Saturday...

... with Trish, Pat and Ryan.

Forgetmenot area, not sure all the trail names but out toward threepoint, then across volcano creek and volcano ridge and back down to elbow. Not an easy navigation so a little trip up a wrong creek added to a great day in thw sadle. We Dont to ride rides  like this enough. Not groomed bike trails but some great views. A few spots brought back memories from Katy, Craig and I's ride last year. Finally got my plug tire off and replaced with a new tire; lasted a few hours now for a plug ! Well they once again prove to work....

Happy Riding!

Friday...

... ride with Alana, Nic and Lisa was planned.

We met at station flats and decided to ride Ridgeback backwards up to Moosepackers. Its such a nice climb to start the day with. Nice gradual and flowy. We continued up Moosepackers which gets the legs nice and tosty by the time you hit Moose mtn parking lot. From there we take a right just up the road to SHAFT (Super Happy Awesome Fun Trail). You can now skip all the road and hook on to it right away. Just next to TDub ....
Great decent and Toby is just flying around the switch backs, cutting a few to stay ahead of the girls. Down ings mine road and climb up back of Sulphur so we can keep the pup off the highway (not his favorite). Back down to the River side trial back to station flats. Great start to the weekend and great to ride with the girls again.

Back to the car Toby got to sneak up on the cows and they had no clue thanks to his awesome trick of rolling in a fresh pattie at the start of the ride....nice kamuflash !
Happy Riding !

Bow80ish weekend...

... as good as it gets.

With no rain and warm weather forecasted it was deemed to be a perfect weekend of riding and racing.

Thursday after flight home Toby and I did a jeans ride on the Gary Fisher 26er. It went a little longer than planned as I forgot how much I enjoy this bike....when i putting it back on the wall did not feel quiet right. It should be used more often by someone so guess Ill get on ebay shortly.

Friday it was a pre-ride with Chad to check out Pnuma and SpecialK. Toby joined in and with a cool morning he was full of energy. The cows where pretty much everywhere this morning to enjoyment for Toby. At least it kept him busy enough to avoid any refreshments of his white fur...
Nice ride; but unfortunatly with moving truck on the way Chad had to pull out for Sunday. With  nice fall there will be plenty of opportunities to ride the course.

Saturday was Calgary Corporate Challenge; hard time pulling an IOL/Esso team this year. But in the last minute we had two girls and a guy. Nice morning at COP and busier than other years. Cesar was resting so had the managers role for CNRL, no rest for Shawn who took the three lapper for MTB. Thanks to Pam and Ryan to pull a two and three lapper for us and letting me get away with a one lap race. Shawn took the win with his team while we at least got ahead of CNRL  :) nice work.

Rest of Saturday spent to get bike ready; new tires seem to not wanna seal. Thouh as long as they are rolling it seem to work....good incentive to keep moving in Sundays race.

Early start Sunday; a few waffels for fuels and off to the races. As usual a little late; but as Mani passes me on the highway going...fast .... I know its not just me.
Somehow get my self at the start line in time. Didn't feel very snappy this morning so skipped the crazy hard start and settled in a steady pace pretty much right off the bat. Tried to just hold it through as I knew Trish is riding very strong and expected her on my wheel anytime. I never saw here. Finished in 430; a bit faster than last year but think the course was faster this year so hard to compare. Happy I can put in a good hard effort even on a day were body is not feeling the greatest.
Great turnout and everyone seem to have a great ride. Some nice hot dogs and grass time before awards. Nice to just hang out and catch up with people and watch riders cross the finish line.
Suzanne and her friend had a goal of finishing the race. And as first year rider she made both cutoffs and crossed the line. Huge accomplishment; longest ride so far. Stage racing next?
Great weekend!

Happy Riding!

Three out ....

....of four days included a ride; not too bad.

Started off weekend with Toby and Alana riding PF and Cox. First time since last year and as always a great ride. Mornings are getting cooler and it never got hot, the fall is here.

Saturday was the day with too many plans and that is usually not good; ill jump from one decision to the next; road ride to mtb ride to no ride and by the end of the day the only thing accomplished was the rock garden and installment of new house numbers.

