Reverting back to "normal"

Again its been a hectic couple of weeks.  Since coming back from Victoria, I had decided that I had become poor enough and now needed some cash inflow, and less outflow (or should I say less free time). So going back to what I know best I applied at a bike shop (yay!).  The shop's called Obsession: Bikes, a really awesome shop just a short walk out of the Lonsdale Quay in North Van.  I'm a mechanic! Ya you read that right.  Keeps me busy and out of trouble ;)
This past weekend was the first official Trek Red Truck Mtb crew race, the Orecrusher.  Continuing with the trend of all of the racing I've done out here (and will do), it was extremely gruelling.  Strangely enough this race wasn't littered with vertical which is what made it harder (ha as if I just said that).  Ann rocked the podium with a third place, and Quinn with a first in Junior, and fourth over all (such a power house).
Middle of the week I headed up to Mt. Fromme for another Shore ride, this one being better than the last, and now my favorite place to ride on the Shore.  Theres an old logging road right in the middle which makes it much easier to access all of the trails.  The trails are much steeper as well, so I enjoyed it a lot more.  I can hardly justify through words how amazing the shore trails are. You'll  just have to come and enjoy it yourself.

Tour of BC

Wow. I now actually have a second to catch my breath from this past weeks excitement.  It started out like any other normal week with my typical Monday rest day (ie. catching up on SNL, Game of Thrones, Girls, and receiving kitteh snuggles).  On tuesday I finally made it over to Cypress mountain, where Ann and I hammered out some hill repeats (yaaaay!)

Wednesday marked the beginning of a Women's Weekend that I had been invited to by Alison Sydor.  The riding was good but completely littered with rain, which turned my toes purple both days.  The women I met were more amazing, and just completely stoked to go out to Pentiction for a women's weekend of good food, wine, and riding!  Tamara has completely inspired me by coming from rough Venezuela, being a paediatric rehab doctor, and also a hardcore ultra-marathon runner!  She just has such a passion to do what she loves.  I was sad to leave on Friday evening since everyone at the camp was so interesting and had so many stories to share, but the Sunshine Coaster was early the next morning and Sandra and I had both wanted to attend.

Oh man, the coaster.  What a tough but fun event.  Sandra and I got back from the camp with enough time for me to make myself eggs for dinner and pack, but since a ferry is required to get to Gibsons, I had to get up bright and early....thus missing breakfast....boo. What a bad choice.  I can't particularly say I had a great race because I did totally feel undernourished and there were many low points, which just made the race that much harder!  However I did have lots of fun, the trails out on the Sunshine Coast are amazing and I will be going back for more riding!  Plus a huge shout out to Red Truck Beer for sponsoring the race (and the team),  where I scored an awesome post race recovery (and totally needed) lager.

I came home after the race feeling completely destroyed, and just to dig the hole deeper, I had decided to head out to Victoria to go riding with my awesome friend Parker Bloom.  Parker was a total champ and probably rode at least 300 km this weekend, half of that coming up to Swartz Bay to pick me up and drop me off at the ferry. The weather did a complete 180 from what it was like in Pentiction to being 18 and sunny both days, ie my tan is coming along nicely.  

We did two rides.  The first being on Prospector Rd, a roller coaster of a route with many punchy short climbs.  The second was a little bit longer (and thankfully slower) out to Sooke to a rad little coffee shop called the Stick in the Mud.  Btw, I'm not 100% on the coffee train. I never thought this day would come.  By the time I got to the ferry on Monday I was done for and totally bonked, which made the overpriced ferry food ten time better.  

All in all a tremendous week of riding of which I can hardly put into words, and even less photos.

Banana

Victoria Bound

Kitteh Snuggles <3

Gross.

 Victoria and beyond

Summers Officially Here! 

 The boys

For Jay

 Big Piggies

Best Birthday Weekend Ever. Ever.

This was my first weekend in Vancouver, and it was very well spent, with just about 8 hours of mountain biking. Saturday Jim drove us up to Pemberton for the Nimby50 pre-ride.  It was a long day with lots of climbing (101 switch backs at least) but also some gnarly descents.  On the way home we stopped at the famous Splitz Burger, for some very well deserved Burgers.  Jim and I were up bright and early again on Sunday, this time to catch the ferry out to Gibsons for the Sunshine Coaster pre-ride.  We were surprised to find Nick and Quinn in the parking lot since we thought they rode the coaster yesterday, but it was good for Jim since he got a bit of a higher paced ride than the day before (where the girls out numbered the boys 4 to 1, when does that ever happen on a mtn bike ride?).  To finish off the weekend, Ann hosted a team bbq where we played some very intense Jenga games.

I used my Dad's GoPro for the first time on Saturday...the results are below.