Darth Days
Darth Days – Silverstar
Jul 27th
Few things invoke the organizer in me like a summer road trip to bike trails. I make lists, plan trails, clothes that will show up best in photos and food to fuel the whole experience. This trip to Silverstar was no different.
We arrived Sunday night with visions of dry dirt trails dancing in our heads. We went to bed giddy with anticipation of the hot days to follow.
8am was a bit of a shock. A noise like brakes squealing started my curious eyes open in search of these riders who cared so little for the health of their bikes. To my amazement there was a lone bagpiper, hazily drawing notes through the drizzle in the heart of the village.
The lone piper calling out the drizzle
I’m not much for omens, I don’t necessarily pay attention to them. However on Friday afternoon before our trip I was dazed and chugged a diet soda to keep me awake through the last few hours of work. On my pedal home, feeling like the only person on earth in the sunshine of the little country road I let loose a belch so satisfying and long it felt as if it came from my feet.
It’s reasonable then to see why I didn’t hear the pink limousine pull up beside me and turn right in front of me. The windows were open and I could hear the kids laughing and being scolded by their parents.
Upon seeing the piper I though of this and accepted that this may be one of “those” vacations.
Piper aside we finally got on the lift. The drizzle now replaced by puffy white bunny clouds meandering across the sky. The thing with bunnies though, thy multiply and soon the puffiness became drizzle again, which became snow at the top of the lift.
Snow!
We laughed, we rode, we froze around 1pm and headed to the hot tub. We renamed it the warm tub because it wasn’t as hot as we had hoped. We defrosted in the shower and hoped the next day would be better.
The next day was worse. It was colder and just plain raining which was good because we went winery hunting. I taw, I taw as tasting woom! I did, I did taw a tasting woom!
Gosh, is that a tasting room? Let’s pull over and have a taste then
I can’t really call what I do collecting wine, I have nothing to show for it but a few vague memories of yummy cupfuls. Another six pack for the “collection” and we were off.
8am bagpipes. Again.
Wednesday we woke up to what we dream about all year. Sunshine bathing everything as far as my puny human eyes can see. It’s cool in the trails and all the dustiness has been washed in wetness, brought back to its virgin state. We started on LTG to get a feel for being on the bike.
LTG: Low To the Ground. A great trail to get on some wood.
The last section where it gets flowy on the way to the lift we realized something.
Oh, yeah, we can go fast!
The next round was a lap on Superstar. If your self esteem has been squashed by the likes of CBC and Cypress, a lap or two on Superstar will have you feeling a like Wonder Women. Its fast fat berms allow you to get a bit of speed and hit the jumps perfectly to clear them.
World Cup was next, wall rides and drops beckon from this trail. If anywhere this is the place to get comfortable on them.
First lap, low on the wall, giggling with fear and eyes as wide as saucers to capture what could potential be my last moments on earth. I survived and came in hot on the next one. Bzzzzzzzoooom! Hoots of laughter tumbled out of my mouth like a flock of pigeons up roosted.
The rest of the day was equally great
Occasional steeps on Flow
Wednesday night’s Extended Play was in effect and we had to stop around 6:30. We could not physically go that fast much longer. We had exhausted our legs and the six pack of wine was calling me.
All we could do was eat and stare at the TV for a bit before bed. I stared at my mashed potatoes and wondered if they felt like I did. Another glass of wine and I became one with couch.
At 8am I heard that noise again. This time though there were 8 of them and before I could take up my sniping position in the warm tub I needed coffee. Dropping in and muscling through berms had worn me out for sniping pipers so I let them live.
Last day. Sigh. We decided to hit up each trail at least once. By 4pm we were so exhausted we could barely remember which trail we had just ridden let alone, which were next.
Dropping in through a barn. How much more fun can you have?
Silverstar is a biker’s closest friend. The people who keep the resort open is summer, understand your need to keep you bike beside you while you sleep. They see the trail love in your eyes as they serve up lunch and they never scold you for having you filthy gear in their mom and pop establishments. The staff of the resort listen to you in earnest, willingly goes out of their way to help you out and smile the whole time.
I’m already planning my next trip back, see you there!
Darth Days – Merritt
Jul 21st
Friday afternoon before a weekend road trip. The heat of the summer has melted time into a slow supple lump. It drags its way across the clock, the weight of it the only thing keeping the seconds hand moving. It s malleable form no longer able to move on its own it relies on its flaccid weight to pull the seconds hand across the face of itself. I am stuck in the tar pit of Friday afternoon, unable to think of anything but the sweet smell of sun baked pine needles and the soft sounds under my tires of the duffy trails of Iron Mountain.