Sunday seemed very promising with Erik, Craig, Jon and Mani committed to ride the Bow80 course.
Craig and I stopped at PF to stash a few goodies for when we would come around nice and tired. The ride never really turned out this way; great ride while riding but with a couple of flats and a group of chatty guys who hadn't seen each other for a while by the time we hit PF the treats were not as necessary as usual. So left most of it for the next ride :)... Great group ride though; even if time went by and we didnt complete the full course (besides Mani who did). Craig and I rode up sulphur to get our bottles but then snuck down sulphur to the end. No pnuma and special K this time.

Monday was the better ride of the weekend in terms of efficiency and effort. Station flats up ridgeback and moosepackers and to the top of moose mtn down and up to shaft and up and over sulphur and pnuma up to raceofspades back to parking lot. Great way to end the long weekend. And I think Ridgeback and moosepackers is my new favorite climb.

Workweek then Bow80 weekend to come!

Happy Riding!

Hinton...

...day two....a work week later...

So on the flight home and finally a breather to update last weekend.
Day two was marathon, not the same lap configuration as last year; seemed shorter but still very well put together and great riding. Didnt feel fast but rode steady on all my laps and happy to get in another good day of riding this weekend. Added another Jersey to the collection so now I can dirty one and keep one clean :)
Jon just missed the podium with a 4th place finish.
Packed up quickly and made the drive back to Calgary  the scenic route; nice.

Now a work week later a cold is grooming; hope to shake the bug by the time we land in Calgary though as its a long weekend and that can only mean some good rides coming up!

Happy Riding!

Hinton....

...and day one. Alberta provincial xc.
Did this trip last year and the relaxed set up and awesome course makes for a great weekend of riding. To bad not more Albertans makes it out. Small category fields makes for a mass start and with a case of beer to be won after the prologue Im sure not to be the first around. Last year it was Shantel hammering it through, this year it was Pepper.
Did one short lap; then two longer laps which treats you with some real mtb trails. So much fun. Great day of riding and a clean Alberta jersey to add to the closet :) Credited of course to my favorite riding buddy; Toby.
Jon came out too and had a strong race as well after a few hard weeks off the bike; second place just a minute or so behind the winner (Sam?)...and with energy left to pose a wheely across the finish, expect lots tomorrow!
Suzanne also raced and got her first medal and first finish solo race. So good day for the few Calgarians out.

Tomorrow second day and marathon time...

Happy Riding!

BOK60...

...a different version of Bow80; Best Of Kananaskis.

Thursday was a bit of a delay coming home so riding started Friday. Craig and I headed out for the full Bow80 which we learned does not include JP. Waking up I still felt nowhere near rested but with only 3 days a week of riding i better suck it up and get out. Really, how can no exercise during the week make you so tired?
We had in mind JP even thouh it was not included.Since we arrived Station Flats at the same time as Suzanne, Toby and her friend we decided to start easy and ride with them, so JP should be manageable. We dropped some stash at top of Sulphur for the return and as we started decent we figured it would be a good time to drop Toby and the girls as well. They hung on to Toby for five so we would be well out of sight.
Rode Elbow in a fairly good pace and as we turn to go up at the powderface junction Toby comes sprinting from behind! On mostly downhill he gained five minutes on Craig and I! A good dip in the creek was needed while we now had to wait for the girls; it took a while as they kept looking for him. But we got on our way eventually. We both had no motivation and didnt feel great. At the JP intersection we had a quick back and forth and decided on NOT....im learning that when you feel you Have to ride its less fun and with only weekends I feel I Have to get in three good solid rides; normally I listen to how I feel and this day Id probably spend at home.
Thouh we made it; a couple of more social stops chatting it up with new people on the trail not really knowing where they were going.....and 7 hrs later we got to the car. Probably a record on the slow side for the course but at least we got out. Ended day with a quick ice bath and home for a bbq and rest.

