Downhill / Freeride

[Dude]

So, we’re planning our yearly epic trip to the interior for this weekend. Lodging: nice big house on Kal Lake, complete w/ ski boat. Riding: the new freeride and DH trails or Vernon. Drinking: lots to be done. Last year, temperatures were 35 deg. plus! The hangovers were nasty, but the rides were gnarly, and lasted all day. Vernon also has its share of nice birds at the clubs, too. Can’t wait!

Latest exchange w/ the Greek:

Dude: “How's the arm? When do you get your cast off? If it comes off this week, we may want to tape you up if you ride in Vernon. I can do a pretty good tape job from my soccer experience.”

Greek: “Oi, it is still broke brother. Still have 4 weeks to go. Turned out to be a nasty fracture. LOL that is why it hurt so bloody much. Still coming to Vernon though! Look forward to it!”

After following up with him on the phone, he reveals he has cut a wedge out of the fibreglass hand around his palm, so he can grip the bar and use his fingers to brake. Also found out his wife has told him that if he has to make any more hospital visits over the next 6 months, that she will be selling his sled. His solution? “I’m getting Monster Ts (8” travel- and increase of the 6” he now has) so they can handle my size a bit better.”

What a character!

 

[jughead]

Hmmm no interior trips for me but I've got Whistler in my cards for tomorrow wooo hooo

 

[Dude]

The only problem w/ Whistler these days is the crowds. They have done a great job in building those runs...something for everyone.

I can't wait to get out there tommorrow. The guys in the interior are getting real balsy, and have build some pretty nasty stunts (allegedly). The nice part about riding there is that it seems every run is groomed. Just the dry environment, I guess.

Jughead- I take it you are into freeride / DH...yes? Do you race? What are you riding?

Dude-happynototbetalkingtohimself.

 

[jughead]

I is, I is (one too many biffed launches) Not racing just into my casual ripping, Whistler has really developed nicely, I'll put up with the lines for a day of lifts More into the free riding side of thins, got a Santa Cruz Bullit, Mr.T's etc etc, it gets me around fine. I know what ya mean about the north there, everythings so dry it seems like it was groomed just for you. Have a great trip !!! Get down in some of those Vernon bars for us

JH-alsopleasednottobetalkkingtomyself

 

[SC]

Hey Jude...

Can you please give me the skinny on Giant mountain bikes?

They are @ mint cost and I am wondering if it is worth it to purchase one for the trails of Asia.

+SChasafeelingthattheyarenogood

 

[jughead]

Well SC despite your slagging of me before i will try to help out here,, it completely depends what series you are looking at, component wise, etc etc, I had my hands on an ATX DH for a while.....loved it....pricey though, what kind of riding are you into? What do youi want to spend/expect from the bike.....hope this helps...I have no complaints on their bikes I've ridden, just depends on what ur looking for.
Jugs- promisesnottotryandtypewhilehalfpissed

 

[uancs45]

Re: Oi. I busted my nuts! Ouch!

Originally posted by crazygreek
I finally took this 6 foot gap jump at the shed, I cleaned it but when I hit, my balls slapped the seat so hard I broke my seat, but more importantly I broke my nuts!!!!! Or atleast it felt that way! I may not be able to sit on a bike seat for a long while! Anyhow, I ride a 2002 Norco Launch, damn killer bike. The set up was awesome from the get go, I only got rid of the crappy Kenda tires, but otherwise the bike is great. It has awesome acceleration, and most importantly, it comes with point and shoot technology. If you have steel for balls, you just point and shoot, the bike does the rest. Nice all around. By the way Meade is a wanker....oooo my shoulder hurts, I can't ride for 6 months......lol.
Is it a bird, is it a plane? No! It is crazygreek hucking off a 15 footer....respect!

Extreme dude

 

[Dude]

Epic Weekend

Giants: SC, from the standpoint of warrantees, etc, Giant could be a good choice because they have a good distribution network and support worldwide. My buddy rides a Giant DH and loves it. I’ve had it for a day too, and I must say- very smooth.

Jughead: have you ridden “Dragon Shlayer” up at Whistler yet? I hear it’s pretty gnarly…a couple of big gap jumps and drops. I’m heading up for the Labor Day long weekend.

Vernon turned out to be one of the best riding weekends in my life! Plenty of drinking Friday & Saturday nights at our host’s place, followed by rides Saturday and Sunday morning.

Saturday we rode “Hammered Cow” and “Spankey’s”. We went with one of our hosts, who’s been involved w/ the building up there and knows the trails well. Hammered Cow is basically a top section added to Spankey’s, which is the original, long DH trail that runs from the base of Silverstar all the way down to town. They had some pretty nice stuff built in- a 6’ gap drop right off the bat, plus another 7-footer. They had a lot of great, really steep DH single track. Very dry. At some points, you’re just following the billows of dust from the guy in front, and trusting him not to fcuk up. Overall, Spankey’s took about 3 hours!

Saturday afternoon was lounging at Kal lake, along w/ a BBQ, followed by another late night. Sunday morning, we were at the base of “Big Ed’s” at 9:00 for another 3-hour ride. We were with our host again, along with the owners from Olympia Cycle. Hell…the shuttle up alone took nearly ½ hour! Big Ed’s had some good drops too, but it was more about the log rides- tons of them. Some great, steep single track too, and a few rock faces.

Get up there and hook up with Pete at Olympia. If Pete can’t ride, ask him for Paul and Marty’s phone number.

 

[Dude]

The Joy of Flight

These photos were taken by the Greek during our last ride @ Seymour, Ned's trail.

Thanks to Keeper and his "Dude's Shrinking Images for Dummies".

 

[Dude]

Flight #2

Great work Greek, dispite a broken arm...

 

[Dude]

The Pit

This one is fun. Even crashing doesn't hurt here.

 

[Dude]

Sun Peaks

Look Mom, I can post photos!

This is a great shot of the "Twisted Sister" drop in the DH course @ Sun Peaks. This isn't me...I don't think www.freeriders.org posts photos of guys who misjudge the line and crash hard...

 

[Dude]

Here's a cool shot of the ramp at the top of the section leading to Twisted Sister. This photo doesn't really do the course justice, because it doesn't show how steep it is after this. Guys were just hucking off the ramp and hitting the decent at mach speed.

 

[Dude]

Another good shot. This is in the lower section, before the course spits you out onto the wide open single track to the finish.

Man, this course was long...barely able to hold on at the end.

 

[Dude]

Here's a good one from Hammerfest in Parksville. Great course- tons of fun- if you can get a shuttle.

 

[Dude]

Hammerfest again...

 

[Keeper]

Easy, Dude. Easy. It's just your first day -- you don't want to pull something.

 

[Dude]

Another great Sun Peaks shot. This is the shale slope we had to manuever right off the bat. Lots of carnage here. This gets your heart beat up real quickly!

 

[Dude]

Here's one of the many rockfaces in the course.

 

[Dude]

Keeper- I've been hanging on to this stuff forever! This is the last one...for now. Wait till I start going through my archives for the chick threads...youza!

This shot shows another fockface into a tight righ hand switchback. Yours truly bailed really bad here in my second run of the practice sessions. Too much speed. I needed a complete re-build of my rear Hayes brakes, along with a confidence booster. I found out after the weekend that I had fractured my foot here. I was better on race day...no big bails. Took me 7 fcuking practice runs to figure the course out though!

Jughead- have you been able to get to Sun Peaks yet? Highly recommended!