Andrew and Lina's Wedding

What a GREAT weekend!  Although I have no photos to prove it....  There were a LOT of cameras at the wedding, and I decided to rely on their greater photographic skill!

Friday night we alternated freezing on a chairlift in cold drizzle with scaring ourselves silly on Mount Washington's bike park. Marc fell in love with his first ride on a true park-bike, catching lots of nice air. I cleared my first table top, baby that it was, and caught more and more air (read: baby air) off jumps and drops. Joan, Trevor, Anita, Corinna, Glen, Ken and several other devoted River Rats were there as well and after some good pub food we headed back down to do some emergency packing. 

We headed over to Egmont for Andrew and Lina's wedding on Saturday morning and arrived in beautiful sunshine just as everyone was starting to stir. The early yoga group was already in the park when we arrived, and after some tent arranging and general hanging out we headed for the lake up the road. Since this was a dog friendly adventure both Matilda and Pippa came along, and Mattie managed to behave herself admirably. As for her little sister.....

The wedding ceremony was  held out on a rock looking at the Skookumchuck rapids. A wonderful and personable ceremony led by Andrew's stepfather, a stunning bride, lovely bridesmaids, even Andrew cleaned up well!

The reception was back at the campground, featuring great food and Lina's sisters as entertaining MC's  to organize contests for food (competing for grub at a wedding??)  and music, a ceilidh by Margaret and musicians, a DJ for later on....  possibly even some alcohol was consumed while the party continued late into the night.

Sunday morning dawned lovely and sunny and we had coffee and snacks, then started the journey back home. Andrew and Lina rode their touring bikes out our way to start their honeymoon adventure. Two ferries later we met up at our house in Comox for some food and well deserved sleep, and the next morning after some last minute logistics they headed off for the first of many adventures as Mr and Mrs.

Andrew and Lina are truly a wonderful couple, and having met even more of their friends and family I can say that they are very lucky to have such a great group of people in their lives! And we are fortunate to know you all!

gardening break

Summertime in the garden. 

My Happy Fig tree

Kiwi Vine

Dragon Squash 

Asparagus fronds

pic-less

Not a single pic from last week! Which isn't quite true because Marc took some good ones - and I'll have to post the ones of us (Rick, Joan, Marc and I)  riding the back-of-the-lake rock rides. Some of them are on the Big Dog Biking Facebook site. Quite scary, all rideable and super-cool. My last ride on Sir Ullrich von Lichtenstein was last week as well ... a very fun ride instigated by Craig from Simon's cycles with some people visiting the area.

Then some bike repairs (scheduled) and bike repairs (unscheduled...)   The scheduled one is the remaking of my Stumpjumper - alas Sir Ullrich, but he is being reincarnated. Geraldine is going to have half a bike while I take the other half and put it together with a Juliana frame and a shorter front shock to get a race bike. Marc has warned me I'm going to crash - ride better or die I think is the general concept. I will need help naming my new friend - so once she's together I'll get some pics and ask for some help!

The unscheduled repairs are always less fun. The Heckler had two great evenings on Mt Washington - pointy sticky-out rocks, soft floury sand, LOTS of dust, washboard and holes, some minor airtime and sneaking close to some wall rides, almost falling off the rollercoaster - all was fun except that my front shock doesn't actually work, and the rear derailler cable ripped off. When is the first Super D race anyway??? Now that I don't have a front fork anymore it might be difficult getting those downhill skills I was hoping for! Airtime did feel remarkably comfortable though  :o)

No bike yesterday so I had to go for a run. Uneventful other than Matilda and Pippa chasing a bear, which was good because it was RIGHT beside me and I didn't want to have to chase it myself (too out of breath) and because when I told them to "leave him alone" they both stopped and turned back. The poor bear stood there facing uphill deciding whether he really needed to keep running in the heat and we left him to his berries.

Back to work, see you next time!

"Training" on the Island

Saturday was soooo much fun! Dave, Marc, Joan, Genevieve and I rode the BCBR course (with some minor alterations) and as a group of five we rocked through the course! 