Saturday i planned on road  ride from the house to safe some time and get a few things done. Woke up feeling much the same as day before so skipped morning plans and did errands hoping ride motivation would come....after a few trips for rock (18 bags) and still not a complete front yard fix my motivation was totally gone. Started laying plans for next day and with some talk of great trails I was able to convince Craig to skip work and ride.

I wanted to try a version of Bow80 without the horsetrail and road back to PF (and SpecialK ....I know! Many favor it, i Dont love it, or more Dont love where it ends the race)....so Craig and I headed out to Ridgeback, went backward up to Moosepackers then up all the way to Shaft. Down shaft to the road then hook on to last years course, cross over to prairie creek up to PF road, skipped horse trail (yay), road to PF, up and back down like last year, over to Ings mine on hgw, crossing up and over to sulphur  and climbing up sulphur and down to Pnuma, up Pnuma to race of spades and finish with a fun fast ride to station flats! What an awesome course, my new favorite. The best trails and perfect breaks to catch your self with a drink and some food. Clicked in at 62 km and about same time as the regular Bow80.
Best Of Kananaskis (BOK60).....great way to end my two day program this weekend :) Craig also got to test out the super tube after the first normal tube failed, lasted down RoS so guess he licked out with one of the 50% good once.

Hinton next...

Happy Riding!

A complete...

...fleet again!

The replacement frame Ive been waiting for arrived and it looks great!

After a little slow start of Friday and no riding partners I opted for a road ride. Did my regular Fish creek loop but for a bit of change i did it backwards. Since it was Friday, work day for most, i figured little trafic on the pathways but it was busier than id hoped. Ride was ok, good way to get my 3 days of life started.

Picked up the new frame and since it was late didnt really plan on building it but I couldn't wait. By bedtime I had a bike that could be ridden and only one washer left on the table. Still not sure where it belongs.

Saturday started early with some Olympics mtb; both Norway and Canada with huge medal contenders. Unfortunatly not their day.
Packed up and did a shorter ride with Craig; Ryan joined us fir the climb up Prairie View on his single speed. Craig and I continued on Racers Edge and up Quaite and back down Jewels. The bike worked great besides no rear break and a very tight crank. So another afternoon working on the bike. Now I had two washes left on the table; but a bike with proper crank spin and breaks that worked.

Sunday started much the same; Olympics mtb. Nice work by Kabush with an 8th place. And great race with a fun finish. Then off to Bragg.
Plan was Bow80 but since we were not prepared for the new addition of JP and had some stops to chat with some other riders out we ended up doing mostly last years course (excluding mcleaod creek? loop?) but added the Husky road climb and down shoulda. Went down race of spade to convince Craig of the awesomeness it is....not sure I succeeded but I had fun and a ride ended with big smile.
Good three days or riding, maybe not the volume needed to catch up the four days in the north but it'll come.

The new frame held up great but hearing stories of the 2013 edition :).....

Happy Riding!

Post work week...

...on the runway...

Time to start the 3 days of life. This set up north I got one day of 30 min gymtime before work! Good start and gives me hope that Ill find something routine that will work.
Food is not my favorite up here but working on a better routine for this too. Wednesday is stake night and everyone talked about it so I ditches my trial on eating no dinner (as its so late)....the stake didnt live up to the talk, back to bringing extra lunch to work.

Big adventure flying home. AFter first take off attempt we turned around then it got really hot so deplane on to busses while waiting for broken plane to get fixed, made it to Edmonton a couple hours later and deplane again. Guess planes wasnt fixed enough to trust it to Calgary....now finally seated over red deer and this time im pretty sure we will make it!

First leg delay frustration was fixed with a meal with a Toblerone ! Yammi :) and by the time we land in Calgary we will be sure rush hour trafic is over :)
Little slow start on 3 days of life.....

Happy Riding time tomorrow!

Weekend riding...

...Fernie and Rossland.

Thursday night drive to Fernie, arrival in thunderstorm and completely booked town. Only a little expedia system error luck got us in the second last room in town after plenty trials at various locations.

Friday slow start after late arrival and awesome breakfast. Rode plenty of fin trails; roots, hyper vent, south castle and a bit higher then down, hyper vent up again, cross over on extension and over to the classic trails at Ridgemont. Great day! Craig and I waited for Ryan to arrive for the rest of the trip; killed the time with an iceberg in the river.

