I was supposed to be riding Vancouver Island this week with a friend. Here is her blog about what I missed yesterday.......
Day 5 - SUNNY- Cumberland- Forbidden Plateau
Woke up to those rarelly seen this summer, yellow rays peaking through the window and I rose with excitement at the thought of riding dry singletrack. Last year Pete and I never made it out to the Forbidden Plateau so today is the day to go exploring! All in the name of knowing where to take you all on our next trip.
At the gate of the logging road a grouchy bearded security guard guy stopped my truck and told me I could go no further cos there are big big logging trucks in there logging eh?, but I put my best British accent on and asked if "Please sir is it OK if I park and ride my bike in there?". Oh yes he said you can do that just watch out for them huge trucks driving fast!
So you guys would have given me lip for the first hour of climbing up up and up logging roads - it was not that pleasant a ride but hey it was warm and then.....
Well all would have been forgiven as the beautiful views of the coast and the coastal mountains opened up above the Sitka trees! And then.....
The singletrack descent started. From the look of the map it was going to be lots of fall line DH trails but no... the trails descended over rooty sections then traversed a lot using the hillside well and not dropping all that height I'd gained. Then some yummy rock slab sections, down, along, up, down, along...oh what a view over Comox Lake -time to stop and sunbathe and down a Powerbar (cos Ken has all my honey Stingers still!!!! Or maybe he ate them already!!!).
And Holy Woodworkers as I descended I felt something above me and looked up... yes 3 metres in teh air the narrowest skinny was winding above the trail and no it did not just roll down there was a big huck off the end! I walked part of it, felt exposed and hugged a tree for safety. How do they do that?
I got a little off track as there were a lot of trail options and I got excited and headed down Monkeys revenge instead of Cabin Fever but it was so much fun. The trail seemed easier than I expected fast and flowy some fun ladder bridges and more easy flowy stuff occasionally interrupted by severe rock slab descent sections! Just to catch you out as you relax into the flow! Wow!
Did I say wow again!? Oh well it deserves it.
Then I hit the "XC" trails back towards teh truck skirting high above the edge of Comox Lake with the sun low in the sky, awesome views... more rock slabs but not so severe this time... although still need brain engaged!
Yup sure was another gorgeous day. Wish I had some buddies here to share it with. Negotiating the rock sections is not the same without Ken swearing "WTF" and Dennis walking down saying "Self preservation! Live to ride another day" and Pete gliding down on his hard tail as if there were no challenge there at all!
Oh Ken! Next time you are out of work let me know and I'll organise another trip so hey presto you will have work again! Life Sucks like that!
Oh Dennis! Just to let you know I found a room to rent in North Van from next Sunday so I won't need to lodge with you guys in October. Thanks Marion for the offer. I will of course have to come over and see you all for dinner now I'm more local.
Oh Pete! Sorry did you over hear that? Yes I will be living in North Van(!) from next week. Just a room at the moment but will be looking for my own place. I promise to get 2 bedrooms so you can come stay whenever you want!!!
Missing y'all!
CK
Day 5 - SUNNY- Cumberland- Forbidden Plateau
Woke up to those rarelly seen this summer, yellow rays peaking through the window and I rose with excitement at the thought of riding dry singletrack. Last year Pete and I never made it out to the Forbidden Plateau so today is the day to go exploring! All in the name of knowing where to take you all on our next trip.
At the gate of the logging road a grouchy bearded security guard guy stopped my truck and told me I could go no further cos there are big big logging trucks in there logging eh?, but I put my best British accent on and asked if "Please sir is it OK if I park and ride my bike in there?". Oh yes he said you can do that just watch out for them huge trucks driving fast!
So you guys would have given me lip for the first hour of climbing up up and up logging roads - it was not that pleasant a ride but hey it was warm and then.....
Well all would have been forgiven as the beautiful views of the coast and the coastal mountains opened up above the Sitka trees! And then.....
The singletrack descent started. From the look of the map it was going to be lots of fall line DH trails but no... the trails descended over rooty sections then traversed a lot using the hillside well and not dropping all that height I'd gained. Then some yummy rock slab sections, down, along, up, down, along...oh what a view over Comox Lake -time to stop and sunbathe and down a Powerbar (cos Ken has all my honey Stingers still!!!! Or maybe he ate them already!!!).
And Holy Woodworkers as I descended I felt something above me and looked up... yes 3 metres in teh air the narrowest skinny was winding above the trail and no it did not just roll down there was a big huck off the end! I walked part of it, felt exposed and hugged a tree for safety. How do they do that?
I got a little off track as there were a lot of trail options and I got excited and headed down Monkeys revenge instead of Cabin Fever but it was so much fun. The trail seemed easier than I expected fast and flowy some fun ladder bridges and more easy flowy stuff occasionally interrupted by severe rock slab descent sections! Just to catch you out as you relax into the flow! Wow!
Did I say wow again!? Oh well it deserves it.
Then I hit the "XC" trails back towards teh truck skirting high above the edge of Comox Lake with the sun low in the sky, awesome views... more rock slabs but not so severe this time... although still need brain engaged!
Yup sure was another gorgeous day. Wish I had some buddies here to share it with. Negotiating the rock sections is not the same without Ken swearing "WTF" and Dennis walking down saying "Self preservation! Live to ride another day" and Pete gliding down on his hard tail as if there were no challenge there at all!
Oh Ken! Next time you are out of work let me know and I'll organise another trip so hey presto you will have work again! Life Sucks like that!
Oh Dennis! Just to let you know I found a room to rent in North Van from next Sunday so I won't need to lodge with you guys in October. Thanks Marion for the offer. I will of course have to come over and see you all for dinner now I'm more local.
Oh Pete! Sorry did you over hear that? Yes I will be living in North Van(!) from next week. Just a room at the moment but will be looking for my own place. I promise to get 2 bedrooms so you can come stay whenever you want!!!
Missing y'all!
CK
