Day 1 – July 10 1999 – Saturday – Ladies Only
Vancouver Area Mortals 2 of 4
[NOTE – Shar's comments are in plain text – mine are enclosed within [square
brackets]
Look for a series of North Shore stories and pics in the next little while! Part 1 of 4 already posted see here.
When my friend, [Dr.] Gary, from Australia e-mailed to tell me that one of his friends,
Bill, was coming to Vancouver for the weekend to ride I knew I had to make an interesting
itinerary. So with the help of LeeL, my beau, we decided that the first ride should be a
true introduction to shore riding, Ladies Only.
Bill was a bit miffed since he thought it was a 'GIRL' ride, but he was happy to learn that this was the name of the trail, It can't be THAT hard if its named Ladies Only Right?
[The trip up to Ladies starts with a long switchbacked climb up a gravel road]. After the easy ride up the road we got to the start of the trail, Bill was probably wondering what all us wankers were doing putting armour on...
Then he learns... after following our feerless LeeLeader. [There's two sides to the drop; the low side is about 3 feet and one can roll off it. The high side is also about 3 feet but you must get airrrr….]
It seems that in Australia most of the trails are FAST, the only technical sections being huge water culverts for the water run off that you can get pretty good air off.
Imagine his surprise when he saw what mountain bikers can do with wood ... [Two weeks ago when Sharon first rode this trail on the BOMBS ride, she was using old LX V-brakes. Amazing how much more confident she was with brand spanking new Maguras. ]
But if a GIRL can ride this stuff. [Here Lisa comfortably trundles along and then off a ladder bridge]
Then BILL can too!! [Here's Bill on the Yellow Brick Road – a fast flowing part of Ladies; practically a highway!!]
Not only is wood incorporated into these trails, Rocks can also be used to make the riding a little more interesting. [This section – called "Dumb" is a fascinating section with some incredible trail-building history. Digger actually hauled these 50 pound rocks and placed them in the rooted sections. He's a dedicated man! Here Maureen cleans Dumb while the rest of the guys look on aghast. Both Maureen and Sharon were the only two to try this section.]
Gary, who rode these mountains many years ago, decided to return for the trip with Bill so we didn't Kill him. [Gary is a XC racer transplant who is finding his calling in long-distance backcountry epics.] He found these obstacles a very fun challenge [and a bit of a different spice than the usual Australian outback adventure of poisonous snakes, insects, lack of water and route-finding trials! His fashion sense has been molded by a mix of growing up in Tsawwassen and too much theoretical math and chemistry]
But not everyone is perfect.... Spot the mistake. [Ahhhh … if I only had a motor on this camera – Maureen zigs instead of zagging. One second after this pic was taken – Maureen's head is IN the ground, the bike is above her head, the bike unclips and BOOOM!!! Right on her head. She is one tough grrl!! You go Maureen! Them there Baders' sure are tough stock!]
We finished our introduction following LeeL who showed us what was possible. [Here is a rock face with a hard right and then a wheelie drop alternative which I took but flat-landed. Still, it made for a very nice picture]
[Here is the infamous Semi-Retarded, the easiest of three lines down this rock face. Big Stupid and Milky Wade are the tougher lines – people are now wheelying off Semi. I have no desire for that lunacy.]
After this ride we all went for beer and margaritias at Ravens to contemplate the Aussie'sfirst shore ride.