4:02 and I am in warp speed, time is catching me up! Bike home, throw the bikes, cooler and gear into the truck and we are happily bumping down the Coquihalla. We gather another team mate in Hope, at a rest stop and chat up the weekend over pie. Sod the calories, I’ll put them in reserve for tomorrow.
The hotel is the best of all things a hotel should be: cheap. The furniture could have been gran-mammies , but the showers were hot Tommy guns of cleaning power . The free breakfast and waterslide topped off the deal .
Saturday morning at 9am we met the crew and scuttled to the top.
The mosquitoes were glad to see us and soon we were lost in a black cloud. Only one cure for that and that is movement!
The trails were cool and dry, the conditions perfect. Loam, rocky technical and tight corners between tree tried to keep us off our bikes. The almost succeded too!
The truly beautiful thing about Merrit is the changes you will see in the trails as you meander through them. At the top its dry, sweet smelling dirt trail with small sub alpine trees, knurled and dried taught barley a handle bars width apart.
The ancient crevasses, the waterways are moist soft areas, fertile and blooming, with air you could cleanse your soul with. Grass grows waist deep here, only a tire wide trail of tamped greenery to show you the way. By this time you have stopped for a rest and realize that you have been on the trail for an hour. The good news is you aren’t even halfway down and it keeps getting better from here!
The Godey Creek trail is a field trip through every ecology available in BC. If you can stop having so much fun on your bike and take a look around you’ll see things like this:
Mosquito photo bombers. Only available in Merritt.
A few minutes into the first run I crashed. I don’t know what stopped me so fast but it sent me sailing over the bars onto my chest. Thankfully I had a great crew to come pick me up and dust me off. One of them even found my glasses for me.
Glasses. Now borked. I thanked the trails gods for armour and we all got back on our bikes. Later on one of the guys saw blood.
It must have bled for all of 5 seconds. I was hoping the mosquitoes would see it as a donation but they continued taking their dues the old fashioned way.
The next day we did another quickie of 98 and Goodey Creek. There would be no more pie but we chewed up a big slice of good times and headed back home.
Darth Days – Signs you may be a Muddbunnie
Jun 25th
- You have lube in your purse. No, not that kind the bike kind.
- You have no less than a tool, lube, pump and spare in your backpack at all times.
- Ya, you’ll go for a hike but can it be on Seymour because you though you saw a bike trail just off….
- When you see someone stopped anywhere you feel compelled to ask them if they need help.
- You have made changes to your bike to take weight off it, yet don’t mind carrying heavy beer with you for the after ride.
- You not only attend trail days, you bring goodies or volunteer to help with lunch.
- You have been down no less than three secret trails, of which you speak to no one except your best and closest riding buddies.
- When you get caught on a secret trail you smile, batt your eyelashes and politley ask…”Is this the CBC?”
- You have used the word “severed” and “dick” in conversation with men and they didn’t cry.
- Taking a day off of biking to volunteer for events is almost as much fun as riding and involves more beer.
- The only thing you will ever braid is your hair.
- You are comfortable in cars that stink like sweat and chain grease but get grossed out public transit.
- Dorothy has gotten you over an obstacle you never though you would do.
- Your place of work has spare clothing and loam around the areas you inhabit.
- You have been planning this summer since last summer and most of your weekends are full before March.
- You decided that the $500.00/week all inclusive Mexican beach vacation was too expensive but ponied up $500.00 for a long weekend at Whistler.
- Riding is more than just spending time on the bike. Its therapy through rough times, educating yourself about the areas history and the people responsible for the trails and a good reason to have a beer on a work night.
- You always get invited to stuff because everyone knows you will bring a warren of hot mountain bike women.
- You have at least one area of your car dedicated to bike gear. This usually has an air freshener around it too.
- Meeting complete strangers who posted a ride on a forum in a place you don’t know seems like a great idea and tones of fun.
- You can’t understand why people would ask you to leave your bike outside.
- Wade Simmons served you lunch at a trailday. .
- You excel at rock bitching, cedar humping and banging rungs.
- There is a section of the world famous North Shore that you had a hand in building.
- You have piled rocks on the trails where a sign has politely asked you to pile rocks.
- You desperately try to think of ways of keeping the non biking family and friends entertained while you hit up bike parks.
- You consistently blow the bike budget by April.
- The first day you brought home your new bike you sat on it every five minutes and marveled at its awsomeness. Then you called another bunnie and you talked about for an hour. Both of you were totally stoked!
