On Thursday I signed up for a day of Downhilling - I didn't even think about the charge on my battered credit card as they kitted me out with downhill bike, full-face helmet, gloves and elbow and knee pads. Part of the all-inclusive deal was a group guide; and being off-season there were only two in our 'group' - me and an english guy on honeymoon. Our guide took us up the chairlift (the bikes take their own chair ahead of us) and we cruised down the single tracks. A downhill bike is so different to a regular mountainbike! The seat is at the level of my knees when I am standing on the pedals! (The guide told us we must never sit down - I wonder why they even bother with the seat) The helmet took some getting used to, as the bit that jutted out over my chin meant I couldn't see my hands or my front wheel - a bit like going hiking and not being able to see your feet.
For lunch I raced to my new favourite eatery (Splitz) and got another of their fabulous icecreams; and a large fries.
In the afternoon I had the guide to myself and he took me up a gondola, then another chair, right to the top - something that regular users can't usually do. It was magic being at the very top, among the old snow and rocks and mountain tops; with a bike. We cycled to the Peak to Peak Gondola; hid the bikes and took the gondola just for fun. We saw a few black bears way down among the shrubs. Back on the bikes again we bounced all the way back to the bottom. Most of the tracks (greens and blues) he took me on were great; there were a couple of really rocky and tree-rooty ones that I didn't like and had to get off my bike for.
My guide, Jason, was a bit arrogant and unprofessional in his manner; though perfectly nice to me. So it was quite funny when he fell off his bike on one corner....
Jimmy met me at the end of the day; and told me he had a Splitz icecream and fries for lunch as well!! Sara had made a huge pot of homemade vege soup - using alot of her homegrown veges - which hit the spot.
Today, Friday, we explored the free single tracks on our touring bikes. We stuck with the nice smooth 'easy' trails; it was great fun. We went to Splitz to get our icecream fix but they had a power failure and all the icecreams were back at the manager's home.... We're hoping to catch another one before we leave tomorrow.....
For lunch I raced to my new favourite eatery (Splitz) and got another of their fabulous icecreams; and a large fries.
In the afternoon I had the guide to myself and he took me up a gondola, then another chair, right to the top - something that regular users can't usually do. It was magic being at the very top, among the old snow and rocks and mountain tops; with a bike. We cycled to the Peak to Peak Gondola; hid the bikes and took the gondola just for fun. We saw a few black bears way down among the shrubs. Back on the bikes again we bounced all the way back to the bottom. Most of the tracks (greens and blues) he took me on were great; there were a couple of really rocky and tree-rooty ones that I didn't like and had to get off my bike for.
My guide, Jason, was a bit arrogant and unprofessional in his manner; though perfectly nice to me. So it was quite funny when he fell off his bike on one corner....
Jimmy met me at the end of the day; and told me he had a Splitz icecream and fries for lunch as well!! Sara had made a huge pot of homemade vege soup - using alot of her homegrown veges - which hit the spot.
Today, Friday, we explored the free single tracks on our touring bikes. We stuck with the nice smooth 'easy' trails; it was great fun. We went to Splitz to get our icecream fix but they had a power failure and all the icecreams were back at the manager's home.... We're hoping to catch another one before we leave tomorrow.....
looks like better riding than the rain here!
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