Sport Dirtin' in da Kootenays 09

[bubba zanetti]

Figured I would start a new thread since the KLR monopoly has been broken.  

Post your adventures off road and perhaps plans for rides here.

I am going to ride the rail bed to Christina Lake next weekend and see if I can ride over the old Cascades Highway this weekend. Be happy to have locals join in for all or part.

[alphabet man]

Figured I would start a new thread since the KLR monopoly has been broken.  

Post your adventures off road and perhaps plans for rides here.

I am going to ride the rail bed to Christina Lake next weekend and see if I can ride over the old Cascades Highway this weekend. Be happy to have locals join in for all or part.

 To early Jim there will still be to much snow around the back side, the trail visible from the Paulson bridge still had a fair heap of snow on it Saturday and that's in the open
 Just my $.02

[ZED]

Figured I would start a new thread since the KLR monopoly has been broken.  

We'll come and help prop it up with you Bubba!  Not quite yet though.  Need a little less snow and a reassembly of KLRChickies XT first.

[bubba zanetti]

Well harsh my mellow, temps have dropped and the warm rain is now cold.  

Still, going to ride out as far as I can on Saturday and see what is there. If need be, hop on the 3 and go have a burger in Christina Lake. But I iz ridin.

Drive BC web cams show lots of fresh snow on Kootenay Pass so anything about 1500 meters has new snow. Be at least a month before I start doing the Fire Lookout Tour I have in mind at least. Hoping to hit at least 4 of the lookouts this summer starting with one above Beaver Valley.

Some info on Dualsport BC about some of the amazing fire lookouts you can ride to.  

http://www.dualsportbc.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=3679&forum_id=56

[gordsboyroy]

Here's some more BC info for you guys who do it both ways...

7th Annual Dead Zone Dual-Sport Motorcycle Ride
May 3, 2009: for immediate release - The premier annual dual-sport motorcycle event in British Columbia is named after a series of challenging trails in the Onion Lake Riding Area west of Spences Bridge.  We anticipate almost 200 participants on the first Saturday of July, who will enjoy a day ride through the spectacular ‘Gold Country’ region.

The Dead Zone event will be based out of the village of Spences Bridge, British Columbia.  This is on Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon, less than 4 hours north of Vancouver and the US border.

Pre-Registration by June 16, 2009 will be strictly enforced.

DualSportBC is a web-based motorcycle club with more than 2,000 members; the majority of whom are BC residents. Dual-sport or ‘adventure’ motorcycles differ from traditional dirt-bikes in that they are ridden by licensed operators, insured and licensed for use on public roads.  So with appropriate tires and preparation, a dual-sport motorcyclist is not limited to riding his/her bike on asphalt, and is able to explore the fabulous back-country of our province.

DualSportBC promotes safe, legal and low-impact use of trails and forest roads, in harmony with ranchers, loggers, mountain bikers, horseback riders, hikers and other motorized trail users.

Please visit www.DualSportBC.com  to learn more about this event and our other activities; ultimately we hope that you and your customers will ‘Come for a Ride with Us’.

[ZED]

Wow.  200 people basing out of Spence's Bridge.  That'll swamp the tiny little dot.

[bubba zanetti]

Time, weather and circumstance did allow a wee ride today. I did head up the old rail bed along the west side of arrow lake. I was turned back by ... well, you will see. It is a great little ride up and along the lake. Today, numerous trucks with ramps were parked around the beginning of the trail. Quads. Lots of quads. Some were still unloading. I don't mind following quads, but I hate riding against them and today would be no exception. Idiots with no helmet or gear doing well over 80kmh on a narrow piece of gravel. I hit lots of tree branches missing two. IF, I was another quad, we would have hit both times. Sigh ... no wonder they want to close these trails to powered vehicles.  Okay ... rant off.

The day was lovely, about 15c and I dressed down a bit.

Looking back down the lake.



A quick stop at the wonderfully placed picnic table ...



Whatever could flow water is ...



Snow?  Yes ... in the north facing areas. Mushy, about 10 inches deep it is not the KLR's favourite. A



A few trees were down and for the first time I actually just hammered across. It works.

Soon though it would be impossible to go on. Not snow, but ice. As I entered the Bulldog tunnel ( over 1000 meters long ) I stopped. Ice everywhere and water cascading from the walls. I parked and walked in to find ice about 10 inches thick and a nice stalagmite of ice from the winter. No, I did not go further as even walking was challenging.



Blue ice ! That baby is taller than me !!



On the way back I took a road that runs off of the railbed and heads north and I know comes out on the Paulson. Great ride, bumpy, lumpy and no match for this boy, great tires and Moab skills !! But alas too much snow ...

Still about 115 km on the might panzer and I loved it.

Chatted with a fellow on the railbed. He has the contract to prune and maintain it. He is about 75 and his name is Horace. He and I chatted about riding to Renata etc. He did it last year on his Quad !!   I will scout that out in the next few weeks.

Anyhoo ... my day ...

Go Canucks.

[ToadRide]

I'm comin out to see those tunnels, Bubba. Got my TKCs on now and what a difference off road!

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Explore well so that you can show me around!

[bubba zanetti]

Explore well so that you can show me around!

Always a pleasure riding with you.  

[bubba zanetti]

Its bad enough that there were lots of deer on the roads yesterday ... but then they flip ya off and razz you as you ride by ..

[CDN]

Its bad enough that there were lots of deer on the roads yesterday ... but then they flip ya off and razz you as you ride by ..

Perhaps not so much a flip off...seeing you in those Dainese it might be wanting to show you a good time  

[bubba zanetti]

Heading here tomorrow for some riding and camping. Will post some pics when I get back  

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Where will you camp?

[bubba zanetti]

Where will you camp?

There is a lake on top that is a possibility if there is not too much snow or we may get a motel in Penticton and drink beer Friday to help Dr. Zorko man up to getting married the next weekend ... and camp along the KVR somewhere on Saturday as we head back.

Web cam at the same elevation very close by at Apex

http://www.apexresort.com/media/media_webcam.php

[bubba zanetti]

Dr. Zorko and I did the Nickleplate to Green Mountain Rd,  Summerland-Princeton Rd and Ashnola River Rd to Cathedral Park this past weekend. Here are some pics. I will do a ride report in the Dirt section with more photos later this week.

Motorcycle camping and ST.N WAS there ..



The Similkameen


The Nickleplate


How green was my KLR?


Taking a break on a hot day


Action shot


French Mine



Summerland-Princeton Rd



Heading to Ashnola


Ashnola River


Narrow Canyons


River in full flood



Had a great weekend riding. Must have, I am pooped this morning !!  

[ToadRide]

Thanks, Bubba. You've just mapped out part of my route to your house.

[bubba zanetti]

Thanks, Bubba. You've just mapped out part of my route to your house.

If, you mean the Summerland-Princeton Rd you cannot go wrong. What an amazing ride. The paved section on the Prnceton side is about 30 km of beautiful twisties, lakes and lovely scenery.    A real gem of a road. If, they paved it all, I think it would easily be DH-1 IMHO.  

The rest of the road is hard packed, with dust treatment. Not exactly adventure riding... but fast and fun.

[Mrs. DantesDame]

   very nice!

[bubba zanetti]

ARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGH   .... no ride report I just crashed and lost it ... feck ....

damn ... piss ... I cannot believe I did not save it.  

I do have the title page though. Well, the draft anyway ... excuse the spelling ...