Mudride 2011

Once again - it's fall, the rain is falling and "dusty" is not a way to describe the island... so it must be time for our annual mudride. I believe this is the 8th? I will have to check on that...

This year the Remembrance Day weekend seemed like the best weekend for the most people, so we had 3 days off to enjoy the Island with friends. The usual suspects, Paul, Angie and Kala braved the trip from Vancouver along with Alex, and Joan, Michael, Lynn and Tim joined up throughout the weekend for great company, awesome food and spectacular riding in hail, mud, rain and snow....

Friday afternoon we started right after the surprise hailstorm and rode Cumberland in sunshine and LOTS of mud - Thirsty Beaver to 42nd street, across on Steam Donkey to Railroad, Crafty Butcher and across to Missing Link - very nice linkup for some awesome riding. 9 people, 5 dogs, a good time was had by all.

Saturday was time to take in Forbidden - despite the rainy start the weather improved to a pretty white frosting. The trail through the forest was clear but all rockfaces were a bit snowy until lower down. Once we headed over the cable hill hike-a-bike it was damp but lovely and after a few hours we were at Hot Chocolates yet again.

Sunday we headed back to Forbidden to check out Iron Horse and Goat's Head. Amazing traction kept us from falling off the edge of the world into the abyss through several mandatory and immediate left turns following steep drops.

We hit the road and then climbed back up Branch 21 to the Cable Hill hike-a-bike and over lots of wet but sticky rock to end up at the Drop of Doom. Whatever possessed me to follow Marc and Alex over the drop when Michael headed down the bypass.....  But all was well despite the terrifying slip all three of us had after the rollover before the bump ... and the screaming downhill rip after the bump down the wet slippery face.... Marc laid his bike down with his front wheel about a foot from the edge, then stood up to grab Alex by the arm with his front wheel about 2 inches from the edge - and I came to a screaming stop just behind. Over the bridges to the trail - and back to the house for leftovers, a quick pack up, ferries for some and xrays for others....

Xrays are clear btw, and today I'm heading back to Iron Horse for the Tuesday "Girl's Ride". Marc has to stay home and clean house since he can't work yet with his sore hand.