- Ya, you know that log, the one with the rock and root by it.
- You forget your keys, wallet, and jacket but have your helmet, gloves and camelback.
- Only after a really bad injury did you consider getting pregnant.
- You have fallen asleep on your bike. And were comfortable.
- You volunteer at the N.Shore Gear Swap so you can be the first to get your hands on the best deals.
- Been there, fell of that. Now your taking others bunnies to fall off it.
- When you have the flu and have spent the morning puking your guts out you are more worried about how to replenish your electrolytes for the next ride than how long you need to recover.
- You found out about engagements, break ups, bra sales and how to get grease out of clothes on Pipeline.
- You have non biking family and friends but only see them on special occasions. However you know 50+ people you can call at a moments notice to go for a ride at any time and spend 3-5 days a week with them.
- You know where the “Boyko Cut”,and the “Femur Gap” are and why they are called that.
- You know that there is so much more to Whistler than the bike park.
- You are drop dead sexy in full body armour and a full face helmet, covered in mud and sweat. You have a swagger like a winning bullfighter and a strong desire for a pint and could care less about the filthy state you are in.
- Your legs look like the cat shaved them.
- If you were injured on the trail, you limp/crawl/bumble your way through work and point it out to people when you tell them how it happened. If a shopping cart bumps into your ankle you need to take the day the day off, that scrape could get infected and affect your ride later.
Darth Days – Just a few years ago the North Shore would host events called Rippers
Jun 21st
Just a few years ago the North Shore would host events called Rippers. They took the best parts of races and costumes parties and put them in the bush where they belong.
This year Wade Simmons, the God father of Freeride stepped up to the plate and stuck his chain lube stained, muddy little fingers into the North Shore Pies.
A truly excellent shore-style adventure must combine a full day of trails, costumes, secret trails and mysteries to figure out along the way. Throw in hidden treasures, celebrity sightings and a free BBQ and you know that the Muddbunnies would ride on flat tires and broken rims to be a part of it.
The morning sun promised a scorching day but Fromme was cool in the shade of her Hemlocks and still moist from dawns’ dewy daybreak. Trucks pulled up and riders spilled out, pooling around the staging area. Anticipation of the promised adventure set childlike curious grins onto their faces. The staging area became a watering hole of all the people you have ever ridden with, splashing high fives and diving into conversations long overdue.
The bunnie tent was set up and Team Muddbunnies stepped forward for the team photo. Somehow Wade and some volunteers managed to persuade 150 riders over to the start line. Perky ears floated over the start on smiles eager with the thrill of the ride.
In this event you were given a series of trails to ride. The bunnies drew 7th right off the bat and sent the strongest climbers out. Sweat started dripping off of us around the 2nd switchback. Everyone questioned where we would end up, who would get there and what we would have to do after.
We also wondered if we would find any secret cold bevvie stashes rumoured to be on the trail.
Tina, Sherri, Holly and Jen, I’m not sure if they are showing us how strong they are or if they are holding up beers, either way, a darn fine looking team.
Down near the staging area the Bunnies held up the long standing tradition of the Bunnie BBQ. The thick smoked wafted through cedars, the smell of good times on good trails with good folk. Volunteers make these moments possible. Each person who took a day of riding to support the racers deserves respect. Its because of the volunteers that moments like this…
And this,
Happen.
The final ad most secret of trails had to be unouzzled from a series of clues posted along the trails. As fitting end to a great day was a rip down the “secret trail” , the newly buffed Ladies Only. Ladies only , practically a new trail, perhaps should be renamed “Bunnies Only”?
4 laps, a buger or two and a few litres of water later it was time to ask.. What next? Where else would the bunnies end up but our own Club Pub, The Bridge Between.
Where else would we end up? Bunies at the Bridge Between.
The Long Ride Home June 7 2010 – Darth Days
Jun 14th
3:39 on a sunny Monday afternoon was when I made the decision to ride the long way home. I work in Richmond and was plotting my route back to White Rock when I started to feel that longing. You know that feeling where you can feel the warm air surrounding you, flowing into you, around you. You see the blue sky and smell the traffic, the grass and faint dirty smell of gravel. In ten minutes I was out the back door, helmeted and shifting into gear.