It was a lovely hot sunny day, and we started early enough that the climb up Forbidden was still fairly cool. Riding as a group through the Bear Bait trail system is one of my favourite rides, there's something exilherating about winding through the trails in a line going as fast as possible!

The downhill was great as usual, other than the fact that I crashed...  and then we hit the bottom logging roads in fine style and ripped towards Cumberland.

We stopped briefly on the way to Cumberland for some refreshments, then up to Sykes bridge and over Teapot to Allen Lake. At the swimming spot we decided enough was enough, and took time out to hop in the awesome water and bob around like normal people on a hot day. Unfortunately as we got going again I realized I had misplaced by sunglasses, and since I couldn't find them at Allen Lake thought they might be at Perseverence Creek. Back up to Sykes bridge I went... although it was actually easier now that I had cooled off a bit. No glasses, so home I went for some real food.  I gathered up Pippa and we ran back to Allen Lake but no glasses unfortunately. Back home, more food, and time to put up my feet for a bit! 

Sunday was a River Ratz ride as usual, then Monday Pippa and I headed for Mt Becher. 

Another good weekend on the island!

Learning to Run

I  love riding my bikes - mountain or cyclocross, either way it’s always a good time. Running… doesn’t really work for me. 

But I was getting a little lopsided from all the biking and thought I should do another sport where I’m upright if nothing else.

It’s lovely and HOT on the island (Vancouver Island) and since we’re not used to hot weather I planned the run around water. My little running partner faithfully ran along and swam in all the waterholes. Mattie stayed home 

Run up the road - stop at the creek. Up the trail - past the lake, another brief stopover. Up the trail, around the gnarly bits and start back down - and stop at the waterfall.

It’s all about the rewards - which for me isn’t running per se yet, but the weather was hot, the water was cold and the dog was happy!

Adventures on Forbidden Plateau

I’m not a worrier by nature, but something was bothering me today. All the way out to Forbidden my legs pedalled while my mind kept looking up at the ominous clouds wondering if I had enough clothes, if I should keep going if it started to pour cold rain on me and other such inconsequential concerns. 

I had emailed out to get other people to ride with, but since it was a weekday that didn’t work out. Dropping the car off for a tune-up with the mechanic I got on my trusty bike and left. Wait - didn’t leave yet - wrote down a quick ride plan and left it in the car. I think that’s when it all went wrong.

I never leave ride plans! I’m not sure if it’s superstition or the fact that as soon as I tell someone where I’m going I instantly take a wrong turn and am anywhere but where I said I’d be. In fact, anyone that knows me would know to look for me anywhere EXCEPT the locations on the ride plan….

It was also my last day off, back to work tomorrow so I had to make this adventure count for a few days. Last week Sarah and I were on Forbidden Plateau but since she had an upcoming race (the Test of Metal, where she totally rocked!) we decided on the more XC trails to prevent injury or mechanicals. I could hear the more downhill trails calling me! So off I went. Heavy backpack - 2 L of water, lots of snacks, first aid kit, bike tube and pump, multitool ( 2 in fact for whatever reason), light jacket (lovely Sugoi emergency jacket) - and my new cell phone. I bought the cell phone 3 days earlier, and this is the first time I’d ridden with any communication device other than a whistle. The ‘big girl bike’ for extra downhill security and slightly softer tires than normal for extra traction to try to prevent the “I told you so” injury.  

                   Suzanne on Forbidden

Up the road was a bit slow since I brought the ‘big girl bike’ but I listened to some music and just pedalled upwards until it was over. No bear sightings, no near misses from vehicles, pretty uneventful so far! Into ‘Two Sheiks and a Dog’ trail - through the technical bit over roots and little bridges and found I was riding fairly well although my legs were tired from climbing practice the day before. Out and down over the first rock drop - nice and loose, happy riding! The flowers were out everywhere and the views were magnificent. Halfway down the third rock drop I heard “pffffffffffff”, and got to the bottom in time to sit back, have a snack and change a tire tube. Not a big deal, since I always have a spare. Back on the bike and to the bottom in 44 minutes, after almost 2.5 hours of total ride time. Up the 

                                                                                                                                          Some Rocks

hike-a-bike over Cable hill and down into a maze of intersections where I predictably became completely lost but was having a great time, through a gully I recognize but have no idea where I was - when suddenly I’m at the Drop of Doom intersection. My ride plan said I was going there, and by pure coincidence….! Pretty cool! So I rode up and over the Drop, even caught the bottom corner with style, (and feeling maybe a little too cocky for someone with a grudge???), …..pffffffff. 

