Canada Ride '04 this past weekend

Where do I begin?

The weather was great.

The beer was great (and there was LOTS of it!)

Canadian accents are contagious--I sound like you guys now.

The blender mix was great, the second time around. The first blender couldn't handle the awesome torque of Cam's bike.

The music was great.

My bike ran great.

The trails were INCREDIBLY tough. Tighter, more technical than anything I've ridden before. I want to SERIOUSLY thank Gordy, Keith, Scott, Nelson, Cam and Dan--and anyone I'm forgetting--for waiting for me, helping me pick up, and once even riding my bike through a tough section. Thank God I finally, finally put on the bark busters to which I have been missing a piece for since Reno Ride 03! Without them, I would have been toast.

The cabin was one of the coolest things ever. They have built a cabin up there with a hot tub, stove, dart board, CD player and LED lights strung up everywhere. We sat down there and hung out for a while before moving on to the next leg of the Punishment Trail.

There were some pretty impressive hillclimbs just below where we were camping. Kudos to you guys who made it. I didn't even try, no need to embarrass myself further than I already had.

The second day we rode easier trails--wide enough for a quad, so we went a lot faster. I felt a little better about myself after trucking on down those in 4th and 5th gear.

Sunday night, instead of driving back as we really should have, we ended up drinking instead. We drank a lot. So I called in sick--still feeling guilty for that--and went out for some more beers. Had a great breakfast and went on our merry, but tired, way.

List of things to do before next Canada trip:
- Learn how to ride better
- Build up alcohol tolerance
- Buy Headstones and Tragically Hip CDs to listen to, Canadian rock kicks ass (Gordy, who else did we listen to Saturday night?)
- Bring more blender fixin's
- Install pipe guard

firecracker22 said:

The trails were INCREDIBLY tough. Tighter, more technical than anything I've ridden before...

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They wern't THAT hard were they? :aj: Next time we will take you on the REAL trail, not just the trail to get to the trail. But Im sure you have heard Gord say that about 20 times since saturday.

firecracker22 said:

Install pipe guard

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I can give you a name and number for the guy who makdes the same pipe guard I have (I believe you said "thats a gnarly pipe guard") for next time you come up :cool:

Cam, next time you are making it up that hill no matter what, no excuses. The entire loop is beyond that hill, its just too bad Nelsons bike wouldnt start and your arms were jello by then. How did D'd bike run on sunday? Its too bad about her hip, but Im glad she is OK. We still need to find out who is the guy that "threw" away the float needle spring thingy from her carb! Fess up buddy! :uh:

I am definitely going to work on my ridin skills some more so I can enjoy the trails more. I'd like to try the C loop; the A loop was pretty tough, though I probably should have tried it. That would have been brutal though. The "mild" poker run trail we rode on Sunday was a bit too mild. I really don't like high speed stuff much more than I do brutal stuff, just because I get really tired bouncing off rocks in 4th gear!

fatty_k said:

We still need to find out who is the guy that "threw" away the float needle spring thingy from her carb! Fess up buddy! :uh:

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Let's not go there . . .

My head still hurts! :bang: I'm going to stop drinking!!(Before I go to bed and start again when I wake up ;) )Seriously though it was a great weekend. Hopefully we can fill out the American contingent next time we do this(We invited the US to a hocky game and all you sent up was a goalie and a defenceman)It was great to see you again Sharla,and to meet Diane.Also great to meet Cam and Nelson. Call us anytime and we will set up anything for any weekend. I got to do some good riding on Thursday with some locals,and had to work on Friday. Good riding on Saturday and Sunday along with other "interesting" entertainment! :yikes: All in all it was a great time had by a few and missed by many others. :moon:

Camping was cool ,meeting new people and seeing old friend`s was great and the riding was,well, an enlightening experience! :bang: I hope we didn`t scare you all off .Maybe next time we`ll actually finish a loop! :ride:

I promise I'll do better next time. You guys think I mighta made the A loop with a little bit of effort?

Give me some suggestions and I'll bring more blender goodies too.

[

QUOTE=firecracker22]I promise I'll do better next time. You guys think I mighta made the A loop with a little bit of effort?

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I think you could have made it.It might of taken some time and you might have needed some help but you would have done it. Just think if you came up here and rode more often, how fast you would be on the trails down there. ;)

Kokanee said:

[ I think you could have made it.It might of taken some time and you might have needed some help but you would have done it. Just think if you came up here and rode more often, how fast you would be on the trails down there. ;)

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Well I'll definitely try it next time! I wish I lived closer, I'd be up there all the time. I'll find some harder trails here to practice on. I know we have them, I just haven't been there yet.

Plus, even though you guys say you don't mind, I feel bad when you're always waiting on me and helping me. I don't want to ruin your ride and make your bike overheat.

The camping = GREAT!

The weather = Couldn't have been better.

The people = OUT-DAMN-STANDING

The beer = Too light, but quenching. ;)

My riding = :uh:

BUT, weekends like this aren't JUST about the riding. I met some very awesome Canucks sporting some very nifty mustaches.

fatty_k, thanks for the help with my carb. :worship: I'm going to get that thing fixed once and for all.

Gordon, I apologize for being the weak link. I should have more seat time under my belt for the next round so I can tackle at least one of those hill climbs under my own power.

Keith, next time please wait until I'm done swallowing my food before you bust out your comedy act at the breakfast table.

Cam, didn't you hear that log whimper after I smacked into it?

The hip is sore and stiff, but doing alright. I think Sunday night's activities might have been a bad idear, but with all of the beer I consumed there was no pain at the time. :| And honestly, how can you tell a group of Canadians "No, I really shouldn't party tonight"?

You are all such great people. I consider myself very fortunate to have met you guys in person. Thank you, all of you, for your help and your patience. Please pass my thanks on to Scotty, Nelson, Dwayne and Dan. :cool: Cheers!

Sounds like you guys had a great time. Which trails were you riding (Ogopogo course??)? Hopefully I can make it next time (damn work/university/general lack of money), but if you make it an annual ride, I will eventually make it (although it may not be for 4-5 years, gotta finish school). Glad to hear everyone had a good time.

Sounds like you all had a great time. I'll use it as motavation to go next year :)

If we had actually made it through a loop ,you wouldn`t have any knuckles left.Those hand guards will come in handy, especially after you see what I`m gonna do to mine.(drink holders)!! :yeehaw:

Sounds like you guys had a lot of fun, I just wish I could have come but I had no ride and couldn't get a few days off of work. Oh well maybe sometime in the next decade I will have lots of money and be completely out of school. Then I'm coming for sure. I'm glad everyone enjoyed their visit to Canada, I'm hoping to make it to one the the Canada Rides so I can meet everyone!!