As things sometimes have a way of working out, we found out a few days ago that our friend Nick was in the area. He was in Vancouver at the time, but planning on riding his mountain bike in Kamloops, Kewlona and then Silver Star. After a brief look on the map we realized that Silver Star was on our planned route and the date couldn’t be better. So we made plans to meet up with him in Silver Star.
Summertime at the Silver Star ski resort
Nick arrived a few hours after us and met us at the “Bulldog” one of the 2 bar / restaurants currently open. We shared our stories since we last saw each other over a couple of beers and made plans for the day.
The sun beating on our tents and the neighbouring kids ensured we were up and about by 8:30, a muesli bar and coffee for breakfast and we headed down the hill to go for a swim at Kalamalka lake in Vernon. The swim was refreshing and very welcome on a hot day.
Nick, the man who got us downhill riding!
We had a lovely sandwich in town and headed back up the hill to get ready for the afternoon activities.
Nick has 2 bikes one of which would work well for Zoe. I rented one for the afternoon and we got kitted up with all the protective gear and followed Nick down our first trail.
Geared up ready for action
The first few hundred meterswere interesting! Having never done this before and never really been on downhill bikes, it was a steep learning curve! By the 3rd run down we were getting into it, going much faster and really enjoying it. it’s an absolute blast, even at our level. Lost of steep banked turns, rocks and roots, narrow sections through the trees, wooden bridges… it was a lot more physical than I anticipated.
Flying down over the roots
Every second run we would stop through town to drink some water and have a short break. By the 5th trail we were pretty sore in the legs. By the last run we were beat! I couldn’t even pedal the bike up a near flat trail! Both Zoe and I were spent, nothing left to give, dusty and hungry! Nick did another run by himself while we returned our gear, dropped Nicks bike off at the campground and got ourselves cleaned up.
We got to the Red Antler, the other bar in town, for the burger and beer special. That elk burger tasted so good!!!
Catching our breath on the trails
A few more stories and we are ready for bed. Nick left town that night, as for us, we fell asleep as soon as our head hit the sleeping mat. We will be sore tomorrow but one thing is for sure, we had a lot of fun!
TA
“Blog” has now become “trip diary”, much more professional, and you signed one of your photographs as well, even more profi!
Simple pedal bikes on a downhill ride must be fun, if one manages not to fall off or hit a tree, or miss a bridge, or tumble over a rock, all things that would happen to me!
Never imagined that it would be so tiring! If you two say you were done and spent it must really require a serious physical input!
Rest well, sweet dreams
Baci
Waaw ! that was a new experience ! Nothing to do with what we did in Bali I suppose !
Not that good for your back though T.
So you’re in Vancouver now. You have been moving on fast lately.
There is a lot going on in Vancouver in August, sure you will attend to one of them.
Back to noise and people gatherings and goodbye to bears, Elk, Moose, Chipmonks etc… or is it only for a while ?