Monday, May 18, 2009

Kelowna May Long 2009

I'd say the title says it all, but for some more details, photos and some videos too, read on!!

We (Terry, Iz, Phil, Nic & I) headed off to Kelowna Thursday night for a long weekend of fun at Scott & Katherine's. We arrived close to midnight, and went straight to bed.

Friday we got up late in the morning, and just got settled, unpacking, working on our bikes etc. Scott and Katherine both got home around 4p, so we then got out on our bikes!

The ladies hit the pavement, while the boys hooked up with Johnny Smoke for a quick lap over on Westbank (aka West Kelowna) down a trail called 2.5.

The trail was awesome, lots of fun stunts on it, and super fun flow riding to it. There was a big road gap on the trail called 'Shenanigans' that Phil hit up. He didn't land it quite right though, and clipped a tree with his left pedal causing his pedal to break, along with his toe!



Phil landing the gap; take 1


I came down with a wicked cold Friday that I just couldn't shake, so it was an early night for me, which was fine as Saturday was to be a good day of riding once again!

We hooked up with Johnny and his group (of nearly 30 riders!) at around 10a and headed over to Smith Creek for a pedal UP! Something we were not prepared for really, but it was worth it. The decent had so much flow, little hits, and berms, it was worth the over hour climb.


Some guy rolling down the trail


Our second lap was shuttled, again to one of the trails in West Kelowna, this time we hit up Builders Only, a trail Terry, Iz & I rode last year. It's really fun, lost of stunts (hence the name) and an fun drops too.


Phil rides one of the skinnies on Builders


Sunday we headed up to West Kelowna on our own as Johnny's group was heading to Oliver for a big trip, but it would have eaten up our whole day. Oliver is about an hour from Kelowna!

Our first run down was on 3.5 which has the 'Big Money' stunt on it. Both Phil & I hit it, as it was pretty cool. A big long steep to a gap to another gap. The first part wasn't hard at all, but the second gap had something wrong with the take off as both Phil & I bailed on it!


Phil hits the Big Money stunt



I hit the Big Money stunt


3.5 runs in to 2.5 so we railed that trail back to the finish.


I ride some skinny on 2.5


Second run was a tame ride, as we took up Nicole on Iz's bike, and Katherine came up too on her new bike. We hit 2.5 as it was the 'easiest' of the trails, and it still took us almost 2 hours to get down! Ah well, everyone was smiles, so that's what matters. The best part of it all was that Phil hit the 'Shenanigans' drop again, and made it look like it was nothing!


Phil makes the Shenangians gap look easy


We went up for a third run so that Iz could have some fun too. It was a ripper, just under 40 minutes down Builders by Iz, Terry, Scott & I.

Both 2.5 and 'Builders' drop in to the Mouse Trap stunt. Phil nailed it the first time down, but Terry & I didn't conquer it until Sunday. We're OK with that!!


Terry conquers the Mouse Trap


Monday was a travel day. We got up around 10a and all headed for breakfast. Then it was on the road time. I was hacking up a lung all the way home, dang chest cold!

See more photos here.

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