The goal was to get some early season training in -- since trail conditions and weather locally, sucked at that time. And for 3 of us, the ultimate goal was to get familiar with west cost style riding in preparation for the BC Bike Race.

Salmon Arm

First stop was Salmon Arm where we cruised the Balmoral trails in the lush green landscape in shirtsleeves and bug dope -- a refreshing change from home! Coach Martha's mom hosted our crew of riders and served us up a hearty breakfast the next morning.

North Vancouver

Next up, the fabled North Shore of Vancouver. The thing about the BC Bike Race is, it's in BC! And the riding in BC is reportedly burlier and, not surprisingly, slicker (ie wet). Cue the big bikes with lots of suspension? Nope, we rode what we brought! XC bikes all the way. Well, except for Lauren, who was test riding a couple of bikes, one of which she wound up buying ... more of an all mountain steed.

So with all the hype I was expecting to be choked with fear and bouncing my body and bike off some rocks. It wasn't bad at all though! It was different ... and there were definitely times to dab a foot down or walk something, but overall I was pleased with the way me and my big wheels handled the terrain. Our local trail guru, Mo took us on a great cruise to check out Old Buck, Forever After, Gnomer, High School, Bottletop, and Bridal Trail.

Squamish

After more great Martha family grub courtesy of Mo, we got some sleep and hit the road again to Squamish. Now we've got two local trail gurus: Mo and Bobbi. Yep, another Handford! We split in two groups. I considered this an epic day on the bike. 40kms, and 4000ft of climbing. Not an ordinary day on the bike for me. But it was FUN!

Gwenyth on the Plunge

Once again I braced myself for the horror of the fabled Powerhouse Plunge. I've heard about this trail since I volunteered at Test of Metal a couple of years ago. Bike eater? Soul crusher? Its reputation was ominous. Again though ... not so bad at all! The big wheels on the Giant, and some timely hollers from Bobbi ahead of me, and I was picking good lines and rumbling my way through the rocks and roots. I had a blast, even when my tank depleted at the end of the day on Crumpet. Slow and steady.

Trail summary? Half Nelson, Legacy Climb, Pseudotsuga, Powerhouse Plunge, Hoods in the Woods, Farside, Fartherside, and That's a Wrap.

Whistler

Mo and Liana in Whistler

One more BCBR preview: Whistler. More Handford hospitality, including bike maintenance, and some awesome guided singletrack. A cruisy fun ride to experience the flowy trails and the cedar bridges, which take a little getting used to.

Trail Summary? Lost Lake Trails, Zappa, Pinocchio's Furniture, Gee I Like Yer Pants, Jelly Roll Gumdrop, Sons of Mr Green Genes, and Grand Wazoo.

Revelstoke

Last stop: Revelstoke. We actually came across some snow on the trails here. Revelstoke wasn't quite a mecca of mountain bikers yet this early in the season, but we found some trails. They were really wet and slick and my fun-meter tanked a bit. Lots of very wet off camber roots. Things got better when the sun of the day dried things a little and I was able to keep things upright with more skill.

Trail Summary? TNT, Tantrum, Root Canal, Kiosk.