Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Fun in Fernie!
Hey guys,
Since I’m living in Lethbridge now for the summer I’m taking the opportunity to go and ride in some pretty sweet places!
So far I haven’t wandered far away from the coulees of Lethbridge but today, on the Monday of the long weekend, I decided to go and ride somewhere else. After talking to a few of the random bikers I’ve met on the trails here in Lethbridge, the consensus seemed to be that Fernie was the place to go!
So this morning I packed up my stuff and headed out to Fernie, B.C. I got there around lunch time and headed to the first bike shop I could find and picked up a trail map and got directions to where the best riding was. Patrick Hummeny (from Lethbridge, used to be from MB) had warned me about dangerous wildlife so I asked if bears were a problem. The lady working said that no bears had been seen but that there had been several moose sightings lately. I took her warning seriously and went to find the trail head. Apparently her directions weren’t as straight forward as I thought they were and I was soon driving in circles. Then I saw two 50 year old guys pop out of the bush on mountain bikes from a tiny little trail so I flagged them down and then got proper directions from them. I easily found the trailhead after that and was soon on the trail headed up the mountain on some super sweet singletrack. I made sure I whooped and hollered quite often while I was riding so that I wouldn’t be “attacked” by any bears or moose.
Three Sisters Mountain
The second time up the mountain I took a trail called Eco-Terrorist that goes over a marshy area on a board walk. Coming out of the bush around the corner to the wetland I heard a splash and thought, “Hey there must be a beaver or something in the pond so I should stop when I get there and look for it”…well…It definitely wasn’t a beaver! It was a full grown moose, with antlers in velvet, standing in the water about 30 feet away, looking at me! Immediately I was thinking, “Oh crap, I’m soo screwed!” But I quickly jumped back on my bike, headed the rest of the way along the board walk past the pond and on to the fire road. Right then there was a family with 2 young kids on bikes about to turn onto the trail I had just come off of, so I warned them about the moose and they headed for a different trail.
Not the moose that scared me..but thats how close it was!
After riding another 2 hours without further incident, I decided that I was going to climb partially up that trail again and then ride a really cool, rooty, flowing downhill back to my car and call it a day. On my way up I happened to meet a lady that was hiking with her dog and she told me that the moose might have a baby somewhere in the area too. But I figured since I wasn’t going very far away from civilization, I should be fine. Apparently not!! I was about halfway up to the turn off that I wanted to take when out in front of me stepped the “baby” moose! Except he wasn’t much of a baby anymore, it was almost full grown, but without any antlers. This time I almost dirtied my shorts.. I was going up a steep, nasty climb and was looking down, when suddenly it stepped out of the bush in front of me, not even 15 feet away..I just about lost it when I saw him..I’m surprised I didn’t have a heart attack.. But, I managed to keep it together and turned my bike around and ripped back down all the way to my car. Needless to say, I’d had my fill of excitement for one day!
New wheels! Fernie Alpine Resort is located on the mountain in the background.
Don’t worry though, Fernie hasn’t permanently scared me away. Next time I’ll just be more prepared for the wildlife and try to ride with somebody instead of by myself. We certainly don’t get to see this kind of wildlife in Manitoba.
Jeffrey
moab
riding slickrock with the LaSalle mtns in the background
More flowy fun
That's Moab in the background. Slickrock is all short ups and downs. Heck of a workout first thing in the morning but the view and the descents make it totally worth it.
After 3300 feet of climbing up to Porcupine Rim, the view gives you new energy.
The only place with real trees. Every kind of terrain imaginable on this trail section.
Remember those LaSalle mountains in the earlier photo? We biked up to them to get to Porc Rim. Took us all morning. Jonny could have got there sooner but remember, he's draggin the old man with him.
Nuff said
End of day 2 ,finishing 3 hour descent. Check out the grin.
Yeah, I know, some guys (Jonny) ride this stuff. I do what I have to do.
Newest recruit for the farm team
Owen on his new Rocky Edge
Railing the bridge
Go out and play with your kids
A day in the mountains
Hey Guys
Me and some of the local guys decided to take a drive up to Bragg Creek to ride some newly built trails on Moose Mountain. The trails were Billy Dog and Shoulda.