I jumped on the bus to get through the tunnel and planted my nose in a book. Being a commuter you to try to avoid the same people all the time. I regularly avoid Negative Ned, the expert on everything that is wrong with the world. He doesn’t think twice about blowing his nose with a dirty sock, but step on his foot and prepare to be blown away. (The day I saw the sock incident, I nearly choked on my own laughter, I must have looked like I had a Chihuahua stuck in my throat trying to stuff all that laughter down it. Lucky me I was sitting straight across from him)
I came up for air and looked around. Either a zombie virus had spread and everyone else was dead or this bus was taking its sweet time and everyone had fallen asleep. There was an issue on the highway and just like the issues at work, no one was going to say what it was but we weren’t going to get around it. I was thanking all things good for the turn of fate that kept Ned off my slow bus through hell when we reached the halfway bus stop along the highway and I exited.
The cool air off the dyke was tinged with the mineral smells of salt water and the sun baked the roadside grass into the perfume of the summer roadie. I was instantly relieved, stuffed my earbuds in and pedaled towards home with the CBC in my ears.
I pedaled hard looking over at traffic and thinking smug thoughts and there HE was. Neddy had the same idea and was a little further up the road. Oh, god he is stopped, please don’t let him have a flat because I’ll have to stop and help him.
Using my extra bunnie sensory to survey at the situation at speed I could see that his bike was ok and flipped him the thumbs up as I went past. He returned the gesture signaling he was ok and I sped on. I turned toward the dyke and thinking I was safe stopped to take off my sweater.
He caught me. Damn if the bugger wasn’t right behind me, a questioned look on his red, overexerted face.
“So, where does this trail go?” he puffed, looking like a small child in a world that is far too big.
I couldn’t leave him behind. He didn’t know where he was and would never get home before midnight if he didn’t know the shortcut. Picture a pasty white guy who has never really excersized in full roadie spandex. All skinny, flabby bits of him support with a veil of yellow lycra, a Styrofoam globe of helmet perched atop his thinning blond hair. He is like a giant 9 year old boy with stubble.
He followed me so slowly I had to ratchet down to my smallest gears and balance not to fall over to let him keep up. Mothering instincts welled up under my ambivalence and like a two year old, I had to keep in within earshot.
We made our way towards the train tracks at the far end of the dyke and I warned him that there may be some bush wacking involved. I got the feeling he wanted to laugh because I said bush wacking.
I hefted my ultra light road bike onto my shoulders and made my way through the marshy grass that lead to the train tracks and over into forbidden territory.
I heard a mewling and soon found out that Neddy’s shoe got wet. Oddly enough he was smiling. He looked like he was having fun at camp and my heart softened.
We neared the highway and I couldn’t help but keep looking back and checking on him. He rode steady and when we parted ways he thanked me, smiling and looking proud. I don’t think he gets to experience this kind of stuff very often and I wonder if he will remember it.
We pedaled off in different directions. I took a path through the woods, he stepped on a bus.
Gear Swap lowdown – Darths Days
Jun 9th
Every year since its inception the Muddbunnies Riding Club has collectively gathered to show their awsomeness at volunteering. There is a Bunnie shirt at nearly every event on the North Shore and one of my favorites’ is the Gear Swap.
Bunnies come out to set up tables, hustle gear, and they have a darned good time doing it! To compliment our treasury, this year our industrious board put together a bake sale along with the BBQ supporting the NSMBA.
A calendar of Bunnies showed up with baked goods proving that these calendar girls could whip out their biscuits out with the best of Betty Crocker’s cook book. More bunnies showed up to man the table and soon we were as saturated with conversation and giggles as the air was with drizzle. Luckily we had Dee at the BBQ keeping us warm with tales from trails and long girly laughs.
The array of baking was amazing, truffles, muffins, lemon bars, shortbreads, petites and brownies. Will power was broken. Easily. People balanced gear and leaned bikes against hips trying to dig change out of their shorts to get at the goodies. At a buck a piece nobody could resist.
I know people who beg for the stuff under Mrs Sheldon’s lacy bits.
Peek a boo, I eat you! (you may notice a missing truffle in the foreground.)
We rocked out with our biscuits out!
A crowd was gathered long before the swap even opened, volunteers milled about looking for great deals and many people walked away stoked.
If you haven’t had the chance to help out with a club function, I highly recommend it. The bunnies are fun and casual and thankful for anything that you can do. The club does fundraising so we can have cool things like tents that keep us dry during functions.
I marvel at how great that hoodie looks.
I’m not sure of the final stats but I believe our hard work (giggle fest) netted us around $200.00! Not bad for a day of laughing, camaraderie and social misbehavior. They also threw in a decent BBQ burger just for coming out. ( Bunnie made Burgers!)
Laura, Marilee, Dee and Aimee have a few laughs in the BBQ zone.
