Scion Whistler Report Ep. 18

After work rides are getting shorter and the woods are getting darker and darker, earlier and earlier. It seems we’re chasing the fleeting sun at this point of the year. The epics need to start early to make sure you get home without having to break out the headlamps, although it also means night lights are getting pulled out and recharged, and people are starting to get out into the dark again, which is a whole other world. Last night I rode sweep at the last SORCA toonie of the year, sponsored by my company Cascade Environmental. It was cool to ride some trails I hadn’t in Squish before, although with it being in the Highlands I was definitely thinking about all the large feline sightings they’ve had this year, and with the dark creeping in early it made it a bit hard to see the lines on a couple of trails. Fun to catch up with some Squamish friends, though, and the salmon and curried beans were really tasty at the end.

  Cam is always giving me grief about portrait pics, so while this week is really light on pics and some are of rides not this week, they are all landscape! Dylan Wolsky, Ride Don’t Slide.

Last week the fine folks from Bike Co. hosted the second to last toonie race of the year in Whistler on a sweet, rocky, and uber technical course in the No Flow zone in Emerald. Turn out was minimal by toonie standards, with about 90 folks coming out. The course ran a double(ish) loop around Shit Happens and Big Kahuna, then went up past the reservoir towards the pump track and back along Azrael to Shit Happens to the end and over to the new Baxter creek subdivision. More rocks and roots than most people know what to do with likely had something to do with the number of mechanicals I saw out there, 8+ flat tires, ripped out spokes, and parts getting rattled loose like it was going out of style. There’s a bees’ nest on the trail just past one duck too, and more than a few people took a lot of stingers! A great challenging course, and the apres was awesome as Nester’s Brian was grilling up Salmon filets, and with the low turnout there were plenty of extras to go around. Thanks guys!

Friday afternoon I managed to tag into a late starting Friday Ride that ended up being a way longer adventure than most of us had prepared for, what else is new? It was a great crew though and a ride filled with long climbs and great views and many laughs, although the bike Gods again laid a beating on us with remote adjustable seat posts breaking, and various other mechanicals. Not that we let it slow us down much, finishing up with Khyber Pass, Babylon, and See Colours and Puke was pretty sweet, and watching Ian send the sketchy stunts on Babylon on the Chromag 29er was awesome!
 
   Dave Anderson, freeride xc on Sproatt.

Saturday we started out earlier than normal to beat the Fondo crowds and hit up the bike park before it got really hot, well, we beat the crowds, but it was still really hot! Was good to meet up with Seb again after his European vacation, and we went straight to Garbo and proceeded to bang out laps on Black Velvet. The berms below Bear Cub on Blue Velvet got a huge rework and are now big and amazing, I definitely had fun chasing Seb into those. Lower down we hit the new trail off Easy Does It a bunch again too, Shady Acres and Del Boca Vista are their names, and they’re the hidden gem on the hill right now, in my opinion. Got to love that Fall season work that the trail crew is getting done. If you’re into big hits the new line off of Lower Whistler Downhill is now open. It heads left after the fade away into a huge step up and then into the trees and another new feature beside Wednesday Night Delight called Dwayne Johnson. It’s a big step down/drop off a big, yes, you guessed it, a rock. Warning, gratuitous plug: check out the latest issue of Bike Mag for some words by yours truly accompanying a Jordan Manley photo essay about the trail crew. Thanks to Bike for the opportunity, I’m stoked!

In WORCA news, tonight marks the end of another season of toonie races, a huge thanks goes out to all of our many sponsors over the course of the year. We’ve had so many super fun rides all over the valley, and it wouldn’t be possible without the support from all the companies in our community. Additionally, thank you to the WORCA Board of Directors for the dedication and hard work for all of us, I know I really appreciate being a member of such an amazing club. Speaking of the WORCA Board, the annual general meeting has been scheduled for Thursday September 29 at 7pm in the ballroom of Legends in Creekside. Directors will report on the year and there will be elections to the 2012 Board. There are more than a few Directors stepping down this year, so if you’ve been thinking about getting involved, now is the time. I really enjoyed my time on the Board and found it personally very fulfilling to be a part of such a great club. I’d highly encourage anyone to come out and get involved and help keep making WORCA one of the best mountain bike clubs in the world. I’m not sure on final numbers, but I know that as of a couple weeks ago we surpassed the 1,600 member mark for the first time ever. What an achievement!

   Friday Ride apres at Chromag HQ.

Finally for this week, the Westside Wheel Up XC race goes down this coming Saturday the 17th. The 18th Annual version begins with registration at 10am in Function Junction at the Whistler Brewery on Millar Creek Road, with a noon start. The finish will be at Rainbow Park after a fine selection of Westside trails including: Lower Sproatt, Danimal, Rebob, Get Over It, and River Runs Through It. Cost is only $25 for WORCA members and $40 for non-members, with proceeds from the day going to the BC Disabled Ski Team. The apres is second to none in the valley, with a few kegs, and a massive bbq that typically has tons of food. The raffle is amazing, too, with the main prize being a winter ski pass being highly sought after, so bring extra cash for raffle tickets! Thanks to Phil Chew for organizing this great event, hope to see you all out for a fun ride and a great cause.

   Julian picked some nice flowers along the way, yes, alpine flowers, still blooming in September.

That’s it for another week, keep getting those rides in and keep having fun on the wheels.

I’d rather be in Whistler, but Las Vegas is okay I guess. No new trails though. Tell us about the new goodness in the WBP here…