Sit down. Have some water, check for second tube. Don’t have one; didn’t think so. Get patch kit out. Slap mosquito. Find pinched spot and take out glue. Squeeze glue. Squeeze glue again. Get hard bubble of glue coloured stuff that is in no way adhesive. Hmmmph. Oh well, I’m sure the patches have some stick. Hmmmpf. Nope. Look for second tube again. Empty camel pack and examine contents. Zapstraps, electrical tape, First aid kit. Food. Jacket. Try electrical tape - it holds, but as the pressure increases pops off and can’t be convinced to seal. Slap mosquito. Say “hmmmmpf”.  Try to clean tube with antiseptic wipes for more ‘stick’, which despite more packaging than wipe turn out to be bone dry. hmmmmpf. Try tape again, pumping as fast as possible to try to seal tire. Walk for a bit - past all the awesome bridges ain John’s playground while I try to think. A KNOT - that’s IT. Tie a KNOT!  Stop, pop bike upside down, pull off tire, remove tube and tie knot. Put tube over grrrrphff flup  grrrmashpfp thlup  grrrr phlap - don’t put tube over rim since it obviously won’t reach. Slap mosquito. There are three in BC and I’ve killed them all. Take out zapstrap and tie off holes to the side of the tube. Insert tube and pump up, put tire on bike, pump as fast as possible, jump on bike and ride with pump still in hand - for 10 seconds until the tire’s flat again. Hmmmpf. 

Walk for a few minutes. Another epiphany - PHONE A FRIEND!! My new and improved communication device, acquired just in time!!  I phone Simon’s Bike Store in Comox, handy that I know the number btw, and Hefe is trying to find out where I am. I don’t want a rescue, so I’m being obscure. He suggests filling the tire with grass, but I really don’t feel like plucking grass quite yet. I ask about the knot, and mention I have zapstraps. Hefe suggests the obvious and brilliant - zap strap on either side of the pinches! OF COURSE!!!  I zapstrap away, fill the tire and sprint to Comox Lake Dam where I can road ride back into town. No riders there, so I start towards town on a fairly well travelled logging road. I have to stop about 15 minutes later for a refill, and while my bike is upside down a couple drive by and offer a lift. I was determined not to ask for an “evac”, but if  it comes looking for me!

Back to the car 5 hours later, where the mechanic said “I wasn’t expecting you back so soon!” Where did he think I was going??? China???? But I’ll take that as a compliment and moved towards home to some food and a shower. 

Next time - 2 tubes. And a sweater. And the cell phone. Might even throw in a map if I’m really desparate. And I’m NOT filing a ride plan! 

Taxi to the West Coast Trail

So I didn't actually do the trail - but since Bamfield is on the way between Victoria and Comox :o) - I stopped in Nanaimo after nightshift to pick up Suzanne and Krista and we headed to Bamfield.
The road was awful, the weather slightly bad, the restaurant closed, but the campsite was empty so we set up camp, ate  quite edible convenience store food, drank beer and wine and spent 2 hours starting a fire in the rain. The dogs ran amuk... which is what they really prefer, and I love the word. Even if I can't spell it.

The next morning I started the hike with the two intrepid travellers but turned around after a few km because otherwise I was going to end up at the next campsite wondering why it was evening and I had no tent. I took lots of pictures, some of which even turned out. The dogs were not eaten by eagles or cougars and the graders had fixed about half the road for the drive home.


This is Suzanne and Krista walking across the beach on their way to 7 days of   beach, green forests, mud (lots of it) ladders, bridges and tsunamis.....

The trail is definitely back on my list of things to do...  !