It was technical and steep, fast and flowing. Everything a Prairie boy could ask for!
http://www.vimeo.com/10885740
The video link is not us riding but a local Calgary dude, its the reason we decided to drive out there. Of course, the video does not do it justice, the first trail Billy Dog was STEEP!
I finally got some Altitude in the Rocky Mountains on my Rocky Mountain Altitude!
Ride Hard Ride Free
The boys
Sunday ride with a few of the faithful. 3 hours…EPIC.
New grassy section through Brian's pasture
JL dropping in.
The only guy not riding slime gets the thorn. Way to go Scott.
One of 3 glaciers along the trans canada, even with 24 degrees of heat.
Make sure you read James’s work update, one post down, about Saturday!!!
But the real reason I wanted to post is so that you guys could get a first hand look at the 2011 Rocky Mountain Slayer.
You may all find your online bike news from other sites but I frequent Pinkbike.com alot because they have interesting videos and pictures, and I found this post about the new Slayer from Rocky. Check it out if you’re bored!
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/rocky-mountain-slayer-2011-preview.html
Me and Alf are meeting at the shop tomorrow (Thursday) at 6:30 pm for a ride. Come join if you want!
-Jeff E
Gord H and Alf are cleaning the new line starting at the dead elms on shady lane this saturday. Staging at the bottom of Dubreill’s hill 8:30ish. We’ll have brushcutters.
If it rains tuesday before ride time, we’re screwed. Trail conditions are good only with no added moisture. I’m not around but feel free to hang out or take the night off.
Mud, Snow, Water, and actually some ridable trail too!
Just letting “whoever cares to know” that Curt Falk, Alf Enns, and I went for a trail ride today!
No, this wasn't any of us..but it sure got your attention didn't it!
We parked at the 201 and rode into the trail there a little way but there were too many drifts so we headed down the 201 to the ravine (the one with the old beaver dam) got our bikes packed full of greasy mud, and rode through to the other side. From there we rode the Bales Trail (whatever its called, its the one that starts behind the bales anyway) and rode down to the bridge with only a few smallish snow drifts and some sections of mud and water, but it was very ridable. Then we rode the Deerhead trail which was a little muddy in some sections but also totally ridable. After that we turned around and headed back towards the dreaded double-double…We had figured earlier already that since it was the first ride of the year we HAD to ride it and get it over with (well mostly Alf wanted too..haha, just kidding Alf). When we got there we attempted, rather weakly, to climb it but all of us spun out so we cruised back down and tried again and this time we stuck it! Two of us cleaned it on our second try and the other one had to dab a foot or two to make it, but I would call it an early season success!
After the double-double we rode the Buffalo jump section and there was only a small drift in the way at the entrance, otherwise it was ridable with some soft spots but no too much mud actually. On our way back to our vehicles we attempted the 201 trail again from the Bales side. Unfortunately there was still far too much snow along the trail so we ended up hiking our bikes along the snowdrifts back to the 201. I’d say the 201 trail will be another 2 weeks at least before it will be passable.
I also forgot to mention that the little connecting loop from halfway up the double-double to the deerhead trail is totally dry and ridable through what was last year a very soupy area.
Honorable mention goes to Gerald and his brother Randy for riding today (didn’t see them on the trail though), and to Gord Z for coming to talk to us after we were done our ride (time to get that beautiful frame muddy, Gord!!).
Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this little trail condition update and I hope you all have a great ride on Tuesday!
Tuesday night opener. +18, no wind, let the good times roll.
First out of the blocks.
Craig stops to take a call and the rest of us immediately look lost.
Black Angus groupies
The rest is downhill
Figured out that since last ride on the Big Loeppky Nov 30, only 4 months of tough sledding before the Tuesday night opener March 30. It was classic stuff including the full range of excuses, over dressing, under dressing, over inflation, under inflation…but that all faded away after the first climb up the 201 curve. Good to have the gang back. Should be another great year. Gord’s already scoping out new lines. At this rate, we could be riding good sections by next Tuesday.