Drive out to Rossland was easy and event free, besides it Craig who ate his double icecream like a toddler, while telling the best stories of the divide ride. Stories never get boring and with icecream all around it added to the moment.

Bryan and Tara invited us to stay with them, best bed and breakfast and dinner and guide etc in town! So nice for Toby as well. Saturday morning we started with seven summitt trail. Better than I had expected, awesome steady climb up to some amazing exposed views. Great fun and and down. And end with more fun down. During this ride we also met Shasta who turned out to be Mickey who also turned out to be new in town last night and up for adoption. He got lost hiking with his foster family and hooked up with a few cyclemeisters who we happend to run into.
We finished our ride and drove up to meet them and bring Mickey to town. He looked very tired after a probably 30km day for him. Great bike dog about Tobys size if anyone is looking. And if it wasnt for the dog Ryan would have never seen his special bottle again. What's the chance; lost on the trail and found by Mickeys foster parents.

After lunch, longer lunch, we shuttles up and did a trail called something dead, and since Toby was left behind earlier it was his treat. Super fun trail.

Sunday we started from the house and rode some great trails; I totally am terrible with names but ill remember them in my mind. Great climbs and even greater down. First major down was nice and technical, second a bit more flow. Just a great morning of riding. Then another long lunch and off for another great ride. This time we shuttled Tara up and let her ride ahead while we drove truck down and road back up and then down. Guess this all used to be called Oasis. Thouh the first section was new and due to logging hooked into Oasis only by a superfast road section so dogs and Tara got to do the first bit then they took truck and met us at bottom of the Oasis. A highspeed flowy bring out the smiles kinda trail. All the way down to Columbia. A minor hike a bike after a missed turn but other than that a flawless weekend of guiding by Bryan, beats searching for good trails.

Monday was a day in the car but with a pit stop in Blairmore for quick spin and coffee (thanks troy, def no need for Tims). Home in time to unpack and pack for site.

Happy Riding!

Sunday...

...bow80 course.

Finally got in a good ride today. After a quick hike with the dogs at COP, Ryan and I headed out to bragg. We stached some drinks at PF lot and went back to station flats.
Road the Bow 80 course minus the cow trail up and around after praire creek. A great day, of course not getting on the bike untill 11 made for a really hot climb up sulphur after PF side. With my hardtail and a 24 on the front I really enjoyed every climb, but faded at the end and did some hiking just before specialK...not my favorite decent and it is really washed out. A few super fun sections makes it ok but in a race I dont super fancy a double track mud section and climb out to end a of a hard day.
Looking forward to the race thouh, its a great course that gets harder as you get into the race. After PF your really just warmed up!

Well that was the end of a short training period but with work in Calgary this week im fortunate to get a few mid week rides in.

Happy Riding!

Saturday...

...hike; followed by some home maintenance and Glenmore road spin. Since most of the folks i ride with is participating in the TR this week and my regular that rarly says no to a ride decided to catch up on work; well my motivation did not come back.
I have two dogs looking at me with a bit of "take us" eyes so I opted for a hike up Powder Face. I started out late but yet did not meet one person or bear om the way up or down. Nice and quiet! But not exactly the workout I was looking for after 5 days off. Managed to get in a spin around Glenmore to end the day and with the grass cut and house pretty tidy Id say it was a pretty good Saturday.

Sunday no choice but to have an awesome ride. And with the bow80 course and Ryan it should be good.

Happy Riding!

Friday ....

...coffee ride witb Darko. My three day workout plan was spoiled by meeting downtown this Friday. They promise this will not be a regular. So this week down to a two dag plan.

But after cleaning up bikes from last weekend there was still time left of Friday to get out; lacked motivation for a training ride so called up Darko for a city cruise.
Rode downtown with queastionable weather but it held away. Stopped and had a beef hot dog and listened in to the Folk fest. Many people rode their bikes down and some with more festive bikes than others. Nice little spin.

Maybe Saturday will bring motivation back.

Happy Riding!